#this one is so funny to me bc i also do ship jack and roger or rather acknowledge just how badly he wanted that phone

[the-acid-pear]

Honestly Peter/Roger should be way more of a ship imo. I know we barely got to see them interact in Dialtown but you cannot tell me Peter bringing up his wife was looking to spice things up in the bedroom or whatever wasn't a direct attempt to rizz him up that just completely flew over Roger's head (or maybe it didn't and Peter just chickened out. The possibilities are endless. I'm shaking you by the shoulders are you listening to me❓‼️)

[phoebehalliwell]

Hello, I just wanted to say I'm a major Charmed fan and love all four sisters! That being said, as much as I love Paige, I've still always hated that Prue had to die (even though it's been over 20 years, I'm still not over it), and I hate even more that Prue and Phoebe's relationship never had a chance to truly recover from her lie about Cole. Also , I think could see why you shipped Prue/Jack, there relationship certainly had a Moonlighting like dynamic to it, didn't it?

yeah wait we did just clear the twenty year anniversary of prue dying in may huh crazy how time works but like. like okay because ik the whole the way the story goes was ~they didn't know if they were killing off shannen or alyssa~ they left it ~open ended bc they didn't know which sister would die~ but like. they knew. oh bro they so knew. like dude. phoebe got a hot new steamy love interest filled w drama and intrigue who was like integral to the plot after basically two seasons of being love-interest-less prue got what? justin?? prue got an episode coming to terms w the fact she will die. like. they knew okay. and like. what breaks my heart is prue as a character like deserved So Much More like she deserved to break free of this narrative of matriarchal sacrifice that she had been locked into like prue practically had to sacrifice her childhood to raise us yeah yeah but like bro there are genuinely so few places where she got to like actually experience life outside of protecting her sisters and then she died protecting her sisters like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. like bro u knew u were going to kill her and you end her & phoebe on that. even if we're sticking with the narrative they didn't know which sister would die there was the very conscious choice to end the narrative on that. so like. 🤬

of course like. tbh. i don't think prue & phoebe's relationship needs to like fully like "recover" from cole i don't think this is nearly as big of a rift as say roger bc i think between the past three years like they've really grown as people and have a new respect for one another that really had yet to be unearthed in it pilot but it's still like. like phoebe was in the underworld trying to save cole when prue died (& piper almost died!!) and we never do see her grapple with that. like even when we're sowing seeds of doom by making cole the source and have phoebe go full dark side like even in the midst of tanking phole we never bother to get some good old fashioned anger self hatred and making the wrong choice like. like that good have been really fun.

but then!! circling over 2 prue/jack bc i do really love prue/jack i think like my favorite thing about it is like. just like how fun and stupid it is. like. like okay so for starters i will say i love the idea of jack as the one to be prue's first real love interest after andy because with andy like you really did have this whole childhood friends to lovers this deep mutual understanding and trust and love and passion like definitely set up to vibe like soulmatism and then he fuckin bites the dust. but like. it's 1999. it's shannen doherty. she can't be an shw forever like you need your female characters to have love interests that's just kind of the way the world works but how do you top andy? how do you beat like the love of her life her perfect man? do you try to go well here's her perfect-er man,, this one's even better than before!! that we did so many countless times with phoebe no because that shit's fucking stupid instead they said here's jack sheridan & he fuckin sucks. & i love it i really do for starters excellent representation for women who are into lame ass guys like i know it's easy to say like haha i'm into guys and aren't they all lame but i'm talking specifically a man being lame is what makes him unreasonably sexy it's a mental condition i know i suffer from it it's bad but it's also like. really funny. but it's also bad. but that's not the point. the point is prue/jack was always supposed to be something kind of stupid something with an imminent expiration date you know? this is not andy. i mean from the moment we met andy we're like hearing wedding bells right from the moment we meet jack we're like ew wtf lol??? like both prue And jack know goddamn well entering this relationship that this is pointless. this is only here to end. and yet!! in spite of that!!! genuine love blossoms!!!! like. whether or not prue was ever in love with jack is definitely debatable i don't think she ever was like in love with him per se mainly because she didn't like. she didn't want to be. she didn't want to do love again that wasn't the point of this relationship so she's not gonna do it. and then for jack theoretically it should be the same thing because like he does constantly play it so nonchalant like he's not head over heels fucking in love with her but he is!!!! he took this relationship that was meant to be casual and stupid and over in a month and he fuckin blew it man he fell So So In Love With Her. like. drives me crazy it does i love that dynamic. and there was something there from prue's side too like. like over and over again she's telling him like you're not the guy for me you're not the guy i'm going to end up with But right now you're the one i want. like. like she has this vision definitely this andy-like figure someone who will you know be the stable father to her kids and her steady husband for many many years to come and her brain's going yeah no way that's jack but at the same time she doesn't care??? like, she likes him right now? she wants to spend time with him right now??? like fuck that potential future mr. right because he's not the one prue wants to spend time with right now she'd rather spend the night with jack like!!!!!! there are some vastly underrated dynamics going on with pruejack that definitely make me start munching on drywall every time i talk about them but like Oh My God. them <3. lol.

[simptasia]

for the ask thingy 1) fandom: futurama? (i recently watched the first episode bc i faintly remember u talking abt it - should i keep watching?) but if u dont wanna get into it or my mind was playing tricks on me we can always go for the classic lost :D 2) ship: kateclaire? i miss the GIRLS 3) character: daniel faraday (disclaimer as always u dont have to do all u can pick n choose :D)

thank you thank you thank you!

also i ADORE futurama, it’s one of my fave cartoons, yes keep watching! it’s so funny, i love the characters, it has great (and silly) sci fi concepts, and happens to have just really great tear inducing episodes/moments. so yes!! watch it!!

not just you, everybody, please watch futurama

annnnyways

Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Futurama

Favorite character: Fry. Bender is without a doubt the funniest character but Fry is my fave. He’s so endearingly stupid and I love how nice he is. He could have been the bland straight man protag for wackier personalities to play off but he’s a huge goofus. And he’s a trekkie! And neurodivergent! And pansexual! He’s a good boy, love that Fry

Least Favorite character: I’ve never really thought about it, like as far as I recall, I don’t remember anybody showing up and I’m like “oh geez this guy”. Oh wait. Fry’s ex girlfriend Michelle is a bitch but she’s meant to be. But like, she’s not even a funny bitch. Like Mom or Zapp.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Fry/Leela (this is a ship I’ve had since i was a kid, an original flavour OTP right there, I loooove Fry/Leela), Fry/Bender, Fry/Leela/Bender, Amy/Kif, Bender/Amy

Character I find most attractive: Leela. Even when I was a kid I found her attractive. Hot + the Matt Groening style doesn’t normally go together very well (even he’s admitted this) but it just works with Leela. Amy is cute too! And Fry is cute but that’s mainly his personality (and fan-art) doing that. I also happen to enjoy purple and orange a lot so Leela and Fry are inherently nice for me to look at. Yeah, Futurama pulls off attractive women better than The Simpsons does. (diff times, diff genres...)

Character I would marry: Aww, Fry

Character I would be best friends with: Oh, all of them really (tho Zoidberg’s smell could be a problem). Especially Fry, Leela & Bender

A random thought: Now I’m wondering if there’s a Futurama style Create A Character thing online, I’ll look later. Also, I know Jurassic Bark makes everybody cry but I just wanna say it made 10 year old me sob and I didn’t cry at fictional things as a kid. Like, very very rarely. Me being a big cryer kicked in later. So that’s a helluva thing. Power of dogs

An unpopular opinion: I don’t know... oh a lot of people don’t like the later seasons but I really like them! There’s some stinkers here and there (attack of the killer app and the butterjunk effect come to mind) but overall it’s still Futurama goodness. Oh and The Beast With The Billion Backs gives me a bad feeling in my tummy because it has this “polyamory is gross and creepy” vibe to it. Whether it’s intended or not, it just makes me uncomfortable. Other than that, it’s a good movie. Fry saying “Robots don’t go to heaven” makes me tear up.

My Canon OTP: Fry and Leela, number one cartoon OTP!!!

My Non-canon OTP: Fry and Bender, babey!!!

Most Badass Character: Well, Leela, obviously

Most Epic Villain: Hmm... I looked up “Futurama Villians” and Bender is on the list jajafklafkjs I love that. I wouldn’t call anybody epic, tho Mom is pretty powerful and malevolent. I’ll pick my fave villain: The Robot Devil

Pairing I am not a fan of: Zapp gets nothing, good day sir! I don’t know any ships I’m like Against tho. Some I’m squicked by, like involving The Professor or Zoidberg but like that shit is for laughs anyways

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): They picked the ball up later on but Hermes was a flat character for a while there. And remember how they forgot Amy is smart for like,,, ages. Again they fixed this later. It’s sometime I appreciate about the later seasons, they gave more focus for characters who were less explored in the original run (this show has like 4 finales, to be clear)

Favourite Friendship: Fry & Bender is Iconic and I adore them

Character I most identify with: Fry. Brainweird trekkie who loves TV/movies and has feminist tendencies. Love him

Character I wish I could be: I mean, if I had to... Bender? I mean, if I had to live in the super dangerous world of Futurama, I’d like to be a robot. Plus Fry and Leela’s lives are pretty sad :(

You gave me the option of LOST as well, so I’m doing that too

Favorite character: Hurley is my favourite. Indeed he’s one of my fave characters in fiction in general. (Daniel is just who I talk about the Most)

Least Favorite character: [insert abusive parent here], tho Anthony Cooper and Roger Linus are on top of the loathing pile. And y’all know I hate Christian Shephard so much. Keamy is also utter scum.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): This fluctuates so much but at this point who would I be fooling if I didn’t put Dan/Char first. Yes, I know there are bigger meals available, I’ll still lick the chocolate flakes off the floor. Anyways. Daniel/Charlotte, Daniel/Charlotte/Miles, Kate/Claire. After this point I wobble all over the place... because I ship so much. And it depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m just really in a Desmond/Charlie mood, other times i’m uwu for Jack/Kate. And so on. Just, take my top three. Tho honorable mentions to Sayid/Shannon and Miles/Richard, I’m very fond of them. And Desmond and Penny! Jin & Sun and aaahhh!! Basically most things canon and a shitton of noncanon. You guys know what I’m like with shipping and LOST!!! I’m posting the chart

Character I find most attractive: Bruh, this show is a bi & pan dream. I’m not good at picking favourites but Desmond, Charlie, Ana lucia, Charlotte are really “holy fuck” hot to me. And Sayid. And Miles. And Kate. Aahhh!! I’ll just end up listing almost everybody. If I had to pick one (1) LOST character to deem the Hottest, I’d pick Desmond. He makes my eyes glaze over. Desmond transcends all sexuality. Desmond is a living romance novel love interest. Desmond’s body is shown off a LOT... also he’s scottish. But man, I came to LOST because of one crush and left with at least 20 more. It’s a great investment!

Character I would marry: Sayid. He would make a wonderful husband. Just,,, just such a loving, gentle, respectful person........ and you KNOW he’s good with his hands. Daniel is a close second for much the same reasons, actually

Character I would be best friends with: HURLEY!!!!

A random thought: “Random Thoughts About LOST” could be a title for my blog, buddy. All the men are subs. There ya go.

An unpopular opinion: Oof, here we go. I love Jack Shephard! Though I have noticed we’ve gotten to a point where liking Jack isn’t a ridiculous concept in this fandom anymore. I don’t find myself defending myself/him as much as I used to. Also Hurley/Libby was really really cute. Yeah, I know she wasn’t around much before she died, I still believe in their love. Oh wait I forgot the big one: I fucking ADORE the LOST finale. It’s one of my favourite episodes and it’s not only not a bad finale, it’s an amazing finale, one of the best I’ve seen. It’s great television. The problems people have with it have never made sense to me, I personally love it!

My Canon OTP: Daniel/Charlotte (they count, they’re not an Official Couple but they’re in love! they count amongst the lost romances!)

My Non-canon OTP: Kate/Claire (i sometimes forget it isn’t canon because holy GOSH does this fire have a lot of fuel)

Most Badass Character: Sayid can fuck you up. That ankle thing

Most Epic Villain: Uhhh, Ben was a villain for a bit there

Pairing I am not a fan of: Kate/Sawyer springs to mind for being a very popular ship that I’m just not into. Like, it’s okay, they’re just better for each other as friends

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Michael, Walt and Sayid due to poor and/or racist writing. Libby, Charlotte, Miles just for missed opportunities. Actually I don’t think they screwed up Miles, he was mostly great, just he could have been used more. Like his powers, or delving into his trauma, his budding friendships with other people. it ticks me off that Miles doesn’t get given Reactions to Char & Dan’s deaths. The Science Team in general were underused and they barely felt like a Team. Anyways Michael Dawson deserved better. Season 2 just fucked up a lot of characters but it really did not treat Michael with respect. I can’t even explain how it’s bad, it just is.

Favourite Friendship: Everybody/Vincent. Hehehe, actually, here's what comes to mind, can’t pick a fave: Hurley/Charlie, Hurley/Everyone Kate/Every Woman She Meets, Jack/Claire is cute when it happens. Jin/Michael was A+. Thinking about it, I like every friendship in this show. Does Ben/Locke count? Are they friends? Well, their scenes are enthralling so there's that. I also appreciate all the lady friendships on this show. And with people who didn’t start as friends, so with everybody it had to grow in front of us and that’s nice.

Character I most identify with: Hurley, Jack, Daniel, Kate and Claire all hit. But Hurley the most, absolutely. Also I find Jack endearing because his emotional instability reminds me of my own.

Character I wish I could be: Claire. Not much would change but I’d get to fuck Charlie and Kate

Send me a ship and I will tell you:

Kate/Claire

When I started shipping them: I literally don’t remember anymore

My thoughts: The last third of Kate’s character arc (of not running anymore, of being responsible, etc) is dedicated to Claire. Kate went back to that island for Claire, not Jack or Sawyer. Kate and Claire remembered together and it was played with as much emotional resonance as the Charlie/Claire and Jack/Kate soulmate scenes. These two are gonna raise sons together. Restless, passionate!!! Honestly, these two make so much sense and get so many Moments, I forget this isn’t canon. Their actresses have amazing chemistry and just. Gosh, I love them

What makes me happy about them: They would be so good for each other! They’ll take care of each other and support each other and give each other kisses, etc. Also also I love their height difference. Oh, I enjoy the contrast of Kate who is more experienced and badass, and Claire who I feel is more naive and is very very sweet & sunshiney. (don’t take me for thinking Kate ain’t sweet and Claire can’t go off, though). I also enjoy how Kate legit looks/holds herself butcher whenever Claire is around

What makes me sad about them: Mr. LOST writers, how comes you had no canon bi people in ur show? Come back here, I’m talking to you-

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: where fic

Things I look for in fanfic: [looks around] h-hewwoo? ladies falling in love and fucking?? pwease?? i’m a fan of mutual pining. i like the idea of claire not realising she’s bi until kate makes her feel things and claire confessing her feelings to kate in a big ol’ cute ramble and then they kiiiisss, and then they fuuuuck. spare fuck, ma’am? femslash is very underdone in fandoms and lost is an old fandom so [pleading emoji]

My wishlist: oh i think i just made it. just content for kate/claire in general is a lovely thing. and makes me progressively stronger

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Jack for Kate, Charlie for Claire. Obviously

My happily ever after for them: Oh, I think I’ve made that clear. But overall? They’re married (emotionally, not legally. because Kate isn’t into that for personal reasons), they have two sons Aaron and David. Kate is a professional photographer, Claire does illustrations for children’s books. They have a nice house, they have lotsa friends, they are content

Give me a character & I will tell you:

Daniel Faraday

How I feel about this character: [mildly] Oh, I like him........ HOW DO YA THINK I FEEL ABOUT DANIEL FARADAY?? I’ve only gushed about him, analysed his character back to front, and frequently highlight his scenes and such for like a bagillion years now. But I do admit, I am just too subtle. It’s a real problem I have. ;) Anyways, that aside. Like they didn’t utilise his character as much as they should’ve/could’ve and he’s still perfect. With just 23 episodes (which makes me salty that Char is so underdeveloped in 20 episodes.) The writing is great, like in just The Variable they get a TON about Daniel across. Tho, we all know what really makes Daniel so great, the reason everybody loves him so much, is Jeremy Davies’ performance. Just. So good. I love Daniel, I adore Daniel. He’s that The Smart Guy science nerd archetype but he turns out to be way more than that too. He’s soft spoken and polite but with subtle hints of sass and bitterness for some extra flavour. I love how tactile he is and his constant hand gestures, it’s just great to watch this guy talk. And his life and backstory is very sad, like he has one of the most tragic backstories/storylines in LOST and thats. saying a lot. And I love good angst. I mean, I love LOST, so of course I do. But yeah, summing up: he’s cute, he’s smart, he’s a little funny, he’s tragic, he’s gentle and he just,,, wants to love and to make music. And he gets to have the life he deserves by the end!! Oh and the inherent value of a canonically neurodivergent character being well written, getting a good storyline and shown as being liked and loved, is just very precious to me

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Charlotte, Miles, Desmond, Charlie and Theresa (last one by way of canon and I’ve certainly put way more thought into it than the writers did. she’s part of his life so I won’t ignore her). Wow, five people. I’ve made Daniel the demisexual equivalent of a slut. [snorts]

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Daniel and Penny getting to be brother and sisterly in limbo is such a cute thought, I love it. I also pay extra attention to Daniel and Richard scenes because of my theory. There’s also hintettes of a Daniel & Kate friendship in canon, it’s not much but I like it. I think if Dan lived he could have made easy friends with most of the characters but as it is, he really doesn’t get to interact with many people. He’s a rather insular character

My unpopular opinion about this character: i’ve picked up that some people think he doesn’t get jokes or that he’s naive. and i personally give him some naivety here and there due to a lack of experience but i also think he’s quick learner and he can be pretty adaptable 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: i really like how daniel’s story is already (thus my brain instantly jumps to dan/char kiss!!!) tho it does feel a bit like theres pieces missing. this would be due to that lovely writer’s strike that happened around seasons 4 and 5. there was meant to be more sci team content but then that happened. sigh. still, gaps and loose threads in the story isn’t a story breaker for daniel specifically. and i don’t mind things being left in implication or to the imagination. i don’t need to see everything. if it was handled badly with dan, i’d be annoyed, but it wasn’t. so... dan/char kiss!!!

Favorite friendship for this character: it occurs to me that the people dan is friends with,, are people i ship him with. hey, it doesn’t cancel each other out: char and miles. also we don’t get much, or we get nothing but the implication of dan’s friendships with frank and naomi is also cute. also also daniel and desmond aren’t exactly friends (it’s weird, they meet a few times and it Means A lot) but the des and dan running thing is a fave

My crossover ship: i don’t really think of it like that...

[fansplaining]

Hi guys! I recently marathoned Black Sails and i loved it! the only thing I'm sad about is that i didn't watch it in real time... I don't care if my ship is cannon, but I found that seeing it all at once means i know what happened to everyone, and I'm having a hard time shutting it off. I want to be into it, bc there are so many characters and ships i like in BS, but i don't know how to make the story feel open for exploration. any ideas or thoughts on how to incept myself into BS fandom?

Hello! Of course Elizabeth is answering this. This is a GREAT ASK, thank you, and not just because the entry point to this question is Black Sails ⚓⚓⚓. 

(I’ll have you know this is one of, like, three gifs of Flint smiling in the entire series. I also googled “Black Sails happy” and…no one looked happy.)

OK so it seems like there are a few things going on here. Apologies for taking what’s ostensibly about one show and turning it into something broader, but I think it gets at fundamental questions of fannish engagement, so I’M GOING IN.

1) Watching/reading a series all at once 

Flourish and I talk about this one a lot, because we (and many others) have observed that younger/newer Harry Potter fans approach characters and plot elements VERY differently than we do, and we chalk a lot of this up to reading the books as a complete text versus reading it with miserable long gaps in which to turn over every freakin detail only to have 75% of it jossed when the next book came out. In 2002 I legit read this one page of Dumbledore dialogue in GoF 100 times thinking there was a clue that was just…under…the surface.

I think that with some texts and with some fans, the serialized nature of TV and book series are the way in—we climb into those gaps and lingering there, waiting and obsessively turning things over and imagining all the branching possibilities, all the future reveals, all the resolutions, is part of the pleasure. I sure as hell wouldn’t have fallen for Sherlock if I hadn’t shown up to poke at the gaping emotional wound between s2 and s3. (Frankly if you showed me all four seasons at once I’m not sure I’d even like the show—my lingering emotional loyalty was the only thing that kept me saying anything nice about s4.) 

If I had not watched Black Sails all in one go it would have been LITERAL TORTURE FOR ME. I had to pause for a week while traveling and I started to read fic that actually spoiled parts of the fourth season WHOOPS. :-/// But I can also understand how watching it all in one go wouldn’t give you enough space. But then, we watched the same way and I am deep in it, plotting out fic and everything. So maybe… 

2) A complete text can stay with you but might not give you a way in

This happens to me with books *all the time*. I’ll read something that shakes me—I’ve often used the metaphor “knocks your world off its axis” when describing a really great book, like it can be the subtlest tilt and you’ll feel like everything’s changed. I think it’s pretty normal for texts to stay with you? If they’re good or if they touch you in some specific way? Especially if you’re fannish and really feel the media you’re consuming.

But one thing I often find about books is they’re more…complete. Even when television shows end properly, rather than being cancelled, they might stretch for longer than what was initially planned, for example, so it doesn’t feel like the arc of the plot was as carefully constructed—often it can’t be, especially with long-running American shows (and of course with classic episodic television, say, a monster-of-the-week show, it’s not even structurally designed to have the same sort of ~ABCDE structure as a novel might). 

Black Sails is not one of those shows—they knew they were bringing the story to a close, and the entire show rests on carefully-plotted narrative arcs. (Not to mention there was an actual ~canonical endpoint for all the Treasure Island characters, ie where the book begins (like, sort of). I mean, there were also canonical endpoints for Jack, Anne, Vane, Blackbeard, Hornigold, and every other historical figure, but…)

Over the years I’ve joined fandoms for WIPs as well as finished products, and often for me fandom’s been a way of trying to mend the wounds of a media property I found incomplete, either narratively (with bad writing) or literally (like, when a show ends abruptly). I think for some fans, this is a crucial piece—they say that when they find something too complete, there’s nothing to mend. 

3) Different modes of fannish engagement

So here’s another thing I’ve observed—different friends have different definitions of “fandom.” So people are like, “Oh yeah, I’m in the fandom, I love that show!” And I find out that means they enjoy the show and livetweet it and look at some gifs and that’s that. Which is totally fandom! And then there’s me, nodding nervously as I debate mentioning that, “Oh yeah, I’m in the fandom, I love that show!” for me means “THIS IS THE ONLY THING I WANT TO THINK ABOUT, HELP ME, I AM DROWNING.” It’s funny, sometimes I think about archetypal nerdboy fandom and its dick-measuring fact recitation, and then I think about all the times I tried to read the room to see if it was safe to let another person know how much I thought about something I loved, how much I felt about it. Even in totally fannish spaces, I still hesitate. :-/

There have been some things in the past few years that I’ve really enjoyed and toyed with checking out fandoms for, but what I’ve come to realize over the years is for me, it needs to be like falling in love. I think for some people, interest and obsession grows, and for others, you fall in head-first. And for others still, it depends on the thing. 

I understand this ask might have been specifically looking for resources or suggestions and while I’d just say if you’re not feeling it in this way, that’s cool, there are lots of different ways to fan, and you can keep thinking about something even if you aren’t drawn to, say, create transformative works about it? But maybe I should say something about Black Sails in particular…

4) Black Sails-specific: unreliable narrators and transformative works

If anyone hasn’t finished Black Sails, stop reading here, I’ll keep it vague but there’s only so much I can do. This is one thing that’s especially interesting to me about this ask: while I’m going on about how final and precisely plotted it all was, it’s not…that final. Because the entire point of the show is about narrative, right? Who gets to write them, who gets to own them, how they can be manipulated, how they shape “civilization.” Characters constantly talk—and constantly show—how both Flint and Silver (and, like, most of the characters, from Max to Thomas to Vane to Woodes Rogers) are these masterful shapers of narrative. Flint is the victim of clashing narratives: what’s actually happened to him, what he tells the world he’s doing, what he’s actually doing (note that explosive scene when Miranda calls him on this, ahhh I love Miranda). But the show’s choice to shift to Silver’s narration to wrap up events is a really fascinating one: the man who works so hard to obscure his past, laying out the narratives of the future. Should we believe him? 

I recommend this interview with creators Johnathan Steinberg and Robert Levine—the Flint section at the start is really delightful if you’re into artists being super into open-interpretation of their work. “Do we have a sense of what we imagine is happening?” Steinberg says when asked if we should believe Silver’s speech to Madi. “Yes, but if I was someone else, I wouldn’t want to watch it with my interpretation coloring it.” They talk about how this is essentially a transformative work (they don’t use that term)—a certain decision “made sense as a way to both acknowledge the book and spin it.”

So this is like the literal opposite of, say, JK Rowling, who seems intent on letting us know every freakin detail of canon and post-canon and seems genuinely unhappy at the idea that people will interpret things in ways that “aren’t true.” (At least in interviews I’ve seen/read of hers in the past few years.) Steinberg and Levine seem to be the ultimate “open to interpretation” guys, which really is like this big blank slate for fandom building on and playing with this world they’ve created. That being said, if oppositional fandom is your cup of tea—if you love fic and fandom as a corrective, as a way of wrestling a creator over the text—then the, “Go for it, interpret however you want” thing is probably not super appealing. 

This is the first time in my entire fandom life, going on two decades now, that I have simultaneously been really satisfied with a show’s ending and still wanted to write and read fic. And that seems…weird to me? So I don’t think it’s that weird that it wouldn’t work for someone. TL;DR: I’d just say if it happens, it happens. But it’s OK to love something and not find a way into the fandom. But if that changes for you, I’ll be there. :-)

[yenneferw]

For the character thing: Oswald (Gotham), Max, Anne, Jack, Thomas, John, James, and Billy (Black Sails), and the Doctor :D (il your blog)

tAww thank you! :-D And thank you for all the characters! Sorry for answering this so late lol

Also I didn’t even realize I wasn’t doing it in order I just saw James’s name and I fuckin went for it lol oops

Aaaalso sorry it’s so long I have a lot of feelings

Oswald Cobblepot:

Why I like them: Oswald’s such a cute little fuck and he’s very devious and the underdog so I latched onto him early on and he’s one of the only things left about Gotham that doesn’t make me sad after all the queerbaiting 

Why I don’t: I really didn’t care for when they always had his teeth dirty that was,,,,,,,,,,, too much. Also some of his hairstyles have been a bit more questionable than others. Also the fact that he was made canonically gay just to queerbait like yay a gay guy but,,,,,,, meh 

Favorite episode (scene if movie): It’s been a bit since I watched it but the episode where he was pining over Ed and trying to tell him he loved him was a good one for him he looked cute and I liked his plight 

Favorite season/movie: I really liked his rise to power in season 1 and if I remember correctly he finally ended up somewhere in the end after all the shit with the gangs so that was really cool 

Favorite line: I can’t think of one right now but I’ll make up for it with my favorite Look ™ which is how he’s always able to look like he’s kind of on the verge of tears

Favorite outfit: Idk anytime he’s wearing a suit is good

OTP: Os and Ed obvs 

Brotp: Mmmmmm idk him and Ivy seem cool as friends even tho I haven’t watched in a while

Head Canon: don’t ask me headcanons,,,,,, i’m so bad at headcanons a lot of the time

Unpopular opinion: I don’t know the fandom well enough lol i’m bad at his

A wish: Nygmobblepot,,,,,, alas,,,,, which isn’t to say it’s bad to hold out hope but i’m so cynical and bitter :-/

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: Death, heterosexuality

5 words to best describe them: clever, manipulative, ambitious, cowardly (but shh it’s okay he’s not always cowardly), vengeful 

My nickname for them: Os I love when ppl call him Os lol

James Flint:

Why I like them: do you want me to write a book,,,,, I love him so goddamn much it hurts…….. He’s just so smart and he deserves so many hugs, he’s a gay icon, he tries so hard to do right even tho he’s a fuckin murderous pirate, he’s a murderous pirate that likes his books and his tea and gardening with his best friend, his eyes are the prettiest things on god’s green earth….. love him 

Why I don’t: not applicable I refuse to insult my boy lmao

Favorite episode (scene if movie): Probably the one where Miranda died or the one right after bc Toby Stephens is such a good actor and also he fuckin burned the town down for hurting his best friend and??? goals. Or the last couple of episodes bc that shit iwth John………… and then the reuniting with Thomas………… wow

Favorite season/movie: I really liked his rise back to the top from season 2 bc it makes me sad to see him failing and he starts going on a mad and grieving downward spiral after season 2

Favorite line: “This ends when I grant them my forgiveness, not the other way around” I’m sure there are more bc his speeches are all beautiful (like the “there be dragons one”……. kill me) 

Favorite outfit: Everything he wears is perfect 

OTP: flinthamilton is literally the only thing that waters my crops anymore, although silverflint gives them a nice solid rain every once in a while and is hella valid too

Brotp: James and Miranda is so beautiful that I regularly cry about them but I also liked when James and Madi were teaming up

Head Canon: He and Thomas break out of the plantation and become feared pirates again, also he was dating John and Gates lmao

Unpopular opinion: He’s gay and not bi like not for bi erasure or anything but like he just gives me such a gay feel you know what I mean. And also I don’t think what he had with Miranda was really anything 

A wish: for him and Thomas to be happy 

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: for him and thomas to be sad lmao

5 words to best describe them: Intelligent, vengeful, loving, sad, amazing,,,,

My nickname for them: idk I don’t have nicknames I guess I always call him James and not Flint and it seems like a lot of people just call him Flint lol (also “lvoe of my life” does that count)

Max:

Why I like them: oh my god. oh dear i love her. When will your fave. She’s so brave and smart and loving??? like I called James loving but Max is on another level. She’s so protective of the people and the things she cares abotu and loves, and she’s so fucking smart. And she’s so brave to pursue everything she wants to pursue, like she’s a wlw of color in the 1700s and yet she still rules Nassau without giving any fucks about conventions and shit

Why I don’t: oh man is there a reason. I don’t like that she went to Woodes Rogers’s side for a while and betrayed Anne and Jack but I understand why she did so I’m not angry with her for it

Favorite episode (scene if movie): whenever she walks on screen,,,, but idk I can’t think of anything specifically but I liked it when she took over Nassau from Eleanor 

Favorite season/movie: I liked her arc in season 4 even if I really didn’t like all the decisions she made, and I really liked how she ended up in the end so probably season 4

Favorite line: she’s so smart and wise so like everything she says but also I really like her speech to Anne “I am so sorry for working so hard to protect the wrong things, for failing to see that there is nothing important that does not include you” 

Favorite outfit: that yellow dress oh my god! does anyone else remember that yellow dress! it was so pretty she looked so pretty! She has really good style in general but I love that yellow dress 

OTP: Maxanne

Brotp: Her friendship with Idelle is nice and also I like her friendship with Jack

Head Canon: again I’m so bad at headcanons

Unpopular opinion: I don’t think I do

A wish: For her to rule Nassau and continue dating the love of her life Anne Bonny and support her piracy and have her position in Nassau fully supported by everyone alive 

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: death? sadness? she deserves literally the best all the time

5 words to best describe them: compassionate, perceptive, brave, honest, wonderfulbeautifulgorgeous i love her

My nickname for them:I don’t have one for her

Anne Bonny:

Why I like them: She’s amazing honestly I love her sailor’s mouth and I love her bravery and her principles and how logical she is. And I love how kickass she is and how she’ll do anything for the people she loves and I love when she stops being guarded around people and her face Softens, I’m gay for how she looks out from under the brim of her hat 

Why I don’t: I honestly can’t think of a reason……. ok I guess I don’t like that she got violent with Max in the beginning when she was having her gay crisis and like killed Idelle’s friend…….. but honestly reblog if you get murderously violent while having a gay crisis

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I can’t think of something specifically but like when she was with Max and they were just soft and dating that is my reason for waking up in the morning, AND when she saved the ship with the glass and all god wow i died

Favorite season/movie: Mmmm season 2 was prime maxanne season wasn’t it…….. good shit

Favorite line: I can’t think of any rn but wow every time she opens her mouth it’s a gift

Favorite outfit: idk generally her pirate outfit? and her hat is amazing

OTP: Maxanneeeee

Brotp: her friendship with Jack is something I would die for they make me so happy

Head Canon: I don’t know that I have any idk maybe that she and Max are still dating after the show ends?

Unpopular opinion: I don’t know that I have one about Anne

A wish: That she’s happy with Max and potentially Mark/Mary too if she wants to be

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: Being unhappy,,, not being with Max or Jack,,

5 words to best describe them: strong, logical, angry, devoted, the world “fuck” 

My nickname for them: I don’t have one for her

Jack Rackham:

Why I like them: he’s so funny and I really like his goals and his arc like he starts out as this guy who just wants his name remembered and that’s still him in the end and I like that that goal doesn’t change, but he finally gets to be the single pirate captain in Nassau which is really cool for him, and he’s also super smart I love him

Why I don’t: I didn’t like his first reactions to Anne and Max, he was kind of a dick about it, but I’m glad that he eventually accepted them and got closer to Max and all

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I liked his scenes with Blackbeard and I also like his earlier scenes where he’s more comic relief-y and I really like when he gets to be a Pirate Captain Dude, that’s not an episode but I just like these particular moments with him. I really liked when that one girl at the Guthries’ was like “Do you know Captain Jack Rackham????” and he was like…………………….. i’ve made it guys

Favorite season/movie: Mmmmm honestly Jack is really consistently awesome throughout like so is everyone else but he’s really well-characterized and grows a lot throughout and I can’t really pick which season of him I like the best

Favorite line: there are so many “if you’re all going to act like children, then I will be your daddy” it’s not my favorite but it plagues me every waking moment of my life and I can’t ever escape it, to rogers: “you and I were neck and neck in this race til the end. But, jesus, did I make up a lot of ground to catch you,” and I really like his speech to Teach about Vane but I can’t find it for the life of me

Favorite outfit: man all of them, Jack Rackham is the most extra well-dressed man in Nassau

OTP: Jack and happiness…….. 

Brotp: if anyone answers this with anything other than Jack and Anne then I’m not sure they watched the same show like to each their own but I can’t imagine a life where their friendship isn’t my fuel

Head Canon: he had a major crush on Charles Vane. I don’t always love Charles Vane so I think he could’ve done better but he definitely had a crush on him

Unpopular opinion: again I don’t think I have one I”m not good at this

A wish: for him to be the most feared pirate around just like he wants to be i’m so proud of him

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: for him to be hanged or something especially if it was in front of anne or for him to have to watch anne die

5 words to best describe them: cunning, ambitious, sarcastic, idealist, stubborn

My nickname for them: i don’t have one but like….. another love of my life….. actually everyone that anon asked me about is one of the lvoes of my life anon must know me well

Thomas Hamilton:

Why I like them: oh my heck he’s beautiful. He has such a good heart and such a good vision of the world. He wants things to be so good and the world doesn’t deserve him at all. He’s so caring and loving and gentle and understanding and he just wants to see a world where people aren’t afraid of him and his sexuality and people aren’t afraid of pirates because he understands that a lot of them are just people who society has really hurt like James turned out to be, he’s such a good leader and if England didn’t suck he could’ve done so much

Why I don’t: the wig that’s all that wig killed me like I don’t even like regular wigs but that big ass brown wig haunts me

Favorite episode (scene if movie): the flashback scenes even tho it’s very short they kill me. His smile as he looks at James. I too would go to war with society over that smile 

Favorite season/movie: lol i mean he’s really only in season 2 unfortunately for us all. That little bit in season 4 is revolutionary but season 2

Favorite line: I feel like I’m not gay enough if I don’t say “Know no shame” bc god can you get a better gay line than that I’m in love

Favorite outfit: anything but the fucking brown wig I’m sickened by that wig

OTP: flinthamilton is unbury your gays, straightbait, and overall beautiful so like………. gay icons

Brotp: his and Miranda’s relationship was not as characterized as James and Miranda obviously so I’m not as undyingly in love with them but they were super good and I’m sure they were just as good as James and Miranda but for obvious reasons that wasn’t onscreen as much

Head Canon: he becomes a pirate dude with James after escaping the plantation no one can convicne me otherwise

Unpopular opinion: I don’t think so 

A wish: for him to just live in peace and for him in another universe to actually get everything he wants out of life

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: what if he had actually died. my heart hurts. why did i type those disgusting words

5 words to best describe them: visionary, optimistic, sympathetic, intelligent, twink extraordinaire. that’s six words you say? how can you counter twink extraordinaire 

My nickname for them: my boy james’s SOULMATE

John Silver:

Why I like them: He’s so…………. like I like his self preservation and I fucking LOVE his characterization and his journey from selfish coward to selfless leader, he might be the best characterized character in this show like the show is really really good at characterization but John Silver obviously had a long way to go to become Long John Silver and He Did That. He’s also so sweet and soft sometimes and I love his curly hair

Why I don’t: I just………. my heart is always with James so when he sort of went the opposite ways I couldn’t help but be on James’s side….. like I still love him and understand his view……. but i’m sad

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I really like the episode where he starts talking shit at dinner to the entire crew and outing that guy for fucking a goat and I also really like the episode where he loses his leg and I really liek the last couple of episodes. I just like a lot of him ok he’s great

Favorite season/movie: I like the beginning of his Long John Silver story when he redeems himself to the crew in season 2 but I also like his coming into Long John Silver in season 4

Favorite line: oh my god he says a lot of good things but I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t say “I will stand here with you, for an hour, a day, a year while you find a way to accept this outcome so we might leave here together” and then the parallel speech to Madi…….. I’m alive and living and this is going to kill me

Favorite outfit: anything but his beginning blue jacket that jacket is the worst lol

OTP: silverflint or him and Madi

Brotp: before Billy…… was cancelled, him and Billy were good buds and I liked it

Head Canon: that he dated that one guy who drowned with the goat Muldoon or something 

Unpopular opinion: do people like his blue jacket? I hate it

A wish: that he can at least be happy with Madi at the end and their relationship is eventually fixed which I think the thing on the cliff alludes to

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: death…… sadness…….

5 words to best describe them: manipulative, secretive, loving, enduring, perceptive as fuck

My nickname for them: none but what if everybody called him Johnny

Billy Bones:

Why I like them: ok have you seen him. he’s so handsome CHRIST. But also he’s always like the voice of reason which is really nice up until season 4. I think I latched onto him bc I already really liked Tom Hopper because of Merlin but he’s also pretty strong in the face of torture and everything he stands for being turned against on his ship, even if it’s not always what I stand for

Why I don’t: season 4? I don’t know her. Also he doesn’t like James and I. would die for James

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I liked it when he was quartermaster for a bit he was a p good quartermaster in season 1 and I also liked the episodes where he “made” Long John Silver and Captain Flint

Favorite season/movie: Idk probably season 1 bc that is when things are still gentle…… innocent…….. good…..

Favorite line: the fuck tent line is iconic. “perhaps we can all agree to forgo, you know, just this once, a fuck tent” when will your fave

Favorite outfit: shirtless 

OTP: idk he definitely dated Ben Gunn js

Brotp: him and Gates

Head Canon: he is asexual as fuck have you ever met him? asexual biromantic. sorry i make the rules and I stick by them 

Unpopular opinion: this isn’t an unpopular opinion i’m sure but billy after s3 can choke. before s3 he’s fine. after…… don’t talk to me about that 

A wish:for him to come to his fucking senses and stop being a horrible idiot

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: for him to stay a fuck lik ehe was at the end fo s4

5 words to best describe them: headstrong, loyal, sentimental, ideological, determined

My nickname for them: i dont’ have one but can you imagine if ppl called him bilbo 

The Doctor:

Why I like them: I mean this really depends on which Doctor you know? this one’s probably going to be long bc I’m gonna do a bit about all the new whos. So 9 I like because he’s very brave and determined in the face of everything he just lost and because he has such a good heart when he easily could have been so cold. And when he is faced with how he has hardened some, he always works on getting better and being a better person. also idfk but like christopher eccleston is all of our uncles who brings us the cool like $20 iTunes cards. 10 I like because he’s so loving that it kind of ruins him. Like that kind of is the way of the Doctor but he just keeps on loving and loving and loving until he’s traveling alone desperately looking for some fun and some companionship so he doesn’t have to feel the hurt of Rose and Donna and doesn’t have to feel how badly he misses Martha. He’s like. He’s like the guy that goes and gives you a giant bag full of shit that would suck if you just got it alone but in bulk like deodorant and tissues and socks and shit. 11 I like because he’s very fierce and fiercely protective but also silly and fun like I like how he can be bouncy and stuff and then the next moment he’s been quiet and scary or loud and scary or gentle and wise. 11 forgot to get everyone anything but he’s the main source of laughter so everybody pretends they’re not disappointed bc his gifts are usually cool. 12 I like because. Eyebrows. But also because he’s a lot different than other Doctors like hte Doctor tends to do morally ambiguous things sometimes but it feels like 12 is so much more morally ambiguous than others. He’s angry about everything that’s been done to him and he feels grief from things he hasn’t thought about in a while and it’s an interesting and different twist on him. 12 intentionally got everyone nothing and ate all the vegetables and left. why am i relating them to christmas? i’m materialistic 

Why I don’t: I don’t feel like going that in depth again but I’ll just say I don’t like how Moffat’s Doctors become what the story is about. The story I feel like is supposed to be about not only the Doctor, but the story and the companions, but Moffat’s Doctors are so much the centerpoint of the story that it loses some of the really really cool things from RTD’s era and some of the spirit of the Doctor. moffat is why my farm animals have all run away 

Favorite episode (scene if movie): this is really hard lmao. I’m gonna pick an episode a Doctor. 9- The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances. I like “Everybody lives!” that’s the best. 10- Midnight. That acting tho and really seeing 10 scared and helpless is something different and really cool. Also The End of Time bc it’s literally the best episode of anything in existence. 11- Idk I can’t really decide. Maybe “The Big Bang.” I love 11 but for the life of me I can’t ermember a fave ep. 12- I’ve onyl seen s8 and part of s9 but I like that one episode where the Doctor thinks he’s dying with Missy I can’t remember what it’s called

Favorite season/movie: 9 lol he only has one. 10- 2 or 3 I really can’t decide. 11- 5. 12- I’ve only seen 8 fully lol

Favorite line: that requires…… so much thought and so much work. They say a lot of cool things. The Doctor is all about speeches and one-liners lol

Favorite outfit: 11 has the best outfit ngl but 10′s is a close second

OTP: Rose and 10 obvs who doesn’t love them, I mean River and the Doctor have always been good, idk my otps for Doctor Who usually involve companions and their partners

Brotp: all the companions every single one of them I’m alive. have you ever met amy pond. have you ever met martha jones or donna noble. have you ever MET jack harkness 

Head Canon: I have……….. a lot I feel like i couldn’t type all of them up first of all the doctor is gay so jot that down

Unpopular opinion: mmmmmm I’m sure i have some but I can’tt think of them 

A wish: FOR THE DOCTOR TO BE ANYTHING BUT A STRAIGHT WHITE MAN

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: for 13 to be a straight white man or for Chibnall to be as bad as Moffat :-/

5 words to best describe them: genius, kind, hopeful, loving, vengeful

My nickname for them: I don’t know that I have any but I might that I’m not remembering