#rants never die!!!

[jemmo]

to say im in love with the most recent ep of my personal weatherman would be a gross understatement bc my god, i dont think a show has ever pulled off two idiots that are in love and don’t know how to express it so perfectly. 

(put in a read more bc wow that got long)

and this ep is perfect for that bc it explains so well segasaki’s behaviors and attitudes up to this point, where we previously hadn’t got to see that much behind his curtain. we’ve seen yoh, we’re privy to his inner thoughts a lot, and we know why he’s in a difficult place with his feelings at the moment, and we know the way he perceives segasaki, which was complicated to begin with and has only gotten more so. but in this ep, we get to see this whole journey of where segasaki has come from, why he is the way he is, and how he found some kind of solace with yoh, and why he’s panicking at the idea of that solace crumbling.

and it’s genius bc it’s a backstory i never really saw coming, it’s one of the few times i could predict something in a bl. this idea of him not being an outright people pleaser, more so just a good observer of the status quo and acting accordingly to get by with as few problems as possible. and with his looks, his general demeanor and such, it means he can easily integrate with these ‘popular’ people who aren’t actually popular, they just act the way that they think gains them popularity, namely acting superior. it’s never that segasaki was like that, they were just his social security blanket.

(and no, it does not escape me that this set up is very much like utsukushii kare and I’d very much like to dive into how those shows take this same basis to establish in some ways very different and in other ways very similar relationships, and why so often with these dynamics we see these recurring themes of like… extreme obsession and dependency and a fear of being left, but another day)

I think what was a real breakthrough for segasaki wasn’t just first glance, but seeing those drawings of himself yoh did, seeing himself being that removed and void and emotionless and realizing that this random kid he didn’t even know and who’d only seen him for a moment could see that in him. and it’s this simultaneously realization in himself and these burgeoning feelings for yoh that lead to this change. he’s not dropping the mask, it’s more so that he feels this comfort around yoh that he’s never felt before and so he’s suddenly realizing how exhausting it is to put on the act. and he’s both treacherous and unsure and unwilling to expose himself in that way, but also feels this need to reject it now that he knows the weight of it.

and just like that, as soon as it slips, as soon as he lets yoh in, my god he just becomes fixed. he just like yes, this one, he’s mine, end of story. but it’s insane to me that, despite all the undertones, none of it is romantic at this point, and even to where we are in the present, none of it is ever presented or established as a romantic relationship between them. it’s sexual and dependent, bc they both know they need each other, segasaki especially, but they just aren’t able to recognize that it is romantic. and it keeps coming back to this thing about smiling, that the other never smiles for them, or segasaki saying i can smile better than that, they just want to see each other happy, and they want that happiness to be because of them. but bc of the mental places they come from, my good they just cannot do that. it’s such a mental block for them both. yoh is coming from this place of having complicated feelings but all the way back in those early eps, he did all this stuff for segasaki and just got indifference in return and he just wants to feel like those efforts are appreciated, that he is appreciated, and when segesaki said what he did about his manga, that’s the clearest way yoh has got the message that segasaki doesn’t appreciate him as a person. meanwhile segasaki is just so dependent on yoh at this point but still has this lingering tendency not to show his true emotions and remain stoic and removed bc that’s just what he’s used to, and while he does try to communicate his feelings for yoh in some ways, they’re just not the best and yoh doesn’t register, hence the way he behaves, so uptight and on edge around segasaki, that when he sees yoh smiling or having fun or at ease around other people, he just panics and goes to extremes and you know… ties yoh up. he just can’t handle the idea of yoh finding happiness elsewhere bc then he’ll leave and segasaki will suffocate. literally, going back having that front on all the time, like when he’s at work, with no escape, it’ll stifle him so much he can’t breathe. but this is where segasaki needs to start unlearning what he’s used to and being honest and open, and equally yoh needs to speak up for himself if he wants something to change.

but also with yoh, and i wrote about this before when i said this show was like watching two people trying to reconcile with and navigate wanting a dom/sub relationship, or at least something with those undertones, and not just sexually (or even sexually at all), but in their dynamic. bc in these flashbacks we see the essences of that kind of relationship that they have shown up to now, and this is their first prolonged interaction, which shows this isn’t just something that’s been put on them or evolved into per say, it’s a way they naturally behave, their tendencies, that manage to sync up. yoh is instantly willing and eager to serve, to tend to segasaki, not just feed him but cook for him where he isn’t a proficient cook just bc segasaki said he doesn’t like convenience food as an offhand comment. like not many people would go and make a full curry in a guy’s house you’ve talked to maybe 4 times just for that reason, but he does. equally, he goes out and buys a whole range of drinks and puts them out for segasaki to pick bc he hopes that in those choices he picked the one that was right, and in that small interaction of segasaki saying he didn’t mind then picking one, the way yoh goes from disheartened to happy with himself. he wants to look after segasaki, to serve him, and his feelings get complicated when, as we saw with those drinks, he doesn’t get appreciated for it. so when he does the cooking and cleaning and laundry and segasaki doesn’t seem happy about it, that’s when he gets annoyed and angry.

and on the other side, you see segasaki immediately unleash this need to be the only person in yoh’s life, this obsession, to know him the most, and for him to be the only person yoh does these things for. he eats a curry and asks for the rest to be saved in tupperware for him to eat later solely bc he wants to be the only one that knows the exact way in which yoh’s cooking is bad. he wants the joy of someone asking yoh if he can cook, and yoh saying he can make curry, for only him to know he actually can’t, it’s awful. and it’s the way the underlying thing of it is seeing these bad points, these weaknesses of yoh, is what he enjoys as well as the want to see him happy only for him and only because of him. it’s wanting to be able to hold those extremes over yoh, make him overjoyed bc he appreciates him and praises him so much, but also squirm and feel bad bc he knows the ways in which he is imperfect, bc he doesn’t see them as flaws, he sees them as the intricate ways he knows all of yoh there is to know. if that does not scream dom, idk what does.

and what i hope for in this final ep is some kind of exploration in finding happiness in the exact kinda fucked up way their relationship works. i want segasaki to tie yoh up and say these things about him not being allowed to see other people, and for yoh to both stand up for himself but also kind of… like it. it’s such a hard line to tread bc you don’t want to present some of these things as ok, but I think it’s important to show that before you can behave these ways knowing it’s ok, and esp if you don’t have good communication, you have to kind of just… do it. and i think these people care enough about each other that it would never cross the line, but at least in this fictional space it feels like it needs to be there for them to explore it and find the ways they both enjoy it (and im saying this fully only commenting on this in fiction and the way the story is, not a real life situation) anyway, I just think it would be great to show how, in a roundabout, messy way, these two people manage to get on the same page and communicate better and enjoy the ways they are dependent on and obsessed with each other bc at the end of the day they are just so fucking in love with each other, and this is just the way that’s expressed. it’s not gonna be a case of oh I see I was too much I was wrong I love you let’s me a nice happy lovey dovey couple, it’s very much i love you I’m obsessed with you our dynamic is still our dynamic but now we just smile a lot more bc we know we are both happy with the way we love each other. it’s about removing that grey area of doubt for both of them, knowing yes I am appreciated and yes I won’t be left, bc they learn the ways to show their feelings to each other that removes those doubts.

and finally, both bc i forgot earlier and bc i loved it so much and it made me cry a lot (it’s been a long week, spare me), I wanna talk about that prolonged head pat. the way segasaki does it, not just a pat but playing with the hair and down to his ear, more like the actions of an inquisitive baby than anything else, bc that’s what he is in that moment, inquisitive as to why this boy makes him feel this type of way, and the way yoh keeps glancing to it and doing that small laugh that you do when something seems awkward and you wanna draw attention to it hoping someone will see it’s awkward and stop, or at least acknowledge it, bc he’s uncomfortable, but segasaki doesn’t do anything, doesn’t stop or acknowledge what he’s doing, he just carries on, and it’s almost like he looks at yoh as to say no I’m not stopping I’m gonna do this yes it might be weird and kinda awkward but I want to do it so I will and i won’t be the one to stop myself just bc you’re signaling that you’re a little uncomfortable. and ultimately yoh does nothing, doesn’t move the hand, doesn’t even move away from the touch, he just lets it happen, let’s the moment be weird and uncomfortable but also feels that weird joy from it. and like… at least for me, that’s the spark of someone finding out they like that weird idea of being praised and appreciated, and it’s magical that segasaki ignites that in him bc of the specific way he is at his core, not the mask but instead letting feeling out and acting on impulse, being brazen and forward and not backing down when he does something. I just thing it’s beautiful that you see in these flashbacks all these small ways in which they discover the dynamic of their relationship and how it proves that there can be a future where they’re both happy in it after they get over their own doubts and learn to communicate better. honestly this show is just such a treat to pick apart and explore lenses to read it from and god i don’t want it to end

[demigods-posts]

luke fumbling in recruiting percy has to be one of his greatest failures. a beautiful thing the show does regarding luke and percy's relationship is building rapport between them through shared moments like settling into camp, eating meals together, but especially through swordfighting lessons. the swordfighting scene at the beginning of episode 8 not only reveals that percy and luke already share similar beliefs about the fear-based system the gods have cultivated, but it's clear the conversation stays with percy when he fights ares and later calls out zeus on his waning skills as a father and a king. however, luke's plan fell through the moment percy learned that the winged-shoes were meant to drag him to tartarus. not only that, but the shoes nearly killed grover, a friend percy cared for deeply. if nourishing loyalty and trust was the key to ensuring a partnership with percy, then it was luke's faulty planning, arrogance, and impatience that cost him the greatest ally he could ask for.

[seawing-vibes]

I'm home, with moonlight on the river, saying my goodbyes

I'm home, there's moonlight on the river, everybody dies

I can’t stop myself from adding one (1!) “Read more” so heres the og sketch so you can see Noct’s face <3

[dyke-in-crisis]

“why don’t you read the translated german version of the book?”

LOOK AT HOW THEY BUTCHERED MY GIRL

the font?? the change from gtn to “I am gideon”? the removing bones in a book series about NECROMANCERS?? never fails to piss me off

[imaloregremlin]

something I think people often forget about Shrub Berry is that she is not defenseless. I cannot count the number of fanfics I’ve read where she’s a scared, traumatized, terrified gnome who’s seperated from her people and is almost entirely helpless. This is a crucial part of her character, but she’s also so, so brave. Take episode 17 of Empires (Xornoth showed me the future of our empires!) Shrub is continuing her daily life in the midst of this incredibly traumatic experience. She is farming, watering her flowers, and mining, even as the threat of Corruption grows ever-closer. When Xornoth appears, she starts to run away, before realizing that’s exactly what they want. She starts fighting back, insulting Xornoth, and telling him to stop Corrupting the empires, arguing for him to let Joey She keeps them talking, even now, trying to probe for weaknesses. She defends herself and her wolves, in the midst of tragedy and death. She keeps going. It takes so much courage to keep going after your life has been ripped to pieces, it would be so much easier to just let the Corruption win. To lie down and let Xornoth kill her, have her body overrun with Corruption, to join the rest of her people, but Shrub. Keeps. Going. she fights back in any way she can, and she tries to bite back against the darkness, a cornered wolf, the last of her species, and the bravest little beacon of hope in my life when I was fighting my own demons and reminding me that bad doesn’t always have to win, bullies don’t always triumph, people can fight back and make a difference. Shubble literally kept me going when I wanted to just…give up fighting because of how bullied I was in school about three years ago. I know it’s a silly Minecraft smp, I know it was never meant to be so deep, but Shrub Berry literally saved my life. Thank you.

[seph1ii]

Miq posting coz this boy is my son and I would die for him ft my Tarnished named Cress (who is also just my silly little fromsoft oc who started off in Bloodborne. I love you Cress.)

If you don't like Miquella, please get off my account. I'm being so fr. If you think he's evil, don't even bother interacting with me. Either block me, or I will block you. You are not worth my time or energy. Please gain some media literacy. Thanks.

[biggestsastielfan]

dear destiel enjoyers: if there is a conversation about sastiel happening and you pipe up to say "but destiel--" i need you to execute yourself immediately

(/hj... or whatever)

[cordialcorvidae]

I feel like every ghost (aside from ones who have been body jacked like Maddie) died in a really bizzare way and had some kind of emotional distress at the same time. The fire for Janet and Mr. Martin, not knowing the full circumstances but taking the possible clue that Janet started it, meaning she was certainly in emotional turmoil and his remark about not paying attention was what got me thinking about this. Next Rhonda is rather obvious as to why her emotions tied her to unlife. Dawn just an immense amount of sorrow, shame, and betrayal before she died. She ended up continuously isolated and mocked in death too, until Maddie granted her kindness. Mina is really fixated on safety and her death is likely because of neglectful practices, she is fixated on it never happening again, honestly I saw it less as anger and more so similar to how I would feel as an elder sibling. Protective. Wally is an odd one, because he didn't remember his death aside from the fact it happened. I feel like it was his devotion to his mom, and lack of ever finding out who he really is. His loyal nature became tied to Mr. Martin and now Maddy. Charley was breaking down over being outed and was angry at Emilio, then sudden freak unexpected death and he's stuck. He got closure with Emilio, but im certain his fears and regret over not just being himself hold him back. I definitely need to learn more about the band kids, but I think the dying as a group and not even realizing it holds them all there. Quinn breaking out of the loop is likely step one to her understanding her life and death, eventually moving on. Now having analyzed the known ghost deaths I'm really trying to solve the more unknown ones. Yuri is clearly disassociating. He spent a couple decades pretending to loop and be Russian. He also seems to assume there is nothing beyond what he has, or it might be worse. Genuinely dying in the green house is so strange? What could have happened? Was it not so much an accident, was he intending to end things and escape? Instead being trapped eternally? Or maybe again freak accident like everyone else? The other death zones seem to be the gym, garage, and a bathroom??? I definitely need more information on these spirits and whether or not they're looped. Any way super long ranting over. Would love for people to add to this.

[awhoreintheory]

I a hundred percent get what you're saying. Like, Tony was already an idol for Peter, but after losing Ben and picking up the vigilante thing, how could Tony not morph into a figure he could look up to in a more familiar way? And after Tony shows up to bring him along to Germany, well, how's the kid not going to get a hell of an attachment given his lack of paternal figures in his life?? Impossible. Can't with them. Rotating them in my mind nonstoppppp.

EXACTLYYY

This is my Big one tho. Because Tony was extremely distraught about losing Peter on Titan. He came back, and he didn't say he lost, he didn't say everyone's gone, he said "i lost the kid." Like!!

The then, when they're trying to convince Tony to make a time machine to get the stones, he's initially unconvinced. But later, when a picture of him and Peter falls, he's suddenly on board and figures out time travel?

Tony figured out time travel to get Peter back. Sure, he saved the lives of trillions of others, but he was convinced because of Peter. Like!!

And then when he sees Peter during the fight, he full on stops just to hug him?? Dad shaped.

Peter def says stuff like "Oh yeah Mr. Stark taught me how to do that" and other such similar things, but about a lot of stuff, and Jason and Dick are downright envious. The kid talks about this "Mr. Stark" guy like he hung the moon! They both think they're way cooler and try to show off, but always end up embarrassing themselves fs. Barbara has years worth of blackmail now.

[urfavcrime]

dsmp is still SO insane to me. still not completely convinced it wasn't a social experiment. it is something that can never be replicated again due to the really specific circumstances that attributed to it's creation and popularity

[exiledfrommars]

I’m so used to seeing Artemis Entreri fanart depicting him as a brown man. That when I went to start re-reading Promise of The Witch-King, the whitewashed Artemis on the cover gave me whiplash

[troublesomesnitch]

Book Sauron vs. Movie Sauron

(and why people complain about Rings of Power's portrayal of the character. In my opinion). Nerd rant I guess.

I think a big reason why a some viewers are unhappy with RoP Sauron is that there is a big discrepancy between Sauron in the books, and Sauron in the Peter Jackson trilogy. And most people have probably only seen the movies (which is fine, I am not a book purist and I have personally only read 1.5 of the books, and tbh I found them pretty boring.)

But anyway:

In the films, Sauron is an entity. He can’t take physical form. He is evil incarnate, a nameless fear, a flaming eye etc. Whereas in the books, Sauron is way more of a person and actual character.

We only hear stuff about him from other people, but he does have a physical form. Sauron personally tortured Gollum, and Gollum was later able to describe his appearance to Gandalf, saying that he was missing some fingers on one hand from when Isildur defeated him. We also learn from Eomer that Sauron had approached Rohan wanting to buy horses from them. Rohan refused, so Sauron just stole the horses instead - but his initial intention was to buy the animals fair and square, with normal human currency. At a "great price" according to Eomer.

Recently I also read that Sauron had apparently become somewhat fond of Shelob and jokingly referred to her as his cat lmao. That is mentioned in the Shelob chapter in The Two Towers. Just little things like that make a huge difference. I cannot imagine movie!Sauron making jokes like that.

Mordor is also different book to movie. In the books, there are some farmlands in the Southern parts of Mordor, which makes sense because orcs do need food obviously. Return of The King says this:

"Neither he nor Frodo knew anything of the great slave-worked fields away south in this wide realm, beyond the fumes of the Mountain by the dark sad waters of Lake Nurnen; nor of the great roads that ran away east and south to tributary lands, from which the soldiers of the Tower brought long waggon-trains of goods and booty and fresh slaves. Here in the northward regions were the mines and forges.”

In Tolkien’s own illustrations, Mordor also looks a little bit more normal.

All that to say: if your idea of Sauron is an evil-incarnate entity who has no physical form and only talks in raspy, wheezing Black Speech, then yes, it is probably very grating to see Charlie Vickers running around with hair bows and pretty little ringlets falling in his face, being sarcastic, flirting with elf-maidens etc. But I personally don't think there is anything inherently un-Tolkien about it. Despite Tolkien's vocal dislike of allegory, Sauron is a pretty obvious allegory for the devil/Lucifer - he is quite literally a fallen angel taking on various forms to tempt and charm people into doing his bidding. I think the true evil-incarnate character is Morgoth. Sauron is more likely to weight his options and try for a diplomatic solution before throwing all his resources into waging war on people.

[triglycercule]

i love that the murder time trio all have dangerous little greetings. horror has his little hand drill thing. killer puts a knife up his sleeve and then does a little switcharoo. dust INSTINCTIVELY shoots whoever he sees with a bone. no greeting whatsoever. so just imagine how things go on a first meeting or whatever. immediately horror and killer have to dodge bones from dust and horror's like hey wtf man. mildly irritated but he just met these guys so he's willing to forgive. he's not gonna lose his cool in front of these two random ass guys even though one just tried to kill him. killer just has that dumbass smile on his face like always (but he was intrigued when dust did that. like who tries to kill someone on first sight?? he's curious now :3)

and then theyre all just standing together and staring for a moment and horror sticks out his hand. killer takes the bait but then he just points a knife to horror's stolen eye once he realizes that he got duped and his other hand is now currently being drilled into. dust didn't shake either of their hands because he could see the drill and tell that killer had something off about him in general. but he does give a tiny smile when he sees the state that the two r in rn with the drill and knife. it's an eensy bit funny in his eyes

least violent mtt interaction

[jacarandaaaas]

was listening to “the family madrigal” and for some reason it got me thinking about the line “my primo camilo wont stop till he makes you smile today!” despite mirabel hardly interacting with camilo the whole movie she still has the nicest things to say about him. Even tho we know they were closer as kids they grew distant but their love for eachother never fades only the closeness they once had.

mirabel & camilo probably hang out at school still even if they aren’t as close as they used to be. The fact mirabel never says a bad word about him tells me they’ve never had a sour relationship. She’s always gotten along with him they just grew apart due to his gift and responsibilities, growing up, etc! One of my fav moments that says to me they missed eachother is when camilo says “we don’t have a house” and despite the situation being painfully true mirabel smiles!

it’s such a minor detail but it’s a look that screams fake annoyance to me! she’s basically smirking amused that even in worst situation he still finds a way to crack a joke! really not stopping until he makes you smile today! but idk the look on her face here makes me think she missed that! I love thinking about them talking during the rebuild and slowly red building that best friend like bond they once shared!

[imminent-danger-came]

It really is about MK wanting his story to be over and wanting his happily ever after yet having to reconcile that there is more than the end, that "it can't just be a journey to the end, it needs to mean something", and how, despite everything, he has to keep going to experience both the pain and joy of life, to keep his friends safe.

[apotelesmaa]

I don’t think ppl give enough credit to rui for his dedication to fucking with people (outside of tsukasa of course) like. Knowing & acknowledging that nene wants nothing to do with him and Tsukasa on her first day of second year and deliberately following tsukasa to loudly ask if she’s getting along with people (just to be a jackass)? Implying his gift to akito will explode even though it won’t bc he wants to bug akito? Like I think rui at his core is full of love and a desire to make ppl smile but I also think he’s 200% committed to the bit first and foremost. If something will be funny he’s going to do it regardless of the consequences. Guy filled with zero social anxiety & a never ending desire to embarrass his friends.