#lambda still my no 1

[ekkonus]

Lamb Kitty 2.0

[certitudinis]

[batboyblog]

I'm seeing a worrying amount of idiots on tumblr dot com push that "Kamala hates trans women" and I am losing my mind at how they are pushing it, constantly, saying she is a proven transmisogynist, despite it being a complete lie and her actively working behind the scenes to help trans women in prison. Is there like, sources that could help debunk this shit because I'm at my wits end as these people scream and cry and vomit trying to get biden to drop out but then are like "eghhhh still don't wanna vote for a transphobic cop..." when she's NEITHER-

Isn't the internet wonderful? first rule NEVER examine your priors! ALWAYS! hang onto whatever the first hot take you had on a subject to THE DEATH!

"Kamala is Transphobic!" over here in reality

past that trans and LGBT rights groups have been quick to endorse her like

Advocates for Trans Equality

Human Rights Campaign

just today 1,100 LGBT celebrities, lawmakers and leaders endorsed her

“The intersection on the issue of reproductive care and trans care, and the ability of families to be able to have care for their children and their families, is really, again, an intersection around attacks that are on an identity,” -Vice-President Harris, 2023

any ways the root of the idea she's transphobic comes from one case in 2015. Two inmates in the California State Prison system sued to get GRS, which as inmates would have been covered by the Prison system. It's worth noting here, both women got what they wanted, one was paroled and got the surgery covered by California Medicare while the other serving a life sentence was ultimately covered by the prison system.

Two things are important to bear in mind here, 1. Part of the job of California Attorneys General is to defend the state when it is sued, thats the job, 2. It seems early on in the case Harris was not personally aware of it, about 1,000 lawyers work in the Cali AG's office and so the AG cannot be personally aware of every case, and check this quote from the Lambda Legal lawyer handling the case:

“The California AG’s office shifted its handling of these cases significantly after now-Sen. Harris took over,” Renn said. “Initially there was language in briefing for the state that glaringly misunderstood the medical necessity of transition-related medical care and was patently offensive. But then, there was a dramatic change, which seems to have gone along with important policy shifts.”

Link

in 2019 Harris talked about the case and working after it was settled to change the policy of the California State Prison system

"When that case came up, I had clients, and one of them was the California Department of Corrections. It was their policy. When I learned about what they were doing, behind the scenes, I got them to change the policy," Harris said.

"I commit to you that always in these systems there are going to be these things that these agencies do. And I will commit myself, as I always have, to dealing with it," Harris said.

Any ways Harris can consistently spoken out for and supported Trans people, banned the hateful Trans panic defense when she was AG, in the Senate supported the Equality Act, during her 2020 campaign for President she drew attention to the hate crimes against black trans women while holding herself accountable for the 2015 case. As Vice-President she drew fire voicing support for Dylan Mulvaney during the hellish Bud Light backlash. Her Husband Doug was tapped to host the first ever White House Trans Day of Remembrance

basically you're looking at a great ally who clearly supports trans rights, who was involved in a case, which involved two people who got the surgeries they were looking for paid for by the State of California, close to 10 years ago now, there's evidence that both she moved the case in a better direction when she took over it and also that she changed the polices of the state to before more gender affirming.

[ralibo14]

TPN Brainrots part 1:

Another TPN manga panel redraw, but this time everyone goes down with me (because it's sad).

Also part one of my 'wonderful' tpn theories and head canons. It'll be long��. There will be manga spoilers so please, read at your own risk😊.

First character I go through is... Ray.

He is one of the most complicated characters I ever saw (all tpn characters are, tbh). I always thought that people who have photographic memory are so lucky. Ray showed me that it's both a blessing and the curse.

Like in the picture above. You can clearly see that the first 2 kid waving at his direction. It's strange to know that there was a time when the Trio were one of the young kids and not the older ones. My first head canon is that Ray tried to save more kids, not just Emma and Norman when he was younger. When the blond haired boy leaves (first panel) he looks like he is about to cry (also the Trio is around 4 or 6) but when the other kids get 'adopted' Ray keeps his head low most of the frames (I'm convinced that when the second kid left he was already working as Isabella's spy.)

Ray coloration explained:

Purple eyes are self explanatory to me. I started draw him with purple eyes as soon as I found out he is Isabella's son. Purple in the hair and freckles? Well... I'm still very, very convinced that Leslie didn't die (at least not when he left the House). I always think about his situation, like what Norman got into with Lambda. The Ratri-clan is big but they need outsiders, to be soldiers, scientists, etc. And since girls from the Houses can only become Sisters and Moms... maybe some boys can become scientists and soldiers. (I can't believe I'm writing this but think about Andrew🤢... he was 100% not Ratri yet he could become an adult). So by this logic I believe Leslie could grow up too and (because I'm a sucker for happiness) he met Isabella again at some point.

Ray turning away:

On the second frame he is not looking at the girl who is leaving, but to the opposite direction. Why? Notice something else? Yes, Norman is missing too. Gilda has her winter jumper on so I figure Norman got sick again. Ray priorities his friends safety over everything else.

Also notice how Emma and Norman slowly get into the middle of the frame while Mom/Isabella get out of it? Pretty strong metaphor. It's the perfect example of 'Blood related family ≠ real family'. And while I'm a RayEmma shipper (obviously aged up version) I would never forget about Norman. He is as important to Ray as Emma. This Trio sticks together no matter what.

(older manga colouring ⬇️)

Now onto the hearth breaking stuff:

Ray's relationship with Isabella:

This deleted scene with Ray and Ayshe lives rent free in my head. Like there are two people with similar family situations and the one who lived int the middle of nowhere with a demon parent thinks positively about their parent, while the other, who grew up in a comfortable home like space with a human parent, thinks the opposite.

"But to me, she was always a monster"– Ray.

Like ufff... This sentence hits real hard. And it's low-key true from Ray perspective. He studied and read all the books in the House, not because he was interested, but because he had to. Norman is a genius, Emma learns real fast, Ray does everything he can to always get max points on his tests. But he also secretly planning his friends excape. Collects scraps of technology to build the device which makes them able to excape, plans his own 💀 carefully, so no one else will get hurt and on a top of that he is 'spying' for Isabella. Sacrifices people he wanted to protect. I can't imagine that inside panic when he didn't get max scores to that one test. I'm sure he was happy because Norman and Emma got their regular scores, but deep down he felt like he failed.

My head canon here is that Ray always gets nightmares if he is alone or in an unsafe place. And 'thanks' to his perfect memory his nightmares build up from actual memories (like we see that in the Seven Wall Arc). Also he doesn't get sick often but when he does... it's like a memory fuelled fever dream, with hallucinations and etc.

Ray's healing journey starts after the Jailbreak Arc. As soon as Mom is not around anymore, he ever so slowly starts to let down his guard and starts to show more and more emotions. His relationship with Yuugo/Mister is like a greatest archivment in his case. The playful, sarcastic 'arguments' and the way he openly said his opinion on things in front of Yuugo and Lucas. Shows how much he changed and opened up.

Isabella on the other hand... her change of heart and feelings were a mistery almost to the very end. To be honest I hated her most of the time, until the Back to Grace Field Arc. (Older manga colouring again⬇️😅)

Two things in this page which are very important.

1: Ray's guard is up again in no time, when he sees Isabella, while her emotionless mask is cracking. This is the first time we get a little inside of how she really feels about Ray.

2: Flashback of the two most important things that connects them. The song and the way they were forced to sacrifice others to stay alive.

The lullaby is very important, because it's calming and feels very intimate (like a normal parent-child relationship should be).

You also can't convince me otherwise that Ray didn't hummed this lullaby at least once in the B06-32 shelter to help the youngest kids fall asleep.

And now... onto the last picture. Their goodbye.

Saddest part ever! Never forgiving for this decision.

Ray and Isabella were never allowed to talk even two short sentences with each other without any consequences. In the House they had to play their assigned roles. Then they didn't see each other for almost 2 years. Finally they had to save half of the team from getting unalived... And they moment they would have time the last twist happens... leaving us with a sad ending.

Epilogue and Human World Arc...does little to compensate. Although I can't get over the fact that Yuugo's, Conny's and Isabella's 'ghosts' helped Ray found Emma in the Human World.

Speaking of finding Emma. My last head canon for Ray is the following;

When they found out that Emma lost all of her memories from the Demon World. Ray couldn't help himself but whisper a "I wish this happened to me". And everyone looks at him with an understanding smile thinking he blames himself for this... But in reality he really just selfishly thought (only for seconds) that he could forget everything happened on the other side.

Okay. That's all. Sorry for the supper long post and I'm forever thankful if you read through my brainrots 🥰😘. Also let me know if I should cover more characters like this. I'll obviously do Emma and Norman but if there any other characters you want to see please let me know🥰🤩💖.

[anjelicawrites]

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x reader x Osferth and all the combinations thereof.

Synopsis: the lovely anon requested OG!Poly either prompt #1 or #8 from this prompt list. I went with #8 and for a University!AU because why not?

Warnings: a dash of angst with a happy ending, kissing, edging, biting, fingering, oral (f receiving), discussion of limits, a bit of demeaning language, p in v sex, anal, titty sucking.

A/N: your request is finally here nonnie! Sorry for the long wait!

NSFW and 18+ only please!

“Spread your legs baby, that’s it… Wider.”

Aemond’s voice is husky in your ears, Osferth’s big hands help you open your legs more, until he can hook them behind his, baring you to your other lover’s burning eye.

This is not how you expected to end your night but it’s definitively a better way than what you’d imagined.

When you started uni, you never expected to find yourself in a three way relationship by the third year, and not with Osferth, the sweetest member of the Tau Lambda Ki fraternity, and Aemond, the brother of the head of the other fraternity, The Beacon.

You three had all the reasons to keep your relationship under wraps, but you never expected Aemond and Osferth to disappear from your life right around graduation. You never hoped whatever you three shared to survive university, but that they would drop you without a word, and Aemond… You don’t want to go there, you don’t want to think about the sweet moments you three had shared, and the filthy ones, and the movies you three watched together, and the songs and…

You abruptly stand up before you start crying and ruin your make up, the chair falling behind you in the haste of your movements,: those two imbeciles don’t want to be in your life anymore? Well, you feel sorry for them! You look so cute in your summer dress and you three could have a last encore, before leaving university: their loss! You’re going to the party all the fraternities have organized and have all the fun you can get, and if you’re hooking up with someone? Even better!

You can feel the thump of the bass in your blood an in your head, it beats with every breath you take and cancels the pain stabbing you when you see all the happy couples kissing around you; not that you, Osferth and Aemond could even think about pulling a stunt like that, but…

Cursing you stomp towards the bar, hellbent in getting drunk; on your way there you see Osferth’s friends in the distance and longing stabs you again. Angry you slam the money on the counter and drink the vodka down in one gulp, the alcohol burning you throat, the peachy taste lost.

You drown two more shots before throwing yourself in the sea of bodies again, swaying following the people around you, skin on skin your body moves around the dance floor, with your eyes closed you don’t see where you’re landing, the alcohol muddling your desire to care.

You feel yourself becoming one with the people around you, their heartbeats yours, your sweat mixing with theirs, their skin brushing on yours as you glide through the crowd, the flash of the strobe lights painting galaxies under your closed eyelids.

You feel hands on your hips, warm and big they glide over the cotton of your dress and you push yourself against the foreign person touching you, your ass moving against their front as you feel them hugging you from behind to pull you backwards some more, until you two are hidden from everyone else.

“Finally found you!” Osferth’s voice is still soft in your ear, even when he has to fight the blast of music deafening all of you. “I’ve missed you, my sweet.”

You tense up immediately and turn around to face him; he’s standing with a big smile on his face, his hands still on your hips.

“You must be kidding me!” You growl, swatting his hands away.

“Why? What happened?”

Without even thinking, you slap the kicked puppy expression off his face and storm away, his voice calling after you.

In a whirlwind you run outside, barely missing a couple of waiters and their trays. You don’t even say you’re sorry, pain and rage blind you, so are the tears welling up in your eyes; you’re not sure if someone has seen you, and you don’t care, you yell at the girl working at the cloakroom to give you back your jeans jacket and start running towards your dorm as soon as she manages.

You realize how stupid you have been when you can hear no sounds around you and see how dark the night is, moonless, the road barely illuminated by the sparse street lights.

The club is in the former manufacturing part of town; while most of the firms have moved away from the area, the buildings are almost all boarded up and closed, giving the neighborhood a creepy atmosphere. You are positive no one is around, but can you be sure, with all the overgrown vegetation where the parking lots used to be? Are small animals causing the sounds you hear around yourself?

Anxious you tighten the lapels of your jacket closed over the neckline of your dress, walking faster when you start to hear footfalls behind you: turning back is not an option anymore and there’s no shuttle bus working on this road. You curse under your breath and start walking faster, curling the strap of your bag around your hand to use it as a weapon as you try to book an Uber: you need to get to the main road, where people are and you can be seen!

The footfalls sound closer to you, dangerously so, and you break into a run when you start seeing the shapes of cars in the distance: you need to get there, it’s not too far away, not too far…

A hand curls around your free wrist and pulls you backwards, out of fear you use the momentum to swing your bag to your assailant's head, screaming like a mad banshee you keep hitting and hitting, until someone else tries to grab your swinging arm and you kick them in the shin, teeth snapping like a rabid dog.

“It’s us! Are you out of your mind???”

“Aemond? Osferth?”

You walk a couple of steps backwards, eyes leveling the two men who are staring at you with their hands raised in front of their chests; you must have hit Aemond, his usually perfect hair is mussed, the eye patch askew on his face.

“What were you two thinking?” You’re screaming with adrenaline and fear still coursing through your veins.

“Why were you running? We couldn’t keep up!” Aemond bites back, angry and hurt.

“I’m all alone in a bloody back road and I head footsteps! What was I supposed to do?” You march until you are face to face with him. “And why do you care now?”

Aemond and Osferth share a perplexed glance and then stare at you owlishly; if you weren’t that angry you’d laugh in their faces.

“We always care?” Osferth approaches you cautiously with his hands still raised.

“Do you?” You whip your head around and Osferth steps back, scared and confused. “You two disappeared on me! Barely responded to my texts. And you Aemond, I know what you’re doing with your professor!”

“You’re jumping to the wrong conclusion.” Aemond answers coldly, his back straightening unintentionally. “You should get a grip on yourself.”

For a second you are too surprised to say anything, to move, even: how dares he?

Your hand connects with his scarred cheek before you can even realize what you’re doing, the only sound you can hear is Osferth’s surprised yelp.

“Go fuck yourself Aemond, better, go fuck your professor. I thought you were better than that!”

You turn around, you feel the tears threatening to fall again and you’re never going to let them see how much it hurts; Osferth’s hand grabs your wrist before you can walk away form them.

“Aemond is acting like an idiot…”

“Hey!”

“… but he would never do that to you, to us.”

“Let me go, now!” Your voice trembles and it’s so hard not to cry.

“Let us explain, sweet beloved.”

“There’s nothing else to say. You two have moved on, I would have appreciated the head’s up.” You sob.

“You’re such an idiot. Sometimes I wonder why I have fallen in love with you.”

Aemond’s words freeze you on the spot: love? When did any of you talked about love?

“You know how hard it is to switch law schools so late in the year?” Aemond adds, trying to keep his own rage under control.

You turn around to look into his eye: now you’re the one confused.

“The reason why we haven’t been able to be more present is that we have been trying to switch to the uni where you’re going to do your teacher training.” Osferth tells you, gently.

“No, wait, what?” You can feel the gears in your brain halt to a stop.

“Alys, Professor Rivers, was helping me with switching law schools and Osferth has managed to get a place in a different Theology School than the one he applied for earlier this year. All to be with you!”

You feel your knees buckle and it’s all thanks to Osferth’s hold on you that you don’t fall on your ass.

“Why didn’t you two tell me?”

“We couldn’t risk getting your hopes up, not without being sure.” Osferth gently cups your cheek.

You let your face fall against Osferth’s chest, shaking with all the violent emotions that have been plaguing you for days and he hugs you tight with one hand, with the other he grabs Aemond so that he can hold you from behind, effectively sandwiching you between them.

“Why are you crying?” Aemond asks against your hair, aren’t you supposed to be happy?

You don’t answer immediately, your brain is still frozen up, all the information hitting your overworked gears: coming with you? Changing schools?

“You said you love me!”

You can feel Osferth’s chest rumble with a laugh he can barely control, behind you Aemond huffs.

“We always had, sweet beloved.” Osferth murmurs against your hair.

“You never expressed it! With words!”

“Did you need us to?” Aemond asks behind you, surprised.

You manage to evade their gentle hold to stare into their surprised faces: for being two guys in your age group, they are pretty smart and make you forget that they are still men, therefore they need to be told to do things, even expressing their feelings.

“Yes, Aemond. How do you expect me to infer that?”

Aemond’s brows knit at your question: wasn’t it implied to all your interactions?

“Why did you think we were with you?” Osferth looks even more perplexed than Aemond is.

“The great sex? We had loads of that.”

“We spent time together, gevie, why would I waste my time watching those awful horror movies, if not because I am in love with you?”

“Because we fucked afterwards. We always did, after any sort of activity we did together. I thought it was the endgame here.”

And it hurt. If you are being honest with yourself, all your couplings with them had been great, the best you ever had, but left you with a sour taste in your mouth when you had started to develop unwanted feelings you believed were unreciprocated. How were you supposed to know? Aemond is intense, but never expresses his feelings outward and Osferth… Osferth goes around a lot: under the cute smile he’s insatiable and very good in bed, he's probably slept with all the sorority members on campus, and some of the fraternity guys as well (you don’t know he’s stopped after the fist time he’s gotten a taste of you). Based on all of this, why would anyone think those two idiots are in love?

“Perhaps we had some communication issues.”

You bark a laugh at that: Osferth wants to become a pastor and being able to communicate is kinda big in that line of work, you have always thought, and he can’t even let you know how he feels about you.

“What’s so funny? I wasn’t joking!”

“I’ll tell you later, Osferth.” You answer.

“What about you? Why didn’t you say it out loud?” Aemond asks, so aggravated you can’t help but laugh again.

“First, what makes you think I am reciprocating your feelings?”

You see the panic under the mask of coldness Aemond always wears: you love when you manage to make him shake in his boots.

“Second, to then see you run away? You don’t say ‘I love you’ to the guys you think are in just for a booty call, you dummy!”

For a second you are afraid he’s going to faint himself, if you have to go by the way his body visibly relaxes, then his pride wins and he grabs you by your arms, forcing you to stumble against him.

“You’re going to pay for that.” The darkness in his voice makes your knees weak.

“And there I thought you were the one who likes it when I get the upper hand.” You growl back, your hands managing to grab his long hair to pull on them.

“Now, now, now.” Osferth hugs you from behind. “Shall we move this somewhere more private?”

“Do you two deserve it? After the stunt you two pulled?” You love fucking with his brain as well.

“We might have planned this wrong…” Aemond starts.

“You did, I wanted to be clear from the get go!”

“Whatever, Osferth. We thought it was a good plan…”

“What he’s trying to say is: we fucked up, please let us make this up to, please?”

You don’t answer immediately, you love that it’s them now marinating into uncertainty.

“And how do you plan do reach your goal?”

Aemond hums, the vibration from his chest travels pleasantly through your body.

“Let us show you once we are somewhere less… open.” He answers.

“You can do better than that, Aemond.”

Purposely you slide up his long body, making sure that your breasts are pushing against the expensive cotton of his shirt; the pupil of his eye devours your movements and you can feel his cock harden against you.

“Bookshop date, on my card.”

“Interesting, but you can do better.”

Osferth snickers behind you, he knows what you're after.

“Sushi at that super expensive place, afterwards.”

“And…?”

Aemond uhms, his eye focused on the cleavage pushing out of the low neckline of your dress.

“Then he drives you somewhere nice and secluded to ravish you on the hood of his car.” Osferth says.

“What? No! Leave Vhagar out of this!”

“Aren’t you tired of standing at the side of the road?”

“Don't think you can get off the hook so easily, mister!” You tell Osferth. “And keep your hands off my tits!”

Osferth’s hands stop their ascent up your ribcage and he makes a sad sound behind you.

“What are you offering?” You ask him.

“I’ll do the packing for you. All your books.”

“Only that?”

Osferth puts his chin on your shoulder, you can imagine how much like a kicked puppy he looks now.

“I’ll wear the vibrating cock ring at the next Mass.” He concedes.

“See, it wasn't that hard.” You turn your head and kiss his cheek. “What about you Aemond? Do we have a deal?”

Aemond's eye falls on Osferth's hands, now cupping your soft breasts: he knows he's gonna fold, but he wishes he’d driven a better bargain.

“You don't hop on Vhagar’s hood with your heels on and I choose the place we go.”

“Fair enough.” You say with a smile. “Let's go home.”

Home is actually Aemond's flat. Like the good old money baby that he is, he doesn't have to live in a dorm or a fraternity, like you and Osferth; having a safe space like that helped you three keep the relationship hidden. You three have christened every surface and furniture, yet getting there makes your heart do somersaults every time.

You don't mind not driving shotgun, when you notice how eager Osferth is to open the passenger door for you; the car is old and sleek but, as all sports cars, doesn't have that much space in the back, for this reason you don't expect Osferth to follow you there and lay on you to start kissing you ferociously, his whole weight keeping you flat on the expensive leather, his hips grounding against the cotton of your panties, the short skirt of your dress bunched around your hips.

“I’m going to have your arse for that!” Comes from the general area of the driving seat.

“Please Aemond, don’t threaten me with the promise of a good time.” Osferth’s voice is muffled by your breasts but the moan he exhales can be heard perfectly.

Aemond doubles down on the gas, smoothly the car rumbles under your body, the vibrations adding to the pleasure of Osferth’s lips sucking on your nipple: you’ve missed his hunger for your body and his need to drive you mad, as much as you did his filthy moans of absolute pleasure at your taste.

“Out!” Aemond barks the second he’s parked Vhagar in the garage of the exclusive building he’s living in.

During the ride up to the highest floor you three have to play it nice, keeping your hands for yourselves, not wanting your effusions to be taped by security; when the door closes behind you three, you know you have nowhere to hide.

Fueled by all the pent up sexual frustration of the past few weeks, and the little show in Vhagar’s back seat, Aemond grabs the hem of your cute dress to roughly pull it off you, his hands go to your ass to pull you up, your legs falling around his trim waist as he kisses you, possessive and hungry, teeth nibbling at your lower lip, cock already hard against the wet patch on your panties.

Aemond throws you on his big bed, his eye focused on the cute matching lingerie set you’re wearing.

“You wanted to get laid.” He growls. “You went to the stupid party to hook up.”

“So what? You two ignored me for so long. I have needs.” You answer, opening your legs for them.

“You naughty little thing.” Osferth’s bare front connects with Aemond’s clothed back. “I think some punishment is in order.”

“Yes, yes it is.” He says, hunger dripping from every word.

You arch your back and slip your fingers under your panties with a long moan: you’re drenched and your clit is puffy already.

“Tell us.” Osferth murmurs in your ear when he sits behind you. “Did you touch yourself?”

“I did. Ah!” You whine when his bigger fingers start teasing your wet hole.

“Did you imagine us?”

“Like hell! I used anyone else but you two! I was angry!”

This earns you a harsh squeeze of your clit and Osferth’s promise to thoroughly punish your cunt when you two are alone.

“Let’s count your offenses.” Aemond’s voice is so low you can barely heard him. “Slapped Osferth then me, pulled that little stunt after our confession… What else? Ah, yes: you were ready to get laid without us and didn’t play with yourself thinking about us.”

“I was angry!” You try to retort.

“That’s the only reason why I am only going to edge you five times and not more: just one for every transgression you did.” Aemond says, calmly.

Before you can say anything, Osferth stops you.

“Do you truly want to risk adding to that? Because I have ideas.”

Oh, the smirk in his voice! You’ll make him pay as soon as possible, for the moment you elect to frown.

“I don’t think this cunt deserves any attention, but I’ve missed your taste too much.” Aemond growls with his hands on your knees, pushing your knees apart to the point where you feel your tendons pull, Osferth’s knees keeping you in position as Aemond darkly murmurs against your clothed pussy.

Aemond’s hands are big on your hips, his fingers grabbing at your skin possessively, least you forget to whom you belong to; he mouths at your clothed center, the friction of the wet cotton on your oversensitive clit and his quick tongue make you arch and whine, seeking the pleasure he so carelessly gives you, only to remove his face with a dirty laugh, when pleasure crests, only to stop abruptly.

You know better than complain, but you can’t help frustrated sound that escapes your lips.

“Thank him, sweet beloved. He’s doing this for you, for your character.” Osferth murmurs in your ear, hotly, his hands under the cups of your bra. “It opens on the front?” He adds, surprised.

“If we hadn’t already decided on five, that would have warranted at least another two missed orgasms, for parading around like a cheap whore ready for the taking.”

Aemond rarely demeans you, but when he does, it stings; if Osferth waren’t pinning you open like a butterfly, you’d curl into yourself, ashamed.

Aemond seems to pick on your feelings and gently kisses your forehead to then drag his lips down your nose and your eyes.

“Shh, gevie, shh. I know you are our good girl, shh. Do you want to show us how good you can be?”

“Yes.” You murmur with your face hidden against the side of Aemond’s neck.

“Are you going to take your punishment and thank Aemond like a good girl?” Osferth soothes you.

“I will. Just…” You hesitate. “Please don’t be mean? I can’t take it, not tonight?”

You put up a brave front, but after weeks of miscommunication you can’t deal with harshness: a wrong word and you’ll start crying. Your boys press you immediately in a tight hug, Osferth from behind, Aemond diving between your splayed legs, until your breathing slows down.

“Are you feeling better? We can stop if you want.” Aemond tells you.

Osferth voices the same feeling: he’s happy to torment you until you can’t physically take it anymore, but not to the expenses of your happiness.

“I want to go on. I want to be your good girl, please?”

“Anything you want, gevie, anything.”

With gentle kisses Aemond’s lips travel up your leg, until he can bury his nose in your drenched cunt and breathe you in: he’s missed you smell and taste, those past few weeks pure hell for him. With a wicked grin he helps you out of your panties and throws them in the general direction of the floor.

“What do you say: when we move together, you’re going to wear no underwear. We’re going to need full access all the time.” Osferth murmurs in your ear.

“Your cunt seems to like the idea.” Aemond says when you clench around nothing.

“Only if I get free access to you two. Turnabout is only fair, ah!”

“You can always have free access to us.” Aemond says with a smile, index finger gently caressing your bud. “Now, let me see how wet you can get.”

Osferth’s hands squeeze your breasts gently, feeling the softness of the skin, his fingers playing with your nipples as Aemond’s long digits explore your depths and curl to find your G spot, massaging it firmly, eye on your face, on your mouth opened to let out harsh breaths and moans. When his thumb finds your clit, it’s almost impossible for you to reign in your orgasm, the pleasure white hot burns your nerves and you have to bite on Osferth’s shoulder to keep a tight rein on your control.

A desperate groan and a whimper-y “Thank you” salute your second missed peak. You whine when Aemond starts sucking on your breasts, as Osferth gently caresses your thighs, helping you to calm down, before his fingers spread your lips again.

They play with your body like a fine tuned instrument. Their hands and mouths bring you up and up, only to curb your pleasure cruelly; you arch under their ministrations, sweat rolling down your skin, slick pouring out of your hole obscenely with every near miss.

By the third almost orgasm you abandon yourself against Osferth; with your eyes closed you’re simply putty in their hands, your body a bundle of nerves responding only to their combined wills: you’ll come when they’ll let you, their praises all you need to feel fulfilled.

“You are our best girl.” Osferth tells you sweetly once they’re finished with you.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to continue tormenting you? Go on all night?” Aemond asks with a wicked smirk on his face.

“Please.” You sound broken and miserable. “Please I need you two so much! No more teasing!”

“Shh my love. There’s no need to cry. Shh, anything you want.” Osferth says, squeezing you as tight as he can.

Your breath is still ragged when they lay you on the bed; they caress your skin with gentle strokes and leave small kisses on your face and neck until you laugh and squirm under them.

Osferth’s body covers yours, his warmth safe, the smell of his hair familiar in your nose as he nuzzles your neck; he moans when Aemond pours lube on his hole before start scissoring him gently, while you grind against Osferth’s erection as he tries to move, sandwiched as he is between your wet cunt and Aemond’s curious fingers: he can barely grind follow your movements.

Osferth’s long back arches, he trembles when Aemond’s fingers start touching his prostate lightly, not wanting to let him come too soon: Osferth is so precious when he’s letting go of his control, to just feel the love and desire you and Aemond have towards him.

Your teeth nibble the soft skin of Osferth’s long neck, those small hiccup moans he makes drive you mad: he’s so defenseless and needy, his orgasm so close his hips stutter against yours and he tries to beg when Aemond’s fingers fuck his arse with intent, hard and fast against his tight ring of muscles, making it almost impossible to reign his orgasm in: he wants to come inside of you, but it’s almost too much!

Osferth’s eyes are scrunched closed, his teeth bite his lower lip savagely in the vain attempt to keep a sliver of control against the dual assault: your cunt so wet and inviting, Aemond’s fingers that reach so deep inside of him he’s going mad with pleasure.

He tries to beg, to desperately form the words of his pleasure, all he can manage are those small whines that make your cunt clench and Aemond’s cock swell.

With a firm hand you grab Osferth’s short mop of hair; his lips are bitten raw and there’s tears at the sides of his closed eyes.

“Do you want my cunt? Do you want Aemond to fuck you raw?” You growl, your own need besting your thinning patience. “Say it out loud, I want to hear it!”

You can see the physical strain talking his for Osferth: the way his eyes are glossy with need, how his body contorts with desperation when Aemond starts scissoring again with deep, slow motions and all Osferth can do is open is mouth and babble and moan.

“That will not do, beloved: let me hear you out loud.” Aemond says with a smirk on his face, his fingers stopping their slow movements, just to see how Osferth's body trembles with frustration.

“Please…” He tries. “Fuck… oh God! Me please!”

“With pleasure.” Aemond growls.

Osferth’s body trembles so much that you have to slide a hand between your bodies to grab his erection and help him sink inside of you with a filthy moan; only when he’s bottomed out with a groan, Aemond starts breaching him gently, pouring too much lube on his cock to make sure he’s not harming Osferth, who is moaning and keening as his hips try to push back to follow Aemond’s movements.

The sound Aemond makes when he’s breached Osferth fully is beyond pornographic, carrying the promise of more pleasure; his hands are manacles on the other man’s hips and you don’t even try to suppress your own moans, full as you are, blocked under their combined weights you can’t even try to move, you can only bear the brunt of Aemond’s pushes and pulls, Osferth’s cock fucking against your G spot slowly, sensually, as he begs, his body trembling with the need to move and fuck you to his leisure.

He’s made to follow Aemond’s gentle rhythm inside of himself, those deep pushes that make him keen and beg for more, the same way you’re doing, your cunt massaging him tightly, with filthy, wet sounds that make Osferth shiver with need.

With trembling hands you manage to grab Aemond’s hips to push him fully inside of Osferth and still their movements; they both groan and moan with pleasure.

“Fuck yourself on Aemond’s cock.” You murmur against Osferth’s parted lips. “Show me how much you missed me.”

The desperation on Osferth’s face is clear, he’s holding on shards of control like a drowning man when he sees your lips around his small cross; to move between you two is pleasure and pain, is drowning inside of you and split himself open on Aemond’s raging erection, is to feel all the nerves of his body scream as his mind blanks and blanks and he’s reduced to a mindless animal who just wants pleasure, wants your cunt to strangle his cock and his prostate bullied, until Aemond has to grab his hips again to help him move, to fuck him fast and hard, using him to get the three of you off after weeks without a mere touch: this knowledge shatters Osferth’s fragile sense of self and he comes with a long scream of pleasure, his hips kicking brutally in Aemond’s hold, forcing you over the precipice, your whole body curling to envelope your two lovers, Osferth’s arse a vice so tight Aemond loses control as well and comes, copious, like he hasn’t in weeks.

You three are a trembling mess on the bed, hands searching and caressing, lips kissing all the available skin as your bodies come down from the high, all three having missed each other’s taste and proximity.

“Silly, silly boys. What were you two thinking?” you pant.

“Nothing smart.” Osferth replies, his brain barely managing to string words together.

“About keeping you safe and happy.” Aemond adds.

“Promise me you’ll never pull a stunt like that ever again?”

You can feel their eyes on your body, the desire they still have for you, and for one another.

“Never.” They say at the same time, before sealing their promise with a deep three way kiss that leaves you dizzy.

You three shuffle around the bed until you are between them, loopy with pleasure and happiness, your body slowly recuperating before another round.

You’re not sure who has turned the telly on, not that it matters when you are safe in your lovers’s embrace and finally know what’s the name of the feeling binding you three together: love.

Poly taglist : @fan-goddess, @notyour-valentine, @aegonx

[fullscoreshenanigans]

I wanted to ask: what are your favorite norayemma fanfics? 👀👉👈

Ooo we will be here for a bit I love promoting fics that resonated with me so deeply and continue to shape my interpretation of the series (check out my TPN Fanfic tag for snippets to longer commentary in general), though I have yet to properly comment on some of them on AO3.

Beginning with one of the realest author's notes from @hylialeia:

Can you believe they invented OT3s 🖤🧡🤍

☆ This unnamed piece set during the timeskip by @p-s-geeks:

There is a flower in your pocket. It’s wild and medicinal. You’re familiar with it. You remember white bedsheets, a pleading whine, two pairs of hands embracing you, and the flower on your forehead, working more wonders that it was biologically capable of (it wasn’t the flower, you know). The flower currently in your pocket is probably in a worse state, has probably shriveled up and wilted after hours of being plucked. It weighs lighter than a feather but feels heavier than diamonds. […] You unearth the flower from your pocket. Ray deserves to see this. Deserves to relive memories with you. And you kind of need him to. Right now, he’s the only one who’s been through thick and thin with you in majority of these trials and tribulations. He’s the only one who can look at it the way you look at it. […] “It’s alright” Ray says, pressing himself closer to you. You hold onto him like he’s the last lifeline on a sinking boat. “It’s alright. You’re not alone. You never were alone” You sleep listening to her gentle words in his gentle voice and it’s the deepest sleep you’ve gotten in a long time. (You wake up to a beautiful orange sunrise. To limbs tangled around yours. To soft snores. To groaning and complaining about morning coming too early during summers. And the hole in your heart subdues itself. It doesn’t disappear, doesn’t stop panging, but you still smile in remembrance and hope.)

How all the little things build and build until they become so deafening, and how so much solace is able to be found in those small‚ tender exchanges on one quiet night, with Ray echoing simple yet loving words he learned from her so long ago that became etched into his being after Grace Field not only by her but through the actions‚ big and small‚ of their family as well (because family is so very integral to each of them). How at first orange is such a painful reminder and how it ends on a most radiant sunrise that's the true embodiment of Emma, giving them both the strength to continue onward.

☆ Everything in banana_slug_army's library. Too much to cite in one post, but here's her tag on here and me talking about the only kind of jealously I enjoy between them:

(I do subscribe to the headcanon of Norman having a pang of jealousy over how much time RE got to spend together before their reunion in the Paradise Hideout with how he tends to navigate extremes at that age, but it’s of a very specific variety. Seeing how close the Grace Field escapees have become during their near two years out in demon world and how that shared trauma brought them together could be a mixed bag for him, with the aching reminder that he wasn’t there with them, didn’t share those memories with them after a lifetime of being together, and the initial flare of jealously turns into shame over thinking it in the first place when 1) he’s mad at not being able to have been there with them‚ not at them, 2) how selfish it is to still want that when they already went through his death once and now will have to go through that a second time, and 3) he spent so long isolated and effectively helpless in his immediate circumstances while at Lambda and suffered for no justifiable reason that it manifests in a festering internal rage, which heartbreakingly can never be given a satisfactory answer…so basically banana_slug_army’s Interwoven lol)

☆ Everything in @salsae's TPN library. Again too much to cite but here's her tag on the blog, me gushing about (so what am I defending now?) aka the quintessential Norray-focused REN fic exploring NR's relationship nine months into the search for Emma, and me gushing about her canon-divergent REN wedding fic, to have and to hold (fanart here). I am constantly citing this snippet of defending and thinking about the flashback and dream sequences Shirai went back and added to the volume release of chapter 181.

☆ Speaking of wedding fics, @carnivorouswillgraham's w.a.m.s. gushing can be found here. Also the post that inspired the fic with my silly edit.

The softness she regards them with, almost proto-shoujo bubbles. 🖤🫧🧡🫧🤍 Norman, adorably, hesitating because he’s still grappling with latent feelings he can’t even begin to articulate about his friends, but at the forefront of them is how he unquestionably gravitates to them and is attune to all their little nuances. Ray, heartbreakingly, hesitating because he’s grappling with the reality he’s beginning to comprehend and the crushing acceptance that he can’t save all his siblings as things stand now, and after already narrowing it down to just Emma and Norman, being faced with the question of if he could honestly live with himself if he chose one to save over the other. The conclusion he comes to further bolsters his resolve to confront Isabella in just a few short weeks, and foreshadows the devastation of Norman’s shipment after a lifetime of realization and meticulous planning. Really like the quiet magnitude of this both for Emma and Norman’s blissful unawareness of the farm system’s horrors conceived for them and ofc from the future romantic perspective as being the core foundational tenant of REN. 🖤🧡🤍

☆ Last of the wedding-related fics but honeynpeaches' Between Your Fingers, Between the Lines also has the first portion of Ray's chapter dedicated to it so I'll use that as a segue (gushing found here). The third chapter exploring Emma's inner monologues throughout the course of the series remains unpublished, but the Norman and Ray chapters can be read as self-contained fics. Highly recommend it and frequently to go back to reread when I need to reground myself in their character foundations.

So many little nuances and call backs, profoundly beautiful.

Additional citation of snippets in this post and this post, as well as this post for Ray angst fic recommendations.

There are so many amazing passages in here, but the "[o]ften, those eyes are blue" line absolutely fucking wrecks me every time. How the cadence of that brevity lands on such a simple fact that now evokes so much sorrow when he used to have such warm and positive associations with those eyes. Windows to the soul and everything that made Norman Norman and what he loved about him.

And then the often referenced celestial symbolism of him as the stars of the trio (to Emma's sun and Norman's moon), but a less romanticized, more viscerally horrifying perspective on it.

☆ As the Crow Flies by Goldfish_Writes I've talked about in more depth here. I'm not very big on full genre AUs, with my usual thoughts being "I consider the characters' personalities inherently shaped by the narrative itself. If you remove them from those circumstances they cease to be the same characters anymore, and I grew attached to them in part because of the circumstances they found themselves in; I got attached to this story." I'm also not very big soulmate AUs as they seem to miss more than they hit for me. But I am a big fan of REN, and I'm interested in seeing where this fantasy story goes.

The pre-established Noremma is absolutely delightful. Another thing thing I've mentioned before is my dislike of Norman being extremely uncharacteristically nebbish or aggressively confident and suave when pursuing relationships that' works in tandem's usually packaged with Emma becoming bizarrely demure. Again, I understand the appeal of stock scenarios, but it's not something I enjoy reading for them. I adore when they reach this level of knowing, playful banter with an underlying thrum of challenge, bred of familiarity at which boundaries can be teasingly skirted and which are low blows and off-limits, and founded on them being equals (after both of them, to different degrees, placed each other on pedestals).

☆ home by 81194, featuring a classic scenario of Ray, a dumbass, trying so so hard to lie to himself about his feelings for NE and failing spectacularly throughout a series of snippets before the two take matters into their own hands.

i think emma wouldn’t have been so spontaneous if she hadn’t been sure of how everything would go. things always go her way when she’s involved, after all… i love her sm.

Very much in agreement on Emma's respectful tenacity and ambition on these matters lol

☆ A Relatively Brief Reflection on Cognitive Dissonance by ribbontype is a wonderful character study of Norman up to the trio's reunion in chapter 121 executed through exquisite, deft prose, allowing one to easily luxuriate in its flow and imagery.

The way they make him whole and reaffirm his resolve to damn destiny itself. <3

☆ Tethered by SuddenWhispers is a beautifully written fic beginning during the human world arc and continuing past canon as the cast navigate what living truly means in the human world, along with what Emma regaining her memories could mean for the new promise.

Also some Ray and Barbara and Cislo interactions with the latter two acting as mentor figures to the former encouraging him on one of his weaker fronts of advocating for his wants, hello??

☆ the ambiguity of belonging by Kiss_Kiss is another post-canon fic that's smaller in scope but no less rewarding of a read with its quiet and desperate moments of vulnerability between the trio reaffirming how much they mean to each other.

Also not only is the handwave of Lambda sickness done away with for Norman, but it also touches upon what the difficulties of losing one's ear entails for Emma, something I rarely if ever see.

☆ Finally, hoping you're someone i used to know by @hylialeia

A post-canon fic delivered in gorgeous lyrical cadence. Such loving attention is paid to sentence composition that the words aren't merely a means to an end, but a reflection of a deep appreciation for both these characters and the craft itself, the weight of them meant to be lingered over and savored. Always a treat when you can find a fic like this in a fandom.

[transactinides]

Lis please give me your lecture about sociosexual hierarchy i want to know what you know about bullshit incel stuff

YAYYY YIPPIEE YAYYY

first of all, have a scheme i made myself a while back to put everything I've gotten from hashtag Authentic Incel Blogs and YouTube Channels into a more coherent format. Rather than putting them all into one pyramid, i think it's more accurate to present alpha/beta/omega vertical separately from the other designations. This vertical is the basis of sociosexual hierarchy (hence also the part of it most people have heard about it) and it follows a very clear "chain of command" so to speak. Long text under the cut

Alpha males stand at the top, representing the ideal standard of masculinity. Alphas fight between each other over whos the better hashtag Role Model and are very competitive in general. Betas are a rank below, following the standard set by Alphas/looking up to them. Omegas fail to follow the standards set by Alphas and therefore resent them while still believing in the standart/the idea of dominant toxic masculinity alphas represent. There's a LOT of bioessentialism in the incel movement, so Omegas sort of are in a weird position where they simultaneously yearn to reach that masculine standard but also live with the grim acceptance that nothing in their lives could be changed ever and they will stay outcasts <- majority of incels are Omegas in their self imposed hierarchy thats their whole thing.

Less of an established vertical and more of an analogue connection I've made myself is the Sigma/Gamma thing. Those two types of guys are united by the fact that they ignore the masculine standard/social norms as they are directed at men. Sigmas are often presented as like "lone wolf" guys, who don't care about fighting for dominance with Alphas or being the standard etc etc, but they are still at the top of the hierarchy due to being cool like that. Gammas ignore the masculine standard all the same, but due to not being cool like that fall to the level of social rejection similar to Omegas. Incels (who are again, mostly Omegas) consider most "nice guys", "simps" and "white knights" Gammas, hate them a lot too and claim that most people who identify as Sigmas are actually just Gammas who lack self awareness.

Deltas are literally just normies. Your average person. Deltas don't know anything about the sociosexual hierarchy beyond the funny memes mentioning alphas on Tiktok. Oh how I wish to be one of them...

Zeta and Lambda males are a bit of a special case. In my scheme I grouped them together because I really didn't feel like bothering with explaining the whole deal beyond "both of them exist somewhere on the outside" but essentially. Zeta males also reject the "social" norms and exist outside of the hierarchy, with strong leaning towards the Man Hoing Their Own Way movement. Lambda males who fucking knows what their deal is. I have seen people claim they have their own separate hierarchy and are somewhat related to the pickup artists type, but "lambda males" are also a troll type of guy people made up to make fun of the sociosexual hierarchy so finding any info thay is 1) from the inside; 2) not trolling; 3) not some recently even more made up "lambdas are creative and sensitive ones💫" because. incels Would Not Say That; is very hard. I included them just for the sake of it but it's a bit dubious tbh.

Now let's discuss telling apart some closely related types of guys.

Sigma, Alpha or Zeta? Alphas naturally follow the standard of masculinity and represent it, Sigmas naturally and instinctively reject it, Zetas actively and purposefully reject it.

Beta or Delta? If you know what a Delta is, you are not one.

Omega or Gamma? Omegas try and fail at performing masculinity "correctly", Gammas don't try and naturally reject it (akin to Sigmas).

[codeapprentice]

Back to going forward!

Hello to all of the wonderful people reading this, and a hello to future me!

I'm back I think! I had a few days where i couldn't get started, and to be honest my last few progress updates were exaggerated, I couldn't get myself to study, and when I did, I would just read a sentence or two and walk away.

But today, I managed to ACTUALLY progress a bit. It was still difficult to start, but when I did, time just flew by (after posting this I'm going straight to bed).

I've been taking my time learning this, because I really want to grasp all of the concepts, and I would say it's going pretty well! (even though the concepts aren't that difficult yet lol)

Lambda expressions blew my mind honestly, if I was any better with words I would write multiple paragraphs here about how happy I am that after learning how to program from the beginning but never getting any further than the basics far too many times to count, to finally get to a concept that I didn't know anything about before.

Since today's study session was longer than usual, I drank 2 teas in bigger-than-average mugs, 1 mint and 1 apple & cinnamon, and 1 coffee in a normal sized mug. I don't think I've said it before, but I'm pretty sure it's easy to guess that I love hot beverages. :)

Also, I'll try to post 1-3 times a week, since daily posts would get old quick. I'll still do my best to study daily tho!

Thanks for reading! cya! :D

[burins]

as promised the separate comics/graphic novels roundup for 2023! this is a normal post until May when I realized I could (as a graphic novel librarian) become an Eisner voter and read 54 comics in a month (and then slightly less so in August when the Harveys came up.) below a cut because it's heinously long. I'll include my little write-ups and some panels right after my faves

JANUARY

Superman: Reign of the Supermen by Dan Jurgens and others

Under the Red Hood by Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke

I read this January second. Begin as you mean to go on! For all its flaws (Dick's Squidward face) the emotional arc of this story puts me right into the pit about Jason Todd.

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest (ongoing) by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, and Travis Moore

First off Dan Mora draws everyone like the most beautiful people in the world, which never hurts to look at. But also this is just a really fun comic! The action is fun the characters are very sweet and we get an honest to god Superbat gem fusion

Young Justice (1998) by Peter David and Todd Nauck

MY CHILDREN! I was finishing up my Tim readthrough and was so delighted to meet Kon and Cassie and Bart and Cissie and Anita (I still don't care for Lobo.) Nauck's art is cartoony in a way that fits the comic really well.

Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day by Judd Winick and Ale Garza

Red Robin by Christopher Yost, Fabian Nicieza, Ramón Bachs, and Marcus To

THEEEEE ARC for Tim. Everyone says read Red Robin. Yes read Red Robin but also understand this is him at his worst and most scrungly. This is not normal Tim. This is Tim's failgirl era.

MARCH

You and a Bike and a Road by Eleanor Davis

Beautiful little memoir comic about biking across the US, and also about borders and travel and isolation/togetherness.

Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, and Bjarne Hansen

I love this comic. Tim Sale draws Clark like the biggest, softest person you've ever seen, and Bjarne Hansen's colors are so gentle. (if you remember the rock metaphor from mission parameters, it's inspired by this scene from Book 1: Spring)

APRIL

Superman: Lost by Christopher Priest and Carlos Parlaguyan (ongoing)

This series cuts right to the horror of being Superman and also the horror of being Lois Lane SO deftly. a few plot points I don't love but overall God it makes me miserable

Birds of Maine by Michael Deforge

A delightful, dreamy collection of comics about birds living in a utopian society on the moon. The art is weird, the story is weird, everything about it is lovely.

MAY

Divinity v1-2 by Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine

The City of Belgium by Brecht Evans

This is not a perfect graphic novel but the stuff it does with art and page and rhythm is so so phenomenal.

Lights, Planets, People! by Lizzy Stewart and Molly Naylor

Killadelphia v1-3 by Rodney Barnes, Jason Shawn Alexander, and Christopher Mitten

The Department of Truth v1-4 by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds

This is a book about conspiracy theories and it is DEEPLY unsettling. Martin Simmonds' art makes me legitimately queasy to look at. Really really good but also it did send me into a little spiral for a bit.

Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely (Mat Lopes' colors also deserve a shoutout)

This book made me cry! Also I have yet to read another Kara comic because this one was so good and I'm afraid the others won't be. She's sharp and angry in all the best ways and also deeply deeply caring and good. Capes meets space fantasy at its best. I would die for Ruthye

Nightwing (2016) v1-2 by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo

Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler by Tom King and Mitch Gerads

She-Hulk (2022) v1-2 by Rainbow Rowell, Luca Maresca, Rogê Antônio, and Takeshi Miyazawa

Superman: Space Age by Mike Russell and Michael Allred

Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld

Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball by Jon Chad

Down to the Bone: A Leukemia Story by Catherine Pioli

So Much for Love: How I Survived a Toxic Relationship by Sophie Lambda

Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure by Lewis Hancox 

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez and Danica Brine

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith

Animal Castle v1 by Xavier Dorison and Felix Delep

Bungleton Green and the Mystic Commandos by Jay Jackson

Rain by Joe Hill and Zoe Thorogood

Flung Out of Space: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith by Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer

Masterclass in writing a biopic that doesn't shy away from its subject's being kind of a wretched person while also producing art that is deeply meaningful to many, many people.

Tiki: A Very Ruff Year by David Azencot and Fred Leclerc

Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly, adapted by Brad Ricca and Courtney Sieh

Ultrasound by Conor Stechschulte

Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes, The Graphic Album (various)

A Visit to Moscow by Rabbi Rafael Grossman, adapted by Anna Olswanger and Yevgenia Nayberg

Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Shuna’s Journey by Hayao Miyazaki

Come Over Come Over by Lynda Barry

It’s So Magic by Lynda Barry

Macanudo: Welcome to Elsewhere by Liniers

My Perfect Life by Lynda Barry

What a lovely collection of comics. Barry captures being a teen in all its mess and glory.

Always Never by Jordi Lafebre

The Pass by Espé

Mary Jane and Black Cat Beyond

Moon Knight: Black, White and Blood by Jed Mackay and Carlos Villa

The Nice House on the Lake v1-2 by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno (Jordie Bellaire colors)

I know Tynion can do horror, but he really really can do horror. This is like Glass Onion meets the worst nightmare you've ever had, and the way it unfolds is masterful. Martínez Bueno's art is dreamy and unsettling, especially combined with Bellaire who colors like she's painting oil slicks.

A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo

The Human Target v1-2 by Tom King and Greg Smallwood

Booster Gold (1986) by Dan Jurgens

Booster my friend Booster. I really didn't expect this to be as FUN as it is! There are occasional storylines that drag but overall a delight.

Heartstopper v2-4 by Alice Oseman

Killer Queens by David Booher and Claudia Balboni

I Hate This Place v1 by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin

I really need to read v2 because this was so fun. Queer backwoods horror, sarcastic, delightful, and never heavy-handed. I read this right after Killer Queens, which read like someone fed a bunch of Drag Race episodes and 2012 tumblr posts into a comics generator, and Heartstopper, which was so blandly unobjectionable I actually forgot I'd read it, so I Hate This Place felt refreshing as hell. (actually while looking up screencaps I remember why I didn't read v2 which is that v1 has a LOT of gore and body horror and I gotta be careful with that stuff. however if you like a slasher go forth)

It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood

Gut punch on every page. Thorogood's art is weird and wild. It does feel a bit as though she's opened up her ribs for us to peruse.

Chivalry by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

Sensory: Life on the Spectrum (various)

Cryptid Club by Sarah Andersen

Public Domain v1 by Chip Zdarsky

Love Everlasting v1 by Tom King and Elsa Charretier

Mazebook by Jeff Lemire

A twisting fable about grief and the paths it takes you down. A lot of the Eisner noms had dead wives or daughters which I began to resent, but I gave this a pass because it was really, really beautiful.

Days of Sand by Aimee DeJongh

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Everyone has told you it's good! oh it's good. Beaton's style, which I associate more with her humor work, at first feels somewhat at war with the subject matter, but it ended up really working for me.

Talk to My Back by Yamada Murasaki

This was one of my favorite books of the whole year. Beautiful meditation on the compromises of marriage and motherhood in beautiful, sparse drawings that lingered with me long after I'd finished reading.

Crushing by Sophie Burrows

JUNE

Do a Powerbomb by Daniel Warren Johnson

Do you like wrestling? I don't really care about it, but I do love weird wacky stories about grief and trying to fight your way through the afterlife to get your mom back. Both hilarious and poignant. The art is as bombastic as it needs to be.

The Night Eaters v1 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Liu and Takeda are back! This time with some horror about a pair of siblings and their fucked up parents. Great stuff.

Ripple Effects by Jordan Hart and Bruno Chiroleu

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross

Superman: Up in the Sky by Tom King and Andy Kubert

Oh the Clark Kent of it all. the panel where Clark is calling home from alien customs because he has flown to the ends of the universe for one little girl is really what got me in this one

Superman: American Alien by Max Landis and various artists

JULY

Superman Red and Blue (anthology)

This is a whole lot of writers and a whole lot of artists and all of them are excellent. Once again the Clark Kent emotion is happening to me.

Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu

Superman (2011) v5-6 by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder

Superman: Warworld by Philip Kennedy Johnson and various artists

AUGUST

Justice League International by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire

Booster my friend Booster is here and also so are all of my other new friends. I loved the initial run (though it has its weak spots) but then I had to slog through a lot of very bad later stuff.

Blue and Gold by Dan Jurgens and Ryan Sook

New Teen Titans (various Brother Blood issues) by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Acting Class by Nick Drnaso

Follow Me Down: A Reckless Book by Ed Brubaker

Girl Juice by Benji Nate

Little Monsters v1 by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

Who Will Make the Pancakes by Megan Kelso

Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani

Goodbye, Eri by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Spy x Family v1-2 by Tatsuya Endo

Alice on the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War by Gaspard Talmasse

Ashes by Álvaro Ortiz

The Extraordinary Part: Book One: Orsay’s Hands by Florent Ruppert and Jérôme Mulot

The art and story here are simply so fabulous. A better world is possible and sometimes you have to take direct action to make it!

SEPTEMBER

Batman RIP by Grant Morrison and Tony S. Daniel

Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham

OCTOBER

Batman and Robin (2011) by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

I've talked about this one before but I think it is truly one of my favorite depictions of Bruce as father in all the ways he succeeds and all the ways he fails. John Kalisz's luminous colors also deserve a shoutout.

Batman: Failsafe and Gotham War by literally everyone currently working in DC but especially Zdarsky

DECEMBER

Birds of Prey (1999) by Chuck Dixon and then Gail Simone and a number of other people (this continued into November and December)

This made the worms in my brain wriggle so bad that I wrote a whole yuri zine piece about Dinah and Babs, coming to a PDF (or physical copy!) near you soon!

Dungeon Meshi v1-11 by Ryoko Kui

Is it romantic to devour and be devoured in turn? Ryoko Kui sure thinks so. I was hungry the whole time I was making these my bedtime reading.

When I Arrived at the Castle by Emily Carroll

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Emily Carroll is among the best to ever do it. This collection of stories is her at her unsettling best.

Batgirl (2000) v1-3 by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott

thanks to Mssrs Puckett and Scott I am now fully unhinged about Cass Cain and her quest for immolation. the art in this is so stylized but so well-done, especially given how little text is in much of the series. when the paneling hits it HITS.

and that's everything I read this year!! god there was a lot of it. I liked a lot of the stuff I didn't bold, but also I hated some of it. please feel free to talk to me about any of it!!!

Bruce Wayne Murderer/Fugitive by everyone working at DC in 2002

When a good crossover storyline works, it really really works. I love to see Bruce completely blow up his life because he doesn't see any point in existing outside the cowl anymore. Even more do I love to see the fallout from this on everyone who loves him! delight delight delight.

[kohakhearts]

As be 1 26 21 !

(all good, i figured you meant asbel!!) thank you nel!!!!<3

1: why do you like or dislike this character?

surface level answer? he's just cute. good design, a healthy dose of stupid idiot, sunshiney optimist with a side of wet kitten behaviour once in a while. what's NOT to like tbh. but honestly i didn't expect to come out of the game with him as my fave at all so i've had to seriously interrogate why this happened and i guess it comes down to his whole "i need to protect everyone" thing, and tangentially something i really enjoy about his dynamic with sophie is how she constantly (unintentionally tbf!) pokes at his insecurity by saying she's going to protect him (and then of course actually doing that). i enjoy a repressive, arguably self-destructive trait wrapped up in the illusion of being healthy and admirable, and even more so when the reason he's so fixated on it the first place is TraumaTM :p

21: if you’re a fic writer and have written for this character, what’s your favorite thing to do when you’re writing for this character? what’s something you don’t like?

fundamentally my niche as a fic writer is like...taking scraps of angst and turning them up to 100, lmao. i am very interested in poking and prodding at his insecurities until even his oblivious ass realizes they're a) there to begin with and b) problematic for him. something i don't like...idk! is there anything about him to dislike?? he's perfect as he is (whether my characterization is or not is a different story LOL but still)

26: what’s something the character has done you can’t get over? be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

tbh everything about the end of the main arc is so good to me. asbel yoloing and absorbing lambda was easily his best scene. actually everything about his relationship with lambda tbh. i kind of love how in the f arc the rest of the party is waffling about trusting lambda for obvious reasons but for asbel he never even like...had to forgive lambda for all the things he did because at a certain point he just. didn't even blame him for it lmao. he literally said lambda has never done anything wrong in his life and this was somehow an effective therapy technique for lambda. they just don't do power of friendship like that anymore tbh

character ask game!

[whenthechickencry]

Umineko EP8. Replay Part 3

Bernkastel figuring out that "Lambdadelta's plan" is bullshit was slowed down by the fact she had no friends.

EVA uses her magic to clear the sea of kitties from the room with the key, giving Ange and Battler a chance. EVA leaves letters with a red string to guide Ange, and Ange remarks that they can be trusted because they were written by someone who was always at her side... Narration remarks how Ange would get hurt a lot by the cat box being opened towards all, but the goats couldn't care less... Everyone's fighting to the best of their strength, with no mistakes and - Goddamnit Gohda.

Erika finds out the truth and everyone tries to murder her immediately, Beatrice tells her to fuck off. Meanwhile, Bernkastel finds out the trick and forces attacks on Battler's group. Ange decides that even a 1% chance to live is a chance worth taking, I am so happy to see how she has changed her view. Lambdadelta makes herself lose to rock paper scissors, deciding to certainly not be a spectator and go with them for the happy ending.

They are using the power of 3d to have basic candy models explode during this ending, btw. And whales. It's really cute how much their love and friendship is remarked over and over. Even when blowing each other up no one can argue the fact they love each other.

We cut to the fight for the Golden Land again here, Then back to Ange and Battler. Ange feels about going back alone, and then Battler tells her that she must fight and we get this interaction....

It makes me very happy every time the game remarks how Ange has grown. Anyways, Bern eats Lambda and Lambda explodes inside of her.

Oh huh.... now that I think about it those ep2 scenes with Shannon and Kanon certainly were interesting in that they established Shannon and Kanon as real people people outside Rokkenjima can perceive.

All the talk about how people's recollections of you can give way to half-truths that don't match up to the fullness of that person is making me think about how the way people close to me have died and how the way people remember them has hurt me and others in my life, it's definitely, won't go into detail too much but this scene's giving me a lot to think about.

Erika calls Rosa a serial cheater which is.... never the vibe I got from her remotely? I don't think there's much to say about her relationship with Maria's dad, but everything afterward gave off the vibes of not being in a committed enough relationship for "cheating" to be a thing. Aaaah, I feel really bad for Erika in spite of everything now...

Erika and Beatrice get into a final duel, Beatrice saying they have already won because Ange is already choosing to live in the future. We cut back to Battler and Ange, Featherine arrives and Lambdadelta starts freaking out.

The moment where Lambda attacks still feels really cool even on reread. I actually like it way more on reread now that I saw how Lambdadelta was such an ally the entire time....

Featherine simply writes that Lambdadelta is already dead, though, and Lambda can't even understand what happened... Lambdadelta calls her a monster.

I... honestly forgot the punch for a second myself. Was shocked at the same time Featherine was. Bernkastel "remembering what pain is" and these lines really do kind of demystify Bernkastel and make it pretty obvious how she's a bitter person who hates Beatrice and co for human reaons, I think.

Bernkastel is also the main character in some game board, so this is her lashing out against herself as well. And the complete abandonment of Featherine is a little sad to think from her perspective.

Bernkastel pulls the red truth that no one will come back to her towards Ange again, Battler dies in front of Ange, but even if Ange still struggles at seeing this, it's not like she hasn't gone through this song and dance a couple times now... she won't let the red truth destroy her miracle.

The tacit inclusion here of Beatrice as part of her family makes me so happy I want to cry.

Ange's eagle fucking explodes the whale oh my god, Bernkastel then just keeps throwing red truths at Ange that definitely won't work anymore. Bernkastel is turned into a kitty. Featherine reveals Lambda is safe in the audience seat.

Ange goes on to make her choice in front of the 2 golden doors...

Ange assures everyone that this isn't goodbye... not because they will always be with her, but because she still believes in them coming back to her. After making her choice, and being given the doll by Kinzo, Ange is back at the top of the skyscraper and she makes the decision to step back. Ange has decided to live.

EVA and Battler close the door that leads into Ange's future, confident she can handle things on her own from now.

Erika has... mixed feelings about the events it seems. With how many insults she threw at Ange for wanting to kill herself I got the vibe she didn't want Ange to kill herself. Not like she'd be broken up about it either but I think her ideal ending was the trick ending, having someone who can understand what the truth did to her. She seems a a bit both impressed and displeased she can live with the truth while not turning into a bitter person. Battler cheers up by saying she isn't a witch at all, but the detective.

Hachijo takes away the Book of Single truth and chides them for disturbing the sleep of the dead with rumors, and takes the book herself. Life became a little easier for Ange as people are less willing to be goats.

We cut to Battler the scene of Battler and Beatrice in the same place where Kinzo and Beatrice met, Beatrice shows the motorboat to Battler and tells him to leave.

I am going to cry even though I remember this scene perfectly.... Sayo definitely does not consider her life worth living anymore. All the cousins except Battler are dead, and she blames herself for that. She already didn't consider her life worth living before everything happened but after seeing the state of Rokkenjima, man, I can't imagine her mental state, even if Battler probably eased her heart a little... Battler takes her off Rokenjima but it's just not that easy. She's playing strong for Battler's sake, too... putting up the Beatrice persona. But her heart is too wrecked by now and it's too late.

This scene is destroying me. I want her to reach the realization Ange did. I want her to be able to see the futures thtat I am sure she could have achieved.... but I know how this ends and every line destroys me more and more.

Beatrice tells Battler that she is an evil witch who can't keep living.

Battler and Beatrice and Battler fall down with the catbox, together, forever.

Ange thanks Okonogi for being the person to her that without love, the truth can't be seen. Okonogi was given in the Ushiromiya group so he's obviously pretty happy with the arrangement, and this also guarantees Ange's survival by making sure no one will be after her.... Ange reveals how she's going to in a journey and becoming an author so she can impart magic to other children.

Ange opens up her life as the last witch, ANGE BEATRICE.

[ekkonus]

Rooftop Lamb

[batbeato]

I feel like I just started coming on tumblr and dropping Serious Shit with a tinge of meta because it's often discussing fandom perceptions so

my Umineko episode ranking, entirely subjective, so that I have something normal on here. I'm pretty sure over the years it is still the least normal ranking ever but at least the structure/idea counts as normal I think

1: Dawn of the Golden Witch

Dawn has literally everything in it. Beabato. Shannon and Kanon focus (the duel). Erika being the most ever. Also the POV change as Battler shifts from a reader to an author and us needing to rely on other characters is hot. And the wedding scene. The wedding. EriBeato fighting...

2: Twilight of the Golden Witch

...Sometimes I question why Twilight is still so high up considering how badly it handles Erika's character and how clumsily over the top it is. Then I remember Ange's everything, boat scene, and Battler being the best big brother ever. And Yukari. And Tohya. Yeah.

3: End of the Golden Witch

Beatrice and Battler (meta) have such a good dynamic here as he so tenderly tries to understand her. It breaks my heart every time. Also Erika gets to be at her most 'detective' in End (in Dawn she acts much more like a witch and pulls dirty tricks) on top of Dlanor getting to show off a lot here. End also has the most explicit Dante references~ I think my main gripe with End is the gameboard. It's perfect for what it is - a game written without love by Lambda - but how piece Beato acts and how she acts towards Natsuhi is incredibly uncomfortable.

4: Turn of the Golden Witch

Both Sayo message bottles have a lot more horror-mystery with fantasy themes than the rest of the story, so they both hold a special place in my heart. Beatrice and Battler's back and forth dynamic is honestly at its best in Turn, where Battler respects her as an opponent and genuinely seems to enjoy some of the banter he has with her. And then Beatrice completely crushes him. The sexuality of it is So Much. I think what keeps Turn from top 3 for me is just the beginning pacing being slow - all of the top 3 are Chiru, which all have much faster paces in general than Question episodes.

5: Alliance of the Golden Witch

This episode has a lot of incredible moments - Ange's everything, Battler's sin, the entirety of the ending sequence - but a lot of the gameboard and meta ring a bit... hm. Hollow? In part this is because Beatrice has changed her tactics and given up on engaging meaningfully with Battler in their usual back and forth format, but Ange's entry into their dynamic also weakens things. Some of the moments with Kinzo are good, but in general there's such a focus on fantasy that the usual mystery is lost, and the lack of engaging Beatrice-Battler meta debate doesn't help.

6: Legend of the Golden Witch

Another Sayo message bottle with slow pacing. It's a feature, not a bug, and there's a lot packed into everything - Sayo is a very dense writer, I feel - but it can feel slow at times. Beatrice haunting the narrative is both a strength and a weakness: we don't get to see her at all, but it is an incredible way to begin the story. I also appreciate how Sayo goes out of her way to torment Natsuhi. I wonder if it is meant to parallel how Lambda writes it in EP5 - the indirect witch taunting Natsuhi in EP1 vs. the human culprit, the dead Lion, in EP5?

7: Banquet of the Golden Witch

I love Banquet. I also hate how Battler acts towards Beatrice a lot of the time, how they had to retcon things from Episode 2 or make us invent explanations for it (why Battler is fine with EP2 magic but freaks out in EP3), and how they had to handhold the reader using Virgilia. A lot of how I see Banquet is "local man takes issue with trauma survivor acting traumatized" and while Battler is relatable on a first read, when you know magic is often meant to represent personal fantasies/daydreams, how EP4 handles it is a million times more compassionate than how EP3 handles it. Beato is very cute this episode, though, which makes up for some of the horrors it makes me experience.

8: Requiem of the Golden Witch

I love Will and Lion but 90% of this episode is a terrible slog to read through on a reread, despite being the shortest episode (and yet somehow it has the longest manga). I do like some of the information it reveals (Shannon playing/growing up with the cousins, getting to see some baby Sayo) but it's like... The Umineko answer sheet. There isn't much to unpack in it. It's an answer sheet with a relatively thin veil of fantasy over it.

[caveofwanderers]

BLAZBLUE OC SQUAD, MY BELOVED! Alright, for the entire Maragi family; if they were given Arcade routes in any of the games... who would their story encounters be??? ((Big ask, so feel free to break up answer as needed ❤))

Considering I went on a tangent before w/ his Act 1, I'll start with the siblings' respective Act 1's, before getting to Act 2 +3 for them and Mason!

Act 1: Phantom of Labyrinth

Matt and Caliber's respective act 1's do start at stage 3 with them dueling each other. Both of them surmise that through phenomena intervention, they both were sent to the past with no idea when they were sent. After they spar, they both proceed to split up and get an idea of where they are/what they can do.

This is where their paths diverge, as Matt decides to pursue outliers that might not be connected to their background/heritage. Having run into Lambda. Lambda almost confuses him for Ragna (due to his Azure), but understandably is corrected. Before long, they're at a standstill. Kokonoe chimes in and asks Lambda what is even happening, before trying to question Matt (who she believes is his father Mason) for why he's attacking Lambda.

Amidst the confusion, Matt tries to ask where, or more accurately 'when' they are, but their conversation is interrupted when Tsubaki enters the scene. Matt offers to buy Lambda (and Kokonoe) time to escape as he holds off Tsubaki. Before long, as he's on the backfoot, Tsubaki's called away by urgent matters regarding Ragna.

Post-Stage 7 Scene Excerpt

"So what's your story, you said when when you asked where we were." "I'm... This is gonna be convoluted but, I'm from the future." "The future huh? Just stand back if this isn't your time, butterfly effect is still one hell of a bitch."

Kokonoe, believing this to be an effect of the Embryo, does buy Matt's story, offering some assistance but insisting he stand down to avoid re-writing the timeline.

Before the conversation continued, the signal dies as Matt's warped to Nine's domain. Deeming him and his sister both 'a light flung from the furthest future', and thus an unforeseen possibility in the grand scheme of things, before beckoning him to fight.

Afterwards, the fight's surprisingly still going. Matt wields an azure much different than the grimoire Ragna has, finding it curious. Matt scoffs, based on its origins compared to the true Azure Grimoire. Desiring nothing but the mere power to protect what is precious to him. Which leads to Nine's usual challenge of 'face Izanami for your wish'

As for Caliber's Act 1, after departing from her brother. Caliber decided to take the more straightforward 'fight hard and punch through every wall' approach. She's a headstrong one as her second encounter would lead to facing Rachel, who had taken notice of the unknown 'actors' upon the stage.

Caliber would take that as a compliment, before noting that if she knows her stuff, she could possibly help them find a way home, right? Of course, Rachel's none too shy to be herself about it, deeming it unwise for an observer to interfere in a future-dweller's affairs. Offering a battle in lieu of conversation.

However, Caliber is spotted by Naoto Kurogane, who believes it was a whole misunderstanding given he was dealing with trying to find Raquel. Rachel quickly disappears before answering any questions, and the two clash. Surprisingly, Naoto is on the backfoot as Caliber's able to claim the advantage.

Post-Stage 7 Cutscene Excerpt

"Wait, you're not from this world?" "And you're from the future?!" "...Honestly this was not what I expected today."

Caliber and Naoto surprisingly make fast friends of each other based on their respective circumstances before they depart. Though phenomena intervention has second thoughts as Caliber gets dragged to Nine's domain.

Caliber is the first of the Maragi trio to recognize Nine for who she is, which impresses the sage. But comments that flattery won't get her going without a fight.

Post-Stage 8 Excerpt

"My only desire is to fight not to defeat the strong, but defend the helpless. I'm not so bullheaded to let myself be consumed by that." "If that is your desire, then do as I told your brother, face Izanami before the day of reckoning."

The idea that Matt had fought her before Caliber was a surprise to the elder sibling. Opting to make a note to find him and discuss what they know.

[g1ngerbeer]

Hi! I'm curious about bad ending, can you please tell me about it?

hello anon. i'm VERY glad you asked. buckle up.

the link click bad ending (?) aka qiaoqiao's bizarre adventure is an au i made up in my head where cheng xiaoshi dies in the donghua timeline after season 2 but before qiao ling confronts lu guang about the time loop memories she got from li tianxi. this eventually leads to qiao ling diving (maybe) for reasons i will explain in this post.

themes and motifs that are important: time travel as a metaphor for grief (obviously), Implications, people figuring things out about other people whom they know very well because They Are Acting Differently And I Can Tell, and qiaoqiao + guangguang bestiesisms (OBVIOUSLY)

important contributions were provided by my friend lambda who does not have tumblr anymore. ok here's the ramble (under the cut because this is LONG ^__^)

so cheng xiaoshi is dead, and lu guang is out of photos and out of chances to go back in time (since the donghua timeline was his "last chance"). this means the only thing he can do is transfer both powers to qiao ling so she can try if she wants. yes with all the implications of that sentence. (in my mind he dies by stabbing himself with a knife because i am interested in that sort of sick poetic parallelism and i think lu guang would be too.)

he does this because i feel like after so many loops he is kind of an empty shell of the guy he used to be, and the only purpose he had left is to save cheng xiaoshi no matter what. now that he's completely unable to, he's convinced that there's no point to his continued existence. so he might as well make it so that qiao ling can try, if she wants. he tells her that what happens to him doesn't matter anymore, but, if she's willing, to please do her best to save cheng xiaoshi … by making sure he never meets lu guang.

yeah my current maybe-theory is that (maybe) the only way for cheng xiaoshi to live is if he never meets lu guang. and after many loops of changing things and failing, lu guang eventually comes to this conclusion as well. unfortunately for him, he is incapable of letting cheng xiaoshi go like that so this is the one thing he has never actually tried. but if qiao ling goes back, she can do this and it'll save cheng xiaoshi. probably. according to his research.

also unfortunately for lu guang, qiao ling 1) does not want to cut lu guang out of their lives and 2) DOES NOT WANT LU GUANG TO DIE. so i see a few options here:

qiao ling hell torment time loop until she runs out of photos too

qiao ling hell torment time loop until she manages to fix things YAY (?)

qiao ling decides not to hell torment time loop but now has to live in a world where both her best friends are dead.

qiao ling is able to stop lu guang from dying and now they both have to live in a world where cheng xiaoshi is dead (this is probably the healthiest option to me because i personally cannot see a way for number 2 to work out unless she actually tries the "stop lu guang from meeting cheng xiaoshi" thing)

qiao ling hell torment time loop until she decides enough is enough and ends up in option 3 or 4

for the rest of this post we're going to focus on option 5 because that's the most interesting one. and i'm reasonably certain that qiao ling would try diving in this situation, especially if it's initially just a few hours back to try to head lu guang off and it escalates from there. from this, we can branch out to: the good bad ending (all three of them live, option 2), the stages of grief ending (cheng xiaoshi still dies and qiao ling and lu guang have to learn to move on, options 2 or 4), or the bad bad ending (only qiao ling survives, a special case of option 2). sure

now the funny thing about qiao ling looping is that because of the way link click timeline rewriting works in my head, every time she loops she will be in the version of the universe with last-chance-final-loop lu guang aka donghua canon timeline, donghua canon lu guang. i hope that sentence made sense. the other funny thing is that last-chance-final-loop lu guang already knows he's going to transfer the abilities to qiao ling if cheng xiaoshi dies in this loop as well. and he knows qiao ling well enough to recognize when she's acting strangely! so tldr past lu guang figures out that qiao ling is diving every time. and now they can collaborate and compare notes and it's fun

see now that we have all the set-up out of the way, it's fun :] all sorts of things can happen in the time loop. i really like the dynamic of newbie time-looper lowkey freaking out all the time and -_- guy who's been living the same five years over and over several dozen times. and lu guang getting reset every time qiao ling loops is interesting to think about. also, i've been abstracting away the details of what happens in each qiao ling loop, but presumably they have to go through the whole plot again. which could be fun

ok enough of that back to the angst. so it essentially ends up as a battle between lu guang's infinite sunk cost fallacy and lack of non-cheng-xiaoshi reason to live versus qiao ling's desire for her friend (!!!!) to stop self-destructing. heightening this is the fact that she's seeing last-chance-final-loop lu guang over and over, with full knowledge of what drove him to this point and this level of desperation. this is why i like ending option 4 aka the stages of grief ending (full name "qiaoqiao and guangguang's adventure through the stages of grief") where they have to come to terms with cheng xiaoshi's death in a healthy manner.

yeah. sorry. in qiao ling we trust 🙏

final note! it's called "bad ending (?)" because it's unquestionably bad but it's also not really an ending for anyone except lu guang, and even then only if he succeeds. my point here is about having to live on and process grief probably. anyway it can be alternatively titled (or just subtitled) as "lu guang kills himself in front of qiao ling to change the trajectory of her life" and i think that's kind of beautiful

oh also. i don't actually think this will happen in the show because the point is that it kind of negates the li tianxi's memories plot point, and i really hope director li wouldn't do that to her like that. but it's fun to make stuff up :]

here's the posts i've tagged as bad ending (?) on my blog, if you're interested in that sort of thing. alright that's all i hope this was at least slightly entertaining to read ... !

[bossbutch]

umineko chapter 4 (2/2)

the fantasy action sequences have gotten significantly more tolerable because they've gotten significantly funnier. also i've gotten ahead of bryn's more detailed readalong!

the scene where Krauss is fighting a goat man and virgilia is comparing their Numerical Power Levels but there's all these arbitrary multipliers ( and goat's power level goes way down when he talks about his family and being a week away from retirement etc etc) is mwah chef's kiss

the Reveal of kasumi reading the definition of uu-uu in the grimoire is my favorite moment so far. god damn. eva-beatrice being all star wars emperor "let the hate flow through you" was also pretty funny.

so battler isn't asumu's son! and he learns this through his own red truth? which i think removes "perspective" from the red truth, right? because from his point of view he's her son, just like from beato's point of view shannon is nonhuman. whether he's kyrie's kid or there's a *third* wife i'm not sure. it'd be fucked up if it's a/nother beato.

so we end with a big blue vs red sequence where battler says what he thinks has happened, which lambda says is mostly wrong but is a good "check your theories" speed bump.

game 1: • stake deaths being shot and then staked after death seems guaranteed • yeah, no magic for The First Set of Murders • Eva and hideyoshi: killed by kanon, door locked through Device X. when 'he' "discovered" the bodies he had ample time to draw the circle • kanon faked 'his' death, so beato can't say in red it was homicide. then he killed the last 3 and natsuhi. beato says "i guarantee the identity of all unidentified corpses" but if he Wasn't a corpse that wouldn't apply. game 2: • "from the time maria received the key to when rosa unsealed it the next day it passed through no one's hands" = rosa took the key before we saw her taking it? though idk if she actually Killed the first six she was definitely involved • if kanon is A Beatrice then 'him' fighting her goons over jessica can metaphorically be kanon having trouble deciding whether to kill her or not. occam's razor says if there's no body and A Violent Kanon shows up later then fake kanon was real kanon game 3: • the only mystery i think Matters is who killed nanjo. he recognized the killer and begged for his life, maybe he knew what their plan was? but i don't know who did it. beato seems to imply that the killer took the identity of a dead person (other than kinzo, kanon, jessica, battler, or eva). • i guess "how did george leave the guest house" is worth solving but i haven't thought about it much game 4: • "all those present at the family conference acknowledge the presence of kinzo" yeah it's his house. his body is there. he's still metaphorically present and genji and shannon? and associates are carrying out his wishes if shannon and kanon aren't "real humans" it provides space for two Persons X but is also means the cousins can fall in love and make and break promises to objects/ideals/whatever. battler's direct narrative describes kanon as "a slender boy" who can manipulate a wheelbarrow so if kanon isn't present as a person (and not part of an existing member of the 18 or nothing) i'm calling bullshit battler's sin that beato wants an apology for was breaking his promise to come back for shannon. is episode 2 Suit Beato derived from shannon? every beato is derived from trauma, so her breaking the mirror is a metaphor for Some Other Traumatic Event magic metaphors: "beato prime", who was captured and abused by kanon and is almost certainly dead, had a child with him, beato 2. one of the two of them imagine magic genji (ronovo), magic kumasawa (virilia if she isn't beato 1) and gaap, for the same reason maria made sakutaro, To Cope. and the seven sisters and the bunnies are personified weapons. but what are lambda and bernie representing? they might just represent their goals ("battler denies beato/ finding the emotional truth" and "battler tries but is never successful because he lacks love" ) and either way beato doesn't get closure. i think beato will "win" but her real goal is not to kill everybody and take them to heaven but rather to get some catharsis from battler for what his family has done to her/ all the beatos. alternatively the other witches exist for no reason other than adding yuri