#she's definitely ambitious enough to want to be queen

[lion-writer]

I’ve seen a lot of headcanons and fics where Viago disapproves of Rook getting together with Lucanis. Or ones that focus on how an alliance with the De Rivas benefits House Dellamorte, which is definitely true, but honestly, Viago couldn’t possibly ask for a better partner for Rook. 

Though to be fair I am obsessed with Viago and his belief that he could restore the royal power of Treviso and that “He will not be satisfied until he sits upon a throne.”

While as a talon, he’s definitely more powerful than the king, and he could probably easily overthrow his father and take the throne. But that's probably not his biggest issue, because as my old history teacher used to say, “Power cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred”, so by restoring the power of the royal family, he’d be taking power away from the merchant princes and the other talons. Which, it’s probably safe to assume they wouldn't be happy about”. (Also as a side note, the quote “It’s not paranoia if they’re out to get you” is applicable here. Viago is a man planning to make A Lot of enemies)

And remember, this man is still the 5th talon, and while he’s allied with Teia, she’s also only the 7th talon. (Though they definitely should have gotten a promotion after the events of 8 little talons). So he’s not really in any position to actually make any power play, not unless he wants to piss off 6 of the other houses. 

Thankfully, depending on the choices you make, by the end of Veilguard, he’s almost certainly up there among the most powerful people in Antiva, given that he was a key player in ending the occupation of a major city by the Antaam, not to mention the killing of a Literal Evil God. The only Antivans that could be more influential than him at this moment is Teia, who he’s dating and let's be honest, will eventually marry, Rook, who’s his protege, 

Among those people, Lucanis is probably the most politically powerful, given that he’s done everything Viago has, in addition to the fact that he actually killed a god, and is now The First Talon. While I feel that he would support Viago in the bid for the throne, he’s also the only one who Viago doesn’t have any sort of formal alliance with. And considering Viago’s general distrust towards basically everyone, he wouldn’t place that much trust in the bonds of friendship, (especially if you believe that he thinks that Lucanis’s attempt at flirting was a threat).

But given the general political upheaval Antiva is probably already in right now, because It’s highly doubtful that Governor Ivenci was the only guy to make deals with the Antaam or Venatori for power, there’s no better time for Viago to make a play for power. With everything so recent it would be so easy for him to step forwards as a figure for people to rally behind, I mean he exposed corruption in the government, he freed Treviso, he trained a god killer, and he’s the son of the king. But If he waits, he kinda does risk somebody else stepping forth.

But after Ivenci’s attempt at getting rid of the crows and the whole Illario debacle, the other Talons would be very suspicious of anyone trying to take power, and while Viago is a Crow, he’s also an infamous curmudgeon who doesn’t really get along with the others. 

Luckily, Lucanis is head over heels for Rook, which cements an alliance with House Dellamorte. And well, there’s quite a historical precedent, especially in Antiva, for alliances and weddings to go hand in hand. Not to mention the message it would send to the other talons for Viago to give away Rook, his protege for whom he has already demonstrated a soft spot for, to The First Talon, arguably The Face of the Crows. In addition, a grand high profile Wedding between two heroes who just saved the world, is the perfect thing for the general public to associate Viago with after everything. 

I mean I’m pretty sure he would still grumble about it and he’d definitely let Lucanis know that if he ever dared to hurt Rook, Lucanis would wish he was still trapped in the Ossuary. But once he’s certain that they’re serious about each other, Teia and him would be the first people to start bugging them about marriage.

[harmoonix]

𓆩♡𓆪 𝔾𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕤 II 𓆩♡𓆪

──────────────────────────────

~ This time ya gonna see how we do it like that ~ ──────────────────────────────

𓆩♡𓆪 Sagittarius Sun, Mars, Venus or Mercury will make you such a sassy person, literally "savage" the definition of these placements

𓆩♡𓆪 When you have Mars aspecting the Midheaven people will see you as a competition, they'll try to compete with you

𓆩♡𓆪 Cancer Mars and Moon can have issues with understanding their feelings, but that doesn't stop them from expressing themselves and getting better

─────────────────────────────

We're wide awake now, our eyes are wide open

We're running this world, we keeping it turning

─────────────────────────────

𓆩♡𓆪 Aries and Aquarius Lilith are 2 rebellious forces of nature, Lilith may act like she needs to change something in herself here, it can be in her personality

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn in the same house as Lilith or conjuncting Lilith can be a dangerous placement because Lilith here won't listen to anybody and will do her own thing. She can feel chained up

𓆩♡𓆪 The aura a Capricorn gives is always dark, I love how Capricorn can resemble the dark "goat", Capricorn always gave Maleficent vibes especially when it comes to being ambitious

𓆩♡𓆪 Mercury/Gemini in the 5H can make you to be attracted be multiple people or to have more crushes, doesn't always have to be a relationship

𓆩♡𓆪 Leo Sun, Risings and Venus are the embodiment of a queen, for some reason I always think of Cleopatra of Egypt everytime I think about Leo placements ( Leo Venus gives highly Bastet vibes)

𓆩♡𓆪 If you have a "yang" moon sign like air or fire signs and you have Pluto aspecting the Moon, the aspects will make your moon to act more dark/misterious than already it is

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith in Gemini/3rd house will tend to talk more harshly if they're feeling threatened by a person, especially if they want to call that person out for something

𓆩♡𓆪 Everytime I see someone trying to look for a "loyal relationship" I always think they must have Saturn - Venus aspects or Saturn in Libra or Saturn in the 5H or 7H!! major loyal relationship vibes

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith in Leo. I love this placement but its bad trait can be that, they love the attention and if they don't get it. These natives can get mad or just annoyed about it

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn in Scorpio or in the 8H talks about a major want or "need" for feeling comfortable with their intimacy or sexuality, they just want to feel good and protected in the same time

𓆩♡𓆪 Virgo Moons aspected by Lilith can act "unholy" which can indicate being more critical than usual maybe more strict even with yourself, is important to give yourself peace of mind

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Sirene (1009) aspecting Saturn can make you to be more attracted in older people than you, sexually, romantically etc

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Sirene (1009) aspecting the Sun will Influence the native to be more aware of their personality and aura, like you know how attractive and beautiful you can be

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Eros (433) in Cancer/4H or Cancer Degrees 4°, 16°, 28° will mostly attract a partner who will be a familist/a person who puts family over everything/traditional spouse too

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Eros (433) in Virgo/6H or Virgo Degrees 6°, 18° will mostly attract a very hardworking spouse, someone will know how important the "devotion" to the world

─────────────────────────────

We're living like giants

─────────────────────────────

𓆩♡𓆪 People don't talk enough about how Mars - Jupiter and Venus - Jupiter aspects can make you horny 24/7, not gonna lie their sexual hormones are crazy

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn in Gemini or the 3rd house natives will find themselves constantly pushed into situations where the need to have good communication skills will become apparent

𓆩♡𓆪 Gemini Risings are remarcabile in making themselves socially liked by others, I admire their social skills and their friendship commitment

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn in the 1st/10th and 6th house are big glow up placements, for yourself, career and even your mental health

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Eros (433) in Libra/7H/ or at 7°, 19° degrees, can we talk a bit about how romantic these placements are?? Eros is getting into "addicted" phase here and is just so in love with everything

𓆩♡𓆪 Venus in Virgo/Venus in the 6th or Venus at 6°. 18° degrees can have quality time and acts of service as their love languages and they're honestly trying their best at making people feeling seen and comforted

𓆩♡𓆪 Neptune/Jupiter/Uranus in the 1st house can he gifted with spiritual gifts, they're usually much more spiritual than other people even since from childhood

𓆩♡𓆪 People don't talk enough about how Moon in the 9th house can make you tied to a certain culture or tradition. It can be yours or others, but you'll get so tied in that culture that you'll adore it

𓆩♡𓆪 I have my 7H lord in the 9H in my sidereal/vedic chart and my friends always joke about me marrying someone religious (I PRAY to not), im more spiritual than religious and marrying someone religious will be the end for me (They say I'm gonna marry a priest help 😭😭😭)

𓆩♡𓆪 Pluto in the 11th house will make the native more powerful in their communities, or in their social group, you gain power with community

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Eros (433) in Capricorn/10th house or at 10°, 22° will attract that type of "boss" figure spouse in their lives, it can be a dominant figure too and very influential in their lives

𓆩♡𓆪 Moon or Venus in the 6H are the best placements to have if you love animals 🐶🐈🐨, I adore these placements in the 6H (can't relate I don't have any) but I love seeing them in a chart

𓆩♡𓆪 Some obvs. for your 1H lord in other house

1st house lord in the 6H > Prioritize your health and your capacity for work/service, taking a break is vital for you

1st house lord in the 2nd H > your self worth and is more precious than any gold or diamonds from this earth

1st house lord in the 7H > Relationships are healthy and important for a human but don't forget to prioritize yourself as well

1st house lord in the 5H > Finding your joy and your own talents is the best thing you can do

1st house lord in the 9H > Don't let others to decide your fate, you can do it by yourself! Try to be more free than ever

1st house lord in the 12H > Your subconscious is as powerful as your spirit, you learn that your destiny will always be by your side

𓆩♡𓆪 Having Saturn as your asc ruler like Cap or Aqua risings is not an easy job because Saturn is teaching you how to deal with life independently

𓆩♡𓆪 Venus in Aquarius/Venus at 11°, 23° degrees, people get so easily attached by you with this placement, you like "one of them" and the community support is always so heart warming

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn or Mercury in the 6H can make you anxious at your job, not that "severe" anxiety but still stressing

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith in Virgo/6H can be full of storms, because they can feel drained and tired from others energy, people tend to ignore or forget about their needs and these natives can end up in a bad mood

𓆩♡𓆪 Neptune/Pisces/Moon or Cancer in the 2H can get emotionally attached by the things they own. It can be a sentimental relationship with material things

──────────────────────────────

Ya thought that we were weak but we coming right back

This time ya gonna see how we do it like that

──────────────────────────────

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn aspecting the Moon, especially in harsh aspects, has a hard time dealing with their emotions, is okay to let your feeling out sometimes

𓆩♡𓆪 Asteroid Sirene (1009) having no aspects or sitting empty in a chart can indicate a native who didn't discovered their sexual potential yet

𓆩♡𓆪 Pisces + Taurus combo in a chart can indicate a native who can be a very dreamy and artistic person, their talent can be insane

𓆩♡𓆪 Saturn/Pluto and Lilith in the 4H can grow in very strict households, and it is very important to heal and grow and to NOT be like them and to not fall in their footsteps in case they're toxic

𓆩♡𓆪 Jupiter aspecting the ascendant native is looking hella good because you'll have Jupiter blessing your body. If you don't love your body, start to do so

𓆩♡𓆪 Sagittarius Risings lining up to be some of the most luckiest people in the world because Jupiter, the planet of luck, is rulling their 1st house. The same can apply if you are Jupiter Dominant

𓆩♡𓆪 Having Jupiter aspecting the Neptune makes you the most dreamiest person ever, never stop believing in your dreams, or your magic will fade away literally

𓆩♡𓆪 Sagittarius + Libra combo in a chart can make you to be more bold, wild, sexy, pretty than ever, shine brighter than the diamonds with Venus - Jupiter as your rulers

𓆩♡𓆪 Scoprio + Virgo/Capricorn in a chart can make the native enchanted, mysterious, and even more magnetic. You can have vampire energy

𓆩♡𓆪 North Node aspecting Saturn gives the native the power to go through their obstacles in life, is indeed an indicator for having karmic lessons, but you gonna rise victorious out of this

𓆩♡𓆪 Venus aspecting Neptune or Pluto makes you fall in love with the 'bad' guys. They can be toxic, manipulators, and yes, extremely hot, but that was not the point ;)

𓆩♡𓆪 Sun aspecting Mars natives have that unique energy to make everything possible, they are very ambitious and will make it to happen

𓆩♡𓆪 Mars in the same house as Mercury or Mars aspecting Mercury will be very sassy/dramatic in their talks/conversations, even sarcastic sometimes

𓆩♡𓆪 12H in Leo/South Node in Leo/Saturn in Leo/8H in Leo gives "royalty up to my veins." They can have a presence of a royalty in other people's lives

𓆩♡𓆪 Pluto or Lilith aspecting the ascendant gives major jealousy vibes when it comes to your looks/appearance people wish to look like you

𓆩♡𓆪 Moon in the 11H/Moon in Aquarius natives are gifted with incredible friends in this life. The meaning of these placements is to find friends you can relate with, very underrated placements ♡

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith in the 4H and Cancer Lilith can be placements because you're not always surrounded with love or kindness, that's why is hard for you to give the same energy back

𓆩♡𓆪 Air Risings remind me of 90's songs. For some reason, I have always considered the 90s to be Air Risings era, related to music style kinda makes sense because

Libra Risings because Venus gives them the gift of arts and music, Libra because of their unique fashion (The 90's fashion in music industry was BOMB)

Gemini Risings because Mercury is heavy tied with music and with what we hear, Gemini because is tied with communication and learning skills in music

Aquarius Risings because of Uranus's help to bring uniqueness and difference in music styles, also to make it widely more known, Aquarius to make it comfortable for the community of music

Not me debating the reason 😭😭 i got too deep with this subject lol

𓆩♡𓆪 Let me tell ya guys ,it happens to have my Lilith [1181] conj my Aphrodite in the 5H (house of kids😭😭), these both make me to not want kids never, and I actually like it because i am a generational curse breaker anyway. Thanks to Lilith, i know Lady Aphrodite can act more "baby fever" in the 5H!!! Not my in case 💅💅💅

𓆩♡𓆪 Speaking of Lilith 1181 aspecting your Neptune can make you to act more dreamy & enchanted, also very intutive

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith 1181 aspecting your Moon makes you to be vulnerable at times, need to take care and to protect your energy! Dont depend on others

𓆩♡𓆪 Lilith 1181 aspecting your Venus will make you to act more possessive your relationships/spouse, will make you to be more in love even obsessed at times.

♡■ New week, a new post for yall☆!! Enjoy it♡♡♡ ♡

I hope you all have a very beautiful Monday ♡♡♡

Harm♡♡nix

[sweetestpopcorn]

Hello!! I know that aside from Daemon/Rhaenyra, you are a fan of Baelon/Alyssa. I just wanted to ask, what is your opinion on Viserra, or on the whole Viserra seducing Baelon after Alyssa’s death? Do you think Baelon might have been able to save Viserra from her fate if he had agreed to marry her (even if he didn’t love her)? What is your opinion on this pair?

Hi there :)

Yes, after Daemyra Baelon and Alyssa are definitely my favourite Targaryen couple.

About the rest of your ask, I don't think Viserra fans will like my answer, but I don't quite care for Viserra. I have talked about it in the past that I see Saera and Viserra as very shallow characters with almost nothing to them. They were written as mean girls and that's about it, besides being Targaryens and physically very attractive, I don't actually see any redeeming qualities in them.

Saera at least you could argue was sort of funny, in a heartless, sociopathic Cersei kind of way, and I did admire how she later on in life wanted nothing to do with Westeros or the Iron Throne saying she had her own kingdom was a cool moment. But regardless she was cruel, unnecessarily so (e.g., Tom the Turnip anyone?), and worse with someone much weaker than her which also makes her a sort of coward. Like I said she had many sociopathic traits, and her behaviour itself is very congruent with a sociopathic personality type.

Viserra is a bit better in that regard in the sense that she was not needlessly cruel to anyone weaker than her for fun, even if she poked fun at young men who lusted after her, sometimes in quite dangerous ways (e.g., when she dares them to put their heads inside a dragon's mouth, I think the prize was her V card if memory serves right). But like Saera is mean and cold for the sake of being mean and cold, Viserra is ambitious and cold for the sake of being ambitious and cold.

We are both shown and told she wanted power and to be queen and F feelings and all that, but we are never really given a proper reason as to why. I would guess that being child #10 in a very large family would make you starved for attention, likely importance as well, since her only selling point in that family was being the most beautiful of the sisters. It was (VERY) unlikely she would ever be queen, so maybe because of that it became an ambition of hers? There was also something arrogant about her because of her looks, thinking that that would be enough to just give her what she wanted without having to rely on anything else. In that sense she has no depth, what you see is pretty much what you get and neither is very good or particularly compelling.

So, no, I wouldn't want her to marry Baelon, nor for Baelon to be interested in her. In fact, I loved that he wasn't and that after she spoke in such a nasty way about the sister she thought herself so physically superior too that Baelon gave Viserra a cold hard dose of reality of he's Baelon Targaryen, not a failed Baelon like Tywin Lannister.

Sure that some people find love again in life, and I am all for it. But some people aren't like that, and I found a lot of beauty in that aspect of Baelon's character, of how devoted he remained to the memory of his lady with the mismatched eyes. I would have hated for that to be ruined, especially in the name of such an ambitious and empty character like Viserra. If he was to marry her, whatever the reason, he would not be Baelon because that was a central aspect to his character.

All this aside I did feel bad about how Viserra was treated by Alysanne, almost like she was the final boss Alysanne had to defeat. I think this is a great example at times of George's incongruence with how he writers characters in F&B. Pretty much their end is decided so he just does whatever he has to to get there, at times with little regard with what he previously established. Are we supposed to believe that the same Alysanne who still loved and wanted to forgive Saera, even defended her, would be so cold and mean to Viserra? Sorry, I don't find it the least bit believable. Like show us on the doll where Viserra touched you Alysanne. Regardless of her not deserving this or her cruel fate, I still don't really care about Viserra nor think she had any redeeming qualities.

And that is my take.

Thank you for coming to my Tumblr Ted Talk!

Much love to you <3

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Aang's wife deserving a quite, peaceful life after the war and learn to be a healer and peacemaker, that almost sounds like a fitting arc for Azula than it does Katara.

Now, there's no shame of wanting to retire and raise a family but how they went about that with Katara doesn't feel right.

The first and most infamous example is how there's not one statue to her name. Others include not doing anything to fight off the invading north and showing up to her granddaughter's tattoo ceremony thing.

The writer's excuse for this is "back problems." Back problems or not, no way would she let history repeat itself, not after learning to grow more powerful since the last time we saw her. Zuko is two years older and yet is still flying around kicking cans.

Katara always had a desire to fight. For her whole life, she felt powerless and prayed that the avatar would return. Sometime after doing so, she learned to rely on herself more.

She detested the thought of just being a healer and wanted to fight and protect others. Once she gets into fights, you can tell she excels at it and enjoys doing so. It empowers her.

At the same time though, she understands the importance of healing and wants that to be a unisex concept as well as combat.

...

Then there's Azula. Like Katara, she too excels at fighting but we see how it extracts a heavy toll.

She's almost had all the power in the world but was raised to be a struggling perfectionist trying to live up to impossible expectations.

Contrary to popular belief. She's not bloodthirsty by choice. She just finds being so to be necessary. She NEEDS to be a fighter and she NEEDS to take pleasure in it.

It's clear to see that she secretly hates the expectations put on her, she hates being nothing but a weapon and hates being considered a monster, despite her hardest to convince herself that it is what it is. Her latest solo comic shows more detail about it.

It's also evident in how she willingly disobeys Ozai's orders to bring Zuko in as a prisoner and instead gives him his old life back. She tries to put the bad blood between her and Zuko behind them.

In the beach, she tries to act normally and take dating advice. She explains the thought of being a monster in a somber tone before forcing herself to act indifferent. Peaceful adjustments and social norms are foreign to Azula but she has considered getting into them from time to time.

A recent theory suggests that the spiritually attuned Fire Sage woman Korra met up with who tends to heards of sky bison is Azula herself. If it's true then she's successfully got the peaceful life she deserves and secretly wanted and is doing her part in undoing all that she has wrought.

Would I like her to also have statues, fight when necessary even at an old age, and be ambitious enough to want to be a Phoenix Queen before and after marrying Aang? Yes, definitely.

[waitingonher]

lok 

fem

persona: ok so im like. a pretty goofy gal. i’d also like to say im funny but idk,, im thoughtful, nervous, creative, a bit of a rambler? i also like to think im ambitious. im pretty chill, a go with the flow type of person usually. short tempered but i never really get there. quiet when alone but around people i get pretty loud and jolly. certified cat lover<3 /// physical: chubby/pudgy but pretty strong, pale skin, lots of scars (from cat scratches and accidents, like 2 lil burn scars on my wrist from hot glue), stretch marks, kinda short lmao (5’4), shoulder-length wavy/curly brown hair (more on the curly side), glasses, freckles just beneath my eyes and lots of beauty marks or whatever you call them all around..blue-gray eyes, long lashes, a little scar on my lip i was born with. no tats or piercings but i do wanna get a snake tattoo that runs from my back and splits down both my arms. i also wanna get a bridge piercing, snakebite piercings and/or a medusa, and a belly button piercing. i have short nails and i also wear braces

(in order of prevalence) physical touch/gifts/quality time

writing, drawing, fashion/clothes, i like taking walks even though i never do, i also like to clean, and i also like cooking/baking even though i never do☠️and i luv music. and i have a deep interest for psychology and voice acting

honestly it doesn’t matter much to me,, maybe something cute and classic like a movie date or going to a place for lunch/dinner? doesn’t matter to me as long as i can get to know the person well enough

nothing i can really think of physically, but i like someone who can keep up with me when it comes to intelligence so we can have like. thoughtful talks or something! if not that then definitely someone who has the same humor as me/someone i can laugh with and just chill with and someone i don’t have to prove myself around. also i do like ppl who are taller teehee

thanks!!

🪐🪐🪐

you matchup is . . . korra!

it was honestly love at first sight when korra saw you.

she's absolutely in love with your eyes and if she could, she'd spend the entire day just staring into them.

korra's also in full support of your piercings! as soon as you tell her about the piercings you want, she's already researching reputable piercing shops and booking an appointment LMAO

korra is our physical touch queen! she's always going to have some part of her touching you no matter what. especially in public! it's more of a reassurance thing for her to know that you're there. being the avatar has her terrified of potentially losing you :(

i fully believe that korra is the type of person to use those incredibly cheesy pick-up lines and moves on you! for example, she'd point off in the distance behind you and when you look over, she'd pull your face back in to give you a kiss LMAO.. she's so cheesy...

she'd also use cringey nicknames for you! and it's gotten to the point where you can't tell if she's joking anymore...cuz why is she calling you "sweet cheeks" on a daily basis now...

korra is SO good with conversations! she can go from laughing her ass off with you about some immature joke to having the deepest conversation about the meaning of life.

she's the best person to go to when it comes to talking about your plans and ambitions in life! not just because she's your girlfriend, but because she's genuinely just as passionate about them as you are. korra loves hearing about your goals in life and plans to stick with you til you see them through <3

. . .

author's note: first matchup in weeks oops. school is back in session lord help me

[thehauntingofharrenhouse]

SIGHING the age difference between margaery and sansa is p big for teenagers! margaery is closer to jon and robb's age than sansa's. margaery and her family actively pursued an interest in elevating her to queen from at least the first book if not longer, tywin was actively trying to arrange a marriage between cersei and rhaegar before the maggy scene, which takes place when cersei was younger than sansa is at the beginning of the series. ned and catelyn had barely discussed sansa's options before joffrey shows up; they might have thought of it later or they might have chosen someone else. the wealthy southern houses are ambitious, but starks rarely send their daughters south to marry. sansa has talent and big dreams, and cat would at least think to take that into account. likely cat was expecting to marry her into another great house, but we know cat wanted her kids to be happy?? and be children?? for as long as they can. she was surprised and a little upset that robb was wearing live steel, even tho he's nearly an adult by westerosi standards and competent enough to manage winterfell when she understandably neglects her duties while bran is in his coma.

this is not a bad thing!! this is reasonable!! and cat did teach sansa how to be a lady the same way ned taught robb and jon to be a lord, through example and demonstration. all highborn girls have lessons with a septa, not least to occupy them while the boys are practicing hitting each other with swords. sansa and arya were also given lessons with maester luwin, which is a significant advantage that not all highborn girls get. and honestly this solid foundation gave sansa and arya the tools they needed to survive thus far!!

catelyn was expecting sansa (and arya!) to continue her education at court, under the supervision of ned and with the help of septa mordane. and cersei did try to educate her in her own terrible way––catelyn could not have known how incompetent cersei was (honestly cersei had robert killed in an incredibly sophisticated way that would still be hard to prove in real court, she is a lot more together in the first book). ned resolved to end the betrothal as soon as he saw what joffrey was like, he definitely believed revealing joffrey's parentage would make this easy.

margaery came to king's landing with an army at her back, knowing there was a possibility, however slim, of the lannisters rejecting an alliance. she knew she was entering a city her family had been starving out for months!! she brought food!!! she was prepared. she knew exactly what she was getting into!! loras had almost definitely been feeding the tyrells information about the court for years, if only so they'd know what was going on lol.

the tyrells are absolutely the lannisters' foils, I think that's pretty clear? margaery is the political powerhouse cersei wants to be, and she has the support and respect cersei craves. loras is the new Best Tourney Knight who mostly lives up to the ideals jaime strives for without really trying, and his relationship actually is unfairly discriminated against instead of just creepy (affectionate). willas is the scholarly heir trusted absolutely, like his claim is so rock solid he is just left with the castle, and he has a more 'socially acceptable' disability (in tyrion's mind especially!). like they are both engaged to sansa even. and olenna is who tywin thinks he is, except she also has the power of being a reasonable adult who would prefer that people (not joffrey) didn't get hurt. then garlan is just a good guy, all the lannisters wish they had a garlan

for the record, also, sansa tried to 'talk up' joffrey because she was terrified. she does not like anything about joffrey at this point and is desperately trying to think of things to say that won't get her killed?? what olenna and margaery do so well, and what is indicative of their strength as politicians and the power of being nice to people, is put sansa at ease enough that she's willing to tell them the truth. like yes sansa was fully deluding herself at one point, accepting joffrey's apology for lady's death, but she starts to hate him as soon as he has ned arrested (and their household killed??). how many of us can say we have not gone a little delusional over a crush in middle school regardless of what our parents taught us. lmao.

cat and ned may not have prepared sansa to be queen but they are the reason alayne is still kind, and that is why she inspires the kind of loyalty littlefinger can't, which will prove to be her greatest weapon.

[readinginithilien]

Of the history of Galadriel and her relationship with Celeborn

I love Galadriel and Celeborn and their relationship, and especially what little can be gleaned from Galadriels history. I recently read that Tolkien later in his life wanted to change Galadriels past and intended to have her sail to Middle-earth independently from the hosts of the Noldor. I don't like that at all. It deprives her of the wonderful character arc we get glimpses at in the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings.

In the age of the trees, Galadriel was proud and head-strong, independent, in manners like a man, intelligent, far-sighted and ambitious. After Alqualondë she is driven by her desire for revenge and to rule.

Then she enters Doriath. And instead of taking the chance to rule somewhere like all her cousins, she stays there quite a while. When she emerges again in the second age (allthough she left earlier, only that's when we learn from her next), she is changed. She is still proud, intelligent, far-sighted and head-strong (look at her behaviour in LotR), independent (she spent quite some time separated from her husband in the second age) and ambitious. However, she is not driven by a desire for revenge (don't talk to me about that series) or to rule anymore. She doesn't take any of the chances to rule in the chaotic beginnings of the second age, and when she becomes the Lady of Lothlorien, she doesn't rule, just lead. She doesn't take the title of a queen. In fact she tells us that the ring tempted her, that it would have made her a queen - but she resisted. She has overcome that desire. Similarly there is no sign of her still looking for revenge, just to defend her people and free middle-earth. She has become wiser, more powerful, and she has overcome the negative motivations while still maintaining the important traits of her personality. She has gone through quite the character development.

And all this has happened in Doriath, coinciding with her meeting Celeborn. That could be coincidental, but I like to believe that he helped quite a lot. He helped her realise that she didn't need to rule, that she could lead and help without that power, and that thirst for revenge was unhealthy. But he also supported her wisdom, search for power and independence (there is no sign their relationship suffered under the long spells of separation in the second age).

She found a husband who helped her do some character development, but who still supported her dreams, personality and strength. She found a husband and did not become a meek little housewife. She did not become co-dependent, or submissive, or even saw the need to stay with him all the time. He supported her and helped her get over the negative traits while getting stronger. And I think that is beautiful.

As an aside, this gives me a lot of hope for Tolkiens idea of what became of Eowyn after she marries Faramir.

As a second aside, we don't know what Celeborn was like before he met her, but LotR gave me the feeling that he could definitely still do some character development. Galadriel has to tell him to cool down with regards to dwarves when thousands of years have passed since they did his people (not unprovoked) wrong, and he probably ate dwarves in his past,the hypocrite. It makes me wonder what would have happened to him if he'd had a little more time with Galadriel and Gimli and maybe some more dwarves in the fourth age. Maybe he would have had some character development, too. Maybe it would have even been enough to close the chapter of middle earth and sail. Maybe that will still happen. Who knows

[kavalyera]

48 for enir and 49 for v!!!

48. Detail things about your OC you spent a lot of time on!

— I researched norse mythology and learned a lot about the Viking age because that’s the era Ùlfr came from! Also, I did learn a bit of old norse and taught myself the runic alphabet through PDFs I pirated LMAOO but mostly Younger Futhark if that makes sense. I remember being SO hyperfixated on the Vikings like 2 years ago because I saw the Northman (which I still love btw everyone should definitely watch the Northman) anyways!!! I spent a lot of time researching how Vikings lived, and how their culture was like so I could integrate it into Enir’s backstory and sort of give them more depth than just a diableristic rabid dog with an axe. I also spent a lot of time just learning about Icelandic culture and Scandinavia as a whole pre-christian era. Also I did research LOADS about Fenrir because that’s who I kind of based Enir off of anyways enough yapping

49. Detail your OC’s backstory!

— V was born in Queens to rich parents her dad was a lawyer and her mom(Wentian Peng) was an heiress. Unfortunately, she isn’t Wentian’s daughter as the lady is a Ventrue kindred and so their relationship grew into this relationship where Wentian hated V for not being hers but also loving her conditionally because she’s always wanted to sire someone good enough and what’s better than having a blank canvas to work on? Throughout V’s entire childhood, it was her mom that controlled basically everything she did. V grew up with the riches and privileges of an upperclass life which gave her access to many opportunities at a young age. V grew up relatively spoiled, with the idea that everything was hers if she could take it through brutal means—something instilled by her mother. V grew into a cruel and cold person, and while she’s spoiled rotten, she wasn’t allowed to show emotion as she was taught that it was “pathetic” to do so by Wentian. V had temper tantrums in secret whenever she couldn’t get what she want and whenever her manipulative tactics didn’t work. V was lonely growing up, as she was never allowed to have any distractions that may stray her from her path of becoming perfect in her mother’s eyes. Her father wasn’t present for most of her life, leading to her molded into the perfect manipulative weapon.

V grew up malicious yet ambitious. Her childhood ideas greatly affecting how she worked. V studied criminology at 18 where she met a woman working for the New York Times named Celeste. V and Celeste grew close as V liked her—then falling in love first. V hated these feelings but then Celeste fell even harder for her. V didn’t want to lose the only person that understood her well. Celeste was V’s complete opposite, not adhering to rules or societal norms, a bright and pixie-like lady who balanced out V’s silent and serious behavior.

Celeste was embraced by a Brujah four years into their relationship. This changed her behavior greatly as she was no longer allowed to go in the sun. Celeste remained by V’s side despite her being a manipulative fuck that started to care about her reputation and her job as a private investigator that her dad helped get her.

When her mother found that the time was right, Wentian sent people to kill V so she could be embraced. V was in her New York penthouse as Wentian and her men brought themselves in and she was then embraced.

Vivienne…. only grew worse from there. Of course, Celeste was ecstatic as she found out that her beloved girlfriend was a kindred meaning they could be true to each other now as Celeste hated lying to V. However, V had other plans. She grew power hungry, more controlling as a result of her training as a Ventrue. Celeste still wanted to be there for her, wanting the idea that yes, kindred can still love eachother and maybe even be unified.

V broke off their relationship when Celeste brought up marriage again. She was repulsed by the idea, but a part of her wanted it.

New York’s Toreador prince, Lorenzo Giordano (a good friend of Wentian Peng) was assassinated by what seemed at first, the Anarchs or the Sabbat. Wentian Peng saw this opportunity as a way to instill perhaps herself or her daughter as Prince. This brings us now to the present time of the Chronicle!! I hope this made sense :3

VTM OC ASK GAME

[zealouscanonindeer]

The Ramsey-Kallie babies.

I thought I'd introduce you to the Ramsey-Kallie kids. In my HC, they continue living in Ethan's apartment, only moving to a double condo on a different floor when they are pregnant with Tatum.

The age gap is 3 years between the girls and baby boy is born years later. This is sort of like a part one, I'm thinking of doing one more of when they're all grown up.

1. Jade Ivy Ramsey.

Born : February 3 

Nicknames : Jadie girl/Jadie-bug (by Ethan), doll (by Aspen) 

Aspen found out she was pregnant with Jade three weeks before their wedding,they decided not to tell anyone immediately so they waited until she was two months along before breaking the news.

Funnily enough,it was Ethan who broached the topic of trying,he had a serious case of baby fever when he visited the paediatric ward and found Penny helpingSienna with the toddlers. After that,all he could think about were their babies together. They talked about it and Aspen always wanted to have kids so they decided there was no time like the present.

Two weeks later,she was pregnant! They were both shocked by how quickly it happened. They did find out the gender,Aspen was too eager to know and Ethan secretly was hoping for a baby girl. He took most things in stride,while during the second month Aspen worried about the baby having all the diseases she could think of(and she knows way too many). 

10 hours of labour later,Jade was born. She has Ethan eyes but her mothers smile. Her hair is dark blond,which surprised both her parents cause most people in their families had darker hair except River, Aspen’s sister. She is left handed, just like Aspen. 

Personality wise, she is kind, understanding, she has her father's sarcasm, stubborn, ambitious, has a tad bit of a temper. 

Ever since she could crawl, she’d follow Ethan everywhere and that didn’t stop anytime soon. She is always pretty good in her academics and later decides to pursue CA course at U Penn. She is the queen of late night study sessions but can't wake up early in the morning. 

She LOVES animals, and growing up with Jenner around is a dream come true for her. She also trains in gymnastics and has an amazing voice. 

She is a daddy's girl and Ethan is wary of any guy who she might bring home, the thought of it fills him with slight dread. 

2. Tatum Caroline Ramsey.

Born : April 16

Nicknames: Tate(by Aspen), Tater tot and little rookie ( by Ethan) 

When Jade was a year old, Aspen wanted to start trying again but Ethan felt it was a little too soon for him. However, the idea of having another bundle of joy, the tiny little toesies was enough to make him cave. 

It took them almost a year to get pregnant with Tatum, they had crazy schedules, Ethan immersed in the welfare of the hospital and Aspen leading the team, they had a serious lack of quality time. Whatever they did have, they would spend with Jade. 

Aspen was distraught with every negative pregnancy test and just before finally getting pregnant, she was seriously worried she couldn't have another child. 

After a few months, they both did get tested and everything was fine, they never really thought it would be this tough, especially with how quickly it happened the first time around. 

The pregnancy was smooth going but the little lady decided to make an early appearance. She was born almost five weeks prior to the due date. The two days, she was in the NICU were singlehandedly the most terrifying days in Ethan's life. 

Tatum is a mini version of Aspen, with the same dark brown locks and dark honey orbs, cheeky smile and teasing attitude. Just like her mother, she is hilarious and she has definitely inherited her mother's sass,including Penny's love for sleep. Ethan loves seeing his Penny in his daughter. 

He has a special place for Tatum in his heart( not that he loves any of his other children less) with all the complications leading up to her birth. It's a tiny version of his wife and he is absolutely delighted. He often calls her little rookie. 

She is definitely the quieter one of the two. She loves her cuddles, content to sit in her daddy's lap when he's reading research papers and case studies or even working in his home office. That's how she learns to read, at the age of 4. Loves food and cooking, often Ethan and her will cook while Jade and Aspen prefer to do the dishes. 

She is a math genius,skips two classes and graduates from HS a year early. She purses a career in acturial science, graduating from Northeastern University in Boston. She trains in swimming and loves observing people from afar, so she takes up sketching. 

As a child, she always gets into some kind of mischief, once breaking her leg and even having a pulled elbow. Ethan is always on his A game, ready to catch her anytime. 

Here are some adorable Tatum videos, I'll make a masterlist of the Jade ones soon. 

3. Jonah Kallie Ramsey

Born : August 19

Nickname: Bud or buddy other than that he prefers being called by his name.

This time around, Ethan insisted on having Kallie as the middle name. He had always assumed they would hyphenate but when Aspen had taken his last name, she wanted all the kids to have just Ramsey.

With Jonah, they weren't trying, it was unplanned. He was born 8 years after Tatum, so the age gap was pretty big. Both the girls wanted a baby brother and their parents shared the sentiment.

Aspen was pregnant at 39 this time around so they were wary of any complications. She had a minor blood pressure issue and had to be on complete bed rest the last 3 months. It was the most difficult pregnancy of the three for her, with her being at a higher position at the hospital and such, however Ethan, who had stepped down from his position as Chief shortly after Tatum's birth took Aspen's place as she decided to go on a much needed sabbatical.

Jonah was born 4 days after his due date and her labour almost lasted for 19 hours. Jonah was the easiest baby, never really crying too much and easily falling into a schedule.

His first word was actually 'Tate'. He is the baby of the family and both his sisters spoil him to death. He and Ethan go bike riding all the time and he loves carpentering with Alan every time they visit Providence.

He loves detective stories and mysteries which Aspen would read to him at bedtime. He plays basketball and tennis. He also plays the piano and enjoys gardening with his Nana.

He goes on to join the CIA earning a double major in criminal justice and foreign affairs from Florida State University.

He is very polite and just, shares Ethan's moral compass and values at the same time realises the reality of grey areas in life. He is passionate, calm outgoing, friendly and a good leader. He looks very much like Ethan, the only real difference is that his eyes are a little on the greener side as compared to his father's.

*************

Just a little side note, I just hit 100 followers!! Thank you to everyone who hit that follow button and I can't begin to describe how grateful I am to reach here. 🥺💕

**************

[godsofhumanity]

Could you persephone’s relationships with the other gods hcs please?🥺

hee hee i feel like i'm just repeating myself at this point but yes of course <3

ZEUS

he's her father, but she doesn't call him "dad". i think Zeus would probably faint on the spot if she did (out of love), but he just hasn't been there enough in her childhood for her to develop a father-daughter relationship with him (and i don't think that's Zeus' fault).

still, she knows that he is her father, and she respects that. but i think she mostly just sees him as her King. i mean, most of Zeus' children do.

initially, i think she's super pissed when she learns that Zeus has "sold" (quotes because he kinda did, kinda didn't) her to Hades, but i definitely think most of her anger was at Hades, so Zeus sort of escaped with that one.

anyways, after Hades and Persephone are married, and she becomes a Queen, she would interact a lot more with Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Amphitrite, and i think she learns to hold herself with the same rank as them.

that's tricky because Persephone is sooo much younger than all of them, and they all have so much more experience. it can be intimidating. but slowly, Persephone learns to hold her ground and acknowledge that, yeah, she is a Queen also, and she can disagree or agree with her fellow rulers, and she isn't a child anymore.

so i think she becomes closer to Zeus after marrying Hades, and although they never quite get to that father-daughter stage, they are very close, and i don't think Persephone has any hatred or anger for Zeus.

HERA

they have a really good relationship.

Hera and Persephone and Amphitrite all get along SUPER well on account of them being Queens and having to put up with an unholy amount of bullshit.

Persephone is always extremely cordial and generally lovely, and has been like that since before she married Hades, and i think she and Hermes are the only two of Zeus' extramarital children whom Hera actually tolerates, and, dare I say, is affectionate towards.

like how Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe, etc. are very much nieces and nephews of Demeter, Persephone would be very much a niece of Hera's, and she would treat her like that.

when she gets married to Hades, i think the relationship becomes a bit more formal, but also more interactive because Hera would see her a lot more.

in my Demeter and Hera hc's, i mentioned that Hera helps Demeter come to terms with Persephone leaving for the Underworld, so i think Persephone appreciates this aspect of Hera that encourages her to be ambitious and pursue a life for herself.

POSEIDON

hmm. not really any relationship? i said that Demeter and Poseidon don't get along, so i don't think Persephone and Poseidon would get along either.

Persephone is, however, very close with Demeter and Poseidon's son, Arion. i imagine Arion to be a pitch black stallion, and if he was to communicate, he could do so "telepathically". i'm putting that in quotes because i don't want that to sound like Arion's going "what up, Seph??!" to Persephone's mind or anything like that.. i mean, he doesn't speak, he can't talk, but the way he moves himself, or creates an expression on his face... you can understand what he's saying by his body language. and Persephone, as his "sister", having grown up with him, would be able to read those facial expressions so easily, it is effectively as though Arion could speak.

HADES

husband.

read Hades x Persephone hc's here.

more here.

tl;dr = started out good and decent, got kidnapped and it was awkward and weird, got married and after some time it was good and fun even.

DEMETER

MUM.

read here.

more here.

even more here.

HESTIA

not too much interaction?

Hestia is the nice aunt who bakes kick-ass brownies every time you see her.

ATHENA

before Athena was born, everyone thought Persephone was the oldest, so i like the idea that they are close having both held the "elder sister" role amongst the younger Olympians.

however, my hc is that Persephone is already married by the time Athena breaks free from Zeus' skull, so they don't interact as much as they could have.

they are good friends.

ARTEMIS

i can't see them interacting a whole lot.

i do have a hc that Artemis invites Persephone to join her and her Hunters, but Persephone doesn't really want that so she just politely declines.

APOLLO

obviously originally asked for Persephone's hand, which of course, she turns down.

they remain on good terms.

HERMES

adores Persephone. initially also asked for Persephone's hand, but after getting rejected, they become good friends.

Hermes sees Persephone the most because he's also a psychopomp so he's in Hades all the time.

Hermes constantly worries about Persephone getting kidnapped, so he's always coming in to check in on her.

i like the idea that when Persephone leaves Hades to stay with Demeter, Hermes travels with her (if he has the time).

HEPHAESTUS

third guy to ask for Persephone's hand and get rejected.

ok, so i do like the idea that Hephaestus was as arrogant and full of himself as the other Olympians up until he met Athena and got schooled. so, because Persephone comes to Olympus before Athena is "born", he, naturally, would have tried to woo Persephone same as everyone else.

naturally, Persephone doesn't want to get married to ANYONE, so she's like "im sorry, but no".

anyways, Hephaestus and Persephone get along well. i have a hc that he crafts for her two little metal flower hairpins for her wedding to Hades.. it's hard for plants to survive in the Underworld, but this flower, made of metal, will last forevermore... so it's like a small little reminder of where she comes from while she rules over the Dead.

i have a hc that Persephone gives one of these pins to Aphrodite when she comes to Olympus and gets married to Hephaestus-- just as Persephone lived a sheltered life and all of a sudden was thrust into a marriage with a stranger in a strange world, so too was Aphrodite pulled from her shell in the sea and thrust into a marriage with Hephaestus, whom she did not really know, in Olympus, a place she did not really know. so Persephone's gift of the hairpin is symbolic a) of Hephaestus' thoughtfulness that he showed to Persephone, and b) that Aphrodite is not as alone as it seems-- she has friends, and Persephone is one of them.

ARES

fourth guy to ask for Persephone's hand and get rejected.

they are also on good terms, i think this is largely because Aphrodite and Persephone are friends and so, by association, Ares and Persephone are also good friends.

not too much else to say though.

DIONYSUS

again, i'm not entirely sure how to characterise their relationship. i haven't thought enough about it.

i suspect that they get along well.

APHRODITE

they are friends and rivals. they're always visiting each other, and eating together. i like the idea of Aphrodite visiting Persephone in Demeter's home, and comparing Hades being down in the Underworld with Ares being away in wars... i think they bond over this separation that they have with their spouses.

at the same time, both goddesses have been renowned for their great beauty, and even though i don't think Persephone is vain, she doesn't like being compared to Aphrodite,, and i think they do get a little competitive at times (not Hera or Athena-competitive, but in a playful, friendly fire sort of competitive way).

i think part of the reason why Aphrodite sends Psyche to collect Persephone's "beauty" is as a playful slight to Persephone hee hee, as though her beauty could simply be boxed up and given to the next person.

[agentrouka-blog]

Criticising Dany, Jon and Robb as leaders is right but then pretending somehow Sansa will be a better leader than them is outright nonsense. We cannot judge Sansa on her leadership because we haven't even seen leading anything except when she calms the ladies during the battle which is admirable but could have been also easily done by a well meaning noble woman. Cersei is just too misanthropic.

There are two books left and we could see Sansa as a leader and how she has to deal with more serious stuff managing the food crisis, settling disputes etc. This is just within the space of being a Lady. Being a queen adds even more responsibilities. Even in the Vale, she puts no interest towards the food situation and how the prices are meant to be driven. Granted Baelish doesn't tell her but it also doesn't pique her curiosity at all. Robb, Jon and Dany fuck up many times but there is no definitive proof that Sansa also might not end up making big leadership disasters even if her intentions are well meant when considering the big picture. The child leaders like Robb, Jon and Dany are faced with insurmountable tasks. Rebuilding a new economy or trying to create a truce between Northerners and freefolk despite having centuries of bloodshed or trapped between your lords and wanting to save your sisters - they are not easy feat though I have simplified what Dany, Jon and Robb have to do.

Yes Sansa hasn't made any grey decision like the other three till now but she also hasn't been granted that kind of power to make those big mistakes or fucking up on that grand scale. You are trying to tell me no monarch ever fucked up. We don't know whether how good Sansa will be as a leader. Maybe she will be better than the three but it's equally possible she could botch up things more tha the three.

It would be really helpful if you could let me know which of my posts you're referring to, actually, because I don't think I've ever specifically said that Sansa is going to be "a better leader than Robb and Jon" (I'll accept the charge on Dany because we won't see Sansa do any of that nonsense.) Nor have I ever said that no monarch has ever made mistakes. But there's mistakes and then there's hypocritical cruelty. Jon makes mistakes - and he will be saved from what should be certain death because the narrative values his approach beyond those mistakes. Robb made the kinds of choices that GRRM put a final - tragic - lid on. Let's see about Dany, shall we?

I have specifically speculated that GRRM may give us an example of Sansa trying and failing at something more ambitious during the conclusion of her Vale arc, or that her lie about Marillion may come with short-term costs to her credibility. Seeing her deal with that is going to be fun!

That said, geez, yes, there's two books left with the actual endgame slowly shaping up now, you'd think maybe seeing what Sansa's learning arc has resulted in might be part of that? No, we don't know yet! That's the literal point of it being unfinished. But there's enough writing on the wall to make educated guesses about where GRRM may want to take it.

I'll keep on criticising Robb (enthusiastically), or Jon (kindly), or pointing at Dany with a big red arrow saying "absolutely not like that". I think GRRM absolutely encourages us to.

And I'll keep speculating about Sansa as Queen in the North too.

You absolutely don't have to like it. I like it enough for the both of us.

[chaserainbows]

Week 1

(i was gonna make some halloween puns here originally but with the boopocalypse there was enough going on already)

the season begins with a mini challenge to warm up our legends and if you don't know what the pit crew is it's basically a bunch of buff dudes that are paid to stand there in their underwear

if fearghas wasn't competing he could fit right in with them because his body is tea

akari l. puts her assigned partner (barry?) in her signature survivalcore bad bitch style and wins the mini challenge receiving A Modest Amount Of Money as her prize (realistically those mini challenge related advantages never matter)

as for the actual challenge of the episode we have Her ms. talent show the challenge where everyone has 1 minute to do whatever the hell they want on stage

last time sidney won this challenge and did the exact same type of performance as lynn and since then the world has not been the same

agni gives us CULTURE by performing to an iconic song from jalur we love a legend representing their home region

akari l. goes for a bold move and challenges herself to sew a runway-ready outfit in 60 seconds she works FAST

akari y. is doing a lot apparently because i dunno what variety means but in my fantasy she's reenacting the 300 legendary fights she had in her lifetime

anabel does a gaggy reveal from her emerald outfit to her modern era outfit by going through an ultra wormhole she gives fashion AND storytelling

diantha proves her acting chops by reading an iconic monologue from one of her many plays she will make you feel things

fearghas is doing something i don't really know what velcro means but apparently he took the pit crew suggestion to heart and now he's stripping on stage

grusha will not repeat his salsa dance number from last time because oof ouchie his bones but this time he shows a new artistic side to himself and paints a portrait of ponchik

iris stands there and serves face

lynn proves her new status as a dancing diva and does an iconic dance number with no flames this time so she doesn't incur sidney's wrath again

may reinforces her status as one of the top 3 horny bisexuals of the amanoverse puts on her feathers and lace and GOES TO TOWN

and saundra i refuse to believe that she's not singing live i KNOW she's giving an iconic performance to one of her original songs

the top performers of this challenge are lynn akari y. may anabel fearghas and saundra

the music siblings are DEVOURING they're showing how it's done

lynn redeems her previous talent show flop and proves why she's a winner and akari y. did a whole lot of things but she did them incredibly well

agni and iris also did great which is especially impressive for iris considering she did basically nothing we love a queen of peak efficiency

akari l. does a good job as well her talent show was very ambitious but she definitely didn't bomb or anything

and the clear bottom 2 of this episode are grusha (because the judges didn't appreciate ponchik's immaculate beauty) and diantha (because the judges didn't appreciate her acting serve)

since there's so many good performances the runway will be the tiebreaker

the category is trains (as in long trailing pieces of fabric not literal trains) and the clear standouts are akari y. saundra and fearghas

THE MUSIC SIBLINGS BRING IT AGAIN i know saundra had a jaw dropping look for this episode

akari y. is kind of a beast she's been acing every single aspect of this challenge

meanwhile diantha's look was fine but since everyone did at least good that basically means she's guaranteed to be in the bottom

BUT WAIT

for this first episode no one's going home (this twist happened last time too so it's not that shocking)

the best performances of the week are lynn anabel fearghas saundra may and akari y.

anabel fashion queen with her quick change performance and you KNOW may slayed her burlesque number

the bar for this episode was so high that iris is safe despite doing great in the challenge and runway

the top 2 is decided and akari y. will face off against lynn for the win

NO PRESSURE IT'S JUST THE CURRENT WINNER WHO'S UNDEFEATED IN LIPSYNCS

not the rupaul song

i actually kinda like this one but we legally have to pick something else

there we go i've been obsessed with this song

they both do great but surprisingly akari y. seems to be outperforming lynn there's NOTHING that can stop her from collecting her win

actually it might be that lynn's holding back because she literally already won a season so she wants to give her competitors a chance

AKARI Y. IS OUR WINNER AND ALSO LITERALLY THE FIRST PERSON IN THE STORY OF EVER TO DEFEAT LYNN IN A LIPSYNC

imagine starting off the season by breaking world records that's a queen right there

meanwhile in untucked

may and grusha are getting to know each other which is one hell of an unexpected duo given that may's all about cheerfulness and grusha is GRUSHA but she relates to his constant sense of existential dread by telling him about team aqua trying to kill her

may getting this event is probably the funniest outcome because someone DID try to drown her in the ocean so she's not exaggerating this is a real story

grusha is the king of post-episode conversations

akari l. confides with him that she's salty about technically being bottom 3 (but safe in practice) after a perfectly good performance and he agrees because the judges did NOT appreciate ponchik's beauty

the ranking for this episode goes as follows

akari y. slayed every single aspect of this episode she did not hold back

out of the top performers may was the closest to breaking into top 2 and fearghas was the closest to being called safe but all 4 of them did about the same level so it's not a big difference

if this episode has eliminations the bottom 2 would've been grusha and diantha but that did not happen so they get to slay next episode

[arcielee]

Interview With a Writer

Artwork by @lonnson​​ 💜

Continuing with my series is @lonnson​​, who does not only create amazing pieces but can write as well. 💜 I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to allow me to gush over your story and answering my questions!

As always, you can look over the masterlist to see the other amazing authors I have spoken with. This series is just a BTS of some of the talented minds on Tumblr and ao3. 💜    

Story: Winterwood on ao3

Paring: Aemond Targaryen x OFC     

Rating/Warning: SA mentioned, graphic depictions of violence, major character death.

So, when did you start writing? I've liked coming up with stories since I was a kid but I never really wrote them down (I was more of an artist than a writer). I think my first "real" fanfiction was a crossover between Downton Abbey and a popular German detective audiobook series (very niche, I know 😅).

It was my first attempt at writing fanfiction and I have no idea if it was any good but at the end of the day it helped me get started on writing (hopefully) better stuff so it wasn't a waste of time.

What inspired this story? I really got into the gothic horror genre and dark fairytale retellings last year and read a lot of books with that vibe. 

The main bit of inspiration definitely came from "The Wolf and the Woodsman" by Ava Reid, which is about a girl and a one-eyed prince. When I watched House of the Dragon later that year, I immediately thought of that novel again. 

I also took some inspiration from fantasy movies I love, like Stardust or The Chronicles of Narnia.

I wanted to do creepy creatures to pop-up in my story, like the bat creatures that were inspired by the cliff ghasts from His Dark Materials. And I also love reading books about bloodthirsty faeries so I thought they fit the vibe (of Winterwood) as well. 

I also love the book "Vaesen" by Johan Egerkrans about spirits and monsters from Scandinavian folklore!

Can you explain your interpretation of Aemond? What drives him in Winterwood? What made him the way he is? I wanted to keep him relatively close to canon, because I do enjoy a good morally-grey character with villain tendencies. But obviously I also wanted to explore some stuff with him that's just my personal interpretation of Aemond.

In my story, Rhaenyra is Queen, Aegon has been executed and Aemond has been exiled to be a Night's Watch man. He's still ambitious and proud, but he's also been disillusioned by life. He can be testy and cranky but he's also feeling very lonely. He's done bad things during the war and they still haunt him. 

I also really wanted him to be somewhere on the asexual spectrum because I'm always drawn to characters who could potentially be ace in how they're portrayed in canon.

My take on Aemond is that he's never really experienced a lot of affection in his life and therefore craves but also fears it. He's interested in swordplay, studies and dragons but he's not a womanizer. And I really wanted to keep his "bad" traits. He's judgmental, testy and very, very guarded. He opens up to others at the speed of a glacier.

What inspired your character creation Lya/Skaðe? Her character kind of developed naturally as I wrote the first chapter. I didn't want her to be "Aemond's love interest", I wanted her to be the second main character of the story. 

She's as complicated as him and they're not so different from each other, which is why they don't get along at all in the beginning. They're lone wolfs, capable fighters and don't trust easily. Lya follows her own agenda and keeps some secrets that are potentially dangerous... Her name is spelled very similar to "liar" which may be a hint to her not being entirely trustworthy.

You already hinted at it, but you prefer to draw or to write? Drawing, definitely. I've drawn since I was a kid and it's still my main creative outlet. I think about fictional scenarios about 85% of the day (😅), but only very few of them are coherent enough to actually write them down. I'd LOVE to write a book though, that's the dream. Do you have a personal favorite story you'd like to share? If you happen to be a fan of The Suicide Squad, I loved anchorage by mentallyillmermaid on ao3 (I'm one of the ten people who are really into the Polka-Dot Man x Ratcatcher ship haha)

[disorganizedkitten]

A Bug To Bee Talk

Miraculous Ladybug | 2018 | 1,050 | Ao3

It's a shock when you learn that you can't live more than three, maybe five, years anymore. And for all the fun it is being a Hero, is that worth it? Maybe, but sometimes, the reality hits hard.

Queen B settled on the Eiffel tower, her usual bright attitude subdued. She loved being a hero, but the lifespan effect was a definite downside.

She had never thought that having a Miraculous could have a downside. Recently she was wondering if the other Miraculous did as well, or if she had just gotten the short straw for being so mean.

“Something on your mind?” Queen B jumped as Ladybug sat down beside her.

“Just, civilian stuff,” She denied quickly. What if Ladybug thought she was weak because she was worrying about this?

“The lifespan?” Ladybug guessed gently. Queen B nodded, not looking at her. Was she being selfish to worry about that? Had Ladybug guessed so easily because she just knew Chloe would think this way?

“It’s a little disconcerting knowing that unless we defeat Hawkmoth we won’t live to see our dreams come true, right?”

Queen B nodded again. “It’s weird having a time limit. I used to, well I always thought I’d have forever to do anything and everything I wanted. Now that I know I might not, everything’s different,” she confessed.

“Yeah. How are you holding up?”

“I’m,” Queen B swallowed. “Like I said, it’s weird. Today I almost broke down crying when my dad mentioned having grandchildren. I’m an only child, so when I die,”

“I know how you feel,” Ladybug spoke when Queen B trailed off, her voice tight. “My parents aren’t going to take it well. Some nights I feel like we’ll never catch Hawkmoth, and I cry about it. I’ve always had big dreams, and knowing I might never reach my goals, it leaves a hole sometimes, Queen.”

“That’s not something to be ashamed of?”

Ladybug snorted and shook her head. “Having emotions isn’t bad Queen B. Neither is being ambitious. That’s part of being human.”

Queen B scoffed. “Humans who’s lifespans are tied to animals.”

Ladybug shook her head. “It’s a bit ridiculous, isn’t it?”

“It’s utterly ridiculous! Where do the rest of our lifetimes go? Kwami are immortal, so they don’t need to siphon them, do they just get chopped off? Do they turn into power so we can transform? Or are Kwami immortal from taking out life force?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a side affect to scare off misusers,” Ladybug tossed out, shrugging again. Queen B noted, somewhere in the back of her mind, how fast they went from a serious to half-joking while talking. Was this how Chat Noir had helped Ladybug cope over the last seven months? Joking around whenever it came up?

“Are you okay with having the death sentence of a bee’s life?” Ladybug asked, nudging her.

“Yes? No? Not really,” Queen B sighed, “But at the same time, knowing I have a time limit has pushed me to fix my mistakes.”

“Mistakes?” Ladybug ventured, but her tone told Queen B she didn’t have to answer. She did anyways.

“Yes. I’ve, I haven’t been very nice recently. Like, four years recently.

“I’m trying to make up with people, but some are harder to talk with than others. Two in particular. One, who’s life I’ve made miserable for as long as I’ve known her, and another, who’s stayed by my side even when I was horrible and gave her every reason to leave me alone.

“I want to tell the one how much she means to me, and how thankful I am for her and her friendship. And I want to tell the other that I’m sorry, that nothing I said about her was ever true. I was just jealous, and didn’t know how to deal with it. The sight of her makes my blood boil, but, she’s really more worthy of a Miraculous than I am,” Queen B shook her head, her blonde ponytail flipping.

“And yet you got the Miraculous. Queen B, that means something, okay? A Miraculous is both a blessing and a curse. You have to be worthy enough to wield one, and strong enough to do so knowing the consequences.”

Queen B smiled wryly. “Thanks Ladybug.”

“Although, there is a way to get around the side effects,” Ladybug noted, a moment later.

“What?” Queen B turned, an eyebrow raised.

“It’s what I do with Rena Rouge. She still has a normal lifespan because she isn’t constantly bonded to her Miraculous,” she explained, tapping her collarbone.

“So, if I take off the comb, and it resets?” Queen B asked, confused.

“Not exactly. You would have to reject it, or give it up temporarily.”

Queen B shook her head. “No thanks. I might do that right before my time is up, depending on how bad it gets, but like you said, strong enough to wield a Miraculous and deal with the consequences. I’ll keep going. Besides, making up is a good thing for me to do.”

Ladybug smiled, placing a hand on Queen B’s shoulder. “Thank you. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you said yes, but saying no proves you are truly worthy. I’m glad you’re on the team Queen B.”

Queen B felt herself puff up at the praise. “Thank you.”

“We should probably head in for the night, but, I’m proud of you B,” Ladybug stood up, starting to swing her yo-yo. “And, if you ever need to talk again, call me. Okay?”

“Okay,” Queen B nodded, standing up as well. Ladybug shot her one more smile before slinging the yo-yo out and swinging away. Queen B gave her half a minute to get far enough away before she headed back to Le Grande Paris. She flew into her room and detransformed, feeling better and ready to go to sleep at last.

“I’m so proud of you Chloe!” Pollen greeted the girl with a cheek hug as soon as she was out of the comb.

“Really Pollen?”

“Yes. I know Ladybug already told you this, but you’re strong. Even if you built your armor the wrong way, it was still thick enough to preserve the you that is a hero.”

“I-thank you Pollen.” That was another thing Chloe was doing more now that she had limited time, thanking people.

Chloe got Pollen a snack before actually following Ladybug’s advice and going to bed, feeling much better than she had since she learned she had limited time to live.

[caramel-ribbons]

Feminist Recs for Anime (For Women’s History Month)

If you want a little more in-depth explanation, then check out my previous post, but this is a project I’ll be dabbling in for women’s history month. Throughout March (we’re already five days in, I know, don’t mention it), I’ll be recommending feminist anime, or at least anime I believe are feminist, for you to add to your list as a celebration for women’s history month.

These anime feature strong female protagonists, fleshed out casts of female characters, little to no fanservice, and some have social and political themes related to womanhood, female friendships, and focus on female-driven narratives.

2. Sailor Moon (Original 90s Anime)

Features a majority female cast with a female lead and a sci-fi fantasy story.

Today, we’re going with a classic. Everyone knows what Sailor Moon is. Even if they don’t know the names of all the senshi, and even if they haven’t picked up a single issue of the manga or watched a single episode of either one of the anime adaptations, they still probably know the words to the English theme song or can attribute the now iconic sailor uniforms to this show. Not to mention this catchphrase. Sailor Moon has become a staple of the magical girl genre and is responsible for its popularity and many of the tropes we now associate with it.

For a run down on the story, Sailor Moon is about Usagi Tsukino; an ordinary teenage girl who is one day assigned a magical destiny to become a sailor senshi (a guardian and monster fighter), find a missing princess, and defeat an evil queen who’s in some way responsible for her disappearance (at least this is the plot of the first season cause the show drifts away from this initial story as we’re exposed to more villains and characters). Along the way, she finds the other senshi and learns more about her duty to not just the Earth, but to her galaxy.

Sailor Moon is well-beloved for a reason. It’s funny (think slapstick and situational humor), and starts off with relatively low stakes, but as the show goes on, the mystery and intrigue surrounding this story is slowly revealed to us. It’s big in terms of the scale of its plot. Since this is a sci-fi focused on planetary themed heroes, the villains and challenges vary between monster of the week to galaxy-level threats, especially in later episodes and seasons. Villains become harder to defeat, and the ensuing battles as you near the end of seasons becomes so gripping it’s hard to resist stopping once you’ve reached the final 5 or 6 episode finales.

Most of the characters aren’t the most deep or unique, but they are all fun and likable, and they’re definitely solid in terms of how diverse they’re portrayals of femininity are. This is one area where Sailor Moon shines. More than most Western animated shows, Sailor Moon managed to offer varied depictions of teenage girls unseen at the time. Some were elegant and artistic like Sailor Neptune, others were hot-headed and ambitious like Sailor Mars. You had the quiet intelligence of Sailor Mercury as well as the determined passion of Sailor Venus.

Makoto, aka. Sailor Jupiter, one of my favorites of the senshi, embodies this femininity concept as she is both feminine (an excellent cook and hopeless romantic), as well as masculine (brave, strong, and an excellent fighter). The anime doesn’t demonize femininity or masculinity, and as a result, the characters are allowed to fall on a scale in terms of their gender expression (which we’ll get to later). While the anime has since been criticized for having characters who feel too rooted in stagnant tropes, I think that, for the most part, the sailor senshi are given enough screen time and development to at least be easy to root for. And, the relationships the girls have with each other really inspires you to love them as you become invested in their friendship.

And, of course, Usagi, our Sailor Moon, is a protagonist who ages well. This is a chosen one story, and I’d argue that it’s one of the better ones because of how it handles Usagi. She famously starts out as a lazy, flighty crybaby but comes into her own as a leader and learns to take her destiny more seriously (…for the most part anyway). The chosen one narrative really lands because, as the series progresses, we see Usagi grapple with her responsibilities. Her kindness is valued as much as her strength, if not more. The thing that makes her question and voice regrets towards her destiny is the same thing that drives her to make good choices, especially in the later seasons.

Beyond the coming of age themes featured heavily in this show, there are themes of fate, love, loneliness, responsibility, and even moral and philosophical questions asked later on in the show when our characters are a little older. Relationships are important in this series whether they be the romantic (think Sailor Uranus and Neptune as well as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask), or platonic. Friendships, specifically female friendships, are not only seen as important. They’re a superpower. As much as Usagi’s relationship with Mamoru, aka. Tuxedo Mask, is an important relationship throughout the series, it’s the bond Usagi shares with her fellow senshi and friends that helps them save the world, and as cheesy as that sounds, to have something so simple and so beautiful be the solution to end of the world level problems feels comforting in the times we’re in right now.

When it comes to the good, Sailor Moon is a mixture of fun, episodic adventures and serialized, earth-shattering conflicts. Also, there’s the show’s overall aesthetic. While the animation itself is pretty slow and stilted, (particularly in the older seasons), the backgrounds are very pretty to look at and the fashion is objectively magnificent (unless your Tuxedo Mask then rip). There’s a reason you see so many aesthetic boards related to this anime. The pastel, watercolor style is so nice to look at. As for the soundtrack, it’s as magical as the show. Some favorites of mine, besides the theme song, are the ending of season 3, Tuxedo Mirage, Moon Revenge, and We Believe You.

There’s also Sailor Moon’s diversity in terms of gender expression and sexuality. The girls often talk about boys, Usagi even has a relationship with Mamoru (the only recurring male character for a solid four seasons if you don’t count Artemis), but they’re not straight in the slightest. With the entrance of two important characters, Sailor Moon displays it’s first instance of LGBT representation that would set the series a part from other anime of this time:

Sailor Uranus and Neptune.

The same way Sailor Moon earns its status as a mainstay in Shoujo and magical girl anime, Sailor Uranus and Neptune, aka. Haruka and Michiru deserve their status as one of the best examples of LGBT representation not only in Shoujo, not only in anime, but in media itself. Even though we (technically) never see them share a kiss, the relationship between Haruka and Michiru is one of the strongest in the series. They’re given history, they get to express affection. These two are literally meant to be by each other’s side. When they enter the series, suddenly all of our protagonists display some level of attraction towards them, especially towards Haruka, and increasingly it isn’t seen as weird to them where it once was. Best of all, Haruka and Michiru are characters who are allowed to be beautiful and talented as well as morally-questionable, even downright unlikable, and while this makes it hard for some fans to enjoy their 90s portrayal, I really like having one of the earliest examples of queer characters in anime being two women who are admirable and heroic as much as they are unsympathetic and flawed.

But Sailor Moon doesn’t stop at inclusions of LGBT relationships. It also explores gender identity in a way that still feels unfamiliar even now. Haruka is more butch-presenting. The aforementioned Jupiter is both girly and tomboyish, and then there’s the depiction of the Sailor Starlights as gender-fluid. One of the Sailor Starlights, Seiya, even had a (mostly) unrequited crush on Usagi.

Now for the…not so good.

Sailor Moon is long. Like…absurdly long, and like most long-running anime, this is due to massive amounts of filler. I will say that the filler episodes vary. Some have great character moments, some are emotional, and there are some episodes which are just as much must-watches as any plot-drive episode. I’d even argue for some of the filler arcs people like to skip such as the twin alien arc of season 2 and the Nephrite arc which, while creepy and weird and definitely worthy of criticism, offers greater development for a side character and gives us our first glimpse of a sympathetic villain.

That’s not to say there aren’t any bad filler episodes. That’s definitely not the case. Sailor Moon has its fair share of boring, tedious, or otherwise unnecessary episodes which do nothing to develop the characters or flesh out their dynamic. The original anime is 200 episodes long, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to watch all the episodes or if you want to plow through and decide which episodes are worth your time because I can say that not all of them are.

There’s also the divisive nature of Usagi, or rather, how she’s treated. For some, the show is too mean-spirited to her regarding her laziness and immaturity (basically her child-like traits because she’s, y’know, a child). For some, this is particularly egregious with how she’s treated by Luna, Chibi Moon, and Sailor Mars. This is also a good time to mention the…strange diet culture surrounding Sailor Moon. It isn’t unique to this series, sadly, and it isn’t even the worst example of it. Everything from Toradora to Azumanga Daioh to K-On to Lucky Star has dialogue and even certain characters who are the butt of fat jokes or minor, but still present, diet plot lines. Sailor Moon isn’t the worst offender, but it’s still present, particularly with Usagi who, despite being as skinny as all of the other senshi, seems to be the main recipient of weight-related comments.

So, if you want a show with a wide variety of female characters and a greater focus on their friendships and heroism, and if you’re willing to deal with some filler content, minor references to diet culture (as long as you skip episode 4 I’m begging you to skip episode 4 it’s not good), and some minor but persistent humor poking fun at our protagonist, then I think everyone looking for female-centric anime should start here.

(Also if you’re willing to put up with some pretty nonsensical drama between Usagi and Mamoru for two seasons, give this a shot).

[rose-of-oz]

For the faceclaim and fandom ask game: Halle Bailey + Glee, please??

@dancingsunflowers-ocs ✨💛✨

OH, NOW THIS COMBINATION IS GENIUS!! Thanks so much, Alexandra!! <3 (And I’m also gonna tag @luucypevensie and @carmens-garden for funsies.)

NAME: Ally Willis.

LOVE INTEREST: Rachel Berry.

SUMMARY: The daughter of a wealthy politician and a recent child of divorce, Ally isn’t exactly thrilled about moving to a small town in Ohio of all places. Sure, everyone at school admires her fashion and her family’s money and wants to be her friend, and she’s able to find a place on the cheerleading squad pretty quickly, but she doesn’t want to live with just her dad in a house that’s too big and ornate for just two people and go to school with a bunch of people who only want to be her friend for selfish reasons - she wants to be back in DC with her mom, using her platform to speak on social issues and going to huge protests that march right past the White House. So, as a last desperate resort, Ally decides to join the group of “freaks” and outcasts known as McKinley High’s glee club, figuring that her dad will have to let her move back to live with her mom if she gets bullied bad enough in Lima. She doesn’t quite count on actually making friends among this little island of misfit toys, and she definitely doesn’t count on falling in love with an ambitious drama queen with one of the best voices she’s ever heard.

OTHER INFO:

My girl is possibly the greatest fashionista to ever grace the halls of McKinley High. Santana hates her for this.

She’s also very conscious of social issues - definitely does not hesitate to call any member of the New Directions out when they’re being homophobic to Kurt or Santana or ableist to Artie or anything.

Her story is very much that classic tale of someone using or joining a group purely as a means to accomplish something that will get them away from that group, but then they quickly realize that they actually like all the people in that group and can’t bring themselves to leave.

She has a huge love for Disney movies, and is responsible for almost all of the Disney songs New Directions covers.

She and Rachel do not like each other at all at first, especially once it’s revealed that Ally only joined the New Directions so that she could get out of Lima, but they eventually grow closer and enter into what’s actually a very loving and very musical relationship.

send me a fandom + a faceclaim and i’ll make an oc!!