#not talking about canon talking about fanon/my interpretation/my favourite dynamic with them

[a-selkie-abroad]

barely structured vader and piett thoughts

man i love piett and vader so so much. something about the mutual respect.

Piett shifting from respecting vader mostly out of fear and because he is a Professional and that is his Boss to genuinely respecting him and being willing to be loyal to him, even over the emperor.

vader respecting pietts professionalism and competence and how he treats vader like... well not an equal in terms of rank but an equal in terms of reason. saw him as more then the terrifying fist of the empire. he promoted him four ranks not just because he happened to be in the right place at the right time (although that made things easier) but because he was Competent and Professional even when vader literally killed a guy across the ship on videocall

i love that vader lets piett glimpse him with his mask off. that he let him live.

i like to think that right after luke chose to jump instead of joining him, vader had a Realisation. a Moment. his actual son would be more willing to die then to be by his side.

and not killing piett for the rebels' escape was his actual first step in the path of redemption. luke rejected him and it made him re-evaluate himself and his actions and instead of lashing out as he is prone to do when shit happens he spares piett. he lets him live. he may have refused to kill luke as his final act but his first step in that direction, of making that choice to go against the emperor after kneeling at his feet for 20 years, it starts with piett and vader's respect for him

i like to think that after that moment post bespin where vader spares him piett starts trusting him a lot more. stops shaking in his boots every time he needs to be in the same room as him because he sees that vader trusts him and respects his competence and as long as piett is competent, as he always is, he can garentee he will be safe. and thats where thier mutual trust and respect really gets going now that the "he might kill me at any moment" fear factor is removed

[antianakin]

You’ve talked a little about ships before but mainly in the context of how that is connected with the/a specific Jedi. And also a bit about ships you don’t like

But in Star Wars as a whole what’s your favourite ship, which one do you think is the best, and which one do you think is the most compelling?

(I know that the answer to all three could be the same but for me personally there’s often little overlap in these things so ymmv)

Also which ship do you think has the most potential?

I'll assume that canon and fanon are both options here.

"My Favorite" is the easiest to answer, so I'll start there. I've made an entire fic rec list for it and made no secret of the fact that I really like Codywan. Star Wars wasn't a fandom I really did any shipping in when I first was introduced to it as a kid. It wasn't until I decided to get back into Star Wars a little as an adult that I was even introduced to the IDEA of Codywan as a ship, but once I discovered it, it had me absolutely hooked. I will admit that I have a hard time with reading Codywan fics these days and interacting with other Codywan shippers because I often end up feeling like my interpretation of the characters is very different than the norm and what I want from the relationship - the thing that makes it compelling to me - isn't the same as most other people who enjoy the ship. But it was my first Star Wars ship and I still really enjoy the version of Codywan that exists in my head, so it will continue to claim the title of favorite.

For "Most Compelling" and "The Best" I'm actually going to exclusively define those as being IN CANON because anything in fanon can be compelling depending on how well someone writes it. I could obviously put Codywan down for both of these categories, but it would specifically be MY version of Codywan, the version that only really exists in my own head, and not necessarily the more popular version of them in the fandom.

I'm going to give "The Best" and "Most Compelling" to Jyn and Cassian from Rogue One. I will readily admit that, as someone who identifies as aroace, the fact that Jyn and Cassian never do or say anything explicitly romantic to each other is a major part of the reason I like them. I also personally believe it's the reason they're so compelling. Without being able to use any of the usual narrative shortcuts that romance tends to provide, Jyn and Cassian's dynamic relies on actually showing the two of them connecting with each other on a deeper level. I love how so much of their relationship with each other exists only in their eyes, in the way that they look at each other (whether the other person is looking back or not). I love the way their relationship comes through in-between the lines rather than stated out loud. I love the subtlety that exists for Jyn and Cassian in a way it doesn't for pretty much any other more "canon" ship.

I have also said before (though I'm not entirely certain I did it on this blog or not) that I really like angst, usually in the form of hurt/comfort but a good tragedy sometimes just hits the spot. Jyn and Cassian living in a "maybe," existing in a perpetual "what could have been," is so fucking sweet to me. That shit hurts JUST RIGHT. I love the idea that these two people meant everything to each other but only in the last few days before they died and they never even got to explore what exactly that could be. Their love is shown in how they impacted each other, the ways their relationship changed each other, because that's all they ever had time for. I fucking love that shit. The ambiguity of Jyn and Cassian's relationship is what makes it the most compelling to me and I think that the fact that they never get together forced the writers to show us they loved each other in far more interesting and nuanced ways than usually exist for couples that more explicitly get together on screen.

And finally, my choice for "Most Potential" is FinnRey. I really liked Finn and Rey's dynamic in TFA, I liked the way they both learned to rely on each other when they'd never had anyone to rely on before, the way they were able to escape their respective prisons and take their first steps into a larger world together. I liked the theme of coming back for each other no matter what, of reaching out for each other so they couldn't be separated, and the idea of shared fate where they would become the hero of the story TOGETHER. Obviously we all know how that dynamic got sidelined and ignored after TFA, but both characters are still alive and definitely have more story to tell, so the potential remains. Whether that potential ever actually goes anywhere, even if it's just in things like novels and comics, is still super up in the air. But I think these two could have an incredible dynamic if anyone was willing to give them the time of day.

[smallidarityfan]

Hello! I know this is a Smallidarity blog. But I wanted to ask, what's your opinion on Boat Boys? And don't take this the wrong way, I love both Smallidarity and Boat Boys!

Hi!!! It's okay to ask non-smallidarity things hehe :3

text wall below (i like yapping):

I like Boat Boys !!! Honestly only just after Joel got onto Hermitcraft I'd say. I watched Joel's Double Life when it was uploading and honestly like. their dynamic didn't feel any more special than two guys playing minecraft and having fun on a casual/content creator level so it didn't really stand out to me at that point.

But Limited Life had like 2 banger Boat Boys one-liners from Etho i guess, and then the Decked Out Stream with the neck kisses bit which was pretty funny, and then Hermitcraft when they really went with the obsessed bit LMAO 😭😭

by HC tho I think they two finally had their dynamic sort of established ? Like we'd finally know how they'd act in casual circumstances or just when playing normal minecraft. Which I do like seeing at the times it happens!!

I think what really made me see their game is especially especially all the fan arts and those animations by Mellozheist really assured me of their dynamic and aesthetic as a duo, which I do love seeing on my tl often!!

Though in Joel's streams, chat would ask his opinion on Etho often and Joel would either make an obsession joke or comment how completely mysterious Etho is. Which tells me on the down-side that they're still at the stage of average friends and colleagues rather than close friends, so canon-wise they aren't my favourite duo compared to other pairings. (i am a sucker for dynamics of people who are close friends)

Also, pet peeve i have, but sometimes I do feel like their interactions feel a liiittle bit forced with chat pushing them to talk about their 'obsessions' with each other all the time. Which i feel like. yk it's been more than 6 months since the bit started. like even I am over smallidarity's "Is this the closest we're ever going to get to making out?" and don't base their entire dynamic on that one instance of them making out in Real Life smp. Yk ?!

(which i guess these kinda things are an unavoidable part of content creation where fans hold on to early introduced bits as long as there are new people flooding in) (so I won't generalize that much onto the duo themselves) (also i HATE FUN!!! /j)

All in all, canon-wise, not my favourite pair. But pretty high standings in terms of aesthetic and fanon interpretations !

Final score: 7.6/10 🆒‼️

(You can really tell that I like to stick close to canon dynamics rather than fanon concepts so er 😭 might be a tad bit biased) (i also loveeee best friends tropes if uh. that wasn't clear with my whole account. LMAO)

[starrierknight]

What do you think of fanon Gojo/Megumi being presented as dad/son and canon Gojo/Megumi being presented as benefactor/student and Gojo saying he could kill Megumi because he looked like Toji and everything? What's your opinion on how Gege writes them?

𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐒 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

— 𝐠. 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐮 & 𝐟. 𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐢

"Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb."

HOW DO YOU VIEW GOJO & MEGUMI?

wc— 1.6k

tags/cws— major manga spoilers, death mentioned, Getou's cult mentioned, proofreading is for the weak lol

FATHER/SON DYNAMIC

Why it appeals to the fandom (the desire for fanon dynamics)

Found family in JJK

Why it appeals to the fandom

Narrative Potential: The father/son dynamic often comes with built-in narrative potential. It can be used to explore character growth, conflicts, and resolutions, providing opportunities for interesting and engaging story arcs in fanfiction.

Protective Instincts: Fans may enjoy the idea of Gojo taking on a protective and guiding role in Megumi's life, especially given the dangers and challenges the characters face in the world of JJK. This can evoke feelings of warmth and support in the fanbase.

Fan Creativity: Fandom often involves creative expression, and fans may enjoy exploring and expanding upon the relationships between characters through fanfiction, fan art, and other fan-created content. The father/son dynamic can serve as a rich source of inspiration for creative works—especially for those who enjoy the 'found family' trope.

Sense of Belonging: Fans sometimes enjoy the sense of belonging and community that comes with shared interpretations of characters and relationships. A significant portion of the fanbase embraces the idea of a father/son dynamic between Megumi and Gojo, so it can contribute to a sense of shared enthusiasm and connection among fans.

It's worth noting that these interpretations are fan-driven and not necessarily reflective of the creator's original intentions. The beauty of fandom lies in the diverse ways individuals engage with and interpret the source material.

Found family in JJK

Arguably one of the most major thematic features that Gege explores in JJK is the idea of "family". While I could make a completely separate post and write essays on this subject, we’re here to talk about found family specifically. Let’s look at three examples:

Itadori and Todo: While Todo’s affection for Itadori may have a scantly accurate origin (as it is revealed that Todo’s mind created some false memories of shared time between them during middle school), it is undeniably true that both characters share a strong bond. Todo is more boisterous and unconventional, while Itadori is pragmatic and initially sceptical of Todo's methods. Their friendship evolves despite these differences, echoing the found family trope where individuals with diverse backgrounds find a strong connection.

During Todo and Itadori’s fight with Hanami during the Kyoto Sister-School Exchange Event Arc, we repeatedly see Todo refer to Itadori as “my brother” (<- at least the VA does in the anime, from what I remember) and his “best friend” until Itadori eventually adopts these, too. Both characters learn to adapt to the other as they fight, and comfortably find a rhythm to fight against Hanami with—yes, both are skilled fighters, but is unlikely that they could fight so seamlessly together unless there was some deeper connection.

Additionally, during Itadori and Todo’s fight against Mahito during the Shibuya Arc, we see that Todo carries a locket on his person with his favourite idol photographed on one side, and on the other, Itadori. His two favourite people. Cute.

Getou, Nanako, and Mimiko: These three are probably the clearest example of found family in JJK. After massacrering a village of non-sorcerers and sparing Mimiko and Nanako, Getou adopts them into his “family” (his cult) and treats both girls like his adopted daughters. Nanako and Mimiko are the first members of Getou’s “family” that we see he chooses after rejecting (and murdering) his parents.

Long after Getou has passed, we still see his cult honouring his “family legacy” during the Shibuya Arc. The girls even attempt to bargain with Sukuna after he was re-possesed Itadori’s body to kill Kenjaku—they are enraged that Getou’s body is being puppeted about by Kenjaku. To try and attempt bargaining with Sukuna, The King of Curses, is a clear example of how dearly the girls were devoted to Getou—even if their “family” was fucked up.

Fun fact! Gege has referred to him as "Papa Getou" on several occasions.

Tsumiki and Megumi: The most overlooked example of found family by the fandom, by far. In elementary school, their parents disappeared without a trace, leaving the two children to look after themselves. We’re shown in flashbacks that Tsumiki and Megumi attended the same middle school, where she often scolded Megumi for getting into fights—she even throws her milk box at his head, which is peak big-sister behaviour lol.

At such young ages, both children were left by their parents to care for one another while Gojo acted as Megumi’s benefactor—on the condition that Megumi would do what he could to become strong and then attend Jujutsu Tech to become a sorcerer, once of age. Megumi did not accept this proposition because he respected Gojo or trusted Gojo as an “adult” figure, but only because he was assured that Tsumiki would be miserable if the alternative were to happen—that is, if he were adopted by the Zen’in Clan.

It’s important to distinguish that Megumi did not seek the company, reassurance, or protection of an adult (like Gojo—if we can even call Gojo that, in this instance) because he had been disappointed and abandoned by adults so many times in the past. His priority was Tsumiki and her happiness—regardless of his own personal cost, even safety. Gojo was likely to be viewed by Megumi, at such a young age, as more of a business partner who only later grows in to a mentor figure.

BENEFACTOR/STUDENT

Why the father/son dynamic and found family trope do not apply to Gojo and Megumi

The issues with applying the father/son dynamic and found family trope to Gojo and Megumi

How should we view them?

Why the father/son dynamic and found family trope do not apply to Gojo and Megumi

From what I have gathered, there are two main reasons:

Megumi does not want to rely on adults: Whether it be for the sake of Tsumiki’s happiness or otherwise, Megumi wants to be self-sufficient and strong enough by himself that he can secure a future he wants. Naturally, he cannot do this by himself, so he begrudgingly learns how—even learning in the future that he can rely on his classmates.

The key difference is that Megumi chooses these people with great care. Megumi, by force of circumstance, agrees to Gojo’s deal; Megumi, by force of will, agrees to let Gojo mentor him and looks to him for guidance, acknowledging that he does need Gojo’s help—but he does not choose Gojo.

Far too much has happened to Megumi for him to choose Gojo.

Gojo primarily sees Megumi as raw potential: Having just successfully fought Toji after nearly being killed by him, Gojo’s interest in Megumi likely lies in a few places. How strong would the child of Fushiguro Toji be? What could make that child stronger?

Speaking purely in terms of clan politics, in Gojo’s position it would understandably be the most beneficial to have the child of someone so strong on his side, rather than as an opponent. If Megumi was taken in by the Zen’in Clan—who do not get along with the Gojo Clan because of some shared history*—Gojo and his clan could have potentially been under some threat. It’s better to have the insurance rather than risk.

*A Ten Shadows user from the Zen’in and a sorcerer with the Six Eyes + Limitless fought and both were killed by the other

Gojo’s main interest is strength, and using strength to define a future he wants—that is, a future where Jujutsu Society is no longer dictated by corrupt, conservative Higher-Ups. Having just been radicalised by Amanai’s death and Getou’s defection, Gojo is left with a substantial loss of allies that he desperately needs. Megumi, in a way, is a blessing of a solution for Gojo at this point in the story. Megumi has the potential to help shape a future that Gojo wants to live in.

The issues with applying the father/son dynamic and found family trope to Gojo and Megumi

It overlooks the family that Megumi does have: More often than not, it very easily brushes past why Toji would leave Mehumi behind and how Tsumiki was left to watch over him. Tsumiki was the primary nurturing force, and Megumi’s kindness is likely to have been taken from her set example. 

It (often, not always) mischaracterises Gojo: Gojo is not a warm, nurturing figure in the slightest. He’s cheerful, humorous, but not nurturing. Gojo, for better or worse, casts the Jujutsu World in its most harsh light—strength, survival, and death. 

“You die alone.” 

There’s more than one way to interpret this:

You die and no one will be sharing your death with you, regardless of how much you loved them or how hard you fought or who you are. There is nothing you can do to change this.

You die and you won’t be there for those you loved. You leave them behind, and they can no longer reach you.

You die and it means that you were never strong enough to protect the ones you loved, because you couldn’t fight alone. The fight, in your case, was just a slow death. You were always weaker, you were always going to die weaker.

You die because you were never strong enough to stand by your loved ones. You needed shielding, and you hid your own weakness behind them. Your weakness is your isolation, your death.

There is no sentimentality. Gojo sees and tells it like it is, regardless of where that leaves Megumi.

How should we view them?

There is no set way! With the best will in the world, we can all read the same manga panels and take in the same empirical information, and come to very different conclusions and interpretations. I would always suggest gathering as much evidence and justification to support your reasoning, though. If not because you like to debate, but rather to fully understand how and why you came to the conclusion/s you did.

There's no harm in changing your mind or liking more than one way of interpreting their character dynamic.

A/N: If you've read all of my word vomit, then wow. Bravo LMAOOO. I hope you enjoyed my two cents.

[brokenjardaantech]

For (one thing you want to know about me) ask!! We've been mutuals for years now (and I'm so lucky!🥰💕 love you!!) And I saw many posts from many fandoms on your blog! Which one between fandoms is your favourite? Like, which one you felt more close to characters or people in fanbase were kind and welcoming.

Thank you!!!💖💖💖💖

Thanks for the ask Merry! Love you too! <3

And man, it's difficult to say which fandom I like the most. Apart from DBH, I haven't really interacted with what I would think of as The Fanbase™, so for the sake of comparison I'll focus on the characters.

My favourite characters - if we talk about canon - are probably Death Stranding. I don't reblog stuff from that game often, but the humanity of the main cast is amazing, and the struggle against a quiet, unforgiving landscape... let's say it is A Vibe.

In terms of the favourite cast that I like to play with like a collection of dolls, however, I'll have to say Call of Duty. I'm only familiar with the reboot universe, but between mw19, mw2, and mw3, there is actually a lot of characters I can work on. It helps that the operators' backgrounds are on the vaguer side, which gives me a lot more room in terms of their backstory, characterisation, relationships, etc. Some of my interpretations are quite different from the so-called fanon though, and most of the characters I'm into aren't exactly the most popular ones anyway - e.g. my Otter/Wyatt fanfic is the second fic with the tag on ao3 and they've been around since mw19 - so most of my ideas exist either in Discord DMs or WIPs in my Google Drive. Maybe I'll finish another one some day. Idk if you've read the omegaverse aledolfo fic but by god that universe has expanded a lot since that fic and has got a lot darker too. I won't call my interpretations canon though, because again, the actual 'canon' of the operators can fit into half a sheet of A4 paper. Not saying I'm disregarding it though; I know ignoring canon is the approach of a lot of people, but for myself I prefer knowing the rules before breaking them. It's just more fun to me to work within the loose limits set by the information provided to us in the games.

When it comes to favourite cast to write, it's a tie between CoD and Mass Effect: Andromeda, the former because I always have fresh ideas and the characters are legit fun to play with (especially if you allow them to be toxic, make mistakes, and be their own self instead of shoving them into a select few tropes), the latter because I keep returning to them. Nothing grand about the MEA cast because most of my ideas are closer to slice-of-life things, but boy is CoD's dynamics fun to play around. The international politics. The implications of the different factions in mw19. The composition of the two PMCs in mw2. I know a lot of people try to stay on top of the politics, but why sanitise things when leaning hardcore into the political aspect makes the sandbox so much more interesting and dramatic?

I can go on for much longer, but what I have in mind will probably take days if not weeks to comb through. Anyways, hope I've answered your question, and feel free to ask any follow-up questions if you have any!

[deafeninggardenerpanda]

The Kirby series as a whole for the fandom ask?

this is a good one! i was hoping someone would ask me it >///>

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character:

tough one, i like a lot of characters for different reasons. if you really force me to choose though it's dedede and meta. this makes me look biased towards metadede however LOL so if you really really make me choose between those two it's dedede

Least Favorite character:

i don't have any least favorites, mostly it's just people i know nothing about. in which case its all of the animal friends and actually, just generally everyone from the dreamland games and 64. pyribbit is an exception to this however fuck that dude

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

- metadede >_> andd that's the only thing i really brainrot over but other stuff i like: - morphogala 🥺 - magoranza :) - chilly/burning leo. listen i blame my server and the starlight theatre novel for making me feel this way - meta knight/sir arthur from the anime. this is my crackship that i never talk about and never will talk about LOL. also ive seen more than several people hc arthur as meta's dad so im just gonna. hide in this corner by myself. its okay i dont mind - this is 6 but also on the topic of the anime, meta/knuckle joes dad is also good. mmmmmmmm angst who doesnt love angst

Character I find most attractive:

hahahahahahaha that’s classified

Character I would marry:

BUT. dedede. i would also take zan, those two are tied

Character I would be best friends with:

kinda hard to answer this. maybe also dedede? honestly anyone who i could just walk into their house and crash and dump stupid questions and convos on

a random thought:

i think kirby would feel like raw bread dough after the first prove. very specific, but its always what crosses my mind when i make bread 🤔

An unpopular opinion:

in this fandom... uh, i like the anime. fun to watch to take up time and if you’re not coming in expecting what you get from the games, lore and character development wise. it has its own charm

My Canon OTP:

no ones together in this series djkfdhg. rick and pick i guess? i think theyre cute

My Non-canon OTP:

this was already covered in the 5 favorite ships section so boom this is a metadede free space now. dedede likes to call meta pet names that are the names of pastries and desserts, but they get so ridiculous and specific that neither of them can take it seriously anymore. in fact, now its a challenge to make them as ridiculous as possible

Most Badass Character:

exact same answer as the favorite character question for this one. different characters are badass in their own ways for different reasons. but also meta and dedede again 🤦‍♂️ 

Most Epic Villain:

STAR DREAM. i went into robobot already knowing about the game and the plot twist for star dream but the reveal and the lead up is still so damn good.

Pairing I am not a fan of:

i dont super like saying, so turning this into another unpopular opinion question. i just remembered i had one that might actually be a hot take now. sometimes seeing all character dynamics reduced to traditional family relationships is tiring. like no i genuinely like it still but ah everyone being turned into straight parent/child relationships feels very strange to me. i dont really get it myself

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another):

taranza. i went into triple deluxe from already being in the fandom for a bit, so only going off his fanon interpretation, and i was surprised at how little taranza really did anything and that he didnt even have much dialogue. underwhelming, though thats prob my own fault, but i still feel like they couldve done more with him in that game. also in general hal, hal please let him move on oh my gosh

Favourite Friendship:

say it with me guys. fifth time. its meta and dedede. i am so sorry i am brainrotting over them so hard lmao BUT. despite my shipping bias i like their base friendship more than anything else. frankly, their relationship in general just feels more satisfying to me cause you know they had to go through so much bullshit and hating each others guts to get to that point. having to work to get to know someone you hate and get along with them cause the universe keeps putting you in situations that force you into it, then finding out you have more in common than you think >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> MMMMMMMMM

Character I most identify with:

prob my interp of dark meta. chill but likes to mess with people and be a minor asshole cause its funny. not saying that i try to be an ass but also i would be the type of person to say hey. come here. lean in a bit. bitch. and then laugh myself to tears over it

Character I wish I could be:

........zan. for reasons stated in the last zan ask. i care her 🥺

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Ooh! Ooh! Also—sorry, I keep thinking about your Lambden question and why not Yenskier or Geraskier. I slept on it and now there’s more. Please forgive the bombardment. Also feel free to give this a pass in replying, I realize I have some unpopular opinions.

To me, I’ve often found Fandom Jaskier to be a bit childishly manipulative—he’s pouted and simpered until he’s gotten what he wants, until his strong-willed partners roll their eyes and say “oh alright.” That’s not a dynamic I enjoy and I can’t help but feel that, in those scenarios, something disingenuous is happening. That’s my own interpretation, and fully acknowledge that others may—and probably do—perceive that dynamic differently. No judgement on their enjoyment of it. But it’s not for me.

On the flip side of things, it also sometimes feels like the Bard pairings only work because he’s good at letting certain things roll off his back that he really... shouldn’t be letting roll off his back.

I’ve rarely seen Lambden operate the same way. They’re both adults, on equal footing with each other. Yeah they’re sarcastic with each other and they’re both assholes but they aren’t to each other where it counts. If one of them brushes the other off, there’s a gear shift of “hang on, what’s going on, talk to me?” or “I’m going to let that slide because I know you didn’t mean that” or “what do you need right now?” Whatever’s being worked through, they work through it together, even if that means giving space. But there is a give and take in their desire to be there for each other. Plus there’s something about them that’s... shiny. I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s fizzy and shiny and very very sexy.

Margaret, yet again, you blow me away with your analysis.

I completely agree with your reflections on Jaskier’s relationships. It’s one reason that I struggle to write him anymore, because if you lean towards Netflix, then his relationship with Geralt is completely devoid of any real meaning. Yes, you can look at the mountain, and the ‘bath scene’, but snapshots do not a relationship make. Anything I build for Jaskier and Geralt from Netflix, I have to do all the heavy work myself and Netflix canon gives me camomile oil and “do what pleases you”. 

Dandelion and Geralt, though? Books and games? I adore it. Absolutely. And whenever I write the two of them interacting? It’s usually with these influences in mind. Some of my favourite stories from the fandom are Dandelion and Geralt, either romantic or platonic.

Most of the Lambden I have read is definitely built around communication, the picking apart of insecurities and the forging of something healthy, if not necessarily always functional.

Note: fandom isn’t a religion (or at least I’m pretty sure I didn’t sign up for a cult), I feel that ‘unpopular’ opinions have a place and should be aired, please never apologise for them, and you know what? If I lose followers for discussing canon, fanon, personal preference and whatever (respectfully, I might add), then... fine? Off they pop. Please never apologise for sending me takes, sweet. We won’t always agree on everything, but you’re awesome and I value your input.

[autumn-foxfire]

Do you think you'll consider any genshin ships alternative to the popular ones like zhongli and childe, and do you worry about interacting with people within the fandom? For example I really like zhongli and xiao but not only is it insanely slept on I noticed shippers get attacked by other ships or get called pe/dos because "they're canonically dad and son!" at this point I'm too afraid to engage with the genshin fandom because they're so vicious and I'm afraid that I'll be attacked for my preferences. Honestly I don't remember a fandom being this toxic so fast bc even bnha didn't get toxic this quick...

Another long Genshin ask XD

I hate people who force their fanon character dynamics onto others. Never in canon is it said that Zhongli views Xiao as a son, just as a close subordinate and friend and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the ship. Calling a ship that involves two characters who are not only emotionally mature but over 1000's of years old pedophilia is so fucking disgusting and is just another example of people watering down the meaning of the word. Just because Xiao is a short male doesn't mean he's a fucking teenager. I hate people T-T

But as for my personal feelings about the ship, I'm not really attached to Xiao to really ship him with Zhongli. I appreciate their relationship but I only like it as something platonic. I'm not too comfortable with their potential dynamic either (how Xiao looks up to Zhongli and would do anything he asks which creates a potential inbalance in their relationship) and usually prefer ships where they consider each as equals. However that isn't to shame people who do like this dynamic as there is nothing wrong with it, I just don't personally enjoy it.

A friend has suggested the pairing of Zhongli and Venti but I'm honestly not the biggest fan of the pairing either as it usually just ends with Zhongli being Venti's supportive and doting boyfriend and only exploring Venti's trauma instead of both of their trauma. I hate when both sides of a pairing aren't given the attention they deserve.

And I don't really ship Zhongli with anyone else as he hasn't been given significant relationships with any other characters. I can't like Guizhong and Zhongli because I don't find canon gives enough info about their relationship to imply romantic feelings between them and I'm not really interested in Azhdaha and Zhongli either because I just view them as friends and as he doesn't have a canon human appearance, I find it hard to ship too.

I'm not really that interested in crack ships for Zhongli either. Same with Childe. Maybe if they were shown more interactions with characters I like, I might ship them. But I mostly don't because I just can't see it. I'm unimaginative like that. (The only exception would be Yanfei and Hu Tao but that's because Yanfei has positive lines about her and I like the potential dynamic).

The genshin fandom is very toxic sadly, every other day there is some drama on twitter that has been blown out of proportion. It's one of the reasons I'm not really active in fandom beyond talking to friends in the BNHA fandom who also enjoy the game and characters as I don't want to get involved in the drama. Best just to avoid and block all the drama seeking weirdos and look up content for you favourite ship.

I am sorry to hear that popular ships attack yours though, I want to say that I wholeheartedly hate that behaviour and don't support anyone who does that. No ship is better than the other, even if it's more popular, because it's all just fanon based on our personal interpretations of characters and their interactions. Just keep shipping as you do and ignore all the toxic haters!

[gallavictorious]

11x01 Reaction Post

Random thoughts on and reactions to 11x01; no careful analysis or anything, just the bits and pieces that's not likely to make it into meta proper but which I still want to make note of so I can go back later and remember what my initial reaction to the episode was (since my impressions are likely to change as the season unfolds). Mostly Gallavich related, because duh, but there's disordered rambling on a bit of everything. Under a cut (God I miss LJ sometimes) because this got long.

Ian looks damned good as the homocidal muscle. I don't do AU:s, but if I did... On the other hand, Frank as a member of the Chicago “Eight” looks like a werewolf. Less interested in that AU. And listen, I get that they couldn't get Emmy Rossum for this, but I really miss Fiona showing up in a few random olden day pictures. She's gone, but she's still a Gallagher dammit! Carl at the slaughter house looked weird – and part of me thought that was appropriate because slightly off editing would be a sweet way of communicating that it's all bollocks, but the rest of shots looked okay (Debbie as a milk maid and Frank as the aforementioned werewolf) or good (everything else) so no.

The sound of a baby crying is a horror matched only by persistent lack of sleep so I feel for Lip and Tami so much. Here's to all parents who managed to get through the first year without murdering anybody! I think that maybe you don't get enough credit... I, for instance, want to kill someone just hearing Freddie cry in the background for half a minute. Not sure it bodes too well for their relationship for them to be so ready to spend every night apart like Lip suggests, but a, what wouldn't you do for a good night's sleep, and b, love the thought of Lip spending more time at the old house. Could see them breaking up during the course of the season, though. Not sure how I feel about that – Tami's my favourite out of Lip's love interests, but having too many of the couples staying together all through the finale wouldn't feel quite right (for Shameless) and I don't see them breaking up Ian and Mickey or Kev and V. Don't really expect Sandy or Debbie to last either, but since it's more of a casual thing it might have more of a casual end.

Do you remember when the promo dropped and there was Concern about That Look on Ian's face after he kisses Mickey, and I tag theorized about it being because Mickey stole his coffee? Turns out there wasn't really A Look in the actual episode, but I sure as hell was right about the coffee, and I want noted somewhere. Maybe there should also be a small diploma? A golden statue seems a little over the top, but I mean, if you insist...

I appreciate that Ian is very adament about it being their money but when Mickey thinks it's their breakfast it's suddenly every man for himself. Do you share or not, Ian? Hmm? (Let the record show that I'm joking, please. Ian is damned right to take his toast back, and I say this as a “person most likely to steal their partner's toast right out of their hand”. I also love that Mickey completely gives up on breakfast when he can't have Ian's toast and just grabs a beer instead.) The kitchen scene is glorious and I just really like their dynamic here; the casual kiss, “I only make breakfast for husbands who have jobs”, how relaxed it is even when Ian's a bit annoyed, Mickey being so... Mickey. I do wonder what went through his head when Ian started talking about their wedding present money, though – he seems worried for a moment, but then shrugs it off, and that could be either bravado or just actual lack of concern. I tend mostly towards the latter, since Mickey quite genuinely figures this isn't a big deal (even though he still recognizes that Ian will probably think it one). Please note that he immediately offers to get money when Ian mentions that they need more of it coming in. Not his fault Ian vetoes his methods, right? (Also love that Ian's objection is due to him not wanting to be separated from Mickey, rather than any moral qualms about robbing stores.)

Okay, the gag ball. Would they really keep it like that if they were actually using it? Maybe either of them just tossed it there after taking it off, I suppose... Yeah, I don't know. Not what I'd imagined them being into, but that might be my own extreme lack of enthusiasm for gag balls and harnesses talking. Either they're into it and if so, you do you, boys, or it was a gift and they're keeping it around and semi-prominently on display for shits and giggles. (But if it was a gift, they did try it at least once, right?)

Mickey in the bath remains stupidly and surprisingly gorgerous. Incidentally, I really don't think his question about the meds is any indication of him not thinking them important, but there's little wonder that Ian bristles at the mention of them. Maybe not be an ass just to prove a point, eh, Mick?

I've already talked about how hard Ian is trying here but let's just take another moment to congratulate our boy on his persistent attempts at mature communication. Though he might have given some actual consideration to Mickey not wanting to save the money if he's really serious about them making decisions together... But he gets there! I think this whole situation – which would royally piss most people, including me, off – is actually particularly difficult for Ian, because he might well see Mickey's behavior as uncomfortably reminiscent of Frank and Monica's destructive habits and yeah, that would fuck him up. And still! He forces himself to calm down! He takes Mickey's hand! He refuses to let himself be distracted by Mickey looking SO INSANELY PRETTY I CANNOT EVEN UNDERSTAND IT! Ian, I salute you!

[starwars_eu_nerd_mode]KORRIBAN! YES! HA! TAKE THAT DISNEY! You take your new so-called “canon” and your “Moraband” and you fuck right off. I salute you, Bitcoin Boy![/starwars_eu_nerd_mode]

Ah, the porch scene... This one I do have a bunch of thoughs on that will probably make it into meta proper one day, so I'll leave it for now. It was the one that took the most thinking about for me to square (still not a lot, it should be noted), but now I'm actually very happy about it. (Full disclosure: none of their scenes feel quite right the first time I see them these days, because I'm just so very on edge about what's to come that I kind of miss the forest for all the trees you know? It's not a Shameless thing – it's always like this when I'm extremely invested in something and have waited for it for some time. Will it fit with how I see the characters? Will it be cringey? Will Mickey suddenly profess a love for hideous Hawaii shirts? Also, what are they saying because English is hard... But then I watch them a couple of times and they sink in and I start to get giddy over them. I guess watching actual canon unfold always requires a little bit of re-calibration if you've been busy fanoning while waiting for it to arrive, and while I love that sort of interpretative work, there’s also the fear that the show will veer off into a direction I cannot easily follow.)

Mickey's insistence that he spelled monogamy wrong does genuinely amuse me. Not to mention the whole “No more parking tickets for me!” - “You don't have a car, dumbass.” Also, Mickey being friendly with Carl kills me, in a good way. Family FTW!

Frank's storyline fails to stir even the vaguest hint of interest in me, as per usual. For all his talk of family in this episode, the lack of interaction with any of his kids is striking. If he's to have any value at all this season I'll need him to get involved in the rest of the Gallagher's storylines (which seems like it might be happening at least for a bit later on, so I'm vaguely hopeful?). I find but faint intrigue in Carl's and Debbie's stuff, but it doesn’t annoy me either so I'll call it a win. Kev and V are (almost) always a delight, but do anyone else feel like their kids are only props, even to them? I don't know... I just don't think there's a connection or sense of realness to their relationship, you know? Maybe it's just me... Anyway, here's to hoping V turning pageant mom changes all that! Oh, and I'll need Liam to have some more screentime and stuff to do.

The Tommy and Kermit thing was weird. Eh. Whatever.

Sandy is so gorgerous. I can't. The Milkoviches really be bringing it this episode.

This is only the second season I've watched episode by episode as it airs (other one was S6) and it's a curiuos experience. I think that by and large, and particularly in later seasons, Shameless works better when you binge it, but I love the delightful anticipation of waiting for a new episode and the feverent discussion that follows. Sometimes I also despair over the ferverent discussion that follows, but... you know. It is what it is. Admittedly, any attempts at meta this early in the season is a precarious venture at best, since we don't have the whole story, and it might be wiser to abstain but it's just so much fun, so I'm not very likely to stop.

All in all, I love the Gallavich stuff, am intrigued by Lip & Tami and Kev & V's lives, okay with whatever Debbie and Carl's got going on, hot for Sandy, bored by Frank, and missing Liam. It sets up a lot of promising things, but as an episode all unto itself it felt a bit empty – probably because there were no real plots and the storylines didn't intersect as much as I would have liked them to. Shameless is best when it's about family, which both the show and Frank seems to recognize, but there's little narrative follow-through on that realization in this episode; everyone is pretty much doing their own thing. Adored the Lip and Ian convo, and that house party scene was wonderful, but so short. Think we'll get more of all of them together going forward, though, and more actual plots too, so I'm very excited about it all. Can't wait for Sunday!

[arttheclown]

1, 3, and 14 for the slasher asks!!

   slasher ask meme! || status: accepting!

    thank you @todesmotte !! ♡

   1. who is your favourite slasher?

   i’ve grown extremely fond of freddy krueger over this past year, to the surprise of absolutely nobody who follows me! after freddy is probably the creeper from jeepers creepers (i believe he counts as a slasher?), jason voorhees and bubba sawyer. michael myers has grown on me a lot, and i’ve seen some interpretations of billy lenz’s character that endeared me more to him than i used to be. and how could i leave out daniel robitaille / candyman? that man’s a dreamboat & an incredibly interesting to boot.

   art the clown is... a slasher i have a complicated relationship with. i wouldn’t call him a favourite, but he sticks out to me because of how fucking bizarre & creepy he is. would never watch terrifier again though lmao. maybe the sequel will be a little better? probably not.

   3. favourite final girl?

   oof, that’s tougher to answer than the slasher one. i have so many final girls that i adore! if i had to pick an absolute favourite, it’s probably trish jenner from jeepers creepers. i loved all the bite she had & her protectiveness of her brother darry. she’s a character i hold very near and dear to my heart. i don’t know if we’ll ever see a fourth jeepers creepers unless the director sells the rights to the franchise (one can only hope), but if they do make it, i’m very interested in seeing her development in that one.

   this isn’t a common choice, but i’m also really fond of lori campbell from freddy vs. jason - or rather, the potential of lori. they really butchered her character in the finished product & reduced her a lot to crying, screaming and boobs (ugh), but the novelization (available to listen to in full here!) delves into her a lot more deeply and gives us a very sympathetic, realistic and fleshed-out final girl. that’s the lori i’m referring to when i talk about her & the lori i hope to feature in my fics at some point. (additionally, she kind of screams repressed lesbian to me, so maybe i’m a little biased.)

   honourable mentions include emily woodrow from leprechaun 6, brigitte fitzgerald from ginger snaps, vanita “stretch” brock from texas chainsaw 2, nancy thompson from NOES, laurie strode from halloween, casey from basket case & kirsty cotton from hellraiser!

   14.   slasher franchise with the best dynamic between killer and survivor?

   these questions keep getting tougher & tougher to answer! there are so many fascinating dynamics to sift through. it’s easy for me to say freddy and nancy because of his begrudging acknowledgement that she is a match for him intellectually and the fearlessness she develops when going head-to-head with him, but i also really like michael & laurie’s dynamic because there have been so many varying interpretations of it in both fanon & canon. my personal favourite is that michael does in fact feel a weird love for his sister, but will ruin her life anyway just because he can. i like the relationship between bubba & stretch because there’s genuine compassion between the two, and you get the vibe something might’ve happened between them (platonic or otherwise) if drayton hadn’t come along and ruined it. i like the hint at the end of jeepers creepers that the creeper respects trish (without spoiling the movie for those who haven’t seen it), and i like the cat-and-mouse thing between emily & the lep in leprechaun 6. i don’t think i can choose just one here; i have a number of favourites!

[professorchaos]

i already know u like it but heres a free ask to talk about bunny

y’all know by now that bunny is maybe my favourite ship of All Time. so instead of just saying why i like it i’m gonna say why i don’t like fanon surrounding it 

the thing about bunny that disappoints me constantly is how terribly their potential for an incredibly complex dynamic is overlooked!!! in fanon it’s generally portrayed either as this soft fluffy side ship that everyone’s just like “eh it’s cute i guess” about, some weird fetishistic thing about young blonde boys (eugh) or one-sided hurt/comfort (either cool bad boy kenny saving poor naive butters from abuse, or innocent sunshine butters healing angsty mess kenny’s wounds both physical and psychological). when it’s not one of those- and i’ve seen this more lately, i guess bc people want to stray from those old fanon tropes- it’s like. evil murderous professor chaos with a one-sided crush that’s portrayed in a manner that’s, frankly, incredibly homophobic. 

butters and kenny are characters whose paths have overlapped often, yet their interactions in canon are extremely limited. they rarely talk, and only have one episode focused on their friendship, which didn’t come out until 2012- even in tfbw, which introduced a huge amount of new dialogue for all sorts of character combinations, chaos and mysterion only get two unique interactions. i’m not sure exactly why matt and trey are so averse to having them interact. possibly because they’re trying to write kenny out of the show- i don’t know. anyway.

despite how little they converse, i think there’s good reason to believe that the two have some sort of deeper friendship ‘behind the scenes’. they’re often seen glancing at one another when things go south (especially with eric; think of how often they’re on either side of him, too), playing together (we know that mysterion and chaos play off-screen, and both seem to value that time quite a bit, despite mysterion’s dismissive responses in tfbw. there’s also their dynamic in sot to consider, with the two spending a lot of time alone together or alone together with eric, and butters admitting he has a crush on princess kenny). in going native, butters admits that kenny is his favourite out of all the other kids, and though kenny is surprised, he warms awfully quickly to the idea. (blame that hero complex, i guess). 

so the way i see bunny is like... they’re almost narrative foils, though not quite. each of their personas matches up in one way or another (hero/villain, princess/paladin) and you’d think it makes them the perfect match, yet they’re barely seen interacting. they bump together, sure, but they always move away from one another again soon afterwards. it’s like- their friendship is littered with these little moments of incredible intimacy, even when said intimacy isn’t at all ‘intimate’ in the conventional sense (kenny throwing a ninja star in butters’ eye strikes me as... something. especially in fanon, where it leaves a lasting scar. i don’t know how to describe that kind of thing, between two people who never really meant each other harm and perhaps later might find love in a romantic sense, as anything but ‘intimate’). they’re never the closest, they’re not this inseparable duo. they’re just two people with incredibly similar circumstances, and ways of coping with said circumstances so different that they loop back around to almost being the same again. they look out for one another (kenny possibly having invited butters to board game night, butters comforting kenny when he’s ill from cheesing) but they’re also, i think, filled with a sort of mutual resentment- they are, in a meta sense, constantly vying for the fourth place in stan’s group, and have been since season 5. interpreting that as something within canon makes for... an interesting concept. 

there’s nothing more romantic to me than the concept of fate (you can blame one of my first fandoms, CLAMP, for this). but not fate as in “two people meet and become soulmates”, which is kinda how i see like, style- no. i see bunny as being fated in a twisted and meandering sense. they’re not necessarily fated lovers, but they’re fated to know each other, and to bounce off of one another again and again until- maybe, someday, hopefully- their paths finally align for good. they compliment each others’ dissociated and fragmented selves perfectly, part for part and step by step, and i think that one day, whatever gods allowing, something incredibly special could be born from that. 

give me bunny angst! give me bunny drama! but not the gratuitous kind, where nothing is ok and they’re stuck in the horrors of the past, but the kind where it’s like, ok, this is just how life is for people like us, and we’ll drag something beautiful from the wreck if it kills us. a soft ending, i think. they deserve it.

[theserpentsadvocate]

Alrighty, pick any combination of these for the meme: Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Percival Graves, Hengist of Woodcroft, and Celeborn (I know you said you're not a big fan of his, so this one's extra optional. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on him, though, even if they're negative.)

Sorry it took so long. In my defense, this is long.

Aaaand in my defense about that… yeah, I’ve got nothing, I’m just like this.

Sorry about the lack of Tolkien ranting, it’s mostly meh-ing instead. There’s some ranting in the Grindelwald section, though. XD

Dumbledore

What I like about them

Okay, I love red hair, and Dumbledore in his younger years (like middle age) with his loooong auburn hair and his loooong auburn beard just does it for me a purely aesthetic way. Like I would sit and stare at him for hours.

What I dislike about them

There’s the ordinary list, manipulation and self-righteousness and the Grindelwald debacle, but honestly the biggest thing is Snape. I don’t care honestly what bullshit excuse there was, YOU DON’T EMPLOY ABUSIVE TEACHERS, like if he really has to be at Hogwarts give him some administrative position or some shit.

Favourite moment

The bit after Umbridge fires Trelawney and is trying to kick her out, and Dumbledore tells her that she can fire whoever she wants but she can’t make them leave the castle.

Least favourite moment

His opening line when he meets Harry in the nebulous train station afterlife place makes me cringe a little bit. It’s probably 100% me, but it feels… trite, and uncomfortable, and honestly like something my mom would say, which is probably the real reason why I hate it.

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more

I’d really love to see his relationship and/or interactions with Aberforth explored more. (Not by JKR. She needs to drop HP like a hot potato and MOVE BACK.)

An interesting AU for this character

Somewhere on my computer I have half a rantfic about the premise where Regulus became Dumbledore’s spy instead of Snape, and while it’s 500% about my Regulus feels, there’s some interesting stuff in there about Dumbledore, specifically how the dynamic changes when his spy is someone who has

actually renounced

Voldemort and isn’t just out for personal gain/revenge.

A crossover

I’m really not a huge crossover person, honestly, but I guess it would be interesting to see how he’d fare in Discworld?

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)

The only person I really ship him with is Grindelwald, and I’m often ambivalent about that.

Other ships?

Nah.

BROTP

With McGonagall, probably.

NOTP

Dumbledore/Harry. Gag me.

An assortment of headcanons!

-He liked Elphias Doge, but never really considered him the kind of friend that Elphias considered him. Elphias was convenient and pleasant and somewhat in awe of him, but he never really considered them to be on the same level.

Grindelwald

What I like about them

I imagine he was incredibly attractive.

What I dislike about them

Well, there was the part where he thought people like me were second-class citizens who needed to be ruled over by people like him for our own good, so.

Also, Johnny Depp. Ugh.

Favourite moment

When he told Voldemort off. That was epic and really poignant.

Least favourite moment

Ariana Dumbledore’s death is painful to think about.

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more

What did he do in Nuremburg? What exactly led to his… I don’t know, change of heart? Greater self-knowledge? Changed perspective? that he demonstrates when he’s talking to Voldemort? I want to know what kind of introspection happened there.

An interesting AU for this character

Here’s an idea, what if he was played by literally anyone other than Johnny Depp?

A crossover

Yeah, I got nothing.

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)

I ship him with Dumbledore sometimes.

Other ships?

Not really.

BROTP

Erm. He doesn’t really interact with anyone in canon aside from the Dumbledores, Bathilda, and Voldemort, so I guess Dmbledore again? Only not. I’m interested in it; I don’t support it.

NOTP

With Voldemort? I’ve never seen it, but I just generally assume everyone gets shipped with Voldemort. Fandom is strange.

No, wait! Grindelwald/Johnny Depp.

An assortment of headcanons!

-He’s blond.

-When he was younger he had a small trim beard.

Percival Graves

I have not actually seen FBaWtFT. I was already kind of done with the extra material by then and I’m still not at a point where I can watch movies with Johnny Depp in them without feeling sick to my stomach (although it’s improved). I will watch it at some point, though.

Hengist of Woodcroft

What I like about them

There’s a lot of room for fanon interpretations.

What I dislike about them

Even before she started This Shit ™, I was always… dubious about Rowling’s extracanonical material - fourteen-year-old Riley was firmly of the opinion that if you didn’t put it in the books, you couldn’t call it canon. (Although obviously it was optional for fans to use.) I still pretty much think that, and sometimes I feel boxed in by interview/extra material canon, which results in a… complicated relationship with characters who are optionally canon. (Full disclosure, I know who he is and that he found Hogsmeade, and I basically ignore everything else.)

Favourite moment

The founding of Hogsmeade is obviously a highlight.

Least favourite moment

???? Did he… do anything else, canonically?

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more

So, how did the founding of Hogwarts and the founding of Hogsmeade coincide? (No, ignore whatever Rowling said.) Did one come first? Was Hogwarts taking advantage of an all-magical town, or did Hogsmeade originate as a sort of wizarding college town? Does one predate the other by a few generations, and how did the development of the latter influence the older institution? If they were at roughly the same time, what were his relationships like with the founders, as a group and individually? If they were more spaced out, how did the founders interact with his legacy, or vice versa?

An interesting AU for this character

Depending on your definition of canon, a bunch of what I mentioned above could be considered an AU. Off the top of my head, erm - oh, I think @iceberg-hootenanny said something about an outer space AU, I could actually go for that. Maybe he’s setting up the first real settlement on Mars or Genesis or Xenon 5 or something.

A crossover

Yeah, I dunno.

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)

I have no ships for him until just now, but totally off-the-wall, what if he’s Rowena’s husband?

Other ships?

I usually ship primarily intra-founders pairings, but what the hell, let’s throw Hengist in the mix.

BROTP

Idk, I feel like he could have a particularly jocular commitment to Creating New Things! and Achieving Your Goals! that I also ascribe to certain versions of Godric, so that might go over well.

NOTP

I think my standard NOTP with HP characters who I’ve never heard of ships for is going to be That Person/Voldemort. :) It’s a good catch-all answer.

An assortment of headcanons!

-He had brown hair and a beard.

-Usually carried a staff or walking stick.

Celeborn

What I like about them

Okay, so I generally focus on the fact that he was kind of snippy to Gimli, but let’s be fair here - he apologizes. Especially given the depths of Elf-Dwarf racism (and don’t get me wrong here, in their long and complicated history it is my firm opinion that the Dwarves got the worst of it and the Elves are more at fault) and his personal unpleasant experiences, that’s not a small thing.

What I dislike about them

Honestly - and I’m fully prepared, if not resigned, to be crucified for this - I almost exclusively find the Sindar really boring.

Favourite moment

Again, probably that apology.

Least favourite moment

I’ve always found the extended goodbye scene with the swan boat kind of unnecessary and boring, tbh. *wince*

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more

What the fuck was he doing during the whole Fourth Age after Galadriel left? When did he eventually go to Eressea? He did eventually go to Eressea, right?

An interesting AU for this character

It’s not an AU, per se, but it would be interesting to see his reactions to whatever was going to happen in Return of the Shadow.

A crossover

With Sesame Street. :)

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)

I’m boring and like canon pairings, insofar as I’m invested.

Other ships?

Are there other ships with Celeborn? I’ve actually never seen any.

BROTP

I’m tempted to say Mablung, but that’s essentially because I will shoehorn Mablung into any fucking content I can manage. I guess Gandalf is the obvious choice? (Can I say Galadriel? I think the non-romantic aspects of their relationship might be interesting, insofar as I’m interested.)

NOTP

Someone inform me what the non-canon Celeborn ships are; I don’t know any.

An assortment of headcanons!

-He used to hang out with Luthien. They weren’t super close, but they were low-key buddies.

[dornishsphinx]

@verecunda tagged me in this a while back, and it completely slipped my mind until I saw it half-done in my notes, oops—sorry it took so long! Also, this got wordier than intended, probably because that always happens when I’m avoiding doing actual work. Oh well.

If any of you feel like ranting about your fave female characters, here’s an excuse to do so--though no pressure, of course. Tagging @zonesthesia, @bioticplaneswalker, @joyseeker6, @moonhairedgirl, @yousef-the-uber-driver, @northernpansy, @tresjoly, @xxchimericalxx, @arthoure, @mrmissmrsrandom, @gascon-en-exil, @amorremanet and anyone else reading this who feels like it!

Rules:  Rules: Write your ten favourite female characters from ten different fandoms and tag ten different people.

1. Fire Emblem—Sonya

This ended up being a close tie between Sonya and Jill, but I gave this one to Sonya since I’ve actually finished her game. Sonya is amazing. A non-lord character with a connection to the villains always brings them up a notch in my estimation and it’s a damn shame she never got more than one boss conversation with her father—and none with her sisters! Her ending was initially aggravating, but I like to go with the common theory that since Duma is no longer around, talk of her becoming a witch was just hearsay. Her support with Genny is brilliant. She manages to be confident and alluring without turning into a caricature, unlike certain other unfortunate characters throughout the—mostly recent—games. And since she’s from a less popular game, she’s hardly as likely to get completely flanderised in spinoffs. Why on Earth would you ever pick Deen?

Honourable mentions: Celica (FE2/15), Lyn (FE7), Jill Fizzart (FE9/10). This isn’t counting games I’ve not actively played, though there are certain FE4 and FE10 characters who might have ended up in the mentions if I had, given what I know about them.

2. Persona—Yukino Mayuzumi

I actually wasn’t expecting to put Yukino here when I was first trying to figure out who my favourite female character from Persona was. I knew it would likely be a P2 character, since that is my favourite game in the series thus far, but then I realised how much I’ve been missing Yukino in particular while playing Eternal Punishment. The Empress arcana really does fit her: she’s a combination of tough-as-nails and motherly, and a cool older figure for the team to look up to. I especially love how she transfers the chance Saeko gave her to reform during her yankī days to Anna, years later. And that’s not even going into the revelations from her Shadow: she’s torn between two career paths, not feeling good enough to achieve either. And she gives up her Persona for Jun! That takes some serious selflessness.

Honourable mentions: Maki Sonomura (P1/2), Maya Amano (P2), Naoto Shirogane (P4), Labrys (Arena)

3. Ace Attorney—Ema Skye

This came closer than any other entry on the list, both Mia and Franziska initially taking this spot before I eventually settled on Ema. She was an interesting enough character as a kid, her peppiness and the science-obsession gimmick quickly giving way to a more complex characterisation, especially once her full involvement in SL-9 was revealed. However, the science-gimmick paid off wonderfully in AJ:AA when we see how she’s transformed into a jaded, bitter detective, her dreams of becoming a scientist crushed because she didn’t pass the exams she needed to get a career in forensics. When SOJ rolled around and she’d actually managed to get into the field, it felt earned, way more than if we’d met her SOJ self in AJ:AA.

Honourable mentions: Franziska von Karma, Mia Fey

4. Zero Escape—Lotus

Of all the characters who didn’t make it into the sequels which followed on from the original game, Lotus—along with Santa, who I’ll admit has more story-based reasons to return—is the one I miss most. She loves her daughters, fiercely enough to relentlessly investigate their kidnapping by herself for years when the police were of no use, and on top of all that, she’s a genius programmer. The moment I actively started loving Lotus was when she, clearly scared but putting on a brave face, volunteered to go in the electric chair in the torture chamber. It made you realise she genuinely is utilitarian, rather than just being out for her own survival; she’s clearly self-interested, but not completely selfish. I’m just gonna quote Uchikoshi himself: “She may seem selfish and cold, but she’s actually the most rational and sensible out of all of them. She has the intellectual ability to make very logical decisions.” She’s just the best.

Honourable mentions: Akane Kurashiki, Diana

5. Avatar—Azula

I know there are people who follow me still watching Avatar, so I’ll try and keep this as spoiler-free as I can in case they end up skimming some of this accidentally. (Though I’d definitely not recommend anyone who wants to remain completely unspoiled reads this entry on the list.)

But anyway—“Do the tides command this ship?”

The Fire Nation royal family just provides all the best characters in the series. Zuko is definitely my male fave, while his sister takes the female spot. Source of both the vast majority of best lines in the show, as well as the most Machiavellian of villainy, Azula is just awesome to watch in action, whether it be in the political, martial or personal sphere. The odd dynamic she has with Zuko is my favourite in the series, managing to be outright antagonistic, while at some moments offering the glimmer of a genuine, if warped almost beyond recognition, sibling bond. There are even more poignant moments where we’re reminded of her actual age and how her family circumstances have shaped her into what she is. She’s a complex villain, one of the best this, or any other series, has to offer.

Honourable mentions: Kuvira, Katara, Toph Beifong

6. A Song of Ice and Fire—Sarella Sand

Okay, if we’re doing a female character list, I kinda have to give the original Dornish Sphinx herself a spot on the list. Not much page space has been devoted to her as of the current date, considering our only consistent POV character in Oldtown just arrived. I’m looking forward to what she and Archmaester Marwyn get up to once GRRM finishes TWOW. The least war-hungry of the Sand Snakes, she’s not even been introduced on page as herself yet. Instead, we know her as “Alleras”, a pleasant young Dornishman of sharp intellect studying at the Citadel. 

Honourable mentions: Asha Greyjoy, Sansa Stark, Arianne Martell

7. DCU—Selina Kyle

Is there any Bat-work, canon or fanon, that isn’t instantly made a dozen times better by Selina swooping in? (Okay, there are a couple of duds, but usually she’s a delightful presence.) One of DC’s best anti-hero/anti-villains. 

Honourable mentions: Renée Montoya, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown

8. Danganronpa—Kyōko Kirigiri

The original Ultimate Detective herself. Cool, poised and collected, she certainly makes for a more convincing detective character than certain other later characters from the series, though Shuichi does try his best. 

Honourable mentions: Kaede Akamatsu, Junko Enoshima, Chiaki Nanami

9. Doctor Who—Martha Jones

I’m scraping the barrel a little for fandoms, considering I don’t even watch the show anymore, but Martha is my favourite of all companions. I never wanted her to get with the Doctor, of course, but I appreciated how her unrequited feelings for him didn’t swallow up her entire character. She’s courageous, smart and leaves the TARDIS on her own accord, which is refreshing.

10. Arthuriana—Morgan le Fay

This is a tricky one, since Arthuriana is more a literary tradition than a fandom per se. The characters which belong to it don’t technically ever stick to one characterisation, personality or role—everyone has their own interpretation, or even several different ones. That said—yes, my favourite is Morgan, how original of me, I know. Viviane runs her competition, but since she’s all over the place—quite literally, becoming or amalgamating several different characters at once—Morgan wins. There’s a reason she’s overused in modern adaptions, though, and it’s because she’s amazing. I mean, she even got a geographical phenomenon named after her and in some traditions, she lives in a goddamn volcano. She’s at her best as Queen of Rheged, though, casually trying to murder her husband, or Guinevere, or teaching a lesson to whichever knight of the week volunteers for her obvious trap. Just never mention that modern book she’s most known for around me unless you want me to angry-cry. Also, she’s not Morgause. Let Morgause be her own character, modern media, please.

Honourable mentions: Viviane, Lynette, Ragnell

[antthonystark]

3, 6, 8, 12, 18, 19? (so many questions sorry not sorry; i like it when u talk about things!) 😘

thank you!!

3. have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?

lol yes, all the time. i don’t mind it when people have different opinions (a lot of people that i really like to follow often have different opinions from me. but sometimes there’s just unnecessary vitriol or exhausting incessant negativity, or just a really annoying way of presenting those opinions (e.g. people presenting their interpretations as fact, people assuming that people who disagree with them are morally reprehensible in some way, bullying, etc. etc.), and so eventually i just have to be like......bye

to be fair, i rarely break mutual-ships. but i’ve had mutuals who’ve unfollowed me (some of whom i cant believe i ever used to be friendly with lmao tbh)

6. has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

hmmm i don’t actually think so? fandom usually makes me hate things, because fandom is the worst. oh, actually, way back in the day i didn’t used to like shipping non-canon ships from harry potter (bear in mind that this was many many years ago in my first fandom) but more exposure to fandom led me to enjoy the wonders of many different fanon ships eventually.

i think sometimes shitty fandoms can make me ship a ship i already like just a bit more, like out of pure defiance or stubbornness lmao, especially when that pairing is maybe not the most popular or gets hated on. like the more people began to hate on clace, the more i was like.......hey u know what’s a really great ship that i really love.......even though before when people liked/tolerated clace, i was not quite as enthusiastic towards it. idk man. i’m the worst lol. 

8. have you received anon hate? what about? 

lol yes i have. i sometimes post opinions that have just a little bit more nuance than “x thing is 100% good” and “y thing is 100% bad” but unfortunately that seems to be rather unpalatable in this fandom, i guess? 

overall though it’s not a big problem, i usually only get it pretty rarely, and then i get like 6 lovely anons telling me nice things right after, and 9 times out of 10 it just makes me laugh. like that one time someone called me a race traitor (i still laugh about that) or that one time someone was like “u dont deserve to meet matt and harry bc u ship clace” lmao

12.  already answered! :)

18. does not shipping something ‘popular’ mean you’re in denial and/or biased?

huh, that’s an interesting question. i don’t think so. i feel like, lately, people have forced the idea of “shipping” to be “something you believe to be canon”, which....i don’t really think that’s the motivation behind shipping for people who don’t ship the big canon ships (or in some cases, big fanon ships too). a lot of the times, people ship something just because they like the dynamic and want to explore it purely in a fanon sense, i.e. through fanworks. which doesn’t mean that they think it’s canon, or even that they think it should be canon. people don’t always get that these days because the “focus” of shipping has changed from “exploring in fanworks” to “exerting onto the canon work” - which then (wrongly) influences how people perceive shippers of different ships. whether that’s good or bad is of course a conversation for another day lol.

but that being said, i think shipping inherently, especially when it comes down to fanon ships, is all about interpretation of the work and the characters, and of course personal biases will tend to influence the way we look at a work and interpret it. i don’t necessarily think it has to be “denial” but rather just a different way of looking at things. 

19. what is the one thing you hate the most about your fandom? 

oh man there’s a lot. i guess the thing i hate the most is probably the mean-spiritedness? like disagreements will happen in fandom but the way that people interact with each other and especially the creators behind the works is not just “disagreement” or “criticism” or whatever people so innocently claim that they do lol. it’s just....worthless, counterproductive meanness, sometimes. and look, i’m not the nicest girl in the world by any stretch of the imagination, but it gets exhausting even to me lol. and sometimes it’s literally just complaining for complaining’s sake. like someone once sent me a screenshot of someone on twitter tweeting todd going “oh hey why hasn’t alec ever had a beard on the show when other characters have hmm???” like. what. lmao

and that’s coupled with this very curious attitude of morally condemning any people who disagree with you - like it’s not just being mean, it’s being mean and being self-righteous about being mean which is of course such a lovely combination. like i said before, people will be downright nasty, and then turn around and say that it’s for some higher, noble purpose and anyone calling out their nastiness is bad and shouldn’t do that. again, there’s a different between vitriol and criticism or disagreement, and it’s a line that a lot of people can’t see that they’ve crossed a loooong while back.

also, the idea of personal, subjective interpretation of a text being passed off as incontrovertible fact, and the general lack of critical thinking that often goes into those (subjective, non-factual) interpretations. and really just the utter lack of nuance or even acknowledgment that other interpretations can exist, or that things don’t have to be “good” and “bad” - like, things can be a little more complicated than that. 

also, people who have their “favourite” things (ships, characters, actors) and then think it’s cool or funny or whatever to insult and hate on their non-favourite things for literally no reason other than they don’t like it, or to make their favourite thing look better or whatever the motivation is. like ive seen people insulting how a particular actor looks for literally no reason other than to compare him unfavourably to their favourite, which is. okay. whatever. 

i mean, i could go on but i think i’ll just stop it there. thank you for asking!!