#no more slander on mary jane

[marveldcfan105]

Peter and MJ forever!

@inhyuklee

[marveldcfan105]

Spider-Man Facts!

GWEN STACY AND BLACK CAT ARE TOXIC!

MARY JANE WATSON IS BETTER!

FUCK GWEN AND FELICIA! SUPPORT MARY JANE!

I NEVER liked Gwen Stacy! I used to like Black Cat, but all the hate and disrespect towards Mary Jane made me disapprove of Black Cat and Peter/Spidey with other females which is why Mary Jane is the ONLY one for Peter in FUCKING truth!

I HATE GWEN STACY!

I HATE BLACK CAT!

I LOVE MARY JANE WATSON!

[willemdafinky]

I have completed Spider-Man 2 twice now and I have very conflicting feelings on the game’s story, mostly towards its Venom/Symbiote storyline. On my first playthrough my problem was how little screen time and characterization Venom had in the story despite all the build up and prioritizing him over anything else and while I still have a problem with that aspect of the story, upon my second playthrough I realized that my real biggest issue with the narrative is Peter’s time in the black suit and being corrupted by the Symbiote. I felt it was rushed and forced but I didn’t have any deeper and meaningful critiques of it…that is until I looked back on other adaptations of the Black Suit storyline and a review of Spider-Man 2 by Youtuber Dorito God which I recommend watching that made it click as to why Peter and the Black Suit doesn’t work.

Insomniac's Peter Parker is the nicest version of the character.

An aspect of Peter Parker that I feel has been downplayed in many adaptations is that he was, at many points, a jerk. He had an incredibly short temper, tends to be cocky for the worst, and outright selfish at points. This does not inherently mean he was unlikable, I actually believe this makes him more interesting and even sympathetic. His negative traits aren’t there just because but are present of numerous factors, most of them because of his double life as Spider-Man. The sheer responsibility that is required of being Spider-Man would naturally cause high level of stress which as we all know can easily lead into losing your cool: not to mention other elements such as J Jonah Jameson’s constant slander of his name which influenced his public perception amongst New York, the grief and guilt of losing loved ones such as Uncle Ben, his struggles of keeping good relationships due to wanting to keep his identity a secret out of fear of his loved ones getting hurt, and how this all started when he was 16 it is completely understandable that Peter can be frankly a jerk.

I don’t think Peter Parker’s defining characteristic is a jerkass who underneath is a good person but I feel that his jerkiness is an important factor of the character that doesn’t get much attention in adaptations outside of Peter B Parker in the Spider-Verse movies. That being said, I would be arguing in bad faith if I said this has been completely left out of Spider-Man adaptations: Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, The Amazing Spider-Man duology, and even the MCU have this aspect of Peter’s personality intact. In the Raimi Trilogy Peter is shown to be a very flawed boyfriend to Mary Jane with Spider-Man 3 being the most prominent example where he just doesn’t understand Mary Jane’s own struggles and subconsciously brushes them off not just because of his own struggles but also from the outright celebration he is getting from New York as Spider-Man. The Amazing Spider-Man duology gave Peter a new motivation for becoming Spider-Man as originally purely being revenge only to later take up the role of hero, not to mention also breaking a dying man’s promise of staying away from Gwen. The MCU had Peter initially refuse to help Norman and the other inter dimensional visitors despite the fact that it was his fault they were brought to the MCU and it’s only because of Aunt May that he does try to help.

Now, I have to ask a question: can you honestly name a scene with Insomniac’s Peter where he has any of these traits? I genuinely can’t think of one. Spider-Man 2 tries with the boss fight against Scream where while under the Symbiote, Mary Jane tells Peter how much he made her feel like she was nothing more than emotional support for his struggles while not doing anything for her and I don’t think that lines up with how Peter was written in the game. Peter is very supportive of Mary Jane throughout the story for her job and does listen to her when she vents about it so this interaction where the story suggests otherwise in the Scream boss fight doesn’t work for me. Peter in these games is just a really nice guy, does this mean he doesn’t have moments where he crosses his limit? No of course not, the climax against Otto disproves but that’s more of an example of the “pissing off the good guy is a bad move” trope than Peter’s more abrasive side. I don’t think this inherently means that Insomniac Peter is a bad character, I very much liked him in the first game and Miles Morales after and one of my other favorite versions of the character is the one from the 90s cartoon who is also a kinder interpretation of Peter Parker. So what is my problem?

I don’t think this overly nice version of Peter Parker works with the Black Suit story. Ever since the 90s cartoon, every version of the Black Suit story has the Symbiote amplifies Peter’s more negatives traits (most notably his temper) and we’ve established that Peter doesn’t have of any these traits so seeing him lash out at other characters and being more aggressive feels extremely out of character and not in the way that I think the writers intended.

Okay so, the amplification of negative emotions doesn’t work but maybe they went through a different approach. Maybe in this version the Symbiote instead brings out the host’s intrusive thoughts and inner frustrations, like they did with Mary Jane. The story suggests this: first in the Spider-Men fight where Peter hints that he has a sense of insecurity in his role as Spider-Man because of how good Miles is in the role, that he might not be needed anymore and how the Symbiote is the only way he could keep and be greater. Second when Miles and Martin Li go into Peter’s subconscious it is outward stated that Peter supposedly may secretly want to kill his foes just so he could end the cycle, which the Symbiote feeds on. This all sounds great, what’s the problem?

Neither of these are even hinted at beforehand. Peter never shows any resentment towards Miles, not helped by how little screen presence Miles has in the story but that’s its own can of worms, and there is nothing to suggest that Peter even entertained the idea of defeating his rogues gallery permanently. So there is nothing in this story that gives any reason as to why Peter acts the way he does while under the Symbiote. Now this might sound weird for me to say since “isn’t that what the Symbiote does” but hear me out:

Harry does not act anywhere similar to Peter when he is using the Symbiote. His personality is the same which gives the idea that perhaps in this continuity the Symbiote might not have the same negative energy it does in most adaptations and is more like in the original comics where its only negative thing is that it takes control over the host while they’re asleep. But I don’t think that was ever the intention, it always felt like that the Symbiote is supposed to be what it usually is in most adaptations. So why was Peter affected by it but Harry wasn't?

There’s also the problem that Peter himself never has the big moment of realizing what the Symbiote is doing to him, he doesn’t have his own self reflection. Compare to other adaptations:

•The 90s cartoon: He almost kills Shocker after the latter had already given up and even after he stops, the Symbiote still tries to kill Shocker.

•Spider-Man 3: Him slapping Mary Jane is the moment where Peter finally sees that he had changed for the worst.

•The Spectacular Spider-Man: Getting called out by Flash Thompson for how he’s been treating his friend is what plants the doubts in Peter’s head that something might be wrong with the Symbiote which only gets confirmed when it tries to convince him that they don’t need anyone.

In Spider-Man 2, we don’t get that. I don’t consider Miles telling Peter that the Symbiote is changing him to be a moment of self realization, it doesn’t work for me. I never got the idea that in this game Peter did something so awful, an action that he wouldn’t act out doing, that would break him free from the hold the Symbiote hivemind has on him and to be better. I don’t get that.

Combine all that and you have what has ended up being one of my least favorite versions of the Black Suit storyline, even more than Spider-Man 3. Note that I hate Spider-Man 3, it’s my least favorite of the Spider-Man movies not counting the Sonyverse movies, but with that I can see how it could work with that version of Peter. Spider-Man 2’s version of the story doesn’t work fundamentally to me because of their Peter unless you change Peter’s characterization, the narrative or how the Symbiote works.

[marveldcfan105]

PeterMJ forever!

petermj 🤭

[the-quiet-winds]

the-quiet-winds writing masterpost!

[a complete list of my published works.]

last updated: 10/20/24

Six the Musical (what I am definitely most known for)

The Gravity of Tempered Grace - [x]

None of them came back exactly the same - Catherine of Aragon is several inches taller and several shades darker, Catherine Parr loves her new hair, Anne Boleyn can frequently be found complaining about her height (or lack-there-of), Katherine Howard has a thing for pink hair, and Anna of Cleves walks with a swagger she didn’t carry in the first life.  (Well, more swagger.) But for the most part, no intrinsic or core part of their beings changed. Except for Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour, as the other queens were beginning to discover, is something of an enigma.

I'll Know My Name as It's Called Again - [x]

A day in the life of the one who calls herself Catherine Parr.

Light Everything Inside of You - [x]

Catherine Parr is perceptive. Sometimes, a little too perceptive for Jane Seymour's comfort.

Hyde Awey - [x]

“Maybe if you weren’t such a conniving little witch, none of this would have happened!”

Catherine blows up. Things only get worse from there.

My Six-specific writing masterpost - [x]

This tumblr post contains 100+ Six oneshots and multi-chaps. Perfect for Six fans old and new.

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Encanto (2021)

Caught in the Tide of Blossoms - [x]

Mirabel allows her eyes to close and the sun to warm her face. “Mirabel?” A man’s voice is calling her name. It isn’t one that she recognizes, so she sits up quickly and glances around. “Mirabel, is that you?”

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Between the Heavens and the Embers - [x]

It took Kevin Cozner a long time to see the squad as his husband's - and later his own - family.

But now more than ever, he is grateful to have this strange little group of people at his side.

Or, rather, in his bedroom.

(For Andre Braugher)

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Enchanted (2007) / Disenchanted (2022)

All These Broke Hearts (Mine's the One Bleeding) - [x]

Morgan Philip did not need a mother, thank you very much.

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The Worst Witch (2017)

Make it to the Dawn - [x]

Julie, who has finally managed to catch her breath, sees red. “Oi, what is wrong with this place? First you lot send her to that horrid Wormwood’s, now you let her be taken by some evil witch?! Some school this is!”

Normally, Hecate would be the first to defend Cackle’s against slander. But she knows, deep down, Julie has a point. More than a point - Julie is right.

A slightly darker take on the series finale - and its aftermath.

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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

If This is to End in Fire - [x]

There are two lessons that one learns when working in the Special Victims Unit. Lesson One: No one can handle the children. Lesson Two: The deeper you get involved in a case, the more you have to lose.

Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak learned lesson one during her very first case.

Lesson two comes at a much higher cost.

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Once Upon a Time

Death in a Tarot Card - [x]

Mayor Mills never did take too kindly to outsiders, Mary Margaret learned.

[atrocitahs]

It's not short for Mary Jane. Molly Josephine Watson is her name, and she's an aspiring reporter who works for the Daily Bugle, JJ Jameson's protege. But instead of getting pictures of The Spider / Atrocity so that Jameson can slander them via the newspaper, MJ decides to hunt for Ramsey to get her side of the story. Yet as prevalent as they are in New York City, she seems to be the most elusive creature MJ has ever had to track down.

But that doesn't stop her from pursuing Ramsey. Once she gets the story (and maybe a quick hookup), she makes an attempt to persuade Jonah to ease up on her, knowing now that all Ramsey is trying to do is save the city, much to JJ's chagrin. Naturally, the man doesn't buy it, insisting that she continues to write slam pieces against her.

MJ decides to start her own underground news network, writing articles praising Atrocity for their heroic work and trying to get the citizens of NYC to see more than just the terrifying outer layer of the superhero.

[bemystargirl]

𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 — 01

𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗛 nepotism baby, Kaela Crowley, daughter of British phenomenon, tennis player, Bailey Crowley also well known as 'The Queen' After her mother partook in a now world renown tennis scandal which ended up with a broken career and a 5 year prison sentence. Kaela is sent to live with her mother's not-so-close best friend, Lorelai Gilmore.

Notes: I literally hate this chapter smm, its boring and short and blahhhh but I've been prostrating with it for too long now and I've found no other way to avoid it so here, a hot pile of shit just for you <3

𝘐𝘚 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘚 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘌𝘕𝘋 𝘖𝘍 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘘𝘜𝘌𝘌𝘕'𝘚 𝘙𝘌𝘐𝘕 ?

The bold letters were printed onto newspapers everywhere. Kaela literally couldn't avoid it. All the slanderous words spread around London like a wildfire. It would be shouted through out the streets

'Bailey Crowley ; The world's biggest tennis scandal yet.'

or

'Queen Crowley throws away her crown after Lombardi's retirement.'

And things got ten times worse when Alyssa Lombardi pressed charges for aggravated assault, resulting in her mother's 5 year prison sentence and retirement to her own tennis career.

"You heard it here first folks, Queen of the court, Bailey Crowley sentenced to 5 years in prison, not so mighty anymore is she? And next with Davi-"

Kaela ripped her headphones out of her ears. Scrunching up the white wires and shoving them deep into her brown fur lined coat, a scowl on her face as another breeze of autumn wind hit her, sending a gush of wind and a mix of burnt orange and copper coloured leaves her way, she let out a small shriek wafting away the leaves from her clothes, the pale yellow suitcase trailing behind her on the bumpy pavement.

Her blue eyes read the words on the letter over and over again, from the 'To my dearest, Lorelei.' to the kiss mark in the bottom right corner in pink lipstick.

She couldn't help but feel pissed, she had built a reputation for herself! She was the Kaela Crowley for the love of God! And now her mother practically trampled all over her or smacked a racket across the court so hard it retore Lombardi's ACL which caused a permanent impairment, all over her reputation...

Either way, she was now lost in the middle of a small town in Connecticut with nothing but her suitcase, white Mary jane's and frilly socks, as the breeze blew her hair she stood still once again re-reading the letter she found herself outside a diner, Luke's Diner.

The warmth hit hit as her heels hit the oak floor, it was abit.. too cozy for her liking, coffee mugs littered the walls in their blue shelfs, with stupid signs on the backdrop, she felt out of place.

Silence through out the diner.

"Uh.." Kaela begun moving closer to the counter, she pressed herself against the empty stool her hands going to the counter to support herself as a man put down the mug he was drying off.

"Hi!" Kaela smiled, letting go of her yellow suitcase, he didn't respond. just looked at her, bug-eyed.. "Um... I'm looking for.." Kaela felt her nerves sneaking on her her eyes going down to the note in her left hand to which her mother addressed it to 'Lorelei Gilmore.' "I'm looking for Lorelei Gilmore, I was told she might be.. here?" Kaela looked around and back at the man.

He took in a deep breath before speaking. "over there." nodding over to a women sat at a table, mug in hand. Kaela took in a deep breath before smiling and walking away from the counter.

"Lorelei?" Kaela took another step. Dragging her suitcase along with her as she stepped closer once more.

The women turned around, her eyes grew with shock when she realised who it was but she didn't say anything, Kaela took it into her own to take the seat opposite of her.

"Hi.." Kaela smoothed her white blouse under her yellow jumper. no response. "Im Kaela Crowley, you knew my mother-" Kaela begun when Lorelei made no effort to speak.

"I know who you are Kaela." Lorelei sipped her coffee, Kaela bit her lip with embarrassment.

"Oh." Kaela looked at the letter she was absently massaging between her pink nails before placing it on the table. "My mother told me to give you this."

Lorelei picked up the letter, she let out small scoffs and groans of annoyance as she read the words on the page, rolling her eyes as her eyes went to the pink kiss mark in the corner.

"Kaela-" Lorelei begun.

"I have no where else to go!" Kaela's brows were furrowed, it was no surprise she was desperate. "My mum is going to prison, my father is too busy working, she said your my only chance-"

"Kaela." Lorelei put and end to her word soup. "I already have my daughter.. you wouldn't have a place to sleep."

Kaela frowned.

"What about your school, we cant enroll you into star hallows high school half way through the term." Kaela was stumped. She leaned back into her chair, biting her lip so hard she could almost draw blood.

"Hey, It's freezing?" A younger her stopped in her footsteps when she saw Kaela, she waved.

"Oh my god! Your Kaela Crowley!" The girl moved closer as Kaela let out a small chuckle.

Before Kaela could say anything Lorelei started talking.

"Sweetie, we were just talking about Kaela staying with us-" The girl screamed.

"No way-- mom!" She yelped looking between the two of them.

"Rory! I don't think she can stay with us--"

Kaela looked around Rory's room, the yellow suitcase was sprawled out on her bed, it was...new, but exciting.

"Oh and the grumpy dude, in the coffee shop's called Luke, you'll get used to him." Lorelai waved her goodbye as she rushed off to work, the door slammed shut, Kaela threw herself onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

There was no way she could get used to this... right?

[most-mistreated-characters]

since this poll is kinda dying i thought i would share some past propaganda from previous polls

for Mabel

"MABEL PINES PROPAGANDA. SO SO MUCH OF THE FANDOM TREATS HER AS IRREDEEMABLY SELFISH FOR THE CRIME OF JUST BEING 12. SHE GOT TRICKED BY A DEMON? OH THAT MEANS THE APOCALYPSE IS HER FAULT. SHE PUTS SOMETHING SHE WANTS OVER SOMETHING SOMEONE ELSE WANTS (NOT NEEDS- WANTS)? WELL SHE IS SIMPLY THE DEVIL. SHE'S 12 OH MY GOD sorry i'm very passionate about this she does not deserve the slander she gets. is she perfect? absolutely not by any means. but is she a horrible, selfish, unworthy, irredeemable monster of a person? absolutely fucking not. she's 12 and everyone needs to keep that in mind" - @/jesterspin

"#mabel holy shit#she was a twelve year old who was overwhelmed and felt alone and abandoned and people fuckin TORE HER APART#like BRO she was TWELVE#mabel pines#gravity falls#doctor who" - @/joyflameball

for Mary

"Imagine being so hated by comic writers/editors that they literally destroy the financial stability of Spider-man Comics specifically because they hate you, REPEATEDLY.

Marvel's fuckery with Clone Saga and then One More Day, and then having Dan Slott (misogynist hack) write ASM for way to long, and more recent shenanigans, was because of Marvel Writers hating Mary Jane and wanting to Peter to break up with her and stop being married.

Marvel Editorial hates her so much, it is insane." - @/chadfarsight

"#Mary Jane Watson is literally being character assassinated by zeb wells as we speak#That bastard" - @/chaotic-emo-pigeon

Round 2: Left Side - Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls) vs. Mary Jane Watson (Spider Man)

[fideidefenswhore]

can you imagine if henry had COA beheaded and Anne married him a few days later? like nobody would've gave Anne the "oh she didn't know what she was doing" thing like they do with Jane

I am sure that if Catherine had died of even natural causes earlier on and Henry and Anne wed within the week of it, they would also be looked on poorly for that? It's absolutely ludicrous to suggest otherwise.

Despite astronomically different outcomes, though, it’s often said that ‘the same thing happened’ to Catherine and Anne, likewise that Anne ‘did the same thing’ as Jane (or accepted the same thing/s/circumstances, to be more specific...)

And also, not only that, but for the scenario to be entirely equivalent, it would need to be Catherine, Catherine’s closest family member (Mary, since there’s not really any other in England), her favourite musician, and three of her supporters, all arrested the same week, all executed the same week. Like, accept that it was uniquely horrifying for the time, catacylsmically fast for the time. If setting those circumstances to another HF these folks give half a fuck about is what it takes, then I’m willing to do that and then honestly ask if they would then have the guts to forthrightly argue for that interpretation. 

And, right...like, is there not some potential middle ground between “plotted her death” and “didn’t know what she was doing”? Only the extremely credulous could believe the latter on every aspect. Ensuring you have nobles present to swear they believe your rival isn’t truly Queen requires some forethought. Although, interestingly enough, despite reporting this, there’s no admission of admiration like there was in Chapuys’ assessment of AB (skilled at “[such] arts”, ie political intrigue), in regards to this incident... his belief (informed, or otherwise) was that this was what her ‘conspirators’ had advised her to do, not her own individual plan (which probably speaks to theories of factional dynamics).

Anyway, even if Anne was as implacably ruthless as Chapuys claimed, there’s still some differences here...that’s ruthlessness that’s developed after battling for the position she finally gained for six years, subject to every possible kind of slander during that timeframe, and even beyond. Versus what was, at most, months of rumor and innuendo. How would Jane have reacted to being in such a position? It seems like she was sensitive to much less scrutiny, if “conceived in most lawful matrimony” is any indication...

[popanalysis99]

Characters who suffered the worst development.

You know there are a lot of characters who develop for the better, whether a submissive character turns into a mother effing badass or they turn from a hero to a villain like Walter White from Breaking Bad or villain to a hero like Loki in the MCU. 

But there are some characters who ended up suffering the worst development overtime. Whether they turn into outright jerks or wimps.

Here are the characters who had the worst development and deserved way better.

Eric Foreman - That 70′s Show

Eric was the protagonist of the series where he was portrayed as a sensible and smart guy of the group. He loved Donna so much and was constantly berated by his father Red and he always tried his best to be better at things. But as the series progresses he ended up becoming a lazy buffoon and a bit of a jerk as he ended up taking a gap year from college and did a lot of random things and wasn’t that good to Donna as he ran out on her on their wedding day because he had cold feet all the while Donna ended up sacrificing her college to stay with him and when he decided to be a teacher in Africa, he broke up with Donna over the phone because “they were going on different paths”. What a tool. 

Rory Gilmore - Gilmore Girls

Rory started off as a young smart girl who is hard-working in her studies and dreams to go to Yale one day. However as the series progressed, she ended up doing a lot of reckless actions like stealing a boat and decided to give up and drop out of Yale just because some asshole said to her she will never be a journalist. Even worse she ended up forcing an already married Dean into having an affair with her and once she finally stood up and become independent and pursue her dreams of becoming a journalist, it was revealed she was unemployed the whole time, like why?

Peter Parker - Sam Raimi’s Spiderman Trilogy

Oh oh where to start with this one? Peter Parker in this version first started off as a timid nice guy who wanted to use his spidey powers for good as Spiderman and was traumatised due to the death of his uncle Ben. Later he ends up being possessed by a symbiote which results in him being more aggressive. While at first it was so cool seeing him stand up to Harry and Eddie for their misdeeds, he ended up being a f***ing arrogant bitch who was so egotistical and was shitty to everyone around him, including Gwen and Mary Jane and kept on playing the victim card to get what he wants. And what the hell was “Emo Peter”?

Darlene Alderson and Dominique Dipierro - Mr. Robot

For Domlene fans, keep in mind, I am not slandering their relationship or their own episode “Gone” where they got good endings by finding themselves and what they need to work on. But I gotta be honest about how their characters went before that episode throughout Season 4. Both Darlene and Dom started off as badass characters in their own right. The former was a foul mouthed no nonsense lovable rogue and the latter was an assertive and smart FBI agent assigned to solve the 5/9 hack by fsociety. In Season 3 they were shown to be dealing with a lot of issues at hand and tried to push through it. And when they find they had something in common, their relationship began to slowly flourish, but come the season 3 finale which did a complete 180 on them thanks to the Dark Army. In Season 4, Darlene ended up becoming their Damsel in Distress constantly where she keeps on getting captured or have a hit put out on her in order to get to Elliot and rely on him and Dom to save her and Dom ended up becoming a weak and submissive doormat for them after she got forced into being their mole (though it was pretty cool when she killed that asshole taxidermist). All I am saying is, yes, badass women can be vulnerable and stressed out but do it in a proper way where they don’t become damsels without fighting back (Darlene) or make them a doormat for the majority of the season (Dom).

Dexter Morgan - Dexter

Dexter Morgan is a serial killer who has a Dark Passenger bloodlust that makes him go after the scumbags who got away with their crimes. As the series progressed Dexter figured out that he may have been able to feel things, especially love for Rita, Debra and Harrison and stress when things are not going his way. But time and time again he ended being a bit to reckless and selfish in his actions and ended up having an unwanted romantic arc with Hannah McKay and dragged Debra down with him in his serial killer life, which resulted in her killing LaGuerta to cover up her brother’s misdeeds and later dying from a gunshot wound at the hands of Oliver Saxon. This later caused Dexter to abandon Hannah and Harrison and hide out in Oregon to become a lumberjack! Hallelujah for the reboot.

Cordelia Chase - Buffyverse

That one development which angered the Buffy fans. Cordelia Chase was one of the lead female characters of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and the female lead of the spin-off Angel. She was shown to be a confident and badass woman who at first was the queen bee but turned to a tough warrior in her own right. Sadly, due to J*ss Wh*don giving Charisma Carpenter a huge disproportionate retribution for getting pregnant, Cordelia was given a lot of horrible storylines. Like being sent to heaven and then returning to earth as a different person when she sleeps with her own teen son and does a lot of bizzare things and ultimately she is put in a coma off-screen. A true definition of wasting such a great character.

Ross and Monica Geller - Friends

Ross and Monica are siblings who are a bit competitive but still care about each other. Both of them had started off normal with their individual personalities. Ross being a paleontologist who just got out of a divorce and tries to pick himself back up and Monica is a perfectionist who is pressured to make things in control around her, possibly due to her mother making snide remarks at her in the past. But as the series progressed, both ended up getting flanderized in different ways. Ross ended up being too controlling of the women he dates and later his sad sack tendencies ended up playing up to 11 which made him look like a parody of himself and Monica went from a caring Team Mom to an outright competitive Alpha Bitch who had the need to control and compete at everything for the evulz. Like when she was Phoebe’s wedding planner, she went full on Chris Hargensen on her by organising things the way she wants it and not Phoebe’s, which frustated the latter to the point she rightfully fired her. But Monica was left so scorned that she decided to rain down hell upon Phoebe and humiliate her.

Daenerys Targaryen - Game Of Thrones

Finally we are here. Daenerys was a really badass character in Game of Thrones. She at first was a slave for her abusive older brother but then stood her ground and ended up becoming a fearless leader who wanted to save Westeros and protect it from the evil villains. She was kind to almost everyone and helped others around her. Not only that but she served as an inspiration for a lot of women and girls in real life. Sadly, Season 8 had drained her whole character down the toilet when she was put through a lot of trauma and losses which resulted in her snapping and burning down the entire King’s Landing which killed innocents and planned on taking control of Westeros with tyranny in mind. This eventually caused Jon to kill her in a really anti-climatic manner. This was a horrible example of putting a character through huge amounts of trauma and making them evil out of nowhere. She was not Arthur Fleck, y’all.

[asharkapologist]

So, I just finished playing Treasure in the Royal Tower, but, since I’m too lazy to type up a full review, I just decided to write down random thoughts I had during the game. And here they are:

How come we’ve NEVER seen Carson? He’s connected to so many people that involve us in mysteries.

I love this music!

We make fun of how strange Rick looks in STFD, but Jacques doesn’t look hot at ALL, no matter what Nancy/Bess says

Learning about the French Revolution? Yes, please.

Lisa sounds WAY too young. Jane and Lukas sound older than her what on earth

Lisa literally just looks like what Connie would look like when she’s older. Hopefully, Connie won’t become a criminal.

“I thought I heard a couple of French words pop out of her mouth.” Probably not French words suited for an E-rated game.

I can’t go to the bathroom in this game? Shame. No easter eggs here. 

Maybe I’m really dumb, but this place is HARD to navigate.

Jaques is very sexist. Please shut up. Reminds me a bit of Rick Arlen.

The way Professor Hotchkiss stares at you from behind the door is terrifying.

I already love Dexter. Respects us more than Jacques.

I love switching off the lights to make Jacques mad

If Ned didn’t tell me how to get to the library, I’d be stuck forever

I DESPISE the fact that the elevator lever/lock puzzle solution resets itself every time you enter that back area. That is the most anxiety-inducting, randomized puzzle ever, even more so than the one at the end of STFD, because at least the death after failing that puzzle is kinda cool because of how iconic Dwayne is. The elevator death is just horrific.

Yes Marie Antionette defense! She has been slandered and libled for too long.

Why won’t Nancy pick up on Lisa’s VERY OBVIOUS RED FLAGS

Okay. Jaques found us knocked out, then LEAVES US, got Dexter, an old man, and made this 70-80 year old man carry us to our room. Jacques sucks.

I would have never found the blue medallion nor checked my voice mails without UHS telling me what to do

“Spicy Devil Villain Venom.” I would think that Lisa made that herself, but I do not think she is smart enough to conduct the chemistry needed to carry out the endeavor of making pepper spray.

“To think I almost became friends with a diamond thief!” Speak for yourself we were never friends

But overall, I had a lot of fun playing this game. Definite step up from MHM. Lisa’s not a great villain, but at least she’s better than Louis. 9/10, solid A-tier game. 

[marveldcfan105]

PeterMJ deserves better

Stop hating on PeterMJ, you dumb, stupid, misogynistic wimps and losers who were never loved by their mothers.

PeterMJ deserved better, so much better because this ship is underrated, underappreciated, misunderstood, and overlooked.

I hate how Mary Jane and this paring are being hated these days, I blame Joe Q, Slott, Wells, and Lowe for ruining everything. Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson are meant to be together forever!

I love Mary Jane Watson.

[thevindicativevordan]

What did you think of Nick Spencer's three year run on Amazing Spider-Man?

Would love to say I never really thought there was a chance OMD was getting addressed, but nah I got punked.

All the teases couldn't possibly be leading up to a fake out could they? Marvel and Spencer had to have known how pissed people would be, how an unsatisfying resolution to the Kindred Saga would poison Spencer's entire ASM run. Silly me, I forgot that Marvel already had peoples money and they would still sell a bunch of issues by leading people along. My final feelings on the run are very mixed but leaning towards negative. There's a lot to like, the run isn't completely without worth despite not addressing OMD, but the ending is incredibly unsatisfying in much the same way as Spencer's Captain America runs are. Which is both sad and funny considering this was clearly meant to be a redemption run for Spencer, a way to rebuild his reputation after Secret Empire.

Let's start with the good: Spencer has an encyclopedic knowledge of Spider-Man lore and a love for the lesser known Spider-Mythos characters. Theresa Parker from Waid's Family Business story shows up and is used. Randy Robertson returns as Peter's roommate and Beetle's boyfriend. J.J. Jameson learning Peter's identity and becoming one of his biggest supporters over in Zdarsky Spectacular is incorporated here, I love how Jameson tries to "help" Peter. Spencer even had Jameson point out that Peter antagonized Jameson just as much as the other way around, Spider-Man was an asshole as a kid. Didn't deserve to have Jameson slander him in the Bugle but he gave as good as he got, he wasn't a saint or martyr right off the bat the way people think. Accepting his role in their feud was one of my favorite moments of the run.

His handling of the Gibbon for example is still one of my favorite Spider-Man issues focusing on one of his villains. Gog as Peter, Randy, and Fred's "house pet" was pretty sweet and a neat way of using him. Speaking of Fred aka Boomerang, this is his best showcase since Superior Foes, unsurprising considering Spencer wrote that as well. Mysterio trying to go clean as a movie director is a fun subplot that sadly never got completed because of the pandemic killing the Mary Jane book. Black Ant and Taskmaster are a hilarious duo, pity we never got a book from Spencer just about those two. The big villains have a role in this, particularly the Green Goblin, but it's a run that feels overwhelmingly more interested and excited in playing with the more obscure Rogues and characters.

Peter and MJ are both written very well here. Peter feels like a return to the Pre-OMD incarnation. He's serious, mature, and frustrated with how his life constantly twists and turns. Unlike Slott Peter who would just shrug his shoulders and take it as the ol' Parker luck, Spencer's Peter is very unhappy with where he's at in life. He wants to move forward, to progress, but he can sense that he's hit this invisible wall that he just can't seem to pass through. ASM 60 where Spencer writes Peter reflecting on his life since OMD is one of my favorite Peter moments of the last decade.

Reflecting on his status quo makes him upset, makes him feel like a failure, makes him feel more relatable than he has in years to me. MJ is great in this run too because Spencer gives her stuff to do. Around the time of BND, the writers said that MJ sucked because she just spent all her time staring wistfully out a window as Peter webswinged away. My reply to that was "bullshit, and even if it was true you could write her doing something different". She doesn't need to be fighting alongside Peter in a costume to be useful and relevant and she's not in this run.

Over the course of Spencer's run, MJ is a source of comfort and drama to Peter. Drama not because of dumb petty arguments but because Peter is wrestling with whether or not he wants to take it to the next level and propose. Comfort because she helps Peter express his emotions rather than just bottle them up. Also she's an active character in her own right thanks to Spencer tying her acting career to Spider-Man himself when she helps Peter get up on stage and vent, and through his Rogues via her working with Mysterio and trying to help him go straight. Really does feel like the closest this post-OMD era has been to the pre-OMD era ever.

With that we come to the bad: This run teased addressing OMD and totally chickened out of doing so. Chickened in a way that leaves everything about Kindred stupid and nonsensical. Chickened in a way that feels cheap because this run was obsessed with basically "fixing" Spider-Man. Kraven coming back after Kraven's Last Hunt was cheap and stupid, so Spencer kills him off and leaves a clone so that writers can keep using "Kraven" without ruining the ending of KLH. Peter taking advantage of Otto cheating his way into a doctorate is exposed and Peter is forced to earn it himself honestly. Harry coming back to life with BND totally ruined his great death under JMD, and Spencer restored that by establishing that Harry never came back to life and killing off the clone that did. But this entire fucking run teased fixing OMD and at the end... it just doesn't?

What about all the hints that there was something wrong with Peter's soul? What about the demons in Peter's mind/soulscape, the MJ quote from OMD that's heard there? Strange being unable to use an artifact because of the deal with Mephisto? Kindred wanting Peter to "confess"? Peter constantly feeling like he's "missing" something? The hints that MJ knows a secret Peter doesn't (referring to the OMD issue's tiny text where she stipulates that she'll remember the deal)? Strange literally going to see Mephisto about what the hell is up with Peter's soul? That was something totally dropped in the final issue where Strange was suddenly trying to save Harry and didn't actually get an answer! Bleeding Cool claims it was always the plan to deal with Sins Past but not OMD. If so Spencer is an ass for baiting people when he never intended to give pay off.

If the plan was always to tackle Sins Past over OMD, my only question is why? People hate SP for sure, but it's not the story that still has a massive impact on Spider-Man to this day! Slott totally ignored it when he brought Gwen back for Clone Conspiracy, you could just let it fade from canon like Avengers #200. Besides the explanation given doesn't even make any damn sense. AI Harry was built before Harry died so how the hell could Kindred have remembered dying in Last Remains? Had someone try to break it down for me on Twitter and I was just barely following the thread, it's so goddamn convoluted and stupid. Harry tricks his dad and MJ into thinking Norman and Gwen fucked (what?) using hypnosis? The breakdown about how Spencer tried to make this retcon work in established canon is truly mindboggling.

From the start I knew if Spencer couldn't give a solid ending to the Kindred Saga it would spoil his run because the entire run is about building up the mystery of Kindred and what he wants. Everything else is a sideshow to that mystery, which was constantly full of OMD nods. The resolution is deeply unsatisfying and confusing even to longtime Spider-Man readers, can't imagine any newcomer would get any enjoyment. Again this was an entire run devoted to "fixing" past mistakes and it didn't fix the big one it spent the entire run building up towards. Can't shake the feeling this was a result of editorial interference however, or from someone even higher-up. That the Lowe goodbye letter barely even mentioned Spencer makes it seem like he didn't leave on good terms.

Ah well what's done is done. Never read The Clone Saga so I have no real attachment to Ben Reilly as a character, but I checked out the first issue of Beyond and I am interested. Came back for Superior so it might just be the idea of following other Spiders that interests me for now, and also curiosity about the one dangling plot thread from Spencer's run: Peter planning to propose. Are they actually going to do that or nah? If it happens it will definitely be in ASM #900, so I will keep reading until then. No longer have any hope that OMD will ever be addressed, not until everyone involved with it leaves Marvel.

But maybe I can still get a Peter that grows again.

[thelukasfamily]

conspicuously absent: witches in the magnus archives

The Magnus Archives has covered pretty much every major trope in horror. We’ve had werewolves, vampires, demons, cultists, clowns, dolls, etc, etc, but noticeably absent is a coherent depiction of witches. Witches are absolutely a horror staple - see Rosemary’s Baby, The Blair Witch Project, The VVitch, Hereditary, Gretel & Hansel - so where are they?

The majority of witchcraft mentions in TMA use the term as a catch-all for the occult or the supernatural. Outside of that, there are - a numerically significant - three women who are actually labelled as witches.

There’s Jane Prentiss, who describes herself as such (MAG022 and 032):

There’s Margaret “Old Maggie” Carnegie, who is so called by Adrian Weiss (MAG084):

And there’s Mary Keay. Technically, we never see her describe herself as a witch, but I think these lines are intended to give a fairly accurate insight into her own self-image (MAG111):

So what links these women? Jane Prentiss and Old Maggie are influenced by the Corruption. Old Maggie and Mary Keay have cruel and destructive maternal roles. Jane Prentiss and Mary Keay describe themselves as witches. But what they all have in common is that the label of witch is wrong.

Jane Prentiss' worm problem has nothing to do with Wicca, indeed her previous beliefs are rendered hollow when she touches the Corruption. Mary Keay’s son tells us that her engagement with the witch label was a self-conscious rejection of an elitism that she actually imitated. And Old Maggie is no more a witch than any other isolated woman who has been touched by a Fear.

There are no witches in TMA. Instead, to call someone/oneself a witch is an act of self-delusion. Jane Prentiss tells herself that she can find spiritual fulfilment in pagan witchcraft - she can’t. Mary Keay tells herself that she is different from the dynastic elite who look down on her - she isn’t. And Old Maggie is called a witch by a man who is telling himself that his childhood trauma fits neatly into a classic fairytale narrative - it doesn’t.

The point of all this, I think, is to comment on the history of the trope. TMA is a podcast that, in its own spotty way, does attempt an engagement with real world history. And there is a very real, very bloody history of witches and self-delusion. Tens of thousands of women have been tortured and killed as witches due to fevered and deluded crowds - and due to anti-witch dogma.

Where some media (recently The VVitch and Gretel & Hansel) explores potentially empowering readings of historical anti-witch dogma, TMA just refuses to engage. There are no witches, the podcast says, and witch hunts are only ever a self-delusion. TMA acknowledges the power of the label ‘witch’ - used for pagan worship, used for empowerment, used for slander - but makes a conscious choice to reject the existence of witches as a supernatural force in society.

(ID under the cut.)

[ID: Four TMA transcript excerpts.

MAG022: She called herself to be a practising witch and was believed to be infected by a-a dangerous, unknown parasite.

MAG032: That was when I still called myself a witch. Wicca and paganism, I would spend my weekends at rituals by the Thames.

MAG084: I do think that she was a witch.

MAG111: GERARD: Reckoned her tradition was less the academic and more the, uh… ARCHIVIST:  V-Village witch? GERARD: [Laughingly] You sure you don’t know her? //End ID]

[herawell]

@mihrsuri a snapshot from the Exile AU when Tommy is born.

“You must tell the King,” Mary says when Anne is delivered of a healthy son, bearing his mother’s eyes and his father’s temper.

“The King’s instructions were very clear that he did not wish for either of us to ever contact him again, for the rest of our natural lives.” Nearly four months later, the edict still sends a tremor into Anne’s voice.

“But he is the heir to the throne, and to hide his existence -- it would be treason.” The aforementioned heir stirs in his cradle, and they glance at him, before he subsides and Mary continues in a softer tone. “My father would never forgive you.”

“He knew when he sent me away that I was pregnant, with a child that could be a boy. He knew the risk, and he sent me away nonetheless. He will not care that it is a boy.”

Anne’s voice is so firm, refusing to brook any disagreement, that Mary ceases her protests, but she cannot help but wonder why her father and stepmother’s marriage dissolved so quickly, how it went from joy to sudden lifetime exile and forced remarriage to a servant. There had been Anne’s miscarriage, and there had been Jane Seymour under her father’s nose, but with a possible son in Anne’s belly, Mary cannot understand what went wrong.

For one mad instant, she wonders if the baby is not her father’s child, but a bastard born of adultery. It is ridiculous -- the baby has her father’s red hair, Anne would be in the Tower if that had happened and not on her Pembroke estates, and Mary slanders her second mother with the very thought. 

If the child is not a bastard, then he is the Prince of Wales, and Mary cannot help but fear what her father’s reaction will be should he ever discover that the existence of a Prince of Wales was concealed from him. Might his anger fall upon Mary, if he views her as complicit in silence?

“What will you be naming him?” Mary asks instead. Had he been born at Greenwich, he would have been either Henry or Edward.

“Thomas,” Anne says, a slightly defiant gleam in her eye. “For my father and for the saint.”

“And for your new husband,” Mary adds, amused. Her feelings regarding Thomas Cromwell are still a tangled muddle -- he is a reformer, more radical than either her father or Anne, a brewer’s son and a poor substitute for a King, but he is also an intelligent and kind man who has borne being saddled with another man’s disgraced, pregnant wife with aplomb. And Mary cannot deny that he and Anne are surprisingly fond of each other, considering they were summarily forced together

“Yes, for him as well,” Anne whispers, her face soft and warm.

“You must realize,” Mary says lowly, brushing her fingers over his little curls, “that in the absence of any son by Mistress Jane Seymour, my father views me as his heir. I am usurping your son’s birthright, if I don’t say anything.”

Anne grasps her hand. “Henry cut him out of the succession -- him and Elizabeth -- when he had me exiled, and you are merely obeying your father by accepting his commands. And in truth -- I am happier here, in Pembroke, than I ever was as Queen. Bessie and Tommy are better off here, away from court.”

Mary wonders if her own mother would have so easily accepted exile for herself and her daughter, and doubts it. She does not doubt her mother’s love, but Katherine of Aragon is a proud woman, born an Infanta of Spain, who would never have accepted Mary being cut out of the succession altogether. 

It is strange, when Mary has spent half her life believing that had she been born a boy, her father would never have left her mother. Now he has a legitimate son, and he will not even acknowledge his existence. Nothing has been certain for her since the day the Pope annulled her parents’ marriage, and she supposes this one more surprise.

[jane-fucking-seymour]

Highlights: JFS fics edition

Hello, so, people are asking what fics of mine that I like the best, so here’s my list.

Note that this is from this blog, not the previous blog because I don’t have any records of those. It’s in order of what I think is the best for each category.

Are you reaaady? Tumblr, here we go! 

One-Shots

Lost and Found

She sees her, Catherine Parr swears she sees her. Her little Mary.

Slander, Libel, and Blasphemy

Jane is angry at an article vilifying Edward. She goes to the one person that understands more than anyone. 

Show Me a Sign

Katherine does not like to talk. Anna figures out a workaround, with the help of the Catherine’s.

The Ink in Which we Inscribe Our Lives is Indelible

It was years into their second lives when Catherine Parr decided to write down the queen’s origins in the modern era.

Solicited Advice

Jane wants to be a good mum to Katherine. She seeks advice in the wrong places.

Phantoms Can’t Help Me More Than You

<TW: Suicidal Thoughts> Katherine Howard has had enough.

To Fade Away

"And without him... we all disappear." - Catherine Parr, "I Don't Need Your Love"

Multi-Chapter Series

The Legend of the Six

The Six are a legendary group of warriors who have one goal in mind - usurp the Glorious King Henry VIII. This - for better or for worse - is their story, told by the survivors and friends who knew of them. (Six meets Dungeons and Dragons.)

Woman’s Best Friend

After months of waiting, Katherine Howard gets a service dog named Pax. Here's just some of the antics she and her new friend get into.

A Guide to Modern English

Jane's not too happy about how modern language has evolved... specifically, when Katherine is learning how to use them. (Also known as: The Gang Teaches Katherine Curse Words) 

Just a Sunny Day for You

Katherine Howard warms up to the other queens, slowly but surely. Here's just a few key moments of that happening. 

Deal with the Devil

Anne Boleyn was convicted of many things, but only one of those was true. Now, Anne must reveal her true nature to the others in order to save them all from the wrath of Henry, who has returned with a terrifying new ally.

Turning Things Around was Easy Because of You

Origins story for the Six. This is how the Queens and Ladies in Waiting first arrived all the way to Opening Night of their first show.