#this song is so meaningful

[chisaharu-chiha]

💕

[bloodbruise]

college barista james falling in love with college radio host regulus through song.

james tunes into the campus radio every tuesday night—not because he’s really into finding new music, but because regulus is the voice behind it. regulus’ show is all late-night jazz, obscure indie tracks, and that smooth, low commentary that james could listen to for hours. the first time james hears it live, in person at the café, he nearly spills the iced latte he’s making all over himself.

he isn’t completely pathetic, though—he flirts a little, drops hints here and there. memorizes regulus’ favorite drink so it’s always waiting for him when he walks in. asks about why his favorite songs are his favorite. still listens every tuesday as he falls for him more and more.

james has never called into the show—he wouldn’t know what to say—but regulus’ voice still fills his dorm every week.

one night, regulus runs a quiet segment where listeners can request songs and share a few words. james, maybe a little tipsy from the cheap wine he and sirius scored by charming the lady at the corner store, finally decides to call in. he keeps it simple, asking for a song he knows regulus loves—"the only love song he can tolerate," as he once told james. when “the boy” by the smashing pumpkins starts playing, james hears regulus laugh softly into the mic, a sound warmer than any wine. “someone out there has good taste,” regulus says, and james feels his heart skip.

on air, regulus doesn’t let on if he knows it’s james, but the next day, as james makes his usual coffee, regulus gives him a small, knowing smile—like he just might.

[faunandfloraas]

Seungmin's Small but Certain Happiness, episode 1 - feburary 3rd, 2019.

[vigilskept]

Throwing my hat into the elves and culture discussion, I think one of the things that I find most... upsetting is _what_ Bioware took from Judaism to make their elves. Which is to say, not a lot. What they took was Jewish history - ghettos, diaspora, and blood libel. The bad parts. Stuff about our oppression. Not stuff from Judaism as a religion or Jews as a culture. We don't get to see elves celebrate any cognates to Jewish holidays. There's no equivalent of kashrut or Yiddish or Ladino (despite that not making sense with the Dales being around for four centuries). The two most defining features of Dragon Age elves, the vallaslin and the Evanuris, directly contradict Jewish teachings. Jews started writing down our history and laws as soon as we lost our homeland and independence to Babylon, but it's written into the fabric of Dragon Age that the elves didn't, and their story is one of obtaining a lost past, not preserving a remembered one. It's even indicated that the city elves largely worship the Maker.

In thoughtful hands this could be a story about how Jews are seen as a religion when it's convenient to oppress us one way and a race when it's convenient to oppress us another, but it's not. Instead the impression I am left with is that in the mind of Dragon Age, Jews are defined solely by our oppression.

thank you for sharing!!!!

this came up earlier when an anon asked about making an elven oc from a (marginalised) cultural context they themselves aren’t from and i think it always comes down to a question of whether oppression and suffering are the only things you’re interested in or whether you care enough to learn about community, family and joy. and bioware seems to fail to clear this bar every time it comes to the elves.

i truly think some of the most incredible work in this fandom has come from fans putting those things back into the setting.

[theriverpointace]

i am SCREAMING rn !!

alright so i'm watching community 4x01, "history 101." and i am Concerned about abed. and there's this exchange where abed says he's fine, and troy asks, "f-i-n-e or f-y-n-e?" he explains to britta and annie (and to the audience) that one of them is code for not actually being fine. abed responds that he's "f-Y-n-e," and troy, comforted by the reassurance that abed is Actually Fine, leaves with britta, annie, and shirley.

here's the kicker: it's a movie reference. he built a little movie reference check-in system for abed. troy states that HE made up the code; it wasn't abed's idea! it was TROY who said, "hey, you know that movie line? can we use it so i can subtly check in on your emotional state?"

this is why troy is my favorite character. what a sweetheart.

the movie reference is to "the italian job," which i haven't seen in maybe a year, so i don't remember much about it. it's a heist movie! i'm mostly sure it has mark wahlberg in it. but early on in the movie, the younger, up-and-coming heist team leader says that he's fine. his heist team leader mentor reminds him that "fine" stands for "freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional." the line comes back later in the movie, i'm mostly sure.

for troy and abed, it probably means the same thing. if abed says he's "f-i-n-e," he's referencing the movie: he's freaked out, insecure, neurotic, emotional, or otherwise Not Alright. however, if he says he's "f-y-n-e," it's not a reference; he's just fyne.

[redrobin-detective]

So I've been listening to my two favorite songs from Hadestown, Wait For Me (Reprise) and Road to Hell (Reprise), on loop for a few days. And on my 400th listen something occurred to me.

Orpheus was writing his song to "make spring come again". He wanted to "fix what's wrong, take what's broken and make it whole." His entire purpose was to write "a song so beautiful it brings the whole world back into tune." (From Come Home with Me).

And he did. Using his love for Eurydice, he was able to finish his song, his masterpiece. But the cost of his dedication to his music meant his love went hungry and went to Hadestown for food and shelter.

He hoped his love and his music would be strong enough to save her, a task we know was ultimately futile but we still sing about it because maybe one day it will be different but also... He did make spring come again. He helped Hades be more secure in his love for Persephone so she could stay on Earth long enough for their to BE a spring. He did take a broken, strained marriage and help them communicate, make them whole. He did bring the whole world back into tune when he sang their song and another pair of distanced lovers began to dance after so long of arguing.

Everyone else got their happy ending but him and Eurydice.

He did not fail, he just not could not imagine that his song didn't have room for his own happiness. It's a reminder that for every triumph there is tragedy, every repaired relationship there is a breakup and that while it may be spring somewhere, somewhere else it is winter. I don't know, that idea of mixed blessing tragedies in the story intrigued me. Because someone's worst day may be someone's best. And that is why we must always sing these songs, to remember on the bright days and to get us through the darkness and to know, someday, spring will come again.

[bunnwich]

I really wanna do an analysis on Diadem's lyrics when I have time. It's been heavy on my mind. 😭

[szaryherbatnik]

Hey you wanna know about a full circle moment? The very first song thats played in the first episode of prime is from the over the garden wall soundtrack. And now the blasting company is making music for the cooked moon.

[oxymoronicdumbass]

If I were Hozier and I wrote a song like Nina Cried Power and then people tried to reduce me to the “Too Sweet/sex song guy” I would genuinely lose my shit

[arcaderot]

AFFECTION ADDICTION💕

[the-cockroach-that-survived]

Hey y’all I’m alive. I saw the name George and then got really sad cause I miss this fandom a lot and I keep detaching from it either cause I get caught up in other stuff or I just start missing the old DSMP fandom too bad. Im already starting to miss the old DSMP too bad again but hi DT mains you guys are so sweet and fun and god I’m so autistic about this Minecraft server and I genuinely feel such grief over it and the members that I can either no longer fuck with, or in the really unfortunate case of Techno, have passed away. I’m probably gonna cry if I keep writing this so I’ll shut up but hi guys

[infernal-matriarch]

Thinking about not only is Hellaverse!Miku an eldritch being, she can also be classified as a parasite

[dors-ee]

The more I think about even just the bits of lyrics (the new verse)of the extended version... the less I like it tbh. (I think this is the last time I'll speak about this. But I do feel the urge to get this out. It's LONG, be warned.)

Beyond the surface level, it doesn't make much sense thematically with timebomb I think. Some of it does, on the surface level mostly : siren's call, being attracted to what will cause you to sink/drown... But this is just a repeat of what was established. why add it? just more content to consume?

sea theme for them out of nowhere? (that doesn't fit either mme or timebomb as was established in the show).

Some of it doesn't and goes as far, I think, as contradict some of what was established with timebomb. (religious like devotion, sanctify glorify etc.)

Like it's not just that it doesn't fit with MME, (I have read comments of pple that listened to the whole thing. a lot of people agree with this thought I had/have about it not fitting, and think it really does not fit MME) but even with timebomb in general. It doesn't fit that well. It contradicts what exists a little even I think. And it's i think just more content to consume for the sake of content to consume.

For me this song, since it was announced, I have thought this since it was announced, is a symptom of what's going on with the entertainment industry in general : content vs art, going for money, also creators not doing right by their own creations and not respecting the themes/dynamics/etc. they themseleves established, etc.

I thought it might just not fit -with the rest of MME- that maybe it would be good but just not fit... I had hopes about that let's say. But in the end...

It's... just content to consume, for the sake of it. (Which in itself, content to consume is not a bad thing... but we're getting only that these days. Even what isn't just content to be consumed is pushed to be. Ie : art, for example.). And just content to consume for the sake of it means an increased probability of a lack of respect of the themes, what is established, etc. I think. (why care about respecting your own creation when you can just chug out content to consume for the sake of it and it will still work?).

And... it's without depth when you go beyond the surface I think. Idk if without depth is the word for it, but for me that's how it feels. Unremarkable. Consumed then forgotten immediately. Pretty metaphor, complex pretty lines, direct reference (tell the reference and don't show it like the original did with orpheus and eurydice...) and that's it. I can't say how, I know the original was said in even simpler terms in a way, "the worst is you and I", but for me it carries so much more still. because it works for timebomb i think. It fits with timebomb this verse, said like that "the worst is you and I". In the original everything like the language used, the way they speak, fits with timebomb, Jinx, Ekko.

in the extended version... it doesn't. it's weird. It's... out of place. Too pretty ornamented, in the structure, like purple prose a little.

It doesn't make much sense with its source material and the character/relationship/story it's supposed to be about.

and it doesn't even add to it. it simply repeats it with a theme -sea- that wasn't even there originally. A way of speaking that doesn't fit and is out of place.

And Timebomb did not have the water/sea theme originally. (Jinx and Silco did.). It's thrown in like that, even if it doesn't necessarily fit very well with what was already there. i don't know... again it doesn't feel substantial or that deep and meaningful to me. Not in addition to what we already got. Would it have been there from the start... maybe it'd be better. But here it repeats what was already said, just gives it the pretty form of a metaphor.

It doesn't fit with Timebomb. Feels very superficial, the whole thing. Like... just lretty words and a metaphor added like that just to add something. It doesn't fit, it is wonky, it even contradict things a little...

It all really reads for me as "let's just give them content. even if it doesn't make a lot of sense."

but why care if it's wonky if it works and is consumed as intended?

That's my issue. And why this causes me to be apprehensive for the future. This sets yet another precedent. And plays into larger issues, is part of a bigger landscape that does just that -on another scale, and worst sometimes.- that do not respect their own stories and characters, for the sake of content to consume.

And you'll tell me "well what did you expect?". And before the MV i would have said "nothing. I know what to expect of the industry and specifically riot, and riot with arcane. I have seen s2. So what I expect is : nothing substantial and lack of respect of their own stories/characters/themes".

But the MV, - being, for me, art, and perfectly nailing it about timebomb and the essence of the ship and both characters and where they were in their development and the development of their relationship, etc. - gave me hope for the future of timebomb, if they show up in future installments. I was stupid and naive to hope that for once a story was gonna be good, continued well, I suppose.

Idk. It's just a song I know that, but the issue is in what it represents. The general landscape it goes into. As i said. It's not that much the thing itself, than what's behind it. The thing is wonky, the thing doesn't fit, the thing does go against established stuff, not a lot ok i'll admit it, but a little. It has a pretty varnish "look a metaphor and a mythological reference" but when you go behind it... what's truly there? What does it brings? what does it truly mean? Is it just a pretty repetition?

It's thrown at us "new content!" for us only to consume it. Even if it's not good. Is it awfully bad? no, but it's not really good either. it's... bland. It's pretty. That's... it.

The issue, is in what it could mean for the story, the one of Jinx and Ekko (and the future of it if there's a spinoff, or if they appear in another spinoff.). What will be done with them.

But also... yeah as a symptom of the industry in general. About stories, art, in general.

I really wasn't expecting much for said future, following s2 -and with the general landscape of the entertainment industry, and all the messed up shows, games, etc. of the last few years- that already had squandered its own themes and character development. Tbh I had already planned to skip the spinoffs of Arcane and just get to see the pretty art with social medias. But the MV really gave me a little bit of hope for at least timebomb.

Now... well. I lost the little bit of hope I had gained when I read even just the snippet of the lyrics I read. -And just... just the fact this thing exists as it is. I still find ludicrous the idea to put coldplay on MME. No shade to coldplay, again, but it just... does not fit. The decision to do this in the first place is still nonsensical to me.-

+s2 at it was + the entertainment/art industry in general and the precedents of the last years (5/7 years, a decade others would say)

I'm actually scared about what will be done in spinoffs with them (about the respect of their theme/character development, getting quality stuff with pple trying to do right by their stories, etc.) and starting to hope it won't happen.

My actual first thoughts reading the snippet were " what does this has to do with timebomb? scylla*? the sea theme? this religious devotion thing??? sanctify? glorify? isn't the whole timebomb thing the fact he DID hate her**? did give up on her?? And then one of their important thing is that now they have to relearn to know/love each others in the main universe? the whole forgiveness thing too, learn to accept, etc? it doesn't work thematically the extreme devotion and even kinda contradict what was established with timebomb." (* after some thinking I did get scylla : the monster you are attracted to even if she'll cause you to sink, tries to get away but siren's call, compelled, etc etc. This part works thematically, but could have been its own thing. it's also a repeat of what was already established. so... was it needed? Or was it just... more content to consume? as I already said. i'm repeating myself a little I know. But tbh the sudden introduction of the sea theme threw me off at first. I really was like "the f?"

** yes it's written "hate you" but this is canceled by the rest and the glorify blablabla stuff. It feels thrown here bc it has to be there to go with the rest of the song.)

Then I tried to think "nah. Let it rest a little. don't be too harsh. And it's only one part. And it is pretty yeah. It's technically not bad... idk." But...

No. The more I think about it, and timebomb in general bc like it's one of my special interest, I think about it a lot. The less I like it I think. all that i said above. It's bland. It's pretty. Nothing more to it. Contradicts timebomb a little (religious devotion part.) just... new content for the sake of it. It doesn't fit, doesn't truky bring anything.

But as I said my true issue is more what it means. what it means going forward, and the precedent it sets, for timebomb specifically.

I think the repetition of this concept of her being bad for him, but he can't help it, and the introduction of the new sea/mermaid theme could have worked... if they had been their own thing. Aka : Their own damn song. Developped more, taking the time to give depth, to introduce the new theme, etc. Develop the reference to scylla, etc.

the other stuff... eh. not so much. contradicts too much for me. (as it is with the verse.)

Now, I will admit : maybe in the rest of the new added things (are there others new added things? or is the new verse the only new thing?) there are redeeming qualities in the lyrics. Or it give context to the verse, like the religious devotion thing I dislike so bc it doesn't work with the characters and their relationship and development as they were in the show. Idk. I have enough negative emotions in my life these days. I do not want or need more by going on about this any longer. And tbh... I'm feeling stupid enough as it is to have had some hope and now be disappointed. And for caring so much about what is ultimately just a song and just fictional characters. But that's who I am, and autism with the special interests, so I suppose I just need to own up to that. But I won't drag this further. I'm gonna do the good old "ignore what you dislike and have fun with the rest.". I have lots of projects with timebomb and a lot of fun with art and fanfics, dunno if my mental health will allow any of it to be posted publicly, but I am having fun. And I have positive comments to leave to artists and fanfics I like. And artists and gifsets and analysis I like to reblog. Lots of positive stuff. I'll have fun, then my brain will switch interest and I will still care but not as much by the time the spinoffs will come. (hopefully).

However even if it was the case (context and redeeming qualities with the full lyrics) I still stand by : 1. it does not fit. It should have been its own song, at least. Many pple share this sentiment from what I've seen.

2. it's just... content to consume for the sake of content to consume imo. Which in itself there's nothing wrong with some things being just content to consume... but these days we have mostly nearly only that. And you know capitalism and what it means and entails and thr consequences when giving in too much etc etc.

and all that I wrote higher up about what "content to consume just to be consumed" means and the risks etc.

3. I really have no hope about future installments, the future of timebomb I mean and actually am apprehensive of what will be done in the future. It's not just bc of the song, I want to emphasize that. I had very little to no hope before already. bc of s2, the general landscape etc. what I already said. But the song didn't help.

in conclusion... I suppose?

In general I truly wonder and fears : where are the stories? Where is art going? What are we doing?

Those thoughts have been plaguing me a while... what are we doing? where are we going with medias and stories and art? (and AI is... I don't want to be pessimistic but it is like one of the last nail in the coffin.)

and this is playing into those thoughts. My fears of the future of timebomb are linked to those more general thoughts.

Honestly, I thought when I got into arcane I had found something I would not have to care about seeing the characters ruined after the show. I knew getting into it s2 wasn't great, but I thought it was over after it. I did not know spinoffs were being prepared. I got into it thinking that for once I wouldn't have to fear seeing the stories and characters be -further- messed up. And when i watched and fell in love with timebomb, I was overjoyed thinking that was it. We got this great thing -a bit incomplete yes, and with issues regarding Ekko as a character by himself and his tree and the firelights- and now it's open and free and no risks of it getting ruined.

That is personal tho, I recognize that. And as so the part of my feelings towards further installements that is coming from that are of course my own and subjective. I admit and recognize and take this into consideration when thinking and writing this... very long essay.

also finally : all that is just my opinion and thoughts. My analysis. We can disagree etc.+ english is not my native language and all that.

I still love timebomb a lot. That does not change for now, and is actually what's inspiring all that.

(please forgive weird formatting with upper/lower case, like at the start of sentences or with "I". my phone is dying, it's standing on its last leg, typing with it is incrementally complicated and the new one is taking its sweet time to arrive.)

I will use all of my willpower to not edit this a billion times. I think it should be ok, I've been ruminating all of those thoughts for a while and have edited this a billion times already whilst it was in my drafts. (I tried to keep this to myself, knowing how fandom receives criticism and "negative" stuff these days. Also ANXIETY. But... I think, we're here to share stuff, in my opinion. Fandom is not necessarily just about loving absolutely everything of our source material is what I mean, but about sharing in general, I think. And criticism is not hate. I am not hating. I am criticizing. We can critize stuff. It is actually good to criticize stuff I think. And share around it. We just have to tag accordingly so the people that do not want or cannot handle criticism of what they like can avoid it. Also even if it's not necessarily as easily visible for most as posts like these are -well actually lots of it is... I do reblog stuff I like, with compliments, a lot- I do participate positively too in fandoms. One can do both. Criticize and yet appreciate stuff and be positive about the stuff they appreciate.)

[wolfwarrior142]

Since the melody has been bouncing around in my head since Saturday and I can't stop humming it, and since it's a very sweet and meaningful scene, I transcribed the song Rayla sang to Esmeray.

Though the sky is dark tonight, I still shine for you, my dear. The moon is more than just her light, I am near, my love is here. Though you feel so much alone, Oh, my darling, do not fear. Hold to what you've always known, I am near, my love is here. Though my face cannot be seen, The answer in your heart is clear. I am the moon, the silver queen. I am near, my love is here.

Such a sweet song and beautiful scene. So glad they wrote it that way.

[lynzishell]

So here we are

...again

[lyinyao]

the absolute horror on my face upon the realization that a pearl by mitski is literally sakura MOTHERFUCKING haruka

"You're growing tired of me"

- his doubts about how everyone will think of him when he thinks he 'failed' his duty as a grade captain, a leader

"You love me so hard and I still can't sleep"

- ok I can't really remember when it happened but this reminds me of the time sakura spent the whole night tossing and turning and then kotoha teased him about it

(i seriously can't remember why tho but it's gotta have something to do with how the people of Makochi treated him)

"And all the things I don't talk about"

- 'Everybody's got a thing or two that they don't wanna talk about' by sakura haruka himself

"Sorry I can't don't want your touch/Sorry I can't take your touch"

- him being so used to physical contact through violence, he doesn't know how to be soft, he never got the chance to

"It's not that I don't want you"

- he does care about them all but he's scared of getting close to people, he's only had himself so he pushes them away unconsciously :(

"It's just that I fell in love with a war/Nobody told me it ended"

- my interpretation of this line is that you're just so used to the toxicity, even after you've gotten rid of it, it doesn't leave you, in fact, you might feel you're still in the war, or worse, be the trigger of another war with a different "enemy"

- but in this case the "war" really did end for sakura (WARRR ISSSS OOOOVERRRRRRR)

- it's just like how sakura has been ridiculed by people all his life, he automatically assumes Furin and the townspeople will be the same and eventually reject him as well

"And it left a pearl in my head/And I roll it around every night/Just to watch it glow/Every night baby that's where I go"

- basically him overthinking things, I don't really know how to explain it 😞

"There's a hole that you fill/You fill, you fill"

- his thoughts about how he wants to be with these people, and then he realises he wants to be here, that he belongs here, that this is his home :((

- this town will heal him, fill the hole in his sore, lonely heart (im so happy for him sobs)

🙏 sorry if any of these information are wrong, I wrote this purely by my memory !