#the perfect conclusion? idk

[unordinary-diary]

Blyke and John: Parallel Characters

I’ve written multiple entries about this,

[x] [x] [x]

But I’m back to make a comprehensive analysis about the glaring similarities between these two. I’ll try not to repeat myself here.

‼️SPOILER WARNING for the whole series‼️ but this mostly focuses on the story before John’s suspension.

Firstly, this scene:

ch. 121

This conversation takes place near the beginning of the Joker arc. It’s after John targets Zeke, after he targets Juni, and the day before he goes after Seraphina’s kidnappers. The timing is important.

“If someone hit your best friend, would you let it slide?”

That question is supposed to remind us what John does to people who hurt Seraphina: hunting them down and sending them to the hospital. Blyke shooting a destructive beam really close to John was an example of a trait they share: they both blow up violently when people mistreat their friends.

John’s downward spiral carries strong themes of hypocrisy. He’s angry at the world, he’s angry at himself, and as a coping mechanism, he chooses to believe that everyone else is as bad as he is. That means that most of the traits he hates others for are the same things he hates about himself. In this scene, Blyke is unintentionally calling out this hypocrisy: “What I did is no different from what you do”.

But Blyke’s just trying to connect with John here, he has no idea what John’s been doing. And John, of course, doesn’t give a shit about what Blyke has to say. This line was here for the audience to notice.

They’re both so similar, but their similarity immediately causes tension between them because, well, John was on the wrong end of Blyke’s protectiveness.

I really love the way this was written— there are so many flashbacks to this scene, but they remember it differently. John remembers the part that hurt him— he’d describe it as “the time that jackass shot a beam at me”. Blyke remembers the part that hurt him, or rather, hurt Remi: “the time that jackass hit Remi for no reason”.

Blyke and John are both hotheaded characters with strong ideals. They’re similar enough that Seraphina points it out:

(ch. 80)

As Blyke grows as a character, he becomes more like John: sticking up for low tiers and speaking out against the injustice in the world. But while Blyke is doing that more, John is going in the opposite direction, until they are fully opposed to each other.

Speaking of Blyke’s character arc, it took me a few rereads to actually understand what part of him changed. His kindness, selflessness, bravery— all of those things were there from the start. Blyke’s character arc was about becoming more aware of his surroundings, and how his carelessness can harm others. Blyke was never malicious, but after X-Rei and integrating more with the school, he becomes aware of people suffering around him and how he unintentionally contributes to it. He becomes less reckless, privy to the flaws in the system he grew up not questioning, and uses his power more responsibly. He even comes up with a more controlled way to wield his ability. The part of Blyke that changes is his maturity.

Part of John’s character arc is also about being careful. It’s not as close of a parallel as other things are, but one of the things that John works on during his redemption arc is holding back. Both of them learn self-control throughout the series, and for John, that means acting early before his emotions spiral out of hand.

Adding onto my first point about the two of them wanting to protect their friends— the fact that they can’t do that makes them both angry and desperate. For most of the story, the “block” that prevents John from protecting Seraphina is in his head. It’s his own trauma that holds him back. The block that prevents Blyke from protecting his friends is, guess what? Also John’s trauma! Parallels abound.

Another thing I noticed in Episode 80 is this:

Notice that when Seraphina says “I’d take that over strength any day,” John is looking at the camera. He’s avoiding Sera’s gaze. Seraphina is saying she prefers honesty over strength. John is very strong, and very dishonest, but Seraphina thinks the opposite because John is so dishonest. John appears to be reflecting on this disconnect.

In relation to this analysis, Seraphina is actually pointing out a major difference between Blyke and John. Beyond that, she’s praising Blyke’s traits, (less strong but very open) above John’s traits, (strong as fuck but a liar with his pants on fire). Furthermore, John really cares what Seraphina thinks of him. Knowing that she would think less of him is the main reason why he spent so much time and effort preventing her from catching his lies.

This leads into my main point here: Blyke is the “goody-two-shoes” version of John. Or, more accurately, the person that John wants to be. Blyke has a clean track record and doesn’t really get into trouble. He is respected and left alone by the school without being hated and feared, he de-escalates conflicts without taking things too far, he doesn’t lose control, he’s someone Seraphina thinks highly of, hell, even his grades are better! Blyke represents everything that John wants to be, and the person that he could have been if he’d gone down a different path.

But, crucially, John is also what Blyke wants to be. Well, not wholly, but his ability? His strength? It’s one of the things John hates about himself, but Blyke wants that strength so desperately that he risks his life for it over and over again.

They’re both desperate to be like each other, even when they hate each other the most. Neither of them have any idea how alike they already are.

I don’t know what Season 3 holds in store for us, but I do hope that John realizes that Blyke embodies who he wants to be, because mutual jealousy would be a very interesting dynamic to explore in my opinion. I also hope that it ends up being something they can bond over, by helping each other accomplish their personal goals. (Blyke being another helper in John’s character arc, and John helping Blyke train.)

A side note: John beat up Blyke four separate times. That’s more than any other character, which is interesting because John’s main rival is supposed to be Arlo. For reference, John has beaten Arlo twice, three times if you count the time when Seraphina intervened, and he only beat him unconscious once. But John beat Blyke to the point of passing out all four times, the worst of which being a shot clean through his chest. (shoulder? Unclear. S1 finale).

It’s odd, isn’t it? Out of everyone, Blyke is the one who John physically hurt the most. John’s only grudge against him is an old memory from episode 33, of an event that didn’t actually harm him. John’s grudge against Arlo is much more serious and again— that’s his main rival. So why is it that he’s so much more violent towards Blyke?

The problem here is that I’ve been thinking about these fights as “John picking on Blyke”. And that’s… kind of true? But while Blyke didn’t start any of these fights, they were all consensual in a way. He didn’t seek to fight John, nor was he ever happy about fighting John, but he was always a willing participant.

(138, 153, 206, & 211)

In three out of these four fights, John didn’t even expect to be fighting Blyke going into it. This is significant because while Arlo is John’s main rival, John absolutely fills that role for Blyke. Blyke’s own agency is what leads to most of these events. The reason, narratively speaking, why they fight so much is not for John’s character, but for Blyke.

For John, his reason for fighting Blyke so much is not narrative but moreso symbolic. John is angry at everyone and everything, but ultimately the person he hates the most is himself. It’s only fitting that the character most like him would bear the brunt of his wrath.

As John is having his positive character arc (suspension and post-suspension), he is becoming more like Blyke, and the two of them reach a point where they’re even more similar than they were at the start of the series.

In the Rowden amusement park, John does start to realize how similar they are:

(249)

Additionally, I want to draw your attention to the parallels between this scene:

Blyke and John’s argument in chapter 249

(which the image limit won’t let me add, scroll until you see red hair.)

And this scene:

Argument in ch. 121 (it’s at the beginning)

Two sides of the same coin.

Furthermore, in the S2 finale, Blyke is shown being taken to Keon. There is an implication that by Season 3, Blyke and John will share Keon-related trauma as well. Despite my pessimistic predictions, I do hope that this is a similarity that can bring them together rather than tear them apart.

[cameforstuff]

One of my favorite throwaway things in gravity falls is when Mabel and Stan both put their index fingers together when thinking in 'The Love God'.

"Hopeless case, eh?"

"So young people are into hot air balloons, eh?"

Wish I had the frames, lol

[ohfugecannada]

Fanfic/fancomic idea I just thought of while watching SpongeBob clips:

Semi-early on in Rocket and Groot knowing each-other/working together, Groot sees Rocket’s cybernetics for the first time. Maybe it’s a similar moment to when Quill first saw them in the prison scene in Vol.1, maybe it was during a particularly intense battle with a bounty and Rocket gets the back of his shirt torn up exposing his back but just yells at Groot to focus on beating the other guy etc.

Whatever the case, Groot sees Rocket’s cybernetics and, not yet fully understanding the concept of cyborgs or anything, tries asking Rocket about them later. But Rocket just keeps either trying to deflect and change the subject or just tells Groot to shut it and quit bugging him about it.

So Groot, having no context or idea of Rockets trauma and everything, starts thinking and filling in the blanks in his own way. And after putting together:

The metal things on rockets body

His habit of stealing peoples robotic prosthetics, batteries and other electronics

The fact Rocket hates taking baths and (seemingly) most liquids apart from alcohol

The fact Rocket never laughs at Groots jokes

And the fact he never shows any genuine emotion other than rage or cockiness

Groot comes to the Galaxy shattering realisation that Rocket is, in fact… A ROBOT.

Aside from the intital internal screaming he has about everything making so much more sense now, Groot does find it strange how mammalian Rocket looks. But then Groot figures, since they have previously caught robot bounties who tried (and failed) to pass themselves as organics by wearing artificial skin, Rocket’s probably doing the same thing.

And oh no, maybe that’s why he was so defensive before about those metal parts of him showing?? Maybe he’s been discriminated against for being a robot and is trying to pass himself off as an organic animal to protect himself? And/or he has a deep seeded internalised robot phobia???? And Groot trying to push him about it made it worse?!??!??

So Groot, after realising the “truth”, tries to be more supportive of rocket and him being a robot. He doesn’t directly confront Rocket or try to press him on it. Since he tried that before and fails and he’s figured out it’s a sensitive subject for rocket. But Groot does his research on robots and tries to figure out what make and model rocket is (with very few results) so he can better look after him incase he malfunctions or something, he makes sure to “borrow” extra batteries and oil canisters when ever they’re at a place with electronics because he figures that’s what he really uses for sustenance instead of all the burgers and junk food he eats in front of Groot for (what he thinks is) the sake of appearance, tries to stop him from getting wet whenever it rains or they visit a mostly water-covered planet, calls Rocket out if/whenever he makes crude comments about other robots because (internally) Groot draws the line at Rocket taking his own issues about being a robot out on his fellow robots etc etc. All because Groot doesn’t care what Rocket is and just wants his best friend to be happy and feel safe and accepted as he is. As well as for him to trust Groot enough to come out in his own time when he feels ready.

Meanwhile Rocket is just. Completely baffled by Groot acting so weird around him all the sudden and doing all this. And no idea Groot thinks he’s a robot because of his cybernetics. Eventually culminating when things escalate out of hand and Groot cutting to the chase, gently telling rocket he knows he’s a robot and that he doesn’t have to be afraid of hiding it anymore because Groot still cares about him no matter what.

…And rocket, slightly less gently, telling Groot that goD FLARKIN DAMNIT GROOT!!! IM NOT A GODDAMN ROBOT YOU STUPID MOLDY OVERGROWN PEICE OF CRAP TWIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basically, it’s the Krab Borg episode of SpongeBob if SpongeBob tried being a supportive robot ally to Mr.Krabs instead of jumping him in his office with Squidward.

[ongreenergrasses]

Aaand 28-32 😁 ✨

ABSOLUTELY

28. do you collect anything?

yes several things! perfume bottles, vintage erotica, weird things in resin, matryoshki, these very specific boxes made out of birchbark, postcards (joint collection between me and the gf), and any items that are uniquely hideous. someday i’ll post a picture of the Jesus plate which is one of the best things i own

29. what do you do when you’re sad?

depends on the type of sad! a lot of times i cry or watch something that will make me cry. i also sing, scream, or sing-scream in my car. sometimes i just start vomiting. to cope i write.

30. what’s one thing that never fails to make you happy?

I was just talking with my sister about this but that one Xmas episode of the great British baking show with the Derry girls cast. probably one of the funniest things i’ve ever seen

31. are you messy or organized?

quite messy but i’m picky about cleanliness

32. how many tabs do you have open right now?

my phone browser has the infinity symbol rn LMAOOO

questions

[magicaldreamfox1]

u know. if u gain more confidence in ur writing then it'll be more fun and less miserable

[oneirataxia-girl]

alvita's birthday exchange ⇝ for hadley @supermarine-silvally

ft. Bravada Yara x Portgas Ace

"And I'll surrender myself to you."

x x

I hope you like it!

bonus:

a small icon set to thank you for all the art you made for me! <33

[acaesic]

guys they have the snipers are trained on me for saying this but the next song is going to be spkothdvl—💥💥💥🔫🔫

[lieutenantselnia]

Some thoughts on the choice of Carina Smyth's first name

Ngl even though there are many things I don't like about DMTNT, I think that Carina is like one of the best names that could be chosen for Barbossa's daughter. It sounds like a pretty regular name at first, but I think the backstory is what makes it actually a really great choice.

"Carina" is the name of a star constellation which is also known as "keel of the ship". In the german dub of the movie this is actually made more obvious, as Carina says that she's named after said star constellation, whereas in the original she says the the brightest star in the north (which is part of the constellation) gave her her name. Being named after a star constellation which resembles a ship (or at least a part thereof), her name is connected to both the stars and the sea, two focal points in Barbossa's life as a pirate and as a captain. He's a man of the sea and an exceptional navigator, and I think it's safe to assume that he has a very good knowledge of astronomy, particularly for navigational purposes. As he said himself, he knows which stars to follow home.

I like to think that Barbossa consciously chose his daughter's name because of its meaning. However, we unfortunately don't know under which conditions it was chosen, since we simply don't have enough information about his and Margaret Smyth's relationship. How many months before the birth did he learn that he was going to be a father? Were he and Margaret able to prepare for the changes in their lives that might come with having a child, did they make any plans for the future? Did they think up names together, and he suggested Carina, should they have a daughter? Or did Hector just return to land one day to learn his partner had died while he was at sea, and left him a child, and he had to come up with a name on the spot and the first thing that came to his mind were the star constellations?

I kind of doubt that we will get any canonical answers to those questions, so they are left to the realm of headcanons. I personally like to imagine that Barbossa chose the name carefully, and because of what it meant to him personally. Even though he kind of said in the movie that he never wanted his daughter to be associated with pirates (which happens to include himself), I think as her father he still wanted to make at least one meaningful impact on her life, which happened to be the choice of her name. Maybe also, in that way he would never forget her, since whenever he observed the sky and saw the star constellation Carina, he would also think of his daughter.

[batsplat]

if you could change the outcome of any 3 motogp races (the outcome of the championship doesn’t change regardless tho) which ones would you chose?

one of those asks that immediately made me forget every single race I've watched in my life. it's a tough one, especially with the championship thing... I'm gonna add another criterion here and say nothing to do related to injury/death

so... I came up with one quite quickly, then got stuck, then came up with a second and got even more stuck. I'm quite reluctant to change any 'plot-relevant races' in the context of specific careers and rivalries, plus I'm ideologically opposed to stealing any win off a non-alien and giving it to an alien. which then kinda left me?? well. stuck. I don't like these picks but well maybe I'll come up with something better at some point

assen 2018: I simply could not come up with a third race so I'll just throw this one in. dovi + valentino really really should have gotten onto the podium in this race, those were extremely podium-worthy performances, it was such a deeply silly incident between the pair of them that took them out of podium contention. also it's still seen as a classic race and... I don't even begrudge the two beneficiaries for their podium, it's just one where the three best riders that day didn't end up on the podium and I would change that!! I don't even really care that much but also look I had a spot to fill. would've enjoyed the rancid podium vibes, it's what a race of that quality deserved

sepang 2018: just deeply annoying? like, I think it was a super impressive performance, the consistent lap times trick from a 78 year old was very neat, it was cute when jorge did unprompted valentino prop for metronome solidarity reasons, it's one of literally two premier class races where valentino crashed out of the lead so I don't even hold it against him. but... well, that one might have been building to a battle between marc and valentino, and it would've been fun to see that! not least because of location + relationship vibes in 2018. I'd change the result in preventing the crash, don't really care who wins after that point - hey, they can crash each other out if they want. I Just Wanted To See It

styria 2020: bit of a niche one but I remember being pissed off by this so I'm going with it - this should have been mir's win without the bloody red flag. now I'm very sorry that maverick was just having an abysmal time in austria, peace and love to him, I'd probably never step foot in the country again after the eight days he had in that country.... but still, his bike attempting to murder him did ruin what really should've been joan's first win. I'm very defensive of mir's win stats and I was supporting the title bid with zero wins agenda once that looked plausible, but now that he's just gotten stuck on one win for quite a few years... well, again, I do think it's kinda iconic but I'd also let him have two. and back then he wasn't even really looking like a title contender and was still going for his FIRST win.... I was feeling very sorry for him so. there

[leatherbookmark]

i get it i get it i really get it but also it's very frustrating when a work of fiction raises you expectations, makes you thrilled for The Big Confrontation, and then the next post-clifhanger installment comes and it goes "after everything was over,"

[ningningkittie]

im in love w him not only bc of who he is as a person nd how drawn i am to his personality, but also bc i feel like he's the only one who has ever wanted to see me. who i am, like deep down. he's the only one who i feel like i've ever connected with, in an easy nd genuine way. the only one who i feel has ever gotten me. he's the only one who's ever made me feel like we actually have a connection we're both in on, bc i havent had to pretend or put up a fake front for him bc he wanted the real image of me.

[lisbonsteresa]

knees weak, arms are heavy

[rainingincale]

.

[dazais-guardian-angel]

something I’ve been thinking about lately is that, if Fukuzawa really does eventually die, and we get the Ranpo breakdown/corruption arc like the new op might be hinting at....... I really hope Mushitarou is a key person who can bring Ranpo back from his senses/save him. Considering that the perfect crime arc was when Ranpo’s Fyodor parallels were first shown, and Mushi’s arc is all about him learning to overcome grief..... I think it just makes sense in a lot of ways, and that it would be really moving to see Mushi try to help Ranpo overcome his loss, after how Ranpo initially helped him

[eudikot]

I wonder if when Mob put Emi's story back together if he used his new chlorokinesis ability to make the pages stay intact. I highly doubt that telekinesis alone would cause the pieces to stay together once he stopped exerting power on it, but manipulating the cellulose to stick together again? That would do it

[vanillabat99]

Finally caved and admitted to myself that I don't like being gendered as masculine. I will be updating my pronouns sometime tonight!! I'm still not sure if I want to use neopronouns, but I am increasingly fond of it/its and pupself pronouns, so I might try those out for awhile :3 I've been settling for masculine terms since that's all I could get for so long, but I'm in a much better position now!! They/Them is still at the top of the list :3