#really liking the differences in the way characters handle similar situations in this show

[mo-ok]

buddy i get that u are full of righteous fury but like maybe dont say stuff like that to kids lmao

[bonefall]

do you have any tips for writing a low empathy character who isn't evil? Or how to make an interesting apathetic character who's a thoughtless sort of evil? These are two different chatacters btw-

I tried looking up examples and stuff but uh. It's been a bit fruitless.

Honestly it's not too hard! Having low empathy just means we're bad at automatically "connecting" to the feelings of other people. You can come to understand it's not even a character flaw once you uncouple the idea that Empathy = Kindness. And apathy, well, that one's a bit more complicated imo.

Low Empathy

In English, it's just unfortunately super common to conflate Empathy and Compassion. To have compassion is to be aware of the suffering of another person, and ergo, want to help stop it. To be empathetic is to identify with and understand the feelings of another person. These are different things.

For an example in action; imagine a medic with a patient whose shoulder is dislocated, and xey'll need to pop that arm back in place in order for the patient to feel better.

A medic feeling EMPATHY for that patient is having an emotional response to what xey're seeing. Xey might have a tingly "ghost pain" thinking about the injury, and xey might feel guilty xey're going to put them in more agony, but also joy because this patient is going to feel much better in just a moment.

A medic feeling COMPASSION for that patient is thinking about how the shoulder must be causing a lot of pain, and knows xey have the skill to fix it. Xey know from xeir own experience that pain sucks and so it is a bad thing that needs to go away. It will hurt a little more for a moment, but then there will be immediate relief.

This is imo, why a lot of low empathy people are "bad at" comforting people without going to Autism College where they give you the scripts of Shit Neurotypicals Say. We're not trying to be selfish when we end up making "comfort sessions" about ourselves-- that's what we think empathy is, because we don't have a lot of it to really know what you want.

Like, doesn't it make sense to you? "I don't know what you're feeling. Here's a similar situation I've been though. I must know what you're feeling-- does that make you feel better? That you aren't alone? I think that's what empathy is, am I right?"

A LOT of low empathy people go into medical fields, the funeral industry, and disaster relief. We often really do want to help people so seek these fields out, or when we get there, just end up not getting burnt out like our high-empathy peers!

Apathy

As for the apathetic character, honestly, I'd suggest thinking about your story's themes. Villains are very special to me and I always try to handle them with care. What are you trying to say is bad to not care about in your work? How does their apathy play into the story you're trying to tell?

A Captain Planet villain is completely selfish, and exists only to benefit itself by exploiting nature in some way. Then the Planeteers show up and punch it in the face. Boiled down to its barest, most simple essentials; "We have conflicting goals and so I will stop you."

Personally I find total apathy to be something not especially compelling in villains, for that reason. Like, if you really don't care about anything, why bother with the trouble of going against the protag? Motivation is meant to be MOTIVATING.

(also ngl I'm on the Shadow As A Hero sort of bandwagon where I find it much funnier for the simple apathetic cool edgy guy to be the funniest person on your tennis team)

Dungeon Meshi has TWO characters who struggle with apathy, and are both antagonists at some points in the story, but never villains. Shuro and Mithrun. The theme of Dungeon Meshi is the beauty and complexity of life, the value of living, and how our connections to others changes the people we are. Food is a metaphor for bonding, self-care, and understanding.

For Shuro, he begins the story as someone who's both been encouraged to bottle up his emotions for the sake of other people, as well as to not actually consider the emotions of those lower-born than him. He's from a very different place than the other members of his party, and this causes friction as class, culture, and sophisticated, refined, weapons-grade autism clashes.

When the woman he loves is eaten by a dragon, he doesn't stop to tell her brother and """childhood friend""" what he's planning, as if they both wouldn't run in and get hurt. He owns demi-humans. He doesn't consider his own needs or the needs of his rescue team of loyal vassals. As a result, he's too weak to continue, losing a fistfight with one of the main characters, Laios.

After this, he connects with him for the very first time, and reaches out to him by giving him an important magic item. There's even a MASSIVE moment where he outright tells Laios that his ability to be so open (read: not have to mask his autism) is something he envies, breaking through that veil of apathy he wears.

The story Dungeon Meshi is telling here is that it is important to value the needs of yourself and of others. Shuro's apathy towards his own needs in a bid to prove his love weakened him. In acting like he was above his old teammates, he never spoke to them like people to smooth out his issues. He's never even noticed how much his vassals love and care for him.

(and the incredible irony is not lost on me, that Shuro's name is because Laios mispronounced it and was never corrected... while Shuro never noticed that Izutsumi had the unwanted name "Asebi" forced onto her when she was "taken in" and made his slave.)

See how that comes back to the theme? Shuro doesn't exist to just "be some asshole" or act like a villain. He has a full character arc that contributes to the narrative.

For Mithrun? I won't even spoil it. Go read Dungeon Meshi. Watch elf depression. We love a king with strabismus.

Anyway,

If you ever need good personal resources on any stigmatized mental condition, I've found it's usually productive to go into the #Actually (Thing) tag here on Tumblr. You can find people posting about basically anything. I found a lot of really good resources on NPD that way.

[mysadcorner]

hello, can you do a jason dean x reader where the reader isn’t easily manipulated?

Jason Dean x Hard To Manipulate Reader Headcanons

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Credit to the images owners - Please be specific about characters wanted in headcanons -

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When Jason first meets you he assumes you'll be just like all the other people he's surrounded by, most likely stupid and easy to control or confuse by his standards. It's only when his tactics don't work on you that he gets a shock and doesn't now how to approach the situation.

Once he realises your harder to break than the others then he's start to go out of his way just to see how much of him you can handle, which mainly consists of him causing more trouble than necessary. If you keep pushing back against him and show that he can't manipulate him it'll take a while for him to finally accept it.

If there's something he really wants you to do but you keep refusing then he's going to become desperate if the plan he formulated needs two people. He'll keep bothering you and you won't be able to get rid of him, and it may even result in you accepting his offer just for him to calm down and stop causing so much trouble if you really want him to settle down.

However, Jason enjoys your company a lot more than he typically would with others because of you not being easy to manipulate. Your resistance really causes a striking difference between you and the other people he's surrounded by in his eyes, so it's quite fresh and new for him to get used to. In his eyes you're exactly on his wavelength even if he might be completely wrong.

He thinks that you not being easy to manipulate has come from having a similar mind set to his, and of course, because of this, he thinks you think a lot like him too. This will make him feel as if you're a lot easier to open up to in the hopes of you understanding him, but it may also be another tactic for you to feel sorry for him and doing something for him if no other methods have worked.

You will see become visibly frustrated when you don't comply with something he wants you to do, and this includes lots of shouting, meltdowns and possibly violence targeted at anyone he can think of. You will have to find a way to calm him down and stop him if you don't want him to get into serious trouble, but the more you don't comply the more he's going to keep doing this.

Jason will go out of his way to purposely try and trick you, and he will go through any length of planning to do so. He starts to learn your behaviour just so he can catch you off guard, so once you've realised this you will always have to keep an lookout for it.

After continuous failures of trying to manipulate you he will have to come to terms that you're not going to give in to his wished, and this will lead him to eventually wanting to come to a mutual agreement with you. Of course he will still want you on his side and help him with any plans of revenge he may have, but he'll let you make a lot more decisions of your own so that you can still help him without giving you a reason to refuse him.

[animehideout]

Your MBTI, Your Relationship With JJK Characters Part 2.

Read part 1

part 3

part 4

a/n: Currently working on the other requested mbti types, they'll be included in the coming parts ✨.

Thank you @goofbye @wakatsukikanae @zoldyi for requesting INFP, and @lostmymarblesstuff for requesting ISTP. I really really hope you like them though. 😭🫶🏻💖.

INFP:

Choso Kamo = Fiancé

Both of you find solace in each other's arms, you don't need to vocalize your love since your energy alone is capable of conveying the love, admiration and respect you have for each other. He appreciates the idea of becoming a family and building a home together filled with familial warmth. He's also a good listener whenever you vent. You accept each other for who you truly are without faking anything. You are both authentic and genuine. You show your love through acts of service, so he enjoys cooking your cravings for you.

Toji Fushiguro = Enemy

You have no respect for people who lack empathy or compassion, and Toji is one of them. He's vile, hostile and manipulative. He is the complete opposite of you. You have a strong sense of justice, fairness and sensitivity so Toji's actions trigger a strong negative reaction out of you. He is a threat to your values and peace, so you can't help but develop an enmity. He sees you weak for including your emotions so he always tries to change you into his liking or simply provoke you.

Toge Inumaki = Bestfriend

Most of your Hangouts are at home where you sit comfortably enjoying the peaceful quietness. You understand each other's emotions and troubles. He provides a safe space for you to express yourself, he takes your feelings into account and never judges you. He enjoys sitting comfortably while you talk about your dreams and thoughts. You inspire him a lot and he appreciates that you trust him enough to share personal things with him. He makes you feel that it's okay to be different as long as you are true to yourself.

Megumi Fushiguro = roommate.

You respect each other's personal space and that what made you good roommates, living under the same roof peacefully without any obstacles. At first you found difficulty to get into conversations or just hang out together at home; given that both of you are introverts. So you just limited yourself to small chats, but you grew to enjoy each other's presence and chill together. Both of you share similar standards for cleanliness so you divide tasks to keep your shared space tidy. Despite growing closer and more comfortable, the boundaries that both of you had set are still sacred. It is easy to live with Megumi.

ISTP

Toji Fushiguro= Husband.

The powerful duo, a thrill-seekers. Toji is the perfect match for you. You have mutual qualities such as using the power of mind, pursuing financial success and enjoying the spontaneous adventures. You have a healthy marriage life, following a pragmatic and rational approach. He is attracted to your determination and mindset, even after being married for too long he still looks at you with the same admiration and love he has for you since the first time he had laid eyes on you. Flirts a lot with you and drowns you in compliments. Your honeymoon was a thrilling and exciting experience literally risking your lives but you enjoyed every bit of it. You are attracted to his straightforwardness and cleverness also to his teasing and playful side. At some levels he doesn't take life too seriously but instead he faces it with humor and mockery. He is the perfect husband for you.

Yuta Okkotsu = Has a crush on you.

He would find himself uncontrollably attracted and drawn to you. The way you reasonably handle things, issues and conflicts impresses him. He also admires your independence and self-sufficiency, you are mentally strong and intelligent. And despite being introvert and reserved he would be surprised by how quick you can adapt to different situations and how you enjoy the thrill of new experiences and adventures. It leaves him blown away and intrigued by you and without hesitation he would develop a powerful crush.

Nanami Kento = Colleague.

You equally share a mutual respect for each other's skills. Both of you hate working overtime so most of the time you blend your competences to get done early with the work. You have a formal and professional kind of relationship which is task-oriented. Your emotions are put aside while working together. What matters is that you succeed in reaching your goals or solve problems. You are an effective team and can work in harmony.

Maki Zenin = Bestfriend.

You feel comfortable enough around Maki to enjoy engaging with various activities with her. Most of the time you train together. Maki has a strategic planning so she always comes up with interesting plans for both of you to enjoy, on the other hand you are a spontaneous person, so you make life more fun and full of surprises. You make each other even more stronger; both emotionally and physically. You keep each other stable and on track, focusing on your goals. Both of you are independent so you only provide emotional support, words of encouragement and comfort.

This piece of writing is just for fun, also it is imo, so it's not necessarily accurate 🫶🏻

[trelinha9]

I loved today's episode. I loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!!

Spoilers below the line, as always, and let's go to all the incredible points of this incredible episode in this incredible anime with incredible characters!

Spoilers below the cut!

1 - The episode begins where we left off, with Liko and Ametio trapped together in the cave. This opening scene is short but important. Terapagos is yelling at Amethio, and Liko tries to calm him down without success. Ametio takes a deep breath, steps forward and tells Terapagos that he wouldn't do anything, to trust him. I like how Amethio kind of prepares himself to say this sentence, as if he doesn't know how to handle the situation

2 - Terapagos apparently realizes that Amethio IS NOT Gibeon, despite probably looking a lot like a younger Gibeon. The small sparkling legendary turtle is clearly confused, but he simply turns his back and heads back to Liko. At that moment, Amethio sighs, he is relieved to have solved that problem

3 - The cutest scene of the entire episode: Ceruledge watching Floragato collect grass to help Liko stay warm, and he decides to use his blades to warm Amethio too! It's like, the cutest thing in the world. I love these two so much. I need more fics with these two. Ceruledge cares so much about Amethio, it's so beautiful

4 - Liko asks Ceruledge to burn the grass to make a fire, and Amethio agrees. The two sit together and do something that no one thought Pokémon writers would be able to do: THEY TALK!!!! Like, they ask each other questions, and they answer those questions, and they both end up understanding each other better in the end. Here are the notes, because it was my favorite moment of the episode by far:

5 - One thing I really liked is that Amethio is the one who starts the conversation. He asks why Liko was ready to give up when he terastalized Ceruledge, and Liko explains that she failed the terastal application test. Liko says she thought she would be more useful if she had passed. Amethio then asks if she's going to give up (HE ASKS IF SHE'S GOING TO GIVE UP OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS EPISODE SO MUCH). His words (in the Brazilian dub) are "Are you going to give up just because you tripped once and you think you won't be able to help?" Amethio clearly identified with what Liko said here: he lost to Friede, he lost to Rayquaza twice, he lost to Hamber, and in the last episode he lost to Spinel's Umbreom. He had to recover from all these losses if he wanted to continue to be useful to the Explorers. Faced with Amethio's words, Liko reflects and says that she doesn't want to give up.

6-It's Liko's turn to ask a question, and it's interesting when she says that she always wanted to ask him that: because he saved her in the battle against Rayquaza. Amethio says that he didn't save her, and Liko says "But I was saved. You saved me" (which, coupled with the fact that she thanked him, shows that she is grateful to Amethio for saving her, since she thought on the subject).

7 - Liko says that the Explorers are "bad" people who are after Terapagos and Rayquaza, but she feels that Amethio is different in some way. This is in the episode. I'm not making it up. It's 100% canon. I'm normal. I'm fine.

8 - Liko asks why Amethio needs Terapagos and Rayquaza, and Amethio explains that, to fulfill his grandfather's, Gibeon, dream of finding Rakua, he needs them both. (Note, Amethio explicitly says that he wants to make his grandfather's dream come true. This is the first time we hear him say that he wants something, in this case, to make someone else's dream come true).

9 - Mini note: the moment Ceruledge kneels next to Amethio when he says "I want to make my grandfather's dream come true" is so... Sweet. Interesting. As if Ceruledge is saying "I'm with you on this, you're not alone"

10 - Liko and Amethio continue to bond over the fact that they are both following their grandparents' legacy, and how their path is similar.

11-One of my favorite moments of the episode: Liko says that she was happy to have had that conversation, because before she only thought of him as an enemy. Amethio responds that he only thought of her as "the girl who has Terapagos". This tiny moment is actually huge. It is explicit in the text that Liko and Amethio's view of each other has changed. The two talked, opened up, and ended up understanding each other. Now THAT'S what I call a wholesome bonding scene

12 - My greatest wishes were fulfilled in this episode: Amethio gets up and says "Let's get out of here, Liko". LIKO. LIKO!!! HE CALLS HER BY HER NAME!!!!! I'M SO NORMAL ABOUT THIS.

13 - Amethio and Liko come up with a plan to enlarge a hole in the ceiling of the cave so they can get through safely. Ceruledge and Floragato climb onto Corviknight and use their attacks to open the hole wider. The two work very well together, and Amethio and Liko successfully exit the cave (also, considering the fact that the exit was on the roof of the cave, we can assume that Liko and Amethio rode Corviknight together, which is cute to imagine )

14 - I loved how Amethio reaches out to Liko and helps her get out of the crack they created. He is a gentleman indeed

15 - Amethio warns Liko to be careful with Spinel, because he would definitely try something like that again, which is nice of him. He hates the guy, that's a fact.

16 - Another super interesting conversation was when Liko asks Amethio why the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Explorers don't come together, since they both want the same thing, and Amethio says it's impossible. Amethio says that, even though the goals are the same, the paths are different, and that he will continue in his own way.

17 - The scene where all the admins, especially Spinel, stab Amethio in the back is heavy. Spinel and Agate did a great job of pretending they didn't know anything, and Coral and Sidian, too. To clarify, no, Amethio was not kicked out of the Explorers, at least it is not said in the episode. Gibeon says that he was disappointed in Amethio, that even Amethio was turning against him, and tells Amethio to leave, that he doesn't want to see his face. This one is HEAVY. First, we get some hints about what happened to Amethio's father (he probably betrayed the Explorers), and second, the fact that Gibeon doesn't even give Amethio the benefit of the doubt to explain what happened is horrifying. He's his grandson, you should believe what he says!

18 - The episode ends with Amethio literally shaking. He was betrayed by his colleagues, and neither his mentor nor his grandfather wanted to let him explain himself. Additionally, he has been compared to his father. This boy needs therapy.

Episode 10/10 for sure! I didn't mention the scenes with Roy, Dot, and Friede throughout the episode, because the Ameliko content was the highlight of the episode for me and is more relevant than anything else. I can't wait to see how Liko and Amethio's relationship will develop in the next arc, and what the writers will do with Amethio's character.

[trans-jon-rights]

Unpopular opinion, but I don't really like Jmart that much ?

I mean, I like how they are handled in the show. They truly brighten season 5 and bring a nice touch to both of their character arcs.

And I won't be off put by a Jmart fic, although I prefer when they don't impact the plot too much.

By that, I mean that I probably won't read a Jmart fic that's there purely for the Jmart. I'll mostly read it for the plot, and if the entire plot revolves around them getting together, going on dates, etc...

Well, I probably won't read that, while I would probably read it if it was JonTim or JonSasha.

There's also the problem of 'fanon' vs 'canon'. Canon Jmart is very different from their fanon depiction, and they're not always lovey dovey. In fact, I particularly struggle with s1 Jmart, the versions where Jon is less of an arse and get with Martin quickly. S1 Jon is my favourite character, and that's not really the depiction of him I prefer. I appreciate much more a good s1 JonTim or JonSasha because those two are characters he's already got a chemistry with, and a history as well. S1 Jmart just doesn't work for me.

And s5 Jmart is great too, just not the same as fanon, because it often doesn't take into account the trauma both of them went through.

I remember one particular fic (which I don't remember the name of, sorry), in which Jon and Martin time travel and meet up with their past selves. And not AU past selves, actual, canon past selves. The fic in itself was good, objectively. Great pacing, wonderful writing, interesting choice of POV, everything, really. Although it was heavily Jmart, I read it through to the end because it was really popular, and I was like, "Well, it must be that good, right ?"

It was that good. Maybe not to my taste, but it was.

Two points really bothered me, though. The first was that s5 Jmart never actually talked about their problems. Never went to therapy, just dealt with Jonah and done. But they were actually way too healthy for a couple like them. To me, Canon Jmart would never truly work in a non-apocalyptic situation, not without a lot of work and talking that wasn't there in the fic. They just arrived back in time and poof, no more problems.

The second point was, well, the s1 Jmart that formed next to it. That's the only true downside that almost made me drop it. Because it shouldn't work. It shouldn't, and I feel too much like the author decided to jumble the pieces together and force them into it. (Again, it's not an insult on their writing, but I could just feel it was a heavily Jmart fic, and this aspect gave me this impression).

One example of a great fic with a similar premise (still no name, sorry) was one in which there was s5 Jmart, true, but they ended up fighting and talking about their issues. And at the same time, s1 Jon and Martin talked together and said, "Well, our counterparts have clearly gone through a lot. But I don't like you/love you beyond a stupid office crush, and I think it'd be better if we stayed acquaintances."

And that was great !

And beyond AUs abd all that. The way they got together in the first place wasn't great for a long relationship, mostly based on huge trauma induced attachment issues.

Martin needed not to feel Lonely and to have warmth and proximity, while Jon was desperately in need of closure from someone he wouldn't be afraid of, e.i. who didn't hurt him physically. Because Martin did hurt him psychologically, but Jon, at this stage, doesn't consider this a 'valid' kind of harm to be applied to him. (Which he would if only he'd gone to therapy but alas.)

I think the fic I prefer the most in terms of how it handles its Jmart (and it's one of my all-time favourites, too) is Rewind.Reset.Rewrite by DarkrystalSky. I mean, I read it multiple times for the plot, but really, the Jmart there is almost flawless.

They fight, talk it through, Jon's dependence on Martin is very well handled, and it highlights both of their character arcs.

Martin is shown as desperate for attention from his crush, then once he is in the committed relationship he does his best until he realises how he shouldn't be the one to handle Jon throwing themself into danger at all and any occasions. He works a bit through his own trauma with his mum and talk with Jon until finally they come back together much happier.

Jon has to deal with sudden feelings for Martin and accepts them, going into a relationship that they take for granted, and puts in second to their mission. They take time to realise that they may be ready to doom a world for Martin, but it doesn't do everything in the relationship, and that they have to do things for their partner beyond just loving him.

Alright, that was all I had to say. Rather long rant, but I got it out.

TL;DR, Jmart isn't my favourite ship, and I don't like the way it's handled in most fanfictions compared to their canon version.

[flibbetygibbetsbro]

Kay so I already posted this a month or so ago, but I find it very applicable to the fandom rn

The lore in Nightfall is actually insane. You're telling me that hundreds of humans went missing, and when the Elvin Leadership did NOTHING the humans revolted so hard-core that ya'll really had to DISSAPERE from their knowledge? "But it was to keep the peace!"

Nuh uh.

If you REALLY wanted peace you would have actually looked into the disappearances. That would have been waaay easier to pull off than erasing hundreds of minds and flibbety-dippen SINKING an entire city into the ocean. Despite Elven egos, I think that the council got scared. That's right. The humans you call dumb and violent SCARED you into hiding.  We ugly, weak, and untalented things decided enough was enough and you couldn't handle it.

What's extra crazy is the fact that the Elvin world has everything in their pockets OTHER THAN THE HUMANS. You're telling me that we idiots rule the Earth while you lock yourselves and others away? 

An even crazier thing is that Elves view themselves above everything, even if they won't admit it at the get-go. Ogres really are pissed about it. They are CRAZY strong but also incredibly intelligent. The average elf understands nothing about Biochemistry (other than extreme exceptions such as Lady Candace) yet Ogres have things that can wipe out entire species and put Elves in endless comas. "But the Neverseen used the sedative so they understand it!"

Nuh uh.

They stole the research from the Ogre scientists. (Or made a deal with the king I honestly don't remember at this point). They NEVER would have pulled that off without them. And guess what? Ogres are a generally violent species as well but the Elves keep them around. (Albeit on a short leash). 

The humans have a similar situation. Many times in the books a human story, invention, or belief is brought up only for someone to smugly say "They get that from us", or "he was inspired by ME". I believe there was also a scene where someone talks about how human "help" organizations were terminated because the information shared with them led to dangerous inventions. Don't you guys just love it when Elves claim credit for all good ever done by humans? But as soon as a nuclear power plant or bomb is mentioned (crazy complicated crap) it's suddenly the nasty humans and their dumb, violent minds. *insert eye-roll* Which is it? Are we smart or dumb? Are WE responsible or are YOU? Ya'll can't cherry-pick. Elves also pretend that they have control over humans, yet you can't stop an invention from destroying a Japanese City and ending a devastating war that killed more Jews than the average Elf could comprehend? If humans are so terrible, THEN WHY HAVEN’T YOU STOPPED US YET? WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL US WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE? oh that's right, you're too scared.

My final thought: The fact that HUMANS are what Vespera chose to "study". Why not Ogres or Trolls? Were humans the easier target, or was there some other reason? The fact of the matter is that Humans and Elves are more similar than either of us would like to admit. Ogre's minds are too different than an Elf's. Human minds are only different in the sense of how loud they are.  In fact, that's arguably the most important difference between us. We humans are loud, we feel intensely and love like nothing Elves would understand. For we love for our short lives while they wander on for eternity. The only reason we can handle violence is because we have to fend for ourselves. Elves have protectors and little green people to do their dirty work. Humans have to live through thick and thin, slavery, war, loss, and heartbreak. When Elvin minds shatter, our minds find ways to make it through. Lose someone? We make up afterlife after afterlife and history shows different religions arising when the general public needs a way to work through their violent and tiring lives. But maybe we AREN’T so different. The characters presented as able to handle violence/are inclined to it either had to suffer violence and neglect, lived through endless years of times before the treaties and the council, or spent time with humans. Take Fitz as a prime example. Bro legit beat the shit out of Alvar and trapped him in goo to die. NOTHING IN THE BOOKS SHOWS FITZ FEELING ANY GUILT FOR THIS. Hm...seems like a very "human" thing to do.

The real reason Elves fear us is because we're just an untethered form of themselves with shorter life spans and a lot less to lose. We feel more deeply, more “violently”. As the books go on the Council itself is presented in a more kick-butt way as they finally step up to Vespera and the horrors she caused. 

That sounds a lot like The Humans of Atlantice.

[lionheartamelia]

The argument that heartstopper is bad because it’s unrealistic/not relatable is so dumb.

This idea people have lately that things have to be relatable in order to be worthy is so silly, one of the things that makes media so enjoyable is being able to escape into another world, whether that’s a sci-fi series with aliens or just something slightly different from a persons day to day life. And watching something that isn’t relatable can educate you about other people’s lives.

And just because it’s not realistic to you doesn’t mean it isn’t realistic full stop. For me, one of the things that really drew me to HS was that it was the first story about teens I read/saw where I could actually relate to the main group of characters. I wasn’t the type of person who was going out to parties a lot, I wasn’t a popular kid, me and my friends were kind of outcasts in a way. And there’s nothing wrong with anyone who did go out, who drank or anything like that, it just wasn’t my experience and it’s so nice to have a story with a group of characters I can relate to.

And on top of all that, I don’t think heartstopper is trying to claim this is what’s going on for everyone, specifically every queer kid. The cast have said a few times it’s a bit more of a rose tinted glasses view of the world, the characters go through some awful things but there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s about giving people hope, things CAN get better. I also think it’s a great way of showing people how to handle things. A lot of teens wouldn’t respond as well as say Nick did to Charlie’s ED but it’s a great way of showing how you can respond if your partner or friend is in a similar situation.

Heartstopper isn’t for everyone, it’s not even for every queer person and I don’t think people are wrong for not enjoying it. I just wish people wouldn’t use relatability as an argument, especially when they can’t actually explain why not relating to it makes it bad.

[akutasoda]

Saw ur request are open I just had to do another request :) this time rwby crossover fic yay

Kinda based of rwby vol 8-9 between those seasons of rwby .May I request crossover fic Dan heng x Reader where reader is from remnant is huntress has abilities like Weiss and Ruby semblance mix together and her sliver eyes ablities using weapon like scythe similar to Ruby crescent rose maybe she fighting during Altas end vol 8 but ends up in different universe and not familar with so she has adapt but she gets in trouble with express crew thinking the Reader is stellaron Hunter spy but find out she not associated with the bad guys and at first when they met reader very wary of her sinve reader is closed off due to have trauma of her losing loved ones and reader just wants to go home until she Mets Dan heng who she grows close bond with

But Dan heng notices reader is struggling and tries to connect to her get close but she pushes them away maybe she training battle she shows of her skills using glyphs and petal burst and weapons and maybe some creatures grim from her world Salem come to express and they don’t know how to handle and maybe reader has flashbacks and so using eyes abilities she saves others and the crew is shocked but mostly Dan heng of how powerful the Reader is maybe she just breaks down holding all guilt since she effect their universe put everyone danger and wants to leave but maybe Dan heng comfort her reassurance giving the love she needed just fluff ending romance if this makes sense if unable to do this request idea due to complex of it i respect your choices I just like to put detailed to request idea :)

a stranded huntress

synopsis - when a huntress gets thrown into a unknown world

includes - dan heng ft express crew

warnings - gn!reader - but based on female characters from rwby (ruby and weiss), angst to some comfort, fluff, breakdown(?), wc - 1.2k

a/n: hi! so sorry this took so long :( it's been ages since i watched/read rwby so some details may be skewed

creatures of grimm were foul things. horrid creatures controlled by their equally horrid master that strived only for destruction and since they didn't have a soul, never felt a thing for the damage they caused. the only defense against them was really just people like you, huntsmen and huntress.

creatures of grimm couldn't use aura, they were both mindless and souless so you never expected them to harbour such a power - this one was clearly an exception. it seemed and looked different to the usual that you'd face and it made you wary but that was all the more reason to not let it get away.

you couldn't explain what happened to anyone, even if you tried your absolute hardest. one minute you were fighting the weird looking creature in remnant the next, you were in a place that onlooked to a sea of stars - crescent rose still in hand. you had absolute zero clue where you were but if this were some trap set by salem, you were determined not to be caught out so you hid.

hiding wasn't going to last you forever but you hoped it would atleast buy you time to figure out your surroundings and your situation. fortunately for you, the express crew never really had any suspicious for the first day. the express was still cruising through space and was in search of a planet so many did spend most of their time in their rooms and only started suspecting something when pom pom complained about another ghost problem.

in regular fashion, pom pom sought out himeko when they yet again feared the express had a ghost. pom pom explained in a rather rushed panic to himeko about how they had heard footfall and even some of the food had disappeared. normally himeko would assure the conductor the express didn't have ghosts but it seemed all too strange out in space.

the second tiime pom pom complained about a ghost was mid way through the second day of your unknown arrival. it was less of a complaint and more of a frightened panic however. pom pom had spotted you on the far side of the express and immediately rushed to find someone, anyone to rid the express of the ghost.

fortunately for pom pom, unfortunately for you, they had managed to stir the entire express crew and now himeko and welt both insited that maybe there was something aboard the express - although they both doubted it was any form of ghost. you knew you probably wouldn't be able to hide forever but now that they were looking for you, you realised you probably should have some sort of explanation.

to say the express crew were surprised to find an entire human hiding on the express would be an understatement. immediately after spotting you they all went on guard and demanded an explanation as to why you were hiding on the express, especially because of their recent endeavours with the stellaron hunters leading them to believe you were one of them.

you felt hesitant to give out the full information for the extent of your predicament but you wanted to clear the idea they had of you being a stellaron hunter - you had no clue who they were but if these people had such a big reaction, it mustn't be good. the extent to what you told them was how you didn't know how you got here or how to get back home.

the express and it's trailblazers were known for helping out many people and while your short explanation garnered some sympathy, they were still understandably wary. welt asked you why you didn't make your presence known on day one, if you weren't a threat, and you only agrued back that you were scared. but for the time being you would have to stay on the express, they weren't that cruel to throw you out into space.

the atmosphere on the express notably changed after your discovery, for valid reasons. they had truly no idea who you were, especially because you refused to let up anything past your name and the brief explanation of how you got here, and now you had to spend time with them before they docked somewhere. you also rarely interacted with them and only did so when they initiated conversation with you.

dan heng himself was quite the reserved member of the express. that's not to say he didn't interact with his friends often but he normally would keep to himself. he was also quite observant but nobody needed to be to see that you were struggling with your situation. he reasoned with himself and left you to it and would only offer help of you approached him.

but he realised how unlikely that would be and eventually he really couldn't stand seeing how much you struggled. he could easily sympathise woth your situation to some degree and would offer to listen but you always pushed him away - much like the other trailblazers. you knew he meant well but you simply couldn't afford to build some sort of connection with someone, especially in a world that eas definitely not your own.

but what was from your world were the creatures of grimm. the creatures that now stood aboard the astral express under the orders of their master, salem. you could take a very accurate guess and assume that the express crew would have no clue on how to defeat them, they could put up a fight but creatures of grimm were different.

so you would waste absolutely no time and no hesitation when throwing yourself right into the fight and putting yourself between the creatures of grimm and the express. you couldn't let it happen again, you couldn't let the creatures destroy the express crew. while you could've been fancy and used your petal burst or even your scythe, but you wanted it quick and efficient - silver eyes would be that way.

the entire crew were left shocked, and rather impressed, at your skill in battle and dan heng could only stare in pure admiration for your skill but you were reeling. the guilt hit you all at once, the creatures had probably found their way here because of you. now you had caused even more trouble for the people in this world and who knows if more creatures of grimm would work their way over. you needed to leave. to get far away. to never let these people get hurt-

you were pulled out of your spiral by a hand. a hand that was placed carefully and with the utmost comfort on your shoulder. your head slowly turned to find the owner, a certain raven head that had done nothing but try and help you smiled gently at you. you hadn't noticed before but somewhere in your spiral your legs gave way, you only noticed as dan heng crouched down to your level as he gave you reassurance.

the other express members could only agree with what he was telling you and himeko gladly told you that you didn't need to leave but it was all drowned out. you could barely makd out what they were saying and could only focus on the comforting sight of dan heng. for once you could let your guard down, let yourself become more vulnerable - and this was when you practically tackled him into a hug.

[taeiris]

okay guys here’s my crazy unsupported st5 theory that is mostly just me projecting my need for madwheeler bonding and drama and angst also byler duh

disclaimers: i never make theories so this is extremely messy probably, i know jack dookie abt writing shows i think of this as my own little version of what i would think would be very cool to happen, if this has loop holes dont ask me anything bc idk either

OKAY LETS GET ON IT

so first things first here is what i am taking into consideration for the theory to happen:

• mike pov, self reflection and introspection (he is gay and in love with will byers okay)

• madwheeler bonding, theyre both complex n misunderstood

• the upside down isnt just one dimension, i came up with this bc of how different the ud looks now

compared to when henry arrived.

to me theres like an umbrella dimension (yellow one) and others under it (blue one/hawkins ud, the void, etc)

this is also lowkey supported by the silly boobie diagram the writers posted abt

OKAY PREPARE FOR THE WORD VOMIT

in this silly theory of mine, a new dimension variant of the ud will be revealed in season 5, serving as a parallel to the void. this is where max is

OKAY another thing is this is also heavily based on those “leaks” that were going around twitter (for me at least) earlier when the strike first started. i remember a few of them claiming that we would get a deeper insight into mike and his own things, so this is my interpretation

this would serve as another vanishing, not really bc its shorter, but this time mike will be getting stuck in this other dimension, eventually finding max BOOM madwheeler serve

i mean look at them. the potential is insane

ANYWAYS

this dimension is like a combo of all the other ones, picture it like the hawkins ud, with the void’s wet floor maybe

lets go back to the fact max is here, this is her coma nightmare, its like this purgatory dimension vecna put her soul in

in this dimension inhabit your ghosts

this overwhelming, haunting, tormenting realm in your mind where you are constantly confronting all your bad memories, maybe this is kind of how vecna keeps max under his grasp, no happy memories allowed

okay so, mike gets there. how? when? i dont fucking know this is honestly just word vomit fanfiction to me

at first hes confused, scared but mostly confused, picture him screaming for wills name (the parallels) at first it’s empty and eerily quiet, but as he accepts it, the ghosts start coming in.

he gets BOMBARDED with these bad memories, some of them he cant even remember because come on, bro is always neglecting his internalized feelings/monologue in fear of what they say about him

this is where we get his pov on the whole will and eleven situation, amongst other things (like the way he’s constantly stressed thinking about the safety of the people he loves)

for a moment we see him break, bc these ghosts are LOUD and MANY

but it stops

max is here, she’s like “MIKE?”

“MAX?”

shes been here for a fat minute, she knows how to handle these ghosts in fact shes been going thru them one by one ever since, because shes done hiding. and she suspects that the only way to get out is by confronting them.

max saves mike from his ghosts, explains that this place is seemingly a purgatory with levels of memories and ghosts to overcome

this is how we get our madwheeler bonding we so graciously need, as they are part of eachother ghosts since theyre so similar it makes the other mad

this is how our complex misunderstood characters are broken down, explained to the audience, while also discovering the mystery that is this new dimension where at the finish line they might just figure out how to defeat vecna.

because they will

after overcoming the ghosts they find the place that vecna didnt think they would reach as he was so sure they would break and collapse on their own madness

think of it as how el found the source in season 3

or how max found vecnas lair after running away in dear billy

except this place is vecnas actual mind, they can see hear and feel what vecna is thinking, his plans and everything

mike wonders how will feels being able to feel this all the time

will feels this all the time

will is always connected to this piece of vecnas mind, to this source

he can always hear vecna

until he suddenly hears max… and mike and theyre calling for help

theyve figured out key clues on how to defeat vecna, and they have an idea on how to get out. this is how will’s connection comes in handy

mind walkie-talkie

maybe thats what this theory should be called, idk

-

so thats how we get our byler confirmation, madwheeler bonding like never before, mike focus, and the key to defeat vecna

at least in my head

i know this was messy and all over the place but it was very fun to explain and drop all my thoughts ive been vomiting on the gc for months now

let me know what you think, what you would add, if theres anything you think will support this theory?

its all just a theory, for fun! pls keep that in mind

thank you if you’ve read this far🫶

[kyrieeleisonelise]

Ai + Nino vs Ruby +Kana

The narrative is clearly drawing a parallel between Nino and Ai’s relationship compared to Kana and Ruby. Both involve a hardworking and talented girl (Nino and Kana) feeling growing resentment and bitterness when they are outshone by a newcomer who’s somewhat troubled, but has something ‘special’ about them, and gets favoured by others.  (Ai and Ruby). 

But how similar is the relationship? Is Ruby and Kana’s friendship just as doomed as Ai and Nino’s? 

While they are only meant to be playing roles, it’s clear that Kana does have genuine resentment and jealousy towards Ruby. The fall out between them is real. 

  It’s not touched on much, but it’s mentioned a few times that Ai was favoured by management- Ichigo saw her as a daughter. Similarly, Miyako is Ruby’s adoptive mother, so Ruby does get favoured in the group. 

We are shown just like Nino, Kana is completely outshone by Ruby as an idol. Ruby has more fans and gets more opportunities. Nino and Kana went from main-players to just backup for their more popular member . 

Nino is still fixated on Ai, feeling intensely jealous and hateful of her, but also greatly admiring her and putting her on a pedestal. Kana has been shown to relate to these feelings more and more. 

The latest chapter with Kana playing Nino and Ruby playing Ai shows how the original confrontation plays out.

Nino starts by expressing how lucky Ai is, and how much more popular she is. Nino isn’t initially overtly hostile, but is clearly upset. 

But Ai is very dismissive. It’s not clear if she’s being dense/doesn’t know how to handle the situation, but it comes across like she just doesn’t care. She doesn’t stop eating her ice cream even when Nino is clearly upset. 

Nino gets increasingly frustrated and escalated and says some awful things to Ai, but Ai seems almost completely unbothered, not even breaking her smile. When we saw current-Nino a few chapters back, this event and the following fallout has clearly still deeply impacted her. 

Nino simultaneously hates and is obsessed with Ai. 

Nino is resentful for what she feels Ai took from her, but the fact she was unable to move her emotions a little makes Nino interpret Ai as this almost superhuman infallible being. She puts her on a pedestal. 

Nino was never able to resolve her issues with Ai, because from her point of view, Nino hated and admired Ai to such an extreme degree, and Ai didn’t particularly care at all. She was just a detached being who was vaguely ‘trying to love her’ even if Nino was trying to hurt her. 

But did Ai really not care? Was she as unbreakable as Nino thought she was? Was she so detached from others that nobody could hurt her? 

Not according to Ruby’s interpretation of her reaction. 

With the latest chapter, we have the benefit of hearing Kana’s interpretation of Nino’s character. 

As Kana is playing Nino, she realises that Nino and Ai probably used to be friends. 

It could of just been an ordinary fight between girls, but because of Ai’s emotional walls the argument was never resolved and turned into a much, much bigger rift. Nino wouldn’t of been so upset with Ai if she didn’t originally think of her as a friend. This chapter seems to imply that Nino wasn’t just jealous of Ai, but also incredibly hurt when she felt she couldn’t reach her in any way. 

. 

Nino was deeply wounded by Ai’s seeming indifference to her suffering and to her vitriol. Not only does she continue to hate Ai for hurting her, she also admires her for her skill/talent and see’s her as untouchable and unmovable. 

I explored it a bit further in a previous post, but I think Ai’s handling on Nino’s emotions was due to her lack of social skills/minimising as a defence mechanism rather than indifference.

Will Kana and Ruby end the same way? 

I don’t think so. 

Although Kana is in a similar position to Nino in the recent arc and there have been a lot of parallels, she is a very different character. Nino was a rookie idol and probably much younger than Kana at the time of the argument (if she’s the same age as Ai, probably about 14?). 

Kana is a young adult whose spent decades in show biz and has more life experience than most people her age. Even though Kana has insecurities and can be impulsive/hot-headed she has   had to be resilient to last as long as she has in show biz. 

Ruby is by no means the first person Kana has had to compete against or felt jealous of. Show business is full of competition. Akane is Kana’s main rival for example. Akane has arguably more for Kana to be jealous of; she’s more successful as an actress and she was dating the boy Kana liked. 

Although she is jealous of Ruby, Kana has enough self-insight not to completely loose her mind to it like Nino. 

The only reason she originally expressed her resentment was to help Ruby act (although I believe this was a little extreme and misguided).

Kana’s maturity compared to Nino is evident throughout this chapter with her insightful analysis of Nino’s feelings/her relationship with Ai. 

 Nino doesn’t have the foresight to see how Ai’s background in a children’s home has lead to her developing maladaptive coping strategies. Kana is also able to recognise to an extent how Ruby’s difficult past impacts her behaviour, and has empathy for her. 

Importantly, it’s been established multiple times that Kana’s speciality is acting. Although she does feel jealous of Ruby, part of her knows that ultimately being an idol isn’t her dream. Being an actress is. Kana can never surpass Ruby as an idol, but I don’t think Kana’s true-calling is to be an idol. Even during her argument with Ruby, she specifies that she can’t surpass Ruby as an idol.

Compared to Ai and Nino, where Ai is portrayed as a ‘better’ version of Nino (At least of Nino’s ‘ condensed character-type’ she portrays as an idol).

And Ruby? Ruby is very different from Ai. I’ve mentioned it before in a previous post that Ruby does hide darker parts of herself to an extent, but Ruby is much more open emotionally than Ai.

Just compare their reactions to their friend telling them to die/disappear. 

Ruby does not hide that she is deeply, deeply hurt by Kana. Unlike Nino, Kana is never left feeling that Ruby never cared about their friendship in the first place. 

Ruby allows herself to be vulnerable more than Ai ever could. While Kana admires Ruby, she doesn’t put her on a pedestal, she knows she isn’t a the ‘ultimate invincible idol’. 

During Ruby’s black-star era/rise to fame she was so fixated on revenge that her friendship with Kana and Mem fell on the wayside, but it was clear she still cared about them.

The lead up to Ruby and Kana’s argument is complete different. Instead of being on completely opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, they’re both emphasising with each other; Ruby is worried how her performance will impact Kana’s career, and Kana understand Ruby’s desperation to do well in the movie.  

I don’t know if Kana and Ruby will make up in the next chapter or if this argument is going to continue on. Ruby doesn’t seem to be in the best mental state, so she may not be ready to make amends with Kana immediately. 

I have a feeling the emotions of the characters is going to continue to run parallel to the emotions of who they’re playing in the script. 

But ultimately, I don’t think Ruby and Kana are doomed to follow in Ai and Nino’s footsteps. They are both different people.

I also wonder if Nino and Ai’s relationship would of ended differently if Ai hadn’t been killed. I think Ai matured a lot from her argument with Nino (14) compared to when she had her babies (16). If she hadn’t died, maybe Ai could of matured enough to communicate with Nino and Nino could of matured enough to understand Ai.

This is pure speculation, but I think Ai’s death traumatised Nino to the extent she is frozen in time, unable to move past her childish view of Ai as the perfect idol. A former friend who you wished dead actually getting killed has to be pretty traumatic (and of course, there’s always the possibility of Nino being involved in Ai’s murder which is another can of worms/ ) 

[nobodysdaydreams]

Thinking again about the parallels between Cutter and Pryce and Eiffel and Hera as characters and in terms of the dynamics of their relationships

Because Cutter is the Director of Communications and Eiffel is a communications officer.

Because Pryce is the AI Specialist and Hera is the AI modeled after her and they have the exact same voice.

Because Cutter and Eiffel both help Pryce and Hera communicate when they have communication difficulties (Cutter by handling the "people" aspects of their partnership, and Eiffel by helping Hera when she was dealing with everything Pryce and Hilbert did to her).

Because Pryce and Hera both struggle with disabilities (Pryce with the ones she was born with and Hera with the ones Pryce built into her design), and Cutter and Eiffel still view them as incredibly smart and capable even when others do not or did not because of these issues.

Because Cutter and Eiffel both drink and smoke and struggle to let go of have similar "bad habits" (though Cutter found a way to dodge the negative side effects and make his vices look "classy" so he doesn't have to try to fight the temptation like Eiffel does🙄)

Because Cutter and Eiffel both do ridiculous silly things despite the intensity of their situations that Pryce and Hera, as "serious" as they are, find endearing and occasionally indulge in, like Eiffel's fake radio show that he did with Hera and Cutter's silly tips in his manual that he wrote with Pryce. (Also the fact that Cutter dragged A GRAND PIANO onto the space station just to play it dramatically that one time for vibes, I'm sorry that was too extra).

Because Pryce and Hera both hold grudges against people they feel have wronged or humiliated them (although arguably Pryce has no ground to stand on, she still feels the need to show up those who have defied her. She insists on calling Hera, who went against her programming, an "it" and tries going against Cutter's orders to attempt revenge, telling Hera "she'll never be rid of her", and after Maxwell betrays Hera, Hera is reluctant to forgive her and coldly tells Eiffel that they "shouldn't throw funerals for animals").

Because Pryce and Hera use similar phrases in different contexts, though the most notable one I can think of is Pryce calling Doug "boy" (derogatory) and Hera calling Doug "good boy" (affectionate).

Because Cutter was scared when Pryce was in danger and Eiffel freaked out whenever Hera was hurt or in pain.

Because when Pryce was in danger, Cutter considered jeopardizing the mission goals for her, and Eiffel gave up his memories for Hera.

Because despite these similarities, there are differences between their relationships and aside from the obvious differences of "yeah they're similar, but Pryce and Cutter are really evil and really old", the other big difference between these sets of characters is Cutter telling Pryce that her one job is to "back his plays" and that the one thing that terrifies him isn't aliens, enemies, or the laws of physics, but her improvising in the moment vs. Eiffel telling Hera that he trusts her "with his life" with no questions asked.

Going insane over these parallels. Scratching at the walls. My favorite space friendship built on mutual love and trust vs. the grossest most immoral "partnership" of all time.

[mhsdatgo]

I feel like a lot of people misunderstand me when I say I'm disappointed with the way Aegon was adapted.

Most of those who criticize me (and some Aegon stans who aren't apologists, because get some help seriously) throw every possible excuse there is in the book in order to rid Aegon of any kind of depth or potential for Season 2.

I've been told I can't stomach characters that are downright bad, I've been told I only cling to show!Aegon's only redeeming quality at the moment (namely, TGC) and make it THE reason why Aegon should be liked.

I really don't know why I gotta say this about myself as a preface in order to debunk that second "theory" but I can absolutely assure you that amongst all the people I've crushed on or fell in love with in all my years of life, only two of them were boys and one of them is my current boyfriend. So if anything my fuckable meter as moral compass doesn't work that well with men lmao. Thank you for admitting that this show is so bad that sometimes the only good quality about certain characters are the actors that play them, idk what to tell you.

And on not being able to handle wicked characters, really? I've got a whole blog shitting on HotD writers for a lot of reasons amongst which is the fact that they made Rhaenyra blander than unseasoned potatoes and you came to the conclusion that... I can't handle wicked characters?

I'd really have no problems with Aegon being adapted as the cruel piece of shit he is in the books. You know, the only source material. If we're talking Aegon individually, my only problem with the route they're taking is making it similar to Joffrey. We don't want Joffrey Targaryen, we want Aegon II. (And like it or not, he's so different from Joffrey it's not even funny) The only things these two kids have in common are dying from poison, having a mother who's a lady-turned-queen, having a grandfather who's hand of the king and being selfish pricks.

My problem lies with Rhaenyra. Everyone knows Aegon sucks ass, that was known even before Sara Hess came up with that caricature of cartoonish evilness and tried masking it as gray writing. It's wanting to make Rhaenyra any better that is ridiculous as fuck.

Rhaenyra was just as selfish, self-righteous and dumb as Aegon. Rhaenyra's motives were just as valid as Aegon. They are both sides of the same coin. That's the basics if you want to understand Fire and Blood. Something Sara, Ryan, Miguel and the entire team didn't understand in the slightest. If you want me to take a show about the Dance of the Dragons seriously, you want to make this SIMPLE concept clear as day, which really isn't that hard.

And I'm sorry, but the situation with Dyana, that poor thing, is always angering to watch. Despicable, yes. Unforgivable, yes. I agree. I like it when there are turns in the adaptation of a story as vague as Fire and Blood, but not when that change is made for no reason other than wanting to uplift a character who deserves anything but.

Furthermore, I beg your pardon a second time for wanting the least possible scenes of r*pe or implied r*pe on my screen. Maybe because it's triggering, not necessarily because the r*pist is played by my little meow meow, ever thought of that? If you want your audience to hate a character, put yourself at work. There are so many ways to do that. Taking the easy route (because it was an easy route, argue with the wall) because war crimes aren't enough to make people pounce at a character like rabid dogs is lazy and disrespectful to people who came to see a well developed show. First accept that there aren't saints in F&B, then you can start working.

[cymk8]

I can't stop looking at your Shadowlach art. Any of it. All of it.

- One cos of your artistry: beautiful and soft and the negative space?? Hello??

- Two cos HELLO?? you draw them so soft and sweet and it is just so peaceful to look at your art. (The kitties in the hair brushing one are *so* cute, and non-ship friends are also enamoured with them :3)

Tell us more about your headcanons, please!

Some prompts if needed: How did things progress from platonic? Was it romantic from early on or primarily physical attraction? Were they on similar pages throughout their relationship or did one fall harder?

General invitation to word dump: what thoughts have you most crazed? Why don't you let them out ;)

(thank u so much...for your compliment and also the fact you sent this ask in the first place has made my day)

God I have so fucking many thoughts I'm going little insane about it and I'm literally so happy you asked because. I have been w a i t i n g HAHA

Your prompts:

We have all heard That Line™; I'd imagine that having both been so pent up, they would immediately jump each other's bones given the opportunity — Shadowheart is absolutely unsubtle and Karlach is Karlach

I actually think it would be one sided for a while!! But not in the piney way. I think Shadowheart attempts to rizz the shit out of Karlach only to fail because Karlach's situation with her engine essentially made her exceptionally good at Resisting Temptation (I find it absolutely hilarious that most of Karlach's in-game responses are so purposefully obtuse when it comes to her)

That in particular pisses Shadowheart off since she would be so used to being able to finesse her way through things like this (because of her background as a professional 'spy' — because otherwise...she's an absolute dork); it makes her try extra hard and eventually come to the conclusion that her attraction is greater when in fact Karlach has had more experience living like a Nun™ than she does

(cont.)

As for the development...I think they would be on similar levels of attraction, but tackle it differently — Karlach would immediately embrace the feeling and Shadowheart will try her fucking hardest to rationalize it away/deny it (queen of repression)

They would probably be fast friends (Shadowheart rizzing Karlach), then actual friends (because Karlach is so earnest Shadowheart feels like she can be earnest too), physically involved, then romantically involved — it only outwardly seems fast, but they definitely have things to work through before they can actually really be honest and feel that they can rely on each other completely

Random headcanon/general thoughts that have going FERAL IN THE CLUB:

I think they work really well together — they balance each other out in the sense that they have very different ways of handling their own stresses and trauma; they have a lot of opportunities to grow even just by being around one another (for example, Shadowheart is so Repressed™ even other characters feel the same way — and Karlach is the opposite); restraint and freedom go hand in hand 😌

They both have a love for adorable things...once the all of the shit with Karlach's heart gets sorted and they FINALLY get to live that cottagecore life, I think their farm would have so many more animals. Like. So many...Karlach would honestly just be so excited to be able to care for things again — and Shadowheart would be excited because she's finally allowed to be just as loud about showing that she DOES care

The idea that Shadowheart's hair could be a signifier for how closed off she is — so throughout the acts, she slowly lets it down/get messier figuratively and literally in front of everyone...AND KARLACH gets permission to touch and braid it as a sign of true trust and vulnerability; it becomes something of a ritual (Karlach is obsessed simply for the fact that she isn't seen as dangerous and is trusted to be able to be gentle about things) (thanks @kanobies for giving me that sweet, sweet psychic damage)

To add to that: they like physically pampering each other — Karlach finally internalizing that she can be 'pretty' and deserving of gentle care and Shadowheart internalizing that she is allowed to want/ask for things that aren't strictly necessary or used towards a greater cause (I don't think she's ever had a strong sense of bodily autonomy in the sense that she was gaslit into thinking every aspect of her life was for Lady Shar)

I'M OBSESSED WITH THE FACT THAT THEY RADIATE DOG ENERGY IN VASTLY DIFFERENT WAYS: thank you Isobel for immediately clocking Shadowheart on sight by calling her a feisty little terrier and for Karlach being literally Clifford the Big Red Dog and

The difference in lifespans...FUCK. KARLACH WOULD TRY SO HARD TO MAKE THEIR TIME TOGETHER WORTH IT/MEMORABLE since she knows her life is comparatively short; Shadowheart would never take it for granted; they make each other keepsakes...🫠🥹🥹

And I still have so much more but I gotta seem like I'm at least somewhat classy (pls...if anyone wants to talk about any of them or both of them I am so mcfucking ready)

[bostrichidae]

screaming without the v.

so. guess who just watched my adventures with superman season 2.

AUUUUUUGUAUGHHGH (/POS????? I THINK??????)

SPOILERS BELOW CUT

i love kara. i love the way her character was handled, i love her realistic mix of naivety and maturity beyond her years. i'll talk a bit more about her later.

the representation of krypton is beautiful. from kara's point of view, she sees the kryptonian empire as this utopian place where all was well in the world, but clark knows better. he's seen the truth of krypton from a mostly unbiased perspective, and could probably make the connections between krypton and similar empires on earth. he understands that the beauty of a so-called perfect world comes at a devastating price. of course kara didn't know about the destroyed planets due to her brainwashing, but even after she found out she denied it because krypton is perfect, because why would the planets have to get destroyed in the first place? why wouldn't they want to become part of this perfect world?

and clark. aurgh, clark. i stand by my belief that this is the best characterization of superman. his fear of hurting others, his fear of being a weapon, his constant fighting to protect the world from devastation and to unite all peoples within our nation even if the powers of that world reject him for existing. and when he became his worst fear, when his body became a weapon turned against earth, he still fought. he fought to protect his family, his friends, his home. he fought against himself, his origins, and everything he was supposed to be. by breaking free of brainiac's control, both kara and clark claimed their own identities. they separated themselves from their predecessors and ancestors, allowing the kryptonian empire to truly fall without the pillars of the next generation holding it up. i have so many fucking thoughts about the generational trauma of krypton but i won't get into that right now.

now back to kara and her relationship with brainiac. she was a sheltered, manipulated child, and her situation absolutely reeks of stockholm syndrome. she's aware that brainiac isn't her biological father, but he raised her. he saved her from that escape pod, she taught him to be strong. every time he called her weak, beat her, scolded her over small mistakes, he was only helping her get stronger! her father was never wrong, when he called her weak it's because it was true and he wanted to help her be a warrior!

right?

clark is an outside influence, a foreign entity, an unpredictable variable getting in the way of their relationship and helping her to open her eyes. but after everything, after brainiac is revealed to be the kryptonians' murderer, she still despairs when he dies. she feels sorrow for the man who nearly killed her cousin, who wiped out her people, who brainwashed her into acts of genocide. who raised her, who cherished her as a daughter, who shaped her into the warrior she is today. i think it will be fascinating to see how she copes with brainiac's death and her different environment in season 3, especially because we saw she kept part of her father abuser with her. she's a wonderful character they could never make me hate you kara from my adventures with superman. i think rät by penelope scott really works well for her and her life with brainiac, give it a listen if you haven't before.

other stuff i really liked about this season:

lois and sam, how their past together is revealed as their future together constantly shifts trajectories. two lanes diverged, amiright fellas... hahah... yeah. i love how lois still carries her father's lessons with her, even after everything he did. how yes, he was a shitty father, but he truly did care about keeping her safe. that he's a flawed character with problems of his own- and she acknowledges that, and recognizes why he does what he does. but still doesn't forgive him. this show is SO FUCKING GOOD at complicated relationships i swear

livewire and heatwave power couple? fuck yeah. monsieur mallah and the brain returning? hell yes. STEEL??? HELL FUCKING YES.

silas stone cameo and somewhat important role in the first half of the season, hopefully we'll see more of him soon... (hopefully we see victor. im a little bit not normal about victor stone. in a non simp way.)

kara and james is so cute... love me some healthy straight ships in my silly show about a himbo and his emotional support goblins. clois and jara double date RIGHT THIS INSTANT I DEMAND OF YOU

the alternate world where clark was raised on krypton... i kind of want to see more of that. like a short episode released independent from the storyline showing a bit more of kryptonian culture and what it would've been like to grow up there. i just think it'd be really neat

lex. calm down buddy. ur like 12. you don't need to go bald yet. sees season 3 first images LEX. PUT THE WEAVE BACK ON THIS INSTANT.

speaking of season 3... KON EL!!! HE'S ARRIVED!!! i'm actually tweaking out rn i need season 3 to be released. i need to know!!! fanfiction will only indulge my fantasies for so long.

clark and kara doing spiderman kisses with lois and jimmy thank you for coming to my ted talk.

cat grant is such a theater kid... she definitely played patty in a production of grease at some point.

if you've made it all the way to here then thank you for reading my essay(?) on why maws s2 is peak superhero media. and thanks for listening to me as i scream without the v anyways go watch this wonderful show

[revserrayyu]

2.4 Xianzhou continuance thoughts [part 3]

**SPOILERS** for the end of this patch’s mission, covering all the drama happening down in the Shackling Prison, so advert thine eyes if thou have not finished the story as of yet.

Once we found out we were actually able to visit the Shackling Prison during this update, I was eagerly waiting to see how Dan Heng would handle returning to this place. It certainly makes him uneasy, even before entering this cold place, and Nicholas does such a great job conveying all those anxieties into every one of Dan Heng’s lines whenever his past is brought up while here. The level of concern we hear from the Trailblazer is sweet too, like I audibly “aww’d” at this brief exchange.

I admire your confidence, Moze, but please don’t do anything reckless! But hearing how he’s a jail-breaker doesn’t really surprise me. There’s a bunch of shadowy figures of him bound by chains in his splash art and recent leaks showing off his skills can back up how he’s so swift in his escapes. He managed to avoid capture towards the end of this quest too.

Huzzah, another Jingliu mention that only surprises me because I haven’t bothered to read any of the relic’s descriptions of the Prisoner of Deep Confinement set. And how does one possibly manage to avoid eating for several centuries?

Not only did this beast apparently not starve, but he also endured unrelenting pain every day? Frightening. Hoolay is really out here surviving purely on hatred and a need for revenge.

Once glance at these notes and I just knew someone was gonna yap about Jingliu in front of him. Definitely wasn’t disappointed when it happened either.

Hey Moze’s defiance is valid! Never take random medicine from people! But in this case, yeah, it’s for your safety sir, “just swallow it already.”

Okay so there was like one or two instances before this where Jiaoqiu also noticed shape-shifted Borisin by their scent and makes me wonder how he could tell the difference. I assume Foxians have stronger noses than we do so perhaps it’s easier for someone like him to notice, or perhaps it’s a similar feeling to him being around Feixiao so often since she also suffers from Moon Rage? He did refer to it as familiar later on. Either way, he really should’ve spoken up about his suspicions earlier.

Y’all..these two are absolutely delivering each line perfectly and the emotion is squeezing my heart so tightly. I love the bond the Express crew has with each other so darn much! The hand pat is cute but let me hug this man please! He needs several!

The feels keep on coming as I was kicking my feet and squealing all giddy when Dan Heng jumped in to save us from being crushed. I know he’s literally doing his job as the guard of the Express but.. aww. I’d probably have a better screenshot if I wasn’t too stunned by what I was seeing with my own eyes, but alas. I fangirled too hard to care.

We always resort back to our trusty baseball bat, huh? I get how pulling out the Watchmaker’s hat probably wouldn’t be as epic or helpful, but I’d like to see us wield the flaming lance a bit more during cutscenes like this. Having us use it during the cutscenes with boss battle Aventurine were nice. Makes me wonder if Dan Heng will call upon his Imbibitor Lunae form if the situation ever gets too dire.

Ohh, and with all that chatter about poison to March and the kids before, I believe he’d be successful in creating such a medicine too.

His dedication to cure Feixiao’s condition is extraordinary and I’m wishing so hard for him to achieve it somehow.

On a side note, I am glad this whole mission continued with that split character perspectives feature that Penacony had so we could try out Jiaoqiu in battle a few times. I’m still quite fond of him, but after mixing him in with my team, I couldn’t really find a decent place for him. I may wait for his rerun before I pull but we’ll see if my mind gets swayed before his banner starts.

Getting a little sneak peak at what Moze can do was cool but sadly didn’t last long enough. Still hard to believe this man is a four-star but at least he’ll be easier to level up.

It’s funny to me seeing Moze go nuts with his abilities and sharp weapons, then you got Jiaoqiu fighting with a fan. And spices. And cooking enemies in a giant hot pot. The strange fighting methods fit right into Star Rail and that’s one of the many things I love about this game; how literally anything can end up as a weapon.

But yeah, as expected, Hoolay managed to escape with the helped of the many Borisin who transformed themselves to look like the prison guards.

Xueyi gets absolutely wrecked after a failed attempt to stop Hoolay and I probably would’ve been more shocked if they hadn’t shown her lifeless on the ground in the 2.4 trailer.

Yeah, thank Aeons she’s a puppet or else this really would’ve been her end.. and with how casually Hanya mentions such damage has become somewhat of a reoccurring thing, I guess we’re all worried for nothing. Even less so as Xueyi later pilots a conveniently placed cycrane up and out of the prison to inform Jing Yuan of the disaster that happened.

Dan Heng literally saying that he rather die than having anything bad happen to us.. aahh. He’s such a good boy. I feel bad for never using this regular form of his, until I remember Imbibitor Lunae is most likely my strongest unit, so all is well. But how about neither one of us dies, okay? That’s more ideal.

Jiaoqiu thinking about Feixiao first before the entire wellness of their home.. god, he’s so committed to that promise of his. Love that for him.

Hearing him quite literally triggering Hoolay was to be expected, but also sly of him to conveniently leave out that our former sword champion is no longer on the Luofu. I think one of the nearby Borisin noticed and corrected this information to Hoolay anyways, but whatever. It manages to keep our medic alive as a hostage.

After seeing Dan Heng throw Cloud Piercer in an attempt to stop the prison’s doors from closing, I wanna assume we managed to escape, but it’s still kinda vague. I’d hope we did because I certainly don’t want our faithful Express partner to trapped in this nightmarish place any longer than he already has! He deserves to be free from his past!

Heeyyy there, queen. Missed you but definitely can’t end this rambling without you. My expectations after this first part have been raised significantly so if anything, I better see her go all out and fight like crazy in 2.5.

Tell me how exactly. How does one manage to lose sight of a huge, menacing Borisin like Hoolay? Unless he’s also capable of shape-shifting, which would make perfect sense if he can and used that little party trick to escape, but damn.

And with that, I’m finished. Until the next update, of course.