#negative character development/circumstance my beloved

[raayllum]

You think I've done awful things, and I have. But I'm not evil. It's me. You know me. I'm still the same person.

I actually think these lines / scene from Claudia is one of her most interesting in the entire show, so let's talk about it, beat by beat.

You think I've done some awful things, and I have.

This line, along with others from Viren (his "I had to" is another form of justification, and what's to justify if you done nothing 'wrong' or nothing to be blamed for?), i.e. "In the name of love, you will perform acts so unforgivable, you will never forgive yourself" as well as Claudia's explanation in 4x01 ("I had to do things... I never imagined I would be able to do" with tears in her eyes) and Terry's assertion ("I've seen you do a lot of awful things, dark magic things") is like... while Claudia still doesn't see the error, I'm willing to bet, with the bulk of her actions (elves and dragons are still clearly not wholly people to her), she's still done things that she considers awful. Things that crossed her previous moral lines, beginning, I'd bet, with the deer in 2x09, and that which only escalated from there.

Claudia still thinks she's a good person (which we will get to in a second, believe me) but she doesn't think she's squeaky clean. She knows, just as Viren knows (and just as Callum knows/believes) that she's done genuinely awful, terrible things.

A character feeling bad about doing something, or a character recognizing that something they've done is terrible ("It's horrific, Viren" "We have no other choice"), is not a get off scot free card in this show, and it never has been. Not for Claudia, and not for anyone else.

While Claudia has been manipulated by Aaravos, everything she's done is of her free will, and without lying to herself about the exact nature of them (even if there's still plenty she's in denial of like the plague, but I digress).

Claudia is like 5 different cognitive dissonances in a trenchcoat, but she's not stupid, either.

But I'm not evil. It's me.

This to me shows the mask slipping the post, because if there wasn't even a hint of possibility at being evil, you would feel no need to declare otherwise. I forget where I've said this before but Claudia cares (esp in arc 1, less so in arc 2 but it's not nonexistent) about being a good person. It's kinda like how Viren doesn't really care if he's good or not, but he wants to be important (matter). Bonus points for Claudia's hypocrisy/shields being worn down over time ("She kidnapped you and Prince Ezran, how can she be good?" -> attempting to do the exact same thing an episode later). She's cracking, but desperately trying to convince them (for mostly manipulation reasons) and herself (genuinely) that she's not, that instead...

You know me. I'm still the same person. I am.

TDP has always been very interested in identity, most notably for characters like Callum, Rayla, and Soren in arc 1, but it's fun to see it be expanded and interrogated further by looping Claudia in during arc 2. S5 and arc 2 places a lot of emphasis in particular on the idea of knowing yourself ("That's not my name. I am Elmer") or knowing others ("She's not the elf, she's Rayla") / preserving your sense of self in the face of change or hard circumstances ("But violence tests us" "Callum, you're the 'destiny is a book you write yourself' guy").

Claudia highlights this twofold. She asks the boys to know her, despite how much time and bad blood has gone by. She appeals to the many years of friendship they had in contrast to their few months turned years of being foes. It's barking up the wrong tree (Callum's Spellbook asserts that even as of s2/s3, "I feel like I don't know who she is anymore" on his end) but I am actually inclined to believe her.

This may be a misread, simply because from S1 but especially S2 onwards I always figured Claudia would end up precisely where she is now, so I don't know if it's the consistency influencing my judgement call possibly clouding more intense changes (she refused to use Harrow against the boys in 2x02, to a degree) but... I don't think almost anything Claudia does in S5 is something she wouldn't have done the bulk of in S1, other than threatening the boys, and she's done that multiple times by the time the end of S2 and S3 rolls around, most notably towards Ezran.

She's still the same person, but her circumstances and therefore her responses have gotten steadily, consistently worse. But this has always lived inside her. She's the same person (but worse), they know her and see her more clearly than they ever did before, and both of those things are precisely the problem.

[good7luck]

* VNC anime episode 24 / manga chapter 55(.5) spoilers

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About Vanitas expressing his wish to be killed by Noe

* my personal, negative vent about some fan reactions

(more under the cut)

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VNC: *carefully implies that NOT everything is simply either black or white, much less always, and that it IS possible for death / killing to be a valid (and even “the best”) form of salvation (and even protection), especially under some complicated / tragic circumstances, for 55+ chapters*

Vani: *explicitly says out loud that IF he should be killed in some horrible situation, then he WOULD WANT the killing one to be Noe, for himself for once*

Some old-enough adults: Anyway, it’s already so crystal clear that Noe is just a bad bad murderer uwu and Vani is merely his poor poor victim uwu! Noe is totally an immoral sinner, cuz he killed Vani for real, even if it happened maybe because Noe respected his wish in the end!! Any killing is of course inherently an evil crime, after all!!!

Me: Are you “adults” kidding me =_=

It’d be even funnier if they’re the same people who say “Noe views death as something only terrible and the worst, but it’s childish and immature, he should get over it for his character development” lmao

Plz...have they really never heard of the concept “mercy killing”, like at all? It’s done not only to real life humans (mainly serious patients) but also (more frequently) to real life animals (including beloved pets) in real life, not just in fiction...plz...asdfg

* Sorry about the negativity, and thanks for reading!

[cashkdlj652]

Responsible for a louis vuitton outlet Budget? 12 Top Notch Ways to Spend Your Money

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[starry-skies-116]

MORE Gregory Headcanons because I´m clearly in too deep lol:

Gregory develops the habit of being a bit of a thrill-seeker due to his past and the indomitable resolve and unshakeable spirit he builds. He is resolute in his goals, and due to the multiple dangerous circumstances he is put through, he doesn´t really grow desensitized to them- rather, his newfound courage and fearlessness is somewhat contradictory. He is still scared of everything and still retains his persecution complex, but eventually he learns to ¨love¨ the sensation, in a twisted way. Because he is willing to sacrifice anything to get to his goals and protect and nurture his dream of recreating his family and his past life, he eventually relishes in the feeling of adrenaline and superiority, of power over those that try to hurt him- and eventually, he smiles and giggles a bit to himself in a bit of an insane manner when he´s hiding and running from Vanny. Gregory planned originally to find a home after finding his family so he could throw the biggest family reunion bash party full of food and music and fun, so he could fulfill their happiness on top of his (excuse me while I go ugly cry). When in more unhinged or negative moods than usual, or in dire situations, Gregory can resort to antagonistic methods of getting by or even proposing brutal solutions to situations that can be cold, ruthless, or even downright villainous and psychotic. Even Vanny and Glitchtrap are quite surprised by how dismissive and cruel Gregory is towards the animatronics or any source of hostility- something that Freddy mitigates and eventually has Gregory considerably soften. ((REMINDER: GREGORY IS NOT THE VILLAIN, NOR AM I IMPLYING HE IS IN MY AU. IT´S JUST THAT HE CAN LEAN TOWARDS DARK TENDENCIES DUE TO HIS TRAUMA AND NEEDS HELP TO MAINTAIN HIS HUMANITY DUE TO HIS NEW NATURE AND SKEWED JUDGEMENT. It´s almost as if he´s *gasp* A MORALLY GREY CHARACTER! OH MY GOSH, WHO COULD´VE THOUGHT!)) Gregory, in tandem with his unbreakable and stubborn willpower, is also characterized by ironically strong idealism. His terrifying levels of hyperintelligence, impressive critical thinking and rapidly-developing superhuman abilities all undergo growth due to both his indomitable spirit, as well as his strong sense of hope and idealism- that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, that love will conquer all, and that his devotion and loyalty to his family and his goals are what absolves him of any atrocity he may commit along his path. This also reawakens something in him- geniune care for those he sees as family and those he cares about, trusts and loves, such as when he provides comfort for Freddy about Bonnie and allows him to grieve, lies to him out of genuine fear of losing one he considers family, reciprocates and even actively seeks out physical affection and love from him, and ultimately decides to stay for his sake- his beloved older brother’s sake. His family, friends and home are his happiness to him- his entire world. His character arc is centered around finding inner peace, and a new happiness with his now-reunified family, and a home within himself instead of chasing ghosts of the past.

[possiblyimbiassed]

What happened to Sherlock? Part VIII - The Sign of the Hetero Norm (2)

This is the second installment of my meta about the significance of Mary in BBC Sherlock and hypothesis #8 in this meta series; that John is not the father of Mary’s baby. It follows directly on the first installment, which you can read here. 

(For the record, I’ll also repeat the disclaimer: My suspicion here only concerns John’s biological offspring. It would still be possible that John, and perhaps also Sherlock, might father the child - if it exists - by adoption. It does not exclude a metaphorical reading where the baby represents, for example, Sherlock’s and John’s relationship. i also want to stress that this hypothesis is an attempt at logical reasoning based on observations in the show and in ACD canon; it’s not meant to be ‘gossipy’ and has nothing to do with whether I would actually like to see this happen or not - that’s a whole other story. ;) ) 

Mary’s background and canon similarities

The first time Sherlock meets Mary in TEH, he deduces a series of things about her, most of which we haven’t seen explained this far. But there’s one thing in particular that seems to stand out to him: that she’s a liar.

In HLV we learn that Mary has lied about her background to John, and she keeps lying and deceiving in S4. But even if HLV and S4 aren’t ‘real’, and Assassin!Mary only exists in Sherlock’s imagination, this doesn’t mean that his first deduction was wrong; the fact that Mary’s lying trait is repeated later seems to indicate that it’s important. Mary might be lying about other things instead. Like, for example, about who’s the father of her baby. (Continued under the cut)

Some other deductions in this scene might also be significant; that Mary ‘bakes her own bread’ might refer to the idiom ‘a bun in the oven’, slang for being pregnant. A hint that John will not be responsible for her later pregnancy?

Another ‘feature of interest’ about Mary is her possible US connection. America is definitely a recurring theme in BBC Sherlock; the US or ‘America’ is referred to over 20 times throughout the show. These references occur on a plethora of different occasions, and in three specific circumstances the CIA is mentioned. In one of them (HLV) we learn from Magnussen that Mary has been doing “wet jobs for the CIA”. Sherlock also suspects that while Mary’s accent is English, Mary herself is not. So, Mary might have some kind of connection to America - at least in Sherlock’s mind. The idea is hinted at, but never developed.

Mary Morstan’s British background may be described in canon, but ACD’s original stories contain even more US references than BBC Sherlock. Big parts of the novels A Study in Scarlet (STUD) and The Valley of Fear (VALL) take place in America, and many characters have connections to the US - the most prominent of them perhaps Irene Adler in A Scandal in Bohemia (SCAN), who was born in New Jersey. 

The Noble Bachelor (NOBL) is particularly interesting in this context. In the beginning of the story, Watson points out that it happened “a few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when I was still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street”. I believe this talk of Watson’s marriage might be significant mirror-wise. The case in NOBL is about a bride - an American woman - who disappears directly after marrying the British nobleman Robert St. Simon, because she learns during the wedding ceremony that her beloved former husband, who she thought was dead, is still alive.

(X) The bride doesn’t reveal this during the wedding, but an hour later she is gone. So legally she was still married, and the new marriage to the nobleman would therefor be nullified - hence the story title of ‘bachelor’, I believe. On Lestrade’s questions about the case, Holmes answers:

“Just one hint to you, Lestrade,” drawled Holmes before his rival vanished; “I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any such person.”

This is, more or less, the role I think Mary Watson plays in canon after SIGN; she’s a myth, a heteronormative façade (see reasoning in the first installment of this meta). In fact, I don’t think she ever appears in canon under the name Mary Watson (please correct me if I’m wrong). Now, if Sherlock’s deductions about Mary’s background in HLV would be true (in spite of all the other things about this episode that might be his mere imagination), that Mary Morstan is a false name and she has lied about her background, this would technically also nullify her marriage to John, wouldn’t it? You can hardly marry someone who doesn’t exist. ;)

There’s also a literal hint in TAB that Mary might soon be on the run, just like the bride in NOBL:

In this scene, in the midst of Sherlock’s Victorian Mind Palace dream, Watson is suddenly dressed as the modern John and seems more angry than worried about Mary’s disappearance. So I can’t help wondering: Does Sherlock foresee this outcome from his subconscious deductions about Mary and the baby?

A possibly vengeful bride

In TSoT we learn more about Martha Hudson’s late husband Frank, when Martha talks to both Sherlock and John separately about how “marriage changes you as a person”. Her marriage was like a “whirlwind” at first, which Martha felt “swept away” by. Her best friend Margaret seemed to have been devastated and left the wedding early. But we also learn that Frank Hudson ran a drug cartel, was sentenced for murder and had several other women, that Martha found out about after they had moved to Florida, USA. Martha was actually relieved when he was arrested for “blowing someone’s head off”. From ASiP we also know that Sherlock was the one who made sure Frank was executed (by lethal injection according to TSoT).

There seems to be something still missing from the plot narrative here, though; in what way was Frank’s death beneficial to Martha? And I can’t help wondering why the Frank Hudson case is even brought to our attention? Why give us these details that don’t quite make logical sense, and then nothing more? And why are we being told, again and again, that “marriage changes you as a person”?

In ACD canon there’s nothing about Mrs Hudson’s husband, as far as I know. There is, however, a sailor named Hudson in The Gloria Scott (GLOR), who comes to blackmail Holmes’ friend Victor Trevor’s father and threaten him with exposing him to public shame and dishonour by revealing his criminal past. Hudson manages to literally frighten Mr Trevor to death. In The Five Orange Pips (FIVE) there’s also a mentioning of someone named Hudson, who is associated with the KKK. So even if Mrs Hudson’s criminal husband in BBC Sherlock is non-canonical, the existence of at least two criminals named Hudson is clearly canon.

Anyway, what has all this to do with Mary? Well, this is very much speculation of course (and not originally my idea; I'm pretty sure someone has posted a theory about it - I just can’t find the reference at the moment. Please alert me if you know who, so I can give proper credits!): What if Mary is Frank Hudson’s daughter and her mother is one of those “other women”? And what if she’s out for some kind of revenge against Sherlock, who made sure her father was killed? After all, the whole Victorian part of TAB - which we know happens in Sherlock’s Mind Palace, where he goes back to solve a case by first solving an older one - is focused on vengeful brides (’Un-Dead’, as it seems - I see you there, Dracula! ;) ). The Emelia Ricoletti case also has clear connections to America.

Could Mary have hired a ‘consulting criminal’ (Jim) and got the advise that burning Sherlock’s heart out by marrying John would be the best way to take revenge on him? Or could she even be paid by Jim to fake a marriage? 

Just speculating, as I said… :)

The revelation at the wedding

One of the strongest arguments for the baby not being John’s is, I think, the scene at the wedding reception in TSoT, where Sherlock deduces Mary’s pregnancy. At the revelation, both John and Mary look terrified, like they’ve seen a ghost or something:

Seeing as these guys had lived together at least for a year, their panic reaction doesn’t quite make sense to me - especially since they’re both trained in medicine! If Mary wasn’t even medically tested yet, why panic? Why would Sherlock’s ‘deduction’ seem more reliable to her than her own knowledge of the matter? After all, she had morning sickness. How many women in this world need a male detective (rather than a doctor) to tell them that they’re pregnant? I think Mary rather looks like someone being caught lying, with dire consequences to expect. John doesn’t expect this and seems totally shocked. Neither of them appears happy about the revelation. I think the sum of the couple’s reactions fits better into a scenario where Mary has been cheating on John, and is therefore not protesting at John’s negative behaviour regarding the pregnancy. But she knows she is (or might be) pregnant and has perhaps tried to hide it to John.

Mary is a smart person, and must definitely know what Sherlock actually means to John. She has seen his grieving for a long time and also witnessed his violent reaction once Sherlock returns. She even teases both John and Sherlock about their obsession with each other. Why isn’t she jealous? How can she go on and marry someone who is clearly in love with someone else, and who actually pays her very little attention in comparison? There’s something fishy there...

And what about John himself? There’s an entry on the blog where John Watson’s deductive reasoning skills seem to reach a new low mark (which is a bit strange, seeing as he has been working together with Sherlock Holmes for years at this point):

In short: Sherlock helps a same-sex couple to get together by showing one of them a path out of her arranged marriage. This woman has been threatened with exposure; an abusive person who is out for her money has literally blackmailed her to marry a man and choose a heteronormative life. But John’s conclusion is still this: “I swear that my forthcoming wedding has softened Sherlock.”  “Naturally, I assumed it was because he saw me and Mary together and just wanted to make someone else happy.” So John is utterly convinced that his own, heterosexual marriage plans are what inspired Sherlock to help this gay couple out of an arranged, heteronormative marriage? Sherlock, who has been against all John’s girlfriends so far and also clearly stated from the beginning that girlfriends are “not really my area”? Good thinking, John -- not! :)))

And still John seems utterly surprised and terrified when his good, happily married heterosexual wife turns out to be pregnant, after living together with him for a year? Hmm...

Why the “why” is more important than the “how”

I’m going to go out on another tangent of speculation here, just to illustrate the extent to which I think heteronormativity increasingly rules this show, but also how I believe Sherlock’s and John’s emotions play into it. Even if Sherlock seems to have no prejudices regarding gay couples (as demonstrated by the blog case above), when it comes to John and him, I believe Sherlock has bought the hetero norm hook, sink and line. And ‘Mary’ is a metaphor for this, becoming more and more blatantly obvious as the show goes on. To Sherlock, she symbolises exactly “what John needs”: an ‘ordinary’ life and marriage with an interesting but ‘ordinary’ woman. But Sherlock’s subconscious is telling him something different about her, which I think he fails to fully recognise, no matter how much psychological evidence his mind collects.

And the main problem is Sherlock’s repression of emotions; this problem is at the same time cause and effect. His unwillingness to show or talk about his emotions towards John makes him appear as a cold-hearted person, mostly called a ‘sociopath’ or ‘psychopath’. Which makes John not want to risk the stigma of coming out, or even recognise his own feelings to himself. Adhering to the hetero norm is much safer, and it allows John to escape from his emotional dilemma in an unsatisfactory and hypocritical way: to marry a woman whom he hardly even knows. Which in turn makes Sherlock believe that John living with a woman is the only reasonable option. And so on and so forth, until eternity. The example below is from TEH, John’s reaction to Sherlock’s return.

JOHN: Now, you let me grieve, hmm? How could you do that?

Sherlock doesn’t respond to this, but tries to avert the question by talking about John’s moustache. What could John, in his highly emotional state, possibly make of this? This is where he becomes violent, and Sherlock doesn’t defend himself. John grabs Sherlock and punches him (which is confirmed by his blogpost about this: “He genuinely thought it would be funny to surprise me. I think he was more surprised when I nutted him.”). And it goes on and on:

JOHN: You know, for a genius you can be remarkably thick. SHERLOCK: What? JOHN: I don’t care how you faked it, Sherlock. I wanna know why.

I think John makes it very clear in TEH that - unlike Watson in canon’s EMPT - he is not interested to know how Sherlock survived the Fall. John doesn’t give a rat’s fart about the method he used to fake his own death, neither is he interested in knowing why Sherlock found it necessary to fake his death to Moriarty and his henchmen. But Sherlock doesn’t get this because the question is entirely emotional; John could just as well have asked ”Why did you force me to live without you for two years; why did you abandon me? Don’t you care about me, didn’t you even miss me?”. But he doesn’t ask this out loud, since neither of these guys are honest about their feelings - not even to themselves, as it seems. And apparently it totally escapes John’s conscious mind that Sherlock might have had an emotional reason to come back precisely to interrupt his proposal to someone else.

I suspect (speculation again) that the ‘why’ of John going on to marry Mary after Sherlock’s return was not only about convincing himself that he needed a “normal” life and submitting to the hetero norm because John is closeted. It was at least just as much about punishing Sherlock on an emotional level, letting this ‘sociopath’ know exactly how it feels to be abandoned, not knowing if the other even missed him. It was revenge and punishment in their eternal, on-going game with emotions, where neither of them is letting his guard down to show vulnerability towards the other. But this was probably subconscious and nothing John would freely admit to. Consciously, this arrangement allowed John to simply register that Sherlock apparently was fairly OK with things, since he even went on to organize John’s wedding. Thus, John could reason, his feelings for Sherlock couldn’t be requited anyway.

I also suspect, however, that the concept of ’Mary’, as we see this character from HLV and onwards, is Sherlock’s way of punishing himself for abandoning John. The wedding planning and the ‘vow’ in TSoT, in my view, was a very special sort of self-harm, where Sherlock tried to sacrifice himself to pay off his emotional debt for having hurt John, by doing his utmost for John to be happy with his choice. 

But apparently this wasn’t enough, so when ‘Mary’ shoots Sherlock in HLV, even this is (supposedly) Sherlock’s own fault. I think ‘Mary’s shooting Sherlock symbolises the blow to the heart that Sherlock received on the wedding. But why was this a ‘blow’, one might ask, if Sherlock himself was prepared for the marriage and even helped planning the wedding? Well, there was a second blow on the wedding reception, wasn’t it? (Just as there were two murder attempts depicted in TSoT; one before the wedding and another during the wedding reception). The second blow was when Sherlock deduced Mary’s pregnancy. Because a child would most probably cement John’s relationship with Mary forever. Not only would the baby’s presence be an obstacle for John spending any time with Sherlock; it would also erase any attempt from Sherlock to confess his feelings to John in the future, since it would make him guilty of disrupting a family involving a third, innocent little person.

Mary definitely works as an internalised hetero norm. In his own view, Sherlock has no value, and he doesn’t deserve John. Thus, ’Mary’ is needed to keep John happy, and comes back to haunt Sherlock’s mind, even after she’s (supposedly) dead. No matter what atrocities she commits, ’Mary’ is always excused by Sherlock. In many ways, she’s the new ’Sherlock’: solving crimes, being passionate, leading John into adventures, using disguises, speaking (supposed) words of wisdom and even dressing like Sherlock. She fills in an empty space that Sherlock refuses to fill in himself, because a) he doesn’t consider himself worthy and b) he wants to avoid ‘Sentiment’. Instead of facing reality and try to do something about it, Sherlock tries to have a place in John’s life through ‘Mary’ and other invented avatars.

I think John makes it clear on his blog that he does not intend to forgive Sherlock any time soon: “Turns out he’d faked his death because Moriarty had threatened those close to him. Including me. He’d gone into hiding, happy to leave me and everyone else thinking he was dead. He’d done it to save us but he hadn’t trusted us enough to tell us what was really going on. Not sure I’ll ever truly forgive him for that but as the saying goes, life goes on.”

But then he’s back to talking about the cases and his own motivation to keep his friend after all: “So I ignored him and got on with my life. But God, it was dull. I knew he was back. I knew that he was out there having the time of his life and I was… working”. The image John gives is actually that he keeps hanging out with this ’sociopath’ for the sole reason that he can’t resist the danger, the ’thrill of the chase’. In other words; Sherlock seems to be right in HLV when he claims John to be a sort of adrenaline junkie who craves danger and therefore needs a dangerous wife (to replace Sherlock, who is not good for him because he’s a real junkie and a man to boot, but he doesn’t say this).

John’s ’deeper’ question of why rather than how in TEH (which doesn’t apply to Sherlock’s supposedly ’scientific’ world view where emotions always are a problem risking to bias his conclusions) has its complete repetition in TLD. Once again Sherlock tries to convince John that he can predict the future. Sherlock expects to impress John with the explanation of how:

JOHN: How did you know?

In fact, I think a great deal of what we see in TLD is Sherlock’s mental repetitions of what happened between him and John after his ‘return from the dead’ in TEH. However, in TLD (as in all the episodes from S3 and onwards) John is not impressed by Sherlock’s intellectual shenanigans; he hasn’t seemed to be for a long time, but especially not after the treason Fall. In TLD John may have started by asking “how”, but in the end he just wants to know why Sherlock has lured him to come to his rescue when he’s in trouble.

JOHN: Never mind how. He’s dying to tell us that. I want to know why.

Sherlock tries to explain that he needs John’s help with a case because he ‘can’t do it alone’. But John doesn’t buy it this time either; his disbelief and judgment of Sherlock is even harder and more emphasised than in TEH. And this is, i believe, the key question; to answer it honestly Sherlock has to talk about his feelings, show his emotional vulnerability. Which he still isn’t ready for. So this is why ‘Mary’ and 'Rosie’ keep popping up until the end of TFP; they stand for Sherlock’s heteronormative alibi to avoid talking about feelings. Even if Sherlock comes a long way with hugging John in TLD and hugging Eurus in TFP - basically to comfort them - he still hasn’t told anybody about his own feelings, has he?

Sherlock ’had chips’ with ’Faith’. (Dinner!) But we never see him eat anything, he just goes on impressing Faith by telling her about how his deductions about her private life work. It’s the scientific ”how” rather than the more emotional ”why”.

I’ve also been wondering about Mary’s traveling around the world in TST, ’on the role of a dice’ when she learns that Ajay is after her. This is the cold assassin who tried to kill Sherlock and lied to her husband about her background, and yet she is suddenly ”moving the target away” from John - why? In HLV Mary claimed that the truth would break John and therefore he could never know that she lied to him. What’s actually going on here? To me this seems more like Sherlock trying to justify to himself his own fake suicide and his following absence for two years in order to ’protect John’ from Moriarty’s network. The whole ‘Mary-the-hero’ plot line is an indulgence in Sentiment, complete with self-sacrifice and a tearful self-absolving note. But this over-romanticized scenario gives Sherlock no satisfaction, since it ends with John’s grief and sorrow and alienation. Conclusive discovery: escape is no solution; it just postpones the problem.

OK, this has been a looong meta, and a bit speculative. For the finish, I’d just like to summarise a bit about Hypothesis #8 and why I suspect that John is not the father of Mary’s baby. Here’s my TL;DR:

John wasn’t even aware on the wedding that Mary might be pregnant - and he’s a ‘bloody doctor’!

None of them seems happy when Sherlock deduces Mary’s pregnancy; Mary appears shocked that he noticed it and John seems shocked before the unexpected task of fathering a child

Their relationship doesn’t strike me as honest and genuine on either side; they’re not really into each other

Mary is a liar who conceals her background to John

It’s suspicious (but also canon consistent) that Mary encourages John to spend a lot of time with someone she should know that he’s in love with; why would she want to start a family with such a guy?

David seems to remain too close to Mary for being an ordinary ‘ex’; he might actually be the father of the baby!

The Watsons have no children in canon

Rosie in S4 doesn’t strike me as a real character (Mary’s pregnancy in S3 might still be ‘real’, though)

The whole concept of John’s wife is a heteronormative façade (which goes for canon as well); why then would John’s fatherhood be real?

And, finally, just one more thing that occurs to me:

The baby is a perfect plot device to keep John and Mary together in a modern time when divorce is common, and also to keep Sherlock guilt-ridden about confessing his feelings. A revelation that John is not the father would likely mean a breakup of the couple, with the possibilities that this would open for the ‘Johnlock’ option. ;)

Thanks for bearing with me in meta-marathon, and Happy New Decade! :)

Tagging some people who might be interested: @raggedyblue​ @ebaeschnbliah​ @sarahthecoat​ @gosherlocked​ @loveismyrevolution​ @sagestreet​​ @thepersianslipper​ @tjlcisthenewsexy​​ @elldotsee​​ @88thparallel​​  @sherlock-overflow-error​​ @yeah-oh-shit​

[phases-of-the-fallen]

Explanation

fandom: alternate timeline of Dreamswap by kai

characters: Waning Crescent, Comet

warnings: cursing, mention of murder and death, 

word count: 2,112

Summary: Waning Crescent and Comet talk about what’s upset WC so much.

��So, are you going to tell me what in the fuck happened on your last mission that freaked you out so badly?” Comet asked after he sat down in his boyfriend’s lap, nuzzling into the other’s chest a little bit. “It’s going to bother me until you spill, and you know it helps to tell someone else about whatever is going on, so that we can figure out how to deal with it.”

Waning Crescent swallowed hard for a moment, fidgeting with his hands for a couple of moments, rolling the pen that he’d been using to sign paperwork for a couple of moments before saying “I had gotten a report that Full, Half and New Moon was in Underswap 7651. I went to check out the report alone, as that particular timeline has been under the protection of JR for decades, and New Moon at least should have remembered that, as I’ve captured him there twice. Although the tacos there are some of the best in the multiverse, so perhaps… That’s why they were there.”

“Uh-huh. Having a run-in with those three - even if they did manage to escape you - shouldn’t have scared you that much though. You’re still all wound up by what happened…” Comet pointed out, wrapping his arms around the other’s waist, wishing he could pet the other’s wings, but the other’s wings were currently intangible so that he could sit on the chair without needing to be on the edge of the seat.

“.... How much do you know about Full Moon? Like his past, before you two met?” Waning Crescent responded - he wasn’t deflecting. He was going to explain - he just wanted to know if Comet had known that Angel had been bonded with a determined spirit and hadn’t told him.

“That his timeline was that endless void that you found the both of us in. He was grieving about something, but he never told me what. Apart from that, I know nothing more about his past then you do… Why? Did he do something weird again?” Comet responded, frowning a little and waiting for Crescent to get to his point.

“Ah… I… I accidentally killed Full Moon. He jumped in front of my claymore as I intended to pin down New Moon and I couldn’t get my blade away in time, and… My blade pierced his soul and he died.” Waning Crescent explained. His voice failing him for a couple of moments “And then a determined spirit - one who Full Moon had apparently had absorbed their soul, appeared and offered their soul to New Moon, who… Who took it. A strange, purple button appeared in front of New Moon and he… He resurrected Full Moon in front of me. Full moon had just finished dusting, and he… He’d come back. New Moon started to laugh and I… I fled the battlefield.”

Comet was still for a very long time, or so it felt to Waning Crescent, before he cleared his nonexistent throat, saying quietly, his voice a little shaky “Okay… So New Moon can resurrect people and has a Determined Human’s soul backing his power now. That… That could be bad, but we’ve dealt with monsters who have absorbed multiple human souls, and -”

“New Moon is not a monster. Neither am I. We have the physical appearance of skeleton monsters, but that’s as far as the similarities go. You’ve seen the shape and color of my soul, Comet. One of the constants in this multiverse is the shape and color - or lack thereof - for monster and human souls. New Moon and I… We were created by the previous guardian of emotions, as she… They? Were dying. She summoned the both of us. We are the… We are positive and negative emotions - and the magical power behind them, given form and substance. I… I may be able to show you my true form, if you promise not to freak out on me.” Waning Crescent explains quietly, fidgeting more intensely with the pen in his hands. It was almost impossible to not look at Comet directly, given that the other was still in his lap, but he was just barely managing it.

"Uhh... Okay? Promise me that like... Your body won't... I don't know... Disintegrate or vanish when you do? Or that you can switch back?" Comet responded after a moment's hesitation, trying to process what his beloved was saying. Waning Crescent had said that he was the guardian of positivity, but he hadn't really known what the other meant. None of them did - though they all felt the uplifting effects of his aura. 

"No, my body won't disintegrate - but as my true form contains the essence of my soul as well as all of my magic, my physical body will go limp and even grow cold and void of my magic, if I leave it for too long. Though that shouldn't be necessary. You may want to get off of my lap, as my physical form will be unable to hold you close during that time." Waning Crescent explained quietly.

“I… Okay then. Thank you for the warning.” Comet responded, part of him wondering if he should maybe convince the other not to do this. This felt… A little bit strange and like the other was making an impulsive and probably bad decision, and he was processing everything else that Waning Crescent had told him.  Comet got up, taking a couple of steps back. “So… You can… You can show me your true form, if you want to.”

Waning Crescent nodded, letting his eye lights fuzz out as he gathered all of his magic into the core of his body, first his soul taking shape, before he pushed himself further from the body. It had been quite some time since he’d done this last, and it was a bit of a struggle at first - but eventually, he was in his original form - a yellow-colored ball of condensed positivity magic and awareness. He floats over to Comet, gently coming to rest on one of the other’s shoulders, letting out a soft trill. He pulses a bit of magic through Comet before returning to his skeletal form “So as you can see… It’s not that a powerful monster is in possession of a determination soul… But…”

“A… A Guardian has absorbed a human soul. And I’m guessing that neither of you have ever done that before - and if the previous guardian did, she or they didn’t ever write down whatever the fuck happened, and if it’s possible to undo it without causing damage, since the two of you still have that weird destiny bond thing that makes it impossible to kill New Moon without it also killing you.” Comet finished, frowning a little bit. 

He had known that there was something odd about boss - but he hadn’t realized just how unique Waning Crescent was - were there other Guardians in the multiverse, perhaps hidden in obscure timelines? Protecting… Who knew what? “But… You mentioned New Moon being in possession of a Button - considering the fact that when he used it, that world didn’t Reset, he doesn’t have the ability to Reset a timeline - thank the fucking stars, as that could cause a shit load of trouble. He used it to heal Full Moon - which will be annoying to try to capture them, since with a press of a button, they’ll be back to full health again…”

“I… You’re right, of course. I probably just overreacted. They have a powerful healing ability that could potentially be a great hindrance, depending on if New Moon can resurrect dead criminals and decides to try to do so in order to create chaos… It’s unlikely, though. He mostly just flees and hides with his companions.” Waning Crescent mused “And no, there are no records of a Guardian absorbing a human soul, not to my knowledge. The previous guardian of the… Of the emotive balance was contemptuous and very wary of mortals - chasing away any who attempted to live near them. They were periodically attacked for the power they held, and was eventually struck down in a battle - though they were able to kill their attacker, before they created us.”

“Huh.” Comet remarked - he’s pretty sure that Waning Crescent is leaving out a few key details, but he’s not going to push for more than the other is willing to share. He already knows far more about the true past of the both of them than… Probably anyone else in existence, with the possible exceptions of Full and Half moon, depending on how much, if anything, New Moon had told them of his past. “So, what’s the plan with the three assholes?”

“I’ll update the orders for the undercover operatives. To watch out for any on The List, but for them to not approach New, Full, or Half moon under any circumstances, and if they are in a timeline for more than a couple of hours, to report directly to me, so that I… I can observe them directly.” Waning Crescent decided, nodding a little to himself firmly, before he asked “Does that sound reasonable to you? We can hope that his new powers only extend to that resurrection ability, but until we know for certain…”

“It’s best to limit the potential damage that New Moon could do, if at all possible. It’s going to take time to spread those new orders throughout our network, but I’ll be sure to send it to the regional heads myself.” Comet responded, turning partially, intending to leave.

“Absolutely not - for one thing, I need to make sure to write down and encode those orders… And another thing is, don’t think I haven’t forgotten that your appointment with Healer Ara regarding your pregnancy isn’t today in less than an hour and a half.”

“Oh come oooon! We’ve known that I’ve been pregnant for what? Two weeks now, at most? I’ll be fine.” Comet huffed, pouting a little that he’d been caught out so easily. He was excited to be carrying a soulling… But all of the information about what he could and what he wasn’t going to be able to do as the pregnancy continued was more than a little daunting “Hey… So uh… Since you’re not… Not a monster or a human, do you think that will affect the development of our soulling?”

“I… I don’t know. It’s one of the things that we will need to discuss with Dr. Ara and their Obstetrics team.” Waning Crescent answered honestly. He was worried about how the soulling would continue to grow - and he knew that Comet was as well.

“Yeah… Still not sure how I’m pregnant in the first place… ‘s not as if I have a soul…” Comet muttered, feeling more than a little self-conscious. He’d kind of assumed that he’d be unable to have kids that way, because of his condition. 

“But the deep scans showed that you did have one at one point… And again, that’s some of the things that will be gone over in that appointment today. Do you remember that Dr. Ara took a sample of your magic to have it tested?” Waning Crescent prodded gently. 

“I… Yeah, you’re right. I’m just… I’m so nervous about all of this - th-though I am excited as well. We… We’re going to have an ankle biter all our own. Look out multiverse, because our kid is going to be one hell of a force of nature. That much I can feel.” Comet answered back, rallying himself after a moment, his eye lights a pair of stars - one yellow, the other blue and purple, a grin appearing on his face.

“Of that, I have no doubt.” Waning Crescent responded with a fond smile appearing on his face, hugging his beloved boyfriend in close, a soft purr rumbling in his chest. “Now… Help me word the updated orders correctly?”

“Eh… You know that sort of thing is not my strong suit. Point me at an AU and tell me who to stab? I’m good. Tell me who to threaten and scare? I’m good. But the whole… Leading a secret service and army with a silver tongue? That’s all you, boss.” Comet grumbled, though he did follow the other back to the desk, claiming Waning Crescent’s lap as soon as the other sat down. It was nice to be close to the other like this, and he hoped that the obstetrics appointment would answer a lot of the questions that both of them had. This new healing ability of New Moon’s could be a pain in the ass… But shouldn’t prove to be too much of a danger...  Right?

[dropintomanga]

Rilakkuma is Therapy for the Modern Soul

I want to make an announcement you might want to hear - watch Rilakkuma and Kaoru.

I had an interest in watching this series beforehand as I have friends who love Rilakkuma merchandise. But after watching the whole 1st season, the whole show speaks to working young adults who have to manage all kinds of emotions to get through life.

The heroine of the show, Kaoru, is an office lady whose life appears to be going nowhere. She’s serious to a huge degree, depressed about not having a man in her life, and her current job offers little-to-no chance of promotion. The closest friends in her life are the famed bears, Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma, and pet bird Kiiroitori. All 4 of them live together in a vintage apartment building and they go through experiences that help each of them grow.

Each episode title hints to a general theme of the episode. While it’s fun to see Rilakkuma and his personal friends get into trouble, it’s enlightening to see the perspective of a young single Japanese woman living in a metro city far away from family.

When Kaoru experiences a moment where she’s reminded of her seemingly low status in society, she begins to dwell on it to a huge degree. This was shown multiple times, but the biggest scene of her depression was during a flashback sequence to her days prior to meeting Rilakkuma. The scene had Kaoru fall down what she describes as a black hole.

She goes through moments from her closest friends from college all ditching her at a cherry blossom gathering to her coworkers gossiping about her seriousness to becoming an online shopping addict just to get the attention of a male delivery worker she’s infatuated with. Kaoru tries to ponder the meaning of her own life as she tries to find her purpose. 

It’s one thing to enjoy being alone, but it’s another thing to have a sense of loneliness. A lot of people confuse solitude and loneliness when they’re different. Solitude is when you choose to be alone and enjoy it while loneliness is a subjective feeling that you’re alone. Like many young adults, Kaoru feels some loneliness from not being able to connect well with her peers.

Although the series was charming and made me laugh, I couldn’t help but feel like crying while watching. I was doing some research on the development of Rilakkuma and I found a Japan Times feature on the character. The article talked about how the plot of the series was developed. The director, Masahito Kobayashi, was determined to talk about the experiences of women living in Japan. He also added some details about the setting of the series.  I’m going to share this passage from the JT article.

“He (Kobayashi) also strived for geographical authenticity, creating a detailed city called Ogigaya — a mash-up of Tokyo’s Ogikubo and Asagaya neighborhoods — to serve as the setting for the series.

“I had a detailed idea of what this city would be like and what daily life in that city was like,” he (Kobayashi) says. “That is, of course, life is not just about smiles and being happy. I wanted to show the duality that exists. Even in the design of the city, it kind of represents the tension between regular life and an office town.”

The result is a visually stunning animation focusing on personal dramas that is a natural fit alongside easy-breezy Netflix offerings such as “Terrace House” and “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.”

What sets “Rilakkuma and Kaoru” apart from these productions, however, is the simple frustration that life in a big city can produce.”

That last line hits hard and the tension is real. I live in a big city (New York) and I can’t help but feel frustrated at everything about it. I don’t like how fast-paced and expensive everything is. A lot of people here just want to win at all costs. At the same time, I like living here since there’s a lot of fun things happening and I do find some of the scenery in NY to be unusually endearing. I don’t want to romanticize small towns, but like Kaoru, I can’t help but wish for the intimacy that people living in small towns have at times. 

I also began to see why Rilakkuma is so beloved all over the world. His laid-back nature is something so many of us are missing today. He reminds me of my father a bit. Maybe’s that why I got a bit teary from watching. My dad is sometimes lazy, but he would always tell me not to worry so much about things. He would tell me to relax - something Rilakkuma would encourage me to do. My mom reminds me of Kiiroitori as she’s kind of serious and gets on my dad’s case sometimes.

Now I think about it, my whole family (including my younger sister) are basically Rilakkuma (dad), Korilakkuma (sister), and Kiiroitori (mom). I’m bawling now.

We have such a hard time talking to people with depression. It’s difficult to know where to start, but I feel that from watching Rilakkuma and Kaoru, we can tell them that they won’t always feel that way. Kaoru’s spirits, despite them being down in a big way, seem to level out as she continued to move forward. She had support that knew how to cheer her up - a kind of support that hasn’t left her at all.

Modern life is both a blessing and a curse. Rilakkuma and Kaoru aren’t the full solution to that paradox, but I feel that both characters show what it means to get through life’s up and downs and that’s by helping one another out when stress happens. One somewhat heavy episode involved a ghost girl who shows up at Kaoru’s place uninvited and talks about the circumstances behind her death. She felt stuck over a high school love that moved on from her after she died. After she realized she needed warmth from another person/being (i.e. Rilakkuma), she was able to move on with peace with help that was willing to listen.

I’m still amazed at how this cute series speaks volumes about the troubles of young adults. It’s also inspiring to see Rilakkuma’s "lazy” nature be used as a vehicle for growth. Rilakkuma and Kaoru is a relaxing way to see how characters with seemingly negative attributes can be the ones who are the most positive after all.

[cedarmoons]

ariala lavellen for the oc ask meme?

Full Name: Ariala Lavellan

Gender and Sexuality: cis woman and bi

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity: Dalish elf; her clan originates from a rough area around Antiva/the Free Marches.

Birthplace and Birthdate: She was born in early spring in one of Clan Lavellan’s regular campsites in Antiva.

Guilty Pleasures: Chocolate and bubble baths. Fight me @dinoswrites

Phobias: She’s deathly afraid of harts, but can function so long as they are a respectable distance away. She’s also afraid of heights even though she climbs, like, everything.

What They Would Be Famous For: She goes viral for punching a racist a la Richard Spencer. probably an Orlesian tbh

What They Would Get Arrested For: Murder

OC You Ship Them With: she doesn’t have a boo 😞

OC Most Likely To Murder Them: if she and Maris existed in the same universe, Maris would be ordering a hit on her probably within a week after meeting her, especially since Ariala would be trying to depose Maris from her position of power. Good luck finding an assassin to take Ariala on though, Maris.

Talents and/or Powers: She’s a lifelong archer and trained extensively as Inquisitor in assassination tactics, including hand-to-hand combat, poison, etc. At first she thought it was overkill on Leliana, Heir, and (eventually) Zevran’s parts, but if she becomes Dark Ariala, she embraces this training to become an extremely accomplished fighter and killer.

Why Someone Might Love Them: She’s the most empathetic of all my girls except maybe Adelaide, who is retired so she doesn’t count. She also is (initially) the most extroverted. She’s irreverent and was once always quick to drop a sarcastic remark or joke. She is also very tender and caring toward the people she loves, and does her best to meet someone halfway, unless she dislikes them or thinks they’ve crossed a line.

Why Someone Might Hate Them: She’s brash and doesn’t think things through, sometimes. Very much a “do the thing and ask questions later” type of person, which can be frustrating. She’s also stubborn, and when she’s angry, she can be extremely rude, crass, and even cruel. She’s made more than a few enemies with sarcastic, quick-thinking insults.

How They Change: I really enjoy the complexity of negative character development, so that’s what I did when I decided to revamp her for beloved. She starts out sarcastic, extroverted, irreverent and always cracking a joke, typical of the Jester archetype her character was originally based on. But as time goes on, as she goes through horrible experiences during Inquisition—her capture and imprisonment in the Emprise du Lion, Crestwood, losing her clan, etc—she loses a lot of those qualities. We don’t see that change in beloved—she’s already started her downward spiral, post-Crestwood. She’s quieter. She’s less willing and able to crack a joke. She’s more withdrawn. But! I do show that there’s light at the end of the tunnel (I hope).

Why You Love Them: Ariala was my first fandom oc :’) And while I enjoyed Shatter Me, I abandoned it when I lost all my files, and I couldn’t help but feel I hadn’t really done her character justice, because it was so... wishy-washy. So I had an idea to rewrite Ariala, to give her a solid character and study how that character shifted and changed and developed under the circumstances of 1) going to bury her clan and 2) Solas, post-Crestwood, accompanying her. 

And at some point on that journey I decided to give her depression closely based on my own struggles with it, which was obviously a very personal choice. Giving Ariala depression, and having an outlet to portray the ugliness of that mental illness—isolation, lack of appetite, lack of hygiene, lack of willpower to get out of bed, etc—and to also portray the support Ariala receives from her friends was very cathartic to me. I’m very protective of Ariala not only because of her traits, like her protectiveness, her instinct of right/wrong, and how fiercely she loves people, but because of the fact that she was really the first OC I had who I used to work through issues of mental illness, and to use as a way to reassure myself (and others) that it was okay that our brains were Like That, and that it would get better. :)

[lupinealpineipa]

Some re-drawings of my characters from ‘The Finest Heroes’. my obsession with Yu-gi-oh, street fighter, and Sailormoon all rolled up in one very plot hole heavy story.

Mitzi is a plucky 14-year-old who’s ready for her last year of middle school to be over. She’s a sunny over-excitable child, her cheeriness does hide her low self-esteem. she regularly berated for her overweight by both teachers and her mother and finds it difficult to make new friends much to everyone's surprise. that why she prefers to spend much of her after-school time playing videos games with her childhood best friend Gavin. Mitzi’s faith in people often beats out her rationale side, always willing to help out others before herself. She likes to think that one day she’ll have enough self-confidence to admit that she has a crush on Gavin, and maybe bet him in Mario Cart. (probably the later)

Mitsuki was a talented young apprentice to her teacher. he taught her many forms in self-defense and attack, encouraging her to improvise in dire situations and making sure she always believed in herself first. Mitsuki dreamed of the day when she would take over the school and teach other young girls like herself the value of ones inner and outer strength. unfortunately, her town was struck with disaster leaving her without her beloved school and her parental figure. she began to compete in fighting rings to save money to send to her hometown in hope to restore the damage that the storm left them in. Her experience traveling earned her the title on the lone hero, later being approached by an organization that fights against evil, they are called The Finest Heroes. years later Mitsuki finds herself trapped in a video game With NO memories to help her in her predicament, she has an incredible affinity with the earth.

Rosalette is an older teen, barely turning 19. she used to be the girlfriend of a popular gamer who won on competitive levels. she realized quickly into their relationship that he had let a lot of the fame and influx of fans get to his head, because of her close relationship with the gamer she was often put under mass scrutiny and constantly slut-shamed for her appearance. she eventually decided to leave the relationship and pursue her own passions, game development. being herself an incredible gamer she always had a talent for coding. Rosalette isn't someone to be messed with when it comes to competitive gaming, making a name for her self in the community. although many trolls still take her negatively she has found a great and caring community of her own.

Rosie Posie was born to a rich family, but she doesn't like talking about that. Instead, ask her what the specials are in her bakery for today or where she got the cute fabric for her dress. Rosie has worked hard in her life so that she could live to be her authentic self and cherish each moment she has with others. she has an insatiable sweet tooth and many of her patrons would agree, some go as far as stealing or even vandalizing her bakery. but not to worry Rosie is always prepared, using her adorable umbrella as a staff and it’s incredible properties for greater damage. She can always put cretins in their place and isn't afraid of getting dirty if need be, But she much rather solves everyone's problems with some good apple pie. because of her abilities and the courageous actions she performed she was approached to join the Finest heroes. Years later she finds herself trapped in a video game with only a FEW memories of the past, she has an incredible affinity with air

Kevin Sampson is the son of a CEO of a distributing company. now they have focused their sights on distributing data and software engines to create a smooth and elegant gaming experience. Kevin has jumped on board becoming the sponsor of many popular gamers and helping them succeed in their careers. but it’s not all good for both parties. on contractile obligations, Kevin owns the brands of many gamers resulting in many of them not being able to extend or market themselves. His company though still adhered for its innovations in technology has been slowly becoming a sore in the gaming community but many still know that if they what to receive more publicity the only way to do so quickly is partnering with Kevin. His general attitude and dislikes fo many gaming venues have earned him a very dislikeable stance with many people. He has a very short temper and prefers to handle business situations himself, making him a ticking time bomb. Though he acts as though he has a dislike for casual gaming he is a very talented player and because of his general background, he can easily pick up and learn new systems.

S.K.Y has always been a thorn in other peoples sides, his ego can only be challenged by his sheer sense of self. Though he is a good fighter even held up amongst the greatest, he can often be found making large allegations of himself ‘having the strength of twenty men’ or ‘fighting two bears at once’. S.K.Y grew up as the prodigy of a humble monk who constantly praised S.K.Y for his sense of justice but once he was recognized by an elite fighting group, The Finest Heroes S.K.Y abandoned his poor beginnings and began to make a name for himself in the arena. He still has his inner core of fighting for what's right but its often muted by his larger more demanding desire to constantly be held in the limelight. He’s afraid to be ridiculed for his inabilities not having finished his general studies and difficult reading, his extreme form of dyslexia disadvantages him in many conversations and makes writing an impossibility. years later he finds himself trapped in a video game with a FEW memories of his past he has an incredible affinity with Fire

Xavier Montoya is a young 16-year-old boy who wants to make it out alive in high school. with the support of his aunt and cousin, he was able to socially transition. He even had top surgery after his Freshman year.  because of the mistreatment, he had to go through with his parents he is still trying to deal with his sense of self-worth. the only times he feels as though he can be himself is when he’s in the water of competing in his swim team. Montoya works as a waiter in a small family-owned Italian restaurant where he learned to mask his troubles with a fake smile ad chippy attitude his only favorite customers are a young Hispanic couple and their overactive daughter who reminds him a lot of himself. Montoya’s constantly has to battle with his own demons that constantly try to berate him down but he doesn't press anyone with his issues not wanting to depend on others, he prefers if people felt comfortable coming to him if they had problems they want to work out. He volunteers at an animal shelter on the weekends

M.A.R is a quiet and often forgot member of the finest heroes. he often plays to his strengths in planning and calculating for the team. he is very punctual and is never seen without his pocket watch. Though he may seem distant he is very protective of his close one going as far as taking cathartic measures to make sure they're safe. He very frequently feels as though his intellect and leadership skills aren't being used to their fullest potential by the organization, making him very resentful of those above him. he is very tactful and manipulative making people do things for him without them even knowing. he does have a soft spot for anyone who’s worked hard for everything they have, he himself coming from poverty and learning everything he could to help him leave his circumstances. there are many people who do not approve of his malicious tactics and would prefer if he leaves the team. he spends much of his time studying patterns being able to efficiently coordinate a sequence of cause and effect. Years later he found himself trapped in a video game with MANY memories of his past. He has a strong affinity with water

Gavin is a sweet young boy in the same grade as Mitzi only being a year younger than her. On his Bar mitzvah he was allowed to invite his school friends, at the time his only friend was Mitzi. His parents' joke that she will also be the only girl at his wedding. Gavin shares many of his video games with Mitzi being a kind and compassionate kid. he introduced Mitzi to the iconic and popular videogame known as ‘ Midnight: The Finest Heroes’. he is a supportive and trust-worthy friend and thinks very highly of Mitzi. He is a golden retriever personified

Shannon Ortiz was Mitzi’s friend from elementary school. she, Gavin, and Mitzi were inseparable until eventually Shannon felt embarrassed by her friends. playing video games and talking about playing card games when other kids their age were beyond that. she began taking out her frustrations on Mitzi, slowly tearing away their friendship. eventually, Shannon found a new group of friends away from Mitzi and Gavin and began becoming an annoyance to them. nowadays Mitzi and gain avoid her as much as they can. 

[walls-hum]

My thoughts on Us

(originally written as a review for IMDb)

Firstly, I'd like to make some concessions addressing some of the comments made in the negative reviews I read [on IMDb]. Yes, there are plot holes, and much of the movie is unexplained and non-logistical. How could a whole society of clones exist underneath us without us noticing? They couldn't. If they were created by a powerful group of overlords looking to control the general population, why wouldn't they be destroyed instead of kept alive? If you're looking for a realistic and extremely "believable" film, this isn't it.

But so much of the criticism, in my opinion, has a fundamental misunderstanding of what the artistic purpose of film is to many great film makers: to use an aesthetic project to convey an overwhelming feeling held by modern society. Like many, I see it as a criticism of the current attitudes towards income inequality. Two distinct classes are distinguished, Us (the relatable and privileged surface dwellers) and Them (the animalistic and deprived tethered). The tethered are terrifying, strange, and hard to sympathize with, and seem to be inherently violent. They're even described at certain points as "soulless" and "shadows."

But as we discover that Adelaide isn't exactly who she thinks she is, we are still made to root for her. She is ultimately a mother fighting to protect her family, an undeniably righteous cause. She's worked extremely hard to get where she is, and that's something we can all understand, because we all struggle every day to provide for our families and rise above our circumstances.

This movie is full of reflections, whether it be the ominous 11:11 or the consistent shadowy images of Adelaide in mirrors and glass. Even the scissors are two halves reflected. As much as we want to divorce the tethered from ourselves, it's apparent through Adelaide's development that their circumstances are what result in the behavior of the tethered, not some inherent evil in them. Both Red and Adelaide are capable of great violence when threatened, and the tethered are threatened. In my eyes, you can't deprive a whole population of love and freedom and not call that violence. Even the kids are violent when pushed to be.

The acting and casting in this movie are phenomenal, essential in such an ambitious film. N'yongo's performance in particular is breathtaking, and Wright Joseph also did an incredible job, even when not considering her age. (Her tethered, in my opinion, is the CREEPIEST LITTLE B-YAHTCH OF THE BUNCH). The cinematography is incredible, and significant in every scene if you know what to look for.

In many ways, this film is nonsensical and imperfect. However, it is rich in symbolism and dread that still rings through my head and heart long after watching. If we treat people like animals, they will act like them. And if they are made to feel like they have no place in the world, and are deprived of every opportunity and comfort, they will do what is necessary to take what they need. You can't blame the tethered for doing so, they just want exactly what our beloved characters want. Red is an inspiration to the tethered because she can tell them what they're missing, and what they crave is recognition, communication and community.

In the same way, we justify what we do to get to the top of our American society. We tell ourselves, we DESERVE this. Those who have nothing have nothing for a reason, right? And if they weren't the ones who have nothing, then WE would be the ones who had nothing. But in reality, the privileged and the oppressed are only borne of our circumstances, just like Red and Adelaide, and like them, we are essentially interchangeable. Instead of questioning how these tethered got here and who let the situation get so out of hand, we instead just demonize them, even though if we thought about it their violence would be understandable. Peele, in a thousand ways and images, illuminates all of the holes in our logic which we use constantly to justify the conditions which millions of low-and-middle-income individuals in this country live in. They are Us. We are Them. The only difference is, in reality, there are a hell of a lot more unprivileged than privileged. What happens when we realize that we will never be allowed to trade places with the rich?

Or at least, that's how I see it. Regardless of themes, this is a wonderfully made and acted film, every element of which is thoughtfully and beautifully expressed. I loved every second of it, especially considering the GARBAGE in theatres these days. Considering how huge this concept and idea is, it's not perfect, but it's damn close. I loved Get Out, and in a lot of ways it's a better film, but Us is fortuitous in a way that haunts me, and probably will for a long time.

(Basically, learn to not take things so literally and read between the lines. Interpret the symbols. It's fun, trust me, and you'll get a lot more out of movies in general.)

[katieskarlette]

Before the Storm:  A Reaction Post

I just finished binge-reading the latest WoW novel, and I have thoughts.  Quite a few of them, actually.  So here goes.

Short non-spoilery version:   Game tie-in novels are never going to be high literature, but for what it was, I really enjoyed this book.  I know Golden’s name has been mud around this neck of the internet lately, so this probably isn’t a popular opinion.  The contrast between Anduin and Sylvanas as leaders--and as people--was interesting to see, and the questions about how the living and the undead can (or should) interact were incredibly poignant.  There was only one significant lore development (at the very end, regarding a new variety of undead) that is easy to catch up on via a quick summary, so it’s not a mandatory read to understand Battle For Azeroth.  But as a character study and a fleshing-out of the world and how various issues stand going into the new expansion, it was a enjoyable read.  If you’re a fan of Anduin, Sylvanas, Genn, Calia, or goblins, definitely check it out.

Spoilers (as well as a mention of real-life death/grief) below.

I think sometimes fandom marinates in an echo chamber and, because of how seldom new canon material is released, we assume that because Blizzard isn’t releasing a weekly short story they’re letting unresolved plot threads dangle and fester.  Sometimes they do, granted, but there were an awful lot of things addressed (or at least mentioned) in this book that fandom has been wondering/worrying/complaining/speculating about:

The leadership void among the Darkspear.  The impact of losing so many soldiers and supplies in the war with the Legion.  What’s been going on in the Undercity while Sylvanas is away doing Warchief stuff.  The fact that none of the Horde leaders have families.  The reaction of the Cenarion Circle to their losses in Silithus.  The unpopularity of Gallywix among his own people.  The confusion and cross-faction misunderstandings about the disastrous battle of the Broken Shore.  The tension and lost trust after Genn Greymane and Admiral Rogers’ shenanigans at the start of Stormheim’s storyline.  Moira’s son not being a baby anymore.  The unresolved issues between Moira and Magni.  Velen’s grief over his son.  The fact that Tess and Mia Greymane exist.  Theramore.  Calia’s claim to the throne of Lordaeron.  The long-lasting impact of the Cataclysm.  The mixed opinions among the Horde about the way the goblins terraformed Azshara.  Kalec and Jaina’s relationship.  Lore from the priest order hall.  And yes, the fact that Anduin needs an heir.

I’m not saying all these things are settled or developed, or handled in ways I necessarily agree with, but it’s good to be reminded that Blizzard hasn’t forgotten about any of these elements.  (Wrathion, on the other hand...  Sigh.  Don’t get me started.  Suffice it to say he’s not even alluded to in the book.  Onyxia does get a passing mention in relation to how her scheming impacted the Wrynns.)

Anyway, moving on to the main theme of the book:  life, death, and all the corpse-gray areas in between.

It was hard to read sometimes because of how raw the emotions were and how hard the questions were that it asked.  I’m not sure that it would have the same impact on someone who has never grieved the death of a loved one, but for me it was quite emotional.  I got misty-eyed in several places.  

I found myself imagining what it would be like to see my much-beloved grandmother (who, by the time she died, was as hunched, emaciated and discolored as any Forsaken, although that’s not how I try to remember her) standing across a field from me.  To be able to speak to her again, tell her how much I love and miss her, to tell her what I’ve been doing in the last fifteen years...yet to see her as a withered, pungent, unnatural husk, to know she’d been denied the rest of the grave...  Faced with that choice, I don’t know how I would react.  I’m glad I never will--for a lot of reasons!

The book never said that Anduin imagined himself facing either of his parents under such circumstances, but I’m sure he must have.  (I mean, not that there was anything left of Varian to turn undead, but hypothetically speaking.)  Anduin’s a very empathetic person, and his own grief over his father was still so raw.  It certainly affected Genn, who I thought was written very well. 

I’ve never been a fan of the Forsaken, because their dark, mean-spirited, nihilistic outlook and the corpse/bone aesthetic don’t appeal to me. (It doesn’t in other contexts, either.  Give me cute jack o’ lanterns and chubby-cheeked ghosts for Halloween decorations, and skip the plastic tombstones and cardboard skeletons, please.)  This book gave a lot of insight into what it would be like to be undead, without the need for sleep, cut off from any living friends/relatives, with a body that’s slowly wearing out without the ability to heal or do physical therapy, knowing that you are repulsive and smelly to others, making the most of second chances while also perhaps yearning for the peace of true death, and being acutely aware of how fragile you really are.  It made the Forsaken more sympathetic and (excuse the pun) fleshed out.

I was also quite pleased to see acknowledgement of Forsaken who aren’t emotionless, gibbering eeeevil.  My lone, seldom-played undead alt, a lowbie priest, is that kind of a character:  holding onto the Light even though it now is painful to use, and refusing to stoop to being a monster just because she’s a walking corpse.  That wasn’t a viewpoint that was really highlighted in canon before.  (Of course, that means my little priest would be out there on the Arathi plain with a bunch of black arrows sticking out of her right now, so...)

I was disappointed that the book never mentioned Anduin bringing Elsie’s body back to Stormwind to bury beside Wyll.  I’m going to assume he did, because geez.

I still don’t know where they’re going with the new Light-infused variety of undead, but we’re not really supposed to.  It’s just a teaser and cliffhanger.  There’s a lot of story potential, anyway.  We’ll see.  I’m glad they didn’t remove Calia from the story completely, at least.

Speaking of cliffhangers, if that adorable gnome/goblin couple didn’t survive, I’m going to be majorly bummed out.  It was also interesting to know that goblins and gnomes can get married in canon.  Presumably other cross-species relationships can be made legal, too.

Anyone who’s emotionally invested in the Menethil dynasty has sure had a rollercoaster of ups and downs lately.  Yay, Calia’s finally in game!  Noooo, she’s not interested in claiming her throne!  Yay, she’s interested after all!  Nooooo, she’s dead!  Yay, she’s...undead?  And she's totally cool with the idea that Lordaeron belongs to the Forsaken?  (Which, I mean, it does, but it’s surprising to have her think that.  So many forum threads about this stuff suddenly became obsolete...)  And there’s a slim chance that her daughter is either undead or still alive out there somehow?  WHAAAAAAT? 

Oh yeah, she secretly got married to a footman, had a kid, escaped the Scourge, lived in Southshore for years under an assumed identity, and then presumably lost her husband and daughter when the town got Blighted (yet she’s okay with the Forsaken???), but we didn’t see the bodies so heaven only knows what plot twist could come of that.  

On one hand (the Watsonian one) it’s a tragic, awful thing for her to have gone through and I felt really bad for her.  On the other hand (the Doylist one), did she really need more tragic, awful backstory?  No.  No, she really did not.  It seemed like overkill, which makes me suspect they’re seeding a plot thread for the future.  Meh.  Hey, if she lived in Southshore, did she know the Rogers family?  Would Admiral Catherine Rogers recognize her as whatever her fake identity was?

On a related note, you’ve got Anduin who in the past was always like, “OMG noooo don’t compare me to Arthas!” and now is like, “Okay, Calia, I’m officially adopting you as my new big sister.”  Oh, the irony...

I should address the rainbow-striped elephant in the room:  There is no LGBTQIA+ representation in the book.  Anduin is specifically mentioned as having been attracted to the female dwarf Aerin, and he expects to fall in love with a woman someday.  Personally, I‘ve headcanoned him as bi, perhaps leaning a bit ace, while always expecting Blizz to have him marry a woman.  I do sympathize with those who had hoped that he might be canonically gay, and I strongly agree that Warcraft badly needs more representation in that regard.  In this book alone, it would have been so easy to have that blacksmith bringing a helmet as a gift to his long-lost Forsaken husband instead of friend.  But we also need a major Warcraft character to be unequivocally LGBT.  It’s way, way past time.  Get on it, Blizzard.

[Edited to add:  I almost forgot, another kind of representation I wish they had explored was that of physical disability.  As convenient as Anduin’s Magic Lie-and-Bad-Idea-Detecting Bones are, why couldn’t he have had some negative lasting effects of being crushed by the Divine Bell?  Chronic aches, maybe a limp at least?  Loss of a limb, even?  There is a narrative to be explored there, and as someone with a close family member who suffers from chronic pain and limited mobility it would be refreshing to see that kind of thing addressed.]

Moving on, I’ve never cared for Valeera Sanguinar that much, but I did like how she’s set up as Anduin’s super secret spy.  I wonder if she gets to wear pants now.

Big ol’ meanie Sylvanas made Baine and Anduin stop being pen pals.  *pout*  I loved how Magni called her “lassie,” though.  That takes balls of diamond, to be sure...

Speaking of the banshee queen, I tried very hard to read between the lines to see what their long-term plans are for her.  Just because the last line of the book is Anduin proclaiming that she’s beyond saving, that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to try to pull off some kind of redemption arc.  If anything it just draws our attention to the question.  

Is Anduin right?  A big part of his plot arc lately is how he’s finding his way, making mistakes and learning from them.  Could he be wrong about Sylvanas?  He saw potential for good in Garrosh that never developed, so it’s not impossible that he could find compassion for Sylvanas someday...if she shows remorse and a desire to change.  And that’s an “if” bigger than the sword sticking out of Silithus.

I didn’t see any signs of her wrestling with her conscience.  If anything, the emphasis on how some Forsaken do still have feelings (besides hatred, bitterness, and anger) condemned her all the more by comparison.  Yet she does regret Vol’jin’s death, and she did respect him.  And her feelings were definitely hurt by her sisters’ responses to her, and you have to have feelings to have them be hurt.  But her lack of remorse for any of the vicious, heartless things she does, combined with her new penchant for killing her own people, doesn’t bode well for her to have a change of heart any time soon.

I also kept a close eye on Nathanos.  In his short story they made a point of saying that his senses were sharper with his new body, and that he felt a pang of regret for the first time since his death.  That could simply be an indication of his renewed state, or it could be a tiny sliver of foreshadowing that he’s not 100% on board with Sylvanas’ plotting.  Then again, that was set before Legion, and he spent all of Stormheim frantically trying to find her, and worrying about her, and just generally not being remotely subtle about how much he cares for her.  Heh.  Then again, he can care about her (in whatever way the undead feel such bonds, that is) and still think she’s going too far with her ideas about the valkyr, raising more Forsaken, keeping them up and functioning indefinitely without the release of true death, etc.  Interesting potential for conflict there, as well.

I don’t know that I even want to see a Sylvanas redemption arc, but it’s fun to try guessing what Blizzard has planned.  And such a plot twist would alleviate some of the “Didn’t we just do this same ‘overthrow a bad warchief’ plot with Garrosh?” syndrome, and allow them to keep around one of the franchise’s most recognizable characters.

I was also relieved to find no evidence that Anduin is being corrupted by the Old Gods, Azerite, or anything else.  He’s true to himself and the Light, as always.  I appreciate characters who stubbornly insist that there is good in (almost) everyone, despite living in a world that does its best to beat that optimism out of them.  It’s not blind idealism or naivete; it’s faith and its own kind of strength.

Sylvanas and Anduin are fascinating foils for each other.  The stark contrast between a young king who is still finding his place and a bitter, scarred, centuries-old queen, someone who comes to understand that death is not always the enemy versus someone who digs in her heels and refuses to accept it, someone who wants his people to be happy versus someone who kills them for not agreeing with her...  It’s intriguing.

Was it the best book ever?  No.  Did I enjoy reading it?  Yes.  Is it absolutely necessary to read in order to understand the story going into the next expansion?  Nah.  Would it have been a lot better with Wrathion in it somehow?  Of course.  ;)

And that’s my two cents.  (Er, well, judging by how long this post got, more like $2.50.)

[why-didnt-someone-stop-me]

Romeo and Juliet Essay

Unlike the social standards of the current time period, courtship previously followed a strict sequence of laws. One of the original creators of the written laws of courtship was Andreas Capellanus (1150-1220) who wrote the book The Art of Courtly Love. The aforementioned book speaks of a series of laws which upon love could flourish. The mannerisms of the twelfth century French court under Queen Eleanor at Poitiers influenced the laws and the creation of the book itself. Each of the thirty-one laws outlined what a romantic courtship should have entailed at the time, and eventually grew so popular that it spread to many Western cultures. During the Early Modern Period (c. 1400-1700) the art of love was still appreciated and applied to everyday life. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare took place in the sixteenth century and allowed one to observe how the courtship of Juliet by Romeo follows many of Capellanus’ laws of courtly love.

The introduction of Juliet in the play brings to light Capellanus’ third law: ‘A double love cannot constrain an individual’ as well as his twelfth and seventeenth laws: ‘True love exudes all but its beloved’ and ‘A new love brings an old love to a finish’. All three laws relate by emphasizing that true love exists between only two people, it is not possible for any real love to linger on another. The play starts with Romeo desperately pining over Rosaline, a beautiful girl who had stolen his heart but decided to remain pure until she would be married. At the time it is believed by both the reader and the characters that this was true love. However, in the second act of the play, Juliet in introduced and immediately caught the attention and ‘true love’ of Romeo. Following Capellanus’ laws, Romeo’s love for Juliet trumped his supposed love for Rosaline, and he forgot the latter while becoming even more infatuated with the former. In a conversation with Friar Lawrence Romeo said, “With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no; / I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe” (Shakespeare.2.2.48-49). This was not stereotypical of Romeo, and the man that had become his father figure took notice. Romeo, “tells the friar of his love for Juliet and their intention of marriage...initially unimpressed, [Friar Lawrence] points out Romeo’s infidelity to Rosaline” (Carter). Just as Capellanus’ twelfth law states: ‘True love exudes all but its beloved’ Romeo’s false love for Rosaline was erased once his true love, Juliet, was found. Romeo unconsciously follows this law so closely that like the Shakespearean character Macbeth, who allows a prophecy to overcome any rational or moral thought, his actions and rational thought are overwhelmed by his love for Juliet.

The play takes places in Verona during a feud between the families of Romeo and Juliet, which causes the main conflict that furthers the plot. This feud seems to be an example of Capellanus’ twelfth law: ‘Only the most urgent circumstances must bereve one of love’. Arguments and hatred between the two families, the Montagues and Capulets, has turned into physical fights which are so malicious that the Prince of Verona declares, “If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (Shakespeare.1.1.98-99). A situation with a threat of death seems to be a ‘most urgent circumstance’, but throughout the play neither Romeo nor Juliet are deprived of love. From the start of the play, one is advised that:

From forth the fatal loins of the two foes

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;

Whole misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents’ strife (Shakespeare.Prologue.5-8)

Thus, this is one of the circumstances where the conflict is able to be overcome by love. “Shakespeare effectively demonstrates how Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another overpowers significant emotional scenes within the play, including the feuding between their two families” (Love Overpowers Hate). The true love between Romeo and Juliet was not extinguished under any of the circumstances shown in the play, an example of the strength of true love and how nothing but the worst possible situations may destroy it.

While most of the previous laws were docile and held no mortal consequences, Capellanus’ thirteenth law boldly says: ‘Public revelation of love is deadly in most instances’. The courtship between Romeo and Juliet starts out in complete secrecy, with only the two lovers knowing, but quickly the amount of people privy to the secret increased. Juliet’s nurse as well as Romeo’s father figure, Friar Lawrence, were the first outside of the two lovers to become knowledgeable of the situation. From there the secret is kept under lock and key, yet in the last act of the play everything is revealed. The deaths of both lovers occur and their fates are met with the resolution of the feud between the families. “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; / Whole misadventured piteous overthrows / Do with their death bury their parents’ strife” (Shakespeare.Prologue.5-8). From the beginning it is known that the play will end in death, although it may be asked what caused the tragic verdict. Romeo and Juliet’s luck with their lives seemed to dwindle as the plot of the play develops, and consequently more characters discover the courtship. In the Friar’s quest to “turn your household’s rancor to pure love” (Shakespeare.2.2.99) he seemed to inadvertently usher Romeo and Juliet towards their deaths. While “Friar Lawrence married the two young lovers thinking that their union, when revealed, would end the feud between their families” (Carter) the friar did not think of the fates of the lovers themselves. By the time both families were aware of the deaths, their minds were clouded by the grief of loss allowing for the healing of the rift between them to take place. The need for the public awareness of the marriage between Romeo and Juliet led to the action taken that thereupon led to the deaths of both lovers.

Capellanus’ twenty-fourth law once again may lead to mortal consequences stating: ‘The lover’s every deed is performed with the thought if his lover in mind’. From the moment that Romeo saw Juliet, he asked himself “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” (Shakespeare.1.5.59-60) and is infatuated with her until the moment he dies and can no longer feel emotion. In the second act of the play, only mere days after falling in love with Juliet, Romeo is willing to give up his family, friends, and house name to be with her. Romeo was willing to give up everything that he had ever known and loved with Juliet in mind. While Juliet despaired over the feud that separates the houses of Montague and Capulet and wished for Romeo to only be an individual, not a section of a house he eagerly replied, “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized; / Henceforth I never will be Romeo” (Shakespeare.2.2.54-55). Romeo only focused on staying will Juliet, his true love, and not on any possible lasting consequences should he follow through with his offer. By the end of the play, both lovers were willing to not only give up their lives in a social sense, but also in a physical sense by committing suicide. Once Juliet witnesses Romeo’s dead form she woefully asks herself:

What’s here? a cup, closed in my true love’s hand?

Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.-

O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop

To help me after! I will kiss thy lips.

Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,

To make me die with a restorative (Shakespeare.5.3.166-171)

Just as Romeo had killed himself after he believed Juliet had died, she was willing to do the same with only her true love in her thoughts and no other consequences in mind. The love between both Romeo and Juliet had created a type of separate reality in which there was nothing more important than being with the other lover. One of the consequences of their actions was the benevolent unification of the Montague and Capulet households, although in another instance the outcome may not have been as nice. The lovers acted with only themselves in mind, and were blinded to any of the effects applied to the larger picture of life around them.

Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, is a timeless tragedy of a love story based in a more civilized and romantic time. The love between the main characters followed many of the rules of courtship placed forth by Andreas Capellanus and showed examples of true, faithful love. Types of traditional courtship are often overlooked, being overshadowed by modern and barbarous methods that do not show the beauty of passionate love. Implementing ideas presented by brilliant minds like Shakespeare and Capellanus into modern society would express how humanity’s emotion have deteriorated to a point where a stereotypical person has little to no knowledge about the beauty and delicacy of true love. Focusing on expressing positive emotions instead of negative emotions would help solve violent problems and reduce the amount of greed and corruption in the world. Modern conflicts could be ended similarly to the feud of Verona and dissolved to let respect and understanding take its place. As Edward Bulwer-Lytton once said, “The pen is mightier than the sword”, which remains true as long as the words written are remembered. Romeo and Juliet will be forever remembered, for its triumph over evil and art of courtly love.

                                                      Works Cited

Bulwer-Lytton, Edward

Capellanus, Andreas, and John Jay. Parry. The Art of Courtly Love. Columbia University Press, 1990.

Carter, Sarah. “Romeo and Juliet.” The Facts On File Companion to Shakespeare, Facts On File, 2012. Blooms Literature, 22 Mar. 2018.

“Love overpowers Hate in Romeo and Juliet.” Love Overpowers Hate in Romeo and Juliet - Essay - 1024 Words.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Spark Publishing, 2014.

“Why Did Romeo and Juliet Die? - 724 Words.” Study Guides and Book Summaries, 5 Apr. 2017.

[identically-different]

Will/Hannibal: Winter Winds (6/7)

Title: Winter Winds (6/7)

Authors: @destinyawakened @achilles-lament

Rating: M

Chapters: One | Two| Three| Four | Five| Six |

Characters: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Abigail, Mischa

Series: Fate and Circumstance

Summary: (Blind) Will and Hannibal are celebrating their first Christmas/winter season together while navigating an adoption.

Christmas Eve came quickly, putting them in the living room with warm drinks by a cozy fire, all snuggled in new pajamas Hannibal insisted. Abigail had a cider and Hannibal made hot adult beverages for them both. Will hadn’t been able to do gift shopping like he would have preferred, but Hannibal was hard to buy for, and always had things he already wanted. So, instead Will opted to buy something he thought would be useful, maybe.

He handed an envelope to Hannibal. “You are the hardest to buy for.”

Hannibal smiled, taking the beautiful envelope and opened it, with a letter opener, that he grabbed from his desk. Looking at the contents, he leaned in to kiss Will, softly. “Will, this is wonderful, thank you,” he said, love in his tone, “This is the finest wine club in the area. Trust that I shall make good use of this, Mylimasis.”

He then turned to set the paper down, along with the letter opener, taking a small envelope, tied in a soft blue ribbon from his pajama pocket, the inside was in braille, so his beloved would be able to read it. Will took it and opened it, touching the paper all over.

“A… Doctor’s appointment?”

“I feel this is something that will be of great use,” Hannibal stated, giving Abigail a smile, before turning back to his husband. “It’s a, somewhat new procedure, that was first developed by William Dobelle. A stimulator chip will sit in your primary visual cortex, to give you sight. It is still in the developmental phase, and I've been assisting them with that. So far there has been a high success rate, with limited negative effects," a pause and then, "For Christmas, I hope to give you sight, and the opportunity to see our son, together."

Overwhelmed with suddenly emotion, Will grew silent, swallowing thickly, chest squeezing as his heart beat faster. “Actual sight?”

Hannibal stepped closer, and placed both hands on Will’s shoulders, watching him. “Yes, my beauty, actual, permanent sight. If you’ll allow me the honor of giving it to you.”

“Will you be doing the surgery?” Will asked, not entirely a fan of doctors, but he wanted this more than anything.

READ ON AO3

[magnificent-winged-beast]

Trench-Coat Wish List

This is a lazy and no so serious post. I basically spended half an hour looking for “trench-coats for men” on google and I made a personal selection of the ones that don’t want to be used by Castiel on Season 13.

And a personal selection of possible good options for Castiel, that I picked using my keen eye for high fashion and couture (I literally don’t have any idea of what I’m talking about).

So let’s make it Work!!!

The nononono Trench-Coats

I made a wide selection in the Trench-Coat sampling of definitively must no, never no, under any circumstance let one of these be used by Castiel Unless there is an AU where Cas is an angel by day and a 70s Porn Star by night. Let see if you agree.

Yes it includes the ugly one that He was using till season 12.

Keep reading

A first Selection for Your Consideration.

What about in black?

Do you remember how good he look in that misleading Promo with a Black coat?

Now, how about options for a AU Castiel.

This selection is really just a general HeadCanon and a wide speculation about another Castiel that can belong to the AU Where Mary is right now. Or the negative of Castiel that can came out from the empty.

The nononono for a Castiel from any AU.

Look, this are cool Coats, but aren’t Castiel in any way. They have a Gothic vibe that I think Can’t resonate with any iteration of Cas. Maybe It’s just my opinion, and someone may say: Well, I would like to see a Gothic Angel of the Lord kinda Draculish, in that case this selection is for you.

This is my final and definitive proposal.

Here is a modernized and stylish version of all the Trench-Coat idea. I believe it would look really good in Castiel tailored to suit the beefed gorgeosity that is Misha Collins. Also, you can choose the color. My personal selection will be the gray, because it will symbolize what I want for him to became once he leaves the empty. Not a human, neither an Angel. I believe he will renounce a part of himself that can definitively can classify him as an Angel, but he will not choose to renounce to all his Celestial powers, because at the end, this is who he really is.

Another thing to note about this so symbolic piece of clothing, is that this version doesn’t fill any practical use, and Castiel could take it off at anytime. I will vindicate my position in the #KeepTheTrenchCoat Team, but I will say the same I stated before about my beloved ship Destiel.  Castiel is more that a Trench-Coat or a love interest, he can’t be shaped or delayed, ignoring the need for a healthy development of this character just to fulfill either a romantic Trope or a whimsical request of the fans. We know that this is mere nostalgia about the first time we saw him and he gained our hearts. Either for his overall aesthetic perfection, Trench-Coat, sex hair or quirkiness. We must let him flow, and this proposal will allow him to keep that visual reference about him that we love and miss so much, because we know that the old and Vintage Season 4 Trench-Coat will never come back because no one produce those Coats anymore. 

With a clothing as unpractical and just to fill the requirement for him to wear something that recalls his wings, we will still having that imagen we love, and this will also allow for this character to evolve according his decisions and possibilities. I can further convince you by asking you to picture a Castiel with a tight white shirt, sleeves rolled up on Misha’s beefed body(ok, is getting hot in here).

I believe at the end the Trench-Coat will stay, but don’t let this piece of garment became in a definite and absolute trademark of this awesome character. We need see more skin, and more confort for this overall newest version of our favorite Angel. Let him to wear or take off this Coat at will. But a requirement that I will demand to be reinstalled Ipso facto, is the Sex hair, Cas has no identity or purpose without that messy hair. U_U

Chaito

If your nostalgia gets a hold of you, and you are about to unfollow me because this my statement. Allow me to offer you condolences first, and this link where you can find this Vintage Coat, that is cataloged specifically as a costume or general nostalgia about Castiel.

Castiel Trench Coat

[techbugs-digital-marketing]

ROCCAT Mice & Keyboards is now Dr Disrespect's Exclusive Partner For PC Gaming

Turtle Beach (NASDAQ: HER) today announced ROCCAT, its Hamburg, Germany-based PC accessories brand, and Shameless Dr. Announces New Partnership Between Disrespect. In this new multi-year contract, Drs. Turtle Beach's existing partnership with Etler expands, making it Rocket Dock's exclusive keyboard, mouse and mousepad partner. Acquired by Turtle Beach in 2010, ROCCAT combines expansion-savvy German innovation with a genuine passion for PC gaming and a history of building award-winning devices such as the acclaimed Ken Mouse and the Vulcan keyboard, both of which already feature the Doctor's arsenal Are in Rene Corte, general manager of PC products at Turtle Beach, said, “Dr. Asman is a powerful gamer and powerful companion. "There are plenty of streamers with dock-to-play and entertainment skills, so it's an honor to provide her with our great PC hardware, and we look forward to continuing our work together."

Dr. Dissinart was awarded the Esports Awards as a two-time (1, 2) year streamer and has over 3 million followers on his Twitch channel with over 1 million followers. field. In 2019, a dead dead producer, Skybound Entertainment, signed a television deal with Doc to develop a TV series based on his character. In mid-February, another contract was announced in mid-February for a comic "memoir" detailing the backstory in the contract book, which is under the influence of Simon & Schuster, Gallery Books, and will be released to you next spring. Will be published in "Benjamin Franklin or once declared, 'The best investment is in one's own trading tools," Dr. The disrespect said. "Only Rocket's beloved, precision-engineered gaming equipment can meet my exacting demands for the premiere tools needed to dominate my competition." Dr. Anassider is currently using RoyCACT's award-winning Can series mice and Vulcan series keyboards. Cain is born with the most popular "click" approach and aims to provide the highest precision performance as one of the fastest and most responsive PC gaming mice available. The popular tech/lifestyle publication T3 recently named Ken 120 AIMO "the best gaming mouse available today." Rock's latest Vulcan 122 AIMO mechanical gaming keyboard is a new and faster version of the Vulcan 120 AIMO that Wired has named the best gaming keyboard of 2019. In addition to using RossiCat's latest gear to kill a contestant, Drs. Anastrack will work on a range of signature products, combining the precise engineering of the RossiCat with dock-dominated gameplay. Dr. To experience Asadesty's unique and interesting gaming session, check out their Twitch channel. For more information about ROCCAT's high-quality line-up, German-engineered PC gaming devices, visit https://roccat.org.

About Turtle Beach Corporation Turtle Beach is a leading gaming audio and brand accessory brand, offering a wide selection of cutting-edge, award-winning gaming headsets. Whether you are a professional esports, hardcore gamer, casual player or just to get started, Turtle Beach has a gaming headset that helps you develop your skills in a real sense. Innovative and advanced technology, amazing high-quality gaming audio, crystal-clear communication, lightweight and comfortable design and easy-to-use features make Turtle Beach a fan-favorite brand for sports around the world. The Tortoise Beach Gaming Headset is designed for Xbox, PlayStation® and Nintendo consoles as well as PC, Mac, and mobile / tablet devices giving a competitive advantage. Listen to everything Beat everyone 20011 at Turtle Beach acquired ROCCAT, a leading PC accessories manufacturer that combines German love with detail with a genuine passion for designing the best PC gaming products. Shades of Turtle Beach are traded by a sign on the Nasdaq exchange. Warning note on pre-search statements This press release contains information and statements that are forwarded within the meaning of federal securities law. Except for the historical information contained in this publication, statements in this publication may make forward-looking statements about future events, predictions, predictions, hopes, goals, intentions, or beliefs. With words like "may", "may", "do", "should", "trust", "expect", "expected", "plan", "forecast", "target", "project". The statement "," implies "and the same sentiment or negativity of those statements are expected. The foregoing statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, rather than the contents of the statement of any effect. Astika results may vary bhautikadrstya. It appears that further statements and information are based on currently available hypotheses based on management's current beliefs and management's expectations. The company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, but there can be no assurance that its goals and strategies will be realized. Many factors, including risk and uncertainty, can have real consequences, and as a result, statements from or on behalf of the company may differ from those expressed in the content. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, fundamental uncertainties in acceptance of existing and future products, the success of our marketing partnerships, the commercialization of new technologies and the difficulty of defense, the impact of competing products, and so on. The risks associated with the expansion of our business, including prices, general trading and financial circumstances, the performance of any business we conduct and the financial reporting and operation of our business, our indebtedness, our internal control over the liquidity of the company and other factors such as Integration of businesses are included. This was discussed in our public files, along with the risk factors included in the company's most recent quarterly reports, Form 10-Q and 10-K, and in the company's other periodic reports. The Company shall have no obligation to publicly update or revise it after this release date, except as required by applicable law, including US securities law and the Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations. As a result of new information, future development or otherwise. Read the full article

[typicalrobotgirl5]

What was your turn off, disappointment with the way they wrote Robron after the reveal? In other words what make you unship them? (My wording is ridiculous but I hope you get my point)

Hullo, anon!  :)  Andthank you for the question.  I’m not oneof those people who is amazing at laying things out in a straightforward fashion (and also not someone who gets anon questions a lot),so I don’t know if my answer will be all that enlightening, but I’ll give it ashot!

I’m going to preface this by saying that I tend to secondguess myself when I’m being as critical of a show as I am here.  After this plot happened, I spent a lot oftime thinking whether I was being this negative purely because of the emotionalconnection I felt as a shipper, or whether I had a ‘legitimate’ gripe about howit was done.  SPOILER – it was both!

But before I go into the nitty gritty, I should say – I loveEmmerdale.  I still love and shipRobron.  Maybe I’ve had to take a stepback from the actual show…but that’s something that happens when you’re enoughof a dumbass to ship a soap couple :) Soaps burn through content – and nothing is off the table.  Which sometimes includes beloved powerhousesoap couples.

I get that.  I acceptit.  I still wish they hadn’t done thisparticular story…

OR, if they had done it…I wish they’d done it better.  

I think it comes down to one thing for me, ultimately, andthat is timing.  Cheating is such a soapstaple – it was bound to crop up eventually, especially when one of the charactersyou’re dealing with is Robert Sugden. And in fairness, just to mix it up, I could have seen the soap godspulling the ‘AARON is the one to cheat…because Robert is too busy scheming/notbeing there for him’ card at some point.

But that’s the thing. AT SOME POINT.  Not three weeksafter a wedding where Robert singles out that very issue and sincerely andexplicitly says, “Hey, I know you are worried that I am going to cheat onyou.  That is a thing that I promise youwill not happen.”

And then it ends up happening almost immediately after, andI feel like the surprise of the ‘shock twist!’ isn’t worth how much that priormoment and the build up to it, has been cheapened.  Because we were clearly meant to invest inRobert and Aaron, to believe and root for them. We’d BEEN rooting for them for the entire year.  And then all of that was hastily thrown outthree weeks later.  

Okay, it’s a stressful three weeks.  But it’s still too short a time to reach thatbreaking point that makes me ‘understand’ why the ONS happened.  I feel like it underlines how flimsily thisthing was constructed.  That fight – theone that tips Robert over the edge?  Forme, that wasn’t ‘enough’ to explain what happened next.  Maybe if the story was longer, and we’d beenwatching Aaron and Robert deal with this stuff for months…I might have beenable to see it.  But the time frame wastoo short for it to build to that kind of impact.  

Basically you can’t have a character who passionately swearshis fidelity (and who we are meant to believe is sincere) go back on that inless than a month without having that damage the character and therelationship.  I really thought they weredoing this so that the inevitable ‘Rebecca comforts Robert’ moment could end withRobert definitively choosing to be faithful. Even the other way that could possibly play out – ‘Rebecca comfortsRobert and he makes a pass but she turns him down’…I thought that wouldn’t makeas much sense, because even if it strengthened Rebecca as a character, it put aquestion mark over Robert’s vows.  THATHE JUST MADE.

Sigh. 

Also, it’s not that I feel Robert should be exempted from acheating storyline just because he’d come out as bisexual…but.  That moment was really important to a lot ofpeople.  And still pretty fresh.  And then ED had him cheat pretty muchimmediately.  I just feel like no-oneeven stopped to consider the optics, until Maxine Alderton had Robert do somedamage control by flat out stating, “I didn’t cheat because I’m bisexual.”  

Because yeah, everyone cheats in Emmerdale…but not everyonecheats three weeks after exchanging vows, and shortly after coming out onscreenas one-of-those-bisexuals-you-know-the-ones-who-CAN’T-stay-faithful.

So the timing didn’t gel for me within the story – and thenit didn’t gel for me outside of the story, either.  Because as a viewer, it was TOO MUCH.  I’d been there with Aaron through an enormousamount of trauma – I was already reaching breaking point because I thought theprison sentence was needlessly cruel. There was just no LET-UP for the character or the audience.  We’d gone through Gordon, and the trial, andLiv (who I love, but was also definitely an obstacle for Robron), and theconstant destabilising effect of Rebecca. Yeah, okay, we got a perfect wedding…AND THEN PRISON IMMEDIATELYAFTERWARDS.

That is A LOT.  And itfelt – thankless.  This character hadgone through SO MUCH SHIT in a short space of time, he needed some joy andlight to balance it out.  And frankly, SODID VIEWERS.  Just a BREAK in thatrelentless misery-go-round.  

But instead, on top of everything else, Aaron got ashort-lived spice addiction and a ‘can I accept my husband’s child, and raiseit with him and the woman who makes me feel incredibly insecure?’ plot.  It felt like everything was twisted formaximum cruelty.  And I honestly, didn’twant to watch.  It was a turn off.  

And since then…it’s all been very confusingly handled.  Clearly, ED want Aaron and Robert ‘intact’ insome way, because they’re not doing the ‘Robert is drawn to the mother of hischild’ storyline that would pretty much be a given under these soapcircumstances.  Also, they ‘softened’ theONS by having Robert drinking that night (I don’t think we were meant to seeRebecca as ‘taking advantage’ but it was a kind of ‘Robert mightn’t have donethis if he’d been completely sober’ additional mitigating circumstance).  As well as all the reassurance that Aaron andRobert will be together and that there will be a second wedding.

And I guess I just don’t see the point?  As a shipper, yeah, I like that ED are goingto such stupidly ridiculous lengths to posit Robert/Aaron as THE ONLY TRUE LOVESTORY, MFEO, SOULMATES…but why bother breaking them up in the first place then,if you didn’t want to treat them like any other couple?  If it was just to bring in a baby for Robron,there were less clichéd ways of doing it.

And they seem so squeamish about actually exploiting theshitty situation they’ve created for drama! Since the breakup, all the baby plot has done is force Robert back ontothe endless hamster wheel of scheming for Home Farm (…why??  Does he even know???).  Robert hasn’t been torn between Aaron andRebecca/baby, and Rebecca…Rebecca hasn’t struggled with anything other than frequentbathroom breaks.  She’s seemingly cool whether Robert is involved or not, andhas no objections to Aaron being a third parent.  Or not. She’s cool with every eventuality!

Like, ED broke these characters up to give this woman, thiswoman out of all others, a baby.  Iactually find it immensely frustrating that she doesn’t have a POV onANYTHING.    I feel like I know less about her than when shefirst appeared.  Then, I found ittiresome that she was constantly coming between Robert and Aaron, but at leastflighty, charming, schemer-who-is-not-as-tough-as-she-thinks-she-is Ibiza DJwith sister issues is an actual CHARACTER. I didn’t like that she was ALWAYS in the middle of Robron – or that shewas retconning Chrobert, but I kind of liked HER.  I found her interesting, anyway.   Thatscene where she’s on the floor without her shoes and crying – I genuinely feltfor her, in spite of her flaws, and in spite of my own investment in Robert/Aaron.

As Rebecca is now, she’s a blameless victim, but she’s also notinteresting.  The very least this storylinecould have done is deepen her as a character. But there’s nothing to push against with her – Robert can’t schemeagainst her because she’s too innocent. So the fun of that goes to Chrissie. Vic just supported Rebecca unconditionally from the first, so theaudience doesn’t invest in watching those two characters develop arelationship.  If ED had to break upRobron due to Rebecca, shouldn’t Rebecca MATTER?  It’s like ED is so afraid of any backlash, shecan’t be important in her own pregnancy plot.

Honestly, I feel like no matter how it ends, this plot hasdone a disservice to all the characters – it made Robert look weak, and givenAaron more misery (JUST WHAT HE NEEDED), and even Rebecca, who had the most togain in terms of character development…has reverted instead into just some dupewith a womb.   And I feel like they all deserved better thanthat.  And so did the audience.  

…but I love Emmerdale :)

No, genuinely.  It’s asoap, and soaps have limitations – and I try to respect that.  There are going to be highs and lows in anycharacter’s storyline (like HITMEN, and GRAIN SILOS, and people dangling otherpeople off VIADUCTS because of school projects??), and the fact that ED havemade me care so much speaks to how well the storyliners, writers and actorshave done their jobs.  Robron has thekind of backing as a ship that soaps don’t usually get – and I think IainMcLeod genuinely cares about them, and you can tell.  I love a lot of what he and ED do, and I hopethat comes through any negativity, because underneath it, I have been incrediblyinspired by what has been put on my screen. And that comes from love.

…but I still wish they hadn’t done this particular story…

OR, if they had done it…I wish they’d done it better.