#the commune

[cynical-canidae]

Okay, sorry (I'm not at all), but someone was appreciating the outfits of Viktor's commune on Twitter, and it reminded me I just have a whole lot of thoughts.

But I just love love love love them because essentially?? Looks aside (though they are stunningly gorgeous), these outfits—specifically being wrapped in blankets—sort of represent these individuals at their base/"pure" humanity.

But if you think about it, for most people, even in fictional settings/media, a blanket is your very first "outfit." It is your very first armor to brave this big, big world. Then and there at your birth, you are at your absolute most vulnerable. It's you BEFORE all of the wrong of the world (prejudice, disease, harm, death, etc.) has any chance to affect/shape you. From then on, they—this life, this world, this society—all will take every chance they can get to leave its fingerprints all over you. But in that moment, coddled by a blanket, you are a bare canvas of whatever your genes have ordered. Which is why I say "pure/base humanity."

And RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA if this does not perfectly encapsulate the commune's (Viktor's) mindset at this point??

I want to first preface this by saying. No. OBVIOUSLY the commune was not 10000% all good. Loss of self and autonomy and free will are Not good things. 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️ (As these things makes us ourselves. Yes, though their bodies move, this is essentially murdering these people.) This is the core principle of which original game Viktor and Jayce disagreed and ultimately separated upon/got Viktor expelled. However, one of the MAIN themes of Arcane is how we can do very horrible things with good intentions. We know that this happens to be Viktor's. Clearly not probably one of the best methods of trying to bring this about, but what I'm saying is that not a single soul can argue that everything/the aftermath was done out of malice/an "evil" plan. TL;DR: No, the commune was not perfect like some people for some reason?? were convinced (looking at all of you with the 🚫 Jayce pfps after Act 2 lol). However, no way can someone genuinely say that it meant Viktor was evil because of all of it. Ok, preface over.

(Also, don't even get me started on the tragedy of how the world made Viktor, a disabled man, believe that the solution was to change himself and not ?? making the world more accommodating/educating people. That's for another time and I'm supposed to be talking about BLANKETS djksfnosfjskm.)

ANYWAYS, like Viktor himself says in Act 2:

"The reason for our failures in the commune. The doctor was right. It's inescapable. Humanity. Our very essence. Our emotions... Rage. Compassion. Hate. Two sides of the same coin. Inextricably bound."

Humanity has a ton of good to offer the world and each other. The commune was born out of Viktor's genuine empathy and desire for people to live free from all of the downsides of the human condition and the things that come with it. The commune was an attempt to separate the good side of the coin from the bad side. Which is why I say that their outfits, simply blankets wrapped around them like their "pure" selves (birth), perfectly encapsulates the commune's/Viktor's mindset at this point in time. He was convinced that he could find a way to have only the good. It also meant everyone was put to the same "level"/showed a sense of equality, which was another thing Viktor was trying to do. (I.E. Uniforms are VERY big in Piltover. Certain clothes mean STATUS. Even Salo, a former councilman, being in the same robes as everyone else is a good example of bringing everyone to the same playing field.)

Also, since I cannot help but note on it. My fellow religious trauma girlies were also very tuned into just how biblical Act 2 was in general (Jesus Viktor jokes, you will always be famous). I could make an entire essay on all of THOSE parallels, but on the topic of clothing: Adam and Eve only adorned "clothes" out of shame/self-consciousness once the biblical version of Pandora's box had been opened, releasing all of the bad (sin) into the world. This point in time of humanity before the apple is exactly akin to what Viktor was trying to achieve. (He even had a damn greenhouse omg like that's literally the Garden of Eden?? 😭😭) So while Fortiche/Riot definitely wouldn't have been able to have the members of the commune all naked without getting bumped up a couple ratings, it definitely makes sense that they would wear/appear as the next thing closest to that. Huzzah!! Blankets!! 🤌🤌

I also very much appreciate it because it makes the transition of Viktor's mindset changing very stark as well, going from "most" human (blanket) to least human (machine). I have been rationalizing these two differing points in my head kinda as:

[Commune/Act 2]

"I must save humanity from the world"

(Mentally, you have to equate bad things to the world if you believe you can have humanity without it)

VS.

[Arcane Herald/Act 3]

"I must save humanity from itself"

(Inarguable, as this is the canonical current state of new game Viktor. Also can be seen like "the world from humanity.")

Anyways, I'm crazy. 🧎‍♂️🧎‍♂️ Thanks for reading.

[arcielee]

Interview With a Writer

Thank you so much @dragonwanker for allowing me to pick your brain on this wonderful story and allowing me to continue this series! 💜 As always, Interview With a Writer is my ongoing series of the talented souls on Tumblr and ao3, and their brilliant writing!

Dividers by @saradika 💜

Name: dragonwanker

Story: The Commune [on ao3]

Paring: modern Aemond Targaryen x Female!Reader

Warnings: 18+ MDNI. AFAB reader, she/her pronouns. This fic contains dark themes such as; descriptions of depression, manipulation, coercion, noncon/dubcon, and incest. Please mind the tags for each chapter.

So, when did you start writing?

Oh, just in September this year! I wrote my first fic and published it then, it’s called “Warm Me Up” 😊 But I’ve been obsessed since it aired last October and I’ve read miles of Aemond fanfic especially!

I’ve always been like a day dreamer, who needs a fantasy to escape to. I didn’t think I’d be any good at writing and avoided it for so long, but then I felt inspired and brave and thought I’d give it a shot. Fanfic really helped me last year when I had a pretty bad time mentally and I thought if someone would enjoy my stories like I’ve enjoyed so many others, I’d be happy!

What made you decide to start writing in English? Do you have any advice for budding new writers where English is not their native tongue?

I think I decided to write in English since I only read fanfics in English, there really isn’t a community in Swedish. Most Swedish people have high enough English literacy to read in the language, and being able to read and write in English opens up to so much more content. As for advice; I’d say read read read! Even if it’s just fanfics, there is so much talent among ff writers and so many lovely pieces to chose from!

I don’t think I would have been able to write without having read so much fan fiction in the last year honestly! I only ever read books in Swedish, or really boring text books and academic articles in English. So, reading has really helped me understand the tone that I enjoy reading in. And helped me understand how to describe and paint a picture for the reader.

I’ve had some time to practice writing in English though, I did both my bachelors and masters in English, but the papers I wrote in school were all boring academic papers.

But that did help me articulate myself and get my point across, something that I think might feel challenging when writing in a second language.

Where did the plot for The Commune come from?

Since I am new to writing, I thought I’d explore writing something darker (also cause Halloween was just around the corner hehe) but wanted it to be different from other stories I’ve read.

I studied politics in uni and was very focused on nationalism, identity and national identity. I think theories surrounding those concepts, like Benedict Anderson’s theory on ‘imagined communities,’ inspired me to write something about a secluded community, and then I thought of a cult.

And the idea works ‘cause Aemond (in canon, I mean) was brought up in a religious family, and I felt like the Seven would be fun to explore more, especially since the story takes place in a modern AU of Westeros.

And his personality really reflects other cult leaders, like Jim Jones (I used Jonestown as a bit of an inspiration for The Commune). Aemond is highly intelligent, calculating, persuasive, knowledgeable about the Seven, and authoritative.

Can you expand a bit more on your interpretation of Aemond. What drives him? Why is he the way he is in The Commune?

I’d say the trauma from losing his eye as a child drives him greatly, and that has both good and bad consequences. Like in canon, he utilises that when studying, and it’s implied that he is extremely intelligent, which I’d say is a result of his tedious work. The need to prove himself drives him greatly.

I also think he has a inferiority complex as a child that develops into a superiority complex as he gets older and praised for his amazing work in school.

So, he takes a natural role as the leader within The Commune (I mean, he’s the mastermind behind it) since he believes that he’s superior to everyone else, even those older than him (with more experience in life or in research). That is where the idea that he could be the father reincarnated comes from; his incredible intellect and how sure he is in everything he does.

Was there anything in specific that inspired your Reader portrayal?

I felt like some of us needed a relatable depressed girl whose too tired of her meaningless job to fight the manipulation.

But I guess I drew a lot of inspiration from real life, and having battled a bit with mental health issues, I utilised that. I wanted the ending to be a bit ambiguous; so that we don’t know if she chose to stay or if she was “brainwashed” into staying. So, she needed to be displeased with life from the start, otherwise she wouldn’t want to leave her career.

Plus, cults often pray on people like her: depressed and disappointed in life. So it felt fitting 😊

Do you think your Reader complements Aemond?

I’ve thought about it and in a twisted way, yes, I think she compliments him (or his delusions haha). He uses his scar and the trauma he went through as a child as a way to manipulate his followers, and having the girl who (he thinks) wronged him by his side as a devoted partner helps him further reinforce his agenda as this outer worldly leader!

That’s one more thing that drives him marrying her: he thinks she’ll help in his selfish goals of gaining more power.

So really, she complements his end game.

Were there any other characters in your story you enjoyed writing?

Oh yes, I loved writing Alys and Helaena! They’re only the two other real ‘actors’ in the story but it was so fun exploring how their characters would translate onto this dark, modern setting.

Helaena being depressed in King’s Landing and finding solace in the country where she can pursue a life without the stresses of modern society felt realistic to the way I interpret her character; someone who craves connection to nature (actualised through her fondness of insects) yet gets pulled away from that and thrust into the chaotic mess that is the Targtowers.

And Alys being this highly intelligent PhD student in phytotherapy; having vast knowledge on plants and ancient healing practices! Gets charmed by the young and confident political science student (Aemond) who promises a better life under a brand new philosophy.

Do you think you will do a sequel to this story? Or a new piece you might post?

Hmmm no, at least not at the moment! I like the way it ended and feel like I don’t have anything else to add that would elevate the story… but if inspiration strikes I’m not opposed to the idea!

I’m currently writing a series called ‘Rumours’ that I think people who enjoyed ‘The Commune’ might like; it’s not a dark!fic but there’s plenty of angst and drama 👀

Do you have a personal favorite fanfic you'd like to share?

I am beyond excited for more of @theoneeyedprince Tom Bennett story ‘As the World Burns’ and @humanpurposes modern!Aemond story ‘It Will Come Back’

[tree-of-growth]

They’ll pay for this. They’ll all pay.

[argyrocratie]

"This army was completely falling apart. We have already seen how the government was obliged to evacuate entire barracks and how officers were being attacked and insulted. One of the army’s first principles was no longer being respected: keep the soldiers in their barracks and away from the rest of the population. Moreover the maréchal de Castellane’s instructions on March 18th 1858 were very precise about this:

“Never must troops be uncertain against a riot…[They] must never allow themselves to be approached by a column of rioters, by women and children; hesitation by infantry in opening fire can compromise it and cause it to be disarmed. At 200 paces the rioters must be warned to stop; if they disobey, once the summations have been made…fire must be opened immediately. Women and children…are the vanguard of the enemy and must be treated as such.”

Soldiers were bivouacking in the streets and in public parks. They stayed in wooden shacks set up in city squares. Others received tickets which allowed them to be billeted on the local inhabitants. This could only favor movements of fraternization. But it went even further. On March 9th battalions of gardes mobiles mutinied, arrested their officers and took them to the National Guard Central Committee…which promptly released them!

This is why Vinoy wanted to get the troops out of Paris as quickly as possible. As leaving by train would take too long he decided during the month of March to organize the departure by foot of three columns for Orléans. But many men were missing when it was time to go. In the meanwhile reinforcements, apparently more reliable, were arriving from different parts of the country. But no preparation had been made to accomodate them. This was a problem. But it coincided with the problem of food rations which, as of March, had diminished. Many men fell sick. There are references to as many as 40,000 sick and wounded. The climate necessary to maintain discipline had ceased to exist. This was reinforced by the fact that new officers possessed neither the capacity nor the will to put an end to the indiscipline, apathy, and discouragement which was paralyzing the army more and more.

-"The Paris Commune: revolution and counterrevolution in Paris in 1870-1871" (2011)

[smokesalty]

Teaser panels....

Argh this scene is really good for showing their dynamic and conflicts they both have as people within the cult. They both understand each other but don't agree on everything either.

Also hurt comfort but not too comforting but yes? At the same time??

[the-commune-comic-fan-things]

The Commune as Mean Girls (2)

The Commune by smokesalty can be read on Webtoon, Tapas, and Instagram

[fenstyx]

commission for smokesalty !!!! all of u go read The Commune (on webtoon and tapas) NOW

[fallow-grove]

ill scoop shit in the commune as long as i don't have to make food ok?

[faresaday]

[frontmansdefender]

fuck yeah !!!!!!!!!

[elledotexe]

READ BELOW -

Edit: With the amount of notes this has received I want to make it clear (since people who have reblogged and added their own opinions to this, one saying to completely shun studies in total that garnered a lot of attention) that while these studies specifically geared toward veterans are meant to help and were possibly requested from the previous administration, extreme caution should still be advised and you should do your research as others have suggested.

Our dearest Trump has allowed ending of employment for whatever reason now regardless of disability, race, gender, sexuality etc., we all know what Meta has turned into and what the current administration probably has to do with that and definitely has to do with the TikTok ban... I'm just saying do not be surprised if somehow these records end up being used for more harm than good if they just decide it'll be a... fun weekend hobby.

I want people to make informed decisions regardless of what they decide! But they have made it very clear on the kind of people they are and what they will do to harm any sort of minority. Please consider that when you call this "unnecessary fear mongering", as well. They are already erasing valid data/searches from social medias and valuable sources. The most important thing is safety.

[argyrocratie]

"For us there are different contents which overlap and confront one another in the term Commune: essentially the Commune as the proletariat’s revolutionary uprising, and the Commune as the government of Paris. Bourgeois historiography would not show this distinction because this would imply showing the class confrontation which was taking place. The confusion over these two contents is eminently harmful to the intelligence of the social movement in France in 1870-71.

(...)

These academics of bourgeois thought filter events through their own perspective which they describe using their own terminology. Their aim is to protect the organization of the society which they depend upon. When they identify the bourgeois reformist decrees produced by the Commune government with the (confused but real) attacks which the proletariat made against the capitalist State the bourgeoisie is simply projecting today the same political concern which was already a driving force within it in 1871 as it faced armed proletarians: how can it bring the revolutionary movement in Paris back into the framework of a struggle for more republic, more democracy, more State.

That is why in the following text we have used two distinct terms:

the Commune which we refer to as such or preceeded by the adjective “revolutionary” when we refer to the revolutionary movement in Paris.

the Commune government when we wish to speak about the reorganization of the State in its republican form and in its defense of the pillars of its society – private property, labor, money.

The revolutionary Commune has an undeniable suggestive power for the proletariat. To say the Commune to refer to the proletarian uprising in Paris is like saying the Russian Revolution to talk about the October 1917 insurrection in Petrograd. The proletariat’s strength in its struggle to affirm its needs, its communist project, was so great that it marked future generations with the time and place of their happenings. The Commune, 1917, El Cordobazo, May 1968…are terminological shortcuts which mark the proletariat’s struggle and with which it identitfies.

However when we talk about the Commune government we talk about capitalism’s capacity to break the proletariat’s party. We refer to the bourgeoisie’s capacity for keeping its State alive. In order to do so it seeks to confiscate the initiatives and directives taken in the struggle by revolutionary workers so as to better destroy them. In distinguishing between the Commune government and the revolutionary movement we wish to point out this bourgeois recuperation, the capitalist State’s great capacity to adapt and co-opt workers’ elements so as to make its decisions seem credible. In doing so it seeks to defuse the revolutionary movement by legalizing it and transforming social attacks into a purely military confrontation – turning the class war, proletariat against bourgeoisie, into a bourgeois war, front against front, Paris against Versailles.

(...)

For us, this means that we are not going to try to distinguish between the “good” and the “bad” measures passed by the the Commune government but instead to grasp its essence as an atomizing force against the proletariat’s power, and even more so against the direction which the proletariat was trying to give itself. Just because some militant workers, despite their anterior ruptures, participated in different levels of the Parisian municipal State apparatus (the government, executive commissions,…) that did not give any revolutionary complexion to these structures. On the contrary, it’s an expression of the confusion which reigned among the avant-garde elements, the proletariat’s lack of determination.

Mixing up the efforts of participants in the Commune to give themselves a revolutionary direction with the capitalist subject the Commune government never ceased to represent, is an enormous concession to the bourgeois history of the Commune.

-"The Paris Commune: revolution and counterrevolution in Paris in 1870-1871"

[smokesalty]

Hello, I'm Smoke!

I'm a queer horror comic artist and illustrator. I'm also studying to be a game artist- making concept art, character sculpts and rigs and animation!

My big passion project is my webcomic, The Commune💉🩸

About my comic!

"407's cultish new family seems like the perfect escape from his old life. With gracious leader Anopheles to look after him, why would he ever want to leave?"

The Commune is a psychological horror about a cult, with minor urban fantasy elements here and there.

If you love: Horror, Found Family Gone Wrong, Complex Villains and Indie Comics, it might be up your ally. The comic's main characters are also queer!

Read it on Webtoon, Tapas and Insta (@thecommunecomic)

I also love worldbuilding :3 My 3D modelling skills come in handy for making fun detailed backgrounds for the comic.

Here's some of my art!

(Most of it is from my comic!)

I'm hoping to maybe try posting here more? We'll see how it goes.

My asks are open!

[the-commune-comic-fan-things]

The Commune by smokesalty can be read on Webtoon, Tapas, and Instagram

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

now that trump has tiktok, twitter, facebook and insta in his pocket, get ready for a massive wave of internet censorship. one of trump's greatest weapons has always been misinformation; it's going to become harder and harder to spread facts and criticism going forward. posts that aren't made invisible will be magically ignored by the algorithm. dissidents will have their accounts deleted and voices erased.

this is a suppression tactic. this is another stage of fascism.