#re reading Monster

[williamscigar]

Where's a doctor Tenma for young Henry Creel

[another-chaotic-bisexual-vampire]

i'm so mad at Bram Stoker for not anticipating that his 1897 novel Dracula would be adapted over a hundred years later into a format that only releases installments on the dates in his novel - resulting in several hiatuses when there are no installments released - which has, most importantly, personally inconvenienced me!

[bonefall]

So, your Clear Sky post is absolutely horrifying, but it was very needed, so thank you. What are your general thoughts on tackling his abuse for the AU? Like you've said, pretending he's a good guy is not the way to go, but are you planning on toning down *some* of the situations, just to give some of the cats a break? Clear Sky is a very realistic depiction of abusers, but that seems to come across even without victim number 25, yknow? I'm very curious about how you'd like to go about this.

My most recent big change was bringing Slash back into the fold, because I realized that it was actually a disservice to not address where DOTC's themes dip into Colonialism. It's a hard topic, and I'm still trying to work out the details, but I realized it was important.

With how BB!DOTC is such a MASSIVE overhaul, to properly address abuse and the ways it impacts you, ableism and its violence, and xenophobia broadly, a huge reworking of Slash belonged here too. He's one of the greatest examples of how badly WC demonizes non-Clanborn cats. I shouldn't dance around it.

That's what I need to do with Skystar.

MANY of his victims have happier endings than canon, though. Bumble is one of the most famous, bumped up into a major character and directly responsible for the formation of ThunderClan. Bright Storm is taking most of Gray Wing's roles. Birch and Alder are getting examined, with either a father who wants his kids back or Milkweed as the mate of Misty.

A lot of people will die because of him, even more will be hurt, but I see BB!DOTC as a story about victims and survivors.

Others might grab POVs here and there, but as a response to canon which I feel is Clear Sky's story told in many parts, I center this rewrite around Thunder Storm. The path of kindness he marches down, with love and with anger, and the people he helps.

So BB!Star Flower...

Previously I was playing her as ENTIRELY just manipulating Clear Sky. She was loyal to One Eye and trying to get at Skystar to bleed him dry for 8 lives to sacrifice; but connected to Thunderstar over recognizing him as a victim who deserves her idea of justice. So, she offers Thunderstar the final kill, so her father will be grateful to him and he'll get power AND the death of his abuser.

(When Thunderstar looks upon Skystar, pathetic and neutralized down to one life, he thinks about the collateral damage that will descend upon the forest if he accepts the deal. He decides that he has found the line between Justice and Justification. Of course he wants the power to make his enemies cower, protect his people, and eliminate Clear Sky so he never threatens them again; that's not the problem.

He can still do these things. He wouldn't NEED the power of a war god to do so.

But if One Eye returns, he will be endlessly hungry, ruthlessly dedicated to revenge, and set out to devour the whole forest. Everything would get worse, and even more people he loves would die. It's where his desire to destroy a monster would lead to him BECOMING one.)

Even on its face, it was previously missing an element. There's a step between "Starf decides to bring One Eye back" and "Starf offers Thunderstar the final kill" that was bare. This is the piece that was missing-- That she, herself, is trying to reach out to the only person who's ever really understood her.

But more importantly... I do feel this topic belongs here, in BB!DOTC. Abuse is a MAJOR theme. SKYSTAR is a monster already. He's harmed two wives in BB (Bright Storm and Falling Cry) and played toxic games with all three kits (Thunder Storm, Pale Sky, Tiger Sky).

And I'd avoid Star Flower being abused... why? Because it's uncomfortable to confront the pattern that Clear Sky displays? That in-canon, he tries to cut all his victims into the same ideal shape, from Storm to Thunder to Star Flower? ...it should be uncomfortable. Everything that I described in Clear Sky Is A Monster is rooted in the same desire for control, power, and punishment most abusive people share, he just happens to be a severe example.

Yes. That includes how he treats his child and romantic partners. The parallels that are drawn between Starf and Thunder are there because he wants power in the form of obedience. Starf replaces the son as a narrative award for his "growth" of not killing random people anymore for a while.

A cookie cutter is an effective tool because IT ONLY MAKES ONE SHAPE.

You know what's more uncomfortable? Reading canon!DOTC and seeing someone who hurt you reflected almost perfectly in the character the writers think did nothing wrong. Because of "good intentions" that were not there.

I will say though, just to be clear; I don't see a purpose in being more than PG-13 about serious topics for this project. I promise none of my intentions have changed. Nothing will be more graphic or gorey than canon WC-- just more intentional.

I'm keeping the sacrifice because it's dope. No one is taking this from me. Girl Moment: Killed her awful husband 8 times to count as 8 sacrifices and offered the last life to her buddy as a show of good will. How else do you make friends outside of high school

But I know now that Star Flower NEEDS to keep the canon fact she has very little agency, UNTIL that moment she snaps.

She's sacrificing one abuser to try and bring back a bigger, badder one, because in spite of everything, her father One Eye always made her feel safe. Even though he promised her off to Skystar, and expected her to be willing to die for him. She's followed every command, every order, past the death of his mortal vessel.

The first, and only, selfish choice she's ever made was in reaching out to Thunderstar to offer him the power of her father.

Thunderstar's Justice is a story about a Thunder Storm at the pinnacle of his arc, how the survivors of his Clan are settling into the new normal after the carnage of The First Battle, how Skystar's arrogance brings a violent god to the Forest... and the connection Thunderstar makes with the daughter of a monster.

[hauntedorpheum]

love these

[goozeghost]

Reluctant smoochies 🖤

[amazingspider-z]

some more ghost rider sketches, version i guess i wanted to draw some bones,

including a partial prototype of whatever the hell the Rider has going on underneath his skin-suit (which might need more leather 'muscles' but. whatever), a theoretical endpoint of how dead Robbie could get in my verse, which. unlikely? extremely. but fun to draw, and a line-up of Robbie, Lisa, and Gabe

in theory, Lisa's sense of style was inspired by @wazzappp 's post of Claire's fashion Lisa, but, well, outfit design eludes me. so. brightly colored vague y2k vibes are. the best i got

[sochilll]

I think Clarisse may be my fave character in PJO actually she is so full of rage and she will also die to protect her home……… what else could u ask for

[sweatandwoe]

Me: I should read actual romance novels instead of just going on ao3

Me, after doing that: why are they all bad though

[starrylayle]

I’m in the middle of writing a monster high fan fiction but for some reason my brain has decided that now is the time to hyperfixate over adventure time, miraculous ladybug, marauders, hunger games/tbosas and the 2012 littlest pet shop show.

For once I would like to obsess over shows one at a time. Ughh. Anyway,,, happy new year everyone!!

[iforimaginary]

“Frankenstein is the name of The Doctor, not The Monster!”

the self-proclaimed intellectuals yell out, tormented by faux agony from such a foolish misconception of the common public.

I sigh as I deliver the following in monotone:

Let’s -for the sake of ludicrous indulgence- suppose that Frankenstein is indeed a doctor in the published narrative and proceed with a comparison to his creation, who often gets grossly mislabelled as the antagonist of this story. To keep it brief— Victor, against his professor’s advice, attempts to summon life from mangled and sewn carcasses. Upon summoning said life, he heartlessly rejects it and refuses to henceforth be responsible for his own choices and actions. In rejecting his creation, he thus causes the misery of not only himself, but also every-single person he’s ever held dear.

Does that not sound more monstrous to you than simply trying to grab the attention of your negligent creator by any means necessary?

And if we were to take the less melodramatic path about this age-old argument; Frankenstein was a college student in his twenties who abandoned his studies in favour of indulging in his hubris. What on earth makes the masses believe he even so much as began working on his doctorate, eludes me.

In conclusion, not only is dear Victor Frankenstein not a doctor by any verifiable means, he’s also arguably the most villainous out of the cast we are provided by dear old Shelley. I thank you for making it all the way through this self-indulgent debate with no-one but the wall before me…

[bonefall]

Voted for Bumble bc of course but also if you think Alex would not pspsps Bumble you are wrong. If they could communicate they would go to therapy together /s

If then could communicate they would go to therapy together

/GEN

Kyle/Green Lantern resurrects her but then he becomes convinced that she's not the same person she was before the incident, OR SOMETHING SOMETHING Black Lanterns aren't ACTUALLY bad they're just misunderstood Grim Reaper types, in either case Alex ends up breaking it off with Kyle because they've become very different people.

And then Bumble's there

And then they go to therapy or Alex adopts Bumble, and then uhhh Bumble's like one of the superpets. Like Krypto the Superdog. Free premise go forth and play with it if ur a DC fan

[cyrenescreams]

Bergin who worked as a translator in a port teaching Reyem swears and dirty jokes to distract him from the pain of turning into a monster. Throwing up. Reyem calling Bergins cause his own because Bergin is his humanity. Shaking. Bergin literally saying Reyem hated him until he realized he was just as hurt as Reyem. Pacing the room.

[talesofsymphoniac]

So I'm speedrunning Utena again to see how I feel about the "Shadow Girls are Anthy's Projections" concept, and instead I'm thinking about how Chu-chu spends a lot of time hanging out with Utena without Anthy.

Like at first he's with Anthy all the time but you start having Utena take care of him when Anthy's not even there-- obviously Chu-chu stays behind when Anthy visits Akio but also things like Utena taking him for a walk at night because she's taking care of him.

And this is based on vibes only but it's always seemed to me that Chu-chu does not necessarily play the same manipulation games that Anthy does. He's not luring Utena out or purposefully distracting her, imo. He's just. Anthy's friend. Her first one.

[wild-karrde]

Alright. Let’s do some positivity stuff. Comments stick with writers, and a lot of times we go back through them to re-read and remember that people do like our work when we feel down.

SO

Reblog and put some of your favorite comment snippets in the tags.

[ofallthingsnasty]

my half year exam period and the following down period i had has made me feel so disconnected to my fandoms that i might just need to re-read/watch everything 💀 ah

no wonder that i have been craving getting into something new 😭 maybe i should get into haikyuu

[stoneshipper]

I’ve been so dead this weekend but know that other than EPIC releasing all my thoughts have been on Adair ♡ I love this kelpie so much-