#like i'm actually angry

[marybeatriceofmodena]

I can't fucking believe yall were up Rings of Power's ass when HotD decided to have Our Lady of Sorrows of Westeros cause a civil war because she forgot her own trashbag of a son was named after Aegon the Conqueror and she took a dying man's rambling about some pretty fundamental history as him designating him as heir. Like, I'm supposed to think this lady is smart. What even.

And if any Alicent stans want to come for me I want you to seriously sit down. And think about how your fave is written. How she reacts to things. How she processes information. Like, this is someone who's been in court for 20+ years and still doesn't get the basics. I hate Philippa Gregory's books with a passion but Mary Boleyn was a smarter bitch than this. This is a writers' problem.

[lazylittledragon]

y'know every time i feel guilty about bothering someone by singing along when i'm listening to music, i just remember that i have to tolerate my dirtbag brother screaming at his ps5 for hours every day so listening to muffled off-key fall out boy is probably preferable

[nouverx]

It's funny how my Alastor art is like

"Baby boy baby!!"

".... Evil"

[amourningcrow]

My artbook just arrived and what do you mean they could have looked like this?? Who looked at these designs and thought: No wait, I have a better idea :)

WHO WAS IT?? COME HERE I JUST WANNA TALK

[rookamell]

Neve has to have some really big feelings about a Shadow Dragon Rook ending up with Lucanis, right? Like her home gets blighted (sort of because of Rook? I think she blames them at least partly it's only natural) and Rook saves a city that isn't hers. This after Neve thought she'd finally found someone to be there for her. They're on the same job, Varric trusted them, they're both Shadows (Shadows stick together, except on this) and then Rook doesn't show. And that's bad enough, but then a few weeks later (or days, depending on your timeline hc) Feelings start to happen. And we all make jokes about Neve noticing it first but of course she does and like... what does she feel about that? She's the one who suggested the Crows. Is she like, thinking she signed Minrathous's death warrant? Is she angry all over again because (regardless of actual motivations at the time) it looks like Rook dropped her and Docktown and the other Shadows for an attractive guy? That they'd just met? And coupled with (however much I think it has no long term basis) the fact that Neve can end up with Lucanis so there's obviously some initial attraction there at least from her side (she calls him attractive in the Ossuary). Like I think she's kind-hearted and smart enough to eventually listen to Rook's actual explanation esp if they do end up helping her with Aelia/Minrathous and if Lucanis helps in Minrathous with people/supplies but those first couple of longing glances must have felt like knives in her back. And I honestly don't know whether she'd go to Treviso for the wedding.

[swordsandflowercrowns]

charlie bushnell the actor that you ARE. the pain and resentment and horror on his face throughout that scene. his hesitation when he was about to kill percy. the simultaneous regret and determination. the fact that he hated annabeth seeing who he had become but like charlie said in an interview, is willing to do anything. luke is supposed to be an empathetic character. the way he narrated "look, I know you didn't want to be a halfblood" at the beginning of the episode paralleling percy, showing us just how easy it would have been for percy to end up like luke. both percy and the audience are supposed to understand exactly where luke is coming from, to empathise deeply with his disappointment in the gods and the desperation that resulted from it. and my god did charlie bushnell achieve that

[titfairy]

[moghedien]

love that I can front a post with a long ass disclaimer that I'm not justifying anything or telling anyone they're wrong or trying to change anyone's mind and also not engage in any of the discourse going on around it otherwise and I still get blocked and accused of weird shit because I did an analysis of the scene

[humandisorderincarnatedean]

SCREAM just saw someone say that castiel deciding to protect Kelly and her future angel baby in s12 was their favourite turn in his story, because it was 'the first time he made a choice out of himself, without being blinded by heaven or by the winchesters' morals' SCREAM

[pleaseremembertoforgetme]

i finally installed my digitizing tablet's driver and set up pen weight

/this edit is super late lmao but make sure to click on the image for better quality

[valentjin]

charm point: his nose scrunches :)

[elviraaxen]

comic is Going!! It sure is going!!

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

listen, i genuinely feel bad for janet but if i was maddie, i would be beating her to a pulp I'M SORRY

[soraya-snape]

People hating on Dumbledore because he chose to take the hard way and step in and lead the fight against Voldemort. And now they blame him for all the people who have died (not just order members but also death eaters like Regulus?!) but if he hadn't done anything they would still have died. The difference is that a lot of other people who survived would have died too.

Yes, I agree that Dumbledore sometimes had a bit of an ego, and he should have maybe trusted more people/told more people (especially Harry and Snape) about his plans. But on the other hand, I totally understand why he didn't or maybe even couldn't trust anyone. There are literally a couple of reasons. Like the last time he trusted (not only trusted but loved) someone, his sister died, and he never forgave himself for that. Or the time the Potters trusted someone and they died. And simply the fact they were fighting a war, and it's common knowledge that you don't know who to trust in times like these, especially when you know the enemy uses spies.

Dumbledore also didn't raise Harry to die. I mean, as far as I remember, he only figured out that Harry was a horcroux when he already went to Hogwarts. Before that, he probably knew something was up, but I don't think he believed that this something would mean that Harry would die (or at least he chose not to believe it because it was too terrible to think about). And even when he knew Harry was a horcroux I think he still hoped that there would be a way for Harry to survive this because he did care about Harry (and I mean as a person not as some kind of weapon). But even if he raised Harry to die, what else was he supposed to do? Nothing? That would mean that thousands of other people would die. If you have the choice for either one or thousands of people to die, what would you do? It's obviously a horrible situation and I hope no one ever has to see that happen, but sometimes the only choices we have are bad ones, but we still have to choose.

In the end, Dumbledore was a morally grey character who made a lot of mistakes and also some character flaws but he had a good heart and most of his mistakes were made with the best intentions but under horrible conditions.

[midnightwind]

WIP Wednesday, I have a treat of Lucanis having to tell Viago that Rook is gone for you all (I shared a partial snippet of this a few days ago but this is a proper 2k or so words now) An excerpt from my fic Clipped Wings~

It felt like a blur, the whole world underwater as he passed through the Crossroads alone. Someone had to tell the Crows. He couldn't find a weak crack in the Fade, or craft a lyrium dagger, and he wasn't allowed to go to Minrathous to hunt Solas down. The flicker of Spite's anger burned in his chest, igniting his lungs with a fury they shared, but it had barely been a day. The others assured him there was still a chance to find her. He could hold a false hope for a few days before they realized it was pointless and let him loose. He could allow them that.

He barely registered stepping out of the mirror into the Diamond. It was busier, almost swarming with Crows working on either cleaning up after Ivenci or preparing to confront Elgar'nan. This had been her plan, after all, a gathering of them all to save the world. A grand showdown for her people to shine in. How she had glowed with the idea of the Crows being able to play heroes. What did it matter now, without her?

Teia spotted him first, a smile jumping to her lips, but it fled quickly when she realized he was alone. The world burned with her absence, a hollow at his side that she had filled for almost a year now. His heart ached. She grabbed Viago's arm, tearing him away from a scattered sea of documents on the table. Viago noticed it instantly, his eyes gliding over Lucanis to where she usually stood with her lopsided grin in greeting. He watched the man's chest hitch with a small, almost invisible twitch. The twin headed snakes of his cane were gripped so tightly in his hand that Lucanis wondered how the jade egg didn't crack. 

Teia pushed them both into a side room, the procession silent. There was an agony to be shared, but not in the open. They were Talons and there was still a war to be fought. Better to do this behind closed doors. And maybe she was trying to put off the news that was settling like a stone in the core of her being. His breaths were beginning to waver, a shiver in his shoulders and a burn in his throat.

“Lucanis-” Teia began, a mix of hopeful comfort and pure despair in her voice.

Viago offered no such softness, cold and sharp as he cut her off. “Where is she?” Did the words shake, just a little? “Where is Mirenna?”

It felt like his tongue was made of clay, stuck to the roof of his mouth and thick. “She’s gone.” His voice was hoarse, a rasp that hadn't been present since the Ossuary back in his throat.

It was like he had plunged into the canals as the two words tore through the little room. Everything felt cold and distant, blood rushing through his ears. He was deaf to the world, drifting in the memory of that water, despairing. He barely registered Viago rushing him, the man’s gloved fist smashing into his jaw more like an afterthought. He let the strike carry him to the floor, almost numb to it. Spite thrashed behind his ribs like a bird in a cage, keening. He saw the cane rise up and for a moment he wondered if that familiar pain would be able to dislodge his sorrow. A childhood full of that sharp crack’s memory might be able to return the killer’s focus to him.

But Teia ripped it out of the Fifth Talon’s hand before he could swing. They were yelling, tears beginning to wet her cheeks as she tossed the cane aside. Viago settled for fisting his collar in hand and dragging him to his feet. His back was slammed against the wall, pinned as the man almost snarled. He wondered if he would register a knife slipping between his ribs like this, a sweet bite just to feel anything else.

“How?” Viago hissed.

“We killed Ghilan’nain,” He started, voice flat like he was reading a script. He'd been replaying the events all day, finding every second where he should have done better, been more. “and her death tore open the Fade. We were all thrown back. Mirenna screamed for me.” His voice hitched finally at that. “And then she was gone. Solas had taken her place. He had the dagger. Spite lunged for it. We were thrown back again. The Dread Wolf disappeared and Elgar’nan started a spell. The world burned.” His head thunked back against the wall.

“Is there a chance she’s…” Teia started.

He and Viago both had the same grim expression.

“The others think she's simply trapped in the Fade. They're trying to find her.” He offered blandly.

Viago’s grip tightened, knuckles pressing into his throat. “Why are you here?”

“Someone had to tell-”

He was yanked forward, their faces close now. “No, Lucanis, why are you here and not burying a hundred blades in that false god? Why have you not cut him to pieces and plucked the dagger from his corpse? Why did you come here instead of getting her back?”

Spite surged at the words, all fury and pain. He let the feelings wash over him like a wave. “They said to trust.” He licked his lips. “They said to wait.”

He staggered back into the wall as Viago let him go suddenly. “She told me to trust you.” The words shook this time. “Look how that worked out.”

That was a sharper pain than any knife to the heart could cause. He pulled in a shivering breath. “The others will spend some time trying to find a way to break into a prison made for gods, but the plan otherwise is the same. We’ll need to assault Minrathous to reach Solas and Elgar’nan. The Crows will be ready?”

Viago scoffed, busying himself with retrieving his cane. “Of course.”

“We’ll send a few teams to the city in the meantime, see if we can sneak between the cracks.” Teia offered up, her voice oddly steady. “Was… How’s the team, otherwise?”

That felt like two quick quick stabs to the gut. He closed his eyes. “We lost Neve to Elgar’nan. He might be keeping her alive, but…” He swallowed thickly. “We won’t know until the siege, I suppose.”

No salt and ink. Cold and clever. Sharp words and biting laughs. Spite sounded almost inconsolable.

“And when we reached Ghilan’nain,” Lucanis continued after a breath, “Harding gave her life to give me an opening.”

He could still see her gritting her teeth as the elven monster attacked her, every arrow flying true despite her arms shaking. He could still hear each tentacle strike her, lifting her from her feet before tossing her aside. They hadn’t been able to go back for her body, but Elgar’nan had given her the pyre for them in a way. If only they had been able to retrieve her ashes to send home.

They took. Jam and stone. Dirt and leaves. Sweet grins and tender thoughts.

He barely felt Teia’s consoling hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, Lucanis.”

“Which ones are currently being useful?” Viago’s biting voice sounded oddly far away.

“Vi.” Teia almost snarled.

Lucanis huffed briefly, the ghost of a laugh in his lungs. “Emmrich and Bellara have busied themselves with finding every book and tome the Lighthouse has on the Fade. Taash is mourning with their Lords. Davrin is meeting up with the remaining Wardens to discuss how the Blight has been changing since Ghilan’nain’s fall.” And I’m here, unable to do anything.

“The mages are working on it.” Viago was quiet, almost thoughtful before his cane cracked against the floor. “You will wait here, First Talon. I have something they may find useful.”

He was content to lean listlessly against the wall, but Teia guided him into a plush armchair. So he sat morosely in the room instead, the Seventh Talon disappearing a moment later. That was fine, he wasn’t ever truly alone now and she couldn’t offer him the company he so desperately wanted. No one could anymore. Spite was a heavy weight on his chest, pressing down like he was a serpent coiled around his ribs. He rested his face in his hands as he hunched forward in the chair, his breaths labored and shivering. He had never been good with grief.

When his family had been slaughtered, Caterina had given him his Crow training as a distraction and he had thrown himself into that. When he believed Caterina was dead, Rook had given him a contract to focus on. Now Rook was gone and he had nothing to work with. His targets were out of reach, he wasn’t needed in Treviso to prepare the Crows, and he could do nothing to even try to find her. He was simply left to wallow in the agony. What was he supposed to do?

Find Rook! Miss her. Miss the sweet smell. Red berries and jasmine. Storms and knives. We miss her laugh. Her smile. Hair like blood. Skin like sun. Eyes like ocean.

A strangled noise escaped him, his voice broken. “Spite, please.”

Something warm tapped his forehead and he looked up with bleary eyes to see Teia offering him a steaming mug. The smell of coffee filled the room. She gave him a sad smile as he wrapped his hands around the cup, cradling it between his knees as he stared down at the dark liquid. He couldn’t bring himself to actually drink it, but it was almost a small comfort to hold. It was dredging up too many late nights and early mornings lounging on the couches in the dining room with Rook as she tried to make him laugh with a story of a botched job or complained about her latest visit to Viago. Too many memories of talking shop with her, discussing the hilarious rumors about Crows that Taash shared with them, swapping book recommendations. The bitter twinge of sitting in Cafe Pietro when they were still new to knowing each other and making that awful comment about a kiss goodbye. What a cruel joke from the universe.

The coffee went from a searing heat to a mildly scalding warmth in his hands by the time Viago returned. He had a box of finely crafted dark wood clutched in one hand and as he brought it closer it caused Spite to hiss. The familiar itch of blood magic was ever so faintly causing his eyes to itch and he sat bolt upright in his chair to stare at the Fifth Talon. What in the world was in that box? He half expected Viago to thrust it into his hands and dismiss him, but the Talon merely paused a few steps away as if waiting. Lucanis wasn’t sure what the man wanted.

Viago scowled as the silence stretched, his hand gripping his cane so tight they could hear the leather of his gloves squeak. “You’re going to take me to your Lighthouse so I can get my Crow back. Now get up.”

He simply blinked up at his fellow assassin, disbelief plain. “You…” Words failed him for a long minute. “What exactly are you asking me to escort into the Fade?”

“You are escorting me. I am bringing something that can actually find Renn.” Viago hissed, words caustic. “Move, Dellamorte.”

He shook his head, finally shaking his thoughts free. “Viago, you’re needed here, planning. I can make sure Emmrich and Bellara get whatever is in that box.”

“I trusted you with Renn and you lost her. I refuse to trust you with the one thing that could bring her back.” The twin snakes of the cane were suddenly leveled at his face. “So I will say this one last time: move, Dellamorte.”

How was he supposed to argue with that? By all accounts, Viago was right.  Silently, he abandoned his untouched coffee on a table and stood slowly. There was an ache in him and Spite was still recoiling at whatever Viago held. But the man was stubborn, it was where Rook had learned it, and he would spend the rest of the day in this backroom uselessly questioning the contents. So instead he led the Talon to the mirror. He waited on the other side of it much like Rook had that fateful day they had met. It was a far less passionate affair between the two Crows this time. Viago did not have any hesitation in his steps, a steel in his gaze that was sharper than any knife either of them held. He had a purpose and all Lucanis had was a path to lead him on. They passed through the little market without a single glance at the queer spirits still minding stalls. The Caretaker only drew a single cautious look over before Viago was settling in the boat after Lucanis.

When they finally passed through the large eluvian leading into the Lighthouse, Lucanis felt like he was a puppet whose strings were slowly being cut one by one. He was so tired. Whatever Viago was bringing was just another false hope, wasn’t it? A desperate ploy to try to stave off the bitter truth that she was gone. But who was he to deny the man one last hope? So he led him up the curved stairway and into the utter chaos that the library had become. Books were strewn everywhere, loose papers scrawled with notes and spilled ink scattered among the tomes. Whatever queer devices that existed in the Lighthouse that were deemed potentially useful had been drug out into the open space, Bellara and Emmrich bringing in their own machines to add to the mess. There were so many empty cups of tea and coffee dotting whatever open space existed near the two mages, a few partially empty plates alongside them. The duo were in the middle of some frantic debate, their hands gesturing madly at half finished diagrams or waving a thick book. They both paused as Viago cleared his throat sharply.

“Well, glad to see there is at least an attempt at finding my Crow.” He half growled, the attempt to remain poised and civil failing at the sheer rage of her absence.

“Fifth Talon,” Emmrich almost stuttered, the note of surprise bright in his voice, “we weren’t expecting such esteemed company. Ah, apologies for the mess-”

“I do not care about the state of your base.” He cut him off bluntly. “Have you made any progress finding Mirenna?”

“Oh, well, yes and no.” Bellara started, digging in a pile of papers. “We have some ideas and there are traces of the specific part of the Fade she’s trapped in lingering. Especially on the island. Since Solas effectively cut off a chunk of the Fade, it looks and behaves differently from the rest of it-”

“So that is a no.” Viago clipped, his cane rapping once on the floor. “I come bearing something that should speed things up, Maker willing.” The box made a quiet clicking sound as he set it on the table, his fingers pressed to the lid. “The only thing more important to me than the contents of this box is Mirenna herself. Do not lose it as casually as you lost her, but if you must destroy it to find her, so be it.”

The Fifth Talon openly admitting how much Rook meant to him almost stunned Lucanis. The man was never so candid. Usually at this point he had locked himself back in the pantry to wait for news of either their success or their blessing for him to leave. This time he quietly collapsed on the couch to watch. The Talon’s barb had made both mages flinch, but they simply waited as the man finally opened the box. A small vial glinted out, silvered wings wrapped around the glass and ruby red liquid shining inside. Spite howled and Lucanis dug his fingers into the plush cushion of the couch. It was a phylactery. It was Rook’s phylactery. Of course one would exist, she was a mage. Of course Viago would have it, she was his mage. Of course.

“I trust between the two of you, the ritual that allows it to track her is understood? Or must I supply that as well?” Viago’s voice was pure ice.

“We will manage.” Emmrich murmured.

“Good.” The Talon took a single step back from the phylactery. “Find her or House de Riva will hunt you to the ends of the world, elven gods be damned.” And then he was turning to leave, Lucanis almost scrambling back to his feet to show him back to Treviso before the end of the cane snapped against his chest. “I can find my own way back. Perhaps you should find a way to be useful here.”

Spite snarled at the words, but he pushed the anger down. “The Caretaker can help, if you do get lost.”

All that earned him was a quiet scoff before Viago disappeared into the shadows of the stairs and was gone.

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Y'know, it's unfortunate more people don't compare Louis and Violet in good faith.

Like, when I do see people compare them, it's usually through the lens of one is good, and the other bad. One is more canon than the other, and here's why. One is objectively better for Clementine, and the other is less impactful, worse written, didn't have chemistry with her, insert several insults here, etc.

I don't think it's inherently bad to express why you might not like one of them, or why you prefer one over the other. That's fine, that's a matter of opinion. It only gets to me when it becomes hostile, or passive aggressive... but even then, I've learned to just roll my eyes and move on. Some people make it very clear that they're not worth having a discussion with.

However, I wish I could read more nuanced comparisons of the two that didn't default to the "and that's why this one is better." At least some are kind enough to tack on a "for my Clementine" at the end.

You know how it goes: Louis is cute and he makes Clementine laugh, whereas Violet's boring, her love is shallow, she's still not over Minerva and she's using Clementine as a rebound. Violentine's a bad ship because Violet's actually a traitor, and they're practically the same person and that's bad.

Violet's loyal and reliable, whereas Louis is annoying, he never takes anything serious, he's a traitor for his vote, and he's nothing but a distraction. Clouis is a bad ship because how could any Clementine possibly like him after he voted her and AJ out? That's bad!

That's always the conclusion, right? One good, one bad.

This is incredibly limiting and it drives me nuts.

They're foils. They contrast one another, highlight each other's strengths and flaws, in such an interesting way that it makes Clementine's choice between them all the more meaningful.

One is not good and the other bad, they're different, and I think that's worth exploring.

Let's start with a common argument: Violet is the more impactful option due to her connection to Minerva.

Now, to be fair, I can understand why someone on Team Violet would believe this. Yes, it's true that the confrontation with Minerva is more impactful for a violentine shipper who has more investment in Violet as a character. Louis doesn't have as strong of a connection to her.

However, what they're failing to recognize is that Minerva isn't the only ghost to haunt this narrative. Violet may have Minerva, yes, but Louis has Marlon... and that doesn't just go away once Marlon's dead.

Violet's route has Minerva as her ex-girlfriend, and her bond with Tenn that all comes to a head on the bridge. Louis' route has Marlon's death and how that specifically impacts his relationship with AJ and Clementine, and the slow burn of forgiveness on all sides.

Marlon and Minerva are also reflective of Clementine's worst outcomes.

Clementine and Marlon were tied together through Brody's blood splattered on their hands and faces. They both killed a part of Brody, but only one of them lies about who killed her first.

After Marlon dies, Clementine gradually replaces him throughout the game; Rosie is her dog now, she uses his bow [which Louis gave her], she becomes the leader. Clementine gets them to fight back, and when three of her people are captured, she doesn't cut her losses. She does what Marlon couldn't; "we're getting them back."

When she chooses Louis, he does for her what he never did for Marlon: he steps up.

Clementine proves she won't become Marlon just as she proves she won't become Minerva.

After getting James to agree to help them, Clementine and AJ talk about what to do if she ever gets bit. AJ says he'd want her to bite him, too. He repeats this sentiment after she's actually bitten, telling her he wants to stay and they could turn together, peacefully.

When Minerva confronts them on the bridge, she's dying... and she wants Tenn to die with her. She doesn't care who she has to kill in the process. She's more monster than human at this point, and most times, she succeeds.

They're both bitten. Clementine could've become a monster like Minerva in the end. She could've killed AJ, and they could've become walkers together. But she didn't. Minerva wanted Tenn to die for her, and Clementine wanted AJ to live for her.

Also, I should mention she has Minerva's axe. She carries the key weapons associated with Marlon and Minerva throughout different points in the game, further solidifying these connections. She uses Marlon's bow to save her friends, and she uses Minerva's axe to save AJ, who in turn uses it to save her.

What's also so interesting about this is how Marlon's alive in episode one, and Minerva is thought to be dead. Louis has his best friend, and Violet's lost hers. But, at the end of the episode, Marlon's dead and Minerva's revealed to be alive.

Marlon becomes the ghost, and Minerva becomes the monster. Clementine becomes to Louis and Violet what Marlon and Minerva never could... how does that not drive anyone else insane?

So, no. One is not objectively better, or more impactful, because of a connection to Marlon or Minerva. They're different. It just depends on which storyline you personally find more compelling.

Actually, let's talk about that a little more.

In my opinion, the most intriguing point of comparison between Louis and Violet stems from their perceptions of survival, and how that impacts Clementine.

An argument I see made against violentine is that Violet's boring because she and Clementine are too similar. This usually comes from clouis shippers who prefer the "opposites attract" dynamic Clementine and Louis have.

On the flip side, there's the counter argument that Louis is reckless, that he doesn't take survival as seriously as he should and Clementine wouldn't want him because of that.

These are interesting to me because I get where they're coming from... but they ultimately miss the point.

The other day, I replayed TFS. Except this time, I did something a little bit differently. I played my usual clouis route, but then I had the violentine route pulled up on my laptop so that I could watch these scenes, comparing them side by side… and something occurred to me. 

Louis is about challenging Clementine's perception of survival, and Violet is about validating it.

Louis challenges Clementine from the very moment we meet him—he’s playing music. His initial philosophy on survival butts heads with Clementine’s. The fact that hunting with him and Aasim challenges your perception of “your choices have consequences.” These games have conditioned the player to think along the lines of, “Yeah, Louis is more fun… but if I don’t hunt with Aasim, we won’t have any food.”

Except that’s just it. I hate to say it, Aasim, but in the grand scheme of things… hunting with you doesn’t matter. It's actually less rewarding. You know why? Because in the next section, we get food from the train station. It would’ve been more beneficial to spend time with Louis over hunting, hence how he challenges you.  

This then primes you for the choice between choosing to follow Louis or follow Violet. I know people complain about how this is presented with Violet doing something productive [checking the walls] and Louis playing piano… but that’s the point. If you’re going through with Louis’ full route, you need to meet him at his level, and in turn, he will meet you at yours. You need to accept the challenge, the idea that Clementine isn’t entirely right about the way she’s gone about survival.

Oh, and do I even need to mention the vote? The debate over Louis’ vote is exhausting. Often times, people tell on themselves in how they talk about it. It’s not actually about the fact that he voted against them. If it was, these people would have a bigger bone with pick with Mitch, Willy, Ruby, and Omar… and yet Louis is the one who takes all the blame as if he’s the only one personally kicking them out. 

Louis is reacting to the death of his best friend, and the complicated feelings that come with it being caused by AJ. He wants accountability, even if he knows something's wrong. You can either agree with him that it was murder, and set AJ on the path of atonement… or, you can double down and tell him to fuck off, AJ was justified. 

But here’s the thing… the vote adds to the appeal of Louis’ route. To someone who hates him, or at the very least is critical of his vote, that sounds mad or delusional.

Except it’s really not.

Ever heard of a thing called tension? Because there’s a lot of it in ep2 between clouis + AJ and it’s fantastic.

Yes, Louis voting them out is problematic because we need a problem to solve. We need something to feed the tension between him and Clementine. He stepped in front of a gun held by his best friend in order to protect her, forever changing their relationship… only for that to seemingly be taken away from us the moment AJ shoots Marlon. 

Yes, Louis’ route is about being challenged, but it’s also about challenging him. That he’s able to forgive them, that he’s able to question his own survival philosophy and understand theirs, that he’s able to apologize and actually change for the better… that right there is what makes clouis so damn good. 

He becomes hardened whereas Clementine softens. By the end of the game, they’re on a similar level now without neglecting their differences, and they can move forward together. 

That’s what makes Louis’ route appealing… and it’s also what makes it unappealing to people who prefer Violet. 

By contrast, Violet’s already on Clementine’s level when it comes to this perception of survival. She validates that Clementine’s on the right path.

They have other similarities in the way that they’re both female, queer, they both have a kid they look after, they’re not always great with other people, etc. 

People who prefer Louis might consider this boring, but I think to Team Violet, it’s comforting. It’s comforting to have a partner who takes this as seriously as you do, who wants to get shit done. They’re playing Clementine with a similar attitude, and don’t believe it needs to be challenged. It’s comforting to feel validated on something you already firmly believe in. 

We also see this if we compare the hunting and fishing scenes. You have to make an effort to choose Louis by choosing to neglect hunting, but the game makes you fish with Violet no matter what.

Violet’s prioritizing fishing because they need food. That’s what they’ve set out to do, so let’s do it. The game is letting you know that’s the case, and if you value that, continue pursuing her. 

While fishing, they discuss why things are weird with her and Brody. Violet doesn’t take well to Clementine’s blunt, “Because you make it weird. Brody tries and you just make fun of her."

That’s understandable because I think she already kind of knows why and is looking to have her feelings validated. She prefers it when Clementine suggests that it’s because Brody never said sorry for what happened to the twins. 

There’s also comfort and validation in the way Violet sides with Clementine and AJ after Marlon’s death. She votes for them to stay, vocalizing how much she disapproves of the results. There’s this feeling that I recognize from a lot of the sapphic romance I read; “it’s you and me against the world, I’ll always have your back, even if you’re in the wrong, I’ll fight for you.”

In our case, it’s violentine + AJ against the rest of Ericson, save Tenn and Aasim. Violet validates that AJ was justified because Marlon was a liar and murderer, claiming that AJ and Clementine did nothing wrong. Violet fights to keep them. 

The tension between violentine in ep2 is different because instead of one pushing the other away, they’re being forced apart by the vote and there’s nothing they can do about it. That tension is somewhat released when Clementine comes back and they’re reunited, working out a plan to best defend the school. 

It’s also why Violet’s presented as doing something productive when you follow her instead of Louis, and why she asks if you want to hang out after checking the defenses. 

All that being said, allow me to reiterate that one is not good and the other bad, they're different. These concepts of challenge and change/validation and comfort exist on a neutral road as diverging paths. It’s up to the player to pick what path they prefer, but that doesn’t mean the other path isn’t worth acknowledging or analyzing. 

I should also mention that they’re not exclusive; there is overlap with validation being present in Louis’ route and challenges in Violet’s. They’re just more present in episodes 3 and 4 after we’ve made our decision. 

There are several more examples of how this all fits together, buuuuut–

Ya’ll wanna compare some allegories?

Those familiar with my content might already know where I’m going with this as I’ve made a post about Louis and the piano in the past. 

You see, I believe that there are allegories for Louis and Violet’s hearts present in their routes: Louis’ piano, and Violet’s pin. 

I already have a thorough, in-depth analysis of Louis and the piano that you can read, so all I’ll say about it is that on the night of the raid, he asked Clementine to carve a piece of herself into his heart so that no matter what, their initials will be immortalized together in its wood…

And that makes me fucking feral. 

But I'm also so normal about it.

As for Violet, her heart is the star gazing pin she gives to Clementine. She gives it to her so she’ll always remember that night… but she doesn’t give it to her until after Clementine’s saved her, and that fascinates me in the context of it being allegory. 

Louis asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart right before the raid, cementing that from that moment on, he is utterly devoted to her. I believe this is part of the reason why Louis is still happy to see her if he’s the one who’s captured. Yes, yes, he’s also incredibly traumatized from having his tongue cut out and he’d be happy to see anyone, yada yada… but listen, if you romance Louis and he’s captured, his heart remains with her—that piano with their intitals is on full display. When he sees her, he’s still so devoted to her that he refuses to accept that it’s at all her fault. Even when she says it is, he shakes his head... and he so easily accepts her when they’re together in the end. From the moment Clementine puts knife to wood, he’s hers. 

Now, look… you might think I’m going somewhere not great with this but hear me out. 

I think after Clementine’s gone star gazing with her, Violet is fully ready to give her heart to her. Y’know, give her the pin. But, think about what Violet said about how people have left, but Clementine came back. Plus, with the impending raid to think about, maybe Violet should keep the pin until the right moment. 

I believe a key difference between her and Louis is that Violet needs one last thing to solidify that Clementine’s the one. 

Louis gives her his heart prior to the raid because of everything that’s already gone down between them following Marlon’s death. Violet needs to know that Clementine’s willing to fight for her the way she fought before. When Clementine saves her from the raiders, it’s solidified. Even after she sees Minerva again, it changes nothing.

It’s also worth noting that the pin is something Clementine wears. Like the piano carving, it’s a piece on display for everyone to see, to let them know whose heart Clementine has.

Violet literally handed Clementine her heart as a means of saying, “I’m yours. I’m devoted to you.” 

This is why romanced/captured Violet is devastating, and is why she behaves the way she does in the cells. She was so ready to give her heart away and then nope, sorry, Vi! You get knocked unconscious by raiders instead! 

If anything, you kind of deserve to be told to fuck off if you romanced her and then let her get captured. Just sayin’. 

Look, I have a lot of complicated feelings about the captured violentine route, mostly with Violet being as forgiving as she is after her eyes are burned—yes, yes, I know, her eyes are burned and Minerva messed with her head so of course now she’s not hostile, yada, yada. 

But I think it’s rather telling that you don’t get the pin in this route. Sure, Violet’s willing to forgive and possibly pursue this romance in the future… but she’s not ready to hand over her heart, not truly. Not after everything that’s happened. 

And if you want to get extra angsty about it, imagine that Violet made the pin right after they parted ways, but before the raiders came. Meaning that if she’s captured, it’s possibly still sitting somewhere, abandoned. 

Mmhmmm, very normal about this. I feel normal. My normalness about this continues... normally. I'm not losing my shit thinking about that. Nope. Why would I? I wouldn't! So normal.

Okay just let me talk about their reactions to Tenn's death and then I'll shut up.

This makes me want to gnaw my own foot off, I can barely handle it.

AJ shoots Tenn on the bridge because Clementine trusted him to make the hard calls. This saves Louis or Violet's life.

When Louis jumps across, he's completely silent as he watches Tenn die... and then he's pissed; "What the fuck?! How could you just shoot him like that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for him, and Louis is so upset that he forces AJ to look at what he's done, to watch the walkers eat Tenn; "Tenn's dead. He's dead! Do you realize that?! Look! [...] He's... he's gone, because of you. Just fucking gone."

If Clementine says AJ saved his life, Louis says, "So what, we just cut him loose? Gun him down like he was nothing?"

If Clementine says nothing, Louis says, "Tenn was just a little boy!"

The reason Louis responds this way is because in this moment, he just relived Marlon's death all over again, but worse. So, SO much worse!

When Violet jumps across, she breaks down, begging, "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! No, no! No, no, no..." as she watches Tenn die... and then says to AJ, "No! What the fuck?! How could you do that?!"

AJ explains himself, that he did it for her, and Violet is faaaar from okay; "For me? I can't... Tenn is gone! That soft little boy who liked to draw, he's gone, because of you!"

If Clementine says AJ saved her life, Violet says, "You think that's okay?! Just gunning down one of our own?!"

And there it is.

Louis is hardened in this situation because he already went through this... Violet hasn't, not with AJ. She softened up throughout her route due to her relationships to him and Clementine... but this is the moment where she realizes that maybe AJ wasn't as justified as she believed, and this is the consequence.

This leads us to the ending where AJ asks if they're still mad about him killing Tenn, and I just... I'm biting my foot right now because the script has flipped.

Louis is forgiving and understanding. He's soft, he's sympathetic, he shakes AJ's hand to let him know that all is forgiven and they're okay; "I... AJ, I guess it's like... You saw something I didn't. About the situation, I mean. Minnie and the walkers and Tenn, it's just all this chaos in my head when I think back on it. [...] Clem says you saved my life? Well, then, that's exactly what you did. And how can I stay mad at anyone for doing that?"

Or, alternatively, "He was your friend, AJ. I know you are hurting just as much as I am."

As for Violet? She's understanding, too... but she's not quite ready to forgive yet; "The thing you said on the bridge...that he was messing up all the time. It wasn't something new, you know. Tenn got himself or other people into trouble all the time, long before you guys got here. He was always so lost. He lived in a world that just...isn't there, you know? And that's why I tried to look after him. But when I was pulling him away from the walkers, and Minnie, I could also see...he just wasn't there anymore."

"So you're mad, but sad."

"Can I be that for a while?"

And it's completely understandable that she's hurting and struggling with how she feels about AJ moving forward! She wants to be okay, she wants to forgive him, she just needs time.

Now, because I'm forever bitter, but I'm gonna mention this as well: whenever I see someone point at Violet's scene and say, "See!? This is how LOUIS should've acted in ep2!" like... they're telling on themselves again. Not just that they don't understand Louis as a character or his route, but that they don't fully grasp Violet's part in this either. Or time frames, for that matter.

Let me put it to you in simple terms... they react the same.

After Marlon and Tenn die, they're upset. They're pissed. They blame AJ and yell at him. After they've had time to process what happened [Louis after the two week time skip, Violet after time passes between the bridge and the ending] they share the same, "I'm still upset about Marlon/Tenn. Can I be that for a while and still be your friend?" sentiment.

The difference is that Louis is treated poorly for it because of the vote, and because we feel it first hand for longer... Violet got to grieve off screen and come back after she's sorted herself out.

It's a disservice to both of their characters because it's rooted in that same mentality that I criticized at the beginning: "This is why one is better than the other."

Do I need to say it again? I'm gonna say it again.

One is not good and the other bad. They're different.

There are so many fun discussions that could come from putting Louis and Violet side by side, and examining them. I haven't even covered the different ways they're introduced, or compared their ep3 dates to see what it says about them and the overall narratives! What about the cell scenes!? How they react when Dorian's about the cut off their fingers! The way they approach James upon meeting him!

That last one in particular is especially funny! They're all under stress about blending in with a herd of walkers to infiltrate a boat to save their friends, and yet Louis easily saunters up to the guy wearing walker skins with a smile, and makes him laugh by saying, "Functional and fashionable. I'll take two."

Violet approaches James like he's an injured wild animal that's going to bite her, and bless her heart, she tries with, "I, uh… hey. Hey there, James. Sorry about Willy." Then James gives her this judgmental side-eye, like buddy? She's not the weirdo here.

There is so much potential to dissect here, and I want to see people do it... but I want them to do it fairly, in good faith.

I want to get away from the idea of comparing them to "prove" which is better because there is no objective better. There isn't! That's a waste of time!

I'm so done with The Debate™; it's unhelpful, it's annoying, and it's boring as shit. I've heard it all before, and you probably have, too.

I want to put Louis and Violet under a microscope and study them with the thought process of, "one does this and the other does that... what does it mean!? what does it say about the narrative!? Oh my god, they have the same opinion on this thing, WRITE THAT DOWN!"

So yeah, that's my ramble for the night.

I'm gonna go replay TFS for further research.