#this was far longer than expected

[babacontainsmultitudes]

🤔 Admittedly I was a little disappointed by the reveal (but certainly not surprised the foreshadowing was heavy in this episode lol), but not actually against how Beth (and Will) seem to be playing with it thus far- which is to say that I do think it has a lot of potential, and I suspect there's more to what we're seeing).

;) Big ol' ramble below

Mostly the theory has turned me off until now (at least insofar as I've witnessed it transpire in the fandom at large) because it struck me as so painfully ironic to see Trudy, a 1950s housewife, struggle to exist under the system that she's in, fail to fit the mold assigned to her, and be denied her personhood very literally for it (this being ironic insofar as how it mimics how she would have been treated back then). This and because frankly I just think she's a lot less interesting if she's fully a robot LOL, but I'll hopefully get to that in a bit.

Not that the hints at her mechanical nature and the relevance of Tucker's background were lost on me; I can appreciate why those would contribute to a plausible, fun and I think still mostly harmless theory (now fact). However, minus one or two specific posts I've seen on the matter (namely a recent one suggesting that if Trudy is a robot Beth is probably taking inspiration from The Stepford Wives, :( sorry person who made that post I couldn't find it I wanted to credit yoouuu), I've seen the theory just about exclusively presented in a manner that, rather than explore the metaphorical and political significance of Trudy being partially or fully mechanical, at best disregards the parts of her narrative that are at their core about sexism (among other related things), and at worst negates them entirely (i.e. Trudy only thinking and acting how she does because she's a robot malfunctioning and not because the world itself is causing harm and she rightfully wants something more than the role she was forced into, Trudy not even having any real thoughts and feelings of her own, etc.). I just think it kind of sucks to shove all those important things about her aside and say "actually, there's no person suffering here, she's just a robot" and perhaps worse yet to imply that she does have thoughts and feelings but because they result in Weird™ behavior it must be a problem with her code and not at all relate to what women were subjugated to during this point in American history.

CONVERSELY I don't think Trudy being a robot (or at least partially one) at least from what Beth and Will have presented us thus far, inherently suffers from any of these issues? First and foremost because Trudy definitely appears to possess sentience, thoughts, and emotions of her own, matters which immediately complicate her degree of personhood and don't inherently box her behavior in as a bug in her programming rather than an issue with the world she's been put in, quite the opposite in fact! I think they have a very solid groundwork laid out here to make a strong statement with Trudy's narrative (and perhaps ask the question of what is really malfunctioning here), all the more so since [I pull out a Rebecca Swallows-style conspiracy board] I don't think she's entirely robotic in nature? Actually you should just read Mack's tags in this post cause he has great thoughts on the matter (of which those are just some of them), but if I can direct your attention to one thing in particular, it would be Beth's fact (I *believe* from episode 2) about Trudy never graduating high school because of her essay where she suggested that "perhaps women could one day domesticate themselves", a statement that could of course be interpreted a number of ways but ultimately threatened the patriarchal status quo enough (in suggesting women's independence) to cost Trudy her diploma. Taken on its own this fact appears to contradict the theory that Trudy has always been robotic in nature, because it doesn't really make sense that Trudy would have been set up to go through high school (or school at all really) when Tucker's intention was/is for her to be the perfect housewife. You may then suggest that Trudy's memories of this are fabricated and not actually her lived experiences, in which case firstly perhaps you should reread my earlier point on the robot theory being used to actively negate and otherwise disregard the portions of Trudy's narrative that pertain to sexism and feminism, and secondly it really doesn't make any sense to me that Tucker would implant those kind of memories into Trudy's brain? To be completely honest if she's been a robot from the very beginning (rather than someone who became a cyborg, which is what I'm trying to suggest here), then I don't see why Tucker would program her with actual sentience in the first place (suspending my disbelief here with regards to the possibility of programming sentience to begin with). It seems much more likely to me then that Trudy was not always a robot, and instead altered by Tucker to force her into a role of subordination and remedy her """imperfections""". This option is significantly more interesting to me one, because it implies that Trudy has actually lived a life up until the present, full of its own complexities and strife (and dreams, and real actual memories worth exploring, etc.), and hence is not by any means "just a robot", and second because it amplifies the hypothetical statement being made on the lives of the real living women of the era and how they were treated and seen as being "in need of fixing" for not conforming to gender roles or otherwise acting "out of line" with what was expected of them.

OKAY THIS GOT OUT OF HAND SO I'M CUTTING MYSELF OFF HERE but I wanted to my share my current thoughts what with this ending and where I'm at so hopefully that was at least interesting to whoever has chosen to read through this one okay thank you byyyyyyyyye~

[fistfuloflightning]

I’ll never get there, but if I put the work in, maybe I’ll get close enough that I can chase just behind perfection — and have a front-row seat as you achieve it.

Chapter 20, Cultivate by @neonghostcat

[juniperpyre]

modern jily in chicago mood board (fic: somewhere on lsd)

modern Muggle jily in Chicago! multi-chapter, Lily POV, rated M for smut & drugs. Lily is a waitress, James is a PhD candidate who comes in for lunch one day. banter, emotionally unavailable but incredibly compassionate Lily, arrogant but very sweet James.

Lily Evans knows her roles in life. She is a responsible daughter for her sick single father and the best waitress at an overpriced restaurant. She isn't looking for a solution because she doesn't see a problem; Lily only needs a way to let off steam. James Potter knows his roles in life. He is the fixer of his friends & family and an unapologetic golden boy at HogwartsU. He's looking to be the solution, whatever that looks like.

[olasketches]

me and like two other sukuna stans making posts about how miserable he is

[jujstarzzzzy]

I made a coloring guide……

[paintingpuff]

Tadinho - also known as the Poor Boy or the Crow Child, a Harvestman known to cruelly punish wrongdoers. After days of stalking and terrorizing, he will appear at one's door in the form of a child begging for aid.

One must follow all of his requests as a host before he leaves in the morning. If the host shows a hint of fear during that time, their soul is his.

Because he represents the death that people flee from, he is incapable of hurting those who hold no fear of dying.

[ineffabildaddy]

can someone come and switch my brain off at 9pm each night because the "my fics are shit and i'm not saying anything worth saying with them" thoughts really do tend to fly at me with increasing fervour as the eve wears on

[strawbebbiesart]

Haunted // Love Affair With A House 🏡💌

[ressioo]

“Yes I did give Sig hanahaki”

if I recall correctly, Hanahaki(hope I spelt it right) is supposedly caused from strong unrequited love, so the real question:

Who is it from?

Oh boy, time to ramble about 3sig+, my beloved. Get over here @tenspontaneite

Hanahaki Peepaw exists in an au of our Assembly/Solar Flare crossover thing

These are the bitches Peepaw is getting his plants from (assembly Pibbles, Sigs and Suns)

Now, when it comes to the plants themselves, they're not strictly a result of unrequited love. One type comes from unacknowledged love (benign) and one comes from unreciprocated or lost love (malignant)

The former is harmless as long as the plants are trimmed back, they just kinda vibe. The latter will, in fact, fuck you up. Very persistent. Quick to grow n spread. A twisted version of something that was good, yknow?

(All of that is very much all sponty lmao, my worldbuilding juice has been mostly used up on solar flare)

Peepaw gets to experience both!! Because harming him is my favourite activity <3

Sig's plant is a Marble Queen Pothos (because i have one ive affectionately named 'Peepaw' after him. Symbolism also checks out). Pretty and green. Good patterns on leaves

The malevolent version however,,

White do be choking out the green. Wont kill him, but its sure making him very overheated (blocked vents cause of roots n shit, cant draw in or let out air to cool the puppet). He gets this version during a very, very bad year. Specifically because of loss, not because he's not loved.

So yeah. Fun stuff

[pinksepia]

Doc ock of earth-106

[boleynqueenes]

1525 scene is dooone!

[herzblutrose]

@AkuSaiMonth 2023 Prompt: Stars ID in alt. Bingo card under the cut! (1/5)

The birth of stars …

This is based on that one first anniversary James Webb picture and inspired by this artwork by @prinnay! And I just realized she also made an (absolutely amazing) drawing based on that same James Webb picture...! Check it out!

My bingo card for this year:

I have 4 out of 5 drawings planned out ... let's see how many i can get out in the two weeks left

[ratatatastic]

theres something inherently cruel about asking a man about "pieces that get left behind by vets" when said vet has already moved onto another team

"he was an unreal add for our team he was just the right piece we needed and for me to be able to sit next to him in the locker room and play with him... hes thinking all the time how to be better he wants to help teammates, help linemates... just works so hard"

Training Camp 24 | 9.24.24 (x)

Miami Herald | 6.1.24 (x)

"it was just so much fun to hear stories" lol were these the stories you were talking about lundy

[deltadex]

Arcane's symbolism: Meaning of Vi

Of all the Arcane characters, I feel that Vi's name carries the most meaning in relation to her character.

Besides being associated with love in general, violets are also linked with lesbian love (thanks to Greek poet Sappho, who's poems centered around the relationships between women, who often wore the flowers). It's clear how this ties in with Vi and her relationship with a certain Pilty...

As for the shortened version of her name, Vi can be interpreted as the Roman numeral for the number six (which her stylised cheek Tattoo alludes to).

In Numerology, the number six is "the embodiment of the heart". It represents unconditional love and is a powerful force of compassion and empathy. The number six's strengths include:

Supportive - will be the first to provide a shoulder to lean on, truly try to understand, and give heartfelt advice. ("You wanna talk about today?", "We've all had bad days, but we learn, and we stick together")

Protective - its unconditional love extends to all people which allows it to speak up for those that don't have a voice. Especially fierce when it comes to family. (e.g. Vi standing up for Powder when Milo complains about her, her willingness to fight for the people of the Undercity)

Romantic - works hard to create peaceful relationships and is fluent in all love languages. Only happy when its other half is happy. (Romance we are yet to see...)

Its weaknesses include:

Passive - in order to keep the peace, six may allow itself to get taken advantage of. Would rather go along with an undesirable option than make waves. (We only really see this part of Vi when it comes to Powder/Jinx. "It's alright Powder, at least you're okay", "We can just go. We can leave and never come back")

Self-sacrificing - so willing to sacrifice itself for others that it neglects its own needs and well-being. Often overlooks the the self-care that would make it feel balanced. (e.g Vi willing to turn herself in to the enforcers. She has little regard for her own safety, putting herself in danger several times throughout the series in order to find her sister.)

Idealistic - expects everyone to treat others the way it does, which it believes would lead to a perfect world. When it realises its ideals are unattainable, it may face extreme upset. ("I grew up knowing I'm less than them, that my place is down there. I want Powder to have more than that and I'm willing to fight for it". Another moment that comes to mind is the council scene, where Vi becomes frustrated with the council for not sharing Jayce's view on stopping Silco. "This is how things are, how they've always been. I was so stupid to think it could change.")

(Going off point here: I noticed that Caitlyn has many of these qualities as well, in some cases exhibiting them even stronger than Vi. In this way, they are more similar than they realise. They both lead with their hearts.)

Let's move on to the third and final meaning, which lies in the realm of Tarot Cards. The sixth card in what is called the "Major Arcana" is, very fittingly, The Lovers.

This card has two different meanings, depending on its orientation in a reading:

1. The Lovers Upright

Represents conscious connections and meaningful relationships. The appearance of this card shows that you have a strong, beautiful connection with a loved one. You may believe you have found a soul mate or life partner. The chemistry between you goes beyond just physical attraction to something that is almost spiritual (AKA CaitVi).

While it typically represents a romantic tie, The Lovers card can also refer to a close friendship or family relationship where "love, respect and compassion flow" (AKA Vi and Jinx's sisterly bond)

The Lovers card is one of open communication and raw honesty. Its appearance is a sign that by "communicating openly and honestly with those you care about, you will create a harmonious and fulfilling relationship built on trust and respect". It's an invitation to open your heart and be vulnerable around someone (the scene that comes to mind is the one where Caitlyn and Vi are lying on the bed, and Vi talks about the childhood game her and Powder used to play. She shows a surprisingly amount of vulnerability, which leads to an intimate moment between her and Caitlyn. By being vulnerable, Vi instigated progression of their relationship. )

On a more personal level, the card is about defining your beliefs and values and staying true to them. You are figuring out what your philosophy is and what you stand for. (This is something we see Vi struggle with throughout the series. Vi's ideologies are constantly challenged and therefore evolving. In Act 1, it's through Vander's teachings, and the rest of the series, it's Caitlyn challenging everything she thought she knew about enforcers and Topsiders in general. Even so, the biggest threat to her value system is in the finale, where she is faced with whether or not she should choose to put some of her own values aside to maintain her relationship with Jinx. I think we will see a continuation of this personal journey in season 2: Is she going to follow Vander's example or forge her own path? Will she choose to believe the Piltover and the Undercity's relations can improve, or will they forever be "oil and water"? Who is she when she isn't constantly striving to reconnect with her sister? Will she ever be able to forgive her for everything she's done? Will she ever be able to forgive herself?

At its heart, The Lovers is about choice. Who you want to be. How you want to connect with others. This card is often a sign that you are facing a moral dilemma and must consider all the consequences before acting. It is advised not to make a decision out of fear, guilt or shame. Your values system is being challenged, and "you are being called to take the higher path, even if it is difficult."

Finally, The Lovers card encourages you to unify dual forces and bring together two parts, one that are seemingly in opposition, to form a harmonious "whole" (very fitting for a show whose central theme focuses on duality). This is where I see Vi and Caitlyn working together to forge peace between the two sides of the city, which is the reason she eventually becomes an enforcer. And, naturally, acceptance of this unified duality may also lead to the initiation of a relationship with Caitlyn.

2. The Lovers Reversed

Reversed, The Lovers can signal a time when you're out of sync with those around you, especially your loved ones (and it's no secret that Vi and Jinx have become "out of sync"). You're relationship is strained and communication is difficult. Depending on the case, you can either try to bring love and compassion to the situation, or you can accept that you've grown apart and move on (this is the harrowing decision that Vi is facing).

The Reversed card may reflect that there are feelings in a relationship that aren't mutual. One person may be more emotionally involved than the other which, down the line, can lead to disappointment and insecurity. You may also be reluctant to open your heart for fear of getting hurt. (This is basically the "oil and water" scene beat for beat. Vi is afraid of opening up to a relationship with Caitlyn and shatters the prospect of "mutuality" by stating that it "wasn't meant to be". And then there's Vi's relationship with Jinx, which also has a lack of mutuality, at least from Jinx's point of view: "I thought, maybe you could love me like you used to, even though I'm...different". i.e Why can't you love the new me like you loved Powder? It hurts because it's not that Vi doesn't love her, it's that she doesn't love her in the way that she wants her to, thereby leading to her choosing Jinx over Powder. She can't go back to being Powder. After all, "she fell down a well".)

Not only does the card refer to relationships with others, it also speaks to self-love and respect. To what extent do accept your identity and the value you offer the world? (I doubt Vi has any self-love and respect left, which is really sad. Her self-worth was already damaged in childhood; "I grew up knowing that I'm less than them. That my place is down there." This feeling of worthlessness was only exacerbated by her time in prison, where she was beaten senseless by the gaurds on a regular basis. You can tell by the way she carelessly throws herself into danger that she doesn't believe she's of any value except for being her sister's protector.)

The card encourages you to be mindful of when you look at other people and wish you were more like them. "Understand that if you can recognize these traits in others, it is because you have them within you." (In other words, what you perceive in others is a way for you to recognize your own strengths. Vi looks at Caitlyn and sees this amazingly kind, good-hearted and empathetic person. But what she doesn't realise is that she has these qualities as well. Caitlyn even points it out: "Despite it all, I can tell. You have a good heart ". Despite her constant cynicism towards Caitlyn, this quality still managed to shine through, enough for Caitlyn to notice it. My hope for next season is to see Vi get in touch with her tender side again after having to be tough for so long.)

If the Lovers Reversed shows up in a reading, you might face a tough choice with significant consequences (Vi faces the ultimate choice in the now infamous "tea party" scene, where Jinx presents her with the question: "Where should I sit? That's your choice, really." But what Vi doesn't expect is the way she has to answer that question: by choosing whether or not to kill Caitlyn.)

Instead of making a decision based on your values, you feel tempted to cut corners. (Vi tries to evade the dilemma by suggesting that they leave together. Nevertheless, this only makes the situation worse by riling up Silco.) The Lovers Reversed encourages you to reconsider and choose the path most in alignment with your values - no matter how difficult it might be (this might be a hint to Vi letting go of any prospect of a having a normal relationship with her sister again)

Lastly, this card can also suggest inner conflicts and being at war with oneself, rather than with external forces. You may be punishing yourself for something you have done or consider yourself responsible for. (Vi clearly has an extreme sense of guilt. She was the big sister that was in charge of taking care of her siblings, and when it came to it, save Vander. Even though there are several factors at blame, she feels responsible for the death of her family and her sister's poor mental health. Not only that, she also feels guilty for not being able to support Ekko and Powder in the time following that fateful night. It must eat her from the inside out: If I just hadn't gone through with the heist, none of this would have happened. Why did I have to hit Powder? Why did I have to call her a jinx? I have no one left, and it's all my fault. I'm the real jinx.

Now, let's take a step back and see what the running theme is here. Considering each of the three meanings her name represents, it's easy to see: Vi is the human embodiment of the heart. And love is the force that drives her. Nevertheless, sooner or later she's going to flatline. A heart must both give and receive blood for it to continue beating.

From what we've seen, there is NO DOUBT that Vi is able to give immense amounts of love; it's literally permanently tatooed onto her. But the question remains; will she be able to let herself receive it?

Sources:

fnp.com

numerology.com

biddytarot.com

[malulurivers]

the air stilled, scented rich with magic. floorboards hard at your back, you shifted up onto your elbows. the ridges dug into your skin as you instantly looked to your side.

Jayce coughed. you snorted. his hair was frazzled, his chest rising and falling slowly as he laid strewn like all of your papers—without a care in the world. if he didn't look like he'd faceplanted a sack of coal you would've believed it was a fair comparison.

dragging your safety goggles over your forehead rife with soot, you discarded them atop his stomach. or you aimed to. being knocked onto your ass clearly messed with your coordination as you accidentally clipped his chin with the buckle. he whined dramatically.

"sorry! that wasn't—"

"beating me while I'm down? what did I do to deserve this!"

you rolled your eyes amusedly. "my bad, Talis. thought you wanting your name plastered all over the research notes meant this was your experiment."

he groaned, head turning away from you.

"seems like you got proportional comeuppance, though."

"what's that supposed to mean?"

you giggled quietly, refraining from giving an answer.

your cloudy eyes waltzed across from him to the explosion of dust and soot that painted his side of the lab. what was left of his desk smoked and crackled with cerulean static. following the crux where the contraption had sat mere moments before, you found runes burnt into the flagstone and wood.

"well, there's some good news for us." you slumped back onto the floor beside him.

"really?" his smile was as bright as it always was, gap-toothed and endearing despite everything.

"the sun rune was definitely activated when that spell happened."

"brilliant! see?" he rapped his knuckles against the ground victoriously. "I told you breakthroughs can come from anywhere! they can take multitudes of forms, even the roughest of experiments can yield results...!"

he was so damn smug when he was right. you wanted to wipe his smirk off his lips, but all you would've gotten was more soot on you. at first it would be on your thumb, but it wouldn't take long for it to be on your lips instead.

"Jayce, it's burnt into the floor."

he was quiet for a moment. his gaze was intently on you, in fact it had barely left since you'd laid back down. you avoided the eye contact. soot tasted unpleasant. even if he was cute, was it truly worth it?

"I'm so glad I get to work with you."

your face crumpled. not even the slightest hint of sarcasm, or ingenuity. he always meant what he said, wholeheartedly.

you pouted at him, acceding. your hand found his discarded on the ground, burnt gloves making tough work of intertwining your fingers but you didn't care. "shush. you're making me sound mean."

"you're just practical. realistic. two entries on an endless list of things I love about you." as you broke his gaze, coming to stare back up at the ceiling with a scoff, he squeezed your hand.

and then you felt him shuffle clumsily closer. before you could snicker and call him a dork, his voice softened in your ear, "it's what makes you a brilliant inventor. and it also means if I do dumb things with you, you have to back me up, otherwise you look dumb, too."

you pursed your lips, playfully struggling to hold a smile back. "you're such a—"

"gorgeous, clever, profoundly amazing and loving boyfriend?" he propped himself up on one elbow effortlessly. "I know, honey, I know."

your head whipped to him in shock, a laugh falling from your open lips. you quipped, "an egotist!"

he simply shrugged, oozing confidence and swagger as if he didn't look like a cartoon struck by lightning. oh right, he didn't know.

the fork in the road settled before you. you could win this battle: snark him right back, and out of the corny consequence of his own miscalculations. or you could lose on purpose.

"you still love me either way, don't y—oh!"

pulling by his untucked tie you yanked him down on top of you, melding your lips to his. you could feel his smile twitch into your kiss as he melted like butter in an instant. freeing your hand from your glove, your callused hand traced along his hot cheeks to the nape of his neck until it settled on his jaw. he tilted into your palm, humming happily. putty in your hands, as always.

you ignored the dry taste of soot, and the traces of it gathering on your clean fingertips. it was without a second thought; he was undoubtedly worth it.

☾ ₊ ˚ ✩ ˚ ｡ ☽

masterlist | buy me a hot chocolate <3

[pixelgleams]

playtime with Marutchi!! 🏳️