#the dynamic and parallels between the two
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“The Chemistry Test” Theory
(How the Duffers demonstrate romantic AND platonic chemistry in Stranger Things’ relationships)
When one character starts singing, how does the other react? Are they in harmony?
(alternatively: do they match each others freak?)
“Chemistry” describes the emotional connection between two characters in a relationship. This can be either romantic, platonic, both, or neither.
We know that the Duffer brothers highlighted the importance of music in Stranger Things 4, so let’s look back on it’s uses in earlier seasons.
I’ve noticed a lot of parallels between scenes that focus on the relationship between two characters. One of these two characters will sing, and the other has one of two reactions:
Indulge in the fun
Try and shut it down
Depending on their reaction, we can conclude a lot about what the Duffers want to communicate about the chemistry between two characters.
So let’s look at 6 examples:
Exhibit A: Dustin and Suzie
https://youtu.be/ehtsmxu1w10?si=CGnKM5PubO5lC-V4
youtube
This - I think - is the most glaringly obvious example of how the Duffers like to demonstrate chemistry between two characters. Mostly because this scene is purposefully very memorable.
Dustin and Suzie have clearly sung this many times before, we know this because Dustin immediately knows what Suzie wants from him just from her saying “I want to hear it”
At first, he’s embarrassed - all of his friends are listening, friends who didn’t believe until now that Suzie even existed. He doesn’t want to sing it in front of them.
But when Suzie joins in, he’s actually able to forget about the danger they’re all in, he’s doesn’t care everyone is listening, he’s able to indulge. Because he loves Suzie, these moments bring him joy. They bring Suzie joy, too. Just look at this shot of them together, despite being states apart. Because they are in harmony, the distance between them doesn’t matter.
These two cutie patooties pass the chemistry test with flying colours.
Exhibit B: Max and Lucas
youtube
(Max and Lucas are presumably also in a relationship at this point in the series, and they don’t break up until after.)
As another couple, the two are mocking Dustin for his relationship - making kissy faces at him and calling him “Dusty-bun”.
However, whilst doing so, they are demonstrating their own chemistry - synchronous clapping, smiling at each other, holding eye contact. When they start singing the second time, they need nothing more than a look from the other before they start again from the same lyric.
Max and Lucas may not have the same romantic dynamic as Dustin and Suzie, after all no two couples are the same, but they will sing to make lighthearted fun at their friend.
It should also be noted that Max didn’t even hear Dustin’s original rendition, she had to hear about the whole ordeal from the others, I’ll wager Lucas sang it enough to Dustin that she picked up on it and joined in. She indulged in the fun.
If Lucas and Max did not have chemistry, Max would’ve been at most only slightly amused in Lucas’ mockery, but she would not have joined in on it (similar to Mike) and might have even told him to knock it off during the time skip if he continued doing it.
These two pass the chemistry test.
Exhibit C: Mike and Eleven
Might be time to start contrasting these examples to other scenes in the same season.
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This is our first look at Mike and Eleven as an official couple - and what I would label as the start of their downfall.
(may make a whole post dedicated to this one scene because it speaks volumes about Mike and Els relationship and what the Duffers want us to take away from it in retrospect)
This scene is special because it’s not like the writers are trying to make it glaringly obvious that Mike and El are not a compatible couple. Rather, this scene is disguised as a cute (albeit slightly awkward) scene, hell - i thought it was cute when i first watched it (I was also, you know, 12, but whatever, I’m now 17 I have a very different idea of what romantic relationships actually look like).
It’s only later when we gather the other examples in this post and compare them we can start to see that somethings not quite right with these two cutie pies.
Even whilst they’re still kissing, Mike is pushing Els hands away from him - already not a good sign.
When he pulls away to sing, it’s because he wants a break from constant kissing. From my own experience, I can tell you that making out is very exhausting (especially when you don’t have a lot of chemistry with the person you’re locking lips with).
El reacts very quickly by covering his mouth, she calls his name to grab his attention, she tells him to stop, she gives him a look that just says “What are you doing?”. This is her trying to shut him down. She is not indulging in the fun, even though Mike is trying to make her - he shakes her and her arms, he maintains eye contact. He asks her if she likes it, and she says “No!”.
If the Duffers wanted to portray Mike and El as a couple with chemistry, a better way to portray that could have been to have them just sitting and reading their own respective magazines, when Mike sings, El could have smiled and bopped her head along despite likely not knowing the words. They could have demonstrated that the two enjoy each others company even when they’re not making out, that they are still close, and a kiss goodbye to make it clear to the audience they still have a romantic dynamic.
This scene doesn’t just not do that, it does the opposite. Mike and El are only interested in kissing. When they break up later, it’s for comedic relief.
These two unfortunately do not pass the chemistry test.
Now, due to the very thick romantic tone of this scene, we can conclude that Mike and El do not have romantic chemistry, but we cannot make any conclusions about their platonic chemistry.
What does platonic chemistry look like with Eleven, you ask?
Exhibit D: Max and Eleven
youtube
This example is slightly less noticeable, but this scene starts in Elevens room, a parallel to the previous example with Mike.
Max is singing along to the radio, much like Mike was, the only difference is Els reaction. Instead of trying to shut her down, she is bopping her head along to the music. She may not be singing along, but she is still indulging in Max’s behaviour, she’s having fun.
Max and Eleven have platonic chemistry.
Exhibit E: Steve and Nancy
Let’s now look at the very first example of this Chemistry Test the show gives us, way back in season one. It’s so small you may have missed it.
I think this is a very good example of how interactions like these are a two way street.
(For context, Steve is apologising to Nancy for his lack of empathy towards Barbs disappearance, and tries to invite her to a movie to take her mind off it all - note that Nancy is yet to verbally forgive Steve in this scene)
Nancy goes through a lot in the first season, I don’t doubt that even if her and Steve shared romantic chemistry, that she still wouldn’t be in the mood for a little sing song. But Steve still sings to her anyway, he hasn’t picked up on how distraught she is over Barbs disappearance, and how “pretending everything is normal” is not something she wants to do.
What she wants is to go out and look for Barbara with Jonathan - Steve later misinterprets this as them hooking up, completely ignorant to the fact that they both have lost someone they care deeply for when they both feel they could have prevented it (Jonathan was not supposed to be working that evening and Nancy convinced Barb to come to Steve’s even though she didn’t actually want to)
It’s clear Steve is genuinely trying to make amends with her in this scene, but there is still a glaring disconnect in their emotions because Steve does not apologise proportionally to the distress Nancy is in. When he sings to her and tries to make her laugh, he is demonstrating this lack of understanding of her needs and emotions. Of course she doesn’t laugh, she looks away awkwardly and eventually shuts him down.
The lack of chemistry between these two is demonstrated by Steve singing in the first place, then confirmed when Nancy does not indulge.
These two, unsurprisingly, do not pass.
Exhibit F: Steve and Robin
(Skip to the end of this video for a refresher)
youtube
This is a very intimate conversation. This time, Steve appreciates that it takes a lot of trust for someone like Robin to talk about what she just has. It takes a lot of love from Robins end to be honest with him as to why they can’t be a couple.
Trust and love that didn’t come from no where, I’ll remind you.
He reacts the way he does because he values Robin as a friend, and as friends do, he picks apart and judges her crushes.
Steve doesn’t have to grasp at straws for something to say, despite having never been in this situation before, despite having never even thought about being in this situation before. He just talks. The right words come out of his mouth because they have that shared love and trust. He just talks and says the right thing because he feels and thinks the right things.
He sings because it’s appropriate for their dynamic and his approach to this conversation as her friend, she indulges to confirm that they are in harmony now their relationship is defined as platonic.
These two have undeniable chemistry. Id argue this is the best example of this Chemistry Test because it’s such a raw and real interaction, even if it only demonstrates a strong platonic bond.
(I would love to see some sort of parallel with Mike and Eleven in S5)
“Great! We have a theory about how the Duffer brothers have previously demonstrated Chemistry, with evidence to support it! … Now what?”
Now we apply it to Season 5 Speculation!
I bring to you a whole three possible applications of this theory.
Number 1: Robin and Vickie
Crucial detail that loads of people overlook about Robin and Vickie - they’re both in band.
We’re constantly reminded of it, too.
Steve to Robin: “You’re worried about a high school pep rally, you expect me to believe that? […] This is about Vickie!”
Our first look at Vickie is during said pep rally, we see Vickie and Robin standing side by side, sharing a glance during the band performance.
We see them interact later that night, during band (again), whilst Tammy Thompson sings the national anthem.
Dustin to Eddie s4 e02: “You know Robin! From band!”
Vickie to her boyfriend when he asks who Robin is: “Someone from band.”
Robin and Vickie are in harmony, even in their limited on screen interactions, because they both play music together.
It’s also worth noting that both of their instruments are wind instruments. We know that the both of them struggle to stop themselves from rambling, so their best interactions are during band, they do not have to worry about finding the right words because they literally cannot talk.
According to the Duffer Brothers, Robin and Vickie have chemistry. Rovickie endgame - next please!
Number 2: Steve and Nancy
Let’s be so fr they are not getting back together.
This post is one of many arguments as to why they should not and will not become a couple again in s5.
I said “next, please!”
Number 3: Will and Mike
Stay with me, now.
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Small throwaway scene? Maybe, yeah, but i’ll add that the exact frame Will sings here is the thumbnail for this episode.
Do with that information what you will.
In this scene, Mike is making a plan to find El by getting help from Suzie. Will is the only one who picks up on Mikes plan, and sings the Never-ending Story theme to remind the others who haven’t yet picked up on it. Basic example of show don’t tell.
Contrary to Steve and Nancy, Will sings because Mike and him are already in harmony. They’re on the same page about “Utah” meaning “Suzie”.
This is one of the many examples in season 4 alone where Mike and Will do not need to communicate with words to pick up what the other puts down.
You could say that these two have quite a good rhythm, their interactions seem to flow seamlessly, and when they don’t ( *cough* airport reunion) it sticks out like a sore thumb.
I cant find a clip of the scene I can link here, but think of that scene where they’re formatting a lie for Suzie in her room as to why they need these coordinates, and it’s complete improv and such a natural flowing lie despite the fact they’ve never discussed it before.
And if we’re defining chemistry as a measure of emotional connection, well, which two characters have the most heart-to-heart, ‘lethal dose of emotion’ interactions this season?
yeah…quite a few more than average.
And that’s just season four! Mike and Will share emotionally intimate moments like these throughout the seasons.
So, will we get to see some more musical interactions this next season? If we do, i’ll place my bets on these two getting fed a version of our Chemistry Test.
Love to hear other people’s thoughts!
#dustin henderson#suzie bingham#dustin and suzie#duzie#stranger things#rovickie#steve and robin#stancy#mileven#mike and eleven#lumax#lumax endgame#lucas and max#mucas#mike wheeler#eleven hopper#lucas sinclair#max mayfield#elmax#platonic elmike#platonic elmax#steve harrington#nancy wheeler#robin buckley#rovickie endgame#the duffer brothers#stranger things analysis#stranger things 3 analysis#byler endgame#who said that?
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i need to hear those thoughts, pretty please,
Okay this is a very late reply, but I finally feel as though I can word the thoughts I have regarding them. I want to preface this by saying that all my talks of Jayvik being queer coded stem from my own personal aroacespec perspective. I don’t perceive all forms of close affection and devotion as romantic, but the visual coding regarding Jayvik, and Meljayvik leads me down the path of ‘this is something I personally interpret as romantic’.
MelJayVik is such a deeply fascinating relationship to me because I think a lot is gained from their relationships in the series by looking at them through a polyamorous lens. It may be my own bias, I’m willing to admit that, but the dynamic feels as though it was written to be Poly.
It begins with the obvious queercoding between Jayce and Viktor, and the visual and thematic parallels between them:
Both are written as representative of Jayce’s choices, which can be simplified down to politics and science, and as characters, they inform the choices Jayce makes, and the consequences of those choices, while simultaneously being their own well-developed characters and having their own agendas. I would argue the way it’s written and depicted in the animation, taking into account a lot of the animator’s personal romantic agenda regarding Jayvik, feels akin to the setup of a typical romantic love triangle.
Two people harbour feelings for Jayce, and Jayce is given the decision between the two of them, but that to me is where the similarities between them a love triangle ends… because Jayce never actually chooses. I know some may argue he does because of the final scene with Viktor, but I don’t perceive that as the case at all.
Jayce clearly has a deep love for the both of them, seen so clearly in his actions.
With Mel and Viktor, he truly feels like he can take on the world.
Jayce struggles to balance his life between politics and science because he wants both. He wants Mel and Viktor to be important in his life, but he isn’t capable of managing that, and his own biases and privilege do begin to damage his view of the system and his relationship with Viktor, and Mel does unintentionally worsen that divide. It’s why I love the polycule so much honestly — to me it isn’t just slapping three people together to stop any ship wars, no, it’s a genuinely complex and nuanced dynamic that has initial struggles and hardships.
And to claim that Mel doesn’t care for Viktor is said in complete ignorance of the source material. Mel does come to perceive Viktor as important. Initially, she does ignore him, and treat his presence as secondary to Jayce, but that changes once she recognises the flaw in her actions and how close she was to becoming like her mother. In the final scene of season one, she smiles at Jayce and Viktor. In the beginning of season two, she says that Viktor will come back to ‘us’. Not just to Jayce.
It feels tragic almost. They could have had such an interesting relationship with Mel now wanting to connect to Viktor, but she shattered the chance of that happening. The same way Viktor’s magic repels and rejects her, he does the same.
And god don’t get me started on their magic parallels. For as much as I criticise season two, this is a compilation of my thoughts on MelJayVik in canon, and so I am willing to analyse the way they’re portrayed in season two, and the fight scene in the council room In particular makes me violently ill.
It feels intimate on both ends.
I know people focus especially on Jayce and Viktor’s scenes, and I get it, the scenes between them are particularly intimate
However, both Mel and Viktor and Mel and Jayce also show intimacy in that scene. The way Jayce holds Mel after the fight, despite their previous ‘break up’ scene, and how even though there’s conflict between them, they still can’t help but handle each other with such care and affection. It’s just how they are.
And to me there’s something equally horrifying yet beautiful in the way Viktor bypasses Mel’s own magic, no longer rejecting her, but being intrigued and fascinated by her.
“The arcane stirs within you.”
They are connected by something more than just flesh, more than just physical, and that’s kind of insane to consider.
The tragedy of Mel regarding this is she loses both of these people: the man she knew, and understood, and allowed herself to be vulnerable with, and the man she wanted to know, and to understand.
So here’s how the Noxus spin-off can fix that and canonise MelJayVik! <- lying to myself.
#asks#arcane#arcane analysis#mel merdada#Viktor#jayce talis#meljayvik#these aren’t all my thoughts unfortunately as I have others I can’t yet find the words for#but I hope this is enough for now!
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if I had a nickel for every time the resulting negligence of an overworked father caused their son who they have a strained but previously close relationship with to get into a traffic accident and for them to have a robot son replacement made that they realized they could never truly love the same way and so abandoned in the 2003 version of astro boy I'd have 2 nickles. which isn't alot but it's interesting it's happened twice
#forever thinking about how in the dub atlas calls him and atom 'brothers' and all that implies#the fact that they were both actually created by the same man. how eerily similar their circumstances are#I've heard this line isn't present in the OG/sub which is a shame imo cause it's such A loaded piece of dialogue and I loved how it altered#the dynamic and parallels between the two#psii.txt#astro boy 2003#tetsuwan atom#atlas#atlas astro boy 2003#daichi tokugawa#there's deffo some sort of commentary you can pick up from this around the work culture in Japan at the time and how it effects families#because iirc they aren't the only fathers distant for work related reasons either. there's another and his little girl? idr the episode tho#atlasposting
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[ cw: death mention / strangulation mention / stabbing mention / blood mention / self-sacrifice / codependency mention in tags / ]
I think a lot about how common it is for Raph to be the one to have direct focus put on him when Leo gets into all his near death experiences.
Like, when Leo is thrown off a building, it’s Raph who’s right there jumping after him, not even thinking about the consequences to himself when he does. When Leo almost gets skewered by the Krang, Raph’s right there to take the blow and send Leo to safety without a second thought. When Leo’s being strangled to near death, it’s a Krangified Raph doing the job, doing exactly what Raph would never, ever want to do. When Leo is telling Casey Jr to close the portal, it’s Raph who tries desperately to convince Leo otherwise.
Likewise, Leo is consistently very single minded when Raph gets forcibly separated from them. Both when in the sewers and by the Krang, Leo is dead set on finding Raph first and foremost.
I also think it’s interesting that during each of Leo’s near death experiences, the lightheartedness of his words during them goes directly hand in hand with both how close Raph is to him physically and how much danger Raph is also in in that moment. From a literal “I told you so” as Leo’s falling away from Raph to a soft joke about how “hero moves” are Raph’s style - both of these are on the more morbidly carefree side and both of these notably take Leo farther away from Raph and, in turn, have Raph not in immediate danger.
On the other side of things is the apology from Leo, heedless of the danger he himself is in as he seriously and genuinely speaks to a Krangified Raph face to face. Then there’s Leo’s freezing and desperation as Raph takes a hit meant for him and sends just Leo to safety, leaving Raph himself behind. Both of these involve much closer proximity and Raph being directly harmed - these together make Leo much more vulnerable in his words and actions, something not even the threat of death can make him.
These two care about each other so much, and they’re way too much alike for their own good.
#rottmnt#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles#rottmnt raph#rise raph#rottmnt leo#rise leo#honorable mention to the time Leo desperately tried throwing himself into harm’s way to get to Karai#and Raph is the one who has to pull him back#I also think that it’s interesting how both of them go about self sacrifice#because wow they both have problems with it#Raph’s tends to be immediate reactions not even thinking as he throws himself over his bros#Leo’s are often shown to be ‘for the greater good’ (said greater good often being his family)#once again I am saying that post movie these two would likely have codependency issues#considering Raph’s already present acute seperation anxiety and Leo’s immediate memory of Raph standing over him bleeding#another thing to mention is how Future Leo’s actual death still falls into the whole ‘morbidly lighthearted words’ category#I also wanna point out that in Many Unhappy Returns the trust that Leo wants so much does NOT come from Splinter but from RAPH#side note but in regard to the fighting that Raph and Leo were up to during the time between the shredder and the krang#I think it’s interesting that it’s NOT depicted as screaming matches - very blatantly not this actually#also also! I totally love how the movie parallels Oroku Saki and Karai with Raph and Leo respectively#there are so many parallels in general in this show+movie it makes me froth at the mouth#and because it breaks my heart - the beginning of the movie had Raph getting angry at Leo and lashing out at him#the end of the movie has the Krang very very angry at Leo and lashing out at him#both of these times has Leo ‘ruining’ a mission so…bad parallels#in the movie as well there’s a Krangified Raph who beats Leo senseless#so I have to wonder if Raph and Leo just…can’t roughhouse anymore#else Leo would flinch or Raph would be so scared to accidentally hurt Leo like he was already used to do before#then suddenly their usual dynamic of Raph never having to be softer with Leo is thrown on its head#worse is if they’re so terrified of this dynamic leaving that they power through their own sufferings to maintain it
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FROM (2022 - present)
I feel like the people that make it here, it's because they... there's a part of themselves that they hold on to. Last night, I feel like I saw that piece of her start to slip away. Then it has to be you, okay? You have to be that piece of her that this place can't take away. That's how we get through this.
#fromedit#from mgm#from epix#tvedit#from cast#filmtv#harold perrineau#being the towns dad with his one bio son and his two adopted kids (kris and kenny)#yh so this was gonna be a mari/kris parallel with fatima/ellis bc it's actually crazy how many parallels between them#but alas#it turned into a here's my fave dynamics#**my edit#anyway sorry kenny wish my pc didn’t die on me I didn’t mean to exclude u 🫶🏾#boyd stevens#ellis stevens#and to other no last name characters#fromily
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joniss for the soul
#katniss everdeen#johanna mason#joniss#katniss x johanna#johanna x katniss#the hunger games#hunger games#thg#i have soooo many thoughts about joniss#like i think johanna is extremely unused to physical contact whereas katniss is a very like. physically affectionate person#thats a really mild one. i think their relationship is kind of a mess for so many reasons but i wuuuuv it i love it so much <3#like i love their dynamic of being the two most miserable bitches in the room and somehow they make each other laugh#and on top of that theres this added layer of the fact katniss is like. the ONLY person who's really extended kindness to johanna#that hasnt been killed at least.#and in that way there are these parallels between johanna and peeta that are so fun for me#okay the end if you want to know more just ask as always i can talk about this shit for hours
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You know, I do believe there were times during the interrogation where Stephen imagined the relationship he ‘could have had’ with Thomas. Perhaps, there were even points where he “forgot” that this was an interrogation that would ultimately end in Thomas’s death, and let his mind wander to old times.
Like times when they worked with Wolsey. This is probably not the first time he’s seen Thomas hold his own in a hot seat; there had to be times when they were younger, working under Wolsey, when he sat and enjoyed seeing Thomas use his lawyer jargon, and run circles and circles around young men who think they could best him. And I mean even after Wolsey died the books, until Stephen is sent to France, they have a decent on-and-off relationship where they work together and occasionally, would spend time together.
But, I just took notice of the way he was looking at Thomas during the interrogation, the way they caught each other’s eye once or twice and held their gaze for just…a moment, as if Stephen was going to see how Thomas could wiggle his way out of this hole. He was amused because he knew Thomas more than anyone in there, longer than anyone in there. There was a time they were friends, a time where an event like this - Thomas using his wit to outsmart people - was just a common thing between them, and Stephen was impressed. But of course, when Norfolk started talking, reality came crashing down and Stephen had to accept that, this fire he enjoyed so much from Thomas, would be put out in less than what? Forty-eight hours? His friend, his enemy, the man he had hated but respected, the man he had in a way been manipulated into hating, who annoyed him so much but also brought him some forms of amusement and excitement would be dead. And he’d never see him again. Thomas was the only one imo who could both handle Stephen and bring out a more complex side of Stephen.
#thomas cromwell#wolf hall#stephen gardiner#looking at that scene again#and also#re-reading some things in the book and looking back at s1#they were really made to balance each other out#in addition to being parallels#stephen really upset the balance and it comes back to bite him in the ass - but he alrady knew tha twas going to happen#i would love a book that explore their dynamic while working under wolsey#because they were friends then#would i have trusted mantel to do it - no#becaus she got a lot wrong abt the relationship between wolsey and stephen#and even stephen's (lol did you see waht i did there) past#like this idea that he hated wolsey and thomas for being lowborn#when he himself was lowborn - and a bastard - like in hindsight it makes sense if he wanted to push away from that part of himself#but the way the books/show did it - was kinda weird#if she wrote a book focusing on their time she'd probably make wolsey's death result in stephen poisoning him lmao#but i wouldn't mind a complex relationship between wolsey and stephen if it were portrayed as realistic and not one dimensional#there are TWO big reasons i think stephen would dislike wolsey#1.) being the whole bastard thing - because wolsey treated dorthea the same way stephen was treated by his family and shunned her#and then 2.) wolsey didn't take being a priest seriously - at least in stephen's eyes -but lbr stepeh was the only priest in all of england#who took his job seriously
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Can you can draw Jessica and Taylor?
I absolutely can
#lane speaks#nebulart#i was thinking about that panel of taylor standing up to the operator recently#the parallels between these two and jam are already pretty solid#like that panel just fully being entry 72#and their whole dynamic together as well! person A initiating looking into all this and person B getting caught up in it#but then becomes a protector of A#ITS ABOUT THE PARALLELS#anyways yaaay lesbians :]#art#marble hornet#mh#jesstaylor#ask the alien#rattfreakk
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Do you ever think about the parallels between Rinne and Aira
Not only they have a shared interest in protecting Hiiro and ensuring his well-being/growth as a person, (and it's extra interesting given how Aira sort of dislikes Rinne for how he dealt with Hiiro in general—by leaving him alone at their hometown and disowning him in the summer of the MDM—, so even though they have the same interests and goals regarding Hiiro, they aren't exactly friends nor like each other — though this is mostly from Aira's part, because Rinne does like Aira and even acknowledges him as someone important to Hiiro that he must keep in his life), but Aira kinda is what Rinne used to be, before his dreams of becoming an idol we're crushed by the new rules of ES.
!! Main Story, Episode 171, "Revolution"
I've seen many people talk about how Rinne and Aira would get along because they're both idol otakus, but I believe that's a common misunderstanding of Rinne's character, because Rinne isn't an idol otaku (at least not anymore). He doesn't like the current idol system and the way Ensemble Square is running the industry. That's why he tried to change it by force in the !! Main Story by acting out. This is different from Aira, who loves the idols born from this system, and is a participant in the ES system that is going to hurt the industry in the long run (because ES is mass producing idols like a factory, stripping them from their own individuality and what makes idols especial in the first place — which is why Aira likes idols to begin with! Because they're different from ordinary people!)
!! Main Story, episode 220, "Despair"
Aira is aware that the idol industry isn't perfect, in episode 171 he even acknowledges that the mass production of idols similar to items of consumption made in a factory is wrong and it strips idols from their beauty and value, but he doesn't have the insight and first hand experience with heartbreak as Rinne had, so he doesn't have the motivation to protest or change the way ES is running the industry. They both love idols and dreamed of becoming one, but Rinne isn't an idol otaku, because he can't be a fan of idols mass produced by the current system.
What Rinne does instead, is support underground idols that would otherwise be trampled or forced to disappear by ES because they don't fit their sets of standards (and because ES has monopoly in the idol industry, they can easily do this without much repercussions or public outcry) and gives them his protection. This is explained throughout the course of the story of Night Club.
Nigh Club, Epilogue 2
Aira tries to impersonate an ideal idol persona, as the ones he watched when he was younger. He wants to embody a model idol and inspire others as idols inspired him in the past. Rinne used to be similar, but ES arbitrarily destroyed his solo career making him lose that dream, and that's why he embodies the wild and rebellious persona he portrays on stage, which is a complete opposite to how a traditional idol should act (and this is a constant point of conflict between him and other idols, such as Himeru; Himeru tends to scold Rinne for being so wild and doing whatever he wants because it goes against what is expected of an idol, but in Night Club he comes to understand that this is Rinne's soft way to protest against ES, despite having lost to them in the first part of the !! Main Story).
(Sometimes, I wonder if Rinne is happy being the wild and playful self he is with Crazy:B, or if he would prefer to be on stage as an ideal idol like he used to do years ago....)
However, despite their differences and the dislike/intimidation Aira might feel towards Rinne, he admits he understands his feelings and where he comes from, and that he can't help but to relate to him due to the fact that they both love idols. Aira scolds Rinne in episode 220 "Despair" to make him stop his pity party, but later in episode 224 "Flutter" he comforts and encourages him instead—telling him that he should not give up being an idol, because he recognizes that Rinne loves idols as much as he does, and that he still has a reason to live because he has fans of himself and of Crazy:B waiting for him among the crowd, meaning that he is still loved and accepted by someone, despite all the wreckage he had caused.
(And if I'm allowed to get personal for a moment, I just need to make emphasis in how important Aira is to the development of the Amagi brothers in the last arc of the !! main story, and this scene is a perfect example of that. Aira is the one who encourages Rinne to join the others on stage and sing, and after that it is Hiiro that pushes Rinne to give that step which finally leads them to perform on stage together 🥹)
So as we can see, Rinne and Aira have a lot of similarities, but they act in completely different ways due to their circumstances. They have similar backgrounds as idol lovers but they have different views and feelings about the industry and the profession, (however, they seem to share the same ideals as to what an idol should be, and love the same type of ideal idol inside their hearts). Adding to that their shared most beloved person, Hiiro, and how the two of them want what's best for him but they have a point of contention due to Rinne's bad actions in the !! Main Story, and their relationship becomes x10 more interesting, and I wish we talked about it more!
And we know Happyele hasn't forgotten about them, because Aira appeared in Rinne's recent relationship chart, just below Hiiro.
(also, a little unrelated, bu i think it's funny that despite having a heart to heart at the ending of the main story, their relationship is still "want to tease him" and "he's a little scary" ahdks Aira, who scolded Rinne in front of hundreds of people in the MDM, regressed to feeling intimidated and troubled by him. A couple of friends commented that it was probably because Aira had a burst of courage in the MDM because of the severity of the situation, so he had the determination to call out Rinne, a senior that he particularly feels intimidated by, publicly without second thought. It is canon that after the fact, Aira admitted that looking back on the MDM he felt embarrassed for doing such a bold thing. Idk, it's just something i find very interesting and fun about their dynamic www)
So this leads me to believe that they haven't forgotten about the history these two had in the main story, and all I can do is just wait for them to expand on their relationship and dynamic more eventually in some future event.
#the rinne/aira parallels have been implied in the story since very early#ever since aira said that hiiro has some old views about the world and hiiro said that he sounded just like rinne#and the similarities just keep on increasing with each chapter#i'm just obsessed with the concept of hiiro's closest people being so similar but so different at the same time#and how he works as the bridge between the two#also not to be a delusional shipper on main (i always am though) but#i always think about how rinniki and hiiai were planned so carefully to reflect and parallel each other#hiiro and rinne are narrative foils & aira and rinne are foils also#aira and niki are parallels w the dynamics they have with their respective amagi#hiiai and rinniki are pairing parallels#just /hands in head and screams/#also ty engstars for the dialogue logs update and for giving the ms chapters small descriptions so i could look for scenes way easier#i love the !! ms but 220+ chapters is so much#but thats probably why i'm so obsessed with it lol#what reading the !! ms twice does to a person#hope this post makes sense bc adapting it from twt thread was hard ksdjf#enstars#ensemble stars#rinne amagi#aira shiratori#hiiro amagi#my post
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There's just something so fucking great about the concept of characters like Zeke Banks and Peter Strahm having this complicated relationship to serial killers while having such a strong urge for justice and finding the truth???
Specifically, I love to think about how in the middle of their games of cat and mouse, or at those moments they inevitably share as they sharpen their knowledge on each other and get close enough to bump, when their intentions get a lot more nuanced as they insist on combing through them later again and again... that connection and obsession shoves everything else to second place. Seeing one another tunnels their vision, and their actions will follow rules made on the spot.
But then the world keeps on turning around them when they leave the crime scene with blood on their shirts and a gun that may or may not have been pointed but never used, piles of mangled bodies from 'collaborative traps' and distorted audios calling the remains of another horror story a chance for 'redemption' never stop being found; survivors slam doors in their faces when they come for statements and sob their hearts out at their closed off support meetings— suddenly, it's their place to show remorse, perform the respect and compassion that's lacking in their lovers... and how it impacts them to carry that burden they, against their own better judgement and all good reasoning, carry because they only give this much of a tangible fuck when they're put face to face with that damage.
It's just breathtaking, to wonder how ignorance is bliss and they cover themselves in it for the sake of something they want so badly. The guilt that comes when the blanket slips right off, yanked back by their lovers. Maybe even by themselves, punishment for their own broken vows. Weakness.
#parallels between saw gays go brrrrrrr#i just think that it's so good that u see this exact dynamic in fics with different intonation#a little more self hatred in one a little less commitment to justice for the other but both so similar#especially the 'you want me? well you got me' coming from mark and william#how tempting it is to give in to the interest shown or to curiosity#the need to be the Good One between them two exhausting them but they do it either bc its nature or bc its what they expect of themselves#their moral compasses cracking and pointing at confusing directions as they see the 'why' but are disgusted at the 'how'#how being exposed time and time again makes it not so urgent not so physically sickening but still so warped so twisted#uGHHHH i love it#love all of it#never being in the same terms but staying still by the threads they wrapped around themselves#peter strahm#ezekiel banks#mark hoffman#william schenk#coffinshipping#spiralshipping#hoffstrahm#sawposting#saw franchise#the horror gays are fucking killing me#serial killers and their pet detective/agent <3
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So, with that q!cellbit mention on the latest stream, i think its time for me to bring up something that lives rent free in my mind 24/7
The reason cuchurucho likes q!cellbit id because their more similar than q!cellbit would ever want them to be.
Both of them are aligned with the element of knowledge. Q!cellbit trying to solve the mysteries of the island and founding the order while cuchurucho is high ranking federation member, a group which is known for their unethical experiments in the name of gathering knowledge.
However, even more than that they are both obsessed with control.
Q!cellbit basically had little to no control over his life while in the hunger games, leading him to take advantage of any scrapes of it he did get, going as far as to kill and torment fellow prisoners in Alcatraz in order to keep it. This same pattern reappearing when his life feels the most out of control after learning about his past with q!bagi
While we dont know anything about cuchurucho’s past we do know that he does his best to keep the islanders following the rules of the island, resorting to violence and mental abuse when they fail to do so.
To me, the reason cuchurucho is so obsessed with q!cellbit is because he recognizes this similarity, and wants to either foster it through some fucked up methods until q!cellbit will work with him of his own volition
Or
He wants to beat and continually humiliate q!Cellbit as a way to prove that he has control over this individual so similar to him.
Personally i lean towards the latter just because of things like making him worker of the month, not firing him despite making his hatred for the federation very clear and saying that he knew everyone was there during the mini-me mission during the qsmp recap.
#i love thinking about the parallels between these two bc their dynamic is so interesting to me#qsmp#q!cellbit#qsmp cucurucho#qsmp theory#Qsmp analysis#gingersp1ce547
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the strange and uncomfortable little bit of solidarity between willard tweedy being the fearful guard dog husband to a vile and manipulative woman and gromit being the begrudgingly loyal service dog to a well meaning yet totally oblivious old man. on opposite sides of the toxic codependency spectrum
#maybe this is a hot take idk i haven’t thought about it for long yet#i just think about the very very very faint parallels between these two very different dynamics#chicken run#wallace and gromit#w&g
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I think I might need the mathematical resources of category theory to express the blorbo thoughts I'm having right now
#webs of parallels between team dynamics#I need arrows to represent the dynamics between each team and also to represent the connections between different dynamics#like the kirk-spock-mccoy/aubrey-maturin parallels#but also kirk-spock leads to blake-avon (through a distorting funhouse mirror)#& I was reading this other military sci-fi book (With the Lightnings) with two protagonists#that is very obviously based on the aubrey-maturin relationship but like in a different direction#& I'm pretty convinced that blake-avon is not unrelated to breq-seivarden but idk if leckie is directly influenced by b7 or#if it's through other (sff?) media that I don't even know#but also fandom is my space to make completely acausal comparisons.#if I were doing this for work I'd have to prove influence was actually possible. this is where I can just line up my toys#without concern for actual literary-historical relevance#(hi ms leckie if you see this have you seen blake's 7. if not I think you would like it)
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A Gentleman in Moscow (2024) | Season 1, Episode 8 “Adieu” | Favorite scenes (vol. 1-2)
#THE MIRROR SCENE PARALLEL + THE DRESSES!!!!#the fact years back Anna said she won't be tricked into a family arrangement and then we see her as a mom to Sofia <3#the final goodbye between the two and 'the walking onto stage' talk *MY HEART*#Sofia and Alexander having their farewell dinner exactly at the place of their first breakfast#a gentleman in moscow#a gentleman in moscow 2024#count alexander rostov#sofia rostova#anna urbanova#ewan mcgregor#mary elizabeth winstead#beau gadsdon#book adaptations#paramount+#tv shows#historical drama#period drama#tv show gifs#gifs#myedits#gif set#perioddramagif#currently watching#show recommendations#perioddramaedit#adaptationsdaily#character dynamics
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IMMEDIATELY REPOSTING THIS BC THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME. ALFONSE CÉLINE FRIENDSHIP REAL. TO ME‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
#fire emblem#feh#I'VE WANTED THEM TO INTERACT SO FUCKING BAD???????? BC OF ALFRED'S FBS W SHARENA#AND HOW. HOW. TRULY. céline/alfred dynamic REALLY IS JUST the askr sibling dynamic in reverse#like personalities reversed too. THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL IN THERE#like what if i as the older brother put on a stong face by being silly and peppy and full of joy#and i as the little sister took on every burden of responsibility ever for my sibling i adore completely#like. like. it goes crazy when it's like that too. like. like. obviously i am a huge sucker for#alfonse taking on every burden ever and sharena trying to lighten it any way she can. and she does. she does.#she keeps him sane.#WWWUUAGHHU I JUST. THESE TWO SETS OF SIBLINGS IN PARTICULAR. DRIVE ME CRAZY#and so so sooooo badly i've wanted to see céline and alfonse interact. i want them to be friends SO BAD#THIS IS. A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. TO ME#and god don't even get me started actually the potential parallels between both alfonse and céline#doing everything necessary to protect what they hold dear. to the point of ruthlessness.#GETS ME. FUCKING GETS ME#ALSO THIS ARTIST'S WORK IS SOOOOOO CUTE THEY ALL LOOK SO SQUISHY 😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺#fe alfonse#fe celine#fe reginn#day in the life
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why does every one on pikmin tumblr kind of hate louimar im Very curious
#I was talking with a friend about it I feel like theyre Set up To be yaoi#like theres so many interesting parallels between them and rhey are just so so so doomed.#but everyone needs it tagged? or they dont like it?#i feel like the only louimar warrior#txt#I RESPECT UOU IF YOU DONT LIKE IT BY THE WAY I UNDERSTAND ITS NOT FOR EVERYONE OLIMAR DOES HAVEA WIFE AND TWO KIDS.#But. their dynamic is just so alluring.
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