#the characters in no particular order are

[countessravengrey]

This is especially important when you consider what Aang's culture is based on; specifically, Buddhists and other ascetic cultures, which emphasize finding inner peace rather than letting the external circumstances of the world rule you. In particular, Buddhism says that nonattachment, even to those you care about, is key to finding this peace. This means all relationships, not just romantic ones.

There's a point made to certain types of heroes that in order to protect the world, they can't really be in it, which is to say, they can't really be a part of it the same way others are. I've seen it a lot with characters like Superman and Buffy tVS. This is a greater nonattachment than that simply of an ascetic lifestyle. This is the burden of one who has great power and is tasked, sometimes over and over again, to save the world.

This is best presented by the Gaang, as they represent, individually, and as a whole, what it means to be human: family, friends, romance, brothers-in-arms, teachers, students, community, and more. These things must be put aside in order to "do whatever it takes to protect the world" (Avatar Yangchen). It's a real train dilemma situation. And Aang isn't just another human fighting something bad.

By making it about his romantic love for Katara--which is generally elevated above all other love in modern western culture--it sounds more like the Star Wars prequels saying he can't be married. That's such a narrow interpretation, and it doesn't illustrate the complicated nature of his dilemma, particularly for a child who has already once lost everyone and everything. Rather, it makes him seem very selfish which, critical as i can be of Aang, is a little unfair. I think it would have better served his overall character to show that he understood the complexity of what he needed to give up.

a reminder that just because i think zuko and katara are a better match than aang and katara DOES NOT MEAN that i do not like aang. I think hes a amazing character. In fact, i find that his relationship with Katara deminishes his storyline and growth as both a person and the avatar.

One of the problems ive always had with atla, is how hard they push for kataang. Yes, its cute, and yes, i think that its very understandable for aang to have crush on the first pretty, nice, and kind girl he sees after being frozen for 100 years. However, i think the narrative would have worked better for Aang's drive and motivation to not be about Katara solely. In particular, Im referencing the finale of Book 2. Instead of Katara being his teather to the mortal realm, i think it should have been all his friends.

it should have been the family he found and created. Hes lost everyone that has ever loved and cared about him, and now he has a new family. I think this slight shift in motivation would have been extremely beneficial in fleshing out Aang's grief and trauma over the genocide of the air nomads.

So, regardless of how you feel about either ships, i think that aang's would have been better off with a family and friend driven motivation for saving the world, rather than romance.

[omegasamwilson]

Spicy Lone Star Finale Take

This might only be spicy on reddit lol but I’m getting irritated AF about some comments about how TK becoming a stay at home dad “ruined” his character or how it was a bad ending for him because his whole life was about helping people.

For one, I can’t think of better full circle for moment for TK thank breaking the Strand men curse of absent parenthood. TK did the opposite of what Owen did and put Jonah before work. And that is soooooo in character for TK. My only wish was that it was a choice TK made over being pressured by DFPS.

But moreover, I think it’s very telling of how some people view the labor of stay at home parents and also how some people view kids. The idea that someone with a successful career can’t also find joy in the mundane joy of stay at home parenthood is absurd and says the quiet part out loud about how some people view stay at home parents.

It’s giving, “Because I can’t imagine finding fulfillment in being a SAHP, I don’t think anyone can.”

Like I see this energy directed at stay at home parents and in particular the idea that a dad couldn’t be fulfilled by SAH parenthood seems to be rooted in some outdated beliefs about childcare and the division of labor. There’s a belief that parenthood alone can’t be fulfilling and that you must have a career in order to be truly successful in life. TK is successful, happy, and has no regrets about being a stay at home Papa-Bro, and I for one LOVE it.

TK literally gets to be the dad he dreamed of having. How would not be totally fulfilling for him? How is it out of line with his character? And why are you so convinced that being a child’s primary caregiver must be unfulfilling work?

[carpetedkitch]

So I've played arknights for just under 2 weeks now, and I've got some things to say and I don't care enough to order any of them in a particular way:

- I do appreciate basically the only limiting factor in this game is time, with how just about everything is grindable with the right strategies

- trying to keep track of the different stories is fucking hard but pretty rewarding, generally they all are rad as hell (wish I hadn't watched the recap before, that was a fucking mistake)

- getting your first elite 2 unit is SO FUCKING HARD (...depending on who you focus on, such as a unit that needs act II materials or anything above 4*)

- God I would do anything for amiya

- the freedom of choice in terms of what 5 and 6* units you get for free is fucking wild for a gacha game (rolled silverwolf and chose blaze, I don't regret either)

- I'm normally not keen on tower defenses, but I think the way it's balanced around the slow incremental powerups of your units in combination with a fuckton of options for types of units is keeping me going

- that being said sometimes (especially with later stages) I do feel too stupid to do a lot of these stages without a guide

- so far I've been loving a lot of the 4*, and the fact that they're all pretty much viable, standouts including shirayuki, pudding, myrtle, gummy, and may

- big. Fat. TAILS.

- how FUCKING DARE THEY MAKE A DESIGN AS INCREDIBLY BASED AS OUTCAST AND HAVE *THE GAUL* TO MAKE HER ONLY AN NPC

- there is a little bit of that mihoyo style "oh everyone in this ethnicly styled area is just white, huh..." At least with the latest event, and with what I know about the character roster, even if it's not as blatant as genshin and co.

- the fact that the pity system for 6* goes between banners is AMAZING

- what the fuck is the deal with these other modes... I have so many questions... Why do they need your units already leveled before chucking them in the randomizer... What's the point...

[wisteria-lodge]

Wait the wiki is bad? I use it all the time 😭 I thought the whole point is it's community-run so people should be able to fix any mistakes (and since it's a huge community that's been running for very long it seems quite robust and strict on verifying information) I do get that it has info from the videogames which most people don't regard as canon, though. But when it does it tends to note it as such, and they still consider the books/movies a higher "plane" of canon.

I love reading the wiki, but I do have to do a lot of follow up and sifting if I'm using it as reference. In tends to throw in the video games, JKR interviews, *actor* interviews, and Pottermore content, and sometimes it's organized and clearly marked, but a lot of times it isn't... and that has definitely slipped up my co-writer (whose knowledge of HP isn't as crazy as mine) a few times. Unless you already have a really solid grasp on everything, it's easy to get confused. Like here's someone who wrote into me, asking about a sentence in the Narcissa page that was 1) Poorly written 2) wrong.

The other problem with the wiki is that since it's community run, every page tends to be written by fans of that particular character. This is especially obvious with the villains. Like read through the Lucius Malfoy, or Severus Snape pages. There is so much there that's bending over backwards to give them a positive edit. There's a lot about Lucius' elegant dueling style (no source) and his skill with potions. Like the actual detail is 'Lucius Malfoy mentions having a potion collection in Book 2.' I don't want that extrapolated into 'Lucius Malfoy was a model student who got into the Slug Club because of his skill with potions.' Like let me write my own headcanons! It starts speculating that Lucius got Voldemort monologing on purpose in the graveyard to buy time for Harry!

Snape's page says that one of his skills is writing poetry. He wrote a rhyming logic puzzle in book one, which I would say is not the same thing. It also says he communicates with floriography, which is a reference to a fan theory about how the plants he lists in Book 1 are a coded message about Lily. Like *I* know that. But then the wiki just cites Book 1. That's not in Book 1.

This is actually so common that co-writer @niche-pastiche and I have an in-joke when we attribute any flattering/creative interpretation to Tom Saunders, Wasp Scientist.

Tom Saunders is a New Zealand biologist who named a species of wasp after Lucius Malfoy because:

"People see wasps as villains, as the 'bad guys.' But the truth is that the vast majority of wasp species are either neutral or beneficial, from a human standpoint. Just as Lucius Malfoy is pardoned after separating from Voldemort's allies, I'm asking people to pardon wasps in order to restore their reputation as interesting, important creatures."

Like I get that you like wasps, and Lucius Malfoy, I do too. But that's not info that's in the books.

(It is Pottermore stuff, but I honestly count Pottermore as tertiary canon at *best.* Like every once in a while it'll be a cool detail, but JKR is *not good* at worldbuilding, so most of the time, instead of explaining things... it just makes everything more confusing. And I think that all of this has the end result of accidentally gatekeeping newcomers who want to engage with the material. Like the person who sent that ask.)

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Okay brief post before I sleep, re: the problem of "fantasy dwarves"

Obviously I am no authority on any community that I'm not part of, so I cannot be a final voice on whether or not any particular use of various fantasy people and creatures are good or bad.

However, it also means that when I run into issues like this, it's important to me to get info from multiple sources (even if I don't reblog or share everything I've found) in order to make my own choices for my work. And I recommend the same to everyone!

Because human history is the way that it is, it's pretty much inevitable that the common fantasy people or creatures you want to use in your own new work have at some point, maybe even a lot, been portrayed in ways that are very offensive and bigoted towards real human people. (and this goes for scifi too)

Orcs have commonly been portrayed as some manner of "barbaric savages" with aesthetic details that call to mind Mongolian warriors, Native Americans, and African people, frequently combined with animalistic features.

There was a huge debate on the antisemitic features of goblins in mainstream fantasy, especially around the time JK Rowling was becoming more and more openly bigoted and the issues of racist caricature goblins and house elves in Harry Potter were being made more relevant.

The lore of drow in Dungeons and Dragons is a whole mess of racism and misogyny with their evil matriarchy and slavery situation, not at all helped by their dark colored skin.

Elves are certainly not exempt from this, though they're often taken in the opposite direction and portrayed as wise and beautiful white people who are more civilized than everyone else. And a lot of people have decided to subvert that by making elves into the oppressors. I've done that a little myself.

I'm also writing a lot of characters who don't match my own identity, including some in rather sensitive categories like being trans or having dissociative identity disorder. Those are my two main characters in the book I'm currently writing. I've seen people with DID write very passionate posts trying to dissuade people from ever writing any character with that condition. And I've seen other people with DID encourage the existence of those characters.

Fact is, there is no universal answer to the conundrum of whether or not a particular type of character or fantasy people or creature should be written. There are, I think, clear traits and tropes to avoid because they just can't be subverted in a meaningful way, especially not by people who aren't part of the marginalized groups that are harmed by them.

Like I don't think anyone who isn't Jewish should try to lampshade and openly subvert the antisemitic goblin tropes like the ones you see in Harry Potter.

I have been using fantasy dwarves in my writing, and I've reblogged a post from a person with dwarfism who is very much on the side of fantasy dwarves no longer being used. And I respect that, which is why I reblogged it and why I am still pondering a name change for my own "dwarves". But while I have not posted any links to it, I have in fact watched a video by another person with dwarfism who thinks fantasy dwarves are cool! There is no singular answer here. I'm still thinking about using a different word, and I plan to keep on hearing out different opinions.

I think the most important thing, though, is whether or not my many fantasy people come across as nuanced and respectable or if they come across like bad stereotypes and offensive caricatures. I can rename them all I like, but whether I'm using the word "orc" or "boarin" or whatever you like, does that make it any less offensive if I write them to be savage uncivilized evil barbarians regardless? Is it less offensive to remove the title of "dwarves" and replace it with "cavern folk" if you're still going to write them as angry little men with big heads who only exist for comedic effect?

It is important to be careful of the use of specific words and I think coming up with your own names for fantasy people is a great idea, of course. It's why I have the stroi as another species of elf. But it does kinda bother me when people act like the very use of a word is the main problem and not just one more detail on top of a pile of problems.

[way-too-indecisive]

Thank you soo much for the tag!!

Six characters I relate to (to various extents)

They are in no particular order and bc I have to choose who I relate to I've forgotten every character I've ever known about 😭😭

Thanks for the tag @wretchedlovergirl !!

Here’s 6 characters I relate to:

I tag: @damnitneilthenamesnuwanda @yawping-poets-society and anyone else who wants to join along (I suck at tagging so anyone who comes across this is welcome to take this as an invite to post)

[rosemaryreaper]

15 out of context Rosemary Reaper quotes

Because I love these idiots.

* * * *

1.

You could only lose so many hats or get the plastic beaten out of you so many times before you had to admit that maybe you were your own occupational hazard.

2.

Ros was lost. And she was pretty sure her horse was malfunctioning.

It was the trees’ fault.

3.

No, no, no. One did not simply turn a deathclaw into stew.

4.

The ghoul in the tarberry pool was wearing a “Women Want Me, Fish Fear Me” trucker cap. Nora decided she liked her instantly.

5.

She had just under an hour walk back to Diamond City. Not far as most walks go, but a long way to waddle with newspaper up your crotch. Could she do it? Sure, no problem. Could she do it without crying? Eh…

6.

“I’m exhausted, my period started, my menstrual cup is stuck in the Nuka-Cola machine, and a bullet in the back would be a shitty way to cap off a really long day. So I’m going to assume you’re being honest because I don’t have the mental energy to handle being killed today. Thank you.”

7.

Ros had done something stupid (again) and had gotten herself shot (again).

[…] She had regrets.

And pain. Oh, so much pain.

8.

“Your horse? Nick’s offered to punt any kid who approaches her into the reservoir. I’m sure they’re fine.”

9.

“You’ve never experienced the fury of a jilted lover until you’ve dangled from an old construction crane by your ankles.”

“And that’s supposed to be a selling point?”

“When someone doesn’t go chasing after a mobster’s husband on their own, that doesn’t happen.” She paused. “As often.”

10.

“I sort of made a bet with Piper Wright—”

“Because that’s always a great way to start a sentence.”

11.

“I recently rediscovered several pre-War papers on noise pollution with fascinating implications for wildlife health and migration.”

“Please tell me this isn’t the deathclaw music one.”

“It’s the deathclaw music one!”

12.

If there was one thing Ros didn’t have, it was dignity.

13.

“You bulletproof?”

“Depends. You bite-proof?”

“Kinky.”

“Shut up.”

14.

“If you’re here to talk, I’m not in the mood.”

“Talk?” Piper echoed. “When do I ever do that?”

15.

“You should thank God you’ve never seen me shirtless. People have run away screaming. I’m not making that up. I can never enjoy a beach day again.”

[nalyra-dreaming]

Number 1 & 2, as it should be. 😜🙌

[werewolfhooligan]

it is halloween

[bumbleberrybee]

Marinaaaaa~✨

[caroodraws]

Drawing every Genshin impact character: #2 Xiangling

I like this one a lot!!

[dogofthejunkyard]

things from my camera roll bc i need to clear out storage space

more under cut

[carl77fx]

There are plenty of different object shows in which I have a fave. So why not just draw all of them from each.

(OBJECTOBER 2024)

Characters n their shows:

Inanimate Insanity:

OJ (S1 & Invitational)

Knife (S2)

Nickel (Invitational)

-

Fanny (The Power of Two)

Charger Block & Michael (Love of The S*n)

Cracklin (Investigations of Object Nuclearity)

Knify (Contest For Millions of Thousands)

Plasma Ball (Paper Puppets Take 2)

Lollipop (Battle For BFDI)

Slicey (Mystery Box Madness Better)

Apple Juice (Lunchbox Kids)

[trobedtism]

my 2024 characters wrapped or whatever 💛

1. claudia (interview with the vampire)

2. abed (community)

3. armand (interview with the vampire)

4. rhaenyra targaryen (house of the dragon)

5. louis (interview with the vampire)

6. mobius (mcu)

7. daniel (interview with the vampire)

8. loki (mcu)

9. brad (mythic quest)

tagging: @cloudhedgehog @twynte @mangomeadows only if u want to do it!

[stephstars08]

My Top Favorite Characters From Avatar

(Not in particular order!!)

Have a top ten request? (Submit Here)

[thiccsys]

all my attacks so far :33

@aoartmthebitxh @dreemurr-skelememer @solluna-lumen @dagwmeno @imjustanut_ (on insta)