#the ability to grieve as a whole | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lavenrain · 7 months ago

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I think it was due to subpar explanation, but I believe Ymir went through with the rumbling because of her abuse from the King. She didn't have a vendetta against humanity in the way Eren does. But Eren is able to understand her feelings. He's had experience saving a girl kidnapped by other and made to feel like her life is over (Mikasa). But for Mikasa, he gave her a scarf for warmth. For Ymir, he gave her a few things she'd been lacking and yearning for 2000 years: an outlet for her anger, a way to express the way she's felt for a long, long time. Which was unafforded to her originally by King Fritz.

Like my guess before that god awful last chapter was that she hated humanity for all she was put through, then last chapter was out and all we got was she was in love with the King!!!1

It's not as though her love for King Fritz was something to be celebrated and she knew that.

She also had three daughters to worry about, and at the time we don't know what would've happened to them post Fritz's death and Ymir clearly wasn't in the position to be a leader of anything and she knew that.

So Mikasa could kill Eren and she could have her little moment of voyeurism that somehow set her free???

If you think about it, there's a lot of regret to be had by all the characters, but for Ymir who can see the past, present and future of all Eldians, seeing her past through that lens is pretty brutal. She was there when the man she loved made her own children devour her body; she heard their suffering and was forced to rebuild them time and time again. That's not the kind of a life she wanted. If up to her she would've died the day she fell in the water.

The above panel with her daughters didn't happen, because of the grain it's implied that this is a past she longed for but will never have. The fact that Mikasa was able to overcome her love for Eren, someone who, even if he loved her sought to exploit her for someone else made Ymir realize that she too can be free of her love.

There's also this real good explanation about the connection between Ymir, Eren and Mikasa!

A lot of things don't make sense about the ending but lately I've been thinking.... What were Ymir's motivations to start the rumbling? We know Eren's, technically, which changed based on Isayama's mood but we never get Ymir's, do we? Like some people years ago used to say Eren manipulated Ymir to start the rumbling!1 But all he did was tell her "do whatever the fuck you want".

And she did! But why the fuck would she wanna destroy the world? Like my guess before that god awful last chapter was that she hated humanity for all she was put through, then last chapter was out and all we got was she was in love with the King!!!1 LIKE ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. HOW DOES THAT EXPLAIN ANYTHING. HOW.

WHAT ARE THIS BITCH'S MOTIVATIONS. So Mikasa could kill Eren and she could have her little moment of voyeurism that somehow set her free??? IT MAKES NO SENSE. And don't get me started on that only Ymir knows Isayama I will eat your fucking pancreas.

#snk meta #ymir #ymir has been grieving her whole life! but she loves humanity #humanity is what gave her three daughters and the ability to love them with all her heart #it's ymir's inability to move past her ridiculously complicated abusive relationship that had her stuck for 2000 years #and we can't fault her for that

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sapphiresaphics · 20 days ago

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The biggest misunderstanding about Caitlyn from fans actually comes from season 1, not 2. Fans see Caitlyn break Vi out of prison and talk to Ekko about empathy and think that she’s learning and growing as a character and then when season 2 hits they think all that growth was somehow “abandoned” or “reversed.”

But that’s not true.

Caitlyn has ALWAYS been a spoiled little rich girl who came from a family of rich people who are so used to how much power they have in the city that they don’t regard ANYONE’S feelings or respect ANY rules. Both Marcus and Salow spell this out to us.

Marcus: “She’s a Kiramman! Just like them she does what she wants! I can’t control her!”

Salow: “It’s the name! It bewitches people.”

Time skip Caitlyn is introduced investigating the botched Jinx job at the shipping docks. She is not an official detective and Marcus makes it clear she isn’t supposed to be there. She’s supposed to be guarding her family’s pavilion, but she ignored both her mother’s AND the sheriff’s wishes to investigate a crime because she’s bored.

She breaks Vi out of prison AFTER she’s been effectively laid-off by Marcus, using her connections to Jayce to forge her release papers. Reminder: at this point in the story she is technically not a cop anymore. She’s doing all this stuff with noble intentions of trying to uncover Silco and bring Jinx to justice… but what she’s doing is technically illegal. And the only reason she’s able to get away with it is because she’s a spoiled rich BRAT.

Her privilege shields her from repercussions in season 1, just as they do in season 2.

The difference is that she’s now been traumatized by Jinx. Her bodily autonomy was violated by Jinx kidnapping her when she was literally naked in the shower, she was most likely tortured by Jinx, was tied up and painted on, threatened to be executed at gun point by Jinx, and then to top it all off Jinx murders her mother in a terrorist attack.

And Caitlyn tries to hold it all in. She tries to confide with Vi, she tries to let her hatred go… but both times she is denied her the ability to grieve properly. First by her privilege and not understanding that asking Vi to become an Enforcer would be rejected. And then by Ambessa by funding the attack on the memorial service.

She has no parental figure to guide her, her rage and hatred for Jinx is boiling over… so she resorts to what she always does and what she did back in season 1. She just does what she wants to get her way. She convinces Jayce to develop hextech weapons, she assumes the role of leader for house Kiramman, and she uses her unique position in power to bend systems her family put in place to protect Zaun against them.

Caitlyn in season 2 is very much the same Caitlyn we’ve always known from season 1. The difference is that in season 1 we were rooting for her because we like Vi. She exhausted the same disrespect for authority and people back then but they were in service of things we, the audience, liked. So we gave her a pass. We excused her rule breaking. We ignored her unique brand of privilege because we liked what her privilege could unlock for us.

Season 2 slams that door shut and tells us “no, actually, you weren’t supposed to like this because nobody in power is innocent.”

But rather than learn more about Caitlyn and understand her character better… people are dismiss this all as “bad writing” or “character assassination.”

And what’s more frustrating is the whole “dictator arc.” Because frankly I would argue that by that point Caitlyn HAS learned her lesson about privilege and power, but it’s too late to stop things now. Just as Jayce going vigilante in season 1 was the start of a cataclysmic event, Caitlyn gassing Zaun to look for Jinx results in Caitlyn losing everyone she trusts and respects. Broken up with Vi and alone, she is suddenly granted even MORE power than she’s ever had by Ambessa. And you can see it affect her. In that moment she realizes that Ambessa is the one who spearheaded the attack on the memorial. After seeing what happened between her and Vi, she realizes that by taking this role she will be responsible for even greater atrocities.

She has 2 choices. Let it all go, or use the position of power to her advantage. And just like before in season 1… she chooses the later. Her goal may still be to get Jinx, but she does NOT want to be a part of Ambessa’s dictatorship. This is why she’s so reluctant to join even with all the peer pressure. This is why she’s so slow and hesitant to walk forward. And she only accepts the cape she is crowned with once Ambessa says “your mother will have justice.”

What’s most important about this scene is that SHE KNOWS Ambessa is using her. That’s why when we see her in Act 2 she’s already trying to counter Ambessa’s plans. That’s why she’s constantly challenging Ambessa with “why is peace always the excuse for violence?” That’s why when Ambessa says “you don’t trust me?” Caitlyn responds with a resounding “no.” And that’s why when Vi drops back into her life she realizes she has an opportunity to correct her mistakes. She doesn’t switch on a dime because Vi fluttered her eyes and called her “cupcake.” She switches because she was already looking for an out. And this is why when Vi confronts her in Act 3 she screams “I KNOW.”

Caitlyn’s arc is that of someone who always had privilege and power coming to realize too late how dangerous and harmful that power is. By the time she learns her lesson she’s already entrenched with Ambessa and stuck in this hateful miasma for Jinx. Season 1 was setup for what was going to follow with how her character was going to learn and atone for her mistakes.

And what’s so god damn frustrating about all the discourse around Caitlyn is how reductive and dismissive it all is. So much of the discourse completely ignores the actions she takes to fix things in favor of trumping up the actions she took to get there. All of her transgressions in season 1 are ignored and her own internalized growth is reduced to a joke about Vi calling her cupcake. It’s MADDENING.

#arcane #arcane season 2 #arcane spoilers #caitlyn kiramman #caitvi #vi arcane #violyn #arcane s2 #vi #caitlyn league of legends #film criticism #arcane analysis #arcane character analysis

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helenofsparta2 · 2 months ago

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Having the whole plot between Nico and Percy be resolved simply with “You’re not my type” in Blood of Olympus was such a huge disservice to both characters

They are pivotal parts to each others journey. No person in PJO influenced Nico as much as Percy did, aside from Bianca, and no person represents Percy’s guilt and the responsibility he had to shoulder more than Nico does. The writing for both characters really suffers through this lack of a real satisfying resolution.

First to talk about what Percy represents for Nico:

Percy, first of all, represents Nico’s introduction to the mythological world

He is the first demigod Nico ever came in contact with

He saved him and Bianca from the manticore (somewhat)

Nico stated in Blood of Olympus than Percy had reminded of the heroes of his mythomagic game come to life

Nico wholeheartedly believed that Bianca would be safe, if Percy was with her and created this image of the perfect hero in his mind, putting Percy on a pedestal

In Nico’s mind Percy is irrevocably intertwined with Bianca and everything that happened to her

Despite Nico naively believing, that Bianca would be safe if Percy were around, he was instead the last person to ever talk to her, and present when she died

Percy informed Nico of her death (Dead silence. I stared at Chiron. I couldn’t believe nobody had told him yet. Then I realized why. They’d been waiting for us to appear, to tell Nico in person, Titan’s curse)

Nico turned him into the scapegoat for her death, so that he could let all his grief and anger and bitterness out on him

Bianca sent Iris-messages to Percy, so that he would find and help Nico (“Percy has been worried about you, Nico. He can help. I let him see what you were up to, hoping he would find you.”, Battle of the Labyrinth)

Her ghost only appeared to Nico when Percy was with him

Percy is the only person Nico knows of, who also grieved for Bianca (“Bianca,” I said. My voice was thick. I’d felt guilty about her death for a long time but seeing her in front of me was five times as bad, like her death was fresh and new. I remembered searching through the wreckage of the giant bronze warrior she’d sacrificed her life to defeat, and not finding any sign of her. “I’m so sorry,” I said. Battle of the Labyrinth)

Percy is the person who protected and cared for Nico more than anyone else in pjo

Tried to convince Bianca to think more deeply about her decision of joining the hunters, especially thinking of him (“Biance, this is crazy,” I said. “What about your brother? Nico can’t be a hunter.” (Titan’s curse)

Searched the woods in the dark for hours after he had disappeared (Annabeth and Grover helped me search the woods for hours, but there was no sign of Nico di Angelo.)

Didn’t tell Chiron about Nico’s parentage to protect him from the Gods. (I don't think Nico understands who he is. But we can't go telling anyone. Not even Chiron. If the Olympians find out—") Titan’s curse)

Decided to completely commit to the prophecy, solely so Nico didn’t have to bear that burden and go trough any more suffering(It was the last thing I wanted, but I didn't say that. I knew I had to step up and claim it. "I can't let Nico be in any more danger," I said. "I owe that much to his sister. I… let them both down. I'm not going to let that poor kid suffer any more." ) Titan’s curse)

Searched for Nico in the months after Titan’s Curse (Now, six months later, I hadn’t even come close to finding him. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. Battle of the labyrinth, chapter 3))

Saved his life on Geryon’s farm. (“Either way, you get my friends,” I said. “But, if I succeed, you’ve got to let all of us go, including Nico.”)

Always offered Nico a place at camp half-blood to the best of his abilities (“We missed you at dinner,” I said. “You could’ve sat with me.”“No.”“Nico, you can’t miss every meal. If you don’t want to stay with Hermes, maybe they can make an exception and put you in the big house. They’ve got plenty of room.”, Battle of the Labyrinth)

Invited him to join him on his birthday (“Is that… is that blue birthday cake?”He sounded hungry, maybe a little wistful. I wondered if the poor kid had ever had a birthday party, or if he’d ever been invited to one. “Come inside for cake and ice cream,” I said. “It sounds like we’ve got a lot to talk about.”, Battle of the Labyrinth)

Reminded him that he was still a child (I smiled. “Maybe it’s okay to still be a kid once in a while.” I tossed him the statue, Battle of the Labyrinth)

Helped him to get the sword of hades back to impress his father (Then I looked at Nico. Unfortunately, I recognised the expression on his face. I knew what it was like wanting to make your dad proud, even if your dad was hard to love., Sword of hades)

Acknowledged everything Nico did in The last Olympian and is one of the main reasons why Hades has a cabin at camp. ( “But your children should not be left out. They should have a cabin at camp. Nico has proven that.”)

Percy was Nico’s first, and after Will, his biggest love

Nico had feelings for Percy, which didn’t leave him for around 2 1/2 years, and accompanied him throughout the most challenging parts of his life.

Feelings, which were so deep, the god of love personally acknowledged them.

Favonius even called Percy, the person Nico cares about most in House of Hades.

This was more than just a mere crush

Percy is so completely intertwined with most aspects of Nico’s character arc, in both PJO and Hoo, be it his feeling of ostracism, his relationship to Bianca or him coming to term with his own sexuality, that them not having a final interaction, makes his writing feel shallow and unfinished. Especially Nico coming to terms with his crush on Percy opens up the opportunity for a really heartwarming conversation and a moment of character growth and maturity for both of them, instead of it being wasted on one throw-away line.

And it’s the same the other way around. Nico is also a huge part of Percy’s journey.

He especially represents Percy’s biggest failure.

The first five Percy Jackson books are characterized by Percy having to take up responsibility and him being afraid of not being able to fulfill them. Be it responsibility for camp, the world, Bianca’s death, the prophecy, his friends, teh unclaimed demigods, or everything else. Most of the time, Percy was able to make sure everything turned out fine. He saved camp, he saved Olympus, he finished his quests, made the right decision for the prophecy, and he made the gods swear upon teh styx. But there’s one exception. And that is Nico.

Percy did everything in his power to make sure Nico would be spared any more hardships. He took up the burden of the prophecy, explicitly, so that Nico doesn’t have to go through any more hardships

He searched for him after Titan’s curse, kept his identity a secret and even risked himself, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson dying if it meant saving Nico

Still, Nico is one of the characters, if not the character, who has suffered the most in PJO and Hoo, even partly because of Percy (though, of course, Nico having a crush on him was not Percy’s fault at all)

He lived alone at 11 years old on the streets and in the labyrinth, while getting manipulated by an ancient evil spirit

He was isolated and ostracized at camp half-blood

He experienced the horrors of Tartarus completely on his own

He got captured by the giants and slowly suffocated to death in a small jar

He had to deal with internalized homophobia and his complicated feelings regarding Percy

He has been a vital part of two wars at only 15 years old

Had to admit his crush involuntarily in front of Jason, etc.

One of the things Percy battles with in Heroes of Olympus is this overwhelming sense of guilt. He blames himself for almost everything that went wrong over the last few years. Be it for Iapetus, Calypso, or especially Nico. Having Percy acknowledge this complicated relationship he has with him during House of Hades, but not allowing the two of them to talk it out is genuinely baffling to me, and one of the (albeit many) reasons why I really don’t like most of Percy’s writing during Heroes of Olympus, despite the fact that he is my favourite character by far. This could have led to a moment of character growth, where Nico helps Percy to aknowledge that he feels guilty for things he had little to no control over, while Nico himself realizes how important he actually is to Percy.

They are also so similar in terms of who they are and what they’ve been through, that even if you ignore their history with each other, it seems insane, that they didn’t interact in any meaningful way:

Both were ostracized at camp half-blood because of their parentage, and so far are the only two half-bloods we know of with that experience

They are (together with Hazel) the most powerful demigods in the Riordan verse, and have feats which far surpass anyone else’s

Both are in some way afraid of their powers

Both went through Tartarus

Both have relatively similar relationships to their godly parents

Both have gone through immense trauma and loss

And if you read heroes of Olympus, it actually very much seems to build towards a final resolution of their relationship

Percy and Nico were, aside from Frank, the two people closest to Hazel; both saw her as a little sister, and Hazel treated them both like her brothers

Nico was the first person Percy met from his old life

Percy was the one, who received the visions of Nico being captured

From everyone present, Percy trusted Nico to lead the others to Greece in his moment of greatest desperation

They both had introspections about the other in house of Hades, Nico having to deal with his crush and Percy with his guilt in Tartarus

But, in the end, after they met again, nothing happened. The only scene we really got was the “You’re not my type” line and Percy being surprised by it for a couple seconds. That’s it.

We saw no meaningful conversation between the two of them, no acknowledgement of what they’ve been through together, no lasting feelings. Nothing.

In regards to their relationship, Percy acknowledging everything that Nico has been through led to nothing. Nico acknowledging his feelings for Percy and finally letting go of this pedestal he had placed him on led to nothing. You could argue that their entire relationship, which has been built up since Titan’s curse led to nothing. And considering that they are so important characters for each of their character arcs, their characterization very much suffers from this writing decision.

The two of them, together with Hazel, are my three favourite Riordan verse characters by a long shot, but some very important aspects of both of their characters fall so flat to me through this lack of a satisfying resolution.

Both of them deserved so much better.

They are the friendship with the most missed potential in the entirety of the Riordan verse and probably the most fleshed out and nuanced relationship Rick ever wrote.

R.I.P. Nico di Angelo, and Percy Jackson, you will always be brothers in my mind.

#rant is over #I could talk essays about their relationship i fear #thank god ao3 exists #percy jackson #heroes of olympus #rick riordan #pjo hoo #percy jackon and the olympians #rr crit #hoo crit #nico di angelo #house fo hades #blood of olympus #the brother who never were #my roman empire

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xetlynn · 4 months ago

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Twilight Imagines- Benjamin

First Sight

[Masterlist]

Requested by: @twilightlover2007

Summary: in where the Cullens are getting multiple covens together to help them convince the Volturi that Renesmee is not a danger Benjamin spots [Name] and is immediately enamored by her. Even with her two year old daughter. Also finding out they have similar abilities.

I sit in the living room with Bella and Edward as we watch Renesmee play with Athaliah. I cross my arms, holding myself. "How do you feel?" Edward asks me suddenly and I turn to him. "Read my mind." I roll my eyes, he scoffs out a laugh. "I'm asking so you can let it out."

He responds, I look back to the girls. "Yeah, we haven't talked much since you found out about her." Bella chimes into the conversation. I frown for a second.

"It's a weird situation, I don't really know how I feel." I tell them in all honesty. One second Renesmee was a newborn and seconds later she was months old and now she's physically 4 years old.

"I just wish we didn't have to deal with the Volturi. Once again." I hold my head in my hands. Last time we dealt with them was when I turned into a vampire, Athatliah was only 16 months old. They were worried that I would turn Athaliah.

We had to convince them I wouldn't go near her until I had control over my thirst and she wouldn't know anything about us until she was the age of turning or if anything I would fake my death and she'd never see us again. It's something I don't even want to consider. It's something I have 16 years until I have to truly think about. The Volturi believed us when Aro looked into Edward's mind along with mine. Also with the fact that my ability was strong, I would put up a fight. They didn't need any of their men dead.

"I wish that woman just talked to us before running straight to the Volturi. She's also going to get killed." I lift my head back up. Renesmee takes Athaliah over to us and they both smile. I pick up my daughter, placing her on my lap. Edward doing the same with his daughter.

"All right, lovely, it's time for a nap." I stand up. "I'll meet you guys outside." I tell my two best friends before walking upstairs. They have a crib that was originally for Renesmee in Edward's old room. I place Athaliah down. I could tell she was tired so when she started crying I knew it was only for a few minutes.

The first year of her life I cried almost every time she cried. I couldn't handle it. My mom was a huge help since Athaliah's dad left in the beginning of my pregnancy. His parents moved to a whole different state so he didn't have to be a father to our baby. I grieved the relationship in the beginning. I don't really care anymore.

Bella was the only friend I've had ever since giving birth. Other people judged right away. Not Bella. She sometimes would babysit for me if I had to work and no daycare. My mom would pay her as well. Edward then started to help with her. Then he bonded with Athaliah as well. They both became an aunt and uncle to my daughter. I am forever grateful for them.

When her cries stop I snap out of my thoughts. Quietly slipping out of the room. I go downstairs and join everyone outside. Bella and Edward showing the new vampires renesmee's gift. I look off into the distance to see Carlisle and Esme coming our way with three new people. They're from the Egyptian Coven, they drink human blood. I lock eyes with the younger looking man. His eyes were a dark red. They felt entrancing. I couldn't look away. That was until Rosalie comes up to me.

"Could you help me with something?" She asks in a quiet tone, I furrow my eyebrows but nod my head. Following after her. Feeling eyes watch me the entire time. The blonde leads me back into the house where Zafrina, Kachiri, and Senna were standing in our way. "These ladies are from the Amazon coven. They wanted to meet you." Rosalie speaks softly, I place a hand on my chest, confused on why they would want to speak to me. "They've heard of your ability." Emmett tells me, I let out a little 'oh' standing straighter.

"Zafrina likes meeting people similar to her. Having incredible gifts." Kachiri informs me. "What's your gift?" I tilt my head, intrigued. The quiet woman smiles slightly, staring at me. Focusing on something and then suddenly I'm not in the house anymore. I'm back outside. But not our outside. A different place. A place I've never seen before. It was gorgeous.

Then I'm back in the house and I stare at her with wide eyes. "That... was amazing." I tell her, utterly in shock. She grins back to me. "We'd like to see your ability." Kachiri says, I make a face, turning to Rosalie and Emmett who nod their heads for me to do it. "We'd uh, we would have to go outside." I lead the way outside, in front of the porch. The three from the Amazon Coven stand on the porch with Rosalie, Emmett was standing in the door frame.

I smile to them as the cloud above us gets darker than earlier. Their expressions are confused until I bring my arms in the air and it starts raining. It was sprinkling at first then thunder struck. I felt the others crowd around me. I then make it storm. Everyone getting soaked. And then suddenly it stops as I stop focusing on the sky. I take a deep breath. The others begin to clap.

"That's just a tiny bit of what she can do." Emmett roars out, I nod my head sheepishly. "How did you find that out?" One of the Denali sisters ask me. "When I turned, the pain caused a storm. The wind was strong. The weather was insane that night. Later on when I wasn't paying attention and every time I had a huge emotion, a storm began every time. It's a lot easier to control now." I smile as I then make it begin to snow. Renesmee runs up to me with a huge smile. I pick her up so she can play with the snowflakes.

"This is a powerful ability... The Volturi would have no chance against us." Garrett laughs beside Kate who has a tiny smirk on her face. "You could deflect my electricity and make it more powerful." She tells me, lifting one of her hands to show me the electricity coming out of it.

Then everyone begins to talk to one another about it. I place Renesmee down, she holds my hand though instead of running off. I listen outside of the others to see if Athaliah has woken up but her breathing is still slowed. I can tell she's about to wake up. Her naps aren't very long lately.

A person walks up to me, startling me. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." It was the younger looking man from the Egyptian Coven. I wave a hand. "It's alright, I was trying to make sure my daughter was still sleeping." I sigh out, looking down to my niece who was staring up at the man.

"Your daughter?" He asks, looking around. "Her name's Athaliah." I tell him, we begin to walk inside the house, Renesmee sticking by my side because I think she knows we're going to see my girl. "Beautiful name." He compliments, I quietly thank him. His looks are entrancing I can barely focus on what is being said.

It goes silent between us until Renesmee speaks up in a small sweet tone. "He can make tornados, smaller than yours though." I smile down at her. "Really?"

I've only created a tornado once and right as it formed we made it disappear. That was before Renesmee was born though. Of course Emmett told her about it though. "Our gifts are incredibly similar." He tells me. Before he can say anything else though I hear my daughter begin to stir. Her tiny whines sounding out to down here. "Oh, I have to go, I'll be back." I step up the first couple of steps. He stands there, I can tell her wishes to say something though.

Renesmee was already running to the bedroom though. "What's your name?" I ask him.

"Benjamin." He says. I smile. "Beautiful name." I then head up the stairs.

Renesmee is playing with Athaliah through the bars of the crib. I smile, heading over to them and picking up my daughter. "Let's go play downstairs." Renesmee says, taking my hand once again and dragging me back down. Benjamin was still standing there just as he was before I left.

I was glad to be honest. I was hoping he waited for me. "This is Athaliah, Athaliah, meet Benjamin." I bounce her on my hip, pointing to the beautiful man. She tiredly looks to him.

Then suddenly doing grabby hands at him for him to take her. I furrow my eyebrows. It usually takes her a minute to get used to new people. He sticks his hand out, letting her grab onto it. It wasn't enough though she lunges her body forward so he could take her out of my arms. I laugh. "Sorry, you don't have to-"

"I don't mind as long as you don't." He puts his hands out and I shrug my shoulders, handing her over to him. Renesmee watches, a little bit annoyed until Edward comes in and tells her to go with him somewhere. I watch as my daughter puts his face into her hands. I then wondered if that was a good idea looking at his eyes which were red. Meaning he eats humans.

I bit my lip. He looks over to me and I think he can sense my worry. He gives me a short smile and places Athaliah down. She walks back to me, hugging my legs. She's still waking up.

Later in the night Bella and I were getting the girls to sleep. Athaliah sprawled out, her arm going over Renesmee's torso. She's holding onto her hand. I look up to see Bella looking at someone. I trace where. It was Benjamin who was sitting beside Jacob. He was staring at me though. "He seems enamored by you." She whispers, careful not to wake the kids. I snort out a laugh. "Yeah, okay. He wants a single mom." I joke, rolling my eyes.

"I mean the whole time he's been here he's been staring at you. He keeps trying to talk with you and he's brought you up to us every chance he gets. Asking about your ability." She informs me and I give her a look. "Yeah, he's interested in my ability. Not me." I sit up straight, crossing my legs.

"You're so oblivious, [Name]." She comments, sitting up as well. We eventually get up listening to Vladimir and Stefan talk about how they despise the Volturi and why. They were characters, that was for sure.

I sit down by the fire, a log was already there but no one else was there. They all went to different areas of the woods. I stared at the flames wondering how tomorrow was going to go. Someone sat beside me but neither of us spoke. I didn't even move my head to see.

"[Name]." The person speaks up after moments of silence. I hum out in response. "I uh I've never been left this speechless before. I don't know what to say around you." It was Benjamin, I smile to myself before turning to face him. "I'm boring, I apologize." I say, now just observing his features and I wonder what he was like as a human. If he was always this perfect.

"No, you're not at all. You make me nervous. It's a feeling I don't think I've ever experienced." His eyes lock with mine and I badly want to look away. But I can't. I'm stuck in place. "When did you turn?" I slightly change the subject. "1815." My eyes widen to his answer. He begins to laugh at my reaction. "Sorry, that was rude." I rub my hands together, finally looking away due to embarrassment.

"I expected it, when did you turn?"

"Last year."

"A newborn practically and you're that in control of your ability?" He seemed to be surprised.

"I couldn't control my ability completely until maybe six years after turning." He then ignites fire from his pointer finger. "You control the elements?" I ask in amazement. "And you control the weather." He states.

"Our abilities are incredibly similar." I laugh, excited. Watching the flames on his finger tip before he closes his fist and it goes away.

For hours we talk about our abilities, about his life before turning. I do the same. Telling him a bit about Athaliah. It never felt like a bad subject bringing her up like it usually does with men.

He actually asks about her and that's where I feel he doesn't want to be with me but to be friends.

"Your daughter truly has your looks." We both look to my sleeping daughter who is still sprawled out. I smile. "Thank you. She's my everything." I tell him.

"I can tell."

"I'm interested in getting to know you more." Benjamin says, this time he cautiously takes my hand into his. Making sure I was okay with it before gripping a little tighter. "What do you want to know?" I nervously ask.

"No, I mean courting you. You being mine, me being yours." He explains, I scrunch my nose before saying. "it might be forward, I know this. But you, seeing you, talking to you today. It only makes me want to be yours more."

"What about Athaliah, she comes with, we're a package deal. I'm a single mother. She's human, you eat off... humans." I take my hand back, now giving him a serious expression. It feels crazy but I feel the same way. I feel so strongly for him and I can't lose it but I also have to put my child first.

"I'll love her as my own. I'll eat animals for you both. I'll learn." He assures me, I pause for a moment.

"This feels crazy." I laugh out. "But I'll give it a try. I'm interested in getting to know you more." Even though we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow I don't care. I deserve to be happy even for a little bit.

——————

I almost deleted this whole thing after finishing it.

Heart was racing. Almost cried.

If you want to request anything lmk!

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winterrbluess · 5 months ago

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JJK spoilers

This chapter....THIS chapter has me sobbing a bucket like Yuji, he is so precious. His growth has astonished me so much. His introspection and the ability to step in other's shoes and sympathise with them (even Sukuna) is his greatest strength. His whole fight was to bring Megumi back, to save one person atleast and now not only he grew out of his cog mentality but is leaving the choice in Megumi's hands that it's fine if he wants to give up. For the first time someone tells Megumi it's fine to give up and not wanting to fight anymore or get stronger or fulfill any space or role. Yuji giving Megumi the agency to deal with his loss and trauma, to choose for himself...grieve and just end it all. It's so tragic yet beautiful with how Yuji is always there for Megumi and vice versa. And Megumi's monologue about wanting to enjoy the domesticity of life..God it's heartbreaking how he just wanted to...exist, to live like a 16 year old, safe and surrounded by his loved ones without the burden of being strongest in future on his shoulder.

This panel is so bittersweet...with it being directly parallel to Gojo one but with such stark contrast..Yuji is there for Megumi only..not an ally, not the strongest sorcerer of future but his friend.

#the MCs of jjk everyone #i want you to live but if you go i will still understand your decision. if this is not soulmate behaviour than i don't know what is!?#Megumi getting to chose for himself and choosing to fight back for himself this time. That's my boy🥺🥺#idk if all this yapping even sounds coherent...i hold my keyboard and my ability to make coherent sentence turns that of a 6 years old #jjk 266 #jujutsu kaisen #jjk spoilers #megumi fushiguro #yujji itadori #itadori yuji #itafushi

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brucewaynehater101 · 6 months ago

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What if Tim was a meta with ability to erase and change people's memories (like Pudding from One Piece) and when he felt like he had to disappear he erased memories of himself from Batfam's minds??

Ye!

The batfam become confused af as well. They feel something is missing. There's a hole in their lives, but they can't tell what it is. They can't tell that their memories are missing because Tim erased the memory of the third Robin from everyone's minds.

Despite having no recollection of Tim (and despite him deleting all evidence that says contrary), everyone still feels his absence.

Alfred, for some reason he can't place, keeps setting an additional plate down for dinner. He finds himself buying Zesti flavors none of the Waynes like.

Jason feels an odd sort of grief when he notices his jacket is still draped over the back of the couch where he left it.

Bruce finds himself drowning in work despite the workload being the same as it always is. He goes to send his analysis of an interesting cold case but pauses at the contact name.

Cass knows, to the very being in her bones, that her family isn't whole. She just doesn't know why.

Duke finds himself dropping by Wayne Enterprises during his dayshift, but he doesn't know where he wants to go. He's also bothered by the window in the CEO office being locked how it's supposed to be.

Titus won't stop whining as he sits in front of a bedroom in the family wing that's always been empty.

For some reason, Barbara has every other Tuesday night completely empty. Despite her hectic schedule and her needing that time to get work done, she can't bring herself to fill it.

Damian is getting so frustrated every time he tries to paint. There's a face he keeps drawing, but it's blurry. He doesn't know who it is, and he doesn't know why it causes him to feel so much.

Steph cracks a smile when she sees a brick but doesn't know why. There's a plethora of inside jokes she knows but doesn't understand. None of the other Bats react to them either.

Dick stares at the photo of himself with his parents and two strangers. He thought his mourning had lessened over the years. He still feels it, but he usually remembers the good times when he looks at this picture. Now, it's as if he's feeling their loss anew. He's grieving, but somehow, he knows it's not about them. He doesn't know what else it could be.

#tim drake #alfred pennyworth #jason todd #dick grayson #bruce wayne #damian wayne #cass wayne #steph brown #duke thomas #dc au #thank you for the ask!!!!

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nobodysdaydreams · 28 days ago

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Been thinking about Galinda and Elphaba’s choices at the end of “Defying Gravity” and how different things might have been, and it makes me so sad because at the end of the day, while it was Elphaba who did the right thing, Galinda’s decision has less to do with her being cowardly or evil, and more to do with her going with what she knows to be a safe/effective strategy.

Galinda doesn’t insult or downplay Elphaba’s concern for the animals. She yells at Elphaba for defying the Wizard because doing so “hurts her cause forever”. Galinda’s whole thing is popularity, playing the system, playing the social game. That’s what she does, that’s the world she knows, that’s what she’s comfortable with. She knows that Elphaba leaving will only lead to her being vilified, even if Elphaba is 100% right. Yes, Galinda loves her popularity and has ambition, but she does it with intention and purpose. Whereas Elphaba, who has never been popular and has no chance of eclipsing the Wizard in that domain (but totally can and already has in terms of her power) is way more comfortable calling him out right here and now. Galinda’s comments about Elphaba’s delusions of grandeur and her not knowing what she’s doing with the book also hold some truth to them as seen in Act 2 when Elphaba’s attempts to fix things with the book have unintended consequences, yet work. There’s some truth to both their perspectives and no perfect and effective and 100% moral solution to this problem. These are two college girls trying their best with the cards they’ve been dealt, and it is not either of their faults what happens: it’s the Wizard’s and Morrible’s. Galinda is not the villain of the story, they are.

Galinda makes mistakes, she does selfish things, for sure, but she’s certainly not evil. I point this out in my analysis of “No One Mourns the Wicked” but the Wicked story, while it is about Galinda and Elphaba and features them as the main characters, isn’t a story of Galinda vs. Elphaba. As Galinda says, despite their different choices, they were friends, and they cared for each other. Wicked is the story of Elphaba vs. the Wizard, as told by Galinda, who was friends with Elphaba and worked for the Wizard. The villagers in the song characterize Galinda goodness itself and sing that “goodness knows what goodness is, goodness knows the wicked die alone” and in the end, Galinda is the only one that does know the truth about the Wizard being the truly Wicked one and Elphaba being wonderful. Galinda also knows in the end, she’s ruling Oz and carrying out Elphaba’s mission to make Oz better for everyone, including the Animals, which is what she believes Elphaba died for. Meanwhile, Galinda knows the Wizard, who was truly Wicked, died/left Oz grieving what he’d lost/what he’s done.

That’s why I have a hard time blaming Galinda or calling her the villain for her choices during “Defying Gravity”. Even though there is tragedy in both Galinda and Elphaba’s endings, their respective strategies pay off for both of them. Elphaba’s stance against the Wizard leads to him being exposed by Dorothy as a fraud and allows Elphaba to help the animals. Whereas Galinda becomes so popular and loved by the people, that they totally accept the Wizard leaving because they have her now, and Galinda is able to take power from Morrible and send her to prison, no questions asked. Now she’s ruling all of Oz and can actually make things better for the Animals. She had to make moral concessions to get there that Elphaba wasn’t willing to, and yes, that was wrong, I’m not saying it isn’t, but Galinda didn’t just do it because she was 100% selfish, she genuinely believed this was the best choice and winning strategy, and given her background, why wouldn’t she? Galinda’s popularity is what has gotten her this far in life despite her lack of ability, and Elphaba was asking her to give all of that up, every bit of power, influence, and protection she had, to become a scorned criminal, and anything Galinda tried to do to bring about positive change would be twisted and manipulated by the Wizard and Morrible. Whereas Galinda was asking Elphaba to let a man who is abusing the Animals (who for many years, were the only friends Elphaba had) use her power for his own evil designs in order to slowly gain more power and influence and make gradual changes and concessions for the sake of the Animals all while there are huge injustices being committed right now that she’d be doing little or nothing to stop.

Given these situations, of course Galinda and Elphaba made the decisions they did at the end of part 1, of course they still hope things work out for one another, of course Galinda smiles to herself with pride when she sees Elphaba flying away (I loved that detail, she so happy to see her get away, it’s so sweet). Neither of them are in a fair position at all, and you can argue that Galinda should have been more willing to take a risk and had a moral obligation to do so, but the fact that she didn’t wasn’t 100% self-motivated and if anyone is to be blamed it’s the grown Animal abusing deadbeat father and professional conman who put her in that position, not the college girl who just wants to support her bestie without losing the only card she had to play.

The unfortunate byproduct of this (and I talk about this in other posts about how powerful Elphaba and Galinda could have been together), is that we will never know if things could have been better if Galinda had gone with Elphaba or if Elphaba had decided to stay. Galinda’s popularity might have been enough to make the students at Shiz, her parents, and her friends question the Wizard’s vilification of her or at least frame her as an impressionable and confused young girl, but would it have been enough for her, a college student, to totally expose the Wizard’s plot and rally all of Oz to her and Elphaba’s side? And had Elphaba chosen to stay, could she have found a way, after the Wizard makes the people see her as “wonderful” to use her magic she still barely understands to secretly protect her Animal friends until she finds a way to stop/expose the Wizard and Morrible? Both sound unlikely, but at the end of the day, we don’t know. You can argue that Elphaba’s choice was more morally correct and Galinda’s was more strategic and effective long term, but we’ll never know what might have been. Though goodness knows, the two of them will probably wonder for the rest of their lives.

#Wicked #Galinda #galinda upland #wicked witch #wicked witch of the west #wicked the musical #elphaba thropp #wicked movie #Wicked 2024 #wicked part one #Wicked the movie #defying gravity #wicked elphaba #wicked spoilers

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sunfyrisms · 2 months ago

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the way people are trying so, so hard to constantly defend caitlyn after a member of a community hers violently and horrifically oppressed took a stand is insane. you can understand a character’s actions while not personally agreeing with it, and i’ve seen people agree with caitlyn’s increasingly brutal and cruel actions; such as weaponizing the grey against the zaunites immediately after she gained knowledge of its existence, directly undoing the work of the woman she wants to avenge. the death of cassandra was horrific, yes. caitlyn blames herself for allowing her affection toward vi to cause her to not take the shot. she’s grieving and she’s losing herself. but it is made very explicitly clear that she’s in the wrong. it’s suppose to be uncomfortable because she is in the wrong, because she is very actively losing herself. it’s to show how a privileged person can very easily fall into this fascist, disturbing mindset after experiencing a fraction of their society’s oppressed community endures. her language, her physical body language, it’s all very intentional. she’s calling the very people she wanted to help animals, she’s weaponizing the ability to breath against them, she’s willing take a risk and shoot a child. we’re not supposed to look at her actions and think she’s in the right. she’s losing herself to her grief and need to kill jinx and she’s wrong. that’s, like, the whole point of this part of her arc.

#arcane #arcane s2 #caitlyn kiramman #cassandra kiramman #jinx #astra.txt #not exactly anti caitlyn it’s more anti people who don’t think critically #also i didn’t put ‘legacy’ for cassandra’s part because she did the very bare minimum #the only reason she did that is because her society took away zaun’s ability to breath #she did below the bare minimum

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bwat5-blog · 5 days ago

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Maddie Nolan: Never Trust A Ginger (me included)

**Spoilers For All Of Arcane**

Maddie Nolan. This charming young murderess made quite the impact in season two. Initially, she seems like a bright, friendly and brave young woman who in all honesty, I felt was quite likely to die on the mission into Zaun. Such cheerful innocence is not exactly rewarded in this world. But, as with all of these wonderful characters, there was a whole world lurking underneath that smile.

Maddie is a loyal Noxian. This has been confirmed by Amanda Overton. And having that knowledge allows us to look back on Maddie's story and take a look from the time we meet her to her death. It also allows us to connect the dots for some basic points:

1. Maddie has Ambessa's trust: Maddie is young. Official sources have not confirmed an exact age at least as far as I have found. But most seem to agree she is in her early twenties like Caitlyn and Vi. Aside from Ambessa herself. Maddie has to play the most direct role in the manipulation and control of Caitlyn. There is no way Ambessa would risk her plan on an agent she did not feel she could trust completely.

2. Maddie's strength is her mind: What have we learned about Noxus? They are warlike and brutal sure, but that is not all they value. Ambessa herself is master of manipulation and control as well as being a physical powerhouse. And while we see Maddie fight, her prowess is certainly never to shown to rival Vi or Caitlyn (Caitlyn even disarms her while on her knees and almost shoots Ambessa with Maddie's own gun). So why is she so dangerous? Her mind. Her ability to manipulate, to improvise in the moment and play the role she has been assigned.

So. Keeping that in mind before we move ahead. For a brief refresher (primarily because I have written it very recently in other documents), here is very basic run down of Ambessa's goals:

1. She wants Hex-Tech to fight the black rose. 2. She wants control of Piltover. 3. She needs a puppet leader through which rule.

So what role does Maddie play in those goals?

In Caitlyn Kiramman, Ambessa has everything she needs for the perfect scapegoat. Intelligent, well-respected, brave and tenacious. But also angry, and raw, and grieving. Caitlyn is already in a state of destabilization. I Have been thinking about it in terms of "support beams" being knocked over.

Establishment: Marcus almost killed her

Childhood: Death of her mother

Safety: Several near death experiences

You get the idea. I am not a mental health professional, but the dominoes are falling. Ambessa intends to fill the maternal hole in Caitlyn's heart. But she also needs Caitlyn to reach the point that she can seize control of Zaun. And Ambessa is more than shrewd enough to know that will never happen with Vi by Caitlyn's side. Enter Maddie.

Meeting Vi-

Maddie is introduced to us as an almost literal ball of sunshine. Happy and friendly, standing illuminated by the morning light Maddie comes with Steb and introduces herself to Vi, sharing her excitement over Vi joining them and in general flattering Vi in a variety of ways.

On the surface, she seems for all the world like a kind and positive young woman. But we know why she is here. At this point we know it is not to get Vi on the strike team, as Caitlyn has not had such an idea. But they want to push Vi to accept the badge.

Why?: - Because as I have said, Ambessa is a master at her craft. She needs Caitlyn totally alone when she swoops in. And if you follow this extremely rough train of thought it's easy to see.

1. Caitlyn wants Jinx and wants to follow the official route. Which means as Enforcers. 2. Vi is by Caitlyn's side and feels guilt over her sisters actions and will want to help. 3. Vi's history will make being an Enforcer a point of contention and start to drive them apart.

Maddie says quite a bit, talking about Vi's one woman mission to fight Silco. But she lays the groundwork for what she knows is important. Caitlyn.

1. "Caitlyn made quite the scene when they tried to deny you enlistment". 2. "She said if every Enforcer had a heart like yours we could take on Noxus itself" 3. "Then she threatened to withdraw her families funding"

Caitlyn believes in you...

Caitlyn fought for you....

Caitlyn staked her standing on you...

And this was all before the memorial attack even took place.

*I can't take credit for this but an insightful user on here pointed out that Maddie keeps one behind her back the entire time she is shaking Vi's. Classic portrayal of deceit and a hidden threat. And regarding the "glad to know there are still good ones left" quote. I understand what people are saying regarding how Maddie views the undercity. But Marcus wasn't a Zaunite and that's how that sentence starts. Idk, maybe I'm just missing it. Feel free to explain it to me!*

The Memorial Attack-

During the attack itself we don't see much in terms of character-on-character moments for obvious reasons. It is extremely chaotic and violent but Maddie plays her part. She assists in saving the councilors and is almost killed by the Undercity forces. How much of if any of the plan she was in on, we can't really know. But she does not give us, or the characters around her a single reason to question her loyalty, and stands by Caitlyn's side when all seems lost, just before Ambessa and Rictus arrive with their soldiers in the nick of time.

In the aftermath, she is standing guard over Caitlyn with Steb, and dismissed when Vi approaches. But the real moment here is as Vi is walking up. She happens to look to see Rictus and Ambessa talking as Rictus is ripping his spear free from a body. Ambessa directly locks eyes with Vi. Appraising.. calculating..

"Vi.. You've been quite a curiosity. One who captured Caitlyn's heart. I owe you thanks. Your absence provided a vacuum I was able to fill"

The Strike Team-

It is in the wake of the memorial attack that Ambessa's plans for Caitlyn really start to manifest. Full of wrath and hate and despair, Caitlyn leads the strike team into Zaun. She, Vi, Maddie, Steb and Lorris. And even though their mission on the surface is righteous, Caitlyn is sliding further and further into the dark. Progressing more and more towards the place of total exposed pain that Ambessa will be able to twist and control. So when the time comes. When they know where Jinx is and the final confrontation is upon them, what does Maddie do? She plays the part. The scared, inexperienced, rookie off her balance and overwhelmed by Jinx's theatrics and mind games.

And it works. For the life of me I cannot find a GIF of it or even an image of Vi watching them at the moment, but Vi sees how scared Maddie appears. She sees Loris limping because of Jinx's bomb. She looks genuinely concerned for them. Just as Maddie knew she would be. Because don't forget Vi is just as much Maddie's study at this moment as Caitlyn is.

Maddie has been there to watch as Vi is progressively buried by guilt:

Her sister killed Caitlyn's mother.

She is wearing the enforcer uniform and doing violence in the streets of Zaun no matter how good the reason.

She has been watching Caitlyn grow darker and more violent to the point that she tearfully begs Caitlyn to promise she wont change to.

Now they are at the tipping point, almost facing Jinx. And Maddie plays scared.. she plays vulnerable... and with Loris hurt as well it's even better because she knows Vi hates all of this death and pain. She doesn't want to see anyone else suffer.

What do they get out of this? They being Ambessa and Maddie of course. Well as I said, Maddie has been watching, she has been waiting. And just like Vi has, she has seen what is happening to Caitlyn as well. As Vi grows more and more wracked with guilt and remorse and sorrow, Caitlyn grows darker. More angry and more violent. So what does Maddie do just shy of the finish line? Takes away anything that could stop the inevitable collision. No one to stand in the way. No one to back them down.

And while of course I can't be sure, to anyone suggesting she was actually frightened and in over her head. I present you the following image:

We will come back to this. But there she preparing to shoot Caitlyn in the neck after sharing her bed for a few months. I sincerely doubt Jinx's little puppet show had her shaking in her boots.

The Commander-

Caitlyn Kiramman stands totally separated from all that she had held dear:

Her mother is dead.

Vi "betrayed" her.

Jinx is free.

The old leader of the enforcers was a corrupt, murdering thug.

Her people are afraid and angry

Initially, she seems completely shocked and more than a little afraid. But.. maybe she isn't totally alone.. the young officer who fought by her side.. who is still here even now stands beside her smiling brightly and thumping her chest in support of her commander. Of course.. no one seems to notice she is the first "Piltovan" to do so..

All of that rage and hate and loss have just built more and more with no healing, no time and no peace. The Noxians have expertly shattered Caitlyn's support and all that is left is her pain. And so standing in front of the ruling families of Piltover, the last two surviving councilors, and a host of enforcers. Ambessa Medarda seizes Piltover for herself, all while playing the part of the caring mentor. LOOK AT HER FACE IN THE GIF BELOW

The Bedroom-

We leap forward in time. It has been a few months, although we don't now exactly how long. And Caitlyn is much changed. She is the Commander. The leaders of the city willingly supported Martial Law, and on the absolute surface, she is the leader. We of course, know better.

At some point between S2 E3 and S2 E4 Caitlyn allowed Maddie Nolan into her bed. And it is here that we find them now. Caitlyn seems cold.. detached.. despite the fact that she has been building her physical strength her face looks thinner, and more drawn. While Ambessa had taken advantage of the hole left by Caitlyn's mother, Maddie had done so regarding Vi. Manipulating and testing Caitlyn even in the comfort of her own bed.

I view this scene as sort of the other side of the coin of Vi and Cait's scene that will come later. Despite being in a cold, hard jail cell. That scene is so full of life, and love, and tenderness. This scene (while of course nowhere near as sexual), takes place in Caitlyn's lavish bedroom. But it devoid of anything comforting or loving. First, I want to quickly run down the technical details I noticed before we jump into the character stuff:

Unless I missed something. This is the only time we ever see this room in the dark.

All throughout the scene, Maddie is clinging to Caitlyn, nuzzling her, laying little kisses on her and so on. And when Caitlyn is looking directly toward her, she plays along. But anytime Caitlyn is allowed to turn away she does so, even pulling away gently more than once and almost never looking at Maddie directly.

The shots are all very harsh. Half Caitlyn's face while the other is obscured. A direct shot in a dark mirror. There is no warmth in the way they are shown despite being on soft sheets surrounded by pillows.

In another recent document, I shared my recent educational experience regarding the topic of push-pull dynamics in relationships. There were many reasons this dynamic could arise, but per the source I used there, one was a desire to control. Per a quick google search and the main search result.

"A push pull relationship dynamic describes a pattern where one partner repeatedly pulls the other close, creating intimacy, only to then push them away creating distance. Resulting in a cycle of alternating closeness and withdrawal"

Ambessa utilizes this expertly in keeping Caitlyn off-balance. I can't say for certain that this is some sort of technique of course, but let's take a look at a snippet of Maddie and Cait's conversation through this lens:

C- "They doubled their fortification requests.. again.."

M- "To keep us safe.."//Push- gently chiding

C- "I never expected this to go on so long.. I thought.. I don't know what I thought.. just.. wasn't this"

M- "You could call it off. Withdraw from the underground, reestablish the council, all you have to do is give the order"//Pull- encouragement. Reminder she has a choice and has power.

C- "Not without Jinx. besides a withdrawal could lead to a worse situation than the one"

M- "Ahh.. Okay Ambessa"//Push- Gently chiding

And all of this while continuously trying to heap physical affection onto Caitlyn as well throwing her off even more. Every-time Caitlyn starts to question or wonder Maddie tries to pull her back in. Back out of the small sliver of light we see Caitlyn in and into the total darkness Maddie emerged from.

Return Of "Jinx"-

This is a relatively short interaction between them. But we see Maddie continuing to test Caitlyn. Telling her she still has a choice if she wants to call it all off. But Ambessa interrupts and Maddie is dismissed.

*Ambessa warns Caitlyn of "the hazards of professional entanglements"*

Dismissed-

The next time we see Maddie she is speaking with Caitlyn after the battle of the commune and once again things are changing quickly. Maddie is trying to convince Caitlyn to negotiate but Caitlyn knows Ambessa means death to them all after what happened. Vi arrives, and Maddie is dismissed amid some glares and shoulder bumping while the two talk things out. We see quite quickly that Maddie's techniques have lost their charm:

"you can't blame yourself" (reaches for Caitlyn's hand)

"I don't need consolation, I need a plan" (jerks hand away immediately)

We saw in the bed how Maddie clambered to pull Caitlyn back into the darkness. But Caitlyn's will is reemerging. She is shaking off Maddie's attempts to manipulate, so when she dismisses her. For maybe the first time we see Maddie look genuinely upset:

I can admit. When I first re-watched after learning about Maddie, I wondered if perhaps I had it wrong. She seems genuinely sad here and I wondered if she had really grown to care for Caitlyn and I misjudged her. And while I cannot say for certain that one way or another. Her actions in the end of her story, are quite definitive to me.

The End-

The final battle is raging. Caitlyn Kiramman and her squad charge the Noxians in a cloud of grey released to choke the enemy. Until the IED they created does not go off, and she is cracked over the head twice, and wakes on her knees, Maddie Nolan's rifle pressed up against her. Now as I said I don't think this comes down to that Maddie had truly come to care for Caitlyn. I think she was upset because she felt she had disappointed Ambessa.

When we began this I said I can only feel that Ambessa must really trust Maddie to have given her the role in all of this that she has. And as brutal, and scary, and cruel as Ambessa can be. To care for those loyal to her is not out of character. She seems genuinely hurt by Rictus's death. And even though he was trying to kill Cait when he said it, remember this?:

"Ambessa believed in you. Your death, will be a deep cut"

Scapegoat or not Ambessa can come to care for those who serve her. So I think it entirely plausible that Maddie is one such person. Ultimately, Maddie's story ends as she tries to carry out her real leader's last order to her-

I think Maddie was an excellent character. Like many of you I suspected she was more than she appeared, but a straight up Noxian plant was certainly not on my list. She was clever, she was tough, and she was ruthless. And although it is hard to see it this way because we are rooting for our people, she was not a traitor. She was simply loyal to the other side to the utmost degree. And although it brings me no joy to say this, I think Maddie's final moment will be one that Caitlyn has to work to heal from mentally long after her physical wounds have become battle scars. The woman she used to distract herself from how things ended with Vi almost cost her her life, and cost all of them the battle. But NOOOOOOO Caitlyn doesn't face any consequences at all.

I did this one at the request of the brilliant @sapphoscreature and I am so grateful anyone cares enough to read these at all let alone ask for more haha. Doing these I get to keep learning more and more and seeing new ways to look at this incredible story. I fully and completely admit there is so much of Maddie's story we don't see (not complaining about pacing, seeing all of her story would literally defeat the purpose of the reveal) so if you feel I am off base please say so! I would love to discuss and hear other thoughts and ideas.

Thank you for reading, have a great day!

#arcane #arcane season 2 spoilers #vi arcane #caitlyn kiramman #maddie nolan arcane #maddie nolen #ambessa medarda #arcane noxus #long... I mean duh. are you new here?

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gatorbites-imagines · 6 months ago

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Hey! I hope you’re doing good in ur exams!!

Can I request a Tomura x Male reader?

Before the whole war…please, I’m grieving a lot for way too many reasons. ☹️

Tomura Shigaraki x male reader

Headcanons

Big sucker for gamer Shigaraki, why did people stop writing it. So im basing this off earlier season Shiggy, but you can imagine him how you want.

Reader has a quirk vaguely based off Yaga from JJK, cuz I love JJK, and I love Yaga.

Dating Shigaraki was an… experience to say the least. He could be quite bratty or childish at times, but you couldn’t really blame him, especially after hearing about his relationship with that sensei of his.

You weren’t a villain. But you just… didn’t respect the system and thought the hero system was corrupt beyond redemption. You didn’t think Shigaraki’s Sensei had the right idea either. But you had been ignored more than once by the so-called heroes meant to save you.

You had what most would call a “villain” quirk, having the ability to make something akin to dolls or golems, some even being so complex they could think and feel on their own. You had even created more than one that didn’t know it was a doll.

Being raised by golems was an experience, as your parents had been so offput by your quirk and interest in how everything and everyone worked. They’d fed you and clothed you, but that was it. and when your younger siblings developed more “appropriate” quirks, the gap became massive.

It had led to you leaving home as a teen, having finished and graduated online school earlier than most.

You had left a small unnoticeable golem in your home, just to see how long it took your family to realize you were gone. The answer was three months, and it was only because your rich grandpa who had a string quirk, who had always supported your love for puppets, came back from abroad to visit.

The gratification of hearing and seeing your loving but serious grandpa rip your family apart verbally, and then take away all the monetary support he had been given them, was almost enough to cover up the pain of your empty stomach and warm you where you were huddled in an alley.

Meeting Shigaraki had been an accident in the beginning. Your golems had only gotten more and more complex, meaning you suddenly had an income that was more than enough to get your own place, with one of the golems as the “owner” of course.

After that you started selling information and different kinds of “defense” work. That meaning, you helped people hide from the hero commission, and get information other people couldn’t. what was better for that situation other than an army of people that just didn’t exist.

You were picked up by Giran, who had taken notice of your large net of people, whom he didn’t know were your puppets and golems. He, or rather All for one, paid much more than you really needed. But all these years had taught you more than most knew about the inner workings of hero society, so you didn’t turn it away.

You did have a slight feeling that All for one wanted to eat you after he learned about your quirk. But the whole having to build the skill and mental capacity seemed to stop him, for now, since he apparently didn’t have time to perfect it in time for what he had planned.

You were the first outsider in the league of villains, way before anybody else joined, which was how you and Shigaraki started spending time together.

In the beginning hed been his dry snappy bratty self, and he just reminded you of the dirty street cats that you used to feed when you still lived in alleyways. They’d hiss and spit, trying to puff up and look tough, but they always just looked so frail and vulnerable.

Neither of you could tell when your relationship became more than just coworkers. Maybe it was when Shigaraki had Kurogiri warp him to your penthouse since your tv “was bigger and better” than the one he had in his room.

Or when you started bringing him designer clothes that would fit him better than the rags he wore, or had your golems break into different shops to get him some ointment that would help with his scratching.

You even caught yourself once or twice trying to play his games, but you figured out your usual strategic and put together mind lost all its footing playing LOL. Never before had your age quit, and you were too shamed to try again after that.

Shigaraki would admit later that he had tried to get into your hobbies too, with a big blush on his face and a sour expression, like he didn’t want to admit that he had feelings. He couldn’t really get into the art that was doll and golem making, and just how detailed it got for you had his head spinning.

Neither of you ever outright asked the other to date, it just kinda progressed to that point. Shigaraki spent more time at your place than at the “villain hideout”, even after the rest of the league joined.

You started going on dates, which were you booking an entire arcade or restaurant, and having your golems serve you. Or letting Shigaraki lean against you playing his handheld as you planned stocks or different businesses you had your fingers in.

In front of others, you two just seemed like allies, maybe friends on a good day. And it only came out after Magne and Toga had been teasing Shigaraki about having no experience, where he snapped at them that he had a boyfriend, you.

The rest of the league were shocked to say the least, since you two didn’t act anything like a couple around them. But both you and Shigaraki just raise a brow going “why would we be all lovey at work”.

It didn’t surprise you that Shigaraki was touch starved and loved to cuddle. In the beginning he would almost act like it pained him to be touched and cradled. but so many years with no normal human contact always had that effect.

You weren’t used to it yourself, having gone so long with only the touch and comfort of your dolls and golems, but none of it was the same as when it was another person.

The two of you were pretty much dating in your shared opinion, before you ever really got physical. And by that, I mean, you started out by just sitting close or you wrapping your arms around Shigaraki.

Your lover was understandably scared of touching you with his hands, even when he wore gloves to stop his quirk from working. So, it was a major breakthrough when he did return the hugs, or would hold your hand.

But when the floodgates for affection opened, Shigaraki would always find himself clinging to you like a cat searching for warmth. It was pretty damn cute in your eyes, and whenever he would shuffle into the room, you just life an arm and let him melt into your side.

Most days you could keep working, answering the phone, checking your laptop, and what else. But there were also days where Shigaraki would grumble about dusting your stuff if you didn’t cuddle him right.

Part of you had a feeling it was Shigaraki wanting you to take a break, and the other part was sure it was just cuz he liked to be squeezed tight and snuggled. But who were you to complain.

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tapestryundone · 2 months ago

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constantly thinking abt the long quiet and the shifting mound and their relationship w humanity. because the two are very much not mortal and even in the what happens next ending its very ambiguous if they ever WILL be or Can be. but even still they have both felt what its like to be mortal

i feel like its vague if the entity the two used to be even percieved its own existence. the way the narrator talks about it makes it seem like the two only existed conceptually and as a result lacked a complete sense of identity, and didnt need to, and wouldnt want to. but in the same way a thought cannot be unthought, the narrator gave them a glimpse into what it felt like to be mortal and the two can never un-know it, even if it wasnt exactly the same

the long quiet in particular seems especially tied to humanity and in some aspects seems to want to BE human (which feels so potent given how decidedly Not human he is). the game tends to imply that every option you get is a thought he DOES have, and in the spaces between, the choices dont seem as influenced by a given voice, which highlights even more how much he feels conflicted on his own nature that he gets Multiple options to express discomfort with himself being a god

it just gets to me how one of the options during the fight is literally "appeal to your shared humanity". because even if the two are gods, their separation and reshaping has given them humanity that they can never un-feel. for how much the shifting mound grieves what she once was, she cannot will her humanity away. shes mourning what the two of them once was and is desperate to have it back at any cost, even though they can never be together how they once were.

even if the long quiet goes with her, theyre still apart and lack balance, because the two once just Were and werent two parts. they werent both halves, they werent two concepts, they were just one concept that happened to, by human eyes, consist of two halves. and the narrators insertion of humanity into the mix in order to separate them, separating them into concepts that humans understood, manually put into existence a struggle for equilibrium where that balance had simply Existed

but theyve already perceived what felt like reality and can never un-see it. they were separated and Need the other to feel whole and for reality to BE whole but the moment that either of them realized their own free will, the moment the two fully came to feel like people, they could never be together the same way once again

im struggling to come up with a metaphor that isnt silly but its like if you took a piece of fabric and cut it in two and made them both into shirts. youve added a piece of humanity into them and doing so cost its original form. to take them apart and try to put them back together would never get you the original, whole piece of fabric back, because theyve been completely changed by their own unique destruction and reconstruction

they were separated in a way that gave them humanity that they have such conflicting feelings on. both seem to have a deep love of humanity but vastly different ideas on what humanity needs to thrive, because its in their natures

in order to get one to kill the other the narrator let the long quiet interpret the both of them as mortal. and for a being of perception and an god thats being lied to, this became part of their limited view of the world, on top of all the other reasons that the two gained humanity. the long quiet couldnt be told what to do if he didnt have the ability to potentially act on the narrators desires, and the shifting mound could never die if the long quiet didnt believe her to be capable of death

the narrator gave the two humanity and the shifting mound is very reasonably distressed by this. because the two of them never asked for this but they cant undo it. it is her OWN subtle desire for things to be the same as they used to be, her own piece of that stagnation that also led to her experiencing humanity, that makes her so adamant during the fight. she misses the long quiet and wants to undo a change that cannot be undone in search of a constant state of being that was taken from her

and the long quiet felt so closely tied to mortality, both its existence and absence, that no matter what, he wants to aid humanity. but hes been lied to and denied autonomy to the point where he doesnt know what that entails. but he wants to be a part of it. he was given fake mortality and cant seem to figure out how he feels

the shifting mound is set in how she feels it best to aid in the existence of life. she is stagnant in her feelings because its all that feels right to her. the long quiet is ever-shifting in how he feels it best to aid in the existence of life. he is changing in his feelings because its all that feels right to him

getting to the heart of the shifting mound allows them a moment to discuss it as the closest they can get to mortals. the two care about their impact on life and what it means to be alive and what better way for the two of them to truly decide what they want to do about it, outside of the conflict thats been forced between them, than as the mortals they never were?

#slay the princess #long post #under a cut but i figure i should still tag that #waxing poetic about this is fun. i think about them every single day #i cant word it well either but something something stagnation as a representation of humanity #and the long quiet is mostly humanity with a small bit of divinity #and the shifting mound is mostly divinity with a small bit of humanity #and no words can describe what they are because they arent mortal but theyve felt too much of humanity to just be conceptual anymore either #but they arent both. they arent both or neither or just one or the other. theyre their own things that cant be explained with words #(not humanity in a literal sense either. idk how to word it)#(more metaphorical humanity)#but it makes them both people. but also not both people. but they can never not be people anymore. but they can never be not gods anymore #anyway. i lost the plot a few times i just get emotional thinking abt their relationship w humanity #i hope this makes any sense bc ive spent over an hr typing it because i got excited and once the words are out of my brain i forget them

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