#not me starting can–of–worms discourse on the hellsite with one of the hottest takes in the fandom instead of writing my fic 😔

[vesperpharsalius]

✨Self-care✨ is re-reading light bringer and stopping at chapter 82 like damn i wonder what happens next anyway i’ll go and still enjoy my not ruined day

It’s so infuriating that Light Bringer ends on that loaded cliffhanger, isn’t it? Loathsome practice, really: leaving your audience in such terrible suspense—and after four years since the preceding book, too? But... you know, artistic license and all that. I suppose we’ll just have to wait on Red God for our answers.

🤷

But better that than a colossal waste of a chronically misunderstood character (oversimplified by the majority of the fandom and often reduced to a woobified caricature of themselves, abused by an author that, more often than not, only sees their utility as a plot–device) sacrificed like a lamb, fattened for slaughter over the course of the entire book, to further another character’s villain arc.

And because the author thinks spontaneous and senseless death is the pinnacle of plot–twists and the hallmark of compelling tragedy, when it’s really just about the most pedestrian thing you can write, especially as a conclusion to a redemption arc that promised reparations but delivered martyrdom instead.

Let’s count our blessings, shall we?

🙃

I, for one, am excited to see Dassius visit Lykos in Red God. Darrow going off about Cassius’ ethereal bioluminescence while they’re spelunking; Darrow teaching Cassius how to dance in the Red styles and dancing without violent application, for once, in the way that he passionately loves and Cassius has never seen; making rings of spidersilk interwoven with each other’s hair as tokens of their renewed vows—of lifelong brotherhood and steadfast companionship, of course.

Just ignore the fact that Darrow repeatedly compares Cassius to Eo; we don’t need to unpack that. And how they lovingly embrace beside the chasm; the deepmine drafts are cold! And the completely chaste and definitely–not–heated–by–eighteen–years–of–UST kiss on the lips. With... tongue? No, trust—it’s a cultural thing. Cassius is just Franco–Italian.

Ngl, though—I am a touch jealous of you, anon, because I only wish my beef with Light Bringer started at Ch. 82. It is, altogether, a bad time for me. Starting with the eldritch horror that is bald–and–bearded Darrow, because what the actual fuck. Narrative significance be damned, I am not here for Kratos!

😭

No, silliness aside, I’m dead serious about being a Kendrick–level hater of LB from page–fucking–one. But that’s something we definitely don’t need to unpack!