#sometimes hurts people and its a systemic issue

[sunshinesalmon]

thanks for that post. 10 years of medical training, humiliation and exams, followed by lack of employment due to cutbacks to healthcare, just so I can read your reblogged little post about how doctors say they know everything and humiliate patients. And the notes about how all doctors do is tell people they're fat. Which of course is the truth 100% of the time. Right. Great. Good to know nothing I ever did amounted to anything, that my own generation hates me. Thanks for that, thanks for the anxiety attack, for making me cry on the bus home, you shitbrick. There's no good doctors, mate, you're absolutely right. This doesn't hurt anyone, we don't try to go into this field because we care, because we want to help. We just want power and money, right? Because we're famously overpaid, us the doctors? True, right? Love and peace. I wish you the best. I'm going to fucking kill myself

crazy how you’re studying to become a doctor when you can’t read

[astrocafecoffee]

Astro observation (part 2)

✨ For entertainment purposes only, enjoy ✨

✨ MASTERLIST

✨ ASTRO OBS. (PART 1)

🔥 Taurus sun individuals usually eat slowly and savor their food enjoying each bite. They dislike being rushed during meals.

🔥 Sagittarius rising peoples thrive on variety in their excercise routine. They might regularly switch between different types of workouts to keep things interesting.

🔥 Capricorn rising peoples might enjoy dishes like roasted meats , stews and well balanced meals that provide both comfort and nourishment.

🔥 Sagittarius sun - very good in mathematics and calculation.

🔥 Groom conjunct your vertex/ Hera asteroid in draconic synastry can indicate they being your spouse/ you have a soul tie with them.

🔥 I have seen many Libra 12th house peoples often have people pleasing tendencies and have problems with creating healthy boundaries.

🔥 11th House mars people's communication style with friends can be direct and assertive, which can sometimes come across as agressive if not managed carefully.

🔥 Mercury in its debilitated sign ( Pisces) individuals may struggle with tasks that require precision, detailed analysis or strict logic.

🔥 I have seen when someone's 9th lord in their 12th house or vice versa , they often marry people from other states, cultures, and countries .

🔥 Aries moons can be quick to anger but also quick to forgive and forget.

🔥 juno in 7th house of Groom persona chart means your fs is your wish fulfilment, ( dreams come true 👀)

🔥 Virgo placements may excel in stock market.

🔥 Aries placements tend to tackle problems head on with immediate action. They prefer to address issues rather than letting them linger or escalate.

🔥 water placements are obsessed with beaches and coastal environments , where Earth signs with mountains.

🔥 I have also seen this many water placements either love water areas or hate it. There's no in between. I have seen cancer moons/ Pisces rising peoples having thalassophobia.

🔥 in Vedic astrology, Rahu in 7th house / rahu conjunct Venus/ rahu conjunct 7th lord indicates foreign spouse.

🔥 Webb asteroid in natal 11th house is self explanatory 🙃.

🔥 prey Asteroid ( 6157) in 4th house individuals often see their home as refuge where they can shield themselves from outside world. If it's negative side manifests in someone's life then there might be themes of feeling vulnerable or taking advantage within the family and home environment.

🔥 Gemini placements individuals are often misunderstood by peoples.

🔥 cancer moons emotional up and downs can weaken their immune system , making them more vulnerable to infections.

🔥 Scorpio placements likes to feel in control of their surroundings and emotions and they fear situations where they feel powerless.

🔥 Aquarius mars peoples value their independence highly and can be quite stubborn about doing things their way.

🔥 Jupiter in Aquarius people may involved in activism , volunteering or supporting charitable organisations.

🔥water moons , Capricorn placements often prone to depression.

🔥 Venus in Capricorn peoples may fear being vulnerable or getting hurt , which is why they often appear guarded more in relationships.

🔥 Aries mars often have fear of rejection . If they sense any hint of rejection they might quickly pull back or move on to avoid facing their fear.

🔥Pluto in Sagittarius peoples maybe fascinated by esoteric subjects, occult and hidden truths. This interest in the mystical and unknown can lead them to explore astrology, tarot or other metaphysical studies.

🔥 Asteroid Medusa conjunct midheaven in natal chart means this individual's career may dealing with controversial and taboo subjects , leading to transformation and growth. They could work in fields related to psychology, healing, crisis management or any area that requires confronting difficult truths.

🔥 Asteroid Born conjunct juno in synastry suggest a relationship that feels spiritually significant , with a strong sense of being " meant to be" or karmic linked.

🔥 Hera asteroid conjunct sun in synastry means the Hera person might view the sun person as an ideal partner, seeing them as someone can commit to for the long term . This aspect can indicate a relationship that has potential to lead to marriage or a deep , committed relationship.

Thanks for reading 🖤

- piko ✨

[deezneezz]

Leona & ADD

I got a few ppl (on twitter) wanting me to elaborate on Leona and ADD, so I figured I will share my thoughts here as well, please be nice it's just a personal hc. You don't have to agree at all!! Since it contains some personal experiences I ask of people to please be kind about it!

Anyway, Leona and ADD.

I think a lot of people usually agree on Floyd and Kalim having ADHD, but Leona actually shows a lot of lesser talked about traits of ADHD. Namely Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), sensitivity to clothing/textures (he doesn't like restrictive clothes).

He also has the more commonly talked about traits of course, executive dysfunction being a big one. And his depression definitely exacerbates these traits, when i was undiagnosed and depressed i used to sleep my entire days away. I wasn't getting anything done anyway.

Not to mention not sleeping properly, so I was desperate to find moments to sleep during the day. I've slept on floors, on toilets, in an abandoned corner in uni instead of going to class. I was just *so* tired all the time I didn't want to sit in class, I wanted to sleep.

I was lucky I passed classes without studying, cause i would've never gotten through uni otherwise. I still took longer than necessary. The moment my support system (Ruggie, anyone?) graduated and left I had no one taking care of my basic needs, and I certainly didn't.

I had a dorm mate who cooked for me, made sure I had even an ounce of self-care, and also looked at my room and said "hmm, Deniz, maybe it's time to clean up a little" and then I very reluctantly admitted that it may have gotten a little out of hand.

She would just sit in my room sometimes chilling around while I cleaned cuz that was one of the few ways I cleaned at all (this is a real thing for ADHD, called body doubling. It works). Ruggie arriving at NRC and Leona suddenly performing tons better in school is no coincidence.

Coming back to RSD.. I mean I don't really have to explain it do I.. book 2, Lilia's scathing remarks, the shame of disappointing his dorm, etc. I know a lot of ppl call book 2 an 'overreaction' but like, this is genuinely what it feels like internally when RSD triggers

book 6 too, Jamil's over-protectiveness is clearly (to the audience) smth that's mostly Jamil's own habits and trauma doing. But to Leona it's a rejection/insult to his ability to take care of himself, his skill, etc. This was genuinely smth that set me off too.

"How dare you try to explain to me smth I already know, do you think I'm stupid?" "You're not like me." The unwillingness to admit that someone may be relatable in any way because making any comparison to yourself makes you vulnerable to what you haven't achieved for yourself.

"I would ace these classes too if I wasted my time and life studying as much as they did, but I actually love myself." <- guy who was jealous and did not know he was coping and didn't study cause of executive dysfunction and concentration issues.

Leona clearly knows a lot about the things he genuinely cares about, Ancient spell language, chess, magishift, so its kind of funny to see him so low effort in classes. Though honestly i know the game also says that "Leona already knows all this stuff" so.. who knows really...

Now I'm more chill but I used to legitimately go off the handle a little cuz RSD doesn't really care about whether the shit u feel is proportional to the offence it physically hurts in your chest and you just wanna burn down the world at that exact time and... IS THAT NOT LEONA...

TLDR: give Leona therapy and meds, lol.

[not-an-alien-scientist]

Barometric Pressure

Kay: *rubbing some gel onto her wrist and hand*

Si'miel: Kay that is quite a strong scent, I thought most humans preferred their "perfume" to be only slightly noticeable

Kay: Huh? Oh, no, sorry, this is just a painkiller. Smells funky but works decently well

Si'miel: *pales a little* pain ...killer?!

Kay: sorry, I'm out of sorts right now, its a pain reducer. Can you do me a favor?

Si'miel: Oh yes, I will gladly help you in your time of pain *feels slightly honored most humans simply tell one 'don't worry about it' and never consider one's ability to help*

Kay: Alert the ship's maintenance engineers that the atmospheric pressure is dropping

Si'miel: . . . Kay I'm certain the sensors would have alerted them to that!

Kay: *slips on an odd black device that covers her wrist and partially her hand* Well the sensors are faulty. My joints are all messed up but especially my ankle and wrist. So I know.

Si'miel: *alarmed* We must go to the infirmary immediately!

Kay: nah I used my gel med and splinted my wrist so it can't move mu- -

Si'miel: You've immobilized your own body?!

Kay: *deep sigh* Si'miel us humans sometimes have bad joints and when atmospheric pressure drops the pain in our joints increases. My right wrist is just slightly worse than the others, so making sure it doesn't move around as much prevents an increase in pain.

Si'miel: You..... you just walk around with your joints hurting? It...it can detect pressure changes? How? Do all humans have such a skill?

Kay: Bad joints are bad joints not much I can do about it. And no, not everyone can, I'm so envious of people whose joints haven't gone on strike. Anyways we have no idea... well I have no idea why, but I can just feel it. The ship's atmosphere is definitely dropping. *sad smile* haven't felt the awful sensation it gives since I left Earth, I just really want to go have some soup and watch whatever dumb movies we got recently, so can you let the engineers know?

Si'miel: *nervously twitches their front appendages worried for their human crewmate* I will let them know .... are you sure you don't need the infirmary?

Kay: Yeh definitely sure, had this issue since I was 21, sucks but hey thats life. Thanks for letting them know, I knew I could count on you *heads off*

___

*Si'miel walks into the main work station of the ship maintenance engineers*

Engineer 1: *looks up* do you need something?

Si'miel: I do not wish to insult your work but a human crew mate informed me that the atmospheric pressure of the ship is dropping. I'm certain you would know if such a thing were true but.... the manual on humans says we should not ignore them when they use the phrase "I can just feel it/ I can just tell" so I thought I would alert you to her statement

Engineer 1: Thats not a possibility our signals would have gone off, but *sighs* new protocols state that we can't ignore a human's warning *rolls two of their 4 eyes... an odd expression they ironically picked up from humans*

Engineer 2: I'll check manually *heads down the corridor a bit and after a few minutes*. . . Activate protocol 651!!!

Engineer 1: W-what?? thats not possible

Engineer 2: *running back to the work station* just do it! Another hour of the pressure dropping will make the system go critical, we'd have to emergency land, and we'd both lose our jobs now do it!

Engineer 1: *hurriedly gets to work*

Si'miel: interesting so it is tru- - -

Engineer 1 & 2: Be quiet!

Si'miel: *startled and heads away without interrupting them further*

___

*Si'miel finds the lounge Kay decided to relax in, an empty soup bowl on the table next to the lounge chair, the TV being the only source of light in the room*

Si'miel: *takes the seat next to Kay* Kay, when you say "hey that's life" what do you- -

Kay: *snores*

Si'miel: ah *takes the blanket draped on one of the the other chairs and lays it across Kay's body* With the pressure fixed you may feel better.... sleep well human friend...

[catgirlforeskin]

so r u just against using the word "misandry" specifically or do u actually not think there's systemic issues that affect men (or any other privileged group)? cuz i can respect the first, id disagree i think its fine to call it misandry. but the second would be a very weird thing to think for a leftist feminist who seems to have generally pretty stellar sociological analysis. i thought u believed the second thing, but seeing other stuff you've written i can't quite tell?

Men can individually be oppressed for something other than their manhood, whether this be homophobia, transphobia, racism, economic classism, or any other form of oppression. But there is no oppression men face on the basis of being men.

Oppression is class-based and systemic. “Men” and “women” are social classes, and in patriarchal societies (most of the globe) men are the oppressor class, and women are the oppressed class. That is why misogyny is real and misandry is not.

There are men who face transphobia, or racism, or homophobia, but every woman who faces one of those also faces misogyny and these compound. This is the basis of intersectionality.

That isn’t to say patriarchy never also hurts men, but they are still the clear beneficiaries, in the same way that white supremacy sometimes also hurts white people but they still overwhelmingly benefit, and using yankeephobia or whatnot to discuss that would be ridiculous.

Hegel’s Master Slave Dialectic shows that slavery does also hurt the slave master in a way, but he’s still the obvious beneficiary and enforcer of that system. All oppression works this way

[totalbrainr0t777]

Tenya Iida SFW alphabet

༺♡༻AUTHORS / NOTE : I just wanted to start a new series, and alphabets are simple and I love doing them, requests are open!༺♡༻

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Tenya is in affectionate guy, in the comfort of your own home. PDA is a soft no, as much as he loves you, he'd rather show his affections at home, where he knows no one is watching. It makes him anxious letting his guard down in public.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Iida was originally afraid to talk to you because he found you so out of his league he had no point in trying. When he did finally talk to you, he was the most attentive and responsible friend you could've asked for. He made an effort to include you, he made sure you got to your room safe, he made sure you were okay. Tenya was your biggest cheerleader

♡.･✩°｡⋆

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Cuddles are Tenya's guilty pleasure. He won't admit it because he feels it makes him childish and makes him feel small (that's one of his biggest worries, not being strong enough for you). His dream afternoon is you and him, limbs tangled on the couch, and watching a movie. He could care less about the movie, he just wants to watch your face light up with intrigue at the movie, maybe hug you a little tighter when it gets scarier.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Iida isn't the best cook, but he could clean for the olympics. Seriously, that guy is meticulous. Every book on his book shelf is categorised by its dewey number as per the dewey decimal system. Everything in the common room is organised time and time again (Until kirishima and kaminari are in the room). Settling down with you is something constantly on his mind, as he knows you're the love of his life.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

A calm, respectful conversation. Quiet and without any fuss, like Iida himself. He's never liked making a fuss, why would this be any difference? Breaking up with him would kill him inside but he knows sometimes it's just for the best.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Commitment has always been an issue for Tenya in a relationship context, he constantly thinks he's going to get hurt. People also aren't his thing, he prefers to be dominant and lead but that isn't how a relationship works, so he is thrown out of his comfort zone. Still, he would want marriage relatively quickly, within a couple years. Marriage is something he knows he's wanted since he met you but wouldn't know how to communicate it.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Iida comes across as blunt, however as you get to know him, you realise he genuinely can't help it. He, physically, is the most gentle there is, you're treated like glass that could break in a second. He tries desperately not to hurt your feelings, or to upset you in any way really.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

As stated in the cuddles section, he loves hugs, in private. He likes to hug you tight, so he can protect you, he doesn't hug you too often though.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

The L word isn't used lightly in the Iida household, and tenya has always had to work for his I love yous. Luckily for you, you gave him the safe space for him to admit how he feels about you.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Tenya is very territorial, that applies to you too. He loves you with all his heart and getting you stolen away isn't an option, he will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen. In public, you're glued to his side, everyone knows you and him are together.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Iida is a tender and gentle kisser, but his kisses are still passionate. He loves kissing your lips but kissing your forehead is one of his favourite things to do. He loves how your face lights up when he does it too. Being an old fashioned guy, he likes kisses on the lips but his heart pounds like crazy when you kiss his neck, or even his cheek.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Tenya isn't good around children, they're out of his control so they make him feel weird. He would love to have children but currently, he wouldn't be ready at all

♡.･✩°｡⋆

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Mornings are spent with him cuddling you in bed as long as possible, then making you cereal. Or anything you want really, he'll find out how to make it perfectly, he loves to just get up and do things but lazing in bed with you is just as good in his eyes

♡.･✩°｡⋆

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Nights are spent with him worrying about making sure he has everything for the start of the next day. School day or not. Afterwards though, he gets in bed (at 9, 9.30 on weekends) and falls asleep with you curled up in his arms.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Tenya isn't a very open person, talking about himself is hard because the few things he values most are mainly educational and he doesn't want to bother you with that, but over time he'll cave and tell you things personally about him.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He can have a lot of patience in the right situation but a lot of little things can really get him all worked up and overstimulate him. He'd never raise his voice at you, or get annoyed at you, unless he needed to.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He has a notebook dedicated to just you. Things you like, things you don't, things you want to do, he doesn't care. Tenya just wants to make sure he treats you like royalty, like you deserve. He constantly spoils you.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you made him cry. Not because he was sad, but because your love overwhelmed him. You were in his room, talking, and you just told him how much you love him. And he burst into tears. But you cradled him in your arms, until you both fell asleep.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

He would do anything in his power to protect you, to make you feel safe, no matter what. Whether it's something as small as walking to your dorm room or something as big and being your bodyguard, he wouldn't care regardless, he just wants you to be safe. He doesn't believe you should protect him, because he's the protector.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He makes you feel worshipped, like a deity on special occasions, anniversaries, etc. Even in everyday, he treats you like the only person on earth. Gifts have to be sentimental and expensive for them to be acceptable for you.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

How little he regards his own safety when it comes to you. It really upsets you how much he disregards himself for you. He doesn't see an issue with it because he sees himself as a provider, but it constantly gets on your nerves.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

His looks don't matter to him at all. Soul and mind counts miles more to Iida.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Without you, he feels bare. You make everything better for him, even something as mundane as class, he just needs you there.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Tenya has a stuffed animal (a bunny) he got from Tensei when he was born and he keeps it hidden but he trusts you enough for you to see it.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Trying to make him jealous. It just makes him think that you don't feel loved, it's his biggest pet hate in the whole world. He feels he loves you enough, to try and make him jealous just feels like a slap in the face.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Tenya hugs anything in immediate vicinity to him, pillows, blankets, you. He can't help it, he just doesn't feel comfy without something to hug.

♡.･✩°｡⋆

[leviafin]

Big Fish Phantom Shifts

Phantom shifts are often kind of "in the way" for a lot of people. Wings clipping through or bumping into walls. Antlers or horns bonking things. Tails being annoying to deal with when faced with the back of a chair... You get it. I have... a definite problem with this in a very similar way, but it's different than any of the guys in my system with phantom shifts. Namely because I'm a very fucking long fish, made for open water.

My tail at its shortest? Easily 3x the height of my body, if not more. It replaces my legs when I get a phantom shift and I definitely rely on using my cane more in those moments because my legs feel a lot less "real" than they should, and I always feel at more risk of tripping or taking a step wrong. I can still feel my human legs, sure, but they kind of become an afterthought and less present in my mind. Kind of dissociated, less a part of me and more a part of... Something else.

I don't directly feel every inch of my phantom tail though either--more like... There's a sense of there should be a sensation there. I don't feel much aside from where it should connect and curve away from my human body--everything else is a lot less physical. The sense of "this should have feeling" means I don't get hurt or any real direct sensation from it interacting or not fitting in physical objects properly, but it's still a sense of mental discomfort. A sense of "I shouldn't be able to fit here", or a sense of "this should be kinda painful". If I'm in a space where I can't make a logical conclusion to where my tail could possibly fit in a comfortable way, it's like a nagging at the back of my brain telling me to move. Even though I can't physically feel where my tail is or that it would be uncomfortable, my brain knows I shouldn't be able to be in whatever position it is that I'm currently in, and urges me to get to somewhere more comfortable ASAP.

Even though it doesn't cause much physical distress, the tail being so long makes it incredibly annoying when dealing with shifts in the body and performing daily tasks. Walking around outside? Oops, that car just ran over my tail, that should probably hurt. That guy is standing in it, okay sure. It doesn't fit into the car I'm in and my brain can't figure out what to do with that information.

I try to do things in my house? The thing hardly fits in my room, let alone on my bed. Turning around corners can be annoying because my brain will scream about how I'm turning in a way that would hurt my tail. Sitting on a couch is the same issue as the bed. Oops, the dog just walked up and fell asleep where my tail should be, that's bound to have some sort of discomfort.

It's overall not the biggest issue, it's manageable, but it's a weird psychological thing that bugs me sometimes. I'm glad I don't have physical sensation in it because that would be impossible to manage, but having the mental push of "this isn't right, your tail can't fit here" still is... An Experience to have. Most other people in my system can feel a large portion of their phantom limbs, but it honestly makes sense as to why I can't feel mine in the same way--I just literally wouldn't fit in human society. In both of my forms (vast/hunt leviathan and Sebastian Solace), my body is made for open water, not houses, stores or cars.

[urielsdaybreak]

Do you have any headcanons for the Bellringer?

Lots! I have a list of old headcanons for him, but I’ll write out a new one since it’s worth updating them.

Physical Structure

1. The yoke of the Bellringer is made out of wood - an unnatural and a magical kind produced from his hometown that he keeps secret. The wood itself is malleable and flexible, and it branches around his entire body - being his central nervous system more or less - and being covered by his brass platings. The wood is sensitive, so he often protects his yoke when in combat.

2. He can detach his head and still control his body which leads/has led to funny scenarios. He will punch you though if you try to attempt removing his head - he doesn’t like it. He can also control the movement of his bell (so a person can’t just spin it around out of the blue) using his yoke.

3. Healing Bell is the ability to focus one’s magical capacity (remember that the wood itself is magical, so that’s where that comes from) into one’s chassis and funnel that all through a bell and then release that magic with a chime me to heal cogs. He has to know the structures of the cogs he’s healing (even if just vague) or have the emotional will (moral or immoral) to heal someone - for example, if a close friend of his got hurt, even without knowing their structure, the stress and sorrow would be enough to substitute it. Healing Bell is not the only ability he can do, and there are many more such as Overcharging. (Yes, this means there are rules to the magic, as well.)

4. His combat style in boxing is being more agile rather than relying on the damage of his punch. He exhausts his opponents by constantly healing himself using his healing bell, before eventually knocking out his opponent and winning the round. This has led him to develop a higher pain tolerance which is why he can sustain explosions on the daily. Alongside his fitness, his 12 years in the resort carrying tons of luggage on the daily has most likely heightened his endurance.

5. HE DOES NOT EAT USING HIS CLACKER (though that is a very funny interpretation). He eats and drinks via the grey area of his neck where his yoke is attached to. There’s an aperture that opens up there, allowing him to throw and ingest said food or drink. He can only eat little by little or else he could clog up his digestive tract since it is quite narrow.

Personality - "Eyes and ears open at all times; I've probably heard it all."

1. I don’t think he is physically/literally tone-deaf (as referred by Jennifer’s interview notes of him). That’s meant more metaphorically that he is deaf in reading the room and continues blabbering on about his gossips or talking shit about other managers. This also leads me to think that he would have a nice friendship/rivalry with Graham as they don’t have regards to anyone other than themselves and Suits they care about, and they both also crave/love attention. They sing together in Dave’s shows sometimes, and other times they make a competition out of how many followers they can get on their social media account.

2. He is friendly, extremely charismatic, and a great conversationalist… on the surface. He certainly has a “mask” that he puts on all the time to maintain his image in order to trick Suits for his selfish motives or maintain surface-level relationships - personal or business. Underneath, he is a sly and manipulative suit that people-pleases and sweet talks his way into things he needs and wants. When he's in trouble, he does his best to comply if its for the betterment of his self-interests but that's not to say he can't be silly and not give a fuck at all (wrt to official comic with Plutocrat). Lying is a constant in his entire life which is why he makes such a great Sellbot. This also means he has severe trust issues. His nosiness ties into that aspect, but for the most part, he just loves hearing other people’s businesses because it gives him a sense of control over them.

3. Underneath the “mask”, he’s scarily perceptive that he knows things about other people that they might not. It’s possible he has stalked Suits before talking to them in order to find their sweet side, and/or his experiences in espionage has led him to deduce things easily and subsequently take advantage of people’s attributes. His chattiness can be an intended tactic to make conversations go side-tracked and steer it to how he wants it, and his conversation with the secretaries is to gather information on other employees. Despite this, he still upholds his strong value of being authentic to himself despite the ironic immoral actions he is committing. Why? Sure, he finds the life of lying second nature to him, but there is also a naivety within him that yearns for true connections and truthfulness to himself, and he is desperately trying to keep that part from drowning amidst the cruelty of Suitopia’s society.

4. Since Bellringer uses he/they pronouns, I always saw him expanding his gender and sexuality beyond his masculinity. He’d definitely love to go to drag shows, wear dresses, and get his nails done. Whether he’s potentially a trans-woman/trans-man/non-binary is an interesting aspect and that will depend on the reader’s interpretation. I personally think he is comfortable representing both as a man and a woman, which is the absolute gender I strive for. <3 I also believe he speaks out against toxic masculinity and, if given the opportunity, also supports feminism because it’s in his personality to be as authentic & comfortable as he wants to be, and anybody that opposes that will get a rightful talking to.

Backstory

Let’s start with what we know.

1. He was a bellboy for 12 years in Golden Rose Resort and we know that he did some of his own “business” while working there since Jennifer notes he has a lot of knowledge about Suits and C.O.G.S. Inc’s rival companies. It would not be too surprising if the reason why he chose to apply for C.O.G.S. Inc. is because he deduced that this would be the dominating company in the following years compared to rival companies. It’s no doubt he utilises his chattiness to make shady deals with high-end clients during his time as a bellboy, gain information about powerful people and the companies they work for, and blackmails some Suits for his own means or someone else’s.

On a lighter note, I think he picked up the ventriloquist hobby (wrt to ventriloquist Bellringer comic) during this time likely to entertain guests in the hotel either as part of the job or a means of getting extra money or tips for his service, or — having been doing espionage at this time — he could have learned it for a specific mission and simply happened to like it then picked it up even after being employed at C.O.G.S. Inc. Funny how he uses puppets that would be a clear metaphor to his control over other Suits, right? Nah, I’m simply looking too deep into this and he just does it to troll people, haha.

What about before that?

2. Espionage demands a lot of exercise, and that didn’t just come from nowhere. In his earlier years, I would imagine he had joined some underground boxing ring for money. Why didn’t he just do minimum wage jobs to survive? Firstly, he’s not going to spend his next 12 years in a fucking McCognalds. Secondly, he has his own personal issues in his past that he eventually found boxing as a healthy outlet for his emotions. Thirdly, he finds the thrill of a challenge exciting, especially one that brings him at death’s door. If you can heal your wounds with a ring, you’re bound to develop a twisted false mentality that you can survive anything, and soon enough that could become an addiction that is drunk in pride. Winning the boxing matches gives him the attention he wants, and it gives him the addicting thrill he desires. After being hired at the resort, he needed to feed that addiction of thrill, and so he would lead a life of espionage and continue his immoral ways.

It would also explain why he shirks doing his actual duties in C.O.G.S. Inc. and instead gets distracted because he doesn't really want to do the boring parts. He just wants the fun of being in other people’s business and the thrill of combat in the streets (he incredibly despises Toons. All the more reason to explode them!) Because of that, I don't blame him if he looks tired all the time if what his position demands is torture to him, lol.

3. With the amount of charisma he has, he most definitely had sexual and romantic relationships. Most of them were just fleeting, and some of the rarer healthier ones would almost convince him to quit his adventurous addiction, however those types of relationships - where he exposes his vulnerabilities - hurt the most, especially when they end because of his own faults. Benjamin has grown an infatuation for Brian in his current position, but he has no intention to confess due to his lingering fear of trust issues, putting someone he cares about in danger because of the consequences of his immoral actions, and the self-deprecating belief that he cannot fix himself to love someone else, not after all the lies, deceit, and misdeeds he has done.

4. Of course, there’s still the question of what the origins of his hometown are, especially with that deal with the magical properties of his chassis, his aforementioned personal issues in his past, and most importantly… what about his family? He surely has a family somewhere in United Cogdom, right? I’m telling you that, yes, he does have a family and, yes, his mysterious origins are something I know and I am sure you’re keen to know about. After all, a Suit like him is extraordinarily bizarre - from his personality down to the nature of his powers. He’s bound to pick those habits from somewhere, right? Unfortunately, well…

It’s rather rude to talk about someone who’s listening…

[markrosewater]

A friend shared this in our discord and I asked him to send it to you, but he doesn't use Tumblr, so I asked if I could. It was far better written than some of thoughts and seemed worth sharing with you. "My Magic Cards' Lament As you all know, I love me some cube. Its my favorite way to play magic and, more importantly, my favorite way to /think/ about magic. I enjoy theory crafting cubes on the Cobra and imagining different possibilities. But I've noticed something recently: I've become desensitized to the aesthetic. And this isn't by choice. Scrolling through scryfall I find myself reading over UB cards from fallout or assassins creed or dr who or warhammer and thinking "this is a really unique effect and would fit perfectly in this cube". But it hurts to put them in. As someone who's genuinely obsessive/compulsive its a very bothersome incongruity. Sometimes I put them in, sometimes I don't, but I have to start ignoring aspects of the card for my own wellbeing which is often difficult. Regardless of my decision, I find that I shrink the card down to only its mechanics and its interaction with other cards' mechanics, and lose touch with the great aesthetic and world-building that got me so excited about magic in the first place. UW is not a priority to them, and if they even do make Magic equivalents, it would be released 2-3 years from now. I believe this to be a serious threat to the longevity of MTG, and it has me leaning more into other TCGs."

Universes Beyond might be the latest topic, but this is a note I've gotten many times over the years. A player writes to me that they love the game, but there's this element in the game that they have problems with. If only the element weren't there, their enjoyment of the game would increase greatly. But there are a lot of players for whom that element is something that makes the game more enjoyable for them.

The core problem is this. It's much easier to add things to the system than take them away. To use my buffet metaphor. We can add seafood because there are many players who have a better meal if seafood is there, but there's not a lot we can do for people who feel the buffet is lessened for seafood being in it. Yes, if enough people have issues with seafood, we can take it away, but what do we do when a majority likes the seafood and a small minority dislikes it?

I can encourage players to not eat the seafood, and even find other players who all promise to not eat the seafood when eating at the same table, but it's not something I can address while still keeping all the seafood lovers happy.

My answer is part of what makes a community is the understanding that others will enjoy things you don't and that things bringing happiness to others is a net gain for the community. Find the foods you love at the buffet and accept that the foods you don't like being there makes the customers of the buffet as a whole happier.

[bengiyo]

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat 2 Eps 17-20 (Finale)

Last week gave me everything I wanted and more. The whole squad went over to Yako's place for a curry party and everyone had a great time. Later, Nagumo got a diagnosis for her condition and got to have personal time with Yako. Kasuga and Nomoto continued to work on their communication and making sure they aren't trampling over each other. They're continuing to work on this move. Seriously, we had a curry party and a s'mores party last week. We planted strawberries together. Let's finish this.

Episode 17

Looking for housing is so stressful. I was wondering if we'd get into housing discrimination in this.

Red beans in Japan are different from what we eat here. Theirs carry a naturally sweet profile that doesn't mesh well with creole cooking.

I feel like those beans needed to boil longer, but that's me thinking in my home cooking terms.

Yes, ladies, tell each other how happy you are to see each other.

@furritsubs thank you for the note about Azuki beans.

I'm really enjoying the way they're handling this situation. The realtor wasn't trying to be homophobic, but the systems he was upholding with the landlord references reinforces the status of same sex households. I also like that they acknowledged how circumstances closet people in ways that hurt them. This is good payoff from the news bit we saw earlier in season with Kasuga.

Getting a tasty treat in before going back into the fray is so valid.

Kasuga being even more affectionate about Nomoto's food now that they're dating is exactly what I wanted.

Episode 18

Oh fuck yeah, let's continue to unpack how structural homophobia makes people scared to share something that should be a joyous occasion.

Amused that Yako is the primary person using Nomoto's given name.

Are we going to have a takoyaki party next??

COME THROUGH, YAKO!!! You gotta help your folks get through this bullshit, but never let them forget that it's bullshit!!

I am relieved that we checked in with Ms. Fujita about divorcing her husband at the same time as we're working through LGBT housing issues. Single divorced women likely also face huge challenges in housing when marriage is the goal we're being pushed into.

Wow, Sayama, you are in contention for the Yihwa Best Girl Award this year. You are an ally. Love the way she examined how what she said might have been hurtful.

Feeling like you somehow failed because you didn't get married in your 20s is so real. I sometimes struggle with this in my 30s.

This show uses its characters to illustrate its political points in a way that feels gentle and accessible, but also carries a sense of urgency. Women are facing extreme reproductive pressure right now, and it's clearly not making those who don't already want husbands and children happier. Hell, it's making them resentful to the point of divorce as they get older.

Hold on. Gotta cry a bit about Nomoto telling Kasuga that being told outright that hiding who they are upset her made her feel better got me.

Episode 19

Takoyaki Party let's goooooo!!!

A party where you cook together like this is always so much fun. We had fun with some friends' kids a few weeks ago teaching them how to make pancakes and letting them add their own toppings before, during, and after cooking.

Nagumo managed to enjoy a bite of food with them. Hold on. Crying again.

We've seen takoyaki a few times lately, and I am very impressed with this cooker.

Yako, tactful as always, is gonna check on Nagumo. I love her.

This is so important. Couple formation does affect the friends around them, and I'm really glad Yako let Nagumo voice that she supports her friends even as she knows she's going to miss the dynamic they've had. Yako is so right to point out that a change doesn't mean it's over, and their friendship will last if we all continue to reach out.

This realtor scene is so good. I like how politely she asked for them to disclose their relationship with the express purpose of securing ideal housing, and we're getting into how the financing of housing can affect people's privacy. She's also owning that landlords can discriminate against couples. I also appreciate that their meeting room was private.

I'm ready for the moving in party!

Episode 20

They got the house!!

A crab cream croquette party!!!

Wait, where's Nagumo? I wanted her to try a croquette too!

We are on the bed together. This is not a drill.

Yes, let's acknowledge that they have liked each other since season 1.

The intimacy question is on the floor!

They are finally hugging!

NOW KISS!!!

That was very sweet, and felt right for them. I'm glad they had that moment in the old place before they moved.

Cried because of Ms. Fujita and Nagumo possibly getting hired.

So glad Yako and Nagumo are still hanging out! That's really how some friends groups will be. Two people will just gel at a party and grow close.

Oh hell yeah we're at casual intimacy now.

I'm so excited to see where the TV goes next season!!

Oh my goodness Kasuga is wearing a lighter sweater!!!!!!

Final Verdict: 10, Go Watch This Immediately and Then Show it to a Friend. Seriously, do not make excuses for yourself. You owe it to yourself to watch this show. Between this, Ossan's Love Returns, and What Did You Eat Yesterday? coming back, we cannot stop supporting our shows about older people getting together and forming their own forms of family. This show built on the foundation of its first season and made every little detail feel so potent and impactful. I did not expect the pen pal to grow into a trusted confidant and core member of this friend group, nor was I expecting the women at the supermarket to help Kasuga as much as they did. This season was excellent, and will be joining WDYEY on my comfort watch rotation.

Big thanks to @furritsubs and friends for making this watch possible.

[the-amazing-digital-time-capsule]

TADTC Lore Dump #2

Human/avatar body

The Time Capsule pulls people in body and all, there is no trace of them after entering

Those in the Capsule feel human sensations, since their avatar body is linked to their real human body. They have to fulfill these sensation via eating, drinking, or sleeping

The avatar body is complex and based on the actual body of the person it sucked in.  All avatars have a liquid that acts as blood if they get hurt or injured they will bleed. 

The pain they feel when getting injured in the capsule is the same pain they would feel in real life

If any body parts or limbs of the member are ripped off or removed they will not grow back unless BUBLE finds a reason to replace them.

If the members were to ever leave the capsule they would not be able to perform the roles that they were given in the capsule anymore.  Ex. Pomni could no longer play the violin, but Caine could still play the piano since he could prior to entering. 

The members do not age in the Capsule, they are perfectly preserved 

Reproduction is possible in the Capsule 

When someone is abstracted they go brain dead and their human body is recycled 

The World of the Capsule 

They're multiple locations within, the main is the tent which resides in the middle of the Capsule

The other locations include but are not limited to a Botanical Garden, Shooting Range, Hotel, and Museum 

Between the locations is a pixelated cityscape

Underneath the city is a complex sewer system meant to clean out old data

On the edge of the capsule in “No Man's Land” where the abstractions are sent and where they are supposed to stay

Punishments

If punishments are deemed necessary BUBLE will take over Caine’s body and perform the punishments through him 

Caine is fully conscious when BUBLE is doing this and has tried multiple times to fight BUBLE off, sometimes with some success but not usually.

All punishments are preformed via the red strings, whether its physical or phycological torture  

Caine can only bypass the strings when heavily inebriated

The Protocol

Due to issues of guest being a bit to handsy with the women in the capsule there is a protocol in place to prevent the women from being touched sexually 

The moment a guest touches one of the women sexually the guest's avatar will freeze and they will be kicked out of the Capsule

[zealsoughtsequesterustanxiedemon]

Rewatching Durarara with a friend of mine and we hit the Shizuo episode and I remembered wow he's my favorite character in this.

A character who id defined by violence: the strongest man in town, super-human even, uncontrollable, and easily irritable. But I love the episode we get for him because it really re-frames how his life led up to this.

He's had issues with anger and control since he was a kid. He's been in a cycle of getting angry, harming himself through wanton destruction, getting hospitalized, and healing his broken bones on-and-on until his body just actually got strong enough to stop getting hurt. A cycle he doesn't much like, causing him pain, property destruction, and sometimes hurting those he cares about. He loses jobs because of it and its obviously not very good socially. P neurodivergent imo.

But you know what he's also known for. That damn bartender outfit. The ones his brother gave him to encourage him keeping one of his many jobs. Of course, world isn't nice, he loses that job same way as the others. Now he's working as a bodyguard for a debt collector, one where his strength and infamy can decently benefit him. But he still wears the bartender outfit because of how many of them his brother got for him. So it's really cute how although he's still known for his anger, he's identified by something that came out of love, and from one of his favorite people.

He REALLY loves his brother. One of the people who's not afraid of him AND can actually calm him down. The other core one is Celty. He definitely has other friends, but those two are, like, THE people he can just really relax around. Show that his true nature isn't violence or wrath. He'd prefer being able to just chill, his brain just won't let him.

So besides his struggles, what I really like about Shizuo is that he can just exist. Despite his problems, he has a support system, he has a stable job now, he has friends, he has people who can stop him, and he can just live even if a lot of that life has to be angry. Heck, the police don't even apprehend him because his fits happen so much. Such a destructive person is okay to just be there. Problems will arise, and that's okay.

[wtfuglydemon]

pro-recovery this anti-recovery that

have you ever thought that people cant recover unless theyre willing to? unless they feel comfortable to? unless they feel like they are ready to?

not only that, ever thought that some things just arent able to be "cured" or recovered from? that our entire psyche system cant handle anything more complicated than a simple anxiety/depression? that if you have complicated disorders they will either shame you, make you feel like a monster and never help you directly but ask you to internalize your symptoms to not be a nuisance to others for the detriment of yourself? that, if they dont straight up drug you numb they will hospitalize you for something you have no fault on? Sometimes seeking for recovery can hurt you more than you already were and its why you can't unless youre willing and prepared to.

Being better with yourself isn't simple, sometimes recovery is having accomodations made to your problems that society simply does not give to others, it's different to all of us, mental health is not easy and straightforward and many make it up to be, this is extremely damaging and can make people hurt themselves, mentally and physically.

I've been abandoned, judged and seen as problematic for not seeking a doctor for myself and also being very open about my distaste for therapy, because i study it, i know how the system is flawed and systematically judgmental, classist, racist and misogynistic and the people in the field can be even worse, i warn people so they know if they are ready for a lot of trial and error, not to discourage them but to know that this is also a challenge you need to be mentally prepared for because otherwise it will leave you more hurt.

every journey to better your mental health is different, complicated, ugly and sometimes filled with hardships, boiling it down to "pro recovery and anti recovery" is to forget others who can't exactly recover, people's who recovery need systematic societal change, people like me with psychopathy who are seem as nothing but monsters who need to be purged from society, regardless if we have our own struggles and difficulties to deal with, its forgetting people in countries who don't have good mental health awareness, it is forgetting people who don't have financial conditions to afford help. No one is against others seeking help for your struggles but sometimes issues are not as simple as you deem them to be and the need to antagonize and "reclaim" their spaces is to negate hurting people of a space where they can be themselves and proud of who they are.

in the end what made me write this is how i am myself even with all my bad, self destructive and harmful behaviors and people like me exist and need a space safe for them to be themselves, it is why i found myself so drawn to the Jirai community, people "reclaiming" and trying to separate it from its roots is just bringing harm to a group of people who simply want to not feel alone with their struggles and be proud of who they are. You are not better than anyone from depriving those of a space for them, all you're doing is showing ignorance and disrespect for an entire group of suffering people.

[randompolykin]

Intro Post

Welcome To The Storm.

i have been procrastinating making one of these for a while now so here you go.

I don't know how people can post their names on here, or their ages. Like what :0 I could not do that. (So if you need to refer to me, you can do so by my username) I do feel comfortable telling you this stuff:

The labels I use to identify my gender identity are genderfluid, nonbinary, transgender, genderflux, xenogender, fluidflux, and specifically genderspirit. At least that's the basics.

When it comes to sexuality/romantic attraction I consider myself frayromantic and neptunic, I am also aceflux.

also with being median system, I actually have a bunch that contradict each other, aka have sexualities that aren’t these.

abit more on my sexuality can be found in this post

I might reblog centaurworld, smg4, the amazing digital circus, wings of fire, or good omens related posts or other fandom stuff sometimes too.

i am a polymorph

link to post with my complete (well not complete, but a bigger list) list of kintypes, hearttypes and kinsiderings

some of my kintypes and hearttypes in little detail:

kins: black cat, dragon, sprollie dog, attack helicopter (not jk/ i am gen) cabincore, emoticons (or the concept of) cryptidkin, stormkin (its kinda complecated tho)

hearts: fall, halloween, sloths, crows,

Now onto other things you should know about me and some silly not as important but also interesting ones:

my spelling isn't the best, sorry, i dont have auto correct.

I am afraid of being wrong (mainly because I'm worried I am somehow hurting people by it)

I have trust/opening up issues

I struggle with imposter syndrome

I probably have undiagnosed anxiety of some kind but have yet to do research on it

I probably have long term depression. it's better than it once was, put its still there.

I have associative synesthesia and the types I care to name are olp, grapheme-color and chromesthesia but I know of more things that are probably types with their own names that I have.

I'm a vegetarian (it's funny because a bunch of my kintypes are carnivores or really like eating meat)

I'm a furry and have this going on where I'm turning my animal kin and heartypes into furry OCs and fursonas but I haven't gotten far in it. I'm also questioning being my protogen oc

I'm a median system. im trying to tallk about it more, but its kinda scary as im new to it...

Uh I might post random art doodles idk tho.

Besides that mostly I'll post and reblog alterhuman stuff (mainly otherkin probably)

Also please ask me stuff!!! Curious on how I experience being an aesthetic? Want to learn more about my angel kintype? Etc, please ask!

Profile pic is my kintype, the nowhere king, with the genderfluid, frayromantic, and loveless aro flags. And my banner is light doodles of some of my kintypes

When it comes to a tagging system I am trying to make one but it is barly in existance rn but i used more of these a bit back. but the reblog tag (altho I might forget to tag a reblog as reblog sorry if I do)

Also all posts with swearing in them will be tagged with #tw swearing

I don't usually swear myself but I will reblog stuff that has swears in them

#reblog (these are simply reblogs. Can be of anything. These will not have me adding my thoughts in tags or replies)

#my reply (reblogs with my reply/my thoughts on it/ad ons, also might be tagged with #my ad ones (if it's adding on to what the poster is saying specific vs a reply of anykind))

#my reply tags(or my tag replies) (same thing but in the tags specifically. Add on version is #my tag ad ons)

#not ah related (not alterhuman related, includes reblogs)

#not ok related (not otherkin related, alterhuman related posts that are not otherkin related are included here)

#i am a mess of kinsidering (a ranty vent post about my lastest kintype to question or re-question or be confused over want to classify an identity as beyond otherkin, etc)

#silly post time (silly posts, not reblogs. This would be me making a post that says "nom nom nom garbage" and # it with therian and otherkin tags. Can be ah, ok, and not related.) (if not ah or ok related I will put those tags in)

#silly reblogs (me rebloging these types of posts)

#serious post (speaking up about an issue or trying to spread the word about something important etc)

#serious reblog (same as ⬆️ but a reblog)

#positivity spreading reblog (rebloging a positivity spreading post. can include #my ad ones posts)

#positivity spreading post (a positivity spreading post originally made by me)

#term coining reblog (coined terms not by me but that I have rebloged)

#oh me terms yas (term coining posts by others that have a term I want to use/represent me)

#flag coining reblog

#save (posts I want saved for any reason.)

#saving this to show my friend in case their ah (I'm pretty sure one of my friends I alterhuman but I'm not sure so I'll show them certain posts and see if they relate)

#storm talk (talking about being (apart of) a storm

#little grey cloud rambles (rambles as a little grey cloud)

#more about me

That's all I can think of for now, i update this from time to time tho.

[limeade-l3sbian]

Ngl I am spiraling a bit after reading your "couldn't really come to terms with my sexuality and naively glamorized being taken advantage of by a woman" post. I am bi but I didn't realized I could be attracted to men until my 20s so in my teens I was just focussed on all the homophobia thrown at me (early 2000s were hell) and yea I was heavily attracted to older and more dominant women. My attraction to men turned out to be a non-starter and the few times I acted on it it was horrible. So I worked through the trauma that gave me and came out of it as what the girlies call "febfem" these days. But i never worked through why I mainly fantasize about women taking advantage of me as well. And that this fantasy started way before I ever experienced trauma from men etc. So it's probably because I had issues with internalized homophobia as a kid/teen. I never confronted it as an issue because no woman ever hurt me irl and no woman ever took advantage of me irl. My relationships to women and the sex I had with them has always been healthy. Even though I fantasize and long for something less healthy sometimes. The older I get the more I think I should maybe work through that? Luckily the things I fantasize about are way less bad than what I had on my mind when I really loathed myself for being ssa/gnc/etc. But I feel like a hypocrite sometimes when I argue against kink culture and bdsm while theoretically still being very much okay with the thought of a woman taking advantage of me. It's gotten better over the years automatically as I got rid of some self hatred and internalised homophobia but I never addressed it as an issue. Despite it probably being one

Well, I can't to your own experiences but I will say that that phase in my life also came from some level of low self worth. Not being conventionally attractive growing up, I had the desire to be "so desired" that etc etc. So I didn't really feel that I "deserved" to be taken advantage of, but I twisted it as the ultimate form of attraction. Lesbian, bi, or straight, we all live in the same culture and my thoughts were not formed or influenced outside of it.

I think it was also that thing a lot of people do about lessening the extent of things within the context of women/wlw relationships. Abuse is bad, but it's not so bad if it's a woman doing it to you (false). Rape can be traumatizing, but if it was a woman I might actually enjoy it since the threat of extreme pain, callousness, and being killed are removed from the equation (false). When I slightly conceded to my sexuality, I was also in the thick of a porn addiction in high school. So I associated my sexuality with men, as if liking women is a manly trait.

It's a thick web of self realization and societal norms and implications. I think if you were going to work through it, I would urge you to both take it slow and allow yourself to consider the most uncomfortable of implications regarding your fantasies. To be clear: YOU are NOT a bad person for having these thoughts. You are a piece in the system as much as anyone else and its influence is woven into everything.

I made that post because I never realized how many other ssa women had this happen to them as well, and I think the fact that that one post sent you into a spiral means that it is worth not necessarily normalizing, but acknowledging and working through as a community so that other women can either skip over it or know how to combat it when those feelings arise.

[biblioflyer]

Rogue v Cap: Outside vs Inside Power

Its rare for any incarnation of the X-Men to not have incredibly smart things to say about bigotry, authority, organizing, and power, but X-Men '97 is killing it.

However, I think people who are too quick to get behind Rogue or are offended on Captain America's behalf are missing out on just how sophisticated '97's understanding of power and authority is.

Lets get this out of the way: I take a "yes, and" stance on power and social organizing.

I think its incredibly difficult to holistically understand movements and declare this "helped" the cause and that "hurt" the cause. It all depends on how you calibrate your rubric for success and how you understand how influential a person, group, or action really was.

What I see in the X-Men in all incarnations are some of the most iconic and thorniest debates about inside or institutional power vs outside, autonomous organizing and power, about assimilation or separatism.

Reasonable people recognize these are highly contingent arguments without clear, unambiguous or ethically pure answers.

Which is a rich meal for an ethics nerd like myself and I am having the most amazing time watching and thinking about X-Men '97 and the issues it raises.

So lets get into this!

Spoilers for X-Men '97 episode 7 "Bright Eyes"

Rogue's encounter with Captain America on the hunt for Bolivar Trask, inventor of the Sentinels, is probably the most commented on and debated scene on my social media feeds (as of this writing.)

Those who take Rogue's side in the exchange of words and that epic Frisbee hurl make very familiar and painful arguments. The system Captain America represents and Captain America himself have consistently let mutants down. Where were the Avengers when Genosha burned?

Which is a damn good question considering there are multiple Avengers and Avengers adjacent characters who are confirmed as existing in Earth 92131 who could conceivably have been able to learn about the attack in near real time and react in real time. Thor is very likely to have been tipped off by the likes of Heimdal or other mystical means and can cross continental distances in moments. Doctor Strange likewise could portal over the moment he found out about it, along with anyone else he could rustle up.

SHIELD and essentially any other entity with orbital surveillance would likely have learned about the attack the moment their satellites overflew Genosha. Given the world's jitters over Genosha, I'm having a hard time believing Genosha wasn't being monitored around the clock. However, knowledge doesn't translate into the ability to respond faster than a Quinjet can reach the island.

Now there's an unsatisfying Watsonian explanation here in the form that this is a common trope: all of the world's heroes are somehow busy or ignorant when really big stuff is going down. The Doylist lens would remind us that this is endemic to superhero stories and kind of required for suspense, except when its time to do the big team up story.

So if we want to be generous to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, "they didn't know or were busy or couldn't reach Genosha in time" is an explanation we can fall back on. Thor and Doctor Strange do have to sleep sometime and its not as if they don't have other responsibilities that take them off world or off this plane of existence. Most of the other superheroes known to exist in Earth-92131 could have an out in that they may not have had the means to become aware of the attack in real time or the means to reach Genosha before it was already over.

However, that's awful nitpicky. Rogue can be being unfair about the lack of an immediate response to Genosha while still having a valid point to make on a broader scale. Homo Sapiens Sapiens civilization more broadly would almost certainly, from Rogue's point of view, been holding the idiot ball or maliciously ignorant to miss out on a new army of Sentinels under construction including a big freaking Sentinel kaiju.

Of course we'd later find out that some handwavey deus ex may have also ensured that the world's electronic eyes were shut without any elaborate conspiracy, but Rogue doesn't know this yet when she's unloading on Cap. For all she knows, this is yet another in a long list of times where the "good" Homo Sapiens Sapiens and their champions have been unwilling or conveniently unable to intervene in personal scale tragedies like lynchings by the Friends of Humanity or population scale atrocities like permitting Genosha's former regime to run forced labor camps.

Baked into the setting assumptions of X-Men is a significant amount of systemic abuse that gets overlooked by non-mutant superheroes or that said superheroes are not powerful enough or imaginative enough to dismantle. This ends up necessitating a never ending set of excuses for how Earth's Mightiest Heroes keep winding up on the wrong side of justice yet can still claim the mantle of hero.

I'm not going to repeat ad nauseam familiar arguments about the suspension of disbelief problems created by widespread anti-mutant bigotry being a part of the same setting as a vast roster of enhanced individuals and literal gods that the general public lionizes without much hesitation. The savvy reader already knows these forwards and backwards, so I'm only going to continue to address them to the extent they're relevant here and refrain from further meta-commentary about this aspect of X-Men '97's world building.

Now to be fair, Captain America actually does give us an answer of sorts as to at least what he's up to and why he's not more ambitious in his pursuit of justice. He does intend to act, but not, from his perspective, impulsively. Captain America needs to obtain clearance to act across international boundaries. Captain America is in many ways governed by a sclerotic and often unjust system.

But wait! Captain America is a supersoldier, you say. Who gets to tell him "No, you don't get to pursue justice according to your conscience?" Cap should just tell his handlers to get stuffed and go settle accounts.

Notice my repetition of Steve's nom de spandex? Captain America is not a friendly neighborhood star spangled vigilante. Its unclear exactly who he is working for in this universe, but its heavily implied to be if not the United States, then perhaps SHIELD, and either way there are geopolitical considerations to Captain America showing up without phoning ahead and asking nicely if he can wander around without a minder, punching and exploding people and things on his own discretion. A whole lot of countries are justifiably sensitive about this sort of thing.

The point is that Steve Rogers is accountable to some sort of regulatory authority that is clearly meant to ensure that Captain America's activities are understood clearly and that he doesn't meet with an unfriendly reception by governmental actors that Steve would rather not be shooting at him and that Steve would prefer not to have to punch his way through on his way to his mission.

This authority likely has an additional role of at least performing for the masses and other governments that Captain America is being held to strict rules of engagement and that the bad guys he is punching are definitely villains plotting acts of violence not ideological enemies of the status quo. Because again, wanton violence for motives that are not clearly explained or are suspected of being fraudulent is a touchy subject.

Now of course, Steve Rogers could always go off the reservation. Its happened plenty of times in other continuities/universes. After all, the US government can't repo the super soldier serum.

What they can take away though is a lot of what allows Steve to be more than just a really strong guy. You know who is also a really strong guy? Bruce Banner. Also Luke Cage.

What do Bruce and Luke not have when they aren't playing on a team with some sort of direct or indirect government approval?

Extensive intelligence networks to direct them to international problems that need punching.

Supersonic jets to get them to places where there are villains who need to get decked.

People with relevant authorities who can work the phones and obtain permissions for a superhuman to engage in activities that may require a large scale disaster response operation and sending out surveyors afterwards to redraw topographical maps.

Why obtain those permissions? Because nations have armies and sometimes their own superhero teams they will send out if they get wind of a rogue superhuman showing up and doing violence without phoning ahead and clarifying their motives.

Special forces and super teams are a real inconvenience when there's wrongs to be righted on the other side of them.

So that's the bargain.

As Captain America, Steve Rogers gets an invisible army of intelligence operatives, pilots, Quinjet mechanics, and diplomats that all work together to ensure that Steve can do the maximum good when his conscience and the interests of his benefactors are aligned.

When he goes off reservation, he's just a really strong guy. Like Bruce Banner or Luke Cage. Not just a really strong guy, but probably a person of interest because authorities tend not to like their monopoly on violence being undermined by tough guys who are only accountable to the vibes of their conscience but can wreck New York's skyline if they're having a particularly bad day.

Which brings us back to Rogue and the X-Men.

The X-Men represent outside power.

Its heavily implied through any number of dialogues between the X-Men and the US President and the UN, the X-Men have some sort of understanding with legal authorities. However, its also implied that while this understanding exists, its begrudging. The X-Men have a wider latitude to act autonomously than the Avengers because they're specialists at what they do: they're intimately acquainted with some of the most dangerous, "Omega" level mutants who can be surly and embittered towards Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

Yet that latitude is both a gift and a curse.

The gift is the X-Men are essentially free to follow their consciences. Because the legal authorities have given the X-Men nothing much more than a blind eye towards their activities, the only thing the authorities can take away from the X-Men is that blind eye. The X-Men are a largely self sufficient operation, so there's no obvious card to play that is analogous to revoking Steve Rogers' legal identity as Captain America. The X-Men supply their own Blackbirds, no matter how many of them they lose, and largely generate their own sources and intelligence.

The X-Men also own their own mistakes, which is a mixed blessing. When Rogue goes on a grief fueled rampage, she's not liable to start World War 3. While she's technically an American citizen, its understood that she acts as her own agent, with no direct connections to the US government that could be interpreted as Rogue acting out the will of the US government.

Rather than retaliate, any foreign governments alarmed by Rogue's behavior are not likely to blame the US directly and are likely to lodge a complaint through official channels in the hopes that the US government will coax the X-Men into doing something about her or that Uncle Sam will try to take matters into its own hands. In other words, its understood that Rogue is America's problem but not its fault, at least not intentionally. Which is good enough to keep nuclear missiles from waving at one another as they pass one another in Earth orbit.

And that's essentially the contours of what the X-Men's outside power looks like.

The X-Men have incredible resources at their disposal by virtue of Xavier's seed money, the genius of Hank McCoy and others, and the allies they've cultivated like the Shi'ar, but everything they've built up they've had to bootstrap. They're free to follow their consciences but they're also at risk of running off the cliff and getting disavowed if they chase their consciences too far, too fast, too hard for the liking of the world's nations.

The Avengers, especially Steve Rogers, subordinate their consciences to higher authorities to a greater degree, but the trade is that when they do act, they can act with the knowledge that they're not going to have to deal with blue on blue conflict from confused and scared locals and with largely infinite resources. There is almost assuredly a limited supply of Blackbirds. There is a limited supply of Blackbirds right? The number of Quinjets available to the Avengers is only limited by the budget afforded to them by SHIELD or Tony Stark.

Speaking of Tony Stark, depending on which universe and what time period we're talking about, he is not necessarily a backup plan for an Avengers team that finds its consciences misaligned with the interests of SHIELD. Not just because he might not feel like being their sugar daddy, but also because Tony Stark is ultimately a businessman. Ironman may be challenging for the world's authorities to reign in if he's in a bad mood, but Tony Stark has financial assets that can be frozen and capital assets that can be seized.

Let's not forget that when Steve Rogers decided he was done asking for permission to do what he felt was right in the MCU, he was only able to continue superheroing at the same level he had previously because a secretive nation with a friendly monarch was willing to provide him with a jet and supplies so long as they approved of his goals and methods.

Thus the X-Men enjoy greater freedom of conscience but its much more precarious than Captain America's compromised freedom.

This is not a value judgment, just an observation.

And if I made the case for Captain America playing by the rules a little too well, then its probably because Earth 92131 Steve Rogers doesn't seem to have been gaslit into being the hatchetman for corrupt ends.

Yet.

One could also imagine that SHIELD or USGOV have also failed to tip Cap off about mutant related this, that, or the other that Steve might have OPINIONS about and feel strongly that some Homo Sapiens Sapiens supremacists are need of punching in a time and place that is super inconvenient for the authorities.

Because sometimes injustice isn't about what authority does, its about what it doesn't do: malign neglect and so forth.