#my only excuse is that I’ve been watching with shipper goggles on

[wannabesewcrafty]

Valentine’s Night

Fandom: Tacoma FD (TV)

Characters: Lucy and Ike

Rating: T for one instance of language

Notes: Set after the events of 4.06 “Valentine’s Day” with spoilers for S3 and 4. “Tacoma FD” doesn’t do romance among its ensemble but the “Raiders” homage in 1.08 got me thinking about these two as a ship. Tagging: @fluffbruary

After a final shower, Lucy had changed into her civilian clothes and was standing in Station 24’s garage, debating what to do tonight when Ike acknowledged her.

“Hey, Lucy, I’m heading out,” he called as he walked past her. She nodded and gave him a wave, watching him climb into his pickup truck before deciding she had to say something.

“Hey, Ike.” She jogged over to his driver’s side door, and he looked down at her, the door held half-open.

“I’m sorry you missed working Valentine’s Day at the club this year.” She knew he needed the tips, having had his savings wiped out. Twice.

“Aw, it’s okay,” he assured her with his usual good humor. “I got to spend the day with you.”

Something about the open, frank manner in which he said this made butterflies appear in Lucy’s stomach.

“Uh, thanks,” she mumbled, instantly feeling like a fool. Seeking to correct her lame reply, she quickly followed up with “You doing anything later?”

A hesitant look crossed his face. “Yeah, I was gonna go out…”

She held up her hands to stop him. “Got it.”

“Oh, no, but you could come with!” he said, the words spilling out in an excited rush.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With that, he leaned over to his right and opened the passenger door for her from the inside.

She climbed up and they buckled themselves in.

Lucy had been expecting to head to a bar or a club, but Ike drove them out to a skatepark of all places.

He parked in a lot and as Lucy got out, she shot him a look.

“You skate?” she asked, trying to picture him wearing a helmet and pads on a skateboard and biting back a laugh at the image.

“Nah,” he said with a laugh of his own as they ascended the slope of an embankment. “I just like to come up here sometimes.”

They reached the crest of the rise and Lucy couldn’t help a gasp as she stared out at the view before them. The lights from the city twinkled far off in the distance while in front of her, a series of concrete skating ramps were laid out in an alternating pattern from left to right. A few skaters were flying back and forth on three of the ramps. The skateboarder at the top of the ramp closest to them, a boy wearing elbow and knee pads and a blue helmet, paused to adjust his chinstrap and nodded at Ike.

“What’s up, old man?” he said in greeting. “Whoa, you brought a girlfriend?” he added as he noticed Lucy behind Crystal.

“Hey!” she snapped as she marched toward him. “Show some respect, you little asswipe!”

Blue Helmet let out a chuckle and just skated away from her down the ramp.

She huffed, using her annoyance to distract from the fact that she hadn’t corrected the kid’s assumption that she and Ike were dating. Neither did Ike, a small voice inside her said, making her butterflies return.

“Can you believe him?” she asked her fellow firefighter, shaking her head.

“Yeah, no, Kyle’s not that bad. That ‘old man’ thing’s kind of a joke. Besides, he hasn’t met Cap.”

“Or my dad,” she muttered.

“And he’s nothing compared to Hunter.”

Lucy had to agree, and she let the subject drop.

They settled themselves on a strip of grass at the edge of the park, Ike alternating between watching the skaters practice doing tricks on the ramps and looking up at the sky or out at the lights of Tacoma in the distance. Lucy followed suit but she also snuck glances at the handsome man beside her.

As the sun set, the air turned colder, and Lucy’s jean jacket over her black dress didn’t afford her much protection from it. She found herself nestling into Ike for warmth and shelter from the wind as they lounged side-by-side on the grass. He wore a beige workman’s jacket that Lucy had never seen before, and he shrugged out of his left sleeve to share it with her without being asked. She gave a contented sigh when she felt the jacket’s thick flannel lining drape over her shoulders and back, cocooning her in warmth and the scent of Ike’s…soap?

“You’re not wearing cologne?”

“Nah, I’m not working at the club tonight.”

“Well, thanks for sharing your jacket with me,” she said quietly, not wanting to disturb the comfortable atmosphere between them.

“Anytime.”

Now that they were talking again, she let her curiosity take over.

“How did you find this place?”

“Oh, a friend of Kyle’s broke his arm out here one weekend and I drove Granny over. That’s how I met Kyle—he called 911. I come back once in a while when I feel like I need some space.”

“Yeah, it’s got plenty of that,” she agreed as she adjusted the side of his jacket collar that was by her neck.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Lucy. You get any good stuff this year?”

She turned her head to look back up at him and nodded. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I think I got something really great.” A wide grin broke out across her face as she remembered her conversation with her parents, and she raised her hand for a high five, which Ike happily returned.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ike.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and went back to watching the skateboarders fly by against the backdrop of the darkening sky.

[miasswier]

miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 8

8: Hold on to Sixteen

Written by: Ross Maxwell Directed by: Bradley Buecker

Overall Thoughts: I don’t know how Glee did it. I don’t know how they spent seven episodes making a giant mess of things, only to bring it all to a conclusion in one of the best episodes it ever made. And yet, they did. Somehow Glee took all those boring, messy plotlines and brought them together for one of the absolute best episodes ever. It’s amazing what the Glee writers can do when they actually set their mind to it.

What I Like:

Where to even begin?

Oh, I know, MY BOY SAM EVANS IS BACK

The amount of interactions that Quinn has with women in this episode! Rachel, Shelby, the Troubletones… It’s amazing! And I so love how it was Rachel who managed to talk Quinn out of her ridiculousness, and then Quinn used that to get Rachel to help her bring the Troubletones back.

Going off this, fuck do I love it that it was Quinn who brought the Troubletones back. It would have been so easy to have made it Finn who did, but thank god they didn’t. I love that scene in the bathroom, and I love that Quinn knows her friends well enough to pre-emptively ask Rachel and Schue about the Troubletones doing a number for competitions. I just love that whole scene, okay?

I know it’s a little happily-ever-after, but fuck if I care, I fucking love how Mike’s story ended up! He didn’t get as much focus as the rest of the plots during these eight episodes, but I’m glad they gave him several scenes to work his plot out. It didn’t feel rushed, which allowed it to be really emotional. Mike’s face when he sees his dad arrive in “ABC” always gets me.

Tina is also the best girlfriend ever and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

Even though it was also a much smaller plot (much, much smaller), I’m glad they resolved the Blaine/Finn tension. It also happens to make for an awesome scene where Blaine is super angry and super tiny and Finn is so tall and trying to calm him down. Love it.

That it was Santana’s decision to allow the New Directions to join Troubletones if the Troubletones won. It’s such a small detail, but it makes it so much more powerful.

At the strip club when Sam sees Rachel and is like “Rach-RACHEL” and gets all wide-eyed

Sam’s dad being Clark’s dad from Smallville

It’s so funny seeing Blaine and Sam be at odds when you know that they’ll become ultimate BFFs as the seasons go on.

Blaine wagging his finger during “Red Solo Cup” and Kurt looking at him and asking “What’s wrong with you?”

Honestly just Kurt’s judgemental looks during “Red Solo Cup” while everyone gets super into it

The fact that Santana actually kept a notebook of burns for Sam when he came back. Like I’ve said before – Sam and Santana had such a great opportunity to be frenemies, and it sucks they didn’t use it as much as they could have.

The music is so awesome in this episode.

That short scene with Kurt, Blaine, and Sebastian. It’s particularly funny because it makes me think of that Glee crack video where Kurt is like “I don’t like you” and then that song that’s like “I don’t like that bitch” starts playing. I always hear it in my head when I watch that scene.

Barely any Will!

When Sam is telling Quinn about that John Mellencamp song and Quinn is like “please don’t sing”

Sam and Mercedes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! End my entire fucking existence I love those two so goddamn much

I absolutely love the imagery in “We Are Young” of Santana standing by herself after everyone has had somebody come and bring them back into the Glee club, and then Rachel comes over and brings her home. I saw a post (that I can’t currently find) that talks about this in detail, about how much it must have hurt Santana that everyone was so upset over Mercedes and Brittany leaving ND but nobody seemed to care about her. Then all that shit goes down with Finn and her coming out, and it just becomes this giant mess, and she feels so alone, like nobody really cares. And then, this. Everyone is welcomed back, but nobody comes to get Santana. She stands alone, asking someone to carry her home. So Rachel comes, and carries her home.

What I Don’t Like:

Shelby’s scene with Quinn always leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. She talks down to her, and basically excuses her bad behaviour with Puck. Honestly? Quinn had every right to tell Figgins about Shelby and Puck. What she did was wrong. I’m not sure if it’s actually illegal, but seeing as she’s in a position of power over Puck it makes consent a bit dicey. This was Shelby’s mistake, and yeah, Quinn’s reasoning wasn’t really in the right place (is it ever on TV shows when teachers and students date?), but Shelby was still the one in the wrong. Shelby, and Rachel, make it sound like Quinn would be ruining Beth’s life by reporting Shelby, yet nobody stopped to think that maybe it was Shelby’s selfish and immoral actions that would ruin her daughters’ life instead.

Quinn trying to get back with Sam. I just really don’t dig that pairing, and they still look like literal siblings.

Finn and Blaine fistbumping and saying that they’ve got this during the Troubletones performance. That’s just rude.

Honestly, it was pretty rude of the Troubletones to tell ND before the competition that they’d let them into their club if ND lost. Just tell them after, sheesh.

Songs:

Red Solo Cup: A fun and cracky number. Love it.

Buenos Aires: I really like this song. Plus, Kurt’s “oh my god it’s the gerber baby” will always make me laugh.

I’m a Survivor/I Will Survive: I do like this song a lot. Really, I do. But I mean, it’s no Adele mash-up. They can’t really top that.

ABC: A fun, upbeat song to start off an awesome setlist with! I really like how Tina sang 80% of the song. Yes, Tina! Kill that solo!

Control: I really wish Blaine and Artie did more songs together. Their voices go really well. That being said, this song isn’t a personal favourite. The choreography is awesome, though.

Man in the Mirror: A great way to end off the set, and I like that all the guys who weren’t in “ABC” got a solo! I think this is the first competition in which every member of ND that is on-stage sings at least one solo line (you know, band members non-withstanding)

We are Young: Most of the time, I find end songs unnecessary. Sure, I usually enjoy them, but most of the time I don’t find that they fit the episode well enough. This one, though. This is one of maybe four end-songs that just work so fucking well. It’s so powerful, and just the setting of them all just chilling wherever they are (auditorium? I’m not really sure) and singing because they can and they want to. Then the girls come back and sing with them, and everyone just sings together and is happy and friends. Fuck. I’m not doing the feelings this song invokes in me justice. I just really, really love it.

Final Thoughts: Season three of Glee was a mess. It relied far too heavily on Finn and Rachel’s relationship, and aside from the first eight episodes didn’t seem to be very coherent. Even then, the first eight episodes were coherent, but that didn’t make them good. There are two episodes in those first eight that I purposefully re-watch. This is one of them. This is one of those episodes that I don’t watch with shipper goggles, or that I love because of one specific story. I love all the stories, I love how they all turn out, I love all the characters, I love watching it all unfold, and I love the music. It’s such a strong episode, which I still don’t understand considering what all led up to it. But it is. It really is. And I fucking love it.

[marshmallowgoop]

This isn’t something I should have edited together.

But here it is: all the messages I’ve received in the last month or so that are mean spirited and/or really hurt me (no matter how well intentioned they may have been).

After all my years of feeling invisible and like no one cares, I think I’m finally getting somewhere. I’m not just being insulted behind my back anymore.

A Tweet: sometimes following the klk tag is good and nice and sometimes you get an essay on why ryuko and senketsu are in love

by the same blog, who is upset that this is not a popular ship

I’m more worth it than ever to be insulted straight to my face.

Transcript under the cut.

EDIT: I’ve explained my reasons for posting this collage here.

“You realize some of us don’t have Tumblr accounts, we’re coming over from what we heard in the Discord, right? Surprised the self-professed shirtfucker lore god didn’t think of that. Don’t trip over your massive brain since you ‘write stuff, at times’.”

“Ragyo’s bath scene was anti-fanservice. She’s disgusting, but it’s meant to turn the gross ass men off from her that would normally be pulled into that. As much as Ryuko and Satsuki are independent, strong lesbian women, so is Ragyo. She’s completely on the wrong side, morally, but geez Goop. Get it together with your points on her. I get that she’s not Senketsu but c’mon. Disappointed because I expected different.”

“senketsu raped ryuko in their first scene together. shipping them is gross.”

“If you have to outline the technical definition of ‘rape’ as it applies to a ship, it’s a bad ship. I thought you were better than this, Goop :(”

“on the fence about whether you have any fucking brain cells at all at this point”

“goops, you’re starting to stoop to the level of those that are bugging you. your last reply came off as super patronizing. i love you dude, but seeing you become as big headed as the haters is disappointing. get well soon.”

“’to quote steven universe’“

“no wonder your headcanons are so unpopular. This whole blog is a bad take

All of the women (except Sukuyo) are gay coded in that show, including the villains. It’s completely unrealistic to except them to cater to your clothesexual Kindergarten bullshit. You watched a different show than the rest of us.”

“You’re so butthurt about this Ragyou thing. Get over yourself. So what, your takes on her are shit. Talk about what you know you can write about successfully then.”

“Senketsu was made using pieces of Ryuko’s DNA. Shipping them borders on incest, it’s pretty fucked.”

“Some of us lesbians want diversity in our representation. We don’t want them all to be perfect, and we accept that we can have representation that isn’t moral just like every other sexuality. You can’t speak for everyone, especially as a non-lesbian, and declare Ragyo unfit for being a gay character. Go back to talking about the talking shirt.

LET US HAVE RAGYO WHAT THE FUCK

your latest take really hurts me, goop. i started following you awhile ago because i love kill la kill. but as a lesbian and someone that loves ragyo (while not excusing her) your claim that she is ‘too evil’ to be representation for me and my people really turns me off of this blog.

Should’ve stuck with what you know. You obviously aren’t aware of the symbolism behind Ragyo and anything about her beyond her calling Senketsu ugly.”

“Goop, giving a Tumblr link on the topic of gene splicing is the equivalent of getting your degree from the back of a cereal box. I have to agree with the other anons on Senketsu/Ryuko.”

“I can assure you no one thinks you’re a man lmfao”

“That feel when senketsu will still inevitably die at the end of the series and ryuko moves on like she’s intended to, because girls can’t wear their sailor uniforms forever. And then she goes on a date with mako.”

“we don’t give a shit if you think ryumako is intended because it’s clear you and your writing are incredibly biased and angled to support your own ship. nice try.”

“usually i agree with many of your takes, but your recent ragyo one is Not That Good, goop”

Sent on October 17th, 2019, at 9:45:45 am: “You could play cringe bingo with this blog, omg. Tag yourself, I’m marginalized Senketsu”

Sent on September 22nd, 2019 at 6:12:00 am: “She shouts his name because she’s talking to him.”

Sent on September 27th, 2019, at 8:31:37 am: “🚂[train emoji] - the sexual assault theme when senketsu forces himself upon ryuko when they first meet. inb4 you come up with some headass explanation as to why it isn’t a sexual assault-geared scene lmfao”

Sent on September 21st, 2019, at 6:47:06 pm: “SENKETSU BEING OPPRESSED AND MARGINALIZED? how many people actually know he exists? not enough for him to be oppressed. comparing this to what the anons were talking about before, idk what you think oppression is.”

Sent on September 23rd, 2019, at 5:47:32 pm: “yeah right, and you have a degree in journalism and creative writing. fat chance on tumblr. at least find something published with actual citations if you want to use it as gospel. but then again, sloppy writing through some heavy ass shipper goggles, what a surprise.”

Sent on September 21st, 2019, at 6:40:42 pm: “comparing the attractiveness of a human versus a piece of sentient clothing? that’s beyond apples to oranges.”

Sent on September 22nd, 2019, at 3:31:08 am: “You tagged them as being the most canon a few posts ago, Goop. Maybe you should take a rest, some of these replies are getting convoluted.”

Sent on October 17th, 2019, at 4:57:52 pm: “AU where you have good takes”

Sent on October 14th, 2019, at 4:43:14 pm: “’Face me in klk IF’ cringe”

Sent on October 16th, 2019, at 1:28:30 pm: “ryuko is physical with senketsu because he’s her fucking shirt. this is getting hilarious, holy shit. they were right.”

Sent on October 29th, 2019, at 7:40:48 am: “You’ve been too busy sucking your own dick to post anything too embarrassing probably.”

Sent on October 14th, 2019, at 6:11:04 pm: “’Demonization of men’ we have gone full headass now, there’s now turning back.”

Sent on October 16th, 2019, at 2:37:06 pm: “Not everyone sends you comments because of the Ragyo issue, don’t lump everyone together. Some of us have just seen this all go downhill and feel like voicing that.”

Sent on September 22nd, 2019 at 3:35:13 am: “you’re not going to explain how senketsu’s supposed oppression is on par with human racism because there’s no evidence that it’s as overwhelming except in your mind, since you’re the only person who would ever try to say what senketsu experiences is on par with what marginalized humans go through.”

Sent on September 22nd, 2019, at 3:09:13 am: “Not to be that guy, but if you see Senketsu as a child and still ship him with Ryuko we have a huge problem.”

Sent on September 22nd, 2019, at 2:55:57 am: “Wait a minute, you just said Senketsu is a ‘literal child’, but also ship Ryuko with him and think they’re canon? That’s pretty pedophilic what the fuck”

Sent on October 16th, 2019, at 7:12:02 pm: “You ever wonder why we’re here?”

[scuttleboat]

tbh, I think the list scene was more about Bellamy and Clarke acknowledging their guilt and self-loathing than it being about not being able to live without the other. Bellamy hates himself enough that he flat out doesn't believe he should be on the list and Clarke couldn't even write her name down. Do you think it's a shipper interpretation to see the List scene being about them refusing to live without the other?

((I got the ages ago and never replied for whatever reason, but I’ll give it a shot today.))

The List Scene

That’s a pretty layered question, anon, and I’m gonna try to unpack it in a couple different ways. First let’s go with your opinion that the list scene is about their own self-loathing, being unable to put themselves on the list so they put each other. I think this is definitely the major thrust of the scene–particularly for Clarke. Bellamy accepts without argument that she wrote him down–in a way he probably was prepared for that because of her insistence in the earlier scene. He is willing to accept it if Clarke makes it so, because he trusts her. Clarke, for herself, CAN’T write her name because she feels so strongly that she’s taking away a seat from a more worthy person. But doing the list is her task, and she _wants_ to live. That’s why her guilt and conflict is so intense here, you can see she was listening to people work outside and looking at Bellamy (who in this moment is a symbol of her future with her loved ones if she writes her name). All of that is compounded and it breaks her heart, because she believes she’s not worthy, yet she wants to live. But also her wanting to live at the expense of others surely must be a selfish choice, thereby making her even more unworthy and creating a negative feedback loop.

Bellamy steps in then and does what she already did for him–he unburdens her. He makes the choice so that she doesn’t have to, going as far as taking the tool and completing the task on her behalf. It’s not a power thing, it’s a gift of emotional mercy. He is returning the gift she gave him by writing his name. It’s every bit as dramatic and magnetic as the choice to pull the lever together in Mount Weather. At that time, he was sharing the load she was determined but terrified to take on. In 403, they both take on the burden for each other. This lets them excuse each other from that final step of guilt–from the outside it probably looks selfish, like they’re just saving each other. And they ARE!  We know that because someone in the crowd called out as much in 404, asking why Bellamy was listed. So this was a mutually selfish act as much as mutually generous. But…they’re human, and this is a terrible thing Clarke has been asked to do. 

Fumbling through that pain and shame together is the best they can do, and it’s hard to condemn Clarke or Bellamy for wanting each other to live, or for wanting to live themselves. Especially on The 100, it’s a motive we all understand. The fact that Clarke and Bellamy both need outside validation that they still deserve to live is incredibly tragic and unfair. Life is a right.

That feeds me into my next point which is about not wanting to live without each other. This is tough because with two characters as emotionally entrenched as bellarke are, how do we draw the line between “he insists she must live” and “he can’t imagine a future without her in it”? Whoevers name goes first and the question becomes moot for the next. Clarke writes down Bellamy’s name because she sincerely believes that a) he deserves to live, b) he is of great necessary value to the group, and c) she cannot bear the idea of him not getting to live. Then its Bellamy’s turn and all those a, b, and c reasons stand for Clarke’s case too. He thinks she is worthy and he cannot tolerate a situation where she dies. Not because he needs her for his own happiness, but because he wants her to LIVE. Him being in the picture is valuable in as much as it gives him grounds to insist that she lives. They both use their influence to save the other.

We see this same scenario play out in 411. Clarke arranges for Bellamy to be kidnapped and taken inside the bunker (on the list). When he pushes her to open the doors, Clarke knows she can save her mom, herself, and all their other friends and loved ones but three people (3 out of 500, and 1 likely dead already). Clarke can tolerate the other two dead people being Kane and Octavia but she can’t handle if it means the third person who has to die for their safety is Bellamy. The person she prioritizes, the person she trusts, the person she loves. His death is a price she can’t pay, so she gives up and lets him decide.

As the grounders take back the bunker in 411/412, we see this again, where Bellamy assures Abby that no matter what he’ll make sure Clarke is safe inside the bunker once Octavia takes control. At this point, Clarke must have low expectation that she will make it through even if there’s a peaceful transition. Luckily the bloodbath she feared doesn’t happen. But Abby, and Bellamy are of course going to ensure she has a place. Because–this literally is not news–they love her. That’s not a shipping statement that is a reality of the characters. Bellamy’s love for Clarke is just as powerful as Abby’s love for her, or as his love​ for Octavia. Clarke’s love for Bellamy is a powerful as her love for Abby, or she would have taken that kill shot. Clarke and Bellamy are at a point now that to let their family member die or to let each other die is a zero sum game. They are both deeply and profoundly loved and it’s trust that saves them… Clarke decides it’s better to trust Bellamy’s call than to lose him because of fear.

So… I’ve wandered off topic, let’s bring it home. Yes, they both believe they don’t deserve to live. Yes, they both believe the other does and will fight for it, even letting that believe in each other outweigh their doubt in themselves. The big question then: is that the same as being unwilling to live without each other? It almost feels like we’re blurring the source vs the symptoms. The cause vs the consequences. When it comes down to it, I think Clarke’s love and Bellamy’s love are pure, unselfish loves. Bellamy is fine being off the list bc he’s confident she will be on it (as will his sister.) Clarke writes his name confidently because she wants him to have a future regardless of where she ends up (oh, that’s some for shadowing for the finale maybe). The love and faith that drives each of them to write down their names is unselfish—but the desire to also stay, to prioritize themselves, that’s the part where wanting a future with the other person comes in. And it’s there, in the wings… that hope of future with someone you love.

 Ultimately I don’t know if their choice in the list scene is  about worthiness or about love–i think it’s both. I think the two topics are so deeply entwined in Clarke and Bellamy’s approach to relationships–with each other and with themselves–that trying to parse all that is ultimately fruitless. Their refusing to live without each other is a consequence of them both being intolerant of a world where the other doesn’t get to survive. Love is unarguably at the root of both.

Shipper Interpretation

There’s one final part about your reply that I wanted to talk about. See beneath the cut…  

You mentioned a “shipper interpretation”. There’s a thing in fandom that this phrase epitomizes, which is the idea that people interpret the scene(s) differently if they ship the characters or if they don’t. And the subsequent implication is that the POV of the acknowledged shipper is a biased POV, tainted by a preconceived assumption. The thesis there is that shippers can’t interpret the show objectively because they go into the show with expectations. That the opinion of shippers will always be somehow opposed to and inferior to that of non shippers. I believe part of that stems from “our ship must be canon bc then we win”, which makes the non shipper fan assume that the shipper doesn’t want to acknowledge story elements that suggest a situation where it’s not canon (and they don’t win). But that is a HUGELY inaccurate assumption, because “becoming canon” only matters to some shippers, not all. Depending on the fandom, it may not even be the majority. It’s true that the loudest online voices in The 100 fandom are obsessed with being canon (hi, it me!), but that doesn’t make us the biggest group. It just means we’re the loudest.

But back around–is it true that a “shipper interpretation” is automatically biased? Why? Certainly I’ve been in situations in all my fandoms where I think “shipper goggles” is a real thing. It seems like it’s real for The 100 a lot of the time. AND YET…. those shipper interpretations are proved right just as often as they’re proved wrong. Let’s look at Clexa for instance. Some people said that Clarke loved Lexa and others said that was a shipper interpretation–but in 307 and 316, the show makes it clear that Clarke did love Lexa both romantically and intensely. So… was believing “Clarke loves Lexa” a shipper interpretation? Or just accurately watching the show? Then take Clexa again–many people who weren’t shippers saw the heavy for shadowing of her death. But the shipper interpretation was that their love was “endgame” and it would be resolved somehow and even that Lexa would become a series regular. In that case… the shipping interpretation of all the 302-306 Clexa scenes was wrong. Lexa died, and their romance won’t be the one that the series ends on.

So if shippers can watch the show and be wrong and yet shippers can watch the show and be right, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??? *Oprah_whatisthetruth.gif*

I think maybe it just means that people are people, you know? Watching a show from a shipping context doesn’t make your opinions any less valid than the next person. My brain didn’t get sucked out from between my ears once I started reading bellarke fic, and I’m sure yours didn’t either. I still would make the same story predictions even if I was not invested in a screen relationship, and at times I even triple-check my own reaction just to be sure that I’m not overly biasing myself.

We never know what’s going on in someone else’s thoughts. If they see the show a certain way, we can’t magically know if their perspective is biased or not. That’s life. We do our best to manage our own output; that’s all we truly can know. ….And yeah, we may get judgy at times. We’re all human and sometimes we read a post by an individual and think “OMG that POV is stupid and biased.” But that doesn’t mean that all shippers are wrong just bc they’re shippers. It’s easy to generalize fandom groups but it’s never wholly accurate to do so. People are people, individually and within communities.

[rantceratops]

Secrets

It’s been a while since I did one of my rewatch posts, and what better episode to hop back into the swing of things than Secrets? I remember the morning after this episode aired, I got my mom to sit down and watch it with me over breakfast because Artemis and Zee kicked so much ass and I figured she’d appreciate that (as well as the Marvin the Martian reference, hehe).

Nothing bad ever happens on Halloween, amiright?

I like how that museum curator guy just happens to decide that he REALLY needs to say the Beowulf sword incantation for that cop, you know, just in case some wacko in a cut up trench coat is crouching up in the rafters nearby and might need it or something. How considerate! (dude, you could have prevented this ENTIRE episode from happening if you had not said that. YOU HAD ONE JOB.)

“Mediocrity such as this is never far from Harm.” Is Harm insinuating that he attracts mediocrity? I know he means that as a compliment to himself but I just can’t help but see it as he’s a loser so he attracts other losers.

Harm reminds me of a guy that I went to high school with, that always had really long hair and wore all black and a trench coat like all the fucking time. I shit you not I think of that guy every time I watch this episode, the resemblance is uncanny.

In fact now I’m just imagining that Harm was some fucking edgelord that was like obsessed with old legends and creepy shit and then somehow got stuck on the Beowulf legend and the sword and started taking things too far. 

LOL, Museum Curator is like okay see you guys, we’re fucked.

“The legends say the heart must be pure, they never said pure good.” You know, he really does have a point. 

“Really, you’re not going to join in? What kind of wolf are you?” The kind that doesn’t respond to what arguably sounds like an actual dying dog, Wally.

Leave it to Conner to get Megan to wrap some toilet paper all over him and call himself a mummy. (I’m just kidding it’s probably not toilet paper but still)

Wally please stop with your face

Awww, poor Billy! He wants to hang out with the Team! He’s so precious <3

AW YEAH AND HERE ARE THE LADIES OF THE HOUR. (well actually of the half hour but)

Okay, I really do not fucking have a clue as to why, but for some reason whenever I see Artemis in that vampire get-up my brain likens her to one of those uh... ugh, that Scooby-Doo movie with the three sisters that sang in it? Were they humans or vampires? I don’t remember but for some odd ass reason I get vibes of one of those chicks (or all of them?) from Artemis the vampire. IT’S WEIRD.

Also why didn’t they give Artemis fangs. LOST. OPPORTUNITY.

On a shippers note I find it interesting that Wally is a werewolf and Artemis is a vampire. Obviously those two creatures of the night are often heavily entwined, be it as star-crossed lovers a la Underworld, or something more like Van Helsing. I wonder if the choice was intentional, or perhaps coincidental... considering there is 0 Wally and Artemis interaction in this episode. (kind of a shame, tbh, I feel there might have been some funny potential in at least having them comment on each other’s costumes or something at the beginning) Not to mention the fact that Artemis’s angry attitude in this episode has a whole lot to do with Wally, despite no interaction.

The Justice League didn’t have a Halloween Party!? WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS.

You know, I don’t believe that Wally or Artemis were really 100% oblivious to Conner and M’gann being a thing. I think for both of their parts it was something more along the lines of wishful thinking, or perhaps shrugging off certain blatant signs of affection as nothing more than friendship. Considering that Greg said neither Wally nor Artemis took the revelation as hard as they appear to (moreso in Artemis’s case, as Wally gets over it pretty much immediately compared to her) I think that deep down they were both kidding themselves. As has been said many times before, Conner and M’gann were merely distractions for both of them, somewhere to focus their affections when they were too scared to admit they liked the other, or when the other seemed unobtainable to them. Crutch crushes, if you will. For Artemis, Wally seemed out of reach, so she went back to hot, beefy Conner; for Wally, his intense and undeniable feelings for Artemis began to scare him, so he went back to safe, sweet Megan instead of confronting those feelings.

“You are so making this up to me later.” I think we all know what that means...

“Girl’s night out.”

Artemis is like AW YEAH MISPLACED AGGRESSION TIME. 

“I know Artemis isn’t shooting straight. For starter’s she isn’t Green Arrow’s niece.” “What?” “Well, yeah, in fact she’s related to--”  Awww, Dick was just so unconcerned about it and I love that. Like, he KNOWS and he doesn’t even consider for two seconds that Artemis is the Team mole. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: DICK AND ARTEMIS’S FRIENDSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT. (if you don’t think that Dick hacked into the Bat-computer and looked up info on Artemis pretty much the night she joined then you’re wrong)

Four for you, YJ Bats, sticking up for Artemis’s right to have a secret identity! See, this is the kind of times that I like Batman.

Why does Dick almost seem sad about there not being a traitor? I never could quite figure out what that expression of his is supposed to mean, unless it’s just a kind of like “I’m stumped” kind of sad/deflated thing. IDK

I was sooooo glad we got an episode of Zee and Artemis being badasses on motorcycles, considering those two were absent for the brief motorcycle fun times in Schooled.

I also liked the headcanon that Zatanna was borrowing Robin’s motorcycle in this episode, huehue. (too bad it uh... blew up)

I fucking love that Artemis has this kind of... like, attitude of being pissed off and just wanting to pummel the shit out of something instead of actually talk about it, especially considering it’s a matter of the heart. I don’t think Artemis follows the closed off trope per se, but she’s just so convinced that Wally doesn’t want her and that the Team would shun her if they found out about her family that she’s closing herself off where she normally wouldn’t.  Like, I love that Zatanna tries to be a good friend and let her talk it out, but Artemis is only interested and venting some of her pent up anger on some hapless bastards. Her feelings and her secrets are eating her up from the inside out at this point.

“What I need is something to beat up.”

God Artemis is such a badass, can we just appreciate the fact that she’s a badass enough archer to fucking nail very precise targets from a moving vehicle? And then like, punches some guy as she’s driving past and finishes him off? 

Harm is a fucking creeper.

“You know, there were easier ways to take them.” “Pfft, they had it coming, no harm done.” THAT’S RIGHT ARTEMIS YOU KICK BITCHES IN THE FACE. (especially considering the implications of what they were going to do when circling that blonde girl... they definitely deserved the punishment Artemis dished out)

“We get it, your name is Harm!” 

“Their ridiculous garb--” Excuse me? Coming from the guy with no shirt on and a ripped up trench coat thing? Come on brah, who’s really ridiculous here? My ladies have style!

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Zatanna’s awesome flip thing while saving Artemis, shall we?

Oh my god I forever love that Zatanna changes her fucking boots mid chase sequence because they’re impractical. XD

I’m always just a little bit disappointed that the dagger that slices Artemis’s mask didn’t leave a bloody scratch. Like, they could have gotten away with a red line on her cheek to represent it being a scratch. Idk, I’ve seen fics where she does have one and Wally asks about it and stuff like that, I choose to headcanon it nicked her skin.

I also kind of like that Zatanna lasts about two seconds against Harm but Artemis holds her own for a good minute or so. My point being that there’s an obvious contrast in each of their training, that Zatanna probably doesn’t physically fight very much due to her spells, where as Artemis is quite proficiently trained in melee as well as her bow and arrows. It’s also an interesting contrast in that they’re both technically “ranged” heroes if you will, but one of them is still more melee inclined than the other. This is in no way saying Zatanna is weak, I’m sure she at least knows some basic fighting/defense, I’m sure Zatara would’ve taught her something, but Artemis is clearly the winner here, especially with her upbringing (god knows all the shit Lawrence taught her). And in general I greatly appreciate that Artemis could have very easily just been the stereotypical “girl’s are ranged” trope with no combat prowess at all, but instead she’s inclined to both ways of fighting and in fact spends the majority of season 2 fighting melee with a sword. 

Appreciation time for the rooftop fight, as the choreography for it is particularly top-notch!

Also, Artemis is fierce!

“You wanna play without the toys?”

Artemis, please, stop, you can’t just unleash that much of your badassery at once, it’s bad for my health!

Shipper goggles: When Harm hits Artemis in the face I’m always just like wondering how Wally would have reacted to that. For no other reason than shipper reasons. I would’ve just loved to see him be all like AW HELL NAW and just rush Harm recklessly and probably get his ass whooped.

“The martians are coming, the martians are coming!” Oh my fucking GOD this part cracks me the fuck up every time.

“Watch out! They have disintegration rays!” Conner, honey, I can tell you that you’re not getting an Oscar for that line delivery anytime soon.

THE CORNY ASS MUSIC I CANT

Wally is so silent this whole episode, though, tbh. He has like two lines at the beginning and then yells about martians, but other than that he’s completely silent, it’s weird.

SUDDENLY IT’S SAW UP IN HERE.

ARTEMIS AND ZEE USING STOVE GAS TO BLOW HIM THE FUCK UP, A++.

Oh, man, Artemis getting so... just absolutely fucking livid when she finds out that Harm murdered his sister. “You did this! To your own sister! And you had the gall to write beloved!” Like, she can’t even imagine doing that to Jade, or Jade doing that to her. They are very obviously on the opposite sides of the law, but when it comes down to it Jade nor Artemis would ever do anything that would kill the other, they love each other, and the idea that someone could do that to their own sibling just fucking appalls her.

“It can’t fight us while it fights itself!” FUCK HIM UP, ART!

How does that boot taste, mother fucker?!

“I still can’t believe someone could do that to his own sister... I mean if my...”

:((( Artemis you hurt me.