#ships I like. I also love the fundamental friendship foundations of them!!!

[cerealmonster15]

Guy sweating w/the two buttons choices meme but it’s like. Idk having to choose if I wanna make this a Shippy Fic or a Friendship Fic… bc sometimes the lines are blurred in my mind!!!! it could be a trio friendship fic or it could be a poly rarepair recognition moment!! And I mean I’ll use the ambiguous relationship tag sure but then on ao3 there’s also the choice of doing / or & and I feel like I’ll be obnoxious if I do both, bc since it’s a trio I’ll probably already be annoying in the tags of like doing each pair and then all three….. oughhhhhh

Like I guess I’ll just do / for ship bc that was the initial intent when I had the idea. But I also like friendship…!!!!!!!! Anthony Burch Voice sometimes things can be multiple things…..

[edalynn]

I've recently seen someone defend the bad writing of Huntl0w with "it's just because the show got cut, it would've been better if it had time!", but I disagree.

Firstly, I'm generally annoyed with people defending every flaw of the show by "but it got cut!!". Yes, some issues are because of the cut. However, the writers weren't forced to write the show the exact way it turned out, they could still make decisions about it, and they should've carefully considered what to include and devote screen time to, since they knew they had less of it.

If Huntl0w was always the plan even before the cut, but they knew they didn't have time to develop it properly, they should've just cut it. Plain and simple. It contributed nothing to the characterization or the plot, cutting it would change nothing aside from surface level blushing (highlighting how pointless its inclusion was). Fans could still ship it, crew members could still ship it in personal art, but it didn't need to be in the show.

And the "but it's bi4pan rep!!" defense for keeping it in doesn't hold up, since there's zero confirmation of Willow's identity in the show, and Hunter's entire. confirmation is a small blink and you'll miss it flag that's on screen for like 3 seconds. If a more casual viewer didn't notice that one detail, they wouldn't know this isn't just a straight ship. For an m/f ship to be good rep the characters need to be SHOWN as queer, not just confirmed via tiny split second flags and the creator confirming it on a livestream. And making them a couple despite them barely talking also reinforces some heteronormative and amatonormative messages.

(And there's the "love heals all" trope problem with WHEN the writers chose to have them hint at becoming a couple/the feelings being mutual, and just generally a problem with the pairing being the conclusion to their arcs when that's not what either of their stories were about)

Secondly, I just don't think their personalities work well together. They don't have romantic chemistry, there's no spark, they don't mesh like Luz and Amity or Eda and Raine. The only way they could be "developed" to fit together is if you retcon their personalities and tailor them into a dynamic after they've already been established, which is not good writing.

Huntl0w is just a fundamentally weak pairing. I don't think it could've been fixed, I think it would've always had a "pair the spares" feeling to it. Neither have even shown interest in romance before, and we've been given no compelling reason why they would be interested in each other specifically. The "half a witch" thing isn't it, 1) them being called the same slur isn't romantic, and 2) their experiences aren't actually that similar, Hunter has much stronger parallels with Amity (they even had the same deepest wish - to figure out their own future). Interestingly, they also barely interacted, but what we did get actually offered a strong foundation for further development of their friendship had the show not been cut.

Okay, this is one of the best, concise explanations as to everything in the show that's wrong with hunt/low. It literally never in a million years could've even been hodge-podged together to make a compelling, intriguing romance.

It contributed nothing to the characterization or the plot, cutting it would change nothing aside from surface level blushing

(And there's the "love heals all" trope problem with WHEN the writers chose to have them hint at becoming a couple/the feelings being mutual, and just generally a problem with the pairing being the conclusion to their arcs when that's not what either of their stories were about)

I feel like these both go hand in hand. Not only would not adding it have not changed a single thing about the story, but even hinting at it actually damaged their entire arcs all together. Willow's whole arc was about being strong enough on her own, while Hunter's was about discovering and becoming himself and who he wanted to be. Making both of their arcs end in them being forced to rely on each other (almost seeming co-dependent-ish) when they've barely been shown to have interacted on screen really negates every single bit of character growth we've seen up to that point.

And the "but it's bi4pan rep!!" defense for keeping it in doesn't hold up, since there's zero confirmation of Willow's identity in the show, and Hunter's entire. confirmation is a small blink and you'll miss it flag

Also, Dana literally said that her saying it outside of the show airing & unless it is actively shown on the show, makes it headcanon only. She is the creator, yes, but she made the point to say that even what she says should be considered headcanon and that everyone should be encouraged to have and share their own. So technically, it's bi4??? rep at best.

Secondly, I just don't think their personalities work well together. They don't have romantic chemistry, there's no spark, they don't mesh like Luz and Amity or Eda and Raine. The only way they could be "developed" to fit together is if you retcon their personalities and tailor them into a dynamic after they've already been established,

100 million percent. They barely even work as friends honestly, especially from the very few times we see them interact on screen. Willow is brash, confident, and holds a grudge. None of those things would be good for Hunter, an abuse victim, in a relationship. Hell, the way she pulls him underground in asias is SO reminiscent of the way Belos does the same thing in HM, it makes me uncomfortable to rewatch. And she was totally ready for the school to turn him back over to Belos despite his begging until she was convinced he actually had been with Gus, and even then it was just so they could save Gus. And on the other hand, Hunter is impulsive and fiercely overprotective of the people he cares about, which goes directly against Willow's drive to prove she can take care of and protect herself. None of those traits scream romantic compatibility lmao. In all honesty, it's more likely to create a toxic relationship, especially coupled with Hunter's trauma and PTSD.

The "half a witch" thing isn't it, 1) them being called the same slur isn't romantic, and 2) their experiences aren't actually that similar, Hunter has much stronger parallels with Amity

Yeah... I've never understood the romanticism of being called the same slur lmao... And you're totally right about Amity and Hunter having far more in common than Willow and Hunter. Amity and Hunter parallel each other amazingly and the way their friendship was set up really would've made for a far more interesting arc, especially throwing Luz into the mix as Amity's girlfriend and Hunter's "rival" sister.

They definitely should've been dropped when the show was shortened, if they were ever intended to be canon in the first place. The way it was hinted at and their interactions and arc in the show is just lazy at best and damaging to their characters at worst.

[angelinthefire]

The thing for me is that Dean and Cas' romance is their friendship and vice versa.

They start out forming a relationship because they find an unexpected connection and common ground. They learn from each other and rely on each other and become part of each others' lives. Despite all the bad shit they go through, the hurt and betrayal and misunderstandin and losses, they still end up at each other's side because they both want to help each other, they want to be friends, they want the other around. They're happy spending time together and comfortable in each other's company. And as the years go by, all of this is just even more true.

All the ways that Dean and Cas are messed up in the head and unwell about each other is fundamental to their dynamic, and fun, and what makes them interesting and worth shipping. But the foundation of all of it is just simple friendship.

For all the crossed wires and miscommunications, they do understand each other on a level that no one else does. They feel intensely for each other, and, I think, would want to spend the rest of their lives together.

And I think all of this is true regardless of the existence of romantic feelings or physical attraction. Which I think also exist.

Or maybe that's the wrong way to frame it. Rather, their relationship is friendship sharpened and intensified (often through loss/separation/betrayal, just as much through familiarity/connection/camaraderie) to the point that aspects of it collapse into romance and attraction.

Like if I didn't ship them romantically, I would still talk about their relationship in almost exactly the same way that I do now. Because their friendship and their love story are the same thing.

[humorisstoredinthetits]

Chansaw.

So am I the only one who finds Chansaw kinda... boring? Not to say its a bad ship or its unhealthy or that there's a fundamental issue with the paring, I just feel like out of all the Heather x Veronica or Heather x Heather ships Chansaw is the least interesting.

Like for example;

(Also I will be talking only about canon, bc fanon opens up a whole new can of worms, plus fanon is based off the characters and their interactions from canon)

Chandlamara - My personal favorite, there's so little between them in the show, but what we do have lays foundations for so much. We know that Mac considered Chandler to be her best friend, she took her to school more often then not, and that her death threw a wrench into Mac's mental stability. And from what we can tell from their interactions, Mac was the only person Chandler didn't treat like shit, never telling her to shut up or demeaning her. There's so much that can be done with the how and why between them, like why does Chandler seem to respect Mac? Why does Mac consider her to be her best friend? With them, sometimes less is more.

McDuke - With McDuke, Duke hurt Mac badly over the course of the show, and for a relationship to EVER exist between them, Duke would have to undergo significant changes as a person, forcing her to confront her shitty actions. The struggle for her to change mixed together with the desire to change for Mac is the meat and potatoes of this ship. There's a lot for Mac too, because in all honesty she is under no obligation to forgive Duke, what she did was awful, but at the same time she sees the effort Duke puts in and the sincerity in her apologies and maybe, just maybe, she slowly starts to forgive her.

McNamayer - Veronica is Mac's Knight in Shining Armor during the show, rescuing her when she was at her lowest, so naturally Mac would start to develop admiration and a genuine friendship with her. And for Veronica, after the craziness with JD, Mac is a normal person for her to turn to, and proof that some people can change, which is Veronica's whole thing. They're the closest thing to healthy in Heathers, because they can both rely on each other to help during the darkest times.

Chanduke - Going from the most healthy to the least, Chanduke would be an absolute nightmare if it was canon. Chandler and Duke are horrible to each other, there's no doubt about it. That's part of the intrigue with them. How can two people who hate each other's guts also love each other? What keeps them together when they clearly can't stand the other? The other part is how they would make it work. Just like McDuke, they would both have to change drastically, and part of that would be confronting the other about how they've been treated and having to move past it. It would be a rocky road, but that's the fun in it.

Dukesaw - Duke and Veronica have a lot more common than they would like to admit. They're both rather intelligent, bookish people who have nasty tempers and tend to gravitate towards toxic people (Chandler and JD). Obviously they would have some chemistry, and it would be interesting to see them recognizing bad influence's in the other's life, but fail to see the exact same thing in their own. Like Duke calls out Veronica for hanging out with JD bc he's insane and brought a gun to school, while Veronica calls her out saying that she's one to talk, she is friends with Heather fucking Chandler, people call her the Demon Queen for a reason, only for them to both slowly realize that they are hypocrites.

Now to give Chansaw some credit, I can see the appeal. Enemies to lovers is very popular for a reason, hell I even mentioned it as why Chanduke is so intriguing to me. Plus, the aspect of taking someone under your wing is a good setup for a relationship story, but at least to me it's just so overdone, like there's only so much you can do between them before you get bored with it. Not to say all Chansaw fics and art are bad or boring, just that I myself am bored with how same-y it all feels.

Aaaand thats why I like PolyHeathers+Veronica so much, because who cares about which dynamic is better when you can just have all of them at the same time /j

[sapphosewrites]

7, 9, 13, 17, 23 for violence asks

Woohoo, here we go! (Choose violence ask game here)

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

I answered here about Kelas Parmak, who barely exists in canon, yet an active fandom has appeared for him. I thought about saying Ziyal, but really canon is the foundation of my antipathy towards her, and my issue with fandom is that sometimes I feel like everyone else watched a different tv show than I did in terms of how interesting they find her.

9. worst part of canon

...Oh I have SO many possible answers here. Is it Jadzia's romance in Meridian? Is it the death of women to serve men's stories? Is it Section 31 and Julian becoming a torturer in ways that are never sufficiently addressed? The inconsistency? Kira/Odo?

I'm going to take this moment to complain about Kira/Odo, I think. Because I'm an asexual aromantic person and my worst nightmare is my friends having crushes on me. It's inevitably awkward and uncomfortable and unpleasant because they want something I fundamentally can't give, and I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me because a friendship I enjoyed and valued wasn't what I thought it was. So I don't love the situation to begin with, and then I just never felt like they had their best scenes, interactions, or even versions-of-self while they were involved with each other.

13. worst blorboficiation

I feel like this question is just asking "who tends to get characterized in a way you disagree with," unless there's nuance I'm missing? If that's the case, I talked about a characterization of Garak that baffles me here. If it just means character that everyone is turning into a little pet and I don't know why, Weyoun. Or Damar/Weyoun specifically in combination with each other. I find a surprising number of those posts are nigh on incomprehensible, and seem less informed by canon and more informed by some kind of collective fever dream that occurred while under the influence of psychoactive substances. I know we all like the defector Weyoun, but there are people who have a deep and abiding love for all iterations of him that I will never understand. Probably this is the same group of people who find Jeffrey Combs attractive, which is a subset of humanity I also do not belong to.

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

I think I'd like to see more fic that explores the question "what if Garak lied about that". I'm definitely guilty of accepting a certain set of things as fact- such as Mila being Garak's mom, which isn't even from canon- and then never deviating, but fandom as a whole is more dynamic and interesting when we explore different interpretations, and Garak in particular is at his best when we don't take anything for granted and allow him to be a thorny question.

ALSO, art and fic about religion in Trek! A hundred years ago I said I'd do a challenge for it and I'd still like to. Fuck Gene Roddenberry on this point specifically.

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

heavy sigh Quark and Odo. They really are just weirdly meant for each other.

Also a good part of the-last-dillpickle's oeuvre feels at times deliberately devoted to getting me to ship things against my will. (I say this as a form of affectionate and respectful praise.)

[greensaplinggrace]

for the ship game: malina and darklina :P

Malina

I love how mal and alina always represent home for each other. they are always each other's safe harbors and they always always come back to each other in the end. their relationship is built on a foundation of friendship and tenderness, on loyalty and dedication and family. they can always find each other no matter where they are, and I think the concept of them being true north to each other is a really lovely one full of so much meaning.

I love their physical connection, the matching marks on their hands, the way they are always holding each other, always reaching for each other, how they can almost feel each other's bodies even when they're separate. I love how grounding the relationship is, how solid and steady mal can be for alina, how he always tries to bring her back to earth. how they hug and touch and hold hands and cuddle at every opportunity. how every scene with them is bright and sunny and you can almost feel the wind in your hair and the grass on your skin.

I love the childhood friends to lovers aspect of their relationship. I love how they have shared memories and histories, how everything they are is tied around them both, how they know almost everything about each other. I love how they're codependent and reliant on one another and always looking for the other right beside them. how mal knows alina's favorite flower and recognizes the stag from her drawings. how they get so excited to see each other again after such a long time apart. I love how intertwined their lives are, how they can finish each other's sentences and know intimately how to comfort each other or how to make each other laugh.

Darklina

I really like the potential of darklina, especially when it comes to alina's growth. I like the many directions their relationship could have gone and the many directions alina's character could have developed with the darkling. I've always valued alina's arc of self actualization, of coming into herself and finding herself, of accepting herself for who she is. with the darkling, she is able to come to love parts of herself she was never able to love before, parts of herself that have always seen her ostracized from her peers. the darkling acting as a foil to alina that is crucial to her development will always be something I love about their relationship. and one of the potential stories for them in that regard is for alina to take back her power and forge a new relationship with the darkling on equal ground, which is one of the character dynamics I value most in storytelling.

I love the way the darkling and alina are always reaching for each other. they do this in a different way from malina - a way that is always trying to fill up empty, lonely spaces in an aching, incomprehensible void. I love how they are constantly opening themselves up to each other because of this, then closing off from the other when it gets too much, always grasping at each other and pulling away in equal measures. how without each other there will always be an aching loneliness within them and a lack of understanding on a fundamental level from those around them. how to describe who she is to mal would be like describing color to a blind person, but with the darkling she never has to, because he instinctively understands those parts of her and accepts them. but they are such polarized people that the understanding is almost too much on it's own. they are too much.

I really like the dynamic of the darkling being an older immortal and alina being a younger one. I find alina's complete and utter incapability of understanding how immortality works fascinating. because everything the darkling tells her she knows is true, she can feel that it's true, but she cannot comprehend it, and so she denies it to herself and to him. alina around the darkling is in a constant state of denial, because to accept what he says is to realize the true horrors of not only the world, but also eternal life. and I just find that particular dynamic between them interesting, because it is such a good look into the internal logic of the characters, and the disparity between them when it comes to true experience and to the extent of not only their trauma, but their understanding of the universe, of people, and of time.

three things I like about this ship (x) - I already answered the darklina one here

[ancientrimer]

Tag 9 people you want to know better!

Thank you kindly dearest dearest @twoguysonebeartrap for the tag this was very fun <3

First ship:

From a very young age I was primarily interested in canon ships, I rarely if ever came up with ships of my own and as such the main one I remember really caring about first is probably like Lily/James from H*rry Potter. In terms of non-canon couples though, I did have an unfortunate phase when I was into Fairy Tail and cared very much about Natsu/Lisanna because of their long friendship bond.

Three ships:

I’m not hugely passionate about shipping BUT I’ve been in fandom and particularly fanfic spaces long enough that I was bound to develop a few that lie very closely to my heart <3

Baze Malbus/Chirrut Îmwe. Sends me absolutely insane. They’ve known each other their entire lives. They’ve been life partners since they were like five. They stuck together through everything except for when they actually did split up for five years but they came together again because the loss of Baze’s faith didn’t affect their love for each other, or their love for the people of Jedha.

Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro. They’re ace4ace they’re gay they’re romantic partners they’re friends they’re in a qppr they’re captain and first mate they’re dumbasses they’re the only fighters who can measure against each other they have a foundational joint understanding of morality, dreams, determination, and an it’s-achieving-my-goals-or-bust attitude. They understand each other fundamentally and it truly doesn’t matter if they’re in a relationship or not but I’m very very fascinated by their dynamic.

Lupe Garcia/Jess McCready. Listen I know A League of Their Own came out this year but I’ve grown to care about this one a lot. I’ve never seen a butch4butch ship at all much less one with an on screen relationship and heaps of chemistry and it really hit hard. They spotted each other through a throng of people and found community friendship a soul mate.

Last song:

“Lion” by Saint Mesa

Last movie:

I’m like a third through “Willow” but before that it was “The Harder They Fall” (very good movie!!)

Currently reading:

Like. A dozen books. Very few actively. I’m also listening to several audiobooks. None of them actively. But one of them is Howl’s Moving Castle! Which is very cosy as an experience even if it’s YA and I highly recommend it. It’s got very interesting intertextual takes on classic fairytales that slightly remind me of Terry Pratchett’s writing

Currently consuming:

Several different Dimension 20 campaigns concurrently

Currently craving:

Some truly deep and dream free sleep and a lie in. Hopefully I will get this next Sunday <3

Tagging (absolutely no pressure to do it ofc!!):

@missjenca, @beholdthemem, @asexualzoro, @phoebo-fugiente, @valenshawke, @cityofawesomeness, @archaicden

[beauty-and-passion]

A (not so) brief post about my favourite Sanders Sides ships

It all started with this ask:

I just wanted to write a short answer, I swear. Just a short answer with a tiny little explanation about why I like these ships in particular.

But then I got a bit carried away, my explanations became longer and so here I am, writing a full post.

One small clarification before starting: ships don’t have a place in my analyses. If I talk about connections between Sides, these connections are always in terms of friendships, cooperation or familial relationships. The romantic aspect is something different and I may joke about it sometimes, but it’s just a joke.

There is a time and space for romantic relationships - and it looks like that time has come. 

______________________________

Janus and Patton

I've always liked the canonical ship, in (almost) every fandom. So of course I like the canonical ship of this fandom as well :P

Jokes aside, this ship is incredibly mature, very interesting and terribly hard to talk about. The nature of these two characters, their roles and the episodes that had them involved proved how these two speak the same language, work in the same field and, ultimately, need each other.

* More similar that we think

If we look at them on a superficial level, Janus and Patton are completely opposites: one is cynical and cold, the other is a ball of sunshine. One is dark and suave, the other is goofy and bright. Janus' moral is "step on others and only care about yourself", Patton's moral is "help others because they are more important than you".

These differences became clearer over time, the more we learned about Janus and compared him with Patton. However, along these differences, some similarities started to emerge. Some qualities.

Janus and Patton want what's good for Thomas. They are humble enough to recognize their mistakes (the latest example was POF). They have a strong empathy. They’re kind. They’re mature adults (even if Patton doesn’t show it too often). And they both love and use puns.

But that’s not all. Along with these qualities, we found out that these two have similar flaws: they are both liars. They are incredibly persuasive to the point of manipulation. They have a huge influence over the mind (and the other Sides). They both deal with denial.

And this isn't just important, but it's a fundamental point for their character growth. Why? Because if they have similar flaws, if they are both liars and manipulators, then they cannot deceive each other.

And this is HUGE, especially for Patton! By his own admission, Patton lied multiple times, especially about his feelings (the Nostalgia episodes) and his thoughts (the most recent wedding/callback saga).

He always got away with it, because he was lying to other Sides and Thomas. But what would the point be, to lie to the literal embodiment of lies? Janus already knows what of his words are lies and what not, so it would be absolutely useless to do it.

Therefore, if Patton cannot lie to Janus, he cannot pretend everything is alright when it's not or hide his thoughts on a certain topic. He cannot shift the attention somewhere else or let a conversation drop. That means Patton cannot avoid confrontation about his thoughts/feelings and oh boy if he really needs to talk about them - especially with someone mature like Janus.

And yes, having someone who is able to see past your lies means being a lot vulnerable... but also a lot freerer. With Janus, Patton won’t have to pretend to be the strongest one: he can allow himself to be weak and confused, because if he doesn’t have an answer or if the weight of decisions is too much to carry, he has Janus with whom he can share it.

* A foundation of mutual respect

This point has never been fully addressed, but it was very well implied by their words/behaviours since Janus’ first appearance.

The first proof we have is CLBG: after Deceit revealed himself and disappeared, all the Sides and Thomas went through various degrees of shock, frustration and anger. Patton, on the other hand, was the only one who showed a pretty calm demeanor.

He should've been the angriest, considering that Janus took HIS place and pretended to be HIM the whole time. And yet, not only Patton didn't show any resentment, but he didn't talk bad about Janus (even if he had all the reasons to) and he even justified the other Side’s actions to Thomas:

[Patton]: Kiddo, simply put, Deceit is an inner coach that acts with the one intention of self-preservation.

Patton could’ve said anything, to make Janus appear as the worst. And his words could've had a lot of influence on Thomas, considering they were coming from his heart.

However, Patton didn't say anything too bad about Janus - not even in the following episodes.

Then we reach POF: Patton's monologue about his morals went so dramatically bad, he turned into a giant frog with abs and Janus had to sweep in to save Thomas.

In that moment, he could've said ANYTHING to make Patton appear as the worst Side ever. He had his chance on a silver plate: Patton was wrong, he had been wrong the whole time, he was literally ready to fight Thomas.

And yet, Janus took Patton's defense:

[Deceit]: He didn't mislead you on purpose, Thomas. I don't think the little guy... or... the big frog is capable of that sort of thing.

In addition to that, let’s consider Janus' whole attitude towards Patton in SvS: he basically spent an entire episode trying to make Patton understand his point.

[Deceit]: You can defend him all you like... But you can't change the facts. Is Thomas an innocent little lamb? Let's let them be the judge of that.

Why did he insist so much on this? Why not tricking Patton like he did with Roman or ignoring him like he did with Logan?

Because Janus knows how important Patton's role is and his whole behaviour shows respect towards the other Side. Unlike the others, who tend to diminish/forget Patton’s importance, Janus never did and always tried to reach him in the most honest, difficult way: through dialogue and confrontation.

And when he failed, instead of disregarding Patton’s importance, he just kept trying again, until his message finally reached the other Side.

* The perfect working partner

POF proved Patton can't bear the weight of the decision-making process all by himself. He needs another Side who can help him and Janus perfectly fills this role.

But why Janus? Why not Logan? Logan is a very mature Side, he can deal with a lot of stress, he's extremely organized and knows a lot. Surely he can help Patton with the decision-making process, right?

Not exactly. For his own admission, morals and ethics are not Logan's area of expertise (as it should be: logic can’t be influenced by what’s considered “good” or “bad”: logic is neutral). Secondly, Logic isn't an emotional-driven Side: logic is way less affected by emotions than other Sides - especially compared to Patton, who is the embodiment of emotions.

What Patton needs is a mature Side with a grey mentality, humble enough to respect him/not diminish his role, from his same area of expertise and enough emotional-driven to connect with him on an emotional/empathetic level.

And Janus is the only one who fills all those points. Even the latter, as we saw in the last part of POF:

[Patton]: Janus... Do you think there's a limit... on how many times someone can say sorry... before you have to admit... that they're just bad for you? [Janus]: Oh, definitely not. I'd love for someone to ruin Thomas' entire life one apology at a time. [Patton]: Okay. [Janus]: (After seeing Patton's reaction)The reality is that... it depends.

Janus' answer changed, the moment he realized Patton didn't get his sarcasm, by switching from ironic to honest. This is the kind of emotional connection Patton needs, something that doesn’t require words, but a small gesture that says more than a thousand words (yes, I’m also talking about that gaze and the small nod in the end card).

If we add to all of that the detail that Janus can nullify Patton's excuses and see past his lies, we have the perfect partner to help him grow up.

But this cooperation isn’t just one-sided: Janus needs Patton just as much as Patton needs him.

Why? First of all, to have a seat at the table. After years hiding, Janus can finally talk to Thomas, introduce his cynical mentality, make Thomas a little more selfish and help him grow up.

Secondly, by cooperating with Patton, Janus will become a better Side: he will learn to compromise, to work together and, most importantly, to trust Patton. And this is a particularly important point because, as I said in my analysis of POF, Janus isn’t used to trust others and he doesn’t want them to see past his barriers. Working with Patton might be exactly what he needs to trust the other Sides and lower these barriers, even a tiny bit.

* The romantic possibility

Considering all of the above points, the idea that their cooperation could evolve into something romantic-driven isn't so strange. The elements are all here, there's nothing weird to add nor need to bend canon, in order to make the ship happen. Their mutual acceptance can easily become need, learning more about each other can easily evolve into desiring each other and friendship could grow into passion.

And, of course, let's not forget marriage. These two can only end up in marriage. I mean, one is a dad, the other is a mom witch, so they are a perfect match XD

My point is: this ship isn't just a “cute couple being cute”. It's about dialogues. Conversations about themselves, their different points of view, their morals, their cooperation, how to help Thomas and the other Sides. It's based on listening to each other, on knowing each other a little more every day. On being silly together, working and failing together, going down and getting up, because there is someone by your side to lend a helping hand.

This is what makes Janus and Patton the most realistic, mature couple. And that's probably why it's so hard to perfectly nail it.

______________________________

Logan and Remus

Here it is, the couple that blew up after one episode and was confirmed in the most recent Aside.

But seriously, these two have a huge potential - first as friends/working partners, then as romantic partners. Logan and Remus need each other and the reasons are pretty clear:

- Having an interlocutor

Remus is Unleashed Creativity, a volcano of ideas in constant need of new stimuli, no matter if they are considered good or bad. After all "good and bad are all made up nonsense", as he said.

Logan is a walking encyclopedia in search of someone who wants to listen to him. He's pure, undiluted knowledge because that's what logic should be. No morals about what's good and what's bad, no emotions, nothing but neutral knowledge.

Considering that, it’s pretty clear these two have to come into contact. But what would they gain?

Well, Remus would have the stimuli he desperately craves. And Logan?

Logan would gain an incredibly smart interlocutor. And I’m not saying it because I am biased towards Remus, but because the canonical episodes showed us how smart he is. In both DWIT and WTIT Remus proved to be a quick thinker, with a sharp intellect and an even sharper eye. He's silly and over the top, but he's not an idiot and he uses everything he has for his own creative needs, no matter how small it is.

Just imagine this cleverness applied to everything Logan might say to him. Remus wouldn’t be the only one to benefit from it, but the whole creative process and, ultimately, Thomas himself, who will have better, richer ideas.

- Gaining a place

At this moment in time (just after WTIT) Remus has not been fully accepted yet. He is tolerated and his presence is a nuisance, but he’s neither wanted, nor banished. He’s just here and he has no voice on any matter.

Also because no one wants to give him a chance to prove how useful and worthy he can be. Thomas barely tolerates him, Patton does his best to ignore him, Roman doesn’t even want to see him and Virgil would rather not have any of the Others present.

The only Core Side who accepts Remus’ presence and is willing to give him a chance is Logan. He spent the entire DWIT to explain why Remus is useful for Thomas and shouldn’t be ignored, while in WTIT, he said: "There will be a time and place for you" - thus implying that, one day, Remus will finally be able to show how worthy he can be.

This is exactly what Remus needs: a Core Side who doesn’t see him as a nuisance or a villain, but as a fundamental part of Thomas that can be helpful, in his own way. Someone willing to give him a seat at the table (at least in the future). And, most importantly, someone who is powerful enough to control him.

Remus is and will always be a force of nature. He will never rest or stop being chaotic. This is why he needs someone strong by his side, someone who can’t be overcomed by his dark thoughts and that can put him back on track if necessary. And Logan proved to be perfect for this role not once, but twice.

- Understanding on a deeper level

However this cooperation won’t be beneficial just for Remus. As I said before, Remus could be a clever interlocutor for Logan. And this cleverness isn’t just related to creativity, but also to emotional understanding.

The Core Sides have known Logan for almost thirty years and yet, they have no idea of the inner turmoil raging inside him. They keep ignoring and dismissing him, clearly thinking everything is fine.

It took Remus one single day to realize what Logan’s problem is, how deeply frustrated he is and how much he’s actually angry at Thomas. Less than 24 hours and Remus knows Logan better than his long time friends.

That’s exactly what Logan needs. Someone sharp enough to notice his behaviour, find out the root of the problem and make Logan face it, instead of dismissing it because who cares (yes, Roman, I am talking about you and your “You'll be fine, Rome didn't fall in a day.”)

- The romantic possibility

I think almost all the fandom agrees that these two would have a great sex life. After all, Remus is the embodiment of Thomas' sexual urges, so he would definitely go for a very physical relationship.

But having a good sex life implies a lot of other great things: good chemistry, no comunication issues, great stability and greater trust. And, even more important, the desire to try new things together. Logan and Remus are both very curious Sides, they both want to know new things and experience them: so their relationship would probably be based on discussing new ideas, testing them and finding out together if they are good or not.

And this doesn't apply to just the sexual aspect: even just the romantic aspect or the working aspect of their relationship could have these characteristics. Logan and Remus can motivate each other, learn from one another and find new things together. They are clever enough to stimulate each other's mind, curious enough to do stuff together to learn something new and honest enough to not withdraw their opinions on any matter.

______________________________

Roman and Virgil

I am just recently starting to warm up to this couple, so I will keep this part short.

Just as it was for the previous two couples, these two can work together because canon made them work. The first part of their whole relationship is already all canonically established: at first Roman saw Virgil as a villain, then he slowly realized he could be a friend. Now moving from friends to lovers isn’t so difficult.

^ No need to demonstrate

Roman needs someone like Virgil, because Virgil is on his same level. Sure, Virgil’s mentality is way more gray-ish, but he still has a lot to learn, just like Roman.

Having someone on his side, who is on his same level is a huge relief: with Virgil, Roman doesn't have to pretend, nor to show off, nor to be dashing and perfect all the time. He knows Virgil won't care less, so he can relax. And for someone who is used to working all the time, having a moment of quiet with someone who has zero espectations is exactly what Roman needs.

Same goes for Virgil: he knows Roman won't care if he's gloomy and dark, because Roman already saw that side of him and appreciates him anyway. So no need to pretend to be different. He can relax too. And, because of his anxious nature, relaxing is exactly what he also needs.

So if they both need to relax, that implies they also need time to do it. And without expectations, without feeling like the other “is better than me and I’m slowing him down”, they can really take all the time they need, to grow at their own pace.

^ Growing together

Virgil and Roman’s is not a one-sided relationship, in which one knows more than the other and helps the other reach his level: since they are on the same level, if one of them learns something new, then it’s a victory for them both, because the other will be motivated to do more/learn more as well.

This isn’t just something I think, but something we saw in canon. During AA-part 2, Roman clearly stated that Virgil “make us... better”, thus implying that Virgil acted as a motivator for him.

Then we had FWSA and here we saw this sentence applied the other way around: Roman was the motivator and, thanks to him, Virgil overcame his own anxiety to push Thomas towards Nico. The final result was a victory for them both: Roman got the romance he’s desperately craving, Virgil found out a new aspect of himself: his bravery.

^ The romantic possibility

These two are a walking “enemies to friends to lovers” trope, so I don’t think there’s anything else to add XD

Only that they would both be quite passionate. One is Thomas’ romantic side, the other is heavily influenced by emotions: if the good one takes Virgil, he would probably be a very passionate partner.

______________________________

Two couples I understand

Janus and Remus -> I understand the appeal of this one and it would kinda make sense, especially from Remus’ point of view. Remus has (probably) sexual fantasies about anything, so I wouldn't be too surprised if he has a whole collection of sexual fantasies about the Side who is closest to him.

But also, I see them too much like father and son/bestest friends to imagine them having a romantic relationship.

So my take is more like that: Remus has sexual fantasies about Janus, just like he has sexual fantasies about anyone. They are his way to show his affection, how much he cares about Janus and wants to protect him.

But Remus is Remus and he's prone to lose control. That's why, since he reached adolescence and started to develop the sexual aspect, Janus put clear limits that give Remus enough space to express his fantasies, but never past a certain point.

So Remus can be very touchy (because, well, he's Remus) and extremely physical in showing his affections, but never go below a certain point. He can talk in full details about all his sexual fantasies to Janus, but never try to sexually force him. He can try to seduce him or propose sexual things, but never pretend he will accept.

And so, over time, it became a sort of internal joke between them: Remus tells his fantasies at the breakfast table, while Janus rolls his eyes with a "very interesting", they have a laugh, they keep going with their day. Remus wants to cuddle, Janus will cuddle. Remus proposes sex, Janus will just laugh and give him a forehead kiss.

In other words, they are the kind of friends who you can find sprawled on a couch, one on top of the other and imagine they're a couple, while that's just how they read a book together.

Logan and Roman -> This couple isn’t bad at all and I really like the idea of these two having a sorta-romantic crush on each other. It can lead to a lot of poetic/romantic possibilities.

The only problem is: Logan is logic, therefore he would destroy all the romance with one sentence XD and the romantic, poetic scene evoked would turn into these two arguing like madmen.

So, well, maybe the hate-sex would be great, but they would definitely spend too much time arguing. Still, I am very curious about it, so I will keep searching for stuff about them.

[romanianwilkinson]

MONSTER CAMP QUOTES STARTERS

A collection of sentence starters from the game Monster Camp. Feel free to change words and pronouns as desired. CONTENT WARNING(S) FOR: Monster Prom/Monster Camp spoilers, suggestive, cursing, crude content

“ I just have it here because [NAME] insisted that I offer it, as a marketing stunt. ”

“ And lastly, super-horny-type players no longer get a charm buff against tsundere types! ”

“ War machines don’t turn me on or anything! ”

“ I don’t wanna be weird, but do you mind if I climb inside of you and play around with your main turret? ”

“ A wine to DIE for, you say? Well, darling, don’t threaten me with a good time! ”

“ This one just says ‘ hmu with that reaper dick, daddy ’. ”

“ You on your phone, as always! Probably making blogposts on your Tik Tok page. ”

“ Yeah, you really don’t want to witness a repeat of the last time [NAME]’s diehard fans went without a selfie for fifteen minutes. My tailbone still hasn’t completely healed. ”

“ Now hold still, this will only hurt for a moment --- ”

“ Yay! You found a shenanigan! ”

“ My poems all have two or three emotions in them, AT LEAST. ”

“ CRYING IS OBVIOUSLY A COMPETITION TO SEE WHO CAN SQUEEZE THE MOST WATER OUT OF THEIR EYES! ”

“ No way, really? The way to WIN at poetry is by LOSING at life? ”

“ I dunno, maybe fall in love with someone who’s married and develop an opioid addiction? ”

“ HELL YEAH, SPEEDRUN! ”

“ It’s morbid, but... kind of romantic? ”

“ GASP! Google+? Are you kidding me? The psychopaths behind that global tragedy are here?! ”

“ Prison has changed me, [NAME]. Would you like to trade me some cigarettes in exchange for my fundamental dignity? ”

“ Undermining the laws of reality, subverting life and death, that’s the kind of stuff my followers expect. But CHEATING? No way. ”

“ Though we are imprisoned in chalk jail, we are free in our hearts. But our hearts are also imprisoned in chalk jail. ”

“ Um, no, I am NOT groveling. I am posing a dignified query to [NAME] that just so happens to be performed on my hands and knees. ”

“ I didn’t know you condoned playing the friend card to get free labor, [NAME]. ”

“ Ah, but saving the world doesn’t put avocado toast on the table. We indie seancers and necromancers need to pay our rent too, you know. ”

“ And as you know, I am illustriously Internet-famous, so if you could shower me with adoration and give me the pizza that would be fabulous. ”

“ Do you wanna fuck the pizza or not? ”

“ Are you ready to go swimming? I must admit, darling, I’ve always wondered what you would look like while... wet.”

“ Did you turn this date into an orgy without consulting me? ”

“ Gosh, I love it when you insult me! Please do it more! ”

“ Now who wants to make a baby? ”

“ What if she puts a curse on me that makes me magically forget the location of the clitoris?! ”

“ Hey, don’t knock wacky decisions that endanger us all! That’s how I always manage to stay a step ahead of my nemeses! ”

“ Oh gods, I’ve killed so many monsters, just for being monsters. This is making me question my entire moral foundation. I NEED MORE THERAPY. ”

“ I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: fish give better pedicures than people! ”

“ You’re not tricking me into parenting a stupid egg. I’ve never fucked even ONE chicken! The egg is not my son! ”

“ You came to visit me at camp, Daddy! ”

“ Don’t be ridiculous, I know your brand of horny, [NAME], and this ain’t it. ”

“ I thought we both agreed to be nothing but vague and haughtily aloof about our past dalliances. ”

“ Point EAST, compass! EAAAAAAAAST! You dumb fuckboot!!!! POINT! EAST! ”

“ One time I was told a soul’s worst fear was bugs and I inadvertantly sent The Beatles. It happens to the best of us... And the worst of us. ”

“ SOMEDAY I SHALL DEFEAT YOUR FIVE STRANGE FEET! ”

“ Why do you keep suppressing your monster half? Embrace your true nature! ”

“ Wow. I didn't think this was possible, but I guess I was... wrong? About social media? Oh dear God, is this how grandparents feel?!?! Am I a GRANDPARENT?! ”

“ I don’t know! I was relying on my friends to cover up my bold and idiotic statement! ”

“ ... I ate the oars. ”

“ PSYCHE. The ocean can eat my ass. ”

“ So pucker up, [NAME]! I'm about to declare mouth war on your FACE! ”

“ YOU FOOLISHLY FOOLISH FOOL! You're showing our inexperience! YOUR HONOR, THE ENTIRE LEGAL TEAM PLEADS THE FIFTH! ”

“ That's right. I'm talking about a classic Transylvania Hot Tub, a Seth Brundle, and a REVERSE Reverse Romanian Wilkinson. ”

“ Sorry, I was in your ribcage seeing if I could use it to cut strips of crepe paper into confetti and then I got lost in your kidneys. ”

“ There's nothing sexier than a doomed romance between a dating sim player and a hot fictional character. ”

“ That's right! I secretly replaced one of you with a bear while no one was looking, to teach you a valuable lesson about the art of disguise! ”

“ Enchant my armor. I’m going into the lake. ”

“ For VIOLENCE REASONS! ” 

“ This stupid lake monster called me short the other day, but I was too low level to crush him like he deserved. ”

“ That dumb wet dinkhole won't know what hit him! But it will be me! I will hit him! ”

“ No, YOU'RE a fuckshark! Also, what does that even mean?! ”

“ You seriously didn't notice the enormous needles those interns jabbed into your veins as soon as [NAME] got here? “

“ It all makes sense! The Camp Dome is just an elaborate ploy to distract us from the giant mouth that eats campers! “

“ This is the BEST show I've ever seen in my life, which is now at an end! “

“ Am I high, or did he just tell us EXACTLY how to foil his evil scheme? “

“ What, like a few severed heads and visions of my grandpa screaming in horrendous pain are gonna freak me out? Where I'm from, you can buy that stuff at IKEA. “

“ ERROR: Due to the sixth mass extinction, the slaying of leprechauns is inadvisable. “

“ Then why do I have half-finished scarves, decoupage, pot-holders, friendship bracelets, and a taxidermied rabbit in my skeleton? “

“ The wang elemental. ”

“ I also have an uncle who works at Nintendo as a copy machine! “

“ What flavor of ice cream AM I?! Now I gotta know. HA! You know what I should be? 'Pistachio.' Because my outside is HARD, but I'm full of NUT. “

“ I mean, life is a bit like... this sandwich! No, stay with me, I'm going somewhere good with this. “

“ A survival situation without any sexy fun time isn't worth surviving in the first place. “

“ Rut the RUCK?! ”

“ The ' ambulance of the heart ' is just a regular ambulance! Ambulances treat all organs! ”

“ Yeah, that's why I made sure that my so-called ' emotional armor ' was also ' actual armor '. “

“ And being yourself is the key to living your dreams, which is the key to self actualization, which is the key to being really good at sex! “

“ So hot I'd buy that even without free shipping. 10/10, call me some time. “

“ Hi, quick question: does it count as kidnapping if I'm abducting you so you can help me do a thing you already agreed to help with? “

“ I could be wrong, but are you just upset because you DON'T have a skeleton that's inside your body? “

“ I'm gonna get SO FUCKING RELAXED MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE! “

“ Whoah, whoa, hold up. You're fucking my grandma? “

“ No, [NAME], that is a popcorn bag full of more dynamite. Put it down. “

“ I hear that at least 70% of people on Patreon aren't murderers! “

“ If you want cash, just rob banks like the rest of us! “

“ Did it work? Do you feel any less horny? ”

“ FUCK YEAH, LET'S PUNCH THAT MOUTH IN ITS MOUTH! “

“ Yes... incidentally, we are no longer allowed to enter Italy. “

“ Is anyone else turned on right now? ”

“ Yes! Yes! I know what you're feeling! I suddenly see how marrying a corpse isn't okay! “

“ JUST LET ME IMPROVE YOUR SELF ESTEEM, MORTAL! “

“ Look, choose whatever you want, but I'm not responsible for whatever you put in your mouth. ”

[schrodingersachillesheel]

*clears throat* okay-

wtf is this discourse bro 💀💀 "go outside and touch grass" yall are arguing over whether or not..fictional crack fanon ships are misogynistic. like this is absolutely a discussion but the issue here is foundational, jegulus and wolfstar may often portray misogynistic and fetishizing behaviors but that is literally the bones of modern fandom culture. to ignore the canon in favor of more creative fan-made interpretations or depictions, you are inherently subjecting these fanworks to criticism regarding the ethics behind it.

if you are going to have this cake (say mlm ships are misogynistic) you need to put the fork down (stop consuming most fan-content)

this may seem like a wild jump to make but ill use a similar fandom that im more familiar with to illustrate this 'slippery slope'

i love the percy jackson fandom! i have grown up on those books. but here's a list of non-canon ships and their criticisms.

percico; usually paints annabeth as biphobic or erases her from the narrative entirely. also ignores that nico explicitly stated that he doesn't like percy. (percy/nico - mlm)

jasico; disregards character dynamics and forces the gay character into a harmful stereotype. (jason/nico - mlm)

jercy(.?); pushes harmful narratives that two men are not allowed to have an emotionally healthy friendship without being gay. (percy/jason - mlm)

pipabeth(??); fetishizes wlw relationships, is often only a companion to an mlm ship, and drags these characters so far out if themselves that they are barely recognizable so they feed into a palatable lesbian dynamic. (piper/annabeth - wlw)

jiper; disregards canon characters and forces piper to be straight. (jason/piper - wlm)

and for gits and shiggles, brason; supports the unhealthy idea that since he didn't "get the girl" he is undeserving of an actual relationship (jason/ a literal brick - ml🧱)

none of these ships are actually bad, in fact, most are handled very nicely even if i dont personally ship it but, they all have massive ethical flaws.

do you see my point here?

and if you're wondering why i care especially since ive stated multiple times that im only really on marauders tumblr bc jegulus is solangelo w better quality fics and i do not know very much abt harry potter...kick.

this is basically a line-for-line bar-for-bar repeat of the klance vs allurance battle of 2018, of which i had to explain to people that every one of the ships for vld is awful and by participating in shipping of any sort you are being willfully ignorant to the unethical/immoral nature of pretty much any ship ever.

so in conclusion, do i give a shit? absolutely fucking not. do i still think that this is the most absurd form of performative activism ive ever seen and possibly thinly veiled homophobia? yeah. and fyi... no one fucking cares, these are fake people who have 0 canon personalities at all, all of them are dead, and the author is a raging transphobe.

take a breath, go outside, and if you truly want to criticize behavior in the marauders, you should probably start with the insane amount of incest- like seriously guys wtf is going on?? like ik my fandoms may not be perfect but i couldve gone my entire life without reading the tag "star crossed brothers" while im looking for a cute little solangelo jegulus fic

im joking (..kind of) but seriously dude, if you don't like something in a fandom, just avoid it. theres no point in tearing people down over fictional injustices. unless a ship is fundamentally immoral (im looking at you mcu starker 👀) it's a futile argument.

i could tell you that jily is a disgusting display of harassment and manipulation in which james refuses to respect lily's wishes and blah blah blah but you dont care, it's nothing jily shippers haven't heard a million times before.

i think that ron and hermione are terrible for eachother because they almost constantly fight and appear to hate one another not to mention that ron is immature and something something it doesn't matter.

i could write an actual proper essay on this if you'd like but i think you get the gist.

pov: marauders fans when you call them out on their thinly veiled misogyny (grow the fuck up maybe) , hidden quite terribly behind the continued fetishisation of mlm relationships (which is also fucking weird seek therapy maybe)

[veliseraptor]

Xiyao for the ship ask meme?

hooooo boy!!!! was wondering when this one was going to come up and then of course it took me ages to get to this, thank you for your patience

Cons:

it hurts! a lot! I mean, this is kind of a thing that I enjoy about it as well (see below) but also...I want them both to be happy and that doesn’t so much work out. 

also, I do think that there’s a certain amount of hangups you’d have to get Jin Guangyao over before he was willing to get into any kind of relationship. I think he’s extremely gun shy in that arena, for multiple reasons, and I actually kind of like the idea that Lan Xichen is the one who does the pursuing here. and I’ve talked before about how I think that any kind of physical relationship would be...unlikely while Jin Guangyao was married, because he wouldn’t do that to Qin Su. 

most of the other downsides here are the things that I like about Xiyao as a ship, actually. other than - oh, I feel like this is a pairing rife with characterization I either dislike or disagree with. I’m very picky about both these characters and the dynamic they have with each other! so sue me.

(not that that isn’t true...generally, but it is more true for some things than others.)

Pros:

this canon has an abundance of ‘possible ships that hit a whole bunch of my personal specific buttons simultaneously’ and this is definitely up there for one of them!!! 

right off the bat I have a thing for ships where it’s like...”character with excruciatingly low standards of behavior falls head over heels in infatuation with person who is decent to them” and, I mean, yeah. 

I’m always going to be a little sad that we don’t see the time that Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao spent together while Lan Xichen was in hiding, though, because I think that’s actually...where infatuation became something else? because that’s a period of time where they were (more) on even footing, where Jin Guangyao could actually help Lan Xichen, could actually be doing something for him as opposed to...being the recipient of pity or charity. (which is, I think, something that Jin Guangyao is extremely averse to in his personal relationships.)

I just...have a lot of feelings about the absolute faith that Lan Xichen places in Jin Guangyao. the way he is willing to extend so much benefit of the doubt to him, so much trust to him, and how he does that very deliberately and publicly in the face of a society that is, in many ways, set against Jin Guangyao. 

and then I also have feelings about how determinedly Jin Guangyao wants to protect Lan Xichen, keep him safe and shielded from the darker parts of his life and of himself, but at the same time Lan Xichen is someone he can be more himself with, in some ways, because he doesn’t have to have his customer service face on always, he doesn’t have to be as preoccupied with image, he can engage with him on a level that feels equal, as the recipient of respect and friendship. 

I wrote a while back about how I think that’s probably what’s most important to Jin Guangyao about his relationship with Lan Xichen - the fact that Lan Xichen respects him. and I think admires him, too! his persistence and determination and keeping his head up despite everything everybody says. 

but then with all that...the deception that is involved in Jin Guangyao’s attempts to protect Lan Xichen. the fundamental gap of understanding that does come from their difference in origin and the fact that Lan Xichen is not, I would say, class-conscious. the fact that Jin Guangyao is presenting a partially sanitized version of himself (though not, I think, as sanitized as he thinks; Lan Xichen seems to refer to knowing he got up to some shit); he can’t let down his guard completely, he is still conscious, I think, of the ways in which he doesn’t live up to Lan Xichen’s image of him. 

and Lan Xichen...he doesn’t know this. he’s operating under a belief about their relationship and an understanding that gets utterly shattered, and that shattering shakes some of his foundational understandings about himself and his world. 

it just hurts a lot, also, and I do love to suffer. 

[gffa]

Hi!  I went through a similar phase as several of you--I never really connected the dots between my own aro/ace qualities and my gravitating towards the Jedi culture until someone else pointed it out and then everything just sort of clicked together in my head in a way that made so much sense. And I think it can be really useful to view the Jedi through this lens of aro/ace culture, not because people are obligated to agree to this interpretation (they absolutely are not obligated to do so!) but because it provides a framework of reference for why not being drawn to romance and/or sex is not a foundational flaw in characters.  That there might even be an entire group of people who find that to be really satisfying and fulfilling--I mean, look at how many people gravitated to this discussion (or were already here) in just one day on one person’s blog on one social media platform.  It’s not hard at all for me to think, yeah, I’m looking at us building aro/ace culture of our own, it’d be easy for an in-universe group of people to do the same, and the lack of romance and/or sex wouldn’t be them suppressing their feelings or lacking something fundamental about the human condition, either. That’s part of why the Jedi mean a lot to me--there are other things as well, I greatly value their “face the shit within yourself, acknowledge that shit, and then let that shit go, because holding onto it is poison that will hurt you”, as someone who came to the same conclusions long before I was ever a Star Wars fan.  I love the worldbuilding, I love the psychic space wizards aspects, I love how goddamned extra they are about everything, etc. But a culture that not only doesn’t prioritize romance/sex, but actively values other things and finds meaning in those things?  That we see they have friendships and connections all over the place, that they find joy and meaning in teaching their students (and learning from their students, just as much as they teach them), that they find joy in helping others and protecting others, that they love through different ways, that they love the galaxy around them, they love their brothers and sisters in the Force, that they love their community and their culture?  That they just don’t seem to really want love and romance? Even those that do feel romantic feelings (setting Anakin aside, of course) still find the Jedi path to be a fulfilling one.  Obi-Wan may have had romantic feelings for Satine (which was apparently fine, it’s about his commitment and where he places it, I’m pretty sure that was the whole point of the Obi-Wan/Satine relationship, to be a narrative foil for Anakin/Padme, where Anakin does prioritize his feelings for Padme over his morals and judgement, which results in disaster of epic proportions) but he is a fully realized character without them.  He loves--we see that with Qui-Gon, Ahsoka, Luke, Anakin--that he cares deeply, that he’s a compassionate person, that he lives a life that he considers satisfying.  He becomes a Force Ghost and we can see him looking out over Endor, at the things that have finally been set back to rights, and he’s happy. Even within canon, the Jedi that feel restless and like something is wrong in this galaxy, they’re not restless because they want romance/sex, but because they want to do more as Jedi.  They want to help more people, they want to do more good in the galaxy, and do you know how much that means to me?  That even those who are dissatisfied (setting aside those that leave the Jedi Order because they want to have romantic relationships, which are treated warmly by the Order and by the people who left, like Tula’s grandmother) don’t have to be shoved back into the same box so many mainstream properties shove the characters into?  That it’s not about how, oh, they want traditional nuclear families, but instead that they want MORE of what the Jedi are--more love as shown through service to others, more love as shown through helping others. Do you know what a relief it is to have a group of people who find fulfillment in the same kind of things that I do?  Friendships and helping others and learning/teaching about the galaxy around them and self-reflection/understanding and accomplishments the like?  That these are treated, not just as valuable, not even just as valuable, but more valuable to these specific people?  Without demonizing that they’re totally cool with other people wanting romantic love?  DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT MEANS TO ME? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANS THAT THE JEDI DON’T REALLY SEEM INTERESTED IN ROMANCE OR SEX AND INSTEAD FIND SATISFACTION IN OTHER THINGS?  THAT IT’S NOT ABOUT SUPPRESSING YOURSELF, BUT THAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES JUST REALLY DON’T CARE ABOUT THOSE THINGS.  SOMETIMES EVEN LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. That the Jedi aren’t just “hey, this one Jedi can be read as aro/ace, that’s neat” but instead the Jedi said, “Hey, how about an ENTIRE CULTURE that vibes hard with aro/ace culture?”  That it’s the one mainstream culture that I can think of that really can be interpreted to say, “You’re not just an outlier, but YOU’RE THE NORM in this fictional society.”  Do you know what kind of value that has to me, as someone who only has the tiniest scraps of representation for this character or that character who maybe might be like me, but are rarely confirmed and are almost always The Different One?  Do you know what kind of value it has to me that it’s not just one or two of them, but that THE CULTURE ITSELF is where I would fit in?  That they built an entire society where nearly all of them seem to be Like Me? AN ENTIRE SOCIETY OF PEOPLE I WOULD FIT IN WITH? Which isn’t even getting into the worldbuilding specifics that are so much fun to play with--like, can you imagine what it would be like to have this psychic connection to this vast field of energy in the cosmos?  To be able to sense the feelings of others around you, to feel their presence even when they’re halfway across the galaxy, to just know what they’re feeling?  To be constantly surrounded by the lights of those souls that are gently nudging up against your own?  The warmth and peace of the Jedi Temple that isn’t just what you see/hear/touch, but also what permeates your very thoughts, the soothing balm on your soul that it would be? Can you imagine what it would be like to have this in your head all the time?

A familiar sense of warmth, of belonging, of finding himself part of an endless lattice of connections that held him and everything else, each fixed in its proper place.  A Force. Romance and sex can be wonderful.  But they are not the sole defining qualities of what it means to be sentient or what it means to be fulfilled.  The Force being described as an endless lattice of connections and warmth, that sounds incredibly wonderful and human to me, that sounds incredibly fulfilling and like everything I could possibly want. That is what the Jedi seek and have found.  That is the foundation of their culture.  That is the culmination of their lives. This is why their relationships are so wonderful and I’m so glad that the iconic Jedi relationships, whether we as fans turn towards shipping them or not, whether we joke about how much you can read into them or not, are ones that are all about other aspects that are just as epic and important. Obi-Wan’s most iconic relationships are with Luke, Anakin, Qui-Gon, Ahsoka.  They’re all incredible ones and it’s not to disparage his feelings for Satine (I love them as a pairing, too!), but that his character is defined more by familial and platonic relationships being just as galaxy-shaking as romantic ones might have been in another story?  That means a lot to me. Anakin is, of course, driven by his romantic relationship with Padme, but think about how important his relationships with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are, ones that don’t have to be seen through the lens of romance.  That the ultimate climax of the prequels was Anakin’s fight with Obi-Wan, a familial connection.  That the ultimate climax of TCW was about Ahsoka’s relationship with Anakin, another familial/platonic connection. Ahsoka is a rising star in the SW franchise and her most iconic connections are with Anakin and Rex, both of which do not have to be interpreted through the romantic/sexual lens, that are complete just as they are presented.  That even when she can no longer be a Jedi, even when that possibility is stolen from her, she still doesn’t need to be defined through romance or sex. Yoda has many important, iconic relationships and is such a central character to the mythos and mythology of Star Wars.  His relationship with Luke is one of the most foundational of the OT, his relationship with Obi-Wan is important when you dig further into the supplementary material, his relationship with Anakin creates some of the most memorable scenes of the prequels.  All without ever having him desire a girlfriend.  Hell, the movies had Yaddle right there and you know what?  She wasn’t Yoda’s girlfriend, he wasn’t her boyfriend, that’s not what they were to each other, because they didn’t really seem to have any desire for that. THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE THE JEDI.  They show compassion and care and love all over the place, but they do it through George Lucas’ views on how people should strive to be, and they do it not through romance, but through friendship and helping others and seeking greater understanding of self-knowledge and artistry through the Force, and none of that should ever make them lesser, just as aromantic and asexual people seeking those same things does not make them lesser. We are people who love just as much as anyone else, we have fulfilling and wonderful lives, I don’t know any aro/ace person who would really even want to change themselves, we find ourselves to be perfectly fantastic the way we are.  I don’t feel some part of me is missing, I don’t feel I’m less interesting because I’m aro/ace, I love being the way I am.  I love how much my friends and family mean to me, I love how much joy I get out of caring for animals or helping other people or even simply yelling about Star Wars with them.  My connections to people are just as wonderful as anyone else’s, regardless of how they’re not in the romantic/sexual category. And, so too are the Jedi.

[andsmile]

I agree that this whole situation is different from One Tree Hill /Brucas /Leyton not the cheating part obviously because cheating is cheating. What Im trying to say Lucas cheating on Brooke with her best friend Peyton happened in season 1 while they him and Brooke were a relatively new couple (OTH s3 different story). Still no excuse to cheat but there's a huge difference from the two shows writers. It's a little too late for RD to do this cheating story in s4.

Welcome to my OTH ted talk, and I care a lot about OTH (it’s my favorite show), so it pains me when people make this comparison. I am a Brooke/Lucas shipper but I have watched OTH a thousand times (and I was watching in 2005 while it was airing, before endgames were set on stone) and I think I have some property to talk about this lol.

So, the thing with OTH is: first of all, it’s character-driven, not plot-driven like Riverdale, which means the plot stems from the build-up of characters and relationships. Everything a character says or does has consequences and continuity. Riverdale, as we all know, is not that show.

The fundamental part - the build-up of the love triangle - is completely different. I’m talking about s1 here, btw. What happens after is another story.

Lucas starts OTH in love with Peyton since he was a kid. There are about 8 episodes of a slow, careful build-up to Leyton’s ship with some ICONIC moments like “your art matters, it’s what got me here” (that are brought up throughout the entire show). Lucas loved Peyton but he didn’t really know Peyton, however, they get to know each other and it only affirms his feelings. She has a complicated life and he sees through a lot, and she opens up to him like she hadn’t to anyone (but Brooke). So, Lucas and Peyton hook up and the feelings are there for both of them, but Peyton gets scared and Lucas gets hurt.

Brooke is at first a rebound therapy to Lucas. We all know it! Me, a Brucas shipper through and through, I KNOW she was at first. He likes her, but he’s not in love with her like he is with Peyton, and the audience knows it. We’re all expecting the moment Peyton will give into her feelings and drag Lucas back with her. 

That’s the brilliance of how OTH played this triangle though: when the cheating happens, you’re holding your breath. You’ve learned how to cheer for Leyton but you’re also very much in love with Brooke too and you see how much the three of them have their own thing going on, so it’s HARD to see it. It’s hard to watch it. That’s what’s gut-wrenching (not this BA mess).

Brooke and Peyton have been friends for years and years, to see Peyton throwing that away is HEARTBREAKING, and we get to actually SEE all of it. We see how much Lucas KNOWS he’s screwing up, we see how much Peyton feels guilty, how HARD it is for them to hide their feelings and not hurt Brooke. They have a whole affair behind Brooke’s back but they suffer through every step of the way.

Ultimately, when Brooke finds out, Lucas and Peyton have all the chance of being together but they both feel SO SHITTY for how they acted and what they did to Brooke, who was nothing but kind and true to them, that they decide NOT to be together. When this cathartic thing happens, their characters grow: the hurt Brooke goes through has her no longer feeling inferior to him. Good guy Lucas realizes he’s actually not such a good guy and that he should do better. Emotional problematic Peyton realizes she needs to be selfless.

So, the big difference between what’s going on in Riverdale now, is:

1) Archie and Veronica have had ups and downs but they’ve been dating for years now. It’s not a phase or something that happened as a rebound.

2) It’s not a triangle: Jughead exists. Betty is also dating him (continuously!) for years now. In fact, Betty and Jughead happening had the same cathartic feeling: character growth. Characters going forward instead of backwards. Growth!

3) Even if BA do go on with their cheating plot, it’s not the same as BLP, because LP had one thing that BA doesn’t: BUILD UP. Who saw this shit coming if it wasn’t for spoilers and the annoying amounts of BA promotion? The casual viewer must be completely confused right now. They’ll see those flashbacks that happened 3 years ago and be like: “wait, what?” Of course, some BA shippers will say it’s always been them etc, but whoever really watches this show knows that this makes absolutely no sense. BLP made A LOT OF SENSE. LP had FEELINGS for each other. BL had not been dating for long. BL started as a rebound. You were EXPECTING it to happen. It was heartbreaking, but no one said “oh, what the actual fuck” when it happened. Everyone went “oh, fuck”.

4) After the cheating Leyton spent 2 entire seasons as friends before they even thought about jumping back into that ship. And as much as I LOVE Brucas and will ship them to the rest of my life, it’s undeniable that Leyton had substantial content during those seasons. Again, WRITING. BUILD UP!

5) It’s not a love triangle! I repeat, it’s not a triangle! BLP was a love triangle, but this isn’t. This is about friendships on top of it all. The Core 4 is a character on its own, in Riverdale. The craziest plots only “worked” so far because of how strong the Core 4 are. There is no Bughead without Varchie, Beronica without Jarchie, B/rchie without J/ronica (not meaning ships). Breaking up the Core 4 is indeed the most powerful thing that can happen to this show. Even if you want it to be JAB or BAV, it CAN’T be. Veronica and Jughead are equally important in this (as much as the writers don’t give Ronnie too much to do). The whole foundation for a plot-driven show is ruined. 

6) Lucas ending up with Peyton made sense. If Lucas ended up with Brooke, it would make sense. If Brooke and Peyton said fuck Lucas, it would make sense. What won’t make sense? BA ending up together (unless they go completely rogue and have JV end up together too) because Beronica can’t walk back from that and Jarchie can’t walk back from that. The friendship between Bughead can’t walk back from that. The Core 4 either ends this show as a Core 4, or it ends as nothing. And without the Core 4, this show has no foundation for its crazy plots.

OOF. Sorry if I wrote too much. I can write even more! lol

[homenum-revelio-hq]

Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Mary!

You have been accepted for the role of MARLENE MCKINNON with the faceclaim change of Zoe Kravitz! We really enjoyed how you incorporated Marlene’s background with her large family and the farm into her personality, her strengths, and her weaknesses. We are so excited to have you as part of this roleplay!

Please take a look at the new member checklist and send in your account within 24 hours! Thank you for joining the fight against Voldemort!

OUT OF CHARACTER:

NAME: Mary

AGE: 26

TIMEZONE: EST

ACTIVITY LEVEL: The most fortunate thing about the world’s given circumstances right now is that I’m working from home as self-quarantine, which opens up A LOT of time for me. This is my reality for the next month and a half or so, and even if (God-willing) we return back, I’ll still have at least a couple hours every other day to spare for replies and such.

ANYTHING ELSE: Triggers: self-harm, eating disorders, suicide.

CHARACTER DETAILS:

NAME: Marlene McKinnon

AGE: 24

GENDER, PRONOUNS, and SEXUALITY: Female, She/Her, Bisexual

BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood

HOUSE ALUMNI: Ravenclaw

ANY CHANGES: FC change to Zoe Kravitz! Also not sure if she should be younger like 21 to match Lily’s age? If not, I don’t mind keeping her at 24.

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

PERSONALITY: 

Marlene is always the first to volunteer to help. She’s fearless, loyal, and holds so much integrity in doing the right, fair thing for all - even if it’s not exactly her first choice. She might not have the friendliest face, but she’s incredibly compassionate to the lives’ of others. She holds a balance of head and heart, just as any true Ravenclaw would. Speaking of her head, Marlene is one of the most resourceful witches in the Order. She has a great mind to come up with a creative solution, in order to quickly problem solve. She’s also a natural leader. Growing up as one of the older siblings in her family, she had to manage many personalities working together. So she naturally excels in having to facilitate teamwork, which made her an obvious contender as both Quidditch Team Captain and Order of the Phoenix member. Marlene has a deep hero complex - so naturally, she struggles when something goes unexpected. It isn’t like she’s surprised and made to look foolish if she fails. Marlene is smart enough to deduct the possible outcomes within a situation, but her pride gets the best of her. In these moments, she is the perfectionist, competing with herself to always perform at her best. So when she slips, it’s truly personal. Marlene is also quite impatient. Over the years, she’s been able to control herself so she doesn’t come off as hotheaded or anything. However, there are those moments where you might question if Marlene is being sarcastic or if she’s perfected the dry delivery of her inner aggression.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF FAMILY: 

Marlene loved growing up on the McKinnon Farm. Her family was huge - not only did she have five siblings (three brothers and two sisters), but having her vast number of relatives visit the farm on a weekly basis for Sunday dinner was the norm. Everyone was close and dependent to another for companionship, growth, and love. She learned the most from her family - the kind of witch you should be, the definition of success, what love truly meant - and she knew how lucky she was to have this great sense of home to fall back on. Her favorite memories were after dinner on a family holiday, where her siblings, cousins, and herself would run through the meadows and play Marco Polo. Life on the farm always felt so easy. Up until the age of eleven, she had known nothing else, and yet knew that the farm was her own little oasis in the world. As much as she loved Hogwarts, living there only proved her ideology of her childhood home even more so.

OCCUPATION: 

Well, if you are to ask Marlene, she will tell you her first job is being part of the Dissendium Task Force. It’s a role she takes very seriously and puts every ounce of passion in. Her hero complex really compliments this position, since she has this sense of duty to save people from the evils of the war and help them find some peace in their given circumstances. However, her job to the public eye is Head Ranch Handler of the McKinnon Farm. Marlene is not the only hired hand on the farm, but she is the one who manages those that work for the McKinnon family business. She oversees herding of the winged horses, supervises financial planning, and continuously looks for new opportunities to expand the business on the farm, such as harvesting or humane breeding of magical creatures. The farm is a beloved part of the McKinnon family name and Marlene takes her job very seriously, feeling the heaviness of this important job on her shoulders.

ROLE WITHIN THE ORDER/THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ORDER: 

Her purpose is to be the central point of the Dissendium Task Force. Even though she isn’t the only witch and wizard assigned to this team, she understands that her position and connection to the farm is fundamental to the Task Force, therefore, integral to the Order. With Marlene’s balance between emotion and logic, she understands that technically the actions of the Order are illegal. However, Marlene has a greater sense of justice, the greater good, and understands that in the world there are shades of grey - including this. And she will be honest and say she doesn’t agree with the Order’s decisions half the time. Something she will never admit it is the way she feels about the “inner circle”. Some people would find her thoughts as jealousy, but truly, Marlene feels that this idea of a select group of people making the decisions for a whole organization is equal to the same cause we are trying to fight against. There are few witches and wizards she questions to being in the inner circle in the first place, and wants to challenge if it’s really even fair for someone who has no knowledge of her life to make the decisions for her.

SURVIVAL: 

On the outside, Marlene would suggest that she has thrived this long because of her great wit. In passing, she has had to interact with a handful of dark wizards and keep a cool composure, so they weren’t to suspect her involvement and just simply choose to ignore the McKinnon family and their home. But on the inside, the probable main reason she has survived this long has been the family’s assets. Even with being considered “new money”, Marlene is still part of a large, wealthy Pureblood family, with a significant, ever-growing business that effects both sides of the war in some benefit. The farm is just secluded enough in the English countryside that it hasn’t peaked the Death Eaters interest, so living there and continuing to centralize the Task Force refugee efforts has remained to be safe during these times. Whether that has been brought by ignorance or by a bribe, that we currently don’t know - at least not yet.

RELATIONSHIPS: 

For Marlene, seeing as she grew up in a family that has given her everything, it’s hard for her to not set these high expectations when it comes to her friends. She would consider her two closest friends at the moment as Remus Lupin and Lily Evans. However, things lately have been tense between her and Lily. Marlene is trying to be the better person and be patient with Lily insisting to save every Muggleborn. However, Marlene knows that even her farm’s resources have their limits - and to save everyone simply because they might be targeted could crash their resources, blow their cover, and create mass hysteria. They have had a couple discussions back and forth on the subject, and anytime Marlene has felt herself about to blow over, she’s chosen to walk away. Marlene isn’t the type of person to do that, but Lily has been one of her closest friends since she can remember. This makes her friendship with Remus only more important when it comes to keeping her head cool. The more she talks to other members of the Order, such as Edgar Bones, the more she has begun to open up. However, there are equal amount of Order members Marlene has still found difficulty in trusting, such as Alice Longbottom or Mary MacDonald.

OOC EXPLORATION:

SHIPS/ANTI-SHIPS: 

Wow, difficult. VERY difficult. I’m not sure what ships are currently sailing so I’m truly going blind here. Off the bat, I would say Remus Lupin since there’s already a current connection there and foundation of trust. It would be definitely interesting to see something happen between Lily and Marlene maybe - they might have been good friends for a long time. So now, with Marlene being really disappointed at the way Lily is acting in regards to the Task Force, maybe it’s a deeper issue than just ‘focusing too much on muggleborns’. I could also see some kind of hookup between her and Dorcas. Also, Sirius Black. But that’s purely because I’ve seen the ship before and any chance to love down any version of a Sirius Black, I would be 1000% down for. Fabian Prewett might be a cool option too if the character is really into getting himself into danger. I don’t know, Mary ships all things so this is hard!!! lol

WHAT PRIVILEGES AND BIASES DOES YOUR CHARACTER HAVE? 

She’s DEFINITELY got blood/financial privilege. She’s Pureblood and her family is new money. Some Pureblood families probably wouldn’t thrive in the farm setting, but even as rural as her upbringing was, it wasn’t simple, nor was it common. The farm could get confused with a plantation with how much land there was and how grand the main house is. It was luxurious without being goudy and despite the war around them, they have never experienced a hit in their business. Marlene has definitely lived comfortably, and that’s possibly part of the reason why she’s probably so fearless when jumping into situations - because she’s never felt true hardship on a fundamental level. She basically grew up with the perfect life. As for her biases, I don’t think she would cast out anyone for being a werewolf or Muggleborn or half-breed, but I think she would have a harder time in understanding their extraordinary circumstances. It could be done - but it would just be more difficult, as she would at first try to use logic from her own life - when clearly that wouldn’t work because she has never lived in that person’s shoes.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? 

Harry Potter role-plays have always been home for me. Since the very beginning of my rp time here on Tumblr. The circumstances going on in the world right now somehow guided me back here, as I was yearning to do something again that I really enjoyed - and as I was searching for a new Harry Potter role-play to apply to, I stumbled onto yours. It had everything I searched for in a good HP RPG, including really warm and patient admins who dealed with all my constant messages! It really got me excited to write up this application and it brought back the magic that I had missed so so much. I’m looking forward to being able to fangirl over relationships I can plot and create for my character, but mostly looking forward to the relationships I might possibly make OOC. I have found family in past HP RPG’s and in the end, that’s what I always yearn for in the end.

PLOT DROP IDEAS:

Well, who would I be if I didn’t recommend at some point to go canon and kill off Marlene and her whole family??? Maybe loosing her family’s farm beforehand?? I mean half of me is like how can I say that my poor bb I haven’t gotten the CHANCE, but also, I love conflict and I feel like that would be such a gut-wrencher. However, OUTSIDE of that, something maybe a little more plausible and in the immediate future, would be a raid of the Potter Estate. It could even get tricky and messy, because Marlene could offer up the McKinnon Farm to use as HQ for the time being and maybe some members are on her side - like Dorcas or Remus - and others are not - like Lily or James - and the creates a rift of tension. Idk?? lol

ANYTHING ELSE? Not really!! I’m ready to go chief if you’ll have me :’)

[darisu-chan]

Marco’s Feelings (Or How He Lied to Himself Almost the Whole Show): An Analysis, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of this analysis! If you haven’t read Part 1, you can find it here. If you have, then let’s continue with this analysis, this time dealing with season 2.

(Long post ahead)

Disclaimer: although this is my opinion, I’m basing it on the subtext of the show and not on what I just want to believe. I know I’m a starco shipper, but, honestly, the plot made me like them and not the other way around. I’ve shipped Star and Marco with other people, although, ultimately, I do prefer them with each other because of what I’m about to explain in a bit. So take that in mind.

Season 2 starts right in the aftermath of the season 1 finale, Storm the Castle, with Star getting a new wand and starting to learn important lessons, like dipping down. But wheres does that leave Marco? In this season Marco is beginning to come out of his shell, finally, and sets on the path of becoming the best version of himself. Through meeting Star, he realized he loved going on on adventures, which is something he wants to keep doing. Through his experiences as Princess Turdina, he’s not only becoming the embodiment of free will but also he’s becoming more comfortable in his own skin. As he matures, he also starts becoming more confident. It’s no surprise this is the season he dates Jackie. It’s the culmination of a process in which Marco is finally being daring enough to get what he wants.

But what does it mean for his feelings for Star?

As I explained in Part 1, Marco did an amazing job concealing his feelings for Star right after BMB. His feelings can be seen as strictly platonic from then onwards. However, there are still several things to point out in these platonic interactions which will explain his actions later on. 

When Mr. Candle Cares first aired, a lot of fans were excited because Marco was shown saying “Star and I have recently become smooch buddies” in the trailer, and although that turned out to be a ploy to out Tom, this episode wasn’t a “major loss.” When Tom and Marco are playing ping pong, they begin talking about Star. Now, clearly Tom knows a lot of her. He met her first, they dated for a while and they come from the same dimension. Yet there are things Tom doesn’t like about her, and he complains about Star doing whatever she wants, and Marco states fondly “Yeah, thats Star.” Tom is fundamentally angry and aggressive in the early seasons, and later on we see that, although Tom doesn’t snap at Star anymore, Star does snap at him. They know they have flaws and, although they like each other, they are less accepting of them. Marco knows Star has many flaws, cheating at games included, but the way he states that very simple phrase says a lot. He accepts Star, flaws and all, but not only that, he genuinely still likes her even if they don’t agree in everything. They’ve got each other’s backs. However, the next thing he tells Tom is more relevant.

“It doesn’t matter if you beat me at ping pong or pull out all my organs, you can’t make Star be your girlfriend unless she wants to.”

This ties perfectly to his confession in Here To Help:

“And it was intense at the start and I know it’s in the way.”

“In the way? Marco, why does it have to be bad?”

“It is bad if you don’t want it.”

In BMB it became clear to him Star doesn’t want anything romantic happening between them. Liking Star is not bad in itself, but it is bad if she doesn’t want it. Marco accepts this and moves on (remember that Marco began his journey of free will a little earlier than Star. Although rebellious, Star is not choosing her own path yet. This is relevant for season 4). He doesn’t think Star will ever like him, not when she likes Oskar. But, at this point in time, it’s much easier to push these feelings away. He has his own crush on Jackie and he has a deep friendship with Star. The status quo can continue without chaging anything. 

However, as Marco grows and matures, he wants to change the way things are, not wanting to remain in the same place he has been the whole time (Freeze Day, Red Belt). Unknowingly, he’s defying the status quo and, eventually, it will come down to his relationship with Star. As for our princess, she is also changing, and it comes to a point in which she cannot push her feelings away anymore. 

Before continuing, let’s make some honorable mentions of Marco’s relationship with Star that, although didn’t advance their romantic feelings per se, are important for their overall relationship. First, let’s talk about Star on Wheels, when not only does Marco trust himself enough to save Star, he’s the one saving Star as oppossed to her own crush, which is a subversion of a classic Romantic Interest Saves Protagonist trope... or maybe even then it told us who Star’s real romantic interest was suppossed to be. This episode is also an excercise on trust for the both of them, not only on themselves but on each other. Star is angry at Marco for lying to her when he said he wouldn’t let go, and did, and she has to trust Marco to help her. In the end, the reason why Star was saved was both by believing in Marco and believing in herself.

In Star vs Echo Creek, we see Marco being worried about Star’s whereabouts and him having waited for her the whole time in the police station. This episode is a great example of Star running away from her problems first, and then attempting to solve them after a time of reflection, which is a current them in all seasons in various levels. However, in regards to Marco it tells us that, no matter what Star does, what she chooses or how she acts, Marco is going to be waiting there for her, helping her too.

Marco wanting to show Star one of the many amazing things on Earth since she’s shown him so many amazing things already in Camping Trip speaks about Marco trying to reciprocate all she’s given him. Also, River questions the nature of their relationship, which, again, is a way to remind the audience of the possibility of Starco happening.

The other episodes are not really worth talking about in terms of Marco’s feelings for Star and their relationship other than them being best friends. So let us move on to Sleepover, or the episode that pretty much broke the status quo, at least for the audience. After someone lied to the truth box, we, as the audience, are confronted with the fact someone lied. It could’ve been Janna, who some thought had a crush on Marco. It could’ve been Jackie, when she said she liked that boy from camp. And there was no way the person who lied was StarFan13. So, we’re given too obvious choices: either Marco or Star lied. And when it is not only told by the truth box that Marco wasn’t the one who lied, we’re confronted with the fact it is Star who lied. At the end, we are told why she lied and the truth is revealed: she has a crush on Marco. 

What is interesting to note is that Star’s feelings are the ones that are spelled out to us during the second season, and they were never that obvious with Marco in the first season or even in this one. I’m guessing it has to do with Star being the protagonist, but it also has to do with their personalities. Star is more of an open book. She shares her feelings and thoughts. And being so impulsive, eventually she was going to reveal everything she was feeling. Marco, on the other hand, is introverted and he’s the type of person who thinks things through. Having Marco’s feelings be hidden in comparison to Star’s, and only being something you have to pick up from the subtext or the imagery instead of being spelled out for you, is definitely in character and if it is something done on purpose, I commend the writing and animation teams for that.

In Sleepover we have two very interesting speeches that not only tells us things about the way Marco and Star think and feel, but they are things which can be applied to their relationships with other people as well as with each other. I will talk about Marco’s speech about Jackie later, but it’s interesting that not only do Star’s words tie in with what she was feeling at the moment, they also pretty much can relate to Marco. The idea that feelings are not black and white, that when your heart and mind don’t agree, it is difficult to know the truth, is something Marco wrestles with right until Here to Help. By pushing his feelings away, he’s trying to obey his own mind because he knows that by listening to his heart there’s more left to lose. Later on, we know that the longer this went on, the longer it affected Marco until he couldn’t hide his feelings anymore. But, at this moment, Marco is deep in denial. It all comes back to BMB and the conversation he had with Star. Marco here is in “be her best friend” mode, and he will continue down this path until almost the finale.

Now, at the end of Sleepover, there is tension between our two mainc characters. Tension in writing, specially when it comes to film and TV is super important and it is the foundation of any screenplay. Here, our characters are put into two conflicting positions. We, as the audience, know something is going to go down between them after this point, but we don’t know how or when, until we keep watching the rest of the seasons, which, if you actually did at the same time the episodes aired, it took years. This just adds to the suspense, which remember is always more important than the surprise. However, the characters themselves don’t know things are about to change. Star is running away from her feelings, and Marco, who already went through a similar process before his feelings were much stronger, remains oblivious. This part is incredibly relevant because the writers used this tension to not only introduce the idea of a love triangle later on, but it’s the main reason the romantic drama got dragged on for so long. Basically, they wanted to keep us on our toes, and boy did they succeed!

Before moving on with the rest of the episodes in which basically stuff goes down in terms of relationship drama, I just want to say that in many season 2 episodes we’re shown how important Star and Marco are to each other, which is not only important for the season finale and during the events of Battle for Mewni, but for the final episode of the whole series. Although Star and Marco became best friends fast after the first episode, their relationship kept growing on key episodes until we realize their relationship, be it friendship or something more, is not only the foundation of the show but it’s an integral part of their lives, and this is more obvious when we realize they will never let anything come in between them.

One of the best episodes to illustrate just how important Star is to Marco is during Gift of the Card, when, at the end, Marco is willing to die with Star. I mean, it was played for jokes and we knew they weren’t going to actually explode, but they didn’t know that. Marco was truly comforted by knowing he’d die next to Star, and that speaks volumes of what he thinks and feels for her more than anything else he could have done back then. It’s also sweet that when she’s crying, he’s the one t comfort her by hugging her.

It’s also great how their apologies parallel their personalities. When Star apologizes for not telling him about the card’s expiration date, she’s apologizing for not thinking things through and acting rashly. When Marco apologizes for being picky, he’s apologizing for overthinking. It is interesting to note that these flaws are the same ones which kept them apart until they matured. It almost feels like they were apologizing in advance for what was about to come.

And now, after many plot-centric episodes and other shenanigans we find the controversial Naysaya. This episode, among others, is used by some people to prove that Marco lied and he didn’t have feelings for Star then (which also contradicts the Blood Moon being a curse, but oh well). In this episode, a curse Tom put on Marco since BMB starts acting up in the form of a little head growing on Marco’s neck that says embarrassing things each time he tries to ask Jackie out. The episode ends with Jackie and Marco hanging out, and that’s pretty much the start of their relationship. As for the arguments that invalidate Marco’s feelings for being there, is that the curse didn’t act out in front of Star, and that Marco was attempting to ask Jackie out, and not Star. So, here’s the thing, 

Let’s talk about Jackie and Marco’s feelings for her first:

We know that Marco has had a huge crush on her since they were kids (Freeze Day) but that he’s been unable to have an actual relationship with her. Sure, he nods at her in the hallways and he sends her cat memes and the like, but they’re more acquaintances than friends at this point. Jackie was even surprised to learn Marco had a crush on her, as she had no idea about it. So what do they really know about each other? It’s merely superficial at this point, but Marco wants to change that. Let’s analyze his speech during Sleepover:

“I told you! I have a crush on Jackie... At least I think I do. But what does that really mean? I’ve put her on this sort of pedestal, so do I like the image of her or for who she really is? I mean, I like her enough to know that she deserves someone who wants to get to know her, which is definitely me.”

Marco likes Jackie. The fact that he likes her does not invalidate any feelings he has for Star in this moment, especially when he’s deep in denial. Star pretty much doomed them back in BMB, by expressing her needing a friend, and so Marco pushed those intense feelings deep, deep inside of him and convinced himself that what he felt for Star was just friendship, and shut out any other potential romantic feelings. It’s not that his confession in Here to Help is a lie, it’s just based on the grounds that, in this specific moment I’m analyzing, he had lied to himself so much, that he genuinely believed the only girl he liked was Jackie. He had liked her for forever, in fact. It was easier to like Jackie than to like Star, and it was more convenient for him to have an unachievable crush because there was no fear of rejection. Marco’s a safe kid in this moment in the series, he’s not about to stop liking Jackie for something that has no possibility of going anywhere. Marco, knowingly or unknowingly, made a choice. And, as he began changing and fighting for what he wanted, he chose to get to know Jackie better and see if there was actually potential for a committed relationship, which translates to the potential of loving her. Marco does not love Jackie. But he likes her enough to want to know the real her, as he himself stated.

Now, why did Jackie start liking Marco? One of the complains was that it came out of nowhere. First, because she was moved by his heartfelt words during Sleepover, and, come on, who can blame her? I think any of us would start considering someone as a potential partner after hearing they want to get to know us better, and not because of shallow reasons. Secondly, he was honest with her both in Sleepover and Naysaya, and it adds up with what we know of Jackie. At her core, she’s honest and likes keeping it real. Marco being honest as well is an appealing trait. It’s no wonder she asked him out first to the movies and then to the dance in Bon Bon the Birthday Clown. 

BBtBC is another episode which broke the fandom and it is the start of Star realizing her feelings for Marco. What does it mean for Marco, though? Well, for one, he is fulfilling his years-long wish of dating Jackie-Lynn Thomas. However, that does not get in the way of the importance Star has in his life. Now, this episode is also proof that the Blood Moon was actually a curse, or at least it was used to prove Starco was forced or something by anti shippers way back then. Honestly, I didn’t take the Blood Moon appearing after Marco and Jackie’s first kiss as a sign that it was getting in the way of their blossoming relationship, and that it was forcing him to Star’s side. I took it as the Blood Moon warning Marco that Star was in danger, because just before the kiss, Star was fighting against Ludo, who was there to take her Book of Spells and Glossaryck with it. Marco’s reaction after seeing the moon was checking his phone, which showed all of Star’s missed calls and he assumed she was in trouble (which she was) and went to help her. And, honestly, I’m glad he went, because if he hadn’t, Star might have been sucked inside that portal. Anyway, I cannot refute the claim that this showed the Blood Moon was actually a curse, although I still believe the writers had to retcon it after how badly the fandom reacted to Booth Buddies. If, actually, we think the Blood Moon was just truly uniting them as souls, the finale and how they cleaved Mewni and Earth together with their magic makes more sense, but let’s not go into those details, yet.

Another interesting part of this episode is that Marco is confronted with a tough choice: stopping Ludo from taking the book or saving Star. And the guy doesn’t hesitate. He goes right away to save her, and even when Star warns him that he could be pulled into the portal too, he exclaims “I’m not letting go!” And boooy, can this very phrase be applied to his relationship with Star. He has never let go of her. Each and every time Star has been in trouble, Marco has been there for her. Through ups and downs, through all the heartbreak, he’s been right by her side. And that, my friends, is beautiful.

Okay, next he helps Star up first, and even if he then goes to Jackie’s side (which makes Star jealous and it hurts her), this is an early indication of how the Jarco relationship will go next. Star comes first. She always has and always will. Jackie realizes this later on, but for now, that was our next clue. 

Final thought on BBtBC. When Star starts crying about her missing book, Marco instantly goes to comfort her and he hugs her, but as they hug she announces that she “lost Glossaryck” and that greatly upsets Marco. I’ve always felt, even if they didn’t truly touch on this in the show, that he felt incredibly guilty of the part he played in that situation. I mean, just look at his face after Star says that:

But, I also think, Marco doesn’t regret that choice, and that’s probably why it was never touched upon later on.

Well, in following non-drama related episodes, Star does not act jealous again and, meanwhile, Marco continues being her voice of reason, as he usually is, until Running with Scissors, another episode which cleaved the fandom in two. As for my personal belief of what happens with Marco after he returns to Earth is what Adam McArthur said: it’s like a dream, and he starts forgetting details as he returns to normal. Or we can say there are two Marcos, our normal one and Adult Marco. What I can say is that regardless of our interpretation of Marco’s state of mind after his adventures in this episode, is that the experience made Marco way more confident than he was beofre, and it adds to Marco’s sense of adventure. It’s clear that Marco likes living adventures and not being a normal teenager, which will come into play in Sophomore Slump. As for Marco’s feelings for Star, well, she is the one that convinces Marco to come back home:

“What about your parents? Or your friends? Or me?”

Which is a pretty big deal, considering that the idea of seeing his parents again wasn’t the one that drew him in, but not seeing Star again did.

Now, let’s move on to Heinous, when Star is Marco’s inspiration to thwart Heinous’ plans and giving a very sarcastic message instead of actually attempting to tell other princesses to give up their individualities.

With this episode we finally are through the non-shipping episodes, and now the real trouble starts.

Since this is so long already, I’ll analyze Just Friends through Battle for Mewni in the next post.

Thanks again for reading!

[theglassishalfsomething]

Darcy Interviews Bing: Romance

 1. Do you believe in love at first sight? If so, convince me!

I do believe in it! Proof: a family friend of mine met his wife at a Catholic youth group meeting and told the friend he went with to the gathering as they were leaving that he couldn’t live without her. He just knew. They’ve been married for 30+ years now. 

Look- we’ve talked about this. I don’t believe in relationship at first sight- that’s crazy. And I don’t think that the love is fully formed or mature but I think it’s real, I think it’s love, and I think it can happen at first sight (meeting). 

I’m not saying it’s the only way people fall in love. It’s not the way a lot of people do and that’s totally fine. I also think it’s something that irresponsible people can use as an excuse for irresponsible behavior and it doesn’t justify anything in terms of recklessness or even foolishness. You still have to get to know someone before you commit to dating them, you shouldn’t be reckless. But what’s in your heart, though fragile, undeveloped, “no proof, not much” IS love. That’s what it IS. It’s not something else! 

And in a sense all love is love at first sight. As Christopher Marlowe says, “Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?” Sometimes it just takes us longer to see it- the first sight happens down the road but it still happens in a moment. I totally get why people love the Darcy/Lizzy love story more than a more conventional love at first sight. I too am probably more moved by “I cannot fix on the hour or the spot or the look or the words that laid the foundation; it is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I’d begun” than “I just knew” but then idk !!! they’re both beautiful!!

I tend to get in fights with people about this and I haven’t yet succeeded in convincing anyone of this and also it doesn’t really matter because I think it’s probably wiser that people don’t go around believing it and being convinced that the cute person you made eye contact with on public transportation is THE ONE and you “just know”. But I just. In my heart of hearts I believe it’s real. 

Matt Damon met his wife at a bar okay!!!! Saw her across the room !!!! and KNEW. I didn’t make that up- that happened to him.

2. If you could spend an hour talking about love with one person, living or dead, who would it be?

Well, in truth I’d talk about it with my family and friends but as I already DO that I’m going to go with Taylor Swift and/or (hopefully and) Jane Austen. I think it would be pretty funny if they were both prosaic about it though. Being an artist and being an explainer/rhetorician aren’t the same thing and I love the idea of both of them being not very eloquent about something they’re so GOOD at talking about in other ways. Like the way you once described Megan Whalen Turner and Adam Driver as discussing their work in the same matter-of-fact, understated, unflowery way. (I think about that a lot.)

This question got away from me. I’d still want to talk to Taylor about it though haha. 

3. Do you think that “opposites attract” is a more consistently true principle of successful romance, or can two similar people work together?

WHAT A GOOD QUESTION AND ONE ON WHICH I HAVE MUSED MUCH SINCE YOU FIRST POSED IT TO ME

I think in the end it comes back to the idea of balance. (#reylo, #willieverstopbeingthemostannoyingaboutthisNO) Romances, friendships, any kind of relationship works great and beautifully when there are complementary differences that create a natural check and balance between two people. We’ve all got to steady each other out you know. But romance especially calls for those differences in temperament and even outlook where faults as much as virtues help keep the other in check/help push the other to grow. Damon is so sarcastic, Elena is so sincere. She grounds him and cuts through his defenses; he draws her out of her seriousness and out of her head and makes her have a little more fun. Ben is contemplative and thoughtful and questioning, Rey reckless, impulsive, and action-driven. He steadies Rey’s unthinking action, she helps shake him out of his inaction. They’re better together. I could go on.

“Opposites attract” has definitely been overblown because I think having the same fundamental priorities and beliefs and values is most important in a marriage- the most important thing let’s be real- and even in terms of interests and outlook similarities are good. But the edge of difference in personality and approach is good- it’s what creates the spark! It’s what makes it work. Thank God (truly) that we aren’t all the same.

4. What is the greatest lie about romance that is widely accepted?

That romantic love can be separated from morality, from charity, and thrive. It can’t. As Lewis says in The Four Loves, “The rebellious slogan 'All for love' is really love's death warrant (date of execution, for the moment, left blank).”

On a (somewhat loosely) connected note, that’s why I side-eye those romances that start out and then continue against the wishes and support of family, friends, a wider community. I don’t want to overstate it! Parents, friends, community can be close-minded, unfair, hateful, wrong etc. FOR SURE. But marriages that start out against everyone else in their circle with no intention or desire for reconciliation, with just the two people involved feeling that “this is us against the world, we can defeat all odds!” are not a good idea. A couple’s reasons for cutting ties and starting out in isolation may be necessary but should never be undertaken lightly or as a matter of course because we all need support. We need each other. 

“We’re In Love And Anyone Who Says We Cannot Do Whatever We Want Because Of That Hates True Love” feels like a default attitude in today’s culture, especially for teenagers, whenever any objections are raised. Objections should be raised. Sit DOWN and be willing to work your way through them and prove that you’ve thought about them and are ready for the risks and the work involved to make this the best thing it can possibly be. Stop being stupid!!! Your love is not the answer to everything!!!!! Your love cannot be your sole guide!!!! 

But I mean, true love that wants the true good can. But that’s different from passion, emotion and it’s not what everyone is operating from you know? We’re messy and human.

5. What do you dream of for your own romantic future, if you do?

Judging by these answers, it seems that I think it’s far too big a risk!!

But I mean, dreaming. Hmm. wow this is making me feel very shy. (Can I lower my font size so it’s like I’m whispering.) I want.............I don’t know. Alright, apart from someone who agreed with me on what was most fundamentally important- faith especially obviously- I’d want to love and be loved very deeply. I want all the things we talk about- friendship, trust, someone who helps me grow, someone who challenges me, someone who loves me a lot whom I loved as much in return. It’s- yeah. This isn’t a good answer but it’s such a hard question. 

6. Is I love you the most romantic thing that can be said, or are there other words you would choose?

you know I think “I love you” IS the most romantic thing !!! !!! Before you asked this I would have thought that I didn’t think that and I do love other verbal ways of expressing love but there is something about the words themselves that get to me. Whenever I hear it onscreen I kind of tear up a little bit. It’s why I always tend to ship canon couples at least a little bit because it’s like “BUT THEY LOVE EACH OTHER”. You know how I feel about Tyler and Caroline which is not much but there’s that one scene where he writes her a letter and it’s like “I will always love you” and i’m like “SHOOT ME I CAN’T TAKE IT.” 

They’re such beautiful words, so straightforward. So ageless. They don’t change! Human beings have been saying them to each other for centuries.

7. How, in this crazy fandom world, do we identify relationships that are ACTUALLY toxic, versus those that are growing/developing/in need of work?

ahem ahem aHEM A relationship isn’t toxic because screenwriters decide to have the characters say it is without backing that up or with writing bad decisions. I’m not bitter I say bitterly with a bitter expression. 

Relationships that are built on nothing but bad things- selfishness, control, abuse, lies- are toxic. Relationships that are separated from the pursuit of the good are toxic. 

That said, and it’s a big “that said”, we’re all broken, we’re all damaged, we’re all wounded and sinful and I believe that things can get better, that people can heal so a lot of rhetoric around this topic strikes me as wrong. Tumblr especially tends to label conflict, challenge, and imperfections as toxicity and it’s just- no. Those are all parts of a healthy relationship in this fallen world. 

Another way of putting it is that I think, in fiction especially, relationships that don’t DEAL with anything, that don’t involve the struggle of communication are not good. Lies and surface-level resolutions aren’t good.

I’m not qualified enough to talk more about it. (I mean it hasn’t stopped me so far but it’s stopping me here.)

8. Is love a choice?

Yes, but you can’t always control how you feel initially. You can always control what you do though, and it’s the doing that’s the most of love. To paraphrase Lewis, the feeling is just the spark that ignited it. 

(*sings* “I can’t decide if it’s a choice, getting swept away”)

9. How do you like your romance, in fiction: full of light and sunshine, warm and constant, or tragically resolute?

All of the above. If I had to choose one I’d say “warm and constant” but all of it absolutely kills me. Screams into the void. 

10. Tell me what kind of man I should marry.

Someone principled, steady, witty, kind. Also someone who’s a good cook and also who likes dogs so that you know they’re real and have at least one fault in your eyes.