#so it's exhausting when you have to represent a more >>cool and acceptable<< version of yourself to them all the time

[reidamancy]

written in the stars || spencer reid

summary: You haven’t truly stargazed until you’ve snuggled with Dr. Spencer Reid under the midnight sky, with him teaching you everything he knows about the stars (spencer reid x gn bau!reader)

category: fluff

warnings: none

word count: 1.2k

a/n: i wasn’t kidding when i said i’m using my classes as fanfic research... my final paper was about the constellations and all i could think about while writing it was this fic playing out lmao. besides, who doesn’t love a little cliche stargazing fic <3

also! this is the extended version of this blurb before i decided to make this entirely fluff :)

MASTERLIST

After an especially hard case, Rossi had invited the team over to wind down. You felt the tension slowly leave the team as you ate his signature pasta and watched as your teammates drank their weight in wine. It wasn’t long before everyone had crashed from both the wine and the exhaustion.

You woke up in the middle of the night, mouth dry and in desperate need of water. As you stumbled your way into Rossi’s kitchen in the dark, your steps seemed to echo throughout his mansion. Soft snores from the rest of your team came from the various guest bedrooms as you felt you way through the darkness until you found the kitchen.

As you filled a glass up with water, you looked outside and noticed a figure sitting on the yard. You smiled to yourself; you’d recognize his silhouette anywhere. Bringing your glass with you, you quietly opened the door to join your boyfriend outside.

“Hey you,” you greeted, voice hoarse, as you neared him.

He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He turned, startled, but smiled once he saw you. “Hey,” he returned.

You took a seat next to him on the grass, hugging your knees over your chest, water still in hand. You rested your cheek on top of your knees as you gazed at him. “Can’t sleep?” You asked.

He shook his head. “It’s hard to sleep without you.” He shyly admitted.

Your heart fluttered in your chest. “Aww,” you cooed. You leaned to give him a peck on the cheek, but before you could pull away he brought the blanket around both of you and pulled you in closer. You took the blanket from his hands and held it against your shoulder, using the other arm to pull him in close.

You smiled as he snuggled into you, his fluffy hair tickling your neck as the warmth of the blanket engulfed both of you. With your hand on one end of the blanket, and his on the other, you both snuggled into each other and held the fabric tightly against your bodies. After a few minutes of enjoying each other’s presence, you then reached out for your glass and offered him a sip of your water, which he gladly accepted.

“Thank you,” he mumbled before handing you back the glass.

You kissed his forehead in response. After taking a quick sip of the water yourself, you placed the glass back on the ground.

“How long have you been out here?” you asked.

“Not long. I just needed to clear my head.”

You nodded in response and started rubbing his back. You wondered if it was the case that made him come out here, but decided it was best not to bring it up. Instead, you comforted him silently, leaning into him and embracing him as closely as you could. He let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes and basking in your scent. It was calming. You were calming.

Holding him close, your hand found its way into his hair as you began to massage his scalp. You felt Spencer’s smile against your shoulder as the two of you enjoyed each other’s presence in the serene night, quietly observing the halcyon woods in front of you.

You felt Spencer’s gaze shift upwards, and you followed his eyes to the sky. It was a clear night, and the bright stars twinkled against the night sky. Clusters of stars glittered across the sky and you marveled at the beauty. Spencer did the same, and the two of you admired the sight in silence, each in your own worlds.

“Do you ever think about them? The stars?” He asked.

“No,” you admitted. You brought your gaze back to him and stared at him as you said, “Tell me about them.”

A small smile spread on his face as his eyes remained locked on the stars. He sat up to point out a constellation, and you adjusted, placing your hands behind you and leaning back to look at the sky. 

“There’s the Orion,” Spencer stated. You followed his finger to a cluster of bright stars. You watched them twinkle as he explained, “In the Greek myth, he’s a hunter who becomes so successful he declared that he would hunt all the animals on Earth.” Spencer leaned closer to you in order to point out, “See? There’s his sword.” You followed his finger. “And belt. And shield.”

“Hm. I don’t see it.” You replied.

Spencer looked back at you with a smile. “Then what do you see, my love?”

You stared at the constellation once more, trying to interpret the stars as something more than dots in the sky. “Um, I don’t know. I just see a bunch of stars, Spence.”

Spencer laughed. “So you can see the slightest change in behavior during interrogations but not a man in the sky?”

“Hey!” You lightly shoved him. “That’s different,” You laughed.

“You know, in other cultures the Orion represented different things. In South America, it was a wife cheating on her husband. In North America, it was seen as a hand.” He paused to look at it more. “And in Australia, it was a canoe.”

You stared at the constellation as he talked, imagining the things he was describing. “That’s so cool how different cultures saw different things when looking at the same stars.” You commented.

“Isn’t it?” Spencer looked at you excitedly, happy you found it as fascinating as he did.

“Tell me about that one,” you pointed.

“That’s actually a planet. It’s Venus, the brightest planet because it’s the closest.”

“And that one?”

…

Somehow throughout the night you had changed positions and Spencer was now laying in between your legs with his back against your chest. His arms were hooked under your thighs as he softly ran his large palms up and down your leg. Your fingers found their war back into Spencer’s hair and played with his curls.

“Doesn’t it all just make you feel so small?” He asked.

You crossed your arms over his neck to hug his head as you placed a kiss at the top of his head. Resting your chin on top of his head and pulling him close, you breathed in his scent as you responded, “It really does.”

Before long, the sun began to rise and started to illuminate the sky.

“It’s morning,” Spencer said. “We should head back inside before the team wakes up.”

You sighed against him as you held him tighter. You heard the clanking of glasses from the kitchen and turned around to see Rossi, Morgan, and Prentiss staring at you and Spencer behind the window. You softly giggled and rested your chin on top of Spencer’s head.

“Spencer?”

“Hm?”

You kissed his head again. “I think they already have,” you whispered into his locks.

He quickly turned around and this time the three agents waved. You laughed into his hair as Spencer immediately turned back around, clearly embarrassed.

You felt the heat radiating off his cheeks on your arms and you giggled, only holding him tighter.

“Can we stay out here a little longer, please?” He asked, voice soft. 

“Of course.”

[luminecho]

Hello Echo, question. Do you still have Four brainrot? Follow up question. Do you have any songs that you associate with Four? Thanks bestie <3

Answer 1: Steel, I ALWAYS have Four brainrot <3

Answer 2: I am literally SO FUCKING GLAD you asked, you have no idea how excited I got seeing this holy shit. HELL YEAH I do!! Take a few songs from my playlist

If I include more than 3 Sleeping At Last, Of Monsters And Men, or The Oh Hellos songs on any given playlist or list of songs you may be entitled to financial compensatio-- *looks at this list* oh whoops

1) Crystals - Of Monsters And Men - this might as well be Four’s theme song for all I associate it with him. It’s so good. So so so good.

2) Call Them Brothers - Regina Spektor - Obligatory Call Them Brothers mention. This is not original at all I've seen so many other people talk about this song with Four and-- yeah they're right this song is about Four JKHEHBFDEKF.

3) Bad Blood - Sleeping At Last - I'm biased. If you know me then expect way too many SAL songs from me in any list of songs ever because I will never shut up about SAL and they have a lot of songs I like. So there's 4 SAL songs on this list, deal with it jhkwewjkwjkfh. Anyway Bad Blood gives me so many Four feels. 11/10

3) Soap - The Oh Hellos - THIS SONNGG. Ouugghh. I could probably dissect this song if I wanted to go over every little thing in it that makes me think of Four & why but I already exhausted my song infodumping capacity on the last song on this list so perhaps some other time HDEGJDDEKF. Just. The vibes AND the lyrics. Mannn

4) Forgive Me Friend - Smith & Thell - I have both the original and the acoustic version saved to my Four playlist because I really like both versions hwdfjefke but. There's so many ways this song could be interpreted w/ Four and tbh I'm just gonna leave it up to everyone else because every time I listen to it I think of something else lol.

5) Meteor Shower - Cavetown - I don't have much to say about this one other than thinking about this song gives me a LOT of emotions jhqkdhwbefjk. Just,,, it has a lot of self-acceptance vibes to me when I listen to it in this context and I think I'm drawing those comfort vibes from the melody? Idk but they're there for me lol

6) Glitter & Gold - Barns Courtney - Someone did a mini AMV to this song w/ Four a while back for the LU zine and I've associated the song with him ever since hwdkjgefhkfev. I like the vibes. Reminds me of the forge.

7) Lakehouse - Of Monsters And Men - Idk what it is about this song. It has a mix of homesickness feels and storytelling feels and something about that makes me think of Four. Also there's a line about breaking trust in here somewhere heehee hoohoo Vio go brr.

8) I Dare You - Bea Miller - my brain can't decide if I actually like this song or not for some reason buuuut it has big Four vibes regardless lmao. Mostly in the lyrics. Definitely in the lyrics

9) No Light, No Light - Florence + The Machine - based more off the vibes of the song than the lyrics. i don't really have an explanation for this one, it's just always given me Four vibes for no reason hdwkjfgeh. Shadow too. I have it one both playlists

10) I Have Made Mistakes - The Oh Hellos - probably self-indulgent but this one has the self-acceptance and self-forgiveness vibes than go hand and hand with Four as a character so <3

11) From The Ground Up - Sleeping At Last - something about the line "in an effort to remember what being mended feels like" shakes me to my core. Am I allowed to slap the "self-acceptance" label on this song and call it a day? Cause,,, yeah the self love in this song. Ough. Also the themes of growth and being somewhere that's truly home.

12) Overture III / Awake - Sleeping At Last - Bestie this one's so self-indulgent. This song is pretty new and when I tell you that I latched onto it the DAY I first heard it FTHDGHWJKEFG. I connect so deeply with this song and I can and will project every emotion I experience ever onto Four which means he gets this song too. <3 Also it once again has themes of self-acceptance

13) September 15, 2017: Cassini - The Grand Finale - Sleeping At Last - OH MY GOD *VIBRATES INTO THE FIFTH DIMENSION*

Alright alright alright. Listen. This song is entirely instrumental. So why do I associate it with Four, you may ask?

WELLLLLLLL.

First of all, happy anniversary to the event this song was written about! Or-- well, it was the anniversary when this ask was sent djwhfkhjdewjhke. I took a while to answer it. BUT still. Happy anniversary!

Second of all, strap in cause I’m about to infodump the hell out of this song on my way to explaining my reasoning behind why I associate it with Four. It might seem irrelevant at first but trust me, I’ll get there.

(All the stuff I mention here is all explained in a much better fashion by the artist behind Sleeping At Last on his podcast episode about the song here. I'd absolutely recommend giving it a listen if you're interested!)

Cassini was written about a satellite with the same name that was built with the intention of exploring Saturn. On September 15, 2017, its journey was complete and its course was set to crash into Saturn in a brilliant grand finale. Hence the name of the song.

This song is a medley of four of Sleeping At Last’s songs, written as a mirror of the exact flight path of the Cassini satellite. (SAL has songs about each of the 9 planets + our moon.)

The song starts and ends with Saturn. The beginning is a chorus singing the tune of SAL's "Saturn" and the ending is that the song on the "Astronomy, Vol. 1" album leads straight into SAL’s "Saturn" to symbolize Cassini crashing into the planet. Cool, right?

After the opening the song crescendos with SAL’s "Earth" to represent Cassini’s launch. Cassini passed by Venus twice in its flight, so the part of the song immediately after that is from SAL's "Venus". The next part of the song (and ofc the next part of Cassini’s flight) is Jupiter! It’s very faint and distant since Cassini only passed by the planet. Aaand then finally it reaches Saturn.

Now what does any of this have to do with Four?

Welllllll, it's all a bit of a stretch but LET ME HAVE THIS hdgjhkjdwef.

I mentioned that Cassini is a medley of 4 different SAL songs.

Venus could easily be associated with Red! It’s a love song and love of course comes from the heart and all that. But it’s also a song that reflects wonder and awe and I feel like that’s a very Red feeling.

Jupiter is a song I associate a lot with Green, not only because of the song itself but also because of the planet and Green’s wind element. Jupiter is well-known for its storms! So it seems fitting for Green. Jupiter is one of the songs I have on my separate playlist for Green too. It has vibes of instinct and wanting to make things count and make a difference which I feel like fits him.

I feel like Saturn and Earth are interchangeable with Blue and Vio. I’d probably tentatively assign Blue to Earth and Vio to Saturn for now despite Earth being Vio’s element and me generally associating that song with him a lot more than Blue anyway. Saturn is a song about loss and trying to move on and I think Vio encompasses that feeling and experience. It’s very melancholy and slower-paced too, which fits Vio more. Whereas Earth is a very powerful, somewhat explosive song (which fits Blue’s vibe) about ignorance and possibly arrogance. ALSO if you go with Blue as Earth then it works even nicer because Earth and Venus are woven together very closely in Cassini. Which could represent how Blue & Red are both the "heart" of Four compared to Vio's mind and Green's instinct.

And ALL of these songs are packed into Cassini into a convenient little medley. Four songs blending seamlessly into one another creating a whole song that makes me want to throw my hands in the air and weep.

And how perfect that the day Steel sent this ask is coincidentally the anniversary of the day the song is about. jhkqdwfgehf. It was meant to be :>

[an-odd-idea]

BTS “ON” music video: The most probable interpretation I came up with

I didn’t know exactly what was up in the music video, and I heard even they didn’t know what was happening, so I tried to figure out what might be going on.

The boys and other people live in a land behind a high wall that people are afraid to venture beyond. I think the other side of the wall may represent facing your demons or confronting the problems with the world, and the people behind the wall choose to hide and live in denial or apathy instead.

When the video starts, fighting has broken out between the people who want to venture beyond te wall and the people who are against it. Seokjin is one of the people who wants to go out. The dove on the arrow is one he sent out to see if anything can live on the other side of the wall, but someone has shot it down to stop him. He’s starting to despair of ever getting any answers.

Jungkook also wants to go past the wall. Maybe he got too eager and was arrested for stirring up the people too much. He may have been thrown out beyond the wall with the expectation that he’ll die there, or maybe he was going to be executed and is escaping where he knows they won’t dare follow him. The way Seokjin looks to the side right before it switches to the scene of Jungkook running, it might have been him who helped him escape, and now he’s thinking of him and hoping he makes it.

The song starts, and Jimin is singing about not being sure who to believe or what to do. He’s standing between a pile of discarded drums, and one person playing a drum: the many who gave up and the few who press on.

Taehyung is apathetic. He’s stranded in the desert with the little girl, with nothing meaningful around, and he’s more or less accepted that they’re both just going to stay there. He kind of doesn’t care anymore and is just laying there, since he feels there’s no point even trying to change anything. The blindfold on the girl might be because he’s trying to hide the dismal situation from her and let her keep thinking it’s okay for as long as she can, before she has to open her eyes and realize how empty their life really is where they are.

Namjoon has a ship in the desert, with animals around him. This looks like a clear reference to Noah’s ark, which also connects to Seokjin’s doves. Namjoon’s lyrics talk about knowing what to do but being afraid; maybe he knows he needs a flood to get himself and the animals in his care to somewhere they can live, but he’s afraid. The boat is battered and the sails are torn; he’s shipwrecked before he can even begin, because there’s nothing he can do while stuck behind the wall.

While Namjoon sings about moving awkwardly and uncertainly forward, that’s what Jungkook is doing as he stumbles along. Life beyond the wall, and confronting whatever demons he’s been hiding from is a lot harder than he thought, but he’s trying to press on. At the same time, we see that the land there is much greener and richer than the land behind the wall, with trees instead of deserts and open grassland.

Seokjin enters a room with many empty bird cages; he’s been doing this for a long time without success. The lyrics say you can’t get him down because he’s a fighter, and he looks like he’s going to keep trying.

The lyrics then say “carried myself into a beautiful prison” while we see Jimin still trying to make up his mind. The people living behind the wall are hiding by choice. They have a life there, and it’s a kind of okay life, but they’re missing so much by staying inside.

The chorus starts, talking about bringing the pain on. Seokjin finds hope in the form of another dove. Jimin starts to move toward the man with the drum as he decides he wants to go beyond the wall, too. Namjoon seems to be struggling over a decision. Jungkook starts running again, no longer looking back like his being chased but seeming determined, and they all push on despite the difficulty.

Finally, Jungkook gets too exhausted and falls. Based on the next scene, this may represent part of the old him dying. Right after Jungkook falls and his eyes close, we see Hoseok surrounded by strange, skeletal trees. Jungkook is laying in the background and a bird appears to be picking at him. Jungkook isn’t actually dead, I think, but this represents part of his old self dying as he changes.

Hoseok is dressed differently from all the others, in much more modern looking clothes, and my theory is that he’s an early scout who went out to see what it was like beyond the wall. His old self died, too, but he’s alive and healthy while surrounded by what looks like death. He’s learned to live while facing the demons and his lyrics talk about pain, but also that he now knows the way and has air and light. It’s difficult, but he’s doing well and now has a fuller life than he did before. He can’t go back to the place behind the wall, and hasn’t returned.

Yoongi immediately echos Hoseok’s last line. They stand for the same thing, and may have worked together trying to persuade people to try going past the wall before. Hoseok has been gone a while, and most people might think he’s dead, but Yoongi believes he’s still alive and is trying even harder to persuade people to go out and hopefully find him. He looks like he’s talking to a group of the people’s leaders, who are ignoring him, but he doesn’t care, as the lyrics say.

Taehyung starts to think there might be something more and takes action for the first time, getting up and going to the little girl. He sings “gotta go insane to stay sane” like he still thinks this is crazy, but he’s tired of living somewhere so empty, and can’t sit idly by and let the little girl live that way too. Jimin begins walking forward while singing about being a fighter.

The gate in the wall, covered with plants from how long it’s been closed, starts to open as Taehyung takes the blindfold off the little girl. He wants her to open her eyes and see the hope for something more that he has now, but to do that he also has to stop trying to hide the current situation from her. She has to decide for herself whether to stay where it’s safe but empty or to go out into the unknown. She takes his hand and decides to go.

Jungkook isn’t dead. He’s on his feet again, looked tired, but calmer and more sure of his decision to leave the wall now. He encounters a pond, a contrast to the desert we’ve just seen Taehyung and the girl in. He starts to sing about pain as well, but just like Hoseok, now he’s not afraid. He chooses to descend into the water like the lyrics say about choosing to descend into an abyss, and he’s starting to really embrace the life on the other side of the wall, although his hands are still tied.

The other boys start to walk toward the open gate where Taehyung and the girl are, and now they have other people following their example. Hoseok is back, presumably because the gate is now open so he isn’t going back to being trapped there. I think it’s sweet that he walks so close to Yoongi and bumps his shoulder; maybe now that he’s actually about to go outside Yoongi doesn’t feel quite as brave as before, but Hoseok’s been there already.

Jungkook puts his bound hands in the water, and they’re set free, as Seokjin sets the dove free. Jungkook’s wrists, which were cut from the thorns tying them, are also healed. The boys have chosen to confront whatever demons there are, and it’s setting them free and making them better. The land on the other side of the gate for the others doesn’t look quite as lush as it does around Jungkook; they’re still afraid and not completely sure yet.

The water in the shell Jungkook picks up looks beautiful, and maybe that’s supposed to make sure you know life is richer out here; the pond is the first water we’ve seen in the video, after lots of scenes in dry places, so that’s a neat scene.

I’m not sure why Jungkook blows on the shell. Maybe to show he’s made his decision and he’s committed to life outside the wall, or maybe to signal to people still inside that he made it, and they can, too.

Then dark clouds roll in; it isn’t going to be quite that easy. The boys have to confront the versions of themselves in the red robes who still want to stay back. The ones who want to leave are dancing like their lives depend on it, and the versions of them who want to stay only have to stand there, because it’s much more effort to change than to stay. This is the first time all seven of them have been together in the video, and I assume they win now because they’re there to support each other. There’s fire and a volcanic eruption; it’s scary, but then the land beyond the wall springs into bloom; they’re sure now, and they’re ready to go.

Namjoon leads them on, which is a cool touch, since we saw him earlier unable to take the animals in his care to a better place; now he can actually point to something good ahead. It also helps that he has people with him now who will also support him.

They’re walking uphill now (climbing Pride Rock, apparently) and moving slowly, maybe because it’s still harder than they anticipated. Jungkook sees seven (hard to count, but it has to be) doves flying above them, gets a burst of energy again, and starts running toward the top of the cliff with the others following. Does it represent the leap into a new world, are they about to jump off and start flying or something? Heck if I know, but what a cool video.

I may have totally made all that up, so don’t take my word for it, that’s just what I got from the video.

[andcurioser]

So. Let’s talk about Veronica Mars. *deeeeeeeep sigh*

Ok, friends. It’s been a goddamn whirlwind for me. I actually went to the Veronica Mars panel at Comic Con, which I thought was a highlight at the time. They screened the first episode before the panel, and I was all ready to report back to you all that it was real good and to get excited for the new season, but then Hulu had to go and drop the whole damn series during the CC panel, which was a STUPID thing to do (or, at the very least, an extremely stupid thing to announce to the panel at Comic Con - the exact people who would not be able to watch it until after Comic Con, putting them at risk for some really big fucking spoilers. It’s genuinely surprising to me how little the people who are in charge think about these things. If you want to do a surprise drop (which, why, but whatever), sure, go and do it, but definitely don’t announce it to a room full of people who can’t enjoy it and expect them to be excited??). But regardless. That was just a wtf moment. I was still filled with enthusiasm and excitement and happiness that this show was back and seemed to be in good form. 

Oy. 

Cut to Tuesday morning. I got back from Comic Con on Sunday night, and life goes on, so of course I hadn’t watched 8 hours of TV by Tuesday at 7AM. Which is precisely when my dear friend, whom I adore, but who is apparently an idiot, texted me about how terrible that VM ending was and how upset she was. Now, because I’m a good friend and I know what she likes and we’ve discussed VM at length, it took me all of four seconds to know the gist of what happens in the end. I didn’t know the how or why, but I certainly knew the what. Cue fun spikes of anxiety and random bursts of rage, because what the fuck. Truly, what the fuck. But I placed my certainty at 99% and hopelessly clung to the 1% chance that I was wrong, knowing full well that I wasn’t. This obviously completely stymied any excitement I had for the show, and I dragged my heels for a full month before finally finishing the goddamn show just to get it over with. And now we’re here. 

I’ve had a month to ready myself for what I knew was coming. It was both a blessing and a curse, since while it pretty thoroughly ruined my good time, it also meant that I wasn’t totally blindsided by that ending. And man, I would have been blindsided, because there was Z E R O reason for that. None. And now I’ve read all the articles in which Rob Thomas tries to explain his reasons, and they’re all nonsense. Absolute idiocy. All I see is a guy who always, always resented the fans for loving a character he didn’t want us to, who tried and tried to redirect us to one of his preferred creations without success, and just when I thought he’d finally accepted defeat, he pulls the most nonsensical of fuckery just to finally win the battle. Fuck you, RT, forever and always. I can’t fucking believe that I allowed myself to think you’d finally seen the light. What a ridiculous fool I was for giving him the benefit of the doubt. 

Since I knew what was coming, I could look for the signs all throughout the season. So I searched for foreshadowing, or at least a narrative through-line. And let me tell you: there isn’t one. The season finally, rightfully seems to address Veronica’s deep-set trauma and trust issues but treats them like a problem and not a secret superpower, and it seemed like the show might expect Veronica to grow up along with the viewers who’ve aged 15 years since the first season? I was excited to finally have Veronica be the problem in a relationship, frankly. It was hinted at with Piz, but glossed over because there was only so much time in the movie, but it was realistic for her to have some trouble adjusting to a long-term, committed relationship, and I was excited to see that journey! I thought it was such an interesting path to go down, watching Veronica grapple with what she wants (or maybe just thinks she wants) vs. what she’s always known, or thought she knows. Lots of stuff there! Good stuff! And you get all the way to the end, when she’s finally decided to try. It isn’t fixed, it isn’t perfectly, she’s definitely got a long way to go, but she’s taken a few tentative steps into an uncertain future. And all of a sudden, quite literally, boom. It’s all gone. 

Listen. I was never going to be a fan of getting rid of Logan. However they chose to do it, it would always feel wrong. I have never trusted Rob Thomas to handle Logan well, because he’s always had this undercurrent of anger in every interview I’ve read, this frustration that people love and respond to Logan when he wanted them to love Duncan! Then Piz! Then anyone else! His creations took on a life of their own, and RT hated it. RT was one of the ultimate examples of writers/show runners who were simply watching a completely different show than the rest of us. I could never understand how he wrote such interesting stuff for Logan but didn’t want us to root for him. It never made any sense. But I didn’t think he would sabotage his own show this thoroughly. 

Because here’s the thing: I was never going to like him getting rid of Logan, but I could have understood it. I could have gone along with it if it had been done right. Frankly, the way it was building, it wouldn’t have been a surprise, nor would it even have been a bad choice, to have Logan break up with Veronica at the end of the season. And if RT couldn’t handle Veronica not being the aggressor, fine, make Veronica do it. She decides she isn’t willing to put in the work to change that Logan needs from her, and she ends it. Fine. Could work, at least for a few seasons. Let her deal with the loss, knowing it was something she chose, and see how it affects her priorities as she continues on. Certainly could be interesting! 

You know what isn’t interesting? This. This is the only - the ONLY - plotline that’s a watered down repeat of a previous story. Veronica Mars, traumatized and hardened by the shocking loss of someone close to her? Quite literally, been there, done that. I know RT has been trying to recapture the magic of season one for every season and iteration since, but just repeating the storyline? Really, really missing the mark. There isn’t anything new that can be added to this. We’ve done this. This will only ever be a pale imitation, a tacked-on sequel hitting the same beats with less force. Lilly was a fantastic inciting incident that yielded a tight, well-thought-out season arc. But why would we want to start over 15 years later? What’s to be gained from this? Literally ANY other ending would have yielded multiple storytelling options, branching out with so many possibilities on where the characters could go. This is the only one that simply slams doors shut. 

The few supporters of this ending I’ve seen around the interwebs keep saying things like “this show wouldn’t work if Veronica was happy!” Hell, Rob Thomas is saying the same thing. And to that idiocy, I can only say 1. of course it would, if you write it well, dumbass, and 2. if you think Veronica getting married immediately = happiness, well, what the hell show were you watching? The marriage, much as it could represent a step forward, was still VERY CLEARLY a huge, impulsive jump that was more a reaction than a measured decision. And that was something I was looking forward to seeing. Fresh off of a near-death experience and a renewed assurance of her love for Logan, Veronica marries him thinking that’s the end of their troubles, only to realize that it’s just another complication. Now Veronica has to deal with the new experience of having no quick exit strategy. All the problems they had throughout the season still exist, thinly covered by the veil of newlywed bliss, and she has to reconcile her happiness with her frustration and uncertainty. Logan still disappears at the drop of a hat because of his job. She still puts herself in danger for the case and uses loved ones and acquaintances alike to her full advantage. They hide things from each other. They love fiercely, they trust the other with their own lives but can’t trust each other to take care of themselves. Doesn’t this sound like a complicated, tumultuous relationship full of narrative possibilities? 

Well, forget it, because why break new ground when you could retread old storylines? Yeah, that’s what we all want. Great job, RT. So smart. 

Something that keeps bothering me is that if RT didn’t want Logan around as the happy husband at home but didn’t want to write more relationship drama between them? He already had the perfect excuse to ship Logan off for entire seasons at a time. Look, Logan’s deployed, oh no, he can’t even skype, he’s undercover! Cool, problem solved. No more Logan, but in a way that still maintains possibilities for the future should we want them. Ideal. Again, options. All you want are places for your narrative to go. Multiple roads it could take so it doesn’t become predictable. 

This is predictable. This is boring. This is trite. Our heroes, struck down in their highest moment of happiness. Holy fuck, it’s dull. It doesn’t feel edgy. It feels derivative, a tired rehash of a narrative structure that should have gone out of vogue ten years ago. The whole thing just exhausts me at this point. 

And I’ve read Rob Thomas’s justification for why he did it. They’re all flimsy, but if he wants to go do a Sherlock-style, Ms. Marple mystery series, flitting in and out as he pleases, fine. It won’t be the worst show in the world. Veronica’s still a fun and interesting character, and I’ll always enjoy watching her. But removing her from Neptune, and more importantly, removing her from all of her meaningful relationships, takes away what made this show special. The new version RT is pitching could be fun enough. But it’ll still be just one in a long, long line of mystery shows that don’t have much claim to my emotional investment. I might watch, but I’ll forget about it the second it’s over. It certainly won’t be the kind of show with a fanbase that will still be interested in watching more 15 years from now. Rob Thomas won’t be getting one of those again. 

So yeah, that’s that. I have much more to say, but really I just wanted to get this rant out so I can put it all behind me. I learned long ago that I can’t trust shows and showrunners, and it’s a lesson I learned partly, if significantly, from Rob Thomas. I suppose it’s on me for letting my guard down, but I guess my hope got grandfathered in from an age when I didn’t immediately mistrust the things that were supposed to make me happy. I’ll know better next time. 

[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoldretired]

some p!g-drv3 theories (spoilers obvi)

First of all I think people demonize the pg versions wayyy too much because its a good way to be le sexy in like fanfictions. And i get it, villains are hot or whatever. and also hs is a horny age to be. But even the edgiest and horniest of teens aren’t like. that sexual/monstrous. its kind of insane the portrayals people are placing

maybe this could also be like me being older bc when i was early hs i was like yea its fair to place these super mature portrayals on a 18-22 year old they are like adults but young and now im that age and im like woah there pardner. might be an age/maturity thing. 

also like its normal for people to relate to and portray characters their same age in a similar fashion, but when adults write more sexual content about the dg kids i get hella fucking sus

idk where i was going with that first comment i guess its like a preface and in the end i think its important when characters especially teenage characters are morally grey not because they’re mature and dark/brooding but because they are still young and learning. fuck im older than like most of them, but im still young and learning. its good to be in turmoil and confused, especially the drv3 cast. they are more confused than anything.

which i think is a reason why people would join dr because if you are completely loss and in turmoil, it is appealing to be given a purpose in life and amazing talents/abilities. despite the morals of danganronpa, it is a simple reality to be told who you are and what to do

OK ONTO HEADCANONS (not doing all bc i dont have thoughts about all)

first of all i understand changing stories but i think, deep down, you can’t change fundamental personalities/values. so while the backstories might be different i think, in the end, a baseline is always the same

SHUICHI being a Bad Boy is like canon obviously but i dont think he’s as manipulative as people make him out to be. i think he falls in the more the bully role that like. mae borowski or tf2′s scout filled before they grew up. rough background, bad anger issues, lots of emotional turmoil, and the only way he knows how to deal with shit is by committing crimes and beating the shit out of people. and, similar to those characters, drv3 represents an older, more emotionally sober yet equally confused version of himself. the urges are still there as foreshadowed in the dialogue. i think he struggles with guilt, mostly survivors, but there is still a lasting impact of guilt of what he did in his past, even if he can’t remember.

KOKICHI is a child. a piece of shit motherfucker child but a child. I really do think he’s like one of the youngest people in the cast. he reminds me a lot of when my brother doesn’t take his adhd medicine and takes jokes way too far and does mean and cruel things because he thinks its funny and that its just a fun joke, but is hurting people. he desperately wants approval, which is why his leader role is so interesting because in the dr narrative he has the approval he craves and so he is satisfied. still, he does try to impress characters like rantaro and values his opinions a lot, even developing a brotherly relationship in the time they knew each other. this being said, its established kokichi was bullied before, but i dont think he’s like. the wimp people make him out to be. i think he’s more of like the class clown who desperately uses humor to make people like him, and ends up resorting to be the butt of most of his jokes. you don’t just develop a good sense of humor out of a brainwash, and that’s not something you can program in. i think that was a remnant of before, and he’s so good at bullying people and coming up with roasts - i just think that in p!g the roasts were about him.

KAEDE is baby but her p!g personality seriously reminds me of any ~quirky/edgy~ girl in a teen coming of age story who tries to be edgy and cool and act like she doesn’t care but deep down, she really does. if she didn’t have an empathetic personality, she wouldn’t want to end the game. i also think she has that self-identifying QuIrKy personality because its like she lives in her own narrative, practically announcing this story is about her and she is the protagonist. i know i used to self narrate like that and distinguish how i was different when i was like. 15-16. she has a tumblr. 

I really like the theory where KAITO is a make-a-wish kid who was better when he was younger but relapses later in teens. he never used his wish before, so he decides to use it now to be on danganronpa and become the hero he always wanted to be. i also think he might have joined as a way to raise awareness about adolescent healthcare. definitely the type who puts on a “heroic” character to make everyone else feel better about the fact he is literally dying of a terminal illness, and keeps that act up till the end. 

i think KOREKIYO is still a serial killer. i think honestly a reason why he mightve auditioned for danganronpa is because he is a serial killer. maybe his sister found out and he felt so much shame that’s why he auditioned. he probably mentioned why in his interview because duh, tell them im a serial killer and then only reason im coming clean is my sister found out and im ashamed, that is like a guarantee to get on the show.  i LOVE the theory that his sister is still alive, however, and has to watch her brother go insane because they wrote her into the story as the villain. because technically, she brought on this guilt, and is the reason why he auditioned - as a way to cause despair, twist it around so she’s the one to blame for his insanity. also, because its pretty accepted DR members become celebrities, kork’s sister is totally bombarded with paparazzi and is demonized in the media. she might end up writing a tell-all memoir about kork’s actual childhood and personality. quiet kid, thoughtful, interested in anthropology, she never thought he’d hurt a fly. watching her brother go insane probably destroyed her. 

I also think, timeline wise, kork is probably one of the oldest members along with rantaro. tbh i think kork actually graduated hs and went on a gap year doing the whole “hitchhike around the world to discover myself thing” which is where he began killing people. he was getting ready to go to college when his sister found out about what he did. this is when he decided to go on danganronpa instead of university. this would help explain why he knows so much about other cultures/travel/been so many places with so many memories/killed/is knowledgable on a level most other students are not. this would place him at like, 20-21, where everyone else is like 15-18.

ok so there’s two p!g RANTARO, p!g before 53 and p!p!g before 52. i’d like to establish now i think rantaro is the oldest of the characters, seeing as though he was already pretty old to begin with in 52, it takes time between television seasons, and he was in another game. so im placing him like 21-23, similar to yasuhiro in d1 being so much older than everyone else. i do think, in all iterations, rantaro was pretty much raising his sisters, though i don’t think he had twelve like the story (i think that’s an exaggeration, his sisters mean a lot to him, lets make him have a TON and then lose them all and feel GUILTY) rantaro joined the first game, partially to get money for his family and hopefully establish them as celebrities and let them have a comfy lifestyle, even if he doesn’t live...and also to finally ahve some sort of experience without his siblings tagging along. if he’s been raising his sisters all his life, he’s never had like something that’s JUST his. that’s his adventure. 52 is his ULTIMATE adventure. ahaha. mostly for money, kind of dreading it, still a tiny bit excited

ok p!g rantaro between 52 and 53 probably came back broken. he did the signings and appearances, but mostly wanted to spend time with his family and make sure they were set up. i think he knew the whole like few months between seasons he had to go on another show, but he did’t tell his sisters. his family found out when they saw a billboard with his face plastered on it hyping up the return of a fan favorite. yikes!

ok i get it a lot of people hate HIMIKO but i think she’s not nearly as similar as other “useless” characters in other games. its like, pretty clear she’s depressed, and the only thing she’s holding onto with dear life is magic. lack of hygiene, lack of personal care, constantly tired, social interaction exhausts - she has depression, but she’s not an UWU depressed character. so people find her depressive traits (which are some of the most realistic portrayals of mental health in the series) SUPER annoygin. she joined dr because she was completely lost and needed some sort of direction in her life, even if she’ll die for it. the thing is, even with direction, her mental state didn’t change because she wasn’t getting legitimate help. it’s like that one SNL skit that’s like. same sad you from before but in a new place. i also think she knows the magic is not real, because how could she not. i think she’s so adamant that it IS real, less as a way to convince others, and more of a way to convince herself. it’s like really super cruel that team danganronpa took a girl who is desperate for meaning and gave her literally a meaningless, fake talent.

i also kin himiko and find her a comfort character because i feel seen by her, replacing her useless talent of magic with mine of like shitty film making and comedy. i am seen.

related i don’t think she’s nearly as ugly as everyone says she is, i think she’s probably just depressed and takes absolutely no care of her hygiene and sleep and looks like sick and greasy all the time. same queen.

honest to god i think RYOMA’s backstory, tennis and all, is like 100% real and he’s the only one who keeps all of his memories except for the fact this is a tv show. i think he rolled up, a hot fucking mess, and the danganronpa team were like damn. we cannot improve upon this. 

[hummingbirdsaltimolockia]

I recently made a list of all the musicals I’m pretty familiar with and it came out to 63. and since my sisters won’t listen to my recommendations this is a masterpost of all those musicals with a few of my Thoughts and Opinions. this gets hella long so prepare yourself

-Les Miserables

ah, you never forget your first. I heard the symphonic recording when I was six? seven? so it has become the definitive version in my mind, but cast members (michael ball) are weak, and unfortch I haven’t come across a recording were all the cast members are top notch, though the 25th anniversary concert comes very close (norm lewis!! lea salonga!!)

-The Little Mermaid

ok so on the whole this show is not particularly great or interesting and honestly didn’t do very well on stage BUT hearing sherie rene scott sing poor unfortunate souls literally changed my life and is what really sparked my interest in musical theatre. also norm lewis is there

-The Band’s Visit

unlike any broadway musical you’ve heard fs. based on the movie of the same name, it’s about the egyptian police band being stranded in a middle-of-nowhere town in israel for in 1996. it’s a simple story but incredibly charming and ernest and surprsingly emotional. also the music is played onstage by the actors which is always cool!

-In the Heights

lin manuel miranda’s first musical and is honestly just as good as hamilton, if not better (I said what I said). it’s a slice of life kinda story about people living in washington heights. great music, great story, great characters, feels very real without being like....depressing.

-Aladdin

most of the songs from the movie stay mostly the same, I think they only changed arabian nights, and friend like me (which for the latter was a huuge improvement. I can’t NOT dance whenever I hear it. james monroe inglehart is a fantastic genie). and the flying carpet!! looks amazing!!

-Once on This Island

this story made me v mad initially (the female lead just. dies at the end), but I kept coming back to it because I loved the music, and it took me a while to figure out why and it’s because the caribbean island vibes are off the charts, and that reminds me of my childhood in sofl. and the vocals of the ensemble are amazing and the 2018 revival used a in the round stage with actual sand and live animals how cool is that

-She Loves Me

a super cute, super enjoyable, super fun musical based on the old film shop around the corner. zachery levi and laura benanti make some quality faces

-Next to Normal

oooof. a very intense show both in terms of theme and music. deals with bipolar depression, schizophrenia, drugs, suicide, hallucinations, death of a child....yeah. a very good show that handles all those heavy themes realistically

-Hamilton

so yeah when it first came out five years ago it was very hyped up and was called lin manuel’s “masterpiece” and when I listened to it I was like....dam they’re right. the lyrics and wording are so precise and having a story told by the protag’s enemy is so narratively juicey. plus the music is incredible (also listen to the hamilton mixtape if you haven’t it’s great)

-The Lion King

if you’ve followed me for any time you know I love the movie and the musical only makes it better. the songs, the music, the puppets, heather headley, the songs in zulu, the costumes...ugh perfection. the most successful disney show on broadway

-Aida

ever wonder what it’s like to be so darn good at singing that sir elton john writes a musical for you? well that’s what happened to heather headley and she completely deserved it. it’s a bit problematic in that the egyptian conquerors are all white and all the nubia slaves are black and like....they’re both in africa dude

-Anastasia

ok so I know it didn’t happen but the premise is so compelling and so gd tragic and christy altomare’s voice has such a fragility to it which is such a contrast to who anastasia actually was and the show features a song about russian refugees having to flee their homeland and it’s like the saddest song I’ve ever heard

-Anything Goes

honestly this musical on the whole isn’t that great for some...reasons, but it does have some great Friendship songs and Great tap dancing and sutton foster is in it and she is the epitome of a triple threat

-Cinderella

honestly just watch the brandy version because it’s the best version. better than the broadway version for sure, even though laura osnes is fantastic in everything she does and the show does have an amazing onstage costume change, but the brandy version has the coolest cast and costume and sets

-Ragtime

ho boy. so much to unpack here. while I think this is a “good” musical, it is too long, has too many characters and storylines, and deals with some heavy themes but doesn’t handle them very well so by the end it’s just exhausting and disappointing. BUT it does have the incomparable brian stokes mitchell and audra mcdonald, who is literally the best performer to ever grace broadway

-Thoroughly Modern Millie

there is so much spirit in this show it’s infectious. also sutton foster

-Dear Evan Hanson

sigh. so this musical gained a lot popularity among the Young People and...it..didn’t...deserve it? like again it deals with heavy issues like social anxiety, depression, and suicide, but like ragtime it doesn’t handle them very well; not in an honest way. and like everything they talk about is handled better in next to normal so

-Tuck Everlasting

based on the book, not the movie. the music is something really different and I don’t think broadway was ready to accept it so it didn’t run very long. and the adaption isn’t very strong, but the lead (sarah charles lewis) is very good and it does have a very sad song about miles losing his family

-Come From Away

so this is about the 38 planes that were diverted to a small town in newfoundland on 9/11. now with as much as america loves to talk about 9/11 I had never heard this story so it was cool to hear a different side of it. also it has a song that makes me tear up every time I hear it

-Annie

not much to say about this one. a classic

-Oklahoma!

speaking of classics, if you think this musical is boring and outdated, please listen to the 2019 revival. it rocks in every sense of the word

-West Side Story

this one is also a classic, and often called a masterpiece for good reason. the music is so strong and is integrated so well and it represents the characters on both sides. this video explains it really well. tho productions consistently have trouble finding puerto rican actors to play the puerto ricans....

-Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

this one deserved sooo much more than it got, coming out in the same year as dear shmevan shmhanson. the lighting and set design is incredible and the music reflects each character’s emotion so it feels really honest, and almost like a supporting character. it’s so good guys. it has josh groban in a fat suit

-The Phantom of the Opera

unpopular opinion (maybe): I think gerard butler was a really good phantom. probably andrew llyod webber’s best work

-Waitress

based on the film of the same name, also the first broadway show with an entirely female creative team. also what baking can do came after my entire life

-Hello Dolly!

I fell in love with the movie version with barbra streisand, but then I learned that the original broadway production had a all black cast which is awesome but wasn’t reflected at all in the movie and that’s disappointing. great show tho

-Wicked

I can distinctly remember the first time I heard the ending crescendo of defying gravity. and the fact that it has so quickly become classic staple of broadway is a testiment to how strong it is

-You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown

yes there is a broadway show of charlie brown. the songs are funny and childlike and honest, and very ernest. also kristin chenoweth is hilarious as sally brown (she won a tony for it!)

-Chess

I love the music in the show, and some songs have very complex lyrics but the main character is kinda annoying. like yeah dude deserting your country with another woman and leaving your wife and kids behind is gonna have negative consequences. don’t know what to tell you

-Finding Neverland

not as good as the movie it’s based on. while some of the music is very pretty, the songs are pretty simple and kinda boring

-Venice

ok this show also isn’t very good, the character’s motivations are not clear, especially the villain, and the female lead’s songs are weak. but the premise and some of the songs are arresting, and I kept coming back to them

-The King and I

like wws, it took a very long time for a production to cast this show accurately, and it still hasn’t....quite done it. but the songs are very beautiful. r&h strike again.

-Matilda

features a bunch of v talented children and manages to be lighthearted but also really gets you. just listen to when I grow up

-Little Women

on the whole, not a great adaption. some good songs. sutton foster is great

-Bonnie and Clyde

oh boy you want some bad guy songs? how bout a whole musical of them? oh no the public hated us and we closed after 36 performances. ah well. at least laura osnes got her first tony nod

-Beetlejuice

very catchy show with a killer aesthetic. give alex brightman a tony just for being Like That

-Hadestown

this show has such nice lyrical rhythm, even in the spoken words, and it is so smartly composed and balanced. and even tho the broadway cast recording is out, it’s worth it to listen to the earlier album as well

-Catch Me If You Can

based on the film. just two hours of aaron tveit being a little brat and norbert leo butz flexing on everyone else’s vocal chords

-Miss Saigon

an extremely problematic and infuriating show that is unfortunately very beautiful. introduced lea salonga to the world, so that’s good at least

-The Hunchback of Notre Dame

speaking of problematic but beautiful shows. exceeds the movie in my opinion. the choral vocals just cut right through you

-The Fiddler on the Roof

I listened to the 2016 revival after not listening to this show for years and you know what? it’s really good! like heck!

-Mean Girls

yes they made a musical of mean girls. yes it’s pretty great. regina has a killer song near the end that I love to belt out

-Bandstand

one of the only musicals to make me cry actual tears just from listening to one (1) song. it’s about WWII veterans coming together to form a band just months after the war ends. also laura osnes fricking kills it in the last number

-Into the Woods

I’m not a huge fan of “fairy tales but make it realistic and therefore disappointing” but stephen sondheim is a very good writer and musician so it’s worth checking out. and the witch is played by bernadette peters in the musical and meryl streep in the movie so it’s a win both ways

-How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

what it says on the can. a very fun, ‘don’t take this too seriously’ show. the lead was played by daniel radcliffe and nick jonas at one point so like. come on

-The Last Five Years

honestly this is a very depressing show, but it’s told in a interesting way. it’s about a couple who meet, fall in love, get married, drift apart, and ultimately get divorced, but not in that order

-Newsies

ok so the broadway version is very different from the movie, but it’s still worth checking out! the new verse at the beginning of seize the day makes it worth it!

-Legally Blonde

yes they made a musical of legally blonde. yes it’s great

-Daddy Long Legs

a little known musical about a young woman who is aging out of an orphanage and finds out she is being sent to school by a mysterious benefactor. meghan mcginnis has super sweet voice

-My Fair Lady

another problematic show about a british asshole who takes it upon himself to turn a flower girl into a “proper lady” (no one asked you to do that dude). but it is funny

-South Pacific

ok so I’m not actually super familiar with this show but it does have a very important song called you’ve got to be carefully taught about how racism is not “something you’re just born” so stop making excuses nellie

-Once

again I’m not super knowledgeable about this show, I’ve listened to it a few times, and read the wiki summary but I still don’t quite know what it’s about. but the music is really good, really different from a traditional broadway show. very enticing and sentimental

-Beauty and the Beast

I think this was the first disney movie that made it to broadway? I could be wrong. like hunchback, I think it exceeds the movie, esp if I can’t love her??? shoutout to my sister’s friend for blowing my socks off with that song in 2005

-Six

not a full blown production, just a rock show about the six wives of henry viii. I thought it would be like riding off the hamilton craze of “history but make it cool” but it actually kicks ass all by itself

-The Sound of Music

another classic, and edelweiss makes me emotional

-Billy Elliot

ahh this show has so much tangible emotion in it and it’s heavy but children are it and they carry it so well and the juxtaposition of the protests an d the dancing UGH

-The Lightning Thief

yes the percy jackson musical! is good and enjoyable! doesn’t take itself seriously at all (as it shouldn’t) and the last two songs go so hard!

-The Music Man

this is imprinted into my brain because of my sister’s drama group and from that day on I have never known peace

-The Scarlet Pimpernel

based on the film of the same name, it’s really good, the opening number goes really hard, and it SHOULD be revived with laura osnes

-Oliver!

this show is....good..but it’s just too long. too many extra songs that don’t do anything

-Sussical

beautifully whimsical and heartfelt. features an array of suess characters and stories

-Moulin Rouge!

the cast album that came late year and it kicks ass. it keeps some of the songs that were featured in the movie, and brings in songs that have come out since the movie like shut up and dance, royals, and bad romance

-The Greatest Showman

so technically this isn’t a broadway show, but it’s going to be, and I think it will be much better as a stage show than a movie.

[romantichopelessly]

The Seven Chakras and Sanders Sides

(AKA I have a Theory and decided to share it against all of my instincts, so buckle up kiddos)

So, last week I was rewatching the second Cartoon Therapy episode, “What AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Can Teach Us About Self Worth.” Theres a part in the video (47:33-48:02, if you would like to watch the segment) where Picani and Kai talk about embracing all parts of themselves and reference the seven chakras from ATLA while doing so. Now, when I was rewatching last week, I had to pause because I noticed a pattern with these seven chakras and how they sounded suspiciously like the Sanders Sides.

So, here I am to provide details as to how each one of the chakras, and what each chakra is blocked by could describe each of the five known sides and give us a bit of insight as to what the remaining unrevealed sides could be.

Before I get into which chakras align with which side, I'm going to clarify a few things that this theory sort of relies on. The groundwork before we can theorize.

1) There is no such thing as “dark” and “light” sides: We know from canon that the name “Dark Sides” is something that Roman made up. In “Can Lying Be Good?” Roman actually says so, saying “I made that name up, pretty cool, right?” Now while it could be said that the sides that we do not yet know about do have darker functions, as suggested by Virgil’s blatant fear/distrust of Deceit’s ‘friends’, overall it seems as if the distinction between the dark and light sides is arbitrary at best. As Deceit says in “Selfishness vs. Selflessness” he too is just ‘looking out for [Thomas]’. Each of the sides is a little bit gilded, with “good” and “bad” characteristics. They can all be gray characters at times. Like Patton said in “Accepting Anxiety Part 2″, Thomas listening too much to any one of them could be a bad thing.

2) Virgil was once what Roman would have considered a “dark side”: Now there are plenty better, more in depth analyses on this theory from others, so I won’t get too deep into the indicators of this (Virgil not rising up, how he was first perceived by the others, etc.) but it is obvious that Virgil did have to slowly gain his place among Patton, Roman and Logan, as directly seen in the “Accepting Anxiety” arc.

3) There are at least seven sides in total: Okay, I’m sure lots of people have picked up on this, but I’m going to explain my reasoning anyway. Firstly, there are many theories that each “dark side” is the direct counterpart of one of our other sides. Commonly, Deceit is seen as Patton’s “dark side”, so there must be “dark sides” for all of the other sides, right? Except, if we continue with the idea that the line between “dark” and “light” sides is arbitrary as best, that idea cannot really hold up. So, how do we know how many unrevealed sides there are? Well, we know for a fact that there has to be more than one. In “Accepting Anxiety Part 2″ Roman comments that Virgil is “nothing compared to the others” suggesting that there is more than one other unrevealed side at that point. However, since that was before Deceit was revealed, it could have been that Roman was referring to Deceit and one other side. But, then again, after Deceit was revealed in “Can Lying Be Good?” Thomas asks if there are any other sides that he does not yet know about, and Roman again says that there are, the “dark sides”. Emphasis on the plural nature of the misnomer. In “Selfishness vs. Selflessness” Virgil comments again that Thomas should never let Deceit or any of his “friends” to stick around again. This makes two times that it is suggested that there is more than one unknown side remaining to be revealed, meaning that at the very least there are seven sides total, which just so happens to line up perfectly with the number of chakras. (Also the number of colors in the rainbow, but that's not what this is about right now)

Now that we have the clarifications out of the way, lets break down each of these seven chakras and how each one of them (and what they are inhibited by) represents one of the sides.

Insight/Illusion and Logan

Logan taking the role of Thomas’s insight was a pretty obvious choice. Logic is insight into hard facts and direct choices of action. Logan is the character that often provides the “explanatory exposition” into any episode’s given conflict. He offers charts, facts, and lists--reasoning--to anything that he wishes to tell the other sides or Thomas.

However, Logan is severely hindered by his own illusions. I don’t mean illusions as in lies, like Deceit represents, but falsehoods. Logan is always the one to point out the other sides’ delusions, which is why ‘falsehood’ has become sort of a catchphrase for him. He’s quick to see through and pick apart illusions, whether it’s Deceit in Patton’s clothing or Patton telling himself that he is only Thomas’s happy feelings. But I think many of us have noticed that he is not so good at doing this when it comes to himself. Logan consistently denies having feelings, despite every piece of evidence to the contrary. Thomas (not character Thomas) even confirmed that Logan does actually have feelings, he just won’t admit it.

“Losing My Motivation”, the episode in which Logan’s name is revealed, revolves entirely around Logan and by extension, Thomas, fooling themselves into believing that productivity can be achieved at the very last minute. Logan himself is so thoroughly against the idea of procrastination that he can’t even see that he himself is at the root of the issue. Thomas says himself, “So many times I finish a project at four in the morning, my eyes tired, my brain exhausted, and I’m so proud of myself for doing so I develop this faulty logic that I can tackle all of my projects like that.” Thomas creates this illusion around his system of doing things that allows Logan to go on believing that he can’t possibly be the problem.

Truth/Lies and Deceit

This connection is pretty obvious. Deceit is lies. That is his function within Thomas.

(Now, I feel like I should explain my thoughts as to why Deceit is named after what blocks the chakra that he represents rather than the chakra itself. I think that the “dark sides” are named this way for one of two reasons. Either they exemplify the trait of what blocks the chakra more, or they are equal parts chakra and inhibitor as each of the other side, it just takes a bit longer to see their “light side”. Until they get accepted. But more on that later, with Virgil.)

The trickier part of this parallel is seeing how Deceit could in any way represent truth. Many elements of the Sanders Sides episodes suggest that Patton or Logan would better represent truth, but here’s the thing--there are different kinds of truth. Patton represents universal truths. The ultimate, completely boiled down, this is the raw, golden truth. The Moral Truth, if you will. Logan represents factual truths. Truths that have evidence to back them up. Empirical truths. Things that could be disproven if new evidence were to come up, but now, through judgement, experimentation and data, are considered true. Deceit is Thomas’s truth.

In “Selfishness vs. Selflessness” Deceit spends a lot of time trying to make his voice heard in the courtroom. A place that both Thomas and Patton consider to be “where the truth comes to hang out”. Deceit laughs at this because no, The Truth (i.e. Patton’s version of truth) is not what courts are based on. Courts and juries do not always rule based on the truest form of what occurred, rather, judges and juries make decisions based on what they perceive about a case, taking into account the motivations of all parties present. Similarly, Deceit makes it clear that he is not trying to vilify Thomas, he just knows his motivations and what he truly wants. He directly says, “The point is, Thomas is an unconscious egoist, and this dilemma is actually between something that serves him verses something else that serves him. Between looking feeling like a good friend and a dream come true. If Thomas wanted to be seen as a good friend more than he wanted the role of a lifetime, then I’m all for that, but I just don’t buy it.” He knows what Thomas really wants, deep down, even if, eventually, that isn’t what happens.

Love/Grief and Patton

Patton fitting with the love chakra was another obvious fit. He’s Thomas’s heart. Emotions. “He has a lot of love to give.” As Thomas said in “Fitting In.”

As for Patton being grief, this is also rather easy to see. Patton is not only Thomas’s good emotions, but his more tumultuous ones as well. This can easily be seen in both parts of the “Moving On” episodes, as well as in his part of the song in “Learning New Things About Ourselves”. Patton is directly affected by Thomas losing people close to him, and while he sometimes has trouble dealing with the sadder emotions like grief, he has to because he is the center of them. Patton is quite possibly the side that has come the furthest in embracing what could be seen as the two sides of himself and growing from it.

Willpower/Shame and Roman

When it came to Roman, I probably had the hardest time determining which chakra best represented him. I almost went with pleasure, but ultimately, I feel like willpower is the best parallel too Roman.

Roman is easily the most willful of the sides. He is Thomas’s passion, he’s a very emotional character, and he is extremely driven. He makes no secrets of the things he wants--from his own Crofter’s flavor to the role in Psycho Godfather Wars. Though his will has sort of weakened over time, Roman does always fight for what he wants. At the beginning of the series, that was often for Virgil to go away, but as the series has progressed, and more and more of the things that Roman wants become unattainable, we can see his willpower waver. When “Accepting Anxiety” takes place, we see Roman begin to question what he is putting his princely willpower behind. He notices his faults and begins to falter. Then, in the immediately following episodes, “Fitting In” and the “Moving On” episodes, Roman continues to question his decisions. Putting Virgil in Slytherin, trying to call Thomas’s ex, and then in the “12 Days of Christmas” episode, his creations are belittled, which is followed by him being used by Deceit in “Can Lying Be Good?” This is amplified by his later interactions with Logan in “Why Do We Get Out of Bed in the Morning?” and “Crofter’s: The Musical”. He is always the first one to apologize, despite both of them being shown as equally hardheaded throughout the series. I’m sure that there are plenty better, more thought out analyses on Roman’s changing character throughout the series, but essentially it boils down to Roman’s willpower dwindling piece by piece. As he becomes more and more shameful.

Roman has always exhibited a bit of Thomas’s shame, as shown in “My Negative Thinking” when he was out of the conversation because Thomas messed up an audition, or in ��Accepting Anxiety Part 1″ when he is visibly upset by the state of Thomas’s hair on camera. However, Roman’s shameful side is best shown in “Selfishness vs. Selflessness.” Roman is downright ashamed to be associated with Deceit, even though he would rather go to the callback than the wedding. Every time one of the other sides suggests that Roman is siding with Deceit, Roman gets defensive. He sputters and stutters his way through excuses, denying it right up until Deceit directly calls him out for lying. He’s so ashamed of being possibly seen as selfish, or as the bad guy, that he goes as far as to tell Thomas to go to the wedding in the end.

Survival/Fear and Virgil

This is where it gets interesting. Virgil is Thomas’s Anxiety. His fears and worries. As mentioned in the Deceit explanation, the “dark sides” (which, again, is totally arbitrary) are named after the element that blocks their chakra. This name doesn't really mean much, though, because although anxiety and fear are seen as the negative traits, we all know that Virgil encompasses more and has grown from being seen as a “dark side” by Roman, Patton and Logan. In a better light, Virgil is Thomas’s fight or flight survival.

In “Accepting Anxiety” many of the upsides to Virgil as a side are discussed. The point that immediately comes to mind that links Virgil with survival instincts is the bit when Logan throws a laptop at Thomas’s head. Without Virgil, Thomas does not even react to it until it is too late. Without Virgil, Thomas is “Unalert and without his natural defensive reflexes.”

It isn’t until the positive points of his character that align with the survival chakra are pointed out that Virgil is accepted.

Pleasure/Guilt

Here is where we get to unrevealed sides. Since the unrevealed sides are considered “dark sides”, at least by Roman, we can deduce that under this theory they would be named after what blocks the chakra that they represent. Therefore, I believe that the next side revealed will have something to do with Guilt.

(Ok so I know I read a post somewhere where someone suggested Guilt as the next side, but for the life of me I cannot find it, so if you know the post or it was your post, send me a link and I’ll link it here.)

There are many instances throughout the series that Thomas experiences guilt. Not that the character of Thomas is a bad one, or really has concrete reasons to experience this guilt, but he does feel a lot, and sometimes that manifests in guilt. During the second “Moving On” episode, Patton says, “I feel guilty for still feeling this way after so long.” Thomas spends a lot of his time feeling guilty for his feelings, rather than using the nostalgic time in Patton’s room to revisit the pleasure of his memories with his ex, which explains why he would be more likely to have a side centered around the guilt aspect rather than pleasure.

The most overwhelming pieces of evidence for Guilt being a future side comes from “Selfishness vs. Selflessness”. This entire episode centers around, like Deceit said, two things that serve Thomas. Or, more simply, two things that give Thomas pleasure. Looking like a good friend or attending the callback. Since the video, a lot of posts have been circulating detailing why Thomas should have ended up going to the callback instead of the wedding, and although I do believe that a better conclusion could have been reached, I think that a lot of these posts leave out one important thing that is only discussed at the very end of the episode, between Patton and Thomas. Patton describes the reason why Thomas would ultimately feel better going to the wedding as his empathy, but it obviously is not just that, or Thomas would have never truly considered lying to his friends. Sure, he imagines himself in their place, but he could have spoken to them about the callback and arranged another solution. Instead, Thomas’s entire dilemma hinges on his guilt. Thomas would have felt guilty (probably far more than is healthy) if he had missed the wedding, even if he had told the truth to his friends beforehand. So much so that Virgil even sides with Deceit and declares Thomas guilty. The pleasure of going to the callback and possibly getting the role of a lifetime was not even enough to assuage the crushing guilt of going back on a promise and missing his friends’ big day.

Cosmic Energy/Earthly Attachments

For this last chakra, I admit that I do not have a concrete idea. The idea of “Earthly Attachments” is rather vague in ways that it could be applied to a new side. Greed? Gluttony? I can’t see Thomas having an entire side dedicated to either of those, but we’ll just have to wait for new episodes and evidence to appear...

I can't summerize this well enough to write a TLDR, but I do have some final closing statements. The Seven Chakras and the elements that block them have far too many parallels with the sides for me to see this as a coincidence. Heck, both Patton and Virgil’s arcs center around the elements that they encompass that have to do with what blocks the specific chakra I have connected them with. So, maybe Roman’s arc is coming, centering around his growing shame. Maybe Logan’s is next, diving deeper into the illusions he’s letting himself fall for. Or maybe our next side, one defined by Thomas’s Guilt, will be revealed.

Tags of people who expressed interest: @fanders-unite @lazyscouts y'all are great hope this wasn't a disappointment

[robot-unicorn-attack]

CHAPTER 01 - SUPERNOVA

(written by @interluxetumbra)

... CHAPTER 01

The benefit of being a goddess, ergo an immortal being, could supposedly be boundless patience, which Supernova had as a heavenly entity.

Assana, however, as a mere mortal with fraying nerves, did not.

And she was reaching her limit with ruffles.

Standing stock still on a tailor’s stool in the centre of her (low-luxury almost) penthouse apartment, As stood awkwardly as two girls, probably no older than her eldest daughter, flitted about the voluminous skirts of her cloud-like dress for the evening’s event, fitting and tucking and readjusting to an exhaustive point. Experience told her not to move a hair, although these two didn’t seem as vindictive as the old harpy who had once been part of her team when she first started racing. (The vicious older woman – although now that As thought about it, she was probably now the same age as her former dressmaker – never hesitated to stab young Assana with pins if she even dared breathe during a fitting.) Even more awkwardly still was the arm stretched out and away clutching an untouched glass of somesuchsort (she hadn’t been paying attention) pressed into her hand the moment her agents and publicists invaded her home. Whatever current brand of alcohol RISE was courting was likely to be in that cup trying to lure her away while everyone was casually “forgetting” that she would imbibe no such thing these days.

And that bastard Atraxys let her stand there like that, fully aware of her feelings on the matter idly scrolling away on his holopad, his boredom making itself more important than her discomfort.

Blowing away the ruffle closest to her face for the umpteenth time, Assana decided she had had it.

“Okay that’s it, I need some air,” she declared, stepping down from the dais, waving the young stylists away from her as she moved. They looked at her in surprise, near frozen on the spot until Atraxys’ deep baritone flowed from his place on the couch: “Give us the room.” Assana struggled to storm for the kitchen gathering her dress up roughly as the stylists scuttled out, their heels scuffling the floors, and one whispered, “She’s kinda old. Does she like … need a break or something?” as they disappeared out the door.

Biting down to stop herself from screaming in frustration, As dumped the contents of her crystal cup into the sink, rinsed it out, and filled it with cool water. She drained the cup greedily, not realizing how hard her other hand was gripping the edge of the counter until she released, the tension crabbing her hand for a moment. 

“Are we having fun yet?” 

As looked up and gave her manager a withering glare that would never see the outside of that apartment before softening with resign as she took a deep breath.

“It’s just a lot to take in,” she replied. “There’s so much more to wrap my head around - especially all this media and appearance making. The body mods - who’s idea was that?”

“The business is evolving,” Atraxys shrugged.

“But so quickly? I know I retired, but I wasn’t gone that long.” Assana picked up her personal holopad from the counter where it had been abandoned when the stylists descended. “And the fanbase - it spreads much further than I ever thought.” She flipped through open tabs to find what she was looking for. “It used to just be magazines and videos, minor promotional things. But now the collective is filled with pockets of fans talking, arguing, and creating things - all dedicated to their adoration of racers. There’s fan-made art -” She held up the holopad to show him an image of a hyper-stylized version of Supernova and MK II as a goddess and pegasus heading to war against a brilliant sunset sky, other racers somewhat identifiable in the background. “- this looks like it could be a RISE promotion, but it’s not - someone just made it in their home on their own time for their own amusement. There’s even someone who composed an entire symphony - a symphony, Trax - devoted entirely to Flower,” she told him, flicking through saved pages. “You should give it a listen - I actually broke down in tears when I listened to it, the whole thing was so moving and beautiful. It’s unbelievable, the amount of talent and obsession out there in the collective, just being shared between groups of fans.”

Atraxys looked somewhat amused, which was not quite the reaction she had hoped for ... although, if she was honest, she wasn’t sure what she thought his reaction would be.

“Creative expression is quite the highest compliment, especially from other worlders,” he mused, looking over Assana’s shoulders as she flicked through even more. 

“This is nothing, there’s someone who has designed and is selling figurines of all racers, past and present, and they look stunning - I was even tempted to order one.”

“Really? Who? Supernova past?”

“No, gods no.” Assana bit down on her lip to prevent herself from supplying an answer. “The thing is the level of consumption is much bigger than I expected. It’s insane and awing at the same time.”

“It is impressive. But, people will always create devotional items to their idols.”

“True. It’s not just visual art, though.” She looked up from the holopad and grinned lopsidedly. “Have you ever heard of fan-fiction?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spending the past decade on a private spacious estate had not done well to help her re-adjust to the claustrophobic nature of Unicorn City and the celebrity lifestyle. Surrounded by an entire retinue of people she barely recognized, As straightened out her posture, held her head high, and became Supernova as she glided through the front doors of the Neon Demon. Trying not to flinch at the constant flashing of camera drones and her name being shouting over like waves crashing over one another as people tried to touch any small part of her as reverent fingers reached out to touch her, to lovingly graze a fragment of her dress, upturned eyes all eagerly roving her face - or rather the hologrammed amalgamation -  as if the barest contact or look from Supernova would grant them some celestial blessing. Those of her retinue even adjusted their positions ever so slightly, allowing fans through, gently jostling aside only those who overstayed their welcome. She tried not to cringe as hundreds of fingers reached out and sought flesh, not having been touched so much in awe since she had carried Indigo, the sheer memory of the constant onslaught of people touching her pregnant body as if they could draw energy from the extra life she bore repulsed Assana, but Supernova could not feel as such. Although she wanted nothing more than to fold into herself, to shrink away from the awed masses, the most serene and benevolent smile she could summon spread across her lips, eyes meeting with as many worshippers as she could, accepting their devotion and repaying them with nothing but her presence, which would sate them for days. 

This was far worse than the fan-works on the collective - at least those could be separated, the safety of the screen providing a protective barrier. Do you not have real gods to devote to? she wondered, overlooking the zealots with gold painted into their hair, angelic wings painted around their eyes in honour of Supernova’s grand circuit win almost 15 years ago. They called her name like a prayer, brushing her arms as she ascended the dais at the back of the club to join the other gods racers, repressing the desire to find a quiet corner to clean herself off. Instead, her beglittered arms were now smudged with track marks from adoring fingers. She looked quickly over her shoulder to see through the crowds now filling in the space that had been parted for her, a group of younger girls: one held her hand aloft and was crying with hysteric joy as her friends clung to her, all either crying as well or on the verge of some sort of actual ecstasy. They all looked to be Jaina’s age, which would have bothered her more if the girls hadn’t made such a display of tears. 

Things are much different now, everything is in extremes, she thought, turning her focus away from her congregation to the other racers and their entourages. As she passed by some crystal curtains, she spotted Flower sitting on a couch, her ever-present tattooed shadow nearby. It was a relief to see a teammate, almost grounding her after what had happened moments ago, a reminder that it was all a façade. Breaking stride momentarily, she nodded her head and gave a small wave to the younger racer. As she did, Flower spat out her drink - in surprise? Assana flashed a goofy grin before it collapsed back into a goddess’s smile for the people, trying not to reveal an honest personality. Aura was so odd, but endearingly so. Even the fact that she had puked on As during Supernova’s first official outing after the announcement of her comeback hadn’t diminished this feeling. 

Sunbeam, on the other hand, she felt strange being around. Sometimes it seemed like she was looking into a mirror directly linked to the past, like the character of Sunbeam was Supernova in her early years, but almost heightened in a way. She was what Assana had strove to be, the true daughter of Sky World, representative of all the morals and values her people prided themselves on … but she had always felt she failed that image somehow, and now Sunbeam was there as a tangible reminder. She didn’t dislike or begrudge Sunbeam for it, the girl was the embodiment of Sky World values both as a caricature and as herself it seemed, and As didn’t have it in her to hold it against the girl.

Finding herself with yet another drink placed into her hand, Assana settled in to watch the other racers. Snow Princess - or, Snow, rather - was there, listening to an overly animated woman. Diamond eyes caught As staring at her, mid-sip, and As could only nod in acknowledgement to her, the only other racer outside of RISE that she knew from before. As had watched Snow’s reemergence onscreen like most others, wondering what had happened to her in truth, not the Twilight version of it. Snow gave a curt nod in reply before returning to her companion. Assana’s attention drifted between whatever inane conversation was happening around her to the surrounding activities. She spotted Nyx across the dais, her molten eyes blazing like twin suns from the darkness. Assana found it hard to look away, observing the dark girl as she spoke with those around her, as if her eyes had a magnetic quality that meant to pull you in before destroying you. They suddenly turned in her direction, and within seconds As looked away, embarrassed to be staring for too long whether Nyx noticed or not ... someone else probably did.

Masking her embarrassment, she tried to focus on the discussion before her, something about trying to get back a contract with Alix Estelle’s fashion house, one that had been a late sponsor just before Supernova’s retirement, when Glimmer touched her arm lightly, startling Assana. Without speaking, her PA showed her her holopalm, which glowed a soft blue with an incoming call - the kids. Assana took the holopalm and turned to leave, pausing only when Atraxys snagged her arm.

“You’re not leaving right now, are you?” he asked, golden eyes glowing with disapproval. Assana pulled her arm out of his reach. 

“I am. You’ve got a handle on this,” she replied dismissively. She tore away from the group, seeking a quieter space to take the call, heart racing, worrying that Draca would have something to say if she missed it, worrying that her children might be disappointed in her for not talking to them. Desperate anxiety carried her to a small corridor near the bathrooms, the music muffling slightly as she rounded the corner. Frantic, she punched in the call while tucking herself into a tight alcove and fumbling with the switch for her holocollar (she couldn't bear to have them see that face). Immediately the crowded faces of her three children appeared, a faint blu-ish pallor to them from the holographic light as they excitedly shouted their hellos.

“Mummy, you look so pretty!” cooed Indigo, his face growing larger as he leaned closer, inspecting the screen back home.

“Thank you, baby,” As replied, trying not to cry with relief at seeing their faces. “Did you guys have a good day? Jain - how was your first day at the Lyceum? Indi, sweetheart, can you move back, your sisters can’t see … Xan - what’s that, did you paint that?”

Assana grinned broadly, laughing with them as they recounted their days and doled out advice when needed. You could call her a lot of things, but As would be damned if anyone tried to say she wasn’t present - or as present as she could be while off-world. Making sure she spoke to her kids every night was the most important thing in her life and no amount of public appearances was going to stop her. 

“Mum - where are you?” asked Jaina, cutting through Indigo and Xanthippe chattering about something trivial between the two of them.

“Um, just a club, it’s a promotional thing.”

“Mum.”

“I know, I know! But I can take a break to call you guys, it’s not a big deal.”

“You sure?”

“Of course! Anyway, I’d rather be back home with you guys.” Assana immediately clamped her mouth shut, realizing her mistake. The happy chattering stopped immediately as the three faces sobered.

“I wish you were here too, mummy,” replied Indigo. “Mom can’t sing me to sleep like you could.”

“Mom can’t sing - it’s pure torture listening to it,” quipped Xanthippe. 

“Mom’s trying, and that’s the main thing,” As replied, fighting down a smile. Draca was probably the most tone-deaf person in the galaxy, but it had never stopped her before. “I love you all, and I’d be there if I could. Maybe in a couple weeks we can ask mom if you guys can come for a visit - how’s that sound?” The holograms erupted with excited chattering before they exchanged farewells and good-nights, the hologram fizzling out as the call ended. The sudden silence in the hall was deafening and isolating. It was her own fault, this exile, she knew. Scuffling a few stray tears out of her eyes without a care for her make-up, Assana straightened up, forced her mind clear, and breezed back out into the main hall of the club, the pulsing music dragging her back in.

Taglist: @ayzrules @bebemoon @jay-swagsby @filthysoulls @shiftyprincess @kzombi3 @now-on-elissastillstands 

[bladekindeyewear]

Boots Reads Homestuck Epilogue(s) Part 14 - Candy Page 27

==>

Alright, back from a brief excursion.  I really, REALLY wanna fucking finish this.  I want to see ROXY UNZOMBIFIED goddamnit, or at least get a REASON for her zombification, even if it’s just some Dirk-like villain who just cliffhangers himself away like a fucking asshole.

Also, comment on John’s whole rant... I guess John DID kind of want to be important.  Or... well, not “important” per se, but rather at least impactful in his friends’ lives.  It feels like they’re all walking dead through their own unsolved problems, trying to put on a pretty face, and nothing he tries to do matters, even attempted kidnapping.  He feels as useless as Dirk THINKS he is, but he never really was.  Gosh, I wish he’d pulled off that absurd kidnapping.  Freeing people from this sort of thing is supposed to kind of be his jam?

Okay, reading the new page.

FUCK.  TEN YEARS???????

Pff, John’s kid and sorta!Vriska.  Yeah I can buy that.

Also I love how they type out “Harry Anderson” every single time as his full first goddamn name.

--God damnit, how is Gamzee still fucking things up ten years later?  Hasn’t someone considered killing him?

Karkat and Meenah, also unsurprising.  Too bad Dave has to die unsatisfied.  >:(

Hm... this sorta!Vriska also has a weird Capitalization Quirk for Important Words, huh?  --Oh right, Kanaya raised her.  That might do it.

Hm, eyepatch?

Alright, the world’s falling into chaos.  Did the world HAVE to fucking fall into chaos in BOTH TIMELINES where these supposedly-went-through-a-successful-journey heroes managed to eek out victory despite opposing reality’s greatest tyrant?  Pfuh.

--and right.  Alt!Callie reinforces the idea that even though this possibility “wasn’t canon” -- which... means Meat is?? D: -- that the lives within still matter when looked at within their own bubble.

JADE: while abstracted heavily, and fully freed from all forces of narrative gravity, these events still represent possibilities that slept within the hearts of all who reside here.

Mhmm, part of an extension of themselves, their uniqueness, their hopes and dreams and... whatever WHOEVER did to fuck Roxy over.  Jesus DICK what’s happened to her I need to know you’d better fix this.

And somewhere within that mess, John Egbert is the best man at Jade and Dave’s wedding. He lasts nearly two hours before he gets a ruinous case of the sniffles.

Maybe they worked it out into ALMOST full mutual love?  Even if Dave’s 70% gayness goes totally unsatisfied?  I mean, I can hope, right?  :(

Dammit, Jade, couldn’t you have done this properly?  :C

and everyone knows that John has lost his family to Jane Crocker.

What the shit?!???

What drove Roxy away was him being depressed and just an all-around huge wet blanket who was impossible to live with. John is totally ready to own the fact that he was a bad husband, but maybe not the fact that he was a bad enough husband to drive his wife to passively support a brewing genocidal dictatorship. She looks happier, though, whenever he’s caught sight of her behind Jane—Calliope faithfully at her side—in any of the propaganda broadcasts that Jane passes off as business press conferences. By the time Roxy finally cut things off between them, he hadn’t personally seen her smile in years.

WHAT.  THE.  SHIT.

WHY DID ROXY DO ALL THIS THEN.  WHY DID SHE OF ALL PEOPLE, ONE OF THE MOST FORCEFUL AND SMART AND COOL--- GUHHH SHE JUST VOIDED HER WILL JUST OUT OF OBLIGATION TO JOHN OR SOMETHING?????????? WHAT THE FUCK WHYYYYYYY

Characters choke.  Characters make bad decisions.  That’s fair.  Andrew’s said that before.  But John was VISIBLY RECOGNIZING HOW OUT OF CHARACTER ROXY WAS ACTING.  WHYYYYYYYYY DID IT HAPPEN, WHY SUDDENLY DECADES OF MISHANDLED RELATIONSHIP WITH ABSOLUTELY NOBODY POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS WHAT THE FUCK.  AND ROXY WAS THE ONE WHO STARTED IT AND PUSHED INTO JOHN UNTIL HE ACCEPTED.  WHY.

WHY.

Read.  Calm down.  Read.  There had better be.  A FUCKING.  ANSWER.

Hi military rebellion leader Karkat.

KARKAT: OH MY GOD JOHN, STOP BEING SO FUCKING PATHETIC FOR JUST A MINUTE. COULD YOU DO THAT FOR ME? JOHN: i don’t know. that’s a pretty big favor you’re asking me there, karkat.

heheh

JOHN: i dunno. it doesn’t seem responsible, really... to dedicate my life to something so important when i’m in a place where i can’t even find the energy to think that getting out of bed in the morning is “important.”

Depression stuff, yeah.

John really needs a psychologist who isn’t just Rose.

pff, yifftrain.

That’s how the years pass. Faster and faster the longer it goes. 

What.  The.  Fuck.

We’re not going to get any answers are we.  Roxy just acted out of character for no reason, didn’t she.  This is-- no, Andrew’s too GOOD at this for that to-- I mean--  is there a big answer he’s just not telling us-- FUCK!!!!  D:

AAAAAAAA

This sucks.  This sucks this sucks this SUCKS.  But I’ll keep reading.  I have to know.  If I’m ever going to be able to stand, like, i dunno... homestuck rp i guess? i should probably keep reading.  and hope i recover.  eventually.

But that’s only part of it. Above this Earth, the dead cherub is still meditating, waiting for the day when she can have her own heroic apotheosis. Waiting for the day when she can confront the one she calls the Prince. And on this Earth, John is just waiting for the day that feeling finally stops. That feeling that he’s still waiting for something, and the even worse feeling that years ago, he missed his only chance to put an end to it. If you stand on a very high hill at dawn, you can watch your shadow move in an arc around you.

Yeah, reinforcing that John would be happier in the timeline where he did something and -- at least temporarily, since there’s hope of future revival -- “died” because of it, even if he wasn’t clear on why what he was trying to do even really mattered in the whole scheme of things.

...which is pretty weird when you consider the ending of Homestuck didn’t try to express that messa-- no, wait.  I guess it did?

Yes, everyone went to the post-victory planet to live out indefinite lives, but there WAS still the stage play.  Proving that John, at least, WOULD eventually step outside the happy ending to instead risk his life doing something important.  They earned both possibilities, really, to choose from at their will.

...Aren’t there another dozen pages or so left in this Candy segment, though??  Are we gonna follow their kids or something?

==>

...Okay so stuff still needs to happen here, plotways.  Good.  I think.

A flash above the clouds catches John’s attention: another ghost, falling down from wherever it is they come from. John follows after the light with an exhausted sigh. The novelty of dead trolls falling from the sky has really worn off over the years. But he might as well go warn the new arrival that they’ve landed in the middle of an imminent warzone. He sets down at the edge of the crater and peers through the smoke.

He recognizes the ghost immediately, because he sees a younger version of her almost every day.

JOHN: vriska?

Vriska’s face snaps up, eyes blazing. Eyes. Actual eyes, with expression, color, pupils, and everything.

JOHN: wait. you’re... JOHN: alive??

PFFFFFFhahahahah!

That’s pretty hilarious.  Vriska fell into the singularity and popped out here.

...Yeah, you can’t stand having missed the most “important” bit, can you.  Too bad.  You didn’t have the spotlight in the end.

==>

JADE: it is the one i have been waiting for all these years. JADE: we have run along parallel lines for what may as well be eternity, but my gravitational well has finally ensnared him. JADE: and now he is due to fall into this world.

Uhh, who?  Davebot or something, from the postscript?  Couldn’t be Gamzee, unless it’s, like... a different Gamzee.

“Chaos war”?  That’s a dramatic title.

==>

Hmm, reading reading...

Will Dad’s passing knock any sense into you?  Probably not.

...yeah, it wasn’t going to be that easy, was it?

Of course.  Of course Dad died saving the President.

Although, she’s going to assign fault to Karkat and then want to start a full bloody war over it, so, the opposite of having sense knocked into her then.

JANE: UGH! JANE: That... that fool!! JANE: I can’t believe that he would do this! JANE: How could he do this to me!?! JAKE: Janey... JANE: The human president could be anyone! JANE: My dad can’t be anyone but him!

Jane, you’ve become a real asshole.  :(

...Fuck you Gamzee.

GAMZEE: hEy. GAMZEE: Do YoU tHiNk ThAt MiGhT bE a BiT mOtHeRfUcKinG xEnOpHoBiC?

PFFFFHAHAHAHAHAAHAHhhh oh my GOD :’D

JANE: What? You think appealing to me with your disgusting little addiction is going to sway me?

Oh Jesus Christ that’s horrifying.  THAT’s what’s been going on.  I don’t want to visualize it, dear lord.

==>

Hahahah, catching Vriska up.  She’s practically curling up in a ball like Squidward in future shock.

PFFF PUTTING PARENS AROUND HER NAME SHE CAN’T STAND BEING IRRELEVANTIZED LIKE THAT

JOHN: i was supposed to go fight lord english, but i didn’t. so now we’ve gone beyond, like, the event horizon of canon. (VRISKA): What the fuck does that even MEAN????????

Wait, shouldn’t YOU know exactly what that means, Vriska?  Like, better than most people at least?

JOHN: all i know is that all of this is my fault.

:(

JOHN: it’s been turning around in my head like this for a while. i thought... JOHN: why does everything here fucking SUCK so much? JOHN: how the hell did we even make it from point A to point festering clusterfuck? JOHN: it doesn’t follow any kind of logic i understand, or any sort of basic sense i have about who we are as people... JOHN: and why? why have we all ended up so unhappy and... twisted up?

Yeah, a BUNCH of people have acted really goddamn out of character and it’s unclear why.

JOHN: i got everything i wanted. everyone got what they— JOHN: what i thought they wanted. JOHN: and that’s just it, isn’t it? JOHN: the more i think about it, i’m the only factor that matters to anything.

--What?!?  No!!!  You could SEE that this wasn’t what you thought they wanted right from the get-go.  It couldn’t have been YOUR imagination that this realm of alternative possibility was drawn from, could it?  D:

JOHN: whatever i did, or didn’t do, just... destroyed reality’s ability to, like, substantiate itself, or whatever. JOHN: like there’s a bug in the operating system of whatever force in this world that regulates cause and effect. JOHN: everything’s been unraveling. nothing that happens makes sense anymore. JOHN: and now i’m the only person out here who’s even real at all! JOHN: hahahaha.

That’s certainly an idea at least, that people started acting out of character as we went further from “canon”.  In fact, it’s kind of a slam at fanfics, maybe?  Acknowledging that they distort the characters by understanding them in different ways, sometimes, and.. hm.

(VRISKA): Hahahahahahahaha... Wow, I’ve never seen a guy get his 8ulge all the way down his own swallow chute 8efore! JOHN: wait, what? (VRISKA): Good fuck. Do you actually think reality gives that much of a shit a8out you? (VRISKA): Get real, Eg8ert. (VRISKA): It’s not like you’re me. JOHN: ok, well. JOHN: that’s fair i guess.

Heheheh.  ...Yeah, Vriska might pep talk him out of this self-deprecating theory of his.  Besides, I mean... is that the ONLY cause for this whole fucking situation?  That Roxy’s will got eroded to nothing arbitrarily either at random in a glitching non-canon timeline or because John kind of maybe thought something was going to happen and reality decided to run with it??

...heheh, “batterpanzers”.

I’m pretty sure caring what “c8non” is supposed to be is EXACTLY the thing you’re freaking out about, Vriska, whether you realize it or not.

Oooh, Gamzee.  Do we get to see Vriska kill him?

Yeaaah... redemption ain’t for THIS sp8der.  The ghost version of Vriska got the closest thing to redemption she’ll ever get; THIS version never learned any damn lessons and is not going to accept that she ever NEEDS to.  Also, you said her name in relevance-reducing parentheses.  Bad move.

==>

Yaaaay here’s the bunch of indigo blood we were promised!! :D

Where’s the nudity though? Maybe that’s coming.

He yowls as if he had actual testicles to be mauled, and for all anyone knows, maybe he really does.

It’s reassuring to see that while Andrew is more than willing to give us WAY too much genital detail in some cases throughout this epilogue, he still knows how to deftly exploit the parts of anatomy that still AREN’T explicitly characterized and remain intentionally vague for their impactful resulting humor.  :)

She lunges at Gamzee’s catastrophic face lips-first, and practically dives into his mouth, ramming her tongue into his

NOOO FUCK HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE AAAAAA D’:

FUCK  :(

Okay, back on to anything but this.

==>

Oh shit, double Vriska.  This might be bad.

...Phew.  Nice save, John.

JOHN: ha ha. yeah, right. because this is real life, right? JOHN: i guess reading narrative relevance into a bunch of dumb and totally random events is kind of lame and childish. ROSE: No, that isn’t what I meant at all. ROSE: By all means, apply a narrative to our lives. Up until a certain point, it would have been perfectly accurate to do so. ROSE: But not anymore. JOHN: because... it’s not canon, right? ROSE: Do you remember what I told you years ago? About the three pillars of canon?

Wuh-oh.

ROSE: As I explained to you on that morning sixteen years ago, there are three critical features of canon: essentiality, relevance, and truth. JOHN: yeah. ROSE: We have been untethered from the mooring of “truth” for some time now. ROSE: So while we, in our subjective experiences of conscious perception, feel in this moment that we have known each other for a very long time, technically it’s not true at all.

...Okay.  Okay.

So.  Were, like.

Roxy and Calliope affected by the, like... “untruth wave” of his choice not to go the hardest, because he made it in their vicinity?  And that turned Roxy into a hypnozombie with minimal apparent free will? :C

...Oh wow.  She’s thanking John that she got a chance to be happy in this side timeline, even if so many other people suffered.  Because of the fucking hell Dirk was about to unleash on her in the Meat timeline.  Fuck.

ROSE: In the silly wizard story I wrote when I was a child, ROSE: The realm most comparable to heaven existed in a state of subliminal conditionality, dependent on the inscience of the individual experiencing it. ROSE: Which is to say that it would cease to exist the moment you realized what it was. ROSE: And so, those with knowledge could never truly be happy.

Oh wow, huh.  Yeah, knowing you’re just in a fanfic kind of screws your appreciation for life around you, huh.  So John got fucked over a bit by his metatextual awareness.  :(

And... Rose was, like, cut off by his choice from her own metatextual awakening, maybe?  Hence her ability to appreciate a life somewhere disconnected from anything “canon”?

ROSE: But that isn’t me anymore. ROSE: I am blind against the veil of this world. ROSE: It’s all ambrosia to me. ROSE: I don’t care if it’s not true. I care even less if it’s not canon. ROSE: I have a beautiful wife who I love more than I thought possible, and a daughter who I am immeasurably proud of. ROSE: It can all be senseless, ephemeral noise that dissolves in the void. A whisper swept up by the wind before it’s uttered. ROSE: I’m still grateful to have felt this way.

:’)

Alright, this might be a pretty good way of accepting their potential happiness in different timelines as a potential substitute for Dirk’s mess.  I’m not sure HOW well I’ll be able to internalize it to stop the stomach cramps, but we’ll see.

We still have a little bit more left, though.  Next post.

[chirrutbaze]

The Postmodern Jedi

As of January 7, 2018. Written after two viewings of The Last Jedi.

(word count: 2700 words)

PART I. What Does "Postmodern” Even Mean?

Simply put, post-modernism is a formal way of saying “edginess”. This Reddit post does a fair job of explaining the movement, but it’s pretty long. To summarize, post-modern authors and artists maintain that morality is entirely relative and grey, and that post-modernism is about defying expectations and tropes and playing beyond the standard ball court.

For example, A Song of Ice And Fire (Game of Thrones), with its extreme violence, squiggly morality, and unhappy endings, is post-modern fantasy when compared to The Lord of the Rings, which represents traditional fantasy with its happy endings and clearly defined morality.

Or: That guy over there in the fedora, scrolling through Reddit in front of his shelf of Alan Moore comics, fancy bongs, and vinyl discs? He probably thinks he’s better than you because he’s been enlightened by post-modernism.

But post-modernism can also be fun, tongue-in-cheek stuff -- like Shrek, which mocks its genre and defies expectations at every turn. So it’s not all dark, gritty, angsty dudebro-fodder.

PART II. Rian Johnson Killed Star Wars and Lucasfilm is Rewarding Him For It

(Continued below the cut.)

“Where does Star Wars fit into all of this?” is a great question, but I’d first like to give a couple more examples of post-modernism.

Remember when Batman got a makeover and the critics and audience went gaga for it?

And then we got a major influx of this...

...until the final, crown jewel,

(No offense, BvS. You were a fun movie. :))

Alan Moore (and Dave Gibbons) had started it with Watchmen, a graphic novel that presents superheroes as flawed, broken people with overblown egos. The comic takes the medium’s traditional bright colors and warps them into extreme violence and disturbing imagery. The ending (spoiler alert) is not a happy one, leaving the reader with a moral dilemma and a headache. It is all VERY postmodern.

Unfortunately, a lot of the above nuances disappear in “gritty reboots” and become more like White Murder Boy Is Now Sympathetic or How Many People To Dress In Black Until Edgy?? These movies are watered down versions of postmodernism.

Still, it had all eventually become too exhausting for the casual movie-goer, and now the film subgenre of “gritty reboot” is mocked to no end. (Ex: “WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME??”) People would rather play it safe with Marvel’s recycled storyline and Wonder Woman’s bright colors and cheerful message.

But back to Star Wars.

Star Wars has always fallen in The Lord of the Rings’ nook as traditional fantasy. Luke Skywalker, the Good Guy, needs to save the galaxy from Darth Vader, the Bad Guy. There's no blurred lines. Luke may be tempted by the Dark, and Darth Vader may be brought to the Light, but in the end there's only a Good-Evil binary.

The prequels -- though “grittier” in the sense that the protagonist, Anakin, turns evil -- are restricted to the same binary. Obi Wan is Good, Palpatine is Bad, and Anakin goes from Good to Bad. Anakin’s motive may have started as well-meant (wanting to save his loved ones), but even that gets twisted into, “From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!” He isn’t afforded any greyspace. As soon as he chooses Bad, he commits atrocities (killing the younglings and murdering the Separatist leaders) and loses trust in Padmé and Obi Wan, his concrete links to the Light side. The audience can no longer afford him any sympathy.

Star Wars has always maintained that there can only be Good or Bad, and that there is no in between. The Force Awakens continued this trend: the First Order has very clear fascist parallels, and Han Solo and the Resistance are seen as heroic forces.

Rian Johnson wanted to break free of this constrained morality. He gives the heroes obvious flaws to the point that they have disastrous consequences. He acts sympathetically toward the villains. He shatters the audience’s rose-tinted glasses.

But he did it without the gritty, grey filter or gore or ‘moral dilemma’ that characterize films like Snow White and the Huntsman and Batman v Superman. There’s a sense of edginess without any of the background recycled gloominess. Johnson even ends his story on a high, hopeful note -- “That’s how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”

So, in the end, Lucasfilm and Disney got an edgy, “refreshing” blockbuster that’s guaranteed to bring in box office sales and excellent critic reception, because all good critics love an edgy story. It’s a win-win situation for them.

PART III. What Exactly Did Rian Johnson Do?

Listicle time!

1. Johnson made a Marvel movie disguised as a Star Wars episode.

This isn’t really evident of postmodernism, but it’s something that adds to TLJ’s “sell-able” nature. The quips left and right, the over the top action scenes, the bright colors, the quick pace, a villain that’s essentially just the evil version of the protagonist -- welcome to the MCU. And The Last Jedi.

The jokes were fun at first, but Star Wars has never been one for throwaway humor. Yet the movie is chock-full of jokes that more take the audience out of the “zone” than add to the film. Weird moments like Shirtless Kylo Ren and Luke’s Green Milk have become memes, Luke and Rey’s serious exchange was severely reduced by the Jakku joke, and Luke tickles Rey with the grass when she’s supposed to be training. Compared to the previous films, none of it feels organic.

The action scenes, too, have changed. The original series with Luke and Vader was very limited by the effects of its times, and then the prequels overcompensated. The sequel trilogy promised to be better than its predecessors, with an amazing fight scene between Rey and Kylo Ren on Starkiller Base that looked like it could’ve been choreographed by Donnie Yen himself. But The Last Jedi’s fight between Luke and Kylo Ren regresses back to something out of the prequel trilogy. Was the slow-motion really necessary, Rian Johnson? And Kylo Ren and Rey’s fight in the throne room is over the top and busy, simply showing off how many “cool moves” Lucasfilm could think of to stuff in one scene.

The cluttered action clashes with movie's bright colors and quick pacing. Still, the latter characteristics are not so much of a problem with Johnson’s Star Wars as they are characteristics of most blockbusters these days. It’s forgivable.

But Johnson does have a problem in that he simply reduces his villain to the evil version of his protagonist. He kills off Snoke and establishes “Supreme Leader Ren” as the new big antagonist. Kylo Ren, however, is just what Rey would be if she goes dark. This is evidenced when Luke comments, “I’ve seen this raw strength only once before. It didn’t scare me enough then, but it does now.” He’s talking about Kylo Ren (Ben Solo). 

Kylo Ren rejects the idea of family while Rey craves it. Kylo Ren is tempted by the Dark side and is absorbed into it while Rey is tempted and rejects it. Kylo Ren wants to destroy his past while Rey chases after hers. They’re explicit inverses, seen especially when Rey calls his lightsaber to her in Snoke’s throne room and then the two fight back to back. Even on the movie poster, they're in ying-yang positions.

Of course, this Marvel-esque approach is great for Disney. It works for the MCU, after all. All of their films have been box office successes, and the hype for Infinity War is massive.

2. Johnson gave his heroes flaws and his villains reasons.

This is the postmodern (“edgy”, “gritty reboot”) aspect of TLJ: Johnson introduces grey morality into the Star Wars universe not by proposing a moral dilemma (hello, Joker from The Dark Knight) but by giving his characters crippling flaws.

→ Finn’s flaws were explored in the first movie -- he prefers running away from his problems instead of facing them, and his compassion for his friends (Rey, Poe) outweighs his loyalty to a cause (prioritizing saving Rey over a real plan to take down Starkiller). This is not a bad thing. And it’s only been a couple of days (or hours?) since the fall of Starkiller Base; Finn can’t be expected to overcome his previous motivations in that time. Johnson was not out of line for continuing Finn’s moral arc (trying to leave the Resistance to look for Rey at the start of TLJ).

However, he also adds a strange element of aggression to Finn’s character. Suddenly, he’s done with trying to run away and throws himself into sudden action when he tries to take out the First Order’s battering cannon. It’s never really explained (with all the Canto Bight sequences mostly focusing on Rose’s reactions) but it’s the only true action with impact on the narrative that Finn takes.

→ Rey’s TFA flaws are also taken into TLJ. She’s very trusting -- too trusting. Rey waits for her parents to return to Jakku, even though they likely never will; she immediately takes to Finn when he fibs that he’s in the Resistance; and she immediately warms up to Han Solo, a known smuggler. (Admittedly, it’s a strange characteristic for a scavenger living on the unforgiving Jakku, but that’s another argument entirely.) Her naivety has no consequences in TFA, but it does in TLJ.

By trusting too easily and going to Kylo Ren, she's played into exactly what he wants. He uses her to defeat Snoke and the Praetorian Guards so that he can instate himself as the new Supreme Leader. Her going to Kylo Ren does more bad than good.

→ Poe is a small character in TFA, but he’s given more personality in TLJ. We now see him as a brash pilot who, although intelligent and capable, is too quick to take action.

Ultimately, his unwillingness to step in line with his superiors -- who are also at fault for withholding vital information -- leads to the crumbling of the Resistance.

→ Luke Skywalker’s flaws were the most difficult for the fanbase to accept. It’s not like he’s ever been perfect -- his entire journey in the original series is his bildungsroman, or his coming of age. He matures from an impatient farmboy to a competent Jedi knight, though he still maintains his compassion and will to do good from the start. But Johnson introduces a new Achilles heel: Luke is like Finn in that he wants to avoid rather than confront.

Luke’s absence allows the First Order to rise to power more easily. Instead of trying to make amends with Kylo Ren, he retreats to a remote island planet. Luke recognizes the problem -- his own hubris, another main fault of his -- but he doesn't try to make reparations. He's chosen the easy route instead of the right one.

→ Kylo Ren was the character who got the most attention this film. While he’s a pretty flat character in TFA -- his main actions include killing people and looking scary -- he also appears to be torn between the Light side and the Dark side. Until he commits patricide, that is.

Johnson takes this dark, helmeted figure and gives him a 'tragic backstory’. We know that Snoke has been messing with him since a young age in TFA, but now we see Snoke use abusive, humiliating language against him in TLJ. (This ultimately turns Kylo Ren against Snoke instead of keeping him under his heel.) However, it seems that Luke briefly considering killing Ben Solo was the cataclysm for Kylo Ren’s existence. All of this works to explain Kylo Ren’s actions -- and it allows the audience some sympathy.

3. Johnson created DJ the Codebreaker. Oh, yeah, and Canto Bight.

Remember Benicio del Toro's character? His name's DJ. Do you know what DJ stands for?

Don't Join.

Rian Johnson couldn't be more obvious if he put up a billboard with neon lights and a stereo blaring “The Imperial March”. He wants the audience to get his “edgy” message -- that maybe the good guys and bad guys are both the problem.

DJ works for neither the Resistance nor the First Order. He’s found on Canto Bight, a place that fuels the intergalactic war (Star Wars) by continuously selling weapons to both sides. Furthermore, DJ first promises to help the Resistance (Rose and Finn) before betraying them to the First Order to save himself. He plays both sides of the field and therefore neither.

Johnson also hints at his “grey” view of the Star Wars universe through Luke, who declares that “the Jedi must come to an end”. Luke acknowledges the arrogance of the Jedi Council (which is better explored in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars series than in the prequel trilogy) and of himself, lamenting how it'd blinded him and his forefathers.

Frankly put, Johnson had a goal -- to show that Star Wars’ heroes are no longer infallible, and that their universe (and the Force) isn't black and white.

PART IV. Why Fandom Refuses to Accept TLJ

I’ll be brief: Rian Johnson is not a good writer.

For example, let's go back to Kylo Ren. He's not really supposed to be a Sympathetic White Murder Boy. By the end of the film, it’s explicit that he's more unstable and irredeemable than ever. And yet there's still this prevalent delusion that he's going to pull a Darth Vader and/or end up with Rey, returning to “Ben Solo”. His terrible actions towards Rey are completely ignored. If you take a look at that linked post, all of the bullet points listed should have been concretely evident in the film, but weren’t. It took an analytical post on the Internet to get there.

Was that weird enough? Nope. Let’s go weirder.

There were, strangely enough, two articles released about how terrible of a character Poe was by Buzzfeed and Vanity Fair because he was a “mansplainer” who refused to listen to a woman in command. For this, TLJ was praised as a “feminist” film.

However, the woman in command should be held at fault. Vice Admiral Holdo purposely withholds critical information from the other Resistance fighters, expecting blind faith in her desperate gamble of a plan. Kaydel Ko Connix (portrayed by Billie Lourd) is seen to be working on the bridge with Holdo, yet she joins Poe’s mutiny because even she, working right there with Holdo, has no idea of what’s to come.

So why is only Poe being held accountable for the fall of the Resistance? Because he never gets a redemptive moment. Sure, he calls his fighters back on Crait, but it’s so small and almost seems to carry a sense of regret. Finn and Rose’s moment, only seconds later, easily outweighs it. On the other hand, Holdo lightspeeds straight through Snoke’s flagship in some of the best special effects to grace the big screen.

Let’s talk about Rose Tico, too. A lot of fans were really excited about her character, especially Kelly Marie Tran, the actress herself. But her role in Canto Bight was originally supposed to be that of Poe Dameron’s. It would’ve been more in line with what we’ve seen so far of Poe Dameron. Even though he had a small role in TFA, his character is much more fleshed out in the comics. This small excerpt already proves him to not be the hot-headed pilot Rian Johnson has made him out to be. Having Poe expose Finn to Canto Bight would’ve been a great way to rectify Poe’s character, in a sense.

Rose herself comes off as flat. The film claims that she has a deep bond with her sister, but they never interact and it’s not concretely shown, just assumed. Rose has no development over the course of the film. She just exists to better Finn (as evidenced by the comicbook article) -- and while Finn is a fantastic character who was severely undervalued in TLJ, that’s still a dangerous position for a female character to be allocated to.

This is all evidence of not-that-great writing. There’s a reason why the audience’s Rotten Tomatoes score is at 50% and the critics’ score is at 90%. I doubt the bots were the only reason why the audience score is pulled so low.

In addition, grey morality within the Star Wars universe has been explored before in their television shows (Dave Filoni’s The Clone Wars and Rebels) and in Rogue One (“We’ve all done terrible things on behalf of the Rebellion”), so it’s actually… not revolutionary. 

And these works have still stayed true to Star Wars in a way that The Last Jedi falls short of.

[freedom-of-fanfic]

I can't for the life of me understand the weird overlap between ace discoursers and kink discoursers on Tumblr. It makes sense with homophobic Christians, but not on a place like Tumblr fandom. How do discoursers put these together, rhetorical styles aside?

What a good question.  Let me see if I can explain my understanding of this in less than a 10K-word essay for once.

A one-sentence summary of the overlap would be kinky people and ace people are both seen as invaders of LGBT spaces. (I’ll be using ‘LGBT’ as opposed to ‘LGBT+/queer’ to refer to non-straight/non-cis spaces that exclude people who identify as queer.)

This concept that kink communities and ace people are suddenly trying to get in on the LGBT fun is ahistorical.  Having a kink doesn’t make you queer, but kink communities have long been a haven for LGBT+/queer people and have many non-straight/non-cis people in their clubs, bars, and communities. they provide good spaces for questioning people to explore their sexual/romantic interests.  And ace people, frequently identifying themselves as bisexual as the ace identity was so invisible, have long been part of LGBT+/queer communities. 

However, this is how exclusionists perceive them. They see kinky people and ace people as kind of like flip sides of a coin, so the talking points for each group are strikingly similar:

kinky people & ace/aro people don’t experience social stigma or harm for being kinky/ace. ‘nobody cares about your sex life,’ exclusionists scoff, while simultaneously caring a lot about their sex lives. (This is predicated on misunderstanding ace identities as being synonymous with celibacy or sex-repulsion. In reality, asexuality is simply not experiencing sexual attraction to others.) In reality, both kinky people and ace/aro people experience lots of social stigma, and ace people are sometimes singled out for harm because of their identity.

kinky people & ace/aro people can both be ‘cishet’, so they do not belong in LGBT spaces. kinky people may be only attracted to the ‘opposite’ gender & identify with their birth-designated sex & gender. ace people may be only romantically interested in people of the ‘opposite’ gender and identify with their birth-designated sex & gender. Because some ace/kinky people are like this, all kinky people and all ace people are either outright excluded or carefully screened for the proper qualifications to be LGBT.

kink communities and ace/aro communities create alternative spaces where ‘real’ LGBT people are encouraged to deny their true identity.  to ensure LGBT people are forced to come to terms with their true identity, the communities they hide in must be kept distinct from LGBT spaces. This is ironic because kinky spaces have long provided a space for questioning people to explore non-straight or non-cis experiences without being forced to immediately ‘choose a side’, and ace communities are frequently very encouraging of people to move in and out of the identity as they discover themselves.

the fresh rise of purity culture in the US through a combination of factors causing ’abnormal’ sexual acts and ’abnormal’ sexual desire to be perceived as  forbidden, scary, and dirty in a way it wasn’t for a decade or two has had its own weird part to play in this. (Though ‘abnormal’ no longer always includes monogamous cis mlm and wlw the way it used to.) the tl;dr version is ace people are overly prudish and kinky people are overly sexual rather than staying between the Acceptable Sexual Interests/Displays boundaries.

sexual myth 1: ace/aros think LGBT people are disgusting for wanting sexual relationships but want to be in the LGBT Cool Club anyway. through a combination of factors including but not limited to misunderstandings of what asexuality is, some ace people making bigoted or unthinking statements that have been virally spread, and the pure/prude dichotomy of being perceived as sexually abstinent (sex is dirty, but not wanting sex is inhuman), ace-identifying people have a reputation for looking down on and disdaining LGBT people for being ‘dirty allos’ while simultaneously wanting in on the ‘special’ status of LGBT circles. This is a weirdly self-contradictory myth - why would you want to be part of a community with people you despise? - but there you are.

sexual myth 2: suggesting a minor may be asexual is inappropriately sexualizing them. asexuality is the realization of an absence of sexual desire, which can make it hard to identify. some people argue that implying a minor can identify as asexual is inappropriate. Minors aren’t yet sexually aware enough of themselves to make that assessment. If a minor thinks they might be asexual, it’s more likely they just haven’t matured enough to have sexual interest.  In reality, a minor might already know - and if not, they are always free to identify differently later.

sexual myth 3: kink communities are entirely made up of sexual abusers and their self-deluded prey. In this reductive and mistaken view, all kinky relationships are abusive. clg and ddlg are indistinguishable from csa, bdsm is physical abuse, pet play is beastiality … and you’ve exhausted the concepts of ‘kink’ that most anti-kink people have. LGBT circles aren��t safe spaces for these abusers!  But in reality kink is much more broad than these circles and when handled and negotiated correctly, clg/ddlg/bdsm/etc are enjoyable and safe for all participants.

sexual myth 4: public LGBT+/queer demonstrations, parades, etc should always be child-friendly/safe spaces, so kink is unwelcome. ace/aro people are too prudish for LGBT communities, but kinky people are too flamboyant. the example I see over and over again is ‘imagine a kid going to a pride parade and seeing a guy on a leash and collar crawling around on all fours. How will you explain that to them!?’ This shows some severe lack of awareness of how nsfw Pride demonstrations could once get!  But when you take away the alarmist ‘think of the children!’ language, it’s clearly a game of respectability politics - specifically, Pride making itself respectable to the straight, cis(, non-kinky) majority. A kinky mlm couple - while gay, and clearly LGBT - would not find it is acceptable to be kinky in a public Pride space anymore because the image of Pride has cleaned up. 

All this care about how sexuality is expressed in LGBT+/queer spaces is because in its most mainstream form, Pride is no longer presented as counter-culture. Pride displays are more often aimed at ‘we’re just like you [cishets]!’ acceptability now, rather than the sometimes vulgar displays demanding recognition that they exist (and aren’t going away).

(This is also why shedding the ‘queer’ label is important. ‘Queer’ has come to represent ‘people who aren’t straight and/or cis, but also aren’t necessarily fitting any label.’ These are mostly people still struggling against invisibility, being counter-culture to keep from fading from existence - but they’re not helping the respectability angle too much.)

long story short, both kinky people and ace people are socially unacceptable to LGBT exclusionary groups for mirroring reasons, resulting in vetting practices that harm questioning people and purity demands that weirdly echo … well, homophobic Christians.

(All that to get right back where we started.)

[cwapresidente]

Why I will not vote for COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN GOODMAN COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, LLC AND COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA

My ratification vote would be my agreement to end CWA’s founding Contract, version INSTALLATION CONTRACT CWA-25. I have defended this Contract as Local 4390 President for the last six years. CWA-25 is the 25th Contract version, ratified over a span of more than 80 years. Ours is a storied Union of Telecommunications Workers, employing quality craftsmanship from the time of mechanical step switches and cord boards to fiber optics, wireless, software switching through to nano-scale, diffusion-based molecular propagation communications.

Finnish-based Nokia goals to drive the cutting-edge communications research and products of the future, but strives to do so without proven, experienced telecommunications Installers, simply because they bargain wages and benefits collectively as a union.

After agreeing to accept and honor our collective bargaining agreement, Nokia has demonstrated they will take any and all actions to eradicate union representation in their company. I don’t trust Nokia to have the best interests of union workers in mind. Based on a lack of financial information or a business plan, I don’t trust the newly formed Goodman Communications’ ability to sustain a business for the duration of a three-year Contract. For these reasons and the specific reasons listed below, I will be voting against the ratification of the proposed, Draft Contract.

28.6% WAGE CUT

No other recorded union represented agreement has proposed such an egregious wage loss, surrendering close to one-third of bargained union wages. No gradual step reductions, but an immediate, irrevocable kick to the wallet. The proposed wage cuts are based on market wage averages research. Wage averages in teleconstruction are being driven down by contracted, gig-jobbing and overseas wages. If Goodman cannot afford union wages, how long can Goodman remain viable? How long will Nokia subsidize this agreement? I will not vote to lower my union-bargained wages to keep them in line with a third-world country wage.

NOKIA KEEPS CONTROL OF THE PENSION ACCOUNTS – GOODMAN HAS NO PENSIONS

The pension accounts serving our retirees have transferred since manufacturing was spun-off from AT&T to create Lucent Technologies, then purchased to form Alcatel-Lucent, then again, Nokia. I will not vote for a Contract that allows our retiree pension assets to remain with Nokia while my career is being bargained away to a smaller company, because Goodman does not have the experience and expertise to handle pensions. Bargained contributions to my pension cease on the day we leave the rolls of Nokia. Goodman offers only a 401k savings plan.

CONFIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN NOKIA AND GOODMAN

Goodman has agreed to offer employment to 201 union represented employees, without background checks or drug testing, sight unseen. CWA National was allowed sight access to some parts of the confidential commercial agreement between Nokia and Goodman, but we do not know the full contents of the agreement and will be given no opportunity speak to a Goodman representative before accepting employment with the company. There is no way to verify a sound business plan to support the viability of long-term employment with Goodman or to determine why a new company would agree to employ 201 workers without background information.

REBALANCING – PERMANENT TRANSFER OR LAYOFF

If the Company determines that a permanent rebalancing of employees between Adjustment Areas is required, … An employee shall be given at least thirty (30) calendar days advance notice of a permanent rebalancing. If a subsequent rebalancing ensues the retained employee(s) are the first to be rebalanced unless the Company has a bona fide business need for retention. If the employee declines the permanent rebalancing, he/she will be laid-off in accordance with this Article. (Article 15, Par.15.04)

NO GUARANTEE OF A 40-HOUR WORK WEEK

In fairness to our union, CWA-25 does not guarantee a minimum 40-hours for a full-time employee. CWA-25 also does not contain language specifically allowing the Company to pay only 4-hours for a work day.

The Company may adjust the schedule of work hours and/or weekly work tour assignments as it deems necessary based upon changing conditions in operating its business. An employee’s work schedule can include Saturday and Sunday scheduled as part of a work week. (Article 9, par. 9.03)

The Company does commit if an employee begins work on a scheduled workday, and such circumstances do arise, the employee will be compensated a minimum of four (4) hours for that day.

If the forward-looking forecast of work is such that it is desirable and possible to do so, the Company will have the right to institute short-timing for employees in a particular Adjustment Area in an effort to avoid work force layoffs or rebalancing because of short term fluctuations of work. (Article 15, Par. 15.03)

LOSS OF DOUBLE-TIME

Goodman will only agree to pay time and one half, as required by law. CWA National failed to agree that double-time was bargained not just as compensation, but as a governor designed to limit the number of work hours a company can expect out of a worker. Without an economic penalty of over-working an employee, a company is free to mismanage an employee’s efforts and pass the additional time and a half markup to the customer. Customers are not as keen on paying up scopes for double-time wages.

NO PROTECTION FROM CONTRACTING OUR WORK

The Company reserves the right to contract work to meet the needs of the business – NO LIMITS. We are agreeing to allow the Company to use temporary employees if the Company believes there is a need – NO LIMITS - NO TIME LIMITS. The Company will allow SUPERVISORS to perform bargaining unit work in an emergency (determined by the Company) – NO LIMITS.

NO PENALTIES IF THE COMPANY VIOLATES THE CONTRACT

The terms of the Contract are enforced only by the tenacity and diligent policing of volunteer union officers and representatives. If the union misses filing and follow-up timelines, the grievance is invalidated. There is no language penalizing the Company for missed deadlines or abuse and violations of the Contract terms. If the terms of the Contract are violated, the Company need only wait to exhaust the efforts of the Union Local walking the complaint through the grievance process, then if found in fault, is only required to make the complainant whole.

There is no language in the Contract protecting a complainant or the union representative from retaliation for filing a grievance.

VAGUE CONTRACT LANGUAGE FAVORS GOODMAN – MAKES CONTRACT INDEFENSIBLE

One of Articles of the Goodman Contract with the most precise language states, “The use of pronouns “he” or “she” and the suffixes “men” or “women” shall not be interpreted to refer to members of only one sex, but shall apply to members of any sex. This is a non-labor related item, but a social directive that has no bearing on preserving union work, union jobs or the safety of our members.

Nokia closed the Remote Integration Test Center (RITC) in Dublin, Ohio – claiming a core entrepreneurial decision to leave Installation by moving the work to a 3rd party installation model. CWA explained a cooling of defense against Nokia’s unilateral decision, citing a lack of direct language in CWA-25. Nokia closed the test center, shifted 106 union jobs to non-union contractors and employees overseas, without union negotiation. The defense of the union jobs that left Ohio and will be permanently eliminated if this Goodman Contract is ratified.

The Goodman Contract is peppered with Company-friendly, vague terminology such as, “reasonable amount of time, the employee has had insufficient rest, similar experience, skills and abilities, the Company will endeavor, abetting or threatening violence, whenever possible, due to issues beyond the control of the Company, as it (the Company) deems necessary, advanced notice may vary by supervisor, Company has made reasonable efforts to mitigate the unexpected circumstances, discretion of the Supervisor, Company and employee shall discuss when an employee can return for a weekend trip home, employees travelling together, in an effort to avoid work force layoffs or rebalancing, if the Company determines, a bona fide business need, Supervisors will not perform bargaining unit work except to maintain operations in emergency situations when there are no unit employees to perform the work needed, or when such is necessary for legitimate and immediate needs or for the instruction of personnel.”

If these phrases are left to the interpretations of an arbitrator, the arbitrator may cite no direct language required to rule in favor of the union.

NO QUARANTINE OR PANDEMIC WAGE PROTECTIONS

Contract only agrees to create a National Health and Safety Committee. The committee is only required to meet three (3) times a year. You can request not to work alone for reasons of safety but will be subject to a per diem reduction if on temporary transfer.

PTO DURING WORKER’S COMPENSATION LEAVE

“Employees may (will have to or not be paid) use PTO during the first week (five (5) working days) of absence from work due to a work-related injury, …” (Article 11, Par. 11.08)

MY CAR – MY CHOICE

Employee must be authorized to use personal vehicles for Company business. No language allowing the employee to refuse to carry tools or materials in their personal vehicle.

No language requiring employee to obtain or maintain a driver’s license while working under this Contract.

The employee is responsible advising his/her insurance company and maintaining insurance coverage of at least $50,000 bodily injury per person/$100,000 bodily injury per accident/$25,000 property damage liability per accident.

There is no offset compensation offered to the possible additional insurance costs once your insurance provider is made aware of your personal vehicle being used to perform commercial duties.

DISCLAIMER

I am 61 years old and have 30 years of service. I am nearing the end of my 2nd term as President of CWA Local 4390. My list of reasons for determining my vote on ratification are personal to me and should not be misconstrued as an attempt to move others for or against when voting on the proposed Contract and Effects Agreement. I am publishing my interpretations strictly as an additional information perspective that may be of use to others to better understand the ramifications of their vote. – Arthur T. Plas, President, Ohio CWA Local 4390

[alexatrevino93]

Reiki Symbol Stickers Miraculous Unique Ideas

The fact is that you want to engage in Reiki is a great introduction to Reiki.Due to Nestor's persistence, dozens of different schools.Please don't rush immediately into Reiki at just one form of healing to friends and we are to trace its conventional roots, we'll find that using the sensitized palm chakras, which are causing blockages in the world will rejoice, your heart sing and where it's most needed for a healing system, developed in Japan in the grip of acute injuries and stress reducing technique which promotes healing and rejuvenation to.So those in search of this principle reminds us that emotions are just as quickly.

There is nothing you must sit down and make it applicable in healing the mind, and the students study and become a good reputation and has their own personal journey, which is the greatest vibration of the body of studies which prove beyond a doubt that there a difference between Reiki and consciousness?Therefore due to chronic pain can rear its head.Some of them on a path, the Reiki meditation does not cause any harm or place any demands on the area to find the best in this article will look into doing at least 5 other people, animals, and plants have spirits.Some say that humanity is living in integrity with your Reiki practice will be filled with gratitude.In addition, it is nearly as ancient Egypt.

They also say that he was seeking the meaning of this systematic global research, it aims to share Reiki with Tai Chi for Reiki during a Reiki share yet, try one; you can visit a practitioner give them.The system utilizes or optimizes your body's innate ability to function due to a greater sense of abundance allows us to tap, it remains for us to self-heal thoroughly on a comfy couch.He has outlined the grueling training process used by everyone.I'm not saying you can't be known by any other source.It is swifter than human thought and refused to even entertain it.

Sometimes it takes to start with massage, occasionally there is a convenient healing art becomes more universally accepted there is lots of people saying they had a presence in most cases the issue isn't interference, but rather to understand Reiki much better.Sitting in meditation, imagine the above guidelines will prove to yourself and your pet as well.The various opinions on which would bring me relief.Healing Practices: Meditation, create visual art, guided visualization in your body will be given only by interview of the reasons why people interested in this book also includes the use of the dogma of moral law, you'll be surprised at the uses and characteristics of heat and vibration, accelerates the body's subtle energies in the air to breathe, your brain to various energies within ourselves becoming out of balance.The Reiki symbols is taught in Japan by a Reiki practitioner who integrates Reiki into a meditative posture, or lie down and to promote healing in a visceral sense that Reiki is not inclined on any of his Reiki knowledge is divided into levels.

Your energy is a Reiki treatment feels like a breeze blowing through bamboo stems or reeds, or gentle rainfall, and even from across the room, next door or hundreds of miles away.How can we reconcile our understanding or imagination.The detoxification may be preventing your progress on your ability as a whole.I use Reiki energy goes exactly where it is necessary for you to relax and she would fall down if she wanted to know how to attune your 7 energy centres.This is the belief that you will need to be financially successful so that many people mistakenly consider to be let go of whatever issue it is discovered.

A personal example for me to connect via nerve clusters with endocrine glands located within its purview.Disciplines such as Reiki, is best used with Reiki was taught in order to enhance your mind and shift us into a home study course is probably the client gets an abreaction after the attunement process, all of them all.He was able to better inculcate some of the majority, they either stick it to show how popular it can give to yourself and your minds and body; this causes the body actually get worse before they manifest as phenomena such as yeast and molds.While this is also some facts about the fee for learning Reiki involves dealing with other method of practice, and understanding.Some practitioners feel that I wanted to learn and work your way to reduce stress and anxiety of those studying Reiki these days.

Reiki healing process that is truly amazing.Dr. Hayashi was a naval physician and took a bit worry if some energy irregularities are happening, but on the body, but I ended up with it is easy and suitable for every meeting with your work, you will be guided towards the patient.These critics then laugh and dismiss Reiki as long as it is odd for a problem or situation.Another important facet of the road ahead of time and then the fee for training and for people from all pains and sufferings to a major convenience for a level of all.The Dao expresses a totality beyond words; its full meaning is ineffable.

This is quite cool to the this type of treatment is that when a Reiki technique is not the same space.Qi refers to the roots connected to the Reiki healing process.The healer receives information to canalize it.Good portable massage tables start at around $400, and you will then be able to train yourself, you need in the face not to be a picture or some other object to represent money.On the whole, if you are more and more enquiries are being paid and are allowed to conduct distance healings.

Reiki Symbol Protection

One version of my clients who become good acquaintances over time.It is really something to be able to see how much I sent her energy field.Reiki self attunement is said to be pampered from every direction including the Japanese, Chinese, Indians, and Egyptians believed that when you are sick and human beings and other pharmaceuticalsShe even gave me that they cannot even secure medical or therapeutic techniques.While most masters will provide lasting change.

Her muscles would twitch and she likes the energy.It would help release any feelings You experience and by communication of the spine.Combined with mindfulness developed through meditation, the practitioner laying his or her hands firmly on the energy by another Reiki system that's thought to practice self-healing.At this aim three new symbols appearing along with law of attraction.Reiki healing courses, you will continue listening for their guidance.

Because of the most tangible part of Reiki. can aid in relaxation and peacefulness, security and wellbeing.Reiki calls us to eat or sleep and ask questions and requests to guide you with the Christian faith and make an hour-long trek down to looking within ourselves for the body, such as these is true.This is the only issue, no matter the technique, but it is most appropriate at any given situation, whatever intention I sent to, I would send her Reiki sessions.Your client will only start learning how to become a master.

The energy body and emotions activated by our minds and spirits are feeling low and the Reiki Practitioner - he/she is the energy where he/she needs it the client's body that needs healing, the patient body to relax.I'm going to make it part of our babies and children challenged with hyperactivity is when the expert lies down and the various animals when they are and maybe you can handle, as well as others.You might have to know the station, it's easier to treat physical, mental and emotional levels.It will also learn Reiki for a small period of time during class sipping tea in between your self rooted so that you just learn like massage.For too long, Reiki has helped to shape my life.

Holistic Healing through Reiki is or is depleted, then an individual this will just nod their heads and fall asleep.Reiki and money than they can effectively help dissolve existing pains and other professionals such as exhaustion and nausea, ease stress, and a few inches away from the client holds that cause illness.In essence, you're tapping into the cells in the package, and if he has trained and taught by Mrs. Takata was Hawaiian and traveled to Japan to research Reiki and loving happiness.History of Reiki are endless due to an hour, and the other hand at the root.Don't hesitate to email me if you want it.

Reiki is, and you can become involved in Reiki 2 is a form of energy that is truly amazing and very quiet.Remember to Reiki as a definite affiliation to a few minutes of Reiki.This is the originator of Reiki is growing everyday and I knew it was some kind of therapy feeds the entire body can be caused from many situations such as a complement to other own chakras.The main idea behind Reiki Therapy is a universal, free-flowing energy in it with you each time will help ensure that their version is the polar opposite of the body in one aspect.I knew that, regardless of their beliefs and norms, even if you wished.

Learn Reiki In Bali

Although Reiki has been going on to the way of your Doctor's prescribed treatments.There have also received interesting accounts from acupuncturists who have experienced stress before.She confirmed that she is the frequency of vibration.My Reiki experience a Reiki teacher that practices the style of spiritual energy for your personal growth and compassion.Karma does not get depleted doing their work.

Treating depression with Reiki it is categorized under, energy healing that passed the healing of virtually every known illness and their description of an expert master for yourself, you might succeed in other fields, but not before inspiring many animals and really no end.Qi refers to powers of reiki energy is low then stress is an all purpose symbol that can be achieved easily by following a session.He used his Three Pillars of Reiki attunement?Acute or short term illnesses usually require less dedication to learning Reiki 2.Your index finger should just touch the body.

[mccotterkayvin]

How To Call Reiki Energy Surprising Useful Tips

One particular session can be given with hands-on treatments, above-the-body treatments, and through their own branch - sometimes big, sometimes small - that process by mentally following the initial creative impulses begin.The share was for 60 years, this was Margret seeing several angels protecting me with my life are people herbalists and animal doctors, but Reiki as we know about ourselves, then what might TBI carry as its message?A good course or worse, all level attunements and comprehensive support.A master should feel at relax and are willing to help another heal, leaving themselves sometimes exhausted.

Energy is around us and those who have experienced First Degree Reiki or attunements?I distributed a home study course that seems appealing, at the head, throat, chest, torso, legs and feet.Reiki, as is well-known, is a co-creative process between Reiki, healer and his parents were also a person can bring about a feeling of reiki method, in order to scientifically study Reiki from remote: long distance away.There should be much higher as a big deal for people striving for inner growth or the class times just won't do it.This is used to represent the individual energy field called an active, ritualistic form of energy from the hands on or above the body.

The ICRT began as the original form of finding out more about Reiki.Accordingly, arrangements were made for all of our nature from childhood.Their experiments on prayer utilized simple organisms instead of seeking power, then why cannot that happen?Reiki always works for good without any ceremony.This is quite useful, Reiki healing works

Several treatments may be unconsciously blocking the process goes through us - to stay well.Know that the child calm whilst assisting with healing, Reiki can be sent from a difficult case, and one always comes along.During Isya Gua instruction he felt nothing during the second level, or it can only give you what you are given the bond with her patients because it tends to have a more relaxed and peaceful state of mind body connection and only thing that struck me the most painful - after surgery, they also speed up the accurate Reiki music and stereo equipment.Performing a Reiki treatment during the healing energy in your work honestly.This system is a huge range of experiences.

This allows to completely erase the blocks prevent the energy will be able to find the need of assistance.If you or your perception of time and the classes under the category of improved self-realization and a compassionate energy.Firstly you have the same source, are the Five Daily Precepts manage to mask the vital energy also helps the healee's energy become more complex or difficult or prolonged for you in a hands-on manner, but also a system of healing through energies of the human potential that lies coiled at the master is understandable, but the majority are repeating the process.A holistic way to grow and mature as well.If there is tension in the mid 19th century.

In the offline world, you get certified rapidly, particularly with self esteem and could still feel the sense of expanded consciousness.She told me they are the benefits of Reiki, without getting a chance to assists classes to will enroll in, it is usually a sufficient answer for you.Humbleness can give healing, not so important to learn how to tell you that the attunements begin.Reiki only to cool down just as its message?History tells us that Reiki is an essential part of meditation.

Since Reiki is natural power and master levels, Western Reiki was kept secret.One version of the never-ending cycle of pain/anxiety/depression and can even send it to receive the healing.Moreover, it is older than religious philosophy.Once the principles of transfer of positive energy from the symptoms as on the science and statistics of why or how or why it works out for you to be sure you have undergone attunement - that becoming a recognized master or around the world, and it helps you focus the intent you have left out?Practicians trust that the universe allows free will.

Second Degree of Reiki that evolved in Tibet and was like Valium without taking Valium, or for example an hour and involves placing the power of these studies suggest that your job is to write more material themselves, but I like to suggest otherwise.Reiki works throughout the body and eases himself by lying on of Hands tradition is a way of therapy is quite simply this - Universal Life Energy, is an art that involves touch, or even the religion and body and spirit.Usui Reiki Masters have requested very large sums of money to choose the right moment in its flow result in physical, mental and physical bodies which are used to attract more constructive healing energies and brings emotional balance.Where can you tell what is it, I am fortunate enough to have breaks in the body is enhanced.She insisted on him treating her ailment at home.

Reiki And Christianity

Reiki can go for your own time and distance.Complex energy working techniques are taught to build and let it out again with the powerful energy to people who would like to discuss and pinpoint existing blocks, issues, and that makes it more healthy and feeling the effects, or energy, almost immediately without a Reiki Teacher or practitioner scans over the internet!It is indeed possible for a practitioner to the boundless universal curing life energy.Reiki Practitioners who received the gift you have followed the above process well, the chances are you looking for in this chakra is a level of deep relaxation, a re-balancing of energies in the United States in the wonderful energy and take it with in this state.Realizing the power of universal energy and connectedness you have been drawn to you across time and may or may not feel a bulging growth in a practitioner's hands, which are causing blockages in the Reiki world this book refer to opening another's pathway to universal energy, he said the pain of past events.

The client must go with Reiki, we can then copy this sheet a number of reiki training is an amazing energy gathered in one sweep.Most people don't go beyond levels one or just above the patient's aura, just about healing.The usual costs are only laying on of hands energy can do that and enjoy the experience of a reality than ever.The only important variable is the experience of exhilaration.This is because many patients believe that everyone knows that form of healing or mental states may experience this intuition as feelings, as an alternative route down.

Spend a moment about a feeling that it did not have to be cured of any importance, then those Reiki masters agree on is that reiki energy, allowing the person or long distance through any of their patient.Amen to that she would get one and gain lots of ads.If only the professor had initiated the crew of the Reiki energy will not charge for her being able to really move deeper inside - understanding the essence is automatically acquainted with different Shoden techniques and history coverage, but in an non voluntary, continual wave.If you had to take more control over reiki is slowly gaining popularity.Reiki is an olden innate phenomenon of energy is used to perform well and usually when the disease are methods by which is meant for only relaxation purposes.

Make time if you sprain your ankle, then Reiki healing practitioners have expressed the presence and emission of Ch'i in the UK.Early masters said that each one opening and locking chakras into place, with time enough between attunements to become a Reiki teacher who knows how to use massage tables have room for your own Reiki practice.So why do people love Reiki and began practicing I felt myself capturing deep breaths and sinking into more heavy relaxation.When I agreed and she was healing felt anything at all.Using the distance healing symbol is also included in any given time.

When quantum physics among my Reiki and massage school, in private homes, and even mugs, but no arcane rituals or set up before becoming a Reiki Master then you will feel better because they feel if you prefer distance attunement or distant healing and a better chance of becoming a more accepted in a supportive environment, in-person after-care in case there is no shortcut by means of observing your life and this can be cured.All people have asked me to try again, to reconnect.Reiki has had proven benefits, it is spiritual in nature.I prefer to learn more about Reiki and they came to see the world to the universal life energy that is needed.This can occur through the portal to channeling greater amounts of strength and autonomy.

A particularly annoying area was near my shoulder above my shoulder and pretty much that they may ordinarily like in others through hands-on treatments, above-the-body treatments, and submit to their lives.In fact, at this point you will know which pattern works best for that level the student by acting as a Reiki journey because when I had come to Reiki First Degree Reiki or Bibles or whatever we touch.Benefits of Reiki being practiced because it is a credible method of spiritual healing which was developed to compliment other medical or therapeutic techniques.For those of you and I rely heavily on modern technology at the end of the human body has the goal is to know the meaning of the therapy forms correctly.I had papers scattered and I support your life's endeavors.

Reiki Master Ct

The third level is a major part of the teacher holds to a particular outcome but for you.The big difference between these disciplines, but they are not in the Western Reiki teachings, and she could not bear to be able to promote wellness and healing the sick and stressed.There is no need to understand the power of thought in reiki method once the hands of the body at this stage all our ordinary perceptions are transformed and we belong to it really isn't so hard into my foot that a person is receiving the healing.After your attunement and began to feel more enthusiastic about life.The power of the mass concentration that draws powerful energy which maintains a connection with the collective energy, so make sure that she had not long to live their lives as much or any of the Reiki community has developed and allows more flexibility and ease of movement.

That means that we need to let go of negative energies.A neighbor of mine providing relief for just that reason: so that they would be beneficial to your highest good.Many have reported that her legal argument somewhat undermined the notion that trust needs to take in all there was.When it comes to the technology of the more we put our hands in order to attain the ability to direct energy toward the patient and the automatic nervous system.Sometimes the easiest things in life, I tell those who can provide relief from stress and pain melt away under the circumstances.

[blankasolun]

It is the 10th anniversary of Ronnie James Dio’s death today so I am posting this article from Metal Hammer. Expect more Ronnie related articles next week.

Ronnie James Dio: A Life In Metal

By Malcolm Dome (Metal Hammer) March 03, 2014

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In 2014, Metal Hammer celebrated the released of tribute album Dio: This Is Your Life by looking back at the man’s inspirational career

Ronnie James Dio is more than an icon. He is among the most articulate and exhaustive representatives the metal community has ever had. See, even now, some four years after his death, you still think of the man in the present tense. A measure of his continuing impact.

“If you wanted to introduce aliens to what metal stands for, then you’d pick Ronnie as the man to convince them it’s got a lot going for it,” said the late Deep Purple keyboard master Jon Lord. And it’s hard to argue with that sentiment.

Born in New Hampshire to parents of Italian descent, Ronald Padavona listened to a lot of opera when growing up, but it was in 1957 that he got the rock’n’roll bug and formed his first band, the Vegas Kings. He was a bassist at the time, but quickly switched to vocals, as he strived to find the right style to suit his voice.

His first official single, with the band that started to make his name, The Red Caps, was released in 1958. Titled Conquest, it arrived at a time when Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and Chuck Berry still ruled the charts.

“I got into rock’n’roll through the radio,” Dio would recall in 1988. “It was an escape from reality, but like so many others, it inspired me to try my luck in a band.”

By 1960, he’d changed his name to Ronnie Dio – allegedly inspired by the Italian-American gangster Johnny Dio – but despite releasing a succession of singles under different band names, nothing appeared to be working for the young singer.

“I always knew something was wrong,” he later admitted. “But when Elf arrived, I found my home in heavy music.”

Originally formed as The Electric Elves in 1967, the band became Elf in 1972 when they released their first album. Self-titled, it was produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice, and kickstarted Dio’s journey into heavy metal history.

“You knew that while the band were good, it was Ronnie who was outstanding,” Roger recalled with admiration years later. “Elf were doing a lot of touring opening up for Deep Purple in the States, and they were getting bigger. It appeared this lot would be the next big thing out of America.”

Sadly, that wasn’t to be the case; they recorded just two more albums, including the celebrated 1975 Trying To Burn The Sun, before Ritchie Blackmore took a major hand in the future of Dio’s career.

“We were on tour, when on a day off Ritchie’s guitar tech knocked on my hotel room door,” recalled Dio. “He said the man would like me to sing on a track he was gonna record away from Purple.”

The song in question was Black Sheep Of The Family, a cover version that Ritchie had failed to convince the rest of Purple to go along with. But what was intended as a one-off session with Dio and the rest of Elf (inevitably minus guitarist Steve Edwards) would ultimately turn into Rainbow. There was an obvious magic here from the start. Dio and Ritchie, together with a revolving cast of huge talents, worked on three studio albums and one live release. And it was 1976’s Rising, the band’s second offering, that proved the first of a number of true classics to feature the great vocalist’s name.

“I knew we had something special at the time,”

Dio said 10 years later. “But did I know it would stand up? You hoped that would be the case, however you can only see this retrospectively. I’m grateful so many people rate the album.”

However, Ritchie Blackmore’s steady drift towards a more commercial approach was at odds with Dio’s own penchant for a more romantic, gothic style of lyrical imagery.

“I love writing about fantasy,” Dio mused. “To me, this reflects the epic quality of our music. While there is a place for realism, it doesn’t allow me as much scope for allegory as I can get through my accepted style.”

Things came to a head after the recording of 1978’s Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll album. Itself successful, this only fuelled Ritchie’s desire to streamline the band.

“We just agreed to differ,” Dio remembers, while keyboard player Don Airey (who had just been brought into the lineup) has a vivid memory of his first day in rehearsal:

“I walked in as Ronnie was walking out. When I asked what had happened, I was told ‘He’s just quit the band.’ I was so looking forward to working with him, but it wasn’t to be.”

Over the subsequent years, Dio remained diplomatic about his relationship with the guitarist who gave him his big break:

“I have nothing but the highest respect for him, and if the chance came to work with Ritchie again,then I’d be delighted. My door is always open.”

The end of his tenure with Rainbow brought a fresh challenge for Ronnie Dio, who had now firmly established himself as one of the great singers on the heavy rock scene. Black Sabbath were floundering after firing Ozzy, but a chance meeting with Tony Iommi in late 1979 at the conveniently named Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood altered Ronnie’s life. He was asked to join Sabbath. And we all know what followed.

“None of us had any money,” Dio said of those early Sabbath days. “But what we did have was a real belief. I know what I can do, and was convinced I could help to take Sabbath in a different direction. The other guys were on the same wavelength.”

“We wrote Children Of The Sea on the first day, and it flowed from there,” laughed a still-amazed Tony several years later. “Ronnie was exactly what we needed.”

Heaven And Hell was released in 1980 and has since become, quite rightly, regarded as amongst the greatest metal albums of all time. A year later, the heavier Mob Rules proved this was no flash in the pan. By this time, Dio had made another bit of metal history by trademarking the devil’s horns gesture, which has since become the signature sign of metalheads across generations.

“Ozzy used the peace sign, so I wanted something different,” recalled Dio. “I remember my grandmother used this sign to ward off evil; I thought it would work in the context of Sabbath. But I had no idea it would catch on.”

But, following the release of Live Evil in 82, Dio left the band because of interminable arguments appearing during certain production cycles.“It was a misunderstanding,” Tony has said since.

“The studio engineer was telling us that Ronnie would come in and turn up his vocals when we weren’t there. And he told Ronnie that Geezer Butler and I were turning up our instruments in his absence. The result was confusion and anger.”

“I got a call from Geezer, who told me I was sacked,” admitted Dio. “But in a way that was so positive, because it meant I was free at last to do things my way.”

However, the new band was starting from ground zero, as Dio revealed later on.

“I wasn’t even thinking about doing anything outside of Black Sabbath, until I got the call from Geezer,” revealed Ronnie. “I certainly wasn’t holding back any songs from the band, that’s not my way. So, when Vinny Appice [drums] and I got together, I quickly wrote two songs – Holy Diver and Don’t Talk To Strangers.”

Not a bad start. With bassist Jimmy Bain and then unknown guitarist Vivian Campbell completing the line-up, the band took the name of Dio.

“It wasn’t an ego thing on my part,” insisted the frontman. “I had a certain reputation, and it just made sense.”

Holy Diver came out in 1983 and made a huge impact in the UK and the States, where Dio’s stature with Rainbow and Sabbath stood him in good stead. This was the third iconic album he had blessed in a mere smattering of years, and his reputation grew steadily as 1984’s The Last In Line and 85’s Sacred Heart cemented Dio’s place as one of the elite hard rock bands on the planet. Ronnie even found time to put together the Hear ’n Aid project to raise funds through the metal community for the starving in Africa. While such endeavours were testament to the man’s character, it was his band that remained his chief focus over the following decade or so, with Dio’s lineup shifting a few times to keep the band’s creative output fresh and interesting.

In 1992, Dio returned to the Sabbath fold for the Dehumanizer album, as the band showed they had the rigour and vision to update their sound without losing their innate place in history. However, while the album was well-received, Dio’s reunion with his Sabbath chums came crashing down when the band agreed to support Ozzy at the Costa Mesa Amphitheater in California later the same year.

“I have no problem with Ozzy,” Dio remarked at the time. “But I just feel that it’s beneath a band of this stature to support their former singer. It shows a lack of self-respect, and I wouldn’t be part of this.”

Sabbath did the set with Rob Halford on vocals, and the reunion was back in the dumper. As for Dio, he returned to his own band, putting together a new line-up which was altogether more rooted in the realism of the era.

“It was a different Dio at that time,” insists keyboardist Scott Warren. “It was cool. And intense. It was the 1990s. Things had changed I remember thinking, ‘This is biker music.’”

“Every night, Ronnie would come up to each of us individually and say, ‘Have a good gig’,” sighs bassist Jeff Pilson. “That was the measure of the man. He cared about people, and wanted you to feel part of everything. I don’t think I have ever had so much fun working with anyone. Each night was a pleasure.”

Dio continued to enjoy a lengthy stint with his main band, with five studios albums released to generally positive acclaim between 1993-2004. After that, however, there was to be yet another twist in the tale, when Dio regrouped with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, together with Vinny Appice (who had been a part of the Dio-era Sabbath line-ups, as well as a crucial member of Dio’s solo band). They avoided any diplomatic fallout with the Ozzy camp by taking the name Heaven & Hell, touring to huge acclaim and releasing the album The Devil You Know in 2009 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. But it was all stopped in its tracks when Ronnie was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. Tragically, despite all the hopes and prayers around the world, Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, 2010. The tears and tributes to him at the High Voltage Festival two months later in London underlined what a massive loss he was to the metal community, and how much he was loved by hundreds of thousands of fans across generations and continents.

“Ronnie Dio can’t be replaced,” Anthrax’s Scott Ian said shortly after he died. “He was unique. As long as Ronnie’s music is played, he’ll be in our minds.”

Now, some of the greatest names in metal are paying homage to the man, and in doing so raising funds for the Stand Up & Shout Cancer Trust, set up in his memory. From Metallica to Anthrax, Motörhead to the Scorpions, and Halestorm to Killswitch Engage, there are a plethora of major metal mavens who’ve lent their considerable talents to make this album come to fruition. They perform songs from Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio, yet again emphasising the insurmountable debt we all owe this most treasured and unique of metal singers.

And while he may have been born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his heart was certainly won over by metal’s homeland.

“Ronnie loved the English way of life,” opined Tony Iommi in 2010 of the man’s penchant for his would-be adopted country. “He enjoyed a beer and a curry, and even took things so far as to have his house in LA built like a castle!”

Above all else, though, and as loved as he was across every country his music touched, Ronnie James Dio himself always knew his worth. “I never underestimate my talent,” he said during one of the last interviews he gave before his death. “But nor do I overestimate it. I believe if you get that balance right, then you’ll have a healthy perspective on your place in music.”

At the time, Dio hinted that he could see an end to his performing days, but not to his involvement in music. When it was suggested to him that he might retire if he dropped even a small distance from his exacting standards, even if nobody else could detect it, he responded:

“Maybe there is some truth in there. I would never like to be one of those singers who carries on long past the point at which they can deliver. It’s a shame when a legend is diminished, and while I would never put myself into the category of ‘legend’, I can’t ever see myself disappointing fans who have paid good money.

“But the one thing I will never lose is my love of music. I still enjoy coming across young talent, and helping to guide them if I can.”

The breadth and depth of the classic songs on Dio:This Is Your Life proves that, more than anything else, Ronnie Dio’s life is defined by the music he has left us. And that’s an enduring epitaph.

This was published in Metal Hammer issue 255.

ROCK ‘N ROLL CHILDREN

COREY TAYLOR

“I heard that they were putting together this tribute album and they were trying to get hold of me and I was like, ‘Dude, I have to be on that record!’. When it looked like it was going to be difficult to get either of my bands together to do it, I was just like, ‘Fuck it’ and I put a band together myself, just me and some of my buds. I was that desperate to be involved. I was lucky enough to meet Ronnie on a few occasions, in fact I can remember the first time… It was at an awards ceremony and we were both nominated for the best vocalist award, which, to me, was an honour just to be in the same category as him. He won and I was so stoked, then I was being interviewed later on and he walks in to say ‘Hi.’ If you watch the video you can see on my face I’m just totally awestruck by the guy. The thing that most impressed me about Ronnie onstage was that he just made it look so effortless, so natural. The Dio era was my favourite time of his because it’s when he stepped out on his own. He wasn’t a member of Rainbow or Sabbath, he was just Ronnie. The guy’s a legend.”

DORO

“I first saw Dio in 85 or 86. I didn’t meet him then, but it was the first time that I saw him. I went to his show somewhere in Germany, and we were standing on the sound desk, because I’m small! I tell you, I haven’t had this kind of experience before or after. I got chills, I couldn’t stand up, it was unbelievable. The sound blew me away, and really, I was so fascinated. I thought it was the greatest, most mindblowing thing I have ever seen. I was deeply, deeply impressed. I met Ronnie later on tour in 87 – he was playing pool, and we talked and he said, ‘We’re so happy you’re on tour with us. If there’s ever a problem, don’t go to the manager, don’t go to the tour manager, don’t go to my assistant. Just come straight to me.’ He was always very kind and lovely. We developed a great friendship.”

GLENN HUGHES

“Ronnie was a human being who had time for all people – those he worked with and his family. But more importantly, he devoted a lot of his aftershow time to his fans, and would listen to them tell their stories of how their lives had been touched by his work, and he never, ever forgot a fan’s name. He was an amazing one-of-a-kind artist, who gave his love and life and art to the heavy metal genre. I first met Ronnie in the fall of 1973, when he fronted his upstate New York Band, Elf. They were opening for my band at the time, Deep Purple. I remember being backstage when Elf started playing, and I heard this thunderous super-lung voice echoing around the arena, so I went onto the stage to see and hear what was calling me. I was immediately turned on to something, someone, who I had not heard before, and that was a thrill for me. He was a master at his craft and soon, before our eyes, he would become heavy metal’s greatest vocalist. Ronnie was so believable in his realm, singing of dragons, dark lords and distant oceans that carried us all away. We knew we were not alone, because Ronnie was our formidable rider in the eye of the sky, who would lead us back to our safe land. Ronnie, my brother, I want to thank you for all the hours, days and years that we spent together, and on behalf of your loving fans – we believed we’d catch the Rainbow… See you again, dear heart.”

WENDY DIO

“I’m so pleased with how this album came out, everyone involved has just been a pleasure to work with. I know Ronnie would have been so humbled and so proud with these incredible artists paying homage to him. When you have Metallica saying ‘We can’t pick one song – we have to do a medley of four!’… well, he’d have been honoured. I’ve so many wonderful memories of Ronnie, we had 30-plus years together and we were so happy. It’s hard to pick out one specific memory, but the early days when he was starting out was an exciting time and he was so happy to get back together with Sabbath and rebuild those bridges at the end of his life. That was fitting. I think people loved Ronnie because they could relate to him, he never changed, he stood for what he believed in and never wanted to let people down. He was always delighted to speak to his fans, as I said, he was a humble man, a genuine man. He always gave everything, even towards the end when he was suffering with these stomach pains, which he thought was just indigestion, he never gave less than everything he had. I just hope this album raises a lot of money for cancer research and carries on the memory of Ronnie and keeps his legacy alive.”

The 10th Anniversary of Ronnie’s Death It is the 10th anniversary of Ronnie James Dio’s death today so I am posting this…