#ts analysis

[unhinged-jaw]

I rewatched SVSredux and it has been plaguing my thoughts so. Rambles.

Watching Logan vs Deceit Pretending To Be Logan is So fascinating. This is no drag against Logan, but he allows himself to be talked over. Most of his 'Logan Lowdowns' are him making the soft pixel talking sounds. True to his earlier statement he acts detached to the debate, merely adding information (that is largely ignored). He only audibly gets involved when Patton asks for his input, clearly assuming Logan was going to help make his point clearer. Especially since Patton spends the whole episode struggling to convey his point! But that's another topic for another day.

Conversely, Janus As Logan (who I will be referring to as Dlogan for rn) is Very confrontational. First of all, the entire time Dlogan is on screen he is *speaking*. He sort of manhandles the conversation into his hands. Its very important to me though that how Dlogan does it is *different* than how Logan has taken control of the conversation in the past. Dlogan proceeds to *shred* into Patton's logic. Like, genuinely, he is tearing that poor man apart. He points out when Patton is lying and fumbling. He points out the inconsistencies. *He* is the reason Patton ends up freaking the hell out! Patton and his extreme opinion on the whole thing is put directly into the light and it shows every single inconsistency.

The difference between Logan and Dlogan is *genuinely* fascinating. Dlogan is very persistent that he will not be ignored. He shoves himself to the forefront and is very aggressive. But! If you weren't paying attention you really wouldn't notice! You would just think (in Remus words) that he "reached his listening to others limit". But he didn't! Janus has the wheel here!

ALSO there is a moment where Roman goes "I thought you didn't care about this stuff Logan" (Paraphrased) and Dlogan sort of brushes that off. But it is noticed by the other sides that Logan suddenly seems to care more about the debate. Fun call back!

Bonus also, Logan goes from "giving relevant information" to Dlogan pushing the topic of Self Preservation and whether or not Thomas *should* go to those extremes to be morally good.

Genuinely fascinating and fun all around.

[loganslowdown4]

Today I was thinking about how the dark sides are represented as ‘villains’ because c!Thomas thinks that that side of himself is reprehensible. Like he sees completely in black and white. And because of this, any thought or action that comes from that side is immediately villainized, to the point where they act and even look like cartoon villains.

His point of reference for ‘bad guys’ has always been from his experience with the media he consumes, like cartoons or video games. It’s actually an immature way of looking at himself.

I get the wanting to separate good from bad, and this works for the big moral yes or no questions. But there gets to be a point where we grow up and realize that most instances in our lives have shades of grey answers, which is actually why Janus and Remus are there. We eventually just accept those sides of ourselves as part of us.

And eventually, they become more mellow and we realize they’re just there for self preservation. It’s not selfish to look after yourself if you have to lie about something. We’re not bad because we have intrusive thoughts. Being bothered by them literally shows us what NOT to do. In their way, they are a form of moral compass.

Neither sides are there to make him comfortable, but being comfortable leaves you vulnerable when you need protection. So Janus and Remus aren’t great sides but they aren’t ‘villains’ either, as Thomas sees them. They deserve acceptance just as much as Virgil does, because, like Virgil, they’re working to protect Thomas just as much.

Just some food for thought today! 😁 Also check out the colours in Thomas’ tie whoa 👀🤍🖤

[thenewromanticspod]

our queer analysis of cruel summer is out now

[brunettemermaid]

Dear John is about realizing you’ve been played, it’s about seeing what kind of relationship you could’ve gotten into if you hadn’t took the matches before fire could catch you. 

In the very beggining Taylor sings:  Long were the nights when my days once revolved around you. It’s not clear she was actually with him those nights, it seems more likely like she couldn’t get him out of her mind. It’s not we’re dancing ‘round the kitchen in the refrigerator light, it’s much less descriptive, vague, just like the non-relationship was. It was an illusion, a posibility but never a reality, just think of keeping lines blurry. In fact, she refers to games twice thorough the song: I lived in your chess game and To be played by your dark twisted games. It was all games, she admits having been played. The line which version of you I might get on the phone means she didn’t see him face to face that much. It might suggest they talk over the phone most of the time. It wasn’t serious, not for him clearly, cause she does say: when I loved you, so.

When she says she’s stopped picking up the phone it means she doesn’t want to give him attention anymore. It’s well-known that a player loves attention. And we know he’s a player: All the girls that you’ve run dry have tired lifeless eyes cause you burned them down. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve brings more light into this, cause the thing is, she didn’t get her heart broken like she did in the relationship she talks about in Red: she lost her innocence. She says maybe it’s me and my blind optimism to blame, as she was maybe too naive, not aware of a player’s bad tricks yet. She was too young for that as she recalls if he hadn’t had saved her from boredom she hadn’t had danced with the devil at nineteen. 

She also knows that he, a narcissistic, will never admit doing anything wrong, he got to wash his hands anyway as she sings in WCS. Everyone seemed to have warned her: how I ignored when they said "run as fast as you can" but it’s not until she stops picking the phone when she gets to see the situation in hindsight and realizes there was never really anything but sick games. In WCS she sings I wish you left me wondering cause he saw her the twisted and dark side of men(people, love, whichever term you prefer) In that song she says she lost her faith, exactly she lost innocence, and that’s not something you forgive, that’s something that sounds like this:

God rest my soul, I miss who I used to be The tomb won't close, stained glass windows in my mind I regret you all the time I can't let this go, I fight with you in my sleep The wound won't close, I keep on waiting for a sign I regret you all the timeIf clarity's in death, then why won't this die? Years of tearing down our banners, you and I Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first

[hildcit]

So if that is the dollar he borrowed from Roman, are those remaining $0.05 the pennies he dropped on Thomas in the making some changes episode?

Patton’s inventory has:

His cat onesie

a LOT of cat food (for the feral cats??)

the ingredients for pattoncake

Virgil’s card (I think?)

His sweater

a second cookie

?????

POTATO

???

Woof man costume

Lee and Mary Lee 😟

Also his name is Lilypadton and he has the dog he previously summoned named Coco as a pet

[let-roman-bite-someone]

watching Have I Grown? and i’m cackling at how the set is well-lit for all the other sides, except for this dramatic mf

it’s not a dark side thing either because remus is also in regular lighting, like the rest of the sides

but i can’t also help but wonder if this is part of janus’s powersets. when he shapeshifts into patton

the lighting is normal for a second and then it goes back to being dim and ominous when he goes back to his original form. we see this happening in the other episodes too and at first i thought it was a dark sides thing but no, turns out it’s just a janus thing.

[part-time-zombie]

The best part of seeing the other sides in virgils room and impacted by its effects is realizing what happens when they each get anxious, and what their anxieties are about.

Roman is worried that he said something wrong, or that he didn't do a good job. He's scared he's messing things up.

Patton is afraid of losing the people he cares about.

Logan... poor logan is just worried that he'll end up boring people with what he has to say. He's so insecure about others criticizing his work that the idea of people getting frustrated with him talking is his most prevalent source of anxiety.

And this is what happened immediately after he said that...

[prod-1989]

clara bow being described by one of her directors as “pitifully eager to please everyone” and taylor calling herself a “pathological people pleaser” in you’re losing me. clara bow being a very famous 20s star, a personification of the roaring 20s, and taylor who’s arguably the artist of our generation… oh my heart. MY HEART, TAYLOR.

[hildcit]

so this is my quick take on some things:

Roman would love epic fantasy aus with royal anything, magic, fantastical creatures, dragons, adventure etc. also the chosen one and destiny tropes. a fic with any of these i think he'd like. Also i think he'd very much enjoy fanfics that's just barely related to canon. also just romantic anything, especially slash fics.

Thing is though I feel he's a lot more likely to want to write the fanfic himself than to be reading something someone else wrote. And he's canonically written a couple fanfics before, so ye

Remus just nsfw. the worse the better. also just anything really weird. and smut probably but fucked up somehow. idk xD also he'd be writing things himself rather than read anything

Virgil would enjoy mostly supernatural and i think darkfics and angst in general too. i think however he wouldn't enjoy reading too much of it cause it'd start affecting him in a negative way after a while, so in moderation. i think also he'd probably enjoy hurt/comfort fics maybe to a degree?

Logan ofc likes detective/mystery type of fiction. so follows he'd read fanfics about that too, but he'd probably enjoy canon fics that's perhaps written like a sequel or parallel to the og story. i also think he'd enjoy just science fiction quite a lot if the science aspect of the fiction is solid and informative, and the world makes sense. and so for fanfics the same applies here i think. He also has canonically have read a fanfic gifted to him (and semi canonically written one himself) so he's pretty likely to i'd say for sure

Janus I don't really know what fics he'd enjoy, cause well we don't know that much about him as a character on his own in terms of likes/dislikes etc. idk, I feel he'd like detective/mystery stuff as well like Logan, but not be as focused on what's canon and not. he'd maybe like a good betrayal story, and fics with redemption arcs. Especially for the villain if he thinks it's warranted, and anything that really plays on peoples relations to one another and examines the roles each character has in the story etc. probably also would like dark fics.

Patton just all fluff! fluff, all the fluff! maybe occasional hurt/comfort, but mainly fluff. and as i said i think he'd love au fics, mainly like coffeshop aus or anythig cutesy like that. he'd probably also love ppl writing self inserts or ocs into the stories and after reading it would always leave genuine and heartful, kind comments, thanking the author for the amazing fics every single time. he'd probably also get attached to the various authors and try to read chapters as they get updated. he'd love found family stuff, and anything involving caring for children etc. I don't know Another thing he's the one side who canonically knows what a ship is, which i feel speaks for itself xp

I don't read a whole lot of fanfics so i'm not super familiar with all it's tropes and stuff. So am i making sense? idk

poll submitted by Anonymous

[thermodynamic-comedian]

i bring a sort of "sanders sides poses some genuinely interesting questions about identity and how we define and seperate parts of ourselves" vibe to the club that nobody likes.

[tentacle-therapissed]

After Roman says ‘I thought I was your hero’ and Thomas says, ‘you are’, Roman looks over to Janus and Janus nods.

Janus just told everyone his real name moments ago in order to prove that he is both capable of sincerity and willing to be honest with the other Sides so they can start seeing eye to eye. His glove is still off and he is currently in an uncharacteristically vulnerable position that he willingly put himself in. He nods to Roman as if to say "Yes, as the person intrinsically in tune with Thomas’s lying, I can confirm he is telling the truth."

But Roman is looking at Janus as the embodiment of Thomas’s deceit. He’s so used to being played and manipulated by Janus’s lies and faux camaraderie and has now become so on edge that he can’t understand how anyone else could possibly trust anything Janus is saying. He sees the nod as a confirmation that c!Thomas was lying about Roman being his hero and scoffs in shock and betrayal.

c!Thomas looks utterly bewildered at this reaction,

and Janus's smile fades as he realizes how Roman interpreted the nod.

And when Patton says 'we love you', Roman assumes that's a lie too. In the Puzzle Song Roman needs to be reassured that no one hates him, heavily implying this is an underlying insecurity of his. Assuming this is the case, it wouldn't take much for him to believe Patton's 'we love you' meant just the opposite.

Roman's self esteem is so fragile that he takes the others listening to Janus personally. Because if Janus was right, that means Roman made the wrong call in sentencing Thomas to the wedding and doomed them all. If Janus was right, that means he let Thomas down- and it was revealed in Am I Original that Roman is terrified of letting Thomas down.

So now he's convinced (and let's be real, Janus's dig at him for making mistakes didn't help) that he isn't Thomas's hero anymore. Devastating stuff :)

[agirlwiththoughtsandnegativity]

‼️I think a great message Taylor put in ttpd is that she’s mad at the fans…and good for her. Many fans still don’t see her as human, as a real person, just some toy they can manipulate to entertain them and fit their narrative. Many fans think their entitled to her personal life too: the letter for her to stop dating matty (yes I think Matty sucks but that was just weird af), speculation on who each song is about, the extreme discourse after her and joe broke up, the gaylor shit, even the talk about her and Travis. Taylor is finally saying it is weird to talk about REAL PEOPLE like that, like they’re tv show characters or your little toys. None of us are entitled to Taylor’s personal life and it is extremely odd to believe you should have a say in it. As Taylor says, NO the fans cannot come to the wedding, because we’re JUST FANS. Even now, some swifties need to see Taylor doesn’t know you, she’s not your best friend, not your sister. She makes music for us. She’s not trying to be a little circus for you to direct.

anyways, taylor is a real human, not a puppet. her personal life is hers, not your circus. and taylor doesn’t know you. she appreciates the fans for giving her her career, for listening to the music, but she has never met you; she. is. not. your. friend.‼️

[mayfly-stampede]

so, in the manga…

did Vash really have a romantic interest in Meryl?

spoiler alert: Trigun manga, Trigun Maximum

In the case of Meryl, there are several signs she has developed feelings for him. She accepts it and lets Vash be himself.

Mmm with Vash it’s hard to answer…

We see they’re good friends…she can be a bit tough with him but Vash always smiles to her.

I think that’s really sweet and he acts like that with everyone…

BUT

When Zasie kidnapped Meryl, Vash goes to rescue her and yes, that is something he could do for anyone who needs his help…but in Trigun Maximum chapter 28 when Vash suffers remembering all July’s tragedy…he thinks about Meryl in danger and keeps going.

And when he finally finds her in chapter 29, the worry and fear in his face is undeniable.

Then, there’s something really interesting FOR HIM happening after that.

Meryl witnesses July’s tragedy in a memory…and then she begins to be afraid every time she sees Vash in his angel form.

After seeing her so frightened, Vash says he feels like crying…

That could have separate them…

BUT

Vash receives a revolver from Meryl, being really surprised that she still wants to look after him, and smiles…relieved.

Meryl continues by his side, even after seeing his scariest power…and cares about him no matter the circumstances.

If we look for a romantic relationship…I think this is more complicated than that.

Oxford Languages defines romance as a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

We can’t say Vash is excited or nervous about Meryl…All we see is Vash nervous about Meryl crying most likely because he doesn’t know what to do, but that’s all (and that’s really cute).

Instead of that, Vash could be more oriented to “love” instead of “romance”.

But for someone like him, who is 150 years old, full of sorrows and regrets…what does “love” mean?

Cambridge Dictionary says:

Love is used to describe all strong feelings of closeness and care between two people.

After all they have been though together, they developed really strong feelings for each other, especially closeness and care.

And there is this moment, one of the most precious to me in this relationship.

Almost at the end, Vash is going to confront Knives but he makes a promise to Meryl before he leaves.

(Yes, we know he was a bit late but remember he was really injured, he had to heal at human speed at that time…but he was already on his way when he was found again).

He could have made promises many other times in his life but here he doesn’t only says he will return. He, who never asks nothing from anyone, asks her to wait for him.

Ok yes, he may be capable of love all humans…but he has always been a lonely wolf. He has friends, but he always travels alone.

It is until he meets Wolfwood and Meryl that he wants to stay with someone.

And Meryl is the one Vash wants to wait for his return.

[yourfanderfriend]

!! SPOILER WARNING!! ⚠️

What if there was something more to Logan’s statement?

In the newest episode, “What Makes a Perfect Gift?”, when Logan hints to Virgil that he is disappointed with his newspaper, he makes a point to say:

“… there was obviously something about my personality that made you think a newspaper would be a proper gift for me, and whatever that is, I will have to reflect on that. This whole activity was to serve a higher purpose anyway.”

Thomas then assures Logan: “You’re doing good, Logan.”

They never discuss what exactly “the purpose” was. I also believe the wording of Logan’s statement was odd. This could just be a nod to his past history of disconnection with the group, but I believe it could be more.

I propose:

Could he be talking about the Orange Side?

I believe that “the aspect of his personality” Logan needs to reflect on could be a reference to Orange.

We already know that Orange and Logan are connected in some way, hence, the glowing orange eyes. They never discuss “the purpose” or “the aspect his personality” after it’s brought up.

Something about how Thomas said, “You’re doing good Logan,” tells me that Thomas, in some capacity, can see how much of a hard time Logan had. Janus and Remus obviously know about Orange, but what about the others?

Could it be that Logan is trying to keep Orange at bay?

Logan was the Side who ultimately decided to initiate the Gift Exchange. This is odd.

They even call this out when Roman says: “Logan, you’ve never run one of these things.”

Patton agrees with that statement saying: “Hey, yeah! It’s usually me or Roman. Wha-?”

Logan replies: “Well, things are a little different this year.”

Logan is trying new things and intentionally going out of his way to make sure Orange is not shown to the rest of the group.

He is making an effort to reconnect and get away from the one-dimensional “smart guy” stereotype because he can see how that can feed into Orange.

I would like to hear other people’s takes on this line. There are many ways you could interpret it, but it seems so cryptic that I might as well apply it to a theory of mine. Enjoy my over exaggeration of a small line. 💪💪💪

[glitter-stained]

Let's build Jason a bookshelf !

Pride and Prejudice - homeboy is an Austen fan canonically, we need at least this one.

Hamlet -do I need to say more? Do I?

Water for the elephants: He won't admit it, but the book reminds him of Dick, and he reads it any time he misses him. It's angsty enough to maintain a front while actually being a romance with a satisfying ending.

The Outsiders: It's not just that the story is relatable and really well written; it's the themes of loyalty, grief and heroism, and the imagery and hopefulness shining through, and it's the way Johnny reminds him of Roy and sometimes, after Roy's death, he will close his eyes and picture the two of them together in an abandoned church, in that quiet space safe from the war raging outside, reading Gone With the Wind while Roy provides uncharitable commentary about the characters' decisions.

Under The Whispering Door (TJ Klune): This one was gifted to him by Tim because "the main character is an asshole ghost, I thought you might relate." Of course, these idiots could talk to eachother about emotions and go to therapy, but why do that when you can bait your brother into reading a story that will help him process a bit of his relationship with his own death and the family? The worst part is, it worked great, and Jason is so upset that it became one of his favourite books. (The part about the stages of grief is scientifically inaccurate, though. He would know.)

A compilation of TS Eliot's works: Maybe it's because I'm a big fan of TS Eliot and Jason, but every time I reread one of his poems, I think about Jason and I'm sad. The Hollow Men, in particular about the fallen soldiers from WWI, hits so hard as a Jason poem, especially when you consider he lived through the explosion but died of smoke inhalation.

Flowers for Algernon: After losing Bizarro, Jason rereads it often, sitting on rooftops, every time the sky is bright enough to see the stars. He reads it out loud, and the words burn his tongue and taste bitter every time every time, but he likes to pretend his friend is listening, and feels a little less alone.

The Oresteia: This one belongs to the list Jason has read many times and should probably read less, because he projects the tragedy onto his real life and it's a bad influence that comforts him in the idea that he was doomed from the start and might as well burn the remains of the bridges with his family. Good luck trying to pry it out of his hands though! He also loves the idea of being seen at his worst, in the midst of all his hopelessness, and being loved anyway, cradled with unwavering devotion.

Frankenstein : He's a huge Mary Shelley fan, both as a person and a writer. As for Hamlet and the Oresteia, he definitely projects maybe a little too much of some of the characters, but hey, not everybody can brag that they relate to the Creature on such a visceral level.

What else would you guys add?

[yourlocalbadgerscales]

Idk, it’s just something about Taylor singing “I wanna transport you somewhere the culture’s clever, confess my truth in swooping, sloping, cursive letters” in Paris…

… and then writing this in TTPD summation:

“Lovers spend years denying”… in swooping, sloping, cursive letters ✨