#or has an eureka moment

[coffin-ramblings]

Ashley is "very not good" and "in fact very bad". That is what the promo card tells us.

The flippant attitude to cannibalism and murder, the abuse and manipulation of Andrew, and constant death threats to Julia prove that, so why do they need to say that? Isn't that enough to prove that she's a bad person? On the same promo, we are told Andrew "exists" and is a "doormat extraordinaire", which while true, is a lot more complicated than it looks. He does not just "exists", he was the one who raised Ashley thus one of her "creators", and he is not that much of (if he ever was) a doormat extraordinaire, he lets Ashley make the choices because it's what he wants, and has asserted power several times throughout the game for his and Ashley's benefit. So is what the promo says about Ashley completely true in light of that? Is the truth perhaps a lot more complicated, as it was with Andrew?

Furthermore, it's quite odd how Ashley is quick to accept being called a "tar soul" and how she implies she's a bad person too when she and Andy buried Nina's body.

And in Decay vision, if she kills Andrew, she goes on a rant about how she's glad he's dead, despite it clearly being the worst thing she has ever experienced.

While it's easy to think that she's having a mental breakdown and saying stuff out of madness, I have seen someone (can't find the post though) argue that this is Ashley's attempt to continue her self-narrative that she is a "bad person". She believes no one likes her because she's a bad person. She thinks not even Andrew likes her, and she "has to" drag him the "good person" to be her level of the "bad person" to keep him stuck with her. And when she kills her brother, her parent, her best friend, her soulmate, her everything, she immediately jumps to the justification that she is glad that he died instead of being devastated that he tried to kill her, because bad people can't feel remorse and heartbreak from having to kill someone they love, right?

And I'm inclined to agree with them. Ashley's thought process of pranking Nina is that she'll have her back as a friend after she learns her "lesson", even though she isn't happy being constantly left out or avoided by her.

She didn't hate Nina then, she was afraid of being even more lonely than before if Nina takes Andrew's attention away from her. And her initial reactions to Nina's death was to go "oops", try to justify why she died, cover it up by burying her, and after she's buried, Ashley says that she can just forget about her by not thinking about her for a long time.

That is not the reaction of someone "bad" reveling in their victory of an innocent person's death and trying to get away with it, that is the reaction of a kid who went through something traumatic, not want to get in trouble for it, and trying to rationalize it with something that sounds like an adult in their life (Renee?) would say. Then their brain triggers dissociative amnesia because remembering it would cause great stress and PTSD. Given how stressful Leyley's life was and still is, it makes sense that's her brain's main coping method, and Nina's death was just another instance of it shunting trauma away in an attempt to keep PTSD from happening. It is likely that amnesia made Ashley quite forgetful, as dissociative amnesia does not affect just one singular event, it also affects other memories as an overprotective measure. This also may be why she develops such a flippant attitude to their crimes: joking about them helps her not have to confront the weight of what they just did. Thus, even that attitude being a marker of her being a "bad person" is more questionable. Really, her actions that have the intent to directly harm people are what her make a bad person, but I digress.

The idea that her flippant attitude is perhaps not a good marker of her being a "bad person" is best shown in Episode 1 after they eat the neighbor. Ashley is made aware that her devil-may-care attitude is quite abnormal and worrying for Andrew, which worries her. If she talks before going to bed, she gets visibly confused and worried at Andrew saying she needs to see a professional.

When he later asks how she's so unbothered by the cannibalism, she replies she says she compartmentalizes nervously, which she then follows up afterwards with a joke to not have to dwell on it.

That specific coping method of compartmentalization is the same thing Andrew's brain does in his dream in Episode 2, where it ends with him having a flashback of burying Nina.

In fact, it's interesting how we never get to see adult Ashley's every day psyche. This is not the same as seeing her thoughts and perspectives in the waking world, nor is it the same as the Burial vision where it's Ashley's self-narrative of her life from childhood to adulthood and how she potentially changes it. We never get to see her dream without it being a vision, a glimpse of what her mind looks like in the present processing her experiences in the every day and the past.

This is particularly crucial because while Nina appears while Andrew's brain is doing its standard compartmentalizing of Andrew's current stresses, the only times Nina appears in Ashley's head (outside of Burial vision) were flashbacks of when she is doing this as a child. While it's framed as the moment when Andrew "proves" his devotion to her, flashbacks similar to PTSD ones can happen alongside dissociative amnesia, and they do occur in dreams. Even though Ashley has forgotten Nina's name and eyes, she is always there, haunting her dreams.

This all suggests that the plot twist of our perceptions of the characters in episode 3 is that when we finally get to play Ashley in her normal dreams or see her mental breakdown (maybe if she kills Andrew?), we find out that she feels some sort of guilt for Nina's death and perhaps their other crimes. Even though she insists to herself she doesn't feel guilt about that because she is a "bad person", it is all a lie that she manages to convince to herself and the audience. This would be very shocking as we're in her head a lot of the time, so we'd assume she can't lie to us. But she has all along, just like how Andrew has to us.

[nenekobasu]

I’ve been reading some of your analysis posts for a while, and one thing you keep emphasizing is how Isagi is a key in Blue Lock, while Kaiser is Blue and a Lock. And another is how Isagi is a gun in a team of swords

I agree a lot on what you’ve said about Kaiser (neo egoist, new hero), but I’d like to talk about Isagi.

Is it so bad that he is a key in Blue Lock and a gun in Bastard München?

For a while now, I’ve thought of Isagi being too much of a goody two-shoes. He listens to everything Ego says without question, and he always look as if he has some kind of mindblowing eureka moment when he does. I think it would be nice if he challenges Ego on some stuff and gain his own unique football philosophy, similar to how Kaiser challenges Noa to instead play like how he likes.

Maybe that’s the point of Isagi being a key and a gun.

Although I admit it’s too early for Isagi to deviate from Ego’s ideals, as he himself can’t seem to visualize past it yet, this build-up is just in time.

hi, thanks for the question. if i'm understanding the ask correctly, the sum of your argument seems to be "the point of isagi's nel arc development is that isagi demonstrates he can challenge egojin in the realm of thinking/ideals/etc, by creating something original to him" (if this is wrong i'm sorry and please disregard the rest of this answer)

starting off, i can't refute this in a satisfying way. the reason is because the argument seems motivated by a dissatisfaction with blue lock's pre-ubers match presentation of isagi and egojin. my belief about egojin is that he's the author-insert who acts as the fullest representation of blue lock's ideology, and as such occupies a position of thematic correctness within blue lock; isagi following egojin, then, is him fulfilling his purpose as the protagonist of blue lock, embracing his story's ideology and becoming its embodiment. this is a basic aspect of blue lock that i accept as 'correct', regardless of how i feel about it being so; from this standpoint, any instance of isagi deviating from his purpose will be unacceptable to me.

with that in mind, i think "isagi becoming a key and a gun" was where the nature of the story being told was transformed. before, in manshine (when isagi followed egojin and was 'correct'), isagi fulfilled his ideal form as a god-devil under great pressure, and bonded with yukki the sword— at that point, the story being told was that "isagi, under lock, becomes the heart of a sword." for the story to transform into one where "isagi, freed by a key, becomes a gun" was only possible when isagi betrayed who he was in the previous story.

since i accept the previous "lock and sword" story as what is 'correct' within blue lock, i feel the need to condemn this current story. but i understand that, for anyone dissatisfied with the previous story or with what blue lock advances as the 'correct' option, any change would be refreshing and/or a cause for hope. i can't argue with the frustrations of someone who (from my standpoint) rejects one of blue lock's core elements, as i, too, have only accepted this element not out of agreement but out of convenience.

overall i regret this response, as i realize i've basically just told you "yes it's bad because blue lock said it's bad which means it's bad." this exposes only my acceptance of egojin's correctness, and with it my acceptance of blue lock's message. it's important for me as a reader that blue lock remains contained within itself, so i can't reject the frustrations of anyone who dislikes it. that being said, i'll try to make another argument for why i condemn isagi's "gun and key" development.

to make something clear, isagi himself isn't the key— hiori is. and, isagi didn't organically become a gun on his own— hiori made him into one. instead of egojin feeding isagi ideas for how to become number 1, hiori was the one giving birth to isagi as their number 1 striker. isagi doesn't meaningfully challenge egojin, because all isagi did was replace egojin with hiori. 

so while the current isagi opposes egojin's teachings, he only developed to do so by latching onto a more convenient version of egojin who was capable of giving him immediate glory. the cause of isagi's opposition towards egojin was not a desire for rebellion, but forgetfulness. if anything, his "gun and key" development reveals how dependent he is on other people to give him direction and form his own ideas… as such, i'm incapable of seeing any silver lining to isagi's development

(as a final note, i understand the intent behind the isagi-egojin to kaiser-noa comparison, but while i do absolutely think creating his own ideal to challenge noa is core to kaiser's development i also think that this doesn't cut into noa's position as a 'correct' figure within blue lock, and that kaiser challenging noa leads to him 'following' noa in a true sense— for instance, kaiser's early test run of his ideal in ubers match leads to his ch.220 goal, which is eerily similar to noa's barcha goal. kaiser breaking from noa ultimately leads to him becoming more noa-like) (also i don't think of egojin as someone with an "ideal" in the same way as the master strikers but i haven't thought about it enough)

in any case i've done my best to communicate my beliefs about blue lock, but i understand if this answer fails to satisfy your objections. there were other approaches towards answering this that relied on an examination of the "key" and "gun" symbolism, but it would have looped around to being about the same central issue of whether the 'correctness' blue lock presents should be accepted by the reader. to take one final swing, though, i want to add that isagi is the chosen protagonist of blue lock, bound by blue lock's confines… from the beginning, true escape for him was a fated impossibility. i want isagi's current ideal of "freedom" to be thought of in this context of a deeper incontrovertible oppression, where isagi yoichi is only the protagonist because he exists in the prison called blue lock (manga). no amount of partnering with a key or shooting his enemies dead will change that isagi is trapped, but the only reason he doesn't realize this fact is because he's incapable of seeing what lies beyond his own, tragically limited perspective

[eurekq]

I get that people want an enemy in every situation but idk why it's so hard to just accept that people like jk rowling will see anything and find a way to make it about their vitriolic ideology. People cry after losing olympic challenges all the time. Carini in particular was crying because in losing she failed to keep a promise to her recently deceased father and also because she had been hit in the nose, which will make literally anyone on planet earth tear up (a totally legal hit afaik. just one that produces an unavoidable reaction). She admitted she had been wrong in not shaking khelifs hand and apologized. She said that if she were to see her again she would give her a hug. Like I don't know I feel like there are more productive targets to focus on. Yeah she acted shitty and unsportsmanlike in a single emotional moment; this was coopted and her words were mistranslated without her knowledge. Something can have bad consequences without it being a deliberately calculated evil mastermind move. In the meanwhile at the Olympics: did you know that the netherlands sent a man convicted of raping a 12 year old to compete? That's fucking insane to me but I guess it does make sense. They allowed Israel to compete after all

[misspoetree]

I've been thinking a lot about this.

About the transition from Pete's "I really went home" speech to Kim's shirt that simply says "human".

About the gut-wrenching feeling it gives me.

And I think I finally understand.

Because on one side, we have Pete, losing his humanity again and again, to the main family using him like a dog, to Vegas treating him like a pet. Who has to fight, fight, fight tooth and nail to reclaim it, to keep it. Bloody and beaten and ripped to shreds. For something that should be, no, that IS a birth right.

And on the other side, we have the Theerapanyakuls. Murdering and manipulating and exploiting, using people as they see fit, stripping them of their humanity while treating their own (sense of) humanity - their love, care, compassion - like, well, like a fashion item they can put on and take off anytime they like.

And if that contrast, transition, symbolism isn't brutality in its purest form then I really don't know what is.

[luv-again]

everything is so connected in this fic, not only just 'it makes sense chronologically' but also bc one thing led to another. each step brought them here. shadow and amy were meant to meet at cryptic castle one way or another. for a reason

[ticklet0d]

Eddy: Hold on, I’m having one of those things..a headache with pictures!

Double D: You mean an idea?

[shantechni]

Trying and failing to make an analysis post about the oddest point my brain decided to latch onto when it's low on inspiration and an adequate level of comprehensive writing skills.

[unchained-hound]

Blitzø would listen to Mother Mother in the 2015 depressed tumblrina way, ykwim?

Like he'd blast Burning Pile at 2 am while fighting the naughtiest fucking demons, he'd listen to Body on loop for 5 hours after the nastiest breakdown, he's pining for Stolas and coping by singing Calm Me Down and Carve a Name, he cries himself to sleep on his van while Happy is playing, my man would not be normal about it.

[zemnarihah]

literally one of the greatest tragedies of music history is that iron maiden never made another concept album after seventh son of a seventh son

[sociofame]

i do think it's really interesting that while wendy's fashion does ascribe to the 70s style and shapes and silhouettes, hers is a much more timeless look. you look at nancy and debbie and it's immediately obvious what era they're living in – they look like they shop at the mall, and follow fashion trends, which they do, because that's normal to do. wendy, however, is a queer woman ensconced in academia, and so her wardrobe is both on the conservative side and almost exaggerating professionalism. we look at her and we don't immediately think 1970s, and while i think the cyclical nature of fashion has a hand to play in that, it's not the only reason. the contrast in fashion between the characters is so smart to me, because it creates that visual divide; it reminds us that wendy is not from the same world as these characters, be it because of her background or social capital or educational standing

[theskyexists]

If only I understood anything about electronic circuits beyond electrons go

[eurekq]

hi guys. Whoever's out there playing rogue trader. Who are we romancing

[miyanagateru]

huh so you have to remove the left eye to use the prototype sync machine huh.....

humm

[ladykailitha]

Soulmate AU

Soulmate AU where when you're ready to meet your soulmate, you start seeing them in your dreams.

Only Steve's got a problem.

The man in his dreams is ultra famous Corroded Coffin frontman Eddie Munson.

There is no way any agent, manager, PA, or publicist worth their salt is going to let him anywhere near the man just because he says they're soulmates.

Steve isn't sure what to do, he can't afford to go to every concert hoping they make eye contact. Which is how you form a bond between between soulmates.

But luckily fate has other plans.

Steve goes to the Hideout to get drunk after a particular bad day. Robin met her soulmate, he got broken up with, and Max and Lucas announced they’re getting married.

And there he is, Eddie is hanging out at the bar with his bandmates.

Only now Steve has a problem in the form of three very beefy guys he assume is security.

But Eddie is over there freaking out in his own way.

Because yup! There's Steve Harrington but he didn't realize his dreams about Steve recently were about his soulmate because Eddie's been dreaming about Steve since high school

But now that he's in the same room with him Eddie realizes that the dreams of late have been...softer, lately.

Less spicy the way they are normally and more hazy like a filter had been placed over top.

Warm.

And so he walks over to Steve, because he knows he has to make the move.

And the instant they make eye contact it's like sparks, downing hot chocolate, and coming home all at once.

They knew of each other in high school but in that nebulous popular kid and the outspoken weird kid kind of way.

And the reason it took them so long to get together is that they both had to grow up past their high school prejudices.

It took Eddie the longest because despite his crush on Steve he was still worried about his appearance and what people would think if he had a preppy soulmate.

But recently he had eureka moment when Brian’s soulmate was platonic. That he just needed someone who would love him for all his flaws and weird moments.

Steve had been getting dreams about his soulmate since high school, but they were never clear. They started getting into sharper focus recently and was shocked when it was revealed to be Eddie. Not because it was boy, but because of the whole famous thing.

[herbgerblin]

I missed Blupjeans week but they still live rent-free in my brain

ID: A comic of Lup, an elven woman talking to Berry, a human man. Lup has tan skin, curly blonde hair, and is wearing a t-shirt, pajama shorts, and slippers. Her shirt says "Born on a mountain, raised in a cave, truckin' and fuckin' is all that I crave." Barry has pale skin, graying brown hair, glasses, and is wearing a plain t-shirt, jeans, and shoes.

In the top panel, Lup is standing over Barry, while he is seated on the floor with the Light of Creation resting on a large metal podium that Barry has clearly been tinkering on. Lup asks, "Hey Babe?" Barry replies, "Oh! Hey Lup! I had no idea you were up!" "Interesting," Lup says. "Real quick, do you remember a certain talk that we had not too long ago?" "A talk?" Barry asks. "Yeah," Lup says. "It was something of a "eureka moments that happen after 10:00pm can wait til the morning" talk." "Well," Barry says. "1:00am is technically morning-" Lup cut in. "It's 4:13am babe."

In the bottom panel, Barry says, "Oh man, really? I'll start packing it in." Lup is now sitting on her haunches in front of Barry in the light. She says, "After you tell me what this latest eureka moment is about" End ID.

[queerlilchinchin]

Maybe I should be a game reviewer/blogger.

How have I never considered this with how many switch games I purchase and how much I LOVE to recommend good games to people... how has it never occurred to me to turn it into an actual like... thing I do?