#lol they're more similar than toby and happy are

[incomingalbatross]

Sooo... I just watched Labyrinth, and I remember seeing some posts of yours talking about how it's good and similar to other stories (like OTGW). And in some ways, I see that? But also like.... I need a little help making any sense of it, lol

Sorry, I know this is super random, but I was just curious to find out why you like it and what you see in it, so I thought I'd ask!

Of course, I'm happy to talk about Labyrinth! :) Thank you for the ask!

(Disclaimer that I haven't watched it in a year or two, but I still remember it fairly well.)

In terms of similarity to OTGW: both stories center on a teenage protagonist who is a dreamer, but too caught up in themselves, and to some extent running away from their life. This manifests PARTICULARLY in their neglected and/or rejected responsibility to their younger half-brother. They end up in a liminal, otherworldly space that operates on much more narrative logic than they're used to, and can only save their lives/souls and make it home again by saving said younger brothers first.

Sarah rejects her brother at the beginning of her story, while Wirt abandons his care for Greg near the end, but you can see the similar beats there, right? They're both dealing with normal teenage stress + the stress of parental divorce (probably) and remarriage, and seeing their younger brothers as an emblem of Everything Wrong In Their Lives. In reality, their younger brothers are forcing them to live in reality, where they have duties and connections to other people, and can only find maturity/fulfillment through embracing that.

Jareth and the Beast are also very similar figures, I think; Jareth is a more seductive tempter figure, playing to Sarah's ego and to romance tropes, while the Beast plays with hope and despair. But they are both trickster figures who use bargains -- seeming windows of hope -- to entrap vulnerable mortals (Wirt and Greg, in the Beast's case).

AND. Both Jareth and the Beast are defeated by someone calling them out as empty and powerless! Wirt says, "this is dumb," and demolishes the Beast's entire facade -- he's not keeping souls in the lantern, he's the one dependent on the lantern, and he can't keep Wirt or Greg if they're ready to go home. Sarah's "You have no power over me" has the exact same weight -- it's wrapped up in theatrics of these being Specific Magic Words, but it's the meaning of them that shatters Jareth's power and sends her and Toby home.

In both stories, evil tries very, very hard to convince these kids that they need it. Jareth wraps it up in a lot more complicated temptations -- I'll make you happy, I'll make you powerful, I'll give you glamorous parties and material comfort and everything you ever wanted if you fall down and worship me -- while the Beast sticks to a brute-force message of despair, with the crumbs he offers as all that there is -- "There is only my way." But in both cases, the message is: you need me.

And in both stories the protagonists go: No. I don't need you. I don't need anything from you. In fact, you have nothing to give.

At which point it's revealed that evil needed them. Needed them to buy into its strength, its ability, its substance -- or it doesn't have any. It crumbles away, and they go home.

...So! Those are the big similarities between them, I think, for me? I like Labyrinth, as its own movie, because I like the classic fairy-tale structure of "the fairies/goblins/elves took my loved one because I messed up, and now I gotta get them back the hard way." I love the atmosphere of the Labyrinth and Sarah's friends (though your mileage may definitely vary on this movie, depending on your tolerance for Henson Creations ;P). I love Sarah, who messes up, but who is still plucky and brave and kind through most of her trials! The friendship between her and Hoggle (...a Woodsman parallel?) is my favorite. And while I'm very much in the minority of this fandom in not really feeling Jareth's appeal, as a villain I think David Bowie does an excellent, glittery job. And we get music.

[cbs-scorpion-coffee-shop]

Paige and Walter's differences

Walter knows about science and problem solving, Paige doesn't.

Paige knows how to navigate social situations, Walter doesn't.

Walter is interested in Physics and Astronomy, Paige is interested in music and art.

Paige and Walter's simularities

They both had it rough when they were children, Walter with his abusive family and school, Paige with her absent mom and heartbroken dad.

They both had to make it on their own and provide saftey and stability and security for people who couldn't, Walter with Toby and Happy and Sylvester, Paige with Ralph.

They both are protective of the people they love.

They both hide their feelings and pasts and have trust issues.

They both are sometimes judgmental and condecending and can outright be assholes to others because they feel like they're better than them just because of how they are, Walter because of his IQ and capabilities, Paige because of how she can connect to humans and read situations and how she made it as a single mom.

They both have unhealthy defense mechanisms to bad situations, Walter's is denial and Paige's is lashing out.

They both are afraid that they can't be good enough, and that the other is gonna get bored with them.

They both are unable to navigate romantic relationships, Walter because of his lack of EQ, and Paige because of her childhood abandonment issues.

They both love Ralph more than anything in the world.

They're both the parents of their group and everyone relies on them.

They both feel like they still don't fit in with the team and feel different because of the way they are.

They both don't care about the legality of their actions and would cross any line to achieve their goal.

They both are deeply emotionally wounded. And unlike the others, they are nowhere near acknowledging those wounds, let alone tending to them.

They can both be petty, jealous and childish, and can hurt the other in the process.

They both do an act infont of others, Walter is the Android act, Paige is the Perfect Girl act.

If anyone says Walter and Paige are too different and that Waige wouldn't have worked, just show them this post.

[faceless-dude]

10 Fav Fandoms Ch2

Name your top 10 fav character from 10 different fandoms.

Thanks for the tag, @subdee and @hxhhasmysoul !

Well, since i was tagged twice, i can write about 20 i guess?

But to choose a favourite character is extremely difficult for me - most likely i love several characters equally...

Ofc my obsession with Gon is obvious but mostly because i can see a lot of myself in this character, especially when i remember my awful acts i still regret about.

So i write about my favourite characters dynamics instead!

And since for now I'm obsessed with HxH fandom (funny thing one of the russian translated versions is XxX), i will reffer to it a lot!

So here the ch 2:

11) Hiccup - Toothless (How to Train your dragon) dynamic

The most adorable thing in their relationship is that they accept each other's personalities just how are they are.

Hiccup felt himself not belonging to his world, Toothless is the last of his kind. They helped to each other to be themselves and that was the thing that helped them to start belonging to the world.

12) Deidara - Tobi (Naruto) dynamic

Deidara is probably my favourite character from "Naruto" and the way Tobi acts while being his comrade leds me to the thoughts that Tobi actually is that part of Obito that wasn't affected by all those terrible things that happened to him and turned him into Madara's minion. Tobi is a "real Obito".

13) Ahsoka - Anakin ("Star Wars: the Clone Wars" and "Star Wars: the Rebels") dynamic

There're no favourite characters in CW (except Kenobi, he's way better here than Kenobi in the actual movies) but these two's dynamic is the best for me here.

They're not just master and apprentice, they are brother and sister, they are best friends here. For me Ahsoka and Gon are really similar (to be more specific, 14 years old Ahsoka and Gon, they act and behave similar way, so i guess older Gon will be much more calm and gentle just like 16, 18 and 30 years old Ahsoka).

And of course the moment Ahsoka and Darth Vader met in the "Rebels" is one of the most painfull for fans.

*I hope our favourite boys won't reunite like this lol*

14) Kappa - Siren (Castle Swimmer) dynamic

They're just my favourite gay fishie dorks who wants to start living for themselves at last. They deserve happiness.

15) Milo Thatch - Kida Gagash (Atlantis: the lost empire) dynamic

This is one of the rarest moments when i do ship characters. These two are just perfect for each other, they could feel for each other from the very beginning.

16) Harry Potter - Draco Malfoy (all HP books and movies) dynamic

I was hoping till the very end that they would be friends one day :"((((((

17) Jim Hawkins - John Silver (Treasure Planet) dynamic

That's obvious, they're like father and son to each other.

18) Chiro - Antauri (Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!) dynamic

I WAIT FOR HIATUS TO END AS MUCH AS FOR HXH DAMMIT

Well, another father&son relationship. The whole monkey team become Chiro's family, not only his mentors. (Especially when creator confirms that Chiro's parents are actually alive, so it seems that they abandoned him just like Gon's parents????)

19) Saitama - Speed o' Sound Sonic (One Punch Man) dynamic

Damn, i look forward for each their meeting in manga.

20) Jack - Aku (Samurai Jack) dynamic

That's the whole story plot actually. So if you don't like their dynamic - you don't like the story.

And now i remembered a lot of different favourite dynamics whyyyyyy did you tag me 😂😂😂😂😂