#lots of animation meme action in this one

[w0w0zella]

MORE SILLY DOODLES!!!!!

[knightofgoetia]

you guys realize that things (the DMC Netflix anime) don't necessarily need to be either (1) the equivalent to the Holy Grail or (2) like it killed your grandma. you guys realize 'mediocre' and 'generic' exist. right.

[vampmilf]

anyone else seeing a very small man on his way out through my battery

[venuscnjunctpluto]

📸28 Degrees 📸

Credit: @venuscnjunctpluto

1000% sure this contributes to someones legacy and it is a cancer degree so this could imply the persons family played a huge role in their success.

ASC🦋Audrey Hepburn has this degree and she is known for her look and her name is referenced a lot. Along with Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus. Actor Warren Beatty has this and his mom/sisters inspired him to become an actor which led to his acclaim. I think it could point to childhood notoriety or coming into the world with a purpose of achieving a household name. The family could have an impact on this persons entire persona and tied to his persons name in a way.

SUN🌞 Michael Jordan is extremely famous but also carries a cheerful image. He is listed as one of the greatest in his career field and has received a lot of accolades. In Aquarius, he was in the classic film Space Jam which blended animation and live action.

MOON🌜Kim Kardashian has this and her family are extremely famous. Their Show keeping up with the kardashians has allowed the family to hold onto the fame they might not have had before. She has numerous memes of her crying and also her mother Kris Jenner is well incorporated into Kim’s image.

MECURY🧠 Vince Staples known for being funny and extremely witty. He is heavily associated with his neighborhood and literally has an album called “Ramona Park Broke My Heart”. Solange has this as well and she is known as Beyoncé’s sister (which I do not condone or support but let’s be real) and mercury rules siblings. PartyNextDoor’s references a neighborhood hood and he is well known where he’s from. This might suggest being mostly known within your town/city. Will Smith is known for his role as the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (neighborhood)

JUPITER 🏹- Reaching an Intense level of fame Michael Jackson.

VENUS💄Marilyn Monroe is known for her beauty and alleged relationships. Asap Rocky is known for his attractiveness, his fashion endeavors, and now his relationship with Rihanna. Angelina Jolie is known for her beauty as well as her relationships.

URANUS🛸 Megan thee Stallion became well known very quickly (collab w beyonce, song w Nicki, and a song w bts not too long into her career) and incorporated being tall in her name. I remember before she got super duper famous there was an article and her interest in anime was highlighted.

MARS🔥Rihanna known for being a go-getter and having a masculine edge. Nicki is known also for being able to occupy a genre that was male dominated. “Sexy B*tch but my money real manly”.

NEPTUNE 🪞Steve Jobs has an image curated in illusion. I read his bio and was shocked at how neurotic and insensitive he seemed to be. People dream to be like him and he serves as motivation for a lot of people. Jay a has this as well and I immediately think of the “would you rather have money or a sit down with Jay Z” conversation.

LILITH 🌶️ Ariana Grande has this and her scandals become extremely known for example the donut incident and her pattern of dating men w partners. People make comments about her getting away w a lot which could be due to her Lilith being in pisces. But no one can deny everything she’s been accused of/has done becomes known to EVERYONE. There was an athlete who got outed for sleeping an OF model (who also exposed his k*nks) and I check his chart to find 28 degree Lilith.

PLUTO 🦇 Nicki Minaj has had many eras and is known for changing the way female rappers are seen. (She also has pluto in 10th). Justin Bieber has this degree as well and he’s also has gone through many eras. He went from having the teen idol image…bad boy image…more spiritual image …

[icarusallusion]

One of the main reasons I've been so fond of Otasune since I first knew it was a thing was because I think they're genuinely one of the purest forms of love in Metal Gear.

Throughout the series we see horrible relationships between horrible people trying to get by and then that relationship gets dragged through the awful scenarios they live with, be it war, internal struggles, infidelity etc. Despite this common place struggle with so many other characters, we see Otacon and Snake steadfast loyal and healthy throughout every struggle they go through.

They may not be an official couple, but they will always stay the most communicative relationship even outside of shipping. I see people joke about how Otacon kind of bosses Snake around (especially in MGS4), but I always saw it as refreshing. In the series, there is so many times where x character does something horrendous and y character just sits aside and silently sulks about it.

But this doesn't happen, like at all, with Dave and Hal. There are many times where Snake doesn't think about consequences to his actions as a general rule of soldier, however Hal has never been a soldier. So when these things happen, Otacon tells him off and it's something Snake genuinely needs to hear. It's something human, away from combat. Because Otacon is one of the very few characters that talks to Snake as a person, as a human, not as a soldier or fucked up clone baby.

Snake has gone his whole life scrapping the bottom of the barrel to stop feeling so lonely, he flirts with every woman he sees, he attaches himself very easily onto superiors, etc. Snake is a man who has spent his whole life trying to appeal to people, to get the praise he was never allowed as a child. Otacon gives him the comfort he never got. While any military superior can say Dave is the best of the best. None will look him in the face and tell him he has to live to just live.

Hal also opens a lot of doors to Snake's own discovery about himself. While this next point might sound a little cringy, stick with me. People may joke about the anime interest Snake and Otacon share, but it always came across so genuinely sweet to me. Snake's only interests up until he met Otacon have been, stop feeling lonely and war. I think even part of his musher life and interests within sledding can contribute to part of this. I mean come on, not even a regular musher keeps 50 dogs in their house and dogs are a natural remedy to loneliness. But in all seriousness, David refers to the huskies as his only family and I don't see him connecting with any other mushers he works with, it reads as him wanting to not be alone while also still being so lonely. As well as how mushing is considered a more normal interest than being an otaku, especially in the early 2000s. Mushing is a sport, and being an Otaku was pretty much unheard of or hated. Watching this guy who has been stuffed full of war propaganda scream a dorky "falcon punch" and "ninjutsu" with his best friend is so heartwarming in a way.

As well as Otacon's whole meme turned question of "do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?" Is something that I think Snake needed to be asked. It's probably been something he's been thinking about. It is also one of the most human things Snake asked throughout the game. About finding love in fear. Otacon constantly prods into Snake's heart and brings out the good in him.

Not only does Hal open up a space for Snake to have genuine unashamed interests and show true pure humanity. He also shows off their childhood. Both Hal and David never got proper childhoods. They connect that with each other through cheesy animes, talking about uncertainty in love, finding out what life is all about, navigating feelings, and through that damn cheesy handshake hug. It's all genuinely pure and wholesome love that connects what they didn't get to explore in childhood with one another. When Snake opened that piss covered locker and saved Otacon, he brought his own salvation into his life without knowing it. The very presence of Otacon saved Snake. It's why MGS4 felt so depressing for me especially, the strain between Snake and Otacon left a hole in my little heart and made Snake feel even more hopeless.

I also want to talk about how Snake benefited Otacon.

Otacon begins as cowardly and timid, he's an incredibly insecure character that struggles to connect with others, probably stemming from the issues in his younger life. When he meets Snake, he's faced with someone he could relate to that has an outward appearance that makes him seem so much more confident than he is. Snake is not this, he's as insecure as Otacon. Indirectly, Snake is the whole reason Otacon gets on his feet to take action against terrorism, takes action to become a better person. Snake shows Hal that he doesn't haven't to be strong to do the right thing. Throughout time, Snake helps Otacon come to terms with his own self worth and issues.

In MGS2, it has one of my favorite examples. The infamous bro hug scene.

Before it, this is when Otacon allows himself to open up about his childhood, not even just Infront of Snake, Infront of Raiden too. This showcased such a development in his character because he's proudly talking about it, while even through tears he doesn't hide it anymore.

Did you know that during that scene if you pan the camera to Snake, you can see that he is crying too?

When Hal has a breakdown over his sister's death, Snake is there to comfort him as well as tell him how it is in bluntness with a hand on his back that he needs to save people. It isn't cold or callous, it's letting Otacon know that he has something worth fighting for after a loss like that. Then when they face one another, they embrace each other and Snake tells Hal that he believes in him. Hal spent a lot of time as a scientist, hoping for someone to believe in him, while Snake puts all of his belief into Hal.

I can never forget the iconic "You're the only god I can pray to, Otacon" line. Snake has a deep loyalty, love, and belief in Otacon that Otacon has never been truly given before.

They both, in turn love each other till the end of their lives. Their love was one of the most heart wrenching and beautiful things in Metal Gear Solid and it's no surprise it captivated so many people. Their relationship, whether you ship them or just see them as a bromance. There is no denying the love they feel for one another as friends or lovers is one of the most iconic and sweetest bromances out theres They have impacted so much pop culture and I love them forever, as I'm sure many of you do who read all the way to the bottom.

[thydungeongal]

I recently mentioned how Cairn takes an active stance in setting player expectations of how they should engage with the game beyond just telling them the rules (understandable since Cairn actually has previous few rules). I spend a lot of time talking about how mainstream RPG culture, especially D&D culture, often cultivates antisocial play and unhealthy dynamics, where the enjoyment of one player (the facilitator) is considered secondary to the rest of the table. It's in part due to toxic memes which memeify a dynamic where the players' "job" is to mess with the facilitator's plans, but also largely the result of a discourse that sees games as problems to be solved and it being the facilitator's job to know the rules, fix perceived flaws in the rules on the fly, entertain, and craft an engaging "story" so that players want to engage with the game.

Now, I admit to being biased towards Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy by @anim-ttrpgs because I have become friends with the creators, but I still feel comfortable in giving the game praise for taking an active stance against a multitude of these issues.

The game does not expect the Narrator to be the one with exclusive authority over the rules. In fact, it actively tells players that there is a minimal amount of rules knowledge required to effectively enjoy the game. While narrators are expected to learn a larger chunk of the rules, the rules are presented very much as a set of tools that the whole group has access to.

The game does not demand the Narrator to craft a satisfying narrative. There is a reason why Eureka refers to the player bringing the game as the Narrator instead of a Storyteller or Game Master: they are not the sole arbiter of the rules, but neither are the events of the game their story. Eureka does implicitly take the stance that all RPGs are narratives, but the Narrator isn't the one crafting the story: they are narrating the events as they happen.

As an emergent property of the above, the game not only encourages but all but mandates proactive play. The investigators are the ones who drive the events. There isn't a story that happens to the investigators, with them as passive, reactive participants. They are active agents, without whose action there is no narrative: the murderer is never caught, the innocent person gets tried, the mystery of who took the last slice of pizza is never solved. The game does this not only through explicitly stating it as a principle for the players to follow, its rules are built in such a way as to discourage player fears stemming from the investigators failing at checks. Instead of loading all their expectations onto a single check, investigators are encouraged to poke at things, ask questions, and even sometimes break into places where they are not wanted.

The game asks players to accept loss and reframe their expectations of a victory. Eureka is unafraid to ask players to buy into the fiction, and that means accepting that their characters are not representative of them and that the investigators' failures are not a failure on their part. While the investigators' objective is usually to solve the mystery, the game is not failed should that not happen: it simply means that the story has a different ending. Buying into the fiction also applies to the Narrator, whom the game explicitly mandates with not pulling any punches, not altering the facts or fudging rolls to ensure investigator success, and only giving the investigators information they have access to via their five senses. Failure as a viable outcome serves not only to discourage seeing the game as a competition between the players and narrator (and thus avoid unhealthy play dynamics), it also makes victories feel earned, as they are direct results of investigator actions.

And that thing about the game asking players to buy into the fiction cannot be overstated. Besides accepting the outcomes of investigator actions and their failures the game asks players to accept that sometimes the most interesting story arises from the investigators butting heads. The investigators may not be working to solve a mystery cooperatively and they may even be at odds with another, and this is an accepted outcome of play. Once again, since the investigators' failures are not reflective of any failure on a player's part, one investigator "succeeding" in a way that means another fails is not an undesirable state.

And importantly, the game still draws a line between healthy opposition between characters and bad faith play. Again, the game is unafraid to openly state what is asked of players, and that includes plainly stating that buying into the fiction and accepting that characters may come into conflict with one another should never be used as an excuse for antisocial play. The objective of the game is still to have fun playing out a story of some sleuths solving a mystery. While it can be fun to have that story include characters butting heads, play that actively seeks to detract from other players' enjoyment is actively going against the game's stated goals.

These are all rules in the game as much as modifiers and skill checks and HP. And I feel this is important: games can and should take an active part in teaching players what is expected of them for the sake of getting the intended experience out of the game but also for the sake of ensuring that everyone else gets the most out of the experience. Now, some people will bounce off a game simply because they will find that their playstyle does not align with the expectations of a game, and that is okay: but a player who comes away from a game with the understanding that the intended play experience was not for them will have still learned something from the game, and I will always appreciate a game for openly telling me what it expects of me as a player! It's good for games to be actively opinionated about how they are played! (And even when games don't encode these things explicitly, these expectations are somewhere down there.)

[centrally-unplanned]

The thing about morality is that it only matters when it's real. Discussions of rules or norms for what is right or wrong are almost always, at some level, illusions, approximating reality and guiding decisions in an uncertain world - which does not make them useless, just contextual. Profaning god in your bedroom can never be “wrong” - there is no one to hear you, no one to be hurt by it. You can only show something is really wrong from the intentions of the actions and their results.

So with that out of the way, lets talk about Knives Chau - and specifically, how the comic vs the anime handled that part of the story.

Scott Pilgrim vs The Reification of Dating a High Schooler

There is an extremely pervasive meme in Scott Pilgrim discourse that our titular Scott is a scumbag. Our returning whipping boy the Kotaku article loves this idea, describing Scott’s “detestable behavior” and wondering “was it too subtle the first time about Scott being an absolute shitbag?”. There is this viral headline screenshot from an interview floating around right now riding that same line:

Which is, of course, pretty much false. Its up to you in the end, “shitbag” is a subjective description, but the story just isn’t about events that would be described that way. Its the story of a guy getting over an awful ex, hurting some people, then meeting a new person, and realizing step-by-step what it takes to be their partner and levelling up as a person each time he does. He starts off broken, and Ramona of course is just as broken - getting better is their mutual arc. And its fundamentally about relationship drama - those stakes don’t make you a scumbag lol, just clueless, unless you are terminally online and don’t know what real stakes are.

I will let O’Malley get the last word in with his quote the writer of that interview is hilariously trying to torture into his headline:

There's a bit of, like, young people see Scott Pilgrim a certain way, and, you know, there's a lot of, like, 18-19-year-old fans that are really judgmental of the character. They're like, "Oh, he's a bad person. I would never do that." But I always tell them, like, get back to me when you're 25 or 30, tell me how your 20s went. Were you a bad person? Everyone has to make choices and do things in life that maybe they're not going to be proud of later.

Scott is a scumbag the way everyone is - you yourself will likely commit similar sins; that at least seems to be the authorial intent, and I agree with it.

So how does dating Knives Chau slot into this?

Despite the memes, age, in fact, is just a number - two consenting people dating does not a sin make. The reason dating underage people is bad is because of its consequences, not the categorical imperative. So what are the consequences of dating Knives Chau in the comic?

Knives is, as a consequence of dating a guy who is simply via his age able to appear so much cooler than her peers to her, absolutely obsessed with Scott. She worships his band:

She starts aping his taste in music and interests; she slots herself into his circle of friends, who don’t relate to her, even after their breakup (often drinking her way through it):

She totally spirals after he cheats on her and leaves her, blaming everyone but him; she is wounded and hurt for months, a year, over a relationship that lasted weeks:

Knives Chau is a literal poster child for why you should not date a high schooler. She is, at every turn, emotionally not ready to date someone who is not at her own level of social development, and is deeply affected by it. It is, sometimes, played for laughs - that is the nature of the comic, everything is played for laughs, but I would have given it a bit more dramatic space myself - but over the course of the story Scott himself realizes how much of an ass he was to her, and how he didn’t take what happened seriously.

The reason I view this with charity is what Scott did to lead to this - he met a cute girl on the bus! He was deeply hurt and kind of numb in life, and found someone who was safe and easy to talk to. He never attempts to kiss her (she starts trying to kiss him which he repeatedly rejects) they don’t even hold hands, and it lasted a few weeks. He knew deep down, pretty much immediately, it was fake:

Then he met an actual person he liked, and with some browbeating from Wallace agreed to break up with her, but chickened out for a day. Then the next day he decides to break up with her, and she drops the L bomb before he can, so he instantly ends it. It is really awkward for everyone involved.

Pushing off an awkward and uncomfortable conversation resulting from a dumb decision you made on a whim for a week - god I relate to that, that’s everyone! If you think it isn’t you I think you're lying. Its why this relationship is so interesting in the comic - Scott is always one step removed from it, putting it at abeyance, and the fact that something so minor to him is so destructive to her is a really good portrait of how these kinds of things happen. Its so easy to hurt someone when you don’t even know what the stakes are, and when its coming not from malice, but from weakness. Its a very good portrayal of a bad relationship because its bad in a relatable way, even if as a story is a bit more dramatic than is typical. And its a great portrayal of how fraught age gaps can be - this bad relationship is part of what makes the comic a good story.

But its 2023, we don’t give a shit about any of that anymore!

O’Malley in the same interview discusses the cultural shift around these kind of relationships:

I felt like in this day and age, I had to provide clarity on that [relationship]. Because when I wrote the first books, I took it for granted that people would understand that dating a high schooler was a bad thing. But on the internet, in this day and age, people are like, "He's dating a high schooler. That's terrible!" Like, that's pretty much what I say on page 1 of the book. But I try to spell it out a little bit more this time.

He isn’t telling the full story though - it was bad in 2004, but not bad the way it is today. Its dubiousness was mitigated by its frequency; people were doing this kind of shit all the time. Scott Pilgrim is a bass guitarist in an indie band; fucking groupies is like built into the cover charge. Half the problem Scott has in dating Knives is that she is the wrong kind of 17-year-old - had Scott met her at 1 am in the aftermath of a Born Ruffian’s concert at the Whippet Lounge knocking down shots off the back of her fake ID, no one would have even noticed. Hell, no one does notice; there is someone who actually makes out with a drunk 17-year-old Knives Chau in the comic Scott Pilgrim, and isn’t Scott Pilgrim:

No one cares about Kim’s inebriated petting session here; that is 10% because she is a Girl and Girls Can’t Be Predators, 40% because she isn’t the main character, and 50% because Kim Pine’s dating history is not a useful proxy battleground for GamerGate-adjacent nerd culture wars in ~2014; but that is road that goes directly to hell, so let's veer back.

The point, of course, is that in 2004 this is a crime flecked with normality, something your friend would do and you would maybe just cock an eyebrow at:

Its not that in discourse today - it is radically more condemned. It is not a contextual sin, but an original sin. It underwent a process I am calling reification - where it goes from being just a shifting descriptor of reality, to a thing in itself, with a defined (reified) meaning. And to be clear, that is in a lot ways on net a good thing? The reality is that, despite everyone’s protestations, there are today thousands of 17-year-olds taking the L line out to a gig at the Brooklyn Steel and going down on a 25-year-old guy they just met in a back alley off Frost St who swears he’s a “drummer in a sick new band” that played here “just last week”, he promises, and she is having a great time, bragging to her friends about how hot his tattoo was, and then shipping herself off to Cornell next year to start on her pre-med track with barely a memory. But for every dozen of those, there is at least one person who is deeply, deeply hurt, a Knives Chau who never deserved this. The rest can have a slightly worse time, its probably worth it.

That does not make it a categorical imperative, though - the reification has masked that truth. The crime comes from the context - those other girls aren’t victims, they would laugh at you for suggesting they were. But in 2023, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is no longer concerned with context. It is telling you, right to your face, that Scott is a bad dude. Over and over and over - jokes from the Evil League about “wow, I thought we were evil”, its not subtle.

Yet meanwhile, Knives Chau is, like, fine? She dates Scott, is totally into him, and then literally in the middle of his funeral forgets about him for Envy crashing it:

Picks up the bass and has yuri-inflected playtime with Kim the literal next day:

And less than a week later is pitching an off-broadway musical adaption of Scott’s life to a billionaire Matthew Patel - I can’t explain that okay, I’m as confused as you are.

She is mad at Scott, sure, but she is over it in a matter of days. Hell, notice how she was already a fan of the Clash at Demonhead now? There is no scene of Scott introducing her to his kind of music. He didn’t change her. By the end she is a member of his band and they are totally chill:

This is, again, about a week or two later.

Knives is not an important character in this show, way less than in the original, this is no grand sin. But I still find it very interesting: O’Malley is wrong. He “spells it out” way less in this version when it comes to the actual consequences of Scott’s actions. Everyone’s verbal condemnations are substitutes to replace the real damage his actions dealt in the comic. Scott is a better person this time, in a world that has universally agreed he is worse (still not a good move ofc). Even Scott’s moment of apology to Knives about their dating is so tepid its almost Straussian:

Its ‘frowned upon’…which is not the same thing as saying it was wrong! I don’t think this is intentional, its just funny, but its a nice capstone nevertheless.

And it had to be this way, not just for media in general, but for Scott Pilgrim in particular. Not only are sexual crimes far more reified today, but Scott Pilgrim’s sin of dating a high schooler is reified as well - its the first piece of discourse everyone encounters about it. Its the ur-debate of the franchise. The idea of actively engaging on this point, and digging deeper into it…its too hot, too controversial. Way better to shy away from it, disown it. The discourse wrote this part of the script over the course of a decade; its not something the creatives had any say in.

Honestly they should have just gone all the way - just make Knives 19. Then how tepid it is wouldn’t be a distraction anymore. Scott can just be an asshole for cheating on her, that would work fine. If you aren’t going to commit to the reality of these things, you shouldn’t bother with it at all.

[diekleinesuesse]

Dating a Fan

Hongjoong – The Thoughtful Leader

Hongjoong is incredibly dedicated to ATEEZ and their fans, so dating a fan would be something he would approach very carefully. He values respect, privacy, and understanding, and he’d want to make sure that the relationship is based on genuine connection rather than admiration alone. If he fell for a fan, it would likely be someone who shares his passions music, fashion, and creativity. He’d love deep conversations about art and social issues and would be touched if his partner genuinely supported his music beyond just being a fan. However, due to his busy schedule, he’d need someone who understands his lifestyle and wouldn’t feel insecure about his career taking up most of his time. He would be the type to write little notes, send thoughtful texts when he’s away, and make mixtapes that express his feelings.

Seonghwa – The Gentle and Loyal Boyfriend

Seonghwa is known for his nurturing and affectionate nature, so if he were to date a fan, he’d be incredibly protective of them. He’d be wary at first, wanting to make sure that they truly love him as a person rather than just the idol version of him. If he felt safe and comfortable, he would be one of the most devoted boyfriends, always putting his partner’s happiness first. Seonghwa would love spending quiet time together, watching movies, cooking, and just enjoying each other’s presence. He’s a romantic, so expect lots of sweet gestures, from handmade gifts to unexpected hugs when you need them most. However, he’d be cautious about public outings, as he wouldn’t want his partner to feel overwhelmed by attention from fans or the media.

Yunho – The Energetic Sunshine Boy

Yunho is an absolute sweetheart who brings fun and joy wherever he goes. He wouldn’t have a problem dating a fan as long as they could see past his idol status and treat him like a normal person. He’d love someone who could match his energy, laugh at his jokes, and go on spontaneous adventures with him. Dating Yunho would be like dating your best friend constant laughter, silly antics, and playful teasing. He would be the type to send funny memes in the middle of the day just to make his partner smile. However, he’d also be incredibly protective, making sure his partner never feels overwhelmed by his career. Since he’s very family-oriented, he’d introduce his partner to his loved ones early on, making them feel like part of his world.

Yeosang – The Quiet but Affectionate Boyfriend

Yeosang is more reserved, so dating a fan would be something he’d take a lot of time to consider. He values authenticity, so if he fell for a fan, it would be because they treated him like a regular person, not just an idol. He has a subtle but deep way of showing love gentle touches, soft smiles, and meaningful conversations. He’s not one for grand romantic gestures, but he’d show his love through the little things, like remembering his partner’s favorite snack or making sure they feel comfortable in any situation. Yeosang would prefer private dates, like gaming together, going on walks, or watching anime at home. He’s also the type to secretly take pictures of his partner because he finds them beautiful in the most random moments.

San – The Passionate and Loving Partner

San is an incredibly emotional and expressive person, so if he dated a fan, he would be all in heart and soul. He wouldn’t care about their background as long as the love was real. San is very affectionate and thrives on physical touch, so expect lots of hugs, hand-holding, and reassuring touches. He’d love a partner who is just as emotionally open as he is, someone who isn’t afraid to express their love through words and actions. He’s also very intuitive, always knowing when something is wrong, and would do anything to make his partner feel safe and loved. However, because of how much he gives in a relationship, he’d need someone who reassures him just as much in return. Despite his hectic schedule, he would always make time for his partner, even if it’s just a late-night call before bed.

Mingi – The Sweet and Protective Boyfriend

Mingi might seem intimidating at first, but he’s actually one of the softest and most caring members. If he were to date a fan, it would likely be someone who made him feel comfortable enough to open up. He’s a deep thinker and enjoys conversations that go beyond the surface, so he’d love a partner who listens and understands him. Mingi can be shy about romance, but when he loves someone, he loves them wholeheartedly. He’d be the type to text his partner “Did you eat today?” even when he’s busy and would always find ways to make them feel special. He’s also very protective if he ever saw his partner being mistreated by fans or the media, he wouldn’t hesitate to defend them. Dating Mingi would mean having a safe space where you’re always valued and loved.

Wooyoung – The Flirty but Loyal Boyfriend

Wooyoung is known for being playful and flirty, but when he’s in love, he’s completely devoted. If he dated a fan, he’d want to make sure they could handle his teasing and playful personality. He loves making his partner laugh, whether it’s through dramatic reenactments of their day or sending voice notes of him singing off-key. However, behind all the jokes, Wooyoung is incredibly thoughtful and observant. He’d always know when his partner is upset, even if they try to hide it, and he wouldn’t stop until he made them smile again. He’s also the type to show off his relationship (to a certain extent) expect lots of cute, cryptic social media posts that fans will overanalyze. Despite his outgoing personality, he’s incredibly loyal and would make sure his partner feels like the most important person in his life.

Jongho – The Reliable and Sweet Boyfriend

Jongho is mature and level-headed, so dating a fan would be something he approaches carefully. He values honesty and trust, so if he fell for a fan, it would be because they made him feel understood and appreciated beyond his idol image. He’s not overly expressive with words, but his actions speak volumes. He would remember every small detail about his partner what foods they like, what makes them happy, and even how they take their coffee. Jongho is a great listener, always willing to lend an ear when his partner needs support. He’s also very protective, making sure his partner never feels uncomfortable in public or online. Dating Jongho would feel like having a steady rock in your life someone who will always be there no matter what.

[pearlprincess02]

gemini sun, gemini moon, libra rising, gemini venus, cancer mars

gemini sun: great comebacks, lemonade, anime, spring, talking and talking and talking and talking, memes, ice cream, social adaptability, electrifying eye contact, flowers.

gemini moon: individuals with the moon in gemini handle their emotions using their intellect. they often approach feelings with a logical mindset, aiming to understand and communicate their emotions openly. people with a gemini moon experience a broad spectrum of emotions and can easily adapt to various emotional situations. expressing emotions through words is common for those with a gemini moon. they enjoy sharing their feelings, thoughts, and experiences through conversation, seeking verbal reassurance to feel emotionally connected. additionally, humour plays a significant role in how they deal with their emotions, and they may use it as a tool to navigate emotional experiences, not taking themselves too seriously. this ability to use language and wit adds a unique dimension to their emotional expression.

libra rising: soft/feminine features - just like taurus libra is ruled by venus which rules over femininity, conventionally attractive - venus rules over beauty, beautiful hair - venus rules over the hair, symmetrical face - libra’s symbol is the balancing scale, it’s even on both sides, curvy feminine body and nice shaped butt - venus rules over femininity and your butt

gemini venus: they will listen to you the way a child listens to their favourite bedtime story, they will want to put you in their pocket and bring you everywhere. this is a placement that will tell you so many random stories, so many jokes, they will talk to you about anything, entertaining all of your interests. you like painting, great they will go paint with you, you like cooking, they will go to a cooking class with you. they will suggest you two go off and do a bunch of random activities together. they love to spend time together, they want to keep things light and playful too so they will always insert humor into everything. they will text you all the time, these are the people that text you goodmorning every day and ask you what you had for breakfast. but then they will also need times when they will kind of fly away for a little bit, just because they need a lot of stimulation so they need a lot of people in their space, you can do group activities together but they will always need time away and if they are provided with this freedom that doesn't clip their mercurial wings then they will fall in love even more deeply.

cancer mars: cancer mars can have a tendency to be overly protective and emotional when it comes to their actions and decisions. they may be attached and protective of those dear to them, and can have a strong instinct to protect them no matter the cost. this can lead to a tendency to being overly controlling and being unwilling to let go or release their attachments. they may have a tendency to overreact and act excessively when it comes to protecting their loved ones. they may also come across as being overly sensitive and impulsive, making them prone to taking things too personally and being emotionally reactive.

(@camila-heart)

ᵒᵇˢᵉʳᵛᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵃʳᵉⁿ'ᵗ ᵐⁱⁿᵉ

[kaythefloppa]

Wild Kratts - Chimpanzee and Me - Thoughts

The last of this week's new episode premiere, released online today alongside Salamander Streaming and Bumblezzzz. Will air on TV this coming Wednesday so as always, spoilers ahead!

K, so huge confession but Zooboomafo was the only other show by the Kratt Brothers I distinctively remember watching. I watched a few clips of Kratts' Creatures, but mistook them for WK as a kid. This is most definitely a callback to some Chimpanzee adventure episode in KC that I did not happen to pick up. So it's totally lost on me.

That being said, my prediction of references to previous Kratt Brothers' works reigns supreme (and for those who view all four Kratt Brother shows in one hollistic "canon" here's some ammo for your fan-theories).

Look at those delicious yummy grapes... wonder if they're being saved for later.

I will still never forget when the synopsis for this episode came out about Chris spraining his ankle, as well as when a synopsis for the clip came of him tripping on grapes. The constant memes and reactions omfg /silly

But seriously this man is in PAIN. This season for what it's worth, does a lot of angst and in ways you'd never expect.

I've never sprained or broken a limb, so I'm probably in no place to talk, but from the looks of that frame, Chris bent his ankle pretty damn good. He's definitely gonna be on hiatus for the next few weeks (which could ironically be taken metacontextually since after this episode we'll be on another hiatus until next year when the live show comes)

Ok let's talk about the villain's plan here. He wants to replace his Zachbots with a Chimpanzee he can roboticize to do his work. Here are my many thoughts and takeaways from this, some of which, definitely are just me reaching.

A step up from his dumbass plan in the last episode. Not threatening, but motivations that are actually sensible (but still evil though).

More than once have I seen the theory floating aound where Zach programmed his bots to be smart enough to obey his commands, but dumb enough to where they won't turn against him. I assumed that this episode was going to end with the cliche of Zach's creations turning on him as laser guided karma (hint it doesn't) so it really puts things into perspective.

Considering how we are getting two Zach-related episodes in a row, coming just off the heels of Our Blue and Green World, I like to headcanon that Zach's overall character in this batch of episodes is some form of response or byproduct of the events of that special. Because between Paisley's sudden betrayal, Donita's callous threat of physical violence in the previous episode, and his henchmen's limited intellect, he realizes how much he is fundamentally losing control, both in the villain team, and in his own endeavors as a villain. He's slowly, yet consistently and constantly being knocked down from the pedestal that he views himself on, and by trying to change the status quo with a new animal assistant, he thinks he can keep himself up at the top where he thinks he belongs, completely oblivious to how he's his own worst enemy. Yes, I'm overanalyzing all 3 episodes and I love it.

This is another moment where I HAVE to use my one-video-only-free-card to convey the point across because a certain scene is that good. This is only a 34 second action sequence where the chimpanzees are running from the Zachbots, but holy hell the background music. I had to isolate the background noises just to share it with y'all so you can see my point as to how the music absolutely carries this scene. Pure West has always gone so hard with the scores in this show, but they were absolutely on fire for this brief chase scene. I actually tensed up seeing the Chimp's mother getting torn away from her baby as the music swole up. Yet another reason why PBS should release an official soundtrack for the series, it's so fucking good.

Ok so Chris doesn't activate Chimpanzee Powers, nor does he invent the disc but goddamnit! This entire plot is so cute, and dare I say, the episode actually works better with Chris not being the one to activate the suit.

Now I can use my allotted time to point out how much I love this scene and why it makes this episode very well-liked for most people, myself included. This isn't the first PBS Kids show to educate viewers on non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and sign language, and it's definitely far from the last, but it's a really sweet and sincere moment that's both educational, and really good rep for people who use sign language. It gets its point across efficiently and could very well reach out to any children at home who use ASL. It's magnificent.

Also, Leah is fun, I hope we see her more in future eps.

THE CHIMPANZEE POWER SUIT

Ok I take it back: This is definitely the best designed Creature Power Suit of S7. I remember dreading it because of how alike Chimpanzees and Humans are physically, but oh my god I am so glad to be wrong. It's giving full Season 1 vibes (looks a lot like the Orangutan Suit, total sense), and I am all FOR IT.

And again, I feel like I would/should be angry or disappointed that Chris didn't activate the suit, but again, the plot actually works better without him using the suit, and the design of the Chimpanzee Suit itself is so good, everything just comes together neatly.

Bro is in his peak.

I mean, still peak.

Joss pointed this out better than I could, but there are a lot of varied facial expressions for Zach in this episode. As mentioned earlier, during the hiatus in between Season 6 and 7, new builders and riggers were hired on the animation team for Wild Kratts, many of them likely fans of the show themselves. And again, seeing as there's a 2 year gap between S6 and S7 in terms of development, there's bound to be some slight differences in rigs or models. Which is definitely why we get a lot of moments like this in the episode.

My two cents. I can definitely see why people would be caught off guard, and yeah, at such a high frequency it can get off-putting and requires some getting used to. But at the same time, I kinda dig it, just for the camp factor. It also somewhat reminds me of some of the facial expressions used in the pilot episode, (which has the stronger excuse of different animation + art-style to back it up), but yeah, definitely something that catches the eye.

Zach's hair is defnitely giving Kovu from Lion King 2 and I mean this in the worst. Possible. Way.

This entire scene can be seen as an allegory for two different types of parenting. Zach takes harsh, demanding approaches, speaking without listening for the sake of control, all out of a place of emotional unintelligence and immaturity, which alienates + drives away the child; Whilst Chris takes a more constructive, compassionate, understanding, yet still direct approach to get through to the child/chimp, allowing for a proper solution to the issue at hand. Yes, I'm pointlessly over analyzing even more but in an episode where communication is the main focus & moral of the episode as well as the resolution to the climax, I have to wonder if someone, whether it'd be the writers, animators, or even network execs did it on purpose. Because once again, you could takeaway a really good lesson for kids, and even adults with this interpretation in mind.

Oh yeah, once we get past that stuff, the climax of this episode is like, really fucking hilarious. And Zach getting mind-controlled by his own helmet is still a good dose of laser guided karma.

CONCLUSION:

Cons:

A few of the facial expressions can be a bit jarring. Again, Joss pointed it out perfectly how this episode could've been earlier in S7's development so these adjusted rigs probably can and will get better. I wouldn't even say it as a con, it's just some little thing of the episode that doesn't really lower my overall opinions.

This is a personal nitpick of mine; Not a critique. I think we could've seen more of the chimpanzees in action. I'm talking about face-offs with gorillas (which I think we might get an episode on that in the future, idk), hunting monkeys, leopard attacks! But I do get why it wasn't in the episode, it would've just bogged down time. Frankly, the only reason why I'm putting the cons first is because there is so much I have to say otherwise.

Pros:

The animation overall

The backgrounds

The Chimpanzee Power Suit

The Chimpanzees themselves.

The Background Music

Chris angst!!!!!!

The A plot and B plot perfectly complementing each other, which makes certain writing decisions that could've fallen short, work so much better as a result in execution!

Zach not being a dumb POS like he was in the last epiosde!

The chimpanzee designs!!!!

The very well-handled representation and depiction of sign-language and lessons of communications to its young audiences!

Final Ranking: 9.2/10. Our Blue and Green World and No Name Dream subverted expectations (mainly through Paisley's redemption and the S1 callbacks + the return of the Draco Power Suit). This is the first episode of Season 7 that exceeded my expectations. It is far better than how I thought it would be, and the experimental writing that this season has been hinged upon thus far hit the mark entirely when it came to this episode. So much so that it actually raised the already-high expectations I had for the new season. It is that. Fucking. Good. I'd easily call it a contender for one of the best episodes of the season, but again, we'll have to wait and see.

[meyerlansky]

before and after gif meme!

i was tagged eighteen billion years ago by @violaobanion @sluttyhenley and @redbelles so here it is finally! no tricks on any of these because that would be a whole other goddamn post. least to most effort and visual difference!

[full set here; animation is WAY easier to handle than live action, but boy is this movie grainy as fuck. still, this one—and the rest of this set tbh—was quick and easy.]

[full set here; conclave is really well-lit compared to the tv shows i usually end up giffing. the only surprise was how magenta the grading is once i bumped the brightness up. easy enough to fix with color balance, and this one had text! otherwise pretty straightforward.]

[full set here; this one had some experimentation in it. i hadn't really messed around with channel mixer as an adjustment layer before this set, but it worked better than my usual curves/level adjustments. that vibrance layer is doing a LOT of work putting color back into the footage.]

[full set here; what this one doesn't show is the THREE! HOURS! it took to get the curves layer to where i wanted it because this scene is SO fucking blue. this one was a 268px gif in the set but i blew it back up to 540px for this post. i know those last few layers don't look like they're doing anything but the effect's a lot more visible on the front half of the gif.]

i feel like this has done the rounds already so if any of my gifmaker moots see this and wanna have a go, consider this me tagging you 🖤

[writeblood]

What type of tumblr user Hogwarts Legacy characters would be

Note, I haven’t actually been part of tumblr culture since the 2010s

Sebastian

cursed memes, infodumping on extremely niche topics, and extremely tumblr style humour.

The guy who knows precisely how to respond to someone saying ‘I like your shoelaces’.

He’s never watched Supernatural in his life but read up on all 25 seasons when the superhell penultimate season finale hit.

Gets into drama with anon asks.

political takes that are usually decent and anti-capitalist, except for one opinion that got him canceled

Sebastian once spent a night accidentally reblogging NSFW content to his main blog instead of his side one so now 50% of his fetishes have been exposed.

Every photo and video he posts/reblogs, he adds a description caption so Ominis can also be subjected to his taste in memes.

Ominis

primarily text and music based, but will occasionally have videos of nature or architecture.

A lot of quotes from angsty classical literature and MCR.

His tagging is methodical and precise.

He has a huge following because one time he posted a photo of himself (taken by Sebastian) and it went viral.

Has his asks turned off and follows less than 30 blogs.

Someone once posted an expose on him, calling him a trust fund kid, but since it was mostly screenshots without description captions he never came across it.

Anne

she has one tumblr that all her friends follow her on and one secret tumblr that’s the dark side, depression, venting diary kind of stuff.

When the site went through another round of content moderation, she deleted it.

she also accidentally deleted her main blog oops...

Her normal tumblr is skateboard trick videos, small fandom media, and a mish-mesh of whatever catches her interest for the month.

She really likes the elaborate, artsy makeup looks even though she herself rarely wears it.

reblogs posts related to chronic illness and eye related disability

Her humour is ‘just girly things: waking up covered in blood’

Poppy

sooo many cute animal videos.

Has a very cutesy layout with an animal cursor.

Some people hate her blog because it has an autoplay music widget playing MARINA/Olivia Rodrigo.

She has anon asks turned off but will respond to account asks.

Occasionally reblogs a vegan/animal activist post.

She has a few close friends and will not hesitate to reblog their posts with encouraging comments.

Natsai

on the multi-lingual side of tumblr– english, french, and swahili

Lots of funny personal anecdote stories

Reblogs feminist posts that either deal with actionable things (protesting, community organising, safety) or talking about feminist public figures

Reblogs black hair tutorial/pics with the mindset that she’ll try it out but never does.

martial arts videos but the realistic ones

Likes a lot of special effects art in movies/tv shows so if you follow her with SFW filters turned off, you might see some fake blood.

Amit

studyblr, langblr, and a little bit of geeky stuff

okay, it's a lot. He's a fan of non-DC, non-Marvel comic and Star Trek

will write a 900 word breakdown of that one specific scene and its symbolism

too ashamed to openly admit he reads fanfic but reblogs a lot of posts from accounts who do

Imelda

1 post complaining about the complexities of using tumblr

3 posts related to women's football (soccer for americans)

1 personal video of her scoring the winning goal for her team

1 post and response to clowning on Garreth

'last posted 1 year ago'

MC

I’m using my OC Anesidora Fig from Shadow consumes the Sun (link in profile)

Used to have one of those semi-anonymous blogs where it’s filled with aesthetic photo compilations (light and dark academia, romanticising living in old cities, tea and coffee photoshoots despite not liking the drinks), but then she went ‘lets be mutuals, Ominis :)’ and realised…

So she panic nuked her blog and started over.

Now it’s full of studyblr, tagamemnon gossip over dead ancient roman poets, and love/romantic poems/excerpts.

english and french language included

went viral when she posted a class project video where she edited how to train your dragon but the dragon was replaced with her pet reptile a la "Jurassic Park but with a Cat" (OwlKitty)

When she starts to fancy Ominis, her reblogged love quotes start to focus more and more on his specific attributes

Since the texts she reblogs don’t have crass language or kinks, she thinks it’s entirely SFW. However, Ominis has learnt not to open her blog when he’s not alone or someone will ask him why he’s red in the face.

Her asks are open but she ignores them 90% of the time.

[velnna]

What's wrong with using a pose ref lol, didn't you just redraw a screencap from a tv show

See this is why I prefaced it by saying it's not objectively "wrong", it's a personal take and a grey area. Ultimately if an artist tells you they're uncomfortable with something and you choose to do it anyway it's on you if they then complain about it or ask you to reconsider, it's not the law. You can always tell them they're wrong but then don't be surprised if they take issue with that lol

But for a more detailed answer, I know I've said this a thousand times but I'll always hammer it in. I think there's definitely leeway to do redraws of things across media (so if you redraw a screenshot from an animated show and link said redraw etc, I see it as more of a transformative thing and a tribute than just straight up copying. Same for live action or even photographs - the same way that if someone took one of my drawings and decided to replicate it in photography or animation with a very clear link to it I would see it as more of a tribute because it's transformative) but even then if anyone was shown to take an issue with it I'd just Not Do It. Also the vast majority of the time these things are memes and very obviously a nod to the original one rather than me saying "look this is totally something canonical to the characters I'm drawing and didn't originate elsewhere"

There's times when I don't take an issue with people using my poses as inspiration or reference but a lot of my work does sort of just work as pieces of a comic or a scene that I don't like seeing repurposed for other characters. But that's the keyword: I don't like it. Not gonna send the police after you for it or claim copyright or even force you to take it down but I may *ask* you to reconsider it and think about it. And if it's a recurrent thing and I see you do it a lot I may insist 🤷‍♂️ it's a boundary I established but others are free to feel differently

ALSO I'm not referring to accidentally creating shit that's too similar. We all take inspiration from each other so that's bound to happen. I'm mostly referring to when it's very obvious a single artwork was used as a direct reference - and again, no shade if people do it without realising the artist might feel bad about it. I never assume ill intent from the get go

[kingofthewilderwest]

Am I the only one who feels like HTTYD isn't as memeable as Shrek or KFP? I know we have "You're as beautiful as the day I lost you." and the famous dancing Toothless, but that one was really from a parody recap. Other than that, I really don't see a lot of memes from it.

I think that means HTTYD is successfully doing its job with the type of narration it intends.

There are comedic lines like "talking fishbone" and "thanks for nothing, you useless reptile" that fandom has parroted since the early days. There's Hiccup encouraging Toothless while the Light Fury looks aghast as a meme template. And fandom can find anything to josh with, be it Hiccup's hot froglegs in HTTYD 2, or Hiccup's love affair with scrap metal from RTTE, or throwing everyone in the dungeon who made a Stoick joke (I am DATING my time in the fandom here, y'all). There will always be moments we play with, as it were.

But HTTYD, while funny, is built on heart. Shrek and KFP have heart, too (especially KFP), but they're built around different vibes (especially Shrek). Shrek was an intentional, abrupt, genuinely shocking aberration from animated fairy tale movies. For people who weren't around when it happened, there's a REASON it was a HUGE, rocking sensation and has become part of permanent culture. Meanwhile, KFP is a comedy action. HTTYD, at its core, is the story of a boy and his dragon, and a boy and his dad. I wouldn't expect fan response or general societal response to respond to these different frameworks the same way.

When audiences think about the impact of HTTYD, they aren't thinking about the pleasurable absurdisms that lead to "You're tearing me APART, Lisa!" or "I don't like sand" (which actually, for the record, I think is an unironically good character scene, sue me).

You ever watch a movie where they try soooo hard to be meme-able? Or they're throwing in jokes at places they shouldn't? I'm not not not saying it happened here, but one of the things I think THW could've improved was by reducing the number of gags it tried to run - while competing for time to emotionally conclude a sweeping trilogy. Sometimes it's not the place for a movie to have the content that'd make it meme-able. HTTYD's always been funny, yeah, and that's part of the franchise's charm. But different types of funny bring different audience results, and you ain't gonna beat Shrek when it comes for appropriate humor vibes for memes.

I could be forgetting a ton in my sleep-deprived state. But I'd agree it's not as meme-able as Shrek, one of the most meme-worthy pieces of media to exist. It means both have their place in the ecosystem of movies, and it makes both of them fantastic for what they are.

[kiragecko]

How to Support People With Faceblindness/Prosopagnosia Online

This isn't super important. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only faceblind person whose response to not recognizing people was to stop caring about celebrities (and most live action). Unless it's an important political post, we're unlikely to NEED to recognize a random image on Tumblr. But if it you have the energy, this really helps:

Caption photos with the names of whoever is in them. Even if it's someone like Elvis Presley or Donald Trump, who EVERYONE recognizes.

I can't consistently recognize Marilyn Monroe. And I don't want reassurance that she looks just like someone else, so you understand. There will be someone you don't understand, and I still won't be able to recognize them. I'm bad at faces.¹

-

I notice that reaction images are especially hard for me. People LOVE seeing how much context they can remove while still leaving a reaction image recognizable. I have to guess that the zoomed-in eyes are probably still the Obama reaction image from years back. They're just eyes to me. Even normal reaction images are hard if they don't have distinct enough poses.

If you can mention the person's name in the alt text or a caption below your reaction image, it would help a lot.

-

This doesn't apply to people whose names aren't well known. If their identity isn't adding to the meaning, I don't care who it is.

For example:

With the 'then perish' Obama meme, part of the humour is that the then-president is the one telling us to die. So mentioning that it's him aids my understanding of the meme.

With 'Dead Dove: Do Not Eat', mentioning that the actor is Michael Bluth, or that the scene is from Arrested Development, allows me to go find out the context if I want to know more. (Which might have stopped me from distributing misinformation to thousands of people about the meaning of the phrase!)

As far as I can tell, the fact that the 'snakes started manifesting' guy is named Uhrie Anthony is NOT particularly important to the meme. I don't need to recognize him from somewhere else to understand what's going on.

-

I don't struggle nearly as much with cartoon characters. Just live-action/real people. Not sure if there are faceblind people that will struggle that way. It's still nice to get context for where some anime character is from, but it doesn't affect me the same way as seeing a random blond woman on my dash, and trying to figure out if she's a singer, an actor, an activist, or something else completely.

-

¹ I'm not annoyed, just trying to support those who struggle with reading comprehension. This isn't about the individual people I'm mentioning. It's about my ability to recognize ANYONE.

[twst-hottest-takes]

Something that has been annoying me about the fandom as of late? Apologists immediately ravenous defending and coddling Malleus whenever someone says that he should've been held accountable after the events of Book 7, especially since his actions weren't contained, being known to the public, and he is a fucking prince with an image to uphold. (Him getting his horn sliced off doesn't count, because the narrative treats it like a good thing.)

Malleus' treatment by this section of the fandom reminds me of the "Griffith did nothing wrong" meme you see floating around in the anime community. Except it's completely unironic. These people love him so much that they don't want to have the game treat his actions realistically or have any fallout over what he did.

Yes, your fave did something wrong. That's okay. Malleus has flaws just like everything else.

No one is saying that Malleus should've sent to the Shadow Realm for eternity for what he did. Just that having him make actual steps to amend those broken relationships and not hand waving his actions by having everyone unrealistically off the hook would've been nice. Him inviting the people of the town, STYKS and all of the others he hurt to that party at the end instead of a few NRC boys would've been a start.

Hell, ALL of the characters should've gotten this treatment a long time ago. Me and a lot of others aren't saying this just about him. The lack of any meaningful consequences hurts Malleus and everyone else, because it makes it so the characters can't learn from their actions and grow like well written ones should.

I'll reiterate that all of the Overblotters should have gotten more consequences, Malleus just happens to be the one we're dealing with right now.

I had my long screed about this already, but the fact of the matter is that what Malleus got is the bare minimum of what he deserved. Malleus was overblotted for days in game and a year's worth of game updates so I think it's worth mentioning that people would be more upset because of how long it lasted and how many more people got affected, and of course the fact that Crowley couldn't just sweep this one under the rug so the public didn't see.

But do you want my hot take response to this hot take?

. . .

Some of us come across as being harsher on Malleus because we're jealous that he got some half-decent writing and so much potential for character growth. Some people are too caught up in the consequences calling it "dismemberment" and "disability" to realize that he's the first Overblotter to actually have a tangible character change. And as Anon pointed out, it's a net positive, not even treated like a punishment in the story so it becomes a different kind of frustrating.

(Like, Riddle at least has the resolve to become better, but we don't really get to see much on that front. Everyone else is basically given the choice to learn a lesson and change to be better, but since they're villains and the game has a status quo to keep up they just choose to stay terrible people and it sucks. ["Terrible People" being a relative term.] You get what I mean though? Everyone should feel bad or have consequences that affect them moving forward and change the trajectory of their characters because acting like their Overblots had no effect on them is LAAAAAAMMMEE.)

Thank you for your take.

(With some luck this will be the last bit on this topic for a while.)