#or I guess big brother

[glubby-guppiez]

*the groovypuff girls

[wintergrofyuri]

catgirl dogboy friendship is something that can be so personal

[zivazivc]

do you think freesia and jd would ever get back together? or will they stay sort-of friends?

I'm not going to lie, I kinda like the idea of them starting to date again and seeing where it takes them. 🙈 freesia sneaked into my heart for some reason (she kind of started this new trend of mine where i make ocs that were created to be dicks and then me just getting protective of them and trying to reason out their awful behavior kasjsdj)

also their ship already has a #1 hater and #1 supporter, both of which are doing it for the wrong reasons...

[fyeaheddiemunson]

[kashmimo]

baby pokemon trainers 🐣

[luck-of-the-drawings]

so REVENGE, HUH? or justice, if that makes you feel better. it tastes the same when cooked just right. 'I REALLY WANTED A BROTHER.' such a shame to burn a bridge you so desperately wanted to keep, especially when it wasnt even you who started the fire. especially when you hope that not a single fragment of that bridge ever washes ashore.[MAY IT ROT FAR FROM MY SIGHTS] an unfortunate loss! atleast he has his friends.

[rusted-fairy-wings]

Ninjago, Kai, and the Subversion of the Chosen One Trope: an analysis

So, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about Kai's genuinely incredible character arc and how the show subverts the chosen one trope through him. Here's my analysis :)

(Warning: Long)

In the pilots, Kai is completely disinterested in the idea of becoming a ninja/hero. All he wants is his normal life with his sister; he only pursues becoming a ninja after Nya's kidnapping. There's a sense that a huge aspect of Kai---the part of him that loves adrenaline, that wants to fight, that is ambitious to a fault---lays dormant.

Contrast that to season 1 where there's been enough time passed for Kai to cement himself as part of the original team (Kai, Zane, Jay, Cole). After Kai discovers the Green Ninja Prophecy, Kai's ambitious, selfish side rears its head as he becomes convinced he deserves the chosen one title. Granted, all of the original boys react similarly; they all think it should be them. However, the primary focus is on Kai, and watching it gives the impression that Kai is especially desperate for the title.

Already we have these contrasting images of Kai between season1 and the pilots. He's gone from zero interest in being a ninja to developing an obsession with being the chosen one. This obsession develops into a sense of desperation within Kai, a desperation to prove his worth. Kai suggests "contests" like the one to discover Samurai X's identity that will "prove" who deserves the title; it becomes his only focus in the show.

Furthermore, we see the True Potential arcs which heavily emphasize Kai's reckless desperation. Kai watches as the rest of the team one by one reaches their True Potential. They discover and/or remedy inner turmoil, becoming more in tune with themselves and growing as people, allowing them to more fully use their powers. As these arcs come up, it's worth noting every single ninja but Kai seems to have dropped their heavy interest in being the green ninja. Kai grows frustrated because in his mind, his not reaching his potential yet threatens his belief that he is the green ninja.

Note I haven't mentioned Lloyd until now. Let's backtrack a bit to talk about Kai and Lloyd.

At the start of the show, Kai sees Lloyd as nothing but an annoying, bratty nuisance. However, as time progresses, Kai gains new perspective on Lloyd, especially after the team takes him in. Begrudgingly, Kai begins to see Lloyd less and less as the annoying son of Garmadon and more as a younger brother he holds a lot of care for. At first he hates whenever he's stuck with Lloyd, but as the show progresses we see that annoyance begin to be replaced with affection.

Now, flash forward to episode 10 "The Green Ninja." Kai's frustration at not reaching his potential is on full display. Kai is even caught by the other ninja trying on the green ninja gi, further showcasing Kai's conviction in his belief that he is the chosen one even though the others have moved on. Further trying to prove he is the green ninja, Kai picks a fight with Garmadon (who has teamed up to rescue a kidnapped Lloyd), trying to unlock his true potential and show he's the one destined to defeat the dark lord. When they arrive at the Fire Temple to get the fangblade + Lloyd, Kai is the one who draws his golden weapon despite the instability of the volcano and Wu's warnings. He's desperate and ambitious, and that puts every single character present at risk; his desperation literally causes a volcanic eruption.

Then it's just Lloyd and Kai trapped in the erupting volcano with Lloyd and the fangblade both at risk, forcing Kai to choose. But it isn't as simple as choosing between Lloyd and the weapon. Symbolically, the fangblade represents Kai's ambition, his perceived destiny; to Kai, getting it proves that he is the chosen one. Put simply, Kai is forced to choose between the perceived chosen one and the real one. And it is in this moment Kai has his epiphany and finally sees the error in his ways. He realizes that this entire season, everything has circled back to Lloyd: stopping him, taking him in, caring for him, and ultimately saving him. This causes Kai to understand his true role in the prophecy as master of fire--being Lloyd's protector. Kai unlocks his True Potential, finally understanding himself and being the one to realize Lloyd's destiny.

This isn't a choice I personally see a lot of media making. We see a main character (Kai) struggle and fight and overcome his flaws in pursuit of a predetermined destiny only to discover it was never his destiny at all. All of his struggles and growth don't lead to him fulfilling his dreams of being chosen; he doesn't finally reach the point where he's worthy of the green ninja title. The green ninja reveal isn't a triumphant moment where Kai finally gets what he's been fighting for. Instead, it's a moment of tragedy, a moment where a scared child discovers he will have to be in a life or death battle with his father who he once aspired to be just like, who he loves more than anything. Kai's arc ultimately leads to acceptance of his true role and determination to protect Lloyd.

Even though Kai's arc has closed off in a sense at this point, the show further reinforces it as it progresses. In the season 2 finale, when it's just Kai and Lloyd left, Kai sends Lloyd to face his father/the Overlord without hesitation. He recognizes his duty is to protect Lloyd and does precisely that... he stays back to fight so that Lloyd may move forward and do what has been foretold.

In season 4, Chen tries to tempt Kai, tries to persuade him to his side, preys on Kai's old insecurities surrounding being the Green Ninja. Although it seems at first Chen was successful, it is revealed that Kai was working as a double agent, never intending to join Chen and never being tempted by the power offered to him. The only time he wavers in his character growth is when Chen's staff's power tries to overtake him, something out of his control. When of sound mind, Kai refuses to be tempted and is unwavering in his resolve to protect Lloyd and be satisfied to his true destiny.

Again and again, after Kai initially realized the path his ambition and desperation was leading him down, after Kai understood the truth about himself and accepted it, Kai makes the right choice. His character growth is cemented, and without fail, he does everything he can to protect his team and protect Lloyd. He finds peace and acceptance in his own destiny, even if it's not the one he envisioned for himself.

TLDR: Kai's desperation to be the green ninja turn him reckless and obsessed. Ninjago subverts the chosen one trope by not having our lead character earn the green ninja title by the end of his struggles, instead accepting his fate. As the show continues, Kai stands firm in his growth and acceptance.

[sophfandoms53]

Chelsie saying not knowing about the flip is unfair to the house,,,,, almost like that’s the point….

[profounddefendorcrusade-blog]

Starlo should be Clover's dad

Why? Because ↓

1) Both dress into cowboy-themed attire to feel braver/more important than they are

2) Clover, instead of a regular kid, wants to feel like a hero; Star, instead of a regular farmer, also wants to feel like a hero

In reality, Star is not the tough guy he pretends to be. His optimism, protectiveness and caring nature make him a hero though.

In reality, Clover started off as a scared kid who became more confident and skilled thanks to Flowey's resets. Their heroism comes from their forgiving and selfless nature and the hidden courage they got the chance to explore.

2) Both acted childish during a dangerous situation Clover came down the mountain with a toy gun so that it would bring them comfort/they'd feel more in control of the situation (if you remember, Frisk refused to play with Asriel's toys in UT, saying how they're "too old," and I assume Frisk and Clover are the same age).

Starlo brought a fake gun before confronting Clover in genocide, just to feel cool.

3) Both not only value justice, but base it on compassion

Clover's entire mission was to bring justice (avenge the kids), but along the way changed that mindset (in pacifist). Star says how him and his posse aren't bandits, tests Clover's sense of justice and morality with the trolley problem, and wants to give Ceroba a second chance despite her actions.

4) Starlo's got protective fatherly instincts

5) fatherly pride

8) a lot of monsters associate Clover with the Dunes/Wild East

9) oh and... Starlo referred to the Wild East as Clover's.... home. Twice.

he could have easily said 'Wild East'

... get the adoption papers.

[baejax-the-great]

My brother died very suddenly yesterday.

He was the kind of person who always had dozens and dozens of friends everywhere he went because he was easy to talk to and funny and treated people with respect, and his friends ranged in class, race, age, social ability, introversion and extroversion--no matter who you were, he could and would befriend you.

He would scold me for not asking him for help when I needed it, and he would mean it. He taught me to tip well. He loved helping people. He played practical jokes on the new kids at work, including getting one guy to "chop flour" because the flour they had in the kitchen was "too coarse."

He introduced me to some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life. He would always help with a recipe that wasn't working. He would tell me what to buy my foodie friends for their birthdays, and he never got it wrong. He loved meat and whiskey but also wine and fruit and he got me to eat beets even because he knew how to make anything good.

Mostly, he thought that people were all deserving of respect and decency. He was outspoken on this. For all that his friends ranged across demographics, he didn't tolerate anyone being hateful around him. But even then, he was nice about it. He would try to get people to come around to his side. He saw the good in people.

And he was happy. He had finally quit chewing tobacco and managed to stay off it for three years. He had a girlfriend he really liked. The pandemic had put him out of work for over a year, but he was back at his job and doing well and he liked it. He was good at it. And it's complete bullshit that he's gone.

[edorazzi]

Some Thunderbirds Are Go comics I’ve been working on over the last few weeks! Sorry to everyone but I’m completely obsessed with this show lately. Love these boys so much.

Feat. Scott getting some dopamine from Virgil, Gordon and Alan getting creative (inspired by a Distractible clip) and John forgetting how gravity works. I’ve got the scribble bug so lots more of these are on the way! 💖

[tennessoui]

I’m sure there’s a canon reason why obi-wan chose Ben as his new name multiple times but consider: that’s his older brother’s name and he doesn’t actually remember this because he doesn’t remember much of anything about his biological family at all. Ben just sounds right, like he’s heard it a thousand times before. So he starts using it for all of his undercover work or missions and then eventually when he gets to Tatooine post ROTS

meanwhile of course obi-wan’s older brother Ben Kenobi is incredibly confused as to why he sometimes arrives on a planet for the very first time only to find out that he’s been banned from ever stepping foot there again

[pianokantzart]

Watching the Mario movie for the nth time. I just realised that Luigi's hat is just slightly smaller than Mario's hat, since their heads are different sizes. Now I'm thinking how Luigi would look with Mario's hat covering his eyes. And how Mario would look wearing Luigi's hat

Little man can't help having been built like a bobble head

[keiksy-cake]

Germany's second page from the Hetalia Collezione

Official revisions included "just like shojo manga!" to "maybe he likes cute things?", and the addition of "his casual clothes are often described as "dad-like"

all collezione pages

[Please note, I’m an amateur in Japanese and have to use various resources and translation machines to help me. If you notice a possible mistake or want clarification, please bring it up to me *politely* and not aggressively or hostile.]

[feelingthedisaster]

okay, being 100% honest, dont pull a josten and lie to me

if exy and all the aftg stuff was real, would you actually like exy? if someone mentioned kevin day/neil josten/etc, would you recognize their names?

and if the answer is yes, would you be a hater, a stan, indiffent?

remember, you cant lie

[frenchublog]

can anyone recommend fluffy (long) spuffy fanfics ? i need softness, yearning, longing in spuffy style

if you have a favourite story it's okay too hehe (ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ.ﾟ