#she was also overall super condescending

[shoutsindwarvish]

i had what might’ve been a neurological event over a month ago (that i wrote off as psychosomatic until my therapist told me to talk to my doctor) and my pcp referred me for an mri to find out for sure. all well and good (albeit nerve-wracking), especially since i’m lucky enough to have the money for it right now. i’m scheduled to get it in about a week.

i had an regularly scheduled appointment with my psychiatrist a few days later and told her what had happened and also that i have a lot of anxiety about it but otherwise feel fine. she freaked out and told me to reduce my antidepressants immediately because she thinks it might be serotonin syndrome. even though 1) i looked up the symptoms of serotonin syndrome and literally none of the symptoms match, 2) it makes absolutely no fucking sense because i’ve been taking the same meds for over a year and never had this happen until now (and the other two similar events in the past happened BEFORE i started taking new meds) and 3) she didn’t even bother saying i could have adverse effects or ask how i’d like to proceed. i mentioned that i know i’ll have withdrawal and if it’s necessary she just ignored me and told me to do it

that was thursday and the ssri withdrawal is starting to hit real bad and i’m bitter because i don’t think she gives a fuck that she’s causing me suffering and she just wanted to feel like she was doing something and now i’m dizzy and nauseous and feel Wrong™️ and it could’ve been completely fucking avoided, i felt perfectly fine other than anxiety (which lowering meds will not help). this is not the first time she has made a med change without giving a shit about my input. (yes, i could disobey her, but that creates other problems.)

basically i wish psychiatrists who actually give a shit weren’t almost impossible to find so i don’t have to settle for one who doesn’t treat me like an addict when prescribing adhd meds

[erisweekofficial]

Tonight, we’re celebrating @mistandmemories, a brilliant new writer in the Acotar community who's already making waves! 🔥

If you’re an Azris lover, you NEED to check out their story, A Song of Bonds and Legacies. Prepare to be swept away by stunning world-building, deliciously deep lore, and Azriel/Eris angst that hits all the right notes. 😍🔥 (((Okay but seriously the characterization is SPOT ON))))

She's also cooking up something for Eris week and we're SUPER excited to see what it is 👀

Read more to learn the origin behind A Song of Bonds and Legacies and Eris's relationship with his brothers!

Give us a name for one of Eris's Brothers!

I absolutely love making up names for the unnamed Vanserra-brothers. We already have first names in the family ranging from French and German to Greek in origin, so it feels like you can call them literally anything. For my story I’ve been looking for names in mythology in particular, and one of the names I’ve used for a Vanserra-brother is “Paras”, a Hindu name of Indian origin.

Give us a name for one of Eris's hounds!

Mutt! In “A Song of Bonds and Legacies” Mutt is the name of Eris’s half-breed, who he (not so secretly) has a soft-spot for. The twelve full-blooded hounds are kept in a kennel, whereas Mutt lives in Eris’s chambers. He’s very rare (which is probably why Beron allows him at all), as cross-breeding Smokehounds rarely ever result in viable pregnancies. His other hounds are named alphabetically from A to L and they all have either aristocratic titles, autumn- or weapon-related names.

How do you see Eris evolving as a character in future books?

Ah… I hope we will see him as High Lord of Autumn and that there will be a reconciliation between him and Lucien, but other than that I’d love for him to stay pretty much the same, only sans the “oh-so-horrible-and-cowardly-villain” stamp that he’s been given by the Night Court. I honestly don’t think he’s done enough bad to deserve it, and I think calling someone who has had to endure torture and cruelty at his own father’s hands while (probably) trying to help his family and his court in secret a coward, is uncalled for. It would be great if he could lower his mask a bit, but for the love of the Mother, don’t make him another Rhys in terms of justifying every mean thing he’s ever said or done. Let him be sassy and condescending, but twist the narrative a little, so we can see things from his perspective.

How do you think Eris view his siblings, and what kind of relationships does he have with them?

I think it varies how he views them and what kind of relationship they have. I believe some of his brothers may follow more closely in Beron’s footsteps than he does, and that he doesn’t necessarily like them very much, whereas others, I think he’s trying to protect and shape more. There’s definitely an element of competition between all of them though (apart from between Eris and Lucien, who I believe Eris knows is not Beron’s), and considering that the Autumn Court is cutthroat, I don’t think Eris trusts any of his unnamed brothers. They see the same persona he’s been putting forth for centuries, and he shows them no weaknesses. I can’t see him having a genuine and honest relationship with any of them.

What kind of legacy does Eris want to leave behind?

I honestly don’t think he cares about his own legacy. He’s willing to be labelled as anything as long as his Court and the people he (secretly) cares about are all right. I think he wants a more just and peaceful world in general, where power is more evenly distributed, but I don’t believe he needs (or wants) credit for making it happen.

What is the inspiration behind your fic A Song of Bonds and Legacies?

I had the overall idea for this fic when I read HOFAS, but for the storyline, I’ve found a lot of inspiration in mythology and fairytales (I’m a huge mythology nerd). I also build heavily on canon lore and take much inspiration from that, and I love drawing upon and incorporating socio-political, ontological and ethical discussions as well. (But I guess the primary incentive was to make Azris happen🤣❤️)

[agaypanic]

I'm oddly protective of Adam because the show is relatively consistent in showing that he's not the brightest, but sometimes there will be this point where he truly has no brain cells, and it makes me so upset because 1. consistency and 2. that's not who he is.

**and this is where I proceed to type out my half-thought out fanfic idea**

Adam has a tutor who actually helps him understand the content, and while he may not get super excited by doing hw, he can get through his assignments, and he celebrates whenever he gets a good grade. During one of the first sessions at the house, Chase sits in and pokes the occasional joke or makes a condescending remark, but by the third joke, the tutor is entirely over it. She tells Adam to keep working on the problem and goes to confront Chase. At first, he's just slightly confused, but then he's completely caught off guard when she grabs him by his polo and drags him to the hallway. And she just lectures him about how condescending he's being and how it's not helping Adam at all, and he's actually making good progress and enjoying it because he knows what he's doing. He's getting positive support, and overall just knocks him down a peg.

(I'm also really protective over Chase but all the characters have flaws and I just want to fix Chase's pride sometimes)

(((also can you tell I'm a child development/education major🤪)))

-🎀

if adam had a tutor or friend who actually helped him with his work instead of being like “how do you not understand this? it’s so simple” he’d probably be a C or C+ average student

you’d probably have to kinda train him like a dog to get him to do his work tho. if something’s not stimulating or rewarding enough, adam will likely get distracted by something else immediately. so for a while, you have to give him a treat or some kind of reward when he answers a question or reads a chapter of a his textbook

[shamelesstragedyenjoyer]

Now I'm curious, how would you rank the batfam based on how you'd get along irl??

In a scenario where I know their secret identities, and there’s a professional, almost co-workers-like dynamic, I think it'd varie greatly from one wherein which vigilante roles are completely absent. Among those I'd resonate with most (in the event I was born in their world) are Stephanie Brown, Duke Thomas, and Jason Todd. It's mainly due to shared backgrounds and similar upbringings, I think. Conversely, interactions with Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Damian Wayne might be more difficult for me. Strained, even, due to differences in ethical frameworks, perspectives, class understanding and overall core values. So there's two ratings; one where I'm in their AU and one where they're in mine.

Alfred Pennyworth: 4/10 - He might perceive some of my approaches as unorthodox, but I believe he would grasp the reasoning behind them. Our interactions would be limited primarily to joint missions. We wouldn't be close. | 6/10 In my world about 60% of elderly people seem drawn to recounting their youth to me, perhaps due to my perceived trustworthiness, and I like to think he'd be part of that demographic.

Bruce Wayne: 2/10 - Disagreements on methodology would likely hinder rapport, especially given my skepticism toward billionaires, which might result in minimal interactions outside of vigilante duties. | 1/10. I'd see him as a man-whore.

Dick Grayson: 3/10 - Our interactions would likely be brief and casual, without the potential for friendship. His typical millennial demeanor might clash with my sense of humor. But he reminds me of my older sister, so I can't rate him lower than a 2. The age gap might lead him to treat me like a younger sibling, which I'd find condescending. Certainly not someone I would befriend. | 2/10 My personal envy would breed hostility, resulting in a reciprocal cycle of unkindness between us.

Jason Todd: 8/10 - Especially in a context where we were familiar with each other before his whole "being-adopted-by-Batman" thing. He'd likely resonate with my approach to tasks and comprehend the motivations driving my actions. We're not THAT far apart in age so he'd get my humor, I think. | 4/10 In my world however, because I'd be nervous and there would be a lack of common ground between us without vigilantism.

Cassandra Cain: 2/10 - It would unsettle me to realize she can discern my emotions merely by observing me. While I'm generally transparent, this level of insight would make me uneasy, prompting me to steer clear of her. | 7/10 She shares some personality traits of one of my closest friends. Given my penchant for chatter and her inclination to listen, we'd likely complement each other well and have a harmonious friendship.

Tim Drake: 1/10- He wouldn't understand why I dislike him. And I wouldn't have an explanation. | 0/10. Earth isn't big enough for the both of us (completely one sided beef).

Stephanie Brown: 6/10 - She'd get how I roll, but Tim might have complained to her about me not being nice, so she'd be protective of him. | 10/10 We'd be the kind of girls who were super close in middle school, maybe even a bit too much. We'd drift apart in high school or college but still think about each other now and then, though not enough to reach out and become friends again.

Damian Wayne: 1/10 - Likely would perceive me negatively, interactions would be minimal. | 0/10 I just don't see us getting along.

Duke Thomas: 9/10 - He'd totally get my approach and might even be up for joining in (Bruce would see me as a bad influence). We'd both be game for pursuing each other's not-so-great ideas. Would have tons of fun but also engage in meaningful discussions about race, religion, politics, economics, society, art and allat. | 7/10 I can’t see myself being 100% comfortable around a man despite that, so that's how far it'll get, sue me !

Barbara Gordon: 4/10 - Like Dick, she'd likely see me as a kid, which would irk me because I'd want to be seen as an equal. However, since she's a woman, it'd feels a tad less patronizing and more maternal, so she gets one extra point in my book. | 6/10 She's that nice employee at the bookstore who takes my search for a specific book I don’t remember the name of super seriously. But we would not be friends.

To @voiddaisy who asked me a similar question, this is for you too ! Thanks for the ask !

[ot3]

finishing up fionna and cake... overall it was a fun ride but i really don't think it worked structurally. 6/10 show. i didnt think this was gonna be a long post but apparently i've got some thoughts. sticking below the cut

this last episode is kind of underwhelming... theres a couple of parts in this ep where they just sit and explain to the camera how simon realized betty was constantly sacrificing her own desires for simon and how simon wanted to put on the crown because he thought he didn't deserve to live. and it's not like those are bad realization for the show to come to but the show has very clearly established that it's intended for a more adult audience than the original adventure time, and so this kind of writing just feels really condescending when not directed at literal children. like yeah we could have figured this out from the writing, but. you didn't have to just tell us

i also didn't vibe with scarab as a villain, he felt super arbitrary to me. like they needed Something to be forcing them to move between dimensions, but i feel like scarab was an extremely meh choice for that. he wasn't particularly funny or interesting enough as a character to get to be one of the only people who showed up in every episode. i honestly think it would have been better if the existential threat these characters were facing was more of a force than a character, because it was already running so tight on time anyway it didn't really have the space to develop a good villain.

gary and marshall's screentime was another thing that i felt like is a huge waste of space. them doing their whole meet cute bakery au romance is something that's funny on paper but it's not compelling on its own and the only slight interest it has comes from our pre-existing investment in marceline and bubblegum's much more interesting dynamic. it didn't add anything to the overall arc of the show and took up time that could have been used to deliver more solidly on the core premise.

fionna and cake themselves were really cute but i don't feel like fionna's arc was as strong as it could have been. like ohhh yay shes come to love her normal world with all its imperfections.... obviously thats where it was going the whole time and once again. its not like i mind that ending. i just feel like they didn't do anything interesting with it. her character doesn't get to learn and progress as much as she's just marching down a straight path that we all already knows where it leads. i wish they would have just called the show 'Simon' so i wouldn't have to feel so disappointed in this.

adventure time has always been on the cutting edge of bizarre stuff in animation so the biggest let down overall with this show is how much when you strip away the Adventure Time coating of surrealist visuals on top of it it just feels like any other middling adventure cartoon. it didn't lean enough into the episodic structure to benefit from that the way the original show did, and it was too beholden on the episodic structure to linger on any of the parts that were actually compelling.

overall, the show feels like pandering to the adventure time fanbase, but in kind of a lazy way. Compare this to the distant land specials which I think were pandering in an excellent way. im not anti pandering by any means. The whirlwind tour through universes and characters that lifetime adventure time fans will recognize tries to come off as a love letter to the series, but instead just comes off as the adventure time version of that 'rejected ready player one theme song' video. remember farmworld? remember prismo? remember the vampire king? remember shermy and beth? remember Up a Tree? like. yeah. i do remember. thanks. do you have anything to say about any of this stuff or - oh. no. just showing me. got it.

its not someting i think i'll ever rewatch but at just ten eps definitely worth one watch through. theres some really good fun to be had in it and the art is gorgeous all the way through, it just fails to come together into a successful complete work.

[kittydoremi]

I'm not a huge fan of the idw comics, but I am enjoying the recent riders arc so far. Despite a few problems/nitpicks here and there, it's pretty good.

The phantom rider is super cool, Sonic is fairly in character (not being a condescending, preachy ass), Amy seems more like herself than she's been in a long time, there's interesting conflict with Mimic, Lanolin seems to finally be getting some kind of comeuppance, seeds are being planted for Surge and Kits redemption, and the riders setting is always cool. Things really feel like they're moving forward.

And of course, the art is amazing. I love it.

I still wish that Knuckles was in the arc, he should and would be here. And it does seem a bit forced that Sonic would be willing to trust Eggman. I also still don't like how Sonic and the others didn't argue against Lanolin when she berated them.

Also, I still think Sonic had a bit of an overreaction when Amy's board went out of control (he only really reacts like that when someone dies/is about to die). Surge and Kit's redemption does also feel a bit sudden/rushed. Clutch is still underwhelming as a villain.

But those are minor problems in the grand scheme of things. Overall the arc has been fairly enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to the next issue.

[thatneoncrisis]

hi prev anon from the post abt the arcane kid!

yeah sorry i do realize i came off as super condescending, i meant it more jokingly bc i thought your og post was a little harsh but it did close the door to actual criticism and that's like rude and lame as a response mb

i do see your point now though! i think i was just blinded by just personally liking the character but yeah in retrospect they really didnt give her any defining characteristics that weren't directly tied to being sad backstory fodder for jinx, which is in pretty poor taste even for a common archetype. thank you for taking the time to respond, i haven't seen that many critical takes on arcane so it was really interesting to read :)

(also ps the whole Vander being a werewolf thing is directly from League which is why it was included even though it's a little left field, they probably could've worked it in better but he Did need to become a weird dog man bc arcane is League backstory. i would like to hear more of your thoughts on why you thought he was poorly implemented if have any you'd want to share!)

thank you for taking the time to read it, ill be the first to admit that first initial post was in some part hyperbole to capture my frustration with the direction of the show.

to put it succintly, arcane feels like the first draft of a really good essay. all the points are laid out but they do not necessarily flow in a concise manner, there are definitely chunks that could be taken out, and it does that Thing of embedding a quote without properly explaining its relevance to the overall thesis. there are many times i found myself watching and thinking "damn. this would be a really great bookend to an arc that literally did not happen in the show"

and it definitely feels like thrall to its own origins. i understand that the werewolf frankenstien thing is a league thing, just like how i understand violet being an enforcer and ekkos time powers are all based in league lore. i also do not think the show has the time or energy for any of this. vi's enforcer arc lasts maybe one episode total, and her little pitfighter montage displays that she is far more torn up over losing caitlyn than betraying her own ideals and people to wear the badge. it means nothing it changed nothing. ekko has featured very little in season two, and any revelations about his time power junk will feel tacked on, like they forgot about it until it was time for him to have his One or Two episodes. i do appreciate them not waiting until act two to even introduce the idea of whats happened to vandor, but it feels so out of place. at best its a catalyst to get the sisters back on the same page but that was definitely not the only way they could have done it. and then they kill him again! in front of them! again!

ultimately i find myself at an impasse. i will never see this show in the same way arcane lovers do. i acknowledge its gorgeous visuals and ambitious story but too many things just keep falling short for me to forgive it. and despite this i can understand why people think of it as the greatest animated television show of all time- but not because its close to actually being a masterwork of story and character, but because there is genuinely almost NOTHING to compare it to. i looked- most western adult animation are prime time sitcoms- family guy, american dad, bobs burgers, rick and morty. even some of the best ones (moral orel <3) are still grounded in a reality much closer to our own than the fantastical world of arcane. at best i could compare it to like, primal? scavengers reign? the legend of vox machina? blue eyed samurai? and i have literally seen none of those shows so god only knows how apt the comparison is, ive just heard excellent things via word of mouth. my point is the children yearn for the mines, the mines of high concept fantasy and political intrigue, and arcane having like, excellent character design and lesbians cannot make me agree that those characters are being used to their fullest potential

tldr. anon. i am gripping you by the shoulders. please enjoy this show when i cannot. i think it is good that art is being made forever, even when i personally think that art is the worst kind of toothless liberal ideology

[anghraine]

I decided to watch Rings of Power and I still like it! General thoughts on the first episode:

This episode does a lot of heavy lifting to introduce everything in a somewhat rough and often disconnected, but engaging enough way.

The voice-over exposition at the beginning is obviously echoing the PJ FOTR one, but it's more awkward and sort of generically high fantasy. I still like it better because a) no Númenóreans were harmed in the making of this voice-over, b) retaining the Finrod-Galadriel age gap while simultaneously leaning into their sibling bond is really cute, c) Finrod using a heavy-handed metaphor in which the greatness of SHIPS figures largely seems entirely in character and also very Telerin (Eärwen's son!!!), and d) the overall story of how Valinorean Elves ended up in Middle-earth is so highly editorialized that it feels like the self-serving Noldor version of the story, which amuses me.

I enjoyed the introduction of present-day Galadriel. She's clearly the most impressive and competent person in the company she's leading while also being kind of unhinged, which I appreciate in a female protagonist. Good for her.

And I like that she's clearly this ancient being and her fixation on FIGHTING EVIL FOREVER is, in part, a product of being old and immortal and stuck in a singular mode of being. However, she's also right and the comparatively young people around her are being condescending assholes (like Gil-galad, but especially that one guy who semi-mutinied against her and is prodding her on the ship).

(Oh, and she has great hair. I actually don't care if the entire wig budget went to her specifically.)

The only one who seems to really feel bad about their dismissive treatment of her is Elrond, which tracks. The hints that he isn't seen as quite an equal ("Elf-lords only") feels silly, but it's not a huge deal for me. And I like that he and Galadriel are bros alongside the tension in her relationships with basically everyone. S2 Celebrían plssss

I still think the complaints about costuming/hair, and incessant comparisons to costuming in PJ!LOTR/WOT/whatever are largely pretty absurd. I particularly liked Arondir's armor and how dissimilar it is from the aesthetic of the Lindon Elves, everything Galadriel wears, and the weirdness of the ritualistic armor removal as they approach Valinor. The Elves spontaneously bursting into unsettling song was odd but extremely on-brand for Tolkien, so it was fun to see it actually done onscreen.

I also think the show is quite beautiful in general and a pleasure to simply look at (no, not only because of the budget).

I don't like how heavily and visibly made-up the main female characters are, however, especially Bronwyn (who also has my least favorite costuming of any of the mains tbh). It reminds me a bit of how Padmé Amidala's heavy and perfect make-up in her death scene in Revenge of the Sith always distracts me from the pathos of the scene. God forbid she wasn't hot as she died, you know? I don't care about middle-aged and older men being cast as Elves, but I'd like to see more older actresses, too!

The Harfoot stuff has an interesting mixture of cuteness and underlying menace. It doesn't interest me as much as what's going on with Galadriel, Elrond, and Arondir/Bronwyn, but I like Nori quite a bit and the whole aesthetic they have going, so I don't mind spending time with them, even though it's kind of detached from what's going on everywhere else.

Speaking of Arondir, the Southlands stuff is interesting because there's so little to work with in terms of canon (even if they had rights to everything) and the canon that does exist wrt them is super racist. So having the textual racism towards Southrons actually be brought up in-story, and rejected by an Elf protagonist who is being played by a Black man, is like ... there's a lot going on there and other people are probably better equipped to talk about it.

Personally, I would have liked to see Arondir fall in love with Bronwyn rather than being presented with it as an established thing, especially with the conversation about how this almost never happens etc. His actor does a great job with what he's given, though, and I laughed at the other Elf who is like "do you know how rarely romances between Men and Elves ever happen? do you know they always END TRAGICALLY?!"

Arondir: mmhmm

Other Elf: THEY DIED, ARONDIR

Arondir gives off big "distracted by drawing hearts around Bronwyn's name in his Trapper Keeper" vibes in that conversation and, idk, it was just really entertaining to me.

Bronwyn herself is all right thus far. I did really like the moment when she's talking about how she's from the allegedly creepy village and the people there are her relatives and friends. By and large she seems the most normal person in the cast, honestly.

I also enjoyed how deeply ominous the "approaching Valinor" music was, lmao. A bit overkill by the end, but I rather like the idea of Valinor being scary if you're not supposed to be there.

ETA: cutting between the different plots via the Middle-earth map is a bit silly as well, but functional enough. Interesting to see Calenardhon on the map before Gondor even exists!

[dearinglovebot]

oml hi! what are your headcanons for claire and owen when they were at school? here are some of mine:

claire would defnitely be on good tersm with everyone, i feel like she'd be popular in the way that she knew everyone

but she's classify everyone as aquaintences though and call it 'networking'

would be super annoyed by everyone in her class constantly talking abt marriage and kids like thats the only option for her (alas i wish she was in my class i'd have someone to survive those trenches with 😔)

straight A+ student ofc

owen wouldn't really care for school i think

he'd get like alright grades

he'd be like 55% class clown if that makes sense?

super good at PE tho like he'd be the Pe Kid (TM)

i think he had a pet dog or cat (or both?) but they died

i kinda hc that his parents were pretty shitty. idk why but i do. (shhh let me project)

constantly getting into fights with vic hoskins but everyone agrees vic is annoying as HELL so eh he gets a pass socially-speaking

also:

in dodgeball the teachers always put claire and owen on the same team bc the two of them against each other means the match lasts FOREVER and if it does end it's a tie followed by an argument of who won that lasts for two weeks. like claire vs owen in dodgeball would be legendary. and like +340% hype bc everyone's 10 and dodgeball matches are IT when ur ten (can u tell i miss primary school dodgeball 😔)

hello anonnie! brace yourself cause this is a level 5 yapnado

I don’t agree with EoC a lot (...most things) but it hits my high school headcanons very well. that is to say, she is weird and off-putting to the general public. particularly sheltered midwestern kids who absolutely will be raised on the housewife/breadwinner-husband cool-aid in the 90s. they’re all obsessed with settling down with kids in the same town they were raised in while she’s trying to escape to a big city and get a master's degree. they’re doing the 90s equivalent of calling her woke blue hair liberal with pronouns. not outright bullying her but like... side-eyeing her. she's not really being invited to parties. which is fine! (it is not fine. she is lonely).

she has sooooo many autistic traits that i do just consider it part of my personal canon and that will NOT help her. her hyperfixation is going to college and she stims by doing homework (exaggerating. but only partially). i love my queen dearly but she does not have cool autism that makes you do cool art installations. she has collecting alaskan postage stamps from the 1800s type autism. she is a loser that few will truly appreciate <33 like fine wine

claire being from no-where wisconsin in the 80s-90s is sooo vital to understanding why she is #likethat. small town midwest is basically the deep south politically except in the south people will straight up say "women belong in the kitchen" and in the north they'll go "oh. you want a degree? how quaint [condescending tone]". she's used to everything being a backhanded compliment and proving that she deserves what she has. it makes her super defensive and lean towards interpreting things as malicious even when they're not. which is why, on the island, people don't really like her. she's the mean boss lady who won't even do small talk with her peasants

she absolutely is a straight A student. that is PRESIDENT of the debate club to you. she's a teacher's pet who Will do the extra credit work every time and has perfectly chosen her extra curriculars based on what will look best on her college application.

i also think she'd start working about as soon as she legally could. not only is that the smart financial move (start saving as soon as possible) but it looks amazing on college applications too. she is absolutely maximizing what she is able to accomplish in a day

overall, it really isn't an experience she thinks of fondly. she spends most of her teenhood devoted to trying to escape the poor, rural lifestyle she was born into. it's another stepping stone in her 10 stage plan to conquer a small nation. and she wouldn't regret any of it until her life inevitably comes crashing down (indominus incident) because only then does she realize she's been chasing material wealth instead of internal happiness for her entire life

owen has none of the crazy ambition claire does bc he's normal. he would take it one day at a time with vague goals of where he wants to end up. as long as he does the bare minimum of passing the class then he's doing pretty good. best subject science, worst subject literature

owen is from the 80-90s deep south which also heavily influences how i view his characterization. as a funny guy who enjoys very traditionally masculine things like construction and sports, he's going to be very well liked. everyone likes someone who makes you laugh. but overall it's pretty surface level. nobody asks about his day. he's gonna be like "damn is this really all i am to them??". but it's not like he can say that cause then he's being weird and emotional (toxic masculinity culture). so whatever. he keeps balling. (represses vulnerability and compensates by going even harder into funny sport guy routine)

so really he's the guy everyone "knows" but they're gonna lose contact the moment he leaves town. which is whatever. he has his wholeeeee life ahead of him to make some #real friends (his only long term friends include barry, the raptors, and sometimes claire)

he has proven time and time again he has no problem speaking his mind so yeah he's punching every hoskins that comes along and getting a few days suspension over it. he would not gaf tho bc his internal sense of justice is stronger than any school related punishment

he's the kind of kid who mows the lawn for your mom for pocket change and volunteers at the animal shelter

not the worst but yeah he's not that interested in reliving that

not including much about their individual family dynamics because thats an entirely different yap session

also:

in a hypothetical au where they're in the same high school, i believe it would go like this: claire is brilliant and smart in every class they share meaning he's enamored with her big words, she thinks all sports guys are meathead jocks and actively avoids them, she tutors for extra cash after school and he's on the verge of failing lit, she takes him on as a client and he's like wowza the whole time, she's like can you focus on the themes of shakespeare already and stop looking into my eyes longingly every few minutes i'm starting to think you aren't even interested in the deeper meanings of the rivalry between the veronas and capulets (she isn't picking up on a single hint), and now he is actively pretending like he doesn't understand any of the assignments to "get her guidance" on them (she still doesn't get the hint and is wondering if he got a concussion at some point)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Made it through chapter 4 and talked about it with my mom. And hoo boy is there a lot to unpack 🤣

First of all, she got really mad at Crowley for leaving us at school and going on a vacation. (She legit was ready to punch Crowley when he refused our call). She did find the send off cute though but felt really bad for Riddle. She hopes that he'll become his own person and not his mother's puppet.

Then there's how she feels about the Scarabia duo. She ADORES Kalim, and calls him "that little sunshine" and thinks his Unique Magic is cool. She legit CRIED when Kalim cried omg 😂.

As for Jamil. She didn't really like him at first. At first. Though she thought he was handsome and charismatic. But after his true motivations were revealed, she absolutely hates him 😂. She literally dissed Jamil when we were pretending to praise him, calling him "Medusa and Jafar's love child". BUT when she saw his backstory, she did feel empathy but not sympathy towards him. In her own words, "While I understand where he's coming from, as being told to hold back your true skills is both frustrating and will make you envious and jealous of others' freedom, to pin it all on one person (Kalim) isn't the best or healthiest option."

She says that there are multiple people who deserve blame. His parents because they told him not to be better than Kalim. "They basically are the ones who started the fire of hate in his heart." She says. The whole class system, for obvious reasons. But the one person who deserves the most blame is Crowley for accepting a bribe from Kalim's parents and making Kalim housewarden with a bullshit excuse. All of them were really unfair towards Jamil and pretty much said the same thing "You're a smart boy, you understand right?" That line alone is enough to piss Jamil, and anyone really, off. She does praise Jamil for showing his true colors and vowing never to hold back in the end. In conclusion, my mom is kinda accepting of Jamil. For now.

She also found the Octavinelle trio hilarious but threatened to turn them into sushi when they told us to pay for the damages at Monstro Lounge and when Azul tried to get Kalim in a contract. She also expressed surprise at the Tweels and Azul's relationship.

During the end of the chapter, she actually deadpanned and said "who's this condescending Queen Bee" when she saw Vil.

Overall, she thought that Chapter 4 was the best chapter in her opinion.

Now I'm waiting for how she feels about Vil in chapter 5 cause it seems like she despises him more than she did Jamil. 😂

[I think this is the same Anon from this post and this post!]

chksbskwbzks It’s been pretty interesting hearing these hot takes from your mom 😂 (I guess because this isn’t a perspective I hear from very often?)

I’m split on Crowley leaving for vacation and not answering his phone when Yuu tries to contact him. Yeah, it’s irresponsible for him to act like this, but I think we’re more offended by it knowing that Crowley is, in general, this level of incompetent (especially when we REALLY need him to come through for us in this very moment). Keep in mind that this is winter break, and teachers/staff usually also have this period off for the holidays themselves, so it’s normal to receive no responses or delayed responses during this time, no? I don’t think anyone really expected a super serious incident like this to unfold while they’re away as well.

The sendoff was really cute! 😭 It was nice briefly catching up with the characters we met in previous episodes!! I only wish we got to hear about the aftermath of the conversation that Riddle said he was going to have with his mother… I doubt that all of their issues went away with a single talk, but 🥲 just confronting her about the past is a good start. Maybe Riddle will have the chance to explore other career options for his fourth year internship (instead of concentrating on magic medicine like his mother wants him to). He could tackle law for one semester, then dabble in other areas for the remaining two internship periods.

xbsjwbksnwkw Why does your mom sound like such a cinnamon roll?? We could always use more Kalim appreciators 🥺

I think a lot of us have pretty complicated feelings surrounding Jamil 😂 Having empathy for the character rather than sympathy (the latter of which I think Jamil may actually take offense to, as this would be “pitying” his situation without truly understanding why it’s so awful for him) is similar to my own thoughts on the matter. It can feel so bad constantly being put down and having to hold yourself back from reaching what you know is your full potential, but it also wasn’t right for Jamil to blame it all on one person. However, it was the easiest thing for his young mind to do to cope with his circumstances, as Kalim embodies a lot of the issues Jamil has and is “soft” enough to be a convenient sponge for Jamil’s anger.

… Okay, but Jamil’s OB looks pretty ugly. I’ll give you that much 😂 It pretty much is a mishmash of Medusa and Jafar—

Mmm, Jamil’s trauma is unique in that it’s something deeply systemic and difficult to dismantle. It was definitely his parents who planted the ideas in him, but it was society that perpetuated it and kept Jamil down rather than encouraging him or recognizing his abilities. Crowley plays into this too, and I think his words are the ones that claimed Jamil’s last straw and set him plotting to overthrow Kalim. I really like that TWST didn’t neatly resolve Jamil’s issues at the end of the episode, but rather introduced it (and the start of his character growth) as Jamil deciding to live in his own way.

A lot of people tend to misunderstand Jamil’s issues with Kalim on an individual level rather than a societal one, and it sometimes leads to talking down the seriousness the Viper family’s circumstances 💦 I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen “Jamil should have told Kalim about his frustrations; Kalim is kind and would understand, he would set Jamil free” without the fans recognizing the consequences of it. (Ironically, this is also something Kalim does in 4; he tried relinquishing his dorm leader seat and even offers to leave school to appease Jamil, but the offers are all refused.) Jamil has to consider his family and how his liberation would affect them and ultimately their legacy and livelihood (which Jamil brings up in episode 4 when expositing his motivations); it’s akin to generational trauma because it can’t be resolved overnight. It requires difficult conversations, acknowledging wrongs, and working as a widespread collective to fix it. The blame is not solely on Jamil not communicating; it’s also in part on the society and the systems in which he and his family operate.

… I mean, regardless of the reason for it, it was still legitimate damage to the lounge so I think (even if it was scummy to do), Octavinelle had every right to demand compensation. Otherwise, he’d be eating up the costs for that significant damage, and that’s not smart for a money grubber reputable business owner like Azul to do. And hey, what’s an octopus to do when he runs jnto Mr. Moneybags Kalim? He’s got to take advantage of opportunities and potential suckers customers while he can!

Azul and the twins’ relationship is so complex, man 🤡 I could honestly talk forever about it if given the chance bisvsjwnzksiwjd (but instead, I’ll link this post to get the basics of my thoughts out—)

I find it so funny (?) when people call Vil a “Queen Bee” type because while he definitely comes off as one at first, I found that (in the long run), I see Octavinelle as acting more like the stereotypical high school Mean Girls than Vil does 😂 Like, Vil certainly gives off a strong first impression (and not a very positive one), but I do think he ultimately has a stronger moral compass than most of the OB boys we’ve seen so far.

(Note: If you play EN, it has cut out content from parts of episode 5 😣 so I’d recommend looking up “Minna de Yahoo” and the deleted ending scene to get the full episode 5 experience!)

Anyway!! Episode 4 was also my favorite for a long time, the writing was pretty solid and I loved all the character interactions 😌 but then episode 6 happened and that one became my favorite—

[lia404]

i can't remember if i sent a ygo character for the ask but if not, spectre :3

So sorry for the late answer, this took forever! No, you haven't requested a character yet, and I am not surprised to receive Spectre from you :D Oh, Spectre... What a challenge. I needed a while to gather my thoughts, and after the disaster that was my answer re: Yusaku, I have enforced a rule that says "no posting on Tumblr after 11pm", so I had to restrain myself and write this answer in short sessions.

I've already written a little about my overall confusion when it comes to Spectre, but I am going to do my best to answer these questions!

Why I like him/why I don’t

I still don't know if I like him or not. He's clever. He's really, really clever. And he's mean. He has an incredible ability to read the people he's facing, and I absolutely love how he's one of the first who really puts Playmaker in front of his weakness and the fact that he is NOT an emissary for revenge, but rather a vigilante with a firm belief in justice. I love how he calls out Blue Angel for thinking she understands people, when she's mostly drawing hasty conclusions and lacks maturity. Honestly, he has to be the one with the strongest understanding of the other characters (...save Ryoken. Ryoken is a blind spot for him. And it's a shame, but we'll see this later.)

So I think what I like most is this ability of deep understanding, for better or worse.

What I like less is his "loyalty" that feels more like some sort of Voluntary Servitude. (Be it to Revolver or to his "Mother Tree".) While understandable, I feel like this is something that limits the dimensions of his character, and it's a shame. Also, the overplayed "psycho" aspect he's given makes him very hot and cold. I like him better when he's condescending and ambivalent, but I guess there's appeal in his very... unbalanced character?

Bottom line: jury's still out on whether I like him or not. No matter the answer to that question, there is no doubt in that he's an interesting character.

What I like about his appearance

HIS EXPRESSIONS. How flexible his face is. Not to say that other characters are not expressive, but Spectre has a full range of facial expressions and he moves from one to another very quickly. I think it's his eyes. He goes from condescending to terrifying to terrified so fast. It works super well with his character too: it's always hard to know which face is the "real" one. He sort of wears his own face like a mask.

Do I prefer his dub names or original names?

Well, at least THIS one is easy and does not apply :D

OTP

Okay, I think it's a super unpopular opinion, but I actually like Blueghostshipping. I feel like they have a lot to learn from each other, the very noticeable idol who's actually an antisocial girl in the shadow who pretends she can understand people, and the "ghost" who pretends he'll go unnoticed when he's frankly hard to ignore, and who says he's weak when he's one of the strongest in the series. There's a LOT of contrast here, and I just find their dynamic interesting and… fun, in that way that it could be a huge source of angst as much as a huge source of confusion and absurdly fun situations. There is a lot of things they have to work through before reaching any type of balance, though.

NOTP

Another unpopular opinion but... I don't really like Respectfulshipping. I won't even say "there is nothing here" because it's a lie, it actually sort of writes itself.

That "SPECTRE!" really came from the depth of his heart.

I believe this is the ONLY time in the series that we see Revolver have such an outburst of emotion. Usually, he mostly speaks a name, whispers, remains rather stern. And then there is... this, when Spectre loses against Lightning. And let us not forget that Revolver goes to destroy Lightning after that. Clearly, there is something between them, and there's a reason it's called respectfulshipping.

I just don't see it as romantic, for three reasons (sorry Yusaku, I used 3-part-bulletpoint lists before you were even born):

First, my brain has sort of filed Ryoken and Spectre as brothers. Very, very annoying brothers. The kind who, when asked "who did this", both claim they did, and then argue and no one knows who's lying because they keep protecting each other.

Second, I feel like there's still this weird power inbalance / somewhat lack of confidence from Spectre that Ryoken 100% believes in him and respects him. If he had been completely secure in this relationship, I feel like Yusaku would have had a harder time manipulating him in season 1 by telling him that Revolver would be disappointed. And while Ryoken's behaviour and reaction from above let us understand that it's likely not the case, it's still a sign for me that Spectre is always looking for Revolver's approbation, as if he were afraid to not have it. To me, this goes with point 2, in that it's more of a siblings dynamic than a lovers one. Ask me how I know I'm the worst big sister.

Third, I am horribly biased towards Datastormshipping and I'm not even going to try and deny it, Ryoken just doesn't want to be shipped with other people, not even Spectre.

So, alas, respectfulshipping is a NOTP for me. But again, I see where it comes from, I see why people ship it.

OT3

Not an easy one, but a certain someone (<3) managed to convince me that Saviorshipping had its merit and... okay, I think I can see it? And funnily enough, I see it more with a basis on Spectre/Yusaku than Spectre/Ryoken. These two definitely have things to talk about. And I like to imagine Ryoken in that: while you'd think he'd be the one binding all three together, he would actually struggle to find his place in there. Maybe I just want Spectre and Yusaku to pair up to bully Ryoken. Dare you to tell me you wouldn't like it too.

Favourite card he uses

That's a really hard question, because his whole deck is so strong. I love Spectre's deck and strategy, it's so savage behind a rather soft and protective look. It's like it blocks all possibilities, all hopes to strike. Can I have the entirety of the archetype? :D More seriously, all of his cards work in a very intertwined way, I find it really hard to pick only one. If I really have to choose, I'd say Sunvine Thrasher, on the purely superficial basis of "I LOVE ITS DESIGN".

It's so elegant!!

That said, there's also one card I'd like to give a special mention, even if I'm pretty sure Spectre doesn't play it in the anime. He did use it against me in Duel Links, and it was part of Savage Strike, which might be the best TCG box of the VRAINS era (I need to get my hands on these boosters), so I say it counts because I work with the assumption that Duel Links is canon. Seriously it would be a shame to not mention it: it's an AMAZING support card for Spectre's deck and playstyle. It helps that it's also one of my ABSOLUTE FAVE Spell cards ever, right out of my "Tiny Nuisance" deck.

"Each time your opponent Summons a monster(s), gain 300 LP. Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle while you have 10,000 or more LP."

It works for all types of Summons. So, when you're facing someone like Playmaker, who begins his turn with 10 different summons? Deadly.

Favourite moment he was in

There are actually three moments that come to mind, although one may or may not be considered canon, depending on how you feel about Duel Links (again.)

Spectre vs Blue Angel. I absolutely love how he plays along Blue Angel's whole "I'll save you, believe in Blue Angel!" speech.

"I beg you, please save my soul!"

The way it builds up to the moment when he completely switch gears and finally throws into her face that she needs to stop acting all holier-than-thou "I understand your heart and will save you" as she often does. It's something that has always grated on my nerves, from both Zaizen actually, the way they project their feelings onto the other characters and pretend they can understand. So Spectre finally being the one calling her out on this bullshit was SO SATISFYING, go Spectre go.

Spectre vs Lightining: the Extra Link Full Mode. Or really, most of the duel. Because once more, he's calling someone out but this time it's Lightning. Ai points out many times during the duel that he has never seen Lightning this angry before: Spectre is the first who manages to read him and to somewhat manipulate him, or at least play on his fears. I'm here for this. Spectre is not someone nice; actually, he's mean. But in this specific case, it's quite refreshing. I love the "bad versus badder" situation, too. And of course, there's the Extra Link Full Mode. I love that he's able to do it, to go beyond what Revolver did, and I love how the characters react. I just wish we had more time to fully appreciate it, because it's THE moment he should be able to rightfully gloat over everyone INCLUDING Revolver who hadn't managed to do it but the Extra Link is broken really fast.

Look how Bro Revolver is so proud of his Spectre. But this is not about him. Shoo, Revolver, shoo.

And then:

That, by gods, might well be my absolute favourite face of his. He doesn't say a thing, he just takes everything Lightning throws at him and doesn't bat an eye. To me, this is is true face, and I love myself a genuine Spectre—confident, mean, self-aware.

Spectre's Duel Links event. I don't know if people consider DL canon, but it seems to be? It's good post-canon content, honestly. And for his event, Spectre explains what he understood of how DL works, actually manipulating the others to experiment and see if he was right. Among other things, he pushes Soulburner to re-live the Lost Incident, which, well, I DID say that Spectre wasn't exactly nice (even Revolver tells him he went too far afterwards, and I LOVE that Spectre seems petulant at it, not really feeling sorry at all, and more assertive in front of Revolver than he used to be. Well, that's how I read it at least.) And honestly there's just... so much I like in this event. Spectre masterfully antagonises everyone and in doing so, actually manages to have them all walk to his beat. He's really, really good at this. Here are way too many screenshots because I love this event so much.

(Cue explanation that this world exists thanks to this link between consciousness, and as such, the things found in this world are born from the consciousness of players.)

THIS. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. THIS VERY MOMENT. "NO ONE EVER FORGETS ME—INCLUDING MYSELF." Excellent Spectre moment. Probably my favourite, in the end.

Least favourite moment

When he does this face:

Spectre, please, you're being terrifying!

Okay, more seriously, I already said that in the previous post, but the whole "Blue Angel book" thing has been incredibly confusing for me. I don't know what to get from it, so I just ended up... really not liking this part.

But I believe the moment I really, really dislike the most is when Yusaku manipulates him during their duel on the bridge. The bridge is collapsing. Spectre could win, not by duel, but by letting Playmaker fall. This is not something that would be above him, he really could do it. And then Playmaker basically tells him "Oh, Revolver-sama is going to be so disappointed that you didn't manage to beat me" and just... drops (which, seriously, is quite a power move; and also gives a good view of him gauding people into doing what he wants and hey, would you look at this, maybe Ai did get it from somewhere. BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT HIM.) This moment makes sense in the narrative, but I just really dislike it, because it shows that no matter what or how strong, Spectre is not his own person. No matter what he says at that point, he lives through the eyes of Ryoken. What Ryoken thinks is still what pushes him to take decisions. And to me, it's a shame. It's exactly what I was talking about in the NOTP part of this ask, the fact that Spectre seems to still be insecure when it comes to his attachment to Ryoken, so much so he feels he still needs to prove himself.

(So basically, as usual, it's all Ryoken's fault. Phew, what a relief, we're back to normal.)

Would I fuck, marry or kill him

I'm going to do the same as I did with Kaiba and Yusaku, and answer by elimination. I would very much not fuck Spectre, I'm sorry Spectre. I highly doubt I would marry Spectre, as his manipulative tendencies terrify me, although I see how his devoted aspect might be appealing (it just terrifies me even more, but that's me.) That leaves to kill Spectre. Would I kill Spectre? ...Eh, I doubt he'd let me.

There you are! Again, sorry for such a late answer, and it got longer than I expected it would, but I'm not kidding when I say I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF SPECTRE. Thanks so much for asking; putting it all together really made me consider a lot of things I had never noticed before! That said, I'm aware that most of it are headcanons and that they are probably not very popular. It's just the way I read it; Spectre's still such a complex character for me, but I try to "understand" (he'd hate me so much), and I'm always open to reading more meta about him!

----------- Since it has been a while now, and because I manages to get lost in my own blog, I'm linking back to the original Ask meme, and the answers I posted for Seto Kaiba and for Yusaku Fujiki.

[scalamore]

(Spoilers) Lari and “Black Bread Guy”

So “Black Bread Guy”, named by Lari because he only shows up to the bakery to buy the cheapest, hardest, driest black bread and because he refuses to talk and give his name, is of course, Rupert. In the novel, he’s described to have used alchemy to cloak his appearance: still with blonde hair, but grayish blue eyes and a “very unremarkable, normal, average, but still attractive face”. His technique is so good to the point that if he were to bump into someone on the street, they’ll immediately forget him/he existed.

Meanwhile in the manhwa he has ash-blonde hair and is hot instead of average lmaooo

The thing is, even if Lari didn’t say it out loud, she had a suspicion from the very first time she met black bread guy that he was Rupert.

The first thing she noticed was his “brilliant blonde hair, as if it was the sun grounded down into a color itself”. He was also “taller and bulkier than Lehan, but was not Rupert”. When he kissed the back of her hand, she couldn’t help but be shocked and blush. When he smiled, he had a VERY charming smile. She noticed he struggled to speak formally/politely, and noticed it took a little bit to speak “normally”. In the subsequent visits, he rarely spoke, was indifferent, and seemed to keep to himself, but still had the air of a haughty guy/rich playboy(lol). He overall had an atmosphere of being “sharp”, whether his expression or gaze. When he spoke, he spoke very little, and would say things in a condescending/cold way, but Lari wasn’t bothered too much. But the thing that DID bother her - was his smile. During the rare moments when he did smile/laugh, she was super mesmerized and couldn’t help but stare. She couldn’t place her finger on WHY he felt so familiar though.

When he accidentally grabbed her and hugged her, at first she was freaked out and pissed off, but her anger quelled when she realized he was trembling, as if in pain from something. She felt sorry for him for some reason, patted his head to calm him down and for a moment, thought his eye color was green, but when she blinked, it was gray/blue again. Then he disappeared for a few months again. During those few months, she often wondered what happened to him. It’s not that they’re friends or anything, but she did want to know what happened to him. He seemed to have appeared from another village, and just as quickly, disappeared. When she did see him again at the marketplace, she uncharacteristically chased after him, and after cornering him in an alley… asked if he was Rupert after she saw him break Fernand’s arm (who interrupted them and tried to drag Lari away.)

Without giving her a chance to speak, he apologized for appearing in front of her without her permission, he won’t do it again in the future. So that’s it - she can’t really scold him like Lehan, because he apologized first, and promised not to do it again but… Meanwhile, Lari is struggling to control her expression and her rapidly beating heart. She’s wanted to check up on him more than once during their separation, and she’s glad to see he’s ok. She’s having a little bit of difficulty figuring out what to say, because she’s finding it hard to breathe because her heart aches just that much right now, and when he leaves, she really wanted to chase after him, but she found herself still frozen, even a long time after he left ;__;. — On a bittersweet note, Rupert in the novel thinks that no matter the situation or circumstance, Lari is the only one who sees him for who he is. Even through he used alchemy to disguise himself, Lari was able to see through it right away - just as she always has. She always had a tendency to look straight at him, instead of away or ignoring him like everyone else. Lari as well, had said earlier in the series that she always notices him, in any shape or form. At that time, she said it was because he was always on her mind because she had to understand EVERYTHING about him to prepare to save her and her family, but later on, even when the threat is gone, she is still in tune with him that she can just.. sense.. that he was there/nearby. ;___;

[away-ward]

wow, your latest qna about DN made me think, who is the most and least aggressive person in ranking? What do you think KO? How would you rank them? I think my top three would be damon/ emory/ michael. Now that you've mentioned about damon and emory, it reminded me of your past posts about their personalities and collaboration, how well they could work together without having any problems because they probably are pretty much on the same level of aggression and level-headedness, and only until now, i never actually realised that emmy IS pretty aggressive and dominant?

I dont think PD executed em's character well, but because of that qna, it made me zoom out of my understanding of DN and compare and contrast these characters, and surely, emmy really was pretty aggressive. Like why am i even shock, lmfaooo. I think other than PD not executing it well, emmy was also dealing with a lot of doubts and fear when it comes the "thunder bay" part of her life. We dont see her hesitating afterwards right? But then we dont see much of her overall. This also made me think thats why the train exchange between emmy, michael and kai had to happen. Or she will just leave again lmao.

like In comparison to banks who is outwardly pretty aggressive, but in actuality, she is more of a good follower of damon, her mom, gabriel and even kai in that hideaway bonus than a good enforcer (like you mentioned) or a pioneer, i feel like emmy is more aggressive in spirit than banks, i guess? Naturally, not just because of survival. Which also made me find banks & emmy's dynamic to be so interesting because on one hand we have emmy who looks laidback (we're talking about after nightfall) and banks who has piercing eyes, but in reality if push comes to shove, emmy would lead banks, not the other way around? Oh, wow? Or am i wrong? Like, do you get my vision, KO? It made sense right? And i feel so much headcanon can be done with that where banks could possiblly and finally get a close friend who she can follow who would catch her and lead her well rather than try to cage her all the time like everyone who's dominant than her in her life rn? Damn! We could've had that!!!

like the cocky laidback dominant nerd and her very prickly piercing submissive rule-follower/enforecer best friend? Like this friendship will be the first time where the use of the word "submissive" and "dominant" dont sound condescending because both banks and emmy can feel safe in their dynamics because they saw nothing wrong being either role, because! Theyre! Besties! And! Would! Kill! For! Each! Other! And put! Others! To! Jail! For! Each! Other! Omg? Noooo, like can you see the vision, KO? AHHHH! I remember watching larryreads's reaction to reading nightfall and she mentioned something about emmy being a shy nerd and i was like what? Did we read the same book, because the word shy or blush didnt even exist in nightfall. I remember emmy being described as ready-to-fight, cocky and stubborn, and quite flirt/spicy when she let go too (hence why emmy overpowered alex in their friendship dynamic, or even between emmy and aydin/damon), as oppose to banks who's very beautiful, prickly, super great boxing fighter, outwardly aggressive, steady reliable great worker who can also work in the dark, very loyal and honest. Im not saying they both dont possess these traits, im just saying one is more dominant than the others when it comes to these traits, especially in decision making. Emmy dngaf much about being shrewd or use lies and manipulation in a bigger scale, but banks did grew up being forward, straightforward and honest. And omg, another contrast!!

OMGGGGG If DN is famous, AO3 writers wouldve written them as that powerful feme duo, frfr. Ngl, banks and emmy really reminds me of Tristan and Dante from the dark verse series by runyx, where tristan is banks, and dante is emmy. Tristan is that dark, broody, killer and dante is the mediator and decider. Remind me of lana myers and jake denver, jake is emmy and lana is banks in terms of the do-er and the mastermind. Submissive and dominant. Not in the temperament all the time, but in overall characteristics and actions? And i just noticed too that We just dont see because emmy as being aggressive or pioneering because of side characters overtaking her povs in nightfall + her being introverted. But even then, i feel like emmy's voice still surface above them when it comes to decision making whether anyone agrees or not, which is why emmy can also be very divisive in the fandom, Which omg!!!! This brings back to that MBTI test, emmy really does sound like an INTJ, haha! And banks, ESTJ? ISTJ? Anyway, didnt emmy took a lot of control in fire night? From her conversation with will, her going after the evil guys, and talking to the cops. Yeah.

Like tbh im just running off with these ideas, that qna opens up a whole new discussion for the emmy x banks best friends agenda that i never thought of before. It also made me consider different types of aggression, like physical, emotional and thinking. And i feel like inner aggression (in spirit) would still dominate others. No matter how i see, i cannot see anyone being ranked above emory, damon and michael in terms of aggression. i feel like even kai ranks below them, because he can be neutral and passive sometimes. But thats the thing, theres no right or wrong or whos better or worse like emmy was better because shes dominant and banks was worse because she was submissive; theres just only the ranking, and it actually does open up to a deep dive of these characters' traits, and how they shape each others' dynamics. And if they really are family who fight for each other and cross anybody who comes after them, they were bound to trust each other with their temperament, strengths and weakneses sooner or later right? Rather than everybody doing whatever they want, the task divided by the the keader would be more efficiently done.

so what do you think of these? I dont rank will, rika and winter because i feel like theyre more on the submissive side. And i believe they fully enjoy their roles and have no priblem doing whatever works for the sake of their family. Not every one can and HAVE to be dominant, what one cant do, the others can. Thats what found family does right?

This ask is so exciting! Let’s get right into it. I’m going to save my ranking for the end, but I did have to spend some time thinking about it.

i never actually realised that emmy IS pretty aggressive and dominant? I dont think PD executed em's character well, but because of that qna, it made me zoom out of my understanding of DN and compare and contrast these characters, and surely, emmy really was pretty aggressive.

I’m not really sure why people started thinking about Emory as a smol shy bean, because she’s not passive in the least. In the past scenes, we met her when she’s quitting the swim team, and she says this is because she can no long wear the swim suit but she knows this is going to piss Martin off.

The thing is, she pisses Martin off on purpose on the regular as a way to rebel. She’s quiet about her abuse because she wants to remain close to her grandmother, and I’m not implying that she enjoys it by any means. Still, she knows Martin expects perfection from her, so she purposefully doesn’t brush her hair or iron her uniform. She lets the buttons fall off her cuffs. You can’t tell me Emory couldn’t figure out how to sew a button. She quits band, too. She does these things to intentionally irritate him.

She goes to her first period class; a senior class because they moved her up from the junior level because she wouldn’t shut up and stop challenging the teacher. Of course, there she doesn’t speak up much, but considering the subject matter, can we blame her? She still walks out without the teacher’s approval.

Emory likes showing off. She likes feeling like the smartest or most skilled person in the room. She thinks of herself that way, for the most part. Even when she gets to Blackchurch, and she doesn’t know anything about anyone there, she still thinks of herself as better simply because she’s not a criminal (which is funny for someone who previously watched a murdered happen, and helped bury a body, and vandalized a grave, and nearly committed grand theft auto, and so on, but the self-awareness is difficult when you’re in an unhealthy mental state). And despite being in a room full of criminals, she shows no hesitation in trying to best them because it’s what comes naturally to her.

I don’t think that PD told Emory’s story in the best way possible. However, a lot of what makes Emory who she is, is subtle and takes some digging and examining to understand. This could be said for all the characters, it’s just that I don’t like most of the characters enough to try to examine them this deeply. There is one bonus with PD not giving Emory a lot of attention – there’s less time to make her contradict herself as we see with Damon and Rika. As their characters get more and more light, some things make less and less sense.

Regardless, I agree with her that Emory is one of the most aggressive characters in terms of personality within the main crew.

We dont see her hesitating afterwards right? But then we dont see much of her overall. This also made me think thats why the train exchange between emmy, michael and kai had to happen. Or she will just leave again

At this point, I don’t think Emory had any plans of leave which is why she agreed to stay so easily. But it’s interesting that Michael said she was going to stay at St. Killian’s where they could watch her and she immediately refused that in a way that made it clear she would still be doing what she wanted.

Michael has to decide if it’ll be worth the effort it’ll take to exert his dominance over her, knowing she won’t go down easily. He backs off because it’s enough that she’s playing along.

I think he knows that he could overpower her if he wanted to. It’s just not worth the effort when she’s cooperating, which means he knows how much it would take to get her to do what he wanted. It’s an interesting dynamic.

In comparison to banks who is outwardly pretty aggressive, but in actuality, she is more of a good follower of damon, her mom, gabriel and even kai in that hideaway bonus than a good enforcer (like you mentioned) or a pioneer, i feel like emmy is more aggressive in spirit than banks, i guess? Naturally, not just because of survival

This is an excellent contrast.

Banks, in my opinion, is great at getting things done. She’s capable of calling the shots and making decisions. However, she’s also interested in maintaining the established order of things.

Maybe that’s why she wanted to be Senator, or was at least willing to go along with it. Coming into the group, there was already a dynamic at play. Michael was the leader, Kai his second, Rika his girl. She’s coming in under Kai and Damon. There’s a structure to the way the group works.

She isn’t afraid to call it how she sees it, which makes her useful to Michael. Kai is much to interested in keeping things agreeable. For instance, in the Hideaway deleted scene when he almost doesn’t tell Will why they’re meeting without him. He doesn’t want to alienate Will or make him feel bad for his behavior, even though his behavior has been pretty undesirable from a business standpoint. Banks doesn’t have that issue.

Still, she doesn’t want to disrupt the order, so she sticks to her role and doesn’t challenge it. Being a Senator gives her a space where she’s the one in control. It’s a different structure than what she’s walked into with the Horsemen.

In terms of how aggressive they are in getting their opinions across or getting their way, I do agree that Emory is more aggressive than Banks.

if push comes to shove, emmy would lead banks, not the other way around? Oh, wow? Or am i wrong? Like, do you get my vision, KO? It made sense right?

I think what we’re talking about is a battle of wills. Banks is straightforward, while Emory is more reserved, but both are loyal and value their relationships, so it could be that with each other they’d bend a little.

What you’re saying does make sense, but I think the way I’m interpreting it is that Emory, insisting on her idea and visions, gets her way if only because Banks doesn’t want to fight it. It’s not something she’s motivated to do, and she’s fine giving Emory the room to be the lead in their relationship.

because both banks and emmy can feel safe in their dynamics because they saw nothing wrong being either role, because! Theyre! Besties! And! Would! Kill! For! Each! Other! And put! Others! To! Jail! For! Each! Other! Omg? Noooo, like can you see the vision, KO?

I agree that there’s nothing insulting about they’re dynamics. I really do thing that they work because there’s nothing negative about the way they approach each other. They’d support each other undoubtingly, but give each other room to be themselves.

When they’re at they’re best, I think Banks is more subdued and accepting than Emory is. Like I said above, Banks is more outgoing and straightforward, but Emory’s opinions on things are stronger, so I think Banks would let her have her way.

However, if it did come to a point where they were on opposite sides of an issue, Emory would probably hold out longer than Banks. Unlike Michael, I don't think Banks would be able to subdue Emory if she wanted to. I also just don't think Banks would ever want to.

Additionally, regarding what you said at the start about my analysis of Damon and Emory’s relationship – I think if a difficult situation arose, Banks would seek out the others before acting, whereas Emory and Damon would know what needs to get done and silently do it without involving the others. They’re not going to wait for confirmation, or for the crew to debate, or wrestle with their conscience. They know what the hard decision is and they’ll make it without needing to discuss it. Banks could make the difficult choice too and be confident in it, she would just talk to the others first. That's the difference.

If DN is famous, AO3 writers enver written them as that powerful feme duo, frfr. Ngl, banks and emmy really reminds me of Tristan and Dante from the dark verse series by runyx, where enver is banks, and dante is emmy. Tristan is that dark, broody, killer and dante is the mediator and decider. Remind me of lana myers and jake enver, jake is emmy and lana is banks in terms of the do-er and the mastermind

Unfortunately, I don’t know any of these references. I mean, I know where they come from, but I haven’t read any of those so I can’t confirm. However, if someone else has thoughts you’re willing to share, please jump in.

This brings back to that MBTI test, emmy really does sound like an INTJ, haha! And banks, ESTJ? ISTJ?

Ah, yes the MBTI. I never heard back from the person who asked me to clarify, but I guess I’ll take the chance now.

When I started looking at my original answers, I was overcome with this feeling that Banks was an Extrovert. But that didn’t make any sense; Banks as an extrovert? So I started reading scenes with her exclusively, and I realized that… yeah, there’s a good chance for it.

What I did from there was go to MBTI-Notes, which is a blog here on tumblr, and instead of going directly to the types to see which one “fit”, I went through the functions and through process of elimination, narrowed down which function seemed to be expressed through the character’s POV chapters. From there, I built a stack that formed a type. I then went to the type to see if it worked.

Understandably, most worked… if you take into account the types when they’re in “grips” or “loops” (are we really surprised that all of the characters fall in the unhealthy range for their type). Anyway, being stuck in a grip or loop can change the way you’re personality presents outwardly.

Through this method, I determined Banks was an ESTJ, and here is the page for that. With Emory, I came to the conclusion she was INFJ.

But I encourage you to go through the functions and see what you come up with. There were definitely times I was on the fence for all the characters, so it’s up for interpretation.

Like tbh im just running off with these ideas, that qna opens up a whole new discussion for the emmy x banks best friends agenda that i never thought of before.

That’s really the reason why I continue to post these asks. It opens up the conversation, allows people to see a different interpretation and think about it. Maybe you agree, maybe you don’t. But it gets the conversation started.

No matter how i see, i cannot see anyone being ranked above emory, damon and michael in terms of aggression. i feel like even kai ranks below them, because he can be neutral and passive sometimes. - theres no right or wrong or whos better or worse like emmy was better because shes dominant and banks was worse because she was submissive; theres just only the ranking, and it actually does open up to a deep dive of these characters' traits, and how they shape each others' dynamics

Exactly! It’s only natural that people have different strengths and weaknesses. I love when it’s clear that a group works because they rely on each other and make up for each other’s lack, and no one is made to feel ashamed for it.

Anyway, my ranking of characters in terms of how aggressive their personality it:

These three take the top, as you said. The way that I see it, them wanting things they're way is a driving force in all they're stories. They’re competitive, and hate losing. In fact, I think they feel the pain of losing more than they feel the satisfaction of winning, and that's what drives them.

Damon

Michael

Emory

Damon comes first for obvious reasons, Michael comes second because he keeps Damon in line, and then Emory because while I don’t think she can control Damon, she won’t be steamrolled by him either. And that says something. And since these three can handle each other, we know anyone else is a breeze.

Banks because she’s upfront about it. Then comes Will because he can be aggressive when he’s pushed to it. But also the whole Blackchurch, faking being subdued while he was actually waiting for the moment to take control, which he was planning and preparing for… he’s not as submissive as he wants people to believe he is.

Banks

Will

Kai

Also, the moment in Emory’s house when he tells her that Martin needs to know about him, that he’s her man now? All Will wanted was to get Martin in the same room so he could stack his claim on Emory. There's something about that assertiveness that gives Will and duality the other's don't have. His in the middle of assertive and passive, but he knows what he's doing and he isn't ashamed of it.

Kai is sixth in line because he can be aggressive, but he likes to do it in secret. It's not something he utilizes, and I think in a situation where the others above him might become aggressive, he might still choose to take a passive approach for reasons only he knows (or perhaps doesn't).

Rika has more aggression than Winter, but she’ll bow to any one of the others if they were to go head-to-head. I think it’s probably clear that any battle she wins, is because the other person decided it wasn’t worth the fight.

Rika

Winter

Same for Winter but I think she knows that, where as Rika honestly believes she’s dominating at times.

This was an interesting topic and I hope there's more to come! Thank you!!

-ko

[pretentious-blonde]

Hello hello! I'm here for the Attack On Titan matchup :) You can post publicly, but please keep my info private and tag @vai3-writes

First off, I'm a she/her female, and I would prefer a male match, preferably not Zeke, Jean or Floch.

I'm an Aries sun, Leo moon, and Gemini rising, my MBTI type is ENTJ, while my enneagram type is 8w7.

I'm 168cm-ish tall and have an athletic/curvy build. My style is mostly "clean girl" or streetwear, but I also enjoy wearing dresses and skirts. I'm a gold girl and I like, by others described as "overly sweet" perfumes.  My most worn colors are white for tops and grey for bottoms. I'm a brunette and my hair reaches my upper thigh.

Personality-wise, I'm extroverted and loud, but not obnoxiously so. I'm very loyal to my friends and family and willing to do everything to protect them. But there is only a very small number of people I've trusted fully throughout my life. If people betray my trust, even if they apologize I will forever be somewhat "wary" and distant from them. I am very opinionated and like to discuss/debate many different topics like politics or religion. I enjoy talking in general, but I also love listening to people talk about their interests. I'd describe myself as a very fun and open-minded person, but I have some strict values, rules, and morals for myself that I am not willing to breach, no matter what. I'd say that I balance acting based on emotion or logic. I enjoy helping people out and leading them, but one thing I despise is being ordered around. I am also a person, that would much rather do a whole project by myself than have to hand in something I'm not 100% proud of, things like my academic achievements are incredibly important to me. My humor is mostly composed of sarcasm, exaggerations, banter, and joking bullying of my friends (only if reciprocate it). I'm overall very respectful of people I meet for the first time, but I build opinions on people very quickly. And while I like making people happy I would only very rarely put someone's (if not super close to me) needs above mine.

I am confrontational and find justice very important, I don't start arguments often, but when I hear someone say something that goes against my beliefs directly to me, I will most likely argue with said person. During arguments, I tend to get loud and somewhat agitated when people decide to ignore facts. I enjoy being around my friends, but I need alone time to function properly. When I dislike someone or don't understand someone's behavior, I like to analyze it and discuss it with somebody. I can't handle people without common sense or people who act obnoxious, stupid, condescending, fake, or arrogant. 

A negative trait for me would be that I sometimes have a sense of superiority over others, not in an arrogant way but more off in an "I know better than you", which I show by doing, as I already said, stuff like group work by myself. I have also been told by people that they've been intimidated to talk to me at first, and thoughts I’d be “bitchy” before actually talking to me.

My Love Languages are mostly quality time and gift-giving. As for date activities, I like going to small restaurants/cafes, hiking, gaming, exploring new cities, riding bikes, going out on walks, going to concerts,  trying DIY's together, karaoke, or (ceramic) painting.

My Hobbies include playing piano, gaming, doing my makeup, reading, painting, running, dancing, listening to music, buying books and reading them a year later, baking, and since recently also writing. 

My Likes include going to concerts, cleaning and reorganizing my space, cats, dressing up, iced matcha latte/iced coffee, the color pink, Black Butler, watching Horror Movies with friends, watermelon, strawberry, and mango, trying new things (experiences/games/foods..), philosophical discussions, the feeling of crisp, new linen, genshin impact, cod, dbd, valo, assassins creed and resident evil, history esp. Salem Witch Trials, Nordic mythology, Regency, the Victorian Era and Medieval times, True crime podcasts/books, my nerdy friends ranting about their interests, classical authors like Dostoevsky or Jane Austen, plushies, getting manicures, and redecorating my room.

My Music taste is very mixed I listen/listened to pretty much anything at some point in time, but my most streamed artists as of late include Nicki Minaj, Lana del Rey, Alec Benjamin, Sexy Red, and Apache 207.

My Dislikes include people who are book smart but lack common sense, condescending and arrogant people, people who treat others like children, impatient people, people who don't give their best and then complain,  people who tell me others that they just got "lucky" when spoken to about someone's achievements, people who value strength over intelligence, people who when gossiping just insult someone's looks and not their behavior, drunk/rowdy people, insects that are not spiders or moths, high humidity, greasy hair, small spaces (where you can feel every wall touching you), following rules even if it hinders you, controlling people, pessimistic people, delusional people, when people instantly think that they know better than me and unnecessarily rude people.

Fun facts about me are that I speak 3 languages fluently, Russian, German, and English. I'm currently studying French and trying to improve my Arabic. I have a really good memory, I'm hypermobile and can bend many of my joints very weirdly. I did ballet for 10 years and judo for 2. I'm fairly good at everything I try, I know the full lyrics to a lot of songs even if I haven't listened to them since forever, I want to have a home library someday, whenever I count I automatically switch to Russian, I have a tea collection and I'm a night owl.

Thank you for reading and I apologize for any mistakes, xx

You sound like such a sweetheart, I hope you like it!

I think Armin Arlert would work so well with you! Armin’s thoughtful and kind nature complements your confident, loyal, and extroverted personality. The two of you would be a mix of strength and sensitivity and would be honestly adorable, kind of like an opposites attract kind of thing, in certain ways. Armin is known for his intelligence, curiosity, and a kind heart that often guides his decisions. He would be completely captivated by your strong personality, confident demeanour, and your unwavering loyalty to those you care about. It is something he deeply admires and is sometimes a tad jealous of your confidence! He admires people who have a strong sense of justice, and moral compass, and he would find your willingness to stand up for what you believe in inspiring. He would also appreciate your ability to balance logic and emotion, as it aligns with his thoughtful and introspective nature.

Your shared love for deep, meaningful conversations would lead to endless hours of discussion! Armin would love to listen to your opinions and debates, especially on topics like history, philosophy, and morality. He’s someone who enjoys understanding different perspectives, and he would be fascinated by your well-articulated arguments and passionate stances. In return, he’d share his insights and theories, never making you feel undervalued if you need to ask some more questions. Honestly, he loves exploring them with you! I could so imagine you two roaming around new cities and finding various hidden gems. He would be thrilled to do this with you, hand in hand, as you both discover quaint cafes, hidden bookstores, and local museums. With your adventurous spirit and his curiosity, every outing would feel like a new adventure! Armin would especially enjoy visiting historical sites with you, where you both could immerse yourselves in stories of the past, discuss historical events, and share your love for Nordic mythology, the Victorian era, and other historical periods that fascinate you both. Your face lighting up as you do this just makes it so much better too. 

One of his favourite things is to just spend time alone with you in a cosy corner of a library, surrounded by towering shelves filled with books. He would love to sit next to you, each of you engrossed in your own reading but occasionally sharing passages that you find interesting. He would admire your dedication to academic achievements and your love for classical authors like Dostoevsky and Jane Austen. Together, you basically create a mini book club. He is always down for any DIY projects you suddenly come up with. Being a gentle soul who would find joy in simple, creative activities that allow for meaningful interaction is his idea of bliss. He’d love to join you in trying out DIY or ceramic painting. Picture the two of you at a small pottery studio, laughing as you paint your mugs or bowls, teasing each other about your artistic skills (or lack thereof!). These little moments of creativity and light-hearted banter would bring you closer together!

Armin has a poetic soul and loves to think about the universe and life’s deeper questions. He would adore a night spent stargazing with you, lying on a blanket under the open sky, as you both share your thoughts, dreams, and fears. Your love for philosophical discussions would shine here, and Armin would listen intently as you talk about your beliefs. These quiet, intimate moments would strengthen your emotional connection and allow you both to understand each other so much better. With your mixed taste in music and love for concerts, Armin would be excited to experience live music with you. He might be a bit shy at first, but your enthusiasm would be infectious! Soon he’d find himself dancing along with you, enjoying every beat and honestly? It feels so good to just let you in your presence.

Your two personalities would do so well together due to the balance they would bring (as I said earlier!) Armin’s gentle and understanding nature would balance your strong-willed and sometimes confrontational side. He would never try to control you or order you around, respecting your need for independence and your desire to lead rather than follow. Instead, he would support you in your endeavours, always there to offer a thoughtful perspective or a kind word when you need it. He is truly just happy you hold his opinion in such high regard. He would also admire your sense of humour, even your sarcastic and teasing side. He’d be quick to laugh along with you, appreciating your wit and cleverness. He might not be the best at sarcasm himself, but he’d enjoy trying to match your playful banter, finding joy in the way you keep him on his toes. 

In moments when you need alone time, Armin would understand completely. He’s someone who values quiet reflection himself, so he’d never take it personally when you need some space. Instead, he’d be waiting patiently for you, ready to welcome you back with open arms when you’re ready to spend time together again. He always has some kind of sixth sense when you need one of these moments too, always able to read you like a book! Armin is incredibly thoughtful and attentive, always looking for ways to make you feel loved and appreciated. He’d remember the little things, like your favourite “overly sweet” perfume or the fact that you switch to Russian when you count. He’d surprise you with small gifts that show how much he pays attention—maybe a new book for your future home library, a plushie that reminded him of you, or even a gold accessory that complements your style. He’d also take note of your likes and dislikes, making sure to create an environment where you feel comfortable and happy. He’d avoid places with high humidity or small, cramped spaces, and instead, plan dates that align with your interests and comfort zones. Armin’s thoughtfulness would shine through in every aspect of your relationship, making you feel cherished and understood. God, he is such a sweetheart when it comes to you!

[please-picturemeintheweeds]

Is Bejeweled a break up song? or a bragging song? or something else?

I think bejeweled is a lot of things. To me, it is a self-empowerment song, in all its messy glory, and learning how to stand up for yourself. Stepping into your own power is way more complicated than #girlpower, so while I think overall it does really capture the experience of reclaiming power/self esteem, it also grapples with how to express that power/autonomy (and anger over the disempowerment - being put in the basement). She is valuable, she owns it, she can choose the path her life takes, and she is choosing to go out and feel good about herself!!! Hell yeah!! Which is not to say that it doesn’t come without implications/consequences/context in the relationship. It reminds me a lot of vigilante shit: ladies always rise above ladies know what people want someone sweet and kind and fun the lady simply had enough!!! There’s a moment where something snaps. 

I think it is a song that plays in your mind when you are arguing with someone who wronged you, in the shower, alone. There’s a lot of anger at herself in it, not just at the other person. How could I have let them make me feel this way? I gave them the tools to hurt me as a fucking present!! But then the first time she says she polishes up… there’s a pause, and she says it sort of defeatedly… “nice.” I had all these great points to make about how much you hurt me but when it comes down to it, I’m just… nice, and I let it slide. Which is Immediately followed by the second verse’s pouty and weirdly kinky!!! “baby love, I think I’ve been too good of a girl” and then like a slap across the face “it’s time to teach some lessons! I made you my world (uh) have you heard (uh) I can reclaim the land!!!!” Which is where it turns full empowerment mode, to me. I AM MY OWN WHOLE WORLD! It’s over the top, it’s exaggerated, it’s pop star glitz, it’s camp!

Swifties joke around that bejeweled is a threat, and I want to validate that reading!! The sass!! She’s saying; because of how you’ve made me feel, by the way, I could “forget” I am in a committed long term relationship, and cross some lines, too. She’s not being ~nice~ here with how she talks to the other person. This song captures the ways that power can go to our heads a bit. Like realizing that you’ve been taken advantage of because of how nice you were being really fucks with how you see the spectrum of nice -> mean (or at least, this is what always happens to me!). Her words are condescending, a tad humiliating, dismissive, and tbh a little belittling! And I appreciate so so so much that Taylor is unafraid to be honest in her work. It’s not always a flattering self portrait (because non of us actually have moral purity). Who among us has not ever thought that way about someone who has hurt us? Where is the line of honesty and cruelty when someone has hurt you? That tension is extremely relatable and human. But starting off with the descriptions of how she’s been hurt, walked all over, put in the basement, she put them first and wasn’t even in their top five, definitely justifies all that anger and resentment. We see where she’s coming from, and ultimately, I support women’s wrongs lol like I love that she’s super sassy here. It goes hard and is so fun! It’s music! I just also think it’s an important element of how she approaches the “I’m hot and fuck you for hurting me” pop banger- it’s authentic and directly chews on where self worth actually comes from/where we seek it.

So, to your question, I don’t think it’s exactly a break up song, though it describes a feeling that could absolutely precede a break up. I don’t think it’s exactly a “bragging song” though it portrays a genuine self confidence. It’s an emotionally intimate study of resentment showing up in a relationship where you feel your kindness/understanding/care has not been reciprocated. To use the greatest phrase ever uttered, it is, indeed, “saucy toxic dramatic tragic” and also extremely silly.

[lean-mean-demon-genevieve]

Very reasonably priced woo-woo machine, I see she understands her targeted audience. Btw, what is parasite cleansing? I feel like I’m missing something here…

Anon #2 that came through while I was putting this together:

Parasite cleansing? Apart from the fact that in the US this really only an issue for pets and livestock, I’m still calling bull. No way that anything designed to kill parasites wouldn’t be intrinsically toxic to this leech.

———————————————————————

Ok, get ready. Because THIS is one of my favorite things to talk about when it comes to Gen…You’re not missing anything because “parasite cleansing,” as she’s referring to it, is not a real thing. In recent years, G has become obsessed with “gut health” alongside the rest of the wellness community. Part of that is a concern for parasites that may be upsetting your delicate GI balance. 🙃 More info on the trend, scam, and risks here.

Time will tell if she actually circles back around to talk about this more like she said she would in that video. I hope she tells us who suggested it to her. But overall, Gen’s hypochondria stems from a mix of generalized anxiety, perfectionism/the drive to be constantly improving her “health”, and an abundance of access to resources and “professionals” who validate her concerns. G has been on this health optimization kick for quite a while but she recently named one of her major influences.

In the podcast where she talked about her implants, she also mentioned her doctor by name; Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen of Resilient Health. This whole medical practice is set up for the rich and the anxious. A few things stand out to me upon reading the doc’s bio on their website: First, she is the lead scientist for IntelxxDNA, a genetic testing service that claims to be able to tell you what medical concerns you may be at risk for, and advise on next steps.

As I researched this service further, other resources would note that one risk of this kind of testing is an increase in stress and anxiety. And that makes sense if you find out your DNA makes you at risk for some super scary disease. Just ask Gen:

So if I’m reading between the lines here, it sounds like G got her DNA profile read at this practice and then has become, understandably, even more hyper-aware of her body and body sensations as a result. And then you have a doctor with an invested interest going, “oh no, let’s monitor how you’re feeling at all times.” This is a recipe for disaster when you’re anxious. You will see what you look for, without fail. No wonder she bites her cuticles.

Furthermore, the clinical validity and utility of these tests cannot be confirmed as of yet. (Source) Clinical utility refers to whether the test can provide helpful information about diagnosis, treatment, management, or prevention of a disease. So all this hyper-focus and making it rain on this doctor could all be for nothing.

You might saying, “what does she mean by making it rain on the doctor?” Well, finally there’s this part:

Private membership at the doctor’s office? If you’re unfamiliar with this form of boutique or concierge medicine, it may be because you aren’t in the right tax bracket. Here’s a fairly quick rundown that I like, but it’s basically paying a monthly out-of-pocket fee to a physician for 24/7 access to their care. For my friends in the US, our insurance plans could never. (And you still need health insurance or deep pockets on top of it for additional prescriptions, tests, etc…seriously, read the article above.)

I won’t go into the ethical implications of providing access to care to only the rich, but it’s definitely there imho. Plus check out the practice’s condescending phrasing: a membership is the ultimate self-care. Don’t you care about your health??! Inquire about giving us your money today!

So why am I going on and on about this? Because our dear Gen is stuck in an echo chamber of health anxiety and she wants you to be right there with her. There’s nothing inherently wrong with integrative medicine or holistic practices, but life is hard enough without allowing this broad to add to your stress. If you find yourself asking if you too need some crap she’s peddling, the answer is likely no. And she doesn’t need it either. She just has access to it...and she’s probably hoping you help foot her bill with a purchase through a monetized link.