#sorry but when the leaders have been so consistently wrong historically. i think it's okay for people to follow their own inspiration

[brainlessbum]

Ulisses Soares

Living my own truths" or "doing what works for me" = "Indulging in self-centered pursuits"

When we do that ⬆️ "we can justify almost anything"

- this from the church that justifies: making women second class members, has codified racism, protects child abusers, lied to its members and the government, and done everything to tell queer and trans people that they are better off dead and are not welcome

[brick-van-dyke]

// Sort of a vent/ political rant but yeah

TLDR Free Palestine and there IS no antisemitism besides Israel itself, and the Zionists speaking for Jewish survivors of the holocaust who consistently say "not in our name".

Absolutely fascinating how we've gotten to this point of hundreds of Jews saying "hey this thing doesn't represent us!" and "Not in our name" while not-Jews say "hey stop being antisemetic" at these exact said Jews for saying a thing non-Jewish people don't like. And yes there are Jews saying this too, but a very large number are also saying Not Us and we're just. Ignoring them. Speaking over them. Silencing them. Then act like that isn't fucking antisemetic??

Also how said non-Jews are predominantly white Christian Zionists who also want Jews dead alongside Muslims because they think Israel belongs to Christians and in government positions of country's who have historically hated Jews and wanted them dead or legislated against them at the very VERY least.

And here we are still, in this western society that has a huge ass history of antisemitism that has existed since way after world war II with how badly they're still treated, calling freaking Jews antisemetic for not agreeing to the non-Jew WHITE CHRISTIANS WHO HATE THEM with their opinion of literally just "shut up for being the wrong kind of Jew" since that is, you know, really antisemetic but hey since they said it and they're defending Israel they're apparently totally allowed to tell Jews to shut up apparently when they "say the wrong thing".

It reminds me of other times when the suffering of a minority group is co-opted by people not even in that group who only listen to the smallest, TINIEST fraction of said minority who happen to agree with them. Usually out of internalised fear or hatred for other minorities.

All the while being okay with Jews saying by the hand of the IOF and being "yeah but what about Hamas" when Israel has killed hostages and Israeli civilians over and over again with "friendly fire", meanwhile Jewish Palestinians also die, and also as if arabic people in general aren't also of the Semitic people like... Israel itself has been antisemetic and murdering the Semitic race for, what 76+ years now? but we're still willing to back and ethnostate that refuses to even teach the holocaust properly more than listen tobthe majority of Jews who have said, over and over, "not in our name". Particularly holocaust survivors who have said they're appalled and who we actively silence in all of this because, woopty doo, they don't say what white Christian leaders want.

And by fascinating I mean absolutely fucking horrible.

It costs nothing to maybe think for five seconds "huh, why are so many Jews against Israel" to figure out that maybe Israel is fucking antisemetic that's why?? Because WE, our nation's in the west, have been antisemetic for a long ass time while we go "huh I wonder who's gonna deal with those neo Nazis attacking synagogues :/" and "I wonder why it's on the rise and no one's caring or talking about it" because our nation's are okay with it maybe like Jewish people have been saying and we've been ignoring for a long ass time?? Maybe because this shit about "aww the west just cares about Jews guys, stop being insensitive" is bullshit because where were you all when Jewish graves were being defaced by neo Nazis?? Because maybe Israel saying "we celebrate the killing of arabic babies because no child is innocent" is fucked up and doesn't represent Jews and claiming it does makes you antisemetic as all fuck?? Damn, what's not to get.

Also an interesting (and by that I mean fucked up) fact; so far, each time I talk about this issue with really pro Israel people, they keep being like "well I don't really like Jews either" or "I think it's good that Jews aren't in my country". So many pro Israel people are just antisemetic to the core.

Anyway, sorry for the rant but also not sorry if you support Israel by now I'm just gonna fucking assume you hate both Arabs and Jews. Wanting the side that actively bombs its own hostages doesn't care about Jews so no don't come at me with excuses either. Israel doesn't help Jews they don't care about Jews.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #490

Top Ten Female Superheroes in the Movies

I feel like female superheroes – and I'm stretching the definition to include those who aren't consistently out-and-out heroic – are finally, belatedly, starting to get something approaching their due. Already this year we've had two Disney+ shows that had very prominent leading roles for female supers (I'd argue very strongly that Sylvie becomes a co-lead), and on the DC side there's still Supergirl and Batwoman. At the pictures, however, women in capes have historically suffered; if a film had a female lead, any poor performance at the box office was seemingly blamed on gender rather than, y’know, the film being crap. Fortunately the last few years have seen this trend starting to be reversed; Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Birds of Prey, and the recently-released Black Widow have all showcased super-powered female leads and been (for the most part) big successes too.

So, anyway, inspired in large part by the fact I’ve watched both Wonder Woman and Black Widow this week – and with an eye on future female-focused flicks too – this week is dedicated to my favourite filmic femmes (hmmm, there might be such a thing as too much alliteration. I need an avalanche of Advil…). I’ve tried to be pretty strict here and only use movie superheroes – although I’ve stretched that to its limit, as you’ll see. And, like I said before, I’m allowing “anti-heroes” – hey, I had a whole list about them last week, might as well double down! And I know what you’re thinking – surely, in over nine years of making stupid lists on a weekend, I’d have done this before. But no, I checked, and apparently I haven’t. Really I should have scraped the bottom of this particular barrel by now, but fortunately not!

There’s not much more to say at the moment really. Here are my ten favourite female superhero-type characters from the movies. I’m tempted to make some kind of terrible, cheesy reference to “girl power”, or end with a “you go, girl”, or something like that – but let’s face it, that’s a really, really bad, hackneyed idea. Let’s just get on with the list instead.

Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot, DCEU, from 2016): there can be only one! Yeah, still the best female superhero on the silver screen in my book. Gadot gives her the perfect blend of steely determinism and wide-eyed naivete; full of faith and righteousness, but also a fierce fighter. It’s clear from the moment she blasts, fully-formed, into Batman Versus Superman Colon Dawn of Justice that Gadot was born for this role, encompassing every aspect of Diana – the princess, the warrior, the ambassador, the goddess. Like Superman all those years ago, her solo film is equal parts optimism and pragmatism, and (despite the dodgy finale) it remains a wonder. Sorry.

Raven (Tara Strong, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, 2018): here I go, cheating already. Yes, Raven is mostly from a TV show and I’ve decided this is a list of movie characters. But she is in a movie! And she’s the main character and focus of the straight-to-DVD sequel, Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans. So yes, whilst her sole cinematic outing doesn’t really show her off to the greatest degree, she’s still amazing. A deadpan, dark-tinged comedic tour-de-force from voice veteran Strong, Raven is profoundly hilarious, one of the all-time great sarcastic pieces of comic relief. And, whilst we’re talking about the DVD sequel, Strong does a terrific job differentiating between the sillier, looser Go! version of the character, and the more sombre and serious OTT animated Titan.

Laura (Dafne Keen, Logan, 2017): otherwise known, in the comics at least, as both X-23 and, latterly, Wolverine. Laura is a frankly outstanding performance by a child actor. Steely, determined, pissed-off, wounded, proud, but still coming across as a child and not at all precocious or precious. And then there’s her physicality; she storms through the screen, a whirling dervish, leaping around and, frankly, slashing the shit out of everybody. She holds her own against the nuclear charisma explosion that is Hugh Jackman, and against the titanic chops of Sir Patrick of Stewart, and brings a huge amount of heart and pathos to one of the best superhero films of all time.

Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer, Batman Returns, 1992): yeah, okay, she’s not really a superhero. But Pfeiffer’s performance is phenomenal; one part sheer unadulterated sex appeal, one part wronged woman seeking revenge, one part utter batshit craziness (no pun intended). She created interesting layers of manic craziness to a character already a good fifty years old at that point, informing the portrayal of the character in comics and cartoons, and her chemistry with Keaton’s Batman lights up the screen. And, frankly, she was so damn sexy that she gave puberty to an entire generation.

Rogue (Anna Paquin, X-Men movies, 2000-2014): presenting Rogue in the first X-Men as a younger character, without her stolen Captain Marvel powers, was a masterstroke; making her the audience surrogate as a way to introduce the X-Men themselves and Logan in particular, giving the latter character one of his comic-book trademark young female proteges. Paquin does a tremendous job giving her an inner strength despite her heartbreaking power, and although she fades from prominence as the (increasingly bonkers) series progresses, she continues to give it everything she’s got, even if the films don’t do her sufficient justice. An excellent portrayal, sadly cut short.

Elastigirl (Holly Hunter, Incredibles movies, 2004-2018): ah, our first non-comic book character! Hunter is brilliant in this role, presenting Elastigirl as a feminist icon even as she’s forced into an increasingly domestic role. Despite the risk of her being portrayed as a shrill nagging housewife, stomping on Mr. Incredible’s fun, Hunter (and the script, to be fair) walks a fine line, and we as viewers are actually on her side as her husband takes foolish risks. And then, when the action kicks in, she’s amazing – full credit to director Brad Bird and the animators and Pixar. The sequel, which is mostly more of the same but still pretty great, gives her even more lovely character beats.

Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson, MCU, 2010-2021): I’ve given it an end date but let’s face it, none of us will be surprised if she turns out not be dead. The first real female superhero we see in the MCU is still the most important and effective. Johansson does a great job fleshing out Natasha, overcoming the cheesy nature of her debut in Iron Man 2 and some of the problematic wrinkles given to her in Age of Ultron. Over the series of films, she is a consistent action superstar, but also gives us interesting layers and wrinkles and depth, evolving from the badass assassin we first see to the hard-bitten leader in Endgame. Her belated solo film gives her some great opportunities to correct those early missteps, as well as deepening the character even further, and showcasing her action chops. A great character, but it would be nice if we knew there was even more to come.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, DCEU, from 2016): another DC not-quite-hero, Robbie does a phenomenal job as Harley Quinn, one of those lightning-in-a-bottle perfect pieces of casting (and, I’ll be honest, the only other actor/character match-up that’s quite as perfect on this list is Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman). Harley is a character who can be so easily misused: the abused moll, the bit of eye candy, an objectivised woman denied agency who’s only seen through the lenses of the men. And, true enough, there’s a bit of that in her debut in Suicide Squad, but Robbie is smart enough and her performance strong enough that she transcends the muck that surrounds her. She nails the accent and the demeanour, and in what we shall choose to call her solo film, she gives us a raucous, hilarious performance as an emancipated Quinn, blasting through police stations with glitterball shotguns and snapping limbs left right and centre. It’s the anarchic anti-hero of modern comics turned up to 11 and with the pottiest of mouths, but she’s also smart enough and skilled enough to give us embers of a conscience beneath the crazy, and offers up some great character beats and a believable relationship with Cassandra Cain. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen, MCU, from 2015): Here we have another performance that matures and develops over the course of a franchise – surely one of the greatest aspects of Marvel’s multi-film narrative arc. Coming in as a minor villain in Age of Ultron, Wanda is powerful enough to temporarily get the better of the Avengers just by being “weird”; subsequent films see her attempting to be a hero, suffering a series of tragedies, falling in love, and coming together to save the world in Endgame. In what amounts to a series of snapshots – a photo montage of ongoing character development – Olsen is able to flesh out Wanda, giving her depth, showcasing different facets of her character, and making her consistently believable. Yes, I know I said this was a list of movie characters, but it’s stupid not to own up to the fact that this all comes to a head in the frankly phenomenal WandaVision, which – despite having two Avengers’ names in the title – is really all about her. The series leaves Wanda in a totally different place, and as we see her next in The Multiverse of Madness, I feel like her story is only just beginning.

Jean Grey (Famke Janssen, X-Men films, 2000-2017): I mulled over whether to include Jean Grey here or Valkyrie from Thor, but despite Tessa Thompson’s terrific performance, I’ve gotta go with the Phoenix. Back when superhero films weren’t a cinematic religion, Janssen gave a terrific performance as a resolute, thoroughly sensible Jean Grey; a telepathic Girl Friday to the officious know-it-all that was Professor X, she shows intriguing cracks in her façade when confronted with the gruff and unutterably sexy Logan. Clearly a powerhouse without needing to show off, she gets more development and some great hero moments in the phenomenal sequel, before being giving an epic sacrificial send-off that sets up a rise from the flames that never really comes. Yes, despite being brought back in The Last Stand, it’s a storyline that’s fudged from the start, and the Phoenix as a mopey emo version of Jean just doesn’t cut it. It’s a storyline that’s handled better, but only just, in Dark Phoenix, but that film sadly doesn’t have the weight of character behind it; despite the excellent work of Sophie Turner, we’re barely introduced to the character in Apocalypse before hints of the Phoenix are coming forth, and next thing we know she’s going all crackly and accidentally killing dudes. So yeah: I prefer the OG Jean, and Janssen’s great chemistry not just with James Marsden’s Scott but Jackman’s Logan really does justice to that element of the comic book character too. Still, two timelines, two actors, two versions of the Phoenix Saga, and it still ends in disappointment. Hopefully we’ll get a better version eventually in the MCU.

[silent-of-spirit]

World of Warcraft rant below, in regards to datamined info about the Battle for Azeroth expansion. Spoilers abound, but much of this is subject to change, considering we are still in Alpha (Here’s hoping) @inner-muse because you Get Me (tm) on this particular subject.

(Warning this is like PURE salt. I KNOW things may change, I KNOW that Blizz is known for retconning lore. Just... allow me my salt. I am Tired (tm))

Salty rant brought to you by this.

So, Night Elves. The Night Elves have been a historically strong and prominent race in lore. Their empire spread over much of Azeroth in ancient times, and even since, Kalimdor has largely been under Night Elf influence. This is a people who created one of the strongest and most fearsome armies Azeroth has ever known, comprised entirely of women while their men lie sleeping beneath the earth in barrow dens.This is an army that gave Warchiefs pause, an army that could not be overtaken by the might of the Horde. This is why Night Elven territory has largely been left alone despite the heavy Horde presence spreading over Kalimdor.

This is a people who has beaten back the Legion not once, but twice with very little - if any - outside assistance. This is a people from which some of Warcraft’s most powerful lore characters come from. Azshara, Illidan, Malfurion, Tyrande, a race which Ysera gave her favor and which holds the favor of one of the most powerful Goddesses in Warcraft - Elune, AKA the mother of the Naaru?

And this is a race that has been consistently shit on since Cataclysm. This is a race whose leader loses more of her spine with each new expansion - a woman who, historically, was known for her strength and fearlessness, who was chosen to lead her people because of her ability to do so. She is a woman who doesn’t crumble beneath pressure or difficult decisions, a woman who will accept an alliance but will not bow before them. She is a woman who has always led her people in a way that strengthens them, and a woman who would not hesitate to cut any ties that would hinder their progression. Tyrande is proud and fierce while still serving her people and her goddess with little regard to herself.

Or, she used to be. Now Blizzard tosses us the watered-down priestess who quakes in the face of the encroaching Horde, who bends over backwards to meet the demands of a King who would not do the same for her people (I LOVE Varian, don’t get me wrong, but if you think he would show the same devotion to the Night Elves that Tyrande does to the Alliance, well... agree to disagree.) A woman who spent ten thousand years aching for her lover, but still leading a strong and proud people, who falls apart the moment he returns? That is not the Tyrande I know. That is not the Tyrande I accept. With each expansion she becomes more unrecognizable - a spineless, blithering creature that makes me wonder if Blizzard even remembers their own lore. And now? With the burning of Teldrassil? You expect me to believe that she would not fight with everything in her to protect the World Tree? To protect her people? Her home? She has a goddess on her side! One who quite literally speaks through her at times and will imbue her with power.

But Sarah, we don’t know yet that she doesn’t fight back. Okay, okay, I will give you that one - but with this caveat. I truly believe that if she fought the way her character would, then she would not have survived the burning of Teldrassil. Datamining has showed us that Tyrande is alive and well.

Back to the People. Cataclysm wasn’t the beginning of Blizzard showing the faltering might of the Night Elves, but it was the most prominent stepping stone to further lore and expansions that continue to stomp all over the Night Elves. Now, okay, okay, I know, the Cataclysm destroyed major Night Elf settlements and lands... but not their armies. The Sentinels were split between Teldrassil and Feralas (both locations which the Cataclysm itself did very little in the way of destruction), with very few of their numbers actually falling during the events that rent the world. (Remember, a singular army that actually stopped the Horde from taking Night Elf lands. No backup, just THEM.) So now all of a sudden the Horde are invading Ashenvale? And making like... a lot of headway? (I know the reasonings behind the invasion. The invasion itself makes sense, but not how FAR they got) So... the sentinels just... do nothing? And the Night Elves can’t take back Ashenvale? I’m sorry? Please direct me to the place where this makes sense cuz like... it doesn’t. (Not bringing Hyjal or Desolace or Darkshore into this because the Cataclysm had much more of an impact than the Horde did in those zones) And yeah, the Cataclysm dealt the Night Elves a serious blow. I’m not discounting that, but their armies are still intact.

An army of expertly trained warriors from a race that is known above all else for their fierce pride. They would not sit idle. Even while helping their devastated territories, they would have more than enough numbers to march to Ashenvale and drive the horde back out. MORE than enough. The Horde presence was barely a blip in the grand scheme, and yet Blizz tried to tell us that they could not be pushed back, and that the elves are struggling to find purchase in this newly rent world. Ajhegdfkjg. The Night Elves are probably the most ADAPTABLE people in Warcraft lore. They survived the Sundering, survived the Legion TWICE (four times if you count BC and Legion now), survived demons and the Nightmare and betrayal and power and corruption and a world that has done everything in its power to see them wiped clean of it. They survived it ALL and THRIVED (not to the extent they used to, granted, but compared to others?) They moved, they rebuilt, they replanted, they trained and grew and prospered in the wake of all THAT and now you tell me that the Cataclysm is too much for them to come back from? AHjjhdgfh.

Mists wasn’t as hard on the race as a whole, but it was really a turning point in regards to Tyrande and how much her character had declined in SUCH an out of character way. Sending her people to a new land while the Horde still pressed in on Night Elf territories and their Warchief cackled in glee in nearby Orgrimmar after the bombing of an Allied city on her continent? Are you serious? *deep breath* Always always always she would put her PEOPLE first, not the runaway whelp of an allied king when there was still so much at stake. (Again, LOVE Anduin and Varian) The Night Elves didn’t even get a chance to rebuild before she was sending them off to places unknown at the command of Varian Wrynn. *salt salt salt salt*

Draenor? Same shtick, but with weird space-time travel that the Night Elves should want NO part of. (Hello? Well of Eternity anyone? Weird magic leads to baddddd things. Night Elves were RAISED not to trust that shit or anything having to do with the Void, which, let’s be honest, most weird time-space magic is usually Void related in some form or fashion)

Legion? *deeper breath, distant screaming* This expansion was the worst thing that could happen to Night Elves as a whole, Tyrande included. Yes, yay, we get to journey back to their ancestral homeland but then BAM we are smacked in the face with a corrupted World Tree, corrupted ghosts of a once noble order, a desecrated Vault and corrupted Wardens, the return of Illidan the Betrayer and all his cronies who are literally Part Demon, remnants of their people who survived in a protective shield only to turn to a well of arcane power (HELLO WELL OF ETERNITY AGAIN), Azshara’s naga cronies, tortured ghosts of Aszuna, satyrs everywhere you look in Val’Sharah, Old God bullshit, MORE Legion, and a consistent theme in the expansion is whacking us in the face with how easily Night Elves can be corrupted, used, and tossed aside. Weak Night Elves are like... half of all the content in the expansion. And that’s what upsets me so much, is that they are being painted this way and shoved in our faces as THIS and they are NOT weak, NOT easily corrupted (at least not any more than the other races), NOT power-mad, (the list goes on) And like? They face all of this absolute pile of shit in their ANCESTRAL HOME and they don’t even give themselves time to GRIEVE before they are leaping in to drive the darkness back. Like what about that is weak? Nothing, but hey, let’s paint them that way anyways.

And Tyrande? I cried actual tears at how she was portrayed. Malfurion too, though less so. Where did her fire go? Where did her spine go? Where is that ferocity and tenacity and pride that made me fall in love with her in the first place? There is so little trace of it left in this expansion that it actually felt like a physical blow. Instead we see her as a whimpering girl (aside from her interactions with Thalyssra. That is the most in character I have felt her be in a long time.)

And now we have a coming expansion that threatens to diminish the Night Elves and their proud history even more (I love the overall, okay, but the Night Elf stuff and Teldrassil REALLY bothers me). Not to mention, Sylvanas’ datamined dialogue regarding Teldrassil and Kalimdor? It feels like forced and lazy writing - a lore-shattering shove just to be able to justify the whole “separate continents” thing without really delving into why it is necessary or acknowledging the Night Elves and their history and how UNLIKELY it would be for the Horde to even get far enough to manage to torch the World Tree.

Yes, I am a Night Elf fangirl, but I think I am justified in feeling the way I do. When I see people who main Horde even seeing this pattern and saying the Night Elves should get a break? That should say a lot. We have been consistently shafted for no real reason other than lazy writing, and I am just... Tired (tm)

End rant.