#sorry but this is like the whole ishvalan thing wasn't brought up until the last chapters of the manga in fma

[problemswithbooks]

So, I guess we’re back to this whole Mutant discrimination thing again with this newest chapter. In principal the concept isn't bad, but Hori’s execution is laughable and shows that he sees it more as a fun world building thing that he pulled from X-Men rather then because he actually understands what he’s talking about.

It’s always been very clear that Hori didn’t really understand or want to focus on this aspect of his work. This chapter makes that very apparent since it suddenly introduces the fact that there have been mass genocides of Mutant Quirk havers in the past. It also has the Mutants say they don’t like Heroes and consider the two kids with Mutant Quirks fighting for the Heroes traitors.

But when has the story or characters ever interacted with their world in a way that shows these things have happened? Heck if these things are true we have at least three characters that have said racial slurs as insults. Yet none of these cases were ever shown to be a big deal.

Shinsou called Ojiro a monkey. It got Izuku upset but no more then anyone would be upset if some called their regular human friend a monkey. It was an insult, like calling someone stupid or an idiot. Izuku quickly forgot about it and no one in Class-A holds it against him, including the other heteromorph students. 

Shoto calls the police chief a dog. People are a little shocked but more so in the way anyone would be if the quiet kid from class insulted a regular police chief. Shoto was seen as rude and a little rash but not as anything more. Izuku and Iida didn’t lose any respect for him or tell him what he said was uncool. The police chief doesn't even seem to care.

Dabi calls Spinner lizard casually. Spinner gets upset, but is more annoyed then genuinely mad. He doesn’t hold it against Dabi or dislike him afterwards. Shigaraki doesn’t care that Dabi just called Spinner a lizard either.  

If this is a world where Heteromorphs have faced mass genocide and where Quirk counseling has pushed the idea that it’s wrong to single them out, these insults would be on par with the worst racial slurs. Someone saying them would out them as racist. Sure the Quirk counseling hasn’t worked and people still find them gross, but it’s clear that attitude is not something you’re not supposed to show publicly.  

Yet, Shinsou’s insult is forgotten--Class-1A are happy to work with him and want him in the Hero course with them. Izuku and Iida still like Shoto and never bring up that his racial slur were wrong, nor does he apologize for it. Dabi calls Spinner a lizard and Spinner doesn’t hold it against him. Shigaraki doesn’t reprimand him for being mutant racist. He’s still just one of the league--the Bakugou of the group who has silly names for his pals. 

And I think what sums up how much Hori doesn’t understand how oppression works or how to write is is that in the chapter he has the heteromorphs tell his one black character how he can’t possibly understand how they feel or how they suffer. Like, yes, I’m sure the black man can’t possibly understand how these people feel--it’s not like he’s ever faced racism before. No certainly not--only Hori’s fake animal people know what it’s like to be judged based on their appearance. 

There’s just something so tone deft about it, that really underscores to me how little research or care Hori put into this part of his world. To me it really seems like he read/watched X-Men and plucked one of it’s core themes out of it and placed it in his story for some neat side plot/background worldbuilding. It’s cheap and it’s his weakest storyline by far. 

[inkuisitivskins]

Livmiles "It wasn't your fault"

Fanfic prompts

1. “It wasn’t your fault.”

ok at first i didn’t really know what to do for this prompt, but I asked Beck ( @pumpire ) and he gave me a good idea haha. I’ve also been wanting to try more AUs so this is gonna be a modern one bc @illidria has been really inspiring me lately with hers :3c

It Wasn’t Your Fault on Ao3

–

Olivier bristled beside him, her grip on his hand tightening significantly, her eyes blue daggers pointed towards the group of laughing men. 

“Olivier,” Miles turned to her, his voice soft. “It’s fine.”

He felt her try to tug away from his grasp, though he continued holding her hand, keeping her from storming towards them as they continued their derogatory remarks. 

“Let’s not let them ruin the good time we’re having, okay? Just ignore them.”

The blonde spun to look him in the eyes, blue and red gazes meeting. Her eyebrows knit together in fury, her voice significantly louder than his, “You can’t just let them get away with saying those things about you! Are you kidding?”

He pursed his lips together, trying desperately to convince her despite knowing about her infamous stubbornness, “If I do something about it, won’t it just confirm all of the things they just said about Ishvalans? We just ate, and I really don’t want to have to get police involved if they end up starting an even bigger scene–”

Olivier sighed, quieting down somewhat, “You can’t let them walk all over you.”

“But I don’t want to make them right when they call me a savage.”

She frowned up at him, unconvinced, before looking over at the group of men one last time. Miles was unable to see the look she gave them, but judging by their smirks, it was probably a nasty one. She lifted her free hand, flipping them off. 

They began laughing among themselves, and upon Miles giving her hand a soft tug, they continued on their way. 

Until, one man called out again; “Why don’t you come home with us instead, baby?”

Laughter.

Olivier froze abruptly in her tracks, Miles pausing to look back at her. She stared forward, unblinking, her face blank, until her blue eyes slowly rose to meet his. 

A beat passed, and he let go of her hand. 

The men never expected the five-foot-six woman to storm over to them before proceeding to beat the shit out of the one who just catcalled her. 

The Ishvalan sat cross-legged on the couch, picking absentmindedly at the leftovers they brought home from their date. In silence, he watched his girlfriend as she sat in her own chair across from him, intensely focused on her painting. Whatever it was of, she was engrossed in it, judging by the faces she had been making. Furrowed brows, a constant tilting of her head, a scrunched-up nose; it brought a content smile to his face as he observed. 

He didn’t notice her eyes roam to him, “I thought you were hungry?”

Red eyes blinked, realizing, “Oh. I’m fine.”

She lowered her paintbrush, meaning business, “What’s on your mind?”

“I’m sorry about earlier,” his gaze descended to the carpet, causing him to not see the baffled expression on Olivier’s face.

“Why the hell are you sorry?”

“I was basically inviting those guys to say something.”

“Don’t ever say that,” the blonde frowned, though her eyes shone with concern. “It wasn’t your fault. I got enough of that even before we got together, your existence and our relationship are not burdens on me, or anyone else. They were obviously just assholes who got what they deserved.”

 This brought a small smile to Miles’s sharp features, “It was a little fun running from those police once his buddy called them.”

Olivier smiled, pleased to have received that reaction from him. “Please don’t let yourself get pushed around like that in the future. You have to stay strong.”

“I wasn’t letting myself get pushed around; I don’t want to fight violence with more violence.”

“Holding your ground doesn’t necessarily mean violence.”

Miles sighed gently, “I know. I’m trying to get to the point to where I have it in me, I’m just afraid of it right now. Not afraid of them, obviously, but afraid of making it worse for myself and everyone else of my blood.”

“I know. You know I’ll always have your back?”

Glancing back up at her, he saw the genuine worry in her eyes; the sincerity. 

She continued once he looked back at her, “You’re a grown man who can take care of his own problems, but there’s no shame in asking for help. I’ll always be there for you, supporting you, like I know you’re there for me. That’s the whole point. Plus, if you don’t want me to punch someone, I’m a killer in political debates. I’d wipe the floor with him in a discussion, using his face as a sort of gross, fleshy mop.” 

He felt himself smile gently, just wholly thankful for her. “Like when I supported you by letting you go and you nearly got arrested for assault and battery?”

“It was personal defense,” Olivier shrugged, matter-of-factly. 

He snorted.

“Of my dignity.”

“Which is why I let you go,” Miles spoke, amused. “He did deserve a good punch or two, I suppose.”

“Because who knows how many people he’s done that to, or how many he’ll do it to in the future?” She lifted her paintbrush, delicately gathering some paint onto it, “Maybe next time he tries to make any sort of remarks like he did, he’ll get a ghost pain in that broken-ass nose of his.”

“Not like a facial injury made him any uglier than he already was,” Miles finally began eating. 

Earning a laugh from her, he smiled amusedly in tandem as he continued watching her paint, knowing that having someone like her by his side made the world easier to bear.

“Thank you, Liv.”

“Don’t mention it,” She smiled to herself. “It’s what you do when you love someone.”

He sighed, happy and content, “I know.”

Sorry this one was a tad shorter than my recent ones (still longer than some of the first Livmiles ones I did tho LOL) but thank you for sending this one in!