#like no part of him and the relationships that shaped him matter outside of flamboyant and gay

[thelioncourts]

+

[havendance]

The Gaang as MASKS Playbooks

(Because I am nothing if not a creator of niche content when I actually make stuff.)

This is for the Alternate Universe where they’re all superheroes because I love both MASKS and Avatar and I have opinions that I’m going to share. There’s at least two potential playbooks for each character because there’s a lot of possibilities and different playbooks can focus on different aspects of the characters. Plus, more option is always good. 

Anyway, without further ado (under the cut because this got long, I have a lot of thoughts on this matter apparently) the Gaang as MASKS playbooks:

Aang

The Legacy - This is the one that makes the most sense to me and the one that I feel most reflects Aang’s core internal conflict in the show. The legacy is all about bearing the weight of previous generations and their accomplishments and actions. Aang is just the latest in a long line of heroes known as The Avatar who can wield all four elements. For the portion of the playbook that’s about interacting with previous members of the legacy, you could either go with him talking with the past lives like we see in the show or, alternatively, the past couple Avatars could still be alive and kicking. Either way, they’re still watching what he’s doing and trying to push him in what they think is the right direction.

The Nova - This one fits a little less but could still work. The Nova playbooks’ about having a huge amount of power that you can’t necessarily control. For the most part in the show, we don’t see Aang worrying about not being able to control his bending, but this playbook would play more into his fear of losing control in the Avatar state and his worries about hurting someone with firebending.

The Outsider - Okay, this one is a bit of a stretch since the playbooks’ weighted in favor of the hero being an alien or from another dimension. But! I feel like you could definitely hack the playbook to accommodate Aang just being from a hundred years in the past as well if you want to play with that aspect of canon Aang. This playbook would definitely lean more into the whole ‘a lot has changed in a hundred years’ thing. (The Innocent playbook is explicitly from the past, however, it also has a future, supervillain version of yourself running around which, while could be cool for Aang, also deviates a lot from canon

Katara

I’m going to be honest, Katara was the hardest one for me to come up with. None of the MASKS playbooks’ particular flavors of teenage angst really jive with Katara’s drive and passion to help people and make the world better after it hurt her. I’m going to toss out a few options here, but if anyone else has any better ideas here, feel free to add on.

The Legacy - Katara as this playbook would really play into her status as the last Southern Waterbender. It’d take tweaking of the playbook but you could shift it so it’s about this legacy of heroes and more about the legacy of her culture. So it’s less about the outward pressure to uphold the legacy and more about the inward pressure from herself to uphold it.

The Protege - The Protoge playbook has a specific mentor who’s trying to shape the hero into their vision of how a hero should be. Using this playbook, you could definitely really examine her relationship with Pakku or Hama. However, it’d definitely be exploring more of a niche of Katara than her overall character.

The Soldier - Once again, this recommendation is based less on canon and more on stories that would be potentially interesting to tell. The Soldier playbook focuses on the relationship between a hero and the larger organization that they’re a part of (the generic on the game gives is a SHEILD equivalent). I could see Katara being a passionate member of a similar organization (possibly one White Lotus themed since this is the Avatar version of MASKS) and trying to change the world through that. I feel like this is one where Katara’s character could definitely shine, however, it’s definitely a setup that doesn’t have a lot of basis in canon so if you were wanting to play Avatar more straight in MASKS it wouldn’t work as well.

Sokka

The Beacon  - Sokka is a textbook beacon. The beacon is a low-powered hero who’s in the heroing business because it’s fun and exciting and a lot of their angst draws from the fact that they aren’t really sure if they belong in a world of superpowered individuals. Sokka’s got his boomerang, he’s got his sword, and he’s got his tactical mind. All of his friends are like crazy powerful. He’s the Beacon.

The Joined - The joined is a playbook that shares a lot of the material of another playbook; the two characters have a close relationship. Now, I’m not saying that Sokka’s just playing second fiddle to Katara. What I am saying is that it was Katara’s idea to become a superhero in the first place and she dragged him along with her into it. Did Sokka want to be a hero? No, he want to stay home and focus on taking care of his family. He didn’t want to be the Painted Dude or whatever Katara said his hero name should be. But does his sister listen to him? No.

Suki

I, unfortunately, have less to say about Suki. We should’ve gotten more of her in the show, that’s what I’m going to chalk it up to.

The Protege - Okay. I will admit, this one is purely what I think would be cool and isn’t actually based in canon. But imagine: Suki as the protoge of Avatar Kyoshi who’s still alive, still kick ass, and still very opinionated. Can’t you see the glory? The potential?

The Soldier - This playbook would probably reflect her most accurately. She’s a member of the Kyoshi Warriors first and foremost in the show and her interactions with the Gaang are always affected by that. In a superhero setting, I could definitely see her and the other Kyoshi warriors being some sort of superhero squad that works throught the SHEILD equivalent

Toph

The Janus - The Janus is the spiderman playbook. You’ve got a mundane life, you’ve got a secret identity, and you’ve got to balance them. Toph is rich heiress of the Bei Fong family by day, and notorious vigilante The Blind Bandit by night. This is the perfect playbook to explore the dual life Toph led before she straight up joined the game. Her parents are super annoying, her life’s a drag, at least as a hero she can be free and who she really is.

The Delinquent - The Delinquent is, in essence, a rebel. Try and tell me that that’s not Toph ‘Let’s break some rules!’ Bei Fong. I mean, just look at some of those playbook moves: Troublemaker, I don’t care what you think!, Team? What Team?, Mary Contrary. Those are such Toph moves.

Zuko

Okay, Zuko has a lot of possibilities. I’m going to blame it on the sheer amount of angst that boy has packed into him.

The Soldier - Okay. I know that I’m using the soldier a lot (it’s because they’re all child soldiers) but hear me out. This would be Zuko if you wanted to play with him going through his redemption. In this case, the Fire Nation wouldn’t super obviously supervillains. They’d probably be some sort of organization that looks outwardly good but is secretly fishy. Ozai’s at the top and of course Zuko’s loyal to them. They’re the good guys. (They aren’t.) The soldier isn’t specifically about breaking away from your organization but it definitely can be.

The Reformed - This playbook fits post redemption Zuko like a glove. The Reformed playbook is one where you were specifically a supervillain previously. You’ve done villainous things, but now you’re a good guy and it’s complicated. I don’t think I really need to explain why this playbook is Zuko. It just is.

The Janus - This is for all of you Blue Spirit!Zuko needs. Look, his life sucks, his Dad’s a jerk. There’s way too much expected of him. At least he can put on this Blue Spirit mask and go out and do vigilante stuff.

The Scion - I’m going to be honest, I’m not super familiar with this playbook but I feel like I have to mention it because it’s about being the child of a supervillain. So I’m tossing it out there. Other people who actually know about this playbook can talk about whether or not it actually fits Zuko.

Bonus:

Mai - The Beacon. She’s the least enthusiastic Beacon you’ll ever meet, but look at her and tell me that she’s not in this because being a hero is the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to her. Her life was so boring before Ty Lee walked up to her and was like hey, let’s be vigilantes together. She’d never admit it, but she loves being a hero.

Ty Lee - The Star. The Star playbook is all about being flamboyant, showy, a celebrity. Being a hero is what separates her from her sisters and she’s going to milk it up. She’s still non-powered for the first part, only having her martial arts and auras, but she knows how to play it up. She definitely has a huge social media following.

Finally, The Outsider playbook could work for any of the characters if you just want to play it straight as a character from the Avatar universe getting dragged into this alternate world of superheroes.

Feel free to discuss and share any ideas you have!

[deacysfatbottomedgirl]

Disclaimer: This post is based merely on my observation of the relationship between Freddie Mercury and John Deacon as viewed from an outsider's perspective gleaned through interviews and photos. I don't claim to be an expert in this matter in any way, shape or form. It's also based on my own personal experiences gained by going through this thing called "life". Let's get to it.

John and Freddie were extremely close: That's something every true Queen fan can agree on. True, John was also close to Roger; but his relationship with Freddie ran much deeper. His relationship with Brian was contentious at times, arm's length respect at its best.

Freddie's passing affected all the remaining band members differently, just as grieving is an individual, deeply personal process. We all know John couldn't continue performing with Queen after Freddie died, but the dynamic of their relationship when Freddie was alive is something truly special.

John alluded to the fact that Freddie, "brings out the best in me (him)". It's a fact that his shyness was softened by Freddie's flamboyance and John appreciated that. Losing his Father at the tender age of 11 affected John in many ways. He looked up to Freddie as a big brother, almost a surrogate father figure. John was able to become a part of one of the most influential bands in history because Freddie protected him from the pitfalls of fame as much as he allowed him to. Even though he married Veronica and had a large family, there are certain things you can't or are unable to share with your partner. Veronica wasn't a rock star, Freddie was. Veronica didn't go on tour with the band or experience the stress of having to record an album and couldn't know what the pressure was actually like: Freddie did. A soul mate is extremely rare to find in life and in my opinion, John found two: A partner in Veronica and a best friend in Freddie.

I've studied the group dynamic within the band for a very long time. Without telling everyone how old I am, (LOL) suffice to say, I was around to remember and appreciate Queen's early success and release of "A Night at the Opera" in 1975. John Deacon was my first celebrity crush so many years ago, and still is today!

I had the honor of finding a "soul mate" in the form of a best friend, who died suddenly at a young age. I KNOW what that pain feels like. I miss my best friend EVERY DAY.

I haven't found one in a romantic partner, but I'm not dead yet. 😉 I read somewhere that John and Veronica would frequent a Pub near their home about three times a week for several years. Veronica informed the Bartender who John was and instructed him to NEVER mention Queen in their presence. John also told Roger and Brian at their last concert appearance in 1997 that he "couldn't do this anymore". Roger indicated that John appeared to be extremely nervous and uncomfortable at that event because he was "chain-smoking, pacing and was generally miserable" the entire time. Photos of the band at that concert show John's body language as closed and distant.

I also find it interesting that there are no photos of John smoking prior to the mid-80s, around the time Freddie would have told his bandmates he was HIV positive. People who start smoking, using drugs or drinking heavily in their 30s, usually experience a life altering stressful event that leads them to adopt those habits.

John isn't fragile or weak: He's experienced the loss of two dominant and very important male "guardians" in his life. Both losses have profoundly affected him in ways only he can understand. I pray he finds peace and know this long-time Queen fan would like nothing more than to see him smile and be happy once again when remembering the large part of his life he believes died with Freddie.

Much love to you, John Deacon. (From one of many fans who love you)

[caustic-curses]

HPHM Profile: Corbyn Reyes

Thanks to @hogwartsmysterystory for this new profile template!

IDENTITY

Name: Corbyn Samil Reyes

Gender: Cisgender Male

Age:  16

Birth Date: 11/15/1972

Species: Valravaan

Blood Status: Half-Blood

Sexuality: Asexual

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Ethnicity: Slavic

Nationality: Serbian

Residence: Bristol, UK

Myer Briggs Personality Type: ISTJ

THE MAGE

1st Wand: Pine | Dragon heartstring core | 12 ¾" in length | Rigid flexibility

The straight-grained pine wand always chooses an independent, individual master who may be perceived as a loner, intriguing and perhaps mysterious. Pine wands enjoy being used creatively, and unlike some others, will adapt without protest to new methods and spells. Many wandmakers insist that pine wands are able to detect and perform best for owners who are destined for long lives, and I can confirm this in as much as I have never personally known the master of a pine wand to die young. The pine wand is one of those that is most sensitive to non-verbal magic.

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

2nd Wand:  Ebony| Dragon heartstring core.| 11 ¼ “| Unyielding

This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently non-conformist, highly individual or comfortable with the status of outsider, ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and among the Death Eaters. In my experience, the ebony wand’s perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose.

Animagus: White Cat

Misc Magical Abilities: Parselmouth (currently unaware)

Boggart Form: Being  in a hospital gown gaunt and ignored

Riddikulus Form: Dog in an outfit prancing around

Amortentia: The scent of patchouli, rose and teak wood tease the senses while the note of vanilla adds excitement (spicy, the thrill of late summer, mountain flowers)

Amortentia: the earthy scent of a meadow,  lavender & coral rose, and the faded  scent of butterbeer (Tulip)

Patronus:  Cat

Patronus Memory: Camping late at night with Jakov and creating images from the stars

Mirror of Erised: Seeing his mother there, holding him close with a delighted smile of approval and acceptance.

Specialized/Favourite Spells: Caterwauling charm, Confundo, and Diffindo. His favorite is the disillusionment charm.

APPEARANCE

Faceclaim: Ivan Vuckovic

Game Appearance:

Height: 5’4

Weight: 135

Physique: Average

Eye Colour: dark forest green (D20 on the 1998 eye chart) Left eye is 3s lighter as he is becoming blind in that eye from a spell gone wrong

Hair Colour: deep brown with natural mahogany highlights (noticeable in direct sunlight) styled via French crop with a gradual fade.

Skin Tone: warm ivory

Inventory: He wears a dragon-shaped pendant and a dark brown wooden wrist cuff given to him by Jakov, his wand, and a pair of glasses

ALLEGIANCES 

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Affiliations/Organizations: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Professions: Aurologist and Herbalist 

HOGWARTS INFORMATION

Class Proficiencies:

Astronomy: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Charms: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

DADA: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Flying:  ★★★★★★★★★☆

Herbology: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

History of Magic: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Potions: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Transfiguration: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

Electives:

Care Of Magical Creatures: ★★★★★★★★☆☆

Divination: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Quidditch: Chaser

Extra-Curricular: Gardening Club

Favorite Professors: 

Professor McGonagall -She takes on the role of a mother figure in Corbyn’s eyes. She is stern but only out of a desire to see him succeed. Her admiration for his accomplishments is thus hard-won and genuine. 

Professor Sprout - Her gentle nature and willingness to encourage his interest in herbology quickly made her one of his favorite teachers. She is patient and kind, he can always count on her class to be his favorite.

Least Favourite Professors:

Professor Snape - No matter what he does, it’s never good enough. No matter how hard he studies he continually feels inferior. He came to school hoping to escape that type of nonsense.

Professor Rakepick- She’s suspicious. Her methods of teaching don’t sit well with him and it seems as if there are more at stake than just a few house points.

RELATIONSHIPS

Brother: Jakov Callum Reyes | (21yo) 11/271967- Sagittarius

Seer although he never told his family (mother had suspicions)

Woodcarver-aspires to be a wand designer

Is aware that Corbyn is his half-brother

Biological Father: Haedon Knezevic | (35 yo)  4/17/1951 -Aries

Full-blooded Valravan -began life as a raven

Magic is gathered from outside sources rather than from within like wizards

He was locked away under the watchful eye of the Legacies which prevented him from being a part of Corbyn’s early childhood.

Father: Ezekial Reyes |  (41yo) 5/9/1947 -Taurus

He married Lilith despite her indiscretions when in his late twenties.

Despite not being his true father, Ezekiel took on the role without question to become the parental figure Corbyn adores. As a role model, he endeavored to teach Corbyn virtues. He can only pray that they stuck with him at Hogwarts.

He was gone often and for long periods of time due to his work. This field of work has caused him to become sick but he keeps this as a secret.

Mother: Lilith Reyes | (38yo)  2/25/1948 - Pisces

Cheated on Ezekiel with Haedon becoming pregnant with Corbyn. He functions as a bitter reminder of everything she lost and of what she could have had.

Lilith is an Ilvermorny Alumni

When Jakov disappeared, Lilith’s smile went with him. A bit of her spirit broke and Corbyn was left with the aftermath of distance and anger.

Love Interest: Tulip Karasu

Best Friends: Barnaby Lee, Tulip Karasu & Chiara Loboscu

Rival: Merula Snyde & Diego Caplan

Enemy: Frith Fuilteach & Seth Drystan

Dormmates: Rowan Khanna & Laurent King

Pets: Midi- Tawny owl

Closest Canon Friends: Penny Haywood, Rowan Khanna, Barnaby Lee, Charlie Weasley

Closest MC Friends: 

Laurent King (@slytherin-puffskein)

Dahlia Goldman (@a-bear-at-hogwarts) 

Samuel Gabehart (@hphm-ravenclaw-writings)

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

While Ezekiel was away on business trips, Jakov often took over the role of parent. As an older sibling, he was expected to make Corbyn mind the rules while also helping his mother. The more often that this occurred, the more that Jakov began to resent his half-brother. The games they played became rougher and bordered on dangerous. Jakov was a teen pushed too early into adulthood and Corbyn was the scapegoat.

Despite this, Corbyn admired Jakov and looked up to him. To him, there were tense times but that did not diminish the genuine fun that they had. He loved Jakov as did their mother. So when news began to circulate about him opening the vaults, their mother was worried something might happen. This was proven correct when they received that fated letter. She was heartbroken. Jakov left and took her maternal love. Corbyn was left with bitterness, resentment, and emotional manipulation. It was here that he realized vulnerability is deadly. 

The Reyes had only recently moved to Bristol, UK when they received the news. Corbyn was 9 years old when he realized his brother would not be coming home. Rumors regarding Jakov joining You-Know-Who or his possible death were hard to hear but he continued to defend his brother to the point of coming home bruised and bloodied.

It was debated but Corbyn was allowed to go to Hogwarts in 1984. It wasn’t because his mother was scared of losing him. It was because she was sure he was a squib because he had only a few magical mishaps. She did not want to be further embarrassed by him.

During the first few years at Hogwarts, he befriended several students who demonstrated that vulnerability can be okay and it is sometimes needed. Not only did he learn some interesting spells but he learned of secrets and rumors that caused him to seek out the truth and eventually befriend Chiara.

PERSONALITY

Loyal: This is to a certain extent. Even if you are friends, he might not be loyal until you’ve proven yourself to be worthy of that loyalty. Sure, it is a bit of a test but once that loyalty is won, it is golden.

Self-sufficient: Due to the nature of how he was raised, Corbyn learned early on that the one person he can rely on is himself. Thus, he has a hard time asking for help in any matter. He prefers to solve the problem himself rather than be indebted to anyone.

Clever: Witty. Sarcastic. Corbyn uses words to cut down others or to trick them for profit. He does this because it's one way to look out for himself. If he can trick you, he will continue to do so for as long as possible.

Vindictive: Being a jealous individual isn’t a good look but he hasn’t been able to change. When someone crosses him or especially someone he has befriended (see loyal), then he’s out to assure that this never happens again. He will find your weaknesses and force you to endure them.

Obstinate: While this can sometimes be seen as negative, he is stubborn in the sense that he knows what he stands for and what he wants out of life. He is headstrong so it makes convincing him otherwise to be a headache.

MISC

Likes: intense spices, herbology, pranking his friends, the idea of courting

Dislikes: bananas, excessively sweet things, The Black Lake, not knowing how to swim

Hobbies: working with magical creatures, cooking/grilling, gambling

[darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts]

His Songbird

Hey guys! I am alive... kinda.... mostly. Well, I'm present enough to have written this little short for you all. I started writing in the fandom for IkeSen with my Moblords and Devil’s Own Luck. I had no idea how much it would be liked and I was over the moon when I wrote the sequel and had even more people enjoy it. I am lucky enough to share my birthday month with the Devil King so decided to create this tale. I hope you like it - Aerion x

A new layer has been added to the mob lord world and The Devil King of the Upper East Side himself will be showing it to us. What kind of relationship does our arrogant and always enigmatic Nobu have to an Italian performer in a "reputable" cabaret?

Warnings: Strong language, suggestive/leading romance (prelude to smut), 1 Devil King and 1 Songbird.

Masterlist

---

His Songbird

There was a lingering fresh smell in the air. The cleansing effect of the recent shower of rain that washed over the area was still hampering the toxic fumes of the city traffic. Street vendors selling mouth-wateringly tempting snacks had temporarily closed during the downpour and were now busying themselves with the returning crowds as they clamoured around looking to fill their stomachs.

A familiar and comforting weight at his side reminded him of his firearm, sitting in its holster, as he removed himself from his car and took to the streets. It had been a hellish week that had taken him to the different quarters of the city travelling for meetings with the minor factions within his empire. The crisis with Esshu Industries had left more than a few of his loyal followers with a bitter taste in their mouths. Questions still dogged him as he moved from location to location wondering if what had happened would repeat again.

He had given them all that cocky, self-assured smile and arrogant flamboyance he was known for as he sweet talked his way around the issue. The offending company had yet to dissolve or collapse after the fall of its CEO. Would this happen again? Honestly, he had no idea what the future held. In the world he lived in, not knowing the future variables would render most men virtually useless, as they stumbled in the dark grasping at straws. He was not most men.

The rhythmic clack of his highly polished custom-made shoes moving over the smooth paving stones in the street felt like they were grounding him to the present, mercifully preventing his mind from wandering along the avenues that threatened to derail his cool and collected facade.

---

“Dammit, Mitsuhide I’m asking you where he is!” Hideyoshi’s voice growled out in Mitsuhide’s office as he became increasingly more frustrated with the man and bashed a clenched fist on the desk.

“And I have already told you I couldn’t possibly say.” Mitsuhide replied without even glancing at his angry visitor. His fingers working their way over the keyboard of his computer as if playing a concerto on a piano, even as the coffee cup he had placed next to him rattled on his disturbed desk.

“Can’t or won’t?” Hideyoshi was far from calm, whenever anything happened to Nobunaga he was always first to jump into action on the boss’s behalf. And right now, Hideyoshi could feel that tell-tale panicked feeling creeping up his back like ice water.

“You’ve become very good at phrasing.” Chuckling Mitsuhide stopped typing finally looking Hideyoshi in the eye and grinning. “The answer is both.”

Mitsuhide’s face was a perfect mask of amusement whilst also giving nothing away of his own thoughts. He looked just as impertinent as he always did and that was just as irritating as it was impressive given that Hideyoshi seemed to be in full “mummy bear” mode.

“Excuse me?”

“I can’t tell you and I also won’t be. He has just as much right as everyone else to go and seek enjoyment without being mothered to death.” Mitsuhide picked up his coffee smiling into his drink as he took a sip. Those sharp almost luminous yellow eyes never once leaving the soft brown ones of Hideyoshi. If someone was going the break this staring competition and the battle of wills with the worrywart it would not be him.

Mitsuhide’s answer gave Hideyoshi more questions than it really answered, but he bit his lip and didn’t ask any of them. Mitsuhide clearly knew something he didn’t. That annoyed him but it was also such a common thing that it was as much a part of his life as breathing at this point. Hideyoshi just had to trust that although the boss was unreachable that he was safe. After all, Mitsuhide wouldn’t ignore a dangerous situation when it came to the boss’s safety right?

---

The side streets were less crowded as he took a hard-right turn through the swirling tide of pedestrians and made his way to a familiar building. The ground beneath his feet had changed to a combination of smooth tarmac and smaller more uneven cobblestones. This was where the older parts of the city began to merge with the newer ones, the pathways were well maintained but not suited to high levels of commuters travelling to and from work.

It was a pick and mix of small shops that almost seemed to spring out of the walls in this area. They all catered for a time when modernisation never happened. The storefronts were clad in wooden skins, with fabric and paper decorations adorning the outside of them in places making it look like a festival had just finished.

The faded colours and ink were advertising items for sale and blessings from the heavens. Nobunaga smiled wryly to himself as he looked at them in passing. To think someone believed in such things to get jobs done? Luck was not something bestowed on you from the heavens it was something you made for yourself. That was what he believed and he had not once seen anything that made him believe otherwise. The brickwork was darker here, it was less pristine looking and felt like it carried the weight of history in it as he continued on to the building he was looking for.

A heavy wooden door that had thick cast iron stud work on it and scarlet paint called to him like a beacon in the darkness. There was no sign here, only a single slightly rusted ornate birdcage hanging on a hook next to the door with a large electric light bulb inside it. He raised his hand and gave three firm knocks to the sliding panel. The faint sound of someone coughing drawing nearer on the other side announced the arrival of the doorman before the panel even moved.

“Yes?” The low gruff voice called out as two eyes full of suspicion leered at him from behind the door.

“Lovely night for a song.”

There was a weighted metallic clunk and the door creaked on its hinges creating a large enough gap for him to enter. The light inside the entryway was dim. Frosted glass shell shaped sconce lights cast only enough illumination to allow the guests to avoid injury as they moved without announcing to the world their identities.

The air smelt of a comforting combination of a lightly spiced incense and something familiar but intangible. The doorman moved back to his small desk taking a seat, ignoring the world around him again as he picked up a tabloid and began reading whatever article he had started before the door interrupted him. Nobunaga smiled at the sight. Here he was treated exactly like everyone else. It didn’t matter who or what you were when you stepped foot inside the door of The Birdcage you were all given the same greeting.

Walking confidently past the desk Nobunaga paced his hand on the heavy draped fabric covering a section of wall, dragging back a curtain of thick crushed velvet to access the door hidden behind it. The heart of the building was much larger than you might expect given the rather modest entrance. Several of the joining buildings on either side and directly behind the establishment had been combined to create this magical venue.

It was a bolt hole for the rich, wealthy and impossibly famous. Whether you operated in the light or the dark, you came here to escape and relax. It was in a way a protected environment that gave the illusion of being open and free. There had never been what you might call a prohibition on much in the city. Anything was fair game if you could handle the price. Still, places like this tucked away from direct view existed. A little entertainment and safe neutral ground to talk, trade and conduct business awaited you just the other side of the curtain in The Birdcage.

Soft melodies carried in the air through the room as he made his way towards the crescent moon shaped bar to place his drink order. Soft backlighting lit up the impressive array of bar optics and other bottles of fine liqueurs sitting neatly on the glass shelves.

“Dry Martini”

“Sure thing.” The young bartender gave a friendly smile and elegantly began blending the vermouth and gin together in a shaker.

A few minutes later, perfectly prepared chilled drink in hand. Nobunaga had located the private booth he usually frequented and was settling in to enjoy his small moment of escapism. It had been far too long since he had visited here of late and he could feel the anticipation building within him as he sipped on the cocktail and glanced around.

There were open tables dotted around the floor with flickering candles placed at their centres. Deep burgundy coloured booths lined the walls with uninterrupted views of the stage. The soft leather seating sighed faintly under his weight as he adjusted himself awaiting the main act of the night.

Tempo shifted from the grand piano on stage along with the lighting as a single spotlight was cast down to the vintage microphone silently announcing the singer. There was a swish of emerald green fabric as the exotic olive-skinned woman stepped into the light and seductively gripped the cold metal in front of her, tilting it to an optimum position with her impeccably manicured hand.

When she opened her cherry red lips the sound of her voice ran through him like an electrical current. It jolting through his very bones and he allowed the world to melt away around him as he watched the performer. She had always had this effect on him. The sultry lilt of her voice carried him in raptures, filling his mind with nothing but a pleasant numbness that otherwise was a maniacal hum of chaotic thoughts.

Her warm honey coloured eyes seemed to be staring right at him. The smokey eyeshadow she had chosen for tonight made her gaze look more intense than usual. Nobunaga drained his glass and caught a passing waitress’s attention for a refill.

Song after song flowed from the lips of the enchantress on stage. The piano accompaniment next to her combined its notes with her voice effortlessly. Some songs were sad, some were happy but each one held a spell of its own and chased out the thoughts from his mind as if she were shining a light directly into his soul. As the last note faded the singer bowed slightly and left the stage, her waist-length brown hair that was cascading down her back like a waterfall danced behind her. Nobunaga’s eyes followed the sensual sway of her body as she vanished from sight backstage and gathered himself to follow.

---

Her dressing room was the same as ever. Elegant and expensive gowns on hangers decorating the walls as if they were silk prints. Her dressing table was a neat arrangement with stage make up on one side and lighter everyday make up to the other side in front of a large white rococo mirror. A jewellery stand in the shape of a tree glittered at the corner of the table dripping with the elegant pieces she used to bring more glamour to her already polished performances.

A black lacquered screen decorated in gold and pink flowers stood proudly in the corner of the space and provided a little modesty to allow her to change. Silk stockings were draped over the top of the screen and the back of an ornate sofa like discarded snake skins. After gaining access to the room he tried to ignore that little stab he felt in his chest as he looked at the newer items in the room.

Basic furniture had been supplied when she started working here but a lot of what was in the room including the dresses were items gifted to her from happy customers, all too willing to support such beguiling talent. Was it jealousy? Of course it was. He knew that all too well and had spent many years at this point frustrated with how weak it made him feel. But he was damned if he was going to admit that.

Nobunaga took a seat on the sofa without invitation. A sight that made the woman smile as she looked at his reflected image in the mirror and removed some of the foundation from her face. The appearance of the faint lines on her skin reminded him of the years that had passed sending a warmth trickling through his chest warming him.

Her rich chocolate brown hair seemed to have more blonde highlights in it than the last time he saw her. He knew it was her subtle way of masking the growing numbers of grey hairs that had begun to streak her head like tails of falling comets in the night sky. Nobunaga couldn’t help but think that some women age terribly and then there are others like the one sitting in front of him that just seem to improve like a fine wine.

“It’s been a while. I was not expecting to see you today.” She gave him a happy smile, the excitement in her voice appearing unhidden as those almond shaped eyes looked at him with soft warmth through the mirror.

“I found myself with some free time.” He unbuttoned his jacket and removed it, tossing it in the direction of a chair by the wall. Revealing his pinstriped waistcoat and dress shirt. His tie had long been forgotten and balled up into one of his jacket pockets. His holster was the next to be removed but he made sure to keep the weapon close at hand. You could never be too cautious.  

“Is that so? Well, I am at least glad to see il mio uomo preferito. [1]” Her slip into her native language always made him smile. She knew just how to remove the small doubts and fears he never spoke of and draw him closer to her. That’s right. You are mine and no one else can have you as I do. No one else shall ever make you feel the way I can.

“Come here Songbird.” Nobunaga patted his thigh an alluring smirk spreading across his face. Carana stood from her dressing table and was moving to join him when there was a knock at the door. Irritation surged through him barely masked in his face as the smile on his lips vanished and the warmth he felt was replaced with a cold hard weight in his stomach. “You were expecting someone else?” He had meant it as a simple question but it had escaped his mouth in something more akin to an accusation.

“I ordered some drinks. I saw you in the audience and thought you might pay me a visit.” Her scent enveloped him as she changed her trajectory and went to answer her door. A member of the club’s bar staff was standing there a small tray balanced in their hands. So, she really was looking at me.

“And if I hadn’t?”

“Then I would have had two drinks to myself.” Carana shrugged her shoulders the chain of her necklace glimmered in the light it caught around her swan-like neck as it flexed on her bare skin with the motion.

This relationship was little more than a silent agreement without definition. Still, it remained a mutual understanding that he wished never to see the end of. Battling his own inner demons which seemed to be more active since the last attack on his company he tried to ignore a desire to risk it all and do something stupid. She returned from the door after a brief exchange carrying two glasses, a dry martini for him and a bright yellow concoction in a small tumbler. A ball of ice that almost filled the container with a spiral of lemon peel rested in the yellow liquid. Gold Rush? She remembered. Carana took a perch at his side which made the small frown to his face deepen slightly.

“Something wrong?” He didn’t miss the teasing tone she had. Only She would dare do this to him right now.

“You know exactly what is wrong. Are you trying to torment me?” Nobunaga took the glasses from her hands a little forcefully. Placing them on the table nearest them and dragged her body onto his lap. “There much better.”

“You are a terrible man.” Carana giggled and playfully slapped his arm.

“You love it.” He tightened his grip around her waist drawing her closer to him, a knowing smile creeping over his face as he watched her willingly submit to him and bury her head in his shoulder.

“Perhaps…” Her breath on his collar was reigniting that feeling he had as he watched her on stage. “So, what did you want? I have no information to sell.” Carana asked. Her smokey grey French tipped nails were drawing circles on his chest through his shirt, tracing the line of his waistcoat seductively. She knows what I am here for. The woman is just a damn tease. God’s help me if I haven’t already succumbed to her siren song long ago.

“Sing for me.” Nobunaga commanded brushing his lips to her temple allowing her the ability to move in his arms.

“What song?” Carana inclined her head. Nobunaga only usually asked for her to sing when he was feeling particularly pressured. She had learnt that small fact over the years and sometimes wondered if it was a piece of information only she knew. Something shared just between the two of them, joining them in some way. Secretly hoping that to be the case she allowed herself to cherish that small flutter in her chest knowing she could not speak a word of how she truly felt.

“Anything, just sing for me and only me for a time.” Nobunaga brushed some of her loose hair behind her ear. His red eyes looking at her, pleading with her.

At his insistence, Carana started to sing. The melody began softly, just slightly above a hum. As the lyrics began, he could feel her diaphragm expand and contract against the arm he still had around her waist as she balanced her breathing with vocalisation in the song. He was not focusing on the words as he melted into the sensuous rhythm of her voice.

Unlike when she was performing on the stage she was now within his reach. The emotions she was stirring in him, the sense of time he felt evaporating in those beautifully crisp notes. All of that was literally within his arms right now. He had everything he wanted in this one small fraction of time. Something completely selfish, that was of no benefit to anyone but himself. This was the dream woven in melody he allowed her to cast on him. The delicious poison of her voice seeping into his body that he willingly accepted. Who would have thought the Devil King’s weakness would be held in a single song?

Nobunaga leant forward gently teasing his teeth against her ear lobe. Small nips into that soft tanned skin, trailing his lips to the pulse point in her neck taking an exaggerated breath to fill his lungs with the smell of her. That Rose scented shampoo she always used reminding him of that garden he wanted to take her back to but had somehow never found the time. The more she sang the more things it stirred inside him. His hands were moving, his palms were brushing along the contours of her body as he felt the warmth of her against him.

“I can’t sing if you do that Nobunaga.” Carana half-heartedly protested eliciting a deep raspy chuckle from him.

“Oh? I think I can still hear a song.” Nobunaga’s eyes flashed with mischief as he pulled on the shoulder strap of her green silk dress drawing the edge of his tongue alone her exposed collar bone, nipping the very edge of it near the pendant on her neck.

“Il Diavolo! [2]” She cried out swivelling on his lap to face him. Her hands planted on his shoulders giving just enough force to push him back slightly but providing such little resistance against him that he couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m not hearing any objections il mio uccellino. [3]” Nobunaga walked his fingers up her back tracing each of her vertebrae, relishing the twitch of her body against his hand. You know you want this as much as I do Carana. All you have to do is feel me. Be mine.

“And you never will. At least not from me.”

---

[1] My Favourite Man [2] You Devil! [3] My Little Bird

Artwork by me. Please don’t copy without permission. 

[queermediastudies]

Photo Essay: Queerness in Disney Villains

The focus of these images is on how Disney villains are incidentally queer, and how this representation reflects a negative image for queer people. Generally, villains are conquered by heteronormative characters, whether that be through a failed plan or death. This is harmful because it paints queer people in a villainous way and as being defeated by hetero-norms rather than accepted.  Disney should move away from only having queer representation in the form of a villain and instead, have queerness portrayed across all types of characters (protagonist, side characters, etc). This will give more positive representation for those in the LGBTQ community, making Disney a more inclusive fantasy world.  This approach is more effective in embracing queer identity. The characters we will be focusing on will be grouped into three categories: ambiguous relationships, mannerisms and gender roles, and breaking notions of normativity. 

Ambiguous Relationships:

These images portray different characters that have relationships the audience may deem ambiguous. These relationships are not heterosexual ones either, making them appear queer. Though none of the texts outright say there is a relationship between these characters, there are moments that feel outside of heteronormative traditions.

(Gaston and Lefou, “Beauty and the Beast”, Disney, 1991)

This image is from the song sequence in Beauty and the Beast (1991) where Gaston basically brags about how manly he is. However, though the song focuses on his “manliness” there is a moment in which Gaston and his goofy henchman, Lefou, dance intimately for a moment. This moment is similar to the W.K.L Dickson short film of 1895 that depicted two men dancing intimately together. Benshoff and Griffin (2004) say, “Without a narrative context, the meaning of ‘two men dancing together is left open to interpretation. One thing is certain however-- the dancing pair is queer: they are not the usual expected heterosexual couple” (p. 6). Different from the “dancing pair” video, Gaston and Lefou do have a narrative that may challenge their queer image (since Gaston is actively chasing after Belle). However, as the text states this moment does not have a heterosexual pairing and features two men, making them queer.

(Captain Hook and Mr. Smee, “Peter Pan”, Disney, 1953)

There has been much speculation from Disney fans that Captain Hook could be gay due to his flamboyant mannerisms, but when one takes a closer look at his relationship with his first mate, Mr. Smee, it is clear that they are extremely close (Benedict, 2017). What is queer about their relationship is the way Smee dotes on Hook, something that is characteristic of the gender roles of a woman. Seen here, Smee is taking Hook’s temperature while Hook is feeling unwell. The purpose of Smee’s character is to be the person that cares for Hook, the way a woman stereotypically cares for a man in a heterosexual relationship. Hook, on the other hand, is the leader and provider of the crew (what could be seen as a family). Having them be two male characters that embody the heteronormative traditions of a man and woman is what makes their relationship queer and ultimately relates to the historical use of queer gender-bending as a technique to gain laughs as well as to signify evil (Benshoff & Griffin, 2004, p. 7).

(Ratcliffe and Wiggins, “Pocahontas”, Disney, 1995)

Ratcliffe and Wiggins are both queer characters due to their mannerisms. Ratcliffe portrays a flamboyant image that is not of traditional masculine stereotypes due to the way he dresses and enjoys “finer things”. He does not follow the rugged, hard working stereotype that heteronormativity often gives. Wiggins also has a queerness about the way he acts, but it is different from Ratcliffe. Rather, Wiggins likes things that are stereotypical of gay men/of being “girly”. Here, he is offering that Ratcliffe and Wiggins give gift baskets. He also is seen making a unicorn shaped bush, bathing a dog and talking cutsey with it, and getting teary-eyed when Ratcliffe is taken away. These interests deviate from stereotypical masculine interests, making Wiggins queer. Together, Ratcliffe and Wiggins create a queer duo, with Ratcliffe being the snobby,arrogant stereotypical gay man and Wiggins being the flowery, girly stereotypical gay man. They are not openly gay, but connotation is a tactic often used in film to deal with onscreen homosexuality, that makes the characters more queer than openly gay (Benshoff & Griffin, 2004, p. 7).

Mannerisms:

With the following images, we can see how characters are made inherently queer through their mannerisms. Disney uses stereotypes of queer people such as their behaviors, to reinforce stereotypes of queer people. Cover (2004) discusses how “stereotyping reduces individuality and diversity, into wrongful notions of behavior” (pg. 81). In class, we’ve discussed how queer people are represented: flamboyant, hyper feminine, fashionable, etc. By assigning queer people these stereotypes, and by continuing to portray characters with these stereotypes, we will continue to see these mannerisms and behaviors as negative.

(Scar, “The Lion King”, Disney 1994)

This gif shows Scar from The Lion King. In this scene, Scar is speaking XXX. One way Scar is made incidentally queer is by the placement of his paw. He has the back his paw placed on his forehead, and his eyes are closed. From the gif, it looks like he is speaking dramatically. Queer people, gay men in particular, have been typically portrayed as over the top and dramatic. In this scene with Scar, we can see this stereotype being played out. Because By portraying queer men as “drama queens,” we are reducing their emotions down to say they aren’t valid because showing emotion is only acceptable for women. By doing this, we are also saying that drama is only associated with women. This actions continue to place gender roles on both men and women, and acting out of your gender roles is queer.

(Gaston, “Beauty and the Beast” Disney, 1991)

This GIF shows a scene in Beauty and the Beast where the villain Gaston is upset about Belle’s behavior; she rejected him in public and now he sits in a pub is singing about how great of a man he is. His friend Lefou is joining in on the song and gets other men in the pub to sing about Gaston as well, making the entire scene fairly queer. In this GIF specifically, Gaston is acting queerly from your traditional, heterosexual, masculine, male. While Gaston’s physique is that of a traditionally masculine man, his mannerisms suggest queerness. Gaston sits on the chair, with his leg pointed in a feminine manner. He is also singing about using antlers in all of his decorating. Traditional gender roles assume women do housework, including any decorating. In the GIF, Gaston is breaking gender roles and is inherently queer while doing so.

(Hades, “Hercules”, Disney, 1997)

In this image, the villain Hades from Hercules is inherently queer by the way he dresses, and holds his drink. Hades sits on his “throne” and sips what appears to be a martini. A stereotype of gay men, is that they drink “girly” drinks including martinis. Hades’ drink is pink yet he is portrayed as blue. Historically, blue is associated with boys, and pink is associated with girls. This juxtaposition of color as well as Hades’ mannerisms, questions these roles of gender. Hades’ clothes also questions normative gender roles; Hades’ wears a long garment that resembles a dress. As we know, dresses are “for women.” His neckline is also fairly low-cut and shows off parts of his skin. One stereotype with gay men and queer people is that they can be hypersexual and show off lots of skin. By having Hades break these normative gender roles, he is inherently queer.

Breaking Notions of Normativity:

In these images, we can see how Disney used villains and the concept of villains, to queer their films. By queering films, we are gaining representation for queer folk, and we are also breaking away from historical representations of characters. However, using the representations of queerness for villain's only is not something Disney should continue doing. We can see how much representation matters, and how Disney is creating breakout texts through their representation that is beginning to deviate from exclusively villainous roles.

(Ursula, The Little Mermaid, Disney, 1989, and drag queen Divine)

In the 1989 film The Little Mermaid, the villain Ursula was modeled after drag performer Divine. This depiction is a double edged sword because on one end, basing a character off a queer personality means representation. Making them a prominent character forces a dialogue that couples with the AIDs epidemic at its height. However, this depiction is ultimately harmful because the representation affirms the notion that queerness is a villainess trait. Furthermore, this depiction was strictly visual as Divine was not going to voice the role. This ultimately harmful depiction relates to DeClues notions of visibility, “The violence of erasure, the refusal of visibility, the pain of a contingent inclusion.”.The result is a villain whose inspiration blurs notions of normativity, but only for the sake of harming queerness.

(Te Ka, The central antagonist of Moana is full of fury and rage. Her spirit is eventually quelled when Moana tells her of her true identity)

Moana is a unique in the world of Disney. In many ways, this film queers the very tropes Disney is known for founding. With Pacific Islanders as the central cast, the film breaks the mold of standard western depictions of Disney Royalty. Moana is also unique because her Disney princess status is not correlated with a Disney prince. Furthermore, her final conflict with Te Ka does not involve the classic Disney Fall. The Fall is a trope where in a Disney villain falls to their death. This releases the protagonist from accountability or moral ambiguity. Instead Moana reminds Te Ka with who she really is through the song “Know Who You Are.”

Based off of these unique perspectives and the commercial success (grossing over $640 million), one could argue that Moana serves as a breakthrough text. Cavalcante notes this relevance in Communication Culture and Critique. “...Beyond their content, breakout texts are largely defined by their reception, their use, the sociality they facilitate, and their everyday life context.” This example shows that breaking notions of normativity, can be successful.

(The news anchors in Zootopia, a cheetah (predator) and a moose (prey))

While this example is not a villain, we can see the villainization of predators in Zootopia. The central conflict involves society that villainizes predators and looks to wedge a division between the population; predators vs. prey. In the above image, there is something that can be considered as progressive; we have a predator cheetah, co-hosting the news with a moose (prey). This is inherently queer because it breaks the barriers between predator and prey, similarly to how barriers may be broken between heteronormativity and queerness.

Disney is willing and able to make accommodations. The strength of representation cannot be stressed enough. Each region can find something to relate to. The benefits of this depiction also come in the form of normativity. These anchors do not have an impact on the story. They are neither antagonist or protagonist. Instead they exist on a periphery that enforces diversity is normal, commonplace, and apolitical.

Conclusion:

Although Disney is moving toward more “queer” representation in their animated films, there is still progress to be made. As these images show, Disney has primarily used villains as a way to portray queerness (likely not even intentionally) and that is problematic for the queer community due to the negative connotations villains have. Disney needs to make a move toward including queer characters in protagonist roles so that there may be positive representation for queer audiences to relate to. It need not be made a huge event or publicity stunt, but it could be done tastefully in a way that makes it present without becoming problematic as well as being the forefront and not just background characters

Resources

Benedict, R. (2017, March 3). “13 Classic Disney Characters Who Were Probably Gay”. Retrieved from https://hornet.com/stories/classic-gay-disney-characters-probably/

Benshoff, H.& Griffin, S. (2004). “Queer Cinema, The Film Reader”.

Cavalcante, A. (2017). Breaking Into Transgender Life: Transgender Audiences’ Experiences With “First of Its Kind” Visibility in Popular Media.

Cover, R. (2004). Bodies, movements and desires: lesbian/gay subjectivity and the stereotype, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, 18(1), 81-97, DOI: 10.1080/1030431032000181012

DeClue, J. (2017). To Visualize the Queen Diva! Transgender Studies Quarterly, 4(2).

Goldstone, A. D., Hahn, D., McArthur, S., Schumacher, T., Allers, R., & Minkoff, R. (1994). The Lion King, United States: Walt Disney Pictures.

Goldstone, A. D., Clements, R., & Musker, J. (1997). Hercules, United States: Walt Disney Pictures.

Hanh, D., Trousdale, G., & Wise, K. (1991). Beauty and the Beast, United States: Walt Disney Pictures.

King, B.  (2017, October 9). 10 Fictional Characters Surprisingly Based on Real People | Film Daddy. https://www.filmdaddy.com/all-articles/characters-based-on-real-people

[pikaiscool]

Yosuke Hanamura

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, since I’ve seen a lot of people talk to me about my love for Yosuke and my views, so I decided to throw together a little character study/theory for him that I honestly believe comes for Yosuke. I’m going to put it under the cut and fix it up a little later since it’s just things I’ve written from discord.

The one thing I kept thinking about today was...why does Yosuke act the way he does? Why does he say the certain things he does? I kept dwelling on it.. and there could be so many explanations behind it. 

Well honestly it all kinda reigns further back when it comes to the entire magician comic:  Yosuke is a kid who came from the city, mixed into a group of boys who he saw as his friends. In reference to that he had parents who seem to be incredibly distant whenever it comes to Yosuke except for his dad, but we hear of him only when it comes to work or disciplining Yosuke and Teddie 

Yosuke being an only child has a lot of expectations shoved onto his shoulders: be a good boy in school, have friends, make it through, do anything to not disappoint his elders, so his biggest influences were his parents and his friends.

Part of me believes is that Yosuke's dad is strict, incredibly strict when it comes to work or have Yosuke do things for him because he is their son, all he can do is comply, he is definitely carefree but it's a lot more contained with the friend group he's in 

At the end of the comic you see that Yosuke loses all contact with his former friends, which makes it pretty obvious that they never were keen on keeping him as a friend to begin with. Abandonment, I can say from experience, hurts deeply, it makes you feel like you don’t matter to begin with; like you’re not worth the effort. Probably something Youske felt when it happened. 

In PQ there is a part where even Ken goes on about "Guys marrying in Japan is illegal! You can't! They teach that in social studies!"

So when that topic comes up in school in the city he only gets that view of the law, his friends who are probably against guys marrying and go on about the "guys being together is wrong/disgusting/weird".

Then his parents, who you can puzzle together with how strict they are and how high of expectations they have of Yosuke they PROBABLY have a pretty nasty view of same sex relationships.

Being influenced by your parents opinions and the opinions of your 'friends' then shaped some of Yosuke's beliefs, 

Kanji's shadow didn't help.

His entire dungeon didn't help.

it only engaged Yosuke's view of it more.

The shadow was overfly flamboyant and came on strong, something that Yosuke was told multiples times was the stereotype for homosexual men. Acting feminine, showing off a lot of skin, being incredibly uncomfortably close and all the sorts, it’s not Kanji’s fault, his believes weren’t that he is scared of liking men but that he’s scared of being rejected in general, Yosuke obviously doesn’t get that vibe from the dungeon so he sticks with his first assumption. 

Yosuke at this point doesn't KNOW what is morally okay to say because in his eyes it's wrong, in his beliefs he is 'supposed' to be scared because all he's seen for now is the stereotypes.

It doesn't make it okay, but he doesn't know that, he doesn't have the correct judgement for that because until he met Yu he's never had a different view on it. 

If you take his removed romance route into consideration he will have an incredibly hard time coming to terms with it, he is scared to become something that he's been told to fear, but at the same time his feelings for Yu don't seem to be wrong at all.

Yu isn't this flamboyant. weird, or highly sexual person, at the same time, neither is Yosuke, so he doesn’t know what to make out of this realization. 

Not only is he confused, but he has all these other emotions he has to deal with, abandonment issues, caring about someone who died and then finding out they disliked you, all the stress from Junes... it pretty much throws it all into Yosuke's 8th social link where he just breaks down and cries.

He CRIES in front of you, a boy who's so sick and tired and confused. A boy who just wants to live a normal life suddenly has everything in the world go wrong for him and he can't take it.

I also strongly believe Yosuke definitely does suffer from depression but he never shows it to anyone, he wants to be carefree, he wants people to like him and he'll do anything even put himself to shame just to keep that, but who can blame him? He’s obviously desperate for friends through all of the things he’s experienced. It’s not pathetic or low, he needs the contact.

Nobody of the IT has seen Yosuke's shadow expect for Yu, the entire team knows each other incredibly well since they are also pretty open about their emotions, but Yosuke is that weird outside spot who only has Yu to trust when it comes to the emotional stuff. 

it shows that Yosuke does, because he lets the others bully him around or use his money or even call him a disappointment and rolls with it. He only sometimes goes against it but in the end the others still manage to get the upper hand and Yosuke has no other choice but to take the punch.

Then at the same time we can't disregard that he is still a kid, along with all the others. His judgement isn't going to be as perfect as an adults (and not even adults have good judgement sometimes). Kids mess up, kids learn from their mistakes and what Yosuke and the others experience is something no kid should go through.

hhhh I’m so sorry for this super long text post but it’s all the thoughts I dished together when it came to analyzing Yosuke. I could be 100% wrong, but this is truly what I believe. 

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

No Stones Unturned: Mick Jagger

Sir Michael Jagger was born in Dartford, England to a middle-class family. Both his father and grandfather were teachers, while his mother of Australian descent was a hairdresser. Both his parents had hoped he would follow in his father’s footsteps becoming a teacher, but Jagger has stated that he had always wanted to be a singer from a young age. "I always sang as a child. I was one of those kids who just liked to sing. Some kids sing in choirs; others like to show off in front of the mirror. I was in the church choir and I also loved listening to singers on the radio–the BBC or Radio Luxembourg–or watching them on TV and in the movies." Until 1954, he lived next to and went to school with Keith Richards. The artist that led Jager to rhythm and blues was in fact the flamboyant singer, Little Richard. In 1961, Jagger left school after testing out of seven O levels and two A levels. He moved in with Keith Richards and Brian Jones in an apartment on Edith Grove in London. Richards and Jones had planned to start a rhythm and blues group called Blues Incorporated, while Jagger attended the London School of Economics as an undergraduate student. A common misconception is that they all met on that first day, then the Rolling Stones started. It happened as more of a gradual process. For his part, Jagger began to jam with Jones and Richards, which eventually led to the formation of the Rolling Stones. Yet, this emerged as a process because Jagger still kept one foot within the academic world.

From the beginning of the band, they would often perform for no money. Their first gigs were playing the intermission between sets for musician Alexis Corner. Their first live performance officially as the Rolling Stones was at the Marquee Club in July 1962. Jager officially left school by the autumn of 1963 in order to pursue music full-time. Another misconception was that the collaboration between him and Keith Richards took shape from the very beginning. Once again, this was a gradual process that took a bit of time to develop. Their first hit song was a blues cover, “Little Red Rooster.” Their first Rolling Stones original hit, “The Last Time”in 1965 took a lot of inspiration from the Staples Singers song, “This May Be the Last Time.” They did not really hit their stride until the song “Satisfaction”was released, which also emphasized an image of rebellion. The singer would say this in 1992 in an interview in Vanity Fair. “I wasn't trying to be rebellious in those days; I was just being me. I wasn't trying to push the edge of anything. I'm being me and ordinary, the guy from suburbia who sings in this band, but someone older might have thought it was just the most awful racket, the most terrible thing, and where are we going if this is music?... But all those songs we sang were pretty tame, really. People didn't think they were, but I thought they were tame."

In the 1970’s, Jagger changed his look, but more importantly his music as well. By the time of Sticky Fingers, he had learned to play guitar with contributions even on that album. On subsequent albums, the singer contributed guitar parts on every release with the notable exception of Dirty Work in 1986. By the 1972 tour for Exile on Main Street, Jagger had fully embraced the glam rock style that would define him for the rest of the decade. He would even admit himself this embrace of an androgynous look in an interview years later. The singer would often perform live wearing glitter and eyeliner. By the time of that album, Jagger had also taken over business decisions for the band in conjunction with his personal investment manager Prince Rupert Loewenstein. This partnership still exists to this day. Some have said that financially he helped to save the band because management had been robbing them blind since the beginning. In a 1994 60 Minutes story, a promoter for the Voodoo Lounge tour noted how unique it was to have a lead singer so plugged into the business side of things.

In the mid-1980’s, Jagger decided that it was time for him to record a solo album. This decision would almost lead to the end of the Rolling Stones. He would say in Rolling Stone magazine, there was a need to establish an artistic identity outside of the band. Keith Richards felt the complete opposite in that anything musically should be directed towards the Rolling Stones. In 1985, he would release his first solo album, She’s the Boss, which actually sold pretty well. Two years later in 1987 the singer released a second solo album entitled, Primitive Cool, which emerged as a modest success. Sandwiched between that was the release of a 1986 Rolling Stones album, Dirty Work. At the time of recording that album, Jagger and Richards could not even be in the same room together. The only reason that album even exists is probably because Ron Wood acted as peacemaker between the two during the recording sessions. To make matters worse, Jagger refused to tour after the completion of the 1986 album, but instead wanted to tour his solo material instead. This decision put the future of the band very much up in the air. The other band members went ahead and worked on their own side projects as well. The irony came in that Jagger was the only one who did not really grow from the experience of going solo when the band reunited for Steel Wheels.

Jagger has also starred in some well-known films throughout his career. His debut took place in the film Performance, which also starred Keith Richards girlfriend. Jagger portrayed an aging rockstar recluse in the film that has gone on to achieve almost a cult film status today. His next film took place with the film, Ned Kelly, where he portrayed the infamous Australian outlaw. The singer seemed very selective in the roles that he chose as they seem to take on a feel of art house. He did audition for the role in Rocky Horror Picture Show, but Tim Curry was eventually chosen for that film. Jagger also had planned to star in an adaptation of the book Dune, but the movie never went into production. Ironically, the film would be made in the 1980’s, but starring former lead singer of the Police, Sting. In more recent film roles, he has tended to play more of a bad guy as seen in 1992’s Freejack. In 1995, the singer even started a film company that released a 2008 remake of George Cukor’s The Women. The film did very poorly at the box office and critically panned by everyone with the possible exception of Roger Ebert.

Mick Jagger has been married once and been in several other relationships with women over the years. From 1966 to 1970, he was with singer Marianne Faithfull. A year later he was married to Nicaraguan model, Bianca Perez Mora Macias. They were divorced in 1978 on the grounds of adultery. He would reportedly have an affair from 1974 to 1976 with Bebe Buell, but they both have denied that this ever occurred. In 1977, Jagger began dating Jerry Hall, who had four children together. Another positive aspect of this relationship emerged in that Hall got the singer to give up heroin. Next up was Carla Bruni, who the singer had an affair with from 1991 to 1994. She would go on to marry the future president of France becoming that country’s first lady for a time. His relationship with Hall ended after yet another affair. A court in England ruled that their marriage was not legally binding when she sued for divorce. From 2001 to 2014, the Jagger was in a relationship with L’Wren Scott until she committed suicide in 2014. In her will, she left her entire $9 million estate to Jagger. Finally, ballet dancer Melanie Hamrick, who had his child in 2016 when he was 73.

Mick Jagger has left an indelible mark on pop-culture outside of the Rolling Stones. In 1975, Andy Warhol painted his likeness, which ended up on the wall of the palace of the Shah of Iran. His wife had purchased the painting. The band Maroon 5 had a hit song entitled “Moves Like Jagger” a few years ago. One thing he said about the song was unfortunately he didn’t hear receive royalties from it. In the film, Almost Famous, his name is mentioned when the character played by Jimmy Fallon asked the question, do you think make Mick Jagger is going to be going up on stage when he’s 50? In 1973, Carly Simon wrote the song “You’re So Vain,” but she has never revealed what guy the song is actually about. Some have speculated that the song is indeed referring to Jagger. This does seem unlikely since he did background vocals on the track. Don McLean created the iconic song “American Pie” with references to many of the musicians of the 1960s including Jagger. In the lyrics, McLean sings about Satan, which many believe is a reference to the singer. In 1967, a photographer took a picture of Jager‘s naked buttocks with the original going up for auction in 1986. The image sold for $4000.

For his part, Mick Jagger will go down as quite simply one of the most influential lead singers in the history of rock and roll. David Bowie once said that he dreamed as a boy about becoming the next Mick Jagger. Universities have had classes where they study the movement of Jagger as it relates to power, sexuality, and gender. They argue about how much the singer is really acting on stage, and whether he actually means everything that he sings about in his songs. Another aspect of his legacy emerges in his longevity. He has done it longer than anyone else in the history of music. A few years ago Jon Bon Jovi commented on this, where he was simply astounded at how much running and jumping around an older man does on stage. He wondered if there was any way that he could do that at the same age.

In 1980, Mick Jagger was persuaded to write an autobiography. The reason being came in that there were quite a few unauthorized biographies of him already out there. He wanted to set the record straight and went ahead in producing a 75,000 word book. Yet, at the last minute, the singer decided to completely shelve the manuscript. There is only one copy of it in existence, which belongs to the person that persuaded him to write it, Lord Weidenfield. There is no word yet as to whether this work will see the light of day upon his passing. In my personal opinion, I am not sure that it would be a worthwhile read since the book would only include the first 15 years of the Rolling Stones. He had not even begun to feud with Keith Richards at that time.

Jagger in his limited free time loves sports. He is a diehard fan of both soccer and cricket. The Rolling Stone regularly follows the English national soccer team, and will travel to see them play in the World Cup, if they qualify. Jagger also started an Internet site that follows and announces cricket games, Jagger Internetworks. His politics have also changed quite a bit over the years. In the beginning, he was very liberal writing songs about revolution and protest like “Street Fighting Man.” Yet, nowadays Jagger is a strong proponent of the conservative party in England. For a long time, he remained a large supporter of Margaret Thatcher. Finally, the singer has participated in a great amount of philanthropy in England towards music education and local schools. He started a Mick Jagger Center at his former school in Dartford, England. Another thing he started was the Little Red Rooster music program, which is featured in schools throughout the country.

[spiritualesoterichighlevel]

Leo is the sign of the Sun, the central heart of the solar system, majestic ruler of the heavens. In ancient times the Sun came to its full glory and reached the height of its annual ascent as it joined the stars in the constellation of the Lion. Ever since, lions have been portrayed in art, myth and iconography as powerful symbols of solar strength, supremacy, glory, light and brilliance.

Widespread hero myths, such as those of Gilgamesh, Oedipus, Orion, Hercules or Samson, bear tales of wrestling with the lion; all have been identified as calendar myths that relate to the story of the sun's journey through the sky. As the hero does battle with the lion, he absorbs the solar qualities and takes them as his own. In the widely reported Greek myth, Leo is said to commemorate the fierce Nemean Lion, brother of the sphinx, which Hercules must defeat in the first of his trials. The Nemean lion is a symbol of the fierce and devastating summer heat that ravishes the land. No weapon, stone, club or instrument made of iron or bronze can penetrate its skin; it is an 'impossible' task, unyielding to cunning, craft or speed. Hercules can only succeed by summoning the entire strength of his being, the full magnitude of his inner will and fixed, determined spirit. His conquest becomes a testimony to the power of mind over matter, the individual's capacity to move heaven and earth and attain the unattainable through the process of connecting with the heart of one's being and giving full reign to the creative force that resides, mainly dormant, within.

As the sign of the Sun, Leo is characterised by courage, an invincible attitude, and the gift of unsuppressed will to rise above the ordinary. Anatomically, Leo has rulership over the heart and blood; symbolically, it also signifies the metaphorical parallels that see the heart as the centre of strength and vitality, and the 'blood raising' process as one that allows us to engage in battles - moral, physical, territorial or political - free from the restraints of logical recognition of consequences or instinctive awareness of limitations. The word 'courage' derives from the Latin word for the heart, Cor, and literally means 'to take heart' (and therefore overcome one's fears). In the 'blood raising' process we become bigger, more powerful, more conscious and more capable than we normally consider ourselves to be, and Leos have an easy ability to take on this grander persona whenever they feel the need to assert qualities of superiority.

The Sun is a natural symbol for power and command. Traditionally, the Sun represents the captain, the boss, the leader or the king. In Leo the lion, the 'king of the beasts', the theme of majestic grandeur is never far from the observable traits. Put simply, whatever opinions anyone else may have on the matter, a Leo perceives him- or herself as the royal center of activity. Lions are territorial animals and care little about what happens outside the boundaries of their own terrain; similarly, all Leos will have an area that they view as 'their kingdom' - their rightful place to shine where they can become the nucleus that directs, organizes and orchestrates. To some it is the domestic environment; to others, a hobby or intellectual pursuit; others yet may find it in a wider professional or political arena. Wherever this 'kingdom' exists, a Leo will take great pride and pleasure in being viewed as someone to look up to. Treat them with respect, and they demonstrate that well-earned reputation for a broad-minded, enthusiastic and magnanimous disposition.

However, should a Leo have cause to view another as a predator, then never was a creature more sensitive or responsive to assumed slights and imagined threats. Open-minded tolerance and relaxed confidence fall away as ego-driven urges swing into gear. A Leo as an adversary makes a bloody-minded opponent and the dominating qualities of this sign are such that they rarely feel appeased with victory unless it involves the total annihilation of the threat. Leos are well known for sensitivity to their own emotions, and yet they are far less empathetic to the thoughts and feelings of others; hence this sign has one of the most fearsome reputations amongst the zodiac signs for exhibiting brutal or extreme behaviour. Ancient astrologers referred to Leo as 'bestial', meaning responsive to primordial instincts rather than higher reasoning; and 'feral' because it was considered capable of savage and ferociously destructive traits. This is the darker side of the Leo. It is rarely explored in sun-sign columns that dwell on the warmth, vitality, and sunshine-filled aura that Leos generally demonstrate when they are not being pushed to the limits of their behaviour. Other negative traits include a tendency towards being dogmatic, a bullying mentality, self-conceit, vanity, and a snobbish, patronizing disposition.

Leo's element is fire and its nature is hot and dry. Fire types are characterised by spontaneity; swift, intuitive responses; vivacious and infectious ways of relating to others, and high energy levels. They are attracted to passion, drama and crave attention. This latter is particularly evident in Leos, who revel in positions that draw attention to them; where it is not forthcoming they will make conscious and unconscious attempts to foster it though the use of strong, vivid colours, dramatic gestures and overblown expressions.

Traditionally the fire signs are termed Choleric, deriving from the Greek term Khole, meaning 'bile'. In humoral philosophy the bile is considered the seat for the expression of anger, thus choleric types are often considered irascible and quick to show their temper: externally in their words and actions, and internally through the way that their blood rate increases with their passions, leading to throbbing temple veins and flushed-red complexions. Nicholas Culpeper noted that such types are by nature "quick witted, bold, unshamedfaced, furious, hasty, quarrelsome" yet also "courageous". He described them as often full of anger and light in movement with a pulse which is swift and strong.[1]

However, Leo is a fixed sign and therefore the propensity for hasty action is moderated. Leos are unlikely to respond to every trifling event and generally take time to let their opinions form, during the process of which many minor irritations resolve themselves. They are often referred to as simple-minded, meaning that they tend to relate to things exactly as they are expressed and see them just as they appear on the surface. Communication should be plain, simple and direct, though literary types may reveal a signature of flamboyance in rich and colourful, artistic expressions. Leos don't make a habit of looking for deeper meanings, neither do they have a very detailed eye, but tend to appreciate things from the broader perspective. This gives them a talent for seeing the whole picture and suits their leadership skills in that they have breadth of vision and a ready grasp of the overall shape of things. But they are out of their depth when dealing with the essential detailed practicalities that make the vision work and often rely upon the co-operation and support of more discerning types to ensure that particulars are not overlooked.

Leos are commonly reported as being opposed to pettiness, and they seem to possess an optimistic belief that everything will work itself out in the fullness of time. Whilst a conviction that sweet providence is taking care of them is generally a blessing that sustains their confidence, and such buoyancy usually does foster success, this attitude can lead to major problems, especially when their disinterest in practical details combines with their leaning towards extravagance and exaggerated plans. Limitations of all sorts are alien to the Leo nature; and many Leos are poor at budgeting themselves or restricting their financial output to what they can actually afford. They are prone to ostentatious financial commitments and material indulgences that incline them to live at the edge of their means if not beyond. Periods when balancing the books is necessary can be a very depressing time for Leos; this often comes in the form of a crisis that can no longer be ignored. The importance of self-limitation is a lesson that ought to be driven home to all young Leos, but their lack of natural talent in this area is part of the downside of having a colourful attitude towards living life to the fullest.

As lovers and partners Leos are a strange mix of contradictory traits. They are known for being expressive, extravagant and warm with their affections, but equally they have a self-obsessed quality that can become a point of conflict in one-to-one relationships based on a platform of mutual equality. They can go through periods of excluding the partner, being totally absorbed in their own interests, and then make grand romantic gestures, becoming overwhelming charming for a while in an effort to make up for their neglect. Leos are usually loyal and straightforward with their emotions, striving for stability; they dislike subtle game playing and put great store by honesty and openness. However, traditionally, the sign is not a favourable one for marriage because Leos basically have a problem with sharing their field and maintain rigid, inflexible views on the essential way that life should be. Successful relationships can occur with partners that are more flexible in their approach, able to tolerate periods of exclusion in exchange for lots of fuss and attention from time to time, and especially if that partner is malleable enough to maintain independent interests whilst helping to support the Leo in mundane practicalities.

There is usually no shortage of romantic candidates drawn to their vibrant and charismatic appeal and young love can be intensely passionate. Like all the fire signs, Leos are idealistic and don't hold back from expressing their passion. They are extremely responsive to romantic attention, which is very gratifying to their ever-hungry ego, and as such they can suffer from rash romantic liaisons that are impetuous and unsuitable on a long term basis. "Guileless are the sentiments of their honest heart" claimed Manilius in the 1st century AD [2] - they are often said to act foolishly by placing too great a faith in human nature and expecting other people to see things in the simple, black and white shades that colour their vision.

All of the sun signs show us the traits that we can use to connect with a powerful force that makes us distinguished individuals, capable of rising above our habitual fears. The faults of the Leo are no more than the extremes of a nature that recognizes this most easily of all. Where the Sun shines, truth, nobility and pure-penetrating vitality can be found. Used consciously, Leo represents an elemental power that is healing, light-bringing, direct, joyous and strong. We simply need to remember that the lion can act like a pussy-cat at times, but it in its own heart it is always a magnificent creature that can never be fully tamed or manipulated against its will.

[masterstrange-closed]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐒 / wizarding world au.

This is an open concept AU; no set timeline or location to make it flexible for the different canons and timelines within this universe. The default is American, born in 1976  - but can be plotted otherwise. This is also an open AU, which means any mutual can approach me about it and there is no connected canon to other muns unless a mini private offshoot is agreed upon.

Born to muggles, Eugene and Beverly Strange, Stephen struggled accepting his identity as a wizard at first. It certainly went against his father’s plans and sensibilities to allow his son to learn ‘unholy skills’; it took a combination of his mother and school officials to settle the matter once and for all.  It took a permanent toll on the relationship between his father and himself; trying to make him proud while also being something that went against everything he was taught and raised to be.

It was easier for Donna two years later. For a moment, Eugene thought they were safe in regards to her, only to find out she had been delayed entry due to when her birthday fell in regards to the school year. By then, Eugene gave up in a sense. Becoming distant and detached from the kids lives, pinning all his hopes on Victor to be ‘normal’. His wish was granted, as Victor grew to be wary of his siblings and distant from them.

Upon graduating, Stephen began practicing at one of the finest hospitals in the wizarding world. Eventually working on very important studies and experiments to further the boundaries of magical medicine. Yet, as his professional life flourished, his personal life suffered. Eventually culminating in an accident that left his hands permanently damaged from a curse and unable to practice both medicine and most witchcraft.

Desperate for answers, Stephen traveled the globe. Not willing to resign himself to the muggle life his father was too quick to try to indoctrinate him into upon finding out ( a bit of arrogant pride on his part ); eventually discovering more of the wizarding world on a global scale. Finding cultures that preformed magic wand-lessly, and beginning to study their techniques until he mastered them himself.

As he studied his new skills, Stephen also learned more about himself. Confronting demons  both literal and internal. Becoming stronger than he had been before; eventually returning to his native wizarding culture a very different man with a new purpose. There was an array of strange and unknown, people needed defending and knowledge and limited understanding of parts of the picture had led to the downfall of more than just himself. Branding himself as a Professional Freelance Specialist in the Strange and Bizzare; and working sometimes along official organizations as a consultant; Stephen Strange began protecting the world from the untapped and unexplored parts of the magical and non-magical universe.

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒:

NAME: Stephen Vincent Strange

BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin

ILVERMORNY HOUSE: Horned Serpent

WAND TYPE:   first wand:  Hazel, Dragon Heartstring. 9″   second wand:   Yew, Phoenix Feather Core, 14″

PATRONUS: Blackbird, yet was unable to cast a corporeal patronus for a couple decades to his own annoyance

BOGGART:  Failure, Loss of Control, Loneliness - usually manifesting in a loved one dying after failing them and being chastised for it; helpless to do anything to stop it. However, later in life, sometimes it reflects the horrific things he has seen in his life.

PREFECT/HEAD STUDENT: Prefect, Head Boy

CAREER: St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries ( former ) (Hogwarts V.  only) /  St. Gryffiths Hospital for the Ailing and Enchanted ( former )  ( general ); ‘ Freelance Specialist ’  in the strange and unusual /  Consultant

BEST CLASS(ES): Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, Herbology

QUIDDITCH: Yes, Chaser. Joined Third Year.

PARSELMOUTH: No, he cannot speak it but he can understand it fairly decently after study

OCCLUMENS: Yes

LEGILIMENS: Not Natural, trained in later years.

WEREWOLF: No

ANIMAGUS: No

METAMORPHMAGUS: No

NON VERBAL MAGIC: Yes, used on occasion

WANDLESS MAGIC: Yes, learned later in life. Used often.

ALLEGIANCE IN THE WIZARDING WAR: DEFAULT: Anti-Death Eater, but uninvolved as the war hadn’t fully reached North America yet. HOGWARTS: participated in the resistance after the death of Albus Dumbledore; participated in the battle of Hogwarts without attacking a single person outside of stunning - mostly in hospital wing and helping to bring the injured to get treatment.

* — Stephen is set to Ilvermorny by default, as he is a North American based character, however he has adaptability to fit into Hogwarts as plotted. Based off of his canonical birthdate on this blog, he would have been three years older than Hermione Granger (the eldest of the trio). Yet, I am always okay plotting him for different generations. Details that change is the hospital and ministry he worked and dealt with the most prior to his accident, as well as how much the events of the war would have affected him directly.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓:

Stephen spent his school years studying to become a Healer / Mediwizard; he received O levels in Herbology, Charms, DADA, Potions, and Transfiguration ( as per the requirement ). He worked routinely at the hospital becoming specialised in rare and dangerous ailments; this specialisation and natural affinity led to him doing side work for the ministry, specifically in the Department of Mysteries. It was this that led to over inflated ego and hubris; and eventually the night he was trying to develop a new treatment for curse related ailments. Trying to control really dangerous and powerful magic, but overestimated his limits. Prompting in Stephen to lose control of the spell, his wand reacting violently ( caused by his own panic and anger as Hazel wood is known to expel powerful discharge based on it’s user’s emotional state ). The wand shattered under the strain, rebounding itself and it’s spell onto his hands first and foremost.  Damaging them irreversibly.

Stephen eventually studied wandless magic while travelling in search of some cure to his cursed hands; learning that wands were not a required tool for magic ( in fact, they were european in origin ). After a long amount of dedication and practice, Stephen mastered the skill and uses it predominantly. Eventually, Stephen did acquire another wand, finding it a useful tool for exact and delicate projects. However, it’s not his primary tool for magic.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒:

WAND ONE: HAZEL, DRAGON HEARTSTRING CORE. 9 INCHES.

HAZEL WOOD often reflects the owners emotional state. It’s been known to expel powerful discharge when it’s owner has lost their temper or experiences any form of strong negative emotion while in use. It requires emotional control on behalf of the owner to use properly  The positive aspect of a hazel wand more than makes up for such minor discomforts, however, for it is capable of outstanding magic in the hands of the skilful. It’s extremely loyal, to the point where wands of hazel are known to ‘wilt’ or fully cease functionality upon death. Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground, and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells.

DRAGON HEARTSTRING produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

SHORTER LENGTH  wands tends to attract people who are lacking something in character

NOT FLEXIBLE

Stephen in his earlier years was all about closing off his emotional self, wanting control over his surroundings to obsessive means. However, he often came across temperamental and difficult to work with. Pushing himself to learn faster and be better; seeking control through every means possible. The conflict between letting people in to be close to him and keeping the world at arms length is shown even in the wand he attracts; hazel wood being loyal to the point of death, and dragon heartstring being able to change allegiance if deemed deserved. Yet, both agree on the point of once it’s given, it’s strong. Yet, his emotional state, despite his best efforts, was the catalyst for this wand’s demise, mixed with hubris pushing him further than he was able to handle. This emotional and unskillful handle of a wand known to be temperamental led to it’s destruction. However, there is something to be said for it’s loyalty… as the wand broke as it did, limiting the damage to Stephen on his hands and taking the brunt of the damage itself. The wand’s loyalty to it’s foolish master, saved it’s master’s life in the end but at a cost.

WAND TWO: YEW, PHOENIX FEATHER CORE. 14 INCHES

YEW WOOD  wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner’s grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.

PHOENIX FEATHERS  are one of the rarest core types. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn hair or dragon heartstring cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

LONGER LENGTH tend to be drawn to bigger personalities, and those of a more spacious and dramatic style of magic.

FLEXIBLE.

By the time Stephen is ready to acquire himself a new wand, he isn’t the same boy from the wand shop when he was eleven. While he still is not the most approachable man, he is better and, more importantly, more healthy control of his emotional state. No longer hiding from it. That being said, he isn’t easy to get close too  -  he just won’t be in denial and let people who deserve it win him over. His pacifist nature is shone as Yew has been in the hand of great defenders; yet his strange and unusual life ( present and prior ) and self imposed duties align him ( even if not always deservedly ) with the balance of life and death. His willingness to push himself and try new things and persevere until mastery is what makes him able to unlock the full potentials of his wand core. And of course, with many of his hang ups aside and no longer needed to compensate; Stephen is allowed more room to be his full strange self… allowing him a longer wand to fit… and his more at peace nature with life, death and time allows his wand to be more flexible.

𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄: 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃

The Blackbird Patronus appears to those who try to help themselves. Blackbirds are mysterious and intuitive, appearing when needed most. Blackbirds keep their secrets and will protect yours fiercely. While they may not be the most ferocious protectors, they are one of the most mysterious and magical. Keep well your own counsel, and you may have a blackbird to help protect you in the darkest of times.

Stephen was unable to perform a corporeal patronus until long after his accident and second wand, as it requires a certain temperament and mindset to be able to perform this very rare type of patronus.

[masterstrange]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐒 / wizarding world au.

This is an open concept universe; no set timeline or location to make it flexible for the different canons and timelines within this universe. The default is American, born in 1976  - but can be plotted otherwise.

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑 / This blog does not support JKR, or her transphobic views and actions. This is purely based on the framework of the universe. Please block these tags if content related to this universe is upsetting for you: 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / hogwarts au.   AND     𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 / ilvermorny au.

Born to muggles, Eugene and Beverly Strange, Stephen struggled accepting his identity as a wizard at first. It certainly went against his father’s plans and sensibilities to allow his son to learn ‘unholy skills’; it took a combination of his mother and school officials to settle the matter once and for all.  It took a permanent toll on the relationship between his father and himself; trying to make him proud while also being something that went against everything he was taught and raised to be.

It was easier for Donna two years later. For a moment, Eugene thought they were safe in regards to her, only to find out she had been delayed entry due to when her birthday fell in regards to the school year. By then, Eugene gave up in a sense. Becoming distant and detached from the kids lives, pinning all his hopes on Victor to be ‘normal’. His wish was granted, as Victor grew to be wary of his siblings and distant from them.

Upon graduating, Stephen began practicing at one of the finest hospitals in the Wizarding World. Eventually working on very important studies and experiments to further the boundaries of magical medicine. Yet, as his professional life flourished, his personal life suffered. Eventually culminating in an accident that left his hands permanently damaged from a curse and unable to practice both medicine and most witchcraft.

Desperate for answers, Stephen traveled the globe. Not willing to resign himself to the muggle life his father was too quick to try to indoctrinate him into upon finding out (a bit of arrogant pride on his part); eventually discovering more of the Wizarding World on a global scale. Finding cultures that preformed magic wandlessly, and beginning to study their techniques until he mastered them himself.

As he studied his new skills, Stephen also learned more about himself. Confronting demons  both literal and internal. Becoming stronger than he had been before; eventually returning a very different man with a new purpose. There was an array of strange and unknown, people needed defending and knowledge and limited understanding of parts of the picture had led to the downfall of more than just himself. Branding himself as a Professional Freelance Specialist in the Strange and Bizarre; and working sometimes along official organizations as a consultant; Stephen Strange began protecting the world from the untapped and unexplored parts of the magical and non-magical universe.

𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒:

NAME: Stephen Vincent Strange

BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin

ILVERMORNY HOUSE: Horned Serpent

WAND TYPE:   first wand:  Hazel, Dragon Heartstring. 9″   second wand:   Yew, Phoenix Feather Core, 14″

PATRONUS: Blackbird, yet was unable to cast a corporeal patronus for a couple decades to his own annoyance

BOGGART:  Failure, Loss of Control, Loneliness - usually manifesting in a loved one dying after failing them and being chastised for it; helpless to do anything to stop it. However, later in life, sometimes it reflects the horrific things he has seen in his life.

PREFECT/HEAD STUDENT: Prefect, Head Boy

CAREER: St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries ( former ) (Hogwarts V.  only) /  St. Gryffiths Hospital for the Ailing and Enchanted ( former )  ( general ); ‘ Freelance Specialist ’  in the strange and unusual /  Consultant

BEST CLASS(ES): Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, Herbology

QUIDDITCH: Yes, Chaser. Joined Third Year.

PARSELMOUTH: No, he cannot speak it but he can understand it fairly decently after study

OCCLUMENS: Yes

LEGILIMENS: Not Natural, trained in later years.

WEREWOLF: No

ANIMAGUS: No

METAMORPHMAGUS: No

NON VERBAL MAGIC: Yes, used on occasion

WANDLESS MAGIC: Yes, learned later in life. Used often.

ALLEGIANCE IN THE WIZARDING WAR: DEFAULT: Anti-Death Eater, but uninvolved as the war hadn’t fully reached North America yet. HOGWARTS: participated in the resistance after the death of Albus Dumbledore; participated in the battle of Hogwarts without attacking a single person outside of stunning - mostly in hospital wing and helping to bring the injured to get treatment.

* — Based off of his canonical birthdate on this blog, he would have been three years older than Hermione Granger (the eldest of the trio). Yet, I am always okay plotting him for different generations. Details that change is the hospital and ministry he worked and dealt with the most prior to his accident, as well as how much the events of the war would have affected him directly.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓:

Stephen spent his school years studying to become a Healer / Mediwizard; he received O levels in Herbology, Charms, DADA, Potions, and Transfiguration ( as per the requirement ). He worked routinely at the hospital becoming specialised in rare and dangerous ailments; this specialisation and natural affinity led to him doing side work for the ministry, specifically in the Department of Mysteries. It was this that led to over inflated ego and hubris; and eventually the night he was trying to develop a new treatment for curse related ailments. Trying to control really dangerous and powerful magic, but overestimated his limits. Prompting in Stephen to lose control of the spell, his wand reacting violently ( caused by his own panic and anger as Hazel wood is known to expel powerful discharge based on it’s user’s emotional state ). The wand shattered under the strain, rebounding itself and it’s spell onto his hands first and foremost.  Damaging them irreversibly.

Stephen eventually studied wandless magic while travelling in search of some cure to his cursed hands; learning that wands were not a required tool for magic ( in fact, they were european in origin ). After a long amount of dedication and practice, Stephen mastered the skill and uses it predominantly. Eventually, Stephen did acquire another wand, finding it a useful tool for exact and delicate projects. However, it’s not his primary tool for magic.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒:

WAND ONE: HAZEL, DRAGON HEARTSTRING CORE. 9 INCHES.

HAZEL WOOD often reflects the owners emotional state. It’s been known to expel powerful discharge when it’s owner has lost their temper or experiences any form of strong negative emotion while in use. It requires emotional control on behalf of the owner to use properly  The positive aspect of a hazel wand more than makes up for such minor discomforts, however, for it is capable of outstanding magic in the hands of the skilful. It’s extremely loyal, to the point where wands of hazel are known to ‘wilt’ or fully cease functionality upon death. Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground, and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells.

DRAGON HEARTSTRING produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

SHORTER LENGTH  wands tends to attract people who are lacking something in character

NOT FLEXIBLE

Stephen in his earlier years was all about closing off his emotional self, wanting control over his surroundings to obsessive means. However, he often came across temperamental and difficult to work with. Pushing himself to learn faster and be better; seeking control through every means possible. The conflict between letting people in to be close to him and keeping the world at arms length is shown even in the wand he attracts; hazel wood being loyal to the point of death, and dragon heartstring being able to change allegiance if deemed deserved. Yet, both agree on the point of once it’s given, it’s strong. Yet, his emotional state, despite his best efforts, was the catalyst for this wand’s demise, mixed with hubris pushing him further than he was able to handle. This emotional and unskillful handle of a wand known to be temperamental led to it’s destruction. However, there is something to be said for it’s loyalty… as the wand broke as it did, limiting the damage to Stephen on his hands and taking the brunt of the damage itself. The wand’s loyalty to it’s foolish master, saved it’s master’s life in the end but at a cost.

WAND TWO: YEW, PHOENIX FEATHER CORE. 14 INCHES

YEW WOOD  wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner’s grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.

PHOENIX FEATHERS  are one of the rarest core types. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn hair or dragon heartstring cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

LONGER LENGTH tend to be drawn to bigger personalities, and those of a more spacious and dramatic style of magic.

FLEXIBLE.

By the time Stephen is ready to acquire himself a new wand, he isn’t the same boy from the wand shop when he was eleven. While he still is not the most approachable man, he is better and, more importantly, more healthy control of his emotional state. No longer hiding from it. That being said, he isn’t easy to get close too  -  he just won’t be in denial and let people who deserve it win him over. His pacifist nature is shone as Yew has been in the hand of great defenders; yet his strange and unusual life ( present and prior ) and self imposed duties align him ( even if not always deservedly ) with the balance of life and death. His willingness to push himself and try new things and persevere until mastery is what makes him able to unlock the full potentials of his wand core. And of course, with many of his hang ups aside and no longer needed to compensate; Stephen is allowed more room to be his full strange self… allowing him a longer wand to fit… and his more at peace nature with life, death and time allows his wand to be more flexible.

𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄: 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃

The Blackbird Patronus appears to those who try to help themselves. Blackbirds are mysterious and intuitive, appearing when needed most. Blackbirds keep their secrets and will protect yours fiercely. While they may not be the most ferocious protectors, they are one of the most mysterious and magical. Keep well your own counsel, and you may have a blackbird to help protect you in the darkest of times.

Stephen was unable to perform a corporeal patronus until long after his accident and second wand, as it requires a certain temperament and mindset to be able to perform this very rare type of patronus.