#rambling entirely too much

[dootznbootz]

Thinking about how Telemachus has heard "You are just like your father" by so many people for most of his life. How different yet refreshing it is to hear said father tell him warmly "You're so much like your mother".

[wtfforged]

made it to enies lobby with my friend:)

this is a redraw. heres the original screenshot!

[sprinkleofquirk]

I’ve got some minor beef with whoever wrote the fun fact for my Wild Republic anteater because this is a Giant Anteater… the only species of anteater that has a NON-PREHENSILE TAIL and look what they put 😭

No 👏no 👏no 👏no 👏😭

Giant anteaters have full, bristly, bushy tails. They are marvelous and adorable and very, very useful (camouflage, making shade, balance when on two feet, etc.) but they do not perform the same functions as the prehensile tail of other anteater species.

It CANNOT grasp things with its tail like silky anteaters or tamanduas can. It is NOT helpful when climbing; in fact, it is a deficit. Such as why they are much more terrestrial than their counterparts despite their ability to climb (they usually save this ability for traversing tall anthills, for example)

And the facts they passed up to put this one instead!!

Why not mention how their tongues are 2 feet long and can flick out of its mouth 150 times per minute??

Or how they swallow around 35,000 ants and termites whole each day because of their lack of teeth and fused jaw??

And even with that number of insects consumed per day, they never destroy a nest!! They always leave enough to repopulate so they can come back and eat from there again!!

Not to mention their strong foreclaws (which are up to four inches long) can tear open a termite mound that’s as solid as concrete! Their claws are so large they walk on their front knuckles!

Of course there’s more, but I’m going to stop here for the sake of looking semi-sane… but seriously, they are SO COOL

[kalied0skull]

i reread the beginning of the outsiders the other day and i came to this really funny realization:

when looking at it from a headcanon perspective, darry and ponyboy have two different types of autism

darry is unaware that he's heavy handed and harsh, he's monotone and straight forward, he takes things literally and can't tell between straight fact or when someone's fucking with him — he's not self aware and he's very void of sensory

meanwhile, ponyboy is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum (haha) ; he's hyper aware and sensitive, he's one who needs to be gently taken care of, he's just as terrible with tone but when it comes from darry he takes everything seriously because DARRY doesn't know the difference.

[gojoest]

MY ROMAN EMPIRE

[generalluxun]

If we're gonna go lit about it though, Princesses tended to actually do quite a bit in the old stories. They didn't slay the knight/kind/dragon often, but they were very much involved in the process. Healing/helping/even saving the knight to get him on the way to putting the sword into the evil of choice for the story. Tales of princesses very much deliniated gender roles, but rarely were women 'helpless' they just had talents in other places than slaying things.

One could try to argue that all of Adrien's sacrifices and building up of Ladybug/Marinette along the way count for this, except those instances are not in service of the direct conflict with *this* dragon- his father. Adrien is specifically prevented from helping in this conflict. (surrendering the ring does not count to my mind. No pat of that choice was *Adrien* vs just anyone) And so he is given a position lesser than that of even a princess.

HOWEVER

Perhaps it is a different story? There are many stories of an enchanted princess, under a curse or a geas. In these cases the Knight frees the princess from this magical influence. Adrien being a Sentimonster and Gabriel's hold over him fits this narrative, if you choose to use it. There's probably an even stronger support for this narrative... even though the writers do not seem to have intended it? It wasn't mentioned in the commentary at least. There is also a weakness in this narrative though: saving the princess in these scenarios involves lifting the curse. As of the end of the arc Adrien is still subject to his 'curse' (the ownership has simply temporarily changed) and is in fact still not aware of it. The Knight has kept the princess vulnerable.

So, in the end, they told this story... poorly. The pieces are all there, it's just, not delivered well. Bear with me, this post has a happy ending.

This is not unique to Miraculous Ladybug, we have media out there telling stories badly *all the time*, not even full on flops just... not well done. It's easier though to look at a movie and say 'wow, they kind of missed there!' because a movie wants at most, what, 2-3 hours of your time? Admitting it wasn't great doesn't hurt. ML has been a part of some people's lives for 7 years now, more even in a few cases! And considering the target demo was 6-10, that's 13-18 now. That's half of people's lives. Even if you're an older fan, it's still a big investment. It's VERY HARD to accept anything other than the best from that. It hurts! It makes people very defensive. It leads to bitter things said on the internet. 🤣Yet it is important to own when even the media we love and identify falls short. The other alternative is to internalize those shortcomings and risk not recognizing them in other situations in the future.

HOWEVER

Let me drop two extremely important things to remember, even when wrestling with this.

Does this mean ML is just garbage? NO! absolutely not! It's a sprawling narrative over 7 years, there are plenty of good moments, great moments, great characters, good stories, and if you a fan have cherished memories tied to any part of it that too is a treasure. It hurts when the end of an arc drops the ball (Ask any GoT fans) but it doesn't undo the good stuff. That's still there, and it shines even better if you can acknowledge missteps and keep them separate.

2. Does this mean it can't be good again? ALSO NO! Long running shows have slumps. They have arcs that misfire. Beloved franchises strike out now and then, and yet still come back strong. A game is not a season, and a season is not the entire history of the football club (sorry I'll stop with the sports metaphors) ZAG has made a point of diversifying interest in ML and I think that lends itself to strength over the long run. They had a feature film that was great and a special that hit plenty of awesome narrative notes in only 44 minutes! There will be another film in 2026, and who knows what S6 might bring? A fresh arc is a fresh chance to *nail* it this time.

Sorry this got long.

The strange thing about inverting the princess and the knight story though, usually the princess in such a story knows she's being rescued, and what from, and by whom. All the popular examples I can think of do usually have the 'princess' directly involved in the action, even if only as a spectator, but any example from the last 50 years usually has her doing something. Adrien being shoved off to the side and clueless to the end has nothing to do with them inverting the genders. The only major examples that halfway match are the princess-in-a-coma variant like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty where they have no idea what's going on until they're knocked out on the ground, but that's not what happened to Adrien.

Yeah it's mostly inverting the more classic princess damseling sort of stories, like the ones from several decades ago, and it's true that in those cases the princesses usually still find out what happened eventually.

I'm still kinda hoping that Adrien ends up finding out stuff eventually.

[incarnadinedreams]

This isn't really new or anything but the more I reread random passages the more convinced I am that there's something very unique about the way Jiang Cheng reacts to Wen Ning and it's just so interesting!

I'm convinced it's more than just being angry. It's more than just hating him, or blaming him for Jin Zixuan's death or his sister's life. It's more than being a Wen, and it comes long before so many of those tragedies unfold anyway.

There's a sort of urgent, visceral reaction to Wen Ning's presence that just has this different feeling to it than how he reacts to any of the other characters. Even characters he has strong emotional responses to, it's never with the same panic or recklessness. It's not the same as the whole "vengeful wrath, fathomless hatred, or raving ecstasy" situation he's got going on with Wei Wuxian (sexy as that might be).

When it's Wei Wuxian, it's all "...well, well. So you're back?" and "Haven't you got anything to say to me?" Even when he's not being very nice, even when he's throwing teacups and furious at Wei Wuxian, there's still an edge of calmness in the way he lashes out. He's fucking mad but he's had more than a decade to think about this and he's got things to say and he's trying so hard to get a reaction from Wei Wuxian that he just won't give him.

But he can't tolerate having Wen Ning anywhere near him. Much of the time he instantly lashes out, physically, in ways to create space between them. He's mean to Wen Ning, but he doesn't really have much to say to him; he just wants to get away from him.

It really stuck out to me how instinctive and instantaneous and emotional that reaction is when I was reading this passage from chapter 81 (ExR translation since I've got it on hand in digital text form), when Jin Ling returns Zidian and rushes back into the fray during the Second Siege:

When Jiang Cheng was unaware, he stuffed Zidian's ring back into his hand and sprinted toward the crowd, all the way up to the most dangerous area before the mouth of the cave. Jiang Cheng was about to chase after him when he managed to slice a few corpses, staggering. He felt that Sandu was no lighter than hundreds of pounds. Two female corpses threw themselves at him from both directions.

Jiang Cheng cursed. As he lifted his sword again, another pair of hands tore the two corpses into pieces, "Sect Leader..."

Jiang Cheng lost his temper as soon as he heard the voice. He kicked Wen Ning away and cursed, "Get the fuck away from me!"

Obviously that is not very nice and poor Wen Ning didn't deserve a kick for being legitimately helpful there, but the point is that not only does he lash out - the reaction happens even when he's clearly got higher priorities going on in a chaotic situation. Throughout that entire event he reacts in a somewhat more even-keeled way to almost everything except Wen Ning being in his vicinity.

And it's not just after Wen Ning's death, not just after he became Wei Wuxian's greatest weapon, not just after he was forced to kill Jin Zixuan - it's specifically a pattern established from the moment he woke up in the Supervisory Office without a core:

Before he could say anything, those sun robes reflected against Jiang Cheng's eyes. His pupils suddenly shrunk.

Jiang Cheng kicked Wen Ning, toppling over the bowl of medicine. The black liquid all spilled onto Wen Ning. Wei WuXian wanted to take the bowl of medicine. He pulled up Wen Ning as well, who had been shocked speechless. Jiang Cheng roared at him, "What's wrong with you?!"

At this point he doesn't even know how he was rescued, since he was unconscious for all of that, and thinks they're in a Wen trap and likely going to die (or worse). But there's so many echoes of that interaction again, and again, and again between them.

And combined with Wen Ning's remarks during the scene just before this, where he tells Wei Wuxian about the discipline whip injuries and how Jiang Cheng 'should have other injuries as well', the way the narrative is so deliberately ambiguous on what exactly occurred, it all makes me want to crawl up the walls and gnaw on the light fixtures wailing WHAT DID YOU SEE, WEN NING?! WHAT DID YOU SEE?

At a minimum, Jiang Cheng knows that Wen Ning was there at Lotus Pier prior to his capture by the Wen guards, because they'd both seen Wen Ning examining Jiang corpses on the training field before they fled for Meishan.

But everything after that is only implication and subtext and suppositions and speculation, not directly stated in the text. But based on his reaction, you can pry my headcanon from my cold dead hands that that Wen Ning probably witnessed all or much of what happened to Jiang Cheng after he was captured, and Jiang Cheng knows it.

I've also posted before how I think there's an at least nonzero chance that Jiang Cheng was never directly told that Wen Ning wasn't actually there with Wen Chao when they saw him early on, but came later to try to help (because when Wen Ning gives Wei Wuxian that information Jiang Cheng isn't conscious, and nobody tells Jiang Cheng anything. I don't think that headcanon changes much either way, but there is a slight difference, at least emotionally, between 'I helped you while I was there to slaughter your clan and destroy your life' and 'I came when I heard my crazy cousin was slaughtering your clan and tried to help you' and I think it's a juicy thing to add to the pile of misunderstandings they each have of the other's motivations and actions).

Which, if I go with these two ideas together, really drives home what a bespoke and specific nightmare the way the Golden Core reveal played out - not only the substance of the reveal, but the fact it was Wen Ning who revealed it.

He was already furious that they were even there at Lotus Pier, particularly Wen Ning. But the way it all happens it feels like it's not just echoes of the amplified emotions of the confrontation with Lan Wangji & Wei Wuxian in the Ancestral Hall, it's not just Wen Ning being a Wen, or even Jin Zixuan's death, the way the narration calls out. It feels like there are deeper layers to it.

I also feel a bit stupid for not noticing before this probably extremely obvious to literally everyone else who isn't a dumbass like me parallel of Wen Ning getting a gruesome scorching whip mark across his chest at Lotus Pier in the course of saving Wei Wuxian (more or less, sort of - we know as readers Jiang Cheng was intentionally trying not to hurt them with Zidian, but I don't think Wen Ning knew that when he jumped in).

Jiang Cheng looked to find that the uninvited guest was Wen Ning. Immediately, he raged, "Who let you inside Lotus Pier?! How dare you!"

He could manage to tolerate others, but definitely not Wen Ning, the Wen-dog who put his hand through Jin ZiXuan's heart and ended both his sister's happiness and her life. Just a look, and he felt the urge to kill him right there. How dare he step foot on the earth of Lotus Pier—he really was looking for his death!

Because of the two lives and many other reasons, Wen Ning had always felt guilty, and so he'd always been somewhat scared of Jiang Cheng, consciously avoiding him all the time. Right now, however, he blocked Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi as he faced him, taking the hard lash. A gruesome scorch climbed across his chest, but still he didn't flinch.

I don't know that it actually means anything but it's making me FEEL THINGS incoherently at this specific moment, so. Also I find it legitimately sad that Wen Ning has to live with guilt over things that happened when he was controlled by someone else, though the scene before the Ancestral Hall when Jin Ling starts crying on the boat is probably a better example of that. Anyway.

It's just there's so, so many layers to how uniquely horrible it is for Jiang Cheng that he not only finds out about the Golden Core transfer this way, but also that Wen Ning, specifically, directly witnessed this life-shatteringly huge deception and sacrifice too - while Jiang Cheng was unconscious, no less.

And, well, we know how everything got capped off in that scene...

Obviously the shock of the information was going to get a huge reaction no matter what, no matter who or how he found out. Even without the Wen Ning element, it already hits every one of his deepest weaknesses and insecurities and fears.

But to come from the guy who'd witnessed his family being slaughtered, who'd witnessed who-knows-what humiliations heaped on him (who also happens to be the same fucking guy that Wei Wuxian thought it was worth leaving Yunmeng Jiang for, breaking his promise for...), the guy he blames for his sister's tragic fate (whether that blame is misplaced or not), the guy he exhibits a panic response towards even decades later, and goddamn.

There are just so many layers to this perfect little nightmare reveal on so many different levels aren't there?

There's just SO much meaty stuff for these two to dig into post-canon and all we get is an extra with a 'oh yeah sometimes Jiang Cheng yells on night hunts and Wen Ning is there' about it?!

I should probably just shut up and go read some Jiang Cheng and Wen Ning focused fics or something (whether romantic or platonic that's probably an area I really haven't explored enough vs. the amount of sheer interesting hints and material the novel gives to work with! If by some miracle anyone made it to the end of this beast feel free to drop any recs that explore them, especially that 'what did Wen Ning see?!' aspect of the whole situation because that is the current little brain worm haunting me right now).

[quibbs126]

So I tried to do some practice of TF One Optimus and Megatron, starting yesterday

It was because I was thinking about Lux and how I really should have tried to draw these two more beforehand, since I haven’t drawn them properly in a good while (not counting my more simple drawings of them), and I figured my old colors for them probably weren’t accurate anymore

First I just lined and colored the head sketches I had made on that initial Lux idea thing, and I ended up quite liking them in all honesty

But then I realized I probably need to do more so I can figure out all their colors (like for example, Optimus’ red is nowhere on his head). But I didn’t have premade sketches to draw and color over, so I had to draw new ones

I’m gone be honest, while I think yesterday’s Optimus turned out pretty well, Megatron on the other hand, not so much. His head’s fine, but the rest of his body, eh

I think it’s because while I have drawn Optimus before, and with actual screenshots from the movie, I’ve drawn Megatron far less, and I’m usually using this concept art that while generally accurate, has a bunch of details off from the final version. It’s probably also why I constantly forget his cannon, because it’s not here

Also my perspective generally isn’t the best, and it keeps changing from the initial rough shapes to the final. I was able to tweak for Optimus, but Megatron I couldn’t save much

Also my god, these designs are so complicated, they take so long to draw, it’s a whole ordeal. I’m probably spoiled by my own incredibly simple AU designs, but still. Doesn’t help I’m not very good/experienced at 3D. Apparently these two alone took a collective 3 and a half hours, while my normal drawings probably won’t be longer than 2

I’ve half a mind to simplify them more, maybe resemble the Animated style more, but I’m not sure. I’m trying to adhere to the movie’s style more at least in the eyes, and I don’t know if I want to change everything else while keeping that. Or maybe I should, especially since I already don’t make the plates look 3D enough, like they’re sheets rather than plates

I don’t know how people do this, it’s so difficult. But again, I’m probably just inexperienced and spoiled on oversimplification

My anatomy’s also off I think, I still need to figure out how the arms are supposed to work

But yeah, take these I suppose. They aren’t terrible, but they’re nowhere near the quality of someone who’s good at drawing these bots, particularly from TF One

[roseytoesy]

Safe Space blurbs 2

Up next will be jack, He wants to have fun eating the player next! A sweet day with a sweeter ending.

All enveloping hug

It had been about 2 days since the last incident, and you could see doey had been very happy since. Helping you work on slowly improving the desolate safe haven into a better space. He always made sure you were protected as you went out to better improve the outside or rewire some items and traps. It was just after your most recent and successful supply run to a locked down storage unit just outside the prison, that doey insisted you rest for the day. 

“Me and the others want to thank you for all your help! So we're going to give you a spa day.” a little kissy and craftycorn bounded forward as other critters brought over some random items and pillows. Before you could insist that you were fine you were swept off of your feet, doey giving you a giggle as he placed you into his lap as he took a more chair like form. You sat there a bit surprised before letting a small smile form as the warmth of their actions hit you. You decided to let yourself sink into Doeys form a bit as the critters wiggled off your grab pack and shoes. You twitched as some cold water was splashed onto your hands and a tub of lukewarm water was now under your feet. The critters gently wash your appendages with their little giggles. You weren't able to really see what they were doing, but since they were all soft, it felt like getting attacked by a swarm of tiny little bugs made of pillows. 

You felt an extra set of doey hands start massaging your shoulders and neck, you let out a deep sigh and close your eyes. Fully letting doey support your weight. You happily let the time fly by in a bliss, feeling your muscles relax in a way you haven't felt since long before working at playtime Co. You had no idea how long it had been before the kissy and crafty gently shook you awake, you didn't even realize you had dozed off. The other toys giggled as you stirred. Looking down at your hands you saw washable marker pictures and drawings along your skin. Smiles, and hearts aplenty. And your hands were somewhat pruned, covered in more art, but felt very clean and your nails had been clipped (somehow) and painted with what looked like regular purple/blue paint, but nonetheless you could tell they had done their best. You leaned forward as you lifted your feet. Seeing more art along them and your lower legs, a nice white color used for the nails. 

You felt a tug at your heart as you gave an emotional thank you. The toys all cheered at your reaction and you gave the kissy and craftycorn a big hug before getting off of doey to set them on the ground. “Thank you, for all of this. It makes me really happy to see you all happy.” you sniffed as you quickly whipped some grateful tears from your eyes. The factory had been so so draining, and any progress you made just led you deeper, darker, with more danger and little reward other than surviving, so getting something in return for your efforts, it warmed your heart to the brink of tears. 

Doey noticed and quickly shooed off the critters to their usual chores, they let out a groan but understood that he wanted to comfort you. You looked at him thankfully, he smiled happily with his eyes closed, guiding you over to the generator room, a place you had mostly claimed as your own, it was quiet and secluded, it helped you rest on those nights when the nightmares and paranoia would become too much. You were so tired now, stealing that you’ll have to continue some work tomorrow, an early night wouldn't hurt…

Doey startled you out of your thoughts as he waved a yellow hand in front of you. “Hey pal, you’re looking real tired there. How about a hug to finish off for the night? I’ll make sure to get the others to bed without you.” he opened his arms wide for you to approach. You happily wrap your arms as much as you can around his upper chest. His large arms enwrap you, the hug a perfect pressure for your weary bones. Warm and strong, a friendly and loving embrace. You stand there for a few seconds before letting your arms relax, usually signifying the end of the hug. But he continues to hold you, you feel a bit awkward before you let out a little yelp as the solid dough in front of you becomes more soft, and you start to sink in. You try to move back but the arms around you are gently but firmly pushing you forward. You were too tired to put up much of a fight so once you realized what he was doing you just let it happen. Sinking into the soft dough. It wraps around and envelopes you before you are gently pushed into a larger, familiar area. 

The dough closes in as Doey hugs his now full belly. “Gotcha, hehe!” you watch as a pair of yellow eyes and a grey head form on a nearby wall. The doey body rests against a nearby wall as Jack, you had learned, quickly and playfully wrapped its own arms around you, snuggling into your middle. You sigh as you pet his head. “Just wanted to help you feel better.” the head said looking up at you with large hopeful eyes. You sigh affectionately.  Knowing you'll need a quick shower in the morning thanks to the more slimy dough in this space. 

“Thanks Jack, You and the others did amazing. I guess I needed it.” you say with a small laugh. Jack gives you a small squeeze before unwinding his arms, just content to rest with you. You see mathew on the wall as well. 

“Like we said earlier, we’ll take care of things for tonight, this was from all of us but uh, this part was Jack's idea.” Jack giggled and did a happy little dance before settling back next to you. You happily let them take care of stuff as you fall asleep for the night. Doey kept a protective hand over his belly as he helped everyone to bed. A very happy smile on his face before he too fell asleep.

[ducktracy]

I NEVER POSTED THIS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH

ok i drew this back in September 2022 when i was doing a passive rewatch of every Porky and Daffy short in chronological order while i was working--drawn because i RRRRREEEALLY love how accepting and often enabling the early Porky is with the early Daffy’s hysteria. there's something genuinely sweet and funny about Porky just sort of chalking him up to his esoteric, silly little friend (esoteric, silly little friend is causing horrific atrocities). especially refreshing in an age where modern material seems to completely reduce Porky's tolerance for Daffy's screwiness (but a bit understandably so)

[mikashisus]

no but just think about how much of an influence mondstadt has had on our journey thru genshin.

we started out there (probably for a reason that will be explained in future lore) and we met the god of freedom who also had a HUGE influence on our journey thus far.

and like, it makes me wonder what would’ve happened if we started out in any of the other nations. would the traveler have had the same mindset and/or morals they do now? would they have the same views on venti? or mondstadt?

i wonder what would’ve happened if the traveler didn’t go to mondstadt until much later. venti’s influence would be different, the traveler’s views on him would be different, as well as their whole mindset…

and most importantly, they’d probably be more aware of venti’s lies and deception. if mondstadt’s quest came out after sumeru, the traveler would’ve known first and foremost that venti is most likely the most powerful archon.

and they might’ve been wayyy more wary around him bc they wouldn’t have had his influence of “im the weakest so i have little to no power, therefore u shouldnt assume im dangerous”.

they might’ve believed that venti is a threat bc of his power instead.

there’s so many “what if”s. rlly makes u realize how much of an impact mondstadt has had on the game and its playerbase.

also the thought of the anemo archon being faceless and a whole mysterious entity with lore scattered EVERYWHERE until his release is extremely funny to me

like just imagine if venti’s character was entirely faceless and the only things we knew about him were him as an archon from lore crumbs scattered throughout the game and npcs in different regions. and then his eventual reveal that would bring a lot of hype

also i feel like his kit would be more cracked if he was released later in the game. but that’s just me

[spac3-em0]

hi guys I watched most of the X-Men movies and wolverine is trans he told me himself

[gojoest]

i am genuinely starving for new satoru content but the thought of s3 unfolding without him feels like a cruel twist of fate 💔 but i am still holding out hope for some flashbacks 🥹 pls just give me a few crumbs to cope i am begging on my hands and knees 🥹

[kagoutiss]

oot zelda doodle i liked :’-)))

[mymarifae]

i could not stop collecting screenshots of her beautiful cute face <3 right up until she fucking DIED

[flumpermergen]

Listen… comparing hoyoverse characters can be a bit annoying but sometimes it’s just too un-fucking-canny to NOT point out