#lots of symbolism and foreshadowing in this series

[teaboot]

in WHAT universe is rising of the shield hero less of a dissapointment than spy x family? ppl glaze sxf a bit too much but theres few anime worse than Incel Isekai 20472.

anyway. if you want something actually good, frieren, odd taxi, and my roommate is a cat. havent watched ascendance of a bookworm yet but i hear incredible things.

Oh yeah no ROTSH felt like ABSOLUTE dogshit episodes 1-5ish, I have no idea why I kept watching cause the MC was so cringe but I’m enjoying it quite a lot now! (I was actually checking my inbox before catching the next ep, lol)

I’m actually really happy with how they showed the MC’s immaturity and flaws and all the stupid and confusing common isekai tropes in a realistic light- And I’m kinda sorry you didn’t keep watching too ‘cause it absolutely lays bare all that stupid “chosen one” crap about halfway through s1. You stop cringing at the awful stupid incel asshole shit E3 or so and start GENUINELY LIKING him, which is wild!

It’s not perfect media obviously- I kinda REALLY don’t like some of it- but it focuses a lot on personal responsibility and thoughtfulness and working within the context of your environment, learning to heal relationships, and the importance of diplomacy and communication.

What I REALLY like is the central theme that being a hero doesn’t mean everything you do is correct- but that people WANT TO BELIEVE everything you do is correct, so being a symbol isn’t so much a ritzy ride as it is a HUGE responsibility that one shouldn’t be eager for.

Also, I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I’m at a point now where they’re starting to touch on the idea that there’s a difference between fighting for an idea and fighting for PEOPLE, and I’ve never really seen that done well before so between that and the twist here that’s being foreshadowed I’m genuinely SUPER EXCITED to see where they’re going with it.

Also- even WITH all the “pretty girls love the hero” trope- if you watch long enough you’ll notice how they PLAY with the trope without investing in it. There’s genuine respect between the characters, and several times the MC makes it clear he sees some of them as family, that he’s not into kids and it’s creepy when others are, and there’s no fanservice panty shots or surprise “oops I’m naked” shit. It really does show by example how a REAL good-hearted protagonist should- or would hopefully- realistically act in the circumstances of an unrealistic isekai type series. There’s been pretty much zero actual romance or any interest in romance shown by the character after episode 1-2. (At least as of s2e1)

And I love that! It’s incredibly character-driven. It feels like the MC genuinely might fuck up, that there are real stakes, that the correct path is unclear, and I want to see if what I’m hoping for will happen. The MC is selfish and closed-off and heartless sometimes and TOTALLY has a cruel and pragmatic streak, and the narrative takes full advantage of that to force him to confront those issues. Some of his vices are even advantageous, as they would be in real life!

Spy X Family didn’t do anything for me. It appeared to be what it said on the tin. I never got any real sense of stakes or depth or personal development, or of reoccurring thematic elements or symbolism or overlying message, or any kind of statement that was poignant or meaningful. It came off as a fun story, but not anything exceptional or different.

I couldn’t bring myself to care much because it was pretty clear that the good guys were right and they were gonna pull something off and have a happy ending and live a cute little family life with a mom and a dad and a daughter and a dog. It was never surprising or curious and I never felt emotionally intrigued or invested or attached.

They’re both enjoyable, but I like Rise of the Shield Hero more because it’s been proving me wrong in exciting ways and making me think about why I feel the way I do, and I like that in a series.

Spy X Family is fine, I don’t think it’s BAD, it just didn’t scratch the itch for me personally.

If you watched like 15 eps and hated it the whole time that’s fair but if you stopped at e2 I’d super recommend giving it another shot!

[blue-eye-samurai-analysis]

„Windows” in Blue Eye Samurai

They reveal someone’s deepest desires and – in some cases – sexual fantasies. How many have you noticed?

1# Madame Kaji’s Employee  

He’s excited by Madame Kaji slapping her girls and he openly admits it.

After that Madame Kaji goes to see Mizu and we are introduced to the concept of Windows for the first time.

BUT it’s not the first time we SEE the Window in the series, because that had happened before - we just weren’t aware of it.

2# Young Mizu

Mizu looks through the metaphorical Window when she is still a child - she really wants to go out and play with other kids, but is forbidden to do it because of her “mama’s” rules. Eventually she gives in and it ends in disaster – not only other kids reject her, but also her home gets burned and she loses a parent. This event will have great impact in shaping her adult life – from this moment she will be very wary of giving into her desires.

3# Mizu – First Window

Writing sutras on the body not only looks erotic, but also symbolizes purifying one’s soul - gaining balance of body and mind, which is extremely important both in martial arts and in life in general. That’s precisely what Mizu tries to do in episode seven, when she melts her blade.

And it makes me wonder – if Mizu’s first Window became reality, then maybe the other ones were also not chosen randomly? Is it possible that Windows Two and Three are foreshadowing what we will see in future seasons?

4# Mizu – Second Window

Now, I don’t really think Mizu is into shibari (Japanese art of tying someone with a rope). BUT if we interpret this Window not literally but symbolically, it makes a lot of sense.

Mizu yearns to have bonds with people. Right now she is a wandering ronin, with no strings attached, repeatedly pushing away people she cares about and who care about her (Ringo, Taigen and Akemi). Perfectly logical behavior after what happened in her childhood and with Mikio. But just because Mizu doesn’t know how to form bonds, doesn’t mean she doesn’t want them.

I believe we’ve already seen the beginning of this desire being fulfilled at the end of season one, but we will truly witness it happening in season two.

#5 Mizu – Third Window

This one is my favorite and I believe it gets interpreted incorrectly by a lot of people in the fandom.

There are theories about this Window representing Mizu’s desire to have a threesome, her being bisexual or even a foreshadowing of some sort of love triangle between Mizu, Akemi and Taigen. Wrong! All wrong!

The samurai in the middle is a metaphor of Mizu’s ideal man – someone who will accept BOTH her feminine side (represented by a female prostitute on the left) AND her masculine side (represented by a male prostitute on the right). And Mizu is already sensing WHO that someone might be:

Surprise, surprise, it’s Taigen!

Mizu being Mizu immediately rejects this image by shutting the Window (literally and metaphorically).

But I believe she will eventually act on her desires, especially considering what Madam Kaji told her:

To become a better fighter, to have a true balance of the mind, Mizu needs to be truthful to herself.

Need another proof that Taigen is Mizu's soulmate? Try rewatching episode one and you’ll find THIS:

#6 Taigen

Taigen ALSO gazed through the window! There’s this cute little hole created by a flying tooth - while watching the show for the first time it seems to be insignificant, but oh my God, it means so much. Taigen looked through his Window and saw…

Yup, you guessed right. His greatest rival and Nemesis, the very same person who will give him a boner after a friendly spar.

I fully believe that Taigen will do what Mikio could not, that is: he will not only accept Mizu but he will also be aroused by her fighting abilities (one of my favorite theories is that everything Akemi said during her sex with Taigen is actually a foreshadowing of how Taigen and Mizu’s first sex will look like – that it will be absolutely savage, with blood and everything).

#7 Mizu – Fourth Window

Through her last Window, Mizu sees her desire for revenge, represented by Madame Kaji who possess important information about Fowler’s Castle.

#8 Madame Kaji

Madame Kaji’s deepest desire is to witness a powerful woman commanding a powerful man, without the need of having sex with him. And Akemi just happens to possess the potential to do just that.

And by the way – remember Seki’s words to Akemi, while he was dying? That his favorite dream is for Japan to be ruled by his protégé? I’d bet it’s also Madame Kaji’s favorite dream, although I think she didn’t have anyone specific in mind when she had that fantasy. I’m eager to see how her cooperation with Akemi will develop in future seasons.  

#9 Heiji Shindo

Yeah, this guy’s basically a psycho who loves to watch other people suffer.

Did you notice any other Windows?  

Check my other post about Mirrors.

[bibibbon]

The tragedy of Moon

⚠️ this post contains episode 4 spoilers⚠️

Xiao yuequing or better known as moon is a character that symbolises how no one can truly escape the trust system.

From the beginning, moon was characterised as someone who loved and desired freedom yet had her life dictatected by the system in every possible way known to man. Moon is someone who would go to extreme lengths to achieve her freedom even if it meant that she had to resort to suicide to have it, she would. We, as the audience, see how that desire comes back to bite her in the back, causing her death and causing her to be stranded in an abandoned island all alone.

Her desire for something so basic causes her the worst endings of all, and I find that quite tragic about her character.

It is through moon that we are first introduced to just how oppressive the trust system can be. Moon tells us that Nice's abilities caused him to prioritise perfection at all costs, and we see that the trust system also strips Moon of her own autonomy and agency. A girl who simply started out working as a travel blogger wishing to let everyone see every corner of the world with her then becomes a hero fated to stick with a man whom she doesn't like an accessory for the rest of her life.

Unlike wreck and OG Nice, Moon's hero story or her reasons for being a travel blogger and then becoming a hero aren't based on love or wanting to protect people but they are based on the belief and idea that this is simply a job and that she is doing what her superiors are demanding of her so she can achieve her desires. However, this job and duty come to actively destory who she is to the point where she as a character after being given freedom that she longed for didn't know what she truly wanted and simply wanted time to figure out what she would do moving on from here.

Moon is a great actor, and overall, she is great at her job, but it comes at the cost of it taking over every aspect of her life that it drives her to near insanity. 3 years of being an accessory, 3 years of having to be perfect, 3 years of hell where she lost herself and even more years lost to a contract she has abide by. The chance to escape is one that she longs and strives for, even faking her own death in episode 1, ending to receive it.

Moon manages to give a really important message to Lin Ling, and that is to be himself and choose not what the corporation wants of him but what his heart desires and if he is willing to risk everything for it like she did.

Xiao yuequing also holds a lot of symbolism in her name as its a name that directly translates to 'small moon' a reference to her hero name Moon. The moon symbolises beauty, serenity, and an illumination of hope, which are characteristics that Moon does have, especially in the eyes of Lin Ling. He has constantly viewed her as an idol and later love that he could never reach. His love for her allowed him to find a way to free her and to act as a mirror of hope for her. While moon shows and warns lin ling of the costs of being a hero, Lin Ling is able to show Moon the freedom of being a regular person and what it feels like to be a person making memories with a loved one and not an accessory to some corporations perfect hero image.

In the end, Moon death is one that has been foreshadowed in the series and one that hits hard for the audience as we also have developed an emotional connection to her. The girl who desired and would do anything for freedom even if it meant accepting the fate of living alone in an island killed right after she willingly chooses to go back with the person she cares for. A system that forcefully puppeted her with no way out using another puppet to end her life and on the beach as the waves come up and down. I feel like there is something symbolic about the moon being killed on the beach, a place where it should have control since the moon controls the tides.

[drstonefangurl]

The next charater in my Dr. Stone Tarot Card series Senku Ishigami as The Magician. Senku, our main character and genius scientist determined to save all of humanity makes for a very lovely Magician imho. Here is The Magician card for reference:

The Magician Meaning

Upright: Manifestation, resourcefulness, power, inspired action

Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents

The Magician card is labeled as number 1 in the Major Arcana. The card is represented by a man using his tools of his trade, which represent the 4 elements, to work his magic and manifest his desires into reality. The Magician has one hand pointing to heaven and one to the Earth indicating he can take what he conceives in his mind he can make reality with the proper tools and enough time. The infinity symbol above his head and the ouroboros around his waist represent his infinite potential, the cyclical nature of life and existence, and his potential access to endless thoughts and resources.

The Senku Ishigami card we see Senku with a bunch of science apparatus working on his next big project, bringing his ideas into reality. We also see the Medusa device in the background, looking like the infinity device, and the belt with more items and tools Senku will need for his infinite drive for scientific discovery. In the background we also see the moon behind the Medusa device, which has been Senku's ever driving goal to get to the moon, even before the pertification event even happened.

Based off of the card descriptions alone I think it is pretty obvious as to why I think Senku Ishigami is clearly representing The Magician in Gen's tarot deck. The Magician and Senku are also extremely representative of taking action, making thoughts and ideas come into reality, and resourcefulness which is Senku's whole character in Dr. Stone. If it wasn't for Senku having the ability to make his ideas reality there would be no show. For the sake of anime only watchers, I will keep some if my reasonings quiet because it will mostly be foreshadowing of what is coming down the pipe in the anime.

Now, I would like to address why I don't think Senku's card is representing The Moon (because that seems to be a common one that lots of folks like to assign to his card on the internet). My major argument against this choice, besides the fact the the symbolism is highly indicating it's The Magician, is because The Moon is a card about hidden fears, illusions, anxiety, intuition, and the subconscious. None of that fits Senku's character even though going to the moon has been an important task for Senku since the beginning of the manga and anime. Overall this card felt like it was quite straightforward, but I would enjoy any evidence that contradicts my thought process. Stay tuned, my next card analysis is on Ryusui Nanami. Get excited.

Sources: biddytarot.com & @ChifuyuEmma on Pintrest

[lovely080222]

Arcane Season 2

Lately, I've seen a lot of content creators and people online reacting and talking about Arcane season 2 in a negative way, to the point where they say that the season was trash. And honestly it makes me mad. If the ending of the story, or the story itself wasn't your cup of tea, is okay. Media enjoyment and appreciation is subjective, however, we can all be objective when it comes to the actual content of said media...and that is what has me so disappointed on their takes, because their reviews (that I came across with) are flat out lacked on media literacy and did not entirely understand the source material they were reviewing.

Let's start with the character arcs...in my honest opinion. THEY WERE GOOD. ALL OF THEM. I feel like a lot of people are exaggerating when it came to the arcs (especially Vi, Jinx and Caitlyn's) saying that they were not developed enough like in the first season, but I disagree. Most of their arcs for season 2 were HEAVLY hinted and foreshadowed in season 1, mostly Jinx's and Cait's.

One of the arc that gets more hate is Vi's, and is because of the s3x scene of season 2 episode 8 and the finale of season 2 episode 9, and overall season 1. As well as her forgiveness towards Caitlyn and how she acted selfishly in that episode. However, they don't take into account 2 things: 1. Vi is heartbroken (for what it feels the 30th time in both seasons) because Jinx/Powder tears and rejects Vi's help and unconditional love (Vi's fatal flaw is not knowing when to drop the towel, and establishing boundaries for herself, believe me, I learned that THE HARD WAY ) .

2. Vi and Caitlyn might not have enough time to talk about their feelings as deeply as they would've liked (a literal WAR is coming) so, they did it in the most raw and truthful form of love language, touch and eyes. No words, they weren't needed either.

Don't blame her for doing what it felt right in the moment, also let's be real here. Jinx gave her consent, and decided to leave Vi (Vi doesn't know the context, we do), for her sibling's benefit and love for her, because it hurts to Jinx that Vi is not taking care of herself and not pursuing what she truly wants, which is Caitlyn.

Was it in the worst moment of Jinx deteriorating mind? Yes. Was it out of place?...Maybe. But, was it necessary for the plot? OBVIOUSLY.

The s3x scene holds and magnifies the arcs of the couple and their vulnerability (Vi taking the leap and show her feelings, and Caitlyn responding and being truthful of hers). There are videos that explain the importance and the weight that holds in the arcs of Caitlyn and Violet, way in depth and detailed. They all point out the symbols and meanings of their gestures, which are wonderful. And ties together their bond and their strengths. As a younger sibling, strangely enough, I connect with Vi more than Jinx. That is because of the parental and family expectations that they have on me. I had to take a role of being the caretaker since "I'm more mentally stable". So I understand why Vi is the way she is.

Therefore, I understand and relate to Vi wanting to be selfish for once, without feeling guilty about it later. Not having regrets.

I recently rewatched both seasons and I have to say, it all played out perfectly, including the finale. And it payed off to all the build up in season 1, because of the foreshadows and plot devices used in both seasons to tell the story. The plot points and story arcs were very good, especially since they all connected to the main theme, which is forgiveness. Where do you draw the line in where there is nothing left to forgive or how far are you willing to do so. The plots truly showcased what is Arcane (narratively and character) and how does storytelling (mostly subtext, non-verbal and visual ) actually work. The way the writers handled it was MAGNIFICENT and TRAGIC. Which serves right for the story they conveyed in the series.

I think, one of the reasons that this season was received poorly (compared to season 1) is due to the already constructed ending and story lines that we might have thought of. Which might have more things or less than the main series but it was something to cling on before the premiere of the last season. And because of it, they judge it extremely and harshly without actually taking into account what the story was actually about. Would it have benefited of more episodes? No. Would it have benefited of more runtime? in some things, yes but at the same time, i don't mind it and I believe that it is good. Would it have been better if there was another season to wrap up the story? Definitely not. That is due to the story being pretty much a solid story with a few strong undertones that have unfolded before its finale. I LOVE Arcane, and I would watch it again and again (both seasons). I think, it is one of the biggest series of all time and also the most compelling one in modern media). This final season brought me to tears and this hollow feeling in my chest yet satisfied by the way it ended the main journey of Runeterra, and opened to many more.

Also controversial opinion, but I like season 2 a lot more than season 1. And that is because, I love the development of it (the show of progression and how it embraces the themes showed on the series)

BTW, THE MUSIC SLAPS. BEST OST HANDS DOWN MIC DROP!!!!!!

(P.S. As an english literature major, I might have more insight on this but don't be afraid to disagree/agree in the comments)

I want to know how y'all felt and if you want to ask me something or debate this, you're free to do so. I hope I can create a save space for all types of convos about this show.

love,

~lovely References:

https://youtu.be/dRvgb_CB9Ss?si=rQGmpPAYL5XrDR1u https://youtu.be/LZ6szm2fmB4?si=k7l-OuE018PpctjM https://youtu.be/0nhTS9-P7eQ?si=MkMntcyQZTHPzgYZ https://youtu.be/l0-We7fyCaQ?si=aP-fhcWxSspphBT-https://youtu.be/sIJEQjMqiNA?si=xF8rt77LKAG0Kpp6 https://youtu.be/NtDGwZxQyio?si=ZTKq1E2VetcXkyis https://youtu.be/30zVFfziBuk?si=AQpE6cntutdQvBfz https://youtu.be/9Lro6HmaWiA?si=PxPq4U8s138nlHw4. https://youtu.be/W3cNewkYB8o?si=LsyGnzC3iaMpr7K1 https://youtu.be/nD9cNowdBQg?si=jxqwX1tmuunnZpHi

[problematicsashawaybright]

One of my favorite things about amphibia season 1 is that they didn't want to foreshadow the color symbolism or the trio being on opposing sides later on in the series yet, so when they had a light hearted filler episode about wartwood having a rivalry over movie characters and the town literally being divided in half, they chose the ugliest and most nonsensical colors to represent the movie characters because you don't really have a lot of options when you can't use blue, green, or pink/red. One of the "colors" is literally plaid.

[epicspheal]

A Strong and Upstanding Heart! A Lance Analysis

Imagine you're a kid in the 90s playing Pokemon Red and Blue…you’ve gotten all eight badges, made it through Victory Road and bested Lorelei, Bruno and Agatha. Now the only person that you think stands before you and the title of Indigo League Champion is a certain cape loving Dragon Master…

That’s right we’re talking about Lance! Lance is definitely one of those character who has very different interpretations depending on whether or not you’re looking at the anime, games or manga. For the sake of consistency with my other analyses…I’m only sticking to the gameverse and any media that corresponds to it (mainline games, Pokemon Masters EX and Generations). 

Let’s start with his name…in English it’s a weapon. Which is very befitting a dragon master as in many pieces of European Folklore knights wielded lances to slay dragons. But considering in Pokemon Lance doesn’t slay dragon-types but befriends them you could compare him to many of the heroes of dragon-rider fantasy who often had weapons they carried while on the back of their flying reptilians. Lance in the games is very knightly in demeanor and one could very easily imagine him riding on the back of his Dragonite wielding a lance. In French his name is Peter which is actually derived from petard which is another medieval weapon again reinforcing that knightly demeanor. His German name is Siegfried who is a legendary hero who bested the dragon Fafnir, further symbolizing Lance as a proud warrior. 

But then his Japanese is Wataru which has a couple of different meanings. First is “Watatsumi” who is a legendary kami and water deity in Japanese folklore that happened to be a dragon. But also it is derived from “wata” which means “cotton” which his Korean name also is derived from. When we think of the language of flowers we usually think of Roses and Forget-me-Nots. Yet cotton has a lot of symbolism. Cotton is known to mean “fortune, gratitude, cherish, well-being and receiving blessings”. When we think of Lance, he’s had a lot of blessings in his life. He was born into a prestigious dragon clan and was chosen as the heir of said clan before he went to the league. He became an Elite Four member which is an esteemed position many trainers could only dream to have. He even manages to become champion afterwards which as a title bestowed upon very few. So much of his life is very much blessed and Lance recognizes that blessing and cherishes it. 

Now let’s take a look at his team. His team varies throughout the series due to his changing roles from Elite Four to Champion so we’ll be covering both

Starting with his Elite Four team, the first thing that often stands out is that he lacks a lot of diversity on his team with him having 3 Pokemon from the same family and two of them being unevolved. While some people may consider it poor team building (at least from a more competitive mindset) it actually means a lot storywise. We have to remember that Pokemon was originally meant to end at GSC and we know by then Lance has ascended to the rank of champion. So him having two Dragonair actually makes sense in that context as it was foreshadowing his growth in his strength as a trainer. Now let’s take a look at his movesets. One thing that sticks out is that he really loves the move Hyper Beam, Outrage and SafeGuard. Hyper Beam is a very powerful move with the drawback of causing the Pokemon to not be able to move after for one turn after its use. It definitely establishes Lance as a power player with a hint of recklessness since the use of Hyper Beam does leave his Pokemon so vulnerable. However it also shows the trust he has in his Pokemon’s power to have that move consistently in the movesets. Outrage is another high-risk, high reward move that allows him to utilize STAB as it’s a dragon type. Again this further solidifies Lances hyper offensive strategy and his trust in his Pokemon. However this is where the move Safeguard comes into play as the move actually protects against the self-inflicted confusion status. This shows that Lance is strategic with his hyper-offensive strategy

Now let’s look at his team as champion! We can see he now has three full Dragonite which again shows that him having Dragonair in the Kanto games was an intentional choice to foreshadow his eventual ascent up the ranks. And now we also see that all of his Pokemon share the flying type which leads to the joke that Lance should be known as the “flying type champion”. His movesets for his Pokemon have also drastically changed. He has way more variety in types which helps to enable better coverage. He still relies on high-risk, high-reward moves but with more focus on moves that have lower accuracy (Thunder, Blizzard, Fire Blast, Dragon Rush). This change in strategy reflects his growth in the time between the original Kanto events and the Johto events. He’s had to step up to the role of Indigo League champion which warrants a change in tactics. That being said, he still definitely relies on his old faithfuls Outrage, Safeguard and Hyper Beam on his signature Dragon type.

His rematch team in HGSS shows more Dragon types and a shift in strategy to involve more set up (Dragon Dance, Swords Dance and Double Team) as well as some more evasive techniques (Roar to get rid of bad matchups)

I also wanted to bring up his team when pairs up with his cousin Clair. His signature Dragonite in these match-ups knows the move Dragon Meteor- a powerful move that can only be learned by Dragon types that have a high enough trust in their trainer. This shows that he has a strong bond with his dragon types which is something Clair at the time hasn’t quite yet gotten to.

"Ah! I've heard about you, <player>! I lead the Elite Four. You can call me Lance the dragon Trainer. You know that dragons are mythical Pokémon. They're hard to catch and raise, but their powers are superior. They're virtually indestructible. There's no being clever with them. Well, are you ready to lose? Your League challenge ends with me, <player>!"

I really like this introduction quote from Lance as he does a good job selling the power of Dragon type Pokemon to the player. Not only that you can see how much pride he has in being the leader of the Elite Four.

"I still can't believe my dragons lost to you, <player>. You are now the Pokémon League Champion! …Or, you would have been, but you have one more challenge left. There is one more Trainer to face! His name is… <rival>! He beat the Elite Four before you. He is the real Pokémon League Champion."This quote here gives us a look into the mindsight of Lance in Gen 1 where he’s a little overconfident in the powers of his team. Which makes sense because as we know up until Blue and Red no one had managed to make it to the league at all meaning that he’s held the title of the strongest for a long time. So him getting beat by not one, but two 11 year old kids in succession was definitely a shock to the system.

"That red Gyarados wasn't acting right. As I feared, somebody must have forced it to evolve… Did you come here because of the wild tales? You're <player>? I'm Lance, a Trainer like you. I heard some rumblings, so I came to investigate… I saw the way you battled earlier, <player>. I can tell that you're a Trainer with considerable skill. If you don't mind, could you help me investigate?" This is our first conversation with Lance in the Johto and you can actually see a change in his demeanor. He’s not boasting about the superior powers of dragon types or his own skill as a trainer. He’s actually more humble with his approach saying he is a trainer “like you”. Also right now he’s focused on trying to solve the mystery of the Red Gyarados, showing that he is taking the mantle of being the champion of the Indigo League very seriously

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam."I just had to put in his iconic phrase in this analysis. We know what’s coming here- he’s about to blast a poor Team Rocket grunt to kingdom come and give him PTSD (as we know from Pokemon Masters as the grunt he hyper beamed is currently on Pasio). We see here how he has no tolerance for evil-doers

"Sorry, <player>. I saw how well you were doing, so I just hung back. Now all there is left to do is to turn off that odd radio signal."A lot of complaints about champions prior to gen 8 were that they let the protagonist take down the bad guys with little to no assistance. But here we get some reasoning from Lance as to why he took a backseat. He noticed that the player could handle the grunts by themself so there was no need for him to step in. 

"It's this machine that's causing all the problems. I don't see a switch on it… We have no choice. We have to make all the Electrode faint. That should stop this machine from transmitting that strange signal. It's no fault of the Electrode, so it makes me feel sad. <Player>, let's split the job.I really like this quote because it complements the “Dragonite, Hyper Beam” quote. Even though he is no-holds barred when it comes to evil, he recognizes that the Electrode are innocent and don’t deserve to suffer even though they have to be fainted in order to help save the Pokemon affected by Radio transmission.

"I've been waiting for you. <Player>! I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here. There's no need for words now. We will battle to determine who is the stronger of the two of us. As the most powerful Trainer and as the Pokémon League Champion… I, Lance the dragon master, accept your challenge!"Lance’s pre-battle quote before the champion battle is a nice progression from his pre-battle quote when he was an Elite four member. Again he comes to this battle with a more measured, less haughty response than three years prior (although he does kind of borrow Blue’s “I’m the most Powerful Trainer” bit). You can tell how much he’s grown not just in strength, but in attitude.

"…It's over. But it's an odd feeling. I'm not angry that I lost. In fact, I feel happy. Happy that I witnessed the rise of a great new Champion!"

Again we can see more of this growth from the defeat quote as champion versus when he was the leader of the Elite Four. Here we see he’s not in disbelief, nor is he upset that yet another kid bested him. In fact he’s happy to have seen the growth of another champion. 

"I'm glad to be on your team, Silver!"Alright now onto some Pokemon Masters EX quotes. I chose this one of the team ups because I like how we see throughout the game, we see how much Lance looks out for Silver and is proud of him. A far cry from when they first interacted in the Johto games where Lance had to give him some tough love by completely annihilating his team. It all comes full circle for Silver during the Johto Neo Champion arc where he’s finally able to win against Lance, and Lance couldn’t be prouder of him. 

"You all haven't changed one bit, I see! I must admit, I'm looking forward to these battles myself!"I really like this line from the Normal Champion Stadium where the original Indigo Elite Four and Blue team up. It’s nice to see how he interacts with some of his former colleagues 

"(I guess he's right. I was very happy to witness my challengers surpass me.) But maybe that means I'm starting to forget what it feels like to WANT to win.) [...] I still remember how frustrating it was to lose to Red and Blue back in Kanto. Both Dragonite and I need to approach this like challengers, not Champions..."I really like this quote from the Arc-Suit chapter as we see Lance coming towards an important realization. He’s been so focused on being an ideal champion, a trainer who can be a role model to others and mentor as well, that he’s forgotten what made him want to aim for the title of champion in the first place. His drive to win. His joy for the taste of victory. He thinks about his losses to Red and Blue and how he was frustrated he was bested by kids. And now he’s realizing that if he wants to continue to grow stronger, he has to approach battles like he’s not at the pinnacle of what it means to be a trainer.

"It's true that you're strong, Clair. And it's good to have confidence in your own abilities...but there's a limit to what's good and what's not. Too much pride can make you overconfident, and overconfidence can make you vulnerable." 

"You can be a little impulsive sometimes, Clair...but that earnest, straightforward attitude of yours is one of your greatest strengths as well. If you can learn to hone that, the sky is the limit!"I really like the relationship Lance has with his cousin Clair. Even though their personalities clash a bit, we see how much he does care for her even when he is chastising her. He wants her to be the best version of herself that she can

"A long time ago, when I was a member of the Elite Four but not Champion, I was defeated by a Trainer.He claimed to be the greatest of all, and he had the strength and skill to back it up. But eventually, a stronger Trainer came along, and even he was defeated... It was then that I realized something. That title—"the greatest"—can inflate your ego, but it doesn't really mean anything. It's an illusion, there one minute and gone the next...The way I see it, seeking to grow and improve yourself is far more worthwhile than chasing a fleeting illusion of greatness."

This quote here shows the moment where we can see the shift between his Gen 1 and Gen 2 personalities. It was the quick succession between Blue and Red as champion that allowed him to temper himself when it comes to chasing success. Sure he still values the title of champion, but he realizes that just because he obtained it that he can’t rest on his laurels, lest someone else come by and snatch the title away from him

"Leon, I think that capes should be more simple! When you're the Champion and greet new challengers with a swoosh of your cape...I understand that the details of your cape speak volumes about who you are. But for me, the simplicity of my cape helps me stand out more!" The dialogue about capes between Lance, Steven and Leon was a cute little interaction between the three champions regarding capes. We see Lance prefers simple capes compared to Leon’s whose cape is filled with advertisements. We know Lance has a huge fondness for capes even back from the Fame Checker where a woman from the Celadon Department Store mentions he comes by to purchase capes frequently. Even though he disagrees about designs for capes with Leon, we know from further into the conversation that he still greatly respects the symbolism Leon’s cape has showing him to be an open-minded and respectful individual

"I noticed you weren't your usual self right before our match.It was almost as if you were so worked up, you couldn't tell what was happening with your partner. Iris, you must remember that you're no ordinary Pokémon Trainer. You are a role model to others, and you represent Unova as Champion. I hope you can understand that and conduct yourself accordingly."

Ah so this is dialogue from the Iris event that definitely rubbed some people the wrong way. We know from earlier in the event that Iris was struggling with knowing that people seemed to find her an embarrassment as the champion from Unova. And then her Hydreigon goes out of control. We see here Lance actually could tell that something was up, but didn’t know the full context. His words do come off a bit harsh here to someone who knows everything going on with Iris, but you can see that he was trying to help her out. He understands the weight that comes with being champion, and also the weight of being a dragon tamer. 

"It's never too late. You can start with whoever needs you most."I really liked this line from Lance to Diantha once Iris is able to regain confidence in herself. Diantha was lamenting the fact that she didn’t think about mentorship as a champion (as she was kind of removed from the Team Flare plot in the gameverse canon). And we have Lance who's not admonishing her for that but showing there’s room to grow.

"Someday, stories about me will be passed down to future generations of our clan as well. If I think about it that way, it reminds me that I have to be on my best behavior.I'd like to be a good role model for all future dragon masters."This quote from Lance really helps to shine light on why he is so passionate about being a good role model and having a strong and upstanding nature. He realizes that he will forever be immortalized in his clan’s history and in the Hall of Fame. He wants to make sure the legacy he leaves behind is one that makes people feel energized and not ashamed

"This outfit shows off Gyarados's power as a dragon! What's that, you say? Gyarados isn't a Dragon-type Pokémon? Haha, not all dragons are Dragon-type Pokémon!" I remember this quote making rounds on social media as we get to have some in-universe acknowledgement that dragons =/= dragon types! It’s a distinction that you would expect a dragon master like Lance to know!

Lance is an iconic character and he’s a really good case study on how Gamefreak has always cared about their characters even as far back as gen 1. A lot of people deride the first region as being barebones but he’s one of the many characters regions that has had layers woven into him from the beginning as we can see his growth between the events of Kanto and Johto. He grows from the proud (and just a tad cocky) leader of the Elite four to a wise noble Champion and Dragon Master

[starcurtain]

I wouldn't say they present Mydei being in Kremnus as limitation more like an outpost? Like you'll be there and Okhema wouldn't get destoyed. But again, Castrum Kremnus moves? Demigod of Strife is one of the most powerful demigods you have at the moment and I get that desperate time and you need to some fighting back but not even have tb pop to check how their most powerful fighter is doing around nature calamity that can fuck you up severely?

And Grove got destroyed but FR and not their typical abnormal disaster. And by world quest, tb knows. But giving hoyo track record I doubt that make in main story.

My apologies if I sound too bitter bc I keep thinking about this. I think thematic stand point I could - and kinda is - beautiful: mydei not only choosing to end the dynasty but using position that for so long was tied with bloodshed only to protect and choosing to be protector. "Kinda" part comes from the part that even glossing over continuity errors, it reads as such mistake for heroes side. Maybe it supposed to be like this. Its just I really like mydei in 3.0 and every that they did with him in this patch(wonky timelines aside) made him of of my favorite characters in the entire game but this part is basically feels undercooked

I don't have too many extra thoughts on this, but I think this ask makes some great points so I wanted to share it publicly!

I do agree that there really is a nice bookend to the idea that Mydei took a position that he was so dead-set on rejecting because of what it represented--the bloody and miserable dynasty he wanted to end with his own hands--and managed to instead refocus that position onto protection, guardianship, and using the power of strife and war to hold the line of peace. There is a lot of meaning in that choice, and I think if we didn't have so much foreshadowing that it was all going to go wrong, that it's all for nothing because Amphoreus is just a series of cycles, then I think this could have been seen as a very positive end to his character arc.

(I also think there's a special kind of appeal in Mydei returning to Kremnos to take over Nikador's role as a sort of symbolic ascension of Kremnos as a whole--Gorgo founded Kremnos specifically to chase Nikador and try to earn the god's attention, and now "the son of Gorgo" managed to completely eclipse the god their nation was born to pursue... True "pinnacle of mankind" shit right there lol.)

However, as you say, it feels like "a mistake for the hero's side" because we do have so much foreshadowing telling us that this isn't going to go well, that it wasn't the right choice to split the team up, and that guarding something that is doomed from the start is a fruitless pursuit.

Personally, to me, while I don't think the plot is going to go this direction, I kind of feel like it would have been very interesting to see a second cycle with a coreflame swap instead--a sort of "Okay, following the prophecy line-by-line didn't actually get us where we need to be; we should mix it up this time."

Mydei would have made a really rad demigod of the ocean titan, just sayingggggg.

I think this ask came right after 3.1. As of 3.1 ending, I also reallyyyyy agreed that Mydei going off to Kremnos was way undercooked and not properly written into the plot, but since they made sure to keep him relevant in 3.2, I'm a bit more willing to forgive them now than I was at the end of 3.1, lol.

Now for 3.3 to crush all our hearts... (Or maybe it's just a trailer fake out, who knows lol.)

[w1tched]

Boothill is honestly doomed by the narrative from the very start of his story and it's something that I haven't seen many people talk about or really catch onto. His story uses a number of literary devices such as irony, foreshadowing and symbolism and the very start of his story uses something that I'd call symbolic foreshadowing.

In the start of his first character story, we get introduced to Boothill by Nick calling out to Graey that there's a child crying in the snow (the child being Boothill). This first line immediately sets the tone for how the rest of Boothill's story and life is gonna play out. An example of a similar device being used would be in the Hunger Games trilogy. Now this is obvious spoilers for THG but the very first line in the first book is that Katniss searches for Prim only to see she's not there which thus foreshadows Prim's eventual death later on in the series. In this manner, Prim was a character doomed by the narrative and I believe this exact same technique is used for Boothill.

Boothill being found in the snow specifically carries a lot of meaning because in multiple pieces of literature, snow has always been used to symbolize something deeper. Snow is often used to symbolize purity, innocence, new beginnings and transformation. Purity and innocence comes from the white color of snow and new beginnings and transformation come from snow signalling winter which transforms an area and preps it for a new beginning when spring eventually comes around. Additionally, snow also has been used to symbolize death and emptiness.

Purity and Innocence: these two concepts go kinda hand in hand with each other hence why it seems only fair to discuss this part in one. Purity has always been a very common theme in Boothill's character and story. If you look closely at Harmony Trailblazer's splash art, you can see all the Penacony character's symbolized through various items. Boothill's was his gun and... white lilies. White lilies are funeral flowers and symbolize purity and rebirth. This is already the very first and biggest hint we get toward the prevalent theme of purity that can be found in Boothill's story. Moving on, when considering the meaning of snow within literature, Boothill being found as a child specifically hits even deeper. While his age is never specified in this dialogue, the point still stands that he was a child and it's a commonly acknowledged fact that children are one of the purest and most innocent beings that exist. A pure and innocent being found in the snow, which already symbolizes those exact same concepts, solidifies the fact that Boothill started out as someone with pure intentions and in my opinion, is still a very pure-hearted individual. While his innocence has been shattered beyond repair and his actions and beliefs are more morally grey, he has pure intentions and you can't deny that, no matter how hard the IPC and he himself tries to portray otherwise. When we get to meet Boothill as a child, he even states that he has no intentions to take someone's life. A pure and innocent statement (OUGH MY BABY I LOVE HIM)

New Beginnings: If you pay close attention to Boothill's story, another common factor you'll notice is that he is almost always starting over from scratch, one way or the other. Arguably, the very first new beginning he has is when he's found in the snow as a child. Now, while we aren't given any clues as to the exact circumstances behind him being left in the snow, it still shows that whatever life he had with his biological parents has concluded. Him being found by Nick and Graey signals the start of a new life where he gets adopted by the two and lives a comfortable and carefree life on a farm with the pair and his siblings. Once he grows up, Boothill even makes a name for himself and garners a lot of respect and high status amongst his community due to his immense courage (my brave king). However, when the IPC lands on Aeragan-Epharshel do we begin to start reaching the conclusion to Boothill's life as Loaded Gun (keep in mind that he himself separates these two identities and views them as two separate people). When the bombs drop from the heavens, everything is crushed and burnt to ashes and Boothill loses everything that he once knew and held dear. I'd argue that Boothill even lost himself in this tragedy, hence why he says the man he used to be is dead. From the ashes, Boothill starts anew. He starts out a new life, creates a new identity and embarks on a new mission and path. What are ashes if not just a morbid form of snow? Basically, Boothill being found in the snow as a child foreshadows how throughout his entire life, he will continue to have to start over from scratch with nothing to his name but the tattered clothes on his back.

Transformation: This is perhaps the most recognizable theme in Boothill's story and also ties in with how white lilies symbolize rebirth. As we've already established, Boothill doesn't consider himself to be the same man that he used to be. The man known as Loaded Gun is dead and laid to rest amongst his loved ones. And while you can see echoes and traces of who he used to be in his character design and personality, the point still stands that the tragedy of Aeragan-Epharshel caused Boothill to transform into someone else entirely, both literally and figuratively. He transforms his old body into one made of metal with the sole intention of maiming and getting revenge and justice. He picks out a new name and transforms himself into a walking grave for his planet and a harbinger of vengeance. Vengeance is a dish best served cold and what's colder than the very snow he was found in? The snow serves as a foreshadower for the drastic transformations in Boothill's life.

Death and Emptiness: I don't believe this one needs any further explanation. Death is a constant theme in Boothill's story. Growing up on a farm means he must've become familiar with the concept of death and grief at a very early age (due to animals dying). It's mentioned countless times that in gunfights with other gangs, Boothill had seen his friends dying and even had several close calls himself. Boothill's experience with death escalates further when the IPC arrives and the natives turn to guerilla warfare through which he loses several members of his tribe and family until the final blow comes in the form of cannonfire from the heavens. All of these experience undoubtedly left Boothill as an empty husk of who he once used to be (before he throws that empty shell away as well). Once again, the snow foreshadowed these themes and events in his life.

Now, using all this snow symbolism, I wanna circle back to a voiceline from the 2.6 quest from the man himself: "For the good-hearted, death keeps their purity intact." This single line could in-fact, be used to sum up Boothill's entire lore. Boothill is a good-hearted person, pure even. The circumstances in which he was found in strengthens that fact. The death of Loaded Gun, albeit metaphorical, has kept that man's purity intact. This is because Boothill sheds that identity, starts from scratch and transforms himself into the Galaxy Ranger that we all know and love today. Through shedding his past identity, Boothill manages to keep the past, which he considers pure, undisturbed and untainted by the actions that he ends up taking as time passes by.

Hoyoverse as a company has several shortcomings but their story-telling is truly amazing when executed properly and Boothill is a prime example of that. The sheer amount of detail and nuance in his character and lore genuinely makes me cry. I love him so much <33

[bluepeachstudios]

Im so sorry to ask this but when is ghost in the shell updating again? I just finished my third re-read of part one and what is posted of part two and I’m just staring longingly at the chapters thingy on ao3 waiting for it to show an update

No idea! I've been working on it but it's been slow going due to personal stuff happening. Once it does start updating, it should be uploaded once a week until the end of the series. I write all the chapters in big chunks, then post them. It helps me keep the story straight and drop in foreshadowing and other such hints and symbolism!

I'm currently around the drone races, but a lot of episodes are going to be skipped from season 2. I'm debating even doing the drone races, to be honest... There's a lot of episodes I could do short stories of later, but for now, I might just focus on the main stuff...

[pinkytoothlesso11]

Hello, Pinky! Do you think Trollhunters was trying to foreshadow Troll!Jim happening at some point?

I was doing a re-ratch of the series when I noticed two things:

The second episode of Becoming showed the conversation taking place in the bathroom of the Lake household.

At first, I dismissed it, but then I noticed Jim was cornered in the bathroom a second time in "Win or Lose Draal".

Plus, the show always commented on him or the others being human.

Oohh I DEFINITELY think that Trollhunters was trying to foreshadow Jim's transformation into a half troll!

I never thought about the significance of Jim being cornered in the bathroom twice though. Maybe there is some symbolism there about Jim being pretty helpless in those situations... and yes of course every character at one point voices their opinion on a human Trollhunter... but I don't necessarily think that was foreshadowing in the early stages of the story.

However I think it becomes a LOT more telling late season 2 onwards. Hunter Jim in Hero of a thousand faces telling Jim he'd have to choose between the two worlds for one. And also Jim's fear in the deep of becoming a beast, which... that did happen in Wizards.

And then Strickler and Nomura being worried that Jim's humanity would get him killed as a big one. Now, I don't think Strickler nor Nomura wanted Jim to become something else, as Strickler was genuinely horrified when he somehow realised what Merlin had done. But he DID think that Jim's kind nature would be trampled on and Gunmar would use it against him. Which... I mean he was right, even Merlin says Strickler was right. And I don't think he likes changelings lol.

And Gunmar WAS using Jim's kindness and humanity against him. Through the Decimaared Draal. Because Jim refused to kill him despite Gunmar using him to try and kill him. Draal himself would rather have died than be made a living puppet.

Back to Strickler wanting Jim to be strong enough to face Gunmar. Strickler was so scared of Jim dying that he overcompensated in training him, leading to the Gravesand incident. It was stupid and reckless, and I'm pretty sure Strickler acted out of desperation. And obviously it backfired and Strickler seemed to have backed off a bit. I do still think he was training Jim, he says so much to Merlin after all, but I don't think he was saying any more that Jim needed to be more ruthless, Jim breaking Strickler out of the Gravesand drug high proved that to him.

However, I do think Jim needed to become half-troll, even if it turned out to not be forever. Gunmar was simply too strong and Jim was only human, no matter if he had the fighting spirit for going against Gunmar. Plus, Merlin expecting Jim to be older and taller seems to acknowledge that Merlin saw Jim as a troll during Wizards and was making sure a time paradox didn't happen.

[moattemptstoarticulate]

"We need more complex characters!" You guys couldn't even handle Gale Hawthorne.

This is going to be a controversial post and probably very long, but I am and have always been a Gale Hawthorne defender. Not necessarily an apologist but I am a firm believer that the amount of hate he receives through-out the series is largely unwarranted.

I do think this is partially due to the fact that a lot of people who read the books did so when they were too young to fully understand the message. It being marketed as a young adult uprising story, similar to other dystopian series released at the time meant that the critique of politics and war theory wasn’t something entirely comprehensible to the audience it was aimed at. This is partially why Gale versus Peeta is minimised to a simple love triangle when it holds so much more nuance than that. 

As I said, what a lot of people seem to do when we look at Peeta versus Gale is treat it entirely as a love triangle and minimise the nuance of the two characters and how they work against each other. Both are symbols of the two sides of war and in my opinion are meant to show Katniss a middle ground in her morals and what are the "justified" lengths someone is willing to take in order to achieve relative peace and freedom.

From the beginning of the trilogy we get an idea of the society that these characters live in which I believe is best shown through the tesserae system. Immediately it is apparent to the audience that district twelve is in extreme poverty with food being used as a manipulation tactic by the capitol. Gale, with his father dead and three younger siblings, is forced to have his name in the reaping forty-two times. This sets-up the world view that will shape these two characters and their paths for the rest of the books. They live in a system where you must pick between starving to death or increase your risk of dying in the arena. Gale is quick to condemn the capitol and suggest a way to rebel, saying he and Katniss should run away. Katniss at the beginning of the books has become complicit in a system she cannot change. She doesn’t think that voicing her anger will change anything and so she opts to stay quiet, this causes her to turn down Gale’s wishful request by pointing out the lack of practicality in his plan. Suzanne Collins, with this unsuspecting conversation, foreshadows Gale’s role in the books and in Katniss’ life.

Inherently Peeta serves as Katniss’ moral compass or conscience. There are a lot of subtle ways this dynamic is shown with Peeta. His hope, altruism and kindness shows Katniss one outlook on war and oppression during the course of the books. We see it first when he gives Katniss the bread from the bakery. A small but kind offer with no expectations which isn’t often seen in district twelve due to the society they function in. I also find it interesting that everyone Peeta kills through-out the books is either out of self-defense or mercy. He refuses to engage in violence as that’s what the Capitol wants. This mindset is persistent throughout the books. Peeta isn’t opposed to the revolution but he is firm in his stance that they should always do everything in their power to do the right thing and he believes that violence and sacrifice is not the right thing.

If we look at Peeta as Katniss’ conscience/moral compass, we can look at Gale as her sense of justice and rage. Gale, like Peeta, actually seems to be a very loving character, raising his family after his fathers death, Putting his name into the reaping a multitude of times in order to feed them and his love for Katniss (which he definitely had even if he didn’t do so in the best manner) The first real thing we learn about him past being Katniss' friend is that he is sacrificing his safety to feed his family. From the beginning we know Gale hates the Capitol and wants to rebel and after Katniss goes into the games he is forced to play along with Capitol propaganda, get brutally punished by Peacekeepers and watches district twelve get destroyed. His disdain is only amplified as the books go on and the tyranny of the Capitol persists. He believes that the ends always justify the means, even if it means extreme violence and sacrifice. He is incredibly angry and having not met anyone from the Capitol like Katniss and Peeta, struggles to humanise the casualties of the war.

Both of these outlooks are shown very clearly in the Mockingjay. Despite Peeta not agreeing with a violent rebellion, what I feel convinces Katniss to partake in it is when she sees Peeta on TV after being kidnapped by the Capitol. As I’ve established I feel Peeta is representing her conscience and what is considered the “right thing” to do. Katniss is convinced to join the rebellion in order to save her conscience, Peeta. Joining the rebellion, which Gale is a major part of, is the first time I think we see Suzanne Collins trying to convey that neither side is “right” and that to win a war there needs to be a middle ground.

Katniss is us as we watch both viewpoints and decide where we fall on this spectrum. We are shown the downsides of both ideologies. With Peeta getting hijacked and Gale getting dubbed the "Prim Reaper" by fans. As I’ve said Peeta isn’t un-political, but contrary to Gale he tries to rebel without violence but manipulation of the media. We see Peeta waving out the window of the train trying to charm Panem and again in the interview he plays along with Caesar's jokes. He aims to humanise himself and Katniss to Capitol citizens when he mentions the crush he has on her. He does so again when he says his infamous “if it wasn’t for the baby” line. Now I could give an in depth discussion on the commentary behind this line alone but not today. The main point I’m getting at is that Peeta knows how to play the media. We see that after this line, suddenly the Capitol citizens no longer agree with the Quarter Quell or the idea of the hunger games.

Peeta becomes a beloved figure because he does not blatantly voice his rebellion. It’s so subtle that the Capitol Citizens see him as complying to the regime with a joking smile as he discusses something as mundane as the smell of the showers. He talks about how the showers in the Capitol are much nicer. He is playing up to the idea that Capitol citizens believe, that they should feel lucky to be where they are and be treated so nicely. They are not aware, unlike Snow and the other tributes, that everything Peeta says in an act of subtle rebellion. He comes across as humble and charming and a little cheeky. In TBOSAS Snow comes up with ideas to get more people to watch the games. A quote directly from him explains why Peeta’s tactic works so well.

“If we need people to watch we should be letting them get closer to the tributes before the games. To make the stakes personal.”

Peeta never clearly insults or condemns the Capitol making it so no one can recognise his want for a revolution. He becomes personable and likable in order to plant the seeds in the minds of the viewers by being outwardly complicit yet lacing it with a message. When he says that he can never be with his crush because they’ve both gone into the arena together, it saddens the citizens who are rooting for him because even if he does win, his crush dies in the arena, and if he doesn’t he never gets to be with her to begin with. To the viewers it's a movie and you root for a character (much like it is to us as the audience) but in their world, their favourite tribute dying doesn’t hold weight in the same way it doesn’t hold weight to us because at the end of the day they are fictional characters. This perpetuates what we already know, that the Capitol citizens are so desensitised that the tributes aren't real lives or people. There is definitely a message behind this but this post is already ridiculously long so I’ll save that for another time.

We know that the citizens don’t react well to condemnation when Johanna and Beetee speak negatively upon the Quarter Quell and we hear the crowd getting angry. Peeta takes the same approach that garnered him sympathy and love in his first interview when mentioning his crush on Katniss. In "Catching Fire" he says  the line “We’ve been luckier than most. I’d have no regrets at all.” This is him once again playing humble and lovable and he makes sure never to blame or speak negatively about the Capitol or the Games themselves. When he says “if it weren’t for the baby.” it doesn’t come across as rebellious but as a genuine unfortunate coincidence. Peeta is an adored undercover Rebel who the media and Capitol Citizens trust to be loyal and well-meaning and also put on a good show

Whilst this tactic worked well in Catching Fire, with Capitol Citizens needing to be mollified, not because of someone speaking negatively about them but because they are genuinely enraged at the circumstances, it is used against him when he is hijacked and he is forced to ask for a Ceasefire in an interview with Snow. Because he is now seen as a trusted Capitol Darling who is known to perform well on TV, no one suspects that he might be saying these things under duress. Seeing this interview pushes Katniss to be the symbol of the revolution. Her symbolic conscience is having his own non-violent form of rebellion used against him and also getting tortured and in order to save him she realises that sometimes violence is necessary.

SOMETIMES being the key point and why Gale is there to show that the other side of the spectrum is not good either. I feel like a lot of people like to point out that Peeta also lived in district twelve and didn’t react in the same way that Gale did. I need to point out that whilst both of them grew up in poor conditions, Peeta lived in the Merchant’s village as the Baker’s son. This is not to say that he didn’t have a hard life. Katniss learns that they couldn’t afford most of the ingredients they baked with and lived off of stale left-overs but we can also infer that the family was never so poor that they were on the brink of starvation like Katniss and Gale have faced. (The way I’m speaking implies that I think the food conditions for anyone in twelve or the other districts were okay. They were not, I’m speaking relative to the world and characters in this conversation.) Gale, in order to put food on the table had to sacrifice his chance of safety from the arena and have his name in the reaping forty-two times and I think this gives an interesting differential between the two when we’re discussing why they took such different paths in their reaction and stance on the rebellion.

Gale believes that anything they have to do in order to take down the Capitol is necessary, even if that means sacrificing people along the way. He is one of the leading voices of the rebellion and chosen to be Katniss’ right hand when she agrees to become the symbol for it. He is the total extreme of the measures one is willing to take and we see Katniss struggle with this a lot. Suzanne Collins took Peeta out of Katniss’ life in the books as a way to explore Gale’s ideology more. With her conscience gone, it leaves Katniss to decide on her own what she deems just action in this fight. The longer Peeta is away the more violence we see Katniss use. When the rebellion goes to district eight, we see her fighting as the circumstance permits. The difference between Katniss and Gale is that Gale doesn’t see the Capitol citizens as people but as numbers to win the war. I honestly don’t think this is absolutely crazy for him to do. Gale, unlike Katniss and Peeta, has never met anyone from the Capitol, and hasn't had the opportunity to humanise them like they have. Given that the Capitol are the people who view the deaths of the children from the district as entertainment and who put them in that environment, I find it hard not to be sympathetic to his outlook. It is not to say it is the right outlook but one I think can be understood.

There's a point in the book where Katniss comes across a Capitol citizen and when she goes to speak in order to warn people of their arrival. Katniss shoots her through the heart. She does this to the woman because if she doesn’t, they will almost certainly be caught, tortured and killed. Before she does this she describes how the woman looks. She isn’t just a number to Katniss, she is a human who she has killed. This is one of the best examples of the middle ground of the book and poses a question. Was it morally justified for Katniss to kill this woman? Most of us would say yes given the alternative. This is Katniss straying towards Gale’s view where the ends justify the means but the description of her beforehand, the humanising, that’s Peeta pulling her back to the middle. Yes, the woman had to be killed in order to protect Katniss and the rebels but she also acknowledges that it was A PERSON she killed, not a just another tally mark in aid of ending the Capitol.

It’s now time to discuss what we’ve all been waiting for. Prim Reaper.

Now, this is one of those conversations that I don’t think I’ll win anyone over if you don’t already agree with it to begin with. I do not think that Gale is the person to blame for Prim’s death. He was definitely complicit in it with the creation of the bomb, but if that’s the reason everyone blames him for her death, why not blame Beetee too? I also think it's worthy to note that Gale did not authorise the attack that killed Prim. We learn that he didn’t even know it was a plan, and it places doubt on whether it was actually Gale’s technology that killed her in the first place. The reason Suzanne Collins killed Prim was to show, like with Peeta getting hijacked, that too much of one ideology will eventually result in failure. Killing Prim, a character we know, rather than a group of random healers, portrays this enough for both Katniss and us as the audience to entirely rule out Gale as a plausible option in both his war tactics and as a love interest. Prim’s death is when Katniss, through personal loss, realises that whilst violence is necessary, sacrifice to the extent that Gale views as sufficient is no longer justified but rage fuelled vengeance.

To me, blaming Gale for Prim’s death is like blaming the gun rather than the person who pulled the trigger. Gale is as much of a victim of the Capitol as anyone else in the books. He becomes a ruthless revolutionary not because he is a horrible bloodthirsty monster but because he is a teenager raised in a society where he’s always been forced to make sacrifices in order to keep himself and his family alive. If the Capitol and the games did not exist, Gale would never have been in an environment where he had to become so desensitised. Is he a good person? No, but is he a bad one? Definitely not. He is there to show how any extreme ultimately results in disaster, as is Peeta.

The scene where Katniss shoots Coin and leaves Snow to be mauled to death by the citizens is where this attitude is best shown. The suggestion of a game for the Capitol children is completely obscene to Katniss. She knows that Coin is extremely similar to Snow. One could say they’re two sides of the same coin…! She chooses to kill Coin in order to achieve peace. These are the two ideologies finally settling in the middle ground. Ending the cycle of violence to achieve peace with one final violent act. It’s hard to predict how the books would’ve concluded without Gale. Would Katniss have rebelled so publicly in catching fire were it not for Gale’s influence? Would she agree to be the Mockingjay? Would Peeta’s rescue mission be successful if Gale hadn’t been the first to volunteer for the team? Would Katniss have shot that citizen or let their location be given up and have it ultimately result in their death and torture? Would she have killed Coin or let the tyrannical cycle continue? Obviously I can’t answer any of these questions because we simply don’t know what the books or Katniss would look like without Gale’s presence because he is important. He is fundamental in the war efforts, whether his actions are ethical or not.

I think the final note I want to leave is what Katniss thinks the final time we see Gale in the trilogy. Katniss, right before she goes to kill Snow and ultimately decides to kill Coin, speaks to Gale in the aftermath of Prim’s death. He hands her the arrow she’s meant to use, which I think is symbolic, the final act of violence handed off to her by her sense of vengeance before they never see each other again. After he leaves she thinks. 

“I want to call him back and tell him that I was wrong. That I'll figure out a way to make peace with this. To remember the circumstances under which he created the bomb. Take into account my own inexcusable crimes. Dig up the truth about who dropped the parachutes. Prove it wasn’t the rebels. Forgive him. But since I can’t, I guess I’ll just have to deal with the pain.” 

Katniss can’t forgive him because it’s just too personal, but she understands why he did what he did, knows that he did what he felt he had to do in the situation he was dealt. Do you really think Suzanne Collins aimed to villainise Gale? I don’t think so. She is too complex a writer to make us hate a victim of oppression. Katniss’ thoughts after their final interaction doesn’t scream to me that she thinks Gale is a villain of the story. Just another victim who ultimately went too far in their attempt to reach their goal. The line “Remember who the real enemy is.” is so consistent through-out the series that it baffles me that people have decided they hate Gale more than Coin or Snow. Gale Hawthorne is by no means a perfect person, no one in this book is. But he is not a bad person either, he’s simply a boy who couldn't see the middle ground through his need for vengeance against an oppressive power.

All that being said I may have completely missed and I am entirely open to hearing opposing opinions of this discussion. These books are so complex and there is no way I could do an entire in depth analogy of Gale or Peeta or their environment. That being said I hop you enjoyed my attempt to articulate my thoughts on Gale

[cute-little-fly]

Vassago and Stolitz Season 3 theory

This mini-theory is a further elaboration from this post made by @timkontheunsure that just…. popped out into my head today at 1 am when I was struggling to go to sleep, because of a fic I read before going to bed. LMAO.

Basically, what this post and the discussion around it said, was the possibility that Vassago was going to offer Stolas a home or better living conditions. Why Vassago would to come for Stolas until later, or what his relationship was with Stolas is yet to be seen. Or if will happen in this way we envision or not (might be related to something about Octavia too?). Guess we will see.

All of this idea came from this drawing:

For me, this drawing seems to be what each member of the IMP is going to think about Vassago, and like the original post said, is a tease or a future episode.

For me this makes sense. Millie is gonna love him, because he is happy and extroverted like she is. Moxxie might feel intimidated? Maybe because he is also kind of a theater boy, and that might make him feel inadequate, OR he might be distressed because how Blitzø acts and sees the situation. Blitzø is going to be… jealous I guess 🤭, or doubt his real intentions because he is a royal and besides his prejudice he doubts someone is willing to help Stolas after how everything happened in the trial.

Now, with this in mind… the theory.

Harriet… Don’t go into that train. It’s going to London and I cannot be without you.

We all know Helluva Boss uses a lot of foreshadowing, and there are lots of moments that are in response to others or that tease what is going to happen. We already know this while we watched, and we have spotted a lot of moments in mastermind and Sinsmas that are a direct response of the monologue Stolas gave to Blitzø at the party.

Usually, people remember the moment: “Harriet, don’t go into that train I cannot be without you” and relate that to this scene:

While it can be related a lot symbolically… I think this doesn’t relate perfectly with the Harriet moment because this… isn’t necessarily romantic. Blitzø would react the same if they had Loona in there or MyM.

This scene means that Blitzø cares about Stolas as much to be completely devastated if he dies. Even if Blitzø didn’t felt true love for Stolas, he also wouldn’t like him to die.

So for me this scene is more a response to this specific:

Because yes… Stolas has never felt that the people around him care about his basic wellbeing, or if he is alive or not (except for Octavia but, she is his daughter and she depends and relies on him. It’s not the same being cared about just for the sake of it without anything in exchange).

Since he is strong and immortal everyone think he should handle everything, and actually… his circle, the royals, the majority wouldn’t really care if he stays or goes.

I think this comment is not even meant for Stolas to have this by his romantic partner specifically. I think that in general he feels no one cares about him as a being, and what could happen to him. Even if he and Stella don’t get along, it must suck to see how the person you have lived with during years would attempt to kill you. That’s fucked.

So, I think that this moment here:

Is teasing the romantic development of Stolitz in Season 3.

We still are going to have some angst for Season 3, but it’s going to be a romcom.

I think that Stolas and Blitzø will be on good terms, pinning for each other during some time. None of them will dare to say anything.

Blitzø would never feel it’s the right moment to talk or iniciate something romantic because Octavia isn’t there.

Stolas would think Blitzø might feel in debt with him and that he is being a burden on his home, and that he should eventually leave.

During this time, other things might happen and they might grow closer or learn more about each other. About Blitzø’s past maybe? Barb will surely come to the series in Season 3. Millie’s pregnancy will come too. Blitzø might crumble to the pressure of everything. A lot of things might happen before or after this, even if now Blitzø knows he is loved will… make him feel pressured to give his entire being to everyone, and Stolas might be the person he is holding onto for strength. I think he has done this unconsciously before.

So… I think that Vassago might grow closer to Stolas, when he starts to get near them, and will end up offer him a home or a better place to go.

Stolas won’t want to leave, because besides Blitzø, he already feels comfortable with Loona and his life in the Office. After having no one, being in this family is gonna meant a lot to him.

But he will feel compelled to accept, because he doesn’t know if Blitzø is being nice and really okay with him staying so long because he is thankful, so he won’t want to “burden” Blitzø further. Vassago it’s going to be also a great guy and a friend that could help him further with Octavia and his situation. So, he will accept.

Blitzø will be like: okay if you want to go and have a better life you should. So he won’t say a thing. He won’t want to be selfish and he knows things are crowded in the appartment and all of that. Blitzø will be insecure and suspect Vassago and Stolas might have feelings for each other, so there is also going to be a component of Blitzø feeling he is better off with another Prince.

However… when Stolas just leaves Blitzø won’t be able to take it. He will chase Stolas and say the words (or something similar). The confession might include everything about their relationship and how he really felt back then.

A lot of people believe Blitzø would never go into those lengths to confess to someone knowing they might have another better person because of his own self hatred.

While I think this idea makes sense… wouldn’t it be crazy (in a good way) if we have a situation where Blitzø would dare to do it?

This precisely would be the thing that would make this scenario even more compelling. Blitzø doesn’t necessarily feel deserving on him, but he won’t just be able to be without Stolas, so he will go against all those voices of his head in a big crazy impulse. Because being without Stolas would be more painful than that. It might be also because Loona and the rest won’t want Stolas to leave either, or someone encouraging him to do that step.

[izanna]

I’m taking over this theory since I helped with it, I will not tolerate hate or harassment from EITHER side of the ships. If you are an Elriel and you don’t like this theory, MOVE ON. It was made in fun to troll and then we found merit in it and actually had fun with it.

If you are a GA and you don’t like this theory

That’s okay but respectfully move the fuck on, yall didn’t wanna claim it until we did this.

And for anyone who comes at me saying because that would make Gwyn evil and the evil elriels only said it to make Gwyn evil, a vast majority of elriels do not think Gwyn is evil even if she is a LS.

The current and most recent theory is that LightSingers will probably be like Suriel. Misunderstood because that is what SJM does commonly with her creatures.

A vast majority of elriels believe Gwyn if she is a lightsinger does not know and her powers are unintended.

While my friend did write this up; the hate she received was unjustified and disgraceful from every side. So I will take it all. if you're going to be rude, say it with your chest. my asks are open, and you can comment all you want. I won't respond to anons tho ;) you might as well be invisible dirt to me if you ask anything hateful anonymously.

Link for the OG theory post down below. 👇🏼

Now, obviously, there isn’t solid evidence for this, but hear me out. Lightsingers are described as lovely, ethereal beings—charming, beautiful, seemingly harmless. They can lure someone into their trap. Which, okay, is not something Elain has done yet, but let’s be real—if anyone in this series has the range to be cute and terrifying at the same time, it’s her.

And if we’re going with the idea that each Archeron sister has a symbolic “sister peak” to conquer—Feyre’s was Under the Mountain, Nesta’s was Ramiel—then Elain’s might be the Prison. Which would make a lot of sense if she had some kind of power to soothe or control the monsters lurking inside.

Another thing about Elain is that she is always associated with light. She’s the loveliest and most beautiful of the Archeron sisters, the one described as “a face that could bring kings to their knees.” And yet, despite all of this delicate imagery, we know she’s capable of violence when necessary. Perhaps not as a warrior with a sword, but with her own deadly ability.

Which brings me to the thing that made this theory really click for me: the phrase from the Book of Breathings that’s been haunting me. Love me. Touch me. Sing me. Feyre is love. Nesta is touch. And Elain… is sing.

Think about how Truth-Teller was described as a “bridge” between light and dark, between death and the lovely fawn. Azriel, a literal shadowsinger, paired with Elain, a lightsinger? Two beings who balance each other in ways no one else could? It’s the ultimate yin-yang dynamic, two sides of the same coin, opposites that only make sense together.

And this is where it gets even more interesting. In House of Sky and Breath, there’s a moment where a six-pointed star is described: “Two intersecting triangles. Male and female, dark and light, above and below … and the power that lies in the place where they meet.”

That six-pointed star represents balance—two forces that seem opposite but are, in truth, complementary. And when we apply that same concept to the ACOTAR world, we get something eerily familiar: the three sisters and the three brothers. Feyre and Rhys, Nesta and Cassian, Elain and Azriel. All of them marked by power in some way, by a connection to darkness and light, by abilities that—when combined—could be necessary for something far greater in either this next book or the one after it.

One last thing to think on: in ACOWAR, Feyre looks at a painting she once made of the Spring Court and realizes, “The painting was a lie. A bright, pretty lie, bursting with pale pink blooms and fat beams of sunshine.” What if that line wasn’t just about the Spring Court? What if it was foreshadowing Elain? A character who appears soft and lovely and warm—who is those things—but who also holds something capable of darkness beneath the surface? The whole “fanged beast and trembling fawn” duality?

I don’t know. I just think it would be so interesting. We’d understand more about lightsingers and shadowsingers, we’d get to see a whole different side of Elain, and it would cement her and Azriel as two halves of a whole. Light and Darkness. Not just opposites, but the kind of opposites that cannot exist without each other.

The true fated pair.

[animebookworm16]

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

Lucy always survives. She is also consequently always left behind. The other characters are always protecting her, always making sure she has the biggest chance of survival. Even in the Grand Magic Games Arc, when we see Future Lucy, while she isn't the only one from that future left alive (see Future Rogue), she is the only one from Fairy Tail.

Not to mention she is always following the lives of the other members of Fairy Tail. Whether it's the very start with her reading about them in Sorcerer's Weekly, or later on when she literally has a red string conspiracy board tracking all of them after the guild is disbanded

Add to that the way it is somewhat implied (if this isn't a thing from fanon that I'm confusing for canon) that the book she's writing throughout the entire series is in fact the story of Fairy Tail.

It feels kind of like there might have been foreshadowing that Lucy was meant to be the sole survivor that would go on to tell the story of her generation of Fairy Tail.

I don't know it just feels like there's a lot of symbolism in the fact that she's a writer who fights using constellations, literally stories of the stars, and works in a guild called Fairy Tail. It feels like there could have been a very bittersweet ending where Lucy is using her adventures with Natsu, Grey, Erza, Wendy, and Happy as a fairy tale for the next generation.

[shieldstable]

False Kings: Visual analysis of Seth Rollin's get up on Raw 4/28/2025

We all know that Seth is very intentional with what he wears, and lately I've noticed that there's a lot of visual story telling going on within his outfits. (Sometimes even foreshadowing/spoiling big moment — such as The Shield-like outfit on Raw 14/4/2025 before hitting Roman in the back with a chair again)

Now, a lot of this is most likely very much on purpose, King Troi has proven time and time again that he's a genius. But some of it might be me reading into things a bit more than intended. But looking for the unconscious bias a designer may have put in when trying to evoke a certain image is my bread and butter. Either way, it's fun! (And I'd like to put my field of study to good use — I might make this a series as time goes on)

(Note that I am not a fashion historian, please do correct me when I get details wrong)

Obviously, the entire outfit is extremely regal. Why wouldn't it be? Seth has declared himself king of industry, dressed the part in gold embroidery and royal blue -

The pants

Maybe the least flashy detail, but the detail I am genuinely going the most insane about. The white silken pants and shirt.

Notice how it hangs over his shoes and drags on the ground. Usually, you don't want your skirt/pants/anything dragging over the dirty ground. Especially when it's white. However, in 19th century fashion, it was common for upper-class women to wear long skirts that did drag over the ground. This is because they could afford enough clothes to wear something new every day and have the clothes be washed more often.

Seth's literally signalling that he's above the working masses now — the true upper class of the WWE universe. Which leads me to the next detail:

The top

Notice how it's really tight and very form fitting? There's a zip in the back, meaning he can't just pull it off like how normally would when readying for a fight. Compare that to the loose thank-top on Raw 4/21/2025 for example. The white colour and the silk material also mean it's extra hard to clean.

It means that, especially during that Raw segment, Seth is not planning to get his hands dirty. He's at the top, he's got people to fight for him now.

Peacock motif

The entire outfit is filled with the peacock motif. From the classes to the 13K coat (that coat alone could pay my rent for over a year, I'm obsessed)

The obvious: Royal blue, golden (hand) embroidery, perfectly tailored around the shoulders. This is an expensive coat fit for a king.

Yet, there's something about peacocks. Yes, the sunglasses look fun (camp) but it's really hard to see through them. A set of fake eyes. Sami called Seth out, that Seth's so-called “vision” somehow leads to Seth and only Seth being on top. Despite Seth's claims that it's for the good of the entire company. The eyes are not real, and he cannot actually see through them. There is no “vision”.

Peacocks also use their feather's “fake eyes” to intimidate — but it's just that. Intimidation to prevent an actual fight. Seth's got the looks, he's even got Bron Breakker to intimate for him. But it's just intimidation to make sure people fall in line and submit without actually having to go through war for it. It's not real.

Furthermore, peacocks are seen as a symbol of ill-omens. Often associated with foreboding funerals — Seth is literally trying to burry Roman and Punk — and resurrection — Seth's reshaping RAW in his own image.

Lastly, peacocks are associated with the sins pride and vanity. And well... Seth, Icarus, meet the sun. Because that is how it always goes when someone declares themselves king around these parts.

Pride will be his undoing.

Seth is literally a false king, looking through false eyes.