#like. I know there's a LOT of characters and different storylines and arcs and such. and ig maybe that's a little too much for my-

[lovinglin]

I think the funniest thing about me shipping with col.ress is the fact that I legit barely know ANYTHING abt pkmn's world building and overall lore

I just wanna kiss the silly goofy science man okay, don't look at me

[jessamine-rose]

/obey me! vent/

[namimikan]

Hi @good-wine-and-cheese! Hopefully it's okay to respond to your tags? Just to clarify what I meant.

#naoki urasawa#yeah thats a staple of his works. all of them#sure theres a main character but they are not the centerpiece for very long swathes of time#I dont think I noticed it as unique though? like....idk I guess I just grew up watching a lot of tv with ensemble casts that got their focu#I guess maybe its more unusual within manga/anime#but even then. before monster I watched stuff like paranoia agent and. same thing ensemble focus cast

I haven't watched/read many of his works. I've watched Monster, and the first three episodes of Pluto -- I think I'll give it a second try after I finish watching Monster TBH. I do want to read his manga at some point tho!

I consider Monster to be unique because most manga/anime tend to have one main character and follow them for most part. It's not that they can't cut away to show a different character in the limelight, or have someone else have the story, but... okay, with Monster, I expected to follow Tenma the whole way through from start to finish. I very much like Eva Heinemann's Very Merry Christmas episode, but that also kind of feels different to Karl, because I knew Eva from the beginning. Karl's arc begins, and I remember feeling somewhat disconnected because who the hell is Karl? What part does he play in the story? And then Johan appears, and it's like -- ah, okay, I can begin to see the role he plays in the story. (Meanwhile I'm still cautiously wondering where Tenma is, despite being v. engaged but wary around Johan and Karl's arc.) In a way, it's not until Karl's arc becomes Julius' arc, and Tenma appears there, that I could relax a bit. TBH, Grimmer sort of feel's the same, because: again brand new character appears, and I'm just--unanchored again, because he's a stranger, but having experienced Karl's arc, and Tenma does appear in the same episode as Grimmer's introduction, it feels more of a... passing of the baton? sort of deal? (At least I think it felt that way the first time I watched it?) Whereas Karl was like... five episodes of quietly wondering where Tenma was, and being preoccupied about Johan.

(It's not that it doesn't happen in other anime/manga, but def. more rarely -- Dragon Ball, the limelight transferring to Goku to Gohan, for example. But at that point, you know both Goku and Gohan, and the slice of life feel of it again, makes it a passing of the baton sort of feel? Space Brothers, TBH, when it begins, I absolutely wanted to see the story follow Hibito rather than Mutta, but we're stuck with Mutta, and then... by the time Hibito takes the spotlight, and focuses on his recovery, I've become so attached to Mutta that I... kind of wanted the spotlight back on Mutta, despite genuinely liking Hibito! Some people might cite Gurren Lagenn as an example, but... honestly, not me? Kamina was never the main character, he was the mentor/big brother character for Simon, and it was Simon's story from the start. But for me, animes tend to have one main character and stick with them, with brief cutaway to other characters. Alternatively, filler episodes like the ones in Bleach and Naruto and One Piece exist, to both good and bad effects, but I'm kind of... mainly talking about the anime adaptation parts that stick to the manga? I hope? (I haven't read Dragon Ball, or Space Brothers, but I hope that the anime is relatively close to the manga (even though, yeah, DBZ did have a ton of filler/pacing issues, but hopefully the Gohan's Saiyaman arc is there, when Goku is dead.)

I'm going to disagree with Paranoia Agent -- to an extent. Yes, it's an ensemble show, but (if I remember correctly), it had a new character focus each episode, even though characters from previous episodes sometimes made a reappearance. (I only watched three episodes of Pluto, but... I didn't really feel like the detective was the main character? It was more showcasing the robots, and giving them interiority? Though, granted, I'm not sure who the main character was at that point? I'm sorry if I got it wrong, but... I didn't really feel like it was Atom? My memory of Pluto is pretty hazy tho, but the episodes were long.) So for Paranoia Agent, structurally/formula-wise, it was new ep = new character focus, and the fact it was a short story meant that the change in perspective each episode never felt jarring, because that was it's rhythm. (Although, again, IDK if Paranoia Agent had a main character, it was just -- focusing on various people in the city, and how they dealt with escapism, and how Maromi/Shonen Bat was a symptom of that?) I think there's something to be said for the length tho too, 12 eps vs 74.

Monster, I really thought the story was going to follow Tenma all the way through. It's not that there couldn't be an episode or two dedicated to other characters (Eva, Nina, Jan Suk, Muller, etc) without him appearing in it to push the story along in ways that Tenma could not, but. I still kind of expected Tenma to do a lot of heavylifting? And instead, after the first 20ish episodes... he sort of takes a dip, instead, occasionally resurfacing every now and then.

That's basically what I mean by finding it unique, for most part. Hopefully that makes sense? Feel free to disagree, I just wanted to expand on what I meant, based on how I tend to view it?

I'm actually really curious to read more of Urasawa's work tho, if his works are all like that. Because it was definitely something that I like about Monster, and how intricately planned and rewarding the payoff was. Do you have recommendations of which to read first?

obsessed with how the story loses interest in tenma tbh. like he makes small appearances when the story follows someone else, eventually for karl/julius, and immediately for grimmer. but. it just fascinates me that monster doesn’t need tenma to play audience surrogate at all times, it has other characters to follow and play detective and let the audience draw conclusions about johan that you might not if you were solely with tenma.

like he gets the spotlight back, thank goodness, but that doesn’t mean that the other perspectives aren’t vital yk?

but it is another aspect in how monster feels unique to me, the way these characters have their parts to play

[literaryvein-reblogs]

How to Write a Character

For creative writing to have as deep an impact as possible, you need to give the reader strong characters they can relate to on a personal level.

By borrowing from tried-and-true character archetypes and giving them your personal spin, you can create heroes, villains, and sidekicks that will affect your readers as if they were real people they knew.

Come up with a backstory

Crafting a backstory can help you flesh out an interesting character profile.

“When I’m dealing with characters,” says legal thriller author David Baldacci, “and I’m trying to explain somebody's situation and motivations, you have to look into their past, because [the] past always drives motivations.”

Ask what experiences your character had in elementary school or high school that shaped who they are today. Your character’s backstory can greatly inform your plot.

Develop a character arc

A character must evolve throughout a story.

“The character has to change,” insists crime fiction writer Walter Mosley. “The character doesn’t have to become better. The character doesn’t have to become good. It could be the opposite. He could start good and become bad. He could start off hopeful and end up a pessimist. But he has to be impacted by this world that we’re reading about.”

Plan out your storyline based on your character's goals and how achieving or not achieving them will change them as people. This sort of template can help anchor your narrative.

Do research

If you plan to set your story in a specific locale or period, do enough research to make your characters seem true to life and believable.

“What does it mean, for instance, in the Tudor era to be a male person?” asks Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale. “What does it mean to be a female person? What do those things mean when they’re at different social levels?”

Empathize with your characters

No matter what the type of character you’re developing, try to find some reason you and your reader can relate to their internal conflict.

“You’re living with these people every single day for months at a time—in some cases, years at a time,” says acclaimed children’s author Judy Blume. “You had better feel for them. So, for me, yes, I have great empathy for them.”

When people can empathize with characters, they’re more likely to find them compelling.

Experiment with different approaches

If you usually write characters from a particular point of view (or POV), change things up to challenge yourself.

“Write about someone entirely through the eyes of their friends and family,” suggests journalist Malcolm Gladwell. “So do a profile of someone where you deliberately never talk to the person that you’re profiling.”

There are plenty of ways to craft compelling character descriptions—free yourself up to try new alternatives.

Give your characters flaws

To craft believable characters, you need to give them flaws.

“One, it makes the characters human, just by default, because everybody recognizes that we all have flaws and mistakes,” David says. “But two, it gives you plot elements and plot opportunities because somebody makes a mistake. Why? Because they’re flawed.”

Learn from real people

Pay attention to real people’s mannerisms, personality traits, body language, and physical appearances.

Do research, and be respectful, when you want to write characters with backgrounds that you are not familiar with. Become familiar with different people's cultures, sexual orientations etc.

Talking to people about their experiences will help form your character’s personality.

Let your characters surprise you

Character development can proceed down a host of different avenues.

“Spend a lot of time with your characters and getting to know them,” Judy suggests. “And the way that you get to know them can be different from the way I get to know them. But my way is: They don’t come alive until I write about them, until I put them down on paper.”

As you write, your character’s motivation or perspective might change from what you originally planned.

Play characters off each other

Ask yourself how a secondary character’s personality might thwart the main character’s motivation.

“One of the best ways, as I said, to develop a character is to put that character in relationship to another person,” Walter says. “So as they talk, as they fight, as they work together, we find out more about who they are and what they are.”

The character’s close friends, adversaries, and acquaintances might all have different effects on their behavior.

Take an organic approach

Over the course of the story, be ready for your characters to surprise you as much as the people you know in real life might, too.

Your characters may take on a life of their own.

Avoid static characters by letting yours have their own lives and personalities. Let their stories take you where they lead.

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[butchvamp]

i do think that for me personally. there is no version of taash's storyline that i can get down with except one where they reconnect with their qunari side. my main problem with their arc is that it perpetuates this idea that someone has to "choose" one culture, that they have to turn their back on parts of their identity in order to be the right kind of trans (the white western kind) and all of it just makes me so viscerally uncomfortable. and to be clear this is not me like... trying to make anyone feel bad, there are parts of taash's story that i personally connect with as well, like there is nothing wrong with the way taash does gender in general and there's nothing wrong with it resonating with people. it's when we put it all together in context within the game that it becomes a problem for me.

we know the qun does not have the same ideas around gender as the rest of thedas, we know that their identity, including gender, is connected to their duty. and so it doesn't make sense that taash's mother cares about them wearing dresses. why would she care about that. i'd ask if we've ever even seen any qunari in dresses but i'm pretty sure we've only seen three qunari women total and two of them are in veilguard and are scholars wearing what i personally consider a robe. the third is in trespasser and is ben-hassrath, and is definitely not wearing a dress. if anything, their mother should be concerned about the fact that they fight, since the whole point of leaving for rivain was to avoid taash being designated as a soldier. and to be fair, we get this a Little bit with the fire-breathing. but everything else about shathann's disapproval doesn't make sense in-universe.

and we also already know about the aqun athlok, which shathann even tries to bring up but the game shouts her down because....? i get that shathann is meant to be overbearing and kinda shitty, but this is not the way to do it. all this does is imply that aqun athlok is "wrong" and not as progressive as this other identity that rook has to teach taash about (and that also isnt even specific to rivain, or related to them connecting to their rivaini culture. it's the shadow dragons that teach them all of this along with rook. in general transness and the nonbinary identity are not integrated into the world in any meaningful way which makes it feel even worse). there are various cultures that have their own specific gender identities that do not adhere to the gender binary, and taash should have been given the chance to connect to their own culture in this way. and even if they really wanted to make it so taash just didn’t feel right with aqun athlok, that identity still should have been properly discussed as an option and handled with respect, rather than so carelessly thrown aside as “wrong” (though again not a depiction i would personally like but it would still be better than what we got).

and just. i really disagree with the idea that gender identity under the qun is More Rigid than elsewhere. it’s different, as we know from comments from iron bull and sten-- and we could argue in circles about inconsistencies with the things they say, obviously there have been retcons previously in an attempt to better develop the qunari beyond what we see in origins and da2, but i think this kind of development is a good thing, and is exactly why the regression with taash irritates me so much-- but when we look back at characters like warden tabris, dorian and his father and tevinter's obsession with bloodlines, the entire experience of playing f!hawke in da2 (and also da2 literally has a whole subplot about women being murdered for like 3 years and no one cares. these games just have a misogyny problem lol) and even tarquin in veilguard commenting about how his father forced him into being a soldier because he's a man(!!)-- there is a lot of rigidity, expectations, and violence around gender throughout thedas. but for some reason these rigid gender ideals and a lot of this gendered violence is held up as the status quo and not challenged at all by the writers in the way the qun repeatedly is. the exception being dorian (though you're still incentivized to forgive his father), but a lot of the characters in tevinter-- magisters, templars, the literal black divine-- are still allowed complexities and to be the good guys working with the shadow dragons, a grace not given to any qunari character besides iron bull (who ultimately still has to leave the qun or die later). i’m not trying argue that the qun is perfect and can never be criticized-- i like the flawed characters and societies within dragon age. but the qunari also deserve to be given the same depth, complexities, and engagement as everyone else, too. and it’s worth pointing out that it’s always the qun that’s depicted as backwards for the same harmful “rigidity” every other culture in the game reinforces.

and ultimately with the way the game inserts this very modern, anachronistic, and condescending language in a poor attempt to be as "correct" as possible to "teach" the player, while simultaneously writing such a careless, racist arc about their culture kinda just , makes me feel like they were actually trying to imply that one identity is more correct and progressive than the other. or, if nothing else, it's a bias that got amplified due to their unwillingness or inability to engage with taash's character beyond using them as a mouthpiece for corporate "representation."

there absolutely are people out there that are like taash, who don't necessarily have or want a connection with certain parts of their culture, and maybe they do identify closer with one aspect of it over another. this is all fine! this happens in real life, everyone has different relationships with their identity and heritage, there is no universal experience, and people are allowed to write about their own. but the thing is. this is dragon age. and taash was written by weekes. and both dragon age as a whole and weekes specifically has a repeated pattern of racist writing when it comes to depicting the qunari. and taash's quest along with the way the antaam are portrayed-- faceless, voiceless, basically naked bodies for you to kill-- makes this a series of poor choices that i don't feel generous enough to excuse.

and it sucks. so bad. that this happened. i want to like taash so bad. but.... man.

anyways if you read this far you should read this article, which is far more eloquent than anything i could write and really dives into the whole "civilized versus savage" binary that we see in a lot of fantasy RPGs and is really epitomized in taash's quest-- in dragon age, it's always the qunari and dalish elves versus a (usually white and/or human) andrastian:

[withallthingslove]

Have you seen the press kit on Hulu’s website?

They are basically doing a 180 arc of Nick with him still not stepping up to Gilead but even worse, following his father in law into the dark side, after him and June said they love each other in the present. Lizzie and max speak about Nick betraying June mid season and June not letting her love cloud her judgment anymore and finally see him for who he really is, a commander in Gilead.

I mean if they wanted to achieve a fail final GOT style, I think they are succeeding… I know we have to wait and see but I’m really disappointed with this storyline. But Lawrence on the other hand will help fight Gilead…

Yes, I was commenting on the Reddit thread.... *super long post and spoilers incoming*

Overall, I'm not surprised. They've done this since season 2. If they completely scrap Nick's Testaments characterization in favor of redeeming Serena or Lawrence I will be big mad. But why would they rewrite Luke's character to be like how he is in The Testaments but not Nick's? The answer is I think they are still pushing Nick to be underground and I think we could still have a NickxJune endgame or an ambiguous she chooses no one.

Before diving into the press notes, let's look at what we have so far:

Max is listed 4th on the cast list, in front of Ann Dowd. The season synopsis says he will face tests of character. This to me implies a big increase in screen time

Both Elisabeth and Max chose the bridge kiss as their favorite show moment

On the giant billboard, Nick is shown right beside June. Luke, Aunt Lydia, June, and Nick are also all in a group together, which to me is the characters who make it out alive to be in the Testaments.

The season summaries for seasons 1-4 were Nick heavy with his rebellious acts while only the season 5 was Luke heavy

In the fan tweets video they have O-T read a fan wish about June and Nick ending up together

The trailer is pretty Nick heavy like the season 4 trailer

Now the press notes:

June's character description: It does not mention Luke, but does mention Nick. "Over the course of the series, June becomes a completely new person, a person who does find her voice, an angry voice, a powerful voice. She’s a different person than she was. A lot of the romance with Nick is because of that. They are two people who understand and share the burden of Gilead’s tyranny."

This is reaffirming that Luke is included in June's past, Nick is her present. Back in the day we compared Nick and June to Katniss and Peeta, and this is almost verbatim what Jennifer Lawrence once said about Everlark.

Nick's character description: "I think some of the edges fray on Nick this season. His moral center is actually shifting. He has been quite selfless for much of his life, especially in this dynamic with June. And so maybe his gas tank for that is starting to run out. He’s speaking up from himself a little bit more and sometimes in quite misguided ways"

For seasons I think Nick has been a fuse waiting to blow. He was manipulated into joining a cult, survives in said cult, meets the love of his life and makes her his north star. Everything he does is for her but that is not sustainable and is uneven. Part of what I love about June and Nick's relationship is that he soaks up all of her stress and desires. But what is his outlet for that? When you take June away who is Nick? Where is his moral center if he is not acting out of love for one person? He has to figure that out this season if he actually wants a future outside of Gilead. If June ends up with him now, you would have a long list of people saying it's not good enough. So Nick needs to do more than be seen as good because of his connection to June.

"There’s something in Wharton’s masculinity that Nick has been searching for. One of the things that this season explores is the notion that a lot of these men in Gilead have broken relationships with their fathers. I think Nick sees in Wharton a mentorship that he craves. This season is the first time Nick’s been tempted by the dark side on a fundamental level, primarily because of that relationship."

Look I love Nick but by anyone's definition he's a war criminal with daddy issues. And that's fine because he's a fictional character and it's nuanced. He's nowhere near as responsible for Gilead as Fred, Serena, and Lawrence are. But he is still complicit. He's a Commander now, and he may still have ties to the Martha network and friendlies and Mayday, but he is not operating a secret operation out of his house like Lawrence that we know of. Being complicit as a driver is different than being complicit as a Commander. You go from being a cog in the system to upholding the system. The show has repeatedly driven home that Nick and Lawrence are good but flawed men. But if June is to truly choose Nick and end up with him, he has to turn away from Gilead for himself. Not to protect her, Nichole, and Hannah. And I don't think Nick has done that kind of work yet. At least not the show's version.

Now for his daddy issues. I think Nick is morally good, but even in earlier seasons he thought Commander Pryce was a good person. He looked up to him and trusted him. But Pryce was still a founder of Gilead who designed and upheld the system. When Pryce died Nick started depending on Lawrence. It makes sense that he would be drawn to Wharton. He's messed up from losing his family before Gilead and craves acceptance and stability and a paternal figure. It's how he got manipulated into the SOJ in the first place.

I don't think Nick could go underground at this point, even if he is working with Tuello. He's not ready. He has to work through the issues that got him into the SOJ, and that might mean he backslides. Healing and doing internal work is rarely linear and I doubt it is linear in a totalitarian regime.

So while I can't see him turning June in, I can see him ruining the rebels' plans by abandoning his agreement with Tuello. I can see Wharton taking advantage of a distraught Nick and having him kickoff the Return Baby Nichole campaign 2.0. Because Nick might not trust systems but he trusts people. And trusting the wrong people got him roped into Gilead.

So while yes it may suck for us fans of Nick and I don't trust the show to do it well, but I can see the writers thinking that Nick's path in season 6 involves backsliding. Because his history can suggest that. I will also add that when I first read The Testaments and was reading so fast, I interpreted Nick being underground as a commander on the run/rumored to be dead for protection almost like a myth. Not an active resistance operative. The show could easily go that route where Nick backslides and then redeems himself when he realizes his mistake and goes on the run vs officially joining Mayday.

Luke's character description: Doesn't mention June, just Hannah.

Tuello's character description: By the end of Season Six, a lot of the alliances that Mark had hoped for have fallen apart. Lawrence may be Mark’s only last, desperate hope to retaliate for all of Gilead’s many atrocities.

I could see Nick's betrayal being to Tuello and by extent of that to June, not him betraying June herself. It also makes sense that Nick makes a choice in the Jezebels episode after he sees June in disguise, and she hears about it two episodes later.

Elisabeth about Luke: "He is ready to go. So as soon as Mark gives him that opportunity, he doesn’t hesitate. June is furious with Luke’s choice. She’s trying to keep everyone safe, and Luke signs up for this most dangerous of missions."

What about that says June is choosing Luke?

Elisabeth about Nick: "In this season, we see Nick and June together for the first time in quite a while. Finally, they can talk about things that have been left unsaid. They finally admit that they love each other now, not just in the past but now."

Praise be we're getting extended Nick and June scenes. We're getting them talking like an actual couple and confirmation that they are the people they would choose to be with. Hopefully they discuss his role in the takeover and his history, because as one of the EPs said years ago, because June and Nick only have fleeting moments they try to keep it light when they see each other and they push down or forgive the bad. They NEED to have an actual discussion that fans see if an endgame is going to be possible. Or else they will be a resentful conflict avoidant couple.

"But then, toward the end of this season, Nick betrays June’s trust. It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to the two characters. It’s inevitable in a way. June has been shown over and over again that Nick is a member of Gilead’s hierarchy and will abide by their rules. But, she just doesn’t listen. Love clouds her judgement. Now, finally, she is able to see who he is and what he’s capable of. It’s devastating"

She says towards the end of the season, not at the end. So there is time for Nick to redeem himself before it ends.

Love clouds all of our judgements. We love Nick as a character so we see the nuance and we know his backstory as a resistance member in the novels and how his season 3 scenes were cut and that he was originally going to get Hannah out. But the average viewer doesn't. For better or worse, the show made Nick a commander in the system with a shady past. For him to go underground they have to address it and rectify it, not avoid the direction a great deal of viewers see him going in.

We love Nick for how he supports June and that he is a complex character. But he has been capable of bad things in Gilead by "following the rules." Would disobeying them get him killed? You could argue yes. But his character as written in the scripts is one who finds a way to do things for June within Gilead's official and unofficial rules. And after season 2 he's also bombed Chicago, killed commanders, married a high commander's daughter, supported starting New Bethlehem and probably a bunch of stuff offscreen. June hasn't seen that, but we have. And we chose to see through it and love him as a character anyway. But June has to do the same.

About it being inevitable, Tuello implies Nick has had multiple opportunities to leave Gilead. But he never did. Why? I think of what June said to Lawrence about "how long did you think it would be until they came for you?" The longer Nick stays in Gilead, the more likely it becomes he ends up betraying June in some way, either by active choice or association.

Also, we don't know what his big betrayal is? Why freak out about it yet when season 4 hyped up him capturing her and him being married as betrayals. Because that season also got us great Osblaine scenes that ended on a high note.

In a glass half full look, maybe seeing June distraught over Nick will be super angsty and amazing in a way so painful it's great.

O-T about Luke and June: "they are united as a couple to save Hannah. On the road to that mission, they sometimes have to make sacrifices. They have to sacrifice intimacy, home life and romance"

Nothing about this says happy rebel couple in love.

"It’s difficult for Luke to see June and Nick together because their connection is palpable. These are two people who are deeply energetically connected. They have a dynamism that he and June lack. Also, Nick is a man of action and, so far, Luke has not been.... And Luke definitely feels that when he sees Nick - so handsome, so confident, so strong. Max plays Nick with so much nuance and charisma that you totally understand why June is drawn to him. But, of course, Nick is still a commander in Gilead."

We're getting Luke, June, and Nick together!! Luke realizing that June is in love with Nick!! Luke realizing that they have something he and June will never have!! I've prayed for times like these.

"Luke is going to love June forever no matter what, although Luke fears that she might end up with Nick. I think he understands their connection is eternal, and he might have some uncertainty about how it’s going to ultimately play out."

So, so far Elisabeth has mentioned June being angry at Luke and in love but betrayed by Nick, and O-T has mentioned June and Luke not having romance and Luke coming to terms with June ending up with Nick.

It sounds to me we are getting the dissolution of June and Luke's romance, and an angsty high stakes faux-lovers to enemies back to lovers June and Nick arc.

Max on Nick and June:

"I don’t think that Nick has ever had any apprehensions about Luke... He’s often been quite compassionate toward Luke. I think he recognizes and understands that the situation is painful for both of them."

King shit.

"I think his relationship with Rose definitely factors into the changes in Nick’s relationship with June, but time is honestly a big part of it. We’ve spent a long time with these characters and in turn, they’ve been in these relationships for a long time, and relationships evolve, and resentments grow, especially when there’s so much external drama and chaos. I think it’s understandable that we would start to see the edges fray on this dynamic between June and Nick."

Just like I said earlier. Nick has been selfless towards June for pretty much the entire show. How long can that selflessness go unreturned, especially if he feels that every time he makes an effort to save her she is causing havoc again to try and save Hannah or bring down Gilead? And that brings Nick and June to two different pages.... June trying to bring down the horrible system Nick lives in BUT WON'T LEAVE because he has family obligations, daddy issues, and a low self esteem. A turning point would have to come eventually.

And Max's description might sound bad, but edges fraying just means uncertainty. It doesn't mean ending. The only reason Nick and June have been stable across seasons is partially because distance makes the heart grow fonder. They can push aside the bad when they are together and wish for each other when they are apart. I believe 100% they can be a couple in the real world, but to do so they need to rock the boat a little bit.

It looks like this season will let them face some hard truths so they can actually move on to the other side. S1-2 they were I think as much of a couple they could be, but s3-5 they've just been in a purgatory limbo of not being able to see each other or discuss anything. Because of how deep their love is they still hold a candle for each other, but they've been holding that candle while metaphorically moving farther apart.

Warren Littlefield about the love triangle:

"June’s married to Luke but she’s in love with Nick. She’s having Nick’s child, but she still loves Luke."

Even a producer knows that Nick is who June is in love with. Luke she still has love for, but she's no longer in love.

CONCLUSION

Obviously I'm using this to comfort myself because of how much I wrote. But honestly, when I read through the press doc for the first time I didn't read it as the end. As much as I would love for Nick to join the resistance midway through, I can see why the show is not taking that path. They are choosing to go with the storyline they've been building for seasons to (hopefully) get to Nick abandoning it all in a huge, dramatic, finale way.

But this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I read the press doc as an opportunity for June and Nick to actually overcome the challenges that have been keeping them apart.

And nothing about the character descriptions says June is choosing Luke. It says her and Luke are only bound by Hannah, and she and Nick are in love but drama is keeping them separated.

So let's get ready for some angsty, horrible, amazing, intoxicating drama.

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

i have defended steven universe a lot here, particularly from some unfair and nonsensical "criticism", but it's time to talk about some of the things that i DIDN'T like about steven universe.

that episode where amethyst shapeshifts into rose to terrorize greg. what the fuck was that? and the fact that they don't address it afterwards makes it even worse. don't write in incredibly dark stuff, if you're just gonna brush it under the rug like “don't worry kids, greg and amethyst just had a little fight, that's all”.

that time when sadie got mad at lars after she stranded him on an island on purpose so that she could spend time with him. i swear, this show had the wildest subplots and they brush past it like it's nothing. at least lars and sadie don't get together in the end, it's honestly better that way.

lapis. just.. lapis.

peridot's character progression. don't get me wrong, her redemption arc was amazing, probably the best in this show. but after that, she's just reduced to goofy sidekick?? this is especially insulting when peridot is an actually skilled and useful member of the crystal gems - she's good with tech, she knows a lot about the homeworld - and they still reduce her to the comic relief.

speaking of, GIVE. PERIDOT. HER. LIMB ENHANCERS. BACK. those were her mobility aid, she needed them to function like a regular peridot! she clearly had a lot of difficulty moving around and doing things without her limb enhancers, but clearly the message here was “you're perfect as you are”. this is like a different version of the glow-up trope in every teen movie, where the girl's glasses is removed so that she can be blind but confident. /s

also speaking of, amethyst encouraging peridot to talk shit about everyone else but getting offended when peridot insulted her was incredibly hypocritical, and it's ridiculous that peridot had to apologize for it.

the diamonds' redemption, of course, i don't think i need to explain why i dislike it. yes, it's good that steven didn't forgive them but this issue goes beyond steven. the diamonds hurt everyone, but they're still rulers of the homeworld. yes, they changed but they could easily go back to being dictators any time they wished. especially since they never got punished for any of their actions. sure, you don't need to kill them off but at least imprison them or take away their powers or something???

spinel being adopted by the diamonds. you're telling me the creators wrote a sympathetic and relatable villain who has abandonment issues and trauma, only to hand her over to The Abusers™ because she reminded them of their victim? yikes.

so yeah. steven universe has a special place in my heart because it's the first queer show i ever watched, and also the first animated series with such a deep and interesting storyline. but i'm still not one to glorify everything about it because i'm well aware that it had its fair share of problematic stuff too.

[politicalunicorn]

Thoughts on Captain America: Brave New World

It wasn't that bad. Lots of people are saying that it sucked, and yes, I was hoping they would do something more interesting with the adamantium but c'est la vie.

The villain was definitely really scary. I think the direction choice of showing us individual people that The Leader was killing is arguably one of the best choices. I found several moments where I genuinely looked at the screen and gawked.

That being said, the villain felt almost cartoonish. Like? C'mon. that phone call with Ross was just... it felt like a my little pony villain, bsfr

JOAQUINNNN MY BABY!!!! We have been LACKING for Peter Parker-coded characters, and he is definitely one of them. I love the way people are calling him baby falcon, bc yes, but also the mentor-mentee relationship between him and Sam???

On that relationship, Sam and Joaquin have the relationship of siblings with a massive age difference. Like eight years at least. Joaquin idolizes Sam and Sam is fond of him, but teases him as well. It's just so cute.

SamBucky nation is winning. Enough said. The I love you was one thing but the "He's also 102 years old" like, ok??? gatekeeping your man?? ok, I see you Sam <3

I did not empathize with Thaddeus Ross. Maybe, if they made him a shittier father, yes I would get the whole new leaf thing. But making his entire arc of bs in the last fifteen years be about Betty was just...not it. Make him have more to prove.

Also the writing of the phone call? Please. I know Marvel writers can do better than that.

this is just a problem with film-making in general, but marinate in the silence. a lot of life is silence, real-life exists in the margins of conversations. like that conversation between Bucky and sam could've definitely had that silence to really pull that impact.

the fight scenes tho??? that was so good, that was acc such good choreography, OBSESSED.

Bucky as a congressman is something that I really like, but was unexpected. I can totally imagine him trying to make the world a better place, but we're probably going to get that guilt-complex justification that marvel always pulls with Bucky.

The Isiah arc?? that line of "Don't Come Back" was SO good. Also, his face when he was shoved into the ground and his cries about his suit, was HEARTBREAKING. just absolutely gorgeous. arguably the best acting performance.

Sabra??? Kind of unnecessary??? like, the black woman (I don't remember her name, sorry) that was Sam's friend in the White House would've had a better role. It would've also been an interesting way to analyze what it meant to be a black woman in the Red Room.

also, if we WERE going to analyze sabra as a character, what does it mean to be Israeli in the red room? I am not a huge fan of boycotting someone based on their identity, because you can't really change where you come from, but we could analyze the status of the ethno-state in the larger marvel universe if we could.

I really wish they had pushed the political intrigue storyline, so much harder.

we do want bruce banner back tho. specifically the insanely lovable version of him in Avengers 1.

I wish they'd make the dialogue more natural

the avengers plot line could've been tied in better?

TLDR: It was a really good movie, with some writing issues and some brilliant performances and some beautiful relationships.

[phantosss]

some changes i would have made to the characters storylines in tua s4

disclaimer: i am no writer, it's just fun to think about the possibilities. btw anyone feel free to use any of these ideas for fics idc

lila doesn't cheat for starters. instead she and diego have both been secretly doing vigilante missions and keeping it from the other because they think they'll be mad. on one of these missions the two run into each other and rekindle their spark. basically the five and lila story but with diego and lila instead thanks. maybe one or both of them almost die or their kids are put in danger, and they decide to find a much less dangerous hobby, because while its thrilling in the moment they realize they wouldn't sacrifice their family for it

luther is shown to be much more depressed about sloanes absence (if there really is no way for her to come back) but he's trying to hold it together to be there for his family. would be nice if he bonded with characters like klaus, viktor or allison who have also lost their lovers. diego and lila shenanigans means they need luther to babysit a lot and luther finds happiness caring for his nieces and nephew. maybe he also finds a fulfilling job where he can meet a lot of people and help others.

five still finds the time subway but without lila. we get more time exploring the alternate timelines and seeing different ways the apocalypse has happened including ways the other sibs have ended the world. his PTSD and reliving his trauma is also explored. he eventually ends up in the five diner where he's told that they end the world every time but instead of excepting defeat and making everyone sacrifice themselves he finds another way (what exactly that is im not so sure) and becomes the first and only five to successfully prevent the apocalypse forever

allisons relationship with claire and ray are explored more heavily as well as everything she did in s3. i like the idea that she takes care of klaus because 1: hes the only sibling that will still talk to her and 2: because of the guilt she feels after getting him killed. i just wish her arc focused on something OTHER than saving klaus because thats basically all she did this season. would be nice if she spent more time with viktor and luther the two people she wronged most heavily in s3.

i would keep viktors confrontation with reggie but alternatively i would make this reginald umbrella reginald so it has much more weight to it. either that or have viktor express that even though he said his piece toward this reggie he will never actually get closure with their real father and nothing will remove the pain from his childhood. the rest i would keep pretty similar. reginald wants to kill ben and viktor wants to stop him at any cost. viktor knows what its like to be "the bomb" and doesn't want the same thing that happened to him to happen to ben. instead of working together to find ben however they're more in a race against eachother. maybe allison joins him and they make up on the way. i would have liked for ben and viktor to have had a heart to heart in the beginning of the season, maybe about how ben felt like a monster sometimes because of his powers, and viktor relating. idk how this would work with sparrow ben because he doesn't seem to hate his powers the same way brelly ben did but it would have been nice to show another reason why viktor is going through so much trouble to save him. and the ending where he trys to talk him down would be more impactful i think.

for klaus i would keep everything pretty much the same up until he runs into that quinn guy. instead i would have him travel to the subway with five in lilas place. five and klaus' powers are the most mind boggling out of the bunch not to mention time and death are inherently intertwined and this needed to be explored. also, you're telling me klaus literally has the power to talk to GOD and this never has any plot relevance???? klaus should have been involved in finding the solution to the apocalypse imo. also we needed klaus and ben interactions. idk how or when but it NEEDED to happen

ben and jennifer being the catalyst for the apocalypse is making it very hard for me to figure what to do with him tbh. i just wish he had more time with the other sibs and didn't turn into a horrific blob monster at the end 😭he felt less like a character this season and more like a plot device and he deserved to have some scenes that actually fleshed him out. it would have been cool if the reason he causes the apocalypse was actually because of his powers and not just because he happened to be the one to make skin contact with jennifer. i really thought that the twist was gonna be that the squid that jennifer was stuck in was the one that ben summons and that was why they were connected. not the fact that they both just had reactive magic particles in them that anyone could have set off. like what if jennifer being cut out of the squid was what killed ben?

OH! what if jennifer was an eldritch horror from the same dimension that bens tentacles are from and for some reason she wants to kill the brellys/end the world and because bens powers are linked to her she can control his mind ???? c'mon i feel like i've got something here

a have a couple of other ideas but don't know where they would fit in rn so yeah.

[sdv-confessions]

Sending this in on nations women’s day yay, and in honors of that, WOMEN IN STARDEW VALLEY ARE INTERESTING. Y’ALL IUST DON’T CARE ENOUGH TO LOOK. Hayley has one of the best character arcs in the game but, oh no, she’s “mean” but Shane’s just fine!! (not a dig on Shane, love him, just some of his fans) Maru can be funny asf if you take the time to READ HER DIALOG.

Jodi is one of my favorite characters by far. She loves her sons and husband but also wishes she had more freedom in her life. She’s just a kind soul who cares about her family, just wishes she could’ve had it a different way. Robin has an up and down relationship with her husband which results in a complicated one with her son. IT’S AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC. SHE IS NOT BORING BECAUSE SHE IS A WIFE AND MOTHER.

Penny has her whole Pam thing and not to mention, lots of quirks of her own. Like being bad at cooking which results in some really funny scenes. While I am not a fan of her, Caroline, has interesting family dynamics. And on that topic Abigail is more than a “manic pixie girl” god forbid a woman be into the occult. Again, she has really interesting dynamics. Even though her family dynamics are tense, she still says “I’m wearing our matching family sweater under my coat… Don’t tell Dad!” or something like that. She clearly still loves her family despite the ups complications. And she has a whole friend circle with Sam and Sebastian.

Emily is amazing. She has so many interest and quirks. And her relationship with her filled with so much thought. They’re so different, they argue and tease each other, but they love each other. They are all they have. Leah has a whole life before Pelican Town. She has dreams, hopes, aspirations, messy ex’s. Listen to me and LISTEN TO ME CLOSE. JUST BECAUSE A WOMEN HAS ROMANCE IN HER LIFE. DOES NOT MAKE HER BORING.

And then you got sweet granny Evelyn. Oh my Yoba, I love this woman so much. She loves her husband and grandson so much. Always tending to plants, making cookies for everyone. I would die for this woman. And then, on the opposite end, Jas. She is such a little sweet heart who deserved so much better in life. Her dynamic with Shane is so special. And her friendship with Vincent in Leo. Ugh. There is so much to this kid and she gets so much shit for being “creepy” THATS A CHILD.

Let’s move onto her god-aunt (?) Marnie. I will say it again and I will say it again loudly. JUST BECAUSE A WOMAN HAS ROMANCE IN HER LIFE DOES NOT MAKE HER BORING. Her relationship with Lewis is such an interesting part to the valley that adds so much drama and depth to these characters. The fact she takes Shane and Jas in, the fact she cares and worry’s so much for Shane. The way she cares for her animals.. ugh. I love her.

Moving onto our out of town girlies, we got Sandy and Birdy. Sandy is such a mystery, I love her. I do wish we got to know more about her, but her mystery is part of her charm. She’s just so fun to talk to. I wish I had more to say but unfortunately I only have around 5 hearts with her due to not going to the desert to much. And then Birdy… Her storyline is so tragic. I really wished we got to behind her. Her decision to watch over her husband’s bones is so UGH. No one should force her to move on. She has made her choice and it’s powerful.

And I think I’ve covered all Stardew woman. So maybe take from this rant… to read dialog. Because these woman are strong, flawed, and amazing.

.

[fioiswriting]

The sea and the fire

“Fire and water looked so lovely together. It was a pity they destroyed each other by nature.” - R.F Kuang

Summary : when you're married to your childhood sweetheart who becomes your enemy and you get lost in the terrible maze of politics.

[previous chapter] [masterlist]

Rating : None for now, will be explicit 18+ later MDNI

Pairing : Aemond Targaryen x Velaryon/Strong!niece!Reader (There will be some Cregan Stark x Reader later)

TW :  none for now except not proofread. TW will be added as the story progresses.

Words count : 4408

AN : Hi everyone!! I hope you're all doing well. So, MONTHS later, I've finally decided to post chapter 2. Sorry for the wait.

[About this story This fanfiction is inspired by an RP I started with my girlfriend (@irmawrites, go check her work) in early 2023, which is still ongoing. My girlfriend writes for her OC (who is the daughter of Viserys and Alicent) as well as for Aemond and Cregan, while I write for my OC (who is the daughter of Rhaenyra) as well as for Aegon and Cole mostly. This fanfiction doesn't cover exactly the same events, I've changed some things, added some others and omitted some. But it follows the main storyline. The character of Irma is a nod to my girlfriend and is based on another of her OCs (Alicent's niece). I'm keen to turn this story into fanfiction and I hope you'll like it! ❤️ I know there's a ton of fanfiction out there based on the Aemond x Rhaenyra's daughter trope. If you don't like it, if you feel uncomfortable, or if you've read too much of it, I'd suggest you read another fanfiction written by one of the many talented authors on this platform ❤️ The story will unfold in several arcs, with the first arc building up the relationship between the reader and Aemond. The tone is therefore lighter. The following arcs (which I can't wait to get to!!) will gradually introduce a lot more angst (my favourite thing to write). The tone will be radically different. Overall, the fanfiction will sometimes be based on elements of the book, and sometimes on the show, with my own interpretations. Please bear in mind that my dialogue will sound very "modern" because I struggle to write medieval dialogue in English, as it's not my mother tongue.]

Also English is not my first language, so sorry for the grammar mistakes !! 

After all that talk, ENJOY <3

Chapter 2 : Familiarity

There was a sense of renewed familiarity. 

You had regained your childhood bedroom and with it your landmarks. Of course, you still missed Dragonstone. And that could seem strange to some - Dragonstone was just a damp cave, a pile of stones perched on a rock. You were in King's Landing, now. You lived in opulence, in a royal comfort unmatched by the perch above the sea where you had spent most of your youth. 

But Dragonstone had a charm you couldn't find in King's Landing. Perhaps it was the stillness of the library where you spent all your time, lost among the scrolls of parchment and the thick tomes, or perhaps it was the sound of the crashing waves that rocked you on stormy nights, you weren't sure.

But somehow a sense of familiarity had returned. Your old room hadn't changed much, despite Alicent's questionable alterations to the decoration of the Red Keep. You had found an old toy in the shape of a dragon, and even some old paper on which you had practised your precise handwriting under the strict gaze of a stern Septa when you were a child. It was a memory frozen in time, a kind of testimony to the past. A room that reflected the little girl you were when you left King's Landing.

But perhaps you could change it to your liking, to reflect the young woman you had become. Perhaps it was a way of keeping you occupied before you left again. After all, your mother had promised that your stay would only be temporary. Just time to sort out some inheritance issues. Time to try and heal your family's wounds. Time to secure your family's future. As if the hope of you all rested on your shoulders; the only guarantee that your family wouldn't descend into a bloody escalation, or something like that. 

And yet, even though you'd only been here a short time, you'd already gotten into trouble, and it was Aemond himself who had to rescue you. You hated the idea.

You hated the fact that he'd come to your aid.

You hated the fact that you owed him, that you were indebted to him.

Fortunately, your little escapade hadn't been reported - you didn't want to disappoint your mother, or see the reproachful look on her face, even though you were aware that she might not be in the best position to make a comment. You were close to your mother. You were her eldest. You were her only daughter. She cherished and loved you, and you knew you could share everything with her. But you cherished your secret freedom, and you feared that her concern for her only daughter would give her the bad idea of assigning you closer supervision.

You didn't need a chaperone. You valued what little freedom your condition as a daughter afforded you.

As you slipped under the sheets, your thoughts kept returning to Aemond. The way he'd protected you, the way he'd carried you on his shoulder - it was humiliating, you weren't an object. And the way you had planted a kiss on his cheek. An impulsive act. A foolish act. You had to admit that you weren't averse to doing it again.

It just didn't make sense. Why had he come looking for you when he'd never answered your letters? He'd probably felt superior, after calling you and your brothers bastards, he'd probably decided you weren't good enough to be his friend anymore.  All this time, all these years, you'd been waiting for a word from him - a mere reply to the letters you'd sent. It never came. You concluded that your friendship had ended, in silence, after all you had done for him; after reassuring him, after holding his hand while the maester tried to repair the broken flesh on his face as best he could.

Had he really been your friend for even one day, or had it all been a facade, a role he'd played? Had he ever been sincere?

You were furious.

Rhaenyra had stroked your hair through every disappointment that gripped your heart like the loving mother she was. Daemon - Daemon had soothed you in his own way, telling you again and again that Aemond wasn't a good man, and that you would save your heart by forgetting him.

But now he had come looking for you. Something had changed. He had taken a step in your direction. You were lost. You were angry, but it was not just anger. There was something else underneath that pile of confusion and resentment. His approach unsettled you. Every step he took towards you, every word he said, sent a whirlwind of conflicting emotions through you. A burning curiosity. An irresistible attraction. 

You hated yourself for thinking it, but maybe your betrothal wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe you could retrieve the complicity of your childhood.

Maybe it had never really disappeared.

In the early hours of the morning, the smell of warm bread tickled your nose even before you felt the warmth of the sun's rays through your chamber window. You rolled onto your side to steal a few more minutes of comfort, stifling a grunt into your pillow. You waited fatefully for the moment when Celia or Jeyne would come and wake you.

"Wake up you lazy groundhog, you've got things to tell me!" 

But the high-pitched, overly cheerful voice that echoed around your room wasn't Celia's, and it certainly wasn't Jeyne's. You sat up immediately, as if someone had thrown a bucket of water over you, your fingers rubbing your tired eyes to make sure you weren't dreaming. 

Irma Hightower was standing in your room, in a gown more extravagant than ever. You wanted to throw yourself into her arms.

"It was usually me who overslept in the morning and you who had to wake me up," Irma exclaimed, placing the tray she carried awkwardly under her arm on the table with a loud clatter, causing the tea to overflow from the cup and drip onto the wooden table. "But I reckon that sneaking out seems tiring." She punctuated his remark with a knowing wink before dusting off her dress as if she'd just worked in the straw or done the most strenuous physical labour in the world.

Still too sleepy to make sense of your friend's words, you frowned as you looked around for your two handmaidens, the ones who woke you up every morning, helped you get dressed and brought you your meal. "Where are -"

"I dismissed them for the rest of the morning," Irma replied without letting you finish the sentence. That explained the tray and the near disaster. "But here's your breakfast. Gods, did you know a tray was thatheavy? " She paused briefly, barely giving you time to wake up properly.

Irma Hightower was a tornado. She swept away everything in her path - she carried away hearts and minds with equal ease, leaving a whirlwind of chaos behind her. Wherever she went, she stirred the air with unbridled energy, forcing others to adapt to her frenetic pace or be wiped out by her determination. But it would be a lie to say you weren't happy to see her. You sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched, your arms reaching for the ceiling before tilting your head to one side. A smile curved the corner of your lips as you watched your friend. You wondered what Irma was doing in your room in the early hours of the morning, especially when, last you heard, she was supposed to be in Oldtown furthering her education. 

To tell the truth, you might have had an idea why she was here. You just didn't want to subject yourself to your friend's interrogation - some secrets should remain your secrets.

And what you'd done yesterday was one of them.

"'So?" she asked with a mixture of overflowing curiosity and impetuosity, her brown curls twirling around her face.

"So what?" you sighed as you went behind your dressing screen to remove your nightgown. You slipped into a flowing ocean-blue dress adorned with pearls and embroidery - one of your favourite gowns, a creation that reminded you of your favourite element: the sea. 

Unlike your brothers, you weren't made of fire and blood. You were made of sea and storm, and you knew deep down that this was perhaps hypocritical - your own appearance reminded you of it every day. But it was what your heart had always told you, and you'd come to believe it, too. The feeling of your feet in the water and the breeze on your face, its salty taste against your lips, was the one that brought you the most comfort. 

"So what happened yesterday ?” Irma insisted. Her voice grew impatient. "I saw you.”

But you ignored her, busy wriggling to reach the lacing at the back of your dress. In vain. You weren't flexible enough. "Since you've decided to play the handmaid today, help me get dressed," you replied, appearing on one side of the screen, your hands gripping the fabric tightly, your back to her. Irma rose with a long sigh - it was just for show, you knew - and came over to you. You smiled mischievously. You had to admit that you enjoyed seeing her in this role, so opposite to who she really was. You wondered what her time in Oldtown had been like; whether she'd been treated like the spoilt brat she truly was, or whether, on the contrary, she'd had to learn patience, faith and discipline - all qualities that didn't characterise her. 

"I could actually keep you as my lady in waiting, you know. You'd be good for that. Forced to follow me everywhere, I'd love that." 

You didn't need to see her to know that she rolled her eyes. " I am the Queen's niece. I was made for more than that."

When her fingers became tangled in the lacing of your dress, she spoke again, her voice caressing the back of your ear as she tugged at the lacing with a little more force: "You haven't answered my question."

How could you forget that Irma was so perceptive? And above all, how could you forget that when Irma wanted something, it was impossible for her not to get it? You weren't going to get away. She would insist, until you fell for her angelic pout and her round eyes that tried to win you over.

It reminded you of your shared youth - the times you spent together, swapping secrets and gossip, talking about your joys and sorrows. You had been inseparable before you were forced to return to Dragonstone, and she to Oldtown. 

"Nothing happened. At least nothing like you may think," you admitted, turning to smooth the front of your dress. You whirled around, the fabric rising gently around you like a bluish wave. "How do I look?"

"I wouldn't describe being carried around like a sack of flour on your dark uncle's shoulder as nothing. Especially in your family." 

Irma inspected your outfit, her eyes expertly examining you from top to bottom and then from bottom to top, looking for the slightest detail that would have spoiled her work. She brushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen across your face.

"Did he kiss you?" Her eyebrows arched, her mouth forming a playful pout of false surprise. She was clearly determined to decipher your every secret, to expose them. You hesitated for a moment, to cast doubt, to let her imagine more - but you were afraid of the repercussions this might have on you. You weren't sure that Irma knew how to hold her tongue. And you didn't want to risk exposing yourself to Aemond's irritation over false rumours. Not when you'd planned to play with him a bit; to prove to him that you had the upper hand, that you could have him wrapped around your little finger and drive him mad. You were still suspicious of him. You hadn't really figured him out yet. You just knew he'd changed since the last time you'd seen him, but you weren't sure how much.

"No, he didn't kiss me," you repeated, putting the same emphasis on the word as your friend. You walked over to the table to sip your still steaming cup of tea. You could feel Irma's round eyes on your back - she was waiting for you to say more. She probably had a dozen unanswered questions: why had Aemond brought you back like this? Where had you been? Who had you been with? What had you done? But you didn't answer right away, biting into the crusty bread.

"He just... came to fetch me," you finally admitted between two bites, your mouth half full - it was a far cry from the princess manners in which you'd been raised. Sitting on your bed, Irma stared at you with her brown eyes - the same as her aunt's. "I was with Aegon. In King's Landing. And I got lost."

That was enough. Irma didn't need to know everything; after all, it wasn't a lie if you only omitted certain details that you deemed relatively unimportant.

Or that Irma didn't need to know.

But the revelation provoked a silence. Your friend didn't answer immediately. Her eyes narrowed, revealing a fine line between her eyebrows, and her lips pursed into a bitter pout. She looked troubled, her fingers twitching in her lap. "I didn't know you were close to Aegon."

If you didn't know her so well, you wouldn't have detected the note of reproach in her voice. Was it jealousy? Was your friend jealous of the time you spent with Aegon?

You weren't sure you understood. He was married - and more importantly, as you remembered, Irma hated him for his debauchery and the alcohol he drank to excess. 

But this was no time to argue, and you preferred to play it safe. There would be plenty of time for your investigation later, when Irma's suspicions would be at rest. "He's my uncle and... he suggested he show me the streets of King's Landing because I was feeling bored." 

And the idea seemed liberating at the time. A moment of stolen freedom, away from the court, away from your duties. Where you were no longer the model princess, the paragon of virtue, but just another girl, lost in anonymity. You weren't sure she understood - she'd always loved the court, the gowns and the politics. You too, of course. It would be a lie to say you weren't made for it; for the life your status as a princess could offer you. You cherished the comforts and loved the responsibilities that came with your role. But sometimes those same responsibilities – and duty above all - stifled you. You needed solitude. To be somewhere else.

"It's dangerous. You could have been harmed!" Irma said, crossing her arms over her chest with an air of concern and annoyance. "You can't just follow a man like Aegon into the city," she sighed.

Some truth was hidden in her words, and you were aware of your lack of rationality, of the stupidity of your foolishness. The danger you had put yourself in, too, for if Aemond hadn't intervened... You didn't want to think about it. The dirty hands and lecherous looks those men gave you still made you shudder. All those risks for an illusory feeling of freedom, wasn't it a high price to pay?

Aemond had come for you. The humiliation still burned on your cheeks. 

"Lost in your thoughts?" Irma asked impatiently, offering you her arm as if she'd waited too long for you to come out of your reverie, "thinking about your Prince Charming again?"

You gave her a little tap on the arm, your eyes raised to the sky at the broad smile that stretched her lips, but you accepted her invitation anyway. "Fine, let's go. I heard that they are training this morning. And I know you're not indifferent to Dornish charm." You winked at her. And arm in arm, you and Irma walked through the corridors of the Red Keep towards the courtyard.

Aemond's movements were precise and swift. Faced with Ser Criston's Morningstar, he moved skilfully, as nimble as a cat. You leaned against the parapet of the ramparts; your eyes riveted on the two silhouettes that seemed to be dancing in the courtyard amidst the small crowd that had gathered around them. Irma didn't miss a moment of the spectacle, and you wondered if there was a man she didn't find charming.  Aemond, probably.  You knew she didn't bear any affection for him - he was too serious, too stern. Too scary, too.

"Did you get tired of Oldtown, is that why you're here?" you asked teasingly, glancing briefly at Irma.

She leaned towards you as if to share a secret, not taking her eyes off the show the two men were offering. "They didn't want me anymore," she confided. "I used to drive the maesters and the septas mad. It was amusing."

You should have known better. Irma was too stubborn and brash to be around men and women who had dedicated their lives to knowledge. She was intelligent, there was no denying that, but she lacked the patience and diligence that the study of texts demanded. Though she had spent her childhood in King's Landing, perfecting her courtly education at her aunt's side, her rebellious attitude had sent her straight back to Oldtown. And then, she had threatened the Maesters and the Septas - she belonged at Court and she was convinced of it.

"And how is Daeron?" 

"As courteous and charming as ever," she replied. 

Aemond disarmed Cole and everyone applauded; including Jace and Luke, who you could recognise in the crowd. Your betrothed's eyes shifted from the spot he was staring at in the crowd - your brothers? - and looked up at you for a moment. You wondered if Aemond had seen you, if he had felt your gaze on him, and if that was why he had become fiercer in his attacks. A strange sensation arose in your belly, as if a swarm of butterflies were fluttering in your stomach, making your heart beat faster.  You forced yourself to suppress your emotions, which you blamed on all the time you'd spent away from Dragonstone. You refused to admit that it was Aemond's gaze that you sought more than any other, especially after the events of the previous day. Especially when you could still feel his skin against yours, his firm hands around your body, his face just a few inches from yours.

You wondered what had possessed you to kiss him on the cheek. 

You wanted to play with him, that was certain. But you refused to subject your heart to the whims of love. Not after the heartache you'd felt when you found out he'd forgotten you so easily.

It was nothing serious.

You met Aemond's gaze. The intensity of his lilac eye had this very capacity to send shivers down your spine.  He didn't even crack a smile, and looked away as if nothing had happened.

"I'll see you later," Irma said, squeezing your arm, before turning on her heels to - presumably - find some male company. Once you were alone, you walked down the steps that led from the ramparts to the courtyard. Your steps instinctively brought you to where Aemond was standing, ready to sheathe his sword.

If he seemed surprised to see you, he didn't show it. His icy eye rested on you, unreadable as ever.

"Lady Strong."

"We should talk," you began, ignoring the unpleasant way he had just addressed you. Lady Strong. The nickname left a sting of humiliation, and under normal circumstances you would have reacted. You would have defended yourself, you would have thought of something witty to retort - but today you had decided to take a step towards peace. You had decided to show that you hadn't come here with any animosity, even though everything inside you was screaming to make him swallow his insolence.

"There is nothing to talk about," he replied mechanically. Cold. Distant. Disinterested. Syllables sharp and icy. 

But yes, there were a thousand things to talk about; the betrothal that would lead to your certain future marriage, the events of yesterday, the letters he had never answered, his hostile and cold attitude towards you. There were all these things and more, but neither of you seemed to know how or where to begin.

"About yesterday -"

"I haven't spoken a word to anyone. Your little secret is safe with me. You can rest assured, niece."

That's not what you meant. It wasn't that you wanted to talk about - it was everything around it; it was the reasons, it was how he had found out, it was the consequences, it was the kiss on his cheek, it was the thick tension between you that you were sure he had felt too. It was all these things.

You took a step towards him. Suddenly you felt yourself bubbling. And as if you'd grown wings, you closed the distance between you without looking away.

"Why?" you asked, your tone more urgent. You wanted to push him over the edge. You wanted him to admit what you knew for a fact that he would never be able to. "You could expose me. Tell everyone about my little escapades. Make me lose all credibility. End our betrothal." You paused, leaning your body towards him, your warmth mingling with his.

You felt him hold his breath. He tensed, straightening his neck, tilting his head slightly to the side to watch you.

"Why exactly would I do that, Lady Strong?"

Because you hate me, you were tempted to reply. Because you hate me, just as you hate my brothers. Because you cut me off all those years ago, without a word. And despite all the affinities that could bring you together, despite the fond memories of your shared childhood and your closeness, despite the love you harboured for him, you were loyal to your siblings, like he was to his. Whatever you did, you would always be associated with them. Your family. So wasn't it normal for him to see you as an extension of the hatred he felt for them?

At your silence, he continued, this time in High Valyrian: "I am not the one who despises the other. You know that."

Hate was nothing more than a form of passion.

But you weren't sure it was hate you felt for Aemond - no, the hate would come later, stronger, hotter than ever.  For now, you felt disappointment and a form of betrayal after the friendship that had bound you together for more than a decade. 

"I am not the one who is determined to make you my enemy." 

Enemy, like water to fire. Trying to destroy each other by nature.

"And yet, you treat me like one," you replied. Sharpness staining your voice. 

He let out a hm. He was still staring at you; the sensation was almost disturbing. He took a step in your direction, violating your breathing space. You had to lift your head to maintain eye contact. Then he leaned towards you, the corner of his lips turned up slightly in a smirk.

"I wouldn't have come to rescue you if you were my enemy."

The words barely out of his mouth, he straightened and took a step back, giving you the courtesy to walk away as your cheeks turned red. You didn't need him to remind you of what had happened yesterday. The memory was still frozen in your mind, clear and intact. The ghost of his touch like a burn. You wondered if he felt the same; if he thought about your lips on his cheek, if they had left an invisible, indelible mark on his skin, like his fingers on yours.

You had to change the subject. Quickly. Before you got caught at your own game. 

Your hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword on the table beside the training area. You lifted it. It felt heavy in your hand, still warm from Aemond's grip.

It was strange, this power in your hand. A weapon that could take a life. Too big and unsuitable for your delicate fingers, but fascinating. 

"Teach me."

"No," he replied immediately, following your every move with his icy gaze, as if he feared you might hurt yourself. You rested the heavy sword on the wooden table before turning. You approached him again.

"Daemon taught me how to use a dagger. At least he taught me where to aim to hurt." You flatten your hand against his chest, just below his ribcage. His body stiffens beneath your palm. "He said it was to protect me from dangerous men." Your gaze travelled from your hand to his eyes.

Aemond chuckled. He didn't try to push you away. On the contrary, he kept your hand pressed against him. His fingers wrapped around your wrist, and he guided your hand to his jugular, where you could feel his heart throbbing against your fingertips.

"First lesson: that is where you aim to kill." Caught off guard, you tried to withdraw your hand, but Aemond held it in place, your fingertips on his skin, your eyes both searching and challenging each other. The air was charged. Tense. Like a cloud before a storm. You held your breath. "But you wouldn't dare hurt a fly."

He released your wrist and gripped your chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing you to step back until your back hit the table. He leaned in. His face so close to yours that you could almost feel his warm breath melting into yours. A few inches and you could close the gap between your lips. A few inches and -

"Well, niece. I hope to see you for dinner. And, of course, I expect you to behave."

With that he released you. With that, he turned on his heel. 

He stopped. And without looking back, he added: "And please. Don't make a habit of me saving you. 

Well, you were evenly matched.

[myhamartiaishubris]

Ben Hargreeves is the worst written best character and I can prove it

This is a poorly organized meta/essay about my baby boy who got massacred. Originally posted in the discord server so some of y'all have seen it already.

Let me be clear: this is a love letter to my favourite Hargreeves boy. I could write him better. I could fix him (narratively).

Here's why Ben is a great character who, paradoxically, was very badly written.

Umbrella Ben

Listen. Listen to me. Ben Hargreeves was, from the moment I saw him, my absolute favourite character. He's already dead? Doomed by the narrative before the narrative even begins? Also, an East Asian character in the year of our Lord 2018?? I was on board. And Brelly Ben gets a lot of good moments! You know that scene where Klaus is in the motel closet, tied up, and Ben says something like, "How does it feel being helpless? This is how I feel, watching my brother piss his life away." Um, hello?? That's such a delicious line.

Because up until this point Ben's been kind of quiet, in that dead broody way, or we saw his young self being soft and reluctant. But suddenly we realize, oh, Ben isn't nice. In fact, he's kind of nasty to his addict brother, and you get this kernel of a glimpse into his character. This is a character who might have been soft-spoken in life, but death and the years since have shredded him down to all his razor edges. He's still that bookish little Ben, except he's not little and he's frustrated, angry, traumatized, and in pain.

And season 2 builds on this! He's willing to violate Klaus's personal boundaries just for a taste of life again. Holy shit that's so delicious. My problem is that, especially in season 2, this isn't explored nearly as much as it could be. Ben's possession shenanigans are mostly played for comedy, when in fact we could be delving into the implications of Ben's character and his relationship with Klaus. You have this character who's kind, who (from what we know so far) represented the "good" of the academy, who loves his brother so so hard and it hurts him so bad to see Klaus hit rock bottom every time. The little "I missed you guys" in season 2? Devastating. And yet despite his goodness he is capable of being a bad person, and he repeatedly hurts those around him (namely Klaus).

So surely this is part of his arc, right? This is going to be explored and resolved. Right?

The Season 2 Ending

So the thing is, I didn't immediately hate the way they had Ben move on / die to save Viktor. I was sad to see my favourite character go, but also excited to see where the writers would take that storyline. Because, obviously, it wasn't over. Right? Obviously Ben's arc isn't finished, he hasn't resolved his frustrations, his complicated relationship with Klaus is never fully untangled, plus the rest of the family never get a moment of real closure with him (except maybe Diego). So clearly, it wasn't over. Right?

Well, in light of season 4, I can confidently come back and say that killing Brelly Ben off here was a stupidass decision.

And here's why: you've effectively splintered his arc in half. Starting from season 3, Ben is an entirely different character, with an entirely different arc that needs to be built from the ground up. While everyone else gets 4 seasons of development, Ben only gets 2, both times. And I'm so not over the fact that his arc isn't over. We saw Ben do some reprehensible shit to Klaus, especially in season 2 with all that possession shit! And we just. Never hear from him again? That's bullshit.

But anyway, since we're here, let's make peace with being here. Hey, Justin H Min is still playing a version of Ben, and he seems interesting, if way different! Surely this will have some interesting implications.

Sparrow Ben

Oh god, Sparrow Ben. In terms of Ben's character writing, season 3 is... fine. Like I said, it suffers from effectively fracturing his arc in half and having to start over, and this isn't the complicated, kind but frustrated and prickly ghost Ben I originally fell in love with. But ok, I do like Justin, and EA rep is still a win to me, so let's go with the flow.

For the most part, season 3 does a solid job. We get some solid beats relating to Ben's ambition and inferiority complex being Number 2. There's a bit of overacting on Justin's part, but hey, that's camp. (I think. I have no idea if I'm using that word right. Am I hip with the kids?)

I really, really loved Ben's moment with Sloane as she's getting married, because it highlights the core of this Ben's character: someone who desperately yearns for family but has forced himself to be all hard shell and soldier. In a way, he's the other end of Brelly Ben's spectrum. (Like forsterite and fayalite - all Mg on one end, Fe on the other.) How much of this Ben is family softness, how much of it is defense mechanism and lashing out?

And then of course - the thing I've been craving so badly - the in-universe comparison to Brelly Ben. This was done... underwhelmingly, if I'm honest. I liked that Ben had a moment of crisis where he couldn't live up to the Umbrellas' dead version of himself, and his moment with Klaus was nice, but in light of season 4 it becomes clear that we could have had more. I wanted him to have an entire arc about it - after all, it's a pretty significant aspect of your character to be "the worse version of yourself from another timeline." (Refer to @vyther16's Gongye Jiwu fic.) I feel like there's a lot of meta you could pull from that, about how your siblings who aren't your siblings look at you and see someone different. Someone you won't be. Someone you can't be, even if you tried, so why bother trying? And they really don't dig through that at all, which is disappointing.

The tentacle samurai fight is badass, though.

Season 4

Oh buddy oh boy. There's so much dumpster fire here, but I'll start with the season 3 loose ends and then move on to season 4's own problems.

1) Sloane. Luther picks Ben up from prison, so I thought they might have an interesting bonding moment over Sloane - after all, they're the two people who cared most about her. But actually no, apparently Ben doesn't give a shit about the one real sister he actually had left at the end of s3.

2) The subway thing. Wasn't he in Korea? My grasping-at-straws ass truly thought that might have been Brelly Ben in the reset timeline, and we'd get a Ben-Ben confrontation or a battle in the minds thing. But I guess that doesn't matter.

3) The Jennifer Incident. So we all know that everyone forgetting about an incident they explicitly reference is stupid, right? Especially because the name Jennifer only exists because they reference it in s3. Ben obsessively draws Jennifer, and then he doesn't recognize or know her? Kill me.

The continuation of his arc is also just sloppy, if it even exists. No more identity crisis about being the worse Ben, no more secret yearning for family or inferiority complex about being a good soldier. Suddenly his arc amounts to, uh, being an asshole and getting hit with sex pollen so powerful it ends the world.

And look, there is a world where Sparrow Ben spiking everyone with marigold could parallel with Brelly Ben's consent problems with Klaus. There is a world where Sparrow Ben dying because of Jennifer could echo Brelly Ben's death in a haunting, tragic, destined kind of way.

But, uh, none of that happens. Here we are, finally getting a Ben-centric season, and it's this. Being relegated to a plot device in your own season. Looking back and realizing that you were always the plot device, even in season 2. Carrying all that tragedy in your little ghost body and being treated like Chekov's waterlogged gun.

And I can't help but look back at season 1, Klaus trying so desperately to prove Ben's existence, and contrast it with the literal next season where a single throwaway line from Klaus sidelines Ben for a whole season. And then he dies. And he dies again.

Fucking hell.

It feels like I'm being made a fool of. Oh, you cared about this East Asian character? You wanted him to have narrative weight and character presence instead of being a plot device for the benefit of his White brothers? Idiot.

Because you'll still be here anyway, right? You'll grasp onto your crumbs for a cool EA character, you'll let us run a character through a trash compactor and keep pretending he's a good character because you latched onto this one East Asian protagonist and you don't want to admit that maybe you should have let go years before.

[midnight-in-town]

TOP 10 reveals during the Green Witch arc

Since this arc is airing soon, I thought I’d recap what to look forward to, plot wise, since most of these are still very relevant to the current storyline. :)

10) A new ally

Spoilers for anime-onlies, but obviously Sieglinde's introduction is a big deal. Her genius aside, like Soma, Sieglinde is one of the few characters who has only known our!Ciel and who owes him a lot, which explains why she'd remain a friend and ally to him, in the current arc against real!Ciel.

The fact she's a genius is also extremely plot relevant, because Sieglinde's laboratory is funded by Queen Victoria, which means Sieglinde will definitely play a big role in the series until we get to the heart of the Victoria vs Ciel conflict.

9) Diedrich

Long time hinted at, first real time actually seeing him in action and, man, did he serve !

Despite his grief, he's a genuinely caring evil noble, because he promised Vincent, but also, because he simply cares that a kid like Ciel has to shoulder this burden. That's why he immediately chose to side with him, instead of his own army : patriotism, who ? Friendship is the real deal.

He's also one of the few characters who may have known that our!Ciel was lying about his identity, considering he never called him "Ciel", which means that he might remain an ally of our!Ciel in the current conflict between the twins.

8) Finny's backstory

Finny's the first servant to have his backstory revealed, because this arc happens in Germany, but also because Finny has similar circumstances to Sieglinde. Both of them were "experiments" of the German military, Finny with enhanced strength and Sieglinde with intelligence, creating new weapons.

The bond between Finny and Ciel is revealed to be deeper and a more emotional one than we could imagine, as Ciel is Finny's savior and Finny would even stand against Sebastian for his sake.

There is also the possibility that our!Ciel gave Finny his birth name that he discarded 4 years ago, making that bond even more significant if this turns out to be true.

7) All the servants in action

Not seen since the Circus arc, will not be seen again until our!Ciel runs away from Scotland Yard in the current arc (and will probably be seen next time against bizarre doll!Snake T_T).

We had many badass moments, for all of them, showing how much they want to be helpful to their master, which is heartwarming. Bonus point for Dee's remark :

In other words, Tanaka aside, Vincent didn't have a household full of talented fighters.

Finny's backstory and standing against Sebastian also proved that the servants are all definitely devoted to our!Ciel, making them his most secured allies, which will be hella significant (as we now know) when real!Ciel returns (and in case there is one day a conflict between Seb and Ciel).

6) More development for the War subplot

This story has different subplots (the main plot being Ciel's path to revenge) and this one was introduced back during the Murders at Manor arc :

Queen Victoria is said in the story to be a visionary (*cough* thanks to Brown being a supernatural being *cough*), reigning over the most powerful Empire in the world.

Twice now, she sent her Watchdog to thwart Germany's military achievements (when Ciel saved Finny and again during the Green Witch arc), to say nothing of her interest in bizarre dolls as weapons.

German Shinigamis also commented on the possibility of a massive world war being launched soon and it seems clear Victoria is preparing for that.

For now though, our!Ciel positioned himself as a threat, because he managed to convince Sieglinde not to give the Queen the formula for the SuLIN gas, which is what she was mainly coveting.

This means that our!Ciel probably has a huge part to play in avoiding the launch of WWI, 25 years early (could even be why he might be judged worthy, should he...ahem... die).

5) Family tree and special lineage

Ch103 made a lot of noise when it was released, between hints of real!Ciel's existence, the reveal of the birth & death dates of Claudia and Vincent, contrasting with the absence of dates for Cedric K. Ros-, thus the theory that it could be the Undertaker's previous identity.

On top of that, it's also in this chapter that our!Ciel noticed the German Shinigamis, despite them hiding, when Seb couldn't, implying the existence of a Phantomhive lineage very useful against supernatural beings.

In fact, to this day I remain a strong advocate of the theory that the Watchdog's duty is the Phantomhives' burden because of their special lineage.

4) Shinigamis' origins

The GW arc is also when we got the confirmation that Shinigamis were once humans and that other deserters besides UT exist.

The implication that the Shinigami system is an unfair one that deserters like UT might be trying to take down also started with this reveal and could be, as some of us theorized, very significant to the current arc.

3) Our!Ciel's inner guilt

The GW arc was a painful arc for Ciel, because it triggered some traumatic memories that left him lost inside his own head for a few days. A peak into his mind in ch95 showed that our!Ciel feels guilty about many people's death...

...and that it's why he bears with the contract, giving up hope for a happy future, because he's the one who made that choice 4 years ago, for his own sake.

2) The Undertaker's tearful moment

The arc started with our!Ciel trying to find info about UT and questioning Klaus about him. But Klaus turned him down, saying Dee would know more, because he was an evil noble before Klaus was.

So it was quite memorable when it turned out that UT had visited Dee, not long before our!Ciel arrived in Germany. xD

And while we can question what he was doing there before going to France (trying to sell bizarre dolls as weapons to Victoria's enemies ? or recruiting Shinigami deserters from these countries ?), what mostly struck is UT's reaction to seeing a picture of Vincent during his Weston days :

Obviously, this scene was a big hint about real!Ciel being turned into a bizarre doll, but also to the bond existing between UT and Ciel's family (aka the possibility that he's Cedric K. Ros).

This scene also confirmed that, unlike real!Ciel, Vincent can't be brought back as a BD, because his body (which is where the cinematic records remain) is too damaged.

This begs the question : was the fire, which destroyed the manor, started to damage Vincent's cinematic records, 4 years ago ? Not because of the bizarre doll project, because it didn't exist yet, but rather to hide who actually killed him and Rachel ? Food for thoughts.

1) Initial sparks of a possible conflict between Seb and Ciel in the future

A part of the fandom loves to joke about the "90% serious" incident that happened during this arc, but actually, comic relief is often used by Yana to hide a darker truth.

As far as Seb is concerned, him being 90% serious about eating our!Ciel's soul means he was more than ready to end it then.

This proves that Seb doesn't have Ciel's best interests in mind (in case anyone had doubts lmao), he just acts by the 3 rules of their contract, as long as Ciel still has his path of revenge well in mind.

Their dynamic is a chessgame that's been ongoing for the last 4 years and this indeed means that...

...Seb is the one Ciel trusts least of all, because a simple lack of focus can be deadly for him. So there might come a day when our!Ciel questions if the contract is really what he wants, but before that day happens, he will need to deal with all that inner guilt first.

For more details, please read these posts :

Rise of a possible conflict about the contract between Seb and Ciel [part 1] [part 2]

About Ciel’s inner guilt and how it might eventually cause a conflict between him and Seb

Thanks for reading ! Looking forward to more commentaries about this arc by Yana-sensei and Editor K, as the anime airs !

[butterflydm]

Wheel of Time 3x07 Deep Dive (show spoilers)

Spoilers through 3x07 of the show - show spoilers only.

This was very emotionally heavy and tied together a lot of threads for Perrin.

First, a minor correction for my 3x06 deep dive: I said that Egwene successfully pushed Bair & Melaine out of her dream before she was yanked into TAR to be taunted, but a rewatch of that bit clarifies that it was actually Lanfear who shunted away the Wise Ones and then locked them out so that she could snatch Egwene, which explains why Egwene decided to keep training instead of confronting Rand right away. Egwene looks triumphant after Bair & Melaine disappear, which is why I originally thought that she'd succeeded, but Bair & Melaine's words after Egwene wakes up make it clear that that was Lanfear's doing and not Egwene's. So the show does provide a reason why Egwene delays her conversation with Rand.

Okay, now for 3x07!

Much like I wonder how s2 might have played if they'd been able to get Thom's actor back (if we assume that he would have been in Rand's Cairhien storyline... though it's equally possible that he would have been in Mat's storyline instead, which might have meant a different storyline for Min), I wonder how this episode would have played if they'd been able to get Tam's actor this season. I feel like some of the beats that might have gone to Tam went to Maksim instead, since Tam's experience in the Illian army would have likely meant he was the primary person leading and training the Two Rivers' archers.

I do think Maksim works well in this role, but I do wonder how the plotline would have played with Tam around. That's one of the major downsides about the way that shows are renewed these days -- less likely to be able to get those actors for minor characters back in for their established roles (I'm glad we were able to get Aram and Ila back for their roles in this episode! It would not have been the same trying to play those beats with new actors/characters).

That's also why Maksim is here at all -- I believe it was confirmed in one of Rafe's interviews that Maksim was originally going to be the Warder to die in 3x01 but when they lost Ihvon's original actor to another show and had to recast him, it made sense to have Maksim survive instead, since he was the actor that audiences would be more familiar with. It's funny how all that behind-the-scenes stuff ends up affecting the show in big ways and small.

I really like that in the shot we get of Perrin looking around, we see Alanna training Bode & Eldrin but we can't see their weaves. The nature of how television works means that we can't always see that distinction because the show wants the audience to know that channeling is happening and to see the weaves, so it's nice to get these little moments like this one, where Perrin is unable to see channeling weaves.

Bode and Eldrin get a nice little arc in the few episodes that they got this season and it's really nice how we've gotten to see them grow into feeling like more distinct characters and not just "Mat's little sisters".

I also love the thread started here for the al'Seen boys teasingly (but affectionately) calling Perrin "Lord Perrin" and "Lord Goldeneyes" here, only for it to come back at the ending of the episode being said with true admiration, because Perrin has earned it, both through blood and through diplomacy.

The return of the Tuatha'an! I mentioned this above, but I'm so glad that the show was able to get Aram & Ila back for this. We needed them to really make those emotional beats him.

I will say, one thing that I've seen adhered to better on tumblr than any other place online that I've checked out about the show is remembering to call them "Tuatha'an" instead of "Tinkers" (which they explicitly say is used as a derogatory term, back when we first meet them). Perrin, who knows them and has some understanding of their ways and who respects them, always calls them Tuatha'an.

The thread of the Aiel & the Tuatha'an is done so well in this episode, with the audience now in on their secret shared past -- both Aiel and Tuatha'an are Oathbreakers in opposite directions. The Aiel forsook the Way of the Leaf and the Tuatha'an forsook their duty to the Aes Sedai. The world was in so much turmoil that it became impossible to hold to both oaths.

I really do love that we had Ila directly quoting Jonai/Adan in this episode as well -- "We bury our dead and we go on. What else is there?" -- because it shows us how the Tuatha'an held onto what helped them survive but let go of what didn't. That's why they've forgotten the song. They never settled anywhere, so their policy of constantly moving for their own safety was continually reinforced. But what use is a harvest song to people who don't harvest?

And we get the thread of Ila being disappointed at Perrin carrying a weapon -> being disappointed at Aram for picking up a weapon -> admiring Perrin for choosing to put his weapon down and peacefully surrender himself to Dain. Much like Adan, Ila is firm in her convictions, despite the heartbreak and loss that she has suffered in her life. When Adan lost all his family but his grandfather, he carried on, determined never to abandon his oaths. And when his own grandson took up violence, he was unable to look at him the same way ever again, which we see in Ila at the end of this episode. She has spent her entire life living by the Way of the Leaf, and she genuinely believes that it would have been better for Aram to let himself be killed by that Trolloc than pick up a weapon in his own defense or the defense of others.

Aram, on the other hand, has been shaken by his losses. He is not so committed to the Way of the Leaf that he is willing to die for it, or let innocent people die for it. For the Aiel, this choice of being willing to use violence was both a harsh one (being cast out from their people) but also the only way that any of them survived (and, indeed, thrived). But the Two Rivers has the ability to be kinder and softer than the Three-Fold Land was for the Aiel, and Aram is able to be accepted by Marin and the rest of the Two Rivers people, embraced as one of them, and given Perrin's old role as a blacksmith.

I am once again struck by how the show chooses to be kind in so many little ways. There is just an inherent kindness in so many of the choices that the show has made, like how Tam found Rand's mother before she died, and gave her comfort as she was giving birth. Such a lovely grace note of compassion.

And, in particular, making the Two Rivers the source of this unexpected kindness a second time feels like it's going to continue to be an importance note for the future -- Two Rivers people are stubborn but they are also kind. And both of those are things that they would reinforce in their children (even those not of their blood, like Rand).

Once again, I am thanking the show for being much freer with letting men hug each other than the books are.

Faile, Bain, & Chiad come in together after the Tuatha'an -- doing some more scouting, like they were doing in the previous episode. Those three do have a lot in common in their general outlook on life, which makes sense. Faile talks about being from a military family and Saldaea is one of the Borderlands country, near the Blight, and so likely has faced Trollocs before. Much like Bain & Chiad grew up with violence and adversity, so did Faile. Plus, Faile doesn't use swords, which probably earns her some bonus points.

We get another (minor) example of how Aram is not feeling as committed to the Way of the Leaf as Ila, as Aram is clearly tempted to eat the food that Marin offers him (with the meat "picked out" but cooked in) while Ila thanks Marin but clearly has no intention of eating it (and looks over at Aram when it seems like he might, and he also puts his own bowl down).

Interesting note is that... we don't actually get any indication in the Rhuidean episode that the "Way of the Leaf" meant not eating meat, not that I can recall.

In fact, Lewin justifies being able to use a spear by saying that it can put food into the pots (a justification still used by Aviendha in 3x02). The Way of the Leaf, as used by the Aiel in 3x04, appears to be about violence against other people, while over the centuries, the Tuatha'an have adopted it into every aspect of their lives. I really like that implication of cultural drift there. Both the Aiel and the Tuatha'an have drifted away from the original Aiel and how they behaved and believed, each of them drifting into deeper extremes away from each other and with each side pitying the other.

The way that we can see Aram questioning Ila, questioning his entire way of life. I really really like that we were given time for all of this.

I also like that Faile observes all this without feeling the need to push back against the inter-group discussion that Aram and Ila are having with Perrin. And Perrin trying to ease the conversation by speaking in the same kind of poetical language that Ila often uses re: leaves and whatnot. Perrin just... show!Perrin just really has a lot of respect for other people and cultures and sees value in them, and I really love that about him. He comes across as very perceptive and thoughtful about other people, and able to consider their perspective and speak their language to them.

And then we shift to Bain & Chiad, who think that Aram is cute but would never touch him because they see him as a "tinker boy. coward. lost one." High amounts of dramatic irony now that we've seen their history in 3x04, but tracks with what Aviendha said about the Tuatha'an back in 3x03 -- "the only thing less honorable than refusing to defend yourself is attacking those who refuse to defend themselves". This is, basically, cope on a cultural level. The surviving Aiel, over time, had to justify their choice to abandon the Way of the Leaf and came to the conclusion that choosing to follow the Way of the Leaf was the coward's choice. And now that belief is baked into their culture at its very foundation.

Also, this might be the first time that we've seen Bain express an attraction for someone before Chiad did, so that's interesting. Usually we've seen Bain following Chiad's lead, but that gets flipped a couple of times in this episode.

Poor Alanna is getting flashbacks to trying to teach the other Two Rivers girls here, when Bode and Eldrin want to rush ahead to learn battle weaves, lol. Now that they are less traumatized, they are getting to show more of their personalities. And now we bring in Daise as someone who can channel but was never trained -- also a Wisdom, like Nynaeve. Given what we saw of the women's circle ceremony and how 'listening to the wind' was explained to us, it seems likely that the majority of the Wisdoms over the years have been self-taught channelers, never quite realizing what it was that they were doing, only knowing that it worked to help their people. The last remnants of lost Manetheren, like the song that they no longer remember the depth of history behind.

I really liked what we got in Maksim and Alanna's relationship here, and throughout most of the season. We've watched the way that losing a Warder can affect both the Aes Sedai and a fellow Warder, and we've gotten to see a poly throuple navigate through the loss of one third of their relationship, and figure out how to communicate again.

The unfurling of the wolf banner! This works so well in the show. I love how it looks homemade and fairly simple. It's lovely and the light shining through the material really makes the wolf stand out. And Faile talking Perrin into leaving it up also works really well for me. Pointing out to him that his people are drawing strength from him because he is one of them, and that they don't want outside leadership -- they want it from one of their own. It's a good conversation.

"What if I'm not ready?" "Of course you're not."

feels like a good companion to the Moiraine & Rand exchange from 3x04:

"Ready?" "No." (goes forward anyway)

In some ways, this episode is about Perrin learning the lesson that Rand has already learned about duty -- you might never be 'ready' but the job has to get done anyway, so you need to go ahead and do it, even if you don't feel prepared for it. Because the world (village) is depending on you, and time is short.

Perrin offers an apology for killing Dain's father, but also points out that Dain has allowed people to die over his own grief as well (Natti Cauthon). He points out that if Dain really does believe in the tenants of the Children of the Light, then he should help the villagers fight off the Trollocs.

We don't see the actual decision-making process for the Whitecloaks, but I'm guessing that Valda was arguing against helping while Fain was arguing in favor (but with his ulterior motives).

From what Dain says later on in the episode, the deciding factor for him was what Perrin says here near at the end of the discussion:

"Why should we fight for you?" "Because it's the right thing to do."

Once again, in this conversation with Dain, we see Perrin applying empathy and respect for the other person involved, as he makes this deal with Dain -- if the Whitecloaks help out, then I'll turn myself over to your justice. And he means it, as we see at the end of the episode. When Perrin makes a deal, he abides by the terms.

Another great relationship thread through this episode was Loial and the Maidens -- we saw them first show interest in playing Maiden's Kiss with Loial back in 3x01 and Loial saving Chiad's life and her owing toh towards him -- we've seen them be genuinely interested in his lessons about history (which continues here) and, when he's reminded of Rand here (their "Car'a'carn"), he acts to do what he can to try to send them back home to safety, using ji'e'toh as the means to try to do so. Everything about this trio in the episode was golden.

We also do get that blatant reminder of Rand here -- there are only two points in the episode when he gets mentioned, and both times it's used to tie him to the 'bigger picture' of the world. Here, it's as the Car'a'carn and because the name of his adopted family is similar to that of the last king of Manetheren. Later, Fain will mention that the purpose of bringing the Trolloc army here was to teach "the Dragon Reborn" a lesson by wiping his hometown off the map.

Last moments before potential death -- we had that in 1x07 too, and saw how it can bring people together or have people to try to protect others: Alanna and Maksim finding their own balance in the absence of Maksim, the last of Alanna's ashes wiped off of her face. Perrin trying to send Faile away for her own protection, and their prickly cultural clash that ends up in honesty and emotional vulnerability (confessing that his biggest fear isn't death, but failing his people and getting them killed). Loial trying to send away Bain and Chiad for their survival, and the way both sides play with ji'e'toh to try to get the result that they want (Bain & Chiad are the ji'e'toh experts, so they win).

We also get it confirmed here that Maiden's Kiss can be a deadly game, which is another example of how far the Aiel and the Tuatha'an have drifted apart. Even Aiel games can be fatal (though given Bain & Chiad's actions here, they probably would have found an excuse not to kill Mat if things had gone against him). And we get our other flip of the Bain & Chiad dynamic, where Bain is now the one who owes Loial toh, and Chiad is the one who will follow her.

Though Natti did die to save her girls, we see that the damage of her and Abell's parenting still affect the twins too, even though Mat tried to protect them from it -- they've internalized the idea that "Cauthons aren't worth much". Perrin pushes back against that narrative, and tells them that Mat is a hero now, who blew the Horn of Valere. Again, we get some cuteness here as the twins relax enough to show a personality that's a bit more like Mat's, and they playfully mock the idea of Mat as the Hornblower. Very sweet moment that Faile also gets to share in.

Not sure how much I'm going to have to say about the actual battle, but once again I love how we see Perrin respecting other cultures -- for the Tuatha'an, he asks that they take the children away to safety if needed; and he trusts those willing and able to fight to protect everyone else. And you can see how much it means to Ila that Perrin is willing to trust her people with the children of the village.

Loial is the one who volunteers the idea of going to seal off the Waygate -- I'm guessing he'd already thought about it earlier and that's part of why he tried to send Bain & Chiad away. Sealing off the Waygate, even if he managed it before the Trolloc reinforcements arrived, leaves him with a very slim chance of survival, as he would need to make it to a new Waygate before any potential reinforcements arrived. He volunteers for this already knowing that he's likely going to die.

It really does make me think of the speech that he gave to the others in 2x08. "We are all the heroes of another Age's legends. It's time we act like it." He lives up to that speech. And he really gets such a heroic exit. I love Loial but this was a good death, narratively-speaking. He did something that no other character could do, using his own personal knowledge and abilities. He saved the entire village and thwarted the Dark One's plans. It's a good death.

It does make me cry when it happens, though. I'm actually tearing up a bit just writing about it and we're still in the "talking in the inn" section of the episode. It's a really lovely goodbye between Perrin and Loial. "Make sure we're remembered" but it's going to be Perrin making sure that Loial is remembered. And we get another example of Perrin noticing and respecting other people's customs when Perrin says, "Your name sings in my ears" to Loial as they say farewell.

Having "Weep for Manetheren" be here instead of a big speech is so perfect. I love how that comes back around from s1 and it is used so beautifully here. This bit of history/folklore that ties them together as a community, even half-forgotten, it serves as a rallying cry.

"Fucking wetlanders. Even their shadowrunners are soft."

Bain and Chiad are so funny. I love them. I'm glad that they survived and I know Loial would be grateful and relieved about it too.

The show continues to be good about following characters that we know in the middle of battles (they talked about this in one of the extras after 2x02, I think) and it really helps make it so that the battles aren't confusing.

I like the difference we see here between a true Aes Sedai linking with inexperienced channelers vs Amalisa messing up in 1x08 because she didn't know what she was doing and burned herself out because she didn't know how to let go of that much of the One Power once she was holding it. The art of letting go is probably one of the most important things to know before doing any kind of linking. And we get a reminder of how good channeling can feel when experiencing the link makes Daise Conger willing to give up drinking. Moonshine can't compare to the One Power!

And then Daise sacrifices herself to protect Alanna when she gets hit. Poor Alanna, she's so powerful and so good at what she does that she keeps needing to get hurt so that she can't OP her way through every situation. But it's also a good reminder that power doesn't make them invulnerable. She can still get taken out of a fight by a well-placed arrow.

We've seen now a few times that instinctive shields seem to have a similar look to them -- Egwene's in 2x08, Rand's in 3x06, and now Daise in 3x07 -- and that look differs from the Tower-trained shields. Or maybe Two Rivers' folk are all thinking about it in a particular way that leads their shields looking similar.

The Whitecloaks coming to help... but also Trojan Horsing the enemies inside the gates as well, which Perrin realizes when he hears that the pass was abandoned and then spots Padan Fain.

I do think that the Perrin and Dain have the potential for a very interesting dynamic next season (assuming for the moment that the ending of this episode was set-up for next season and crossing my fingers that we get renewed). Because Dain does not occupy the moral high ground here, and I do think he has the capability of realizing that as time passes.

The Women's Circle as the last line of defense before the Inn is breached. I really like that.

I believe we actually can hear threads of Mat's theme/Horn of Valere theme as soon as we enter the Ways with Loial when he's trying to break the Waygate (it cuts off when his strikes fail). And getting to hear the Aiel theme when Bain & Chiad get ready to fuck shit up. <3

One of the Trollocs was able to breach the line of the Women's Circle and get into the Inn, chasing after the Tuatha'an and the children. Aram gets to experience the Original Sin of the Aiel all over again, picking up a weapon in defense of his own life and the lives of others, and seeing his family distances themselves from him because of that impulsive choice. Because, when the rubber hit the road, Aram is not willing to die or allow innocent people to die because of his personal moral beliefs, and now he has to reforge new beliefs to replace the old ones.

Perrin experiences his greatest fear -- the Trollocs have breached into the Two Rivers and it looks like they're all going to die, this conversation between him and Faile, and the emotional tipping point that he comes to because of it, is so beautiful. And that great shot of the wolfhead banner. And Perrin using the hammer and the axe.

"What would you give for the Two Rivers?" "Everything." "Then show them."

And we get a beautifully-realized battle couple sequence with Perrin and Faile, where he knocks Trollocs & Darkfriends out, while trusting Faile to have his back and take care of anything that escapes him or slips behind him. They really balance each other, which is perfect in this sort of situation. He's the wrecking ball and she's the clean-up crew (with knives).

They also do a great job in this battle of showing the different people protecting the others in the battle.

This moment with Valda is fantastic -- we see him slipping away from the battle to try to hunt for 'witches' and Bode & Eldrin taking revenge for their mother's death, and Alanna's relief and joy over Valda's fiery death.

@markantonys mentioned this, but it's great how Perrin is able to pull together so many of the lessons he's learns over the season -- he asks Padan Fain why he's doing what he's doing, like Ingtar suggested that he should, and finds out that it's to try to hurt "the Dragon Reborn", which is useful information. It's useful to know that this is not a personal vendetta from Fain. And once the Waygate blows, he uses his wolf senses to tell that Fain is afraid, and he uses that as part of his bargain -- Fain being afraid to die means that Perrin has leverage, and he uses it.

And it shows that Perrin is able to control the battle-rage that terrified him so much after 1x01 and accidentally killing Laila.

Fain mentions the reinforcements, and it's time to return to Loial, as he realizes that he can't destroy the Waygate itself. He needs to destroy the bridge. Loial hums "Weep for Manetheren" to himself, steeling himself for his choice, and the Horn of Valere theme swells as Loial summons his strength for his final blows.

"They bought the land with their blood, long long ago."

(I cried again, of course. Very effective scene. Heartbreakingly heroic exit)

And Loial succeeds in cutting off the reinforcements, which means that Fain has lost his leverage. Perrin has the leverage now.

He's able to be practical and realize that Fain is more useful alive than dead, because if he's alive and afraid, then he might be willing to run away with the Trollocs, saving the lives of the people of the Two Rivers.

Perrin also now potentially has a reason to either try to get to Rand (once he's dealt with his Whitecloak plotline next season) or to send someone to Rand, because he has information -- the Dark One tried to send an army to destroy the Two Rivers in order to send Rand a message. So we've opened Perrin's plotline back up to the rest of the story.

The beard-pull kiss between Faile and Perrin is adorable. <3 And then the hugs commence between the Two Rivers people, and some forehead touching. Very nice triumphant moment for the village. <3

We pick up during repairs of the village, likely the morning after and now we're going to do their wrap-up for the season and set-up for s4 plots (at least that's how I'm interpreting a lot of this, since I assume that 3x08 will have very little of the Two Rivers plotline in it, as there was such a huge focus on it here).

Set-up for next season: where is Fain going with the remnants of his Trolloc army? What will he be up to next?

Set-up for next season: where does Alanna plan to take the girls, if not the White Tower? What are her plans? "The Pattern has bigger plans for us."

Wrap-up for this season: Aram has lost his previous home & family, but is offered a new home, to be the blacksmith of the Two Rivers, and it's clear that Marin will keep looking out for him. I wonder if he's realized that Marin is Egwene's mom. Did anyone say her last name in front of him? Well, he'll probably figure it out.

Wrap-up for this season: acknowledging Loial's sacrifice, and mourning his loss. "Life is a dream from which we all must wake before we can dream again. May your soul find water and shade, Loial, son of Arent, son of Halan. Your name sings in our ears." I really love Bain & Chiad merging one of Loial's customs with their own here, as they mourn him and bid him goodbye.

And Perrin reading the last lines of Loial's book. Very emotional.

Set-up for next season: Perrin gives himself up to the Whitecloaks, as per the bargain that he'd made before the battle. And we have Perrin asking Faile to respect his choice, just as he has respected hers. Very very good stuff. And Perrin quoting Ila to make his point -- he's decided that enough violence has happened here. He's not going to create more now, by fighting against this.

"Perrin Aybara, my friend."

"Perrin Goldeneyes, Lord of the Two Rivers."

Titles that Perrin has earned, through his actions and choices.

[inbarfink]

Part of Fionna’s frustrations with Mundanewold were subconscious longings for her old life of magical adventure, but a lot of her problems tied more into deeply-rooted issues of monotony and a feeling like she can't do anything to change her lot in life and like her actions don’t matter.

And it does seem like Fionna and Friends’ lives have been kinda Stuck in a Rut - especially when you compare the way their lives parallel and diverge from their Mainworld counterparts. Most of the differences are... rather than just different choices diverging into different arcs - it’s the same arc, but the Fionnaworld characters are just stuck behind.

Fionna is still reeling from the breakup with DJ Flame and only met Hunter at the very day our story starts. Marshall Lee has more Unresolved Issues with his mom compared to Marceline and her dad. He and Gumball haven’t even met yet. Not to mention the Mundaneworld-specific problems like Fionna being unable to hold a steady job or Gary eternally spinning his wheels about opening his own bakery. 

Fionna thought she wanted a world of magic, but while the added bits of strangeness and whimsy to Fionnaworld by the end of the show are certainly a cool fun bonus (and Cake is surely thankful to have the ability to freely think and speak her mind and stretch) - what Fionna and friends were really missing was a world where their actions matter, where things change, where they are real. 

And especially important for Fionna and Cake to admit it, because handling the fact their actions have consequences has been a huge part of both of their character arcs. For Cake it was all about getting used to the fact that her newfound human-like sapience means being measured against human-like morality. For Fionna it's about not comparing everything in her life to video games and thinking through her actions at least a little bit.

Consequences are the thing Fionna and Cake struggled with the most, but it was what they were missing all along.

Now this seems to be, like, an actual metaphysical thing. I mean, the show hasn’t gone super into detail of how Fionnaworld worked but it does seem like Prismo’s stories had an active role in moving the events of the World forwards, possibly using the same event-manipulating-Magic that make sure his Wishes have that Obligatory Ironic Twists?

And once Ice King turned back to Simon, Prismo lost all ability to observe or create stories for Fionnaworld. And what happens to characters of a story once the writer can’t access their external hard-drive anymore? They just sorta get stuck. Moving their own lives forwards without Prismo’s stories is just a lot harder.

And if there is some sort of force in control behind the scenes of Fionnaworld at the start of the series, it’s only Simon’s subconscious - a fact F&C alludes to numerous times 

And at the start of the show, how was Simon’s feeling about his own life?

In addition to Simon’s longing and memories for the pre-War world shaping the exact form of Fionna’s nonmagical world, perhaps his feelings of ennui and depression and helplessness have also subtly ‘infected’ this world?

It is perhaps not a coincidence that Marshall Lee and Gary Prince’s storyline only starts moving forwards after Simon embarks on the adventure and starts climbing out of his mental rock bottom. When things seem to move forwards for him as well.

As such, ‘Canonizing’ Fionnaworld solves more of Fionna’s problems much more than simply making it as magical as Ooo but keeping it as a tiny hidden bubble in someone's dome. It ensures the World’s inhabitants’ free will and agency and ability to enact change on the status quo with no need for Prismo’s stories or being dependent on the still-kinda-shaky mental health of Simon Petrikov. Thus giving them a world where everything matters and things can always change.

But also there's a psychological element for the Fionnaworld protagonists. You know, the reason why Fionna is stuck in her rut is because she’s too impulsive and careless. Gary is too perfectionist. Marshall never had someone who would stand up to him against his mom.

Fionna’s whole arc in the show is about learning to be more thoughtful and careful and considerate through her Multiverse Adventure. While Gary and Marshall Lee find release from the thing holding them back within Fionnaworld, with each other. 

‘Canonizing’ Fionnaworld is like... half actively altering their world into a ‘real’ one where change is possible, or at least easier - and half about an affirmation that their world was always real because change is about them outgrowing their personal issues (and also, y’know, about protecting their universe from the spiteful Beetle Cop).

And with how Fionna used to feel ‘trapped’ in the City, with nowhere to go and nothing to do - there is another change in Fionnaworld as a result of ‘canonization’ that feels very notable. 

I’m not entirely sure, but from Scarab's dialogue it seems likely that becoming a ‘real’ authorized universe just kinda manifested a whole planet and universe beyond the borders of the small existing Fionnaworld. Although I guess it's also possible that the process of repairing the existing city they found a way to expand it gradually - maybe it doesn’t matter as much as the fact that either way, Fionna’s horizons have been literally expanded. 

So you know, if she ever gets that thirst for adventure again... she actually has a Whole New World to travel and explore, it might not have (a lot of) magic but... she already heard Simon's stories of his adventures in a similar low-Magic world. It's a totally viable outlet for her.

What Fionna really needed to find the joy in her life is to be Real - to know that her actions have consequences for ill and for good. Because sometimes an adventure looks like saving a Prince of candy from an evil Ice Witch, or going on a multiverse journey to uncover a cursed Magic Crown… but it can also look like backpacking through Europe or campaigning against your evil landlady.

[vinelark]

With the exciting news of Kon being in MAWS season 3 (!!!!!), do you have an specific recs for him when it comes to comics? (I know Young Justice is good for him, but not much outside of that)

hello! exciting news indeed!!! and hell yeah, here are some kon-centric comics outside of yj that i’ve enjoyed reading:

Reign of the Supermen arc (1993)

this arc has kon’s intro, well before he even had the name kon, and it’s worth a read if you haven’t already because of the way he shows up and is peak annoying immediately (said with love). especially Adventures of Superman #501! (the storyline spans a number of titles, reading order here)

(and for a related rec, the reign of the superman (2019) animated movie blends aspects of the original comic arc with the “kon is made with lex luthor’s dna” reveal/retcon; it’s a fun watch! left me with Much To Think About pang-wise, too.)

Superboy (1994)

the most concentrated amount of og jacket and glasses superboy you’ll find in one series; there’s a lot going on here, most of it so very 90s (both in the plot/world and on a more meta level) and also so many adorable kons. special shoutout to my favorite side character, krypto in his “tiny white terrier with a giant attitude” form. (and for a more specific rec i’ll point to issues #60 - 61, in which kon is hopping through multiple realities and we see, among others, robin!kon and “supergrrrl” kon.)

Batgirl (200) #41

this is the issue where cass goes “hmm, i should try to do A Romance” and shows up outside kon’s window to see what all the fuss is about, and they proceed to have the most lavender date of all lavender dates. i adore kon’s inability to shut up here, and also for obvious reasons need to give it a special shoutout for kon taking a “bat-babe” on a date in the clouds.

Adventure Comics (Vol 2) #1 - 6 (2009)

this arc serves to re-settle kon into the world (and smallville) after the whole [waves hand] dying and coming back to life thing. (technically it’s 12 issues, but you’re asking for specific recs so my specific recs are the first six!) this is about kon starting life in smallville and having a prolonged identity crisis re: the superman + lex luthor of it all. cassie, bart, and tim all show up as significant guest stars (one of my fav tim & kon issues of all time is in here) but it’s very kon-centric! i also really enjoy the art, especially when it does wide/landscape shots.

Superboy (2010)

this is a pretty direct continuation from the adventure comics arc, once again feat. kon’s 21st century black t-shirt (sigh) and also kon wearing the tiniest, goofiest pair of Disguise Glasses. that said, it’s a fun, classic “teen superhero juggles school and crushes and a statistically high number of supervillains for a small town (seriously, what the hell was poison ivy even doing in kansas?)” series. also if there were any justice in the world simon valentine would’ve been one of those crushes, but alas.

Convergence: Superboy (2015) #1 - 2

i’ll be honest, i’m not super familiar with the overarching convergence storyline, but i really enjoyed this two-shot featuring a kon who has been stuck in metropolis without his powers, only to suddenly gain them back and immediately start brawling with alternate versions of heroes he knows. i also like the art in this one, and the character designs overall—leather jacket kon my beloved!

Action Comics (2016) #1020 - 1028 (“House of Kent” arc)

this sequence brings kon back into the kent family fold after the timeline fuckery (and i think follows from the young justice (2019) gemworld arc where they re-find kon?)—so basically it’s kon’s re-introduction to clark, and to lois and jon (who’s visiting from his own future adventure) and kara and martha and jonathan. despite spelling conner’s name two different ways in the span of a few issues, it’s a neat speedrun of different kon+superfam interactions, and also a fun time for anyone who’s a fan of kon being solidly part of the kent family. also: jacket kon is back 🙏

this is not at all an exhaustive list, just some of my favs--happy reading!