#there's something so special and tragic about alicent's eldest looking the most like her

[bbygirl-aemond]

HotD casting is literally INSANE like you can't tell me this isn't exactly what olivia cooke's son would look like

[kdtheghostwriter]

SNK 122 - Avalanche

Who would have thought when it happened that Eren kissing Historia’s hand would be THE moment of Shingeki no Kyojin. Imagine you’re picking up this lovely series for the first time. You see a fresh take on the survival-horror genre and think, “I could get into this.” A couple volumes in, you discover the zombie horde tale was a clever cover for a fleshy mecha gimmick. “Weird,” you think, “but ok.” Now it’s ten years and 130+ chapters later. We’re all reading a retelling of the Norse Myth of Creation wrapped in a cozy WWII disguise.

What do any of these words mean? Join me under the cut. It’s time for lore.

Thoughts on the chapter first. We finally get to see the life and times of Founder Ymir. Not surprisingly, she appears to be of vague Northern European origin in what appears to be the Middle Ages. The ancient Eldians were Vikings basically, but back then they weren’t even Eldian. They were human just like everyone else…until they weren’t.

Founder Ymir’s story eerily mirrors that of 104th Ymir. As a small child, she was nothing more than a scapegoat. Born a servant girl, she empathized with the group of pigs that had been captured. She released them, no doubt ruining someone’s feast in the process. A soldier asks who the offending party is and we see a great panel of Ymir surrounded by pointing fingers John Wick style.

Much like Mr. Wick, Ymir goes on the run only in a much different context. John Wick, in his universe, is the most prolific assassin alive. He’s on the run, but he’s not defenseless. Ymir is a child and is defenseless. The men (and I do emphasize the grown men) that chase after her never perceive her as a threat. They’re having a sporting time terrifying and slowly killing this innocent child. Running out of energy and time, Ymir happens across a humongous tree and decides an odd hiding spot is better than none at all. Entering the base of the tree, she falls down into an unseen hole – like Alice into the looking glass – and just as she’s about to lose consciousness, she comes in contact with what can only be described as…this.

A parasite? An alien lifeform? An ancient Eldridge manifestation? Maybe. Just like another old Myth there isn’t really a clear answer nor will there be. ‘Tis the Source of all Organic Matter and it was always there it was, lad.

We get several lessons here about how history can warp our perceptions of the individual players in both a positive and negative sense. Ymir never made a deal with the Devil to get her overwhelming power. She literally fell backwards into a divot and came out big as a mountain. On the other hand, the Founding Titan was not this ethereal being of divine beauty. The First Titan was grotesque to look at. It had no true face and its ribs were exposed, which I guess makes sense for a creature that large. Founder Ymir was a victim of circumstance and oppression. She has the power of nature and God at her fingertips but has only known servitude. That’s why there is no objection when she hears the following.

Not only is there CLEARLY no consent here, but I’m fairly sure Ymir is barely a teenager here so – Double Dose of Yikes!

Fittingly (or tragically, who can tell at this point), Ymir has three daughters: Maria, Rose and Sina. She raises her children while helping her nation conquer the lands around them with her unmatched power. However, thirteen years after her eldest child is born, a rogue soldier makes an attempt on the king’s life and Ymir leaps in front of the spear; one final act of indentured service.

Sort of. She is told correctly that she isn’t in danger. No doubt she has come back from far worse injuries than a spear to the collar. King Fritz tells her to get up and continue being a slave and Ymir says fuck you with her whole chest and gives up the ghost right there.

This shocking development leads to two things. First, we see the most graphic panel in a series full of gore and body horror as the children of Ymir are forced by Dear Old Dad to cannibalize their mother’s still-cooling corpse in order to obtain her power. Then, we see Ymir wake up in what we now know as the Paths dimension. Here she shall stay until a certain someone is able to receive and respond to her call for help.

That’s all for the backstory, now what about the source? It’s been documented well that Isayama loves myth and folklore especially of the Norse variety. Near the beginning of #122 we see Ymir fall into a tree that Momtaku and her co-host Luna succinctly describe as “both phallic and vulvic at the same time.” This seems like a clear reference to Yggdrasil, The World Tree. Yggdrasil is an interdimensional bridge with each branch connecting to a different realm, not unlike the branches we see in the PATHS dimension. Then we have the spine-like creature that latches on to Ymir like Symbiote under the tree. See if this looks familiar.

Nidhogg is a serpent that is known for eating away at the roots of the World Tree. It also has a famous rivalry with an unnamed eagle that sits atop Yggdrasil. A constant struggle between freedom and entrapment which is of course a central theme to this story. I’ve seen meta theorize that if the briny parasite represents the serpent of the Tree, that Eren Jaeger would represent the eagle the overlooks it and seeing how he’s spent most of this tale with wings on his back, that makes about as much sense as anything else.

It’s all a lead-up to Ragnarok: the End of the World.

Yup, that looks like the end to me.

When the First King lined up those Titans to form those walls, he couldn’t have known someone would find the one loophole to circumvent his failsafe. The reason the Coordinate Powers only fully activate for those of Royal Blood. It isn’t because of their genes alone. Ymir is a slave to the Royal Family, even centuries after her physical death. It isn’t until someone gives her a choice that she even thinks to take a different course of action.

What a charmer. This panel and the one that follows are both very important to me. Zeke, in his frenzy is a spitting image of King Fritz. Yes, the are directly related but also, I think there is something to be said of him taking on the form of Ymir’s greatest oppressor. After she hears Eren’s pitch to lend him her world-shattering power we see her eyes, full of tears, for the first time. Not an accident. It’s the first time in 2,000 years anyone has treated her like a person.

This is not an official theory or anything but it’s how I interpret this. The title of this chapter ‘From You, 2,000 Years Ago’ is of great significance outside of how it mirrors the title of the very first chapter. Ymir was sending a message and when we remember the Attack Titan’s special trait of moving (and looking) forward it’s clear who the messenger was. The question then becomes, was Eren the only one who was able to answer the call? Yes, just not for the reasons you would think.

 Technically, any of the Attack Titans (or any of them, I guess) could have unlocked the PATHS with enough work. The problem is, the only knowledge of Ymir’s story and the history of the Eldian people was with the Coordinate which, historically, was possessed by the Royal Line. It wasn’t until that fateful night when Grisha stole the Coordinate away that a very specific set of conditions could be met.

Once a single person of their own free will got even a glimpse of the tortured history and fate of Founder Ymir it was enough to set an incredibly complex series of events into motion. This is why the Attack Titan, even during the Great Titan War, can never listen to reason. They know what the end game is, thanks to Eren sending them snaps of that scenery.

Eren was special after all. Just not in the way we first thought. Funny that.

  Stray Thoughts

- Keep in mind that the final panel of Eren’s new Titan exploding out of his severed head happens the instant it lands in Zeke’s hand. How must Gabi be feeling right now? You think you’ve slain the Devil of the Earth and all you’ve done instead is give him immense power and an army of unstoppable giants. Someone get the Bart cake gif in the replys.

- The most impressive part of seeing Ymir’s backstory is that it was largely done with no dialogue. Almost felt like we were reading a scroll or ancient tome. Credit to the author for crafting such a deep, rich world to explore. Somehow, Shingeki no Kyojin isn’t the story he’s always wanted to tell but it will rightfully be the one he is best known for.

- Once again Zeke blows a 3-1 lead by being an entitled shithead. He and the rest of his family knew the story of Ymir and the fate she suffered and still saw fit to not only keep her imprisoned but to use her as a tool to subjugate their own people. No tears from me, muchacho.

[hwu-adventures-blog]

There Are Worse Things I Could Do:

A/N: So this came about after I posted a theory (?) post about why the HWU MC isn’t mentioned or seen in the RCD, and upon coming to the probable conclusion she was Chris’ wife mentioned in book 2, I had to think up of a possible reason why my MC and Hunt’s relationship could have ended and this was the result. Enjoy.

Pairings: Matt Rodriguez x MC, past!Thomas Hunt x HWU!MC, Chris Winters x HWU!MC

Type: crossover (Red Carpet Diaries and Hollywood U)

Description: After the events of RCD 3, the gang (plus Addison and Ethan), are meeting up with Chris Winters on the restaurant lot of the set of his new movie, but Hunt has a bit of a crisis when Chris’ wife turns up and they haven’t spoken in a while.

There Are Worse Things I Could Do:

Being in Hollywood meant that you often ran into the unexpected, and that’s a fact of the job. Thomas Hunt had dealt with unexpected, he’d dealt with the impossible, he’d dealt with Hollywood happy endings and tragic endings. What he hadn’t expected was that he’d have to face the most unexpected thing on a Tuesday afternoon whilst out with his friends.

After Alice and Matt’s wedding and two week Honeymoon, the gang were all sat down for a get together at some 1950’s style American diner. Chris Winters had been filming a film on the lot that it was in and the gang had decided to come up and see how production was going and catch up and that was fine, Thomas liked Chris, they were good friends, and he was perfectly happy to see his friends but what he was not expecting was to face his past again. But then he really should have expected it considering it came in the form of Chris’ wife.

“-It was honestly the best thing I’ve ever eaten” Alice explained to the group about one of the foods she’d tried on her honeymoon

“sounds like you had a honeymoon that could have rivalled Chris’” Addison Sinclair smiled at the couple and Thomas felt a slight sting of something in his chest when she did.

“Oh really? What did you do or your honeymoon Chris?” Alice asked curiously

“I don’t really like to boast” Chris said

“Oh please, you never tell us anything about what yours was like and as the only other person in the room with a story like that you have to give us some details” Victoria said

“I thought everyone knew it by now”

“I don’t” Alice said

“I took my wife to every place that held significance to our relationship, Italy, Thailand, Paris, even Blitz, where we first met”

“Sounds romantic”

“It was, she certainly enjoyed herself”

“I’m sure she did” Alice said

“But like I said, it was a few years ago and I don’t like to boast about it”

“I should have done that” Matt said thinking long and hard about their honeymoon

“I wouldn’t have changed it for the world” Alice smiled before leaning up to kiss his cheek, before she turned to Thomas.

“So, Thomas, as the eldest member of our group have you gotten anyone special yet?” Alice teased

“No, and I don’t want to, that ship has sailed”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone eventually” Teja said to him

“I did a long time ago, and I‘d rather not go into it” he replied looking directly at Chris, Ethan and Addison as he did so.

“It’s alright, we’ll drop it” Alice said

“Talk about dropping the subject, look who just walked in” Addison nearly squealed excitedly, Thomas looked to the door, and froze, Chris’ wife, and Addison’s best friend had just arrived and was heading this way, and he suddenly felt the desperate need to run

“I need to go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back”

“But you went to it twenty minutes ago”

Hunt ignored Teja’s logic and went ahead with it anyway, heading in the direction of the toilets without another word. swinging the door open, he immediately stood facing the mirrors he took a few deep breaths, he couldn’t face her, not in a non-professional way anyway, not after what he did.

The door swung open and to his suprise, Alice walked in, looking very concerned for her friend

“You are aware this is the men’s” he raised an eyebrow at the young actress.

“I’m perfectly aware of that but nobody’s going to enter now”

“Shouldn’t you be with Matt? Talking to Chris and his wife and the others about stuff like, plans for the future, what parties to go to next, movie projects” He said bluntly

“My husband can wait, I think friends who need comforting are more important”

“I don’t need comforting, I needed some quiet”

Alice folded her arms at the older man, not falling for his excuse. “Oh yeah and you chose that you moment to do that when Chris’ wife showed up?”

“That’s not-“

“What don’t you like her or something?”

“No I like her, tolerate her, it’s just we haven’t seen each other in over two years”

“So? That’s good right? I don’t have to tell you that that’s not a reason for disappearing”

Thomas sighed in frustration

“I’m guessing you’re not going to drop it”

“No”

Thomas took another deep breath before answering.

“I found my someone, a long time ago, and I just never expected I’d have to face her in a social situation so soon”

Alice’s eyes went wide with realisation

“You and Mrs Winters were a thing?”

“We were, Maddie and I, we were a thing. she was in her first year at Hollywood U, I was a tenured professor” He explained

“But isn’t that going against university bi-laws?”

“It was, yes, in fact I kept pushing her away at first, whatever my feelings were towards her didn’t matter, or couldn’t happen, but stubborn as she is, she persisted with her goal of- well whatever it was, and eventually I gave in and gave us a shot. And we had our moment of when we thought it would end, Catalina island for one, and when the board found out about our relationship, but everything worked out, and we felt like we could do anything together” Thomas closed his eyes, a smile managing to appear on his face for a brief second as he recounted the tale. “I- I even got round to proposing to her, if you could imagine that, whilst watching the sun rise, on the hood of my car- the most romantic thing I could think of at the time”

“You sounded happy, so how’d she end up with Chris? Don’t tell me she rejected your proposal”

Thomas shook his head “quite the opposite, actually” the smile still there and Alice could tell he was remembering the event as if it was happening again, and she could imagine him doing it, m on the hood of his car, probably drinking a thermos of coffee, watching the sun rise with the girl of his dreams before proposing with a ring no doubt was fit for a princess. But then his smile wavered a little as he was remembering what happened next and Alice knew it was bad.

“Officially, the story is that it just wasn’t working, that was what was reported in the magazines” he said looking seriously at her “unofficially though, the real reason, was my fault”

Alice was now clearly curious about how he could single handedly ruin a amazing relationship that he’d risked so much for, so, he continued

“We were happy, things were looking up, she’d met my family, and I’d met hers, and they all seemed to approve, but it all started when I received a message from Maddie’s mom, informing me I couldn’t marry her daughter”

It was a quiet evening when the visit from Hell happened, Maddie was out with Addison for a girls night (That was probably just an excuse for those two to go browse wedding stuff) and Thomas was sat at his computer as usual taking the opportunity to do some marking, and maybe, if he had time he’d continue looking through venue options for the reception. Thomas felt actually content for the first time in a long time, he was happy, properly happy and literally nothing could get in the way of his relationship with Maddie, his happily ever after, so to speak. Nothing.

The knock on the door signalled the end of that feeling. He knew he should have ignored the sound, he didn’t even know why he’d opened it in the first place, but when he did he had a feeling of dread immediately wash over him as me stared at the tall, blonde haired woman in his doorway.

“hello Thomas”

“Ruby. what do you want?”

“Is my daughter in?”

“No, she’s not”

The woman at the door pushed him aside with a sickly smile as she strutted into the house.

“good”

Maddie’s mother was a woman of high repute, mostly due to the family she belonged to, from the highest of the Hollywood elite, a well respected and good willed family, however this woman was the opposite, she was the definition of a Hollywood snob, always looking down on everyone, and that meant everyone, especially her daughter. She’d had Maddie at 18, and had viewed her as a burden ever since and their relationship despite efforts from Maddie to build it, has remained strained at best. This was certainly not going to end well.

“I’m not here to see the brat. I’m here to see you”

Now that took Thomas off guard

“Well, I don’t really want to speak to you but I’m only doing it for Maddie’s sake”

“Good man” Ruby said helping herself to a glass of wine from the dining table Thomas’ jaw clenched in annoyance at this woman’s etiquette

“how’s the wedding going?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“I’m your future mother in law”

“It’s fine”

“Good, good, it’s just a shame it can’t happen”

“I’m sorry?” His eyes narrowed at his future mother in law

“Your wedding can’t happen. It produces negative press, and Maddie needs someone who will make it positive”

“We’re getting married whatever your opinion is or what the press says” he stood his ground. Of course she had an ulterior motive of this visit, it made Thomas sick to the stomach.

“Even if it hurts Maddie’s career?”

“It won’t hurt her career”

“Oh believe me, it will, once I get my hands on that paper, editor in chief can do whatever she likes, some secrets could be let spilled, rumours could start, awful ones too”

“I wouldn’t let that happen”

Ruby cocked her eyebrow at Hunt “really? Not even the great Thomas Hunt could stop the entire press. What if a secret got out, say that she’s addicted to diazepam”

“She takes duloxetine for her anxiety, not diazepam and you know that she’s not addicted to any medication at all, those rumours wouldn’t stand”

“It would if the press twisted it to say she was severely hooked on diazepam pills, her career would be over in a flash” she smiled “that’s all, I’ll give you twenty four hours to end the relationship or damn her to a fate of never finding a job and ending her career” she put the glass down and walked back to the door “thanks for the wine”

Thomas shut the door behind her before she could get another word in . He couldn’t end it could he? It would break her heart if he did and he knew that if he tried anything Ruby would twist it and end both their careers. Maddie’s was more at stake though. What should he do? He couldn’t let Maddie’s career suffer and he knew from first hand experience what it’s like to be on the wrong side of Ruby Turner-Jenkins. He had no choice but to do what she says. Even if it hurts both of them, he had no choice but to end it. For Maddie’s sake.

“That’s why?” Alice looked stunned at the revelation “you felt you both were going to lose that battle”

“Her career was at stake, I couldn’t go to anyone for help, her mother knew that if I tried anything she’d ruin her daughter anyway. Maddie was distraught when I ended it that night, said I just couldn’t do this anymore, because I was holding her back, I just couldn’t tell her the truth. she moved out that night. Thankfully, she had friends she could turn to, mainly Ethan, Addison and Chris. Soon after they started dating and got married, I was invited but I just - couldn’t stomach it” he said

“There are worse things you could do”

“Breaking up with her was the worst thing I could do”

“Do you regret it?”

“What?”

“Do you regret it, breaking up with her?”’

“Of course I do! But she’s married now”

“So? Tell her the truth”

“And wreck her marriage? Her family life? I can’t change the past!”

“Of course not, but don’t you think she deserves closure?”

He considered it for a while

“I do”

“Well come on, before my husband gets worried about us and comes looking, besides making up after a break up, what’s the worst that can happen?” Alice smiled holding the door open for him. They strolled out into the restaurant and back to the table, where the group were sat as if waiting for something

“I found him” Alice smiled

“Good, now Maddie’s at the bar, go up and apologise to her” Chris smiled “seriously, I can’t bare the fact she intentionally avoids you during boys nights anymore!” He pointed out encouraging him to go, Thomas looked at Alice “go on” she mouthed Thomas turned and with serious look on his face approached the bar, just as Maddie turned around with her drink and spilt it all over his suit.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry-“

“Watch where you’re going!”

The brown haired woman looked up when she heard the voice, “Hunt” she nodded at him

“Maddie”

Awkward silence.

“I saw ‘Catastrophe’, you were... acceptable in that”

“Rare compliment coming from the guy who broke up with me because it wasn’t working”

“Holding a grudge against me, you really haven’t matured much”

“Excuse me, mr moping about because of a relationship gone wrong”

There was another awkward pause but then Maddie burst out laughing, a sound Hunt had missed quite a bit.

“Dear god I’ve missed messing with you”

“You’re not mad at me for the break up?”

“No, it was three years ago!“

“Well, then Maddie I have something to confess, and I know it’s not going to change anything because you’re married to Chris now and have a family now but I didn’t really break up because I was holding you back, it-“

“-It was because my mum forced you to do it or she’d end my career”

“How did-“

“I know?” Maddie smirked at him “contrary to your beliefs, Professor, I am smarter than I look. And my mum tried to do the same thing to Chris, so it wasn’t unreasonable for her to do the same thing to you also I may have to factor in the fact I’m still friends with Rachel so she may have mentioned something”

“Why am I not surprised by that. But you should be mad at me for giving up on us”

“yeah but I’m not, you did what was right, and in a way, you were right, without that, I wouldn’t have what I have now, Chris, a staring role in a famous film franchise and I wouldn’t have baby Daniel”

“Maddie I-“

“I know. You don’t have to say it. I know it won’t change anything but, I love you too, and Chris knows that I will always love him and I do, but he also knows that I’ll never stop loving you the way I did at uni.” Maddie smiled brightly at him

“obviously, but where does that leave us? Acquaintances? Colleagues? Just ex’s-“

“We could try friends?”

“Friends?”

“Yeah what else are we going to be? I mean it’s okay if you don’t want to-“

“Friends is good. I could work with that” Thomas smiled

“Well then, as your friend, I demand a hug”

“No-“

“Come here”

“Maddie”

“Thomas”

Maddie stepped towards the director and wrapped her arms around him in a hug which he reluctantly returned before she pulled away. “Hey nice beard by the way”

“Thanks?”

“Is it your midlife crisis?” she teased “or just a sign that you’re getting old?”

Thomas had to suppress a smile at the familiarity the banter between them, ‘I’ve missed this endless teasing’ he thought. It was just like it used to be in the lecture hall during her first year.

“Hey Hunt you’d better not be hitting on my wife” Chris called from the table teasingly as they pulled away

“I wouldn’t put it past him, your wife is hot” Maddie replied to Chris, teasing back, but who exactly she was teasing, they wasn’t sure.

“I’ll go get you a new drink, since you spilt your last one all over my suit”

“Sorry again, for that” she apologised “oh I was just to just get some water but since you’re paying I’ll have a whiskey” before she headed over to the table where the rest of the group were sat. Thomas smiled. He’d really had nothing to worry about facing his past relationship with Maddie and how it ended and maybe, Maddie could become something more than just his ex-student or girlfriend. Perhaps, just perhaps, this was going to be the start of a brilliant friendship. After all, Alice was right. there were worse things he could do. And making up certainly wasn’t one of them.

A/N: I couldn’t just leave it with my pixelberry OTP not making up in some way or another, even if they don’t get back together. (I was kind of listening to La La land’s epilogue whist writing it and got inspired, I may hate the film but I do like three of the music peices in the film, Lovely Night, The Audition (Fools Who Dream) and Epilogue) and yes, in my head, Hunt and Maddie still have feelings for each other but they know that ship has sailed and they can’t go back to that. Also I didn’t go into detail about the actual break up but let’s just say it was a little bit too heartbreaking for Maddie to the point where she didn’t go to lectures for two weeks after and Hunt didn’t exactly get over it quickly. Oh yeah and I named Chris and his wife’s baby Daniel because it sounded good and I don’t think we get a name in the series.