#the show’s moral is that sometimes there IS no closure

[leporellian]

also in re: prev post i thiiiink after the don’s death leporello keeps the catalogue… he doesn’t like to look at it much anymore and for the most part he keeps it somewhere safe but he will rush to get it when someone asks. he just can never really bear to read it himself.

[extremely-judgemental]

Subtext is completely lost in this fandom. I partly blame SJM for it. This is a rant from both reading and writing standpoint and leans towards the characters since I like to psychoanalyse them.

The one thing that tired me the most in these books is the excessive narration. I don’t mean the wordy description to support world-building but the never-ending monologues. SJM takes ‘show, don’t tell’ advice literally with the visual cues when it should apply to the characters and their personalities as well. Where subtext usually exposes depth of these characters and lets you decide who they are, SJM strips away that chance by writing it down for you word by word. The reason so many are going with 'in the book' argument is exactly this.

Here’s what I mean.

In real life, people don’t think linearly. They have an idea about themselves as much as they have about everyone else around them. There are self-imposed restrictions on their thoughts based on who they believe to be and who they strive to be. And it shows in their interaction with outside world. Say, when someone is ashamed of their actions, they will deny it for as long as possible. Someone who regrets something, they will sugarcoat it.

But in her books, her characters think clearly—way too clearly so that you latch onto the ideas she perpetuates. You don’t get to know them based on their thoughts, words, and actions, and see how these three support each other. You don't get a chance to draw conclusions as to if they are the hero/villain and good/evil based on their actions. If their behaviours match their words or if their choices are acceptable. Because SJM sets it in words for you. The characters come with a label beforehand. (Feyre, Rhysand and Inner Circle are good guys. Tamlin, Eris and Nesta, sometimes Lucien are evil.) It's why so many toxic and abusive themes are dismissed because it’s the 'good guy' or the 'morally grey guy’ who does it.

And so, her lead or ‘good’ characters fall flat since they have everything figured out. They know themselves inside out. They are never wrong about themselves, there’s no part they hide from themselves or the others. There’s nothing for you to read and identify the beauty or ugliness in the character. There’s no depth in them because they don’t contradict themselves, they don’t struggle to be someone they always believed to be. They don’t have to prove anything to themselves or others. They say what they think and they do what they say. They are very aware of their shortcomings and they all seem to know the exact consequences of their decisions.

Feyre doesn’t change in the three books. Her ‘rags to riches’ story doesn’t lead to much character growth. She starts out as an adamant, reckless child and ends up being arrogant, reckless woman with a crown. She doesn’t undergo a shift in personality but climbs up the social hierarchy. And that’s considered character development. Rhysand remains the same throughout. He starts out as a villain but later revealed as a good guy playing bad. Instead of growing into a hero—given his crimes, his ill deeds are negated with sympathetic backstory. And from there, it’s a flat line. There’s no growth.

In the end how does the character change in the aftermath of the events? Which of their beliefs are shattered and rebuilt? What is the emotional impact on the other characters? SJM does offer some closure on these regards but they are solely focused on a list of traumas and specific reactions set by SJM herself. And so readers refuse to think for themselves how these scenarios may play out and take the words relayed through the unreliable narrators who are essentially preaching SJM’s biases. Also, when they are so explicitly written down, there’s not much room for subtext. After going through pages and pages of justification, it tires you from using reason.

Even if we get past this (writing) flaw, there are other major issues. Story telling is a way of experiencing life. It helps build empathy, compassion and understanding of the world. Even in a fantasy book, when that world doesn’t exist, when the characters aren’t real, their journey are drawn from real life experiences. Relating to these characters is subjective and solely depends on the reader, but determining the rightness of their actions is not. This too is warped as SJM dictates which behaviour is acceptable and how far through her lead characters(Feyre vs Nesta imprisonment). Instead of allowing you to judge the choices, the verdict is spoon-fed through the ‘hero’. If the characters are forgiven, it’s not abuse. It’s a simple mistake. (It’s a mistake if it happens once and if there’s a changed behaviour after the apology.) If the characters are happy in the end, their acts are admissible. Unless SJM stamps the word ‘abuser’ and ‘bad guy’ in block letters herself(Tamlin), it's not even considered a possibility.

In short, in this fandom, ‘reading between the lines’ is acceptable as long as it supports what the author preaches. When it contradicts ‘it’s in the books’. Logic is valid only if you use it to justify the fan favourites and applaud them. Empathy is conditional. Compassion is conditional. Critical thinking is so discouraged that it’s pitiful.

[wafflesandd1ck]

Moral Orel.

If adult swim never canceled moral Orel.

I would love to see Orels grandfather give Orel a proper "puppington hunting trip."

Show the durrastic contrast between Clay and his father.

Clay drank the entire trip, trauma dumped on Orel and literally SHOT Orel in the leg and left his own son in excruciating pain for 13 hours straight.

I would love to see older Orel and his grandfather really bond like:

Showing Orel how to make dandelion root teas as a substitute for coffee in the morning

They don't get to kill any animals, so Orels grandfather shows him how to harvest chicken of the woods. (an edible mushroom)

Showing Orel how to star map to find their way back to camp.

How to make a fire

How to make a shelter out of old logs

I mean, it says in the show that was a "puppington tradition from father to son, generation after generation. " That means there's a lot of knowledge in this trip that never got handed down to clay.

I also think it would be really hard hitting. The first person Orel opens up to about Clay's abuse is his own grandfather. The man who had a hand in Clay becoming a downright bastard.

Then, of course, have the conversation turned to nature vs. nurture and then the philosophy of "is my dad a bad person because God made him one?"

I just adore this idea of Orel and his grandfather kind of having this moment of closure about Clay.

I'm not quite sure how the conversation would go, but I think it would hit home when Orels grandfather talks about how Clay accidentally killed Orels grandmother by pretending to shoot himself. Causing her to have a heart attack.

It makes me think of that Beforel Orel special about the grandfather teaching orel that sometimes people lie and are cruel. In the special, He speaks gently in a way that a child could understand, but because orel is older now. He doesn't pull any punches. It's a blow to the emotional jugular every time Orel asks a question.

I always see the episode ending with Orel just sobbing into his grandfathers shoulder. No music, just the sound of the forest and Orels slow creeping mental breakdown getting bigger and bigger, which each broken sob. While the credits roll, I want Orel to ask his grandfather a question over and over:

"Why doesn't he love me, Grandpa!? What did I do wrong?"

"I'm so sorry, Orel,"

[thesensteawitch]

CLOSURE You Did Not Get!❤️‍🩹

(Pick A Pile Tarot Reading)

TAKE A DEEP BREATH...

Now, Choose!

1-----2-----3

1. 2.

3.

Hey, Senstea Souls!

This is a general Tarot Reading. Take what resonates and leave what doesn't. Choose the pile that calls you the most. Feel free to choose more than one if you're called to do so.

Pile 1

(Tarot Cards- The Empress & Temperance)

The rage you carry in your heart is for the right reasons. But you did not lose your composure. You were tricked with words. I see that you had to carry something for years. You wanted to let it all out but you couldn’t. The angels want you to know that the person you have become is someone they are proud of. You had to fight with your demons to be where you are now. The war has made you highly analytical. You literally see the ins and outs of every situation. Nothing can miss your eye. Some of you may be quite intuitive too. But when you close your eyes there’s a part of you that is screaming to show itself. A part that you buried years ago. That could be a reason why at times you don’t feel good enough. Don’t let the past lower your self-esteem. In the eyes of others, you are capable of making your name without being codependent on someone! Hmm… I can hear the lyrics, “I know you’re jealous that I can make my name without a man” (It applies to both genders). Let it go. Don’t find pride in people being envious of your achievements. You are better than that. Sometimes people don’t know what to do with something so priceless when they have always learned that life is a game of gambling. And you must not dim your light for those who cannot see your worth. You are such a beautiful being, this is what Cards just whispered to me.

Pile 2

(Tarot Cards- 6 of Swords & 7 of Swords)

They wronged you and now you feel guilty? Why? Just because you are the one who walked away? No, darling. They pushed you so far that you had no other way. They were manipulative. And I know everything seemed like a party and the sun was hanging high in the sky. But it wasn’t. It was a bright bulb they fixed and told you it was the Sun. You were so blinded that you couldn’t differentiate. I hear the lyrics, “I used to think I was smart but you made me look so naïve. Ohhhhhh…. bloodsucker…bleeding me dry like a Goddamn vampire.” The pain you felt was unbearable but I see your loved ones are with you in this new journey. It’s the universe rowing your boat now. You are being taken care of. You are moving away from the turbulent waves and toward the still waters. It’s your thoughts that aren’t letting you see the way ahead. But ask your soul because it knows. Deep down you know you were a lioness/lion. Someone took that light away from you and to have it back you must release the hurt. Soon you will see yourself roaring and people praising your charisma.

Pile 3

(Tarot Cards- 5 of pentacles, The Hermit)

I am getting chills. It’s been a stormy night, in fact, nights! Did something keep you awake at night? This won’t end unless you or the person involved changes their perspective. I see that you guys are lucky because someone wise is trying to give you the right guidance. Listen to them. Only then your life can change. You need to let go of someone or something to let the new opportunity/beginning finally show itself. If you can’t forgive someone then you must know that you must heal your heart or your heart chakra will get blocked and you might become bitter. Now is the time to speak your heart. Don’t be afraid if the truth will hurt them because you both are in pain anyway. I hear the lyrics, “Some mistakes get made that’s alright that’s okay. You can think but you are in love when you are really just in pain. In the end, it’s better for me that’s the moral of the story babe.” It can be an idea or a project you are in love with that’s really not going the way it should or it could also be a relationship. It’s the partnership that’s suffering. It may also be impacting your career. You are genuinely blessed because there’s not one but two signs from the Universe. Maybe two angels or humans or one angel and one human are trying to help you out. Open your heart and you will see the light.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY PSYCHIC INSIGHTS. I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO HELP YOU.🩷

FOR PERSONAL READINGS YOU CAN FILL IN THIS FORM.

CHECKOUT THE RATE CARD HERE AND CHOOSE THE TAROT SPREAD THAT CALLS YOU THE MOST.

[taddymason]

Does Jay sometimes tell Kaida stories to help her fall asleep? Did he ever tell her the story of Jack the Rabbit that Wu Lloyd told, where the moral was never to trust a snake and Kaida then thought the book was freaking racist? xD How would Kaida react to flying on a real dragon? :D How would Jay react if he ever met Kaida's biological parents?

thanks for the asks :D

Kaida actually asked Jay to read her bedtime stories quite often under the excuse that she needed to improve her Ninjargon reading, but it was because she found it entertaining to have Jay read in such different voices and doing bad, exaggerated accents to make her laugh. Plus he often changed parts of the story and the names of the characters even when re-reading the same book.

ahsjs ah yes, definitely Jay, who probably still has prejudices against snakes just like in s1, would read that story to Kaida only for her to point out confused at the end: ... Wait, don't you have fangs and a snake hiss? (and so Jay came to the conclusion that a snake must have bitten him in those years that he doesn't remember.) I think that eventually there are snakes working in the Administration would change his view of them a bit, but I see him still having this deep-rooted distrust.

Can't say; spoilers :)

I've left everything regarding Kaida's biological parents ambiguous, except for the fact that it's obvious that they didn't care about Kaida's condition once they left her, and knowing how impulsive Jay is, he'd probably be awfully hostile towards them, and his first reaction would be to tell them to fuck off. I don't see him being able to exchange a word with them without yelling/swearing at them. ALTHOUGH on some level he would understand if Kaida wanted to confront them directly, so he'd offer her the chance to have closure with them if they ever showed up, even if he's against them seeing her again.

[paragonrobits]

No offense but your idea is way too needlessly dour for the Psychonauts universe, which is thematically about hope and forgiveness and understanding if you missed that part.

I suppose that's a fair point though I do have to contend that this is the setting with several characters who have fundamental details such as 'this antagonist was raised by psychic-hating parents who literally destroyed his psychic abilities by having him lobotomized' or 'this maternal and caring teacher was tormented by feeling the dying pain of the orphans she cared for as they burned to death' and so on. It might be argued that these don't count because they are largely backstory specific, and aren't usually shown on screen, but again, tragic stuff is not terribly unusual here.

Consequently, while a complete lack of reconciliation is a bit unusual by the standards of Psychonauts, it doesn't feel specifically dissonant; if anything I'd argue it makes a point about consequences. If you don't want your children hating you and cutting you entirely out of their lives, you probably shouldn't make them miserable or spend so much of your on screen time making the audience feel tremendous empathy for how upset the character's child feels at it.

I also honestly don't think Psychonauts is specifically about those themes per se. In terms of gameplay it's deliberately a psychedlic action platformer that uses the premise of mental worlds to engage in storytelling through the use of level design, and in terms of plot it has many different feels; at times its sad, and other times its far more comedic and even outright runs on black comedy (depending on whether or not you feel it counts if the characters in question are mental constructs or metaphorical entities, but we DO see the dark comedy in stuff like the cheerleader duo in the first game and their running plotline).

It IS true that the game deals heavily with reaching out to people and trying to help them, but its not exclusively about hope, forgiveness and understanding. Plenty of times characters wind up in situations where there's no magic cure all, no happy reconciliation and just a bunch of questions left unanswered or regrets. The second game shows this neatly with Augustus admitting that while he cares for Nona, he's deeply conflicted after having lived a lie most of his conscious life. Coach Oleander never reconciled with his father and just kind of has to live with his miserable memories and no real closure on whether his dad was as brutal as his memories say (as this isn't really explored in game, but the series bible found on-line, while having details contradictory to the second game, doesn't have anything to contradict the stuff with Oleander's father) and he just died while Oleander was away, and... that's it. He's dead, end of story, that's not going to go anywhere.

And sometimes that's pretty much it. Things break so badly they never get fixed and sometimes, its a waste of time even trying, so you just move on. Psychonauts often seems to deal with a mix of dark comedy and genuine narrative about people doing the best they can with what they have to deal with. So, assuming Donatella's behavior towards Raz doesn't change much, it's simply not surprising for his resentment to build and build until finally it blows up. (Which, to be plain, I find way more realistic and in some ways, more satisfying than something that leans towards the troubling moral of 'you need to reconcile with family no matter what', especially since he has no real particular reason to do so.)

Also, while off topic, 'if you missed that part' is needlessly passive aggressive and mildly insulting. If you're trying to persuade people towards your argument, its a really bad idea to insult them or at least make it sound like that. It will generally make people resent you and dismiss your argument out of hand. I don't know if persuading me towards your point was the intent of this message, but if it was, its going to be counterproductive more often than not.

[weirdsixtieslove]

the glory thoughts

I love how this is not a typical kdrama where you have the "good" main characters and the villians. The main characters can be unlikable in the beginning, they can be arrogant, selfish or grumpy, yet their morals are always correct. But here, while Dong Eun and Yeo-Jeong are kind and loving, they both think and do things that would be considered morally questionable. Wanting to kill your his father‘s murderer because him being punished by the law and put behind bars is not enough? Sure, just don’t get caught. Dedicating your life to destroying your highschool bullies‘ lives? Understandable, how can I help?

There is no „It’s better to forgive and move on“ conclusion in this drama. And I’m living for it. In fact, the one time Yeo-Jeong asks Dong-Eun if it isn’t better to let go of the past, she gets up to show him all of her scars and he immediately pledges to help her in any way he can, not even hesitating to include murder in that offer as well.

"Good"/typical main characters can defend themselves against the villians, but they usually won‘t go out of their way to execute an elaborate plan to ruin their lives. Instead, the villian either repents their actions and is forgiven or conveniently has their life ruined without the main character's explicit actions. But sometimes it’s not good enough to be the bigger person. Sometimes you can’t just hope they get punished for their wrongdoings on their own eventually.

The writers never portray her revenge as the way to heal her of all trauma and immediately fix her life. But at the same time they make it clear she does not regret her revenge, and that it did bring her closure and let her focus on other things.

Lastly, I love that they didn't portray Dong-Eun as having become this cold, strong and fully confident woman who thinks of nothing but revenge. This is how she tries to show herself when talking to her former bullies but you can see how she often has to hold back tears and even throws up after talking to Jae-Jun. She also tries to be that way with Hyun-Nam and Yeo-Jeong, but she finds herself becoming vulnerable around and attached to them. At the end of the day she is a woman who is still deeply traumatized and just wants to be loved, but for the longest time doesn‘t allow herself this love as to not get distracted from her revenge.

Also, I can't end this post without including just how much I love Yeo-Jeong. Being the biggest sweetheart while also having murder fantasies and offering your crush to kill her bullies? This is the kind of character complexity I need in a drama, and I'm so happy Dong-Eun had him by her side. I really loved every single aspect of this drama. The acting, the characters, the storyline, truly a 10/10 no notes kind of drama that I will be thinking about for a very long time.

[camp-counselor-david]

Question: If Camp Camp (Once the show gets picked up for season 5 again the title and summary doesn’t matter could be either or) hired you as a guest writer, and you got to write like a few episodes max, what would you write about?

WOO, it's my turn to be asked this! Okay!!!

So I'll be honest, a lot of my ideas pretty much line up with what a lot of other people have wanted to see out of the show. I'm not really a writer, but here are some concepts and stuff that I'd like to see!

•Definitely something else about Max's homelife. His upbringing clearly left him with a lot of issues that campfire songs and nature walks can't help!

•More episodes involving Max's friendly truce with Sasha and Pikeman! They worked surprisingly well together. (And I really like seeing Max branch out and make more friends than just Nikki and Neil!) I'm pretty sure someone else mentioned this one and went into way better detail than I can about the concept.

•Just one more Jasper episode, I need to know if he got the closure he needed to move on or not!! Rooster teeth, please-

•Max gets therapy. That's it. That's the episode. (I'd pay for it myself)

•Episode where Max REALLY DOES go back in time like QM suggests, but he messes up and ends up going a little bit too far back in time where he meets young David and Jasper. It'd be a little awkward with Jasper talking about his plans for after the summer, and Max just being all "yyyeah. sureeee." about it, but still fun! I also can't decide if it'd be funnier if Max was there post or pre David-Jasper personality swap. I can already see the moral lesson being that sometimes what you have now isn't as bad as being stuck with a younger version of your camp counselor all day.

This was a fun ask! Thanks for the question!

[emptythoughts12]

Sinigang (School Assignment)

It is important for you to apologize after you did something wrong, but don't try to justify it because wrong is wrong. Maybe you want to fix some relations between you and the victim, but don't be only thinking of yourself, think about how the victim feel because sometimes a sudden close action will make you even farther from the victim. Some relationships are onced broke, then never would be as strong as before anymore. This story impacted me as a 21st century learner by the way how the story is told. I like how the mix of now and the past, the story is presented greatly from a sinigang dinner cooking to show a story of the past and effects of the past. -Caleb The encounter between Liza and Sylvia demonstrates the idea of forgiveness, as Sylvia seeks Liza's understanding for past mistakes. While Liza does not immediately forgive Sylvia, her willingness to listen and nod in acknowledgment signals a quiet step toward accepting the complexities of human imperfection. The story highlights that everyone makes mistakes, but understanding and empathy can pave the way for healing, even if reconciliation is not immediate. As a 21st-century learner, "Sinigang" encourages deep reflection on family relationships, personal growth, and the complexities of human emotions. The story touches on the difficulty of reconciling with the past and dealing with familial expectations, which is something many of us face in modern society as we strive for independence while remaining connected to our roots. -Ruth Vandi

The morals that I have identified is the importance of family. Since the story is based on Filipino culture, we could see how the story revolves around the family. Despite the troubles in the family, they still stuck together (which is kind of toxic). It is implied that Liza holds some sort of grudge against her father, but it doesn't stop her from making him sinigang, his favorite dish. Although the story ends with us wondering whether Liza has indeed forgiven her father or not, we can still see the value of family in her morals. As a 21st century learning, I get to see how the choices of a person could affect someone so deeply. It makes me want to watch my own words and actions, lest it does the same to the people I care about. -Dee Hi, I am Chloe. I would like to share what I felt from the story ‘Sinigang’ with you. At a family funeral, Liza reluctantly attends to support her grieving parents, despite her feelings of detachment. During the wake, she has an uncomfortable encounter with Sylvia, her father’s former lover, who confesses her past mistakes. Liza remains calm but distant, reflecting on the emotional tension between her parents, her relationship with her father, and her own inability to show much emotion. Afterward, she helps her Aunt Loleng cook sinigang, a dish her mother and father enjoy, though Liza feels no warmth in the family connection anymore. The story expresses loss, emotional detachment, and the complex family relationships, showing that sometimes, even within a family, understanding and closure are difficult to achieve. I think the moral lesson is that emotional healing and forgiveness take time, and sometimes, people are not ready to confront or express their feelings. As a 21st century learner and reader, I agree with the moral lesson of this story because I used to have a hard time expressing my feelings and forgiving my friends. How about you? Do you have a similar experience with this story? If so, why don’t you share it?

[wandringaesthetic]

Some very belated thoughts regarding Final Fantasy XVI (and Game of Thrones)

If you've ever had a conversation with me about A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, you would know that my exhaustion regarding it is endless. I read the first three books circa 2003, when I was in highschool.

There was the slow release of the books. There were the absolutely depressing things that happened to the characters. There was the show, which I initially viewed with enthusiasm but then I couldn't stand the mention of for reasons I couldn't articulate. I fell behind on the show, and then it caught up with the manga, and then the show was about to end, and I thought, well. If I ever want any closure on this story I had better finish watching the show, because god only knows whether or not GRRM is ever going to finish the books. So I watched every season so far in preparation for the last one, some 15 years, two college degrees, a marriage , a child, and several jobs later than when I first started this journey.

And we all know how that ended. D&D apparently had information regarding how GRRM is planning on ending the story, but I'm pretty sure they misunderstood the themes badly enough that GRRM, if he ever gets there, is going to take a very different route to those conclusions.

Meanwhile, Jon Snow is still at least mostly dead in the books.

I will never know peace regarding Westeros. It's fine. (It isn't).

Other than being left hanging, a major reason A Song of Ice and Fire absolutely exhausts me is the misery train. I remember seeing a gifset, early in the show days, with images of the Stark Family with the words "we are never ever ever getting back together." Nothing good ever happens here. No one is getting back together.

And this is where FFXVI departs from Game of Thrones. You'll get your childhood friend slash adopted sister back. You'll get your brother you thought you killed back. You'll get your dog back. You'll get your beloved chocobo back. (Reuniting with Ambrosia made me maybe the most emotional that anything in the game did, I so did not expect it.) You might die at the end (maybe, it's up to interpretation) but there will be some relief from your loss and misery.

Allegedly, early in development for FFXVI, Yoshida made the whole team watch the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. There's a kinship here, and it's intentional. As much as part of me groans at this, there's a precedent for this in Final Fantasy. Yoshida has long been an admirer of Matsuno, and Matsuno directed Final Fantasy Tactics, a game that was not influenced by Game of Thrones (I don't think it was translated into Japanese at the time), but that was influenced by The War of the Roses, especially as told by Shakespeare, something A Song of Ice and Fire was ALSO influenced by. Yoshi-P should have made the whole team watch Henry IV part 1, 2, and 3

Anyway! FFXVI has a kinship with GoT, especially early in the game. There are a lot of warring factions. There's a lot of moral dubiousness. There's sex and violence and swears. But somewhere in the middle it breaks down and becomes so extremely Final Fantasy. Perhaps (as someone who really loves Final Fantasy) TOO Final Fantasy.

Early in the game, you have human enemies. The ironblood, the empire, Benedikta and Kupka.

But pretty soon, you find out that there's something Beyond, gunning for you (Clive) specifically. Arranging his life in a certain way so that he will acquire certain powers.

Something Final Fantasy does Very often is a villain switcheroo. Either a henchman of the villain overthrows who you thought was the main villain and becomes the main villain, or some Dark Force was influencing the main villain this whole time. This is done sometimes well and sometimes poorly.

So, Ultima, he's some kind of ancient alien. He claims he's a god and probably isn't, exactly. He's going to suck up all the lifeblood of the planet and cast the spell that ends the world. He takes up all the light and air from any part of the plot that does not involve him.

He is playing Final Fantasy villain greatest hits, is what I'm saying. But he sucks. He sucks so bad. He is near the bottom in my ranking of Final Fantasy villains. If I had to choose villain rep from this game for a future Dissidia game, I would choose Barnabas Tharmr over him.

(I feel the Final Fantasies that don't have strong villains are that way because the real villain is organized religion, or time, or despair, or something like that, but that's another essay)

This kind of singular, definitely evil, otherworldly antagonist is the opposite of what makes the morally gray, messy, many factions storytelling of Game of Thrones work. So in the end all of the GoT stuff is set dressing. It means very little.

Part of me wants to see an FFXVI that didn't pull its punches, in which Joshua really died in the prologue, in which none of the dominants or their nations are really right or good. Where it's about power. Where we maybe focus on the messy liberation of the bearers.

But that story maybe ends more like A Song of Ice and Fire might end (if it ever ends), where most of our characters are dead, where the people left just barely survived because they banded together against the oncoming night or blight rather than fight each other over scraps.

And that story is... Exhausting.

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

I dont even like the re4re ending with the separate ways line and now Adas not in DI, where is my ship? Is aeon even alive anymore im tired. I hope she will show up at some point. They cannot put her aside, nor can they eliminate her from Leon's life. They have to give him some closure.

okay so let's kinda break this down

since re2r, it's been clear that they've been taking care with how to write aeon. a lot of it (og timeline) seems rushed and so campy. leon loves ada after knowing her for a few hours?

realistically he's known her for a few hours, and then didn't see her again for 6 years; so his interactions with her in re4r make sense. but we have ada's perspective as well to work with. we know that she's known where leon has been for these 6 years as well. even if she didn't keep close track of him- we can kind of assume that she at least knew that leon was on the mission

we see how vulnerable ada is, and i LOVE THAT, that she really is more than just "sexy asian spy lady."

another thing is that ada is one of the most interesting characters of re. sure she's shrouded in mystery, but it's gotten to the point now where fans really want to know more about her. give us her backstory, her motivations, her personal desires (outside of just leon), why she does the things she does.

it's fun to speculate; mine being that she screws over people for her own personal gain or her own sense of morals. she chooses the lesser evil because she knows she can. she's not evil and has never been evil- and people have a hard time understanding that morality isn't just good = good, bad = bad. (the biggest glaring hint to this is that it was always clear that ada betrays wesker at the end of re4, but in re4r they had to JUST SAY IT OUT LOUD AND SHOW HER. Cause if we DON'T SHOW IT, then american audiences DO NOT UNDERSTAND)

it's easy to write good characters and villians. it's a million times harder to write morally gray characters. and ada has always been under utilized in the games and movies. we see an amazing arc with her in 2,4,6. And 6 being her most fleshed out story and in really showcasing what she's like.

i don't think it's a coincidence that lily gao had talked about characterizing ada as more than just a sex symbol. and that's also a huge issue that needs to be tackled separately. that ada has ALWAYS been a sex symbol, but she's MORE than that. and to simply reduce her down to "sexy asian lady, with sexy voice," is such a disservice to her character growth and arc.

i think that it's also a bit on the misogynistic side to always be on leon's side. where's ada's closure? where's the exploration of her trauma? if we really broke down re6, we see ada struggling with her identity being stolen, blackmailed, and it can not be easy handling it all. she's so strong and has been seen to be strong- she puts on a smile for leon, but drops it the second she thinks he can't see her anymore

give them both the closure they need. ada is the third most popular character after leon and jill, sometimes even surpassing chris. she needs to be written well and have exploration of the aeon ship shown and fleshed out. capcom has been pairing leon and ada together for 25+ years. give the older fans the closure they need as well.

now until more people have seen DI, i don't want to speak on it much, so i won't be feel free to ask me again in a few weeks after the movie is more widely available for people.

tl;dr i think they just want to have aeon be more grounded and this makes the most sense- and they don't see each other for another 2-6 years after 2004, so that would be their 3rd ish meeting. there's still plenty of time to work to "that night" and then damnation and then re6.

[zeep-xanflorp]

making sense of that's amorte bc i'm silly

ok so the spaghetti like represents a lot of things. it brings the family together despite bad things happening. it brings them joy. but then they find out that this product that is bringing them so much happiness actually comes from a direct result of unhappiness, depression, and ultimately a person's suicide. they're eating the body of a person who killed themselves. i suppose the question then is: is it worth it to continue enjoying something that makes you happy even if it's something you consider wrong? rick considers the spaghetti guilt free, so his answer is yes, prioritising his own pleasure. but morty's answer is no, and he seeks to solve it.

he wants to learn the names of the ppl he's been eating in an attempt to humanise them and get closure, but isn't satisfied even then. he goes to the funeral of their most recent victim and tells the people there about what they were doing, to get it off his chest.

interestingly, the family are more upset over not having their spaghetti night anymore than the fact they've been eating people and are angrier at morty than rick.

the government then invites morty back to the planet to get his full statement on everything he's doing. they serve him a plate of human spaghetti and tell him it's okay bc the person who it came from consented to being eaten. morty says this makes it go down easier and they realise they have a product bc of how delicious it is. they start selling it on a large scale under the brand name "morty-o's suicide spaghetti."

then this episode turns into a critique on capitalism and consumerism and potentially cannibalism? in the way it kinda explores the argument that cannibalism is the only ethical way to consume meat. the government of the world rick was stealing bodies from is now using morty to indirectly act like the frontman to advertising spaghetti as a product. this makes the planet start to commodify their ppl's pain. literally. they make ppl more miserable to cause more suicides so they can make more product to sell more money.

morty decides this is unacceptable and seeks a solution. he tells rick that if he gets help, he won't look for the moral flaws in rick's deeds ever again. rick agrees and manufactures a creature that is almost a person but is basically created just to kill themselves and become spaghetti. they seem to be okay with this option, until it's ruined by protestors and they're back to square one.

then my leadt favourite part of the episode. morty remembers rick can synthesise anything he gets a sample of which HE OR RICK SHOULDVE REMEMBERED SOONER BEFORE SO MANY PPL DIED. IDC HOW NAIVE YOURE TRYING TO MAKE MORTY OUT TO BE HERE HES FUCKING NOT ANYMORE SO ALL OF THE PPL WHO HAVE DIED IN THIS FUCKING EPISODE AFTER THE MORTY-'O'S DISCOVERY IS FUCKING ON FHEM.

but there's only one person left who would probably kill themselves and the only way they're able to convince him to follow through is to present him an opportunity to end the spaghetti trade forever. and so he agrees. he goes into a euthanasia chamber and presses a button, rick grabs everyone's attention and broadcasts this guys entire life history to everyone so they can see the intrinsic value of life, the beauty of individuality and lived experiences. then everyone's finally grossed out by the spaghetti and put off it forever. no more spaghetti.

rick points out that it's not these ppl's deaths that made the spaghetti distasteful but the complexity of life, and i think that's basically the thesis statement of this episode. that and the fact that not everything is black and white, even if morty desperately wants them to be. he learns grey areas are sometimes acceptable.

favourite scene is the ending when rick is teasing them.

idk not the biggest fan of this episode. i think it had smth to say but missed the mark. this is just me reading into everything and trying to make sense of this. fucking dark even for this show, even for my tastes.

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

3, 8 and 18 for the ask game

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

definitely gotta be "anticolonialism isn't a big theme in ofmd because they never show any on-screen acts of violent colonialism. if the writers wanted to make some sort of commentary on colonization they would've shown these violent historical atrocities on-screen in their romcom"

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

the idea that the show cares about "redemption" in the traditional sense of Bad Person Becomes Good or Person Who Did A Bad Thing Makes Up For The Harm They Caused. i think this comes from a lot of people not really picking up on the fact that ofmd doesn't care about physical violence in and of itself (bc like, they're all pirates, they all do violence, it would get hypocritical if they were like "killing people is wrong!" when the majority of the characters have absolutely killed people before and are not broken up about it). i see this shit thrown around all the time, sometimes rephrased as "the show is about second chances to become a better person" or "the show is about forgiveness and making amends." it's fucking baffling to me because like...

the badmintons were childhood bullies who both died in comedically gruesome accidents. calico jack betrayed ed and killed a bird and he got hit dead-on by a cannonball. ed’s abusive dad gets choked to death by his own son. there is no indication on whether stede’s dad is still alive, which implies that he’s dead and will never get the chance to repair his relationship with his son (which he probably wouldn’t give a shit about anyway). episode 5 has a bunch of racist french people die off-screen in various gruesome ways (drowning, burning, skinned alive with a snail fork and tossed overboard).

even with our leads! stede's journey in e10 is about him getting emotional closure/clarity and not about actually learning how abandoning his family hurt them emotionally (in fact, if it hurt them emotionally, the show barely went into any detail. it seems like they were more hurt by him coming back than disappearing in the first place). and ed shows no guilt or moral dilemma about his past of "loving a good maim" or "making some poor bloke eat his own toes for a laugh," just a kind of bored exhaustion because he's bored of living like that. and jim's story could be about how "killing people for revenge is bad," except that jim did very much kill the man who killed their family and has zero regrets about it.

anyway this is a good post about it but basically the thing everyone keeps confusing with "redemption" is the show's thesis of living authentically and being yourself and freeing yourself from the shackles of societal expectations—specifically the shackles of the white colonial cishetero patriarchy. and also at the same time this show is extremely pro revenge fantasy (who hasnt fantasized about their shithead childhood bully accidentally shooting themself in the face??), it just doesn't let revenge be the thing that actually heals its characters from trauma.

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

FRENCHIE X ED THE OFMD RAREPAIR OF ALL TIME!!!!! I WANT LIKE A 15K RATED T ONESHOT TITLED AFTER SONG LYRICS BUT WRITTEN ALL IN LOWERCASE SOOOOO FUCKING BADDD

🔥choose violence ask game🔥

[connectparanormal]

Yūrei, Japanese Ghosts

People often describe yūrei as "ghost" or "spirit," and they are an important and scary part of Japanese folklore. They are the souls of the dead, who can't find peace because of strong feelings or unfinished business that bind them to the world of the living. These spirits are like ghosts in the West, but they have strong roots in Japanese culture and spirituality. They show how different Japanese people think about life, death, and the afterlife. According to Japanese tradition, death is not a simple shift, but rather a process that can be difficult to understand. Shinto and Buddhist beliefs say that a soul must go through a series of rites and prayers before it can go to the afterlife. Not following these practices or dying with unresolved problems or strong emotions like love, hate, jealousy, or sadness may prevent the spirit from moving on properly. n properly. Some of these souls become yūrei and stay on earth to find peace.

Yūrei are usually shown in a clear and recognizable way. In Japanese society, people often wear white burial kimonos as a sign of death. This attire evokes memories of the garments donned during traditional Japanese funerals. These are usually long and messy, falling over their faces, making them look even more creepy and disturbing. The most recognizable thing about them, though, is their hands, which hang limp at the wrists and sometimes have fingers pointing downward to show that they are ghosts and can't communicate with the real world normally. The onryō, or vengeful spirit, is one of the most well-known kinds of yūrei. Onryō are thought to be able to hurt live things because they want to get back at people who hurt them in life. In Japanese ghost stories and horror movies, like the well-known "Ring" or "Ju-on" series, these spirits are often the main characters. The stories often revolve around the ghost's desire for vengeance and the necessary exorcism or appeasement to put them to rest. On the other hand, not all yūrei are bad. Some are just lost souls who want to finish their trip to the afterlife by finding closure or getting help from still-living people. Those in close proximity to these ghosts may encounter them in dreams or visions, receive messages, or request specific rituals performed in their honor. These kinds of meetings, while still frightening, often evoke sadness and poignancy rather than fear. There are a lot of Yūrei in Japanese culture, not just in folklore and pop culture but also in religious rituals. Obon, which means "bon," is a traditional Buddhist holiday held once a year to honor the spirits of relatives. People believe that the dead return to the living world to visit their families at this time. People perform rituals to greet and soothe these spirits, maintaining their tranquility and preventing them from transforming into yūrei. Examples include lighting lanterns and giving them food.

Yūrei is more than just a myth in Japanese culture. They show deeper ideas like sadness, guilt, and how important rituals are for dealing with death. yūrei stories are often used to teach moral lessons by showing what happens when you don't do your social and family tasks, as well as how important it is to face and solve emotional problems. The yūrei tale is also a way to look into how people feel and how complicated the afterlife is. It's a rich fabric for telling stories and making art. Yūrei still fascinates people all over the world today, not just in Japan. They are common in Japanese horror movies, books, and plays, and people all over the world can relate to their scary looks and sad stories. The long-lasting interest in yūrei shows that everyone is curious about death and the afterlife, and they hope that even the most restless souls can find peace through understanding and kindness.

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Saw X (2023)”

SAW is one of those franchises that I feel like it should have ended long ago. SAW III had the iconic villain die but nope the franchise continued. SAW 3D was titled the final chapter but nope the franchise continued. Somehow, this franchise managed to get to its 10th entry but is there any worth to it or is this just another pointless cash grab?

Firstly, I love how this entry does something different. For the first time in the series, John Kramer himself is the main protagonist. Previous entries would usually have a protagonist who is trying to survive his traps. We get a lot more insight into his moral code and we get to see a more human side to him. One thing this film does well is make us fully in support of Jigsaw. Sometimes Jigsaw will make certain people be involved in his games but it is very questionable whether they deserve it. This is not the case in SAW X as the antagonists are just vile human beings who prey on sick individuals. Additionally, having this movie set after SAW I but before SAW II was a good choice. This meant not having any of the convoluted baggage of entries after 2.

Tobin Bell returns as Jigsaw and he gives a great performance. I loved seeing him portray these new sides to John while also showing his anger towards these scammers. Shawnee Smith also returns as Amanda and seeing more of her relationship with John was a big focus in the film. Amanda is having doubts about being able to follow in his footsteps but John being a mentor and encouraging her is surprisingly heart-warming in a torture movie. I do like they also explore the idea of whether one truly deserves it or not. The scammers all have different levels of involvement in the scam, does someone with minimal involvement deserve to be in the game? They also raise the question of his moral code. John believes everyone deserves a second chance which is why his games have a chance of surviving. However, these scammers are terrible and one of them is truly unforgivable. It is doubtful they would changed if they survived. Both of these are raised by Amanda to John and build up their eventual conflict. The biggest reason anyone is watching these movies is the traps which are enjoyable enough in SAW X. They are not overly ridiculous and gratuitous like some previous entries but they are gruesome enough to make you want to look away.

Nevertheless, the film does have some problems. There is a twist in the 3rd act that is a little questionable. You have to wonder why the characters bothered to take that risk when it could easily go wrong. Additionally, the conclusion is not very satisfying because it not giving a proper closure to a certain character. John also has a thing against bringing innocents into his games but in future films, chronologically, he brings people who made honest mistakes and even used a player's child as bait. John is very flippant with his code.

Overall, this is one of the best SAW movies in a long time. It brings something fresh to the franchise and feels like a coherent movie. I still don't think there should be any more in this franchise but the studio is obviously going to make more. However, if it is of a similar quality to SAW X then I might warm up to the idea of more SAW.

For more reviews like this visit: https://moviewarfarereviews.blogspot.com/

[st5lker]

i feel like i cant enjoy media thats too dark depressing or like "real"... like the type of media where the whole point is "a happy ending just is never possible". like idk its not as if i cant enjoy media that doesnt have a "happy" ending like i thoroughly enjoyed watching breaking bad but it has to be set up properly. like as much as i enjoy invincible as a concept and i do enjoy it but its very hard for me to watch sometimes and it gets even worse in the comics like it juet leaves me with such a strangely bleak and depressing takeaway. and dont even get me started on shit like bojack horseman. like idk bad things happening to a character is fine but i really hate watching media where its all about a character who's trying to escape the bullshit and the bullshit keeps coming all the time forever. or media where its all about breaking down a character's optimism for the sake of being "real". like i know it IS more realistic and i think theres a lot of reason to explore the "what would [x fantastical concept] actually be like if humans were like they are in real life?" but some part of me views most if not all media as some form of escapism so when a show is just not possible (for me) to have a good time watching it im always like. what is the point. like with horror being scared or thrilled can be a good feeling and even with tragedy it can be a cathartic good feeling but the media thats about giving you good feelings and then tearing them away from you and not leaving you with any closure just make me feel awful. and sure they can send morals or messages make you "think" but a lot of the time what theyre making you think about is just not something that will ever apply to your life or who you are so its like. why am i watching this? to be reminded life is shitty and people are awful? i already know that -_-