#there's like some vague spoilers in here

[lucabyte]

I don't know how everyone isn't also always constantly thinking about how burial rites seem to be potentially one of the few things Siffrin instinctively remembers about their culture. But rest assured. I am in fact always thinking about it.

Textless version where they're just hanging out. It's fine!

[bedlamsbard]

starting to feel like I'm the only one who had a horrifically bad reaction to the end of Agatha

[felassan]

.

[utilitycaster]

Do you think that Laura and Marisha are deliberately making their relationship somewhat toxic and unsustainable or do you think they see the relationship as healthy? It is just so different from all of the other relationships they have been a part of and not really in a good way. Would love to get your perspective on it if you have one

I am honestly unsure. I would like to say it's deliberate. Prior to it becoming canon, in fact, I, and a lot of other people who were less than enthused by Imogen and Laudna's romance and weren't entirely sold from the start, made the case that we expected they would be talking to each other and would put together a compelling story, not the dull fluff so common in fanon. While whether it's compelling is a subjective judgment, we know for a fact they didn't talk to each other. We know for a fact Marisha was surprised by the question of "Can I kiss you," and Laura was surprised by the answer. We know from a 4SD not long after (4SD #16, Kiss and Tell) that several episodes later they still hadn't talked. We know that Marisha perceives Laudna as holding Imogen back (and that Laudna perceives herself as doing so) from the Rose City Q&A. We know that from 4SD #20 (Episode Twenty) that Laura doesn't like conflict in narrative and Marisha does, and that Laura was thrown by Laudna's regression following Ashton's attempt to absorb the shard (4SD #19, Shard Candy).

I don't know if it's deliberate or not; I don't have any extra insight that isn't public knowledge any fan can easily access. But man, it doesn't feel like these are two actors on the same page about what's going on.

I've touched on this before but mostly in tags or whisper posts but I've always felt ill at ease with a number of for lack of a better term "fandom-approved opinions" and one of the ones that has baffled me the most is this idea that Marisha and Laura have exceptional chemistry. I watched Campaign 1 knowing the endgame ships but deliberately avoiding the fandom, and Vex and Keyleth did not even once occur to me as a thing. I watched the first year of Campaign 2 without a ton of fandom interaction because I was avoiding additional C1 spoilers and it seemed crystal clear that the obvious ship was Beau and Yasha; it felt like Beau and Jester only even had enough potential for me to multiship it as my general "whomever Jester picks" for like, 30 episodes. And yet people - people who didn't even ship either of the above ships and in some cases disliked them- would just say "oh man I can't wait until we get to a campaign where we can finally explore Marisha and Laura's incredible chemistry!" and it's like. I feel like I'm the kid in the Emperor's New Clothes on this! I understand that chemistry is to an extent a matter of taste and subjectivity, but it just increasingly feels like people looked at two campaigns of tables where Ashley was frequently absent and said "well, if I want an F/F ship that's between two of the women in the cast, I guess this is what I have to work with" and repeated to themselves that a flat pamplemousse La Croix was a Piña Colada until they started to believe it. I mean if someone wants to explain it to me in good faith I suppose be my guest and I will try to take it in, but it feels like people just treat this as incontrovertible fact and if you doubt it they're like "don't you have eyes" and it's like, well, pretend I don't. Explain like I'm eyeless and five because I have never understood this. They both have more chemistry with every single other cast member; it's not all romantic but man, I didn't even buy Laudna and Imogen as platonic best friends of two years. I have never had this problem with any other pre-existing character relationships Marisha and Laura have played, platonic or otherwise. It's literally just them. I just never feel like they're quite on the same page.

Back to the relationship between Imogen and Laudna onscreen, this was easily the best conversation since the start of the gnarlrock fight, and it is my hope it doesn't fizzle out the way that did. You can't keep kissing Laudna whenever she fears she's lost forever to Delilah, Imogen. Or you can, but that won't fix the problem. Again: are you disgusted? Do you feel betrayed? If you're not, why did you say that? If you are, how will you move past it? Do you want to be with someone who never feels like they're good enough for you? Laudna, do you want to be with someone who, no matter what they say, you feel you're holding back?

Early in the campaign, my feeling was that of our current situation, switched - Imogen felt her powers were a burden and a curse and Laudna kept referring to them and to her glowingly. It's just...ships passing in the night, no pun intended here. I hope it's on purpose and whatever comes from it is a good story - and either a tragedy or a happy story could be a good one. But I have a nagging sensation that Laudna wants out but is afraid to say no, and Imogen is afraid to let go, and I honestly don't know if the actors have realized this impasse and how the characters might resolve it, one way or another, besides the insufficient bandaid of a kiss whenever the conversation gets too uncomfortable.

[kirkwallguy]

ok. i think i finally saw screenshots of the companion interactions with bad / childish writing and. okay. again i'm reserving judgement until i actually play but i feel like it's going to be physically impossible for me not to make fun of it at least a little bit

[tachiharastanacc]

Tachihara losing his brother and not understanding what he was feeling or how to deal with it since he was so young (5). And as he gets older, he starts to wonder if he really missed his brother or he missed the idea of having a brother.

He assumes that because he’s grown since then and it feels so distant that he could handle it if it were to happen now. Maybe that’s because he’s killed people of his own. But he never really wants to dwell on it.

Turns out. It’s not. It hurts just as much, but now he blames himself as well. Why wasn’t he there? Why didn’t he stop Fukuchi when he had the chance? If he’d just asked for help, this all could’ve been avoided.

He’s always been a loner to some extent, never good at processing feelings, always wanting to belong but feeling like he was an outsider.

It’s not until they’re all gone that he realizes how much emptier he feels without them.

Shunzen may have been his brother by blood, but as much as he doesn’t wanna face it. Tachihara barely remembers him.

He remembers them. He spent the last 6 years being raised by them. They always encouraged him, supported him, even when the government and fate itself were trying to control them. And yet.

He wasn’t there.

[whatsfourteenupto]

Okay okay okay this is 100% my fav episode of the season so far that was so much fun oh my god I’m bouncing off the walls rn what a BOP

[lookingforcactus]

Verin and the Jailbreak: Breaking down Verin's brilliant not-lies

Verin, to Leane: The Amyrlin requires your strength to protect Cairhien.

Actually, nothing in this says that the Amyrlin told her anything! Cairhien is under a huge, fiery attack by unknown forces, coincidentally just as they've captured the Dragon. I think it would be easy enough to argue that the Amyrlin requires the strength of all of the Aes Sedai there in order to protect Cairhien, especially depending on how thoroughly Verin is mentally defining "protect." Like, for example, if they wanted to prevent any more fires from being set or anyone else from dying, they presumably WOULD need every Aes Sedai they could get, even if they don't know it's Lanfear, bc more people are dying each minute. And after all, there's a lot of explosions and those explosions are clearly heading toward the Aes Sedai!

Verin, to Leane, con't.: I've been told to watch the boy.

And as for "I've been told to watch the boy," she doesn't say who told her. She could've asked her Warder or the other Brown Sister "Hey, do me a favor and tell me to watch the boy." It gets repeated back, and boom, statement true. Possibly, with that phrasing, Verin could've even gotten away with saying it to herself in the mirror or something.

Verin, to Leane, con't.: This is an order, Leane Sedai

Verin doesn't say who's giving the order. Really, anyone can give an order - it's just that only some people can give orders and actually be listened to. Who's to say Verin isn't just doing the ordering herself, here? Alternately, "Watch the boy" was the order that VERIN'S been told. "Order" could easily refer to the statement given to Verin, not the (completely implied) "Go help the Amyrlin," though that's clearly what Leane hears. And in addition to my speculation about "I've been told to watch the boy," it's entirely plausible that Siuan told or ordered all of the Aes Sedai to watch (generic) and make sure Rand doesn't get out, or that she specifically ordered that to Verin (and possibly any others) as an Aes Sedai who WASN'T going up to the wall for the battle

Verin, to Leane, con't: I'll take his shield.

This one's much clearer. Verin says that she'll TAKE his shield, not that she'll keep the shield up! And she does indeed take over the shield on Rand before releasing him!

Right after that, Leane passes the shield to Verin and says, "Don't let her [Moiraine] get close to you." Leane leaves right after saying that, and Verin doesn't respond. Door closes.

Moiraine: You are very clever with your words, sister.

This is a very Aes Sedai compliment lol. And anyway, there's nothing actually clever about just lying, for an Aes Sedai. After all, if you can just say something that's wrong, you don't need to do any of the very careful and cunning word/general manipulation that all of the other Aes Sedai have to do in order to mislead people

And then...breakout time! Cue lots of fires, lots of running, and Siuan looking Very, Very, Very Dismayed

[detective-piplup]

I need some of you smart people who follow me to get into EPIC: The Musical because holy fuck man even I am psychoanalysing Odysseus in Mr. Jalapeño’s portrayal a little bit. And I never try to do that

ideally listen to it all in order (it’s not all out yet, but it starts with the Troy Saga and we’re currently at the Wisdom Saga, with 2 sagas left until we’re finished) but here are my favourites:

The Horse and the Infant

Just A Man

Open Arms

Survive

My Goodbye

Storm

Keep Your Friends Close

Ruthlessness

Puppeteer

Wouldn’t You Like

Done For

There Are Other Ways

Underworld

No Longer You

Monster

Suffering

Different Beast

Scylla

Thunder Bringer

Legendary

Little Wolf

We’ll Be Fine

God Games

and those are just the ones that are deffo some of my favourites. I can’t name a single song i actively dislike, and several songs were SUPER close to making that list. this concept album goes hard, the vocals are stunning, and Luke Holt (Zeus) and KJ (Scylla) apparently have bills to pay because OH MY GOD. I am just a man when I hear some of the vocals in this musical. Also Jorge Riverra-Herrans (aka our Mr. Jalapeño) is hilarious and an AMAZING writer/composer

[danwhobrowses]

So uh, holy fuck X-Men 97...

[longagoitwastuesday]

Kusakabe, dear, you're too beautiful to be saying that kind of stuff

[astral-schools]

you are the most important person in this story.

you are dead.

this story is your own drawn out funeral. you are not the main character, and yet your ghost lives in the shadow of every step they take. you have been consumed, body and mind, and words spill from your voice without your direction. your actions are judged in your absence; you are on trial and you cannot defend yourself. you have no defense.

you are not the main character. you are not a character. you are a foundation. you are an idea. you are a lesson. (you are a villain, in every story but your own.)

there are two ghosts in this story. one is at the center of it all. the other is you. the first one is also you. he decided to be. (and then he decided not to be.)

(he killed you and decided you weren't good enough.)

you didn't have a voice. you didn't get a say. you weren't even there.

no one knows how you felt about dying. they didn't need to. you are not a main character in this story. (this story is not about you.) you are the most important piece of this story. (this story could not happen without you.) you do not have the power to change anything.

you have the power to change nothing. (whether you want to or not.)

you are in checkmate.

(you've never been very good at chess. what an infuriating game.)

[sexybritishllama]

g’raha i am going to shake you silly what the fuck do you MEAN ‘shall i remain as well’ what happened to literally your one dying wish to go on adventures with us!!!

[brynnmclean]

Laughing at myself for continuing to write at the gym??? Anyway, here's a fun exchange between Thórgestr and Fargrímr:

“May I tell you something? I have known you most of your life. You have always wanted to fight. But there are more ways to solve problems than with a blade. Senua has shown us that. I know you want to recover your strength, but perhaps you cannot. Perhaps the Norns have cut that thread from you when they rewove your fate. But not for a moment do I believe that makes you worth less to any of us. Not to me. Not to Senua.”

“I hardly know who I am anymore,” Thórgestr admits, and pulling those words out of him feels like spilling his guts onto the ground for Fargrímr to read portents in. Give me answers, Thórgestr thinks, even as he wants to stuff his innards back inside, hidden from all eyes.

Fargrímr hums in answer, his hand sliding to grasp the back of Thórgestr’s neck and to shake him again, very gently. “What a worthy challenge you have now, finding yourself again.”

Thórgestr laughs, and strangely enough, feels lighter for it.

[edwinisms]

see I can’t accept charles’ comic background and socioeconomic status as canon for the show because if I did that would mean the whole group would be a bunch of rich kids and that’s a horrifying concept

[winged-mammal]

I’d heard that all three endings made it clear that aloy was in fact a gay disaster over seyka regardless of your choice, but I hadn’t seen them yet. so naturally when I finished burning shores on ultra hard tonight (go me!), I recorded all three of them.

“I’m not ready for this” (brain) starts at 1:55, “this is too much for me” (fist) starts at 4:12, and “yes, I do” (heart) starts at 6:15

my gay thoughts:

I was not prepared for the “I’m not ready for this” option to be even gayer than the heart/kiss option, but she managed it!!! even the “this is too much for me” scene was, in fact, very gay. I was Not misled.

very juicy character stuff too

not gay but: “for two years my life has been...” ty aloy for clarifying the timeline for me

just prior to the hug in the "I’m not ready for this” scene, when seyka says “I’ll miss you, aloy,” they’re standing pretty close and seyka seems to be thinking about getting that bittersweet smooch anyway:

but after the “I’ll miss you, aloy” prior to the hug in the “this is too much for me” scene, they’re further apart and seyka is *not* contemplating going for it:

but the hug itself is the same in both of those scenes:

and of course the hug at the end of the heart option is much closer (and not seen from aloy’s side)

in conclusion, I have feelings