#please respectfully disagree if you want to

[wearewildanimals]

I will die on this hill...alone if I have to. But taking out Sokka's misogyny as part of his character growth was the ONLY change I agree with from the new live action show.

At the time that the animated show was created I do think it was a very progressive storyline. But it's 2024. I'm 27 years old and the idea that Sokka "unlearned" his misogyny from a girl that he found attractive and ended up being his gf later on...is not really that great. I mean...he was raised by his gran gran. By whole village full of women. Like...do we really want to see yet another world full of misogyny? For what? In 2024?

If the script was stronger and the writers were better...I think they could have made the same character growth by showing Sokka's pride and arrogance be questioned and challenged by Suki. A trained warrior. I think it would have been such a great moment to see Sokka's pride and arrogance that comes from a place of fear and insecurities that comes from the fact that his father wasn't there to teach him. I think that would have been such a beautiful place of vulnerability for Suki and Sokka to bond over.

Anyway I haven't finished the Netflix show yet but...honestly I just feel like there is way more nuance to this one character change than just "they took away his misogyny as his biggest character growth"

[cainsign]

it feels craaazy transitioning in an exclusively male workplace. even the guys who are okay with me transitioning and even see me as male (or male-lite) are constantly like This Is What Men Do, you must do this now that you are a man. it does feel kind of affirming because they see me as one of the guys! but it's also like. yeah we have to talk about your sex life and objectify women now that you're on t. what do you mean you don't want to do that. idk it just serves as a reminder to me that being ftm DOES afford you with male privilege & you're often pushed to conform and participate in misogyny to affirm your identity "as a man." if anything, you're encouraged to participate more, because you have to prove your masculinity to your peers if you want to be accepted.

most of all, it proves to me that so-called transandrophobia is absolutely bullshit. there is nothing unique about the way i'm being pushed to socialize with my male peers as i transition, the only difference is that i'm being pushed into it later in life than a cis man would have been. my male coworkers, who probably consider themselves my allies, are trying to teach me how best to punch down at women and other minorities as proof of my masculinity. i can't speak to a transfeminine experience, but i assume that a part of the social aspect of transition is the exact inverse of this. but for me, i'm essentially able to move past the oppressive system of misogyny, as long as i agree to benefit from it.

[frostbitedoesart]

Just making a general post real quick in response to an ask.

When I say I'm anti-ai I mean I'm against any sort of AI that steals from others or would otherwise be used to put people out of a job. I don't feel like having an elaborate conversation about the positives and negatives of AI and all that, so I'll state this as plainly as possible.

I don't like AI art. I don't like AI voice impersonations. I don't like any sort of AI that has to steal stuff from people without their consent in order to function. That is literally it.

I'm not against ALL AI. I don't think people that are okay with AI in general should be burned at the stake or something. I'm just an artist and writer that doesn't like AI being used in CREATIVE SPACES. That's it.

I didn't think I would have to clarify this but, here you go, for anyone that was bothered.

[ceilidhtransing]

I see a lot of people describe the fascists who support Trump as “blind”, “lied to”, “duped”, “too stupid to know better” etc, and I have to respectfully disagree.

The fascists who support Trump - and I wouldn't put every single Trump supporter in this category, they're not all personally this far gone, but a hell of a lot of them are - do so because they want something, and they see Trump as the vehicle to getting that. And what they want is very often “to see you dead”.

They know what they're voting for. They know what they're getting. They're not “brainwashed”, “stupid”, “unable to see him for what he is”. They see him for what he is and they want that. They see Project 2025 and Agenda 47 and go ��yes please, because this will hurt the people I think deserve to be hurt”.

We have to want to stop them just as much as they want to see us dead. Having the numbers alone isn't enough; there needs to be determination and dedication. A zealous and united fascist front versus a half-hearted and unenthusiastic opposition that can barely summon the passion to organise to stop fascists getting into elected positions because they “aren't excited enough about a candidate” or “don't think voting changes anything” or whatever is how fascists win, even when they're technically outnumbered.

Please remember this. You have to want to stop these people just as much as they want you dead.

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 45!

what a week... i'm greatly enjoying all of the post-8x06 buddie fic (many more recs to come!) and took some time to revisit old favourites, which can be found in previous rec lists. enjoy!

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags before reading! some might also contain spoilers for season 8.

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

all that we need | not1_2write | 26.4k | M

When Buck buys a Powerball lottery ticket he doesn't think much beyond his need for change to air up his tire. He forgets all about the ticket until word spreads that the winning ticket was sold in LA and hasn't been claimed yet and pretty much dismisses it. After all, there's no way he won the lottery. Turns out no, he really did win the Powerball, to the tune of 295 million dollars and just in time for Christmas. He's going to make sure the 118 has the best Christmas of their lives. And just maybe he'll have a good one too. idk about all of you but i do dream about winning the lottery regularly (way too often for someone who's never bought a ticket, that's for sure). this is such a lovely look at what buck would do with a whole lot of money <3

i take this magnetic force of a man | playinginthunderstorms/@playinginthunderstorms | 9k | M

Turns out, he isn’t actually afraid of commitment. He’s just afraid of committing to the wrong thing, or the wrong person. Ana, obviously, had been a mistake, because he hadn’t been ready, and he’d put other people’s expectations above his own wants and needs. With Marisol, he’s done the same thing. Moved too fast, doing what he thinks is the right thing according to who? His parents? For Chris’s benefit? Again, pushing past his own comfort, discarding any doubt because it doesn’t fit like… Like Buck. blanket rec for one of my favourite authors who has been posting incredible fics lately!! this one in particular is so beautifully written and so romantic and just so very buddie <3

if i need to rearrange my particules i will for you | thelikesofus/@thelikesofus | 7.9k | GA

Eddie catches a cold and Buck takes care of him while having a minor, non-platonic emotional crisis. this is definitely influenced by the fact that i've been ill myself but wow truly nothing hits as hard as buddie taking care of each other when one of them isn't feeling well. the bed sharing in this is so good <3

let me | facewithoutheart/@facewithoutheart | 1.6k | T

Eddie doesn't think he needs romance. Buck, respectfully, disagrees. AKA the fic where Buck picks Eddie up and kisses him breathless against a wall. and buck is so right for doing that!! i love it when buck turns eddie to jello <3 so lovely!

second child, restless child | lesbianrobin/@lesbianrobin | 23k and counting| M

how Evan and Maddie make it out of Pennsylvania, and Buck and Maddie build a family. okay so listen these past few weeks i've been doing this thing where i only rec finished fics, and every time i scroll through my ao3 history for these rec lists, i come across this one and go oh i wish i could rec this already. and then i realised wait it's my rec list i can do whatever i want, and so then i did. anyway, mind the tags for this one, but wow are you in for a treat here! i love the character dynamics (chim is brilliant in this!! and maddie!!) and i'm so so excited to see the rest of this fic unfold <3

said that i was fine, said it from my coffin | justhockey/tumblr | 7.3k | T

And it doesn’t matter that he feels like he’s dying. Like the version of himself that he’s always been is suddenly a stranger to him - just a mask he’d spent his entire life hiding behind, without ever even realising he was wearing it. It doesn’t matter that Eddie is…that he’s gay. Because he knows - as surely as he knows that the sun will rise again tomorrow - that the only person he has ever, and will ever, truly love is Buck. And Buck isn’t his to love. another blanket rec for an author who's been posting incredible fics!! this one in particular has such brilliant eddie characterisation and i just devoured it the second i got that little ao3 email hehe

there's no place like home-spun | icewhisper | 4.1k | GA

Buck has spent most of his life trying to find something to settle fidgeting hands and the restless need for a home. He found the key to the latter when he was thirteen. He finds the former in a cozy home on South Bedford Street with two of his favorite people. (AKA the Buck-crochets fic that literally no one asked for.). this fic makes me want to learn how to crochet. i am the least crafty person ever and i have like minus time but just know that if two weeks from now i'm posting about yarn and crochet hooks and whatnot, it's all thanks to this fic. i love buck who crochets so very much <3

you get your dreams for free | llovely/@butchdiaz| 14.9k | T

five times buck and eddie cuddle drunk and one time they cuddle sober. buddie bed sharing my absolute favourite. i read this late at night curled up under three blankets and it hit just right <3

[blossoming-mind-palace]

Chung Myung x Reader: "Not Jealous!" (SFW)

Summary: You and Jo Geol are talking about the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, and you can't stop gushing over him. Chung Myung gets jealous

Contains: Mild jealousy & a GN reader

WC: 1630

“Do you guys ever wonder what the Plum Blossom Sword Saint looked like?” Chung Myung’s ear twitched when he heard you say this. “Well, all of the stories make him sound like a badass, so he probably looked the part, too,” Jo Geol chimed in. “What does a badass look like to you, Jo Geol?” You inquired. “Well, he must’ve been a giant. I bet he had a bunch of scars from all of the battles he was in! He probably had an intimidating gaze, too.”

“Respectfully, I disagree.” “Oh? Then what do you think he looked like?” “Hm…” You paused for a second. “I bet he had women all over him!” Chung Myung coughs on his drink and almost spits it out on the dinner table.

Everyone’s eyes are on him. “Are you okay, Chung Myung?” You turn towards him with a concerned look on your face. “Mhm!” He is a terrible liar and is visibly nervous. You decide to not comment on his face because he looks like he doesn’t want to talk about what just happened.

“Okay, back to what I was saying. He seems like the stereotypical heroic type, right? There’s no way he wasn’t popular with the ladies! Especially if he was big like you said. Who doesn’t want a giant and buff knight in shining armor?” Chung Myung is making mental notes on what you're saying. That must be your taste in men, right? His ears turn red while he eavesdrops on your conversation with Jo Geol.

“I guess that makes sense. If he was like that, I’d want to get to know him too!” “Exactly, you understand now!” “I wonder what other features he had…” Jo Geol thinks out loud. Chung Myung has gone quiet and his face is as red as a tomato. He’s stopped eating and can only look at his lap while listening to you gush over his previous life. He wants to scream.

“I don’t know, but he must’ve been a hunk! I bet he was the chivalrous romantic type, too. It’d make sense with the whole heroic reputation he has. Hah, sounds like my type of guy-” “I think you’ve been reading too many fairytales!” Chung Myung snaps at you. You notice he’s pouting, and decide it’s a good time to tease him. “Okay, why does that concern you? I’m just speculating. It’s not like he’s in the room with us, anyway!” “Whatever, I’m done eating!” He stands up abruptly and leaves.

Jo Geol looks startled; an upset Chung Myung is the last thing the disciples need. “I wonder why he’s so pissy? It’s not like he’s cared about my taste in men before!” You sigh and watch as Chung Myung slams the door on his way out.

Everyone except you knows why he’s like this. They’ve watched him steal glances, listened to him praise you after training, and noticed the special treatment he gives you. He doesn’t steal from your plate, he sneaks in booze for you and gets jealous when other disciples spend too much time with you. Jo Geol has seen this all before with other disciples. He knows for a fact that Chung Myung is in love with you and is currently jealous!

“Maybe you should go talk to him, (Y/N)?” Jo Geol suggests. The sooner you smooth things over, the sooner peace will return to Mount Hua. “Why?” “Well, something you said must’ve upset him!” “But I didn’t do anything besides praise the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!”

“Look, (Y/N), if he’s still like this tomorrow he’ll make training feel like hell on Earth. Please, smooth things over with him for all of us! We don’t want to face his wrath tomorrow!” “You’re being dramatic, but okay.” Jo Geol breathes a sigh of relief when you finally leave the dinner table.

-

Knock knock knock. “Chung Myung, is anybody home?” You ask and wait. A couple of seconds pass by with no response. You knock again. “Chung Myung, can I come in? Please?” You’ve started using your gentle and sweet tone. It’s the one you use when you want him to be soft towards you. “Fine.” He opens the door and has a massive pout on his face. This grown man looks like a kicked puppy, and it’s taking every ounce of self-control you have to not giggle at him. He moves to the side, lets you enter his room, and closes the door behind you.

You look him in the eyes, and you’re ready to confront him. “What’s up with you?” “Huh?” “Your mood suddenly changed during dinner, and now I’m concerned.” “It’s nothing!” His cheeks and ears are turning red again. He looks adorable when he’s like this!

He starts to panic as you close the distance between you two. Since his face is flushed, you decide to check his temperature. His eyes go wide when you put your hand on his forehead. “What do you think you’re doing!?” “I’m just concerned about your health! Your face is red, you feel hot, and you’ve been acting weird!” “Look, I’m not sick, so back up! Please…”

His tone softened at the end, and you decide it’s high time to stop teasing him. You remove your hand and back up. “Then what’s your problem? You were obviously upset at dinner. Was it something I said?” “...” “If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to figure it out myself!” Your mind replays all of the conversations you had during that time. You guys talked about food, how hard training was today, legends and heroes… Wait, that’s it!

“You weren’t upset until I started praising him!” “W-Who!? I have no idea what you’re talking about!” “The Plum Blossom Sword Saint! You’re jealous of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint!” “I am not!!” “Yes, you are!” “Am not!” His face couldn’t get any redder. This is ridiculous! Why would he be jealous of himself? “Just admit it! You’re jealous because I kept talking about how attractive he must’ve been.” “So what if I am!? What’re you gonna do if I say I’m jealous, anyway?” You pin him against the door. “Do you wanna find out?”

Chung Myung feels like he’s going to explode in any second now. When did you become so assertive? And who do you think you are, pining your senior to the door like this!? Your face inches closer to him. “Say it.” “No!” “Say it!” “Absolutely not!” “Pretty please, sahyung?” You purr into his ear. “That’s it, I’ve had enough of your shit! Why do you even care so much? Do you want me to be jealous!?” “Maybe…”

The tables turn when he trades places you. You’re caged between his arms and the door, and there’s no escaping at this point. He asks,” Why are you like this?” “Because I like it when you’re flustered. It’s cute.” Your hand raises and you softly caress his face. He grabs your hand, but instead of ripping it away, he buries his face into it. 

“You think I’m cute?” “Mhm!” You’re pleased with your progress. It seems like he’s starting to calm down now. His eyes are still furrowed, and while he looks you in your eyes, he asks,” Do you think I’m cuter than him?” “Pardon?” “Don’t make me repeat myself!” Oh, he’s so cute when he’s flustered!

“Yes, Chung Myung, I think you’re cuter than the Plum Blossom Sword Saint,” you say as you cup his face in your hands. “You’re probably stronger than him, too.” “Hah, I don’t know about that…” He rubs the back of his neck. All of these compliments are making him nervous! “I do, and I think you’re the strongest, hottest hunk Mount Hua has ever seen!” You start peppering his face with kisses. His heart feels like it could explode in any second!

His eyebrows have relaxed and now he can’t stop smiling. “You have the prettiest smile, too! Oh, and your eyes are so captivating! I could stare into them forever!” “Stop it, I’m not that handsome…” He’s rubbing the back of his neck as he sheepishly looks away. You can tell he’s nervous.

“I disagree,” You kiss his forehead, and look down at his lips. “Hey, Chung Myung…” “Hm?” “Can I kiss you here?” You ask innocently as you poke his bottom lip with your pointer finger. His heartbeat can’t go any faster; you’re going to be the death of this man! “Y-yeah…”

You grab his chin and pull him forward. Your lips meet, and when you try to pull away Chung Myung pouts. “Oh? Why’re you upset now?” “You know why!” You smile softly at him and give him a couple more kisses, but these are more drawn out than the first one. You’re both panting when you finally pull away.

“There, are you happy now?” “Maybe…” “What do I have to do to turn that into a yes?” Your response makes him feel shy, and he goes quiet while trying to figure out how to reply. You decide to take the lead. You grab his hand and lead him to the bed. “Lay down so I can coddle you,” you tell him. He obeys, and you follow suit. He lays his head on your chest, meanwhile your hand is running through his hair while the other rubs circles on his back. He feels like he’s on cloud 9.

“Are you happy now?” “Mhm…” he mumbles into your chest. You whisper under your breath,” You’re such a big baby…” “Huh!?”

-

The next morning, the disciples noticed Chung Myung was acting weird. He was happy… a bit too happy. They definitely weren’t complaining! A happy Chung Myung is better to train with than an angry and violent one. Jo Geol will have to thank you later.

[love-byers]

Hi! Not gonna lie I was a bit disappointed that you believe the birthday gate stuff... The Duffers wouldn't have admitted to have made a mistake if that were the case. And most of all, it would've come up in volume 2! Now if something happens in S5 it would just feel like they came up with it during the 3 years between S4 and S5. They can say it was planned all they want, people would call bullshit, and rightfully so. I'm sorry I can not believe how anyone can think birthday gate could be a real thing. Not to mention it doesn't even make any sense. Please bylers let's just accept the Duffers made a mistake!!

i disagree with everything you said

1. "the duffers wouldn't have admitted to have made a mistake if that were the case"

they lied.

the duffers are sneaky snakes who want us to analyze and always be looking for little details. they have literally said there are no coincidences in the show.

so yes, i completely believe that they would go out of their way to lie in order to save the surprise for s5. i mean actually think about it, if it really was just a mistake, why would they not just fix it?? they have the full power to just do a little voiceover edit and boom, problem solved. they explained exactly how they'd do it. but they didn't. 2 years have passed and they still haven't changed it when that little tweak would literally solve all their problems if it really was a mistake.

they lied. they're liars.

2. "it would've come up in vol 2"

since when does every single problem have to be solved in one season?? do you know what show you're watching??

there are hints and foreshadowing all over the seasons. vecna is foreshadowed in s1 ep1 when will's door was opened with telekinesis, and we had no idea he existed until 6 years and 3 seasons later.

in s1 they don't fully explain how will was communicating with joyce. but after s4 everything clicks into place.

they show us that will can clearly hear her and is finding a way to make the lights light up. then in ep 8 they show joyce and hopper making the christmas lights light up as they walk through the byers upside down house. jonathan sees this and asks if it's joyce, and joyce hears him.

that isn't addressed AT ALL in s2 or s3. it is fully explained and explored in s4, when nancy steve eddie and robin are stuck in the upside down. they fully show us how it works and acknowledge that it was how will communicated with joyce.

the creators knew exactly how the light upside down stuff worked the entire show. but it wasn't time for it to be explained just yet. it was meant to come up later on. it's a masterful way to write a story with longevity.

stranger things teaches you to never just write something off. everything is important. don't let it go just because it hasn't been fully explained. there will be payoff.

3. "now if it comes up in s5 it would just feel like they came up with it the 3 years between s4 and s5. people would call bullshit."

respectfully i think you're projecting a bit.

the average viewer who does not spend their time on forums is not going to think that whatsoever. the average viewer is going to think "wait what?!", go back and watch s4 ep 2, and think "holy shit it was planned all along that's so cool!"

like that's such a dumb way of thinking. you have to be a master level hater to see a well written plot twist and think "they just did that to cover their asses" like that's some next level hating

and i guarantee you once s5 comes out the duffers will be like "yeah of course we had to lie you guys were too close to figuring it out!"

david harbour has talked about how hard it was for him to flat out lie to people about hopper being dead. it's really not that crazy to think they lied

4. "it doesn't even make any sense"

....it does.

i don't know how you could think it doesn't make sense

rink o mania day was march 22nd. will's birthday. they have not changed his birthday. his official canonical birthday is still march 22nd.

but no one mentions it. even will doesn't seem to know it's his birthday.

s4 is all about memories and trauma and feeling isolated from others. we also literally learn there is a powerful monster man who can read minds and enter other people's memories, just like el can. so i don't see how it's so outlandish to think there's some memory fuckery going on.

of course we can't explain exactly why or how, because it hasn't been adressed yet. you have to wait for the pay off.

5. "just accept the duffers made a mistake"

i would accept that they made a mistake if they actually fixed the mistake LIKE THEY SAID THEY WOULD. they said "we are going to edit the episode and change it to say may 22nd" and then DIDNT. EVER.

and not only that, they wished him happy birthday on march 22nd 2 years in a row. noah schnapp posted a bts photo on march 22nd 2024 with the caption "Do you know what March 22nd is? It's your birthday. - Joyce Byers"

they are saying "yes it's still his birthday so get hyped for s5 where it'll be addressed" every way they can without spelling it out for you.

i really don't know what more you need

[littlemissmentallyunstable]

okay so I have a friend and she got the inheritance games and finished it yesterday so OBVIOUSLY I asked her what she thought…

please read more at your own risk this might anger you :)

*sigh*

here we go…

she said she felt detached from the characters… I personally have never felt more attached to a set of characters and I don’t understand how she couldn’t be attached but I rolled with it because yk it might not be everyone’s cup of tea

intense deep breaths in an out

she said book was okay (HUH? OKAY? YOU’RE CALLING A MASTERPIECE OKAY?! THATS LIKE GOING TO A MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT AND BEING LIKE… HMMMM IT WAS OKAY) and she said it was not obsession worthy (I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT, LIKE THIS BOOK IS PART OF MY PERSONALITY)

I’m not mad I’m not mad I’m not mad

and she then said didn’t like any of the Hawthorne brothers, she couldn’t find at least one of them to be her new book boyfriend. HOW? ARE WE READING THE SAME BOOK? ARE WE ACTUALLY READING THE SAME WORDS OR WHAT!?? LIKE COME ON THESE ARE THE FREAKING HAWTHORNE BROTHERS. YOYVE GOT A SEXY COWBOY WITH A SOFT SPOT FOR CUPCAKES, A BLONDE MAN SO MORALLY GREY HE’S PRACTICALLY A VICTORIAN PHOTOGRAPH, AN ADRENALINE JUNKIE WHO IS A SUCKER FOR A GOOD MYSTERY AND A FUNNY, TALL, SMART, ROBOT-MAKING, SCONE-LOVING LITTLE CINNAMON ROLL… AND ALL OF THEM HAVE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE?! IS SHE OKAY!?

ahem… anyways…

she said Avery was OKAY. OKAY. HOW? WHAT? WHEN? LIKE JUST OKAY. BREAD IS JUST OKAY. A ROCK IS JUST OKAY. BUT AVERY KYLIE GRAMBS IS MUCH MORE THE JUST OKAY. SHE IS INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT NOT JUST CONVENTIONALLY BUT EMOTIONALLY, SHE HAS MADE IT THROUGH TRAUMA AND DEALS WITH IS SO WELL, SHE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE, SHE’S A GENUINE GOOD PERSON, SHES SO FREAKING AMAZING I CANT PUT IT INTO WORDS, CALLING HER OKAY IS A FAT INSULT.

but I love my friend 😔😔 so I didn’t tell her that

she thinks Avery and Grayson will eventually get together… I’m praying she doesn’t become one of those toxic Grayson and Avery shippers (but she didn’t say she shipped them she just thinks they’ll end up together)… luckily she is wrong 🤭🤭 like most of her other points about this book

but the thing she kept complaining about was apparently there was no description… like atp I was kind of convinced we were reading different books because I can envisage all the tiny details of this book. I think she said it lacked physical description for the brothers but there’s only so many times you can describe hair and eye colour in my personal ops…

she said the Hawthorne brothers are ‘too damaged’… telling myslef to take a deep breath ITS NOT THEIR FAULT THEIR GRANDFATHER WAS A LITERAL PSYCHOPATH AND TWO OF THEM LIKED A REALLY DODGY REDHEAD LIKE GOSHHH

but she hated Em*ly so we love her for that, that was a good move, good decision, very good judgment that I do agree with and she says wants to live in hawthorne house which again, I agree…

BUT THEN I LITERALLY WANTED TO CRY WHEN…

she explained how Grayson (MY HUSABND, LOML, ABSOLUTE BB) is a wannabe Aaron Warner. Honey, respectfully no… just no. that is all I have to say (bc I could go on an essay rant but I don’t want to bore people)

IT IS NOT OKAY. I AM NOT OKAY.

I do love my friend to pieces and of course everyone is entitled to an opinion but I have to severely disagree with here

[violetasteracademic]

I know this has been said a million times in a million ways, but I humbly request an audience to September Virgo out for a hot minute and share my dissertation on why the "Three Brothers and Three Sisters is *lazy writing*" take is by far the WORST.

If you found me through my Lucien Vanserra's Hero's Journey breakdown (I'll link that at the end) then you already know I am an absolute nerd about book structure. I do not beef with the other ships and genuinely love and am interested in every character in these shipwars. But I get a little hot when I see this take!

The reason being is that 3 and 3 is not "lazy writing." Lazy writing is:

⚫ Conveniently de-escalating all current stakes and conflicts established in the service of a romantic pairing.

⚫ Poorly pacing a book because now we have to explain why a character was thinking about offering another character 1 ticket to ride his face, but now he quickly wants someone else instead that many people offline don't even know about. Structure wise- (we are talking three act structure here, again I have broken that down in the link I'll post below) this means that by the end of Act One, the act in which the lead of our story has been presented with all of the information and their story has been laid out, they are now crossing into Act Two with clarity and set up, (side note-the first act is typically resolved within the first 20% of the book (or less!) we must resolve an existing romance with one character that has not even gotten its opportunity to be told in depth (i.e. Feyre and Tamlin). And reasonably introduce a new romance. As well as the introduction of new plotlines to accommodate the new romance. It's just... it's a plot and pacing nightmare. I'm getting the sweats even thinking about it.

⚫ Ignoring years worth of details and foreshadowing in an act of fan service because the fandom decided they don't like your character, even if you, as the author, very much do.

⚫ Introducing a brand new plot in the middle of a smorgasbord of unresolved plotlines so a newly introduced side character who has already had a complete arc in service of another main character can now become the next main character, leapfrogging over the remaining main characters who have been around since book one with active storylines in development.

Three and three is not "lazy writing." Three is simply a motif. A motif is an artistic/literary device. Three sisters. Three brothers. Three mountains. Three stars on the night court insignia, ect.

Writing is: Structure. Line level prose. Obstacles. Stakes. Character arcs.

I will absolutely allow the criticism that it is cheesy or corny. That is an opinion, and you are totally allowed to have it. We can respectfully disagree on that and it's no skin off my back.

However, Elriel (as well as Vassien) have the elements that *good* writing is comprised of. Characters with steadily increasing arcs. Obstacles at every turn. Incredibly high stakes. And in my opinion (though of course everyone is allowed their own opinion on this!) some downright BREATHTAKING one liners and line level prose in their interactions from ACOMAF all the way to the bonus chapter.

Please, I beg of you, understand that just because you do not like something does not make it lazy or poorly executed. Art is subjective, and when we use our taste to make objective assertions about things we don't prefer, art suffers.

For more on book structure and the possibilities of Lucien and Vassa's absolutely beautiful potential, hop on over here:

Thank you for your time 😂

[voidbatss]

elucien rant

hihi spoilers for acowar and onward will be included if you havent gotten there yet please scroll on

(this is a RANT. a rant on my personal opinion. if you want to disagree do it respectfully. i wont tolerate people going "nooooooo!!!" and having a hissy fit in my comment section because they have a different opinion.)

elain is uncomfortable around lucien. its been said. over and over. people keep going "oh well shes hiding it and theyre mates!" its been said the mating bond doesnt work out.

stop forcing lucien on elain just because hes her mate. she doesnt want him. i dont care for elucien or elriel, so this is unbiased in that way.

she has said she doesnt want to see him. she doesnt want to be near him. she is uncomfortable around lucien. she shrinks into a shell of herself every time hes around, and acts like shes counting down the seconds until he leaves.

feyre has asked her to be nicer to him and said "oh he brings you gifts." AND? so what. elain has a right to not want to be with lucien. she has a say in her own life. im hoping the IC doesnt do elain like they did nesta and do something to force elain and luce together because its 'cute'.

elain deserves better. maybe not azriel, maybe not lucien, but she deserved someone that she can genuinely care for without her 'family' forcing them together or pressuring her to be with them.

elain genuinely cares(d?) for azriel. rhys saying 'you cant be with her she has a mate' was so fucked up idgaf. the mating bond does not always work out. i personally would love a relationship where elain ISNT with her mate so we can finally have an EXAMPLE of that.

thanks for coming to my ted talk be respectful always byeee <3

[pjsk-hot-takes]

Inspired by @pjsk-headcanons! Basically just submit any hot takes you have about Project Sekai; the characters, fandom opinions, charts, songs, covers, anything!

Read the rules before submitting. Please.

Rules:

1. Be respectful in the replies! If you disagree with someone’s opinion, don’t start a fight about it. For example, “Reincarnation Apple should’ve gone to Nightcord.” DO NOT begin attacking the person that said this, anon or otherwise.

To be more specific: engage with a person’s opinion on their post. Do not send separate submissions of two people on anon going back and forth on an opinion; a specific opinion stays on the first post. The rule below still applies.

2. On that note, you CAN submit something that contradicts someone else; just don’t turn submissions into a fight.

“I think Patchwork Stacatto should’ve gone to Nightcord” -> “MMJ’s cover of Patchwork Stacatto is overhated” is ok!

3. Hot takes are opinions, not headcanons. I like hearing headcanons, but please go to another blog for that; this is just me wanting to see what people’s opinions are.

4. I personally do not care if an opinion is objectively popular; whether you believe something is a “hot take” is up to the person submitting the opinion. Do not argue with people over this please! Informing them their opinion is common is one thing, but bullying is another.

5. Try to not flood my inbox! I’ve never done a blog like this before; I’m going to make mistakes, and I’m going to be slow.

6. Be respectful with your wording when submitting an opinion as well.

People will disagree with you; don’t be unnecessarily rude to an opinion you disagree with, or to the other side of the opinion you’re stating!

7. It’s ok if a take is repeated- so long as it’s not like. Four or five times in a row. I get it if you don’t want to look through a whole blog! Feel free to use the tags to search more specifically for what you want to submit, but don’t sweat it if it’s happened before! :)

8. Don’t make it all about shipping, or complaining about shipping.

One or two things is fine, but my whole inbox is ridiculous respectfully.

Rules will be added and updated as needed (I doubt it’ll happen much, I don’t think this will get much traction lol.)

Tags:

For every character I will have a “x hot takes” tag. For every cover, they will be tagged by original unit and, if the hot take is something along the lines of “x cover should’ve gone to y unit!” then I will tag that unit tag as well. For every ship, I will tag them as “(ship) hot takes”, but I will NOT tag the actual ship tag if it is something along the lines of “x ship is overrated/problematic”. I will publish it so long as it is not overly hateful to the ship, but it will not get the fandom’s ship tag, so that those following the tag do not see it. Chart hot takes will get the “chart takes” tag; honestly, these are self-explanatory.

In the same way that @/pjsk-headcanons has anonymous submissions, I do too; if you want a sign off, I’ll make you a tag (either “x anon” or “x anon hot takes”

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[tsandoll]

I saw some of your posts about jaehyun and I must say that I (respectfully) disagree with him being soft dom / submissive I see him more as a service top wanting to stay on top to see what he does to you not necessarily taking control or letting you have control he’s just their to please you how he sees fit sometime taking the lead full of passion no matter what he’s doing to you and I think he’s so spontaneous like he’s just so in love with you I don’t think it’s possible for him to be in bed with someone he doesn’t love he will definitely flirt with everyone though as we see him do all the time with his members- well anyway do what u want with this idc if u agree or disagree I just wanted to share my view ☺️

my pfp twin 😋 tbh when u interact with my blog i always get thrown off cuz it makes me think that im somehow interacting with my own stuff AHJSGDJ

anyways i actually somewhat agree, him wanting to see the affect that he has on you is so him, he always wants to be in positions where he can see ur face so he can see the way it twists and turns in pleasure and so he can see all your little mannerisms and things like that, he loves to observe u so so much. he loves to please and is always extremely eager to please so being a service top is a great role for him fr. i also agree with the end bit, i feel like he craves deep relationships and bonds so he couldn't sleep with someone he's not deeply connected to cuz that's just not necessarily his thing. he's definitely so so spontaneous, sex isn't always one way or the other with him, things are always changing

[andy-wm]

3D by JK (feat. JH) - my take.

Ok, unpopular opinion maybe, and I might get my ass beaten for this (not in a good way 🤣)

Feel free to disagree RESPECTFULLY.

Disclaimer: If anyone comes at me with that cancel bullshit I will block you, because we all get to have an opinion.

If my post enrages you, scroll past until you can be civil, then come back and talk. Or block me. I dont mind.

And don't tell me that because I don't love this song I have to hand in my ARMY card... I'm not going to.

🙂💜🙂

I'll start by saying I love JK so, so much. Adore him. Will always support him.

But for me, 3D is a misstep.

My feeling is Hybe should have reconsidered releasing it as it is.

JK's lyrics are fun and sexy. The innuendo is on point. The melody is great and the chorus has excellent sing-along value. Even though I'm not a huge pop music fan, I like the vibe.

The MV dancers are awesome, and I got a kick out of the fire hydrant metaphor.

And in that jacket with nothing under it, JK looks hot enough to melt asphalt.

However....

Including Jack Harlow's rap IMO is a mistake. It sucks, frankly. Not in a good way.

It not only misses the mark on the tone of the rest of the song but his lyrics are really just offensive. Misogynistic. And racial refrences are just... not cricket. It's 2023 not 1995, regardless of what his hairstyle tells you.

His lyrics sound like an incel bragging about their sex life when all they've ever done is watch porn. From his words, I doubt he knows how to please any person but himself.

His message is gross, but its still just... generic. Like he went to urban dictionary for spicy language and then googled how to treat women like shit. There's nothing original about what he's saying. He's not even being gross in an intersting way. It's gross AND boring.

(Jack, if you're reading this, sorry my guy you gotta do better.)

I've been army since 2018 and this is the first BTS song I have tried to find merit in and given up.

I honestly tried to be into it and i just... can't. It doesn't sit well with me.

This is a new experience for me because even when BTS release something i don't immediately love, i still stream and watch and let it sink in, or I work on figuring out what I am missing and why it's ACTUALLY good even if i can't grasp it.

This... it's just... not good, in my opinion.

I have to clarify here...

It isn't about explicit content, i am totally down for that. If anyone read my post on Seven, they will know my response to that song. In a nutshell, I believe all adults who want to, should happily and shamelessly be doing ALL the horizontal tango. Every type, every day, in every way. With anyone and everyone they fancy as long as all parties are informed and consenting adults who are equally enjoying the experience.

Yes. I am all about getting down.

That doesn't mean treating your partners like a body count or using and abusing them with no consideration. That's not cool.

**PSA: please be safe and use protection. Get tested regularly if you have multiple partners. Don't do anything you don't feel good about and dont stay with partners who harm or manipulate you 💜**

Now, back to the smut.

Some criticisms i saw of Seven were about how dirty it was. A few people were upset because JK said fuck, and because he sang about how and when he liked to fuck. But more criticism was levelled at Letto. Why?

It seemed like it was because she's a woman, singing about sex.

Letto totally owns her sexuality and she knows what she wants. I snorted with delight at how deliciously filthy her lyrics were. Some very clever wordplay made her verse so visceral, and pretty shocking to the pearl-clutchers, without her ever saying anything directly. I really enjoyed it.

She was telling us straight up how good she is in bed. Good for her. She totally rocks. And she wasn't disrespecting anyone. She didn't need to do that to make herself cool AF.

The difference between Letto's rap and jack harlow's is that jack sounds like he's just looking at the women he's singing about as a hole to stick his dick in. Women have fought for long enough for equality and respect. They don't need this bullshit. You can sing about getting down, and you can be absolutely filthy and nasty and wild, and you can do it without degrading your partners.

I did read a theory about this song being social commentary on toxic masculinity. You can find it here and you can read it below:

Its not bad as a theory. At least it wouldn't be if Namjoon or Yoongi or Hobi - or Jungkook himself - had written the song. If that were the situation we'd see some inkling of self awareness in the rap, and maybe a hint of character development. But there's none.

Sorry ARMY, this is not the class of lyricism we have come to expect.

If jack is trying to make a social statement^*, or play a character, he is not succeeding in showing any growth or humanity at all. He's really just that stereotype.

In the last few lines, after he offers to fly his victim from Korea to Kentucky, he says "and you ain’t gotta guarantee me nothing I just wanna see if I get lucky."

How considerate...

All I see is zero care factor about the actual person he's trying to get with. Which is quite different from JK's lyrics, which show awareness that he's interacting with a conscious, living human being, not a piece of furniture.

jack follows with "I just wanna meet you in the physical and see if you would touch me"

Ugh. Not with a ten foot pole, douchebag.

And how about, in his first verse "All my ABGs get cute for me"

Good god, really? Is he seriously saying this?

So its a no for me.

The ONLY saving grace is that there's an alternative version which is pretty fun. It's almost as if Hybe knew we would hate the version with jack harlow. Wow, such insight!

Now, i know that's not the only reason they made an alternative. They needed a clean version for US radio play (let's be real, what possible other purpose can this song serve? *°)

But they could have censored jack's... actually they couldn't. The rap verses can't be salvaged. They genuinely have no merit, the only hope for the song is totally removing them.

What does that tell you?

ARMY will no doubt still chart the main track but personally, I would feel morally compromised if i supported that version. So I'll stick to the alternative and hope for better things to come.

------------

^* Stylecaster doesnt think so either. I visited their website to check thr lyrics. They said, of D3, "Meanwhile, Jack Harlow brings the cool with his two verses as he raps about all the women he could pull"

Uh, really? I hope that's intended to be ironic.

*° The MV had only 4.5million views after 12 hours. And we know what brilliant strategists Hybe employs. I am travelling in Korea right now. There was no promo visible here. And it was no accident that it was released at lunchtime on Chuseok - the biggest famiily holiday of the year - when relatively few people in Korea would be available to engage with it. THEY KNEW IT WAS A STINKER.

[gunilslaugh]

haii <33 can i please request xdh with a s/o who wears glasses but a bit insecure about it?

Hii <3 I hope you enjoy!

All members ¶ • _ • ¶

Summary: Xdinary Heroes reaction to you being insecure about wearing glasses. (idol/non-idol au)

WC:~1.4k

Warning:none

photo not mine credits to owner.

Gunil

Gunil notices you squinting a lot. He knows that you have glasses, but you never seem to wear them. One day as he sees you squinting to read a book he decides to ask you about it. 

“Wouldn’t it be easier to wear your glasses?” he questioned. 

“Oh.” You fidgeted with the book occupying your hands. “I guess it would, but I don’t like wearing them,” you say.

“Why not?” he followed up. 

“I feel insecure wearing them,” you murmured into your book, but Gunil still managed to hear you. He comes closer to you and removes the book from your hands, replacing the book with his hands. 

“I’m sure you don’t have anything to be insecure about. They’re just glasses. They help you see, so you don’t have to go around squinting.” Gunil playfully mimics your squinting. Resulting in you laughing and smacking him lightly. “Put them on,” he tells you. You feel a bit apprehensive. 

“Fine, but don’t make fun of me.” You pointed a finger at him. 

“I would never,” he states. You take out your glasses and put them on. Gunil stares at you for a moment and your insecurity starts to get the better of you. 

“I knew it. I look weird right.” You go to take your glasses off, but Gunil catches your hands before you could.

“You look adorable! Why have you been hiding this cuteness from me?” He squishes your cheeks together as he cups your face. He presses a kiss to your nose just for good measure. 

Jungsu

Jungsu felt disheartened upon hearing that you felt insecure when it came to wearing glasses. He wanted to get to the bottom about why you felt that way. 

“What about wearing them makes you insecure?” he gently asked you. 

“I just feel like I don’t look good in them. They don’t suit me,” you explained. 

“I disagree. I think they would suit you.” he respectfully argued. You shook your head. Jungsu decided to drop the matter for now, not wanting to upset you over something as trivial as glasses. 

One day Jungsu came home a bit earlier than expected and caught you in the living room with your glasses on. 

“You do look good in them,” he tells you. Again you shook your head, taking off your glasses. Jungsu makes his way over to you. 

“Why won’t you listen to me? I told you that you look good in them. Do you think I would lie to you?” he prompts. 

“No, but other people in the past told me that I looked weird with them,” you revealed. 

“Those people were just being mean. You look good. I promise.” He carefully takes your glasses from your hands and puts them back on your face. “Beautiful,” he declares. 

Gaon/Jiseok

Jiseok knew that you opted for wearing contacts over glasses and he didn’t really think much of it. Plenty of people preferred wearing contacts as opposed to glasses. However what he found strange was when you ran out of contacts, but you still refused to wear your glasses. 

“Your glasses can’t be that bad can they?” he questioned you. 

“They are,” you replied

“Why? What did they do to you?” he asked with a playful tone.

“They make me look ugly. I don’t feel comfortable wearing them.” Your answer makes Jiseok’s playfulness go away. He wasn’t expecting that kind of answer at all. He was just expecting you to say that you simply didn’t like them. 

“That can’t be true?” he says. 

“It is,” you insist. 

“Let me be the judge of that,” he said. 

“No,” you shook your head in refusal. 

“So you’re just gonna hide wearing your glasses from me forever?” he counted. After a bit more persuading Jiseok got you to put your glasses on. “You’re so wrong. You are nowhere near ugly in them,” he told you. 

“Don’t lie,” you say. 

“I’m not. You still look as pretty as ever. If not more,” he tells you. “Seriously, how could you think that this face with these glasses is ugly?” He kisses your cheeks. “Not possible.”

O.de/Seungmin

Seungmin came across a photo of you from a couple years ago where you were wearing glasses. He felt a bit confused because he never seen you wear glasses before

“You used to wear glasses?” he asked you, showing you the picture. You quickly became flustered. You didn’t like the way you looked with glasses and you definitely weren’t ready for Seungmin to see how you looked in them.

“No. That must be my twin or something,” you pathetically tried to sell. 

“Y/n, we both know this is you. Why do you seem so panicked about it?” he questioned. 

“Cause you look how bad I look with glasses. It’s embarrassing. I look like a nerd and I’m using nerd as an insult,” you state. 

“You do not look bad,” Seungmin tells you. 

“You didn’t say I don’t look like a nerd,” you grumbled. Seungmin laughs and pulls you into his embrace. 

“What if I like nerds? What if I think they’re attractive,” he whispered into your ear, making you shutter. “You look good in them. There’s no need to feel embarrassed. You can at least wear them around me if not others.” He pulled away to look at you 

“You really think I look good in them?” you checked. 

“Absolutely, so wear them around me ok?” You shyly nodded.

Junhan/Hyeongjun

 Hyeongjun understands where your insecurity comes from about wearing glasses, but he doesn’t want you to feel that way. He wants to feel comfortable wearing them or at least feel comfortable to wear them around him at the very least. He doesn’t want you to feel like you have to hide wearing your glasses around him. 

“Y/n it’s ok to feel insecure, but you know I would never judge you for how you look wearing your glasses. We tend to be our own harshest critics. I’m sure you don’t look as weird as you think you do,” he tells you. You still felt uneasy, but his words did give you enough reassurance for you to wear your glasses the next day. 

When Hyeongjun came home to see you wearing your glasses his heart felt a burst of happiness. 

“You look cute,” he states as you give him his welcome back hug. 

“Are you sure?” you questioned making Hyeongjun chuckle. 

“Yes, I’m sure. Glasses can’t cover up your cuteness. If anything they enhance it,” he discloses. It still might take a bit of time before you feel comfortable to leave the house wearing your glasses, but you definitely do feel comfortable wearing them around Hyeongjun and Hyeongjun was very content with that. He does hope that you can build the confidence to wear your glasses out without any uneasiness one day though.

Jooyeon

When he found out that you felt insecure wearing glasses he felt a bit confused. What about wearing glasses could cause such insecurity? He wore and posted pictures in his glasses so freely. 

“But y/n, baby, don’t you see the photos I post in my glasses. The glass nor the unflattering angles don’t make me any less handsome. I’m sure there is no way you look awful in glasses. It’s simply not possible,” he says. 

“Jooyeon, I honestly envy your ability to not care about what you look like in glasses, but I really don’t like the way they make me look,” you state. Jooyeon sighs and pouts. 

“So you will never want to take cute couple glasses photos with me?” he questions. 

“Jooyeon,” you sighed. 

“Please just for funsies. Think of it like a photobooth, playing dress up,” he begged. 

You really don’t know how he got you into your glasses and making funny poses with him as he snapped selfies of the two of you on his own. However with the way your ribs start to hurt from laughing too much you find that you aren’t even thinking about how you look in your glasses. 

“See, the glasses don’t make you look weird at all.��� He shows you the photos you just took together. “The way you’re sticking out your tongue does,” you add. You smack him in the chest, but you start to think that maybe he was right. You don’t look weird in glasses. 

Taglist: @purplelady85 @odesonnets @gingerjunhan @chewednails @ezlynkisses @dazzlinglight

[georgiapeach30513]

Now Jen…I LOVE your blog and your posts but I respectfully disagree about your Steve comments. Again, I use the word respectfully, because I don’t want you or your other followers to take it too seriously. But I think it needs to be said.

First of all, Bucky fans love to make virtually everything about him, especially when it comes to Steve. Please do not at me, Bucky fans never want to admit this but some of you even bleed onto the actors and like to make things about SS when it’s about CE. Think about it. Why do these two people always get compared?? Maybe because it’s a bunch of Steve Bucky fans who can’t get over it and don’t want to. And then it becomes competition and Bucky/SS fans need to make it a sticking point into virtually everything and I’m TIRED. CE fans tend to get upset because they keep having to defend Chris doing random movies instead of doing or following what Sebastian is doing and I think some of them are tired too. Or maybe I’m just projecting.

Steve in the movies did everything for this guy and he also does everything for everyone else. But the moment he does something for himself WW3 happens. I’ll agree that the ending for his arc should have been different because the endgame storyline left too many questions and as a Steve fan I find it extremely annoying. But Why is it his duty to be his friend’s butt buddy forever and always? How come Bucky fans can’t ever seem to let go? And they’re fine when Steve world revolves around him but when they have to deal with Steve being his own person and thinking about his own life for once it’s verboten. I don’t think Bucky is perfect in the slightest and mostly he annoyed me 10 fold in the falcon show. But I will allow it since he has been through a lot, he’s allowed to be grumpy. I don’t expect him to live his life for Steve and tbh I also think he should have gone back in time and relive his own life differently. But that’s a different story and clearly about whose marvel contract is still active and whose is expired.

But Steve needs to be a ray of sunshine that doesn’t do anything except exist for his friend 24/7? Also…why are we getting this “he left him for a person who aided in bucky’s demise?” How did Peggy do that? Why, once again, is it not about Steve and Peggy, but about Bucky and dumping it on Steve and Peggy???

Even now salty bucky fans make their dislike about endgame and MCU about Steve not being around for Bucky, even though the storyline literally was just writing Chris out of it. If it was in reverse and Bucky went back in time I’d 1000% bet none of you would be crying about it. You would say, good for him he deserves to lives his life over. But Steve deserves just as much if not more, he has had no life of his own and was barely existing even in his own movies, as…oh yeah, even marvel was making his story about other people, so no I don’t agree with this constant needing to be mad at Steve over Bucky, when you could just admit that you want it to be about Bucky always and Steve second.

That being said…that is just my opinion. Your opinion is valid as it is your blog. You are my favorite blogger on here but this is one thing I can’t stay silent on.

I love conversations like this, so NEVER apologize. I think the beauty with cinematic universes are we get to know the characters a bit more. And every character is going to resonate with different people in a different way. So let’s get into this, and of course I respect your take, but let me explain a bit more where I’m coming from.

I am aware that we Bucky fans love to make him the main event. As do Steve fans do that, and Loki fans do that. And I do think that there are some people who go bleed the lines of reality with fiction. Obviously when I joke around about Sebastian and Chris I do not think that they are romantic at all. I do think that Chris and Seb equally are aware that the other is attractive. And everyone knows that I am a big hater of people comparing Chris to Seb. I don’t like it. These are two different actors who have both carved out their careers very differently, and for them. Sebastian has always shown that he wanted awards, and is looking at acting as an art form, while I think Chris enjoys what he does, but maybe doesn’t center his whole life around it. As far as the random movie, Seb has done random shitty movies as well. I am not going to dive into why Chris has chosen the movies he does, because I’m not Chris.

There is a big reason why I hate time traveling movies, and honestly, this is a prime example of one of them. I’m also aware that Chris’ contract was up, so they thought they would be clever with his ending. I actually think it was a cop out, personally. It’s not just for the Bucky aspect but for the Sam aspect. Maybe Steve being a white man didn’t understand the weight he put on Sam’s shoulders. I don’t think Steve understood Sam’s position as a black man, and I think that reigns true with most white folk, including myself. I will never understand the injustices that POCs feel, I can be empathetic, but I am aware of the privilege the color of my skin has. Again, Steve’s ending left so much to be desired. And then if you think about it, Steve knew that Peggy died having a full life, and he still selfishly went back. Furthermore, he went back, and stopped the life Peggy would have had. So therefore it alters the future/present. Again, I hate time traveling movies for this reason. I think at the end of the day it was the finality of the decision, but also I feel so many people weren’t given closure with it. That includes fans, Steve, Bucky, Sam, and all the other Avengers.

I personally do not think that Steve needs to live his life for his friends. But this was the life he was given, he should have moved forward, instead of going backwards, but again, Chris’ contract ended, I get it. It was lazy writing. As far as Peggy aiding in Bucky’s demise, who was the one who allowed Zola to live? Who allowed Zola to not just live but work for SHIELD? Peggy Carter AND Howard Stark. What did Zola do? He rebuilt Hydra. What did Hydra do? They tortured Bucky. Remember when Steve learned all of this? Learned what Zola did, and who allowed Zola to live? How he built Hydra to be more powerful than ever? They created the ultimate weapon, The Winter Soldier. Bucky was no longer human to them.

I can’t speak for everyone else, but had the roles been reversed, I would still be irritated. Again, lazy writing. In my ending, Steve had his dance with Peggy, but he returned. I actually wish that Steve made a bargain with Red Skull, a soul for a soul, and he retrieved Natasha. He got his dance, and he said his goodbye, but he came back to the time he was supposed to be in. Take Bucky and Sam out of the equation. Steve still should have stayed in the present even if those two characters died. He rewrote Peggy’s history, and therefore the present. Don’t get me started on Marvel making his story about others, Civil War still irritates me. That was just a lower scale Avengers movie, and we deserved better. I enjoy the movie, just not as a Cap movie.

Now as to the last comment, I jokingly say I can’t ever look at Steve the same. I actually choose to believe my ending for him over what happened. I don’t want him to constantly live to serve Bucky. I want Steve to have his time to grow into Steve. Oddly enough, Steve is also my number 8 Chris character. I don’t think I resonated with him as much as Bucky, and I can admit that this is why I put Bucky on a pedestal. It’s funny that the two best friends had very similar and yet very different lives. I wish that Marvel would have dove into that more. I would love to see a piece where it explores both Steve and Bucky’s mental health. We got a bit of that with TFATWS, but not enough, and without Steve. I guess I love the Cap trio so much, including Sam, I selfishly want more and more of all three.

Again, I love these conversations. And I think all your statements are valid.

[ourpickwickclub]

I respectfully disagree with anon regarding their comment that Gwen and Blake can't afford to disappear for months on end. They actually can afford to disappear. And forever, if they so choose. If you believe those celebrity net worth websites/articles they are worth around $300 million combined. Also, they will always have an audience of die hard fans who will support whatever they are doing. Gwen and Blake could take the next 10 years off, decide they want to play music, and be booked for festivals, immediately. They are A-list artists in their respective fields. Gwen is a front woman for an iconic 90s/00s band and has an iconic solo career. I heard Gwen on the radio 3 times today. Once on the drive to work and twice on the way home. Blake has close to 30 number one songs and his name, face, and voice was in homes across the country on what seemed like a weekly basis for well over a decade. They have nothing to chase and don't seem like the type of celebrity trying to keep the fame they achieved in their prime. They are both aging gracefully in their looks, approach to success, and their personal lives. If I recall correctly, Blake said he'd be content to show up to random places or stay around Oklahoma and sit on a barstool and play to a hundred people for a few hours. And I can say with 100% certainly, Gwen could announce a random tour or show and can pull, I'll be conservative, and say close to 10,000 (though I think it's much more) any time she pleases. My point is, their success has afforded them the opportunity to do what they want, when they want. They will always have an audience. Most artists can only dream of what they've accomplished. And after around 30 years of grinding for both of them, and absolutely terrible, abusive spouses, who wouldn't want to just sit back in their mansions with their soul mate and do nothing for months, or years on end? 😂

.