#literal rags to riches story

[qunaricatnip]

ik the games can’t really get into socio-political topics too heavily but it’s still so weird to me that the bannorn were simply okay with loghain being made a teyrn and letting his daughter marry the crown prince/king when the cousland’s are literally right there

[jazzically]

i think alex and jonny and everyone else at RQ who kickstarted tma in the beginning and who have worked so hard so ceaselessly will always be huge inspirations to me. like. they started in a fricken apartment hallway with sleeping bags and duvets stapled to the walls. alex's entire starting investment went toward bertha, his mixing desk. they initially relied solely on word of mouth and reviews to gain traction. before they could pay voice actors, they worked with old friends and colleagues and peers. and look at them now like holy frickafrack!!!!! mad skills!!!!

the behind-the-scenes bonus content and stuff is incredibly interesting to me so i'm glad we got some of that as part of the season breaks and hiatuses and things

[lorillee]

like maybe im just confused but i was under the impression that the "hard work vs gifted" thing comes from the fact that battle shonen stories very typically focus on the value of hard work and effort and applying yourself and thus becoming number 1 strongest guy in the world but at the same time the main character also tends to either have some insane lineage or is gods most special soldier or whatever so it kind of creates a bit of a tonal dissonance because the story is telling you "this guy is sooo strong because he worked the hardest out of everyone so if you try hard and do your best all your dreams will come true!" But also the main character is like the center of 3 different prophecies that were given at the beginning of time and was the destiny child from birth and also all of his fathers and forefathers were the strongest guys anybody ever knew. so people like to take their favorite shonen protagonists and go "well hes the strongest cuz he WORKED HARD" and then take all their least favorite shonen protagonists and go "well hes the strongest because GOD GAVE HM POWERS" and then use this as their metric to decide who is the better written character. but these things really dont apply to yakuza so im like completely baffled and floored by this post. i hate yakuza fans you people are so stupid

[like-sands-of-time]

Idk man I'm a little mad we got one dying kiss between soulmates out of 6 hours of film and no future for them, it just feels insanely unsatisfying? I guess?

Was that meant to be a happy ending?? Her other half is dead .. story rules dictate she can't just go on and be happy with her other half dead, not after they actually said it instead of leaving it unspoken. They have some force bond. Dyads. Equals, two halves of one whole. Balance between light and dark. First in generations they said. No way she's just Fine after his death. No way she's Balanced after his death, what? How?

[qsmprambling]

I know it's a running joke that Bad is rich and has everything but like, all the stuff Bad has is because he earned it by farming or raiding or exploring or whatever, or Dapper worked hard and learned to build something in order to acquire it? Like they seriously put in the hours for everything they have, none of it was handed to them 😅

[cocolacola]

i'm doing a series where i redesign/rewrite Season 1 of the very weird kuroshitsuji anime. I wish they went deeper into the Murder Mystery direction! characters like madame red, angela, and sebastian that I will show off later are getting complete overhauls. ill hopefully color these soon😵‍💫

[iamnotmereally]

Back in destiel nation i used to read a 300k fic for dinner and another 300k fic for breakfast

[crownedwithstars]

I was thinking of Beren and Lúthien and how their story is so much more interesting than they get credit for. I mean, on the surface it reads like a fairy tale but it also elevates the rest of the story, it uses common fairy tale tropes but turns them upside down, and the way we see the heroine asserting her agency in this story is so fascinating. I think the story of Beren and Lúthien provides much needed contrast for the rest of the Silm, and both become more poignant because of this contrast. 

The familiar fairy tale goes like this: there's a a poor but resourceful peasant, set with a difficult task (which is in fact designed to be impossible to complete), but thanks to some magical help he is successful, retrieves treasure, and as a reward he wins the king's daughter and lives happily ever after as a prince, gaining all the earthly glory one can have in this life. But in the Tale of Beren and Lúthien, the hero is a traumatised outlaw, the king's daughter IS the magical help, she is an active and equal participant in the quest for her own hand in marriage, the treasure may actually be cursed, the hero and heroine die, and the ultimate reward is not a social rise from rags to riches. Beren does not become a member of the power-wielding elite of Doriath and he and Lúthien are not promised that their second life will be happy or long. But just that chance is worth it, and by choosing it they actually change the course of history. Lúthien is offered all the bliss that is possible to have in Arda, if she will give up Beren, but she decides that the love she has for him is still more valuable. And that idea, of loving someone so much that your love shifts the world, is so compelling to me. 

And I love that the story of Beren and Lúthien is also a rendition of Orpheus and Eurydice, and that just as the world was created in the Music of the Ainur, so is Lúthien's song powerful enough to change what those original notes dictated. She changes it with hope and a song. That is so simple and yet so beautiful, in the way some of the best myths are. (Insane that this is essentially a love-letter to Edith Tolkien.)

There is this fascinating contrast between Beren and Lúthien: at the time of their first meeting, Beren has lost literally everything and his family is either dead or lost beyond retrieval. Stumbling across Lúthien, he is fresh from terrible ordeals and suffering. But Lúthien's life has been full of happiness and without care, and she has lived in a literal fairy kingdom as the most beautiful of all the Children of Ilúvatar. She could have her pick of any prince of Eldar. But here she comes across this mortal, who has nothing to give except for his love and even that only for a brief time, and she is willing to risk all she has for it. The gall and courage it takes to take such a chance! She chooses this man and her choice changes everything. 

And that is brilliant! Because Lúthien starts with so little power and agency, and she is constantly belittled or even abused by those with more power around her. She is treated as a pawn, her will is undermined and she is coerced and imprisoned to make her compliant. But Lúthien shows her determination and courage in holding fast to her choice even when it's just her and Beren against the world. In the end, she wins agency and freedom to determine her own tale. In her beginning Lúthien is a maid dancing in the woods; by the end she will have faced Satan and death itself, and changed the world forever. Truly, to call her story "Release from Bondage" is more than appropriate. How insane is this all from Beren's point of view? He has lost everything, he is an outlaw, and has nowhere to go. What is left of his family is scattered who knows where. He has nothing but the clothes on his back and nothing to give. But here is this immortal princess, and she will go to hell and back with him! She will cross the Sundering Sea to bid him farewell! She pleads with inexorable death and for her, an exception is made!  It's so on brand for Tolkien that these two achieve with their love, and precisely because they act out of love, something that others with armies behind their backs can't even imagine doing.

Yeah. It's such a good, hopeful, bittersweet tale.

[moonreader1010]

Pac- what are you known for/famous for 💋

Note- 1. The pictures used do not belong to me. All rights go to the owner. (2) This is a general reading for entertainment purposes so take what resonates.

Pile 1. Pile 2

Pile 3^

Pile 1- He said, "You bad, Nicki, " I said, "Thanks, sir" (thanks, sir)

Stay in some fresh prints, Ashley Banks, sir (banks, sir)

Call me A.I., sir, I'm The Answer (Answer)

I'm in the playoffs, sir, I advance, sir (advance, sir)

okay so I feel like there is soo much masculine energy (not to be confused with being a male) . It’s more like your energy is veryy dominant and assertive. This is how people perceive you. You are this untouchable personality to other’s. You are perceived like a perfect leader who can deal with literally anything that’s thrown at them. You are also known as someone who is very stable. And people know you as someone who can control anything. Due to this, there could be many people who come to you for support. You might have a rags to riches story (or might have this in the future) and this will influence greatly what you are known for. This will be your trademark like you will be known as someone who went ahead and built their own empire. You will be also known for you financial success. You are also known as someone who is very wise and compassionate.

Channeled/above mentioned song- sir by Nicki Minaj ft. Future

Pile 2: "Ayo, just last week I told 'em to pick a side (side)

I bust shots, don't duck if it don't apply ('ply)

Bae out in Paris, he told me to pick a ride (ride)

Sike, made you look, I still didn't pick a guy

I'm the trophy of the game, everybody tryna win me (win me)"

What’s with so much earth energy?? Lol. Anyway, before I even started shuffling the Cards I felt like you have a lot of jealousy surrounding you. Especially by women. Like you just get hated for no reason at all. So yeah. You could be known for being praised or being awarded a lot. Like it’s not even necessary that you actually get praised or awarded. There could be someone else getting the same things as you but no one would bat an eye but when you get those exact same things than everybody is protesting and being all jealous and bitter. And you know, when it comes to you then people only notice your success and achievements but they literally refuse to acknowledge the actual efforts that you were putting behind the scenes to get all that. They are almost blind when it comes to your efforts. Due to this, they could see you as someone who just gets stuff and gets a lot of opportunities. They might start rumours to ruin your reputation too. Despite this I can tell that you are known as someone who is fun. Like you know how to enjoy yourself. This makes these haters sooo mad omg keep it up. You could also be someone who speaks the absolute truth. You don’t really care who you are speaking against because for you if something is wrong then it’s f*cking wrong. You could also be known for your financial decisions like investments and stuff. And also the way you notice every detail.

Channeled/above mentioned song- hard white by Nicki Minaj

Pile 3- I don't want no drama

I just wanna be your diamond, babe

Guaranteed to be a problem

Every time I get around you, babe

I just want you to need me

You are known as someone who has been through a big event and that event has totally changed you. You could be someone who USED to compromise or let anyone walk over you but now you know your worth and won’t let anyone play with you or you heart. You are known as someone who is very difficult to approach as you keep your heart safe and hidden. Karma could have a lot of significance for you. You are known as a very balanced person. You are also known as someone who can’t tolerate injustice. You are known as someone who is dangerous and people shouldn’t message with you. People see you as someone who is very very brave. And they might see you as someone who is still looking for the right people to let in. You might have been overkind at some point in your life and people took advantage of that. I just wanna give you a hug so bad. But now you people think thrice before even considering using you or your kindness. You are also known as someone who is very independent.

Channeled/above mentioned song- favourite by Nicki Minaj

[lineli225]

Tomura Shigaraki 's abuse and neglect under All for One

I've decided to make this post due to the fact AFO's abuse towards Tomura is often ignored and even denied, so I'll be bringing a collection of scenes that prove he was being severally neglected during the 15 years he lived with AFO

1- Malnourishment and Underweight

At the beginning of the story Tomura used to be very skinny, his spine visible, very accentuated collar bones.

We can't see if his ribcages are exposed too since he's always dressed, but we can tell he is abnormally skinny and thin.

Some theorize AFO's purposefully keeps him in this state so he's more weak and frail similar to Yoichi. Or so it adds to his tiredness and numbness.

He's also been shown randomly struggling before (it could've been the aftershock of Stain attack, i don't know)

2- Lack of hygiene

He literally lives in pure filth, trash bags, old soda cans, paper, boxes, packages of food that seems ordered other than homemade, it lingers all over his floor, he is clearly a hoarder

It's completely different of the kept and clean bar, and now before you say "That's Tomura's responsibility, he's an adult he should clean it himself!" just think for a minute, if you had a son, that you see as your heir, and bets on their future so much,If you truly cared about them and saw they felt into a hoarder mindset, wouldn't you at least help?

Why not even Kurogiri cleans if Tomura was being cared by him? This clearly is intentional neglect, specially to keep his mood constantly down.

3 - His teeth

Tomura canonically has crooked teeth (compare his teeth to the other's in the jump festa art), cavities or at least what looks like plaques or dirt all over his teeth.

For someone raised by someone as filthy rich as AFO, he should've had access to dental care

4- Shaggy hair

His hair looks un-brushed, shaggy and dirty, which had no reason for before MVA when he became homeless, so why even at the start? How long has he taken a bath or a shower?

Look at the blatant difference in this scene after he showered at the PLF mansion

5- Unkept, ragged and broken nails

despite his hands also being very skinny, his nails are also all rough and broken Now, I know Tomura isn't a kid to have someone cut his nails for him, but this implies he was never teached how to take care for himself.

Besides of course his clear symptoms of depression and suicidal idealism, which, are very obvious, All for One IS neglecting Tomura by keeping him in that state /knowing/ he isn't being capable of taking care of himself.

6- His bedroom

First of all: No windows

Second, notice how empty it used to be, he had nothing but a bed and a desk, but right as he committed his first murder he started to receive toys, AFO is lovebombing and manipulating him to kill more

7- The obvious neglect to his pain

Notice how every time Tomura panics or is even wounded, he is just ignored and left on the floor bleeding out, puking or writhing.

Which uh- it isn't normal to watch your kid writhe in the floor while smiling and monologuing

8- 24/7 Surveillance and lack of privacy

There are cameras everywhere, AFO spends most of the time watching Tomura, even in his own bedroom, and even talks to him, Tomura probably hasn't had any privacy ever since he was 5

Which is a sign of abuse and control

His entire childhood from 5 to 20 is often relatable for people who grew in cult like environments, and homeschooled children who grew under controlling parents, despite the abuse not being as "obvious" since AFO never directly physically hurt him, the neglect and psychological torture is still there, that and more all the manipulation, gaslighting and grooming (think of Mother Gothel from Tangled as an example of this type of abuser)

By the way, talking about it

9- Gaslighting

"but wasn't /you/ who desired my power?"

The entire body possession plot is a clear evidence AFO never saw Tomura as anything other than a toy to play with, the same way he saw Yoichi, but so many people say the possession was a retcon because "early afo cleared saw him as his heir, he even said it's all for him!"

Well, argue with the literal "he's the next me", while he is.... weirdly caressing the screen while he watches his kid with no privacy- 100% creep behavior

10- AFO's bizzare behavior towards Tomura

The way All for One's hands are often shown caressing him or encasing him somehow, which yeah, it's part of the symbology of Tomura's character (hands that can both hurt and save)

But knowing AFO represents /hurt/ and, you know, i'ts kinda weird to caress the kid you kidnaped off the streets like that-

Cuz yes! Picking kids from the street even if they are orphan is illegal!! You should take them to a police station instead :D

Tomura was KIDNAPED by AFO, not saved.

11- Proof Tomura doesn't /feel/ saved

During his fight against Bakugou, when he sees him being helped, besides being "broken" he starts to spiral on "why no one saved me even before i was broken?"

The visual including the granny that ignored him on the streets

AFO broke him.

He recurrently thinks back to when he was on the streets, even though he was already traumatized, and had already killed his family, he still had /hope/ he ADMITS he believes he could've been different if it wasn't for AFO

If AFO had truly saved him,he wouldn't think like this

12- AFO gifting Tomura the corpses of his family to intentionally keep him nauseated, uncomfortable and traumatized, so he never heals

Besides their weird placements- On a kid. the gangster's hands being in his chest...

13-AFO's intentional desire for Tomura's discomfort

If this entire thread didn't make it obvious already, All for One benefits of Tomura's tiredness, ill feelings, nausea, depression and suicidal mindset, and over all physical and psychological discomfort

This ensures he's submissive to his manipulations and orders, keep him feeling hatred and anger due to constant overwhelming feelings and makes it harder for him to think of why AFO does all of it at all.

I could go even deeper than this about it, but i've reached thread limit and am lazy, so I hope you enjoyed this thread!

Thank you for reading

[tiamathh]

Your life in a parallel universe?

Note: Hi! Tysm for the person who left this idea in the suggestions form <3 if anyone wants you can send ideas here: FORM as well! Take care and Like and Rb if you enjoy!

♡ Masterlist ♡

Pile 1

Hi Pile 1! Your life in a parallel universe is filled with learning, you may be an academician or a "guru" of sorts. You may live in seclusion, preferring your own space and having a lot of books especially on the occult, you could also be very committed to spreading knowledge and could have apprentices. Your job may be related to spirituality and magik as well, where you could help people out through rituals and communication with deities. You may have to face a lot of obstacles and could also face troubles with fatigue, especially recovering from spiritual fatigue that can manifest physically. You may not have a lot of luxury or money, but you will be content, satisfied and happy with your life, you will also be extremely knowledgeable.

There will be A LOT of good people in your life, ones on the same wavelength as you who you can rely on, and a lot of romance too. You may have like a lifelong partner, like the first person you date turns into the person you spend the rest of your life with. You could have a fear of travel and prefer staying where you are, you could live on the outskirts of some town or the countryside, somewhere with a lot of nature where you can essentially grow your own food and stuff, all natural here, living with what the earth gives you, does not mean you will like abandon society or technology or anything you will just like living from the earth and in nature. Talking about your love life because it seems very prominent here, you and your partner will be similar in so many ways and have businesses together, probably online like tarot, reiki, etc and your partner will be extremely optimistic and strong and charming!

Song: That old feeling - Chet Baker

Pile 2

Hello Pile 2~ In a parallel universe, you are probably at the top of the career ladder and living a life of luxury and fame. Not only do you have anything you could ask for materially, you also hold a lot of power over people, which could sometimes make you a little bit arrogant. In general, you will be a social butterfly and almost like a socialite where you run in circles with famous wealthy people as well. You may have gotten the success through a startup or idea you came up with on your own during a time of feeling lost and directionless, a true rags-to-riches type story. Your belief, originality and slight recklessness with your leaps of faith that brought you there. In a parallel universe, you are impatient and impulsive, but your intellect and charge pulls you out of any mess you may find yourself in. You are a spendthrift and want nothing but the best from life because you can afford it and will be very worldly, travelling whenever you can.

You may retire early and let someone else deal with the workload while you can spend your time seeing the world, experiencing new cultures and new food, especially. Moreover, you may have a lot of friends who you can have fun with, but they could also be overly ambitious, the kind of people who will look for others weaknesses to exploit them, leading to you having to be cautious around them. You may have a lot of flings and romantic rendezvous' but you may feel a lack of connection when it comes to having long term romantic partners. You are also very courageous with the decisions you make, and could love extreme sports like paragliding and bungee jumping and stuff. Lastly you may not have the best relations with your family because you could have cut or minimised contact with them in this universe.

Song: The Leaders - ATEEZ

Pile 3

Hey Pile 3 my star pile (literally)! In a parallel universe you are definitely in the public eye, probably as an artist or performer. You may have a lot of fame and reputation and live a life of thrill, there could be drugs and alcohol involved as well, and you may feel like you have to depend on them to be able to fully unleash your potential as an artist. You are rich but also charitable, I'm getting for some of you guys it's because your PR manager wants you photographed while doing charity to improve your reputation with fans and potential collaborators. Although you will feel fulfilled because you can share your art with the world, you won't feel satisfied because you may feel stuck having to cater to an audience or the people around you and could often feel lonely and left out from the bigger picture, feeling like if you make any changes to your art or style, or start experimenting, people will abandon you, and you will have a fall from grace leading to a downhill spiral.

Parallel universe you is stressed and anxious about their future even though they are good at saving and may be good at investing as well, however they don't get to spend enough time with their friends and family which may lead to feelings of unhappiness. You are also very emotionally mature and connected with how you feel I just keep seeing water flowing, in a parallel universe you go with the flow, even if you are anxious and stressed you will just let it be and ignore it with a staunch belief that at the end of the day things will be okay. You may have an older feminine energy in your life to help you through everything, this may be like an older sister figure and could be with you through thick and thin. Your romantic life could be lacking because you may not feel confident enough in your ability to be committed to someone.

Song: Need you Now - Lady A

[extremely-judgemental]

Subtext is completely lost in this fandom. I partly blame SJM for it. This is a rant from both reading and writing standpoint and leans towards the characters since I like to psychoanalyse them.

The one thing that tired me the most in these books is the excessive narration. I don’t mean the wordy description to support world-building but the never-ending monologues. SJM takes ‘show, don’t tell’ advice literally with the visual cues when it should apply to the characters and their personalities as well. Where subtext usually exposes depth of these characters and lets you decide who they are, SJM strips away that chance by writing it down for you word by word. The reason so many are going with 'in the book' argument is exactly this.

Here’s what I mean.

In real life, people don’t think linearly. They have an idea about themselves as much as they have about everyone else around them. There are self-imposed restrictions on their thoughts based on who they believe to be and who they strive to be. And it shows in their interaction with outside world. Say, when someone is ashamed of their actions, they will deny it for as long as possible. Someone who regrets something, they will sugarcoat it.

But in her books, her characters think clearly—way too clearly so that you latch onto the ideas she perpetuates. You don’t get to know them based on their thoughts, words, and actions, and see how these three support each other. You don't get a chance to draw conclusions as to if they are the hero/villain and good/evil based on their actions. If their behaviours match their words or if their choices are acceptable. Because SJM sets it in words for you. The characters come with a label beforehand. (Feyre, Rhysand and Inner Circle are good guys. Tamlin, Eris and Nesta, sometimes Lucien are evil.) It's why so many toxic and abusive themes are dismissed because it’s the 'good guy' or the 'morally grey guy’ who does it.

And so, her lead or ‘good’ characters fall flat since they have everything figured out. They know themselves inside out. They are never wrong about themselves, there’s no part they hide from themselves or the others. There’s nothing for you to read and identify the beauty or ugliness in the character. There’s no depth in them because they don’t contradict themselves, they don’t struggle to be someone they always believed to be. They don’t have to prove anything to themselves or others. They say what they think and they do what they say. They are very aware of their shortcomings and they all seem to know the exact consequences of their decisions.

Feyre doesn’t change in the three books. Her ‘rags to riches’ story doesn’t lead to much character growth. She starts out as an adamant, reckless child and ends up being arrogant, reckless woman with a crown. She doesn’t undergo a shift in personality but climbs up the social hierarchy. And that’s considered character development. Rhysand remains the same throughout. He starts out as a villain but later revealed as a good guy playing bad. Instead of growing into a hero—given his crimes, his ill deeds are negated with sympathetic backstory. And from there, it’s a flat line. There’s no growth.

In the end how does the character change in the aftermath of the events? Which of their beliefs are shattered and rebuilt? What is the emotional impact on the other characters? SJM does offer some closure on these regards but they are solely focused on a list of traumas and specific reactions set by SJM herself. And so readers refuse to think for themselves how these scenarios may play out and take the words relayed through the unreliable narrators who are essentially preaching SJM’s biases. Also, when they are so explicitly written down, there’s not much room for subtext. After going through pages and pages of justification, it tires you from using reason.

Even if we get past this (writing) flaw, there are other major issues. Story telling is a way of experiencing life. It helps build empathy, compassion and understanding of the world. Even in a fantasy book, when that world doesn’t exist, when the characters aren’t real, their journey are drawn from real life experiences. Relating to these characters is subjective and solely depends on the reader, but determining the rightness of their actions is not. This too is warped as SJM dictates which behaviour is acceptable and how far through her lead characters(Feyre vs Nesta imprisonment). Instead of allowing you to judge the choices, the verdict is spoon-fed through the ‘hero’. If the characters are forgiven, it’s not abuse. It’s a simple mistake. (It’s a mistake if it happens once and if there’s a changed behaviour after the apology.) If the characters are happy in the end, their acts are admissible. Unless SJM stamps the word ‘abuser’ and ‘bad guy’ in block letters herself(Tamlin), it's not even considered a possibility.

In short, in this fandom, ‘reading between the lines’ is acceptable as long as it supports what the author preaches. When it contradicts ‘it’s in the books’. Logic is valid only if you use it to justify the fan favourites and applaud them. Empathy is conditional. Compassion is conditional. Critical thinking is so discouraged that it’s pitiful.

[eah-confessions]

I know eah's whole thing is the sons and daughters of famous fairy-tales going to school together and following their parents legacies but a lot of it makes no sense

Cinderella's story is a rags to riches and it doesn't really work as well if Ashlynn is already a princess so it would be better if random people were assigned legacies and forced to follow them

Well the thing is is that they did have some money. According to the Grimm brothers version, Cinderella's father was a wealthy gentleman. Therefore, Ashlynn being a princess and having that destiny can work. A lot of their destinies aren't meant to be the exact same as their parents. They're kind of like different versions with some tweaks and stuff and nothing is 100% according to the original stories. I think we as a fandom are taking the stories too literally when looking at EAH.

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

I’ve read a few takes which view Izzy through a Marxist lens and paint him as a working class* hero. The premise being that this proletarian warrior is unfairly usurped in the affections of Ed by some upper class, monied, artsy type; and to not root for the grassroots character makes you somehow a bourgeois prick.

Izzy is never in Ed’s affections romantically. Ever. So the premise falls at the first hurdle.

But for the sake of argument…

If you’re truly going to view the show as a Marxist allegory, in which an individual overcomes horrendous class obstacles, then that character is Ed Teach.

Ed rises from extreme poverty to become the most successful and infamous pirate in history. It’s a rags-to-riches story.

The takes I’ve read on this completely ignore the fact that Ed is also ‘working class’. And the only conclusion I can reach is that Ed is ‘the wrong kind of working class’. Because what these interpretations do is separate the idea of the working classes into a ‘deserving’, romanticised, white, ‘salt-of-the-earth’ type, and non-deserving groups not worthy of recognition, usually representing people of colour.

And so we’re back to race. The Marxist lens as I’ve seen it applied here defines the white working class man as having had his toy stolen by the white bourgeois man. Ed is a just an object. And when Ed’s handed back rightfully to Izzy by the British Crown as payment, he is literally chattel returned to the correct owner.

A large part of the show is Ed’s fightback against an ownership narrative in order to claim his identity for himself. That to be with Stede is his choice; and Stede’s initial obliviousness is an extremely important part of that narrative. The agency has to lie with Ed first, and the writers clearly understand this. Else we might be setting up a power struggle over ‘who owns the brown man’.

Stede never lays claim to Ed because there is no claim to lay. He instinctively and intuitively falls into a reciprocal friendship with Ed, which eventually grows into an equal love and natural affection. Stede always sees Ed’s personhood. And it’s really important that Stede views Ed, at the very least, as an equal in terms of human worth. Societally they are not equal due to white patriarchy; however, Stede’s giving up of his wealth, his bourgeois status, is another step towards a truer equality between the two.

Meanwhile, Izzy views Ed as a valuable asset to be utilised for a certain masculine glory and riches. Izzy might not be bourgeois, but his worldview is certainly bent that way. He will willingly and violently take possession of another human being as an interpretation of owning the means of production - that isn’t exactly proletarian. It’s participatory enslavement and a bourgeois act.

We know nothing of Izzy’s past. We can presume he’s from a working class background because Occam’s razor would suggest as much. But we are never explicitly shown Izzy’s class in the way we are Ed’s, because Izzy’s class isn’t overly important to the story unless it serves the narrative of Ed and Stede. It has no independent meaning. He’s an antagonist. And let’s face it: he cosies up to Chauncey and the British establishment pretty easily when it suits him.

If you must apply a Marxist lens to this story, your working class hero is Ed. And if not, why not?

*I’m using ‘working class’ as a Marxist term. I realise in 1717, it was not widely used

Ed Teach, finally co-owning property and a potential business. It’s not a fairytale ending entirely, but it is an important practical ending to a lifelong journey from nothing. And Ed might never have to go hungry again.

[youremyheaven]

Revati's Mystery & Magic✨🐘🎭🌠

Revati is perhaps one of the most misunderstood nakshatras (although I'd say every nakshatra is misunderstood in one way or another because of how mainstream narratives about that nak focuses heavily on a few aspects and not others). Revati is the very last nakshatra and it lies entirely in watery Pisces rashi. It is also the concluding Mercury nakshatra. It is very interesting to me that the cycle of nakshatras begins in Ketu (Aswini) and ends in Mercury (Revati). Ketu is formless, it is the tail of the dragon and represents the subconscious realm or a state prior to the materialisation of spirit/form. Aswini is of course followed by Bharani nakshatra which is where creation takes root. The progression of nakshatras reveals a story about the development of humanity/civilization. It concludes in Mercury which is a eunuch/genderless planet and in the water rashi (the complete opposite of Aries which is a fire rashi). Once an individual has passed through all the previous stages, life concludes in water. (Proverbially life also began in water) and transcended beyond gender, concludes itself in a genderless planet, because someone who has integrated their masculine and feminine energies becomes unified; the true Androgyne.

Mercury represents the mind, both other Mercury nakshatras (Ashlesha & Jyeshta) belong to the rakshasa ("demonic") gana but as the concluding nakshatra, Revati belongs to deva ("godly") gana. All Mercury naks belong to water rashis (cancer, scorpio and pisces) however the fact that only Revati belongs to the Deva gana is very telling.

As the concluding nak, it represents how once an individual has gained mastery over everything, the only terrain left to conquer is themselves and their mind. We are all capable of both creation and destruction, just like water which is simultaneously life-sustaining but also capable of great catastrophes.

Revati has the largest yoni animal; the elephant. This refers to the immense capacity Revati possesses to hold within itself a diverse, vast and wide rage of skills, talents, knowledge and wisdom. The emotional reservoir runs deep.

The other Mercurial naks have the smallest yoni animals (cat & rat/rabbit) and restriction/limitation is a major theme through both those naks. However Revati is boundless and vast. It is NOT infinite however since water is very much a finite resource. Revati natives have a lot of energy and enthusiasm but they also feel drained and depleted after a point. This is in contrast to the infinite cosmic space and abundance possessed by Punarvasu or Swati; they simply NEVER run out of gas in their tank, they can give give give and not feel exhausted. This is a cosmic capacity given to a few. (I must add that both Punarvasu & Swati are also Deva gana nakshatras).

The word "Revati" in Sanskrit means "wealth" and while this manifests literally in the lives of many natives, it also points to spiritual wealth and the inner reservoir of these natives. Not coincidentally, many Revati natives experience extreme financial situations in their lives; usually following a very rags to riches path. Often times they are born into great wealth as well (as Claire Nakti's Nepo Baby research proved- Revati was the top nakshatra among them).

Those natives who grow up in dire circumstances are forced to cultivate other talents, skills, charisma etc that will later on help them build very abundant lives.

Revati has the cosmic purpose of "moksha" or "liberation" (the others being Artha, Kama & Dharma). When one has transcended all other previous stages, all there is left for one to do is seek Moksha.

Revati is said to be endowed with all 6 opulences beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength and renunciation.

Revati natives have a certain natural flair for things, the combination of Revati's mercurial prowess with Pisces' Jupiter influence, endows these natives with an uncanny charisma and ability to read people/situations well and respond accordingly. Revati natives often have ✨presence✨there's usually a very ethereal, otherworldly charm to them; they do not seem to belong to this world, the rules dont seem to apply to them.

Obviously, they are often also naturally skilled at "manifestation" which is the art of creating your own reality. Jupiter's influence grants these gifts to a native.

One reason why they are so misunderstood is because they are so detached, they are kind of dreamy, kind of passive and distant. They are very self contained and this comes across as aloofness. They are by design unattached to things most people regard as precious; this is not because they are uncaring but because being the final nakshatra, they have surpassed all levels of pretense and value judgements; being misunderstood is hurtful but they can't stop being who they are.

They are eccentric, kinda offbeat and a little weird and they are largely detached from conventional society and trying to act "normal" in order to fit in.

A lot of people think they're crazy or weird and they are labelled as such but their madness is what makes them who they are.

One underrated aspect of Revatis is their geekiness tbh

Cardi B, Revati Moon

Cardi was on an episode of Hot Ones recently and spoke about how much she loves reading about history and WW1&2 and she geeked out about visiting Roosevelt's house/office and how that was such a big moment for her.

Angelina Jolie, Revati Moon

She has described herself as "I’m a closet foreign policy wonk. I’m a bit more boring than people would think… I’m a bit of a geek." and read any magazine interview of hers and you would know how well informed and educated she is about all the issues she puts her weight behind.

Kim Taehyung, Revati Moon

He loves art and has a lot of seemingly random trivial knowledge about a lot of different things. He's very diversely talented and has lots of random interests.

He said this in an interview:

"I’m someone who just really loves watching movies. Whenever I do, I find myself naturally drawn more to the villain characters rather than the heroes. When you watch a film, you have to look at the big picture, or the forest for the trees. I think that villains play a very big role in making that overall picture complete; they really have to sell their own charisma to make the movie come to life. If the villain doesn’t really have depth to their character, or if there’s no chemistry between the characters, then the hero can’t really shine either. So I always end up watching the villain characters closely. I’ve told a lot of my friends and people around me that I now have this ambition to play a villain at least once."

A lot of Revatis express feelings of being misunderstood and empathising with villains seems to be a running theme among many Revati natives.

This is Angelina Jolie's 2015 speech when she won Best Villain at the Kids Choice Awards:

"When I was little, like Maleficent, I was told that I was different, and I felt out of place, and too loud, too full of fire, never good at sitting still, never good at fitting in. And then one day I realised something, something I hope you all realise. Different is good. So don’t fit in, don’t sit still, never try to be less than what you are, and when someone tells you that you are different, smile and hold your head up high and be proud. And as your villain, I would also say - cause a little trouble, it's good for you."

Revatis are not a monolith and this nak manifests very differently in people (also affected by the rest of their chart) but I've noticed how many famous Revatis have battled substance abuse and other mental health struggles. Ex: Heath Ledger (Revati Sun & Rising), Angelina Jolie (Revati Moon), Jamie Lee Curtis (Revati Moon), Kevin Spacey (Revati Moon), Jared Leto (Revati Moon) many Revatis have also experienced abuse either as children or from their partners, this again includes, Jolie, Rihanna (Revati Moon & Rising), Shakira (Revati Rising), Whitney Houston (Revati Moon), Tori Amos (Jupiter in Revati atmakaraka), Maya Angelou (Revati Sun conjunct Jupiter), Ashley Judd (Revati stellium), Marilyn Manson (Saturn in Revati atmakaraka)

The thing about abuse is that you live with a lot of shame and are made to feel "different" from others, most abusers try to paint their victims as the bad guy who deserves to be "punished", this does explain part of Revati's association with villains (they're made to feel like the villain).

in her video Claire Nakti had explored how men who have played the Joker onscreen tend to have strong Revati placements, tying into how Revati is associated with the trickster archetype.

I think this has led to a lot of misunderstanding in the vedic community regarding the nature of Revatis.

Joker's origin story is that of a man who, while disguised as the criminal Red Hood, is pursued by Batman and falls into a vat of chemicals that bleaches his skin, colours his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane.

It is a traumatic event/accident that drives Joker to the point of insanity and turns him into a psychopath. With that in mind, I'd already stated above how many Revatis seem to have suffered abuse in their lives (unfortunately) but I feel like especially among Revati men, suffering from abuse/experiencing trauma makes them more prone to being evil whereas it usually makes a Revati women more empathetic, kind and caring.

I'll use Jeffrey Dahmer (Revati Moon) as an example. He was largely neglected as a child as a consequence of which he had abandonment issues. Obviously not everyone who's neglected and abandoned grows up to be a serial killer & a cannibal but I feel like more often than not, Revati men are susceptible to the nakshatras darkness and instead of trauma being something that acts as a vehicle for radical personal change, they tend to be cruel and evil as a result of it.

Jeffrey Epstein, Kevin Spacey, Tony Robbins, Jared Leto (all Revati Moon) Alec Baldwin, Russell Crowe, and Steven Seagal (all Revati Sun) have all displayed varying degrees of cruel & evil behaviour.

in the movie Maleficent, the titular character is not inherently villainous, bad or evil, she starts out as a regular gal and experiences horrific abuse, the trauma and pain of which makes her "villainous".

There is a very painful scene in the movie (spoiler alert!!) where Maleficent's wings are cut off by someone she considered a friend when she's in a drug induced slumber.

Angelina Jolie herself confirmed that the scene was a metaphor for rape.

"We were very conscious, the writer [Linda Woolverton] and I, that it was a metaphor for rape,' she explained of the act of violence that takes place as her character is in a drug-induced sleep. 'And that this would be the thing that would make her lose sight of that. While it is 'an extreme Disney, fun version of it', at its core, the film is about 'abuse, and how the abused then have a choice of abusing others or overcoming and remaining loving, open people'. 'The question was asked: "What could make a woman become so dark and lose all sense of her maternity, her womanhood and her softness?" Something would have to be so violent and aggressive.' [We] created a past for her that led to the moment in which she curses Aurora, then takes us past that moment from Maleficent's point of view,' she said."

This is not to say all Revati men are evil or unkind or that this nak manifests positively only for women.

Ben Mendelson (Revati Sun) is an actor known for playing the bad guy in most of his films.

"I think you've gotta enjoy the bad guys, to a certain degree. Unless what they do is so terrible, I think you're supposed to enjoy the bad guys. Vincent Price was probably one of the most enjoyable and successful bad guy actors of all time. He was doing terrible stuff, but we enjoy watching it. To me, that sort of character is what you want to aim for. You want to be enjoyable for an audience. What happens when a bad guy is enjoyable is that the audience gets to be bad for a little moment, too, and that's nice. It's nice, within the confines of watching a film, to get to be the bad guy."

This is far more mature and healthy response from an evolved Revati native.

A scene from Girl, Interrupted starring Revati Moon, Angelina Jolie

Sometimes Revati natives play into the shocking and weird nature that people expect from them. They often play a caricature of themselves but due to their inherent watery nature and expansive Pisces tendency, its hard for them to do this for long, so they do things people dont expect of them, further confusing their audience.

The nurturing aspect of Revatis are often overlooked. The fact that they're tricksters and jesters doesn't take away the fact that they're highly empathetic and kind. The brighter the star, the darker the shadow, Revati natives are some of the most naturally gifted people, be it their beauty, charisma, talent, personality etc, they are so naturally abundant. However one must understand that abundance does not exist in a vacuum, there is a downside to every blessing. Its wise to not dwell in it too much but one must recognize it.

Rihanna (Revati Moon & Rising)

She's a singer, actor, businesswoman, billionaire, fashion icon and humanitarian and she's been doing al this since she was a teenager. Rihanna is a great example of the range of Revati in every regard, she's had her own fair share of pain, trauma, abuse and hurt but she's also a million other things.

Claire said in her video about Revati's hypersexual nature and fascination with sexual taboos. However I think Revatis have a very dual nature where they're either celibate and chaste or extremely indulgent.

In a 2003 interview, Angelina Jolie said this:

“I went for about two years with absolutely no man around me and then decided to get closer to men who were already very close friends of mine,” says Jolie, 28.

in a 2015 interview, Rihanna said this:

"I honestly think how much fun it would be to live my reputation,” she said. “People have this image of how wild and crazy I am, and I’m not everything they think of me. The reality is that the fame, the rumours — this picture means this, another picture means that — it really freaks me out. It made me back away from even wanting to attempt to date. It’s become second nature for me to just close that door and just be okay with that. I’m always concerned about whether people have good or bad intentions."

Rihanna, 27, is single and has not had a serious relationship since splitting with rapper Chris Brown, who assaulted her in 2009. She told Vanity Fair being famous had taken its toll on her love life, adding: “I mean I get horny, I’m human, I’m a woman, I want to have sex. But what am I going to do — just find the first random cute dude that I think is going to be a great ride for the night and then tomorrow I wake up feeling empty and hollow?I can’t do it to myself. I cannot. It has a little bit to do with fame and a lot to do with the woman that I am. And that saves me."

Revati natives radiate a very androgynous energy and have a highly integrated masculine & feminine nature.

Angelina Jolie (Revati Moon)

Karina from Aespa (Revati Sun atmakaraka)

Seonghwa from Ateez (Revati Sun & stellium)

Kristen Stewart (Revati Sun amatyakaraka)

Naks that serve the cosmic purpose of Moksha (liberation) tend to make its natives very playful and suggestive. Its unsurprising that April Fools is during Revati’s season.

Revati individuals love to play the devil's advocate, they often like to be the contrarian purely for the heck of it. They live for the shock value and love to get reactions out of people.

Most of the time, its harmless, however of course, there are certain individuals who take it too far.

(im sorry that this whole post heavily features AJ and a few others, its just that their lives are heavily publicized so there are more examples to draw from😔😬 a lot of Revatis are super private otherwise)

From kissing her brother, openly talking about her interest in BDSM, knife play and wearing her husband's blood in a vial around her neck, Miss Jolie is Revati's trickster energy at its peak.

Rihanna has definitely earned the "bad gal riri" title for herself. In the late 2000s & early 2010s she drew a lot of flak for posing topless and nude, going back to the boyfriend who physically abused her and even releasing music with him in the face of public outcry, often showed up high out of her mind to events and shows and made many many controversial statements.

Jennie's career has been mired in controversy from the day she debuted. She has Ketu in Revati. She posted this iconic picture during the height of her dating scandal which featured several personal pictures being leaked (or were they photoshopped?).

Cardi B (Revati Moon) is always in the news, mired in one controversy or another, from her admitting to drugging and robbing men as a stripper, to throwing hands and mikes on people to plenty of other things, Cardi loves to shock people.

Taehyung (Revati Moon) as Joker for Halloween many years ago.

Revati is the birth nakshatra of Saturn and the exaltation of Venus.

Pushan is Revati's deity and endows the natives with the shakti to "nourish and protect", these natives have a deep love for animals and children.

Pisces is ruled by Jupiter whereas Revati nakshatra is ruled by Mercury.

Revati is such an interesting and slightly unpredictable nak because of the combined energies of Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn & Venus. This can manifest as brilliance and giftedness or this can make an individual go astray into the darkness. Natural talent can make people lazy and arrogant.

Revati is also a Mridu nakshatras, noted for their 'soft, mild or tender' nature <333

This nakshatra belongs to the Shudra caste which is one of the lower castes.

Revati natives often feel like outcasts in group settings, like they don't belong and struggle with fitting in.

Their struggles can manifest as nihilism, make them cynics or turn them towards spirituality.

Revati has Kapha dosha which contributes to the sluggish nature of Revati natives. They have a frenetic energy but they're also a little slow and dazed if you observe them. This is the dreamy quality we associate with these natives.

Belonging to Pisces rashi, I feel like many Revati natives could fit the bill for ADHD and perhaps suffer from insomnia or narcolepsy.

the movie Angel's Egg (1985) is a very Revati coded film

it was a collaboration between the artist Yoshitaka Amano and Mamoru Oshii.

Amano has UBP Sun, Revati Moon (and stellium, with Mercury & Jupiter, his amatyakaraka and atmakaraka respectively).

I dont want to spoil the movie because its a dialogue less vibey 1 hour animated masterpiece.

The art that Revati natives make are very disorienting and confusing for others although they're perfectly sensible to the natives.

Human nature can be strange and disturbing, but due to the expansive nature of Revati, it can hold many contradictory thoughts and ideas. The final nakshatra is one which encompasses all the teachings of every other nakshatra, it contains the sum of everything, joining the cosmic ocean where it unites with consciousness and returns to nothingness.

In Ancient Rome, there was a senator Terentius Lucanus who brought a slave named Terence to Rome. He took him under his wing and educated him and soon freed him out of his amazement of his abilities. Terence went onto become a famous playwright around 170 BCE. One of his famous quotes was:

“Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto,” or “I am a man, I consider nothing that is human alien to me.”

This is the best way to sum up this nakshatra. Out of unfairness, misery, poverty and darkness, these natives rise, overcome their challenges with ease and don't hold it against anybody. I am human so nothing human is strange to me.

[tiredbitchposts]

I was thinking today and realized that even if the story changed Shen Jiu and and Luo Binghe are still way too similar for it to be a coincidence. Like, we all know that Shen Jiu and Luo Bingge are paralles with that whole rags to riches orphan boy that dislikes men and finds comfort in women plus the cycle of abuse stuff, but he also shares some stuff with Bingmei, namely the fact that they were they were both betrayed and left to rot in hell by the person they loved the most (metaphorically in Shen Jiu's's case and literally in Luo Binghe's) and while they did get plenty of apologies from the other person, they never got an explanation for why they did it in the first place. Of course their reactions to that lack of explanation were very different, but i still find it fascinating how even when the story of PIDW completely changed to become the story of SVSSS they still managed to parallel each other.