#that whole thing of history needs to be taken with a grain of salt because it is the winners who write it

[strawberry-jan]

Back in late 2022, I started working on a long story about Ishin: a tale of two dummies whose weird one-night stand blossoms into a surprisingly caring relationship even as a (mostly) canon-compliant series of tragedies plays out around them. It’s a now-complete series in approximately 125,000 words and three parts, and you can read the whole thing right now on AO3: The Glorious and Bloody Deeds of Okita Soji, Volume 1: Okita Soji Versus the Scoundrel Saito Hajime; The Secret History of Saito Hajime, Volume 2: The Shiraume Incident; and, finally, Brief Notes on the Domestic Life of one Saito Hajime.

Taken as a whole, it's a story about identity and history and the stories that people tell each other and themselves about those things. And it's a story about one guy getting way too into weird Edo-era egg dishes, and another guy finding himself embroiled in an extended detective sequence, and a third guy composing a series of corny haiku that (almost) nobody wants to read. And, of course, it's also a story about people who are shamelessly and sometimes explicitly in love (so you probably shouldn't read it at work).

This whole big, sprawling thing has been a labour of love on my part: it turns out that I adore writing historical fiction and finding excuses to read books and journal articles in order to write it better. In addition to making not one but four little illustrations to celebrate the fic's completion (and please look at them up-close; I hand-inked all those kimono patterns), I've drawn up a list of some of the sources that I consulted for my writing, and you can find those under the cut.

This is not an absolutely exhaustive list of sources; I don’t think it’s super useful to catalogue the extremely nitty-gritty stuff, like that time that I felt compelled to find out what the state of strawberry cultivation was in 1860s Japan, or when I needed to picture exactly what it looked like when Haruka was repairing Ryoma’s kimono. That being said, I’ve added a couple of things that are really particular to my stories but that I thought were cool enough to share.

Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. U of California P, 2015. (This one was a really fun read – it combines a short history of yokai in folklore with a little catalogue of yokai.)

Jansen, Marius B. Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration. Stanford UP, 1971. (Super useful as an introduction to the Bakumatsu era and for biographical details about Ryoma and the figures around him.)

“Japanese Wiki Corpus.” https://www.japanesewiki.com/. (This is a machine-translated collection of articles on the Japanese side of Wikipedia related to Kyoto. As with a lot of things on Wikipedia, the citations on these articles tend to be poor or nonexistent, but it’s a useful starting point for information on figures and events that don’t have an English wiki equivalent. Definitely more useful if you can then head over to the original wiki articles and parse them out yourself.)

“Kabuki21” and “The Noh.” https://www.kabuki21.com/section.php, https://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/index.html. (I’m lumping these two together because I tended to consult them in tandem. Without getting too much into my personal details I am – among other things – a non-practicing theatre scholar, so whenever I wanted to have characters in my old-timey fics refer to something cultural, my first stop was old plays. These sites have, respectively, summaries of kabuki plays and full texts of Noh plays available for you to browse. If you’ve read my other fics you will probably have seen that I referred to the kabuki play “Fuwa” in 亀が如く.)

Katsu, Kokichi. Musui’s Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai. Translated by Teruko Craig. U of Arizona P, 1988. (A book that needs to be taken with a grain of salt because it’s an autobiography written by a guy who sounds like a real blowhard, but it’s still a really fascinating look into the daily life of a low-ranking samurai.)

Leupp, Gary P. and Tao, De-min. The Tokugawa World. Routledge, 2022. (Of particular interest is Kimura Sachihiko’s essay, “The Shinsengumi: Shadows and light in the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate” [1104-1124], which gave me a bunch of incidental details about the Roshigumi that I incorporated into the sections of this series that were told from Inoue and Hijikata’s perspectives.)

“Old Photos of Japan.” https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/. (Pretty self-explanatory. Very useful as a resource for picturing scenes!)

“Shinsengumi Archives.” https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/. (A long-running tumblr dedicated to cataloguing resources about the Shinsengumi. There’s an absolute wealth of information collected here, and best of all, the creator cites their sources and even provides links to the original texts. Although it’s focused on the Shinsengumi, it’s impossible to overstate how useful this site is for prospective Bakumatsu-era fic writers in general. The collection of Hijikata’s poems with links to others’ translations and commentary is here: https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/post/683071924948058112/hijikata-toshizos-haiku-poems. The creator of the blog also links to a translation of Nagakura’s and Shimada’s diaries, and while the document is machine-translated, it’s still a great source of historical details: https://shinsengumi-archives.tumblr.com/post/678083336614428672/where-can-you-read-the-memoirs.)

Smits, Gregory. “Warding off Calamity in Japan: A Comparison of the 1855 Catfish Prints and the 1862 Measles Prints.” EASTM 30 (2009): 9-31. (Okay, this one is highly specific to my fic – it comes up in Part 2 when Okita tells his story about Kashima and again a couple of chapters later when his pile of remedies includes a crudely-drawn picture meant to ward off indigestion – but I love little details like this so I did want to make a point of sharing it here.)

“Tamago Hyakuchin” and “Tofu Hyakuchin.” http://codh.rois.ac.jp/edo-cooking/tamago-hyakuchin/recipe/, https://toyama-tofu.jp/tofuhyakutin.html. (These are collections of Edo-era egg- and tofu-based recipes. They’re two of the sources cited in Cookpad’s collection of modernized Edo-era recipes: https://cookpad.com/recipe/list/14604664.)

Vaporis, Constantine N. “Linking the Realm: The Gokaido Highway Network in Early Modern Japan (1603-1868).” Highways, Byways and Road Systems in the Pre-Modern World. Ed. Susan E. Alcock, John Bodel, and Richard J. A. Talbert. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 90-105. (Some of the works cited in this article also sound interesting, but I didn’t have a chance to dig any deeper as I just wanted to know a bit about the Tokugawa-era roads. Also interesting in this vein is Jilly Traganou’s book The Tokaido Road: Travelling and Representation in Edo and Meiji Japan [2004].)

Wert, Michael. Meiji Restoration Losers. Harvard UP, 2013. (Not directly useful as a source for writing about Ishin – it’s about later events and it mostly tracks the posthumous construction of one specific Tokugawa magistrate’s history – but it was an engaging read and I found it interesting as an exploration of how people continue to look back on the Bakumatsu era and the Meiji Restoration, which is something that the game is, of course, also doing.)

Yamakawa, Kikue. Women of the Mito Domain: Recollections of Samurai Family Life. Translated by Kate Wildman Nakai. U of Tokyo P, 1992. (Another one of those bits of essential reading on everyday life for low-ranking samurai, this time with a focus on women’s lives and households more generally. I didn’t use a lot of from this book in my fic, but it has everything from translations of songs to records of families’ financial transactions, and it’s fascinating to read about all the turmoil in Mito playing out in the background of these families’ lives.)

“Yokai.com.” https://yokai.com/. (The creators of this site make a point of not going into detail about their sources, and they’re very careful to state that they don’t intend for the project to be “the final authority” on yokai, but I enjoyed browsing the site to get some ideas for Okita’s stories – and once you know the name of a particular yokai that you’re interested in, it’s easy enough to go look up other sources on them.)

[hollowed-theory-hall]

The Riddle of Tom Riddle: Part 3/7

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7)

Wool's Orphanage

This is actually one of my favorite theories I ever made. The full psychoanalysis of Voldemort's character took some time to figure out, but I think I cracked it. I know why Tom did everything he did.

As it's a little long, I've broken it down into multiple posts. And I think there are gonna be 4 more besides this one. So, let's go make sense of Voldemort and prove he is reasonable, he just has some unexpected goals.

I want to preface all of this (and future posts) that the point isn't to excuse Voldemort and his various atrocities. But it bothers me when I don't understand why characters do the things they do. This is about understanding Tom Riddle and Voldemort.

Without farther adu:

So, we'll start our analysis from the beginning. Voldemort, or, more correctly — Tom Marvolo Riddle was born on December 31st, 1926, in a rundown orphanage in London:

“And Merope? She . . . she died, didn’t she? Wasn’t Voldemort brought up in an orphanage?” “Yes, indeed,” said Dumbledore. “We must do a certain amount of guessing here, although I do not think it is difficult to deduce what happened. You see, within a few months of their runaway marriage, Tom Riddle reappeared at the manor house in Little Hangleton without his wife. The rumor flew around the neighborhood that he was talking of being ‘hoodwinked’ and ‘taken in.’ What he meant, I am sure, is that he had been under an enchantment that had now lifted, though I daresay he did not dare use those precise words for fear of being thought insane. When they heard what he was saying, however, the villagers guessed that Merope had lied to Tom Riddle, pretending that she was going to have his baby, and that he had married her for this reason.” “But she did have his baby.” “But not until a year after they were married. Tom Riddle left her while she was still pregnant.”

(Half-Blood Prince, page, 214)

So, one important little disclaimer:

A lot of the information we have about Tom comes from Dumbledore's guesswork. As Dumbledore has an agenda in all his "lessons" with Harry and that I have a whole series of posts dedicated to my strong feelings regarding Dumbledore's machinations, we need to approach everything he says with a grain of salt.

This part is pretty true though. Merope does enchant or dose Tom Riddle Sr with a love potion or some other spell and gets pregnant. We also know that for some reason, she stopped with the enchantments/potions at some point and wound up alone in London, with no family, no money, and on death's door.

“I was wondering whether you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle’s history? I think he was born here in the orphanage?” “That’s right,” said Mrs. Cole, helping herself to more gin. “I remember it clear as anything, because I’d just started here myself. New Year’s Eve and bitter cold, snowing, you know. Nasty night. And this girl, not much older than I was myself at the time, came staggering up the front steps. Well, she wasn’t the first. We took her in, and she had the baby within the hour. And she was dead in another hour.”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 266)

This is from Dumbledore's memory, but it seems factual enough. Dumbledore also has no reason to lie about this.

So, Tom was raised all his childhood in a London orphanage in the late 1920s and 1930s. These orphanages were dreary, lonely places:

The children are fed and clothed but there is a dreary uniformity to the picture, emphasised by the black and white image. Boys eat in regimental lines, seated on hard benches, and those waiting to sit down are also assembled in a strict line. The attendants you can glimpse are dressed in black and white uniforms, a stark echo of the grey and black of the boys’ clothes. A few pictures adorn the walls – one looks as though it’s about to fall to the ground – but there are no curtains, no floor covering, no comfort.

(Source)

This was not a pleasant place to be raised in. And considering Mrs. Cole's words: "Well, she wasn’t the first", the orphanage was probably crowded. This was after World War One, and Britain and Europe as a whole were still licking their wounds. Poverty is high, food is low, and the inflation rate is insane.

And this is the world Tom grows up in. A dreary, lonely existence, where if he didn't fight for his food, he probably didn't get left any.

And when the Second World War started in 1939 (his second year at Hogwarts), things just got worse, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Then she said, “He’s a funny boy.” “Yes,” said Dumbledore. “I thought he might be.” “He was a funny baby too. He hardly ever cried, you know. And then, when he got a little older, he was . . . odd.”

...

because she said in a sudden rush, “He scares the other children.” “You mean he is a bully?” asked Dumbledore. “I think he must be,” said Mrs. Cole, frowning slightly, “but it’s very hard to catch him at it. There have been incidents. . . . Nasty things . . .” Dumbledore did not press her, though Harry could tell that he was interested. She took yet another gulp of gin and her rosy cheeks grew rosier still. “Billy Stubbs’s rabbit . . . well, Tom said he didn’t do it and I don’t see how he could have done, but even so, it didn’t hang itself from the rafters, did it?” “I shouldn’t think so, no,” said Dumbledore quietly. “But I’m jiggered if I know how he got up there to do it. All I know is he and Billy had argued the day before. And then” — Mrs. Cole took another swig of gin, slopping a little over her chin this time — “on the summer outing — we take them out, you know, once a year, to the countryside or to the seaside — well, Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop were never quite right afterwards, and all we ever got out of them was that they’d gone into a cave with Tom Riddle. He swore they’d just gone exploring, but something happened in there, I’m sure of it. And, well, there have been a lot of things, funny things. . . .”

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 267-268)

We learn some interesting things here, quite a few of them actually. That Tom doesn't have any friends. That the other orphans and the caretakers in the orphanage all think he's weird. They thought he was odd since he was a baby... and this is starting to get familiar. there's a reason Tom mentioned he and Hary are similar:

Because there are strange likenesses between us, Harry Potter. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even look something alike. . . .

(Chamber of Secrets, page 292)

Because they are.

From Mrs. Cole's words, it seems Tom wasn't liked by the kids and staff and he fought back in the only way he could. His magic. It isn't that much different than Harry's apparating away from Dudley's gang or setting the boa constrictor on his cousin. The situations are awfully similar.

“How do you do, Tom?” said Dumbledore, walking forward and holding out his hand. The boy hesitated, then took it, and they shook hands. Dumbledore drew up the hard wooden chair beside Riddle, so that the pair of them looked rather like a hospital patient and visitor. “I am Professor Dumbledore.” “ ‘Professor’?” repeated Riddle. He looked wary. “Is that like ‘doctor’? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?” He was pointing at the door through which Mrs. Cole had just left. “No, no,” said Dumbledore, smiling. “I don’t believe you,” said Riddle. “She wants me looked at, doesn’t she? Tell the truth!” He spoke the last three words with a ringing force that was almost shocking. It was a command, and it sounded as though he had given it many times before. His eyes had widened and he was glaring at Dumbledore, who made no response except to continue smiling pleasantly. After a few seconds Riddle stopped glaring, though he looked, if anything, warier still. “Who are you?” “I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school — your new school, if you would like to come.” Riddle’s reaction to this was most surprising. He leapt from the bed and backed away from Dumbledore, looking furious. “You can’t kid me! The asylum, that’s where you’re from, isn’t it? ‘Professor,’ yes, of course — well, I’m not going, see? That old cat’s the one who should be in the asylum. I never did anything to little Amy Benson or Dennis Bishop, and you can ask them, they’ll tell you!” “I am not from the asylum,” said Dumbledore patiently. “I am a teacher and, if you will sit down calmly, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. Of course, if you would rather not come to the school, nobody will force you —” “I’d like to see them try,” sneered Riddle.

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 269-270)

Now, I marked a few sections in this scene because there are some interesting things to talk about when it comes to Tom's psychology.

First, I'd like to talk about Tom's assumptions here. The first thing Tom assumes the moment Dumbledore introduces himself as a "professor" is that he is here to take a look at Tom — to take him away to the Asylum. Considering how quickly Tom came to that conclusion one has to assume it's something he heard before.

It means the people around him, probably both the caretakers at the orphanage and the other children repeatedly told him he was insane and would be better off at the Asylum. He spent his childhood being told he belonged in a madhouse.

I don't think I need to explain what kind of damage that does to a child. Tom grows up completely isolated from his peers and caretakers, everyone hates him because he is different. So Tom latched on to the idea that he was better. Because if he was different, and he was, and he wasn't better, it meant he was worse than them — it meant they were right about him. Tom thinking overly highly of himself is a coping mechanism and a lie (to himself most of all).

The thing is, while he is aware he is smart and capable, we'll see later in his life how he continuously seeks out validation and connection since he didn't get either until he was eleven. And like any child, he wants these things, he wants praise, attention, and connection. Telling himself he is better, and therefore above such needs, is a way to try and convince himself everything is fine.

The second thing from the above quote is his trust issues. Dumbledore tries to tell him he isn't taking him to the Asylum and Tom doesn't believe him. He immediately goes on the defensive.

As of Mrs. Cole's previous words, it's clear she blames Tom for things she has no evidence he did. And if we look at Harry's cases of accidental magic that harmed Dudley, a lot of them were out of his control. It's possible Tom wasn't completely intentional in everything he did, but took credit anyway if it meant the other kids left him alone and didn't bother him.

"|'d like to see them try," Tom said, he is already using fear. That is just as much a coping mechanism as his trust issues and air of superiority. When kids fear you, they don't bother you. If Amy and Dannis feared him they'd stop calling him a nut-case — If they feared him, they wouldn't bother him.

And Tom is used to his magic allowing him to get his way, forcing people to tell him the truth in an accidental version of the Imperious. It's important to remember he is a young child on the defensive. He has been on the defensive probably since he could comprehend language. As such, I'm not surprised to see him use his magic to make people treat him better — or at the bare minimum, not lie to him.

All I see from the above interaction is a scared, lonely child who never had anyone so he's on the defensive. He guards his heart and interests with all the weapons he has at his disposal because he has no one else who will. This is a child that needs help.

“Magic?” he repeated in a whisper. “That’s right,” said Dumbledore. “It’s . . . it’s magic, what I can do?” “What is it that you can do?” “All sorts,” breathed Riddle. A flush of excitement was rising up his neck into his hollow cheeks; he looked fevered. “I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want to.” His legs were trembling. He stumbled forward and sat down on the bed again, staring at his hands, his head bowed as though in prayer. “I knew I was different,” he whispered to his own quivering fingers. “I knew I was special. Always, I knew there was something.”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 271)

What we see here is actually really cute. Okay.

So, Tom Riddle, lonely and mistreated finally gets the confirmation that yes, he is special, not insane, he is better like he always tried to convince himself he was. So he immediately gets excited and starts gushing — boasting — about all the magic he can do. He's flushed and fevered and happy.

He is so excited to share this with someone else, to have someone like him, who understands him. He was elated at Dumbledore's existence at that moment.

This is a lonely 11-year-old child who never had a friend or kind caregiver in his life, trying to connect to the first adult to not call him insane. The first adult to tell him he was special, that he wasn't wrong.

And then Dumbledore speaks down to him and pretends to set all his (very few) belongings on fire.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. “If, as I take it, you are accepting your place at Hogwarts —” “Of course I am!” “Then you will address me as ‘Professor’ or ‘sir.’ ” Riddle’s expression hardened for the most fleeting moment before he said, in an unrecognizably polite voice, “I’m sorry, sir. I meant — please, Professor, could you show me — ?”

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 271-272)

This is the moment Dumbledore made his greatest mistake when it came to Tom Riddle. Instead of trying to direct him and help him like an educator, he showed his dislike for Tom. He thought Tom to close up his heart, that even among wizards he would not find this connection he seeks.

So Tom hardens his expression and goes to the cold, polite, distant mask we'll see him wear for the rest of his Hogwarts years.

[lady-raziel]

For the record does the Watcher thing going on mean it's immoral to consume Watcher content now?

this is a strange ask, and i'm also aware that this was sent before the update video came out and the news might change whether or not you care, so assuming this is a genuine question that you're asking because you really want my take on it (people try to ask "gotcha" questions in asks all the time, so you have to take things with a grain of salt), i will answer this genuinely.

it is not up to me, or anyone else for that matter, to decide what media in your life is "moral" or not. morals are complicated. morals are squishy. morals can and should change as you grow and evolve and sticking to one steadfast idea of what is right and wrong has gotten a lot of people in trouble for basically the whole of human history. it's up to you to decide what you believe in, while taking care to make sure that the same things you're standing for aren't the ones you're going to fall for. it's really important that you make up your mind for yourself about how everything from your politics and religion to what you buy and yes, what media you consume, fits into your own sense of morality. big picture shit-- that's how you become a well-rounded person who doesn't get taken advantage of by the countless people who want to sell you their ideas of right and wrong to serve their own motives.

it's hard, i get it, to not just say "well, xyz group of people says this thing is bad, and i agree with them about other stuff, so i'll just go along with them." we all bandwangon to a certain extent, whether for the sake of convenience or to be accepted by those we respect or many other reasons. i do this too, certainly-- there's no need to share every opinion you have on the internet with everyone even if it's not controversial.

but please, if i'm able to impress on you anything that you can take away from my silly blog, it would be that you shouldn't let other people decide what media is "right" or "wrong" to watch based on THEIR moral sensibilities. Use your best judgement and decide that for yourself, based on what you believe. Someone is always going to disagree with you. Sometimes a lot of someones are going to disagree with you. Don't let that stop you from exercising your right to have your own opinion.

Consuming a certain type of media does not automatically make you a good and/or bad person. Lots of bad shit happens in the bible. lots of moral shit can happen in a porn-filled 50-part destiel omegaverse mpreg deconstruction of gender norms too. (i'm making that second one up, but i have no doubt someone will send me an ask later wondering if i'm referring to a specific fic. no. but godspeed.)

i'm pontificating now. i like to take small things and make them into big, important things. that's my poison of choice. but yeah. this is a question you have to answer for yourself if you want the answer to mean anything real.

[herboretum]

since i’m full of hatred and negativity i will be answering this

(to emphasize Like these are just nuances and inconsistencies i’ve found with myself and the fandom Like genuinely idrgaf i could care less about any of the points i will make in retrospect)

the anthropomorphization of unpleasant from this fandom has genuinely WRECKED its character and made it. not that unique compared to the other npcs. like i dont know it being this like fucking gooner-type character is so awful? and i really hate it? if anything that trope given to unpleasant should have stayed with scag and ended with her, since she’s a genuine npc with more writing and thoughts attached

i saw people bring up this point again and im glad but HELLO!!!!! LETS STOP JUST ASSOCIATING LAMPERT AS WALLTER AND MARK'S SON? EVEN WHEN IT HAS BEEN DISCREDITED /MULTIPLE/ TIMES? like DAMN this fandom only attributes characteristics if it is attached to literally anyone else besides that person. its horrible. people NEED to learn to find the balance between having fun with that headcanon while also acknowledging lampert as his own separate person that is (to be quite frank) not even associated with them that much in canon

(+ people saying that the headcanon of lampert being wallmark's son is canon and fucking REPLYING saying to people who ship wallter & lampert or mark & lampert that they shouldn't. you are fucking embarrassing)

more of a fandom thing but yall ship too much lmfaoo. like guys i promise, you can interpret some of these relationships as genuine friendships i promise you'll live. can we stop with the rhetoric that just because two characters have good dynamics with each other that means that theyre in love (heavily side-eyeing protoscag and lampfected and milby dare i say)

the regretevator fandom is EXACTLY like the phighting fandom with how shipping is handled. i mean this in not a positive way

people gotta stop relying on the wiki for information man. so much lore from yeucc's tumblr has been retconned and at this point, when there's now WRITERS for the game that are actually keeping tabs, all if not the good majority of what is said on the wiki should be taken with a grain of salt. nowadays the lore is unpredictable, and only a select few (by few i mean like. 4 out of the 17 npcs) has had their lore expanded on significantly

general facts i think is fine so long as theres an annotation backing it but my point still stands . moreso with lore generally

also saw this point being brought up in the qrts but the demonization and infantilization of certain characterss (cough spud pilby pest and poob) is like. wild. i dunno i can't say much since i'm very fortunate enough to not have seen that much but my god is it prevalent from what people are saying

with pest especially since he has npd and aspd i do think that. people generally associating him as evil has NOT been the greatest thing, especially since it reduces him to a stigma of people with personality disorders which is horrific and terrifying. idk what goes on in the background but i feel like the fandom + yeucc & the people working on regretevator should have done more research on the disorders and consulted people who do have these issues better instead of using those labels haphazardly

another thing i will and always will be vocal (dog on) about the axosun team is them keeping gnarpy. like there was no reason to keep xem in other than for revenue gain let's be honest and True to ourselves. the philosophy "ohh but you can separate the art from the artist!!!!" i feel does not really apply to this scenario cause xe got a whole ass revamp despite the obvious fact that it STILL is gnarpy, a character created by a bad person regardless of the ownership change and discredited history. its the underlying thought that they were essentially built off a bad origin if this makes any sense. idk i think it wouldve been better for everyone if xe were just removed ENTIRELY from the game but. you do you i guess

lastly in this essay: i think more people should Be Kinder to each other in this fandom <3 peace and love

[menlove]

not sure how much traction this will get but! I just got top surgery friday and here's a short list of things I either wish I was told or wish was talked about more that might help some others!

you have to be so so so careful with what meds you take in the month/weeks leading up to surgery. I fucked up and got mine delayed by over a month because my adhd mixed up ibuprofen and tylenol. check the packet they give you a million times and if you're unsure about absolutely anything, ask. but in general: tylenol is the only pain med that's okay to take in the week leading up to surgery. be honest about alcohol/drug use because there's specific instructions for those as well.

a lot of insurances will need you to make sure it's coded as gender affirming surgery rather than plastic surgery or they won't cover as much of it. make sure you ask your insurance if there's anything like that that might screw you over later.

if you have a chronic condition like I do (type 1 diabetes) you and your surgeon might find it best if you stay overnight. if not, you'll likely be sent home day of so make sure you have a responsible adult that can drive you to and from your surgery.

if you are fat, that is totally okay and there's plenty of surgeons that will work with you. however, make sure your surgeon/hospital doesn't have a bmi/weight limit. it's bullshit and completely unfair, but you may have to look elsewhere (I'm lucky and my surgeon was amazing about that). besides, they probably aren't very good at their job if they have that and you'll find better care with another surgeon anyway

speaking of being fat and getting top surgery, ofc it's all personal preference, but I'd really recommend considering leaving some fat on your chest. fat cis men have some fat on their chests and it's easy for it to look concave if your surgeon removes all the fat. discuss some options w your surgeon and look up post op pics of other fat people that have had top surgery to find stuff similar to what you're going for!

they are going to put you on strong pain meds after, probably oxycodone. if you have a history of addiction or a family history, be aware of that and talk to your doctor about other options if you would rather not take it. if you've never taken oxy before, nausea is a super common symptom so you can totally ask your doctor to prescribe you an anti nausea medication to take alongside it. it doesn't always 100% help so I would also recommend making sure you don't take it on an empty stomach.

honestly, for me the pain hasn't reached above a 6. everyone is different ofc but it's a very dull achey sort of pain. the worst parts, according to me and others I've known who've gotten top surgery, are: nausea, itching, fatigue, constipation, the drainage tubes tugging (and if you don't have gauze under them like I do, chafing), and for me I've started to get back pain from having to sleep sitting up

have a ton of pillows on hand because you're going to have to sleep sitting almost the entire way up on your back. it sucks.

have easy to open and grab snacks piled up! even if you have someone around to help you, sometimes you won't have an appetite for a whole meal and it's always nice to still be independent

speaking of constipation, invest in some milk of magnesia or ask for medication to be prescribed to help you with it. the anasthesia and oxy are gonna work together to make you miserable on that front.

drink plenty of water! make it fun w packets if you have to but your body just went through major trauma and you're going to need it

every surgeon/hospital has different instructions. I see a lot of these posts and they'll list certain things as total fact that are completely contradictory to what I've been told and what my boyfriend was told when he got his. this isn't to say either one is correct, but in general take these posts with a grain of salt and go with whatever your surgeon/hospital instructs you to do. especially as far as exercise, arm movement, showering, etc is concerned.

[thatbanditqueen]

I will say this; when it comes to the Memphis Mafia, always beware of what the "boys" say. I take their stories with a grain of salt. According to a 2008 article,

"One would think that the various members of Elvis’ entourage, having worked and socialized closely with him for years, would be convincing sources of information. However, over the years several of the “boys” have proved themselves far from reliable when recalling their times with Elvis. Back in 1977, Red West, Sonny West, and Dave Hebler’s book, Elvis: What Happened?, was filled with bias and inaccuracies, Lamar Fike was a main conduit of misinformation for Albert Goodman’s deeply flawed 1981 Elvis biography, and Byron Raphael’s article about Elvis’ sex life in a 2005 issue of Playboy is completely spurious.

Of course, not all those close to Elvis have proved unreliable. Joe Esposito and Jerry Schilling are two who seem to have told their stories about Elvis with honesty and balance. The lesson here is that when reading these “I-was-there-books,” the reader must keep an open mind when it comes to accuracy, honesty, and bias.

In the end, I’m not suggesting we should all be cynical about everything that has been and will be written about Elvis. And I don’t think there is anything to be gained by arguing over isolated facts. However, the legacy of Elvis should be important to all of his fans. And if it takes setting the record straight once in awhile, then sign me up for the crusade."

This is a really good point and is well taken, thank you Nonnie. Thanks for taking the time to write to me, and I agree, history is always constructed refractions of what happened, and is shaped by the bias and agendas and axes that those who are left have to grind. This whole story about the girl in Palm Springs definitely shows this, and its actually been a really good lesson for me in soooo many ways. As a fan, as a citizen of tumblr, as a historian (I'm going to go ahead and claim that everyone in the EP fan community is a historian because we are all shifting through traces of the past to access him). I think you really pushed me to reconsider how I am evaluating the traces of Elvis that I grasp at here and elsewhere.

I was thinking to myself, should I take the passage I copied from Alana Nash's book Elvis and the Memphis Mafia down? I mean, I put it up in a bit of a hurry in-between meetings at work and I didn't really have time to edit or respond. I also didn't really think twice, I was just responding to an ask about a conversation on another post. And the truth is that the first version, where I quote the book, gave incorrect information, and ts veracity is impossible to conclusively prove.

But I've decided to leave it up, because I love the discussion that followed and that is now a part of that post. I am relatively new to active fandom, and I am learning everyday. That whole discussion shows how fans need to be aware of references that are questionable, as well as those that are not, because it becomes part of our shared understanding and useful for how we elevate the stories we encounter about Elvis. The thing I love about tumblr is how random artifacts circulate with stories about specific incidents, because I learn alot this way and I love when something pops up. But I also cannot tell you how often I wish they had a date or a source or more information. I also can't tell you how much I wish there was a pinterest tumblr integration that was easier than me creating pins over there for posts but that is a whole other post....

What books or interviews or websites have you found the most useful for learning about Elvis? I guess I put that question to everyone reading this.

thanks for your insightful advice and for discussing this important topic with me!!

xoxox

norAHHHHHH

this is my elvis history is hard work face v

[joiedecombat]

OTP asks: 17 & 6 😊

17. Who fell in love first?

6. When did they realize they loved each other?

For Raine and Aymeric, this is kind of a whole saga, really.

Detailed Heavensward spoilers and a lot of tl;dr under the cut.

I've talked about Raine's early impressions of Aymeric and how she found it difficult to trust him at first. Though that improved after she spent some time in Foundation, she didn't really start to see the true man until she came back from her Dravanian road trip with Alphinaud and Estinien and Ysayle, when Aymeric insisted on confronting Thordan about the truths they'd uncovered. Until then he'd maintained the mask of the political game-player, supportive but also carefully hedging his bets; that was the first time she understood the depth of his idealism.

At that point, Raine had a much closer connection with Haurchefant. She might have had romantic feelings for him - she was still in the process of sorting out how she felt when the raid on the Vault happened and everything went to shit. Haurchefant's death hit her very hard, and between that and the necessity of chasing down Thordan and the Ward and finally getting some leads on the missing Scions, there was simply no time for her to process much until quite a while afterward, any feelings of attraction toward Aymeric least of all.

Meanwhile Aymeric had been getting reports on Raine's actions around Dragonhead and Whitebrim from well before the two of them met in person, and was already intrigued about what he'd heard. Canny as he is, he took all the praise she received with a healthy grain of salt, but once they met and especially after she came to Ishgard he only found himself more and more impressed by how much she did for his nation - not just for House Fortemps who sheltered her, but for pretty much anyone else who crossed her path, from the Brume all the way to the Convictory and more.

So Aymeric definitely fell first. However, this was also a very fraught time for him personally, with the looming threat of a decisive attack by Nidhogg and his horde, civil unrest within the walls of Foundation, and then having his whole understanding of Ishgard's history and the Dragonsong War upended by the information Raine and company brought back from Dravania. He experienced a very personal and ideological betrayal at the hands of his own father, was tortured by the Heavens' Ward, and while the narrative doesn't spend time on it we can't minimize how much that had to have impacted him.

And almost as soon as Raine stopped Thordan and the Ward from enacting their plans, there was the need to work things out with the dragons, and then that was jeopardized by Nidhogg's return - this time by possessing Aymeric's closest friend. So while his feelings for Raine were growing through all of this, he also didn't have much opportunity for him to process it until later.

For Aymeric, I think the lightning bolt moment was at the Grand Melee.

Riding the emotional high of Ishgard's victory against the other Grand Companies, the proof that they can still pull together for a common goal despite all the strife and upheaval... And Raine's the one who carried them there, wearing Ishgardian colors, because he asked her to fight on their side even though she had no obligation to.

(Thancred had it figured out before either of them did, once he witnessed Aymeric asking her to participate on Ishgard's side and Aymeric's reaction when she agreed:

"Gods help me, I think it might be love. [...] And did you see the way his eyes lit up when you nodded? 'Twas a look of boundless relief and joy. One would think a politician more practiced at concealing his emotion.")

It could have very well ended there, if Raine had taken off immediately for the Rising Stones and her next adventure. Aymeric wasn't blind to Haurchefant's feelings for Raine, and he had no idea if she might have reciprocated; she obviously grieved for him, so either way making a move seemed disrespectful and wrong. And even without that, he didn't want to put any pressure on her when she was already in such constant demand for whatever the Alliance might need doing.

But precisely because the events around ending the Dragonsong War took such a toll on her, Raine stayed on in Ishgard for a good while after everything was settled, helping with the restoration efforts and the establishment of the Firmament and generally recuperating. That gave them more time to interact without all of the other crap looming over them, and Raine had the time to heal and to see Aymeric's best sides as he continued to work to build a better Ishgard.

It's hard to put a finger on when she realized she'd fallen in love with him. If she had to say, it was probably during the Skyrise fetes celebrating the completion of the Firmament district. She was roped into participating by a group of orphans she'd befriended (the oldest boy among them was reluctant to join in for fear of looking childish, so Raine felt compelled to set an example for him). Aymeric managed to get away from his work as Speaker long enough to put in an appearance, and during the final round of games, when the participants were tasked to hand out gifts to various people, Francel and the organizers of the fete conspired to have Raine deliver a gift to him. Their intent was mostly just to show respect and gratitude to Aymeric for his leadership by having the Warrior of Light and national hero present him with a token, but it ended up being a moment that tipped Raine into examining how she felt about him more closely.

(Estinien had also turned up, semi-incognito in his civvies, to check out the completed Firmament and got the unexpected side bonus of seeing this all go down.

"Fury take me, you're in love with her," and then Aymeric all but combusted on the spot, giving Estinien a chance to make good his exit.)

Even then, it took a long time afterwards for either of them to act on their feelings. Raine had no idea how Aymeric felt and did not want to overstep, especially as she knew she wouldn't be in Ishgard permanently. The main result was that they formed a strong friendship with an increasingly powerful undercurrent of unresolved sexual tension and romantic pining that didn't get worked out until, uh, right before Raine disappeared off to the First for Shadowbringers.

[alaffy]

White House Plumbers

Interesting how we've had 2 series based on Watergate in such a short time. Watching the two shows also shows us how little we still know about how exactly everyone was involved (except for Nixon). For instance, take John Dean. In Gaslit, he's portrayed as more of a patsy. Someone who knew of some of what was going on, and did participate in some of the events, but not everything until it was too late. Whereas here, they pushed the narrative that Dean was so involved that they pretty much pushed John Mitchell to the side. Who's more correct? Who knows? It's probably somewhere in the middle.

I will say this show really didn't capture my interest until episode three, which is a problem when the series is only 5 episodes. I also feel like their dramatization sometimes bordered on absolute fiction. And I'm going to put a cut here for spoilers.

So, we know from history Dorothy Howard died in a plane crash in 1972. We also know there was an up and coming reporter, Mechele Clark, who was on that flight and she was investigating Watergate. We know that some of things about that crash are suspicious and that there is a theory that the plane was brought down on purpose. So, given those facts, it makes sense that in a dramatization we have characters discuss the possibility that Dorothy was murdered because, at the very least, Hunt probably likely considered the possibility that she was killed.

But then, going back an episode, we have the whole scene with Dorothy having a clandestine meeting with Michele Clark. This is taking the dramatization too far. As far as I can tell, there's no evidence these two women knew each other where on the plane, let alone had arranged to meet. Like, dramatization s should be taken with a grain of salt. We know events, but we don't know the reactions to events unless documented. So, we can't assume what is written is accurate. But in this case, in this scene, it's not just about dialogue, it's insinuating something took place..it's written as though the plane was taken down because of this meeting; but, again, we don't have any proof such a meeting took place. I guess what I'm saying is that the fact that these two women were on the plane was enough to question if it was intentional. They didn't need to create a reason.

[manipalhospital1]

Everything You Need To Know About High Blood Pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the most common lifestyle-related diseases which is termed a silent killer as it is asymptomatic. The heart walls exert extra pressure to pump blood. It increases pressure on the artery walls and can lead to other complications. High blood pressure damages the cardiovascular system without showing any signs. Hypertension is BP more than the normal resting blood pressure and may vary among individuals at approximately 120/80 mmHg. It is one of the leading causes of vascular deaths worldwide. High BP is the #1 contributor to heart attacks and strokes globally. 

17th of May every year is celebrated as World Hypertension Day to create awareness about the ill effects of hypertension among the masses. Everyone, irrespective of their age, should keep track of their blood pressure. It affects nearly 1/3 of the population in certain age groups; thus, knowing how to control it is vital. Early detection of high blood pressure is essential. So, if your readings are high, it is wise to approach a doctor for proper screening and treatment. Severe hypertension can damage blood vessels and vital organs like the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain.

Consult the best heart specialist hospital in Mysore if you require diagnosis and treatment for hypertension to reduce the risks of heart disease. 

Types of Hypertension

Primary or Essential

An underlying medical condition is not a reason for high blood pressure. 

Secondary Hypertension

It occurs due to certain kidney diseases, tumours, and endocrine problems.

What Are the Key Symptoms of Hypertension?

Mild hypertension instances hardly show any symptoms. However, severe hypertension symptoms include chest pain, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, etc. 

The blood pressure check-up is a routine for most doctors. You should request a reading if the doctor does not check your blood pressure. The abovementioned symptoms can contribute to other medical conditions, so blood pressure check-ups are essential. 

Leading Causes of Hypertension

The factors that could contribute to high blood pressure include the following:

Older age

Family history 

Stress 

Other chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney diseases.

Gestational Hypertension (High BP during pregnancy).

Lifestyle changes (like a sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary habits, and excessive alcohol & smoking consumption).

Treatment and Prevention of Hypertension

The most important thing about hypertension is the awareness of the disease and the various treatments available for appropriate control because it is a silent and sudden because of the ill effects of hypertension on various organs patients’ useful healthcare. Even in the literate population, awareness about hypertension is only about 30%, and out of that only about 50% take proper treatment, and of those, only 50% have good control.

Along with medications prescribed by your cardiologist, changing your lifestyle and managing your diet are the best ways to combat high BP. The cardiologist will treat the issue and bring down your blood pressure via over-the-counter medications if it is due to some other diseases. That will be taken care of accordingly. Other lifestyle changes include:

Reducing Salt Intake

Limit the amount of sodium in your diet to manage your blood pressure.

Regular Check-ups

Get your medical check-up done annually to keep a check on your BP and the health of other organs which could increase your blood pressure. 

Reducing Alcohol & Smoking Consumption

Limiting the intake of alcohol & smoking reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Regular Exercise

Thirty minutes of daily exercise at least 5 days a week, such as walking, swimming, cycling, etc., reduces hypertension.

Healthy Diet

Consuming vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, high-fibre foods, and low-fat dairy products can help. Junk food should be avoided as it can have a negative impact.

Weight Management

Maintaining a healthy weight can lower the risk of hypertension.

Manage Stress Levels

Learn to relax and manage stress to lower blood pressure. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can show good results.

Educating yourself, the public, and near and dear ones about the treatment and keeping the blood pressure readings under good control to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other vascular diseases affecting the human population is extremely important. Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous life ahead on the occasion of World Hypertension Day.  

Consult only the best interventional cardiologist in Mysore for the treatment of hypertension to minimise the risks of getting heart disease. 

FAQs

What is the systolic and diastolic blood pressure?

The systolic blood pressure (the upper reading) is the force of the blood against the artery walls as the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure (the lower reading) is the force in the arteries while the heart rests.

What are the health risks associated with high blood pressure? 

High blood pressure can cause vision loss, sexual dysfunction, peripheral artery disease (PAD), cardiac issues, etc., 

How can I lower the risk of developing high blood pressure?

A healthy lifestyle and a diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products diet are important. Keeping your weight under control is one of the most important things. 

[snarkomancy]

The first painting featured an ancient ship, tossed by the waves among the rocks outcropping from the whirling deep. At the prow stood a man in white robes, his head adorned by a halo.

‘The First Landing,’ guessed the witcher.

‘Indeed,’ confirmed Vilgefortz. ‘Ship of the Exiles. John Bekker subdues the Power. He calms the waves, proving that magic need not be just evil and destructive, but can be used to save lives as well.’

‘Is this an authentic event?’

‘I doubt,’ smiled the wizard. ‘Most probably Bekker and the rest of the crew were throwing up over the brim. The Power was subdued only after the landing, which happened to be peaceful. Let's forward. Here you can see John Bekker again, forcing water out of stone near the first settlement. And there we have Bekker, surrounded by kneeling settlers, dispersing the clouds and stopping the storm from destroying the crops.’

‘And that one there? What event does it portray?’

‘The Finding of the Chosen. Bekker and Giambattista test the children of arriving settlers in order to find the Sources. Selected kids will be taken from their parents and brought to Mirthe, the first domicile of the wizards. You're looking at a historic moment. As you can see, all kids are scared, only that resolute brunette reaches to Giambattista with a trusting smile. This is the famous Agnes of Glanville, the first female wizard. The woman behind her is her mother. She looks quite sad, for some reason.’

‘And the scene with a gathering?’

‘Novigrad Union. Bekker, Giambattista and Monck make a truce with the chiefmen, priests and druids. Something to do with a pact of non-aggression and the separation of magic from the politics. Terribly corny. Let's go on. Here we have Geoffrey Monck setting off up the Pontar river, known at the time as Aevon y Pont ar Gwennelen, the Riven of Alabaster Bridges. Monck was sailing to Loc Muinne in order to convince the elven mages to school a group of children. You might be interested in the fact that among these children was a boy called Gerhart of Aelle. You've met him today. That boy is now known as Hen Gedymdeith.’

‘This particular scene,’ the witcher looked at the wizard, ‘Lacks in drama. After all, only a few years after Monck's successful expedition, the army of Marchal Raupenneck from Tretogor carried out a massacre of Loc Muinne and Est Haemlet, killing all elves regardless of age or gender. And so began a war, which ended with the slaughter in Shaerrawedd.’

‘Your admirable knowledge in history,’ smiled Vilgefortz, ‘ought to make you acknowledge the fact that none of the respectable wizards took part in this war. Therefore no student felt inspired to paint it. Let's continue.’

‘Very well. And what is this depiction? Ah, I know. It's Raffard the White ending the feud between kings and marking the end of the Six Years War. And over there, Raffard declines to accept the crown. Beautiful, noble gesture.’

‘You think so?’ Vilgefortz cocked his head. ‘Well, a gesture it was. However, Raffard did accept the post of a Royal Counsellor which put him the place of true ruler, as the king was retarded.’

‘The Gallery of Glory...’ muttered the witcher, coming up to the next canvas. ‘And here?’

‘The historic moment of the vocation of the first Chapter and the resolution of the Law. From the left: Herbert Stammelford, Aurora Henson, Ivo Richert, Agnes of Glanville, Geoffrey Monck and Radmir of Tor Carnedd. For the sake of accuracy, this painting also lacks in drama. Soon afterwards a very brutal war broke out, and all who opposed the Chapter and refused to follow the Law were slaughtered. Raffard the White, among others. But historical texts are silent about this, so as not to blemish the beautiful legend.’

‘And this one... Hmm... Yes, it was definitely painted by a student. Rather young one, too...’

‘Certainly. It's an allegory, at that. An allegory of the triumphing femininity, I presume. Air, Water, Earth and Fire. And the four famous sorceresses who mastered them. Agnes of Glanville, Aurora Henson, Nina Fioravanti and Klara Larissa de Winter. Look at the next, better-drawn painting. It's Klara Larissa again, opening the academy for girls. In the same building we're standing in right now. And the following portraits picture the most famous graduates of Aretuza. A long history of triumphing femininity and the subsequent feminization of the profession: Yanna of Murivel, Nora Wagner, her sister Augusta, Jada Glevissig, Leticia Charbonneau, Ilona Laux-Antille, Carla Demetia Crest, Yiolenta Suarez, April Wenhaver... And the only living one: Tissaia de Vries...’

They went ahead. Lydia's silken dress whispered quietly as they walked, and its whisper held a hint of a dreadful secret.

‘And this one?’ Geralt stopped. ‘What is this terrifying scene?’

‘Martyrdom of the mage Radmir, skinned alive during Falka's rebellion. The background shows Mirthe, burned at Falka's order.’

‘For which Falka had been burned in turn. At the stake.’

- Time of Contempt

[wine-dark-and-honey-tongued]

Howdy ! I saw in Ur bio that you have Ariadne in there. I'd love to learn more about her but am not able to find heaps of information on her . If it's not a bother do you happen to have any info ?

(feel free to skip if you feel so inclined to no pressure )

Omg hi!

I definitely don't mind sharing, I don't have much (haven't had the spoons for active worship/research lately) but I'm happy to oblige! There isn't very much out there as far as I've seen but I'll share what I've been able to find and utilise.

As always with this stuff, there are multiple versions of the same myths and many interpretations and I'm far from an expert, so take this with a grain of salt. There's also going to be a bit of history both bc I love that stuff and have a personal project that's setting is Minoan Crete, so I think it's relevant if for nothing other than context.

Ariadne, in mythology (summarizing), is a princess of Crete and sister of the Minotaur. She is put in charge of the labyrinth where the Minotaur is kept, and where 7 boys and 7 girls from Athens are sent as sacrifices. Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of thread/string to help him find his way back out of the labyrinth after slaying the Minotaur, leaving the island with him afterwards. She's then abandoned, intentionally or unintentionally depending on which version of the story you're looking at, on Naxos and is found by Dionysus and becomes his wife.

It's theorized in some circles that Ariadne was originally a great goddess of Crete known as the Mistress of the Labyrinth. Some also suggest she's the Minoan Snake Goddess. There's no concrete evidence for either of these claims as far as I've found, but I felt they're worth mentioning regardless given the island of Crete was taken over by the Mycenean Greeks after the collapse of the Minoan civilization in the Bronze Age and its very possible the Greeks could have adopted/absorbed bits and pieces of the Minoan's religious practices.

Some myths cover her death and subsequent retreival from Hades by Dionysus, who then brings Ariadne and his mother Semele to Mount Olympus to be defied. Depending what you read you may find conflicting accounts of what happened and when, but that's normal with Greek mythology I've learned.

Ariadne is commonly associated with thread/string, mazes and labyrinths, bulls, snakes, and in some instances I've also seen weaving (makes sense given the whole thread thing) and a crown listed (her diadem from her wedding to Dionysus was set in the heavens as the constellation Corona).

This next bit is UPG so please don't take this as cold hard fact, it's just what I've discovered in my practice.

Ariadne, to me, is a goddess of introspection/self reflection. A labyrinth is a single path curving in on itself until you reach the center, one way in and back out. I've come across folks talking about using the labyrinth as a metaphor/manner of thinking for a journey of self discovery, called (fittingly) Ariadne's Thread, and this is something I've adopted as well. The Minotaur can be interpreted in a number of ways; its typically some sort of conflict or hurdle one must confront in order to further their growth. It doesn't need to be slain, necessarily, but is something that must be dealt with in order to progress (kind of like working through something in therapy to find the source of a problem and how to handle it going forward). It's a vehicle for deeper self understanding, if that makes sense.

I think that's why I was so drawn to her when I first started researching Crete's history and wanting to progress with my knowledge and practice in hellenic polytheism; I needed to do some serious self reflection because I'd just gotten out of a terribly rough patch in life that started with following/using someone as a means of escape from a shitty situation and ended with me stranded, in essence, and isolated by my own hand. I felt a kinship with her and her story and have felt connected with her ever since. I've even got a little Snake Goddess pendant that I constantly wear for/as representation of her.

Hopefully that made sense and was helpful! I've included some links below to some sources, both academic and not, I refer to.

Ariadne summary on amino | Ariadne on witchesandpagans | Ariadne on theoi.com | Ariadne on Wikipedia (a great starting point for all the basic info imo) | blog post about Ariadne's Thread symbolism + application

[astroyongie]

Ive Reading - July Edition

Note: Please keep in mind that you have to read this with a grain of salt. This is simply info I got on my reading, it doesn’t mean I am 100% right. Have fun ! 

Yunjin

Yunjin is currently in a relationship. They have been dating for three months now (a 4th gen idol), but they know each other since 7 months ago. Despite everything going very well for her, I still feel that this person has a strong influence over her life. Probably because it’s either her twin flame or a very strong soulmate. She is happy but their relationship need to be careful so it doesn’t become toxic

Recently she got into a heavy argument with a member of her group (and even staff) concerning their group work. Yunjin feels like she has been working her butt off but she isn’t being payed fairly compared to others. Some of her opportunities were taken back after these arguments.

Physical Health:She have been having pains in her hips and lumbar area, needs to be careful with her liver. Also her digestive system, she isn’t eating correctly lately.  Mental Health: Low self esteem, she has been dealing with some traumatic experiences. But she is fighting on and mediating a lot.

Gaeul

She too is currently in a relationship with someone, however it’s something very recent and she still keeps secret from people. Gaeul don’t want to share this relationship she has. Mostly because of his partner’s situation (trainee). There’s a lot of desire between them.

When It comes to her career, there’s opportunities that have been given ti her, but she imagines too much and she has the tendency to fantasy a lot about it. However she is happy about it and she will make her own decisions concerning these opportunities that were represented to her. She might be scared however of the backlash she might receive from fans

Physical Health: She is overly okay Mental Health: She needs to adapt herself to her own emotional rhythm. She feels angry a lot lately and too easily; she also has a lot of inner doubts and she feels very lonely at times. She needs to take care of her mental health.

Rei

So Rei isn’t in a relationship however she sees someone often. They aren’t together because this person does not wish to have anything serious with her. They are a 3rd gen idol who isn’t in their group anymore (disband), and he isn’t very interested on her romantically. Their relationship doesn’t seem to be physical either, more like company. However she interprets his feelings wrongly. Their relationship is quiet discreet but despite not being official she is starting to get very dependent of this person

Her career seems to go very well, she will have the opportunity to write her own verses, her own songs, or anything related to that creative part of her. She is very happy with how things are right now

Physical Health: there’s definite something wrong with her body and physical health, something related to her bones, the spleen. The bones are also related to her knees, joints and ligaments in general. She has been losing a lot of her lately.  Mental Health: She is overall okay but she thinks a lot about the difficulties she had when she was younger

Wonyoung`

Her history is just so complicated and I will try to sum up this. Basically she hasn’t the right to date anyone. There’s someone in the company that does whatever they want of her. Anyway, she is young, she fell in love, she got with someone secretly (non idol). However this higher up threaten this person, so her lover have broken her heart by cheating on her so she would break up (it’s like a whole drama ?). Anyway, things happened recently

Again, this higher up is very present in her life and he is the one giving everything to her. I see a lot of opportunities with her career and things are starting now. She has been destined to be very big and everything in her career path show success

Physical Health: she needs to be careful with her lungs and her breathing system because she has been having some difficulties in that area Mental Health: She is actually stronger than what she looks. It’s clear that she isn’t okay, but she works so much on herself to be a better person

Liz

Liz isn’t in a relationship at the moment but she had an interest on someone who is divorced. However this person won’t give her any opportunity due to their age gape, and simply because this person already has a life and a family set. She is a little disappointed, but it shall pass since she has other crushes. 

I see that her career is going well, she knows what she has to do to achieve success, there’s new things coming for her but she needs to be careful how she will handle things in public so it doesn’t backfire to her

Physical Health: X Mental Health: X nothing either only that she has a good intuition at the moment

Leeseo

I didn’t really got anything about her love life, she is single and it shall stay that way at the moment. Leeseo is someone very sure of herself, she isn’t interested to open her heart at the moment and focus on her career only

There’s something that came to her, but Leeseo is still very immature to take care of things herself. She lacks strategy and understanding. I feel like sometimes she regrets being an idol but now she dreams big and she knows she has to work a lt and put order in her career

Physical Health: There’s something wrong going with her sexual system (it could be urinaty problems or her colon) There’s high changes it’s linked with her hormones. Mental Health:  she is very vulnerable at the moment, she feels tired

[danpuff-ao3]

Astro Intro

Disclaimer:

I am not a professional astrologer

I am self-studied. I have been researching astrology since 2019.

The HP Astro series is a passion project. It is meant to be fun, not be taken seriously.

I am not here to convince you of astrology's legitimacy.

Astrology is an ancient, complex study. There is a lot of history and a lot of meaning to any one piece to the astrological puzzle.

With that in mind, one placement (i.e. Taurus Sun) can be read multiple ways. You may see characters with matching placements described differently. That is why.

The Harry Potter characters are fictional characters. With real people, we want as much accuracy in the birth information as possible. With fictional characters, this is not possible.

I will use what canonical information there is for each character. (Birth date, time, and place.) Where that is missing, I will fill in the blanks; but I will fill in the blanks using what I know of the character, to try to be as true to them as possible.

Again: because this is fiction, and meant to be fun, I will probably explore headcanons and fanon interpretations as I see fit. My greater focus will be on canonical evidence, but will fall back on popular conjecture where it fits.

I am not here to teach you astrology. I will try to make it as clear as possible, but there is truly too much there. Even a basic grasp of astrology will take a lot of study.

If you want to learn more about astrology, a good starting point is The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. It is not, in fact, the only book you'll need, but it is a good place to start.

Astrology Basics:

Big Three: Sun, Moon, & Rising (aka Ascendant.) Arguably the most important placements in any chart. If you're a beginner, focusing on people's Big Three is a good starting point for study.

Rising (Ascendant): not a "planet", but an important point in any chart. It tells us how people see us, and how we react to our environment.

Chart Ruler: the sign that's rising, the planet that rules that sign becomes the chart ruler. The chart ruler is a prominent planet in a chart; it is good to pay extra attention to the chart ruler and what it tells us.

Luminaries: the Sun and Moon. The Sun is our core, the Moon is our subconscious.

Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars. (Also called "personal planets", due to their nearness to the Sun, and the being closer to who we are.)

Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. (The latter 3 also called "generational planets." The distance from the Sun implies less impact on the individual self.)

Chiron: an asteroid planet, given more study by astrologers in recent years. I won't always look at Chiron, but I'll always check if the Chiron placement is worth mentioning.

In my work: I will focus on the Big Three, the chart ruler, and the inner planets. Any other chart placements will only be mentioned if I find them worth noting.

Planets: what is being expressed. (i.e. Mercury: communication, Venus: relationships.)

Signs: how it is being expressed (i.e. Leo: playful, Virgo: practical.)

Houses: where it is being expressed (i.e. 4th House: Home, 6th House: Health.)

Aspects: relationship between the planets. (Ease, or stress?)

Domicile/detriment: planet in a sign it works well with, or doesn't.

This is all very basic and simplistic. Any one thing I talk about will not be the whole story, or full potential, of what that placement could be. Take everything I say with a grain of salt. My word is not gospel.

Notes:

I hope reading this will be entertaining for you.

Even better if it sparks your own interest in learning astrology!

I don't expect you to "buy into" astrology, but I do ask you to be respectful and kind.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I can't promise I'll be able to help you, but I can always try!

If you have any requests, feel free to send them in. I won't promise to fill requests, but I do promise to consider them!

This series is primarily me having fun. I hope you can have fun with me!

[birdsareblooming]

Sonic may actually be lost royalty

I keep going down these rabbit holes I shouldn’t go down BUT! Although this theory is one that I don’t fully believe in (unlike the infinite/solaris theory and the chaos emerald theory) I still have a good argument that I want to talk about very bad.

I also tried to make this as short as possible but there’s a lot of ground to cover, but at least it’s not the infinite/solaris theory. But I have a TLDR at the end.

[Spoiler Warning for Sonic and the Black Knight]

let’s start with a ✨numbered list✨

1. Blaze the Cat

Blaze is the biggest caveat for this theory, but I think it’s best to start with her.

Now, firstly I need to clear up some things.

[Eggman: My world...]

[Eggman Nega: and my world...]

[Eggmen: are in a manner, inextricably linked!]

[Blaze: Like two Eggmans?]

Part of the Blaze’s world is that it’s a parallel universe. Parallel Eggmen, Parallel emeralds, Everything else that isn’t stated outright. Like how Tails and Marine are definitely counterparts. Seeming as Tails came from South Island and Marine came from southern island, Tails is definitely based on a kitsune and Marine, in theory, based on a tanuki. 

And, although not stated completely, Blaze and Sonic are universal counterparts.

[From Sonic Wiki: Blaze was designed as a charater who was equivalent yet and alternate version of Sonic’s character.]

Much like the Sol and Chaos emeralds, Sonic and Blaze are a mirror version of one another, although slightly different.

Alright, now that we have that out of the way:

Looking at the connections between the others, Sonic and Blaze seem, a bit too different.

The Sol and Chaos emeralds fulfill the same role, although their different appearance, and have a similar story.  Tails and Marine fulfill the same role, although their different appearance, and have a similar story. The Eggmen fulfill the same role, although their different appearance, and have a similar story. 

Blaze and Sonic fulfill the same role, although their different appearance, and have a... completely different story. 

Blaze was born to a royal family, and set to protect the Sol Emeralds and the Jeweled Scepter as her birthright, and it’s somewhat hinted that her powers may also be a birthright. Sonic, on the other hand, has no known past, and seems to have just run into the Chaos Emeralds by accident. 

You could claim that Blaze does take on the role of both Sonic AND Knuckles, which is fair and stated on the wiki, however Knuckles is also never stated to be any kind of royalty, and certainly doesn’t have that kind of past, his past being one of the more tragically alone ones. 

And here’s something interesting.

Time has warped our vision of Blaze. We all know her as “Princess Blaze the Cat.” But from watching Sonic Rush, her opening game... she is never mentioned to be a princess until the very end.

[Burning Blaze: As princess, it is my duty to protect the Sol Emeralds...]

From what I remember, this is the FIRST mention of her royal status. 

From this game’s viewpoint, they reveal the mirror status of the dimensions. They then show both Blaze and Sonic having mirror super transformations using their emeralds, highly implying that Sonic and Blaze were mirror versions. (also this was implied already by just Blaze’s shoes.) and then it’s revealed that Blaze is royal, and a princess. 

So if she’s the mirror of Sonic, what does that mean for Sonic? Especially right after showing the two of them being, well, mirrors.

2. King Arthur

SATBK is much less transparent about the counterpart universe thing.

Now this is an alternate universe, set up by Secret Rings, and surprisingly not just a story Sonic told as an elaborate excuse.

They don’t hide obivous Sonic characters being put into roles, and their in these roles for a reason.

Blaze and Silver as Percival and Galahad, the knights who quested together for the holy grail. Knuckles as Gawain literally only because of “Gawain and the Green Knight” But I respect that so much. Jet as Lamorak because of Lamorak’s fiery temper and competitiveness.  Shadow as Lancelot because he’s the “closest knight to the king” stated in game (👀) Tails as a Blacksmith because that’s p much the medieval version of a mechanic. Amy as the Lady of the Lake because like. Fuck she’s the most powerful one there. (but seriously, in forces she’s shown to be the most level headed leader and strangest, especially in Sonic’s absence. As well as “sensing” that he was still alive and having a past in tarot.) And Merlina as Merlina because... well that’s a whole other theory.

(all my theories are being brought up in the post. like i know the first two were expamples of theories I fully belive in but damn this is like a avengeners, ok,)

But Sonic as King Arthur makes sense when it’s revealed. Although he wasn’t anyone’s counterpart in Secret Rings (because secrets rings was confused as hell) He is in this game, and as the ring leader of everyone following him in SATBK, it makes sense. 

Although something that was never brought up...EVER is the Knight’s backstories, which are EXTREMELY important not only in Arthurian legends, but for the knights in Sonic lore. All of the knight’s mentioned backstories are important to their character, in both contexts. Although their never brought up.

*DEEP BREATH* Alright. The similarities between Sonic Character/Knight backstories.

Shadow and Lancelot have pretty simmilar backstories when getting down to it. Shadow/Lancelot were both raised for greatness, but still outshined by Sonic/Arthur. Although remaining loyal to them, even if for Shadow it’s only in times of need. Shadow doesn’t want to admit he’s a supporting role to Sonic, although Sonic generations kinda throws that Idea out of the water when Shadow cheers Sonic on while watching from the sidelines, much like early Lancelot.

For Blaze and Percival, in multiple interpretations Percival is of noble birth. Upon meeting Sonic’s Gang/The Knights, Blaze/Percival get’s inspired by their heroics and eventually joins them.

“Lancelot and Percival prove morally superior to Gawain who follows the rules of courtliness to the letter rather than the spirit.“ Is an actual quote from Wikipedia. Although it is VERY hard to find a concrete backstory for Gawain other than “separated from his home”, I think this proves enough. As well as the Gawain and the Green Knight story (in which Gawain tries to slay the green knight and then he picks up his head and says “see you in a year” is pretty representative of Knuckles constantly breaking the master emerald in a comedic light.) 

Lamorak/Jet are known for challenging Arthur/Sonic to competitions. 

Galahad/Silver are searching for an object/person aided by Percival/Blaze

So now that we’re all good, do you see the similarities between part one.

Although everyone else has given backstory similarities, Sonic is given none, seeming as, as far as we know, Sonic HAS no backstory.

But isn’t it interesting that King Arthur’s backstory is being lost royalty? And the secret son of the king? Wack.

3. Sonic Fucking Underground

Now, most of you are probably unfamiliar with Sonic Underground. Good.

If you’re not, you watched it as a kid and you’re nostalgic, and let me tell you I watched the entire show recently and it’s not as good as you remember.

But Sonic Underground’s quality and history could be a post on it’s own, it doesn’t matter here. What matters is the plot:

[From Sonic Wiki: Sonic, Sonia, and Manic are the children of Queen Aleena, the rightful ruler of Mobius and are pursued relentlessly by Doctor Robotnik and his bumbling bounty hunters sidekicks, Sleet and Dingo. As infants, the siblings were separated and placed in hiding to fulfill a prophecy made by the Oracle of Delphius (a spoof of the Oracle of Delphi of Ancient Greece) that the triplets would grow up to find their estranged mother, overthrow Robotnik and take their places once more as Mobius' rightful rulers.]

FORGOTTEN ROYALTY YOU SAY.

Now, Sonic Underground is VERY SEPARATED from Sonic Lore, and nothing has ever taken from it besides Manic appearing in some comics, although from what I know he’s never mentioned to be Sonic’s brother. So This is the part I always take with a grain of salt, however;

4. In conclusion/TLDR

We have Two Instances of Sonic being lost Royalty (One in a separate reality and one in a separate continuity) We have Two Instances of Dimentional Counterparts of Sonic being Royalty (Blaze and King Arthur) We have zero given backstory for Sonic We have Three instances of Sonic, or a counterpart, being royalty

And from what I remember hearing, three’s a pattern.

[sarahjtv]

BNHA Chapter 310 Spoiler Thoughts: “The First and Second Holders”

Some fan translations are out and it’s time to flex some thoughts out again!  I couldn’t do them last night because I didn’t have all the scan images with me and I didn’t want to jump the gun with only text descriptions.  Anyway, this was mainly an exposition chapter that properly introduces us to the second and third OFA Holders, especially the 2nd and what his relationship to the 1st is.  This might not be as long as others “Spoiler Thoughts” I’ve written, but let’s see:

First off, we have a colored cover page by Horikoshi-sensei himself!  It’s a solo page featuring Vigilante Deku and he looks badass!  Deku looks ready to kick ass and take names.  And, his Mid-Gauntlet is colored red like a lot of us thought and it adds to the theory that Melissa Shield did create it like she did with Deku’s Full-Gauntlet back in Two Heroes.

The chapter starts in a dark and rainy night.  A large woman (she’s like maybe 10ft tall; she’s taller than All Might who I think is 7ft) with a mutant-type quirk who’s getting attacked by some civilians because they think she’s a villain.  Deku jumps in to stop the attacks and the woman explains that she was just trying to go to one of the evacuation centers at a hero school.  Deku is kind enough to give her her umbrella back and reassure her that things will be ok.  

I gotta say that this whole situation is scarily close to real life right now.  I don’t like getting too political, but we live in a scary world where discrimination is, unfortunately, alive and well...  If you are a POC, you can be attacked from anywhere with the only reason being that “you’re a danger because of the skin you were born with”. It’s horrific, it’s disgusting, and it’s been around for a long time.  Even in the BNHA universe, there used to be cults solely dedicated to discriminating against mutant-type people (we learned this back in the My Villain Academia Arc).  So, like in the real world, this problem has risen again.  Thankfully, there are people like Deku and All Might who are more than willing to help someone in need regardless of who they are.  BNHA hits too close to home sometimes.  

Anyway, going back to the BNHA story.  Before All Might leaves to help the woman in his Batmobile, he hands Deku some Pork Katsu in a cute bento box wrapped in a bunny cloth!  Deku is visibly happy and thanks All Might for the meal.  This is so cute!  I’m so glad to see that All Might is making sure that Deku is being properly taken care of.  Boy needs to eat if he’s going to save the world.  I’m also glad that Deku can still show signs of happiness despite, well, everything.  I swear, if All Might doesn’t legally adopt Deku as his son by the time this series is over, I’m going to jump into this manga and force him to sign those documents myself. 

The next panel shows Deku standing on what looks like Tokyo’s famous Sky Tree (or Sky Egg if we’re going off what Vigilantes showed us).  He’s back to talking to the OFA Holders like they’re angels on his shoulders.  Banjo talks about how it’s like the world’s reverted back in time when things were worse and Deku responds that if he doesn’t use all of OFA’s power, he’ll never be able to defeat Shigaraki and AFO.  I know we’re in the final act, so Deku’s gotta get to 100% fast if he wants to win this war.  Last we checked, he was at 45%, but he might be at a higher percentage now since he’s unlocked En’s Smokescreen.  Also, Deku’s looking more and more like Batman each chapter and I gotta say that it really suits him.

Back to the Vestige Dream back when Deku was still in a coma after the war.  The 1st Holder begs the 2nd and 3rd to corporate with him so that they can provide their power to Deku.  The 1st calls the 2nd and 3rd “My Heroes” which causes some awkward silence lol.  Neither one is responding, so Banjo breaks the silence by suggesting that Deku learn everyone’s Quirks so that he’ll get used to them once he starts using them.  We learn why the 2nd and 3rd are the 1st’s heroes soon, but it’s actually a good idea for Deku to learn about all these different Quirks while he’s sleeping so that he’ll get a good idea on how to execute them when he wakes up.  It’s kind of a way of training for Deku just without actually using the Quirks themselves.  

The 3rd Holder (the one with the spiky ponytail and headband) starts to talk.  He says that the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd came from the “Harshest era of history”.  It was a time where AFO ruled all and peaked in power and control.  He was going to take over the whole world if the first 3 Holders didn’t step in to stop him.  My guess is that after AFO was defeated for the first time, society started to calm down and become more or less the world we knew before the War Arc.  So, things weren’t as bad during the 4th Holder’s era and so forth.  This would explain why Shinomori was able to hide in the forest for so long without being detected.  

And now the big part of the chapter: the 2nd Holder.  Who does in fact look A LOT like Bakugo.  Big difference is that he has a massive scar across his face.  I am aware of the whole “time travel” theory that people have going on with Bakugo and this dude, but I’m not on that train.  Instead, I think that the 2nd Holder is one of Bakugo’s ancestors.  Like, a really, really-great-grandfather.  Horikoshi doesn’t just design his characters for no reason.  The fact that the 2nd user looks so much like Bakugo, has a costume similar to Bakugo’s, and that future panels in this chapter straight up parallel that iconic scene with young Bakugo and Deku in the river only add fuel to this fire.  Unless Horikoshi says otherwise, this is the theory I’m sticking to: this “Ancestor” theory.

And we know of the 1st user’s real name now too, which is Yoichi!  If Horikoshi is keeping up with the “numbers in names” theme, then I’m positive that Yochi has the kanji for “One” somewhere in it.  And, if we’re going to believe AFO at all, then that means that the 1st user’s full name is Yoichi Shigaraki.  We don’t know AFO’s full name yet.  But, again, AFO could be lying with his last name, so I’m taking this one with a grain of salt.

Back to the 2nd Holder, he tells Yoichi that a lot of lives were sacrificed in order to stop AFO back then.  He believes that there is only victory or defeat in battle; that there’s no hope of saving their archenemy.  He has doubt about putting his faith in Deku because of this.  Given how the 3rd Holder still has his back turned too, I’m lead to believe that he also thinks Deku is crazy for wanting to save Shigaraki.  I don’t exactly blame them.  Really, none of us know if Deku will be successful in saving Shigaraki.  He might have to kill him in the end.  I think they should offer Deku help, but I don’t blame them for being at least a little skeptical.  

But, Yoichi reminds the 2nd and 3rd users that they saved Yoichi back when AFO locked him up to die.  They found Yoichi with the intention to kill him it seems, but the 2nd Holder showed sympathy for Yoichi and lent him a helping hand despite Yoichi being AFO’s little brother.  This is the parallel panel I was talking about.  Yoichi is kneeling down on the floor and the 2nd user is standing up extending his hand to help Yoichi.  I don’t even need to look back in the manga to know what inspired this.  Hell, I don’t even need to tell you!  We all know what Horikoshi was doing when he drew and wrote this.

Yoichi convinces him that he should believe in Deku as Yoichi does think Deku will save the day.  If the 2nd user didn’t extend his hand to help Yoichi, OFA wouldn’t have begun.  I think that the trust between these two is ultimately the reason why the 2nd user finally agreed to help Deku; the same with the 3rd user too.  And, kind of a tangent, but I really like how Horikoshi draws Yoichi and the 2nd user’s hands as they’re reaching for each other.  Horikoshi has always been really good with drawing hands like they’re facial expressions (something my ass could never do 😭) and this one shows kindness and empathy.  It’s almost like what would’ve happened if Bakugo accepted Deku’s hand for help when they were young instead of letting his pride and ego get in the way.  Oh, the parallels! 

Finally, the 2nd user speaks in present day telling Deku that they’re going full speed ahead now.  My guess is that Deku’s going to have to improve on OFA and the rest of his Quirks quickly in order to find and beat the LoV.  We are in the Final Act after all.  The chapter ends at a good place if we want to switch to the UA kids, which is honestly what I’m hoping for.  Again, I love Deku and his Vigilante adventures, but I miss the rest of the kids.  The new BNHA Exhibition in Japan apparently has a giant drawing of the main class, All Might, Aizawa, and Shinso in his new hero costume!  Which tells me that 1. Shinso probably took Deku’s place in the class for the time being, and 2. We’re definitely going to see the other kids again.  I’m hoping soon.  But, I wouldn’t be surprised if Horikoshi decided to continue focusing on Deku’s Vigilanteism and have him practice with he 2nd and 3rd Holder’s Quirks now that they’re working with him.  We’ll just have to see.

So, that’s it!  Solid chapter overall.  I’m glad we finally got to see the 3rd and 2nd Holder’s faces.  I think the “Kirishima is the 3rd Holder” theroy has been debunked at this point, but I’m still on the “2nd Holder is Bakugo’s ancestor” train.  The similarities and parallels are too strong for me to deny it.  Horikoshi-sensei, please confirm or deny soon 🙏.  We are getting break next week for Golden Week BTW!  All of Shonen Jump is actually, so no One Piece or JJK either (I’m not sure about Jump+, so we might still be getting some Spy X Family for example).  So, basically all our favorite mangakas are getting a well-deserved break as they should!  I hope they enjoy their vacation!  Waiting’s going to suck tho, I’m ngl about that...  Oh well, I’m willing to take the sacrifice if it means having healthy mangka.  Thankfully, we still have the anime and the new exhibition to tide us over until then.

Edit: OR NOT SINCE THE EXHIBITION IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED BECAUSE OF A CERTAIN PANDEMIC GOING NUTS IN JAPAN AFTER ONLY BEING OPEN FOR 2 DAYS 😭 

Edit: I went back to re-read the chapter and I completely missed the date for the next chapter (chapter 311) which is set to release on May 9th!  So, we’re actually getting a 2 week break instead.  Damn...  Sucks for us, but it’s good for mangaka to get breaks when they can especially considering their absolutely insane schedule.

Me reading this chapter:

[theoreticalli]

tma and unreliable narration

you know in thinking so much about melanie and jon and helen and jon (and to an extent georgie and basira and martin too) I just keep coming back to how good an example of unreliable narration tma is (spoilers thru 160 and for 187, as well as a link to a post abt the finale).

because jon is our pov character, right? for the vast majority of the series, outside of statements, everything we experience is implied to be through his perspective. we start out with him and him alone, we return to him again and again-- alone in the tunnels, alone in America, alone after the Unknowing, alone as the apocalypse swirls around him. we let him entrust us, an unseen confidante, with things he won’t tell anyone else. we are intimately familiar with his experiences and his personality, and we see every little moment of development he goes through. we spend so much time with him.

but jon... is wrong sometimes. like, objectively, we know that. his paranoia spiral in s2 is the first major indicator that this character, who is functionally our narrator, is not objective. he makes decisions based on prior experiences and the information he has and assumptions from both, like we all do. it’s just good character building! it makes him feel more real if he’s wrong sometimes, if he has flaws and blind spots!

and sometimes he is wrong. the most signposted and indisputable moment is the web table, when he just straight-up puts the clues together and comes to the wrong conclusion, or when he spends a whole season being suspicious of tim and martin (and elias) when not!sasha’s right there. basically, He Is Not Immune To Propaganda

so that’s our sign that this is not the kind of character who is always or even usually Objectively right or in the right. he’s not frequently outright wrong, either, but his view of things is always limited, and the other characters are carefully placed to be foils to his perspective, to highlight things he isn’t thinking about or illustrate contrasts or just other opinions. again, It’s Good Character Building! it’s smart writing to have all your characters exist first and foremost as bundles of principles and priorities informed by certain key backstory events, because then you can rely on that to figure out how they’ll react to any given situation, and personalities and quirks tend to fall into place from there. my brain is not moving on the frequency to illustrate exactly what all these foils are right now but I’m sure there’s other posts about that so moving on

most of jon’s conflicts with his allies are not because either of them are wrong, but because they each have distinct and conflicting perspectives. and there’s some posts I see that just... frustrate me because they only take into consideration the context for jon’s actions, and don’t extend the same analysis to any other characters involved. there’s no thought put into why georgie might feel the need to draw the boundaries she does, why melanie goes off on jon at the specific times she does, or god forbid when either of them try to reconcile with him at various points. jon is sympathetic to us as the audience in his shoes, but the actions he takes don’t always have positive effects on those around him in the same way that other people severely hurt him without really meaning to. really, my first reaction to posts like these is always to want to just point out 5 different moments of context that show that most of jon’s allies are never being malicious to him because they’re bad people, or heartless. they have their reasons, and are not being cruel for cruelty’s sake like many of the avatars. they aren’t required to agree with him to still be taken in good faith.

(I have a post about this wrt the end of s5 that I’ll link here to make this stay mostly spoiler free so feel free to go read that but anyways)

and there’s also the things jon directly says about other characters, which again, should not always be taken at face value! and this bit is partly a personal grievance with the way helen’s arc ended, so ymmv, but I think that leaving the exact nature of the distortion (esp how it meshes with its host of sorts) more vague is much more effective in terms of her function in the story. so to my interpretation, even though jon says a lot of things about what the distortion is, that doesn’t necessarily mean any of them are entirely accurate! that’s a point helen made repeatedly, and her role as a foil is to make it clear that the truth is never one thing, no matter how the eye likes to pretend it can find objective reality. she wiggles her way out of the liar’s paradox because reality is complicated, and there are many statements that lie in that grey area between true and false while still sounding very sure. so even though jon states a lot of things in a very certain tone, that doesn’t mean any of them reflect the nature of the distortion any more than anything helen said before. it’s just one more piece of information to put together with everything we’ve seen about the character’s words and actions up to that point and come to our own conclusion!

to me, that’s a much more fun and interesting way of engaging with this story than only looking at things through jon’s pov and taking the things he says without a grain of salt, and I think jonny’s done a really good job of having a lot of characters with specific traits and clear histories that pretty consistently inform how they engage with any given situation. of course, there’s a lot of characters and a lot of extrapolations one can make, especially for more minor or intentionally mysterious characters, so there’s no one right way of understanding a given person. but it’s fun to mess around with, to discover new bits that you’d forgotten about that inform your interpretations, to fill in the gaps.

that’s all no I will not shut up about melanie king if you read this far thank you so much you have my affection and pls reblog w your thoughts!! xoxo