#they're so careful with titles

[pokckygamewithbatman]

Parental Figures in Arcane, and How S2 Both Maintains and Hurts this Aspect of The Show

The kinship that Zaunite "families" feel for each other is shown countless times throughout the show. Claggor and Mylo aren't Vander's kids either, but he loves them just as much as the girls, and the Zaunites who had been imprisoned and were rescued by Jinx in S2 immediately want closeness to her. When Jinx cares for Isha they never address or label their relationship to one another, or to us. They're all on the same side, and it doesn't matter if they're related or not, or even if they're close. They're all fighting and surviving together.

Arcane also made it clear how important parental figures are, but they didn't touch on the importance of titles in that relationship between a parent and their children because that was never important. There was always something more pressing happening. Only at the very end could someone admit their love and bestow a title as sacred and important as "dad" or "daughter".

So why do Vi and Jinx both call Vander their dad so easily in S2?

In broad, broad terms, the thing I don’t like about the lack of nuance of Vander as a father figure in S2 is because of the immense nuance in S1. In S1 Vander is never referred to by Vi or Powder/Jinx as “dad.” He is a guardian, definitely, but when they’re young they’re not yet ready to accept him as a father, which is probably in part because of the nature of Zaun; when you’re all trying to survive together and everyone’s bringing whatever they can to the table (almost as equals, even if some are literally children), parental figures and titles of that sort are lost, especially in this case when Vander and the girls aren’t blood related. They may still remember their biological father (though he's never mentioned) and aren't ready to replace that person in their life. They at most see him as a close uncle or family friend of their mother. And from this point up until he dies that doesn’t change. They never call him dad in S1, and that really helped the theme of "love transcends time and class" so why does he gain this title in S2 after they haven’t seen him for 10 years(?) and thought he’d been dead this whole time. No extra bonding happened between the girls and Vander, and there was never any indication that their relationship with him, and how they felt about it had changed from a beloved father figure and guardian, to "dad".

Sure, they miss him, and you could assume that in a flurry of emotion they spring the title onto him, but complexity, detail and subtly are where the show really shines, so why did they feel the need to straight up tell us how the girls feel about Vander instead of just showing their love and affection for him?

This happens in S1, Jinx feels a deep connection with Silco, but only shows it through her actions; helping him in his mission, hugs, cradling his face when he’s dying. And he in turn only refers to her as his daughter right before he dies, yk “you’re my daughter, I’d never forsake you”, which he says in conclusion to his decision that he'd never give her up, even for the freedom of Zaun. That line finally signifies to us that she is the most important thing in Silco's life. Before this scene the audience could still be on unsure whether he'd actually be willing to give her up for his dream. She's literally his new dream. Throughout the rest of the show he shows his love through his actions; he trusts her with administering his medicine even though he's fully capable of doing it himself, but he knew she needed to feel useful (and it's really cute that after a while he's incapable of doing it himself because he's let her do it for so long), he made her a big part of his plan to free Zaun because he had faith in her abilities and knew she wanted to help, he keeps the fact that Vi is alive from her in order to protect her (don't come at me with that "manipulator Silco" talk, he also thought Vi was dead, and when he found out he didn't tell Jinx because he saw how much it hurt her to even remember Vi and think about her. He reminds her of their goal and gives to a task to help keep her mind off the hurt she's feeling). Although we as the audience are like “mk they’re clearly father and daughter” it doesn’t feel like the writers are shoving it down our throats which is why it’s really impactful when Silco finally says it in the last episode.

After Jinx picks up Isha, or after Isha inserts herself into Jinx's life, a shift between "older sister/guardian" to "parent" happens after Jinx saves Isha from Stillwater. When they hug and Isha starts crying we see on Jinx's face the realization: "oh. She's the most important thing in the world to me" but the show never has to tell us that. Isha clearly has lost a parental figure already because of her insistence on keeping her miner's hat, and Jinx also recently lost her father figure, Silco, so they both know the meaning of losing someone they love, but don't need to label themselves as "mother" and "daughter" for the audience. And it evident that Isha meant as much as she did to Jinx because of how much her death crushed what was once an outgoing and confident Jinx. Once again, they never say it, Isha never calls Jinx mom (even in her own way (you could argue that she actually does in the prison scene before Jinx is attacked by Warwick, but even if she does that's a valid place to bestow that title: her guardian is in danger and Isha can't get to her, so out of desperation she calls her "mama", but this is never mentioned again so it's just as likely that Isha was just screaming)) and she doesn't need to.

While it doesn’t ruin the dynamic between Vander and the girls in S2 and they don’t say it a ton, it makes their relationship feel less deep. Instead of them not knowing who they are to each other, or not caring because they just love each other so much, they instead bestow a title that pinpoints their degree of love for Vander. They spell it out for us, ‘he is our father, and that’s why we love him. Period’ and I think that’s harmful to how we’re supposed to view these characters. Vi and Jinx aren't ones to give out such titles easily, Vi is hesitant to admit her love for Cait, and Jinx is hesitant to call Vi her sister, and yet this man who they haven't seen for so long, who initially tried to kill them, gains this title as though he's been guiding and protecting them the whole time?

This is not Vander slander, let me assure you, I believe just as fiercely as the next person that he is their dad, that man is a father, but the fact that they casually through the title around so easily is baffling to me.

Let me just put this picture in your minds: How impactful would it have been if the first time we get a glimpse of how much they truly love each other is when Vander gets his humanity back and the first thing he says is "don't touch my daughter". Remember that scene? Imagine how much more it would've hit if the audience and the girls were still unsure of how they wanted to call Vander and how he thought of them. If they only started calling him dad after getting like, confirmation that he felt the same about them and always had. Vi and Jinx, who are terrified of being wrong, and choosing wrong, should not have given Vander the title of "dad" when he was Warwick.

This is just a little nitpick of mine, and I've never seen anyone else talk about this, but I feel like it's small details like this that made the second season more... shallow?

[rjshope]

Namseok through the years for @raplinenthusiasts ✨

+bonus:

[heliomanteia]

I'm honestly so glad they introduced a new protagonist. Not just because Rook is a darling, but also because Inquisitor would have been a horrible choice for the story they wrote.

[kaylv18]

I'm so not normal about GemPearl—I just binge-watched a two-part compilation of them being a-DOOR-able, which was 70 minutes combined in one sitting.

[poisned]

Diving head first back into Marvel by reading the comics and not watching their newer shittier (imo) movies has reignited my love for both it, and Loki.

Currently reading his comics in whatever order it tells me because finding a starting point that's not from the 1960s was taking too long. So I started with Loki (2019) and I have to say it was such a fun read. He's such a silly guy I love him in every form.

He also has the worst casual Earth fashion I hate this outfit from the bottom of my soul I want to set it on fire and feed it to Frösti.

What's better than the utter lack of drip Loki has with that shirt and those glasses, are the covers. They're so clean and wonderful to look at and I instantly made smug walking Loki my lockscreen and cowboy Loki my wallpaper.

This was short, but very enjoyable. Now I'm reading Loki: Agent of Asgard since there's someone who shows up at the end that's apparently Loki's one and only actual friend and I have no clue who she is since she was introduced way beforehand. It's already turning out to be a very fun read too and I know I'm going to finish the rest of it in one sitting as soon as I get time.

It literally said they were relaxing a page before why are they fully geared lmao

[random-autie-fangirl]

I drew another Chara- living with the Dreemurrs edition

"The King and Queen treated the human child as their own. The underground was filled with hope."

I don't like this as much as the last one but oh well... I ended up rambling a huge amount in the tag, so if you want details and headcanons about the actual drawing again, you'll have to look pretty far down this time, sorry (Also, I ran out of tags after a while. Tumblr is tired of me, lol. I might reblog this more tags later if I remember what I was going to say.)

[angstsplatter]

The part in Haven where Nathan gives up all pretenses of hating Duke and starts getting super huggy with him 😭

And Duke is always so surprised by this intimacy, and Nathan is just so quick and free and unashamed with it

I know the end is nigh, and I just try to soak in all these little moments of the softness between them 😭

[cynameru]

would you guys still love me if i made an oc x canon of my current favourite game

[forcebookish]

it's funny to me how many bl/gl fans will watch a series where one of them is a tsundere bully and get righteously angry about it like it's a bug not a feature

[epic-and-kitty]

worked a bit more on the comic and I added Goggles to it because I didn't want to draw Rider's body and I made a little doodle in the corner and you guys....

HE'S TOO CUTE I CAN'T TAKE IT 😭

[a-eo-iu]

Selection of characters for a possible story set in 1900s northeast Brasil

Mira is a jagunço, a sort of gunslinger who works as hired protection. He used to be a cangaceiro (criminal gunslinger who operated in bands and often attacked farms and small cities), but his band fell apart, and he started working for the first farmer who caught his attention: nhô Carlos.

Nhô Carlos, a rich (and single) ranch owner, and Dona Ana, last heir of a powerful family of the region, are rival farmers/land owners. The two often clash over claims on each other's territories, and each has gathered a small personal army to protect their properties.

Sôr Sérgio is Carlos's most trusted employee and boss of the cowboys/ranch hands in his property. Mira often spends his time helping sôr Sérgio with the animals instead of doing his actual job of guarding the property.

Coronel Alexandre, who is not actually a colonel, is a captain of the Guarda Nacional, the imperial and early republic equivalent of the police. He's in charge of keeping the peace in the region the story is set in, and Mira is in charge of causing trouble, so you might guess they do Not like each other very much.

[musical-chick-13]

Ah yes. The age-old question of "Am I brave enough to put this fic on my account or should I just post it anonymously."

[nieves-de-sugui]

I need to put my thoughts somewhere so here goes.

I'm currently watching this show on netflix and I have thoughts. I am super intrigued with it so spoilers ahead for the people who might happen to be watching it.

Ok so, I just watched the most recent episode and I am a little sad they decided to have Kang Ho get back his memories like this. One of the things that I liked about this show is that despite having the typical corruption storyline they seemed to be going/exploring a different outcome when they had Kang Ho's mom burn all the evidence. Which I was intrigued by. The kdramas are all about vengeance and justice, however this show is about good intentioned people making bad choices in the name of revenge or pursuing justice. Kang Ho's mom wanting to save Kang Ho from this revenge plot he's put himself into (that has cost him his life and happiness). Trying to correct the mistake she made when she forced him on the path of becoming a prosecutor.

It seemed to me like they might explore another way out, by letting the past be in the past and learning to move on with Kang Ho's current condition. There's enough to unpack there, and also the whole exploration of living with someone with a disability. How much Kang Ho and his mother have hurt each other, how much they love each other, and how to find happiness in such a complex family situation.

I would have loved for Kang Ho to get his memories slowly. I still hope he does, and doesn't revert back to being who he was a 100%. Hopefully he gets them back gradually and, combined with his most recent memories he can learn from his past mistakes and learn to understand his mother more. I hope they end up having a few heart to hearts by the end of the show.

I really love how they show how even with the best intention mother can be bad. We see it in how Mi-joo doesn't tell the truth to her kids about their dad. In Mijoo's mom who wants to save her from a fate similar to hers, but doesn't listen to her daughters wishes. In Samsik's mom too.

Anyway, all this to say that for me this show is about healing. And Kang Ho getting his memories back implies we're gonna spend more time with the revenge/corruption plot line. Which is intriguing and all but I hope it doesn't eclipse the main part of the story. Which is about learning from our past mistakes, stop thinking we know better than others (and hurt them I the process) and enjoying the present in whichever shape it comes.

I hope this show sticks the landing because it could easily become one of my faves. So fingers crossed! 🤞

[spittingspite]

10 first lines fanfiction game

Rules: share the first line of the last ten fics you wrote and tag some people

I was tagged by @cryptid-crawly

OwO now I get to root through my fics and remember how I really need to write more fhsfffjgh

1. Diagnosis: Phantom Lovestruck, chapter 3

The day hasn't even started, and Shouta is already regretting agreeing to discussing the upcoming trip in person rather than over email.

2. Untitled

Consciousness cradles Shouta almost as tenderly as sleep does, coaxing him awake before he can have the presence of mind to refuse it.

3. Smile At Your Discretion

Shouta doesn't look in the mirror often.

4. The Bonuses of Coworkers, chapter 2

Toshinori stumbles into the teacher's lounge half asleep, still yawning and rubbing his eyes.

5. Knock Knock

Toshinori's breath is hot on his skin, every brush of his lips a whisper of a promise.

6. Push 'Til I Shatter And You'll Bleed From My Shards

"Remember," Dabi's voice warns him through the receiver, "we can't help you once you go in."

7. Tied Up With Want

Toshinori wasn't sure what to expect from Aizawa's apartment.

8. Untitled

The room is silent aside from their heavy, trembling breaths, intertwining in the air to create a breathy duet for just the two of them.

9. Untitled

The warehouse the police have been led to is dirty, crumbling, and overgrown with weeds.

10. Let Me Be Your Wings, chapter 5

It's not the first time Crowley's seen the bookshop after the fire, but looking up at it now, towering tall and proud over the Bentley like nothing ever happened to it, still feels weird.

And I tag @fghtinus because I love you and your writing ❤

[rxttenfish]

tbh no one can convince me that, if miranda got everything she wanted, fully and properly respected as a princess and complete rule over a kingdom or more, that she wouldn’t be absolutely miserable.

[medicinemane]

Honestly a lot of my favorite horror ends up being games I 100% will never play and wouldn't enjoy playing, but that I managed to find someone who was able to convey enough to me to make me really care (though often leaving holes that I really want to fill but either can't sit through the whole playthough, or can't find the right playthrough, or... similar, you know?)

Dead Space, Marrow, Siren... all games I really like, games that have a lot (or uh... what's it called... Som... Sola... Signalis!)

But Dead Space I can't find the right playthrough, and Marrow I just crave something more from an imperfect game (video I watched is by doshdoshington)

Or supergreatfriend's playthrough of Siren is pretty much flawless... but... it's like 59 15-30mintue long videos, and the 60th explainer video is nearly 3 hours long on it's own... I always make it like 20 videos in before not being able to pay attention anymore

(Also like his playthrough of Deadly Premonition)

So you maybe see my problem, all these great pieces of horror I can really only engage with through these weird one off means that never quite leave me satisfied (like no way I'm beating MyHouse.WAD, I'm not even close to that good nor do I enjoy playing DOOM even if I respect it)

Love horror, just can't stand anything made in the genre because it all sucks and is boring and has stupid twists or pacing that annoys me and I hate everything about it except a few gems I can't interact with

But like I said, love horror