#their personality is faithful which i think lends very well

[hive-buzzes]

Whos the Starclan guide?

[sunderwight]

I keep seeing people argue that Aziraphale is "intelligent" or "not a fool" and that this means he can't possibly have fallen for the Metatron's blatant manipulation tactics or still genuinely believe in Heaven's righteousness.

Setting aside the validity of various theories (most of which I at least find interesting, if not outright compelling!) I think there's an issue here, which is that intelligence doesn't protect you from cult-like thinking. Especially not when you've been more or less born and raised in the environment.

In fact, what intelligence tends to do to people who have been indoctrinated into cults (and a cult is exactly what GO Heaven operates like) is give you even more tools for justifying or thinking your way around the contradictions of the cults actions vs message.

We even see Aziraphale do this, several times!

In fact, at the end of S1 doing this is part of what helps save the day. When he points out that Heaven can't know that they aren't defying God's ineffable plan while trying to follow the Great Plan, he's not just talking them into standing down, he's giving them an out. Because the whole Armageddon thing has already gone to shit and cannot proceed without Adam's cooperation, what they're really dealing with at that point is getting Heaven and Hell to accept that without retaliating. Even when Satan shows up it's because he's pissed, not because doomsday is still on.

Aziraphale uses the cult's own logic to give Heaven (and Hell) a plausible reason to back down without completely losing face. They don't have to admit that they were wrong, they can just file everything under "ineffability". Aziraphale pulls this off so well in part because he's been doing this to himself for millennia.

When he doesn't understand or really approve of the Flood, he files it under "ineffability". God has a plan but it's too complex and beyond even angelic comprehension to understand, so there must be a good reason for the Flood, it's just that Aziraphale can't see it. When he sees Heaven being complicit in Job's suffering and the potential murder of his children, he reconciles it by deciding that what God really wants is for him and Bildad to secretly stop it. But he flounders on that later, because to some extent I think he knows that this reasoning is self-serving.

(Knowing it's self-serving doesn't refute it, though, it just means that he worries about that until he talks himself into a bunch of reasons why it's still probably true.)

In S1, when Crowley broaches the subject of the apocalypse, Aziraphale's initial response is to recite the propaganda. It's all going to go according to plan, and it will all be great! When that doesn't work (because of course it won't be great, he's going to end up losing his true home and the person he loves most if this all goes down no matter who wins), he lets Crowley help talk him into how he could thwart the plan without "really" betraying his concept of God.

Basically, if Aziraphale's values come into conflict with Heaven, he decides that God secretly agrees with him. It's very like people who find their values coming into conflict with the institution of their church or temple, and so decide that there's nothing wrong with their actual religion, it's all just normal human corruption (or in GO's case, angelic corruption) muddying the waters of an otherwise purely good thing.

Now in real life of course this gets to be a thorny issue, but keeping it simple there isn't really a total separation between a faith and its institutions. You can't claim that there's nothing in the religion that lends itself to bad takes, just like you also can't claim that any ideology or belief system is invulnerable to corruption. Likewise, even if every bad thing in GO were to turn out to be the fault of Heaven and Hell and not God, God would still be accountable for a lot of the situation because God still set the stage.

But what matters for Good Omens and Aziraphale and this post is that, Aziraphale has put considerable mental energy into justifying how God and Heaven can still be Good and Right even as both of them do things he finds intolerable. Whether it's "God secretly wants me to do what I think is right instead of what I'm being told" or "Heaven has earnestly misinterpreted the will of God due to not knowing as much as I do", he puts his intelligence to use in protecting himself from the kind of revelation that would uproot his worldview.

The only kind of knowledge that actually protects people from cults is the knowledge of how they operate, and awareness that you're dealing with a cult. Aziraphale has a terrible disadvantage on both fronts because even though he's spent years watching humanity get into hot water with this stuff, he does so with the firm perspective that things are different for angels. He can't necessarily apply what works for humans to himself, because he knows he's a different kind of being (and unlike with IRL cults, it's actually true in his case, though I think demons and angels are both less different from humans than they believe).

Though, interestingly, he's closer to a accepting the truth when it comes to the differences between angels and demons. In S1 he is fully confident that he could possess someone, because even though angels don't do that, demons can. Whether he admits it or not, Aziraphale really does believe that Crowley is not meaningfully different from himself in terms of personhood or ability. If he can make the leap to the idea that angels and demons are not exempt from human-oriented concepts of self-determination and free will and unfair treatment by authority, and reconcile it with his own intense distress at challenging a core belief, then the fact that he's quick on the uptake will really start to work in his favor.

[angsttronaut]

Contemplating the idea of an AU where Starclan and other paranormal stuff is never confirmed to actually exist.

Either we never get a medicine cat POV, or their experiences with the supernatural are somewhat ambiguous. Example: They usually dream of Starclan or the dead at the half-moon meetings, but not always, and the dreams are often weird and fade from their memories like normal dreams, making it hard to tell if they actually received a message, or if the power of suggestion influenced their dreams.

Leaders are still taken to the Moonstone/Moonpool, but they don't get a big Starclan ceremony where they receive nine lives; it's similar to medicine cats, they may have a Starclan themed dream that night, they might not. It's believed Starclan lends them their strength; as far as most cats are concerned, this means leaders live longer and are more likely to recover from wounds that will kill an unblessed cat. However, while some leaders make surprising recoveries from wounds and illnesses that ought to have been fatal, it's unclear if this is actually magic or luck. They're also well protected and treated by their Clan, which may account for their increased lifespan.

The Dark Forest/Place of no Stars is believed in by the cats, but the most anyone might ever see of it is nightmares of a dull, empty-skied woodland. Often, it's cats who feel guilty in some way that have these dreams. No spirits come out to train or hurt them, but every now and again sinister eyes may watch them from afar...

Midnight and Rock probably don't show up. Midnight could maybe work as a badger who learned to speak cat somehow, but I have no idea how Rock could fit into this one.

The Three are very skilled, abnormally so, but they still have clear limitations. Lionblaze is an excellent fighter who rarely gets hurt, but despite terrified rumours in the other Clans, he definitely isn't invincible and can be defeated. Dovewing has strong senses and tends to pick up on things other cats missed because of this, but can't hear things that happen on the other side of the lake. Jayfeather has a talent for guessing what other cats are thinking and feeling, but his guesses can be completely off-base.

Most cats believe in Starclan, but there's way more cats who are unsure or privately atheist. It's not uncommon for leaders and medicine cats to have crises of faith because they aren't having visions like they think they should. One of the things that contributed to Bluestar's breakdown was not witnessing anything Starclan-related at her leadership ceremony, or when she returned to the Moonstone for advice.

Bramblestar's being possessed is a rumour that starts after he gets ill and becomes a different, crueller person afterwards. The belief is that Shadowsight's experimental snow cure to break his fever actually killed him, and without Starclan watching over them a malign spirit entered his body. Not everyone believes this is what caused his change in personality, but it's especially popular in Shadowclan, where Shadowsight experiences many terrifying visions of a shadow looming over Bramblestar's corpse.

[almacambiondaughterofsaleos]

You Know Due To His Love Of Horses I Am Surprised That Blitzo Wasn't Paired Up With These Guys

Given how toxic we've seen Stolitz become I was thinking about the fact that the so-called demon expert chose him out of all the demons, because according to canon he abhors violence and rather not intervene in human affairs. So, him lending a book to assassinate people would be against what is said about him. However, if Vivziepop actually did more of her research she could have chosen these guys especially in connections with horses.

Shax

If you want to keep the bird theme then Shax would be a good option, and unlike canon Stolas he's more of the violent type and would be on board doing a business that's about sniping humans in the living world. His noted traits are to be faithful and obedient which if the story kept the cheating aspect would contradict that unless it means faithful to people he loves and not marital faithfulness. He's also known as a great thief especially of horses, so I can imagine Blitzo would so be happy if the guy gave him horses and they could have an interest to build on while rewarding him for good jobs. I could also see him encouraging Blitzo to expand assassination to stealing since that is also his profession and probably ask him to do things like stealing from certain targets for his associates and him. Also he's a good liar so Blitzo could feel at times uneasy with him whether he's telling the truth or not. His rank is a Marquis.

Gamigin

What's better than loving a horse but having a Goetia love interest who is a horse. Again good option for someone who is a lover of horses to have one. Again if he's depicted he can be an anthropomorphic horse type with many arms. Like Shax, he's a Marquis and his specialty is liberal arts so an intellectual type. So probably like canon Stolas, he would be a scholar type who would probably be very regal and noble in deamnor but like Shax he is into deception.

Orobas

And another horse option is Orobas, but this guy is called the patron of horses. He also has additional powers of power and control over others, protection from evil spirits and enemies, future, present, and past sight, and putting a stop to gossip and slander. He also has the ability to be very honest. Seriously, he would totally be the guy I would pick to be a Stolas replacement. He also is one of the nobler demons in hell if you want a noble person paired with Blitzo (besides being okay with him doing his murder jobs). For this guy since the emphasis is honesty, I would more like make him divorced and hit it off with Blitzo after getting over his divorce and trying to rebound a bit until realizing if he really wants to continue this as a serious or a contract with benefits. This also is in complete opposition with Shax who is a well known liar.

[kwanzaa-wakanda]

Why you don't know anyone who celebrates Kwanzaa

"Because no one cares"

"Because it's a sham holiday made by a con artist"

"Because it's dumb"

"Because no True African would ever celebrate Kwanzaa."

These are all bad faith arguments. They aren't meant to actually explain why, and do more to devalue the holiday as well as people who celebrate it or at least respect it.

So, why don't you know people who celebrate Kwanzaa? After all, you have so many Black friends, or maybe even you are Black yourself, shouldn't Kwanzaa be everywhere?

This post is a bit long, and some points are explored more deeper than others, but I think this will provide an explanation that's actually pretty fair and common sense. The short version:

Kwanzaa is a newer, anti-consumerist holiday that does not appeal to every single Black person. And that's okay!

1. Kwanzaa is a newer holiday.

Kwanzaa is only about 60 years old. It's not going to be as popular as Christmas. Other holidays, say Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, or Martin Luther King Jr. Day are about as old or even younger than Kwanzaa, so why are they celebrated more widely? Well, it helps that they're all federal holidays with a state structure to back them up. Individual people can celebrate those holidays, but they don't have to, institutions celebrate them for us by giving us time off work and making a public statement (maybe a donation or two). Other than that, those holidays are largely upheld by community events, just like Kwanzaa (more on this later).

The types of family traditions we associate with Christmas take generations to build. Even other older holidays like Mother's Day don't have any real traditions inherently associated with them--we all give our moms a gift but beyond that, everyone engages with it differently.

New holidays need time to catch on. Institutional structures help speed that process along, but Kwanzaa doesn't really have that. So it's going to be slower than others in terms of attracting people.

2. Kwanzaa is anti-consumerist inherently.

In America, consumerism makes up a very large part of how people engage in holidays. Note that I'm not saying "people only celebrate other holidays for consumerist reasons", I am saying that a lot of the driving forces that 'remind' us to take holidays seriously in the US are market forces. We're inundated with advertisements, sales, and decorations that help create a 'feeling' of the holiday (be it Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc) which also make it easier to engage with the holiday. We can get the supplies we need at the store. If we don't have plans then there's probably a business throwing a party around that time to keep us entertained. Gift-giving and feast preparation is expressed through buying products en masse so we prepare financially. Holiday specific media sculpts our collective understanding of the holiday's themes even if we don't engage directly.

Kwanzaa, as an explicitlyanti-consumerist holiday, doesn't lend itself to that level of cultural zeitgeist in the US. People exchange gifts and decorate places for Kwanzaa, but commerce during Kwanzaa is typically kept within Black communities through dealing directly with (small) Black Owned businesses. Given that most corporations in the US are white owned, there's very little reason for the market structure to incentive our continued engagement in Kwanzaa. The passive acknowledgement that it's a holiday that exists is the most we can really hope for.

Imagine Halloween without candy sales, Spirit Halloween stores, Halloween parties or costume nights at our favorite restaurants and bars. Imagine no horror movies coming out in October! In a world like that, I and many other people would still celebrate Halloween, but it wouldn't be as easy, and a lot of people probably wouldn't acknowledge it at all, because it isn't as easy.

Kwanzaa explicitly resists the market forces that help holidays stay in our daily lives. We all value our holidays beyond those forces, but we can't deny the very heavy role they play. We can argue that such market forces are morally neutral or even good, but not in this post--whatever your view of holiday consumerism, it's critical to understand that Kwanzaa was organized specifically for people who don't appreciate such consumerism.

3. Kwanzaa does not appeal to all Black people equally.

I think this is one of the hardest points for people both within and outside the community to grasp. The holiday is for Black people, and is meant to appeal to as broad a sampling of Black people as possible. That doesn't mean it will appeal to everyone, though.

The target audience for Kwanzaa is Black people, regardless of nationality, who believe in a shared political unity, heritage, and cultural engagement of all Black people regardless of nationality.

Thing is, not all Black people believe in or value those things. Not all Black people are Pan-Africanist, Afrocentrist, or Black Nationalist, or any other Negritude philosophy. These philosophies are widespread in politics and scholarship, but outside of those dimensions of life engagement with them gets complicated.

You may have heard that "no Africans celebrate Kwanzaa" this is largely true because Africans live in families and communities where their African heritage is already affirmed through other means, including other holidays. Kwanzaa therefore doesn't appeal to them, even if they do believe in all it's themes. Such people may go to Kwanzaa events if invited, but they likely wouldn't hold them for themselves.

Many in the African Diaspora understand their identity most immediately by the region they settled in, and only have a distant sense of African identity. They don't deny being African or having African heritage, but they see being Caribbean, or Brazilian, or American as more relevant. Kwanzaa therefore doesn't appeal to them as it's not specific enough.

Kwanzaa is not closed to any Black demographic and actively encourages all of us to celebrate it. But not all of us will find it appealing.

I would compare Kwanzaa to a holiday like Easter--its a Christian holiday meant to appeal to all Christians equally. But if you aren't church-going and have no children in the family, you probably don't celebrate Easter to any meaningful extent, or your engagement is so personal that it isn't considered very mainstream or traditional.

The point I'm trying to make is: holidays aren't guaranteed to appeal to everyone in their target demographic. Though the reasons why diverge, not every Christian celebrates Easter, not every Black person celebrates Kwanzaa.

4. Communal Kwanzaa celebration is more popular than in-home, but that also carries some drawbacks to it.

Whenever people interested in celebrating Kwanzaa ask me how to get started, I often tell them to look into community celebrations. They're usually put on by churches (perhaps even mosques), community centers, cultural activity groups, or political groups. And therein lies the problem--if you don't live in close proximity to that type of Black community, or the community is invisiblized, then even if there are communal Kwanzaa celebrations to check out you probably won't know about them.

You can't just ask a random Black person about a Kwanzaa event, typically. My advice is to tell people to check out a Black bookstore (and, if available, an African cultural store or an Afro spiritual store). The types of people organizing Kwanzaa events are usually those deeply enmeshed in cultural and political Black discourses, particularly those that affirm an African heritage. But such people aren't found everywhere. In my experience, you can find such people and spaces in most major cities, and so a Kwanzaa celebration probably isn't too far away either. Everywhere else, though...

The only other option to find Kwanzaa celebrations, in my experience, are through Black student clubs in colleges. Not all of them do Kwanzaa activities due to many factors (cost, timing, interest, etc), but my undergrad college did and I know that others throughout the country do. However, such activities may not be open to the public (again, for varying reasons -- cost, timing, interest, college policy...).

When people ask about personal celebration, they usually ask about in-home celebration, treating community celebrations or celebrations in schools as less serious or legitimate. Kwanzaa in general is itself rare, but the idyllic in-home celebration is even rarer -- I myself was raised engaging in Kwanzaa almost entirely through community rather than in-home celebrations (though I started doing in-home for myself in recent years).

---

How, then, should we treat people who celebrate Kwanzaa, or even the non-Black people who don't celebrate it but acknowledge it as a valid holiday?

Honestly, I don't get why that has to be a question. Sure, it's a very marginal holiday, but it's also harmless to treat it respectfully and try and make room in your life in case you ever come across someone who does celebrate it.

I made this post because I often see this idea that people were "tricked" about Kwanzaa. I fail to see what harm has transpired. I don't get why people use their lack of awareness of Kwanzaa or Black communities that celebrate it as a "gotcha" that proves Kwanzaa is a scheme. When I do try to understand the logic underlying this, I come back to this idea that holidays and cultures have to earn respect and validation, that being included in our American idea of "Holiday Time" requires that holidays have a certain number of people we already respect, whom would be offended otherwise.

But that isn't a perspective that I share. I can't say how many people need to celebrate a holiday in America before I stop thinking it an insult or a lie that said holiday be included next to Christmas in a holiday greeting; the number doesn't exist because I don't hold Christmas or Hannukah in so high esteem. I value Christmas in as much as I recognize other people value it, the same is true of Hannukah and Yule (and even the pagan witches I've known didn't celebrate Yule). To me, the only thing one needs to be worthy of consideration as one of The Holidays is to simply be celebrated by people around this time of year.

[scarlet--wiccan]

Is it in-character for Pietro to be such a fan of Steve? Bc the recent Avengers issue (#16) made him literally worship him??

I feel like "literally worship" is kind of an exaggeration, so for the sake of clarity, let's take that down a notch.

This run of Avengers-- and to be clear, we're talking the Blood Hunt tie-in arc-- is very invested in propping up the legacy and impact of Captain America as a hero, and the Avengers as a team, in a way that I don't personally find interesting. Pietro is, typically, written as a someone who will challenge authority, so it does feel kinda weird that he's the guy backing Steve up in this story. He's still generating friction, and I actually quite like the abrasive confidence MacKay gives him -- there's a way to maintain Pietro's core personality without making him an outright jackass, and for whatever else you can say, I think that MacKay, Duggan, and Orlando have been hitting that nail on the head.

But I do agree that Pietro's faith in, and overall friendliness towards Steve feels out of place. MacKay's take on their relationship is that Steve has known Pietro longer than most people, and that familiarity lends itself to mutual trust and esteem in the field. I think this is conveyed really well in their dialogue with each other, but Pietro, in other scenes, is a bit too admiring, but also a bit too colloquial, which is part of why his voice feels off to me. I also feel like he gets a little too upbeat and smirky, which undermines the fact that he's meant to be laser-focused on rescuing Wanda.

I think the old-teammates dynamic works well for Pietro and Steve, but it's a fine line to walk for a character like Pietro who still, in my mind, has every reason to resent and mistrust most of the big superhero teams and leaders. Regardless, I don't hate what's happening here, and I think Pietro has a lot of great moments in spite of it.

[kicksnscribs]

"Ah, you want me to talk about the Twins huh?"

"Not much to say about em, really. Used to run the subway system in Iacon way back before all the slag hit the fan. Damn good at it too.

Nicest lads you'd ever met and practically inseparable! Where one went the other was close by, almost as if they were joined at the hip. Rough upbringin's will do that to ya or so I've heard

Couldn't believe it when i saw the white one on the side of the 'Cons, even less so when i realized he was by himself. We captured him one day as a POW one time. Took a lot of us to pull it off but we managed eventually. That's when I heard the story of what happened to his...I guess brother is what you humans would call them if you absolutely needed a word to describe him. Figured the 'Cons promised him a way to get him back somehow if he joined up with them and he took the offer in a desperate attempt to find him.

Though I doubt they ever did give him anything to really go by. Recruiters will say just about anything in order to get bots to join their cause. Especially when it comes to getting their servos on big, strong fellas like the Twins.

He eventually escaped us somehow; found a way to cut through his bonds and was lost to the night before any of us could even blink. Heh, and I thought his brother was the more crafty of the two.

What d'ya mean 'creepy' smile? Rude lil' thing aren't ya?

He's always been smiling like that. Well...not exactly like that but... you know that mech never had a frown on his face that I'd ever seen. Though I will admit there's something...different about that smile now. Not at all like what I seen back in Iacon. Something sinister...

Not the only one to notice it either. Ol' Rung reckons that being separated from his brother for so long did things to him. Spark twins can't be without one another for very long without it messing with their coding n whatnot, you know?

Though, Ratch knows more about the kid's situation than anybody here on this ship. Says that he apparently had done some things in order to get his brother back. Supernatural things. Things smart mechs should know to leave well enough alone.

Wherever that mech went to get his brother, he didn't come back alone....

Such a shame, he was always a sweet kid. Had a bit of a mobility issue but only when he was excited about something I think? Which was a good thing for all I care. You need to have joy in the things you love 'n he had that in spades.

Did not really understand the concept of personal space though 'n it sometimes got 'im in loads of trouble *laughs*

The black one? Whats there to say about 'im, honestly?

Incredibly polite mech, always there to lend a helping servo or two when needed, a little older than his brother i think? He would always mess with him about that little fact.

Very gentle in situations where his brother would be very harsh, but not like in a mean spirited way, more like an excitable way if that makes any sense? You would never think that what with the constant sour look etched on his face at all times *laughs*

Never liked to talk much. Though not for a lack of ability but more of a 'can't control his volume' situation. He can hit Siren levels of loud when excited enough about something or other and feels bad about it when he does. I don't mind it though, means he's found something to be happy about and that's a good thing in my book if that's worth anything.

Really hurt to hear that he went missing millennia ago. His brother looked absolutely destroyed when I saw him in that camp. I'm glad to see he made it back.

Primus the years haven't been good to him, though. Wherever he went it did numbers on his frame.

He creaks when he walks now, and his gaze has that look of a mech who has seen far more than he should have. He still has that gentle nature about him, though. Which is good, because I think he is going to need it if he ever hopes to succeed at getting those demons running through his brothers brain module out.

I got faith in them though, they're as strong as they are inseparable. They'll get through this like they did every other thing they faced,

together.

[Pulled from the personal Datatracks of Ironhide, Chief of Autobot Security]

[melrosing]

Ok speaking of changes GOT made… is there any changes you like? I struggle to find big moments, but there are small additions I love. Like Ned praying before he dies, Robb hitting the tree when he finds out, the chemistry that Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie have…. But there are very few structural changes I think improve the story.

hmmm so I can't lie there is a LOT I just don't remember anymore about the show, so wringing my mind a little to come up with something.....

I won't mention things that I think were adapted well (like Ned's execution) as those aren't adaptational changes. and I also won't mention things that I like the idea of (e.g. Jaime's dyslexia) but not the execution (they made out it was part of the longrunning 'stupidest Lannister' joke).

and like.... well I'm stuck already lmao?? I'm not even trying to shit on the show I just feel like it was a consistent exercise in either understating GRRM's work or butchering it entirely. so I can think of only a few things:

I can't find the link to where I talked about this at length but the scene in which Jaime and Ned duel in the streets of KL was a good one imo. I think it was more in character for Jaime to just recklessly fight Ned himself, and a neat parallel to what I suspect will happen between Ned, Arthur and Howland - in that when Ned is attacked from behind by one of Jaime's men in the midst of their fight, Jaime angrily ends the duel bc his man has essentially dishonoured it. I think Ned's fight with Arthur will end as it did in the show (with Howland stabbing Arthur from behind and Ned finishing the job, bc he needs to reach Lyanna), and this is like a parallel to show Jaime and Ned have the same principles, yet each have broken them in times of desperation. My personal theory is that this was a change GRRM recommended - the parallel seems notable to me, and not one that would've even occurred to D&D, esp. given they never gave any particular shit about Jaime's story. And this may sound spurious but I recall that GRRM remembers in an interview, saying the weather was different in the show version of the scene than in the books.... which makes me think he was maybe onset for this one, possibly because of the rewrite??

I'm v much in favour of ageing up the youngest characters. My ideal starting ages for the youngest characters in AGOT would've been Jon/Robb/Dany - 18, Joffrey/Sansa - 14, Arya - 12, Bran - 10. To me they all feel much too young for the roles they play in the story, and it occasionally kills my suspension of disbelief

I way prefer the book’s version of the Red Wedding but I do feel like Catelyn's single cry of despair works better than the book's manic laughter. maybe the laughter was a more vivid image for the books idk

I do actually like how we see Robb's grief onscreen it's very movingly played by Richard Madden. I also love Catelyn's expressions as Robb rides back from the Whispering Wood, like both these scenes are great reminders of their mother/son relationship in a setting where they aren't really allowed to be just that. and like just Michelle Fairley tbh I really like her work as Catelyn even though I don't like how the character was adapted more generally

Breaking the 'concept but not execution' rule just to say I think it was definitely a good idea to explore the High Sparrow as this weirdly charismatic figure so we can see how others might be taken in by him, even whilst we see the extremes of his faith. but that subplot was not executed well at all so fuck it

Yeah I agree that Jon and Ygritte having a slightly more charged romance also works. In the books Ygritte comes and goes quite quickly and I think there is something to be said for lending a bit more gravity to that relationship. I don't think they necessarily had to be the grand romance that the show makes them out to be but I didn't hate it

I might be forgetting other things that worked because some seasons I haven't seen since like 2015, but honestly it just doesn't work for me as an adaptation. things I liked in the show before reading the books feel completely naff in hindsight, knowing how they were supposed to play out, so..... eh

[dragonofpandora]

idk what to tag this so people can avoid it but this is me yelling about hating the cutesy plushies that are 90% of the Avatar animal merch so if you like those please feel free to hit J to skip on desktop; I don't want to yuck your yum I just want to yell for a minute

Man. I really wish that more of the Avatar merch plushies were less... cutesy. Like,

I guess these are kind of cute, but if I'm honest, "cute" doesn't really... work with the ikran design imo. Also they look worse in person than they do in photos, which is truly impressive, usually it's the other way around.

Come on. That barely even looks like a nantang. I had to stop and figure out whether it was supposed to be a nantang, palulukan, or some kind of melanistic pa'li.

The soulless eyes and human smile are what get me, I think. Like - does this not look worlds better?

(And it's still got the weird eyes.)

THERE'S ONE GUY THEY ABSOLUTELY HIT THE MARK ON, THOUGH.

he's glorious!!! he looks so good!!! he's simplified without drastically changing his look to be UwU so cute!! why can't we have ALL the animals in this styOH MY GODS THEY MADE A CUTESY VERSION TOO IT JUST MUST NOT HAVE BEEN IN STOCK WHEN I WAS THERE

WHAT- WHAT THE FUCK. THAT'S CURSED I'M SORRY THAT ONE'S SO CURSED EVERYBODY ELSE GO HOME THE REST OF THEM ARE OKAY BUT AAA

anyway the tsurak plush (NOT YOU) is the only one that got it right and I desperately want more Pandoran animals in THAT style of plush, stop trying to make designs that do not lend themselves to cutesiness well cutesy on principle, or if you're going to (because I know a lot of people do like these and that's fair, that's their business) then please at least make designs that also actually stay faithful to their original designs and vibes, thanks for coming to my TED talk

Also shoutout to the pa'li plush which I think is the only one where I actually like how the cutesy version came out

look at him. he's perfect. I don't know why he came out so much better, but he did. perfect boy. very sad he was not in the store when i was there or I probably would have bought him.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

You mentioned earlier that you and Vinelle are planning on doing a podcast episode on Dune, both the book and the movies, and your general reaction to the adaptation. I'm super excited about this. I have one question: Is this more of a general, we'll get to it in an episode in the future, or do you plan on doing it very soon, as in, within the next couple of episodes? I just read Dune after watching the second Dune movie, and I have a lot of thoughts about what they changed between the books and the movie (most glaringly, though perhaps not most significantly, Alia and the time frame!!!). I thought the movie stands on its own right as quite good and cinematic, but, though in many ways it's faithful to the books (more so than many adaptations), the book just does not lend well to adaptation to the movie form. I'd be super happy if that episode of yours were soon. If not, that's fine as well, but, again, I'm just very excited to hear y'all's thoughts.

Ooh, look @therealvinelle, anticipation for @rankheresy

We have a few HP episodes actually outlined so those will be first and this will probably be after @therealvinelle finishes Dune if not Dune Messiah and then watches the movies. And @therealvinelle is infamously in school right now doing thesis things so that might take a bit.

So, I wouldn't hold your breath for anywhere in the super near future.

What I will say is that I personally agree and think that Dune better lends itself to a mini-series far more than a movie and that Dune Part 1 fared better because of this than Dune Part 2 which I have... significant beef with on all fronts.

And that my ideal Dune adaptation would be very different.

[anartificialsatellite]

So I can't play a lot of video games because anything 3D where the camera moves around a lot with the player character makes me very motion sick pretty quickly. I used to be able to play these sorts of games, but as I've gotten older it's gotten worse and I haven't been able to for a few years now. (I thought finally getting glasses would fix it and it does kind of help, but not enough.) This sucks because it does mean that I miss out on a lot of games, but it also has forced me to broaden my horizons and try games I might not have found otherwise.

One of the places where this becomes more of a problem for me is the horror/thriller genres - I think there's especially a tendency to rely on 3D first and third person perspective (and especially first person) in games that are meant to be scary or creepy or whathaveyou, because when you limit the player's field of view it's not difficult to make them feel trapped and uneasy, and it lends itself well to jumpscares.

...Which makes it all the more impressive, imo, when a game that doesn't use that still succeeds at building that sort of atmosphere and immersion. So!

Here's three of my favorite scary/spooky/creepy atmospheric games without a 3D first or third person perspective:

The Excavation of Hob's Barrow

This point-and-click adventure game has 2D pixel graphics, an excellent soundtrack, and a fascinating and compelling folk horror mystery at its center. Antiquarian Thomasina Bateman travels to an isolated English town on the moors to pursue research for her book on the barrows of England, and (as one usually does in this genre) discovers something strange and sinister lurking beneath the surface. I finished this game in about 2 sessions, by which I mean I've got 10 hours of playtime on it and the only reason it wasn't one session was because I had to stop and do normal human things. (I found this game because I'm a fan of one of the publisher's other titles, The Shivah, a kind of weird and super short detective style adventure game whose main character is a bitter, depressed rabbi, and I really recommend that one as well.)

Oxenfree

Not really horror, I guess, but definitely a supernatural thriller? We'll go with that. Another adventure game, this time one where your choices affect the story. The main character is Alex, a teenage girl who, along with some friends and some non-friends, is spending the night on an island that was once home to an old military base. Using a radio, you unintentionally open a portal and find yourself facing the supernatural effects of a decades old naval disaster. The art is gorgeous, the music is absolutely tits, and there's some really cool gameplay mechanics, as well. I'm also a sucker for spooky radio shit, so when I came across this game I was all over it.

It's got a sequel, Oxenfree II: LOST SIGNALS, which is a similar style game set on a nearby island some time after the events of the first game, and I also super recommend that one, too.

FAITH

I'll start with a caveat for this one: I've only played Chapter 1, because when I first bought and played it that was the only part that was out. I can't speak for any of the rest of this game, and annoyingly, it looks like you can't buy Chapter 1 by itself anymore.

In this retro-styled game you play as a priest returning to the site of a failed exorcism, so if demonic posession and that kind of Catholic religious horror isn't your bag this game probably won't be either, but even as someone who is not Christian, I super enjoyed it. It features 8-bit graphics that remind me of Atari and some old DOS adventure games I haven't played in almost two decades, as well as some truly creepy rotoscoped pixel art. The sound is just as old school as the art and is used to deeply unsettling effect, and I was continuously impressed by how the dev managed to make such a creepy game in this style.

If you've got any others, please share them with me! I absolutely love this kind of thing and am always happy to add more to my "to play" list.

[quotidianish]

Usually there’d be some goofy ass art to go with an analysis of tf2 characters but art block is knifing me up right now so have headcanons which get a smidge too personal with the immigrant experience

The Defense class is my favorite out of the three, not only because of their in-game mechanics, but because of the potential they have for character. All of them are, in some way, more normal than the rest (or appear to be in the case of Engineer). Demoman’s just an alcoholic (nothing inherently wrong with addiction anyway), Heavy’s just real passionate about his job, and Engineer is, deceptively, rather level-headed. Just based on inference I like to think they are three people fundamentally damaged by the concept of the “American Dream;” to be religious and good and serve your country, no matter how bad it may treat you. On one hand, you’ve got two immigrants, and on the other, you’ve got a natural born Texan, raised in the Bible Belt, so of course said dream will impact them differently. Seeing both Demo’s and Heavy’s families, it’s safe to assume they’re both raised with a very collectivist mindset. With the Engineer, it is mere guessing based on the stereotypical image of a Bible Belt family. Being an immigrant in a country which doesn’t share your ideals is a rough integration process already, nevermind the potential discrimination their status as foreigners might lend them to (it’s the 70s cmon man). Hence they do not stay in America because they genuinely view it as home; they stay in America out of sacrifice; money is made for their families, be it in the Heavy’s case a necessity, or the Demoman’s, to please. Neither of their beliefs align with America’s, nor their physical appearance mimic that of a stereotypical American. Both of them have probably felt outcasted before- especially regarding their appearance- and this is no exception. The United States is but a well-paying prison. For Dell, though, it is, without doubt, his home. Bee Cave Texas basking in all its fine American  beauty. Regardless, it’s not as perfect as he was raised to think. (I’ve less to say on behalf of him, actually. I didn’t grow up in the Bible Belt, so lots of these ideas are mumbo jumbo from book and media portrayals.) He’s grown up in the perfect American family, a providing father, a loving mother, the face of every American cartoon and magazine. Good people with a faith in god, what more can he ask for? He didn’t exactly feel as though all the values he held truly represented him as a person. Maybe it’s a repressed homosexuality thing, or growing up as a little girl and deciding it wasn’t right for him thing, or generally realizing that his ideas were pretty outdated; especially when interacting with the rest of the Defense team. All three of them are from different continents, and still manage to find they have so much in common. MAN the POTENTIAL for CHARACTER (going insane. Truly the guys ever

[foundationsofdecay]

So, this has been floating around in my head all morning... Give really feels like it's actually a duet between Sleep and Vessel.

Consider the first verse:

You take the dark and carve me out a home I picture you when you are all alone I know how we got here I know how we got here I am the shadow, you're a passenger I am the intake of breath so sharp and I know you better Just want to know you better

The first two lines sound very much like they'd be from Vessel's POV, singing about how Sleep's taken the darkness surrounding them both and carving a home for him, though it's interesting that he specifies that it's a home for himself specifically, not for them both. This is amplified by the next line, it's not thinking of Her when they're alone together, or thinking of Her when he's alone, he's specifically picturing Her when She's alone. That has a couple of different readings: is he picturing Her in a state of solitude, or is he doing so when She's alone like how one might pray for someone in times of need, or some kind of cosmic sense that tells him when She's alone? If this is in fact Sleep being sung to here, that could be its own kind of offering to lend Her strength, since faith and devotion are so critical to Sleep's well-being to begin with.

In my mind, you have Vessel singing the first "I know how we got here", with Sleep coming in for the second, either solo or together, transitioning between the two points of view.

Then, we can take a look at the final three lines. The comment of being a "passenger" reminds me of Granite, of being "more than just a body in your passenger seat". I usually interpret Granite as being from Vessel's POV, though there are some readings that do challenge that. For now, I'm operating off the assumption that Vessel is the passenger here. Thus, who could be the shadow but Sleep? These three lines are really interesting too when it comes to the overall tone; to me, this feels very subtly... not degrading, but self-important, perhaps? Which is also fitting for Sleep at times, if you go off of something like Ascensionism. Vessel is "a" passenger, indicating that there could be others, and yes there's espera in addition to ii and iii and iv, but Vessel's always been /the/ main one, the first, not relegated to the same stature as the others, as if he was just i. Then you have Her say not just that She wants to know him better, but that She knows him better already. That in and of itself could mean several things, but my personal reading is that She's saying She knows him better than to believe/trust/take at face value something that he's saying or doing. Yet despite that, She still wants to know even more.

Onward, then, to the second verse:

I'll tear the fiber from the filament I'll be the limit of your light again I want to taste you better I want to taste you better I will be watching for your enemies To let them know that they contend with me I want to know you're out there I want to know you're out there

For the first four lines, I have a lot of thoughts on how Vessel talks about electronics and code, but for now... You can read the first two lines as being from either perspective, really, but either POV is expressing some pretty serious power dynamics. Here, I'm going to assume he is talking about fiber-optic cables because of the specific words being used here, but there are other types of cables you could draw connections with as well.

Fiber-optic cables are different from other kinds of cables because of these additional 'optical fibers' that are usually in the center, which specifically carry light. They're used very widely, most famously in internet and telecommunication, because compared to regular cables they have higher bandwidth and much faster long-distance communication, and breaks down less often. The optical fiber, simply put, is what makes all of those things possible; without it, if you tore the fiber from the surrounding filament and protective casings in the cable, you wouldn't just be destroying the pathway the light travels down, you would completely remove the ability to communicate with it. It's a line with very sweeping implications.

Limiting the light of Sleep, of Sleep's ability to grow by threatening to withhold offerings or anything else She might want - or perhaps this being Sleep threatening to take away what Vessel's been given earlier, to take him mentally back to where he was when he relied solely on Her. Which way you read it depends mostly on how you interpret Sugar and how you interpret all the imagery of cables and wires and code etc. To me, this reads as Vessel, but in either case it's incredibly possessive, wanting to hold the other close to taste them and take everything they can give while still wanting to provide.

The first "I want to taste you better" is a clear prelude to Sugar, and here there's nothing to imply that the singer already knows the other's taste, so it's likely implied that during this song, and the final chorus in particular, this is what's happening, unless Gods is your pick for that moment in time.

For the final four lines, you also have these layered vocals for "I will be watching for your enemies / To let them know what they contend with me", though this time the other vocals are lower that Vessel's standard register in the song. It's a nice choice in the sound mixing to imply something more aggressive, like it's being spoken through gritted teeth, or perhaps more of a growl. Now, with Vessel being described as Sleep's "weapon of choosing" (depending on how you interpret Blood Sport), this could be Vessel speaking towards Sleep, a promise to fulfill his duty as a weapon, or this could be Sleep, promising to shield Vessel from enemies from the past and use Her presence, regardless of how much power She actually holds, to ward others off.

Now there's the bridge:

In this open warfare I won't fight fair No, I won't fight fair And in your waking moments I will be there I will be there

At this point in the song, taken as a duet, is when we have them singing either in tandem or switching off frequently enough to indicate that they are effectively being sung simultaneously. Here we again have this open acknowledgement of the conflict between the two of them, starting quietly with Vessel's voice somewhat placed to the back, before it comes in stronger in the third line. They'll each do what needs to be done in order to get what they want. It's a quiet admission, to the self or to the other, but as far as this song cares, those are indistinguishable.

Likewise, Vessel's waking moments are Sleep's waking moments, and they'll each be there for the other, no longer having to deal with loneliness like at the start of the song. It's a sentiment that Granite later highlights when Vessel outright says "we'd rather be six feet under than be lonely", and even in that song, using the first-person plural further supports the idea that both of them are echoing this sentiment.

Then, finally, the chorus. I tackled all three as a single entity.

If you want to give Then give me all that you can give All your darkest impulses and If you want to give me anything Then give, give in again I just want to give Want to give you all that I can give All my darkest impulses If you want to give me anything Then give, give in again

The chorus when looked at as a whole, is like a dance to me, which is what inspired the post to begin with. Their layered vocals with as wide a differences between octaves giving a strong sense of two separate characters, and here each one is wanting the same thing from the other. This again draws comparisons to Ascensionism, but in this case it's much less openly destructive - less of an open and aggressive consumption so much as an offering of its own, wanting both to take whatever the other can offer while doing the same in return. Taken as a duet, these words belong to both of them, and with the lyrics, them to one another.

There's a beautiful back-and-forth happening between the balancing of the vocal tracks both as each chorus plays out as well as when you look at them as a whole. We have new harmonies added with each repetition of the chorus until the final one, following the second "I will be there" of the bridge. The truly special thing about this final chorus is how that line is drawn out before finally turning into its own vocal flair that extends throughout the entirety of that chorus. "I will be there", a sentiment that trails into and colors the entire thesis of the song, and by extension, their entire relationship.

[gregrulzok]

Part of me knows that Worldbuilding should, for the most part, take a backseat to Storytelling, especially in a tightly packed series like Arcane.

The other part of me wants DESPERATELY to know more about the Firelights and their culture.

Brainworms under cut.

I say *culture* specifically, because for all intents and purposes they are not a gang - they're a society. These people have children, presumably partners and siblings, families of their own.

I wonder if it's a "It Takes A Village" sort of situation - all the kids being raised by all the adults simultaneously. I think that would make the most sense, given how some of the kids are definitely rescued orphans. Given that Ekko himself was adopted by Benzo, I think he'd definitely give priority to ensuring that they're saving kids and that those kids are treated well and taken care of.

And it's clear that even the kids respect him as a leader, but to what extent? Do they know him as a king that they have to obey, or is he more of an older brother figure? I'm inclined to say the latter - we see a bunch of kids together looking up at Ekko and Vi, and they greet each-other in a very friendly and relaxed manner.

I mean there's clearly respect for Ekko in kids and adults alike - they all do as he says, with even a slight head tilt being interpreted as a command, no questions asked - but I feel this is more of a faith in his intellect and leadership, rather than any kind of intimidation. Friendship seems to be at the heart of the dynamic, given how Ekko reacts to one of the Firelights dying, as well as the interactions we see between him and Scar (what with the hand clasping, and Scar immediately taking Ekko's weight when he sees his busted leg).

And Scar in general is an interesting case. In the scene with the kids, we see that Scar is seemingly looking after them, and one of the kids is presumably his own. This either lends some credibility to the "everyone takes care of all the kids" idea, or suggests that Scar is just going around adopting a bunch of kids personally, Vander-style. We can assume these kids aren't just his own kid's friends, since his is just a baby.

Now, it's very clear that one of the most important parts of their culture is art - there's paintings everywhere, the most important one being the big mural, but also their coats have drawn-on designs and even their masks are presumably hand-crafted. I have to wonder what sort of significance *artists* themselves have, and by extension how jobs are distributed.

(A small tangent: I love the mural and all it represents, and I absolutely LOVE that despite Vander being a more prominent figure in the undercity's history (and the viewer's mind), it's actually Benzo who is at the center of it. It's a tribute to the individuals they lost, not a documentation of History. Of course the leader's own father would take the biggest spot (though Vander is also a big presence in it)

We only really see a few Firelights on patrol, which makes sense - some are children, some would presumably be too old or sick or injured to fight. This leads me to think that while everyone probably has some fighting experience, not everyone is expected to be out on the field. Art is likely a recreational activity as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if those that can't or don't want to fight are instead busy building, sewing clothes, making masks, painting - I'd imagine there's a designated medic as well. Everyone plays their part to the extent that they can. (Of course the notion of any monetary compensation being given or expected is absurd - there is absolutely no way Ekko would let anyone go without necessities. Capitalism would only bring them closer to the classic mindset he clearly hates.)

So then I wonder - what about the food? I'm sure some is stolen, and I have to imagine they buy some too (along with medicine), but how about the money? Again, stealing from the rich (both Zaunities and Pilties) is definitely on the table, but I wonder if any of the Firelights have jobs in the undercity, bringing in profit that can then be used to buy essentials from the smaller establishments without hurting them.

And then, is any food actually grown? They're occupying one of the few places in the undercity that seems to have fertile soil, and while we aren't really shown this, I can't imagine they wouldn't at least try to grow some fruit or vegetables. I wonder if there's little gardens, if not outright farms, to help support themselves.

This is more of a loose one, but given that the city was founded by a late teens/young adult (however old Ekko may have been he's clearly still very young), I imagine they - especially the kids born and raised there - are probably developing their own unique slang and gestures. There's even a suggestion of this, with the kids greeting Vi and Ekko by holding up their hands in a specific gesture (kind of like the Star Trek Vulcan Salute Thingie). I mean if this had been one of them, I'd brush it off, but if memory serves at least two kids are shown doing this.

I, I dunno. I'm not really getting at anything, here. I just find the idea of an organized, moneyless, society-centric culture run by young adults and kids that will stop at nothing to change the world - but are STILL KIDS that value fun and freedom - absolutely fascinating.

I fuckin love Ekko.

[lemonhemlock]

Thoughts on Maegor i and Aenys i ?

not a ton of super developed thoughts, but i did ponder a bit on targaryen foundational myths here with the choice of these two very, very different personalities as brothers. i also have a maegor tag for some fun back-and-forth with the ole anons

generally-speaking i enjoy maegor as a character bc he is SO over-the-top and his actions are so tremendously villainous it goes into moustache-twirling territory for me & i can't take him seriously. nearly every paragraph in his story legit makes me want to make the sign of the holy cross on myself. i, a reddit atheist. (jk jk) his stans are very, very strange though. i'm wary of targnation people who say they like maegor; they manage to come up with the most headache-inducing takes.

that being said!!! i feel like there should be more maegor content?? like, there are so many interesting - and dark! - avenues fans could explore via headcanons and fics. for example, i kind of think maegor/rhaena has a lot of potential as the fandom's next problematic ship that could start wars and get people cancelled? off the page she does feel a little like the one who got away in that visenya's marriage proposal between maegor and rhaena gets rejected, but he still ends up marrying her. you could even say he goes out of his way to do it?? by killing her brother-husband and defying the Faith's dogma (yet again!!) to marry her?? he even names her daughter aerea as his heir??

i mean, he was relentless in trying to get a son of his own, so there wasn't really any need for him to do that. he went so long without a named heir and took three (!) additional wives for this very purpose, so why would he suddenly feel the need to name a little girl? i wonder if he didn't do it out of some sentiment, since that little girl was rhaena's specifically. if he were to die without children, why would he even care who succeeded him anyway? jaehaerys and alysanne were also alive, yet he chose aerea specifically.

also rhaena is said to have tried to kill him during their wedding night, so that sounds pretty spicy! yet maegor with the terrible temper tantrums is not mad at her and names her daughter his heir the next day? while disinheriting jaehaerys? crazy! but! when rhaena flees!! he orders the hightowers to behead rhaella as punishment! what a silly goofy guy hhhehe! idk, i just find it interesting.

maegor also seems to have a bit of a power struggle with alyssa velaryon as well, i'm surprised he didn't try to marry her too. there is something to this idea of maegor ridding himself of his male relatives so as to rule over / control the female members of his family. maegor as the most unlikely (and awful) president of the targaryen ladies fanclub - there's a concept to ruminate over

another one of maegor's marriages which i find under-discussed is his first one, with ceryse hightower. the high septon's niece. not the most well-matched couple, though? she's 23, he's 13. so why? an attempt at assimilation mayhaps? the hightowers trying to integrate the targaryens further into westerosi society? (the faith was opposed to his marriage to rhaena) in any case, they were married for 14 years before maegor got a second wife, yet we have no information on how they got along. ceryse always maintained she was maegor's rightful and only wife. the dynamic with alys and tyanna must have been insane.

to come back a little to aenys. the idea that this weakling king managed to have such a fruitful marriage and sire so many children (and was popular with the ladies too!) whereas maegor was an abject failure in that regard.... lends itself to some narrative irony. :))

[muraenide]

Talking about whose family comes first in terms of wealth, I think while the Leeches are extremely well off, second only to obviously wealthy families such as the al-Kasims, the Shrouds, and royalties like Kingscholar and the Draconias, why Jade comes off more thrift and more practical and realistic (i.e.: not unnecessarily spending money as a day to day habit) is because of the way they manage it.

Antonio is extremely strict with rules and it is also something Juliet is quite supportive of. Jade gets some allowance from his parents, but nothing more than what is necessary for their age. Antonio rules his mafia organization with an iron fist, this extends to also his sons. And he's quite smart about it, consulting lawyers and attorneys to ensure that his sons don't just inherit his wealth and assets if he dies. He wants them to earn it.

To Jade, this is rather unnecessary since Jade has no interest in money, but this is, of course, an entirely different story.

Wealthy or rich is not exactly the word to describe the Leeches, however. Their true power lies in resourcefulness and their extensive network, and the fact that they have enough money to utilise it as well as expand it. Jade himself is acquainted with many of his father's business partners at a young age. Antonio liked taking him out and having him sit next to him when he was discussing political or business affairs with his allies/partners. Not to say all of them are legal, which is why Jade is desensitized to them at a very young age. Around 13 give or take. His childhood set the bar for him and that's never going to change.

Other than that, Jade had always been kept on a tight leash by his father and mother, having to obey many rules. Not all of them are unreasonable, and they did help him build a decent character. Some of them that are related to finance are:

They are forbidden to spend unnecessarily.

They are forbidden to purchase items without practical value, and even so, keep belongings to a minimum. This includes hobbies.

They are forbidden to get a personal or any sort of loan.

They are forbidden to "marry down". aka marrying someone else who is of a lower social status than they are. Friends are fine, though.

They are forbidden to lend/borrow money to/from anyone.

In short, Jade technically comes from a well-off and rich family, but he does not have control over his family's wealth as long as Antonio is still the head of the organization. In NRC, he currently gets two sources of income: allowance from his parents and his salary from working at Mostro Lounge. Compared to what he's used to and all of the rules he has to obey while he's still living in the Coral Sea, that amount of money, though not a lot at all, puts him in a fairly loose financial state and makes him feel like he has more than he needs. However, Jade is Jade. He's still faithful to the rules his parents subjected to him although he is currently away from them out of respect. Sometimes he might break them from time to time if Floyd or anyone else tempts him enough.