#telepaths are being oppressed

[saturngalore]

afrofuturism🪐

☆ one ~ solange hair by darknightt (tsr warning) ☆ two ~ loretta hair by @simtric ☆ three ~ bahati braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ four ~ isonoe hair by octetsica ☆ five ~ binah braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ six ~ cornrows & curls hair by @leeleesims1 ☆ seven ~ indie hair by @sashima ☆ eight ~ loc petals by @shespeakssimlish ☆ nine ~ mnemosyne hair by octetsica ☆

mini dedication essay to black simmers and ts4 creators below! pls read if you have the chance! <3

this edit is a small homage to afrofuturism and the various unique black hairstyles (and especially the black creators of most of these hairs) that i have downloaded and admired over the years! some of these are old and some of these are new.

to me, afrofuturism means constantly honoring/reclaiming/challenging the past while constantly creating/dreaming of a better society/world/future. a society/world/future that embraces and empowers all of our differences, ingenuity, aspirations, and unique lived/cultural experiences. a society/world/future that does not limit us through the various systems of marginalization and oppression (racism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, classism, colorism, etc.) that often affects how we, as black people, live today.

blackness is so diverse and intricate yet it's always been a struggle to find my culture within a game that's known for being so limiting, bland, and extremely eurocentric when it comes to hairstyles, clothing, food traditions/events, etc. black simmers have always had to figure out how to make this game more inclusive and make it resemble either more like how our ancestors lived, how our current lives are, or how we would want our lives (and even our children's lives) to look like in the future no matter how dystopian the real world look and feel now. fortunately, these hairs and their uniqueness bring a huge sense of culture and style to this game. they have always inspired me and made me feel extremely proud to a part of the lovely african diaspora (and the ever-growing black simmer community).

in a way, being a black simmer and cc creator usually means that we are often digitally creating our own worlds as afrofuturists to varying degrees (whether we know it or not) every time we open our game, make our sims, make houses, and/or make black cultural cc. also, now i know that cc making is not easy to do and is extremely time-consuming so this post is also just me giving all black cc creators especially those who create for free their well-deserved flowers! here are some other black cc creators who created cc that have greatly impacted my game since i first started playing sims 4: @/leeleesims1 @/simtric @/hi-land @/yuyulie @/sims4bradshaw @/ebonixsims @/xmiramira @/sheabuttyr @/qwertysims @/oplerims @/sleepingsims @/shespeakssimlish and so many more im forgetting probably (im too shy rn to tag ppl but i greatly appreciate y’all fr i hope y’all telepathically get this message somehow 😭).

last but not least, i am hoping that this inspires somebody to keep creating or start creating regardless of what they think their skill level is! somebody will absolutely fall in love with your work and/or your art/work will 100% change someone's game forever <333

[velvet4510]

Just thinking about Erik’s IMMEDIATE shake of his head when Charles asks “would you mind if I…?” and gestures to his head in the satellite dish scene.

Erik “my greatest fear is being oppressed again” Lehnsherr shows NO HESITATION in letting this hot telepath into his mind. He doesn’t even ask what Charles intends to do. He just instantly consents and lets Charles in. This is the same guy who said “then you know to stay out of my head” EARLIER ON IN THE SAME MOVIE. That road trip sure was an eye-opener for them.

Also I’d bet a thousand that the satellite scene was the first time in Charles’ entire life that he was met with that kind of response when offering to enter someone’s mind.

[ffverr]

On the discourse (that somehow still exists) of why the X-Men are feared and hated but other genetically modified heroes like the Fantastic Four or some of the Avengers aren't :

I still see this argument online that some people, usually not X-Men fans, pull out in a sort of gotcha moment. To kind of stick it to Marvel for being unrealistic or to vouch for the fearing of other heroes in the marvel universe to tip the scales.

There are two points for the "why is *random x-men* oppressed and not *random marvel hero*" discourse that people are always intentionally missing.

One- A base of mutant fear and repression is the argument that "it could happen to your children too". It could happen to ANYONE, from birth, and there is nothing you can do about it. No being careful of scientific experiences can stop your close ones from becoming a mutant. (Kind of like people are okay with gay celebrities as long as they're doing their thing from afar but it's a threat when it comes to their children/Friends/family being gay)

They layed it on thick with this amazing advertisment back in the day: "do you know what your children are"??? I mean come on it's not rocket science

Fun fact, the kid labeled "mutie" here is actually Franklin Richards, son of Mister Fantastic and Invisible woman. He used to be a mutant and this goes to show how somehow johnny storm can be beloved but his super powered nephew doesn't get the same treatment.

Two- Spider-Man, the F4, the Avengers etc... All these heros who get some powers by some incident. They're supposed to be rare and few in between. The fear of mutants mainly comes from the fact that they started popping up in the MILLIONS. A mutant isn't necessarly seen as an honorable individual that acquires powers and realises they have the responsibility to use it for good. To humans, they're millions of people (or at least hundreds of thousands) that are, just by existing, threatening the status quo of humanity. They are changing the natural dominance of humans for good.

So of course humans love the F4 (usually). Because they're not scared to be replaced by them in their day to day life, however they are scared to be rendered obsolete by mutants. When humans look at the F4 they see brave selfless HUMAN heroes. They relate to them, they identify with them. They're a sweet family dedicated to the world's safety. In contrast, the mutants represent a world changing threat that truly shifts the balance. And that's not comfy at all no matter how cute or harmless the power is.

This difference can even cause very understandable tension in between the X-men and other super powered groups:

In short, the mutant moral panic comes from the fact that for exemple:

-humans are afraid to loose their jobs to super powered level talents.

-humans are scared from groups of super powered people that could threaten their safety.

-Governments are scared of these groups being the equivalent of entire armies concentrated in a single individual.

- They're scared that their children could turn into something unimaginable once they hit puberty

-And some just hate the idea of being manipulated by a random telepath on the street without ever knowing.

In contrast of Spider-Man, humans feel like nature is done with homo sapiens and THAT'S what brings hate and fear.

That's why everytime a mutant hate crime happens in the comics, it's always accompanied by some human saying "y'think you're better than us weirdo".

+ Contrary to the avengers, mutants also claim a culture, a shared history and common experiences between thousands. This binds them together in a way they doesn't necessarly make them identify with humans. And this is overall irritating and scary to humans.

Also, religious fear-mongering of mutants is rampant!!! It does a ton to set appart the mutants from the scientifically modified heros of the marvel universe.

In the end, one of the best comic to portray this whole thing is still God loves man Kills.

It depicts a villain, Striker, that gains popularity by spreading religious propaganda to justify mutant hate. In an emotional and shocking twist, we come to find that Striker has had a mutant son, that he killed with his own hand because he was a "monster".

You can understand how Captain America, with his super body, doesn't really evoke the same existential dread. Bigotry isn't rational, but also, a shit ton of things complicate the mutant's inclusion into society that doesn't necessarly parallel perfectly with real world struggles so that's also to take into consideration.

[aphroditelovesu]

Cyrus and Aella Headcanons

❝commission: headcannons about the twins (Cyrus and Aella). — requested by 💻 anon.

❝ 📜 — lady l: I spent a few days thinking about how to create a different but complementary personality for the twins and this came out, I think it turned out good. They're my babies, my first OC's to be honest, and I need to write more for them. I hope you like it and forgive me if there are any mistakes! ❤️

❝tw: none.

❝📜word count: 1,208.

Cyrus and Aella have complementary personalities. Cyrus is calmer and more reflective, while Aella is energetic and adventurous. 

From a young age, Cyrus has always demonstrated a serene and contemplative nature. He is a deep thinker, often lost in his own thoughts. He prefers to analyze situations before acting, evaluating all possible consequences.

His ability to formulate complex strategies is unparalleled. Cyrus loves studying ancient texts on military tactics and philosophy, drawing inspiration from great thinkers like Aristotle, who was also a mentor to his father.

Aella, on the other hand, is a true free spirit. Since she was a child, she was known for her tireless energy and thirst for adventure. Always looking for new experiences, she loves exploring unknown territories and engaging in challenging activities.

Aella has a natural talent for leadership. Her courage and determination inspire those around her, and she quickly gains the loyalty of her followers. On the battlefield, her presence is motivating, and her strategy skills are admirable. If she could (and perhaps can) carry a sword, she will.

Unlike Cyrus, Aella often acts on intuition. She trusts her instincts and is willing to take risks that others would avoid. This approach, while risky, often leads to surprisingly positive results.

Aella has a strong sense of justice and is a fervent defender of the oppressed. She does not hesitate to fight for causes she believes are just, even if it means confronting powerful adversaries and defying the laws that prohibit her from doing what she wants just because she is a woman.

The combination of her personalities creates a perfect balance. While Cyrus plans and calculates every move with precision, Aella is ready to act quickly and face any challenge with courage and vigor. If they decided to rule together, it would be almost impossible to stop them.

In crises, Cyrus can calm and guide Aella, while she can encourage him to step out of his comfort zone and make bolder decisions. They complement each other.

Communication between the twins is almost telepathic. They understand each other with a simple exchange of glances, allowing for fluid and efficient collaboration, whether in strategic discussions or battles.

This complementarity makes them unbeatable, whether in the administration of the empire, in leading armies, or in diplomacy. They support each other, using their strengths to cover each other's weaknesses.

Since they were little, Cyrus and Aella have developed a secret language that they use to communicate without others understanding. This makes them even more united and inseparable.

Language includes a combination of hand gestures, facial expressions, small sounds, and even visual cues. Each gesture or sound has a specific meaning, allowing for quick and effective communication.

In situations where they need to communicate without being overheard by others, such as in strategic meetings or on the battlefield or just to hide secrets from their parents, secret language is essential. It allows them to share critical information with others.

Alexander's passion for exploring and conquering unknown lands is inherited by Aella, who frequently ventures beyond the borders of the empire, always accompanied by Cyrus, who prefers to explore through study and diplomacy.

From an early age, Alexander the Great recognized the extraordinary potential of his twin children, Cyrus and Aella. He made sure that they both received exhaustive training in combat and strategy, aware that their skills would be essential to the continuity and expansion of the empire.

In addition to practical training, Cyrus dedicated himself intensely to theoretical studies. He read the texts of Aristotle, Socrates and other philosophers and historians, seeking to understand the dynamics of power, war and politics. His evenings were often spent in the library, where he studied maps and developed new strategies. Cyrus has developed a close bond with his uncle Hephaestion, mainly because they look so much alike.

Cyrus saw Hephaestion as a trusted figure to whom he could turn for advice and emotional support. Hephaestion, in turn, saw in Cyrus a reflection of himself and was dedicated to guiding him in the best way possible. Hephaestion helped Cyrus hone his diplomatic skills, teaching him to negotiate and mediate conflicts with the same effectiveness he demonstrated on the battlefield.

Aella, from a young age, showed an innate talent for combat, despite not actually fighting because she was not allowed to. Her training included a wide range of fighting techniques, from wielding swords and spears to hand-to-hand combat. She trained daily with the best warriors in the army, improving her strength, agility and precision. Due to her aptitude for fighting, although it was not common at the time, Aella ended up becoming quite close to Cleitus, who was mainly the one who taught her.

Cleitus, known for his skill and bravery on the battlefield, dedicated himself to training Aella in advanced hand-to-hand combat techniques. Under his guidance, Aella perfected her use of swords, spears and unarmed combat. Cleitus also focused on developing Aella's stamina and agility, subjecting her to rigorous exercises that made her not only strong but also quick and flexible. This prepared her to face opponents of different sizes and fighting styles.

Aella has a strong connection with nature and animals. She often spends her time in forests and mountains, while Cyrus prefers gardens and libraries. However, they both share a deep love for the natural world.

(Y/N), Alexandre's wife and mother of the twins ensures that her children receive a complete education, with tutors from different areas of knowledge. Cyrus shows great interest in philosophy and history, while Aella is interested in poetry and music.

Cyrus devotes hours to the study of great philosophers, including Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. He enjoys debates about ethics, politics and the nature of knowledge, often discussing these ideas with his tutors and applying them to his life and strategic decisions.

He analyzes the strategies of historical leaders, learning from their successes and failures. This enriches his own strategic capabilities, helping him develop innovative tactics for military campaigns.

Aella studies the works of great Greek poets, such as Homer and Hesiod, as well as the lyrics of Sappho and Pindar. She writes her own verses, expressing her emotions and experiences through poetry. There is no doubt that she inherited her father's love of reading, especially the Iliad.

Aella learns to play several instruments, such as the lyre and the flute and receives training in singing. Her tutors teach her about music theory, composition, and the Greek musical tradition.

The twins feel an innate curiosity about their mother's heritage and if given the opportunity, they will visit their mother's time to learn about her origins and cultures other than Greek.

Over time, Alexandre begins to trust his children's advice more and more. Cyrus becomes a trusted strategist, while Aella helps inspire and lead the troops, earning the soldiers' respect, just as her mother did years ago.

Despite the fierce love and loyalty that exists between the twins, there is a healthy rivalry between Cyrus and Aella, especially during training and games. This rivalry encourages them to constantly surpass each other.

After Alexander's death, Cyrus and Aella assume central roles in preserving and expanding the empire. Cyrus focuses on strengthening diplomatic alliances, while Aella leads military campaigns, both keeping their father's legacy alive.

[wishchip106]

i constantly see people on tiktok going on about how charles is an asshole for invading everyone’s privacy with his telepathy and like yeah he is but

HOW ARE YOU ANY BETTER?

LIKE IF YOU HAD MIND READING ABILITIES YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPECT PEOPLES PRIVACY

LET BRO RELAX FROM TIME TO TIME

imagine being oppressed, hated, and feared by both humans and mutants god damn

MUTANT AND PROUD MEANS NOTHING APPARENTLY 🤨🤨

like i can get why people dislike charles sure but come on

he can quite literally not help reading what ur thinking ITS IN HIS GENES???

imagine how often he would hear “stay out of my head!” “get out of my head!” “are you controlling my mind?!”

i don’t know how dude hasn’t just forced everyone to live in coexistence atp i’d be sick of them all

these people piss me off genuinely like hate charles all you want but you gotta put this into perspective that he didn’t choose to be one of the most powerful telepaths alive??

people acting like they’re all high and mighty tf

dude would have to hear all the hate he gets regardless damn 🥲

anyway mutant and proud including telepaths

[velvetvexations]

If the parallels to ace discourse weren't enough already, now I once again have to deal with people i thought were chill and reasonable suddenly dropping their takes on how they think asexua- sorry, I mean trans men, are not really oppressed and actually have privilege over everyone else and are basically not queer at all Time is a circle and i want out out oUT OUT OUT

Thankfully you never have to worry about me having a bad take because everything I say is written in advance by the Transmasc Council's Chief of Enacting Transmisogyny.

I don’t know if this is transmisogynistic or not but I’m just so tired of the claim that “the moment a trans man transitions and is seen as a man, he gets all the privilege” Okay TRFs, what about YOUR privilege before YOUR transition? When people perceived you as a man, did you not have privilege?

The logic would go that transmascs get it because they want to be seen as men but for trans women it's an unwanted state and also people can sense that they're women telepathically and treat them accordingly anyway.

Hey wanna hear something fun. Out of the 77 or so people elected to public office in the united states, 6 or so were trans men. With the majority being trans women. It's so fun hearing about how structurally privileged trans men are compared to trans women when there's only been 6. Fucking SIX. of us elected to public office. with at LEAST 50 trans women elected. In the united states. I'm so fucking tired. I mightve miscounted, there mightve been one or two that I missed, but honestly that does not bring me much comfort!

Fascinating.

sharing this here bc i like how accepting velvet nation is of gender journeys: i am a trans man but i feel like i very much was and will continue to be my father’s daughter? not in the sense that he doesn’t respect who i am but in the sense that that is the framework of how we understand each other. my gender is 100% man and daughter is simply the word i use to define our relationship :)

That's really cool! Glad you have that with him.

Got my first profile-screenshot-share (afaik) because someone was pissed at a comment I made! I’ve hit the big leagues! Now im just waiting for my first drowning :P - @genderglass (is a sideblog, so I can’t send asks from it :/)

Congratulations!

hiya velvet! ok 2 things: 1 i am happy to know there is another trans person who is tall and 300lbs+. i am only 5'9 but it made me happy to know this is a thing we share. i can feel v alone as a bigger trans person a lot, so i am grateful. 2 ok so i havent seen unsleeping city yet but i just watched the new time quangle and my god murph grew cody walsh in a lab for me. hes literally me at 12. jersey native with an "emo haunting anime cons in 2004" look and personality? that was literally, genuinely me. gotta watch that season ASAP!

I should warn you Cody gets dunked on pretty hard. It doesn't feel to me like Murph likes him very much lol but I haven't watched the Quangles because I'm a lot less interested in live stuff on average aside from Jake and Amir's live IIWY episodes which are always real funny.

In the defense of the person saying the t4t sex jokes are sexual harassment. I HAVE seen people responding to transfems posts on here talking about (supposed) intercommunity problems with jokes about how actually transfems and transmascs are having sex or whatever, which I think is kinda gross and inappropriate. However, most of the examples I can think of were transfems doing it, so.... take that as you will

TRFs complaining about "trans women and trans men are fucking" being sexual harassment and then justifying throwing their forcefem fetish at random men is funny, in a cosmic sort of way.

i just saw -*- say that trans men face no oppression unique from trans women (wrt reproductive rights) bc trans women lack access to reproductive banking. Buddy. Reproductive banking is incredibly expensive and very rarely covered by insurance. Everyone except wealthy ppl lack access to reproductive banking. And I'm sorry if this is rude to say but lack of access to the opportunity to become a parent (which is sad! and wrong! and at different levels applicable to every queer person in the world!) is simply not equivalent to forced pregnancy, which is a violence and a trauma forced onto someone and not a *lack* of opportunity. I don't even disagree necessarily that trans women are more vulnerable than trans men and do believe I have privilege over trans women as a trans masc but hoooooly shit. That's an insidious fucking false equivalence and I still don't get *why* trans mascs can't just have space to talk about the problems unique to us.

The Transfem Council will happily let you talk about your issues as long as you submit your statement in triplicate to their editorial department 15 days in advance.

Everyone posting about how I have to prove myself and earn their trust is just proving themselves to be someone not worth talking to. I don’t think people should have to bend over backwards or do something to prove that they won’t be terrible to you, actually. Thats fear and trauma speaking, not social courtesy. It’s not normal and should not be normal to automatically distrust everyone to a point of prematurely ostracizing them. And if anyone wants to argue a large enough proportion of the trans community in ANY demographic acts poorly enough to warrant that sort of suspicion they don’t have a leg to stand on.

It's not even fear and trauma. Most of them are just using Literal Fear of Man as an excuse to do this shit, although if they want to argue no, they really are all just shaking with abject horror whenever a man draws near, I guess they must believe in Andro Phobia, right?

[astralleywright]

You're so right about people who never really engaged with Imogen as a character.

I remember seeing posts asking why Imogen didn't leave Gelvaan earlier, and would suggest it was because of some sort of 'learned helplessness'?

She's a telepath! Her powers would follow her wherever she went! Sure, Gelvaan was awful to her, but she doesn't have much better alternatives. She could either a) leave her only family member to live the same life in another town or city (physically painful, and only better if they don't discover her powers), or b) totally isolate herself from everyone, and provide for herself...somehow. She was already very alone before meeting Laudna and was pretty deeply unhappy about it.

Idk. I'm not even particularly good at themes and deep reading but this was just surface level understanding of her powers, and people weren't even willing to do that.

the "learned helplessness" thing really kind of is the ideal example for the very dumb way the fandom uses autonomy, discursively, as kind of an all or nothing deal. because learned helpfulness is a thing, and i would fully believe it's something Imogen experienced in her time in Gelvaan. but as you pointed out, it's usage here puts the blame squarely on her, while ignoring the societal and environmental factors that made life in Gelvaan difficult and would have likely made it difficult anywhere else.

this is an extension of an incredibly punitive, carceral culture and logic in fandom, something that's changed face over time but never really left. Laudna didn't try to take Ishta because Delilah preyed on her grief and trauma and anger to stroke her jealousy and arcane addiction and feelings of powerlessness and worthlessness and fear that she'll be abandoned if she can't be useful, no. she did it because she's a bad person. she did it because she needs to make everything about herself and loves playing the victim and she's greedy and too dangerous and totally the one in the queer housing group who won't do the dishes because she has "dish-related trauma", am i right guys. she did it because it doesn't matter why Laudna did it, she needs to be called out and held accountable, and anyone who tries to explain her actions or sympathize with her or defend her against the most cruel and untrue comments is coddling her and erasing her agency and thinks she was completely in the right. and they're probably a misogynist. or even worse, a misandrist.

it's also an extension of fan resistance to the existence of oppressed-oppressor relationships or just general power dynamics in Exandria wherein parties they sympathize with or project onto act as the oppressor, ranging from the Gods to the people of Gelvaan. these parties, in turn, will have their agency obfuscated while the harmed is laid bare. the most obvious, and infuriating, examples of this in CR fandom are the suggestions that Opal and Dorian are responsible for their victimization by the Spider Queen, because Opal chose to put on the crown and Dorian was, uh, there with his brother? i've repeatedly seen those things presented as incidents that can't be blamed on the gods, really, because Opal and Dorian had any modicum of free will. as if the Spider Queen accidentally stumbled into creating an evil corruption crown or killing Cyrus. she can't help it, she's just being Lolth!

which takes us back to Gelvaan, and the idea that Imogen was suffering from some "learned helplessness" that was a purely internal failure and not the result of any external conditions. i joked on that other post abt Liliana being the final exam in a class many people had been failing from the start, and like, yeah, being able to understand "Imogen suffered in Gelvaan for reasons that were not solely or mostly her fault and would have been the same or similar elsewhere" feels like one of those early pop quizzes. and at this point, it's like, idk. sorry that you can't enjoy the beautiful, bittersweet mother daughter reunion bc you were too concerned with ideas of personal responsibility 100 episodes ago to properly empathize with Imogen. skill issue tbh

[icanseethefuture333]

The Astrological Observation of Gen Z, (a series)

Part I 👼🏽🩷:

The rise & fall of "chick flicks" & the possible resurgence of those films thanks to Barbie? 💗 + Victoria's Secret Angels/fashion show makes a come back, will it succeed 👼🏽?

SPOILER ALERT

Here is the birth chart (placidus) of the most loved and adored doll of all time, Barbie! The Barbie movie begun filming in March 2022, had it's first premiere on July 9th, 2023, and was aired officially on July 21st, 2023. If the movie started to be filmed in March 2022, then that means the movie would have been created during Barbie's solar return. The movie was going to have a big impact on the world from the moment it was produced. Although, yes of course it's Barbie who's super famous, but I believe that the intention behind the film was more sincere than other movies in comparison. In Barbie's solar return chart, there is a fear of being "forgotten" or "lost", which is exactly what Barbie struggled with in the movie. There is an Aquarius dominance and a 11th and 9th house stellium. Her North node, Moon, and Uranus are in her 12th house which deals with the subconscious. In the film, Barbie and the woman who owned her as a little girl had a telepathic connection (Aquarius Venus at 2° in the 9th house), which she did not know until she started having "oppressive thoughts about death" (Aquarius Mercury in the 10th house at 28°). Which Weird Barbie gives her a "choice" of going back to normal or knowing the secrets of the universe (a spiritual awakening). Which then explains how her 11th house and 9th house partnered together in the film. Friendship, philosophy, and wisdom all being important lessons that Barbie was forced to experience. Barbie's journey throughout the movie was painful and scary. She wasn't able to be the one to give advice or help little girls anymore, this time - people had to help her, which gave her the confidence to become the woman she wanted to become (Barbie has so many squares and conjuctions in her solar return chart, like let me go buy a Barbie doll and tell her how much I love her, I'm so sorryyyy 💔😭).

Barbie's transits on the day of the Barbie movie's official release. Aspects that are standing out to me are Part of Fortune sextile Pluto, Uranus sextile Moon, Pluto sextile Jupiter, Mercury trine Venus, and Mars square Ascendant. The movie will go down as a cult classic. It globally is a big hit on social media and caused people to even dress, think, and feel differently (especially regarding their femininity). The mars square ascendant could be why men or people with internalized toxic masculinity feel uncomfortable with the movie. It triggers something in them and I feel like secretly that men who say they hate Barbie, actually love her??? They could be remembering childhood memories of the doll and possibly even wanted to play with one but weren't allowed to or wished they spent more time with their moms or sisters. The Mercury trine Venus represents how the film was able to convey women's thoughts well and the things they wish they could say but were suppressed due to the patriarchy. Women as a whole really love Barbie or think highly of her. The film's hypothetical birth chart has a 12th house stellium and still conveys the significance of intuition and the subconscious mind. What's beautiful is the film's Pluto is in the 5th house at 29° in retrograde. If they intended to have people reconnect with their inner child, then it was done successfully. Which confirms my belief and also hope for sweet, sappy, inspiring chick flicks about friendships and self love happening again.

This wouldn't be a post about the 2000's if we didn't discuss the Victoria Secret's fashion show. The first episode was released on August 1st, 1995 during prime time so around 8 pm PST / 10 pm EST. Here is the hypothetical chart (placidus) of the Victoria's Secret Fashion show. I have never in my life seen so many retrogrades before, YIKES! The show has a lot of karmic debt and with the amount of scandals the company had, I'm not even surprised. Saturn in the 1st house, so there is a strict beauty standard that the show wants to uphold and dislikes when someone else tries to break the mold. I watched the Victoria Secret documentary and this is what was said as well. The women who worked there tried to bring more inclusivity to the company and the men acted very pompous and stubborn whenever they tried to create positive changes. They wanted to get away with their cookie cutter looks and corrupted desires. North node being at 0° the fashion show was supposed to embrace change and throughout the years resisted it's main intention or purpose of making women feel sexy. Now that they are trying to rebrand, they'd really have to really get over their ego in order to succeed. The exact date and time of the upcoming fashion show is unsure but it will be aired sometime in the fall. With the Victoria Secret's Fashion Show Sun sign being in Leo, then that means the episode will air right after it's solar return (I'm noticing a pattern here of companies releasing projects after it's solar return👀). Things seem to be going in the show's favor and it will be fair or more inclusive as they said it would be. There is a 7th house stellium here and a Moon in the 1st house so it seems as though they want to come off as genuine as possible. Saturn still remains in the 1st house, so there is still some stern energy here, maybe the rules for the models is strict or there is some sort of tight schedule for the show? Jupiter in the 3rd house, people will be talking about it or there's going to be articles/podcasts about the show. Pluto square South Node, the company's past scandals will still linger in the air. Uranus trine Chiron, someone in PR could write formal apologies to the staff? Saturn square Jupiter, Saturn is not done with them yet. It's literally grabbing them by the throat and saying "repent for your sins". It's not great, but not terrible either, but I'm leaning towards the fashion show will do just fine. The women will be exceptionally beautiful and the style of the clothes is gonna be different. It could take some time for people to be on board again with the show airing due to past controversies. Some will enjoy it for nostalgia, while others will not care to watch because it's not their thing or won't watch out of support for the victims.

The Tour '23's birth chart (whole sign)

The show having its Aquarius Moon in the 12th house 24° is very significant in my opinion given the fact it displays the hidden nature of women and the different aspects of the divine feminine. I watched it today and there was a lot of focus on motherhood, feeling unique or out of place in the world (a lot of people saying they felt like an alien), and having different body types, attributes, or features being seen. With an Aries chiron and north node, I feel their way of approaching things was more blunt and why they were more comfortable exhibiting/talking about scars, stretch marks, protesting, and (tw:) eating disorders. Another interesting aspect I noticed was mostly the narrator Gigi Hadid and the show has a Virgo Mercury in the 7th house 16°. Quite a few of the women narrating were mothers themselves, such as Gigi Hadid. Gigi has her Mercury in the 1st house and she has a Taurus stellium. The 7th house is connected to Venus and it is known for beauty, femininity, and love. There was also 5 segments all around the world but the show made its debut in Lagos, Nigeria. The Pisces ascendant I believe explains the fluidity and ability to transform or adapt to your environment. As well as being sensitive, free spirited, and having spiritual consciousness, for example, there was the use of Yoruba and Igbo mythology in the fashion show. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show originally had a Leo stellium and it was more superficial, a lot of hyper focus on glitz and glam. Where as now there is a Pisces stellium and still has a familiarity of signs from its original birth chart (the essence of Libra, Taurus, and Leo still being there). The Capricorn Pluto in the 11th house 27° acknowledges what they have done in the past and their problematic behavior. With 27° being a Gemini degree, its as if the company is wanting to say to the generation: "Let's talk about it". The fashion designers in the documentary all discussed the importance of self expression and their hardships to get there. Doja Cat being the main performer of the series isn't surprising given the fact she is also a Libra Sun. Similar to the show, Doja and Victoria's Secret, are both known for being quite controversial (perfect pair, don't you think?). With The Tour 23's Sun being in the 8th house, it feels that it is the death of their ego. A new chapter for the company, while still keeping some parts of itself and it's past. Neptune and Saturn being in the 1st house explains why everyone was so vulnerable about their journey, insecurities, and dealing with self criticism. With its ascendant being a leo degree (5°) I believe it will gain some traction or buzz because of the individualistic style and fresh new faces / designers, but it won't be anything that will people talk about long term.

[oblivionbladetd]

As much as I enjoy reading everyone's 50 Villains lists (they're basically rec lists! complex villains are fun!) I have to rattle the bar cages for a moment to emphasize that the actual challenge has always been dumb as hell because Lily is, once again, over-generalizing a specific strain of criticism, explaining it poorly, and being embarrassingly smug about her own failure to communicate.

In an attempt to keep this brief, I'll just point at the discourse around Daisy Fitzroy from Bioshock Infinite, which is extensive and covers all the fundamental points: A (black!) character with a righteous cause was abruptly tarred by the brush of unforgivable extremism, making her a 'villain'. It was done very poorly and received a lot of understandable backlash, and spurred wider discussion around the trend of revolutionary characters in particular having their political grievances cheaply undercut because oh no they killed kids and kicked puppies, instead of the narrative fairly engaging with their arguments.

THIS IS THE DISCOURSE LILY IS ULTIMATELY GETTING AT. It's recognizable if you're the kind of big old nerd who's sat around in relevant corners of Tumblr and TV Tropes long enough to spot its echoes at 30 paces.

Alas, Lily being Lily, she dumbed it down Lily's Writing Tips style to "it's impossible to write a villain with a point and do it well (because if they have a point, why are they the villain)", didn't really explain the context when people were clearly confused, didn't explain the specifics of the generalized terms she was using, and thus set up a 'challenge' that was impossible to actually 'beat', because of course she's not interested in creating a fair and fun competition for people to thoughtfully engage with, she's interested in setting up people to dunk on for the crime of not being telepathic.

Anyway. I hope people continue to make lists. I just hope they're also aware Lily's challenge was a dead end from the start.

Absolutely. A huge part of my personal beef with her is she is a fucking master of glancing off of, but never actually hitting the point. It's fuckin all over her work too.

Her two "is garbage " videos very conveniently leave out the mismanagement at the levels higher than executive producer that hurt the shows far more than anything anyone on the ground did.

Her talk of Mary Sue's have some merit as more than a few dudebro's will just slap it on a female character being any level of competent, but does end up divorcing it from it's original use as a signifier that a protagonist isn’t very compelling by way of authorial bias.

G is an absolute fountain of potential to say so much about the pokemon and real worlds, but alas, in Lily's hands, that fountain remains bone dry.

As you said with the list of 50, she's glancing the very real discourse of villainizing victims of oppression only to land on every villain should be some guy that huffed bad vibes out of a sandwich bag and has been the worst ever since... A villain that doesn't have any semblance of a point is just a flat character, fine if that's all you need, but sorely lacking as the complexity of the story increases.

[wanderingmind867]

My definitive interpretation on Martian Manhunter:

Martian Manhunter/J'onn J'onzz and his younger brother Ma'alefa'ak were from Mars, a civilization built by and worshipful of the Roman deity of Mars. J'onn was a Manhunter, the equivalent of a police officer in martian society. He had a wife and a young daughter and all was peaceful and content for him. Ma'alefa'ak meanwhile was a recluse, shunned because he was the only Martian without telepathy. He grew bitter towards his people because of this, but it actually ended up becoming a great boon for him.

You see, the Martians have a natural enemy in the Saturnians. The Saturnians are the natural enemy of everyone in the solar system, in fact. That's because they're the chosen people of Saturn/Kronos, the evil titan who oppressed humanity back in antiquity. Although Saturn/Kronos is rotting in Tartarus, his chosen people continue to worship him and pray to him. And when he spoke to his people and told them they had to raise an army and enslave the chosen peoples of the other olympians, the saturnians answered the call.

Assembling an army, the Saturnians pillaged the Solar System.They enslaved the people of Mars (as well as the people of every planet in the solar system besides Jupiter and Neptune and Pluto), and planned to bend them to their will. Being a very militaristic but dignified society (as befitting their patron god), the martians fought back. J'onn was on the frontlines for some of it. The war was bloody, and horrifying. This is when J'onn was first pulled away from Mars.

You see, back on earth, Dr. Mark Erdel of Colorado was attempting to make contact with alien life. And by a strange twist of fate, he did. Except he didn't merely build a communication device. No, instead he built a virtual magnet for brain waves. To a telepath like J'onn, the pull of the machine was irresistible. He went from mars to earth in the blink of an eye, leaving his people and family all alone back on mars, to be enslaved by the cruel and savage saturnians. Shocked that he summoned up a real, live alien (and one who even shapeshifts to look more humanoid in apperance), Dr. Erdel suffers a fatal heart attack and dies.

J'onn ends up now on earth, stuck recovering from landing in a strange place and watching a man die. After a month or two of recovery from that ordeal (a month in which J'onn begins to blame himself for the death of Doctor Erdel), J'onn prepares to leave for Mars again. But before he gets the chance, he discovers a Saturnian plot to invade earth the same way they tried to invade mars. Using his telepathy and shapeshifting powers, J'onn manages to assemble a team of 6 earth heroes to help him repel the Saturnian invasion. After the invasion, the Justice League is born, it's members the 7 defenders of earth.

So while the demigods of earth dealt with the actual titans and saved olympus, J'onn and the League was saving the cosmos. This is my way of outright telling you: this universe is the same universe as Percy Jackson. We're never gonna have anyone comment on that, but it allows us to show a third front in the Titan War: the space front.

Anyways, J'onn gets permission from his fellow martians to go and study earth by living there for a few years. He blends in on earth society by taking the name of John Jones and renting an apartment home for himself. Posing as a police detective in Middleton, Colorado, he has many adventures with his detective co-worker Diane Meade and his interdimensional sidekick Zook. For around 2-3 years, he stayed as John Jones like this, having superheroic adventures on earth both solo and with the Justice League.

But then J'onn had to deal with the Idol Head of Diabolu. This evil statue expelled toxic gas, which John Jones heroically jumped in front of to save a young child's life. But since John Jones was a human, everyone assumed he had died there that day. And J'onn was getting tired of leading this double life as a martian and as an ordinary earthman, so he willingly faked his death. Diane Meade and his friends on the force were all lead to believe he'd died. The only one he actually told the truth to was Zook.

From here, Martian Manhunter and Zook worked to destroy the Idol Head of Diabolu. For almost a year they fought the monsters released by that menacing Idol, but eventually they managed to destroy the Idol Head and clear up all their earthly loose ends. With the Idol Head that killed his human persona of "John Jones" gone, J'onn should have been able to go back to Mars. He wanted to. But fate wouldn't let him.

You see, J'onn and Zook end up getting wrapped into one final earthly adventure: they had to infiltrate and take down an international criminal organization known as Vulture. To combat Vulture, J'onn takes the secret identity of Marco Xavier, a multi-millionaire with reported ties to Vulture who died in a fatal car crash in France. From here, J'onn completely infiltrates the organization of Vulture, and eventually unmasks their ringmaster.

And here's the big twist in our story: the ringmaster of Vulture was the Marco Xavier! He faked his death in that car crash, and merely allowed J'onn to continue taking his identity so he could lure him into a trap. On that note, the trap Marco Xavier set for J'onn ends up levelling the building, and killing everyone but Martian Manhunter. Sickened and repulsed by what the past few months infiltrating Vulture has shown him, J'onn decides he needs to leave earth and finally go back to Mars.

While J'onn was handling all of his solo adventures, such as dealing with the Idol Head of Diabolu and with infiltrating Vulture, he was also an active member of the Justice League of America. He had pretty good relationships with almost every member of the team, although there were some people he was closer to than others. Him and Superman got along really well, for example. Being two aliens, they could relate to feeling sometimes out of place on earth. J'onn more than Clark (since J'onn actually has a living family on Mars), but still.

Whereas him and Wonder Woman had a more contentious relationship, initially (he was a patron of Mars, while Ares/Mars was one of Wonder Woman's biggest enemies). The Roman in J'onn vs the Greek in Diana made for some very icy relations, initially. Eventually they learned to work past it. But there's still a sort of lighthearted rivalry that exists between them, even now.

Another member of the team J'onn became really close to: Green Arrow. After their first few missions together, they became inseparable. Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Speedy were like an inseparable trio. Like Batman and Superman, except with more of a mutual trust. J'onn became just as much a father to Roy as Oliver. J'onn even began to see Roy like one of his own kids back home on mars. And Zook was like the weird family pet, even accompanying Roy on a solo mission or two.

In short, J'onn was the heart of the team. He was the one responsible for it's founding, he was the one who was always on call, he was just the one really holding the team together. So when he left to go back to Mars, it really devastated the team dynamics. They managed to survive, but as i'll show later: things really went to hell without J'onn around.

But J'onn finally heads back to Mars, homesick after years on earth. He can't wait to get back to M'yri'ah and the kids. And to introduce them to Zook, his new interdimensional sidekick. He was in really good spirits as he flew back to mars, anticipating nothing but happy things. But what he finds there on Mars is enough to haunt him for the rest of his years.

In his absence, Mars has been completely razed to the ground. The Saturnians came back, slighted by J'onn repelling their invasion of the solar system. As punishment, they used the martian's genetic weakness to fire, and burned everything and everyone to the ground. The martians fought valiantly, and managed to kill most of the Saturnian forces. But the end result was the same: a bloodbath. J'onn's wife and two kids were murdered in cold blood, and he could have saved them. If he wasn't on earth, he could've saved them…and that's what finally breaks him.

Almost everyone died in that war, beyond one Martian and one Saturnian. J'onn's brother Ma'alefa'ak managed to survive, mostly because ma'alefa'ak was such a hermit that the saturnians didn't even know where he was. He survived because his people shunned him. And one Saturnian survived the wars: K'os'che'i, the deathless one. He couped the rightful ruler of Saturn by declaring him too weak to get revenge on Mars, and he then led the charge to massacre every martian in existence.

These two brothers were then left on an abandoned planet to grieve. Seeing red at the death of his wife and two children, J'onn loses it and goes on a revenge quest with Ma'alefa'ak' and Zook. The quest takes them to the farthest ends of the galaxy hunting for K'os'che'i and the secrets to his immortality. It even leads them to discovering the true heir to Saturn, Prince Jemm. Jemm was the adopted child of the Emperor of Saturn. But when K'os'che'i led his coup, Jemm's adopted mother spirited him away to a distant star system to be raised to fight and reclaim his throne.

Now, Jemm joins our trio in hunting down K'os'che'i, and we eventually have a dramatic confrontation scene at the edge of all the known galaxies. Martian Manhunter, Ma'alefa'ak, Zook and Jemm have already destroyed the artifact keeping K'os'che'i alive. And with sorrow and righteous anger welling up within, J'onn and Jemm kill K'os'che'i and burn his ashes to dust.

Now depressed and miserable, J'onn, Ma'alefa'ak, Zook and Jemm go their separate ways once again. J'onn and Ma'alefa'ak are going to go back to Mars, try to process their loss and grief. Meanwhile, Jemm decides he's going to explore the galaxies, try and see if he can't rebuild the legacy of the good Saturnians elsewhere in space. Zook decides to accompany Jemm, knowing it's probably best he give J'onn time to himself, after this tragedy.

From here, J'onn and Ma'alefa'ak end up spending time on Mars again for a whole period of years. They just end up exploring space together, always returning to their little makeshift village on mars just for the two of them. It's a very peaceful and tranquil life. The most peace J'onn's known in a long, long time, honestly. But like all things in J'onn's life, this peace doesn't last.

After 5-6 years in space with his brother, J'onn is summoned back to earth by the Justice League. He has to stop Batman's coup attempt on the league, which finally brings J'onn back to earth. He manages to stop batman just in the nick of time, and then he heads back to mars to resume his vigil. But once back on Mars, a nagging feeling of dread never quite leaves him alone. So about a month or two after all this, he returns to earth. And that's when he finds the Justice League has disbanded in his absence. And that they inducted about half a dozen new members in his absence. And that they apparently kicked Snapper Carr out!?

J'onn is devastated by all the idiotic changes the league made in his absence. But he knows that he can't abandon the legacy of this team he helped create, so he decides it's time for him to come back to earth once more. And this time on a more permanent basis. So he goes back to space and convinces his brother Ma'alefa'ak to come to earth with him. Together they move to Detroit and set up a detective agency. This is around when J'onn sets up the Justice League Detroit. But that's a topic for my Justice League interpretation post.

I cover most of J'onn and Ma'alefa'ak's adventures on earth in my Justice League interpretation posts. But let's pick up where that one left off. Ma'alefa'ak' went on a rampage because he felt the earthmen were being prejudicial to him, and he had to be stopped by every member of the Justice League working together. But before they can capture him, Ma'alefa'ak escapes. Nobody knows where he went and nobody has the time to track him down, since the Justice League Detroit begins collapsing like a house of cards shortly after this.

J'onn then heads up to Ottawa to help found the Justice League Canada. But all the while that he's in Ottawa, he can't help thinking of his brother. He misses Ma'alefa'ak', and so he's constantly trying to find his brother at the same time he's trying to lead the Justice League Canada.

After around a year of searching as the Justice League Canada builds itself up, J'onn gets a report that his brother was spotted heading towards Colorado in the company of characters like Captain Cold and Harley Quinn. Concerned by all of this, J'onn heads off for Colorado all on his own, leaving the rest of the league to try and deal with a threat in his absence. Since he was the stabilizing force on the team, his absence is felt immensely. But they survive.

Anyways, let's check in on Ma'alefa'ak'. As mentioned previously, he ran away from the league after his rampaging attack on humanity. Knowing he needed to lie low and settle down, he shapeshifts and takes a new identity as an ordinary citizen in St. Louis, Missouri. For like 2-3 months he laid low here, just trying to lose himself in the crowd. But at some point, he accidentally runs into a group of criminals. Captain Cold and Harley Quinn had been planning on founding a team of reformed supervillians, and they chose St Louis as the perfect midway point between their locations in which to meet up and discuss it. And Ma'alefa'ak just so happens to be there observing them.

After eavesdropping on their conversation, he worms his way into the discussion and persuades them to let him join their group. He shapeshifts and pretends to be some common thug looking to go straight. He manages to work his way into their organization, and helps them plan their first activities as reformed villians. And when the other members of the team hear about a smuggling ring in Colorado and agree to head out there to bust it and showcase their new ways, Ma'alefa'ak' tags along. Some normal citizens accidentally see him transform back into his martian apperance (one even takes a screenshot), and that's how J'onn finally learns where his brother is.

J'onn ends up going down to Colorado to talk some sense into his brother, but after a brief fight with this supervillian team J'onn realizes that they're actually all looking to go straight, Ma'alefa'ak' included. He hadn't told any of them he was a martian (he was still afraid of facing humanity's scorn), but he was hoping to use them to make some form of amends for what he did. So then Martian Manhunter helps this team bust the Colorado smuggling operation.

After this, J'onn realizes that he wants to help this team of reformed villians gain legitimacy. They deserve to get the respect they deserve for making an effort at going straight. J'onn also realizes that he's now in Middleton, the same place he used to work as a Police Detective, all those many years ago. The place where John Jones died…the place where he killed Professor Mark Erdel….

Devastated by the memories of what happened, J'onn goes to the Middleton graveyard, where he spots his own grave from way back when. But he also spots the grave of Doctor Mark Erdel, who died at 70 years old of a fatal heart attack. A heart attack J'onn feels sure he caused. So in his shapeshifted form, J'onn stops to pay his respects at the grave. And that's when he realises two others are there, paying their respects too.

Turns out Doctor Erdel had a family. His grandson, Saul Erdel, followed him into the field of scientific research, and he now lives in Middleton to be close to his grandfather. And Saul Erdel has a daughter of his own, an 8-9 year old girl. Feeling even more guilty than ever, J'onn tries to run. But they discover him, and he's startled that he accidentally shapeshifts back to his true form.

As J'onn begins begging for forgiveness, Saul has to calm him down by assuring him it wasn't his fault. Hawkman and Hawkwoman figured out that J'onn wasn't the real killer years ago. J'onn just never had time to learn that, because he was busy on Mars. Relieved by this information (but still burdened with the trauma of untold millions) J'onn collapses in front of Saul, telling him everything.

But in a shockingly pure act of hospitality, Doctor Erdel invites J'onn to live with him. He doesn't have to be alone on earth, this time around. He can let himself open up to people. He can finally find a home on earth. So after like 10 years away from Colorado, J'onn's story ends the way it began: with him back in Colorado. Except this time he actually embraces humanity and settles down here.

J'onn becomes a private detective in Colorado, while also helping to mentor his brother and the other reformed supervillians (who are also now based out of Colorado to be close to him). He works on that for like a year, before eventually getting dragged into the creation of The Protectors (my DC version of The Defenders) when Doctor Fate summons him alongside Solomon Grundy and Ocean-Master. But I'll discuss that more in a note about The Protectors.

J'onn also now has a support system of humans around him in Colorado. Or at least, he's got 2-3 human friends there now. He's got the Erdel family, who him and ma'alefa'ak still live with. He's also got Diane Meade again, who's become a police commissioner in the time since J'onn's been away. But she still remembers him, and it's touching for both of them to be able to reconnect. And he's got his extended friend group up in space and abroad. Jemm and Zook occasionally stop by for visits, to catch back up with J'onn and Mal. And Green Arrow and Speedy waste no time reaching back out to their old crime fighting partner again.

So for now, J'onn J'onzz can finally say he's happy on earth. He's found new family and friends. A new job. A new life. Finally, he feels like he's home again. The death and trauma of his past is behind him. And he can finally be at peace.

[cuttyclowngirl]

Daima EP.4 (Spoiler) review/theories

• My bad Glorio, I wasn't familiar with your game. He actually can fly & is a league stronger than I thought. I was wrong. Good. He's even more fascinating than before. How does a demon from the 3rd world obtain such strength? Why would he need it if he was a simple bounty hunter/assassin as viewers suspect? All that & he can't sense ki?

• Glorio & Shin's (Supreme Kai's) "U can't fool me" dynamic continues to grow ever more tense. Who's going to crack first?

• Glorio sorta gave up on on finding his plane almost immediately in favor of finding a new vehicle. Was the plane even his to begin with? He also doesn't seem to care that about being late to see King Kandan. The nearest Tamagami is miles in the opposite direction they've been heading so far & Glorio still insisted they just gather the balls instead of prioritizing the meeting with Kadan, which tells me he never actually intended to see the 3rd world King & probably wasn't sent by King Kadan.

• Glorio suddenly switching up & almost insisting they gather the balls, coupled with that "All according to plan" smirk/hmph is further feeding into my theory about him working for Dr Arinsu. (There were two shots in the conversation where Glorio's eyes are suspiciously off screen) She was probably watching on a Magic Monitor & sent Glorio a telepathic message/order.

• The shopkeeper couple are absolutely lovely "one & done" type silly characters. Love their designs, their bits, their voices & interactions. I hope they'll be featured in future video games. (Glorio is such an experienced haggler, he even saw through a not so obvious deafness trick. Tells me Glorio socializes a lot.)

• "Medi Bugs". Toriyama never missed an opportunity to remind everyone that JRPGs were one of his special interests, huh? Revive Bug restores stamina. (Compared to Senzu, but wasn't stated to have healing properties. Let's remember that.) Achichi Bug heals burns, Zutsu Bug cures headaches, Beaut Bugs make your skin silky. JOIN BUG: "Feed halves to 2 people & they can fuse for a while". Introducing a Demon Realm exclusive type fusion. Can't wait to see what it looks like.

• Aside from the multiple unnamed Medi Bugs Goku made Glorio ("Goliro" lmao) buy, which we saw in his bag, the shopkeeper lady said they had "most of the different types of Medi Bugs", meaning even more might be introduced later. She also called the Medi Bugs "souvenirs" so they're clearly not rare/hard to find.

• The heavy air yields yet another obstacle in the form of even lower mobility in any attempt at flying at high speeds. "It expends a lot of energy & will tire you out quickly".

• Poor Shin has to keep Goku on task like a kid on a leash, reminding him that the main mission is rescuing baby Dende.

• As I had hoped, the Tamagamis are strong, even by Glorio's standards to the point he's never heard of anyone gathering all 3 balls. So Goku & crew will be the first in ages to do so.

• Demons apparently believe their set of D balls are the originals. Fandom discourse fuel right there.

• "Sky seeds". Shin said he's never heard of one, meaning the "Great Fiend Flower" & their Sky seeds are 3rd world exclusive. The whimsical orchestral cover of Jaka Jann coupled with Goku's attitude throughout the Sky seed riding sequence was pure dragon ball charm. (I got a lil emotional.)

• The Supreme King's military police are called "Gendarmerie" a word derived from the medieval French phrase "gens d'armes" meaning "Men-at-arms".

• Finding out that the red Magic Collars we've seen several demons already wearing are actually oppression devices really hurt me when I remembered that those lovely shopkeepers were wearing them too... I think the scarf Panzy wears is either hiding her collar or concealing an awful scar caused by her manually removing her's that she'd rather no one see.

• What could the life force sucked out of poor demons by that awful machine possibly be for? Keeping the Supreme King young and strong? Like in "Go Go Ackman" where the souls of dead humans kept the demon king young & strong?

•Goku & crew are fugitives now. The obstacles just keep staking. (Bulma's def gonna yell at someone.)

• Panzy seems to be your classic plucky eccentric rebel who's inventions only work half the time, which already sorta sets her apart from Bulma the giga genius & GT's Pan. I look forward to her future antics & discovering her motivation for traveling with Goku & crew. (She should either learn how to fly or make herself a pair of roller skates for quick getaways.) There seemed to be some focus on her eyes. Could her eye color be an additional plot point? I don't remember any other demon having purple eyes like her's specifically, but I'm probably reading into it too much.

[shipposttt]

Ship of the Day: Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr

Character Names: Charles Xavier x Erik Lehnsherr 

Ship name: Cherik 

Original Content: X-Men (also present in the comics but for the purpose of this post, focused on the movies)

Ship Info:

Before getting too far into it, what you must know is that Cherik is not mainly shipped as a fully happy together ship, these two have gone through a divorce and are only just coming back together after a whole bunch of stuff. Either that or fans are being delusional and  ignoring the canon “Beach Divorce” (will be explained later, don’t worry).

The X-Men franchise is an institution in the comics world, a product of some of the best minds at Marvel in the 60s. Homo Sapien Superior are the next stage of human development, dubbed mutants, these people are born with superhuman powers, from telekinesis to intangibility, super speed to power absorption. Standing as metaphors and representations for oppression, the othering of the non-majority, racism, genocide, government control and the fight for equality, the X-Men have stood the test of time and come out of it as a present-forward moving media.

And at the centre of this media is two figures, Charles Xavier, powerful telepath and creator and head of the X-Men and Erik Lensherr, metallokinetic and leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (if going by comics). Two leaders on what would traditionally be thought of as opposing sides, but in the case of the X-Men sphere, they instead play as two sides of the same coin against the true enemy.

The Government.

(Yeah, the writers weren’t playing about with subtlety, were they?)

(And people complain that modern comics are too liberal. This shit has always been here, complainers have just been blind to it. Somehow. I really don’t know how. It is a very much integral part of understanding the world the X-Men live in.)

Charles and Erik meet when they are both in their 20s, Charles recently graduated from Oxford with his doctorate in Genetics and Erik continuing his path of Nazi hunting while searching for the man that killed his mother when they were taken to Auschwitz when Erik was a child. They meet, stuff happens and almost the entirety of X-Men: First Class is just a getting to know you, whirlwind romance summer with a couple of breaks between the flirting and longing stares to further the plot which includes working with the CIA, building a team and, at the culmination of the film, being at the centre of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Ah yes, because we needed more of a reminder that we’re in the mid 60s, it’s not like the USSR being a big deal, or the middle-aged Nazi officers or the young looking Holocaust survivors didn’t do a good job of illustrating this point. 

Thus we reach the height of the movie, the missiles are on their way to Cuba and are currently being held in the air by Erik. Erik views the shooting of these missiles as a betrayal as they have been working with those who just sent the missiles for the duration of the movie and wants retaliation so spins the rockets around and sends them back in the direction of the US and Soviet fleets. Charles is also feeling pretty betrayed but does not believe that the men on the ships should die for it. And in a moment of what is probably one of the stupidest moments of Charles Francis Xavier’s life, he tells a child survivor of the Holocaust that the soldiers who have just fired upon them with the intention to kill them are “simply following orders”.

Yikes, Charles.

They have a grapple across the floor, Erik loses concentration, he wins the fight, regains control of the missiles, continues them on their course for the ships before getting interrupted by one of the X-Men team shooting his metal helmet to break his concentration. He deflects the bullets, cause, ya know, metallokinetic. It just so happens that he deflects one of these bullets into Charles’ back. More specifically his spine. Instantly paralysing him. 

There’s a whole moment of Erik cradling Charles' body and apologising. A bunch of other things happen that ends with Erik leaving Charles on that beach with no way to go home and only a couple allies. 

Thus, the beach divorce. 

It is here that Charles and Erik’s stories can go two ways, because the X-Men movies have fully canon time travel that they used to end the old early 2000’s timeline and restart, allowing them to make more money. In both of these, Erik is arrested for the murder of JFK, in the original timeline he stays there until the mid-2000s and is often visited by Charles. On these visits they play chess and have civil conversations. As elder men, they greatly respect one another and in fact, Erik even comes to Charles’ defence against one of his own brotherhood members when they disparage Charles. Both see that the other is working towards the same goal, they simply have differing opinions on how mutants should get to the equality they are fighting for. Charles believes it can be fostered through education, defanging misinformation and working alongside the human governments. Erik believes that it is too systemic and instead mutants must take their place in the world and not fear or be afraid of humans. By the end of their timeline, they are back to being by each other's sides, any differences are put to the side due to the nature of their existence dwindling. Instead they work together and stay by each other, giving each other comfort in the others continued existence. 

In the alternate timeline, Erik is broken out of prison in the mid 70s by the combined effort of a time travelling Wolverine, Charles, Charles and Erik’s past teammate and Charles’ caretaker Hank and a very young Quicksilver, who is not yet aware that Erik is his father. Though to be fair, no one on that mission knows that. In these films, Erik attempts to build a life, getting a quickly fridge-ed wife and daughter and goes on to build the mutant nation safe haven island Genosha. Charles goes on to found his school for mutants, as he did in the original timeline. This timeline ends with Erik and Charles meeting at a cafe in Paris (romantic, huh) and sitting down to play some chess (yes, chess is almost definitely a flirting metaphor, the amount they do it).  

Type of ship: Queer Read

Despite the fact that all 4 actors who have portrayed Erik and Charles in these movies have shipped them, at the end of the day there was never an intentional move done by any of the creatives to intentionally mislead fans to the idea that a romantic relationship may develop between the two. 

Both characters have had female partners throughout the duration of the movies and yet, neither of them last. Erik’s wife dies simply to further the plot within 10 minutes of introducing her on screen and Charles has a kind of girlfriend who he ends up wiping the memory of and leaving alone. By the end of the timeline, they don’t have any partners and are instead with each other. 

Erik and Charles are so compelling as characters, both separately and in combination and one of the reasons for that is how they act as foils for one another. Differing values, same mission, the utmost respect for each other. They are lovers ripped from each other by tragedy, both in terms of the divorce and in terms of being on opposite sides. But they are not just on opposite sides, instead they lead them and that is one of the most tragic parts of their existence. They love each other, but not more than the fight they lead, the ideas they believe. 

At the end, in 1983, when they both finish their missions, passing them on to the next generation, they come together in the romance capital of the world and play chess together. They come back together after so long apart and simply begin to exist in each other's presence in a way they haven’t done since the 60s.

Admin🦉

[lilacs-in-space]

What do you think about VorikxSeven ship? I haven't seen any fanfic of the ship (unfortunately) but after reading a reddit discussion about it (it was about something else, but it got sidetracked, lol) I started thinking…. What do you think? does it have potential? ? Would they be compatible?

Someone pointed out once that Seven and Vorik were the same age before they retconned her age so I've been the peanut gallery for many lively conversations about Vorik and Seven's potential arcs funnily enough.

I think early Seven and Vorik have more in common than people might think, and they could have done each other some good when she first came on board. They're both outcasts who struggle with their emotions, they're both missing a mental link that leaves them profoundly lonely, and they both interact with people in ways they find abrasive or off putting. But fundamentally I think they'd be oil and water and wouldn't last.

Vulcans are about control and Seven was just freed from oppressive control. There are elements of Vulcan culture that would be appealing to Seven, as I imagine a telepathic bond would be comforting for her after being disconnected from the Borg hivemind, but I'm not sure how good having a back door into tremendous amounts of trauma would be for Vorik. I also think Vorik would hinder her quest to get back in touch with her humanity (whether he intended to or not).

From Vorik's side, I think he is relatively flexible for a Vulcan but would have difficulty with Seven's rapid experimentation and non-traditional viewpoints. Their combined inexperience in the romantic area would also be quite disastrous.

Vorik absolutely needs a strong woman to step all over him but while I could see them having an awkward dalliance and amicably parting ways, I think they'd make each other miserable if they tried anything long term.

I do wish Seven interacted with the Vulcans on Voyager more. I really loved the little bits of her and Tuvok we'd get and I really liked that they touched on it in Picard.

[ghooostbaby]

what if mu qing had saved hong hong'er instead?

my guy simply would not do that. that kid is falling to his death SO fast.

you think if xie lian, the darling prince, got in serious trouble and it was even suggested his actions would bring their kingdom bad luck, that mu qing would survive something like that?

most people already don't like him or trust him when he's doing nothing wrong, and he knows this. all of his actions and behaviour and emotional responses revolve around the fact that he knows this. central to his entire character is that he is practical and realistic and wants to succeed. He does not publicly do things he knows would endanger him to simply do a good deed.

he is the one who repeatedly suggests the gruesome sacrifices that all the characters with the luxury to be noble won't accept. he does all his good deeds in secret. even 800 years later.

the fact that it HAS to be xie lian who catches hong hong'er is what communicates the oppressive class system.

in the end, mu qing conforms a lot more to the system that oppressed him and rises to the top of it, while xie lian is cast out of it and struggles in poverty for many centuries - when he could have been saved from that if he hadn't resisted / insisted on his idealism. this is a lot more interesting and realistic exploration of class to me. being a hero was ultimately not a luxury either of them could afford.

i could get behind a version where mu qing already knows hong hong'er from the slums, though. brings him cherries? if hong hong'er still ends up in the palace and xie lian & co are trying to ask him questions mu qing is glaring at hong'er from the back telepathically communicating DON'T SAY ANYTHING

[outofgloom]

WORLD THAT FEEDS THE WORLD

Full Size Version (Recommended)

The ground trembled faintly beneath. The air was still oppressively hot, though the magma of the chamber had begun to cool. Alhalu groaned off to the side where he crouched, holding the Thing at arm’s length.

“Shut up,” Seah hissed. “Pathetic excuse for a Toa. If it hasn’t done anything to you yet, you’re fine. Be happy it didn’t evaporate you like it did Ekket. Bad intel, I say...”

Toa Jovan ignored them both. He focused his mind through the mental aperture of the Kanohi Suletu, sending out another telepathic burst into the empty shell of the Toa of Stone that sat cross-legged on the volcanic stone before him:

“Report. Satha, have you found it yet?”

The reply was somewhat faint, preceded by a burst of static. The connection of Satha’s Iden was being stretched, it seemed.

“Jovan...I am far...traveled... <Static>...Layers of magma...earth below... <Static>...Strata of the Great Beings...<Static>...Dark...almost there I think.”

“How far?”

“<Static>...Kio downward...sending data... <Static>...Seah can interpret.”

A set of calculations and numbers washed through Jovan’s mind. He printed the figures magnetically onto the metal datapad in his hand.

“Check the tether,” Jovan sent. “This mask is risky.”

“Affirmative... <Static>...Tether is thin...still secure. I’m passing through... <Static>...Wait, there’s a barrier here.”

“What kind of barrier?”

“Physical only... <Static>...Should be fine...I think this is it, Jovan--pushing ahead.”

“Proceed with caution.”

Jovan raised his head and glanced around the dull red chamber. Seah was watching him from several bio away, tapping her foot impatiently. Jovan signaled all well, resting back on his heels.

There was a sudden telepathic shriek that made Jovan wince. He blocked the mental aperture for a moment to let it pass, then opened it again:

“What is it, Satha?”

The reply was even fainter now. Worrisome.

“Brother... <Static>...Can see...vast hollow beneath us...the air glows...”

“You’ve made it through? Good. That data is all we need, now--”

“--such power,” Satha continued, as if he hadn’t heard Jovan. “<Static>...power for the whole world...”

“Satha, confirm my message. The data is sufficient.”

“Light is fading here, Jovan... <Static>...It’s dying, and the world... <Static>...Fading out...No time to waste.”

“Turn around.”

Silence.

“Turn around, Satha.”

“<Static>...barrier...can’t... <Static>”

“Say again.”

“Jovan, the tether... <Static>...Too thin...too far...”

“Satha? Pull back; that’s an order. It’s time to turn around. We’ve already lost one Toa today.”

“Too far... <Static>...this barrier... <Static>...Strange interference, can’t... <Static>...losing resolution.”

“Hold on.”

Jovan dove into the mind-space of his comrade, and his vision of the world went fractal, crystalline. He groped with psychic fingers, seeking his goal. He had to find it. There! The psionic tether was stretched taut, but still holding. They had been warned that this method of astral projection was dangerous, but it was the only way they could probe so far so quickly, and there was so little time...Still, he wished now that they had chosen another way.

Jovan readied himself, as he had been trained, and then took action, pouring his psychic energies into the link, to fortify it and give Satha the strength to overcome whatever strange obstacle he had encountered deep below. Fragments of words came through the link as he worked:

“Tearing at me...it’s strong...storm of energy...almost...no...”

“Keep going!”

“Trying to...tether is decaying, Jovan...”

“You can do it.”

“I...yes, I’m almost... <Static>...The barrier...no!”

A psychic shock echoed along the link, stunning Jovan. He let go, and for a moment an insane roaring filled his brain--a roar of energy, of measureless power. A storm of cosmic fire that rent and fused the fabric of the world, of the body, of the mind.

Jovan snapped back to his physical senses.

“Satha!”

Silence crackled in the mind-shell of Toa Satha.

“Satha, pull back...please...”

Nothing, and then, very faintly:

“Jovan...Jovan do you read? <Static>...I’m unmoored, Jovan... <Static>...No control...”

“I...I hear you,” he replied, helpless. “Can you still hear me?”

“Can hear, but fading...I’m moving rapidly, Jovan... <Static>...Interference here.”

“You’ve got to try on your own then. Try to get back.”

“I’m trying, but there’s too much... <Static>...Gone too far.”

“Don’t tell me that.”

“Jovan it’s no use... <Static>...I’m weary...”

“Unacceptable.”

“I know, but I think... <Static>...I’m adrift, Jovan...moving faster every second... <Static>...I’m falling.”

“I said that’s unacceptable, Satha!”

“Will report what I see... <Static>...More intel for you...to finish this...<Static>...All I can do.”

Jovan did not reply. He cursed quietly. The mind-voice continued:

“Something’s pulling me in...vortex of energy...hard to see beyond. I’m moving through...It’s spinning...bright--”

Static.

“I’m through. Would’ve made me sick if I wasn’t just a spirit...”

Static. A long pause.

“There, I can see now...By Mata, I can see it all...”

Static.

“It’s a sphere...a great sphere. Beneath the foundations of stone...to think I would look upon it...”

Static.

“Like the oracle said: the core of universes...the World That Feeds the World. Ah, I understand--”

“Stop, Satha. I’ve heard enough.”

Static.

“I can’t stop, Jovan. I’m sorry...Not in control. This is destiny, my friend--Destiny takes everything from us, in the end. Remember that.”

“Yes. It takes all.”

“...I’m heading further...deeper...”

More static. Another long pause.

“It’s dark now...Moving faster...Caverns and empty spaces...I see--”

“--huge beyond imagining--”

“...there are machines...vast, empty...They move...”

“...I’m falling...can you hear me?”

“I’m here, but Satha, please--”

“--I’m sorry, brother...I’m falling... <Static>...Can’t hear you... <Static>...Oh! By Mata...”

An interminable moment passed. Jovan waited, waited.

Waited...

And then, weakly:

“Endless...endless dark and cold...there are...”

Static.

“There are stars!--”

The voice cut off. The aperture snapped shut. Jovan trembled and released his clenched jaw slowly, expelling a shuddering sigh. The body of Toa Satha sat before him, peaceful.

Toa Seah was at his shoulder.

“So, what’s new?”

A moment passed.

“How’s Alhalu?” Jovan asked.

“Terrified,” Seah replied. “How’s our old Toa of Stone? He’s been out for a bit.”

“He found what we were looking for. Had to go a bit farther than expected, but it’s there. I’ve got the data.”

Jovan handed over the datapad.

“We’ll go immediately.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for him to...get back to his body?”

“He’ll be fine. He said it was urgent for us to go. The others on the surface will be down soon to watch over him.”

“He’ll be fine, huh?”

“Yes.”

Seah smiled, “Liar.” 

She straightened up and walked away. Jovan rose slowly to his feet.

“Alhalu,” he called across the Chamber of Life without looking. “It’s time. Your task is next. I expect you to acquit yourself like a Toa of the Great Spirit, as have others today.”

The eyes of Toa Satha were blank, staring at Jovan from that accursed Iden.

“Seah,” Jovan continued. “Ready the Olmak. Start your calculations.”

“Already started, boss. Do you know where we’re going, exactly? Hopefully a cooler climate.”

“Farther than we’ve ever been,” Jovan replied, “or ever will go.”

In his mind the words echoed:

A great sphere...the core of universes...the World That Feeds the World...Ah, I understand--

What did you understand, my friend? Perhaps you can tell me one day, if we meet again.

In the endless dark and cold.

Where there are stars.

[honouredsnakeprincess]

against my better judgement, i followed arcane season 2. because people will jump down my throat if i spoil things, i will keep my descriptions light and put them under a cut, but needless to say i was disappointed though not terribly surprised.

I went into this with reservations. I watched the first season around when it came out, and my takeaway was that it was pretty-looking, but not particularly impressive in terms of actual writing.

Initially, however, season 2 seemed to be taking things in an interesting new direction, exploring Jinx's role as a Zaunite political figure (and her reservations in that role) and Caitlyn's appointment as a sort of Caesar-type of figure (this is a way i saw it described elsewhere on this site and felt it was apt, initially). I assumed, wrongly, that the show was going to deal more directly with its larger political themes, especially with regards to the oppression of Zaun.

For the first couple of episodes, they were clearly doing this. Then they stopped to do the Viktor transhumanism thing, almost entirely abandoning Jinx's political symbol stuff in favour of her trying to save Vander and restore her bonds with her sister, and moved Caitlyn's whole deal into the background somewhat. This was questionable, but we'd had a couple reasonably strong moments so it seemed plausible they were introducing additional elements that the writers planned to tie in somehow in the third act. Fine.

Caitlyn had led a series of unethical raids into Zaun searching for Jinx, and I assumed we were watching a story about how Caitlyn-as-dictator willingly damns herself, in part from the whispering of her nefarious advisor and in part from her own desperation and desires. Viktor has constructed his utopian commune among the poor and sick, and these things seem driven to come into conflict with each other.

Then the child that's been following Jinx around the whole season dies (and gets like a minute in the first episode of the third act, and nothing thereafter), Caitlyn and Viktor switch their respective sides as Viktor attempts to ally with the Noxians in order to pursue forceful transhumanism before being dissuaded by Jace telepathically telling him that Viktor's future self said this was a bad goal, several of the protagonists die in explosions, including Jinx who effectively kills herself after having been just recently talked down from suicide by Ekko.

Nothing is resolved, and the status quo is largely maintained in its broad layout, except now Zaun has a single representative in government, and they fought robots together, so the ending narration just has to say something to the effect of there probably being more conflicts in the future to hedge off criticisms that nothing has really been resolved.

Also, they did the thing with Ekko again where he's not really in most of the show, except for one episode where he gets a pretty substantial chunk of the screentime, a sort of Ekkosode. The writers don't seem to know if he's meant to be a major character (in which case he should probably appear more throughout the season, not just his dedicated episode) or not (in which he probably should not have a dedicated episode). I don't remember for sure, but I'm pretty sure they did this in the first season too.