#so chivalrous

[mina-posts-nonsense]

lenore being protective over annabel!

she literally sets her home on fire, pretends to be dead and cross dresses to make sure annabel can have a life that she wants:

protects her selflessly even in their first “new” meeting:

and later against poppy:

making sure annabel doesn’t fall:

…THEN LITERALLY JUMPING OFF A RAILING TO SAVE HER:

she catches her when she faints !

she’s so desperate to protect and help:

[antlered-vixen]

Findecáno Astaldo Ñolofinwion, Fingon. My personal interpretation, as per Light.

[sha-brytols]

its the fact that davrin is literally like The fan favorite romance archetype that drives me insane

[butch-pilot]

knight and princess dynamic is one of my favourites because you can either have the knight take control behind closed doors and remind their royal lover who's really in control, or you can have the knight as a guard dog who will do anything to please their princess, willingly falling to their knees for her

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

i don't have the words to articulate it at this moment but there's something about the way that people have specific expectations for "authenticity" and will dismiss anything that falls outside them as a mangled, anglicised version of the thing when actually that is the older and more traditional form of something, it just doesn't match their expectations. obviously in my personal experiences i'm mostly talking about medieval literature here especially medieval irish literature

sometimes this is as simple as spelling – i've had people argue that the name "finn" is anglicised and it should always be "fionn" to be Really Irish, but "finn" is an older spelling, glide vowels are later, if you wanna go real far back it'll be "find" (nd in place of nn is an older spelling pattern). or they'll hear someone say "ogam" and assume they're mispronouncing "ogham" due to lack of knowledge of irish and not consider the fact that medievalists tend to use the older form of the word. or they'll Well Actually you about "correct" terminology which wasn't standardised (and/or invented) until the 20th century

a lot of this is defensive and the result of seeing a lot of people ACTUALLY get this stuff wrong and have no respect for the language. in that regard i understand it, although it becomes very tedious after a while, particularly when people sanctimoniously declare something "inauthentic", "fake", or "anglicised" without doing enough research to realise it's not trying to be modern irish and is in fact correct for older forms of the language

more often however this search for the projected "authenticity" is ideological and has much larger flaws and more problematic implications. "this can't be the real story because it's christian" well... that's the oldest version of the story that exists and it postdates christianity in ireland by about nine hundred years, so... maybe question why you're assuming the only "real" version of irish stories can't be a christian one? this is especially true when it comes to fíanaigecht material tbh, but in general there seems to a widespread misapprehension about ireland's historical relationship with christianity (i have seen people arguing that christianity in ireland is the result of english colonialism which took their "true" faith from them... bro. they were christian before the "english" existed. half the conversion efforts went the other way. please read some early medieval history thank you)

however i also saw someone saying this about arthurian literature lately which REALLY baffled me. "we'll never have the Real arthurian stories only the christianised versions" and it was in the context of chivalric romance. buddy you are mourning something that does not exist. this "authentic" story you're looking for isn't there. that twelfth century story you're dismissing as a christian bastardisation is as "real" a part of this tradition as you're going to get

[reading-tlt-help-me]

finally has gotten around to finish gtn act i and dude Harrow is 17.. Gideon keeps describing this satan incarnate super duper evil person then line drops something like she looks young and frail and shes actually short and emo and she teared up when she left her tomb of a planet what a loser

AND YOU WANT ME TO HATE HER????

THIS IS MY FIRST READ PLZ INTERACT WITH NO SPOILERS

[artbyblastweave]

🔥Isekai/portal fantasy

I've got two!

In the same way that I think people confuse the Billionaire superhero archetype with deliberate billionaire agitprop instead of recognizing that it's just a narrative shortcut to handwave the logistics of the thing, I think critics of the portal fantasy genre sometimes jump right to "self-insert self-indulgent power fantasy" without giving a fair shake to how portal fantasy allows you to neatly pair constructed fantasy worldbuilding with a protagonist that thinks in legible 20th-21st century idioms and comes with a pre-built quest motivation (get da hell outta here). Obviously there are better and worse ways to flesh the protagonist out from there but it's an incredibly useful starting point.

I strongly suspect that that one XKCD edit of "Steven Moffat hates women vs Japan hates woman" miiiight have some applicability to some of the backlash I've seen against Isekai- For every yikes-inducing overly-wordy-titled power fantasy manga you present me with, I could pull something equally deranged and indulgent from the bloody pulps or the YA algae bloom. Mark Twain got in on the ground floor with this shit, good or bad none of it is new

[lady-corrine]

I do think people forget that when Rhaenyra walked the castle battlements of Duskendale weeping, refusing to eat or sleep, she was, in all the ways, heartbreakingly alone. She was a mother with five children lost, a widow too (for some reason people forget this aspect?), a dragonrider who had her dragon with whom she had shared her cradle killed (the canon literally tells us that Syrax's death left her inconsolable). It's just very interesting how for some people everyone else is allowed to suffer and their losses are blown out of proportion, but Rhaenyra isn't, and her total losses (which were devastating) are of little to no value to some.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[the-crooked-library]

One similarity between Jonathan and '24 Thomas I'd like to point out is the "unclean" scene.

Jonathan saw and experienced all the nastiest most vile parts inside of vampires, and when she declared herself unclean and when holiness itself burned her he loved her despite it all, and resolved that if she became one of those monsters he would follow her. Thomas also saw all the horrifying darkness in Ellen, and when she too cried out that she's unclean he like Jonathan said that she's not and that he loves her.

I mean... I don't think these scenes are really all that similar - and again, this is to do with characterization, because on the surface level, they do follow roughly the same script. They're both extremely significant to the dynamics between Jonathan/Mina or Thomas/Ellen - but more so as a juxtaposition.

Mina believes herself to be unclean and damned because she has been bitten by Dracula and is indeed at risk of becoming a vampire as well; and as you said, Jonathan vows to join her in that cursed undeath. It is an expression of beautiful, intense, blasphemous, extremely gothic devotion, and it defines their relationship throughout the story.

By contrast, Ellen believes herself to be unclean because of her own psychic ability - because she was the one who woke Orlok in the first place. Thomas does try to reassure her, he tells her he loves her; and he is trying his best, but this reassurance ultimately falls flat for two reasons - 1) he cannot convince her that she is not unclean, because that perceived "uncleanliness" is an inherent part of her, rather than something foreign; and 2) he wants her to eventually be free of it, which she cannot ever be - because, again, the horror is a part of her.

Unlike Jonathan, Thomas is terrified of that horror. He does not recognize it as a permanent aspect of Ellen, and he ultimately is incapable of making the same vow that Jonathan Harker did; and this limitation is crucial to the undercurrent of that scene, because it is the reason Ellen lies to him about her final plan. Mina trusted Jonathan and co. enough to openly ask them to end her life in the event of turning, but Ellen makes the arrangements with Von Franz in secret, before sending her husband on a wild-goose chase. She cares about him, yes, and he cares for her; but he does not love all existing aspects of her. He would not be able to accept her if she turned. Their goals in life, their desires, their perspectives are fundamentally incompatible, and so the only thing she can do for him is leave him behind.

Thomas may have good intentions and a similar choice of career, but he's no Jonathan. It's not exactly his fault, it's just that he's really not meant to be a Hero. He's a Damsel in Distress and he's being forced into the wrong role entirely by a patriarchal world - the existence of which only Ellen appears to recognize.

[choccy-milky]

hello!!! i just recently began to play Hogwarts Legacy myself and then saw your art and was like WOW💕 really love Clora/Seb dynamic! here's a small gift, he-he. genderbend version of my favorite art of yours. (if anything isn't okay, just let me know! sorry in advance.)

OMG THIS IS SO COOL??? IM SO IN LOVE WITH CLORA AS A BOY HOLY AAAAAA 😩😩seb, girl, id be jealous and protective if i managed to lock that down too🤺🤺 the OG is also one of my fav drawings of seb and clora ive ever done and omg, seeing it redrawn genderbent is such a treat i didnt even realize i wanted...also your painting/rendering is beautiful?? im so happy you like my art, esp enough to do something like this, this is so awesome😭😭THANK YOU🙏🙏💖💖💖

[lammaspoika]

I've been filling out a lot of shipping charts of my AU ships specifically, this is probably the fourth... I might post more if people are interested.

But here is Lansoni from my AU/fic called Chivalrous Devotion! More info about the AU here!

Go read my fic pspspspspsps

[littlebittyhollowbugs]

Idk if you're still doing the "give me two characters and I'll discuss their dynamic" thing But I cannot forget this post you made about Bretta doing her whole "crush obsession" thing to Hollow and I want to hear about their dynamic. If they have one. Because I have my own thoughts on this but I'd like to hear yours!

Okay so Bretta and Hollow!

In our post canon series, Bretta develops a crush on Hollow pretty quick,

Hollow is a powerful, mysterious figure and she is instantly impressed and wants to know more (while also wanting to preserve the mystery and fantasize about the possibilities, as she does)

Because both of them are fairly shy, especially in the beginning, she doesn't really get to know Hollow on a personal level, and so the attraction isn't a lot more than surface level until she eventually gathers the courage to truly present herself.

Throughout our series Bretta goes on a character journey inspired by her last journal entry. (After you defeat Grey prince Zote)

"Her life's companion would not appear, for they could not appear to a maiden sat idle. She must instead seek them out, must find her love, and free them of their solitude. And thus her own journey began, out into dangerous lands, shielded by her love awaiting, guided by her love to be. With every step, the maiden could feel it, their fated meeting, coming ever closer."

She is still guided by her desire for a great fairytale romance, but now wants to take a more active role in her love life (and life in general) and works on becoming more confident and courageous.

This isn't an easy thing, but impressing Hollow becomes a big motivator for her.

On Hollow's end though, it doesn't harbor any romantic feelings for Bretta in turn. Hollow cares for her, as it does all citizens of Hallownest, and especially friends of its family, but there are no deeper feelings there.

As it gets to know her better, it does become impressed with her, especially for her creativity and determination.

And Hollow is a naturally selfless and kind bug, who also possesses a natural charm that makes it especially easy for Bretta to interpret its actions toward her as romantic when there isn't really any romantic intention there.

Hollow does eventually realize her feelings, and this doesn't change the way it interacts with her. It is formal but compassionate toward all. (unless given specific reason to act otherwise)

It doesn't alter the way that it thinks of her too much, either. It might find the attraction confusing except that it has experienced being the object of romantic attraction before.

Aside from the mysterious aspect of its character that many are drawn to, Hollow has always been physically impressive. (Its large horns, for example, are especially appealing to the ladies.) so it isn't entirely unused to the situation.

It has obviously never considered returning the romantic interest or pursuing a relationship itself. (Something that doesn't change for many years post-being freed from the black egg.)

So yes! The ship is cute, though I interpret it to be entirely one-sided, myself.

There are a few more details on their dynamic that will be shared when I post my series outline, but that's the gist of it for now!

[true-blue-sonic]

Love the idea that, whenever Sonic needs to get something from Up High, Silver lifts him with his psychokinesis so he doesn't need to jump or get a stepping stool <3

[drolta]

Richter with the rizz

[timblrdrake]

There is, in fact, video of Red Robin faceplanting. Also a video of Robin stepping on his cape and tripping off a building :) he's ok, he was saved by the Cool and Chivalrous Nightwing 🤭

-🐦

cool and chivalrous are not the words i would use.

i (because i care so much about his reputation and no other reason) am willing to pay whoever has the video 1000 dollars to delete it