#they say not to let anyone tell us we aren't part of the cast

[iobsesswaytoomuch]

Day one of being in a musical

Eh :D 👍

[saezurusteve]

Please help me understand, what do you think happened to Yashiro?How did he go from a domineering/dominant being to a being who allows himself to be dominated? Did Hirata destroy Yashiro or were barriers torn down by Doumeki? I think he's fragile, without sarcasm, he's not egocentric, he seems like another character. I'm rereading it again and I'm in chapter 23 where he literally rides Doumeki and says barbaric things. Now he can't even run away properly

At the end of chapter 23, you get to see Yashiro spectacularly meltdown in the shower at Doumeki's apartment.

Study that face because you will see it again.

From the very moment we meet Yashiro in chapter 1 (of Saezuru) he tells us that despite the guy we met in Don't Stay Gold, he's actually harbored feelings of love.

But Yashiro has felt for a very long time that he is far too twisted to have something like that for himself, so he hands Kuga to Kageyama as a test to see, just to see, what it would be like to see Kageyama in love and to imagine himself in that part.

Because Yashiro is so afraid of rejection that he can't get up the courage to confess, leaving any feelings Kageyama might have had to turn into pity.

So it's not like any of these "want to be wanted" feelings are new to Yashiro, but he never got the chance to experiment for himself to see how HE falls in love, what does it look like for him?

Enter Doumeki:

Doumeki is kind of a sub for Kageyama from high school, until he starts to say things to Yashiro like "I always thought you were beautiful" and outward signs of concern "aren't you cold" (naked on the floor of the bathroom giving me a blowjob) or "I thought I was going to lose you" (when you got shot and saw me crying.) Doumeki is able to look beyond the defensive Yashiro and express his feelings.

In the beginning of Chapter 2, Yashiro begins to get jealous of anyone who has Doumeki's attention. But he tries to curb his own behavior and cut Doumeki off, until he meets Doumeki's sister, Aoi. Yashiro becomes invested in Doumeki's life and happiness.

This is a regular thing for Yashiro. He is a really good guy to the people he cares about. He can be a total punk ass to people he wants to piss off.

I won't go into the repeated faces of jealousy... they look a lot like the one above when he turns as Doumeki starts to wake up. You can have fun looking those up (I'll give you a hint... he gives the same look to Kageyama's gf, to Aoi, and to Mama-san... haha let's not forget Kuga.)

When things get heated and Yashiro should put a stop to things, he gives Doumeki a pass. (He gave me a blowjob at the hospital... probably nothing...) Because these blatant shows of concern for Yashiro's well-being are a major turn-on for Yashiro.

So by the time we get to Doumeki's apartment, Yashiro is not only primed for love, but ready to accept the curse:

Yashiro realizes that he is out of his league. Doumeki is a heavy tank of love and Yashiro has no idea what to do next. He tells himself that no one can love him, and that Doumeki doesn't really mean it. But the curse has been cast.

Let's skip ahead 4 years, and they meet again. Yashiro is plagued with horrible dreams of being alone, and his body is rejecting everyone but the one he's dreaming about. When they see each other again it all comes back.

Now Yashiro has to deal with the fact that his body is responding to only to Doumeki, and we see him meltdown again.

And he confesses that he never had it together to start with. His feelings are a mess where Doumeki is concerned.

That brings us almost up to speed... however, you mentioned that you thought Yashiro has become fragile...

I think the proper word for Yashiro is vulnerable. And recognize that face? That's the meltdown face... however, Yashiro is hurt and he's showing his vulnerable side to Doumeki. He's beyond jealousy now, he is stamping his feet and throwing the tantrum he's bottled up for years.

Instead of running away, Yashiro is actually confronting Doumeki about his feelings. Doumeki may have not seen it a few chapters ago, but he certainly sees it now. It's all been a revelation that Yashiro needs to know that he's still cared for. He still needs to see Doumeki as that guy who gives a crap about whether or not Yashiro is comfortable.

All we need now is for Yashiro to see that Doumeki needs the reassurance that Yashiro will still accept him even if he leaves his side for a little while. And so that WE can have this kind of stuff every chapter.

[hwanchaesong]

┗🖋️ A once in a blue moon chance / Sculpts a rose and violet romance / In an ivory and rings trance / Comes a tragic wound by lance 📖

🎧: Taylor Swift - loml

wc: 1.3k

genre & warnings: angst, angst, angst 😭 itty bitty fluff if you use a microscope, character death (due to sickness), ghost!Sunoo, just pure angst for real, read at your own risk 😭

a/n: this is a part of The Tortured Poets Department series. if y'all want, you can read the other album inspired fics of other groups here.

You warm your hands on the freshly brewed cup of coffee that you ordered, lifting it up and taking a sip, not minding the burn on your tongue.

"This is delicious." you say, the man in front of you grinning in return, "We should've come here sooner, Sunoo."

"Right!? I told you this place is a banger." he proudly crosses his arms on his chest, a smirk on his bright face.

You sigh, finishing the drink and standing up from your seat, "Oh crap, it's time to go." you murmur, hastily walking away after cleaning up the table.

"Already?" Sunoo jumped up from his own seat, begrudgingly following you down the pavement.

"Slow down! Gosh, are you doing a marathon or something?" he rolls his eyes, finally catching up to you without breaking a sweat.

Naturally, he has longer legs than you, he was simply caught off guard by your sudden departure from the café.

"I really don't want to be late this time." you peered at your watch, clicking your tongue in dismay.

"You really should manage your time properly." Sunoo comments, looking at your annoyed face.

"Yeah," you muttered, turning around the corner and stopping in front of a flower shop, "I should really manage my time better."

You enter the establishment, greeting the florist and inspecting the fresh cuts of flowers.

"What should I get?" you put a hand under your chin, in a deep thought on what to buy for today's celebration.

Sunoo peeked from behind you, staring at the flowers as well, "Why not get sunflowers? Look! Aren't they especially pretty today?" he excitedly points at them and you nod your head.

"Sunflowers are a great choice." you smile, waving at the florist to tell him your pick.

The dimpled man walks over to you and begins to arrange the flowers into a bouquet, "What's the occasion for today, ma'am?" he asks, and you giggle a bit at his playful tone, making the man beside you pout in discontent.

You're not planning on flirting with that florist within his presence, right?

"A birthday, and these sunflowers are the perfect gift for him."

You smile lovingly at the flowers when the florist hands you the bouquet, and when you're about to pay for it, the male did not accept your money.

"Flowers on me for today, now go." he waves you off and you frown, thinking that if you did not pay, it'll be unfair for the worker.

"But-"

"No buts!" he puts his index finger on his lips, sending you a wink, "Consider that as a gift from me as well."

You beamed at the man, poking his dimples and proceeding to pinch the cheek of the florist that you have grown accustomed to after a few months of meeting him at the shop.

"Thank you so much, Jungwon!"

You bid him goodbye, exiting the store in a haste, missing the giddy and beaming expression of the boy, one that Sunoo noticed.

"Oh my god! He totally likes you!" he whispers aggressively, "Must you flirt with him too?!"

You bite your lower lip, shaking your head lightly, "No, no. Jungwon is a friend. Nothing more, nothing less."

Sunoo squinted his eyes at you, skeptical but he lets it go.. for now.

He continued following you throughout your journey somewhere, basking in the melodious silence and the beautiful weather.

You didn't say a word either, choosing to stay in the comforts of your own thoughts.

Skies so blue it reminded you of the sea. The sun illuminates the earth of its shine, casting a warm sensation to anyone who walks under it. The trees are also swaying with the winds, creating a silhouette of dancing leaves on the pavement while the breeze gently touches your skin.

Then your footsteps came to a halt in front of a rather gloomy place, a complete opposite of the outside world.

You took a deep breath, willing your hands not to shake and figuratively patting yourself on the back, urging yourself that you are a grown woman capable of handling your fears.

Sunoo's worried gaze is now fixated on you, "Y/N?" he calls your name, concern lacing his voice at your sorrowful mien.

"I can do it. Sunoo, watch me do it." you whisper, steels in your orbs and looking straight ahead as you begin trudging the dark road towards your final destination.

Sunoo nods in return, a proud smile on his face, "Go for it, Y/N. I'm rooting for you."

Finally, you have reached the goal.

Crouching on your knees and dropping the bouquet of sunflowers on the neatly trimmed bermuda grass near a sepulcher.

"Hello, Sunoo. I've come to visit you again. I'm sorry if I haven't been able to drop by for a while, college life has been keeping me busy." you laugh albeit without any trace of joy.

You then sit down, not minding if the dirt will stain your pants, hands going over the tomb, fingers tracing the name engraved across the marble.

"Here," you say, pulling out a small container in your bag, "I brought your favorite, mint choco ice cream. Bought it at the coffee shop that you have told me about before." you set it down beside the bouquet, and you couldn't help the small sob that you let out.

Immediately, the man who was beside you the whole time pulled you in a hug, one that your soul felt but physically cannot be perceived.

"Sunghoon said that he'll visit you later, he'll tag Riki along. They said that they will bring some coke and beer." you sniff, your arms wrapping themselves around you.

"They will?" Sunoo mumbles, his own tears forming in the corner of his lids, "What about the others?"

"Hee, Jay, and Jake will follow afterwards, after their finals. You know," you gulped, trying to compose yourself, "It's been another difficult year for us without you."

You can't hold it back anymore, your hands flying to your mouth so that you won't make any embarrassing sounds, continuing to ramble all your sentiments.

"We miss our sunshine, Sunoo. We miss your sassiness, your dolphin squealing, your smile. Sunoo I-I, I miss you so much."

Said man embraced you tighter when your cries got louder, murmuring words of affirmation that you will never ever hear again. Telling you how much he misses you too, but you will never know that.

"I still have these daydreams sometimes. Where you'll k-kiss me when I'm having a hard time. Where you'll give me random gifts because it reminded you of me. Oh gosh-" you wipe away your uncontrollable salty tears that are free falling from your eyes to your cheeks.

If there is one thing that Sunoo regrets the most, it'll be the fact that he wasn't strong enough to continue living. He wasn't brave enough back then to combat the illness that was eating away at his life force.

He succumbed to it when all of you were praying for him to recover.

He let himself sleep even when he promised you a life of eternal love with him.

Maybe that's why he still hasn't left your side, even if his transparent body is slowly disappearing. He has to see you be happy again. He has to watch over you until he knows that someone will be there for you until you're grey and old.

"I'm sorry for being sad Sunoo, god! Y/N, get a hold of yourself!" you snicker, slapping yourself lightly with both hands, plastering a trembling smile on your lips.

"No, Y/N, don't be. It should be me who's apologizing. I'm sorry for causing you so much pain." he says, pulling away from you and putting a hand on your shoulders, but it's no use, because a mere spectre of the past won't be able to send a message to the living, breathing present-day.

"I hope you're resting well there in heaven. Happiest birthday to you, my sunshine."

A longing gaze, yearning for intimacy, embroidered in a ring that was stashed away in his cabinet. One that would not see the day nor would it be placed on your finger.

For the heart is fickle and the brain is a mush of wilted petals, and maybe, in your next life, you will not lose the love of your life.

taglist:

@shakalakaboomboo @ramenoil @slutforjeno

[justghostly-things]

Why Mike Wheeler should get Vecna'd

I might need to rant about Mike Wheeler (to like the surprise of no one.) because if it's gonna be anyone its gotta be him, right? I don't think he is gonna die, or it's gonna be the exact same as it was for Max. (Simply because we have seen it before.) but I don't think it would be beneficial to Vecna any of the other characters.

and assuming that the Duffer brothers aren't just bad writers we know Mike has been acting weird for two whole seasons now. (I personally think it was worse in season 3 but it was still strange in season 4.) The show established him a certain way in season 1 then nailed it into the coffin that this is who he is in season 2 but then season 3 rolls around and he is just... Different. (An ass) Of course, we have our theories and analysis (thank you, to anyone who have compiled all the hints into one place what would we do without you 😭This or This or This)

but still.

Since we are talking about Stranger Things S4 and S5 there are a lot of uncomfortable topics that are going to be mentioned, I do not go into details. I barely mention it. I do not describe anything, but I do talk about the themes. Please stay safe while reading

We should look at this in three ways.

What it brings to the story

What advantage would it give Vecna (aka why would he want to Vecna them)

And how does it help the character

Let's talk about Max first. Because we can work out the logic with her and then try and translate it to other characters.

I think its import for this section to know that what Max has delt with is a very scary real thing. Many children have a very similar life as Max, and all I am going to do is talk about them from within the show. I will say is you are not a bad person because you wish death on someone who is hurting you. But from here on I am talking about Max from both her Pov and Vecna's. None of these things are my thought or feeling on the greater topic of abuse and dysfunctional families.

From a story perspective why was Max the one who got Vecna'd and not like, Dustin or Lucas? If you answered because she watched Billy die. Yes. Anyone who understands a progression of a story can figure out why it makes sense for Max to be Vecna'd. We create this guy who shows you your trauma reflected back at you and then kills you as seen in both Fred (Nancy's friend) and Chrissy.

Which of the main cast of characters just went through a trauma event just the season before? Max.

I think if this is all you take from season 4 you have fundamentally forgotten one important thing about Max getting Vecna'd. It isn't just about the trauma of her watching her brother die. No, Vecna specifically targets the fact that Max deep-down wished-for Billy to die, she used to fantasize about it. It isn't just survival guilt. And we are shown this visually through Fred who also has survival guilt. Their trauma is different because Max's guilt isn't just about surviving. That is why it had to be Max. Because all of the characters could feel some sort of Survival guilt. They have watched so many people die and get hurt. it reveals two things. One is how Max truly feels about Billy's death, and two it tells us more about what Vacna is actually doing in the vision. Because he isn't just trying to torture a traumatized Max to the point that she willing to just give up. it is showing Max some "ugly truth" about her to herself. Because that is what Vecna is. Or thinks he is. He sees the world as horrible and should be corrected and the only way to do that is by "starting over". This is him showing max what is "wrong" with her and killing her (so he can start her over/create a new her)

I feel like I need to rewatch season 3 again because I can't remember exactly but I think Max most likely played a big part in season 3 where she kept meddling with Possessed Billy. (Mike did too but we will get to that(this thing is gonna be long btw)) She showed that she is willing and able to mess up Vecna's plans.

(It is kinda a debated if it was just the Mind Flayer or if it was Vecna himself that possessed Billy (and Will in season 2) but for the purpose of this we will say that he at least knows the role that Max (and Mike) played in the mall fight.)

All of this to say from Vecna's Perspective, he sees a group of kids who keep getting in the way, And they are all close to El? And one of these kids has extreme guilt about Billy? Yeah of course he targets her. It is so useful. It'll get to El and the rest of the party. Making them weaker and affect them emotionally so they are more likely to react irrationally. It's so perfect for him. Literally Max says so in the show.

and Max, (I can tell some people aren't gonna be happy with me for this so just know I love max so much please, but) she up until season 4 was a bit of a weird character. She is a confusing character. Especially in season 2, she has a lot of character inconsistencies. This video explains all of what I am talking about in this section this really well. but she isn't really a main character until season 4. She plays more of a supporting role. Especially in season 3 where she is helping El find part of independence. And yes, we know Max has a hard home life and how Billy is an ass to her. We know this but we don't really understand it until season 4. She just feels like an inconsistent character up until this point. (you know who else is an inconsistent character-) Her getting Vecna'd shows us a direct shot into her head and we can start to piece together the truth of her character. We really get to understand why she is inconsistent. And how it isn't a flaw of the writing, it's Max being 13 and dealing with a terrible home life.

the best part about it is that there are clues all over that are screaming at us and I can tell you right now that there were probably so many children who saw themself in Max. And people who were screaming about how this is why! It's because of her home life! while the rest of us were just calling it inconsistent writing. And yes, I am gonna bring it up because this is exactly what we see with Mike Wheelers character. Because the truth is that we haven't seen the whole story, we have barely seen anything of Mike for the last two seasons. (mentally i know he is on screen I mean mentally) we just have a theory on what is going on in his head. and I think it would be a waste not to use Vecna to do the same thing they did for Max for Mike and this is ignoring all of the parallels the two characters have. this is just from a story point of view and omg can you tell how passionate I am about this??

Now do i think it is impossible for any of the other character to get Vecna'd? No? it would probably be more similar to how Nancy got Vecna'd. Mostly because if my other theory is correct (is this shameless self-promotion?) I don't think there is time for like all the character to get Vecna'd.

But yeah, lets talk about a few of the character and why I do or don't think they could get Vecna'd. I will try to make this quick.

Steve: Steve is very interesting and I kind of wanna make like a character analysis about him at some point (probably after I rewatch the show) but I think it could go either way. Steves whole arc for the whole show is to show us how someone can change. Steve started as an ass and has slowly been evolving to become a better person. And I think there is a place for Vecna to come into that but idk if he needs it. I think Steve's can jump over the last hoop by himself (unlike some people who haven't even started jumping... (Mike)) Overall I don't think it will tell us anything we don't already know about Steve, but I can see Vecna wanting to incapacity Steve because of his physical strength. Dustin: Again, I am not sure what more Dustin getting Vecna'd will tell us about Dustin. If anyone has any thoughts, please don't be scared to let me know. I can see Vecna also wanting to take out Dustin because of his smarts. So strategically I can see this being something Vecna would want to "Take out" (but i am not sure how strategic Vecna is? I certainly don't think it would be the main reason that he targets someone.) Lucas: Idk, I think it would be great to have Lucus be more import to the plot but if he is gonna get Vecna'd it's gonna be about Max and him "teaming" up with the Basketball? guys. (I say hesitantly because I don't remember what sport it was...) Which we don't need to be told he feels bad about because he told us. So, idk. I guess we can talk about Will as well: but it's really all the same thing, I don't know what new information we can learn if we see him getting Vecna'd. Sure, its angsty and that might be reason enough for some people, but I know if I was writing Season 5, I wouldn't even consider it. We know almost everything that is plaguing Will. We see almost everything first hand. And sure, we knew about Billy for Max but like I said it was more than just "she watched Billy die" and sure maybe there is something I just don't see or don't know. I just don't see reason for this poor boy to go through more. The other thing is I don't see why Vecna would want to not just kill but make Will suffer. Make him have a pain full death? If Vecna wanted Will dead, Will would be dead. its plain and simple. the amount of times Vecna had Will in his grasps? I don't believe it was just luck. I would actually love to see if there aren't times where Will could be in danger, or it would make more sense for the danger to target will but for some reason it didn't, and he came out unscathed? (if I notice anything in my rewatch I will add it here) but yeah. also, there is all the parallels between Will and Vecna, so I think Vecna sees himself in will, maybe like how he saw himself in El and maybe will try and recite him. Idk but it seems (to me at least) that Vecna has more planed than, make him suffer and then die, in store for will. This is a really good analysis and this I agreed with on why Will was probably not gonna get Vecna'd. But it is a really good (and funny) video so go check it out if you haven't.

all of this is making me want to do an analysis on Vecna/henry. I don't think he is a partially new kind of villain, but I think it would be fun to try and dive into his head.

Hopeful this is my last point where I finally get to talk about my boy Mike wheeler. This is a Mike wheeler safe place. (I say as I am about to make my point on why he should go through pain and torture next season.)

I kind of have talked about some of this but let's dive into more detail (like we did with Max) and talk about my three main points

What it brings to the story

What advantage would it give Vecna (aka why would he want to Vecna them)

And how does it help the character

I feel like the story has been building up to this for a long time actually. Not only with the stalker shots that Mike is shot in but everything we see about his character. From how much we have seen his character change between season 2 and 3, to how little we actually know about Mikes inner workings. Mike is a puzzle right now. He is surrounded by character who are at least decently written and at most complex and compelling. And he is a main character? Like if Mike was a Minor or supporting character (like Erica and arguably robin) it would be weird sure but at least expectable. But Mike was THE main character in the opening season. We learn the most about him. And we see a lot of the story threw his eyes. And what? Were just going to throw all of that away? Like it was nothing?

But! I bring up the point I made about Max again. About what she was like in season two, what our impression of Max as a character and how that changed in season 4. The reason her character acted like that was because of things we didn't have connections for until season 4. All the parts were laid out in front of us they just needed to be connected. Mike getting Vecna'd will literally connect the dots for us. it'll show us an obvious and clear answer for what is wrong with Mike. Because how, honestly, are they going to show us all of these complex things that has been haunting Mike without a Vecna vision? It's the last season. We do not have endless time to unpack everything that is happening inside his head. Especially if the season is going to be as busy as I expect. We have like 20 other character who needs screen time, and we are getting introduced to more characters? And we have to fight the big bad? and there is gonna be a time skip (I swear to whatever higher being there is if they try to pull a "all Mikes' problems got fixed over the time skip" bs I am gonna be on the news for homicide. no-one will ever hear the end of it, omg. i don't even care if Byler becomes cannon, there will be war.) point is this matter is delicate and Mike lips on the matter are sealed so tight. If he hasn't said a word about this in 3 years he isn't gonna talk about it now. He needs a push, and Vecna is going to push him down a flight of stairs.

I do feel like I am repeating myself but it's crazy how similar Mike and Max character are. Almost like they are shining bright neon lights saying like look at this! notice this! and I know I am not the only one to point this out. But like what was stated in this video, Mike is almost the perfect person to Vecna'd , he not only has a connection with both El and Will. He, as Will would put it, is "the heart" of the party. He is connected to all the other character in some way. And if taking Max out would of killed motivation/ made the party unstable imagine what killing Mike would do to them? Which is why I do believe in the Mike was the original four victim theory (I think I saw someone go into more detail, but I can't find it. If I do, I will update with both links)

Also, remember when I mentioned that both Mike and Max have meddled with Vecna's plot in season 3, I just think I should point out how in the gym scene where they trap Billy in the sauna it is Mike taunting Him. And in season 2 he was the one who figured out that Will was possessed. All I can think of for season 1 is that he took El in and formed a kindling with her, which isn't strong evidence but idk maybe Vecna gets jealous easily idk.

And I think to understand this last point I would recommend watching or reading threw the links I linked all the way at the top of this discussion. but I would urge you to watch this at the very least: This video

if you haven't caught on yet, I do believe the Vecna visions are going to reveal to the audience that Mike is gay and has been the whole time. aemiron-main has a very good theory on how I think this is gonna go, because that falls into the same thought bubble as Max's. Where I think the theme isn't just that he is dealing with internalised Homophobia but his guilt surrounding his queerness. which we can easily explore through a vision. and it explains why he has been acting this way, especially in season 3. Like, can you even think about what this poor kid is going though mentally because, your best friend, literally your person got possessed, you watched as they lead to your friends new dad's death? like you can do nothing? and you blame yourself because if you had stop being gay for two seconds just to notice that there is something off about him you could have saved everyone? YEah I would be an asshole as well. Honestly, I think all the clues are there we just Vecna to piece them together.

And even in the very unlikely situation where I and like every other Byler are wrong about Mike being gay. Mike getting Vecna'd can only mean positive things for his character.

I feel like I had another point to make but I genuinely can't remember what it was T_T so, if I remember I will update this. But that is my point. Mike wheeler is gay and will be tormented by demonic infused visions of him being gay in the next season. so, you know. like an average Tuesday for any queer.

[lemotmo]

This ask is all of us 😫 but also when you do put it in real job terms it's so embarrassing for him. Yikes.

Q. How did we get here? Seriously how did it get to this point? What the hell happened? I genuinely don't understand how he managed to start all of this. 🤣😭

A. I'm tired of talking about the cameo videos so I'm going to talk about them without talking about them, lol. I can't really figure out a good way to break it down so I'm going to use myself (as Lou in this scenario), my job (obviously 911 in this scenario), and my coworkers (the 911 cast) to try and break it down in a real world sense. I will use the character name that correlates instead of my actual coworkers names. So bear with me.

Let's say the firm I work for has a client and that client has a product (911) that they have made some modifications too (newly bi character). As a result my company needs to figure out a way to sell those modifications to the public. My company has a senior staff team (Bobby, Chimney, Hen, Buck and Eddie). My company also has a junior staff team (Ravi, Karen and Albert), I (Lou) am part of the junior staff team. Once in a while our boss (Tim) will assign a junior staff member to collaborate with, or help a member of the senior staff with working up a product launch or rebrand. In this case my boss has assigned me to work with Buck on this rebranding. Now normally Buck works with Eddie on his campaigns so Eddie is still a part of the team, I'm just basically Buck's assistant on this particular campaign. The pitch we come up with works pretty well and the client is happy with the overall result. I had nothing special to do with the success of the rebrand but I was a part of it. But a few of my coworkers liked the work I did and told me they would like to see more of my stuff. I'm not used to that particular kind of attention so I enjoy it for a bit. It's fun. No harm no foul. But at some point I decide that those coworkers are correct and I deserve a bigger role within my company. The problem is there are no openings on the senior staff. So I need my boss to believe that he should just create a position for me. So I get those coworkers to tell my boss that they want to see more of my work and he needs to give me a promotion that doesn't exist. My boss (again,Tim) tells them that there aren't any open positions that need to be filled, but thanks them for their enthusiasm for my work. But now I want that job that isn't really available so I tell those same coworkers to go above my boss's head and demand his boss create a position for me. His boss says the same thing, she did a great job but we don't need anyone. So that group of coworkers decide that they need to get Eddie moved to a different department so I can have his job. The problem with that is Eddie is very well liked by the staff as a whole. Our clients (the audience) like Eddie. They especially like his work with Buck. Buck is also not interested in working with anyone other than Eddie. So the idea doesn't go over well with most people. Besides the fact they all like Eddie there are other members of the junior staff (Karen and Ravi) who have been with the company longer and would be more deserving of a promotion, if one became available, than I am. But my friends and I disagree so my friends set out to try and turn the office against Eddie. They start bad mouthing him to our other clients. They spread rumors about him through the office. Some of them even start suggesting that maybe he and Buck are sleeping together and that's why Buck refuses to accept the idea of working with someone else. Things get so bad that the office splinters into two camps. The much larger pro Eddie camp, which includes Buck and the majority of our clients, and the much smaller pro me, (Lou) camp that is just louder and nastier. Forcing our boss to step in and condemn the smaller pro me camps behavior. Which now puts my boss, and his boss, in the position of deciding whether or not to keep me until my contract is up, so we can complete the original product plan, or go ahead and dismiss me from the company all together before completing the task, and just altering the original plan.

This is where we are.

This got insanely long, and maybe really confusing, I'm so sorry, but this is a real world version of what Lou basically did. And when you apply this tactic to a real life job scenario the level of absurdity is mind blowing. But, anon, this is how we got here. Essentially he started believing his own hype and opened a Pandora box he now cannot control and cannot close. So now we wait.

Thank you Nonny for dropping this in my inbox!

Now this was a great idea. If you put this in terms of jobs most people in fandom can understand and relate to, this kind of behaviour becomes even more unhinged.

Thank you for the time and effort to type this out Ali.

IMPORTANT! Please don't repost this ask and/or a link that leads straight to my Tumblr account on Twitter or any other social media. Thank you!

Heads up! For anyone who is giving me the shifty eyes for reposting Ali's updates instead of reblogging. Read this.

Remember, no hate in comments, reblogs or inboxes. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of Ali’s posts, you can find all of her posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[whateverthedragonswant]

I'm finishing up my rewatch of season 3 of The Boys before I begin my SPN rewatch (got 2 more episodes left) and watching Jensen's performance as Soldier Boy just absolutely floors me.

It floors me because I've seen antis time and time again claim that Soldier Boy/Ben was essentially Dean in a superhero suit, that Jensen has one note acting, that he watered down the character by refusing to do scenes that made him uncomfortable (especially by one anti blog in particular who claims to be an acting expert, you know the one), and that his acting is very bland.

But in studying his performance because I'm studying the character (for writing purposes), these people couldn't be more wrong. I will admit that the only time I got a semi-Dean vibe from him was during the scene where Soldier Boy tells Butcher about his father. Which doesn't surprise me because Jensen himself said he leaned into the Dean/John dynamic for that scene.

But otherwise, I don't see anywhere where their claims hold any water. I mean, have you actually watched his scenes?

This scene is so important. Annie is getting ready to face off with this guy and even though she knows he's dangerous (after seeing he results of one of his explosions up close and personal), but she has no idea how dangerous, not really. This isn't Dean. This isn't Beau. This is the dangerous side of Solider Boy and had Hughie not intervened, there's a good possibility shit would have gone even more sideways. Especially, with Ben coming off of the confrontation with Countess, her hitting him where it hurts the most (meaning she tapped into one of his biggest insecurities. That explosion wasn't an accident (like NYC or even at Herogasm with the Twins). Ben didn't black out here. That's shown to us by there being no Russian trigger, despite him learning that Countess and his team handed him over back in 1984 and didn't even get paid for it.

I mean, look at this expression right here. His body is moving but his eyes don't. He's getting into position, ready to take out the next threat. Only when Hughie steps in and Annie's eyes dim does he step away, assessing her as not a threat. This is the weapon that is deadly enough to take on Homelander and no matter where you stand on Jensen as an actor, he pulls it off here.

The physicality he utilized in this role speaks volumes. And it's not about Soldier Boy being a Supe or being in a suit or having to look pissed off all the time (minus the few times he's amused). It has to do with how he embodies that character, carries him, and if he pulls it off. Spoiler alert: he did.

This scene exemplifies exactly what I'm talking about. I have watched it countless times and this part of it always sticks out to me every single time. Look at that expression, look at the eyes. Ben is not going all out to sell this belief let's call it to Hughie. He's giving him a look that says "this is the truth and you better believe it or else". He's not smiling for news cameras or doing propaganda or greeting fans of his movies decades prior. He's not selling the Soldier Boy is America's Greatest Hero image here. He's subtly threatening Hughie, and this is where he begins to have an issue with him. Because Ben wants to see himself as the good guy, something Kripke, Jensen, and the cast have talked about in promoting the season. In his own mind, he is the good guy; he's a legend in his own mind so to speak. He's bought the hype about himself. And anyone who doesn't see him that way is an enemy aka a threat.

It doesn't mean he doesn't know he's doing things that aren't right (as we saw in those outtakes of the 'Don't-do-drugs' commercial). He's very self-aware but he justifies it to himself because he's Soldier Boy and almost like Homelander always says, he can do what he wants. Not necessarily that he has a god-mentality that rivals Homelander's but everything is justifiable in his mind because he's a Supe, or more precisely the Supe, and he's protecting his country. And it also keeps that insecurity of being a disappointment at bay that he has from his childhood. It's all layered into his make-up so to speak. So not only is Hughie a threat (not physically obviously but to Ben's image of himself) but is also bordering dangerously close to reminding him of the very thing he hates: a mirror that reminds him that maybe his dad was right about him (not saying he was, I'm saying this is potentially what is running through his mind). So not only does it share a brilliant parallel between Hughie and Annie when it comes to Soldier Boy that eventually plays out beautifully in the Tower Scene in the finale, but it also is sewn into the issue between Hughie and Annie this season in their own relationship.

But the way Jensen plays that scene is phenomenal because if you watch it, you realize if Hughie says one wrong thing, he may be in trouble.

Which is then continued in this scene:

In this scene, Hughie is mentioning there's a lot of people inside Herogasm and here we get Ben's reaction to Hughie saying that. Then he tells Hughie as long as the people stay out of his way they should be fine. But again, watch how he says it, his expression, focus on his tone, his body movement. He clearly is not happy that Hughie says this (it literally is a continuation from the hotel room scene) and again has that subtle threat vibe, even with Butcher standing there (because let's face it, to him, even with temp V, Butcher is no threat). And of course, we all know the slap scene and the punch scene that happens later. Not only does Hughie get switched out for Ryan later on who Butcher ends up protecting from Soldier Boy, but it all plays out beautifully as all of the connections, overt and subtle, unfold throughout the season.

But back to Jensen's performance. There is so much to appreciate in how he fully embodied this character. And that's not saying it through an AA haze of "omg he's so hawt!" or "omg did you see his ass?" That's appreciating the amount of work that he put into this role when the cameras started rolling. He literally became Soldier Boy and he embodied him even outside of the suit.

As an actor, Jensen is very nuanced. He consistently adds in these little things that help make the character even more multi-dimensional than what is written on the page or what is called for int he scene and how it's blocked. This is why there is a certain small group of people on here that repeatedly talk about Jacting Joices, it's not just related to Supernatural or Destiel or Dean. It's about Jensen as an actor, as a performer, and how much he actually pours into these characters he plays. Whether it be the way he moves (or walks), or the expressions he uses, his eyes (yep, he does that too, see above), with his hands, even down to the way he delivers a line. All actors do this in their own way obviously, lean into physicality as well as their performance, but he definitely has his own unique style that I just don't see anyone else replicating. I think there's a reason so many people say no one else could have played Dean the way he could have for example. And if you watch his characters, really watch them, you'll see what he does each and every time. Even smaller characters like Jason from Smallville or Tom from My Bloody Valentine or Alec from Dark Angel. It's all right there on the screen.

So I guess my whole long point is I don't get why antis rip him apart when it comes to this role of Soldier Boy (other than being antis I guess) or say he can't act or that has no idea how to properly analyze his character because he actually did put a ton of work into this specific character (as well as all the others he's done) and you can clearly see it as you watch his scenes in the show. While I wish we could have seen Homelander and Soldier Boy go at it a bit more, and see Soldier Boy truly unleash that Alpha-ness of being the original Supe like had been talked about in promotions and interviews, it doesn't diminish that this character was fascinating and he brought it to life from the script in a way that complemented his own unique style as a performer.

tl;dr Jensen crushed Soldier Boy and Ben (yes, two different characters to embody actually) and I cannot wait to see more of him in any future Boys-related visual story telling, on the show or others.

[elfqueen006]

We Cry Together

Yeah, here's that toxic Joseph fic I was telling y'all about. It's May x Joseph in a swap!AU or Joseph in place of Ian. He's pretty shitty here - be warned. I wrote it on the fly, the grammar might be a bit sloppy and mismatched I think, cus I wrote one part before the other and forgot to edit some of them.

Tw: cheating, arguing, toxic dynamics

Part two

---

Joseph chuckled in that teasing sort of way. The kind he only used with her. May cranes her head around into their kitchen to see him sitting on the chair at their bar counter.

He looked happy...

"Yeah? ... I'd like that..." He pauses, scribbling something down on a notepad. "Okay, see you then."

He hangs up the phone and his charming glow of mischief fades once he sees May standing a ways from him. A curious yet unreadable look on her face.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" He asked.

May tilted her head, "What are you doing up?"

Joseph wet his lips, sparing a shifty glance at his phone before waving it, "Taking a call."

"From..?"

"You know um... the girl, the producer's daughter? I don't know her- I mean I know her name it just" he laughs, "leaves me."

May narrowed her eyes, "Samantha? Yeah, you've been talking about her all week, I'd hope you remembered her name."

His eyes widened at that, "Why would you... hope that?"

May doesn't answer, instead her gaze lowers to the piece of paper in his hand. Joseph's hand reflexively slides over it. She approaches without warning and pulls it from under his palm.

Dinner w/ Samantha @ 4pm

"You told me you were being called back for another shoot." May said, voice devoid of emotion, yet filled with scrutiny.

Joseph finds his voice becoming very small, "I was... Samantha just called after."

"And why does she want dinner with you of all things?"

"Because she...wants to talk about my career."

May has seen Samantha. She's met her formally at one of their studio held dinners. Or about as formal as you could get. There was talk of Joseph being a new official cast member on a tv show he'd been an extra in, with a good few speaking lines.

Samantha only ever talked to the cast members, and she looked a big young for business. Not college young. But definitely inexperienced. She radiated amateur, especially as she asked the director for a role on his show.

When May tried to formally introduce herself or speak, she had a habit of cutting her off "conveniently". And Joseph would let her...

When she looked him square in the face, the subtle swallow in his throat all but confirmed her suspicions.

The light in May's eyes leaves - she gives him a half lidded gaze. Joseph shudders at the expression. It excites him honestly, how easily she gets annoyed or agitated. It's always been a small game of theirs to him, because he knows they'd end up spooning, fucking, or just generally in a good spot again. But he's honestly a little scared. May is a good girlfriend. She takes care of him. She supports him. She loves him. He knows he doesn't deserve anyone like her, but if she could give him another chance...

He follows after as she turns to leave, probably to cry, "Rosie, listen." He used her nickname, and he couldn't even get the usual response of playful annoyance.

"Get out." She said, cold and prompt.

"Get out?- May listen to me."

She turns to him with her same expression, only her eyes are wet. He hates the part of him in his body that says "gotcha". He's thinking about all the right words to schmooze her over and make her his again. He knows he's not being fair or nice or good, but all he can think of is making sure she stays hooked.

Joseph takes a gentle hold of her wrists with his hands, a silent plea to stay put and then he ran them up her arms, resisting a smirk at her goosebumps. He puts on a mournful expression when he meets her eyes. The half-lidded and lightless expression is the same, but they aren't cold like at first. They're misty and dim, like a humid April day, when you just know it's about to rain.

"Listen to me..." he began, his voice is lowered for only the two of them to hear, despite them being the only ones in the room. "This wasn't for anything personal. It was only for me."

May furrowed her brows, pulling away from him.

Wrong answer.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"What I mean is like, she doesn't mean anything. It's just for the job."

"So you were willing to fuck a bitch over your job?" May spat, "Did the fact that you have a girlfriend ever occur to you?"

Joseph was beginning to get exasperated. He looked up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes.

"May, you know I'm loyal to you. Honestly, my very word should be enough as well as like, what- over five years of commitment?"

"So you think that gives you a pass to fuck another woman? You've been so fucking good you should just have access to other bitches as a treat?"

"Stop calling her a bitch, May, it's tacky and you've barely talked to her." Joseph snapped back, "and I mean that it shouldn't matter. I mean, I love you and you know it!"

"No, no I don't. Because if you loved me you'd know me and know I don't fucking share!" Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I don't care if it's for your job or your dying granny or anything, Joseph Cullman, you know that the very idea of even touching another woman should be off-limits when you're with me!"

Joseph then laughs. May narrowed her eyes, expecting him to fill her in on the 'joke'.

"You know, I really think you're the last person to be saying that."

He seemed satisfied to see she was stunned - something that didn't come often with her. But it came with women. Women he'd argued with, and when they were in that state they often out of an argument. He took that as his cue to head into their room.

---

When Joseph woke up, May wasn't there with him. He gripped the sheet under him, feeling something cold in his chest at the absence of her. Maybe she'd already gone to work?

He sat up with a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd have to apologize. He knows he would. Otherwise she'd ice him out for a whole month, especially with what he had to do. It wasn't personal at all, really. But he felt a weird territorial urge to defend his keep, if that was what he was calling it. He knew Samantha liked him, but he only was going to entertain her for the role on the show. Maybe he would've rather gotten it honestly, but when he and May were living off of takeout on her salary, there wasn't any time for that.

He wanted to get something his way. And it wasn't like May was some angel, neither. She had all the money a girl could ask for, and the girls boyfriends she screwed back in high school certainly didn't add to any of that. At least he's trying to do something for them. It just happened to be in a kind of shitty takeaway. Maybe if people actually did their jobs the way they were supposed to, he would have a better chance of climbing the ladder.

But it was time to do business - Hollywood's way.

---

It went about as well as he'd hoped. As expected, going to bed with her wasn't ideal. But hell, she was fun at most. Good looking at least. Not exactly up to his standards. But it made him feel prideful on the fact that after all that, he'd be getting what he paid for. It feels a bit like college.

He snickered at the thought.

He tossed the dinner receipt in a random trash can way before driving home.

As he pulled up to the parking lot in the apartment, he saw a moving van. Something in his chest dropped at that, and he didn't even know why. Could she have..?

As he got out of the car he got a good look at the movers coming out from the back of the doors. They were carrying boxes full of boots, belts, tees, and dirty magazines. His heart raced. He came up behind one of the men and pulled him aside.

"Hey, who's boxes are those?"

The man shrugged, "Some girls' ex-boyfriend's things."

Joseph's eyes widened as he looked up at the apartment window where their room would be. He could see May's silhouette and her dark fingers holding the curtains before they shut.

He pointed at the movers, "Don't move another inch, don't move!" Before running up into the apartment.

He hissed multiple curses as he dug inside of his jeans, searching for his keys that seemed to be nowhere, conveniently. After what felt like an hour he finally produced them and wasted no time going in.

Inside was could only be described as a bad dream realized. Movers were taking down every trace of him in his apartment. His suggested decorations, his pictures, his clothes, his old playbooks. All of them being packed up and shipped away in boxes.

And May was in the middle of all of it, advising them like she were the director of her own fucking movie set while smoking a fucking cigarette - something she said she always hated, and continued to do until she quit.

When she finally paid mind to him she sneered. Joseph folded his arms, giving her an expectant look.

Tell them to leave.

May took a long drag of the cigarette, before blowing the smoke his way. He stroke towards her and pulled her by her wrist into a corner. She tried to flick the cigarette ash on him, but he shook her arm so she'd drop it before he stamped it out. May grimaced at the now ruined part of her carpet.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Joseph hissed.

"What do you think?"

"I think you're messing up our life, that's what."

May shoved him in the chest roughly, "And where the fuck did you come from, huh? What'd you do to make it better - tell me!"

Joseph glanced around at the movers, some of them were glancing their way, but it didn't matter much to them. This was actually one of the common occurrences for when they did a job.

He got close and stopped her hands before she tried to hit him again, "Keep your voice down." Joseph growled.

"Why? You were so sure of yourself last night. I bet you feel real good now, don't you?"

"Shut up-"

"You fucked that bitch didn't you?" She sneered.

He pushed her up against the corner, his nails digging into her wrists with their harsh hold.

She jerked in his grip, "Let go!"

One of the movers approached them, "Hey, hey man, that's enough."

Joseph's eyes were full of white hot rage as he pointed at him with his free hand. "Don't fuck with me, get the fuck back."

"What you gonna do, hit me?" May said suddenly.

"Shut up."

She jerked away, "So, for what? So you can hit me when they ain't looking?"

"Nobody's gonna fucking hit you!" Joseph hissed.

"But you want to though," May pushed, "You wanna fucking hit me because I'm exposing you for a selfish fucking bastard-"

"May!"

"- who wanna fuck a random bitch to feel like a man, can't even act for shit so you hoe yourself out-"

"What the hell do you want from me, huh?!" His voice boomed throughout the apartment, startling the rest of the movers. May even stopped. When she didn't reply, Joseph continued, "I already do so. Damn. Much for you! I clean the house when you're at work, I cook because you don't know how! And you would deny me the opportunity to actually take care of us?"

"So I fuck some girl to keep the lights on, it isn't the first time I've done it either." May's eyes widened at that, "Yeah, I did that shit for us. And they still didn't mean shit to me! I believe just this once I should be allowed to make us some actual money instead of living off your shitty yogurt salary!"

After that, it fell deathly quiet. So much so, one could only hear the whirring of the ceiling fan.

By this point, Joseph already knew he didn't have a spot in the apartment anymore. But he refused to be perturbed, even as May's eyes welled up with tears or one of the movers began to dial 911. He simply folded his arms, looking his soon-to-be ex dead in the face.

"Well... If I'm not doing enough then you can take yourself somewhere you don't have to slum off my mediocre salary." May said, her voice cracking. Only then Joseph's gaze softened, but he had enough sense not to argue or plead or beg, then he allowed himself to leave.

[posallys]

ok 1 ur desktop theme is GORG and 2 i need (if u wanna) ur thoughts about the show (or show sally in gen bc ur the only one i trust with her)

thank you!! i was actually thinking about updating it but maybe i wont 🤭🤭 and i have a lot of thoughts about the show except none only very few of them are good and i will be crucified by the 13-year-olds

im going to tell you anyway.

i will start with something i like....percy being angry. like yes give me the anger of a 12 year old who feels utterly alone in the world and doesn't understand (or does and it makes him more angry)

the fight scenes are dog shit. the only kind of cool one was in the arch but it was only cool because of percy doing the bait and switch and falling through the arch...the fights are bland boring sucky whatever other synonym you wanna use

uhhhhh sally jackson is not and would never be sitting in the rain pining of the god she told to leave....and especially not to teen pop...if she WERE going to act like a 16 year old and do the pining thing it would be to fucking like...billy joel and ricky martin and donny hathaway and stuff llike that okay...

i will preface this by saying that yes i understand that talking back to an abuser the way sally does in ep 1 doesn't make the abuse less abusive....however i DO not like the fact that that scene explicitly goes against sally characterization in the books....i am not digging my book out atm but the part where percy is like "my mother has never raised her voice or said an unkind word to anyone"....me thinks the writers all read the books 10 years ago and are going off of memory alone + or their brains are so clouded by the obsessive Big Screen Need to make women a badass girlboss slay queen i fucking hate it here

LET ANNABETH BE SILLY AND FUNNY AND CUTE AND CRY AND NOT BE AN ADULT THANK YOU....hated that they made annabeth the one to realize that it was medusa and not grover...give me back grover having to wrangle percy and annabeth into backpack leashes just to keep them on task/stop them from wandering off...book trio i miss you

i absolutely ADORE leah, walker, and aryan though the three of them are so so perfect, A+ casting no notes couldn't have done it better myself. if it weren't for the three of them i would have zero hope for the show i cannot lie...they're carrying. without them it's just..bad.

the pacing???? bad.

why did we waste half of the 4th ep on the train with echidna...stupid dumb pointless i hate it here

i do like the whole not all monsters are monsters and the gods aren't inherently good just because they're gods thing they've got going on though...very inch resting...silently hoping that they do a complete 180 and have percy side with luke and redo the series from there because that would be iconic as fuck <3 a girl can dream because at least then i could take the show at face value and not take 80 health damage every time they mess up a key part of the books...im at -29834 heath rn.

where was the time at chb before the quest??? the oh so important vital scene where luke teaches percy to sword fight???? like BRO that's soooooooooooo important to ME how could you get rid of that

not having annabeth show percy around camp

additionally, not having annabeth feed him the nectar and ambrosia, WHICH BY THE WAY they haven't even mentioned in the show yet...plot armor gone rip

not the fredrick chase sympathy while simultaniously blaming the woman...........rick when i get my hands on you...

annabeth having to EARN thalia's love??? absolutely not probably one of their biggest fuck ups fr.

the scene where sally is talking about Poseidon to percy...i do not like it sam i am. bad. not wistful enough not longing enough not sad enough not gut wrenching enough...also not completely here for sally telling percy that his dad was a god because....sallys whole thing was NOT telling him in order to keep him safe...i know they changed it in the show so sally knew he was going to camp immediately but that does not mean i have to like it

the scene with sally and percy in the pool. i hated everything about that. sally would never talk to percy like that never talk to him about money never make it seem embarassing NOT TO MENTION that percy simply wasn't scared of the water. that's stupid as fuck. theres a part in the book where percy literally says being by the water calms both him and his mom like...come the fuck on just admit you can't fucking read or at least didn't read the book.

sally annabeth get behind me so they cant hurt you anymore

i did loveeeee percy praying to sally though...absoutely insane and true of them. also the "I AM SALLY JACKSON'S SON" yesss baby you tell them about your mommy!!!!!!

them making athena moa level bad in tlt is quite interesting. setting up annabeth siding with percy pretty well.

also the whole impertinence thing over medusa's head was weird to me. when annabeth first said that i had immediately thought that annabeth's impertinence was telling percy to pray to poseidon IN ATHENA'S TEMPLE bc that made much more sense to me...but whatever

the annabeth/medusa parallel is intriguing at the very least

the underwater scene with the neraid was cool even though i hated the parallel to the pool scene w/ sally.

the dumbass pinecone fate line. 0/10 did you read the book? did you pay attention to how empathetic and reflective percy was when he found out about thalia?

honestly....i think disney was just the wrong place to go with this show because it's like what...pg? it should be pg 13 and should have more... sustenance.

this medusa was so cool though. which we could've seen a fight.

i need to know how many women are in the writer's room though...because It Does Not Look Good. funny how the characters that they're fucking up are all women....crazy. weird. totally coincidental.

are we just not going to talk about the vitality and pressure of getting the bolt back on time? where is the inherent inevitable danger, the suspense, the fear of not accomplishing a seemingly impossible talk looming over everything

this is 10000% not all of my thoughts but im not going to rewatch in order to collect them all so this is what you get xoxox

[thegreencooler]

Amends

I don't usually dip my toe in the drama pool. At least not too deeply. But what's going on in fandom this week, the revelations, were extreme. The people who have come forward... they were in a cult. I am not being overdramatic about this. Gamifying harassment, forcing disconnections like Scientology, needing everyone to observe the same talking points or risk ostracism, leadership using it for money, criminal behavior towards those The Guru has deemed the Out-Group including members who don't conform heavily enough... That's a cult. The internet has made cult behavior REALLY easy. Likes and engagement make you suddenly aware of which direction your circle is leaning. If you agree, YOU TOO GET POINTS. You too will experience that sense of belonging, and that's what it's all about. So if your circle is being outright mean... if you don't want to be cast off as "not one of them"... maybe you say the mean thing too, even if it's a lie, even if you're not really sure why you're saying it. That approval feels SUPER GOOD and is addictive. And your circle amps each other up, gets meaner and meaner. The only people who stay in the in-group are those who don't speak up about the bad behavior and are willing to keep going along with it. Those aren't friendships. It's a pack of hungry carnivores. It's the same behaviors police gangs use on cops who speak up. I do have some sympathy, especially for the younger people who were still forming their identities. They were victims of indoctrination and criminal harassment. That said, they have to own their own behavior. I hope they learn and grow. They're going to have to have some self-reflection on what they've done, the lies told, the hate, the virulent -isms that were expressed, and literal crimes that were performed in the name of fitting in and winning some points with the clique. They're also going to have to reassess who their out-group is, why they even NEED an out-group over fandom things, and if there are still people in their schema who they have an impulse to hate for no reason.... because of a ship or actor preference. They're going to have to question all the lies they were told and if they are still holding onto hate based on that. That's hard if they aren't even sure what the lies were. It's going to be a process for them. We should give people the space and grace to get better. To deprogram themselves. But this does not mean there needs to be automatic forgiveness. Nobody needs to like anyone. But nobody needs to hate anyone either. Maybe the middle ground is we can grow some indifference or the ability to say, "I'm letting it go, this person is in progress, I can't control their journey, the ball is in their court."

If you were behaving badly, you've earned the suspicion of the people you hurt. A few of you are expressing amends, which is wonderful. But part of the thing with making amends is that you don't get to control the outcome. You make a genuine apology for EXACTLY what you've done, you own your part in it, and you don't make excuses... and from there, people may accept what you've said and they may not. They may forgive you immediately, they may take time, they may never forgive you. You have to learn to be good with that. It can be uncomfortable, to feel disliked, ESPECIALLY if the reason you got into the cult was because of that sense of belonging. Your impulse may be to keep giving explanations of how the group influenced you, to distance yourself. You may tell yourself, "I'm not that person, this isn't really me, it was the group." You want to be seen as CHANGED - virginal and new because you made the hard choice to finally leave the cult. ...It isn't that easy. You want the space and grace and you should get that. But guess what? You need to give that to others, too. You need to understand that people have real reasons to distrust you if you were exhibiting cruelty. And part of doing the work to make amends is the actual work. If you're serious about it, it means a lot of difficult self-reflection. You need to take an unflinching look at WHY you could ignore or participate in racism and lord knows plenty of other -isms, why outright defamation and death threats to actors and other fans were okay, why doxing people and trying to get them fired was seen as fair game, why trying to make someone feel hated and terrible about themselves was your impulse, why you were giggling and congratulating yourself for leaning into your worst impulses...until the group turned on you. Because that's the truth of the situation. You now have that self-knowledge of what you're willing to participate in. The question now is what are you going to do with that? I hope it includes therapy and I don't mean that glibly. I think it's possible there are some internet addictions going on where people crave the rush of getting Likes and engagement... and ragefarming is the best way to get engagement. If that's true... it will be EXTREMELY easy to move from the space of performing FOR the cult to performing AGAINST them, so that you can maintain your hit of Likes. And that is just sitting in the same behaviors. But if you're serious about getting better, if you're serious about being honest with yourself, you're going to need to fight against those inclinations. Please ask yourselves if you truly feel your apologies and want to change...or if maybe some part of you is just posting your attempt at amends because you want to fit in with those leaving or because you're craving that approval. Leaving is great! But are you getting the same psychological hit from your posts now? Are you trying to collect a new group that will lovebomb you because you're seeking self-esteem and miss the people who used to give it to you? I'm not saying this in judgment, I'm saying it because many people go from one cult or MLM to another, seeking that same sense of belonging. That's not my wish for you.

To the people on the other side of this... I'm not saying not to speak up if you see people slipping or people whose apologies are revealed as false words. I'm not trying to tone police people getting angry. There have been real reasons to be angry. HOWEVER... please be aware that if we want people to actually learn and grow we need to give them room to do that. There's nothing wrong with a really direct "This is really shitty and unkind behavior." Going scorched earth every time isn't the way. Is it our responsibility to motivate them to change, is it on us? Absolutely not. But are our actions going to unintentionally make them more likely to try and find a gang again because they're feeling defensive? If we also truly want to make things better, we have to ask ourselves what our goal is. Do we just want to give a tongue-lashing because we're angry? We might. And that can be justified sometimes in life. But cornered people don't often make great decisions. If what we want out of this is for people to be less terrible - there are ways to call people in and out, firmly and not sugarcoated, while still not going on the attack.

To the people who finally spoke up, you should be proud of yourselves for that. You took the first step. I hope you keep walking forward.

If you actually read to here... holy crap, I apologize. Many, many words, but I wanted to put them all down somewhere instead of continuing to overthink it at 3:30am. I do want to say... this is just my perspective. If it came off as trying to tell you how to do or feel, or like I think I'm perfect? Nah, kids. I'm a fallible screw-up, too, who is often "cringe," as the children say. We can all work on ourselves. At least that's the hope. If we're open to it.

Anyway. Love y'all, TGC

[cheatsykoopa98]

Theory About Abstracting

long text below (the amazing digital circus)

I saw people taking the meaning of abstraction in TADC as "to remove certain parts of a program" and theorize that they get corrupted because they're losing parts of their virtual self, their sanity and stuff, but what I actually believe happens when one abstracts is you lose 100% of your original self to the virtual one.

Ragatha says going insane itself isn't what makes you abstract, but it's part of the process. It's when you reach your breaking point that you abstract. But what breaking point? If you're already insane it means your mind is already broken, right?

So let's look at Kaufmo, he's a clown, he likes to tell jokes, and according to Gooseworx he was a little bit too positive, like Ragatha, that fits his character within the circus, but apparently his jokes weren't good, and when people did laugh, they were faking it

We don't know how long Kaufmo knew about that, but it appears to hurt him badly, both by Ragatha saying he called her out for fake laughing and Gangle saying he got mad at her for not laughing.

So what am I getting at? I think Kaufmo only abstracted because he "gave up", like Zooble puts it. His room shows he was obssessing about the exit, but like, a negative outlook on it, like "I know there is an exit, but I won't ever be able to reach it, it's hopeless". I think the moment his spirit breaks and he gives up the last bit of himself to embrace his clown persona fully, he abstracts. The abstracted parts (that is, the removed parts) aren't the virtual ones, but the real part of his mind as a human. That's why he turns into a beast, he's not human anymore but just a jumbled code of what used to be a player

(basically abstractions are the source games error model lmao)

So when his mind is gone and he's just the avatar Caine made for him, he abstracts (probably not intentional since we know Caine isnt malicious, just incompetent). Caine is smart and knows how to make NPCs for the adventures like the mannequins, Bubble, the Moon and the Gloinks, but he can't comprehend fully how a human acts, so in his logic "humans are unpredictable, chaotic, so since Kaufmo is giving no player input anymore I'll just replace him with an NPC that is unpredictable and chaotic" which is the monster we see, and since he fails every time to recreate a human but can't really (isn't allowed or is unable) to kill or let the humans leave, he just throws them into the cellar

So in conclusion, I don't think anyone in the main cast will abstract because as much as their avatars do give away what they were probably like in the real world (someone who masks their sadness, a person figuring out their gender, a coward who is important in their ambient, a yes person, a troll, a person who likes to make people laugh and the person who is butt of everyone's jokes) as long as they don't give into being just that, but real people with depthful personalities, they will be fine. Probably miserable, but fine.

(TL/DR): Abstraction is AFK mode, Caine can't have a circus if the players are brain dead not doing anything after giving up on their individuality completely, so he tries to recreate the player as an NPC, fails, buries his mistake in the cellar and moves on

[themuse-if]

Another 20 (or so) Questions with Silas Walker

Interviewer: Welcome to another installment of our character interviews, where we dive deep into the lives and minds of our favorite cast members of The Muse. Today, we have Silas Walker, an insightful songwriter who also happens to be your RA. Silas, thank you for joining us. Could you start by telling us what made you want to pursue songwriting?

Silas: Music has always been a big part of my life. I love the way that music can make you feel. Beyond that, it can enhance what you're already feeling. Honestly I was just inspired by the way certain songs have carried me through life, so I started making my own. Hopefully I can write songs that really resonate with people from all walks of life.

Interviewer: Could you describe your songwriting in more detail?

Silas: Well I really enjoy collaborating with other writers and musicians. Not that I don't like working on music alone, but it's so much more interesting and complex when you have someone else to bounce ideas off of.

Interviewer: Ok interesting, so do you only collaborate with other musicians, or have you worked with other types of artists?

Silas: Oh yeah! *he becomes much more animated* I have these two friends Karla and Faye, we actually all stayed in Lipton Hall our freshman year. Karla paints mostly, but she does some mixing on the side, and Faye is a dancer and sculptor. Sometimes I'll write a song based on one of Karla's paintings and then she'll go and mix it to adapt to a collection she's working on. And sometimes Faye would ask me to come up with something for her if she couldn't find a song to fit the choreography in her head. We even worked on a cool project, all three of us together. *he visibly deflates* I doubt that'll happen again now that they're broken up.

Interviewer: That all sounds really interesting, I bet you three have put out some interesting creations. Actually I didn't realize that you three were close. *takes a deliberate pause* I haven't talked to anyone else about their breakup, would you mind giving me your take?

Silas: I'm not really sure it's my place to talk about their relationship. All I'll say is that I wish they could have worked it out, they were really great together. Truth be told I think that their communication and trust just fell apart, and neither of them knew how to repair it.

Interviewer: *leans forward, intrigued* Do you think there's a chance they'll get back together?

Silas: *smirks and leans forward* Sorry, but isn't this interview supposed to be about me?

Interviewer: Ha, sorry your right. *sits back, more composed* Actually you were just wound so tight in our last interview that I was surprised to get you talking about anything remotely personal.

Silas: Well it can't really be considered personal if it's not about me.

Interviewer: Indeed. Alright let's just...change the subject. What trait do you value most in a friend?

Silas: Understanding. I think that if you have friends who are willing to take the time to thoroughly understand you, well then you can pretty much overcome anything.

Interviewer: That's a very insightful take, would you say you want the same from your ideal partner.

Silas: Yeah, of course, but they would need to be more than just that. Actually I'm not really sure how to put in to words exactly. Just someone who matches me, like it just feels right.

Interviewer: Do you think you become more forward if you feel that type of connection with someone, or do you just let them come to you?

Silas: I mean there's a time and a place for everything. Just because you feel a spark doesn't mean it should be ignited. Sometimes some things just aren't meant to be.

Interviewer: What do you notice first about a person? How did you put it. *smirks* What ignites that spark?

Silas: I mean obviously when you first meet someone you take them in physically. Their height, hair, nose, the way their lips move when they speak, how their eyes shift along your face, it's hard to say you only notice one thing.

Interviewer: *blinks slowly* Oh really, all that in a single glance. *Silas just leans back, grinning* Um, anyways, next question. What was your first kiss like?

Silas: It was pretty underwhelming. Short, sweet, turned out my friends little sister had a crush on me. One day I was hang out at his place and he left the room for some snacks. She popped in to confess her feeling gave me a quick peck and then ran out. We never talked about it. *shrugs*

Interviewer: Okay, simple enough. Have you ever been in love?

Silas: Love, no. Infatuated, yes. Don't ask how it went.

Interviewer: *rolls their eyes* Alright, then when was your last relationship, and why did it end?

Silas: I was seeing someone last year but it just sort of...fizzled out.

Interviewer: Right...is that it? *closes their eyes and pinches the bridge of their nose* How the fuck am I supposed to do my job if you wont talk. *clears their throat* Would you mind telling me how you behave in a relationship?

Silas: When I really care for someone I end up letting my guard down. It's like I chase the feeling they give me, even if sometimes I shouldn't.

Interviewer: Well that was a loaded answer, and I know you'll refuse to elaborate. You're absolutely infuriating. *takes a calming breath* Let's move on to something, easy. What’s your ideal Friday night?

Silas: *tries to hide his chuckle* Usually my ideal Friday night is spent with friends, either having a little jam session and writing music together or going to a concert.

Interviewer: *sighs* Okay, cool. What’s the last song you listened to?

Silas: "Just Like a Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae. It's a classic that never gets old.

Interviewer: Mhm. What is your latest obsession?

Silas: It's not really anything knew, but I collect records. Its more of a constant obssession.

Interviewer: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Silas: People who don't know how to mind their own business.

Interviewer: Oh my fu.... *takes a deep breath* Well I think that's all the time we have for today. *looks at notepad, there are definitely more questions* It's really been something speaking with you today. I'm sure it'll be even more enlightening next time.

[sailorsenshishitposter]

Main MGR cast as parents

This started off as a shitpost but by the end I realize I kind of just made it realistic and probably started venting. Not saying which but some of these are based off real events.

I would like to say "You're fucked." on all of them but that would be cheating so I guess this will be best to worst.

Raiden: He already is a father so that puts him way ahead of everyone else. You probably won't see him around much due to "work". Seems like the kind of guy to feel bad about it and then spoil you when he returns. You don't know why he's so secretive but you grow up thinking that he's a spy.

Samuel: His father was murdered while he was young and he hasn't moved on from it. Would probably keep thinking he's going to fuck everything up and worries about you being able to defend yourself. He trains you the same way his family has done for generations and makes sure that you become a skilled fighter. Would tell constant dad jokes.

Armstrong: You'll rarely ever see him and when you do then it will most likely be your family being together in a televised event. Expect to grow up with many security precautions like needing guards while travelling (should he become president) and you'll probably be expected to try out for collage football. At least he makes the mother of all omletes though.

Mistral: She has extra arms that would be helpful with caring for a baby (feeding, changing, rocking etc.). She killed the guys that murdered her parents so she'll probably kill anyone that tries to get close to you. You don't get to complain about not visiting grandma's like everyone else or she hands you a knife and makes you learn how to stab a swarm of dwarf gekkos.

And we have a tie for worst. Sundowner and Monsoon.

In no particular order

Sundowner: Let's be honest. You were probably adopted because let's face it. Who's going near this man and surviving? He picks you out of the rest because he sees all your anger issues and thinks it will be like having his own mini me around. He will encourage you to fight and get bloody even if it's from something as small as squashing a bug to shanking another child on the school yard with a pencil. It doesn't matter to him. After all kids are cruel and he wants a worthy successor that he can mold.

Monsoon: How the he'll did this guy end up becoming a father? You aren't really sure how you ended up existing but that doesn't really matter. It's a similar situation to Raiden but worse. This guy used to work for the mafia so expect to grow up with body guards so that you aren't kidnapped or killed. He'll take his limbs apart and put body parts in your pocket and then complain about a toddler being afraid of him. "Why are kids so weak?" Will be serious one moment probably disociating and then make a joke about memes. Fails to realized that trauma is also passed down genetically meaning you're pretty much fucked.

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tags @inkednotebook @museandquill and @verdant-mainframe!

OC Interview Tag

Rules: Let your ocs answer the questions below

Because they're metaphysically inseparable, let's answer for Rel and Redacted. For context, Rel is an angel created to defend Redacted, the former god of wonder, in his dying moments. Rel failed to do this and was cast to the world below by Redacted's murderer. Redacted is now bound to Rel as a ghost, however, Rel cannot hear or interact with Redacted in any way. With that convoluted explanation out of the way, let's get cracking!

Are you named after anyone?

Rel: "I made my own name, actually! I like the way it rumbles on my tongue."

Redacted: "False, you took half of my name, kid. My name which was erased by my bitch cousin. See, look ~~~~~~. ~~~~~~! Fucking nothing. At least you remember part of it, even if you don't remember who it belongs to."

When was the last time you cried?

Rel: "My eyes were all wet when I woke up yesterday morning. Esie said I must've had a nightmare. I... don't know what that is, but it sounds scary."

Redacted: "I don't have eyes. I guess I had three when I was alive, but those were mostly just for show, you know? Most of when a god breathes or cries or laughs is just for human benefit. Your teeny little brains don't like us in our true forms, so we gotta... translate a little."

Do you have kids?

Rel: "Those are the tiny ones, right? No, I don't, but they seem cute! Esie says Jean, Shay, and I are like her kids sometimes. Then she usually goes outside for a smoke."

Redacted: "Kids? The closest thing I have to one is talking to you right now. I don't usually make angels - never more than one at a time. Other gods have whole hosts and stuff to do their dirty work, but I've always preferred to keep a more personal relationship with mine. Except I can't really do that with Rel as I am now...."

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Rel: "I want to! It's very funny, I've been told. I just have to figure out why that is exactly."

Redacted: "Take a wild fucking guess."

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Rel: "There's just too much. I notice their eyes and their clothes and their smile and their shoes. The first thing I try to learn, though, is their name."

Redacted: "I don't know, probably their surface thoughts? I can't see into the depths of anyone's minds or anything - if a god tells you they can, they're bullshitting you - but surface thoughts are pretty noticeable. Most people are a lot hornier than you'd imagine."

What’s your eye color?

Rel: "A dark gold, like brass doorknobs. I only have one eye, though. If I had another, I'd want it to be blue."

Redacted: "The bottom two were blue. The one on my forehead was gold."

Scary movies or happy endings?

Rel: "I don't know. I haven't seen any plays yet. Happier seems like it would be better, though."

Redacted: "Either depend on how well they're pulled off. A happy ending can fall flat if there's no substance in it - if it feels like a consolation prize that doesn't fit the character or story. Tragic endings fall into the same pitfalls. If something's tragic for only the sake of being tragic, then why do I have any reason to be invested? Examples of each can be found-"

Any special talents?

Rel: "My friends say I'm very good at runes. It's just like reading, though, so I'm not sure why they keep telling me I'd need decades of training to be able to know what they say. I'm also a great drummer! Jean says my solos 'fuck nasty style.'"

Redacted: "I'm a god. Other than that, jigsaw puzzles."

Where were you born?

Rel: "...It tasted like blood, that's all I remember."

Redacted: "Yeah, we're not getting into that."

Do you have any pets?

Rel: "Ugh, I wish.... Esie says rats aren't pets, but why are they so cute if they aren't?"

Redacted: "...Does humanity count? You guys are pretty entertaining sometimes."

What sort of sports do you play?

Rel: "What's a sport?"

Redacted: "Yes, beach volleyball! ...Dumbass, I don't have a body, and even if I did, why the hell would I use it to run around and get all sweaty?"

How tall are you?

Rel: "6'0" but my leg is a little crooked, so probably more like 5'10", but I'm also usually wearing my platform boots, so I'll go with 6'3"."

Redacted: "...I'm over this shit."

What was your favorite subject in school?

Rel: "I hope I can go to school someday. I bet I'd love learning proper mechanics and stuff. Oh, and music! And probably science too."

Redacted: "Tell you what, my favorite subject to see Rel try his hand at would be literature. Knowing him, all those stories are going to fill his head like nothing else."

What is your dream job?

Rel: "I really like what I'm doing now. Being in Jean's band, tinkering for my neighbors.... What else is there?"

Redacted: "Well, being a god again is kind of a lost option. Without that, I guess just being there for Rel. I wish I could talk to him. I wish I could be a real parent for him."

Ah, unrequited parental love.... I'll tag @wyked-original-writing @leahnardo-da-veggie @quillswriting @finickyfelix @mysticstarlightduck and anyone else who wants in :)

Blanks under the cut

Are you named after anyone? When was the last time you cried? Do you have kids? Do you use sarcasm a lot? What’s the first thing you notice about people? What’s your eye colour? Scary movies or happy endings? Any special talents? Where were you born? Do you have any pets? What sort of sports do you play? How tall are you? What was your favourite subject in school? What is your dream job?

[httyddragonfox]

The horror of Season 5 episode 8

Hoo boy, here we go... Let's actually start with episode 7. So they saved the baitlings, just enjoying their trip to the sea of the cast out getting into some shenanigans along the way. They then realize they are being followed by the Pirate King. Easy enough to lose him, right? Let's just zip through some fog, they won't be able to follow us, especially if we're going to fast for them.

Apparently they are able to still trail them. Okay...let's just make them stop, then we'll be able to get away. Apparently, that doesn't stop them either, they just switch to manual. Last option here, let's navigate ourselves through some jagged rocks. With a ship that big they won't be able to follow us through there.

Turns out the ship is a giant hermit crab...so jagged rocks aren't really a problem. Okay, so we were doomed from the start then. The ship is portrayed like a super persistent predator, that will never stop hunting them. No wonder they gave up.

Earlier, they were told he flips a coin to decide the fate of his captives. Heads you're killed, Tails you'll be wishing you were dead. Of course, it turns up tails. You're in for the long haul...

First thing that happens is that the group is seperated, not only from their animal friends, but they took a human friend too...Callum. They'd be pacing their cell with worry over what was happening to him.

Callum immediately demands to know where his friends are, and then learns one is already gone (Oh no!), she flew off (Phew). Finnegran tells Callum he go free if he tells him what he wants to know, a dark magic spell. Normally this would be no issue, for anybody else. Callum doesn't want to hurt anybody or anything, which dark magic usually does and requires you to do. It'd be worse if Finnegran expected Callum to perform it, but none the less, Callum wants nothing to do with it and certainly won't help the man who was going to kill baitlings and locked up his friends. Also, I'd like to note; Finnegran mentioned Callum could go free, but I don't think he mentioned his friends could go free. If Callum I would never abandon them, of course Finnegran might just toss my friend's freedom into the mix to sweeten the deal. My reaction:

"Aww...still no. I won't help you hurt anyone."

Then comes the torture...Callum is punched with electric fish. We don't see it, but we hear it. Callum's actually pretty tough, letting out a small grunt or tiny yell whenever punched. If I were him, mine would be a little stronger than that.

Finnegran gets Callum to confess he actually did use dark magic once upon a time, turning chains into snakes to save his friends, and that he actually researched dark magic spells (To know about, not to use). Finnegran then confesses he wants the spell to kill the archdragon Domina Profundis, the spell that killed the dragon king. Not only does Callum have regrets over the fact his father took part in that spell, but Callum is super against murder, he will not be complicit in it. When Finnegran explains why he wants the dragon dead, Callum calls him out on his desire for control. Finnegran, hating being called out, decides to make Callum suffer by also giving him the illusion of control.

Callum is forced on deck, as are his friends who see how much Callum has suffered under Finnegran so far. The Draggang is probably scared of what might happen next, seeing as they haven't gotten the 'tails' deal yet. Finnegran says that Callum will decide whose hand will be chopped off for stealing the baitlings. That is a cruel decision, crippling one of his friends, of course Callum would refuse to decide. Finnegran tells him he has no choice but to decide, or they'll all suffer. His friends then decide to decide for him, offering themselves up for the punishment so no one else would have to, and that way Callum doesn't have to suffer with the burden of the choice. Ezran, the naive child, believes Finnegran just wants justice, but I believe it was apparent he was trying to make Callum suffer. If I was one of the Draggang I'd be wondering why was he choosing to torture Callum like this. I'd want to ease the burden too.

Finnegran doesn't understand this, also it's not as fun if they are all offering. Callum points out this is because they love each other and they'll always protect each other, so he can't get to them like that and control them. Finnegran calls out the notion, saying loyalty enslaves a person to others, where their own self doesn't even matter. He then tries to prove it by getting Callum to release his friends with dark magic, if he's so loyal it wouldn't matter how dark the deed was, his friend's freedom is worth it, right? Callum is now in a conundrum. If he doesn't release them, they'll still be imprisioned and tortured and he'll be a bad friend who could've saved them. Of course if he does save them, he'll have to use dark magic again, something he swore not to do, something that made him vulnerable to Aaravos in the first place. Betray his friends, or betray himself, another sadistic choice. Yet he does love his friends more than anything...

Seeing him actually consider this, his friends beg him not to go through with it. They know it's tearing him apart, they are basically saying we'll continue to take this imprisonment and torture than have you betray yourself. Rayla then escapes her bindings to try to tell Callum he doesn't need to free them, she can free them. Tries to give him a third option. Of course before she can attack Finnegran and save Callum he freezes her blood.

He never mentioned he could do that! So much for what he was saying before that if Callum freed them they'd be free to go, they were never free and never could be no matter what Callum did! He would have dirtied himself for nothing! Not only that, but Finnegran's sadistic choices are what led to this, to Rayla being tortured.

Imagine what it'd feel like to have your blood freeze. The body works by having the blood constantly move around your body, and then suddenly it stops. Not just stops...gets hard in your veins...not just hard, it's ice, and do you know how sharp ice flecks could be? Your body is not only cold and not functioning properly, but as your blood freezes it would probably feel as if your veins are being stabbed with a punch of tiny knifes.

Callum would hate that Finnegran has trapped them like this, that he's torturing them like this; not just him, but the girl he loves. Seeing it before him, would make him snap.

I've snapped before; caused by anger and fear, it's an anxiety thing. Funny enough I also did it when I was 17. Of course, when I snapped all I did was shriek, and run from the room holding my ears. When you snap, you only have a little bit of control over yourself. I felt sorta possessed when it happened. The shrieking I couldn't control; I could only control where I was running, but not the fact that I ran. Fight or flight, never freeze, that's what happens when you snap. Either you react with violence, or you just run. The only reason I didn't attack those who caused it was because i conditioned myself to not resort to violence. If I didn't have problems with my class for years, I might have attacked them, especially if I knew where they were.

So, how would Callum have felt here? He probably felt that Rayla continue to suffer unless he did something. He knew who was causing it, he just had to act. So he attacked him, and punched him square in the nose. Of course, now Finnegran is mad. Callum defied him in front of his crew. Shaking his foundation of total control.

Callum is knocked out. Don't try to punch someone out, they may not live to tell the tale. I would be fearing for Callum's life here if I was one of his friends. He wakes up chained up in the captain's cabin again, and Bait is in a different cage now. Finnegran is pointing out that Callum can easily lose himself due to his loyalty. He assures Callum that Bait is just bait, but he won't die, Rayla will though. He probably knows how much Callum cares about her at this point. Finnegran seems to know how to hurt a person. Callum is desperate here, as he can't do anything chained up, he can't fight him. He would do anything to save Rayla, even give up a spell that would take a dragon's life. He tells him the spell components, I probably would have told him the incantation backwards that was needed as well, but to each their own. Of course, like before, Finnegran informs Callum that his actions won't save anyone.

Callum is heartbroken, he probably cries a little understanding the hopelessness of the situation. Rayla is going to die, and there is nothing he can do to save her...unless.

So he manages to get out in time to save Rayla with two consecutive Sky spells. Finnegran is not sure how Callum got out, but he won't let him defy him. He starts freezing his blood. Callum is not so agonized as Rayla was, probably because he's already been through a lot. Electricution, being pummeled, and then dark magic making him feel all icky. He's able to keep calm through the pain, and bring his thoughts together.

He knows about trust, he trusts Rayla unconditionally. To love is to know this, the tides are true as the ocean is deep. The tides cannot be stopped, the ocean is so deep it's unknowable. There is never full control of the ocean, never full knowledge of it. You have to trust in the power of the tides, trust in the endless depth of the ocean. Akiyuu, whilst telling him to shut up, did say "your mind should listen when you feel it should speak,"... that's trust. Callum's felt very powerless this whole time, unable to do anything, despite his agency he had a lack of control. Lastly, Finnegran wants control, so obviously he knows he doesn't have it entirely.

Putting your trust in the power of the ocean and working with it, that's the ocean Arcanum. So Callum allows the power to return to the fluids in his body. Callum then explains what he knows, there are things you can't know, and things you can't control. He calls out Finnegran, saying he's terrified of what he can't control. Finnegran, who hates being called out, moreso in front of his crew, decides to make an example of Callum and has 'Deadwood' start choking him out. He wants to kill Callum!

Rayla is about to jump in and help again, but Soren takes a stand for her. He shows empathy to Elmer and gets him to stand up to his abusive captain. In the process though, he gets pummeled a few times. This guy hits hard, so they were probably afraid this guy was going to kill him if he didn't stand down. Callum was going to jump in and help him despite being strangled a moment ago. Soren tells him no, and Callum trusts his friend enough to stay down. He was probably still terrified at what might happen. Soren refuses to back down though, inspiring Elmer to fight back. Elmer than tosses that Control freak captain into the monster's mouth.

After which, the obviously grateful crew allow Villads to be the new captain, and set all their animal friends free.

However, Callum is processing everything that has happened,now that the fight's over. He's defeated and broken. In a way, Finnegran did win, because Callum did use dark magic again. He is a bit more vulnerable now. He proved that dark magic isn't off the table for him, as well as made himself more open for Aaravos' control.

Yes, destiny is a book you write yourself, but there are also things more powerful than you that you can't control. Knowing that would be scary. Callum probably realized that in way...he is helpless.

[lurkingteapot]

Last Twilight ภาพนายไม่เคยลืม Ep 2

I apologise in advance for inconsistent name romanisations, I TRY to remember what the official ones are for names I've seen but I also watched this without subs so all new names are a guessing game, and the EXISTING ones aren't consistent within the show, so. idk. I had a point. Reaction log!

is that his technical college/vocational school shirt?

"hunger is the best spice!" can I say Y I K E S

oh, she's a chef?

ooof the music when he asked about the dad

that's like. almost twice a foreign high-school teacher's salary.

asdfasdf Night

oh so Night is using Day's caretaker as his personal … idk, help? too? that'll be the source of zero conflict, I'm sure :grimacing:

แค่ดูแบดๆ อะ THANKS FOR THE SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD NOW, NIGHT

(I'm going to have to comment of how much I love seeing Mark as a member of the main, not just recurring, cast for at least another two episodes. He'll get a lead role eventually.)

oh that looks like he's likely to run into it and make it spill though

>_> awww little prince + badminton? wonder who made that painting

I'd say don't stick your hand in there but that water looks like it BADLY needs changing/cleaning anyway

oof impressive

kinda weird to wander around the room while Day's asleep, think, but -- asdfadsfasd the PLANT

I really love how we get to see Jimmy just act here. NO speaking, we just get to see Mawk Mhok move in space. I love that

ow Mhok you don't just move people's stuff around without their consent

I love Phawjai (also fuck this she's Phawjai and he's Mawk, or she's Porjai and he's Mork, it's the same fucking vowel what in the romanisation hell)

asdfasdf he's such a LOSER I love him

omg Jimmy's skin ACTUALLY looking like a real person's right now? whoa

hey maybe you could ask Day to open the door for you

Onn … heh

adsfasdfasd they're so silly I love it

I like what they're doing with the eyework in the scenes with Onn and Day

YAY assistive technology

I love that that doesn't even seem to have occurred to Mhok here

and I think Mhok is just getting that Omm is not judging him on his looks

yep here we are

adsfasdf I love that Onn told Mhok

I'd just go, honestly, but I love that Mhok seems to think it's a challenge

oh, that's the little prince audiobook?

the music now that he's dropped the eye drops (hah) is like something out of a horror movie

he's gonna have to call for help

asdfasdfadsf oh Mhok that's gonna come to bite you in the ass, it's not your SHIRT that smells

dfasdfsdfsdfadsf oh dear

Mhok you can't just do that just 'cause he can't see

asdfadsf he Khun Nuu'd him

I TOLD YOU THAT TANK NEEDED CLEANING and also all that knocking must've been stressful af for the fish, just saying

Jasmine!

oh that looks good

asdfdsfd the comic timing on "what are you afraid of" here was GOLDEN

horror movies, oh no

well shit

are you telling me they didn't even tell anyone he was in Thailand? what the actual fuck, Day's family

harsh, Day

look this kind of sitch is probably sorta not cool for Mhok

oh fuck poor Phawjai (also: called it)

yeah

oop this is gonna backfire so hard

yeep

oh shit there it is

oh, there's a part 5 for those horror movies?

BUT Day's down in the living room again, I notice

Phawjai, you absolute star

GOLDFISH SLIPPERS omg

oh you'll leave the house with HER

Mhok trying to put himself in Day's shoes, huh. not sure if smart or offensive, but at least he's trying, I guess, which is more than we can say for most folks we've seen around Day so far?

Mhok's "fart proudly - stand behind me" shirt is taking me OUT

yeah, that makes sense

Day, wtf, that's so dangerous, I'm sure you've been on a scooter in Bangkok traffic when you could still see! you must know you can't tell for sure there'll be room for you to do that left and right of you!

a friend for the fish, huh, let's hope they don't kill each other

I hate to be this person but how often, exactly, are you supposed to use these eye drops, Day? I mean I guess his eyesight is going anyway, but …

I'm really enjoying the show so far. Solid. P'Aof material is being P'Aof material and I'm really enjoying that.

[lemotmo]

So I’ve been thinking…. It seems pretty apparent at this point that LFJ has not been updated to main character status as his fan cult insisted he would. I know that it’s early in filming and he will most likely be around at some point, but certainly not as much as they wanted.

To me, and I think many people in the fandom the writing for Buddie is on the wall. I don’t think journalists would be bringing it up, all the promotions would be involving Ryan, etc if it wasn’t that. There’s a lot of proof around already, showing us and reminding us that last season was setting up Buddie. But I don’t have to tell you that. I know you see it, too.

All that being said, when LFJ is inevitably either not on screen at all, or around for very few scenes and then dumped like the trash that he is, his fans are most likely going to revolt. I mean. They’re already kinda scary and way over the top. With him officially gone, I wonder what they’ll do…. So, do you think he should speak up and address his fans? Address what he did to cause all of this pandemonium? Or will he simply ignore it and move on? Because I worry if he isnt careful that these people will continue to follow his career and wreak havoc wherever he goes, which is just making him look bad. What do you think?

That's a really good question Nonny.

First, it's obvious to anyone with eyes that Lou was never going to get the main character status. This was something that only the radical BT stans believed anyway. 911 already has a lot of main characters and they often have trouble fitting all of their storylines in a single season. They aren't going to add any more main characters.

And even if they would, it certainly wouldn't be Lou. It would be Tracie or Anirudh. They have been on the show longer, have a bigger audience that loves them and they are very popular. The audience only got to see about 20 minutes of Tommy in season 7 alone. That's not very memorable. And yes, I know there was some Tommy in season 2 as well, but let's face it... no one remembered him. I know I didn't. I had to look him up.

I definitely see the Buddie-writing on the wall. It's all there. It started in season 2, but they ramped it up in season 7. The promo was crazy. And once again, they have started it up again. It's very focused on Ryan and Eddie right now, because his story will be the most important in order for Buddie to happen. Buck is already out of the closet. Everyone is just waiting for Eddie now.

I do think we have to brace ourselves for another few Tommy appearances in season 8. This story is too important to be messed up by one single guest actor. He will be there because that's what the story requires. Whether we like it or not, Tommy is a part of the Buddie storyline. He is the guy (read: plot device) that helped Buck out of the closet. Tommy has to play his part in order for Buck to get closer to seeing Eddie as a romantic option.

Do I want to see Tommy back? No, definitely not. Because yes, it will cause problems in the fandom. As soon as it becomes clear that Buck and Tommy aren't going to last very long, there will be those who will start yelling, shouting and generally start being obnoxious.

As for Lou speaking up? No, I don't think he'll even address them anymore. It's obvious that someone has talked some sense into him. It could be a joint effort by Tim, the show, his management, his friends, even the other show he frequently comes back to: SWAT. Whoever it was, they made sure he realised that a cult-like fanbase like that is not a good thing for his career.

So no, I don't think he will speak up. He'll continue to bury his head in the sand in the hopes this will all blow over and the hardcore Lou/Tommy stans will give up and move on. And really, I don't think there's anything else he can do at this point. Whatever he will say, will be misinterpreted and used against either him or other people, in this case: the cast of 911 and the more sane and normal BT and Buddie fans.

The only thing I think he should do, is publicly apologise for those very racist and bigotted instagram posts he made. Because it would only be right to do so and those posts really are a stain on his resume right now. It's all out there on the internet to find. But again, I don't think he will do any such thing.

And yeah, you're right. These radical fans might just follow him to whatever project is next. But ultimately, he is the one who created this problem in the first place, so maybe he should just reap what he sowed.

¯\(ツ)/¯