#this man defied death and doesn't care about god at all

[anime-academia]

Okay, look. I get it. You wanna combine the things that are meaningful to you and that you find cool. Don't fuck with me, i have the power of God and anime on my side. HOWEVER, Gojo Satoru and this verse ?! It's literally not compatible. Please, I am begging. Gojo's whole thing is that HE is the strongest. Yes, we have the whole "are you the strongest because you're Gojo Satoru or are you Gojo Satoru because you're the strongest". But the point is he is the strongest because he is him. Gojo is very much not the character for this verse. Use William G Maryblood for this instead.

[mysticmiav]

I wanna talk about Inej cuz GOD I love her so much. Her intro scene is one that I think goes not talked about enough which I think is a crime against humanity and I WILL be making my case your honour so buckle up.

This concerns scenes from SoC as well as CK, so be warned, a load of spoilers ahead.

So in that first chapter of SoC we are introduced to this absolute badass of a girl. She walks silently, steals secrets and defies gravity. The name they call her? The Wraith. How badass is that? God spared yall (and maybe even me but especially my parents) cuz if I was still doing gymnastics I would've broken my ankle trying to be a fraction of as cool as she is cuz fuck you Newton and fuck your gravity laws.

She is smart and quick witted; the whole scene at the exchange, Kaz counting on her to take care of the second guard, knowing she'll figure it out and manage, and her indeed making it on time.

But no, not only that. This deadly storm of a girl not only holds this guard at knifepoint, saving Kaz's ass from an embarrassing plan gone awry, being shot and possibly even death. She goes on and says, and I quote, "I like it when men beg, but this isn't the time for it."

????? Weird way of asking for my hand in marriage but all the same, yes.

We get to see that deadly, fear-worthy side of her, we see how she's an actual threat people take into account, cue the slippery edges so as to make her climbs harder (fools really, as if some grease and oil would stop her of all things)

But as if that wasn't enough, we also learn of the beliefs she holds dear and her kindness. The way she hesitates about leaving Big Bol alone after everyone else leaves, torn on saving him, getting him help or putting him out of his misery, and ends up sparing him a parting prayer.

She's someone who's been through unimaginably lot of shit, never seemed to catch a break, from being literally ripped away from her family, sent across the ocean and sold to the menagerie, a never ending stream of painful and shameful experiences in her life as an indenture there, and then trading that life for one of killing and stealing, and despite it all, despite all she's gone through and all she's seen, she holds dearly to her faith, to her memories and her hopes of better days, of a world free from this kind of pain. Arguably even more so because of her experiences.

She wonders if her Saints would forgive her if she took Van Eck's life not out of necessity, but out of revenge. Either way, she was willing to spend a lifetime of repenting and take that chance.

But even beyond that, she's faithful beyond belief. Jan-if I ever commit a hate crime it'd be against this miserable excuse of a man-van Eck, while not having actually broken her legs (although his only reason for stopping being Inej's words) it was evident he was willing to, he was going to, and he made it clear he still might on the next day if she doesn't talk by then.

Fast forward to the one and only "I would have come for you, and if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you," scene (am combusting as well I know).

I find it to be heavily implied which lengths Inej was willing to go before Jan managed to draw a word out of her; her asking Kaz if he would have come for her when she couldn't scale walls or steal secrets for him anymore implies, in my opinion, what she already saw as the outcome of her captivity at Van Eck's hands. She already was thinking of that future, not just because of that growing, nagging doubt of her role in Kaz's life (whether she really was only an investment or if he'd cared in any way more than that about her), but also because no matter what, she wouldn't have given her crew away like that. She already made up her mind; she'd give that icky bastard some locations that had nothing to do with this, and Jan could break every bone in her body but will find no words of hers helpful, and I just worry of and for that girl.

She made that six-story high climb up a burning chimney with a tight time span, she climbed silos that are twenty storys high with an even tighter window of time, she walked a wire on that height and would've walked many more had things gone according to plan (thanks, Dunyasha), she climbed up shipping containers with a knife stabbed at her side, more or less to ensure she did her best for the crew that was counting on her. She would rather end it herself than find herself captive in those enemy's hands, this playing both into her loyalty as well as her history with captivity and what it meant for her.

She is the Wraith, with a reputation that proceeds her, and she also knows how crucial her skills are, how much her crew depends on her, how many of the plans center on and are weaved around her abilities, but she is also fully aware of her limits, fully acknowledging of her betters (Dunyasha you scare me, genuinely). She is religious and holds her faith very dear, but has made peace with the lives she's taken and will continue to take.

Many people see her as Dirtyhand's Wraith and fear her for her association with him, for his uses of her and the things she does at his bidding, but she is scary in her own light and I don't think people should fuck with that.

When she came for Pekka that night, carved in knife right above his heart, promised him a second slash if he thinks of coming back to Ketterdam, she made the once-proclaimed king of the barrel remember pain and fear.

And as if that didn't shake the man enough, she also made sure to replace his son's lion stuffed doll with a fucking crow, so that he'd see it when he inevitably ran to check in on his kid amidst his blood and panic. She gave this man enough mental damage to warrant endless psychiatric help and a lifetime of cowering, fear and paranoia (totally warranted am 100% in support)

She wears her heart on her sleeve; not in the sense of being naive, but in the sense of not being scared of displaying her emotions and thoughts. Her sentiments aren't random, because she always made it clear she cares for the people around her, she will go out of her way to protect them at her own expense and she will nurture those friendships she's built. Her suli subverbs and beliefs don't come off as a surprise, not to anyone around her and not to us as readers because she proudly displays her faith.

Many times, it felt like people, even Kaz, saw her faith as her weakness, something to be exploited, her sentiments something to poke fun at and use to taunt her with, but it's what makes her stronger. It's these thoughts and feelings that keep her going and keep her fighting. It's these friendships and heartfelt moments that she pushes herself over the edge for, and it's that dream just out of reach that rekindles her spirits even brighter than ever, and there's something so beautiful and heartwarming in it and about her that I can honestly spend this new year dissecting and talking about because am insufferable with a rotting hyperfixation. Why are you still here? Jkjk thankyou for reading this brain vomit of thoughts see you in my next tedtalk maybe. Btw if it wasn't glaringly clear I love SoC and Inej lol

[dufferpuffer]

Albus CoS: Hm... I don't have many DADA teacher options this year... I can't ask the Ministry to supply someone, they suck - and I can't ask the Governors to pick someone, they're headed by Malfoy...

Well, I suppose could spin Gilderoy into a good learning experience for Harry: After his burst of fame last year I worry he might grow a big head, like I did after my first year. I can't teach him that lesson... it must be scared out of him early so it doesn't fester.

Gilderoy makes Severus look exceptionally good, which is necessary. It will teach Harry which adults he can trust, since he struggled with that so much last year... I wish he would trust me but I can't force that. I must give him space and try to foster it slowly. Besides, it's for the best if I don't start to care for the boy on a personal level. That has never ended well.

I'll keep my distance, but make sure to tell him he can share anything with me, that he is a good boy I support - and that help will always come to him if he asks for it. To talk to the teachers he trusts. To know that he is supported even if I am not here. That should do. He wishes to be a little independent... but last time I let that independence truly flourish in a boy it went quite badly. This time I will put more pressure upon relying on others.

-- He comes back to the school to find out Harry didn't seek any adult help - planned to get Minerva's help but TURNED TO GILDEROY INSTEAD, Went off on his own to face certain death WITH GILDEROY AS A PRISONER All because he had a feeling 'he was the only one who could' Then, right after this traumatic experience, still covered in blood and slime - he wants to go and do something cheeky to Lucius Malfoy - a man that outranks Albus in most ways -- Albus outwardly: "Well I'm glad it all went well in the end. Now don't take too long and forget about the feast, alright?"

Albus inwardly: Holy shit this kid is so fucking cool. How does he do it? How does he defy every expectation I have? How does he do the opposite of what I think is best and thoroughly prove me wrong? FUCK he's cool. He's like me :^) But BETTER than me. WOW. He doesn't even have that big a head about it. Astounding.

...He really needs a role model who can show him love, he isn't learning this 'please for gods sake trust adults sometimes' lesson - I gotta take the risk and go find Remus for next year...

[blackjackkent]

Resuming Rakha's adventures... my poor Durge is having kind of a rough time of it at present.

She does manage to sleep at last, in the wake of the revelations about her bloodline and the cause of her beast urges. Jaheira, true to her word, keeps watch over her, and there's some comfort in that. Rakha already respected Jaheira a great deal - seeing in her a combination of the things she has admired most in her companions up to this point: Wyll's fundamental goodness, Minthara's experience, Lae'zel's ferocity.

And Jaheira has known Bhaalspawn before. Traveled with them. She does not see something irredeemable in this new truth about Rakha - but nor will she let anyone in their camp to come to harm at Rakha's hands. To Rakha, who feels more unmoored and frightened than she has at almost any point in her limited memory, this is an anchor point against which she can steady herself.

Come morning, though, that truth must be explained to everyone else in the party. And that... is much more complicated.

-----

She goes to Wyll first, of course. If he will not accept this new truth about her, then nothing else matters.

"I am born of the Lord of Murder. I am a Bhaalspawn."

"Hells. It explains so much. Listen to me. I knew another like you - Gorion's Ward, one of Baldur's Gate's great heroes. Bhaal's blood ran through their veins too. They burned away their own darkness with their own inner light. They chose courage. They chose honor. And so can you."

Wyll is such a good dude. TBH I think they must have a much longer conversation than this in truth; all of these conversations are very short to fit in the framework of general camp convos, but Rakha definitely spends a long time talking to him, asking directly and indirectly for reassurance that he won't turn away from her. That he still does believe she can have that light in her, given the monstrous nature of the darkness it stands against.

I have to imagine this is a very weird thing for Wyll, too. He is a deep romantic at heart and despite how much he cares for Rakha and how intensely invested he is in seeing her worthy of redemption and hope, there has to be a part of him that's still held onto the picture of a storybook romance waiting for them once the Absolute is finally dealt with. But Rakha telling him this kind of shatters that apart.

There will be no easy path through this. He loves her, he will not give up on her, but she has just made it clear that there will always, always be a part of her that is in battle with itself.

Luckily, Wyll is the sort of man who sees something worth having as something worth fighting for.

-----

Karlach is, of course, a sweetheart about the whole thing.

"I've discovered I'm a Bhaalspawn, a child of the god of murder."

"That's a heavy weight. I know you can carry it, but it's heavy all the same. You are so much more than your parents; you're more than the affliction that wants to consume you. You are my friend. And you get to choose your destiny. Choose well, all right?"

<3 <3 <3 God I love Karlach.

I've gotten the impression that Rakha has pretty severely freaked her out on more than one occasion, so this intense statement of support means all the more, really. And she echoes the message already put forth by Jaheira and Wyll - this doesn't have to define you; you're strong enough to stand against it. It is your choice.

Rakha isn't sure if that makes her feel calmer or more terrified. But at least she's not alone with it.

-----

Lae'zel's reaction is more complex - which is appropriate to where her relationship with Rakha stands right now.

"I discovered I'm a Bhaalspawn. The Lord of Murder's blood flows through me."

"I'm not surprised. You've become death incarnate. Mighty, yes - and altogether unpredictable and intractable. One day, perhaps soon, Bhaal will demand your fealty. You'll either muster the strength to defy him - or you will succumb. I know how I'd choose."

There's a lot going on here.

Lae'zel and Rakha, I think, haven't really spoken since the night Rakha accepted the Astral Tadpole. Lae'zel is deeply upset that they're allied with a mind flayer and that Rakha seems to have accepted it and its illithid influence without question.

At the same time... she still cares about Rakha, and also is more familiar than almost anyone else in the camp besides Shadowheart with just what it takes to turn against a god, and how it feels to see one's whole identity shattered apart and reformed. She knows this is a terribly difficult situation for Rakha on multiple levels.

So this is, I think, a tacit admission of all those things - and a reassurance, however awkwardly delivered, that she believes Rakha is strong enough to defy Bhaal, and that Lae'zel will stand by her side as she does.

And Rakha - also given to few words - understands, and it means a great deal to her.

-----

Halsin and Shadowheart's reactions are both kind of lackluster tbh.

"I understand my affliction at last. I am a Bhaalspawn. The Lord of Murder compels me."

"You are a mortal child of Bhaal? Be careful with whom you share that fact - I hear many of your kind have met premature ends."

"I suppose that makes you quite remarkable... though not in a way I'd envy, perhaps. From what little I can recall hearing of Bhaal's mortal children, not all succumbed to his influence. Perhaps you can still resist your nature - if you want to."

I'm honestly not entirely surprised about Halsin's response - he and Rakha don't really know each other all that well, and he doesn't really have an innate connection to the situation (that I can think of) to draw on beyond a general response of, "Well, that's... upsetting. Uh, be careful!"

Shadowheart, though, is a bit of a letdown; as I mentioned above, she is the other one in the camp besides Lae'zel with direct experience defying a god. One would think this whole thing would resonate a bit more with her. She and Rakha have been reasonably companionable, too, so it would have been nice if she was a little more emotional about this.

That said - her expression of support for resisting Bhaal's influence is still welcome. I like to think she and Rakha talk more about this as time goes on, in scenes the game doesn't directly show.

-----

Gale's response is also pretty low-key, but it did make me laugh. XD

"A Bhaalspawn? Gosh. I know what it is to have a closer connection than most with the gods. But with Bhaal... that's not a bond I'd like to be bound with. You should be careful. Very... very careful."

I snickered out loud at the computer reading this, because "Gosh" is such an incredibly understated reaction to the whole situation. XD

Gale has always been a bit more skeptical than most of Rakha's whole deal so this isn't necessarily surprising either. I notice he carefully reserves judgment on what exactly she should do besides "be careful"; understandable, given his own inclinations to hubris regarding godlike power.

-----

Astarion's response... is actually fascinating, and a much more complex conversation than these others have been.

"The Urges are calling on you again, aren't they? I haven't seen you sleep through the night once in the past days."

"I had a vision. I found out I'm a Bhaalspawn."

"I knew you had some nasty habits, but I didn't want to pry overmuch. But... bloody hells, a Bhaalspawn?" He looks legitimately alarmed. "Probably more Baldurian parents scare their children with stories of your kind than mine. I thought your kind was extinct. Goes to show - you should always check your facts."

"So... how are you feeling? Keen to reconnect with your family? Or ready to throw yourself into an oubliette?"

He's deliberately flippant, lip curling a little, and there's a part of her that wants to lash out angrily in response. But there's something else under it, something tighter and more troubled, something that echoes her own fear - and it's enough that, almost in spite of herself, she answers with complete honesty.

"I'm very afraid. How can I stand up to a god? He wants me to cause carnage..."

Astarion studies her in silence for a long moment before he answers. "You know," he finally says, unusually soft, "I didn't realize you and I were so alike. I... I felt paralyzed to do anything about Cazador for so many decades. I gave up on myself. I gave up on any hope of escape after a few lashes. Bhaal controls you in much the same way."

He tips his head forward, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know how you can beat him, but I do know this. You *must* try. The half-life of a mind-addled slave is worse than death. Don't become his. I wouldn't live another century as one for all the moonstones in Evereska."

It's interesting... all of her friends thus far have expressed support, to one degree or another, for her standing against Bhaal, turning her back on her lineage and resisting its terrible urges. But its this moment, this flat exhortation coming from experience and not from any real affection between them, that cements it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

She will resist.

-----

It's a good thing, as it turns out, that everyone else has encouraged her thus far, because Minthara's opinion is... very different. And her influence on Rakha normally bears a great deal of weight.

"You know there is a darkness within me. I have learned its origin."

"Tell me. Or show me. My mind is open to you."

"I am a child of Bhaal. But I believe I can resist my father's savagery."

Rakha, presumably, says it this way because she has already been encouraged towards this by everyone else in the camp. She's made her decision and expects Minthara's support as well - the two of them have, after all, been in sync on most things up to this point.

To her surprise, though, Minthara's eyes go very wide - with dismay.

"You are heir to a divine inheritance that few would be able to command... but I believe you could. To reject it would be to reject godhood. You would lose the possibility of shaping the world to fit your desires. Bhaal is not like the Absolute. He will not control you... he will unleash you."

Eek.

So, obviously, this isn't a surprise. Minthara, while fascinating and tremendously complex and (now) recruitable in a good run, is fully an evil-path character and one of her primary story roles is to indulge your character's worst impulses and their desire for power. She and Rakha have a similar outlook in many ways but this is the second conversation they've had where it becomes clear that Minthara's desire for control and (narrator voice) authority is the point at which their relationship splinters.

Rakha does not want power. Rakha wants peace. She wants her mind to be silent, all the maddening voices in her head locked away. She wants to be the kind of person Wyll would wish her to be, even if it does not come naturally to her.

"I want nothing to do with Bhaal," she says flatly.

Minthara scowls. "You cannot deny your own blood," she says, now with marked coolness. "Yours is a heritage of murder. It cannot be ignored or evaded. You will either kill or be killed. We must find the Temple of Bhaal, slaughter Orin, and claim your inheritance."

Well, Rakha thinks, turning away - they are of the same mind on those first two items at least. Perhaps, by the time they reach the third, Minthara can be convinced otherwise.

[jenatwork]

Thinking about my Utena post about the story from Akio's perspective, I've been thinking also about the final arc from Anthy's position and whether there's anything that we missed - I don't think I'd really thought fully before about what 'the power to revolutionise the world' means to each of them.

That's what Akio/World's End tells the duelists they're fighting for, and they each interpret it differently, which is I think why he keeps it all so vague and shrouded in mystery because it's probably an empty promise. Sayonji wants the Rose Bride first and foremost, for the status she will give him; Mikki wants a power that he associates with art and creativity; Juri wants to prove that her cynical world view is justified; Nanami and Touga both seem to want power for the sake of having power, because it gets them whatever they want in life, because they're used to getting what they want.

But for Akio? It's the power to revolutionise his own world, i.e. to regain the power of Dios, to stop being a human man and to return to being a hero, elevated above mortal men. What power he has in the time of the story comes either from projecting illusions or from pressuring Anthy into using her real power to manipulate others. His world is the one that will be revolutionised, and the duelists are merely the tools he uses to get there, so he has no intention of giving them anything tangible.

Anthy didn't set out to make Dios a powerless mortal man: she sought to protect her brother from the world that wanted to work him to death, and to make people stop relying on him and learn to solve their own problems. But over time, as Akio returns to the world, it's as if he almost grows to resent being powerless - he feels entitled to that power, and at the start of Utena's story, we meet a very human man with the entitlement of a man accustomed to power, entirely separated from the noble Dios.

From Anthy's perspective, allowing that now-entitled and arrogant man to have the power of a sort of demi-god would be disastrous. The chances of him becoming a noble and honourable hero, after decades of living as a man in a patriarchal environment, are slim to none. He would rage, and he would see humans as less than him, and he would not be anyone's hero. He might even kill her for trapping him in the first place. So when Utena comes close to freeing that power, of course Anthy will do what it takes to stop her, even stabbing her in the back. She has been doing what she can to keep Akio in check and keep Utena from progressing through the duels by manipulating others into fighting her. The student council wouldn't have posted themselves beyond their breaking point if they'd reached the final duel - Sayonji never seemed to care about doing anything beyond having the Rose Bride on his arm, and Mikki wouldn't have defied Akio. Juri and Touga might have, but out of spite or arrogance, not out of a genuine desire to protect and free Anthy.

Akio's abuse of Anthy is difficult to explore in this light without coming across as victim-blaming, and that's absolutely not how I read this narrative. But I am also aware that this story is a product of the 1990s, when 'victim blaming' wasn't in most people's vernacular. It is possible to read Anthy acquiescing to Akio's abuse as a means of placating him - keeping him subdued out of fear of what he might do to others if he doesn't get his way. She would rather throw herself off a building to end the duels than openly defy Akio. It's only when she sees Akio throw Utena aside to go after a sword to open the Rose Gate that she realises he's effectively trapped himself, focused on his 'might makes right' obsession with swords and their power rather than stopping to look for alternative ways to open the Gate.

She realises that Akio will never 'revolutionise' his own world because he isn't open to alternative ways of existing - all he knows is swords and duels and physical strength. Her world has focused only on his, and her own 'revolution' happens when she steps away from him and is ready to explore what else the world has to offer besides keeping a power-hungry man in check.

There's tons more to explore here, but that would require going back and rewatching again, which I'm not in a position to do. Maybe the movie? Everyone is different in the movie, so there's likely more Anthy-perspective to take into account. But I am enjoying writing meta again for the first time in ages!

[thaliajoy-blog]

Personal best ASOIAF quotes (no particular order) :

⭐ "A man will tell you poison is dishonorable, but a woman's honor is different. The Mother shaped us to protect our children, and our only dishonor is in failure." (Lysa Tully)

👉 I love what it implies thematically about honor, which is a very important theme of the book ; implicitly, the question "what is honorable/what is dishonorable" is often asked (and many answers given). Lysa tells something very meaningful & powerful there about the constructed differences between genders, suggesting also that women's honor is both a adherence to a law set by the Gods, to a certain nature, and a defiance towards the systems set by men. Women's nature essentially defies men and the society they've built for themselves.

⭐ "Is it how it goes, round and round and round forever ? I ask you again, where does it end ? Here is [Oberyn's / my lover's] killer. Can I take a skull to bed with me, to give me comfort in the night ? Will it make me laughs, write me songs, care for me when I am old and sick ?" (Ellaria Sand)

👉 maybe a pretty heavy-handed way to insert morals into the story but man is this heartfelt. Man does it hurt. Ellaria doesn't just talk about vengeance and it's deadly consequences (in a way that generally goes against most of the Dornish sentiment we get from ASOIAF and F&B, but it's all the more meaningful that a Dornish woman say this, cause vengeance is a core theme of the storyline in that corner of Westeros) - but makes a loving portrait of a loving relationship that she mourns.

⭐ "I rose too high, loved too hard, dared too much. I tried to grasp a star, overreached, and fell." (Jon Connington)

👉 just love that quote for how poetic it sounds. How it is also very heartfelt and melancholic. So much of ASOIAF is people thinking about the past, about their mistakes & about how "things were better back then" and there's a bit of both there.

⭐ "Love is the bane of honor, the death of duty...what is honor compared to a woman's love ? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms...or the memory of a brother's smile ? Wind and words [...] We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love." (Maester Aemon)

👉 again there's kind of the idea that there's a contradiction between human laws & human nature. That men have burdened themselves with a system that might be somewhat necessary, but that it is also something that takes a bit of their deeper, more authentic humanity.

⭐"How much can a crown be worth, when a crow can dine upon a king ?" (Jaime Lannister)

👉 I'm stating the obvious but if course, reflexion on the shared humanity of men, the most common denominator being death. And again, it's freaking poetic ✨.

⭐ "- I am a man. I am kind to my wife, but I have known other women. I have tried to be a father to my sons, to help them make a place in this world. Aye, I've broken laws, but I've never felt evil until tonight. I would say my parts are mixed, m'lady. Good and bad. [...] It seems to me that most men are grey."

- "If half an onion is black with rot, it is a rotten onion. A man is good, or he is evil."

(Davos Seaworth & Melisandre)

👉 Get to learn about the complexities of good & evil with Davos & Melisandre ! The exchange is a way of giving material for thoughts to the reader, showing Davos' view on the question is all about the "and", the nuance (he's a rather average man who's lived the highs & lows of life, and his answer actually tells us that he is very moral, has a sense of honesty and truth - admitting what he's done & how he feels - truly evil persons generally don't feel evil, have no moral sense). It's about what you do, and what you do has nuance, and a context. While Melisandre (a fanatic of a very binary religion) responds by an ultimatum, the "or". There can be no nuance. I think she does regard Davos as a good man though, and that his transgressions just can't be categorized as evil. That his good outweighs the evil, so much that the evil just isn't. Same for herself ; her "necessary evils" mentality drives her to consider them as no longer evil since they serve the good she works for.

⭐ "Mother of dragons. Mother of monsters. What have I unleashed upon the world ? A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could [I] hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros ? I am the blood of the dragon. If they are monsters, so am I." (Daenerys Stormborn)

👉 the dragons are both wondrous and terrible, by making the world more magical they also make it more dangerous and incertain, which is the stuff magic is made of really.

[argentumcor]

Jurassic World Dominion and the Failure to Understand the Themes of Jurassic Park

That's right. Jurassic Park has themes. Crichton has been accused of constantly rewriting Frankenstein, which isn't quite true- State of Fear is not that; I recommend that book if you're in the mood for something that makes fun of the spirit of our age in a delightfully mean way. The movies changed a lot but they maintained his core themes pretty well- until Dominion, Fallen Kingdom's, uh, narrative incoherence aside (should have been about Owen, not Claire again).

What are the themes of Jurassic Park? In no particular order and probably not exhaustive:

Science cannot solve every problem.

Man is very bad at being God and when we try, people die horribly.

Humanity is not capable of understanding, let alone controlling, complex systems, and needs to respect these facts.

Nature is mean.

Materialism has made for a really shitty ethics system, to say the least.

You can quibble, but Crichton and the JP movies aren't subtle. It was brilliant to make Ian Malcom so much to take personally, and someone who likes to say "I told you so" too much to take action, because he is right a lot but is clearly not an author's pet and has the moral flaw of not acting before bad things happen.

Jurassic World has a lot of flaws as a follow-up, but it imperfectly maintains these themes until Dominion, where it precedes to blow them up. The owners of Jurassic World can't help to keep dabbling in forces they can't understand and the raptors are still dangerous and smart and not something to toy with. It doesn't take a lot for the park to go to hell really fast.

The first part of Fallen Kingdom is dumb. Claire is not the sort of character who would go off to care about "dinosaur rights", which was deeply stupid, and all her big and pretty well executed character development happened in the first movie. It should have been Owen's story, with them being together and him getting talked into going back to get the dinosaur he has an emotional connection with.

The part with the little girl, Maisie, is more interesting and fits the themes better. It comes to light she is a clone of old man Lockwood's daughter, who passed away young, and that Hammond split off from Lockwood (no relation to the young handsome ghost hunter hero) because he saw this as an abomination. Which it is. Maisie herself is not an abomination- she's a person- but her conception was.

Maisie was created as an object. Her 'grandfather' wanted to defy death and bring his daughter back to life. He did not want Maisie; he wanted his daughter. That he might have grown to love Maisie as herself does not negate what his goal was. It's twisted. From the moment of her conception, she was treated as an object- the same as the dinosaurs, hence her sympathy for them (Owen and Claire still should have told her letting them out was really stupid and wrong, because it was; people died). The process to create Maisie and the Indoraptor showed no respect for the natural order.

Now we come to Dominion.

Humanity has been mucking around with forces beyond its ken again, using a materialistic ethical framework that has gone badly wrong again and is going to get worse. Locusts, you imbeciles...the people who advised the use of fucking locusts must have been the products of a post-modern educational system.

Of course, Dr. Wu in his newfound and much, much belated ethical torment concludes he can fix this mistake of genetic manipulation with even more genetic manipulation. Super easy, barely an inconvenience (seriously, it was harder to flip the circuit breakers in Jurassic Park than sort out this locust mess).

Do you know how they sorted out Jurassic Park's mistakes of genetic manipulation in the book? They firebombed it. Because its creation was hubris of the highest order and its hazard was incalculable. It needed to be eradicated. And it still didn't solve the problem, because the raptors got off the island (and started spreading a mysterious disease). Science cannot solve every problem. Indeed, humanity cannot solve every problem. Some things are beyond our control, no matter how much we try.

My theory is that in 2022, the themes of Jurassic Park were...disallowed by the Hollywood zeitgeist for multiple reasons. The very big one, occurring during filming, was the pandemic. To say that something like a plague of locusts could not be solved by science would be...a message that would not be allowed. I have no idea if there were rewrites. Also it is long disallowed to find materialistic ethics systems wanting, though these days I feel entertainment dares to dabble in the shallow end of that.

The thing that really gets me about Dominion is the retcon of Maisie's origin, or rather the motives for her origin. Her mother (genetic twin sister) had her made...to be able to give herself a second try after her genetic disease killed her? To experience being pregnant before she died? To claim she was a mother (notice no man at all in the picture, so the kid would have no parents)? As a genetic experiment about super extra special gene modification?

None of this is better than the original version of Maisie's conception, but it is framed in an intensely sentimental fashion. Maisie is the product of something twisted, she was made as an object for someone and not a person, a child, and this should bother her. Her learning to live with that being the reason people had her made is more interesting than her learning oh, the woman she is the clone of was her mother and wanted her to go out and truly live and now she's just okay with this.

I think Crichton would have really enjoyed exploring a character with this problem. It's common in super soldier narratives and such, so it isn't wholly unexplored. Dominion just opted skip out on the...casual cruelty of Maisie's conception. The fact that it was mankind acting like it was God, with the best of intentions, and treating a human being as an object to be used for its own ends (legacy, betterment of mankind, vague and unfulfillable desire to be a mother because she would be dead, pick your motive) from the moment she was conceived is just glossed over with weepy girl-power sentiment.

This all neglects the bad pacing and other issues with Dominion. It's just such a post-modern movie, where before the franchise hewed to a pre-modern morality. It makes me mad because Jurassic Park said something important about science and humanity's role in the world. Dominion offers sentimental "mankind can do anything" mush that isn't true and hurts more than it helps.

As a species, we are capable of amazing things. But we are not God. Life and death are not ours to command. We cannot fix all problems we face. These are not simply moral opinions, these are laws of the universe with perhaps greater rigidity than that of gravity. Humility in the face of this benefits us far more than charging in to muck about with nature as if we can control it utterly- or to batter other about as if- if they would just do x, y, and z- everything would be perfect. It also prepares us for the bitter shocks of life, because we understand that we simply cannot control or even understand so many things.

[dawnbreakerluna]

immediately, what makes zayne and sylus interesting is that i find theyre parallels of one another in regards to the significance they play in their relationship with the mc. we have already learned that zayne has gone as far as defying gods and perhaps other divine powers just for the sake of protecting her, and with the little information we have on sylus right now, there are similar undertones of him being self-sacrificing in the most dire situations. so in short: both of them share this unwavering devotion to the mc, that in the scenario if it comes to, they will let death take them first before anything could happen to her.

myths aside (because that shit makes me too sad & i do not wanna dive further into it) what we can gather is that these men will go above and beyond for the one they love. i would even go as far to say they almost adhere to the traditional dynamic common in heteronormative relationships, but it doesn't. that tradition is an illusion, because despite that zayne and sylus are caretakers in their own nature, they always make a point in respecting their partner's individuality and self-sufficiency. 'let me do this for you because i'm the man'? no. 'let me do this for you because i know you've got a lot on your plate and this is a mutual partnership where we support each other.' absolutely. this is so much more important now considering the shift of modern day conversations about gender roles, relationship dynamics, and what it actually takes to make long-term companionship work.

it's why i think they both fit as the best partners to someone who is familiar with bearing responsibilities to the point where it's a burdensome weight. a strong example of that is the eldest child (often a firstborn daughter) who was taught to be self-sacrificing in the face of people needing help, particularly family. while there's nothing wrong with compassion or kindness, growing up in a household that pushes this dynamic is detrimental to one's own self-confidence, leaving little to no room for self-care or even the thought of it. that's even harder to find in adulthood, if recognized at all.

a traditional relationship dynamic does not work with zayne or sylus. despite them possessing all the domineering traits that fits them in as the dominant male partner, that is far from what they seek in a companion. it's not a matter of power imbalance or that they seek to reign control.

they lead drastically different lives, but the commonalities lie in that they've deal with people, of all kinds and personalities, often in the scenario of resolving conflicts. that allows them to be trustworthy in both compassion and perception. they can't read minds, but with knowing their partner enough, they're capable of learning the little quirks, habits, and other small things that make you who you are. for someone who may undermine their importance or think that sharing the little things about themselves don't matter, zayne and sylus are ALL for it.

they prioritize you. you become the single most important thing to them in spite of everything. you learn more about yourself as much as they learn about you, and that alone is a very healing aspect that would come with being their partner.

“why do you like zayne & sylus so much” have you ever considered the possibility that perhaps i want to be taken care of for once because i’m always taking care of others and get nothing in return? in this essay i will

[kimmimaru]

Possible Rebirth spoiler? For anyone playing I am currently running around the desert around the Gold Saucer, so all my spoilers currently run up to that point.

So, is it just me who felt like there's some tension between Rufus and Tseng in regards to Aerith? There's that scene in Rufus' office where Tseng is asking about Aerith and what Rufus wants them to do but there's something in his voice that just feels...off? Its not been there in any other Rufus and Tseng scene. I believe its because Tseng was probably trying to ascertain where Rufus' interest lay with Aerith, because there's something like relief when Rufus says he wants to see if Aerith will be looking for the promised land because he wants to see it. You can't tell me this man (Tseng) doesn't care about Aerith, probably more deeply than he should given who he is to her. I feel like Tseng doesn't want Aerith captured again and I do wonder if he would actually follow those orders if Rufus gave them at this point. The whole BC thing with Veld is an example that Tseng can and will defy orders if he can get away with it to save someone he cares for.

I dunno, just thought the voice acting in that scene was very good. Same with Barett's VA during Dyne's death, god, I cried. The voice acting in general has come on a long way I feel. Before it felt kind of stiff and a little awkwad but now it feels a bit more natural or maybe now I'm just used to the new VA's lol. (still miss Sephiroth's old VA tbh).

[delightfullydanisworld]

Even if I would play the role of a detective to self-investigate and trace where in the corner of the world did I get infected with anxiety and being worrisome, I know I wouldn't be able to unearth the right answers.

My parents are both pastors and have established an unshakeable faith all throughout their career which only means, they did not genetically pass it on to me.

Mom was even diagnosed with leukemia as a teen, would randomly collapse anywhere and get bruises.

Yet you know what she told her teacher? That the idea of death doesn't scare her because she knows she will directly go to God's throne if her life would be taken from her through cancer.

She is not a bit terrified even if she will lose the chance to a beautiful life years ahead of her waiting to be lived.

She is not terrified even if her epitaph might read: too young to pass away.

Her teacher and I had the same reaction: Who in the world would not fall on their knees and cry after being diagnosed with an infamous terminal cancer?????

Well she did.

Imagine at age 12 or 13, while suffering leukemia, she was still attending school bravely battling it while also preaching and convincing her classmates that death and the unknown is not something we should worry about.

I mean, who says that at age 12???

I grew up in her care and love and have personally witnessed how genuine her faith was. She was 100% healed of her cancer yet is now suffering hypertension but just like how she handled a life-threatening cancer, it also did not moved her.

I have always been in awe of her trust to God.

Like even if we only had around less than 10 dollars for a week, she would tell us that God would never fail to provide for His children.

And it's true.

You can say I was surrounded by miracles and people who manifests it almost my entire existence.

I remembered one story my mom told me which has been stuck in my mind ever since. She has a very God-fearing friend who has such an enduring faith and there was an instance where she needs to catch an important flight yet the airplane already left around 10 minutes after she arrived yet she prayed, used God's name to command the airplane to return and yeah...it freaking returned for her.

I swear, up until now I can never believe this but IT HAPPENED.

The thing about being under God's favor and grace all the time is it can be blinding. A game of tug of war could also take place. I believe today, but next week my anxiety would skyrocket.

Like I am unsure where I stand with my faith because I am so used to its results that I might have shoved my answered prayers to the side as if they were no longer relevant to the present day.

I even experienced life-changing miracles myself. When I was born, my lungs were poisoned and the doctor even declared I only have 72 hours to live, yet prayers saved me. I was diagnosed with a kidney disease and yet I survived. I always survived...

Yet I never could fathom why I still have moments of intense anxiety, panic, and worry. Maybe I am just human. Too human that I forget, I have a divine / heavenly identity and am able to connect to a God who is capable of doing even the impossible like defying death.

Today, I am reminded by a lyric from Hillsong's That's the Power which says:

"And that's the power of Your Name Just a mention makes a way Giants fall and strongholds break And there is healing That's the power that I claim It's the same that rolled the grave And there's no power like the mighty Name of Jesus".

If Jesus was able to conquer all the well-executed plans of the devil for His downfall which includes death, then I should be able to overcome any circumstance I am struggling with at the moment.

Jesus defied death and carried out the plan for salvation even after the initial win of Satan during the fall of man.

Even if I might appear losing now, I should be reminded that just as how Jesus was sent to redeem humanity from eternal damnation, God would also send a blessing to redeem me from my troubles.

I am a conqueror too. I just have bad days where I suffer extreme anxiety.

Even the greatest warriors have moments of defeat.

But what makes them great is they have faith in the process.

Always delightful,

Dani

[joys-of-everyday]

Imagine… You're a young lord or a prominent family with connections to the biggest sect around. You have a bit of a knack for cultivation and join the sect with encouragement from your parents, head held high and prospects boundless. You're selected by a lofty immortal from a sea of candidates, praised for your manners and tea making skills, executed just as you've been taught, feeling like the top of the world. The feeling is short lived. 

The shizun who chose you is infamously strict and sneers at everyone who think themselves better. You've never been treated so badly in your life, with every effort ridiculed, every bit of progress ignored. You hear rumours about your Shizun's incompetence and think you have absolutely rotten luck, ending up with a teacher so terrible. You and your classmates all secretly hate him, and gossip behind his back. Thinking yourself better, you start defying orders, relishing in the praise you get from your peers. 

Except on your first real mission, you learn all your little tricks are useless. You're nowhere near the cultivator you thought you were - just an arrogant little lordling, just like your Shizun had always been telling you. As your Shizun coldly tells you to kneel and reflect, you feel like you are looking at the face of a god.

With this change of heart, you begin to worship the ground he walks on. Nothing he does could possibly be wrong, no matter how strange and cruel it seems. And soon your Shizun is treating you better - still cold, but with a glint of satisfaction. Pride, you imagine. When you are made head disciple, it is the best day of your life. You are now in charge of defending the peak's pride against those who try to defame it. The malicious, the unworthy… you'll teach them all a lesson. Especially those who dare offend your Shizun, you are merciless in your punishments and you bask in the joy of seeing your Shizun's lips curl into a smile, trusting you with more and more of the peak's operations. You are special. You are cared for. He is proud of you, you tell yourself, and ignore the part of you that doubts.

But one day, your Shizun falls ill, and when he wakes up he is a changed man. He doesn't spare you a single glance and instead dotes on that disrespectful little rat he used to hate. This Shizun is nice - really, really nice to everyone, and everyone is happier. But something is deeply wrong - Ning shimei voices her concerns too - but you have no one to turn to, no one to voice your fears to. Again and again you seek your Shizun's affirmation, but everything that used to work no longer does, and there's a hint of hatred in his eyes as he turns to you that breaks your heart. But Shizun is Shizun no matter what, and who are you anyway to question him? So you tuck your tail between your legs and slink away.

Your dirty little shidi who is not so dirty anymore dies and your Shizun mourns like a widow, wasting away to a terrifying degree. You look at Ning-shimei sometimes and see the same dispair reflected in them. Then the little beast is back, except he's a demon, and he's accused your Shizun of ridiculous crimes and driven him to death. You are confused and angry and Shizun is dead… you want to throttle the bastard right there.

But Ning-shimei is right. You are powerless and Shizun has taught you better than to throw your life away. So you channel your grief into supporting Liu-shishi who is fighting for your Shizun's honour, and fighting Huan Hua disciples, badmouthing the bastard whenever you have the chance. Years pass and slowly you accept that this is the new norm, and you are the leader of a peak you are far too young to lead.

You've heard terrifying rumours that the bastard forced himself on your Shizun and disgraced him in the worst way possible. More terrifying is the fact you can't quite deny it as impossible. Then your Shizun is somehow back and still, still defending the bastard. Everyone is confused and you don't understand why your Shizun has abandoned all of them for this beast.

But your Shizun has saved the world, has sacrificed himself body and soul for the safety of his disciples, so what else can you do but respect his wishes? Your Shizun loves the little beast through all of this - no matter what they say, this much is so painfully clear. 

Maybe all this is a trial for you to overcome, you hope. Maybe the Shizun who looked at you and saw you is still in there somewhere. You are still head disciple, still the future of Qing Jing. No matter how loved the little beast is, you are still his senior. So you remember your old lessons from your Shizun, swallow your pride, and continue to fulfill the duties you've been entrusted with.

You know what? Screw all the other ‘svss from *important person*’s perspective’. I want the entire plot of scum villain from Ming Fan’s perspective. I want to witness first hand the confusion of why his Shizun suddenly decided that he liked Luo Binghe. I want to see him watch the short little kid he used to kick around grow up to be the most powerful being in the three realms AND his shizun’s husband.

Could you imagine the mental gymnastics this kid had to go through to understand how Shen Qingqiu went from treating Luo Binghe like dirt, to praising him all the time? Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if Ming Fan wasn’t a little insane by the end of it all.

[critical-skeptic]

The Dichotomy of Divine Acts: A Rational Analysis of the Biblical Tales of Jesus and the Flood

Introduction

In the vast spectrum of religious narratives, two accounts from the Christian Bible often provoke intense debate and analysis: Jesus' sacrifice and subsequent resurrection, and the great flood orchestrated by God. These tales are not just bedtime stories for children; they are integral to the belief system of millions of people worldwide. Yet, when scrutinized through the lens of logic, reason, and empirical evidence, the fantastical nature of these events becomes painfully apparent.

Jesus: The Death and Resurrection

The tale of Jesus dying for humanity's sins is a cornerstone of Christian faith. But let's cut the shit and look at this with clear, rational eyes. Jesus, being part of the Holy Trinity, is God incarnate. He "dies" and then rises again a few days later. It's not exactly a sacrifice if you're an immortal being, is it? The resurrection makes the act less a selfless giving and more of a temporary inconvenience.

Where's the empirical evidence? None. Where's the logic? Absent. It's a story, a myth, a symbol, perhaps, but not a historical fact. It's wrapped in layers of metaphor and meaning, but it doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny.

The Great Flood: Noah's Dubious Voyage

Next, we have the fantastical tale of Noah, a man tasked with saving all life on Earth from a cataclysmic flood. Let's get real here. The logistics alone are laughable. The idea that a single man and his family could house, feed, and care for every species on the planet is absurd.

Did Noah save the water-dwelling creatures? What about the plants and microorganisms? How did he even get creatures that live on other continents? The answers are nowhere to be found.

It's not just a hole in the plot; it's a chasm. A fairy tale. An allegory at best.

Conclusion: The Divine Paradox

These stories present a paradoxical image of God, an entity both benevolent and destructive, all-knowing yet seemingly irrational in action. The deity who sends his son to die (briefly) for humanity is the same one that wipes out almost all life on Earth.

Let's not sugarcoat it: these tales defy logic, science, and reason. They serve as allegories or moral teachings but fall apart under rational scrutiny. They are symbols, stories, and nothing more. To elevate them to the level of historical fact or scientific truth is to engage in a misguided elevation of faith over reason.

It's simple: the notion of accepting biblical tales like the flood and the resurrection of Jesus as literal truth is absurd. Teaching these stories as moral guidance is not just misguided, but irresponsible. Those who blindly accept them are living in a delusion, ignoring evidence and reason. If you're still clinging to these myths in the age of science and reason, it's time to wake up and face reality. Accepting these tales as truth is nothing short of insanity, and it's about time we collectively recognize that and move on.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hey! Can I request Markiplier and Jacksepticye egos (You can chose who) with a reader who is kinda like kenny from south park in the sense that they have the ability to die and come back to life the next day, but very little people remember it. Some details you can add is that reader is very tired all the time and doesn't try to avoid dying anymore. They also cover their face using either a veil or mask and rarely speak. I really enjoy your writing and I hope you're doing okay!

Illinois

He’s used to his associates dying during adventures. So he doesn’t think you’ll be any different (but still he’s upset when you fell into a lethal spike pit, the images unable to leave his mind).

Then the next day, you come back. Not even slightly injured.

Illinois is relieved yet so confused, especially when the others think you’re just fine and don’t remember him telling them about your death.

“No, that’s..I-I know for a fact I saw you die. But I guess fate wanted you to come back to me, huh?” He turns on his flirtatious charm again to mask his confusion.

You just shrug and smile behind your face mask. “It happens..won’t be the last time, though.”

“....wait what do you mean?”

Wilford

You dying, coming back, and not worrying about avoiding death only further solidifies Wilford’s belief that death is meaningless.

He’s the only one who remembers you dying, but when he sees how carefree you are, he just laughs and thinks you’re pranking him.

Of course! You had to be! Why else would you not care about walking straight into danger?

There were times where he shot you in front of the others and one ego goes “oh my god, he killed [y/n]!!” and another shouts “you bastard!!”

But obviously none of them remember that.

Schneeplestein

He takes one x-ray of you and is flabbergasted by what he sees.

“You should be dead!! No human could have injuries this severe and survive! But here you are sitting in my exam room!”

He’s a doctor who defies both life and death in the operating room, though apparently you do, too.

Any fatal mishaps with Anti’s attacks or Marvin’s spells are irrelevant as you come back the next day like nothing happened.

Henrik’s cursed with the knowledge of knowing you’re basically immortal, while the others don’t remember you dying at all.

Jackieboy Man

You were his sidekick photographer during a mission and it did not end well, as the flash scared some birds and you fell to your death.

Poor Jackie saw you hit the pavement...and boy it was messy.

When you come back the next day, he doesn’t seem to remember any of that night. Though Marvin does, recalling the superhero being traumatized and inconsolable.

Yet there you two are, playing video games like nothing ever happened.

When he asks what superpower you’d wanna have, you jokingly say “immortality”.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

A genuinely curious anon, i hope this does not offend you in any way, but do you have any opinion on people who choose to believe in whatever religion they wish to? And what do you think about people who are happy identifying as something else other than their birth gender/non cisgender people? When both aren't forcing their ideals onto other people who do not want to?

The problem isn't simply that they believe it. It's both that they expect others to collaborate, and that they interact with the world based on it.

And in both cases it's "hate" to decline to participate in other people's subjective notions, and refer instead back to objective reality.

I don't care that you think a magical man lives in the sky and listens to your telepathic poetry. But don't demand I refrain from hurting the magic man's feelings. Or insist I'm not to point out the problems in the storybook that proposes him in the first place.

I don't care you think you're "wolfgender." But don't demand I pretend you're actually a wolf and not some chick or dude in a crappy costume.

You said: "aren't forcing their ideals onto other people." Except, that doesn't actually happen, does it? People live based on their beliefs. They interact with others based on their beliefs. They have certain expectations based on their beliefs. They view the world and everyone else through them. They don't keep their beliefs at home.

And in both cases it seems far more likely you're hiding from some other problem you refuse to address; it's a coping mechanism that you're using as a substitute to avoid fearlessly tackling your fears, your insecurities, etc. Affirmation is not healthy or helpful, despite what people insist or demand. That's called a confirmation bubble.

The prosperity and health of individuals and society depends on understanding truth. And truth cannot be achieved by affirming personal preferences or subjective interpretations. Truth can only be found by challenging them. The entire point of a therapist is to challenge your thought processes, why you think that way, whether these thoughts reflect reality, are there other influences that cause you to think this way, are there better way to deal with them.

Reality doesn't care what you believe or how you identify. A god is not going to change your likelihood of getting or surviving cancer. How you choose to identify doesn't change what your biology is; a heart attack is going to manifest differently depending on whether you're male or female, with no regard for what you think of yourself. Whenever people deny or defy reality, they always get slapped back down by it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trofim_Lysenko

In 1940, Lysenko became director of the Institute of Genetics within the USSR's Academy of Sciences, and he used his political influence and power to suppress dissenting opinions and discredit, marginalize, and imprison his critics, elevating his anti-Mendelian theories to state-sanctioned doctrine. Soviet scientists who refused to renounce genetics were dismissed from their posts and left destitute. Hundreds if not thousands of others were imprisoned. Several were sentenced to death as enemies of the state, including the botanist Nikolai Vavilov. Lysenko's ideas and practices contributed to the famines that killed millions of Soviet people; the adoption of his methods from 1958 in the People's Republic of China had similarly calamitous results, culminating in the Great Chinese Famine of 1959 to 1962.

Understanding and accepting reality isn't just my own personal preference, it's a matter of our survival. We can't fix problems when we deny that they exist. We can't fix harms when we lie about them occurring at all. That's why the science and reality denial on both sides of the political aisle is so alarming. No matter what side(s) of the aisle your (various) beliefs reside on, if any, there is some group who worries you, because they deny science and reality. Whether it's vaccines, climate change, biological dimorphism, whatever. Those are their beliefs.

People can choose to eschew objective reality at their own peril, but they have no right to demand others participate or go down with them.

And, call it my bold, idiotic optimism, but I will give them the dignity and respect of challenging them.

[crypticpatterns]

Akechi was chosen by the god of control to do his bidding. There are three reasons Akechi is the perfect candidate for this and plays right into Yaldabaoth's hand.

1. Akechi's powers of the psychotic breakdowns cause people to lose control and act blindly according to their distorted desires--it's essentially exactly what the Phantom Thieves are acting against. The Phantom Thieves free people from their distorted desires, while Akechi makes people slaves to their distorted desires.

2. Akechi works for Shido, the worst example of a man who is a slave to his distorted desires and wants to subjugate other people. Akechi helps this man rise to the top of the rungs of society.

3. Like the other Phantom Thieves, Akechi has been hurt by the corrupt adults in his life and has been traumatized by it. The adults' slavery to their distorted desires has hurt him just like all the Thieves have been hurt. Unlike the Thieves, however, Akechi didn't decide to better himself or stand up to the adults, and he never reached out to other people. Instead, he sought the approval of adults and isolated himself from the rest of the world, giving into his trauma and never healing from it like the Thieves did, until he becomes a slave to his own distorted desires too.

Becoming a slave to one's distorted desires is synonymous to giving up control. That's what happens to society if Joker accepts Yaldabaoth's deal--all of society gives up their free will in order to pursue their distorted desires instead of overcoming them and choosing their own destinies like the Phantom Thieves did.

Akechi's first act of true defiance against the adults in his life--and against his distorted desires of revenge--was when he sacrificed his life for the Thieves and asked them to change his father's heart. He defied Shido for the first time, threw away his life as a celebrity (as society starts to forget him after his death and they stop talking about him), and asked for the Thieves to change his father's heart, giving up on his personal goal for revenge and putting it in the hands of another. It costs him his life, but it gives him his freedom.

When Akechi comes back, he's learned his lesson--he will never again be the tool of adults. He doesn't care about his reputation anymore, and he refuses to be the tool of another rotten adult like he was for Shido. In that way, Akechi does kind of have a redemption arc in the third semester. He gets his chance to rebel against the god of control and guide his own life. His own choices will define his destiny, even if that means he dies. He's no longer going to be a slave to his distorted desires or to anyone else, as that's what led him down the path of ruin in the first place.

Akechi still has a ways to go, since he still hasn't learned to open himself up to others and make true connections, partially because he doesn't think he deserves it, and partially because he still thinks he's self reliant and doesn't need anyone else, and partially because he doesn't want to get attached because he knows he's most likely dead in the true reality.

But Akechi's taken that first step towards freedom. By defying the god of control and his distorted desires and facing his true self in Hereward, there's opportunity there for more growth.

Which is why I think he is still alive and will get the chance to do so.

[thevindicativevordan]

Alright, time for a Big One: what makes All-Star Superman so special? And is it really *just* a modernized take on Silver Age storytelling conventions?

He's the "mythical" Superman while still being an actual character who undergoes an arc.

"Mythical" in terms of both being a version who does amazing feats and being a version that doesn't care about the finer bits of continuity. Morrison cuts out the bullshit and captures the core of the character, showing off his appeal. Everything important is told to you right from the start: He's a child of two worlds. His birth world is dead. He was raised by a human couple who set him on the road to becoming who he is now. Superman is a man with unimaginable power who uses that power for the good of all. Modeling the main story on the Twelve Labors of Hercules, this is a godly Superman who takes the reader on a tour of the world he lives in. A colorful world full of excitement, where mad scientists sabotage other mad scientists' missions to the sun, full of threats that can push even this version of Kal to his limits.

Frank Quietly's art also sets the tone, giving Superman a bunch of "iconic" shots he's often lacked. Superman flying in front of the sun was as hard hitting for me as DKR Batman leaping into the night with lightning illuminating him. Such a gorgeous shot that takes your breath away when you see it, and the entire story is chalk full of great panels like that. The 4 panel summary of Superman's background in the opening. Clark being a klutz and still managing to catch the coffee. The wide shot of all the cool shit Superman has in his Fortress. Clark and Lois kissing on the moon. Pa Kent dying in the open field. Superman One Million offering a golden rose from New Krypton. Clark laying said rose on his Pa's grave. Superman comforting Regan. Superman punching Solaris into submission. That final shot where Clark is building a new heart for the Sun. The very last page.

And so many more great panels and pages. Morrison joked at the start of the project that you knew it was going to be late and you knew it was going to be worth the wait. Can't argue otherwise in my case, the delays were worth it to get all that Quietly art.

All-Star Superman is also a story that in many ways leans into some pop culture perceptions of the character, while defying them in others. An example of how it leans in is that this Superman's power levels are off the charts. This is Superman at power levels he's often memed to be at, without any limit on how strong he is. An example of how it defies is that this Superman is clearly relatable, defying the common refrain of how you can't relate to characters who are too powerful. We see Clark cry, flirt, offer comfort, get angry, show fear, display confidence, and express doubt. His power levels may be beyond human, but his emotional range is still well within what you and I would express as human beings. Breaking the arms of two clowns in arm wrestling that tried to steal his girl isn't exactly how "SuperJesus" would act now is it?

Oddly enough, this version is maybe the least "Christlike" despite the imagery. How many times have we seen the fawning over Supes in the mainline universe? Heroes begging him to take charge because they just can't go on without him? Endless speeches about how Superman personifies "hope"? The general population in awe of him and treating him as a living deity? Cosmic entities and time travelers telling him how absolutely critical he is to reality? That's not present here, the time travelers of Samson and Atlas show up to try to seduce his great love while he's on his death bed! Everyone else treats him as their friendly neighborhood Superman. Everybody likes him (except the villains) and they think he's cool, but they treat him more as a peer and friend rather than a living god. Helping that perception is that we don't get scenes of Superman floating above everyone talking down, he's on the ground engaging with people like his fellow Daily Planeteers face to face. The human side of Superman is as present as the iconic aspect of him, fitting given that Superman's duality is a key aspect of the story.

That humanity is repeatedly showcased in both his best and his worst moments. When Superman gets the news that he's going to die, he puts on a brave face. Telling Leo to keep this to himself, Superman doesn't want anyone to know he's dying and he doesn't want anyone to know how afraid he is. But his fear about dying and about the loose ends he'll be leaving if he doesn't take care of business constantly show through the cracks. Crying about how he doesn't want to die after being exposed to black kryptonite and facing Doomsday-Jimmy (with Doomsday being the monster who best represents the Grim Reaper for him). The vision of his father Jor-El telling him he has to surrender to the cell apotheosis he's undergoing, which Clark rejects with fear.

Aside from that the entire plot of the book is Superman trying to clean up his house before he exits stage left. It's a mad dash to tackle all the problems he put off dealing with until later, as he now realizes "later" isn't an option. Procrastinating until it's almost too late, who can't relate to that? And who can't shake their head in sympathy at his relationship with Lois? Putting off telling her the truth until time ran out meant that they never got to have the relationship either wanted with the other. They get to say how much they love one another, but it's only a brief moment before Superman ascends (although because it's Superman, Lois never gives up hope that he'll come back).

Lois and his relationship with her is very messy and very human in a very lovely way that makes the heart ache. "What could have been?" is the question that haunts them as Superman's impending demise cuts their time together short. If this were a modernized take on the Silver Age, Clark would've come out of this portrayed as justified for his hiding the truth of his identity from Lois over the years. No matter how he acted in the Silver Age, the narrative always made sure he came out smelling like roses, fully vindicated for whatever he did. That's isn't how he's portrayed here, he handled his relationship with Lois badly, and it's one of his big regrets.

It's status as The Superman story is because it perfectly encapsulates the defining attribute of the character in the same way Dark Knight Returns does for Batman. Batman Overcomes, which is why that story is the one that's ascended to the top. Superman Cares, and this is the story that shows that better than any other. He cares about his parents, which is why we see him in anguish over Pa's death. He cares about Lois which is why he tries so hard to end his relationship with her on a good note before he dies. He cares about Earth and humanity, which is why he tries to find a successor in the two Kryptonian astronauts. The iconic scene where he comforts a suicidal person in Regan shows how much individuals mean to him. Nurturing and releasing the Sun-Eater demonstrates how Superman cares even for "monsters" (something he's repaid for when the Sun-Eater returns to aid him against Solaris). Superman even cares for Lex, protecting him from other prisoners in the jailbreak, and constantly trying to get through to him.

That's the big message at the heart of it: what makes a Superman is caring about the welfare of others, and we can all be supermen if we strive to do that.

Lex's big revelation which ultimately results in his defeat is how interconnected we are, how we are all we've got, so we must care about each other the way Superman does. It's a beautiful sentiment that only grows more potent as humanity lurches ever onwards on the road to self-destruction due to the apathy and callousness of those at the top. That some people see All-Star Superman as "Silver Age nostalgia" or a puff piece about how great Superman is baffles me. This is a story that has something to say, something every bit as meaningful as the nihilism of Watchmen or the brutality of the Dark Knight Returns. Alas, compassion isn't as cool as glorification of strong men making hard choices for the good of all as they beat down or murder everyone in their path.

Damn though is there plenty of cool stuff on display here. The Fortress of Solitude, needing a key made of dwarf star matter to open, full of awesome artifacts like the Cosmic Anvil, and concepts like the Intergalactic Zoo. Superman Robots that care for said Fortress and follow Superman into battle. Baby Sun-Eaters! A sentient star that wants to murder Superman! Lex plotting grandiose and audacious schemes for world domination! Kryptonian astronauts! Baby universes! Lois gets superpowers! Superman deploys the Kandorians to save children with terminal illnesses! Everything about P.R.O.J.E.C.T.

I guess seeing a work that so thoroughly rejects the pursuit of "realism" in search of something much more interesting is "Silver Age" storytelling to some people. For me this is the Superman book that reminded me of those 70s scifi books I grew up reading and loving. Chockful of ideas, ambitious in execution, uplifting in theme but with some darkness present. Yet I wouldn't describe this as a throwback to those stories either. If anything this is a work that challenged Superman, pushed him in exciting new directions, threw out tons of cool ideas about how he could be rejuvenated as a character and pushed forward in a big way. Lots of concepts we see in this book have their roots in the Superman 2000/Superman Now pitch that Morrison was a part of way back then. That and All-Star Superman had the desire to push Superman forward to engage with the 21st century, not retreat to the past.

Sucks that people seem to have taken the wrong message from this book, but what else is new for Morrison's work? People read a book that was proud of Superman, thought he was cool and worth telling stories with, and associated that with the past. After all that certainly isn't the attitude simmering underneath modern DC's handling of the character right? "Superman in a simple story like the good ol' days" is certainly not what I or many others got out of this book though. We got something much more interesting.

We got a Superman story about ideas that matter.