#this goes along so perfectly with that!!!

[solvicrafts]

This is a hard truth that a lot of people don't want to hear, that there needs to be a balance between holding men accountable for their behavior, pointing out injustices that they benefit from, and at the same time encouraging them to learn and grow.

And this goes for any group of people, really, but especially so for young men right now.

I was saying this shit back before the 2016 election and really pissed off a lot of people for daring to argue that we should encourage our allies instead of shaming and alienating them.

"Yes, absolutely, people should support our civil rights because it's the right thing to do, but a lot of people genuinely do not know how much of the world is structured to prop them up at the cost of bringing others down."

I'm going to say something possibly really, really controversial here, especially in the wake of THIS election:

Most people are capable of being empathetic, understanding, and logical, but if you are going to engage with them then you have to have the maturity to commit to reaching them.

At one of the places I worked previously, there was this security guard who worked a few nights at the end of the week who was honestly one of my best friends there. He was a well-educated, very devout Christian man around my father's age, and he was black. For context, I am a young Irish-American liberal Hellenic Polytheist.

We actually got along far better with each other than I did with all of the hippie woo neopagan people I knew there, and he with the Christians there. And that's because we were not only both well educated within our belief systems, we were also really good at meeting in the middle and extending social grace and understanding to each other. We found that our core principles were perfectly aligned, we just didn't always arrive to our conclusions in the same exact ways.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, he was reluctant to get vaccinated, and when we talked about it I was the one person who got through to him. And he told me so. He told me outright, after he got vaccinated, that it was my voice that changed his mind.

I did not do that by shaming him over all of the people he might kill if he caught COVID and spread it. I did not do that by attacking his intellect or scientific literacy. I did not do that by threatening his financial security and pointing out that companies are letting people go for not getting vaccinated.

I did it by acknowledging his beliefs and concerns (especially as an older black man, given this country's history), and agreeing that he absolutely has valid reasons to feel the way he does, but by letting him know that my position on this subject was one of caring about his well-being above all else and letting him know when I got vaccinated and where, and how the process went for me.

Look, shaming CAN be effective in some limited scenarios, and I've done that, too. I've shamed quite a few people on public transit for refusing to let disabled elderly people sit. I am very much guilty of telling a woman that her imaginary friend does not need a seat of their own so that a guy who fell over getting on the bus could actually sit the fuck down.

But when it comes to bigger picture social issues, it's so much better to try to reach people and establish dialogue FIRST. And I know that that is asking a lot. For many of us, it goes against our very instincts.

At the local farmer's market last week, I had a man come up to me in a MAGA hat and I was absolutely braced for a fight. Instead, he eagerly showed me pictures on his phone of the garden he was cultivating. He was almost GIDDY about his plants, about the wildflowers and the pollinators and the fruit and the trees. That man was reachable. He was not there to attack me for being a queer woman. He was there to bond over how cool plants are and had no idea what he was really signing up for.

It's so much easier to condemn people broadly as monsters, and I know it feels much more satisfying and rewarding in the moment. I've done it, too. I was downright obnoxious about it when I was younger. But this is not the kind of behavior that leads to long-term societal growth.

The more we cut off and alienate people, the easier it is for them to fall prey to indoctrination. Exposure and social engagement is our biggest weapon against bigotry and THAT is a major reason as to why the Republican party wants to destroy public education.

I have had an immense uphill battle with some of my closest male friends in trying to keep them from falling down the alt-right pipeline. It's been a nearly two decade endeavor in a few cases, but I have seen those men in my life gradually improve and become well-rounded, empathetic, and educated men.

I guess what I'm saying here is, if you have a man (or ANYONE for that matter!) in your life who is showing early warning signs and/or you believe is susceptible to the MAGA movement, please think about what I've said. It's so much harder to approach them from a place of understanding than of anger and I get that, but at the end of the day, one of those is going to be much more effective at changing their viewpoint.

Lastly, if you find yourself in a situation where you are trying to engage with someone who thinks very differently than you do, here are a few tips and some examples:

1. Acknowledge their viewpoint.

"I understand where you're coming from"

"I think I see why you think/feel this way"

Or even just asking, "I don't really understand, can you explain how you arrived to this conclusion/viewpoint/opinion, etc.?"

2. Offer them an olive branch.

"I see what you're saying, and actually, I think you will find that our opinions aren't too different from each other's."

"You have a point about this, and if I could just build off of that, here is where I am coming from."

3. Address their concerns

"Yeah, you're right, our taxes are already way too high, but if we didn't have to raise them at all and could, instead, take a hard look at how they are already being spent?"

"Wolf reintroduction absolutely could be a problem for farmers if it's handled poorly, and you're right that city people don't understand that as intimately as you do, but what if I told you there's a way we could work this out to your benefit, too?"

4. Thank them for listening! (even if they didn't magically change their opinion right away, you never know)

"I'm glad we had this talk, thank you for hearing what I had to say."

5. Reassure them that you listened, too! (even if YOU didn't change your mind)

"I can't say you've changed my mind, but you've given me something to think about."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[aceyalonso]

F1 drivers if they were on the r/AITAH subreddit

drivers : oscar piastri, lando norris, charles leclerc, lewis hamilton, carlos sainz, max verstappen, george russell, franco colapinto

warnings/notes : jos verstappen 🤮

a/n : i know i said i was on hiatus but c'mon this was such a fun idea

main masterlist | taglist form

So this might sound weird, but here goes. My girlfriend and I (both 23) love visiting new places, and she’s a big animal lover. She found this adorable cat café nearby and has been talking about going for weeks. I wasn’t as excited but figured it’d be fun to surprise her, so I booked us a spot and thought I’d try to make it extra special.

Here’s the thing: I wanted to be "that guy" who shows up with a bag of cat treats so all the cats would flock to us. It sounds ridiculous, but my goal was to make her day. When we got there, I pulled out the treats and instantly had a few cats’ attention. My girlfriend laughed, but within a few minutes, an employee came over, looking annoyed, and told me I couldn't give the cats treats from outside.

Apparently, they have specific diets or something, and I was "interfering." I apologized, put the treats away, and thought that was the end of it. But soon after, another employee came up, saying we were being "disruptive" because all the cats were lingering around us, and they even hinted we might need to leave if it didn’t stop. I hadn’t meant to cause a scene and told them it wasn’t a big deal—we’d stop and just hang out like everyone else. But by this point, my girlfriend was pretty embarrassed, and it killed the vibe of our day.

We left a bit earlier than planned, and now my girlfriend thinks it was a bit of a jerk move, even though she appreciated the effort. I didn’t mean to upset anyone or break the rules, just thought it’d be fun to make the cats a bit more social. But now I’m wondering if I messed up by not sticking to the café’s way of doing things.

So, AITAH?

Edit: I’ve learned my lesson. I will never underestimate the dietary regulations of a cat café ever again.

So, I (24M) have this bad habit of forgetting what’s in my fridge. A while ago, I bought some chicken, but I totally forgot about it, and it just sat there for months. I was cleaning out my fridge the other day and found the chicken at the back, and it still looked fine to me—didn’t smell bad, didn’t look weird—so I thought, "Why not? It’s still good."

I cooked it up, had a nice meal, and didn’t think much of it. But then, later that night, I told my mom about it (thinking she'd just laugh), and she completely freaked out. She went on this whole rant about food safety, salmonella, and how I could’ve poisoned myself. I was just like, "It tasted fine, mom, calm down."

She kept texting me all night asking if I felt okay, if I was getting any stomach pains, and even called a few of my friends to check in on me. Honestly, I’m fine—nothing happened, and I feel perfectly normal.

But now she’s upset with me, saying I’m being careless and that I should never eat food that old, even if it seems fine. I just didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. I mean, people eat leftovers all the time, right? It wasn’t even that old.

So, AITAH for eating chicken that’s been in my fridge for 9 months and making my mom worry unnecessarily?

Edit: Just to clarify, I didn’t intentionally keep it for 9 months. I honestly just forgot about it in the back of the fridge. And no, I’m not sick. Everything’s fine. I promise I won’t be eating anything old again anytime soon!

I (27M) have a dog, Leo, who’s basically my best friend. He’s super friendly and well-behaved, and honestly, I just feel better when he’s around. I bring him everywhere I go – to cafes, parks, and friend gatherings. You name it, Leo’s there. Most people are fine with it because he’s adorable and loves everyone.

Recently, though, my friends have started making comments about it. Last weekend, we met up at this small, cozy café for brunch, and I brought Leo along. He just curled up next to my chair and didn’t bother anyone. But my friend Paul pulled me aside afterward and said it was kind of annoying that I kept bringing Leo without asking. He said not everyone wants a dog around all the time, and it’s “getting old.”

I don’t understand where this is coming from, especially since Leo’s never caused any problems. I figured since no one had said anything before, they were fine with it. Plus, I’m always careful to keep him out of people’s way, and he’s honestly better behaved than most dogs I know. I feel like they’re making a big deal out of nothing, but now I’m wondering if maybe I should have checked with everyone first.

So, AITAH for always bringing my dog? Should I have asked before assuming everyone was okay with it?

Edit: Just for context, Leo’s a small dog – not the type to jump on people or bark a lot. He just sits quietly and naps most of the time. Also, I’ve always cleaned up after him when necessary, so he hasn’t left any “souvenirs” for anyone to deal with.

So, I (39M) have this friend, Nico (also 39M), and we’ve been friends since we were kids. We’re both super competitive by nature, and we tend to push each other a lot. Whether it’s video games, sports, or even something like mini-golf, everything somehow turns into a competition between us. It’s mostly just for fun… until recently.

A few weeks ago, we were at a friend’s birthday party, and they had one of those racing setups in the living room. Of course, Nico and I immediately challenged each other, and we both got really into it. I mean, I might’ve been trash-talking a bit (okay, maybe a lot), but we were both laughing, so I didn’t think it was a big deal.

Well, I ended up beating him by a fraction of a second, and I might’ve celebrated a bit too enthusiastically—think victory lap around the living room, calling him out in front of everyone, the whole deal. After that, Nico got pretty quiet and didn’t talk to me much for the rest of the night. Later, a mutual friend told me that Nico felt like I was “rubbing it in,” and it embarrassed him.

Now I feel bad. I honestly thought we were just having fun and didn’t realize he’d take it so personally. I tried to apologize, but he just brushed it off and hasn’t really been himself around me since.

So… AITAH for taking things a bit too far with my friend, or was it all just part of the usual friendly rivalry?

Edit: We’ve always had this kind of back-and-forth, so I’m not sure why this time it got to him. Just thought I’d get some outside perspective before I bring it up with him again.

Okay, I know this sounds insane, but hear me out. I (30M) love making pancakes, and I’m pretty proud of my recipe. It’s become sort of a tradition to make them for my family when I visit my parents. They’re always really nice about it and say they love them, but... I’m starting to think they’ve just been too polite.

A few weeks ago, I was at my parents’ house and decided to whip up a big batch of pancakes for breakfast. My mom and dad both had seconds, and I thought it was a win. But later that night, my mom started having really bad stomach pains. We took her to the hospital, and she ended up needing surgery for appendicitis. It was a scary experience, but thankfully, she’s okay now.

Here’s where it gets weirder. Just a few days after my mom came home from the hospital, my dad started having the same symptoms. At first, we joked that it was sympathy pains, but he ended up in the ER too, with the exact same issue—appendicitis.

Now my whole family is convinced it was my pancakes. I know logically that my cooking can’t cause appendicitis, but I can’t help but feel responsible because they both got sick right after eating my breakfast. My parents keep joking that they’re never eating my pancakes again, and my siblings have been giving me a hard time about it, saying I’m banned from the kitchen.

So, AITAH for giving both my parents appendicitis with my cooking, or am I just an unlucky chef?

Edit: Just to clarify, I don’t actually think I gave them appendicitis, but the timing is very suspicious, and now my parents are scared of my pancakes. I might need a new family recipe...

So, I (27M) have two cats (Jimmy & Sassy), and they’re pretty much my babies. They’re super affectionate with me but can be a bit picky about who they like. My dad (52M), on the other hand, isn’t exactly a "cat person." He’s more of the “why do you have pets that don’t do anything useful?” type, but he still visits often and tolerates them because he knows they’re important to me.

The other day, my dad came over, and as usual, my cats were lounging on the couch. He decided to sit down and give them a little nudge to move over, but instead of just shuffling away, one of my cats (Jimmy) swiped at his face. It wasn’t a deep scratch, but it was enough to leave a red mark and get my dad pretty annoyed. I couldn’t help but laugh a bit because he was acting all grumpy about it, muttering something about "those spoiled cats."

He got even more annoyed when he saw me laughing and said I should discipline my cats better and not let them scratch people. I tried explaining that cats are territorial and react like that when they’re suddenly pushed, especially by someone they’re not used to. I offered him a band-aid, but he refused and ended up leaving earlier than planned.

Now my mom is telling me I should’ve been more sympathetic and that I should’ve scolded my cat instead of laughing. But honestly, I feel like it was just a normal cat reaction, and my dad knows how they can be. So now I’m wondering, AITAH for laughing when my cat scratched my dad’s face instead of taking it more seriously?

Edit: Just to clarify, my cats don’t usually attack people. They’re very cuddly with me and my friends, but my dad’s not around them enough for them to be comfortable. I’ll definitely make sure he approaches them differently next time... if he ever wants to come back!

So, this might sound a bit weird, but hear me out. I (26M) work at this company, and my boss, "Toto" (52M), and I have a really good relationship. We get along great, share a lot of common interests, and he’s been a bit of a mentor to me. We hang out outside of work sometimes, and every now and then, I’ll stay over at his place after we have dinner or watch a game, just because it’s more convenient.

Recently, my friends found out about this and started making fun of me, calling it “sleepovers” with my boss. I laughed it off at first, but they’ve started saying it’s kind of weird and unprofessional to be that close with your boss. They’re acting like I’m trying to suck up or get some kind of special treatment, but that’s honestly not the case. I just enjoy his company, and we have a good time hanging out.

The thing is, I never really mentioned it to my friends before because it just didn’t seem like a big deal. I figured if I told them, they’d blow it out of proportion (which is exactly what’s happening now). But now they’re saying it’s odd that I didn’t bring it up sooner and that it’s kind of strange to be having “sleepovers” with someone who’s technically in charge of me at work.

So, AITAH for not telling my friends that I sometimes crash at my boss’s place, or are they just overreacting?

Edit: For context, it’s not like I’m staying there every weekend or anything. It’s maybe once a month if we’re having a late night and it’s easier than going all the way back to my place. Plus, he’s got a massive guest room, so it’s not like I’m sleeping on the couch or something. It’s just a practical arrangement

Okay, so I (21M) have a bit of a problem, and I’m honestly not sure if it’s even a problem or just something I can’t control. I’ve noticed lately that whenever I’m doing interviews or talking to reporters, I end up coming off as flirting with them, even though I’m not trying to at all.

I’m naturally a friendly person, and I like to joke around and be engaging. But I’ve had a few reporters (and even some photographers) tell me after interviews that I’ve been “charming” or “too smooth” with them. Some of them even hinted that I was “leading them on.” The thing is, I don’t even notice it happening. I just talk to them like I would anyone else, but apparently, I’m making it seem like I’m flirting—without even trying!

One reporter even gave me her number after an interview, and when I asked if she was just being friendly, she said, “You were a little more than friendly.” I was totally confused because I thought we were just having a good conversation about racing. Now I’m worried that I’m giving the wrong impression to people without meaning to, and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or make things uncomfortable.

So, AITAH for accidentally flirting with reporters and leading them on when I really don’t mean to? Should I tone down my "natural charm"?

Edit: Just to clarify, I’m not trying to flirt with anyone, reporter or not. I’m just being myself, but it seems like it’s coming off differently than I intended. It’s a bit awkward now, and I’m wondering if I should change how I interact in interviews.

taglist

@nepobbylver @wobblymug @xoscar03 @irishmanwhore @nitiii

@livsturnioloo @lilorose25 @si1ver06 @zestytimbit @morgrinha

@callsignwidow

[aly4khq]

CHRISTMAS CHAOS

sum : rafayel and christmas

warnings : fluff, sassy!rafayel & wax burning + evol usage, edging, bondage, sex, belly bulge, praise, aftercare

rafayel who is the most dramatic person when it comes to putting up a christmas tree no matter what you do.

— "what do you mean these aren't sapphire lights?! it literally is!!"

— "no, it's some ugly blue and it doesn't match with my sapphire baubles."

— "...fuck you and your sapphire ornaments."

— "woah, that is highly offensive."

rafayel who put a smaller version of his christmas tree in the two corners of the bedroom just to the christmas spirit is in your room as well.

rafayel who reminds you all the time that christmas is near and he was something planned out for you.

rafayel who takes you for a ride to many christmas tourist destinations and attractions to get you prepared.

rafayel who gifts you many clothes and different christmas themed pyjamas to wear on christmas day, making sure that it fits you perfectly before purchasing.

rafayel who gifts you a present every day until the 25th, where he makes sure that you two have the best christmas together, on his balcony in the bedroom.

rafayel who makes sure that you wear the clothes he picked out, a beautiful crimson strapless dress that came up to your mid thigh, ruffles on the bottom, his intials on the belt that came along with it.

rafayel who has fireworks personalised to you that go of exactly on 00:00 of the 25th that spell out you and his names with a big love heart that had an arrow — that part that stuck out was the end of a sword to represent your swordsmanship and the other end was a paint brush with a dolphins tails around it to represent his art.

rafayel who ties you up naked and decorates you with many lights and designs, leaving a beautiful star on your head whilst holding a vibrator to your needy pussy.

rafayel who holds a wax candle to your chest in that same position once you were all decorated and burns the end with his single finger, watching the drops of red and green wax colour your smooth skin.

— "you're so submissive, are all humans this obedient?"

— "please?...mhm..."

— "please what?"

— "please touch me..."

— "i've touched you enough, maybe you need a break."

rafayel who makes sure to edge you until you feel like you're about to die if you didn't get his dick in you instantly.

rafayel who pressed on your stomach whenever his dick makes a bulge on your lower abdomen, shushing you when you cry out from it.

rafayel who fucks you ruthlessly after you beg, your legs over his shoulder, his dick lost in your pussy as he tells you how pretty you looked in those clothes he picked for you and how good you were for him.

— "you're gorgeous...that red really brought out your eyes..my pretty girl,"

— "rafa—hah! shit, you need to— you—"

— "shhhh...silly, you don't need to speak."

rafayel who goes for so many rounds until you finally become stupid on his dick.

rafayel who cleans up your dripping pussy with his tongue and fingers before leaving you alone for the night.

rafayel who gives you the best aftercare that you could've asked for; putting ointment on the small burns of the wax, massaging your muscles, fixing your messy hair, washing your face with a brand new cloth, giving you water (and food if you're hungry) and wishing you a merry christmas.

date made: 9/11/24

© aly4khq, i do not give permission to plagiarise, translate or copy my work

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Galadriel/Frodo and Sauron/One Ring in “Rings of Power”

Since the showrunners of “Rings of Power” have confirmed they are doing a parallel with Frodo/One Ring, and Galadriel/Sauron on the show, I would like to theorize on this.

This goes beyond the obvious Morgoth’s crown wound (Galadriel) vs. Morgul blade wound (Frodo), because this wasn’t the only thing they revealed; they, also, said Galadriel shares the same push and pull relationship with Sauron, as Frodo has with the One Ring.

The One Ring contains a part of Sauron’s soul, since he spent much of his power into forging it (weakening himself in the process, and becoming vulnerable without it). As such, we see a lot of Sauron’s qualities in the One Ring: seductive and irresistible power, a poisonous “wish granter” of sorts.

Adar: But sooner or later, he sees you. Not just who you are, but who you wish to be. His eye bores a hole and the rest of him slithers in. For a while, he even makes you believe that his power has become yours. Irresistible power... that makes every desire's fulfillment seem inevitable. An ocean of color against which everything else feels forever thereafter... Galadriel: A dull gray. Adar and Galadriel discuss Sauron, 2x06

Very much like Sauron himself, the One Ring discovers the deepest desire of its bearer, and weaponizes it for its own corruptive ends, enslaving the bearer to it. And its allure is so magnetic, it’s not necessary to actually hold it to feel it, being in its presence is enough to stir the obsessive wish to possess it.

The One Ring comes into Frodo’s possession in “Fellowship of the Ring”. When we meet Frodo, he’s the average Hobbit, and doesn’t worry about the outside world, nor on what goes on beyond the Shire. When he’s given the One Ring, Gandalf warns him about how easy it is for the Ring to corrupt him. Frodo promptly denies ownership of the Ring, and urges Gandalf to melt it, throw it away or take the Ring for himself. Only when confronted with the reality that none of these options are possible, does Frodo, reluctantly, accepts to keep the ring.

However, it takes a while for the Ring to influence Frodo, which shows his resilience. The first time we see this happening (in the book; it’s different in the Peter Jackson adaptation) is at the inn in Bree. During a raucous sing along, Frodo decides to end his song by jumping in the air and using the magic of the ring to turn invisible. And Frodo does this, of his own free will, and despite Gandalf’s warnings to never put it on.

At Rivendell, we see Frodo starting to become possessive over the One Ring; when his uncle Bilbo asks him to see it, and Frodo doesn’t want to show it to him, despite the fact his uncle has no intention of taking it. (Another change of Peter Jackson adaptation). By the end of the book, Frodo gains awareness of the influence of the One over himself, and he goes through a intense inner struggle; he describes it as “two powers striking in him” and he feels “perfectly balanced between two points”. And it’s only by great self-control that Frodo “gets himself together” and decides he must destroy the Ring.

As Frodo continues his journey to Mordor, his corruption by the One becomes more evident. In “The Two Towers” (the second book of the trilogy), Frodo and Sam take in Gollum, to show them the way to Mordor. And this is when the effects of Frodo’s corruption becomes more obvious to the reader.

Frodo makes Gollum swear an oath he will not betray them. Gollum swears it on the One. Sam (an uncorrupted Hobbit) says they should not trust Gollum (based on his character), while Frodo (a corrupted Hobbit) knows he can trust Gollum because he swore it on the Ring, and he knows its power is too great for Gollum to resist; Gollum is bound to any promise he makes on it, because Frodo is aware of the power the One over himself, already.

In “The Two Towers”, Frodo’s corruption becomes apparent, as we see him getting more possessive and obsessive over the Ring. And when he meets the Witch King of Angmar (the leader of the Nazgûl), again, he loses control of himself and nearly takes the One Ring, but is abruptly stopped by Sam, who compells him to fall down a wall.

This parallel can indicate it was an external force (Sam/Nenya) who stopped Galadriel (Frodo), and not Galadriel herself; very much like what happened in "The Two Towers".

However, Frodo’s corruption only becomes obvious to the reader in “The Return of the King”. When Frodo has the opportunity to, finally, dispose of the One, when he’s at the summit of Mount Doom (the only place it can be destroyed). And, at the end, Frodo can’t bring himself to part with the One. “But I do not choose to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The ring is mine.” Frodo has been fully corrupted by the One, and the Ring only gets destroyed because Gollum bites off his finger and falls into the volcano with the ring, destroying it, at last.

In the aftermath, and even through the One has been destroyed, it’s evident Frodo will forever be scarred by its power. He tries to lead a normal life, but finds he can’t. On the anniversary of the loss of the Ring, he suffers nausea; he cannot father children, and he withdraws from coexisting with the other Hobbits on the Shire, because he no longer feels the need to socialize. He soon realizes, the only place for him is Valinor.

Many in the Tolkien fandom underestimate how strong-willed Frodo truly is. Because we see powerful characters like Gandalf and Galadriel getting immediately tempted by the One, while Frodo promptly refuses it. He also, selflessly, accepts to take on a mission that can result in his death. When he realizes the influence of the One over himself, he does not give into the temptation of disposing of it or giving it to more power-hungry characters which would gladly take it from him (like Galadriel herself, or Boromir).

To understand this better I recomend Tolkien Letter 246: Frodo indeed 'failed' as a hero, as conceived by simple minds [...] I do not think that Frodo's was a moral failure. At the last moment the pressure of the Ring would reach its maximum – impossible, I should have said, for any one to resist, certainly after long possession, months of increasing torment, and when starved and exhausted. Frodo had done what he could and spent himself completely (as an instrument of Providence) and had produced a situation in which the object of his quest could be achieved. His humility (with which he began) and his sufferings were justly rewarded by the highest honour; and his exercise of patience and mercy towards Gollum gained him Mercy: his failure was redressed.

Frodo leaves the Shire, manages to accomplish his goal (via Gollum), but at great personal cost; and returns, a sad and defeated winner. Hence the “bittersweet ending” of “The Lord of the Rings”. Frodo accepted the mission to save the Shire, but once his goal is completed, he finds he can no longer enjoy the Shire, because the Hobbit who returned is no longer the same that left it. Frodo is the “tragic hero ending”, because evil can’t never be truly destroyed, and forever lingers inside of us; it can only be driven back, by our own choices.

Frodo/Galadriel and Gollum/Adar

A while back, I did a post on how “Rings of Power” is giving Sauron some Gollum inspiration, but this parallel is more clear on Adar's character, especially in Season 2.

We see the obsession in owning/destroying Sauron in both Galadriel and Adar, in Season 2, very similar to Frodo and Gollum with the One ring. Gollum is the worst case (obviously) of the owning vs. destroying dynamic; although Frodo will eventually get there. 

Both of these characters are consumed by the idea of finding and destroying Sauron, all by themselves, going to extensive lengths to accomplish that. While Adar is sacrificing his children (Orcs) in the pursuit of Sauron; Galadriel goes rogue on Elrond’s company when she gets the chance, and allows herself to get captured by Adar, in the hope of getting the opportunity of finding and destroying Sauron herself. 

Adar is the one who destroyed Sauron’s previous physical form (paralleling Gollum destroying the One ring); and Galadriel throws Elrond under the bus, by revealing he’s the one who carries Nenya (the ring Adar wants), just to get the chance of getting to Sauron, herself (paralleling the poisoning of Frodo and Sam’s friendship over the One ring). 

And much like Frodo and Gollum, we see Galadriel and Adar “bounding” over the effects the One Ring/Sauron has on them, in 2x06; with these characters revealing Sauron’s temptations to each other, and agreeing on his destruction, and on an alliance in order to accomplish that.

However, and like Frodo and Gollum, this alliance soon goes sour, with Gollum/Adar betraying Frodo/Galadriel to an agent of the Enemy (Shelob), by setting up a trap. Only in “Rings of Power” this agent of Sauron is… Elrond? But he’s also Sam, who comes to the rescue with the Phial of Galadriel/pin? Something is off with this parallel, or perhaps Elrond is Sauron's cat, too. Both these scenes have some sort of “kissing” involved: Shelob licks Frodo’s face (to paralyze him), and Elrond kisses Galadriel. 

Similar to Frodo and Gollum, Galadriel and Adar still agree, at the end, because they both share the same goal (destroying/owning the One ring/Sauron). And like Gollum, Adar pays the price with his own life; but he also somewhat “redeems” himself at the end (like Gollum), because he wanted to end all wars. And both characters die because of Sauron/One ring.

We also have a nod to the Sméagol/Gollum dynamic with Adar, althought it didn't exactly play out all the way through (which makes me wonder if this will come back with a different character): “Don't ask Sméagol. Poor, poor Sméagol, he went away long ago. They took his Precious, and he's lost now.”

In the Peter Jackson adaptation, it translated in this scene:

Frodo: Who are you? Gollum: Musn't ask us. Not his business, gollum, gollum. Frodo: Gandalf told me you were one of the river-folk. Gollum: Cold be heart and hand and bone, cold be travellers far from home. Frodo: He said your life was a sad story. Gollum: They do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead. Frodo: You were not so different from a Hobbit once, were you... Sméagol? Gollum: What did you call me? Frodo: That was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago. Gollum: My... my name. Sméagol... Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Frodo/Galadriel and Sam/Elrond

“Rings of Power” is also exploring Galadriel and Elrond’s relationship, with them being closer than best friends. Galadriel is almost like a stepmother to him, after all. And Elrond appears to be paralleling Sam in Galadriel/Frodo character arc in the show.

Indeed, we see Elrond’s character making several parallels to Sam; he’s the one with whom Galadriel shares a bit of her temptation of Sauron, like Frodo does with Sam about the One Ring.

Elrond is also the character who “saves” Galadriel on several occasions connected to Sauron (like Sam with Frodo, and the One ring), and we’ve seen this in both Season 1 and Season 2, already. 

Like Sam, Elrond is also deeply worried about the effects of Sauron/One Ring on Galadriel/Frodo, as we’ve seen on Season 2: The light of Valinor shone upon your very face, Galadriel, and you turned your back on it. Was it truly to fight the darkness or was the darkness calling to you?

Similar to Sam with the One Ring, we see Elrond being suspicious and distrusting of Nenya due to Sauron’s presence at Eregion “for weeks” in 1x08; and Elrond/Sam advices Galadriel/Frodo to take it off, or “giving it a rest” several times.

Like Sam, Elrond is also present when Galadriel/Frodo wakes up after being wounded by Morgoth's crown/Morgul blade, and they share a tender moment. Both take place in Rivendell (because it's almost certain the "sanctuary protected by the Elven rings" is Rivendell, and will be a major location in Season 3).

What can this mean for future seasons? 

If this parallel is to continue, this gives us several clues: 

Galadriel will succumb to Sauron (like Frodo to the One ring); 

Elrond will continue to be a key piece in all of this, and a “emotional rock” to Galadriel’s character, like Sam is to Frodo; 

Like Frodo, Galadriel will be forever scarred by Sauron/One Ring, and unable to lead a normal life, and will develop a deep longing to return to Valinor, knowing only there can she find true healing (this last bit we already knew from Tolkien lore).

[propertyofwhitney67]

It’s halloweeeeeenie season!!

LIs as serial killers. What’s their preferred method of murder? Torture or no? Preferred weapon? Mask or no and, if so, what kind? Preference for Stealthy and precise or messy and brutal kills? Do they like to make a show out of their existence to the town by leaving traces of their crimes around, or do they keep hidden?

Bonus: reactions to a detective!PC on the case. Ex. Kidnap or no? Mess with or no? Fear/worry about or no?

Fuck! I forgot about this one

Whitney does it for fun and doesn't disguise himself, he uses his looks/charms to lead you away. He probably tortures and weapons vary with his mood. He likes it to be messy and brutal. He loves to leave the bodies in places people can find them.

Will mess with you and eventually kidnap you. He's not all that worried

Kylar just can't help himself and is a sneaky fuck who disguises himself. He doesn't torture but he is very brutal, lots of blood and gore. He uses his favorite knife and only that knife. Kylar tries his best to stay hidden but there are slip ups.

He doesn't mess with you and will kidnap you almost immediately. He's worried

Robin gets urges sometimes and has to kill. He disguises himself and probably drugs you or waits till you're along. He doesn't torture, he's mostly quick with it. That doesn't mean he doesn't take his time to savor it though. He usually strangles and doesn't leave the body out in the open, mostly in alleys or slightly hidden.

He doesn't mess with you and it takes him a little while to take you

P!Sydney needs to do this and goes the sacrifice route. He leads you away and is very precise, he drugs you so you don't fight back. It's a simple cut to the throat. He doesn't disguise himself, doesn't torture, and uses a sacrificial dagger. He keeps things hidden out god knows where in the woods.

Not worried and will take his time before taking you, you will be his final sacrifice

C!Sydney does it for fun really. He doesn't disguise himself and uses a variety of weapons, depends on how he wants the scene to look. He likes to make a big show out of it, the scene is always perfectly staged.

He loves to play with you and waits a while to take you. He's not worried

Alex goes to bars and offers people jobs then he brings them back to the farm where he kills them. He tortures from a day to a week, it depends on how he's feeling. He goes the dispose of them in the pig pen route.

He's a bit worried and keeps an eyes on the case. He will kidnap you if you get too close.

Avery uses his "charms" and looks to lull you into a false sense of security, then take you back to his place where he tortures you. He kills you after a few days, probably with a gun but I'm not sure. He keeps things hidden and easily gets rid of your body.

Has too much of an ego to be worried, he will kidnap you after a little bit and will torture you

Eden only kills people that wander off or out too far in the woods, it's a weird territorial thing but also a preying thing. Sometimes he plays with them, letting them go then chasing them back down. It depends on his mood if he'll torture or not. He of course uses his shot gun when he kills. He's messy and keeps things well hidden.

He's not worried, hell he doesn't even know till he goes out for supplies. He only takes you if you come looking for him in the woods.

[stxrslut]

NOTHINGS GONNA HURT YOU BABY ꣑ৎ

summary; a thunderstorm leaves you waking up terrified in the middle of the night, and so you’re ever so loving boyfriend must come up with a fast way to soothe you from all your panic and fear 

content; thunderstorm, thigh riding

if there’s one thing about you, it’s that you hate thunderstorms. in your opinion they’re the worst occurrence of nature to ever exist. sure there’s hurricanes and tsunamis and earthquakes, but thunderstorms, they’re worse. 

you’re crying, sobbing even. curled into john bs side, you try your absolute hardest to tune out the incessant pummel of rain on the window and the loud booming noises that come down to you from the clouds above.

he’s right beside you, your only anchor. his hand glides up and down your back comfortingly and every now and then he leans down to place a kiss on your forehead and murmur a sentence of quiet reassurance. 

his speaker in the corner of the room plays a queue of melodies that you both listen to at bedtime to help wind down your minds. currently it plays the soothing tune of “nothings gonna hurt you baby” by cigarettes after sex, a personal favourite of yours. 

john b is humming along to it, you can feel his chest vibrating against the side of your head, it’s a grounding sensation in a moment of such overwhelm. the feeling of his warm skin moving against yours is perfectly stimulating.

you just can’t calm down, your breath stays shaky and the tears keep falling. the jagged inhales you take are causing pain in your chest which only incites more distress to your body.

john b can’t bear to watch, he’s spent the last five minutes trying to think of something he can do to calm you down. and at the moment, there’s only one thing that comes to mind, so he might as well try. 

“hey, come on baby, come here.” he speaks so softly as he pulls your body to lay more easily on top of him. you don’t protest, not feeling energetic enough to do so as you sniffle and murmur in ever so slight confusion. 

he adjusts your legs so that he can slot one of his built thighs between them, you can immediately feel the gentle pressure it puts onto your pussy through your panties. you moan involuntarily, though it comes out all shaky and messed up due to your crying. john b smiles down at you and rubs your back, “yeah, you feel that? why don’t you focus on that for a little while? good girl.” 

it starts off with his guidance, his hands on your hips, helping you rock your hips around and grind yourself on his leg. of course, eventually you take over. your movements become sporadic as you give in to the pleasure and allow yourself to forget the fears of the noises that currently dominate the world just outside your window. 

your hands come up to grip onto his beefy arms, his hands rest on your hips, providing help when he feels you need it. your cheek is all pressed up against his chest and your breathing is now heavy for a different reason. 

his leg is so perfect to grind on. thick built muscles, it’s full of them, they’re almost padded with a small layer of fat that adds to the heaviness of him. it’s like a perfect concoction. when he was made by whoever makes people, his thighs were created with clitoral stimulation in mind. 

it goes on for minutes, blissful minutes. he steps in to help again towards the end, aiding your movements to allow you to really feel your orgasm as it washes over you. you moan out loud, continuing to press yourself onto his leg until the pleasure is fully ridden out. 

when you’re finished you’ve tired yourself out so much that you no longer notice the thunderstorm. you find yourself cuddling up into john b's body once more, your eyes starting to drift closed as you tune into the melodic rhythm of the music that still plays on the speaker. your breaths even out with john bs and before you know it, you’re falling right to sleep against his body.

[joyouslee]

I think with all things fanfic it depends on how it's done - e.g., if it's thoughtful rather than the author saying I can't spell these names so everyone's getting a new name. If I saw that I'd hit the backbutton real quick.

Diaspora is a word that covers a world of different experiences, so to me fanfic that explores that would be perfectly fine. You could have a character that's adopted and thus given an English name, or a third generation kid whose Chinese name isn't even on any official documents, or someone who uses a nickname because she's sick of people mispronouncing or joking about it (e.g., someone whose official transliterated name spells a slur or swear word or because it's pinying it uses English letters in a way that confuses people who don't know how to google), or someone who was given an English name by his clueless boss and goes along to get along but who hates it and only uses it at work, etc. etc. (Or, in Chinese fandom e-sports AUs the characters often have English screen names they use for gaming.)

And it doesn't need to be spelled out. I don't need the author to specify why that character has the English name - I think a thoughtful author who chooses to give a character an English name could have many ways to write it so that the reader can interpret it.

I have friends with so many different experiences - some only identify themselves with their English names, one went through a court process to change their legal English name (given by their parents when they immigrated) back to their Chinese name, etc. - so I would be comfortable reading a fic that dealt with this common Diaspora experience (however deeply or glancingly).

I don't think it matters if the author is or isn't Diaspora (and I never want to force a fic writer to reveal any personal information, not matter how generalized, unless they choose to) - whether they write sensitively/ thoughtfully about these issues or not will be evident in the fic.

question for other chinese diaspora in c-media fandoms: what's your opinion on fanfic writers assigning characters western names in fics (e.g. if it's a modern or overseas au)?

[venndaai]

the face I'm imagining Wizard Hubris Tav making while reading this. oh my god the best part of customizable protagonists is moments like this when the game randomly matches up perfectly with your headcanoned backstory and character arc.

[radiocity]

The L Word: Lookbook ↳ 2.01, Life, Loss, Leaving

[simplykorra]

[onmebackmush]

look out spracers... the bumswifty fandom can milk a 4-inch height difference too

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

Since the Neighborhood are adventurers, I'd like to imagine they travel by sea a fair amount of times too! A nice boat trip while occasionally breaking out into a sea shanty, eh? (And for gits and shiggles, to keep up with the whole.. Eddie in water joke, I imagine the poor guy is clumsy enough to go overboard. He may not be unconscious during it, but it wouldn't make it any less funny with the group desperately trying to pull him back aboard-)

OH OH OH allow to ramble at length about this!!! what an idea!!! i fucking love boats & the ocean & being on the water so this ask is checking all my boxes rn

first i imagine that the length of their trips varies wildly, along with the quality due to the glorious variation in weather & bodies of water. and i'm choosing to believe this universe uses tall ships instead of like... fantasy steam ships. because i fucking love tall ships. the sails, the rigging, the elegance... an absolute bitch to maintain and maneuver <3

i imagine that depending on the ship, captain, and size of the crew, the Neighborhood may be required to help out to earn their keep. especially since they're a crew of nine eight, and some ships are woefully understaffed!

I'd imagine that Poppy sometimes takes the cook's job if the crew is currently lacking one (or if the cook wants a fucking break, jeebus it's a demanding job. there's a reason ship cooks in moves/tv are always stern & serious). Barnaby can probably charm his way into doing nothing but provide music/entertainment (much to Sally's aggravation). everyone else are plain deckhands

of course i imagine that that doesn't always happen! plenty of ships are probably content to just take their coin and tranport them. some of them (Eddie, Poppy) may still wheedle their way into helping out though. they strike me as characters that can't Not help

who i imagine loves their little water journeys: Barnaby, Wally, Sally, Wormie

neutral: Frank, Julie

hates it: Poppy, Howdy, Eddie

allow me to provide reasoning!!

Barnaby's impeccable balance probably means that he's stable as a rock even in choppy waters, and i'm reasoning that he doesn't get seasick either. his vestibular system is as solid as his sea legs! he probably finds the whole experience relaxing as anything. He gets to just recline on the bowsprit's base or wherever he isn't in the way & smoke/play his accordion/nap.

Wally just has such a love of life and new things, so why wouldn't he love being on the water? it's different! it's new every time! there are ample things to learn about and do! Home probably keeps his systems stable so that he doesn't have to deal with seasickness. though it probably takes him a little bit to find his sea legs... catch him stumbling around like a lil newborn lamb. sometimes he is facedown on the deck <3 i imagine he'd enjoy going aloft!

Sally would probably love the inherent romanticism and adventure of it all. Who knows what dangers and glory they may face! I bet she writes up a storm during this time - plenty of story material! food for the imagination! what does Anne say... Scope for the imagination, i believe! i bet she also loves having a captive audience. Literally. they're stuck on this ship with her <3

so many lines for Wormie to climb... so many little places to crawl into... new people to trick into giving her treats... down time where the Neighborhood is relaxing in one place. abundant time for affection!

Frank probably doesn't have strong feelings about it. It's a boring ship with no bugs or things to do. Except when he manages to rope crew members into having a lil impromptu fight club. Or when the Neighborhood is put to work - i wonder if he'd find the maintenance soothing or pleasant... or if he'd relish in the hard work of pulling lines

Julie is likely in a similar boat (ha) as Frank. once the initial "wow! whoah!" wears off, it can get boring! and games are limited - there's only so much you can do on a ship (depending on the size of the ship of course), and there might be strict rules to keep passengers out of the crew's way and to lower risk. She probably entertains herself by "bothering" her friends and the crew & cloudgazing.

Poppy... do i need to explain? wooden ship on the ocean, which i understand can be terrifying. who knows what lurks below the waters? if the weather will change on a dime? if one of the flammable things on board catches fire? if the ship hits something? etc. I imagine it's impossible to get her to go above decks. They have to literally push her statue-frozen body onto the ship when they first board

Howdy! honestly i just think it'd be really fucking funny if he gets Violently seasick! like, curled into a ball in his bunk & involuntarily making agonized noises. he sounds like a ghost w/ all the pained moaning. his sea legs suck unless he stances all four at the right distance to anchor himself in place. he's a weak, sickly, fragile little thing, take mercy on him... he doesn't even have the strength left to swindle or sell...

Eddie. now we get to the point of anon's ask - his sea legs would be nonexistent. he's staggering and stumbling all over the place. the ship just barely tilts and he's smacking into a mast or careening across the deck. and of course, hitting the guardrails at precisely the right speed/angle to allow him to tumble overboard. i bet this happens enough that every time the Neighborhood is so much as on a dock, there is at least one person either holding his arm or acting as a barrier between him and the water. as soon as they get on any ship, he's immediately sent below decks. any attempt he makes to come up is instantly blocked.

there's a lot of both comedic and angst potential there. small ship, calm waters? comedic. some neighbors are playing cards, there's on off-screen splash & Frank immediately sighs and gets up all "god damn it, Eddie-". lmao im imagining him floating there and rapid-fire blabbering in fear 'cause there's a shark (it's not a shark. it's a dolphin. everyone on board is so unimpressed.) he's sobbing in fear as they pull him in <3

but angst? imagine there's a storm. imagine it's an all-hands-on-deck situation, every available hand is needed, and Eddie is strong as fuck - he'd be a monster at pulling lines. probably wouldn't even need to sweat them. but a violently rocking ship, slick decks, maybe even waves splashing over the deck... oof i can so easily imagine Eddie slipping & sliding right over the side. maybe while the others watch. maybe they try to grab him, but they're too late. and in such a horrible storm, there's not much they can do - it's dark, the water is incredibly turbulent, the ship can't turn around easily, there's torrential rain. a high stress situation! i'm imagining Frank grabbing a lifebuoy, firmly fastening it to a pin, and then throwing himself overboard after Eddie. something to think about! (i'm imagining that after the storm clears up enough, everyone rushes to the side to check. Eddie & Frank are trailing after the boat, lashed to the buoy and exhausted. maybe a little banged up, but overall fine!)

and then yeah.... oh the shanties Barnaby could lead... the whole ship sings! and then them all in their bunks (or in their hammocks!) in the [insert term for living quarters here, it can vary] when its sleepytime. y'all would not believe the shenanigans that can occur in the fo'c'sle (or the main hold, basically wherever the ship's sleeping quarters are), especially before actual sleep occurs. peak silly time.

there's a lot of potential here, thank you anon!

like now i'm thinking - what about sea monsters? or jobs that Require them to go on the water, as in the job takes place on a ship? ocean battles! ocean searches!

[austonishing1]

Making a post on Gwen’s design in Across the Spider-Verse because I’m surprised a lot of people didn’t notice the changes to it and its absolutely my favorite look Spider-Gwen has had, and I’m a person that overanalyzes Spider-Man costumes.

So here’s her original look, referring to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 images because its a pretty straight forward adaptation from the comic design. Mainly gonna note the webbing pattern on her inner arm that has a dark purple base and goes up to her shoulders with a small section on the sides of the chest, and flat blue soles. The white space also creates a Spider design that you can see on the back.

Then the first Spider-Verse film they modified it a bit. Made the base color of the webbing pattern a bright pink instead of a dark purple, got rid of the extra webbing on the torso, extended the black further up the suit, and added the popular ballet shoes. Kept all the major elements of the suit but made it less complicated and more unique.

In Across she starts with the above look, but when she shows up later its modified further. The webbing pattern on her arms is completely substituted with these arm warmer gloves. The chest design is changed further with the black reaching farther up and into an angle, with the back design more simplified. As pointed out in the movie, also switched to Chuck Taylors.

[bisan-is-trying]

Me joking with my mom while cooking: aren’t you super proud of my cooking skills!! There's no match for me!! Im unstoppable!!

Mom in a solemn voice: but im really disappointed in you

Me: ????

Mom: pursuing your Master's degree, it seems like you no longer care about continuing your studies, it’s like you've frozen that idea.

[vaugarde]

something i like about these earlier episodes that gets sorta downplayed later is how kirby is capable of fighting all by himself and problem solving before he gets an ability, and doesn’t need to be told what to do before that. later episodes act like kirby is incapable of inhaling or fighting on his own, which is kinda annoying.

[gnomeantics]

hate it when computers work normally and perfectly. its not right. girl where is your specific ritual which only the owner knows