#tf snare

[petaltothemetals]

Drew a lil Snare for myself as a treat, with and without mask. Started as a warm-up, but decided to go ahead and make it a whole thing!

[myplasticadversary]

Tbh whenever I say I'm a Fleetwood Mac fan I really just mean Stevie Nicks

[jibble]

I can't bother my friends with this but I'm thinking about Snare again. I keep thinking about the way i want to save him, how the task feels impossible and antithetical to his role within the narrative of Last Stand of the Wreckers. The tradegy with Snare is his death has impacts beyond the narrative. When he dies, he dies telling Impactor to let his death mean something but never gets to finish his sentence. It was a 'mercy' kill. they offered him rescue and he rejected it to get the honorable death promised to him by the Decepticons. They won't hear out his last words because in the grand scheme of things he was just another goon. But to Snare, this was his life defining moment. This was him being brave and standing up against something bigger and he was killed before he could voice this courage and be praised for it. Snare could have been the Wreckers Cyclonus, he could have come along as a new team member but the Wreckers are not the Lost Light and Impactor is cruel. Snare was always supposed to die, he just wasn't supposed to die with a purpose.

that's the tragedy of Snare.

[revelboo]

Holy guacamole finding your account is like finding the holy grail. Thoughts on tfp shockwave??

Oh, no. I feel so bad for him. Casual TF fans can just see him and Whirl and vaguely wonder why they look so different and not know the horrible lore implications…. I miss those happy days and unfortunately I do know, so you have to suffer too for asking.

Point of Extinction

TFP Shockwave x Reader

• Routines to ground him. An exact number of swipes with a cleaning rag after disinfecting his work station after another failed experiment. Routines to keep him busy so his processor can’t dredge up those broken fragments that make no sense to him. Confusing flickers of memories that are and aren’t his. “Enter,” he says, using a servo to slide a tool back precisely where it goes. Order. This he can control.

• Antenna flicking up as the vehicon enters his lab, a box in its servos. And that snares him. Two hands like he’d had. No, that’s not right. Helm tipping down to stare at the cannon at the end of his arm, there’s a moment of disconnect before he’s back. Did he have two hands once? He can’t remember. Logical steps. That chaos isn’t his, it belongs to a stranger. “The counter.”

• Watches the vehicon set the box down and immediately retreat. Unwilling to stick around. They fear him and he understands the concept, but it’s not a thing he really understands. Illogical emotion that can control a mech, twist them into making wrong decisions. Emotional decisions.

• Lifting the lid, he stares at his newest specimen. Number 13. A human. The little creature is slumped at the bottom of the container, breathing but still. The last twelve earth creatures had been smaller, too delicate to survive long. This isn’t what he expected the vehicon to bring him, only specifying something more sturdy than the birds, cats, and lizards he’d been provided before. Something that will last long enough to get conclusive data.

• Reaching in to nudge it before he carefully picks it up in his servos and lifts it free of the box. It’s warm against his metal flesh, his antenna angling forward as the creature stirs. Makes a noise of pain as its eyes open and land on his single glowing optic and stay there. Leaning in to study it as its breathing begins to speed, its eyes widening. Reacting with some emotion. And then it screams, the sharp unexpected sound nearly enough to make him drop it, servos tightening on it until it’s clawing at him, wheezing. Antenna back, he puts it back in the box. “Silence.”

• Heart racing, you scramble to press against the wall of the box you’re trapped in as far from the pointy metal, nightmare as you can get. That one glowing red eye is still staring at you as it makes a noise. “Experiment number 13. Human.” That thing has no mouth you can see, but you can hear it just fine as you slide down to pull your knees tight to your body. Experiment? Where are you? What happened? The last thing you remember is leaving work late.

• “Wait- please I’m not supposed to be here.” It’s speaking to him and he hesitates in reaching for his data pad. The other twelve hadn’t been sentient. Unable to answer his inquiries except by going under his blades. Tapping his cannon against his thigh, he shifts to stare in at it again. Wide eyes stare up at him, the little nails of its fingers digging into its arms. “Please.” Illogical pleas to sway him to release it, voice taut with emotion he can’t identify. “I’m not supposed to be here.” Its voice breaks and that off balance disconnect flares again. A memory his and not his. Had he said those same words? In that same terrified tone? He’s not sure, but he’s frozen.

Next

[haikyuu-hq-headcanons]

What about Tsukishima and Kageyama having the same crush on a girl but she’s an introvert and shy headcannons??

they beefing w each other more than usual tho😭 sending each other glares or snares during practice and everyone is just like?? Why tf are y’all like this😭😭

Kageyama

- him trying to approach u smoothly

- goes horribly

- just lowkey staring ominously (he nervous… he trying his best)

- u probably sweating bullets bc why is this dude just sTARING AT ME

- it’s painful for everyone to see honestly. he tries to approach, u lowkey running away

- tsukishima thinks it’s hilarious. wow kageyama the only game u got is volleyball huh

- by a miracle he musters up courage to actually talk to u, casual, like how did u do at the science test etc

- starts talking abt school which then turns to volleyball bc hey it’s kageyama

- but slowly and surely yall interact more and more and become closer. it’s wholesome ❤️

- looks at tsukishima like ha i dO GOT GAME!!

- kinda… not really… but he’s sweet

Tsukishima

- would DENY he has a crush at first

- crushes are dUMB and the butterflies in his stomach he feels when he sees his crush are dUMB AND HE WILL DIGEST BUTTERFLIES IF HE HAVE TO!!

- begrudgingly accepts it after u kindly lends him some notes from class or smth

- def think he has more game when it comes to approach u than kageyama

- he don’t. not really 🤡

- he would use the excuse of studying together to spend more time together

- at first u would lowkey wanna refuse bc hey. we don’t really talk, u tall (very handsome) like… nERVOUS??? panik

- but would agree bc a study buddy never hurt anyone right?

- Right

- so now y’all spending time studying together and the pain and agony of homework and tests bring you two closer

[cypionate60mg]

is forcemasc a response to sissy hypno? or something far different?

This is an important question with a long answer.

I don't know if I understand your distinction between "response" and "something far different", because I'd say both can be true. I'm also not quite sure what you mean by "response". I'm going to assume you mean that forcemasc is informed by the aesthetic precedents of sissy hypno.

First, let's clarify that sissy hypno is technically a subcategory of forced feminization, but has grown large enough to effect other porn genres in its own unique way. So, overall, sure, the disjointed genre of forcemasc is a response to forcefem, at the very least. And maybe also to sissy hypno. Mostly because its existence can't be ignored. Even if a forcemasc creator doesn't know about sissy hypno, its complicated presence is still felt in their work.

Sissy hypno claims that watching women get fucked by faceless masculine men will inevitably turn you into a woman, among other things. There's also particular iterations of it that lean deep into the hypno, encouraging the listener or viewer to compartmentalize these desires to get fucked and be feminine into an alter ego. In other cases, they command you to let your 'normal' self be taken over completely by your 'shadow self'. To let your desires become your identity for everybody to see. There's a unique shade of public humiliation. This anxiety that the porn you watch can be seen in the way you look.

I'm not an expert on how trans women and transfems feel about forcefem, especially sissy hypno, but I do know it's very complicated. Some of them used it to excavate their transness, and others find it to be abhorrent and disgusting. They're all entitled to their opinions, and that's a conversation I really don't feel comfortable entering.

Sissy hypno also leaves a particularly bad taste in people's mouths because of how its aesthetic elements were incorporated into gooning. Masturbating your life away until you're a manifestation of porn itself, which often includes becoming a masturbatory object for your 'goon buds'. Do you see what's happening here? The subordination of trans women, specifically, turns them into a fetishistic symbol of porn itself. They have come to represent the corruption of pornography and the failure of modern masculinity. The message is: if one fails to become or remain a man, then they are the plaything of men.

And let's be incredibly clear, this isn't based in any truth. TW/TFs, even those who participate in these fetishes, are not destined to be fleshlights. Their bodies aren't proof of their degeneracy, and their sexual dimensions are not inherently pornographic. But they are having to untangle themselves from that every single day. Any time they want intimacy, they have to navigate around this massive ideological snare.

So, your question, I'll answer it for myself, only. Is forcemasc a response? Yes, and it's intentional. I'm interested in porn that purports to transform its viewer. When you watch it, it fucks you.

So I found it interesting that trans men/transmascs were partaking in sissy hypno and forcefem. And, relatedly, some circles of TM/TMs express desires to be trans women. I'm not going to unpack that right now. Simply because it really deserves its own long post, complete with nuance. But I will say it in some ways points to a fear that sexual attractiveness cannot cohabitate with transness unless in a very particular body. And don't be mistaken, TW/TFs experience that fear too.

I don't really see how a Pinterest board of beautiful 'gender envy' men is all that different from a sissy-hypno flavored porn feed. Except for the fact that it's not explicitly pornographic. It's a particular practice of vibes-based masturbatory transition inspo collaging that all sorts of trans people partake in. We only see it associated with TM/TMs, because everybody unfairly accuses TW/TFs of only caring about aesthetics for perverse reasons.

I won't speak for others. For my attempt at forcemasc, I wanted to come at it from a different angle. How do we flip the script without just lazily making a masculinized copy of sissy hypno? Or avoid merely casting a trans filter on cis gay masculinization fetish? We have to respond, like you said, to not only sissy hypno but all sorts of other pre-existing porn genres. And the conventions apart from porn.

Here's my thought process. What if by becoming a man, you become a plaything for others? What if being masculinized brings you closer together with other people? What if a life of masculinity is possible without the subordination of femininity? Even seemingly more impossible, how do we express complicated feelings about our own feminine histories, gesture to the transphobic messaging about HRT that we receive, and fetishize our masculinization, all in one thoughtful package?

TM/TMs have a hard time envisioning where they might fit in the larger schema of desire, especially in relation to cis men. I think this is probably why so many fixate on 'roachification' and incel-type characters. (God, this could be its own long post.) I want to believe that forcemasc could be an alternative to our community's fetishization of and assimilation to male loneliness.

We're all (jacking off) in this together.

[tonydaddingham]

soundtracksoundtracksoundtracksoundtr

okay let's not pretend i didn't go straight to this one: 0:33 onwards of the biggest decision - instant tears, brings me to my knees, yanking at my hair, howling at the moon

ok yes i have major feelings at the motif arrangement in not kind, its literally like hearing crowley's inner monologue to me it's so soft and vulnerable and i want to give him a squidge

i don't want to talk about fallen angel it hurts but fuck it im gonna, im such a whore for string swells and 1:17 onwards just does me in, the lilting and the rides and falls is just superb fuuuuuck

4:51 of catch the bullet!!! the little snare trill!!! gOD and then the stRINGS? then that brass ok no i can't talk about it

oh crowley and muriel is so gorgeous and serene i love it sm

love how hard he's smoking goes at like 0:33, it's nails, and then slam at 0:53? CHRIST it's so 'theme that got left in the car' i love it and it's perfect powerful crowley score yesyesyesyesye

monsieur azirophale [sic?] is so silly im giggling kicking my feet twirling my hair

okay but if there is anything that sums up like the ✨magic✨ of GO for me is the 0:00 - 0:16 of the candelabra it's so preeeeeetty

okay now i won't lie. this is the one i truly, truly wanted. my favourite scene in the whole mf show is the lift arrives/Going Up sequence, and the MUSIC hit me like a freight train when i was watching it, i was practically thrown back in my seat, like if i was feeling at all sleepy at 5am on premiere day the music in this scene woke me tf Up, the music in this bit would resurrect me from my grave it is That GOOD (the circle, just listen to all of it it's perfect) (ok actually i will say that the electricity noises in the show did add to the✨ambiance✨ but that's minor)

10/10 soundtrack god bless us all

[bennetisaac]

ghost eyes marching band au bcus the first day of band camp hit me like a bus. if ur in any discord servers with me shut up you haven’t seen this before

tobias: drum major

nobody knows how or why tf he was picked. carmelo’s just a little shitty about it but he won’t say anything. Tobi’s movements are very rigid and sharp. he will NOT hesitate to make your ass run if you aren’t paying attention / doing the right thing. Before that, he played tenor saxophone / plays it during concert band. doesn’t have a cool salute even tho rudy BEGGED him to make one.

rudolph: gaurd

HE IS SO LOUD AND EXCITED. arguably the most enthusiastic person there. since tobias is too quiet, he helps lead the warmups. hes really spirited at football games and always makes the band bus to comps REALLY REALLY fun. he brings a HUUUUGE bag to camp so everybody has what they need. he plays flute / percussion during concert season.

emilio: bass clarinet

very strong clarinet. he’s a strong marcher, he just has to take breaks pretty often. he’s the senior that everybody is afraid of because he’s been doing it forever, even if it wasn’t at their school. he’s got perfect pitch and is not afraid to tell you if you’re flat. he’s that kid who’s REALLY good at his instrument it’s scary

carmelo: drumline, base drum

he was really hoping from drum major, but he still loves his percussion. he’s the section leader. they all fuck around and tobias has to yell at them a lot to quit. he used to be in the pit, but he likes drumline more. nobody knows if he’s serious about band or not. that kid who’s always on his phone. he’s the kid who brings a speaker on the band bus

EXTRA PPL

francis: percussion , keyboard

only really joined because he had absolutely nothing else going on for him. it’s also unclear if he’s serious or not. carmelo’s always out of place cus hes over near the pit talking to them.

dino: tuba

he’s arguably the best brass player they have.

mattias: percussion , guitar

he was only needed for this show in particular because there was a guitar solo in it, and Tobias volunteered him. he loves band a lot and thinks the people are fun. tried to march once and almost immediately hit the blacktop.

adam: drumline, snare drum

was forced into joining early by rudy, actually really loves it. has become carmelo’s “favorite newbie”

VARIOUS HC

tobias throws chalk at peoples heads to keep them focused.

speaking of chalk, they almost got it taken because carmelo / his percussion friends all went around getting their hands covered in the chalk and slapping their friends asses (specifically black shorts) to leave white hand prints on them. carmelo promptly got chased around the field by rudolph

phillippa is 10000% a band mom. she volunteers for everything she ever can. people have started calling her mom or mama phillippa

tobias has the entire score memorized and WILL call you out by name if you fuck it up

rudolph is the biggest advocate for the guard to ever exist. “we should eat first because we have to do makeup before the competition!!!”

[blee-bleep]

ash x wattson... my beloved rarepair... an engr trying to kill this old lady robort and likewise.... pughbbb... what if wattson's fresh start perk has a thing where if she rezzes simulacrums (path, ash, rev) they get more shields cuz theyre robots and electricity and what not...what if ash had more voicelines w her, what if their abilities had synergy (faster snare arcs if within range of wattson's gen) (more fence damage to simulacrums)

sjdhshdhshd ash x wattson my beloved... hope yall try to kill each other more sjhchebfjsbf old lady robot trying to find ways to internally kill leigh inside of her with the help of wattson who is also morbidly curious on how tf leigh got trapped. both are horrible w feelings and wattson knows she shouldnt fall for a literal heartless killing machine but like ya knowwwwwwwww... its like path x ash dynamic but i put wattson in there, fuck u

also this brainrot is brought to u by:

[henrysglock]

Dude the fact that you're hating on the byler side of the fandom for speculating on what they're filming in the church is crazy, when you youself have posted such outlandish theories like 'Hopper killed a cat as a teenager' bffr

Dude the fact that you're hating on me on anon is crazy, when I myself post my hate openly and with my name attached.

🚨 Coward Alert! 🚨

Also: Those posts were non-rebloggable. That means you either follow me, or you stalk my blog. I'm not sure which is more embarrassing for you!

Anyway, to actually address what you said:

I didn't say Hopper killed the cat, I said "which of these two (Henry or Hopper) seems more like someone who would be violent towards animals of their own volition" WORKING WITHIN IN THE FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED BY HOPPER'S TREATMENT OF EL. The line from the Hopper TFS audition tape indicated that he a) hates cats, b) wants to beat the shit out of one, and c) wants to shake the hand of the guy who killed the (at the time) unnamed cat. Which one seems more likely to harm things smaller than him: A guy with that ^^ line, or a kid who looks disturbed and vaguely ill while interacting with a rabbit that broke its leg in a snare? And I wasn't even entirely wrong. I was wrong about Hopper, which I admitted freely, but I was never wrong about Henry. It was a line that existed in a video that was immediately redacted when the other tapes weren't, indicating that it was too close to spoiler territory…and it DID appear in the play! The content of the other videos did not! Funny how that works.

As indicated above, I do my best to make sure my theories always have some kind of factual basis. The byIer theory you're referring to is based in what people want to see happen, not what's actually been presented to them...and that's ALWAYS going to end in disappointment (<- something I have said many times, something that shapes how I do analysis). There was no indication that the church was going to be about byIer, and I said multiple times that the quote on the sign is more about the Creels/Henry's thing with the Mindflayer...Especially since Mike and Will don't have a lick of religious trauma between them, unlike Henry who has a whole ass arc in a church 💀. Lo and behold: red mindscape lights at the church. Vecna. No Finn, iffy on Noah. Who would have thought...who could have guessed...who could have foreseen...........

I don't have the attitude. When I saw TFS and realized the line had been taken out of context, I immediately posted and said "Huh, I was wrong about Hopper. That's a lesson about assumptions." I didn't overdose on copium about it and post "uuuhuhuh it can still happen Hopper can still have been a violent teen". No. I acknowledged that I was wrong in December, and I have since altered my theories accordingly. I let it go. I've also said over and over that all of my theories have a maximum confidence rating of 50/50. Most of them rank in at about 10-15% confidence. It's the academic writer in me that says "post your hypothesis with confidence, and if you're wrong, then retract and try again". I've never been that cocky and self-assured...because it's embarrassing to have acted that way only to be wrong (especially!! when it's something easily disproven, like "the church is all about byler"). If other people, like you, want to ignore my self-awareness and try to make me out as a hypocrite, that's no longer a me problem. That's a you problem. Lol. Lmao, even.

[aemiron-main]

What Are You, Henry Creel? Detect Thoughts and Reading Minds and Doppelgangers and TFS: Is TFS "Henry" A Doppelganger?

So, I already talked in this post and this post and this post about Doppelgangers in ST, and now, I want to talk about them re: TFS Henry.

TFS Henry, the guy who keeps having to be reminded what his name is and that he’s “normal”:

TFS Henry, the guy who isn't Henry:

I’m wondering if the real Henry Creel went into that cave in Nevada and something else came out.

Let’s get into it.

So, it’s interesting to me that TFS Henry seemingly has the ability to read minds- in a way that’s extremely similar to Detect Thoughts from DND:

And it’s interesting because that isn’t something that we see Henry doing in the show/outside of TFS.

Sure, during his 1979 speech, 001 talks about “reaching into minds”:

But a.) we don’t ever see 1959 Henry actually doing that in-show, on screen. Especially not with what I talked about in this post re: the rabbit and how it’s unlikely he was reaching into the rabbit’s mind + how he was likely trying to free the rabbit from the snare.

And b.) the 001 that’s giving the monologue during the massacre having those mind reading powers doesn’t negate what I’m saying in this analysis at all, and instead actually works perfectly because considering the multiple 001s during the 1979 massacre and the parallels between the 1979 massacre and the Russian escaped Demodog and Demogorgon attack where the shadow "went into them,", I won’t be surprised if one of the 001s during the massacre was a shapeshifter/Doppelganger.

And y'know what else is interesting about TFS Henry's mind reading abilities? Y’know who else has the ability to read minds?

DND Doppelgangers do- they use Detect Thoughts on their victims and can read minds in the same way that TFS “Henry” does:

And so, I’m wondering if the real Henry Creel was replaced by a Doppelganger in the cave in Nevada (and also if that 001 that talks about reaching into peoples’ minds was also a Doppelganger).

And speaking of that cave in Nevada, it’s interesting that Brenner says they found the spyglass “in the cave, lying next to the body.”

But he doesn’t say what body/whose body. Just the body.

And, on the surface, we assume it was the scientist’s body because prior to this line, Brenner mentioned finding the scientist’s remains near the cave system with no trace of what he was carrying:

But that’s never stated during that “next to the body” line, they left the identity of the body ambiguous on purpose.

And not only that, what's even more damning re: these being two different bodies is that Brenner says that the scientist's remains were found NEAR the cave system, whereas he says that this body with the spyglass was found IN the caves:

And is it just me, or does anyone else find it weird that Brenner says that the scientist escaped?

That wording reminds me a lot of the ST Russia arc re: the Demogorgon escape, also reminds me of Henward and El trying to escape the lab in 1979 (staring at the idea of one of those Henwards being a Doppelganger) and I wonder if that “scientist” was actually some sort of Doppelganger creature shapeshifted into a scientist (which would be how it managed to escape/get past guards), and if the body in the caves was Henry’s body, with his spyglass next to it. Or, if the scientist was carrying some sort of creature/the shadow particles/if the shadow particles themselves are tied into all of the shapeshifter/Doppelganger stuff. And if the Doppelganger creature escaped, killed the scientist, and left, entering the caves and later attacking Henry/taking his form.

Which, speaking of the spyglass, if TFS “Henry” is actually a Doppelganger, why does he seem to have an emotional connection to the spyglass? Shouldn’t that emotional connection be based on memories? Memories supposedly only Henry would have?

Well, like I talked about in this post, and like Stav talked about in this post, DND Greater Doppelgangers gain all of their victims’ memories, the victim’s personality, and the victim’s mannerisms by consuming/killing them. So, the Doppelganger would not only have all of Henry’s memories of the spyglass, but would also demonstrate the expected emotional response that Henry would have- they literally consume EVERYTHING about their victims, it’s what makes Doppelgangers so formidable in DND, because they’re extremely difficult to differentiate from the original unless you have True Sight.

And also, it wasn’t uncommon for Doppelgangers to get “lost” in the person they were shapeshifted into, and basically forget that they aren’t actually that person/that they’re a Doppelganger, and also sometimes even forget who they're imitating/who they are in general:

And also, going back to Brenner talking the way Henry reacts to this info/seizes almost reminds me of The Guest (which is on the S4 board):

And in The Guest, this blonde haired, blue-eyed guy shows up to the Peterson family’s home, claiming to be a friend named David Collins who served in the military alongside their now-dead son, Caleb:

And there’s even a picture of him on the mantle, in the military, with Caleb, his exact face right beside Caleb:

However, the family- specifically the daughter, Anna, becomes suspicious of David, and realizes that he isn’t who he claims he is. Which, that reminds me of Alice telling "Henry" that he's Not Henry, especially since Anna in The Guest has blonde hair and has Alice In Wonderland parallels during The Guest (especially near the end):

And how did Anna find out that "David" wasn't David Collins? Well, she overheard him on the phone talking to a plastic surgeon, and found out that“David” had been getting surgeries to hide his identity, and to make himself look like the real David Collins, having stolen David’s identity- hence how he was in the photo with Caleb- the man in the photo was the real David Collins, whereas the man that showed up on the Petersons’ doorstep was impersonating David Collins.

This has HUGE shapeshifter/Doppelganger vibes, it’s literally what DND Doppelgangers would be like if they didn’t have access to their shapeshifting magic, and if they were unable to consume the minds of their victims to gain their personalities/memories/mannerisms (and hell, only Greater Doppelgangers can do that, Lesser Doppelgangers still have to learn the mannerisms etc manually, by observing the victim & sometimes keeping them captive).

And once “David’s” identity is compromised/once it’s revealed that he’s Not David (which is another huge similarity to TFS Henry- they never tell us what “David’s” real name is, just that he’s Not David, just like how they don’t tell us who or what TFS Henry actually is, just that he’s Not Henry), “David” becomes violent, and he becomes violent because he was the victim of a mind control experiment done by the US government where the subject would become violent when their identity was compromised, and would kill anyone who was aware of their compromised identity:

Which, this reminds me a lot of how Doppelgangers tend to become violent once their true nature is revealed.

And also, “David” almost becomes a replacement for the dead brother/son, Caleb, in addition to also replacing the real David, as “David” bonds with Caleb’s siblings and parents much like how Caleb did before he died- much like how “Henry” in TFS is not only pretending to be Henry, but is also still filling Henry’s role in his relationship with Virginia/in TFS, it’s like if “David” had come home and pretended to be Caleb instead, it’s like they combined Caleb and David from The Guest to create TFS Henry and Real Henry vs Fake Henry.

And so, going back to that Brenner and Henry spyglass scene/the “next to the body” spyglass scene, “Henry’s” reaction to Brenner talking about the body is very interesting in the context of The Guest & “David” being programmed to kill when his identity is compromised & how Brenner seems to possibly know that “Henry” is a shapeshifter/killed the real Henry- but wait, how is that true if “Henry” doesn’t kill during that Brenner scene?

Well, they put those electrodes on “Henry’s” head and zapped the hell out of him, it seems. Which may have been enough to override that killing instinct/any sort of “programming”.

Like, that doesn’t seem like a regular seizure- he’s upright for a large portion of it, jerking and holding onto the spyglass very similarly to somebody that’s being electrocuted:

Also, the idea of Brenner knowing that “Henry” isn’t the real Henry would tie into what Brenner says about how “Henry” can never lead a normal life:

Because deep, deep down, a Doppelganger would know that they aren’t actually that person, even if they forget sometimes/even if they end up truly believing that they are that person, they never truly will be.

Also, the use of the word “crawl” from Brenner during this same scene is interesting- because what creature do we know that crawls around in ST?

Oh, right. The extremely DND Doppelganger coded ST “Demogorgon”:

Not to mention that they repeatedly make a point of showing "Demogorgons" crawling during TFS, both on the screens when Henry starts twitching, and as shadows on the side of the theatre wall thing during the play/when theyre crawling around when the Eldridge crashes.

And now, moving away from The Guest, there’s also what Patty says to Henry- instead of asking “who are you, Henry Creel?” she instead asks “what are you, Henry Creel?”

Which, that’s an interesting word choice rather than asking “who” Henry is or even just asking “what’s wrong with you?”- it almost seems like Patty has realized that “Henry” isn’t human, that he’s something else.

There’s also the matter of the tentacle-spider-leg-things that grow out of Henry’s back in the attic:

Which, first of all, how the hell did that even happen? Since when does Henry have the ability to randomly grow these appendages out of his body? Especially since Virginia saw it happen, so it doesn't seem to have just been a vision/Henry hallucinating.

And second of all, those appendages REALLY remind me of the tentacles from The Thing, and specifically the 2011 version (which is interesting considering the discussion in S3 about Carpenter's The Thing vs the original The Thing (the 1951 version called The Thing From Another World)):

I wonder if the reason why a.) Henry was physically able to grow those appendages in the first place and b.) why they resemble The Thing so strongly (keeping in mind that The Thing was a shapeshifter that mimicked people), is because he’s actually a Doppelganger/shapeshifter, with his body able to shift however he wants/grow appendages like those ones that come out of his back.

Especially since Greater Doppelgangers can create new forms for themselves without needing to copy them from someone else, even though they stilll would very often copy them from others.

And also, if we bring time travel into it/even just bring seeing the future into it, it doesn’t Have to be time travel, and when we look at DND lore, and how Greater Doppelgangers can consume and memorize up to 3 appearances/personalities at once, allowing them to swap between them, part of me wonders if TFS “Henry” had seen into the future, and had seen Vecna/somehow consumed Vecna in one of the timelines, and if those weird tentacle appendages coming out of his back were the start of him shifting into Vecna:

But that’s more speculation than anything, and I’m not 100% firm on it, and like I said, Greater Doppelgangers can create new forms for themselves.

This would all also tie to what I talked about in this post re: Brenner somehow being Henry/puppeting Henry. If Brenner is a doppelganger/shapeshifter, then that explains how he can "be Henry"/look like Henry without actually being Henry.

Also, TFS Henry being a Doppelganger may also explain TFS Henry and Brenner Sr’s weird blood type, because like I talked about in this post, we have the weird blood from The Thing vs Doppelganger Virginia’s weird blood from the night of the murders.

Which makes me wonder if Brenner Sr ever came back at all- after all, isn’t it a little weird that it’s never explained how he managed to survive and come back?

But if he was replaced by a Doppelganger/grey ST “Demogorgon” from the yellow UD… and if that same Doppelganger later escaped and replaced Henry…

Maybe that’s part of why Brenner Jr wants to make contact with Dimension X/open a gate to it so badly- maybe he thinks his father is still out there.

And also, this brings us to Brenner Sr’s deathbed scene- where apparently he told Brenner Jr that he briefly ended up in another dimension:

Which, sure, it’s still definitely plausible that that was Brenner Sr & that he was just telling his son the truth of what happened on his deathbed.

But also, isn’t it a little odd to barely survive and barely escape a horrifying alternate dimension and then tell your son about it, leading him to spend his entire life trying to get that very dimension? Trying to open a gate to it?

It almost feels like a trap.

Because if you were a shapeshifting creature blending in with humanity, and if you wanted fellow shapeshifters to take over humanity/blend in with them etc etc, wouldnt you want to open a gate to the dimension you came from/where the rest of the shapeshifters are? And if you couldn't open that gate yourself, wouldn't you want to get somebody (such as Brenner Jr) to figure out how to do so?

Especially since Doppelgangers can read minds- so it would’ve known all about Brenner Jr and how driven he is/determined he is/how likely he would be to try and open a gate to Dimension X if his “father” mentioned it on his deathbed.

Plus, look at the wording Brenner later uses about the cave:

“You changed. Like my papa.”

Changed- as in shapeshifted, perhaps

Long story short, I think there might be some other variables involved other than just “Henry was entirely replaced by something in the cave,” but I also won’t be surprised if him being entirely replaced was the case.

There’s also something extremely weird about how 7 year old Henry has that super dark hair vs TFS and in-show Henry’s lighter hair. It’s almost like we never saw that 7 year old Henry again.

But yeah, there’s SOMETHING weird going on here. It makes me wonder if this is a timeline where Henry died/was replaced in the cave, versus Henry still being alive in other timelines.

Especially since the vibe of TFS “Henry” talking about how Henry’s “right here” to Alice reminds me of 001 talking about how the lab kids are “in here” to El (is the real Henry still inside the Doppelganger's mind, the same way the lab kids are?):

Which would align with TFS “Henry” absorbing/consuming the real Henry versus 001 absorbing/consuming the lab kids, especially if both TFS “Henry” and that version of 001 that talks about absorbing the lab kids are both Doppelgangers, possibly even the same Doppelganger.

I also wonder if all of this ties into a.) the NINA simulation vibes that TFS has and b.) Brenner wanting to recreate Henry/001:

Because part of me does wonder if a large portion of this is a simulation but the subject of said simulation is a Doppelganger, and Brenner is trying to force the Doppelganger to shift into Henry/convince it that it’s Henry.

But why would Brenner put a Doppelganger through something like NINA? Why not just let it absorb Henry’s memories naturally/by consuming Henry?

Well, because that would kill Henry. That would kill the original source, and Brenner doesn’t want that, especially not when there’s a chance that his attempts at recreation could fail.

But remember- Doppelgangers dont need to kill a person to take on their appearance, they only need to kill to be able to automatically absorb the subject’s memories and personality.

So, if Brenner got the Doppelganger to physically shift into Henry’s form, without killing Henry (therefore technically making itself identical to Henry), and then put him through NINA, he could basically have another Henry.

But why would Brenner want the Doppelganger to have Henry’s memories/experiences? Or at least believe that he’s Henry and have memories/experiences that are fake/altered?

Well, because of the role that emotions and memories play in powers & activating powers & the strength of powers.

If Brenner managed to get a Doppelganger to completely replicate Henry genetically, that Doppelganger could very well have powers/have the potential to have powers.

However, it may not be able to tap into those powers if it’s still a “blank slate”/has no emotions to fuel those powers.

Hence why he would need to put it through a simulation and make it believe that it’s Henry/put some of Henry's memories into its brain (see: spyglass memories from when Henry was 7, that we conveniently have video footage of, just like the video footage used during NINA), make it form emotional connections/feel emotions, which Greater Doppelgangers in DND are 1000% capable of- even though Standard Doppelgangers are typically more animalistic (although definitely not entirely animals/still intelligent), Greater Doppelgangers are just as smart and capable of emotions as humans are.

Just like how Brenner put El through NINA to bring her powers back/give them a spark:

He may have needed to do the same for the Doppelganger- he may have needed to give its powers a spark.

I also wonder if this ties to Soteria- if Soteria prevents the Doppelganger from shapeshifting/inhibits its abilities, forcing it to stay in Henry’s form.

Anyway! Lots to think about.

[sandwichboiscum]

Alright listen up peoples

I am hopped up on two energy drinks and I have like no caffeine tolerance and I'm in marching band so here's some head canons about how the TF2 mercs might go about being in a marching band + the instrument they would play. Also, keep in mind this is only my first year in marching band so take this crap with a huge grain of salt

Scout: Snare drum. Literally one of his taunts is just him pulling out a bucket of chicken and drumming on it. He would play the music quite well, but I feel like he would suck at marching, especially the slower songs because he's just used to going super fast.

Soldier: Trumpet, you know why. I think he would be at least decent at marching (literally what do soldiers do) but he would struggle with directional changes because I struggle with directional changes and it's funny to project.

Pyro: Bass drum because he can't really play a woodwind or brass instrument for obvious reasons. He has NO clue what tf s going on because he sees everyone else as little floating babies so it's hard to march. Also, like come on, it's Pyro.

Demo: Clarinet because I said so. Also he'd just be too drunk to march most of the time, but when he's sober he'd be really good at it.

Heavy: He seems like a flute kinda guy because it's funny to think of the biggest man in TF2 playing one of the smallest instruments in marching band. But if we're being serious, bass drum because it's the only one he wouldn't completely crush. He'd probably be ok at marching, but he'd also probably struggle with directional changes, especially going backwards.

Engie: Trumpet. Idk why, but it just feels like he'd do trumpet. He'd probably be amazing at forwards marching but the second he had to do hip shifts and backwards marching he'd quit.

Medic: He seems like a saxophone. (Help my brain hurts) He'd also probably be very good at marching because it's very repetitive a lot of the time and he seems like a person who likes repetitive motions like marching (or in some cases stabbing someone because he got hit in the head by a trombone. No, I'm not saying this because it happened. Not the stabbing part I mean).

Sniper: Also saxophone. Obviously. He'd be ok at marching, but he'd also be very focused on everything he's doing right he forgets to check what he's doing wrong and then develops bad habits like stepping off with the wrong foot.

Spy: Flute, idk why but it just makes sense. He'd probably be pretty good at marching, but he would hate it especially it he has to march in someplace that's really dusty because even if he's wearing a marching uniform and not his regular suit he'd still be really picky about making sure that it doesn't get dirty, so he'd always find some way to sit out whenever he's marching in a parade or something.

(Notice I didn't put trombones as a head canon for any of them. That's because the trombones suck. Jk, I love y'all but I have been hit in the head with a slide one too many times.)

Just wanna also say, when I say hip shifts, I mean feet face either the left or right of the audience but the chest is still facing the audience. I hate them, they are uncomfy (especially going backwards) and make me want to die and this year my halftime performance is like nothing but hip shifts.

Thank you for reading my caffeine fueled post and have a lovely day. If you don't have a good day I will force you to have a good damn day

[revelboo]

It’s already out on digital! Instant purchase 🤣 I know what I’m doing on my birthday Saturday- rewatching this and assembling TF models

It Had to Be You Pt 7

TFO Megatron x Reader

• Grip tightening as his servos tremble with the exertion of mass displacement, it’s almost like a gift when you stop trying to shove him away. When your breathing hitches and you relax that tiny bit against him. Submitting to his touch and resting your cheek against his chest. Internal systems rumbling, he runs his servos through your hair and down to cup your nape. Those little hands still on him, but not pushing weakly at him. Not clinging to him the way he’s gripping you, either. Venting raggedly, he just enjoys this victory.

• That unwanted feeling of rightness spills through you in a warm wave. Coaxing you to just give in to whatever this is and stop fighting so hard. And you want to even as you hate yourself for it. Don’t want being held like this to feel achingly like coming home. For your fingers to itch to reach up and smooth the furrow you can just see under the severe angle of his helm, because that impulse is dangerous. That familiarity.

• Servos delving into your hair, tangling there to keep you from trying to pull away, he feels a tension he’s carried for so long it’s just become a part of him easing just a bit. Soon enough, you’ll snap out of your surprise and start fighting him again, but for now everything feels right. And, truth be told, he does enjoy watching you struggle. Seeing those eyes flashing with anger at him. So small, but fierce despite knowing you can’t win. Despite knowing you belong to him.

• He doesn’t have a heartbeat, but there’s a steady thrum inside him that you can feel like a sweet, ache deep in your own bones where you’re pressed against him. The hand pressed to his chassis shifts, fingers sliding up toward the center of his chest. Seeking out that sensation pulling at you. And his free hand seizes your wrist before you can get close, his grip firm but surprisingly gentle. Still enough to snap you out of whatever that was. Your eyes dart up to his and you’re snared again in the red stare. He’s not angry, though. This expression you haven’t seen before, but it’s hungry and it sparks through you.

• He slides a servo against the palm of that soft hand, his hide still humming from the feel of your fingers gliding over him. Exploring. It’s too intimate. Doing things to his spark that are alarming and intoxicating. Like wonder what those little hands would feel like roaming all over him. If you’re that soft everywhere. You tug at your trapped wrist, face reddening as your eyes drop and he uses those servos tangled in your hair to force your head back. Hearing the startled noise that more surprise than actual discomfort as your lips part. Dangerous, obscene things run through his processor and the servos on your wrist tighten. Just a taste can’t hurt. Just a touch to put an end to this madness. This obsession.

• You can’t pull away with his hand fisted in your hair and panic and heat both trip through you. Wanting to get away. Needing more. His mouth claims yours, warm living, malleable metal moving against yours in a kiss. And your wrist is free as that other arm curls around you to keep you pinned to him. His glossa slides against the seam of your mouth, demanding you yield to him. Submit. It’s the feel of that big hand sliding down to cup your butt and press you more firmly to him, hips pinned to his that makes you gasp so he can take advantage. This isn’t a kiss, it’s a domination. A conquest. Especially as he rocks himself against you and you sink your fingers into the seams of his armor, arching into his warm frame.

Previous Next

[divinebunni]

who tf has blm in their bio lmfaoooo yall scream blm until you actually live around them like in the projects then you will see how shitty they are. bunch of snakes acting victims until they can snare you and put you in a cobra clutch.

i do you low life, i have and will continue to have it in my bio.

are you legitimately just being racist anonymously ? get a life bro, maybe live poor, live in the ghetto, live in the projects and know people first. i did live around and in those circumstances, i was poor and homeless and played the victim card - people do many things to survive, i’ve fucked people over to survive, like shut the fuck up about shit you don’t know. as if white people aren’t scum of the earth that do terrible, awful things to people and guess what - get away with it and continue to do it because they’re fucking white. lame ass fucking racist piece of shit honestly, i feel so sad for how pathetic your life is

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 18 of 2023

Title: Meeting Steve Canyon: ...And Flying With the CIA in Laos Authors: Karl L. Polifka ISBN: 9781490979854 Tags: A-1 Skyraider, A-37 Dragonfly, AC-119K Stinger, AUS Australia, AUS RAAF No 35 Sqd - Wallaby, AUS RAAF Royal Australian Air Force, AUS Sydney, B-57 Canberra, Boeing 707, C-7 Caribou, CHN China, CHN Hong Kong, CHN Kowloon, EC-121 Warning Star, EC-130 Commando Solo, F-100 Super Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, Fast-FAC, FRA France, FRA SDECE GCMA Mixed Airborne Commando Group, FRA SDECE Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage, HH-53 Jolly Greens, HKG Hong Kong, LAO Ban Ban Valley, LAO Ban Moung Ngan, LAO Boung Lam, LAO Fishes Mouth Region, LAO Forward Air Guide RAINBOW (Laotian Civil War), LAO Hmong Meo Tribesmen, LAO Houi Hok, LAO ICC Internationl Control Commission, LAO Khang Khai, LAO Lima Site 108 - Moung Soui (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 15 - Phong Saly (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 184 - Houei Tong Kho (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 198 - Houi Hok (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20 - Sam Thong (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20A - Long Tieng (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 236 - Ban Moung Ngan (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 32 - Boung Lam (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 36 - Na Khang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 46 - Seno (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 54 - Luang Prabang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Long Tieng, LAO Luang Prabang, LAO Moung Soi, LAO MR Military Region (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR2 (Laotian Civil War), LAO Na Khang, LAO Nong Het, LAO Operation About Face / Kou Kiet (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Barrel Roll (1964-1973) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Palace Dog (1966-1973) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Shining Brass / Prairie Fire / Phu Dong (1965-1975) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Snare Drum (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Stranglehold (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Phnom Nam Lyr, LAO Phong Saly, LAO Phu Na Kok, LAO Plain of Jars / Plaine des Jarres, LAO RLA General Vang Pao, LAO RLA RT Hotplate (Laotian Civil War), LAO RLA SGU Special Guerrilla Units, LAO RLAF Lt Colonel Lee Lue, LAO RLAF Royal Lao Air Force, LAO Route 13, LAO Route 4, LAO Route 7, LAO Sam Nuea, LAO Sam Thong, LAO Seno, LAO USAF Project 404 (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Steve Canyon Program - Ravens FAC (Laotian Civil War), LAO Vientiane, LAO Xieng Khoung, O-1 Bird Dog, O-2 Skymaster, PsyOps, SpecOps, T-28 Trojan, THA RTAFB Korat Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Nakon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, THA Thailand, THA USAF ISC Infiltration Surveillance Center - Nakhon Phanom, THA USN NGSD Camp Ramasun Station, U-17 Skywagon, UK Force 136 (SOE), UK Special Operations Executive (SOE), US COA CASI Continental Air Services International, US COA Continental Airlines, US Father Lucien Bouchard (Catholic Priest), US PAA Pan American World Airlines, US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, US USA General Creighton Abrams, US USA Green Berets, US USA United States Army, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USAF 12th Air Commando Sqd - Hades, US USAF 12th Special Operations Sqd - Hades, US USAF 20th TASS - Covey, US USAF 21st TASS - Walt FAC, US USAF 22nd Special Operations Sqd - Zorro, US USAF 23rd TASS - NAIL, US USAF 34th TFS - Hatchet, US USAF 354th TFS - Newark, US USAF 355th TFW - Vegas, US USAF 388th TFW - Scuba, US USAF 388th TFW - Tiger, US USAF 416th TFW, US USAF 416th TFW - Det 1 - Misty, US USAF 432nd TRW - Laredo, US USAF 433rd TFS - Machete, US USAF 497th TFSq - Agile, US USAF 504th TASG, US USAF 505th Tactical Control Group, US USAF 555th TFS, US USAF 557th TFS - Sharkbait, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing - Det 1, US USAF 602nd Special Operations Sqd - Firefly, US USAF 609th Air Commando Sqd - Nimrod, US USAF 609th Special Operations Sqd - Nimrod, US USAF 612th TFS - Tide, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Alley Cat, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Cricket, US USAF 7th/13th Air Force, US USAF ANG Air National Guard, US USAF General George S. Brown, US USAF TACP Tactical Air Control party, US USN NSGD Naval Security Group Detachment, US USN United States Navy, VNM AUS RAAF RTFV Royal Transport Flight Vietnam - Wallaby (Vietnam War), VNM Ban Me Thout, VNM Cam Ranh Bay, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Dak Lak, VNM DRV NVA 312th Division, VNM DRV NVA 316th Division, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Duc Lap, VNM Duc Xuyen, VNM Gia Nghia, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Montagnard, VNM Operation Banana Ditch (1969), VNM Operation Combat Skyspot (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Igloo White (1968-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Phan Rang, VNM Pleiku, VNM Quang Duc Province, VNM Route 13, VNM Route 8, VNM RVN ARVN 22th ID, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force - Jackpot, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base - Camp Alpha (Vietnam War), VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Team 32 (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NAF Naval Air Facility Cam Ranh (Vietnam War), VNM US USSF Mobile Strike Force (MIKE) (Vietnam War), VNM USAF DASC Direct Air Support Center (Vietnam War), VNM USAF II Corps DASC / 505th TCG - Carbon Outlaw (Vietnam War), VNM USAF TACC Tactical Air Control Center - BLUE CHIP (Vietnam War) Rating: ★★★★★ (5 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Aviation.USAF.FAC, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War.Ravens

Description: A personal account of a USAF Forward Air Controller in a remote highland province in South Vietnam in 1969 and how he met "Steve Canyon" and transitioned to the "secret" war in Laos, living with the CIA and the Hmong clans and having near-complete control over the use of US airpower. This account has many illustrations of the grinding stress of intense combat in Laos, and the periodic clashes with the distant headquarters that had little knowledge of an extremely complex combat environment and was more focused on control rather than results.

Review: This book is one of the rare 5 stars for me. There were parts of the book that were absolutely incredible and make this book a must read! While it’s not a perfect book, those parts really showcase how this genre should be written. Instead of just saying “I flew here... I did this” ... he actually walks you through the mission, the steps, where he put his hands, how he got into the aircraft, what he saw, what he thought, what he felt. There is always more to the story than just what someone did... it’s important to make the tale multidimensional and also explain why in a big and small picture way. This author really did that well. At times the book slogs and gets more into the I flew 10 sorties that day, went to the bar, woke up the next day. He also talks a lot about the failures of the whole war and how it was run, which occupied too much space of the book. And yet, even with those criticisms, the book is really excellent! 

You get to see a side of the vietnam war in II corps, as well as the Laotian civil war, and the command and control issues with both, and the success and failure in both. 

Definitely a great read about a forward air controller during that time!

[ugf-viridis]

A few things.

Not telling ANYBODY what to do, or how to run their affairs. This is more of a collection of recollections and things learned through experience from doing this shit for over a decade. Use what is useful to you.

First: this cannot be a situation where the vanguard of leftist ex-twitter royalty dominate every discussion and set every agenda. There are prominent people and groups who have a long history with resistance and liberation and antifascism and all the rest of it, but if we are to come out of this in any kind of non-shattered state as people and as organizations, and as a unified resistance to what’s ahead, we are going to need to broaden our standards of inclusivity, similar to what was done last time. I am not implying that anyone needs to sacrifice their principles. Quite the opposite. But we need to be bringing people in, not chasing them away because we don’t know them well or because they had one take that we find pedestrian or off. We have all had bad takes. We all started somewhere. We need to be fostering the creation of new groups, not competing for influence on behalf of the centers of influence already in our global community. Do not whore for influence. It’s a bad look. It hurts the movement. Do not chase people away or cancel people because they are not part of the vanguard™. And, yes, even the anarchist movement has one. You know who tf you are.

Second: might be a good idea to start obscuring those follower / follow lists. These make it very, very easy for anyone at all to build a network of who you interact with. I’m not naïve enough to think that this is a protection against state surveillance. It isn’t. Put that right out of your mind. If the state wants to map you online, it can very easily do that ‘if’ it decides to pour enough resources into doing it right. What generally happens, though, is that third-party antagonists, provocateurs, and fakers are going to figure out who your social circle is, who you rely on remotely to communicate online, and they are going to find a way to poison that web. This has happened to me several times. It happened to me just this summer, during the Palestinian solidarity movement. They will use lies to turn your own comrades against you, and they will destroy your online social presence. Or worse, they will poison that network with disinformation or snares at crucial moments that will get you or your people in trouble. Do not give away information that you don’t have to. Be present and open, but ESPECIALLY if you are a smaller player, lock the rest down and always take a moment to think about where something is coming from, is it verifiable, do others that you trust concur with it. This activity was THE MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON the fascist right had during the first Trump administration, and during the Gaza solidarity protests. They are even more organized now, and they have AI on their side. Treat information like your own body. Safeguard it, and only share it with those you trust.

Third: please, please, PLEASE do not bring your personal drama to work. Many of us have been in this game for a very long time, now. Rivalries and sour moments have happened. People have fallen short sometimes. Romances have broken apart. Lies have been told. People, even lefty heroes, are people. They are going to fall short, and others are going to remember. Settle it, or let it be, and move on. DO NOT bring it into movements or discourse or activities. It hurts us all. Which brings me to my next point. Do not put a jacket on somebody because you heard a rumor, because they aren’t well liked, because they aren’t a ‘real’ participant (please see above regarding the vanguard). Suspicion and reticence are healthy. Infiltrators ARE A THING. Be ever vigilant. But, jacketing somebody because someone on your team doesn’t like them causes great, great, GREAT, tremendous harm for everybody. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING makes someone want to abandon the work and, worse, lash out at others doing it, like being accused of some horrific thing they haven’t done. Do. Your. Homework. If you think somebody is a problem, find the evidence of that problem. And I don’t mean a random screenshot. The right has whole operations that specialize in faking that shit. Look for patterns. Look at the situation wholistically. Trust me, if it’s bad, you will eventually know, and there won’t be any doubt about it. Until then, reserve judgement and think first of the movement and the work. Again, though, if you see something, say something.

Fourth: finally, and this one might be the most important. Don’t get territorial and don’t start taking everything personally. A lot of events and issues are going to touch the entire community, ubiquitously, and saturate everyone all at once. Remember that we are not in a competition with one another for influence or to ‘get the scoop.’ We work best when we synergize and echo off of one another in real time, in an honest, good-faith manner. Give first. Always give as much as you can. If you are feeling put upon or marginalized, talk to a comrade about that. If you have no one to talk to, try and make friends. If you can’t do that, and there are good reasons why some of us can’t, then try and remember that it’s not about you, it’s about the larger struggle. Do not be afraid to just step away for a little while. Go watch a movie, play a game, listen to music, have a drink, take a walk in the woods or on the beach, have sex, whatever. Try and keep the negativity that horrible circumstances and stress compound inside each of us away from the larger struggle. It’s something we all have to deal with, even the most put-together heroic whatevers. We’ve all felt it. If the stress turns to resentment, of others or yourself, and this persists for more than a little while, go talk to somebody, anybody, you can trust. Don’t let it simmer. It will only get worse.

I hope this helps somebody. It will get real, as many of you know. There’s no other way to say it than to just say the outcome will rest upon the quality each of us exhibits as members of what the outside world will often perceive as a unified, monolithic movement. What each of us does, regardless of our ‘size’ in the movement, is going to have an impact on the whole thing. And this will become more true as things get more intense. Last time I saw entire gigantic social momenta hinge on a public conversation between two people on the internet, people who decided to put everyone else and what was important to everyone first. That happens, guys. More often than you might think. Remember that, and try your best to be your best. God or fate or whatever you believe in help us all. We didn’t deserve this hand, but it’s the one we have to play, for ourselves, for others, and for the future. See you out there. 💚