#screwing over people to succeed

[gwensy]

anyways i love blog diving and finding posts about spider-gwen from like 2015 it really is a glimpse into a brighter world

[emptyheadgamer]

After the escapist shit the bed and caused everyone to quit, the first episode of yahtzee's new series is out.

[bodhrancomedy]

I’m just going to say this here so people aren’t concerned.

I am a writer and actor. I am based in the UK and Ireland.

We are not currently striking.

We are being affected by the strikes, there’s certainly not as many jobs around, but we aren’t striking.

If I take a UK-production company job, I am not scabbing.

We have different unions. There are actors represented by both Equity and SAG-AFTRA, but I am not one of them.

(I’m actually not even in Equity yet, I’ve only just earned enough to be accepted and I can’t afford the membership fee at this moment)

We are not allowed to strike in the UK. We have terrible anti-strike laws. We are also being screwed over a lot, but I’m hoping if WGA and SAG-AFTRA succeed we might get some trickle down help.

It’d be totally different if I took an American based job, which I won’t because I want the writers and actors to break the big studios.

Support the strikes, but please remember not everyone is American.

[fixyourwritinghabits]

AI, Plagiarism, and CYA

Shout-out for all the students gearing up to go back to school in increasingly frustrated times when dealing with all this AI bullshit. As you've probably noticed, lots of institutions have adapted anti-plagiarism software that incorporates AI detectors that - surprise - aren't that great. Many students are catching flack for getting dinged on work that isn't AI generated, and schools are struggling to catch up to craft policies that uphold academic rigor. It sucks for everyone involved!

As a student, it can really feel like you're in a bind, especially if you didn't do anything wrong. Your instructor isn't like to be as tech-savvy as some, and frankly, you might not be as tech-savvy as you think either. The best thing to do, no matter how your school is handling things, is to Cover Your Ass.

Pay attention to the academic policy. Look, I know you probably skimmed the syllabus. Primus knows I did too, but the policy there is the policy the instructor must stick with. If the policy sets down a strong 'don't touch ChatGPT with a ten-foot pole' standard, stick to it. If you get flagged for something you thought was okay because you didn't read the policy carefully, you don't have ground to stand on if you get called out.

Turn off Autosave and save multiple (named) drafts. If you're using Microsoft Word because your school gives you a free license, the handy Autosave feature may be shooting you in the foot when it comes to proving you did the work. I know this seems counter-intuitive, but I've seen this bite enough people in the ass to recommend students go old-school. Keep those "draft 1234" in a file just in case.

Maintaining timestamped, clearly different drafts of a paper can really help you in the long-run. GoogleDocs also goes a much better job of tracking changes to a document, and may be something to consider, however, with all this AI shit, I'm hesitant to recommend Google. Your best bet, overall, is to keep multiple distinctive drafts that prove how your paragraphs evolved from first to final.

Avoid Grammarly, ProWiritingAid, etc. All that handy 'writing tools' software that claims to help shore up your writing aren't doing you any favors. Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and other software throw up immediate flags in AI-detection software. You may have only used it to clean up the grammar and punctuation, but if the AI-detection software says otherwise, you might be screwed. They're not worth using over a basic spell and grammar check in both Word and GoogleDocs can already do.

Cite all citations and save your sources! This is basic paper-writing, but people using ChatGPT for research often neglect to check to make sure it isn't making shit up, and that made up shit is starting to appear on other parts of the internet. Be sure to click through and confirm what you're using for your paper is true. Get your sources and research material from somewhere other than a generative language model, which are known for making shit up. Yes, Wikipedia is a fine place to start and has rigorously maintained sources.

Work with the support your school has available. My biggest mistake in college was not reaching out when I felt like I was drowning, and I know how easy it is to get in you head and not know where to turn when you need more help. But I've since met a great deal of awesome librarians, tutors, and student aid staff that love nothing more to devote their time to student success. Don't wait at the last moment until they're swamped - you can and will succeed if you reach out early and often.

I, frankly, can't wait for all this AI bullshit to melt down in a catastrophic collapse, but in the meantime, take steps to protect yourself.

[essycogany]

Sonic HATES Being Wrong

Like…to an extreme degree. Let me elaborate.

This is a very interesting detail I’ve noticed ever since I made my Sonic’s Flaws post. Here, I’d like to talk about Sonic’s most fatal flaw because this conversation gets interesting. The flaw is one every variation of Sonic can be guilty of and one that causes the most damage to his world and even the people he cares about. If you disagree, I understand. Just hear me out and even if I don’t convince you, I hope this turns out to be a fun read regardless. Feel free to give me some context, correct me, or add information if you‘d like.

The Flaw

Sonic is terribly pertinacious and stubborn. Most people would think of Sonic Prime where he doesn’t listen to his friends warning him to not destroy the paradox prism, but when I think of Prime!Sonic I don't think of that. Especially since this version comes off more as an inexperienced teenager trying to figure things out. While in the games, he’s portrayed as rarely being wrong. Not because he’s perfect, but because Sonic never feels the need to change because of past victories. After all, if everything is going his way, why should he change, right? Well, this can be a problem. The scene in S3 ep3 where a few of the pirates were lost at sea, shows how truly stubborn Prime!Sonic (and Sonic in general), can be. He verbally refuses to take accountability for lost resources and unknowingly helps Nine have better predominance over them.

In this scene, No Place was decaying and Sonic finds out that the other pirate crew was stuck there. Everyone else, even the villains, reasonably says it’s too risky and he ignores them. Of course, he is within reason but if things went sour, it would’ve been his fault. Especially since that almost became a reality before the Chaos Council swooped in to help.

Near the end of the episode, Sonic says it’s a win for everyone, but Mr. Doc says, “Was it? Your little friends are safe, but at what cost? The fox can conjure up more minions with the snap of his fingers. Whereas our fleet is damaged, our troops are spent, and we’re almost out of time.” Surprisingly reasonable call out of the consequences of saving the pirates, if they don’t have enough resources, they were even more screwed than before. Then Sonic says, “I’m sorry but losing anyone is not an option.” While it’s warranted and makes sense for his character, it almost comes across as “We had to save them because I said so.” This is an example of Sonic not having a good argument by addressing the results of their battle. He does it a lot more than you’d think. Despite Sonic not listening to people being a bigger staple of Prime, I personally think it’s never expanded upon or executed well. Not to me anyway, but I don’t mind anyone disagreeing.

In any case, Sonic, as a character in every continuity, tends to “follow by his own rules” but this can be perceived negatively as “doing whatever he wants no matter who argues with him.”

Examples

Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric tackles this too. This is probably the least serious example but still can be a problem sometimes. This is S2 Ep 19 when an Eggman robot Clone tries to break Team Sonic apart and almost succeeds too. It doesn’t have much to do with this topic but I do like how in this episode when the drama started happening, Sonic for once in his life tries to talk abohut his feelings with Tails who turned out to be Steve. I know this has nothing to do with this discussion, but I just thought it was a funny thing to point out. The one time Sonic tries to talk about his feelings, he gets the door slammed in his face. It’s so mean-spirited and stupid. I love Sonic Boom!

But yeah, Rise Of Lyric also shows how his stubbornness can end up with the world being at stake. Or in the case of this episode have your friends grow apart.

The Sonic Movies tackles his shortcomings perfectly. I think he's pretty impulsive in all 3 movies. Mixing his perniciousness doesn't create the greatest meal. He's younger, so that would be expected. This scene is the most recent example. Sonic as a character tends to live in the moment and here, Movie!Sonic is playing a huge role in this category. He’s not even trying to hear anyone out. He’s in a constant rage at this point and can’t think clearly. He wants revenge on Shadow so much he loses himself. His brothers are so loyal to still allow him to get the Master Emerald despite knowing he wants it for revenge. Sonic's so hurt, he even forgets what they originally were there for.

I'm sure if Sonic choose to let his feelings consume him, he probably wouldn’t have saved the world. Why? Let’s just say things would’ve went out of control without Shadow. Sonic dogged a big tangent bullet for having mercy on Shadow.

Yeah, Archie/Reboot Archie didn’t mess around either. I'd say it’s sometimes as tense and bit worse due to him having the biggest ego and ongoing trauma. I'm surprised he didn't go insane. Notice how harsh he is in these instances. He’s overly angry here. Luckily, he has a large group of friends to help him take things down a peg and reminds him how they have his back. Even when worst comes to worst (which is an understatement), his friends are able to get him out of that mindset and put him back in reality. Hunbel him to put it bluntly.

In a way, Sonic's flaws in the Archie comics make me think he feels so guilty that he pushes himself beyond his limits as a way to make up for his loudmouth. Like in other versions, he feels the need to take on more than he can physically handle. He strains his body, mind, and entire being to accomplish tasks on his own because he believes he deserves the punishment. Alternatively, he might just be exhausting himself and attempting to take on more than he can manage. It’s not surprising, really.

This panel is insane for letting Eggy make a valid point. You can tell by his ears how Sonic’s getting visibly irritated. By the end of the argument, he gets super mad and can’t even find a good quip to back himself up. Because in a way, he knows Eggman has a point. That’s how I interpret it anyway.

Game or IDW Sonic is usually in denial when it comes to being wrong. He doesn’t address the issues directly but the person who calls him out for it instead. He’s the most experienced Sonic. I know some people use “mature” but I think experience is a better term due to how he doesn’t have arcs or character growth like other characters. More so he’s used to this song and dance, so his hatred towards being wrong comes from a place of thinking he’s got everything under control. Until it bites him in the butt.

You notice in most of these Sonic’s pretty angry and isn’t the biggest fan of being told off. Even in different continuities, the guy cannot argue without not being self-aware most of the time. The funny thing is he isn’t doing it selfishly. At least not in a typical way. To me, Sonic is the least selfish character in the franchise for a good chunk of the series. He sacrifices himself, gives people more chances than they deserve, and even takes the time to stop his main goals if it means helping someone else. But the guy cannot take the time to admit he’s wrong or his morals have consequences. Not because Sonic thinks he’s better than everyone. I don’t think Sonic sees himself in that way, but I do think he’s always in “I’ve done this thing plenty of times. As long as this thing works, I’ll keep doing it,” mode. Or in the case of Movie!Sonic, goes on instinct which is also a common part of his characterization.

Why Sonic Has This Flaw

Sonic never stops running; he charges head-first into any situation, always striving to do what's right. After all, he's the fastest thing alive. Sonic doesn't have the luxury of questioning himself or dwelling on doubts. While it's true that he has caused some issues, including in the games, he doesn't waste time feeling sorry for himself. The only times he's shown insecurity were during the Metal Virus arc, so interpret that as you wish.

This brings up another point. Crazy how much I didn’t notice, but most of the time, Sonic doesn’t like it when people disagree with him. Understandable, everyone doesn’t want to be wrong. But he takes it to the extreme at times. Like sometimes he's baffled when anyone challenges him. Sonic’s also never truly called out by the right people. I don’t mean Shadow, Espio, Knuckles, or the villains. I mean, Amy, Tails, Tangled, or other characters he’s inspired. People who look up to him. Sure, they try, but I can count on one hand how many times he actually listens. Sonic’s always so caught up in doing things his way that he disregards people who mean the most to him.

I mentioned this in my other post but he doesn't listen to Tails in Sonic 06 or Lost World, so the games count.

While Sonic often has valid points in his arguments with others, he frequently comes across as someone who needs to be right. He rarely allows others the opportunity to express their views or admits when he is wrong. This issue is often overlooked in stories where these conflicts arise, either because there isn't enough time to address them or they remain unanswered altogether. This makes sense, considering that Sonic typically doesn’t undergo character arcs canonically. However, I appreciate the presence of characters like Shadow, Knuckles, Surge, Kit, and certain Archie characters like Scurge. They serve to challenge Sonic’s morals and illustrate that he isn’t always correct. If Sonic isn’t going to evolve as a character, at least these figures can show that his sense of freedom and living by his own rules doesn’t work for everyone. They can be portrayed negatively and can challenge his viewpoints. They can be questioned. They can be challenged. Sonic isn’t always right.

His passion shows that he truly wants things to work for everyone. His stubbornness drives him to the point of frustration as he strives to help others to live according to his ideals. However, at times his approach isn’t the most effective. You can see that Sonic genuinely hates this, yet he continues to push forward to help those in need. There’s something both beautiful and heartbreaking about that.

Conclusion

What’s funny is that Sonic rarely gets angry, so you could say this could be one of his few triggers. Along with people being unjust and other such.

Overall, Sonic has good intentions but the results of those intentions are severe. None of this is to imply Sonic’s a terribly written character. It’s just a serious flaw he has. Though listening to his friends more would help.

I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t like a moment of his friends noticing a constant pattern of him being pertinacious and not paying attention to anyone’s protest. I wouldn’t want it to come out of nowhere, but it’d be an issue that’d progress over a large amount of time and add up. It could be dramatic or constructive depending on the situation and execution. Whatever character does it, they’d either talk to him about it or physically show the outcomes of his actions. They do it all the time in other media but not canonically. This is just random speculation though. I don’t know if I’m in over my head but I hope someone got something out of this.

All of this is not to say Sonic never takes accountability or listens to his friends. SA1 scene with Amy, when he apologizes to Bell in IDW for being too standoffish, and plenty of other examples. Like the end of Sonic movie 3. That Sonic Boom episode where he apologized for not working with his team. And endless moments in Archie and Reboot Archie. Sonic isn’t unreasonable. Just 9 times out of 10 he can get a big head. That’s all.

Stay Creative! 💜

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Ideas: Evil Plan

This trope is the reason "villains act, heroes react"; the villain needs to be doing something evil or the hero has no evil to thwart.

Some popular examples of Evil Plans:

Take Over the World: This is the most popular villainous scheme of all. The scale of conquest can vary depending on the setting and (or) the villain—some warlords are content to settle with conquering a city, a kingdom or nation, while Science Fiction or Fantasy overlords will go for nothing less than galactic, universal or even multidimensional domination.

The Evils of Free Will: A popular means to this end: by robbing everyone of their free will, they will have no choice but to serve their rightful ruler.

Assimilation Plot: Let's turn everyone into a single entity, whether they wish it or not.

Earth-Shattering Kaboom: Why take over the world when you can blow it up? Like Take Over the World, the scale of destruction also varies depending on the setting — some villains are content with merely destroying a city or kingdom (particularly if they feel the city or kingdom has somehow wronged them — i.e., revenge), while Omnicidal Maniacs may well wish nothing less than to destroy the entire universe or multiverse.

Kill All Humans. Related tropes: Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: A character wants to get rid of a particular person or group of people just for existing. Absolute Xenophobe: Wants to destroy all other sentient life (human or otherwise). Omnicidal Maniac: Wants to destroy absolutely all life, sentient or not. Final Solution: The intentional extermination of a species/demographic is the answer to fix a perceived issue. Humanity's Wake: The outcome of this trope should the opposing species succeed in eradicating us.

In Their Own Image: Not happy with the world the way it is? Try tearing it down, and building it back up as something even greater.

The End of the World as We Know It: Not so much destroying the world or humanity as really screwing up civilization; though the former two may be involved in the bargain.

A God Am I: Forcing everyone to acknowledge their godhood (actual godlike powers optional).

Godhood Seeker: Make your character an actual deity.

Immortality Seeker: Pursue the quest for eternal life, no matter what foul deeds are needed to make it happen.

A Plot in Deed: Steal the deed to a plot of land and you'll own it, so why not steal the deed to somewhere good?

MacGuffin: Steal an ancient artifact with untold powers. This is usually done in the pursuit of one of the other Evil Plans.

Sealed Evil in a Can: Release the source of all Evil from its prison. This rarely goes well for the villain attempting it.

Revenge: You know that guy that wronged you in the past? It doesn't matter how petty or misplaced your grievance is, it's payback time. Time to kill him, or make his life a living hell.

Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: If you're already rich, get richer. Any scheme is fair game in the pursuit of the profit margin, be it theft, blackmail, or auctioning the world off to hungry demons. Unfortunately, this lust for wealth falls prey to poor planning.

Utopia Justifies the Means: You know how people keep hurting themselves and each other? Make them stop, by whatever means are necessary. No ill will required! Just like in Take Over the World, The Evils of Free Will often gets put into play here.

Dystopia Justifies the Means: People hurting each other? That's exactly what your society needs. Use all the means at your disposal to create a nightmarish dystopia where the forces of evil run rampant and people live in constant terror and corruption, just the way the villains like it.

Poke the Poodle: Their idea of evil is harmless behavior like cheating at Solitaire, jaywalking on an empty road, chewing gum in Singapore, pulling the "do not remove" tag off of your mattress, hiding your toothpaste, drinking the milk directly from the carton...

Source ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[hijinxinprogress]

YJ playing never have I ever 

Cissie goes never have I ever been experimented on by the government so Greta, Kon, and Bart put a finger down “Bart?? Hello??” “The futures fucked” “Called it” “Are you good?” “I mean I like pizza and not being stuck in a simulation sooo” “the future doesn’t have pizza??” “I know! Not having pizza is the absolute worst” 

Kon goes never have I ever had a mentor disregard my safety and everyone except Anita, Cassie, and Greta put a finger down “The joys of not having a mentor” “Hal lost it when he found out about last christmas” “Every time Diana realizes we’ve gone off planet she goes nuclear” “middle child, no one’s looking for me in the first place”

Cassie says never have I ever been betrayed by family members (biological or otherwise) so there’s a small argument over whether or not you should have to put a finger down for each betrayal “I’m just saying there’s a lot of speedsters” “I have like nine siblings on a technicality” “Do alternate versions of alleged biological relations count??” “🤓👆🏾AlLeGEd BiOlOgicAl ReLaTIoNs ” “stfu” “Can I add someone else’s alt to my list if they killed me?? Wait, Thad tried to kill me again last week” “Are we counting each person or each betrayal??” “I don’t have enough fingers for that” “fuck, me either” “I don’t have enough fingers for each person much less each time I was betrayed” 

Anita goes never have I ever had a family member attempt or succeed in killing me and everyone puts a finger down “so fuck me ig” “does prime count for us??” “yeah?? we’re family, stupid” “I feel targeted” “me too” “what if it was an accident??” “It still counts”

Tim goes never have I ever had to screw with time to meet family member(s) so Anita and Bart put down a finger “technically I didn’t-“ “you’re a speedster put your mf finger down” “fair” “they were babies, I didn’t meet shit” “they were your parents put your fucking-”

Greta goes never have I ever befriended people that tried to kill me multiple times and Tim and Bart put down a finger “it’s how we bond! This is slander” “Bart we’ve been to like six other timelines and dimensions where Thad kills you” “wait you said friend do I-“ “Pru” “listen that’s different” “Anarky??” “Klarion” “Azrael” “Lynx” “I also tried to kill you” “My fucking finger is down are you happy?” 

Bart goes never have I ever had a family that doesn’t want me around and everyone puts a finger down “look at us! Bonding” “I don’t think I was invited to thanksgiving last year” “ngl they have no idea how old I am” “I was accidentally added to the family group chat” “dude they added you??” 

Tim goes never have I ever had mommy issues resulting in everyone putting a finger down “??” “You do know you’re targeting yourself right??” “Bart put your finger down” “wtf why my mom loves me” “Emotional turmoil bc you can never see her again ergo mommy issues” “eRgO” “stfu” “Kon?? You don’t have a mom??” “My choices are Superman or Lex” “Yikes…” “Put another finger down”

[No one wins especially not the jl that walked in halfway through the game bc yj was having game night in a briefing room and gave absolutely zero notice]

[angst-and-fajitas]

I have had a Thought about Caspian and Holstrom and the abuse they both faced and why they turned out the way they did

I was reading the story of an abuse survivor and she was talking about how her abusive father shaped her psyche and caused her to have an inner voice that would put her down all the time, even after years and years. And how healing for her was a process of fighting back against that inner voice and learning not to believe it.

Which gave me Thoughts about this duo and why they act so different in the end.

My theory: Holstrom's toxic inner voice is his father, of course. We learn about Mr. Holstrom through the snippets of those interviews and through Cary's acting. He was abusive, and specifically he was very belittling, always putting him down, attacking his intelligence and his accomplishments, making him feel like he'd never be good enough.

That abuse shaped Holstrom for the rest of his life, even if he claimed that he "never gave a damn about what anyone else said after [his father] left". His inner voice is still his father, telling him he's not good enough, not smart enough. That's why he veers so sharply into egotism and his whole god complex, because he's overcompensating with "I AM good enough, in fact I am the best at this and I know better than everyone else, and people should listen to me above all", because he didn't heal, he just slapped a bandaid over his issues and pretended he was fine.

But Caspian? Caspian doesn't hear Cary. Maybe he would've if his path hadn't diverged, but it did, hard. Cary did still psychologically scar him with his abuse, and you can see that shine through still, like early on in the data center in season 2 where he is acting like Holstrom. But never to the same degree as Holstrom himself, because all the stuff Caspian learned about Cary and who he was and why he did what he did really screwed up his ability to attribute his abuse as a kid and teen to Cary.

Instead, Caspian pretty quickly was handed a BIGGER, uglier, even more crushing abuse that reshaped his entire life and kinda blew everything else out of the water. Learning that he was Holstrom's clone, that his existence and his abuse was all to serve this guy, and THEN finding out that he was created to be discarded on top of that... Holstrom became the face of his lifetime of abuse and manipulation.

The internal voice that Caspian hears, the one he fights, isn't his father, but Holstrom: the voice telling him that "regret is a waste of time", that he only needs himself and his own intelligence, telling him to succeed at any cost to others, to be ruthless and objective and apathetic. That's what he's fighting, and that's why he becomes so kind and so selfless, even to the cost of his own life. Because that's the opposite of what Holstrom was and wanted.

"I live my life trying to resist every gut instinct I have, because I'm not sure if they're mine or Holstrom's!"

[valyrfia]

the thing is, even max at his worst tracks >>>>> charles at his worst tracks. lewis has set himself up well to be the driver ferrari back for a title fight this year, and charles has proven himself to be inconsistent, just like everyone said. you can’t succeed only on ultra high downforce tracks and flop everywhere else if he’s actually expected to fight for a title

keeping this one as an example and because I haven’t explicitly said it but im blocking asks like this going forward. this is a charles first blog. I’m first and foremost ardent lecfosa. also, statements like this are ridiculous when it’s RACE TWO? i’d be slightly more open if we were on like, race ten. statements like these are made further ridiculous by the fact that charles launched himself up into p5 from shit qualifying last race only to be screwed over by strategy much like lewis was. and however shit charles’ australian qualifying was, lewis’ was worse. australia was a bad race for ferrari overall but charles still tried to maximise the best he could, but I suppose you people have conveniently selective memory when it comes to your argument of “charles isn’t good enough to be a world champion”.

[wutheringmights]

Legend of the Galactic Heroes is my favorite anti-authoritarian story because it indulges in the fantasy of the benevolent dictator. 

Authoritarianism is, more often than not, depicted as this indisputably evil institution that is so glaringly nefarious that any reasonable person would know to fight against it. That makes for a good story, but it fails to recognize why anyone would want an authoritarian government to begin with. 

LOGH has Reinhard, who declares he will seize the galaxy in his hands and remake it in his own image. His image is genuinely just. He wants to make life in the empire better. He wants a more equitable society. He wants to do good. On the surface, he succeeds at doing just that. By the time the story ends, Reinhard has reinvented society and improved the lives of billions of people. All of this is in stark contrast to the empire’s biggest enemy.

The Free Planets Alliance is a democracy quickly crumbling under the weight of corruption and the rise of fascism. It’s increasingly chaotic, and its violence is often inflicted onto the civilians living within it. At many times, it feels more unjust to live in the FPA than in the goddamn authoritarian regime just across the milky way. 

The contrast between the empire and the FPA clearly shows what the allure of a dictatorship is. LOGH understands that under societal duress, we want one all-powerful person to swoop in and save us. We want things fixed now, no matter the cost.

The more Reinhard exerts his power to improve the empire, the more we wish that someone in the FPA could also be given that kind of unrestrained authority. We know who exactly in the FPA could make the world better, and we watch them time and time again be screwed over by the powers that be above them. It’s so easy to want them to become another Reinhard-- another just, all-powerful crusader. We want the benevolent dictator.

LOGH tells us not to fall for it. 

Reinhard never falls to corruption. His regime is built on the hard work of men who fully commit to his morals. But there is an inherent violence that never goes away. It’s an authoritarian regime, after all. There’s still a secret police that quietly dispels the opposition. Loyal subordinates are made scapegoats and sacrificed for the sake of the cause. The goodness of the empire hinges on Reinhard’s goodwill. 

LOGH lets Reinhard maintain that goodwill. He gets to spend his entire life fulfilling his dream. He never falls from grace. The fantasy of the benevolent dictator is allowed to come true. 

Then the story asks: what happens when he’s gone?

Reinhard never dismantles the system that created the injustice he fixed. His life’s work will be washed away the moment the throne is succeeded by someone any less benevolent than him. Reinhard realizes this a little too late, and he asserts over and over again that only someone worthy of the throne should take it.

But he has mythologized himself too much, and the people who had fallen for his charm and accepted the good of his system believe that his son will be as equally great. One day, his family name will become synonymous with injustice just like the old regime he had brutally dismantled. He saved the present, but not tomorrow. 

That we never see the spoiling of Reinhard’s legacy is important. The consequences of authoritarianism can take years, if not generations to pan out.  Just because picking a dictatorship will benefit you today doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility to think of tomorrow. But if you can’t accept a government run by a singular savior, what other option do you have?

You have democracy. At times, it’s a poor answer. It’s a system that requires slow, glacial change. It’s prone to corruption. Those who would be the best to rule it are the least inclined to seize power within it. But, as protagonist Yang Wen-li asserts, we haven’t figured out a better system yet. We have to keep dedicating ourselves to a flawed system. What other options do we have?

The benevolent dictatorship is a sweet fantasy, but it’s just that; it was never real to begin with.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes acknowledges how people can give up their rights to a dictator for the sake of a comfortable present. It also understands the sad truth that the only way to fight against the allure of authoritarianism is to have faith in a failing system. The reward may mean more uncertain years of strife, but it’s a sacrifice you have to make not for yourself, but for the generations that will come after you.

A good government is a practice in faith. You have to believe in your rights to self-governance in order to retain them. It’s not easy, but you have to do it. You need to.

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

I watched Squid Game season 2. From what I’ve seen, it’s interesting to see how the angle of the story has shifted. What I mean is that Season 1 was about how capitalism as a system destroys people. It’s a system that is inherently unfair and in order to be successful in it, you have to climb over everyone else.

Season 2, while obviously still focused on capitalism, feels like it’s more about human nature. S1 was “the system is cruel and unfair”. S2 is “while the system is cruel and unfair, people will nevertheless take part in it and even embrace it”.

We kinda saw that in S1 with Sang-woo and Deok-su. But in S2, it’s a lot more focused in the story. Thanos the rapper got screwed over by the crypto guy, but it was his fault since no one forced him to invest in the coin. Despite being screwed over, Thanos had no problem screwing other people over in order to get the money. The people keep voting to continue the games despite all the deaths. Tribes were formed based on who wanted to keep playing and who wanted to live. The old fucker (forgot his name) saying he has no problem letting everyone else die in order to win the money. And, of course, In-ho taking part in the games to ruin Gi-hun’s plans.

I feel that In-ho’s role in the story is what defines S2. Despite having lived through the horror of the games, he clearly believes in the games and what they represent. He’s the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” phrase personified. He was in debt, he won his own game, and now he’s got power and wealth. That’s what makes his rivalry with Gi-hun so interesting, it’s the capitalist versus the socialist. And I do think the socialist description fits Gi-hun since his character canonically was fighting for workers rights and his main focus is taking the system down.

I’m curious to see where they’ll go with S3. I can see it going two ways. We could get the happy, Hollywood ending where Gi-hun wins and the entire game gets shut down. I can also see a darker, more realistic ending where Gi-hun might succeed in taking down In-ho and the VIPs but the games somehow continuing. Because ultimately, you can’t destroy greed, selfishness and people’s capacity to be cruel to each other. That’s what season 2 established.

[oneofthosebells]

The more I sit with S3 of Young Royals, the more I love it. I feel like it gave us the revolution we were promised but it was personal instead of systematic, and that's okay.

Sometimes you can't burn down everything, some systems are too entrenched to change overnight. But even so you can choose to change yourself, and you can change the people around you, and you can learn and listen and grow. You can choose to put yourself first when you're up against an enemy that's too big to fight and the fight is making you lose sight of who you are. You can choose to walk away from the toxic situation. You can choose the friends that help you grow over the friends that hold you back. You can choose yourself and your friends and your family over the person you have romantic feelings for. And those are all revolutions in their own way.

Hillerska closes, ending the cycle of bullying and abuse. But the elite will fight to open it again because of course they will. That's how it works. The rich and powerful will always cling on by their fingernails to keep the status quo that works for them. (As Terry Pratchett put it, they'll "do what the aristocracy have always done, which is trim sails and survive.") But even if it does re-open, that doesn't undo all the good done by closing it, because things will never be exactly the same again. The school inspectorate will be breathing down their necks, they'd probably have to replace all of the board and most of the staff to re-open, and a few parents at least will re-consider sending their own kids there. Remember how Henry said the school was having problems finding students even before all of this happened? The old regime can't hold.

The monarchy wobbles, but will survive - or will it? Like the school, it's run into big problems. The monarch doesn't look like she wants to do this any more. Her consort is, let's be honest, about as much use as a jelly pickaxe. The only heir they have left is a teenage sex offender with an eating disorder and a pill addiction. So maybe it too is on its way out. Or maybe, like the school, they'll fight to save the institution at all costs, and probably they'll succeed; but something fundamental has shifted. A seed has been planted.

I just really like all the loose ends and unanswered questions tbh. I know it didn't work for some people, which is fair enough! But it really worked for me, because it feels realistic. That's life. This is a small snapshot of 9 or 10 months or so in the lives of a bunch of teenagers. Of course they're not going to have all their issues sorted out yet. Some won't have even realised what their issues are yet (cough, August).

But what this ending gives us is some small, personal revolutions in the present and hope for the future. (For the characters we love, anyway. August is a bit screwed. Yay!) And I think that's beautiful.

I don't think S3 was perfect by any means. There's things I could nitpick if I really wanted to (#JusticeForMaddie). But I just don't want to? Because everything we did get I love to bits, and that's more than enough for me.

[aftgficrec]

any dan + coach bonding fics?

Fics about Dan & Wymack are hard to come by, but here’s what we found for you. -A

you may also like:

‘All for the family’ here

‘The Greatest Show’ here 

‘Red Fins and the Number Two’ here

‘Yes, Coach’ here

‘ten children, one acquarium,’ ‘sickeningly sweet (like honey),’ ‘Wymack and his kids,’ and ‘For little monsters with fragile hearts’ plus the art in foxes as foster kids

febuwhump 2025 series by jjjosten (Catlady5001) [Rated G/T, Collection, 28 complete works, Updated Mar 2025] 

Part 2: let me see the world through the kindness of my dad's eyes [G, 797 Words] After finding out that Wymack is Kevin's father, Dan grapples with her feelings. DAY 2: HOLDING BACK TEARS

Part 24: an (un)worthy risk [G, 713 Words] David Wymack knows that he needs Dan Wilds and Renee Walker on his ragtag team of Foxes. Palmetto State, on the other hand, isn't willing to take the risk. DAY 24: FORCED TO BEG

tw: sexism

graduation by FeelingTheDisAster [Rated G, 41 Words, Complete, 2024, Locked]

Dan graduates.

found fox family by FaiaSakura [Rated T, 2236 Words, Complete, 2020]

What is family, if not the people you find true connections with? David Wymack never thought he would find a daughter in Dan Wilds. Betsy Dobson's relationship with Andrew Minyard is as undeniable as it is undefinable. Abby Winfield is the mother-figure for Aaron Minyard in all the ways that matter.

Sun In My Sky by KweenDay [Rated M, 8786 Words, Complete, 2021, Locked]

5 times Matt knew Dan was the one + 1 time he said it to the world

tw: implied/referenced drug addiction, tw: dubcon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

The Prince and the Pea by CrazyPenguinWriter2001 [Rated T, 14413 Words, Complete, 2024]

Part 2 of Foxytales

Once upon a time... As the unofficial princess of Palmetto Kingdom, Dan had to deal with a lot of suitors. Men (and some women) trying their hand at gaining hers in marriage, without taking into consideration what she wanted. Fed up, she and Renee came up with a solution to this problem: a test. And the one who'd succeed would be the one that could marry her. The solution seemed flawless, as all suitors had failed the test and therefore lost the right to marry Dan, leaving her single and happy. That is until a certain young man knocks on the door one rainy evening…

tw: drug addiction

Sweet Creature by Mattsmyboydfriend [Rated G, 9686 Words, Incomplete, Updated Mar 2025]

David attempts to navigate life with three rambunctious and unruly children that unfortunately he loves very much.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse

The Foxhole Kits series by AlrightDarlin (WhoopsOK) [Not Rated/G/T, Collection, 10 complete works, Updated 2021, Locked] 

An AU where Wymack winds up taking on the Foxes as his littles and they learn what it means to have a dad (and a family) that loves them. … this series has no explicit material at all; no sex, no violence, not even the canon-typical kind. The worst you will find are periodic allusions throughout to the things the Foxes went through as kids. Wymack is completely platonic as a caregiver and that will never, ever change.

Part 1: The Unloved Kids [Not Rated, 34923 Words, Complete, 2018] Previously recced here “I intend to treat them the same. I need strong athletes, not toddlers,” Wymack starts, but sits back with a sigh, running a hand over his face. “But hypothetically, if I had to look after a bunch of toddlers on the weekends…” Betsy’s eyes crinkle with her smile. “Are you asking advice?” “They’re screwed up enough,” Wymack says, “I’m not trying to make it worse.”

(David Wymack takes his little nightmares and does his best to corral them and love them within an inch of their lives. He can’t change what happened to them, but he can be there for them now.)

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture

Part 5: Now We’re Grown-up Orphans [G, 8679 Words, Incomplete, Updated Dec 2021] The little adventures of The Foxhole Kits as siblings and Wymack’s kiddos. (Drabbles and one-shots about the little Foxes being friends and having their hurts comforted.)

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied referenced homophobia & internalized homophobia

Finders keepers by honeyyghostt [Not Rated, 64872 Words, Complete, 2024]

"Finders keepers" Andrew said slowly, turning his head to glare at Neil's siblings "losers weepers" ................. Neil keeps getting lost and Andrew keeps finding him.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced drug use, tw: implied/referenced conversion camp

Wymack recruiting Dan from Nora’s extra content shared by @inafieldofstarflowers [Tumblr, 2025]

no wonder Dan cares about Wymack like a father meta by @minyard-05 [Tumblr, 2024]

David Wymack, wish you were my dad spotify playlist by @stick-ball [Tumblr, 2021]

Art

first female captain in NCAA Class I Exy art by @arcadiaak

Danielle Wilds 🧡 art by @mi11ieh

Dan Wilds hospitalized for father figure whiplash art by @doesephs

what if they show up to practice in matching jorts art by @ziegenkind094

His kids. art by @humlase

Team Captain art by @coppakee

Dan Wilds - #1 art by @detrinity

I'd fold too matt. art by @clementinecloudz

[angryteapott]

Why I like the fantasy of Perfect Match more than Flourished Peony

I've watched parts of these shows concurrently, and given the overt feminist dialogue of the latter over the casual misogyny in the former I can see why people might like Flourished Peony and dislike Perfect Match on those grounds. I, however, found myself unable to continue Flourished Peony over a growing sense of unease about the main couple while I happily enjoy Perfect Match.

After some thought I believe it's because I enjoy the pro-woman fantasy in Perfect Match while the one in Flourished Peony scares me. In Flourished Peony, the fantasy is that there is such a profoundly decent man out there that you can feel free enough to do as you like, while in Perfect Match, the fantasy is that if you're clear eyed about the world around you you can mostly do as you like and run circles around those assholes.

What do I mean by "feel free"? Shengyi said it best; Mudan is lucky she has powerful men attracted to her. Mudan is not running her business on her own merit, she is running it on the attraction of a very powerful man, one who as she gets more entangled with has the power of life and death over her. Mudan is incapable of admitting this and uses "deals" to feel free even though she could be more free if she acknowledged the limitations of her position. Someone said here they were relieved when the male lead bought her from the government; I was not. Mudan has worked in extremes. Before the death of Yulu she was incapable of recognizing that only bending would not get her what she wants, after, she is incapable of admitting when she's at an disadvantage in a way the put her and the lives of those around her in danger. This is only resolved by the male lead's attraction, and she refuses to admit that to herself. The divorce ie not letting go of her dowry is an obvious example, but so is her beginning with Shengyi. Instead of admitting to herself that a woman without papers is likely to be taken advantage of, she demands blindly that she be respected for her skills. She then almost gets trafficked and Shengyi almost gets killed. They are then rescued from their status by the male lead because he's attracted to her. She refuses to sell the peony because its a keepsake and gets a special deal because he's attracted to her. She gets capital for her business because he's attracted to her, she makes nothing on the scale that he does, as his servant says. If he calls in on any of this, which he easily can by the way, Mudan is fucked, all the more so because she refuses to admit the other options LIKE HER COUSIN! WHO IS A GREAT OPTION FOR A WOMAN IN HIDING!! After the military camp she has less legal status than if she were married or in true hiding. So her saying to Shengyi women should stand on their own is a delusional slap to the face. The fantasy here is that the male lead is a natural feminist to the degree that I've never seen in my own society, and he would never call on that debt. But that's perfectly valid as a fantasy! A debt that will never be called, a feeling of standing on one's own. I get why people would want the fantasy of a decent rich aristocrat.

But the Li girls one and three would never. They are aware of their place in society, and because they can admit that, genuinely do not usually rely on these men. Sometimes they use their attraction towards them, but they have such clear eyes about it they can see both the benefits and pitfalls of that. There are things out of their league like what happened with the Yang bastard. But even then they admit after it was out of their league, and thus can see the field clearly enough to manouver. They are not beholden to the whims of a man's regard. They succeed in business even when Chai An screws them, they save Du Yangxi, and even after they are on good terms with their husbands they use their knowledge on Du Yangxi to win in court, not try to get him to help them or not use him at all. It's why I actually like Haode's relationship less; she is relying on the decency of one man to not get bullied in a noble family. But Shouhua and Kangning? Running circles around these men always and forever. That's the fantasy. And it's a tragic one because misogynistic writing dictates they have to be happily married to these clowns, but hey, at least they won't get trampled on. If these men really did some fuckshit youngest sister would just kill them before the others busted her out of jail. That's my fantasy. Because no one always wins, but with their clear heads, the Li girls always will.

[dirtydixonsgirl]

Tease

Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

A/N: you guys are literally amazing ??? thank you so much for all the support!!

Warnings: teasing, unprotected sex etc. 18+

You loved teasing Daryl. It was just one of the many things you enjoyed with your relationship with him, it kept things spicy, and unexpected. He on the other hand, well it drives him insane to say the least. He can’t handle it, watching you be all sexy and adorable and not dragging you somewhere out of the eyes so he can fuck you senseless for being such a brat but all you can do is tell him you can’t help it because he’s just so sexy when he does little things around Alexandria.

You couldn’t help but to wear the little skirts you know turned him on, bending over in front of him, or the dresses that slide down your clevlage a little too much, making him protective over you, which ultimately turns you on even more with his aggressive demeanor, it was probably one of your favorite things.

One time, he was helping carry some of the boxes of items that were found on a run, you couldn’t help but watch him sweat in the heat, his big muscles flex with every move making your panties a pooling mess, wanting him to manhandle you right then and there. So when he finally notices you’re watching, he slips away promising to be back and heads over to find out what’s wrong with you but when he cups your face, rubbing his thumb across your lip, you gently bite down gently on the pad of his thumb, slipping it into your mouth and sucking on it.

The sight of him getting fluster, the bulge growing in his pants makes you smirk as your actions succeed, staring down at you through squinted eyes as all his dirtiest thoughts run wild.

“What’s gotten into ya lately?” He asks quietly.

You release his thumb from your mouth and respond. “Just want you so bad, Dar.”

But in all honesty, you weren’t sure what has gotten into you. Maybe hormones or maybe you’re just going insane but you can’t keep your hands off of him. Everything he does has you melting and your panties dripping. You can’t help but to get turned on even more knowing that once you speak the words, he’s taking you behind the houses or out in the woods to fuck you senseless.

This time, you were sitting on the other side of the street watching your boyfriend work on his car, he tends to do that often, it seems to be a hobby of his to work on the cars and keep them well maintained. But you just couldn’t stop looking at his muscles flexing in the process, the sweat dripping down them, his hair over his eyes, the back hands from the oil, grunting and just being so..Daryl.

The ice cream you were eating was suddenly dripping down your forearm, causing you to bring it do your face, licking from your elbow all the way to your finger tips. What you did know is that Daryl has already noticed you and you were trying to make it worse for him. Your tongue swirling around the melting ice cream, taking it slow, while giving him your doe eyes that you know he loves.

His burning glare, halting his movements his full focus on you just the way you liked it. His eyes trailed up to the little skirt you were in all the way up to your rapid tongue movements. The sight had him throbbing in his pants, mentally groaning. He wanted to take you over this car right here, right now.

The streets were fairly quiet, a few people passing here and there but when you uncrossed your legs, giving him a three second flash of the panties you had underneath the skirt it was over. His eyes widened, looking around before he dropped the screw driver, his legs faltering to you. You smirked knowing exactly what you’ve caused.

He was determined to fuck you senseless just for being a little brat, for teasing him. He was fed up. He couldn’t get any work done because his mind was constantly sidetracked with making you take him while you’re in that little skirt or making you take his cock in your mouth slobbering and drooling all over it until the mascara from your eyes has stained your face.

“What do ya think yer doin’?” He asks with frustration lacing his tone.

His thumb and index finger holding your face, forcing you to look at him. His sudden reaction causing you to drop your ice cream, your eyes wide staring back into his lust filled once.

“What do ya want baby? You miss my cock that bad?”

You swallow, electricity fueling your body with his touch, his words do nothing but turn you on, you nod slowly, blinking up at him. Your panties were for sure dropping by now.

“Aw, at a lost for words now, sunshine?” He cracks at smirk. “All that talk but no action now?”

“S-sorry, Dar.” You murmur.

Daryls actions had taken you by surprise. He was never this aggressive, this forthcoming. You realize you spark a nerve in him and boy were you enjoying it.

“Tha’s it? All you gotta say?” He brings your face closer to his. “Tha’s fine, I’ll give ya what ya want.”

His words traveled right down to your aching core, adrenaline coursing through your body. His hands left your face, you grabbed his wrist, pulling him in the house, his big hand collapsing your small one. You loved the size difference between both of you, something about him being bigger and dominating you, trapping you against the mattress while he fucks you into oblivion makes your eyes roll at the thought.

He grabs your leg causing you gasp as he shoves you up against the wall, his harden bulge now against your aching clit, you whimper at the feeling, wanting him so bad you hips buck to his but he holds them down with his strength making you look back up at him.

“You feel this? This is what yer doin’ to me baby.” He presses his erection up against you even more. “Every damn day.”

“I-I can’t help it, you just look so hot.” You breathe your hands clutching his arm muscles.

“Little fucking slut,” he spats pushing up against you harder, grinding against you. “Can’t even work round here. Can’t stop thinkin bout you takin my cock all day.”

“D-Daryl-“

The whimper made the tent in his pants ache even more. Without words, you settle on your knees, staring up at him with big eyes, his heart instantly melting at the sight. You reach up, holding his hips and place a soft kiss on the bulge of his jeans causing his breathing to become shallow.

You unbutton the pants, your fingerings playing with the zipper. He waits in anticipation, his usual shyness now falling over him. The adorable shy Daryl you’ve been searching for. You hook your fingers into his waist band, pulling it down, your fingers flex around his erection, causing his breathing to hitch while his chest rises and falls.

“Aahh, right there, sunshine.” He grumbles, his hips jerking.

You lean forward, putting him into your mouth, a sharp breath falling from his lips. The effect you had on him was taking over. Daryl looked down at you, placing his hands into your hair to create a makeshift ponytail. He was in full pleasure, throbbing in your mouth while you slowly teased him, kitten licking the tip and sucking hard.

You gagged slightly, his tip touching the back of your throat, your pace had now picked up causing whimpers to fall from his lips.

“Y-y/n, if ya don’t stop I’m gon’ cum.” He looks down, his hair falling into his eyes.

You start bobbing your head faster, sucking harder, his head falls back, gripping your hair even tighter, until he suddenly lifts your mouth off of him a haste. You look up at him, a string of slobber dangling from your lips in a look of confusion, his breathing scattered, he runs his finger over your bottom lip.

“Need to cum inside ya.”

Is all he says before kicking his pants off and lifting you onto the couch, your lips connect and your tongues entwine leaving you instantly breathless. His body pinning you down and his hips in between your legs, his hand trails up from your hips softly over your belly to your breast squeezing and rubbing them. You groan involuntarily and lift your hips to meet his in hope of finding some fiction.

“Daryl please.” You moan. “Make love to me.”

You close your eyes as his work continues on your breast, kissing down your neck. You tug on his hair making him groan in your mouth. His find their way up your dress, pulling down your panties.

“Already so wet.” He murmurs against your lips, flinging the panties somewhere in the room.

He spits on his hand, rubbing it onto his erection and pushing it in to you. You moan, your body stuttering as you bury your face in his neck, the feeling of him filling you up was delicious. You wrap your legs around his waist and he stares down at you, lightly leaving kisses all over your cheeks.

“So tight,” he grunts, his eyes rolling back with sensation. “Ya feel so good around me, Y/N.”

You pull him closer in response. He slowly moves in and out of you chasing that warm feeling to pool in your belly, you clench around him causing him to grunt. His movements start to quicken letting you know that he is close. Your eyes close and you fall into the feeling of heaven, digging your nails into his back, he grunts once more filling you up with his orgasm, breathing heavily as his head falls into your neck.

“That was amazing.” You breath.

He chuckles. “Yeah? I think so too.”

You loved how Daryl looked all the time but there was something about how he looked after sex that you adored. The glimmer in his eyes, the sweat on his body, how he looks at you. Almost in another planet. You reach of, pecking his nose with your soft lips, giggling at him.

“Wha?” He questioned, looking down at you with concern.

“You’re just so beautiful after sex.” You smile, shrugging your shoulders.

“Beautiful?” His cheeks began to heat up at your words.

“Yes Daryl Dixon, you are so beautiful and I love you so much.” You tell him cupping both of his cheeks bringing his lips to connect yours.

“Love ya so much more.” He whispers against your lips.

[lunavagans]

Very impulsive idea:

You know how stalfos are abound in most games? This demonstrates that 1. the undead exist throughout LoZ and 2. Ganon/whatever BBEG‘s turn it is has/could have control over the dead.

Anyway.

Shadow being a former hero that failed, died and whose body/soul is being puppeted. He doesn‘t remember anything from his life before basically being Adopted For Nefarious Reasons by Ganon. Some fairies still remember a hero long ago that befriended dragons instead of fighting them and liked to scare people, but they don‘t recognize him anymore; not that they interacted all that much with him, he had help from elsewhere. For more angst, Shadow tried to have the heroes killed in all places where he almost died on his quest because he still associates them with danger.

Now the difference between Shadow and the colours isn‘t just good/evil or different sides anymore. It‘s what makes one succeed in their quest and what makes the other fail. Extra kudos if neither ever find out what that is, because there‘s actually no reason at all. Victim-of-the-circumstances kind of situation. Shadow was screwed by coincidence and that‘s the only reason why he died and landed in Ganon‘s hands to fight the next hero, deal with it. Looking for a reason is useless.

Now, if Shadow died before his BBEG, then Hyrule would either be a shitshow or non-existent anymore (think WW). So I‘m thinking he took it down with his death, which would make his sacrifice at the end of the manga a repetition. History repeats itself yadda yadda. And if his personality stays the same overall, who‘s to say he didn‘t have a self-sacrificial streak before? Maybe that‘s why he chose to break the mirror so readily despite there potentially being a way to re-seal Vaati without his death (at least if his comment to Vio about it wasn‘t just showing off)?