#unapologetically middle eastern

[bixels]

Reminiscing about Little Witch Academia.

[valentinsylve]

I want to share a terrific podcast by Ibrahim and Amira, a pair of Palestinian peace activists who live in Israel -- he's from Hebron and she's from East Jerusalem. It's called Unapologetic: The Third Narrative. It's educational but never dry, and it touches me in particular how sincere and unpretentious it is. These are people speaking intelligently from the heart about their real lives, the complexities of identities and citizenships, their trauma and frustration, and thoughts on politics, history and potential futures. They don't present a unified front, and they talk through disagreements organically. Their guests so far have been fascinating, and their most recent episode is all about their experiences of Ramadan, past and present. I hope y'all check it out and enjoy it as much as I do. Amira and Ibrahim are so great, I love them.

[fattributes]

I really don't understand why someone sent you anonymous threats😠. I hope you're ok.

Oh lovely, I'm okay! Thank you for feeling like checking in on me; it was really wonderful to see your message after getting home from work.

While I am fortunate to be in a place mentally where these messages can only make me laugh, I hope everyone who receives anonymous hate has the strength to delete, block, and ignore these harmful asks.

I love you all so much. I wish you and your loved ones a pleasant evening!

[alternate-real-ities]

Would love to see what other versions of myself are out there!

Hey there, cutie. I've been carefully observing the timelines across the multiverse and I think I've found some interesting ones I would say. Let me first start with one not far from ours. 😉

Meet your brazilian self.

In this sun-kissed universe, your parents were Brazilian, and it shows in every sultry curve of your body. You're a free spirit, always chasing the next wave or beach party under the tropical sun, where the only thing hotter than the sand is the lustful gaze of the locals.

Your olive skin glistens with a sheen of coconut oil as you soak up the rays, and your dark hair flows in the ocean breeze like silk threads begging to be tangled in a passionate embrace. When night falls, you trade in your caipirinha and board shorts for a tight pair of jeans that hug every inch of your physique, ready to heat things up on the dance floor or in a private cabana.

Now, I want you to imagine a reality where Arabs dominate the world and shaped every corner of existence, blending all races into their superior form through generations of intermarriage and genetic manipulation, with lesser races either becoming arabized over time or enslaved.

In this universe, you're the epitome of Middle Eastern masculinity - strong, commanding, and unapologetically in control.

You're a wealthy and powerful alpha male at the pinnacle of this genetically superior race. Your dark hair is always perfectly coiffed, framing a face that exudes confidence, power, and an insatiable drive for achievement.

You exude an aura of confidence and dominance, attracting both admiration and desire from all who lay eyes on you. Every inch of your chiseled body is honed to perfection - from the defined ridges of your chest to your powerful bulge straining against your luxurious clothes.

Next, in another parallel universe, your DNA took a different path, resulting in athletic prowess and an unrelenting passion for the game of basketball.

You're an unstoppable force on the basketball court - lean, muscular, and dripping with sweat after a grueling game. Your chiseled muscles were honed from hours at the gym and a work ethic that leaves opponents in the dust.

Your dark skin glistens with sweat as you leap for a dunk, your brawn and agility making you nearly unstoppable. Off the court, you're charming and charismatic, always ready to charm your fans or give back to your community.

Last but certainly not least, meet your latino fuckboy self in a reality where you're part of an irresistible majority. Here, everyone's got that extra je ne sais quoi - those piercing eyes, that chiseled jawline, that uncanny ability to make anyone fall head over heels in love with just a wink and a smile.

In this realm, you're a tatted-up playboy, always high on life and weed as you navigate the vibrant streets of your city. Your inked skin tells stories of your adventures and conquests, while your confident swagger and sly grins leave women and men weak in the knees.

You're the ultimate player, always on the lookout for the next conquest... but deep down, you crave something real, someone who can handle your wild side without getting too clingy.

So there you have it! As we gaze into these alternate realities, we're reminded that our perception of ourselves is fluid and malleable. These versions of you challenge traditional notions of identity, proving that with a shift in perspective, even the most familiar aspects of ourselves can be reimagined in provocative new ways. So the next time you catch your reflection, consider the infinite possibilities lurking just beyond the mirror...

[withloveheart]

One of the best things I learned was that it was never too late to start over.

I've heard this being said before but it never really clicked until I met someone who embodied it fully and unapologetically. My Palestinian neighbors had a relative who I had always looked up to when I was in high school. She was smart, funny, loving, and most importantly knew her worth. Her worth wasn't spoken about. Never had I heard her utter things like "I'm confident" or "I know my worth" or anything else along those lines. However, she did embody it.

When I was in high school she was being courted by a man who seemed to adore her and shower her with love. From the outside looking in, he seemed enamored with her. At some point, she accepts to being his wife. They have a lovely engagement party. The wedding was going to be even better. So, imagine my surprise, and many others, when on the day of the wedding, as people are getting ready and making their way to the venue, the entire thing is called off. Money was already put in. Money they couldn't get back. The reason for calling off the wedding? This man began to insult her and make some interesting remarks and as a result she decided she wasn't going through the wedding. I don't know what was said but I do know her family made it clear that she should've worked it out rather than just leave especially on the actual wedding day. After all, what would people think? For those who don't know, plenty of Middle Eastern and North African cultures would view this as an issue. And I personally know many women who have had deep regrets over their marriage but were too worried about the stigma of canceling the wedding when it was so close and the potential of being seen as difficult or spoiled. Of course, this wasn't everyone but a good majority.

Seeing this very statement of "never too late to start over" be embodied by someone wholeheartedly really altered my perspective when I was younger. I also got to see first hand the strength it requires to start over while everyone around you is judging your very decision. Thanks to her I grew up with a solid example to follow and have tried my best to have this attitude with everything in my life. Personally, it has paid off well.

[aromantic-enjolras]

Muslim and Maghrebi Amis headcanons

So I said the other day that this fandom needed more Muslim Amis, if we’re writing Modern AU set in France. I don’t have much time right now, but let me try to put my money where my mouth is for a bit.

For context, my usual headcanons of the Amis are that Jehan is Jewish Algerian (his family moved to France after the independence), Feuilly is Egyptian and arrived to France as a unaccompanied minor, and Bossuet is Senegalese and got to France as an adult. Marius’ dad is Moroccan, but of course he didn’t know until he was an adult. For the time of this post, Grantaire’s mom is Greek.

Feuilly works at a kebab place. It is hell during Ramadan, because it means he has to work the entire day in a hot place, surrounded by food, without drinking or eating. His boss is Muslim too, so at least the minute sundown hits they close and go home to eat.

Another, less dramatic bad consequence of his place of work, is that he spends his days cringing at French people pronouncing the items on the menu horribly wrong. He sometimes slips and uses that pronunciation when speaking to other Maghrebis and he wants to die. Those words just have no meaning to him at this point. They’re just sounds customers make.

Jehan and Feuilly bond around speaking similar Maghrebi dialects. Also, the struggle to find restaurants that serve Halal and Kosher food. Jehan complains that it isn’t fair that Feuilly can eat kosher but he can’t eat halal.

Feuilly and Enjolras (and Marius, later) are always the designated drivers/herders of drunk people because they are the only Amis who never drink.

When Marius discovers his dad was Moroccan, he converts to Islam (his far-right grandfather is horrified). He’s very serious about it, he’s super diligent with his prayers. Bossuet teases him a lot about it, he calls him “imam” and “haaji” and he asks him when he’s going to do the peregrination to Makkah.

Marius immediately starts learning Arabic to read the Quran. Enjolras decides to join him, because it’s important to be inclusive, and is very frustrated to discover that Quranic Arabic does not help him communicate.

Bossuet can read and write Arabic because he learned in Quranic school as a kid, but he doesn’t speak a word of it (and if you take the vowels out he’s lost as hell).

Bossuet is not a practicing Muslim. He eats pork, he drinks excessively, the whole shebang. He’s quite unapologetic about it. That said, he does have a different set of “clean” social media for the people at home. One time Grantaire posted a picture of them having a beer at the Musain during Ramadan to the wrong account by accident and Bossuet almost had a heart attack.

The rest of the Amis end up picking random sentences. Courfeyrac one time said “ya Allah” in front of his parents and his dad flipped his shit over “bad influences”.

Grantaire is super into Ancient Greece, and whenever there’s a debate in the Amis about whether something is Greek or Maghrebi or Middle Eastern he ends up saying some variation on “you’re all Greeks, anyway”. If Feuilly tries to say he isn’t, he simply goes “you’re from Alexandria, shut up”.

And believe me, there are a lot of debates over whether stuff is Greek or not, especially food. It usually ends with Grantaire and whoever the other person was making the dish and bringing it to the Amis to let them decide which version is better. The others aren’t complaining!

Hope you enjoyed this!

[manias-wordcount]

Hellooo!! Can you do an akechi, ryuji or yusuke (you can choose which one to do or only do more than 1 if you can) with a ethnically middle eastern reader that has a curvy/full figure who does professional belly dancing as a side thing outside of school at parties/ weddings and what not and then later the readers s/o comes to pick them up a bit too early so he just admires them while they belly dance? (If you want a reference for the belly dancing @/azeeria on tiktok would be nice!)

Ty if you would consider this request <33!

Bellydancer S/o HCs (Ryuji Sakamoto, Yusuke Kitagawa, Goro Akechi)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼!!! 𝗶 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆!! 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳 ): 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗲

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

Ryuji Sakamoto

One word, three syllables: cheerleader

You know he’s going to brag about you to literally EVERY SINGLE PERSON HE COMES ACROSS

Half of Tokyo knows your name (and it’s not just because you’re famous)

He won’t let anyone give you shit- whether it’s online or in person, he’s always there to defend you (as a phantom thief, as some anon online, as Ryuji the lowkey thug- you name it)

But that’s all while you’re NOT dancing

When you are, it’s like he’s a whole different man

Whenever he catches you at the end of a performance or even practicing, he’ll stop everything he’s doing and he just watches

He’s just completely enraptured with the dumbest smile on his face as he watches you dance because he’s just so damn happy to have someone like you in his life

All his life he definitely felt like he was so different of a person compared to everyone else that being different couldn’t ever lead to something good

So being able to see you be unapologetically yourself to make something beautiful- it just makes him so so so so happy it’s crazy

Yusuke Kitagawa

You are his biggest inspiration for art

Seriously- Japan has so many unique people (himself included) but it’s not all the time that he gets to meet someone from a completely different ethnic background

Much more, get to be with someone with a completely different ethnic background who actively practices and performs part of their culture for the public

And he has caught glimpses of you practicing before of course

But when those rare moments he gets to one of your performances early and he gets to see you

Like, really really see you

In full costume and with the lights shining on you and your bright smile as you give it your all?

It’s beautiful to him. It’s art to him

Time after time, your performances never fail to leave him slack-jawed in pure awe as his mind explodes with creativity 

It’s like you’re truly the best thing that could have ever happened to him in every sense fo the word

Goro Akechi

Unfortunately, your relationship canNOT be public of any sort

Its obvious Akechi is gonna have rabid fangirls who would tear any girl he shows interest apart

So naturally, having an extremely beautiful girlfriend with a foreign ethnicity would be a cause for concern given his popularity (and the fact that shitty stans exist everywhere)

But don’t worry

He’s more than content watching you from afar when out in public

Who do you think films all your promotional videos???

He has seen you dance before so it’s nothing new (there’s a room in his apartment that he cleaned up just so you have a space to practice when you’re over)

But watching you in your element gives him the peace of mind that he’s with someone who has dedication to their own craft

Plus it’s a nice break from being around stiffs in suits all-day

Though people are starting to wonder why he’s often in the same place as you…….

[dyxtd21]

Tanzine Aura Quartz aesthetic moodboard!!

Tanzine Aura Quartz:

Appearance: Tanzine Aura Quartz is an enigmatic and striking figure, exuding a mysterious allure that perfectly complements his role as a modern-day Ali Baba. His entire coloration, from his skin to his attire, is a mesmerizing blend of violet and indigo with rainbow iridescences, creating an ever-changing, captivating shimmer as he moves. His gemstone, a cushion-cut jewel, is prominently set on his chest area, glowing with an ethereal light that hints at his mystical and villainous nature.

He has a lean yet muscular build, exuding strength and agility, vital for his role as the leader of his band of thieves. His eyes, a deep violet with flecks of iridescent color, are sharp and calculating, always on the lookout for his next big score. His hair, a sleek and lustrous indigo, falls just past his shoulders, with subtle rainbow highlights that catch the light.

Attire: Tanzine Aura Quartz's attire is as striking and unique as he is. He wears a tailored, modern outfit that combines elements of traditional Middle Eastern garb with contemporary fashion. His top is a fitted, deep violet shirt with indigo and iridescent accents, featuring intricate patterns that shimmer in the light. Over this, he wears a sleek, indigo leather jacket with rainbow iridescent linings, adding a modern edge to his look.

His pants are dark indigo, made from a flexible material that allows for ease of movement during his heists, and they are tucked into high, stylish boots that reach mid-calf. His accessories include a wide, iridescent belt that holds various tools of his trade and a violet silk scarf that he often uses to conceal his identity. Tanzine Aura Quartz also dons a pair of indigo gloves with intricate, iridescent embroidery, providing both style and practicality.

Personality: Tanzine Aura Quartz is a complex character, embodying the role of a villainous protagonist with a magnetic charm and ruthless cunning. He is highly intelligent and strategic, always planning several steps ahead to ensure the success of his heists. His leadership skills are unmatched, commanding the loyalty and respect of his forty thieves through a combination of charisma, fear, and admiration.

He is unapologetically ambitious and driven by a desire for wealth and power, seeing the world as a game to be won. Despite his villainous nature, he possesses a certain code of honor, maintaining loyalty to his crew and showing a begrudging respect to worthy adversaries. His charm and wit make him a compelling character, able to manipulate situations and people to his advantage with ease.

[thestarsandnightskies]

i genuinely need to talk to Marc lamont hill, such a fucking genius, well spoken, eloquent, kind, courageous, passionate, unapologetic man who is just so fucking senseful, I ask for just one conversation over coffee where he englightens me about his middle eastern studies and other knowledge.

[nosouphere]

Leftist Jewish American counterpoint:

You have no stakes in this, and also, mostly just nod along in agreement to, "Free Palestine", right? Because thats one of the many generally agreed upon rules of being progressive? We generally condemn colonialism, oppression, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, etc.)

So really quick information:

Hamas is funded by Hezbollah, an islamofascist terrorist group much like Al Qaeda, in Lebanom, funded largely by Iran, and other dogmatic, alt right, conservative sharia-law led factions. These people hate you, you liberal, queer, atheist, feminist infidels) These people are dangerous, radical, antiwestern extremists and literally starving and victimizing the Palestinians to use as their puppet martyrs, hijacking humanitarian aid and donations to them from Israel, the US, UN and NATO, while actively trying to create violent conflict in order to promote their narrative that Israel is actually the great colonialist oppressor ruining their lives. They literally don't give a fuck about the Palestinians and radicalize them with false narratives and blatant lies and propaganda to get their support and garner sympathy and concern from the western world, when their true, unapologetically blatant, factually spoken objective is to eliminate every last Jewish person from the face of existence.

There is a reason they were invading Israeli houses and shouting for "Jews" rather than "Israelis'" to come out from hiding to kidnap, kill and rape innocent women, children and elderly. They are literally Nazis. But you've bought into their narrative, and it's so easy to hate Jews, isnt it? so here we are. (You dont hate Jews, and condemn antisemitism though, right?)

What many of you think of as your "antizionism" is actually straight up antisemitism remarketed for your simple, surface consumption! BECAUSE, you dont care enough, it doesn't effect you.

So you're not actually well informed on the complex geopolitical history of the land over the past 2500 years.

Of course we all condemn colonialism, segregation and bigotry, but thats the history of humanity. We are in general, tribalistic at core, and only naturally altruistic to our own kind. We, as progressives do our best to overcome that base human instinct for the betterment of humanity.

Personally?

Fuck Netanyahu, fuck Israel's conservative government, their violence, their rampant human rights violations, their tacit avoidance of peace accords. the majority of Israelis, who also regularly demonstrate and join in rallies to Free Palestine, have nothing but criticism for their fundie leaders and want peace and integration with their Palestinian neighbors desperately. I agree, FREE PALESTINE. Give them their own state and tear down the walls and fences and tightly policed borders, allow them and help them to build self supportive infrastructure, let them into their common shared religious sites without apartheid like segregated territories preventing this. The vast majority of Palestinians are not the enemy. MOST WANT PEACE. Progressive Israelis are not the oppressor colonists, as youve been spoonfed by the vocal corrupt in charge of these terrorist organizations to believe. Most Askenazi settlers fled pogroms from Eastern European countries to the only safe haven that would accept them in. There are also many Sephardic Jews who are indigenous to Israel and lived peacefully for centuries alongside Palestinian neighbors.

Why does this have any affect on you, western progressives?

People are dying and suffering. They may not be in your country, but you can at least have some compassion for that fact.

Also this will effect the global economy, which, guess what? Will very much hurt you, and gas prices, and groceries and imports and taxes.

Before you form opinions on this very complicated subject, you should probably study the last 2500 years of the geopolitical history of the middle east, it might help.

Also, if you don't actually care because it doesn't have any bearing on you or your life, then why do you have any opinions on any global, international events? It's just a very odd take and raised a flag or two about your true biases.

[swingjazzbear]

The Otogari sisters ~ ! 👩‍👩‍👧

Whereas Adonis takes more from his mother, his sisters take more from their father ! Both through their mixed their genes and upbringing, Adonis' three older sisters are tall, gorgeous, strong headed adult women. Being of a similar height than him, with him still being the tallest but all of them being curvy, bodacious individuals.

Very little is known about their current status, but one lives in the Special Music Zone where she also works as a beautician. It is also most likely her who styles Adonis' hair and does not want anyone else to do them ~.

Adonis' relationship with his sisters in childhood was difficult. With the situation in their homecountry unfortunately greatly affecting them. Adonis has commented on his sisters' stealing his share of food during the famine crisis he grew up in where he had to go scavenge his own food and bullying him, both physically and mentally. We can then deduce such things as dressing him up in ways that would humiliate him, constant teasing, criticizing as well as shoving, stop him from being abe to move against his will, hair pulling, etc. all things that, even outside those extreme conditions, people may picture siblings doing to another to torment them. Given how reluctant he is to be around them in the present and how those are the only times where he looks this emotionally hurt and gloomy upon retelling those things, this has clearly traumatized him.

So why does Adonis still feel compelled to stay around his relatives ? Why does he still mention his sisters loving him ? And why does he care about if they are happy or not ? Well the reality is that Adonis is both an unreliable narrator ( which does not mean his truth is not real, but that when he says my sisters get mad at me they might just be texting "Aaw please reply to me ~~~" and he finds it annoying because he's not a gossippy, chatty, upbeat lady like them ) and that the world is not black and white, but grey. They were children growing up in extreme poverty and starving. It directly falls under Adonis' motto, peace and love, to forgive and care for your family. Add this to the middle eastern values very centered around relatives, the emotional and physical closeness of his cultural upbringing, and you have Adonis and his sisters forgiving one another for what happened and moving on.

However, this still did not change things fundamentally as, in a certain ways, people remain the way they are. Adonis' sisters still bother him, still tease him and criticize him on every little things ... but they also care for him, want to make sure he's okay. If Adonis is someone who is very emotionally intelligent, his sisters are his opposite. Adonis' sisters are way more street-smart than him, but they have a hard time expressing their affection for him. The way they criticize him is their way of looking out for him, for example.

Societal and cultural expectations are also different for them due to how their gender is viewed. The same way Adonis always follow the way of positive masculinity, peace and love, his sisters are self-asserting, confident and unapologetic, every Otogari children defy how society sees their cultural stereotype AND what is expected of them due to their gender. And, on another hand, while Adonis tries to downplay his assertiveness as, in his homescreen line, he does confirm that the culture he grew up in had a lot of skinship and physical touches, his sisters probably play on this to be confident. However, both sides also do not do it as a political statement, but as a way of simply living the way they want to be happy with who they are. In this vein, as flawed individuals, it is easy for Adonis to lose sight of who are truly the weak to protect when being too passive to the system, and for his sisters to be bullies when they simply want to assert their person, both doing so to be strong. Again, in the end, it is all about the whole family agreeing to disagreeing, understand each others' boundaries and still loving one another no matter what.

Given the siblings' wereabouts are so separate from one another, I do headcanon that Adonis was the first to cross the border to Japan and gain his civilian status because his sisters wished for him to be the first to go through their teacher and Rei, and then each one of them subsequently found their own way to immigrate. Wishing to have Adonis in safety first and with the least trouble possible as their baby brother.

... so if we keep our focus lens on Adonis, why hasn't he set boundaries with his sisters about their bullying ? Would they understand them ? Surely, if he stays around them despite everything, they are not bad people, so they would ?

Well ... it is yet another thing that is not so simple. Adonis is a traditional individual who is slowly discovering how it is to live in, for lack of better words, in ( societal, classist ) privilege. He is similar to Hiiro in this way. He sees himself as someone tall and strong who, with this power privilege, needs to protect those who are small and weak.

This is not due to Adonis being a man, as he himself, as implied earlier, does not see gender the same way as society does, he sees this privilege in him as someone who is physically resilient, which is irrelevant to his sex or gender. For example, Adonis sees Koga as someone "small and weak" ( which, fyi, his choice of word is clumsy and probably comes from his lack of vocabulary in Japanese ) due to Koga's insecurities and emotional vulnerability despite being physically toned and tall. Whereas he does not show the same type of concern when it comes to Arashi―who he sees as a strong, confident ( and scary ) woman who can handle herself.

And thus, to be strong and a protector, adding to this his own parents who made it their entire life to protect people, that Adonis takes it upon himself to take all the blows without complaining, to let people have him as a shield and even have his love ones use him as a sandbag. Adonis has learned to have thick skin through his entire life, and is most likely to have never even as a child told his sisters to stop or that he was hurt. Most likely, his sisters are more conscious of it now, but they themselves and their biased views might not retell recent and past events in the same hurt lens as their brother.

It is problematic, definitely. However, it is also a good reminder that Adonis is one of the most well-adjusted invididuals in ES and that he is much more likely to call out toxicity. He also has this actual quality, as a person, to be very kind and compassionate. Adonis is someone so full of love and care that a lot of rough remarks towards him will not hurt him.

He knows who he is, what he wants, and UNDERSTANDS that people being hurtful is them most likely lashing out from not understanding their own issues. Adonis has deeply ingrained this fact in his way of living, and is more likely to be kind to someone who is mean, worrying about troubles they might have not dealt with rather than what they told him. This, of course, does not mean he is fullproof and cannot be hurt, but this is why Adonis is so lovable. And that rougher individuals like Koga can find kinship in him, safety.

This probably what happens with his sisters : a mix of him not telling them when he is hurt or bothered and them being assertive but growing entitled of everything he has done and is doing for them that they never had negative feedback about ( add even to this that Adonis is a silent individual - he probably does what they want without uttering a single word ).

Even if they love one another, It is definitely something I hope to hear being expanded upon Adonis' character and how he can be selfish and stand up more for himself. That he does not have to shoulder so much. Adonis let so many people lean and even get carried by him ever since he was a young child, he should, at the very least, allow himself to be vulnerable and himself lean on those people who care about him as much as he care about them. Only that since he attracts this type of people that themselves have a hard time doing the leaning ( which is why Adonis is so special to them : he's so lovable, so warm and considerate, they allow themselves to be vulnerable around him and grow as individuals because of it yet cannot identify why exactly ), they probably do not even realize that Adonis need this. And not only once for one event that has a practical solution, I am talking about in his daily life, in their routine, about things that have no solution and only need some warmth and empathy !

Arguably, Adonis started to do so already ! He does not want his sisters to meet his unitmates at UNDEAD. Some might see it as him not wanting his sisters to show an embarrassing side of him ... but Adonis already does not hide how his sisters bully him to his friends ! I do think he does this because Adonis let his sisters have so many things, and it is the one time he wants to be selfish about and keep his UNDEAD found family to himself and himself alone. Because it is SO dear to him, the most precious thing he has in his life. It is selfish, he could have them meet and keep boundaries, but it being selfish is the point !

tl;dr Give him a hug, please !

[ironfoot-mothafocka]

#Dwecember - Eight Nights

So I was going to write dwarf-inspired chanukah fic, but then life happened. Still, here's some unapologetically Jewish holiday fic featuring dwarves. Menorah lighting, Stiffbeard customs, fried foods, remembrance and inter-cultural relations.

--

The Eight Nights

“I don’t understand the time of year, though—” gasped Gaelan as he huffed down the Ereborian street after Vadlik. Though Gaelan stood head and shoulders above the tallest dwarves, it was still a tight squeeze. He’d lived in Dale for ten years now, and never before had he been inside the mountain when the Festival of the Clans was happening. From Vadlik’s excited commentary in the month leading up to the eight nights, he knew that it was a big occasion for not only the Stiffbeards, but for all of the houses of the dwarves. Vadlik slowed, and proffered a leather drinking vessel to Gaelan. The Man took it warily and sniffed it, almost spluttering at the pungent stench of neat spirit. He swigged it anyway; it was colder than he had anticipated, with a blizzard howling down from the nothern hills. The stone under his feet was chilly enough to sap away any warmth his thick socks provided, and Vadlik’s breath puffed out before him in a cloud of wispy vapour. “I don’t know why,” said Vadlik after considering this for a moment. He shrugged. “Something to do? It is cold at this time of year, and we need the light of candles and lamps. The light helps us to see, binds us together. Makes us remember.” Vadlik tapped the side of his skull with a thick, leather-covered finger. At least he had the foresight to bring gloves and a hat with ear-flaps. “Remember is very important to all khazad. Darkness better for remember. The fire good, see many thing in fire when darkness is around.”

Even though the Stiffbeard’s Westron was still quite broken, Gaelan knew exactly what point he was making. There was, he supposed, a reason why even in the religious rites of Men, candles were lit in Temples and a sea of light transformed the prayers of petitioners into an otherworldly experience. Telling stories of old legends in the darkness of a winter night was enhanced by crackling red flames, which leapt and twisted together to create the forms of creatures and figures of ancient times. Remembrance was aided by candlelight, the same way that the races of Middle-Earth had been aided by the rising of the first sun. It was linked in ways that Gaelan couldn’t fully put to words.

They walked together in silence, Gaelan’s huge frame turning heads. Not only was he a Man, of course, but he was also close to seven foot tall. Some dwarves goggled up at him with their jaws hanging open, but Vadlik simply strode in front of him with a proud, disdainful stare, jutting out his jaw as if daring any of them to comment. Gaelan didn’t mind though; he knew his dwarven friend took it more personally (as he suspected he would do if their roles were reversed), but he knew for some more sheltered dwarves it was rare to see someone this tall so far inside Erebor. Still, he greeted everyone with a smile and a ‘Shamukh!’ where appropriate, Vadlik’s liquor burning his oesophagus as he tipped more of it down his throat.

Finally, they stopped in the middle of a square in the Eastern district of Erebor. Here was the confluence of the Red Mountain diaspora among the Longbeards, an enclave where East met West. Gaelan had spent time here, and he smiled down as a few of the dwarves around him waved and shouted his name jovially. Vadlik hugged some other Stiffbeards who were huddled around a brazier at one corner of the square, warming their hands with their hair bedecked in multi-coloured ribbons and the dwarrowdams sporting incredible hats. Something sweet-scented was burning, an incense that Gaelan had last smelled when he had travelled through Kikuama. He breathed in the robust, smoky air, feeling the hair in his nose tingle. A tug at his sleeve brought his gaze down. A small dwarf child was reaching up towards him, shaking something clutched in their fist. He bent down and opened his palm: a small, sticky pastry fell into it. “S’ganit!” Exclaimed Vadlik, who had drunk half the bottle of fire-water and was now weaving. “Very good to eat!” Gaelan popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly oily but coated in a thick layer of sugary syrup that cut through its density. It was delicious. He noticed then that an array of fried foods were being hawked around the edges of the square from various stalls: potato-cakes floated on top of vats of oil; other vendors sold salted, cheese-filled doughs from hand-carts; and a queue of dwarves lined up outside a nearby house, which had the shutters of its kitchen window thrown wide open and a portly Stiffbeard dwarrowdam tipping out rows of s’ganit by the tray full into the hands of customers. “Is this another custom?” Gaelan asked, as he chased Vadlik to the cheese-pastry seller. “Yes,” Vadlik said, waving a handful of coin towards the dwarf, “we have custom to light many oil lanterns, and therefore we eat everything fried in oil!” It was a loose connection to Gaelan, but he didn’t mind. Oil-fried foods was one of his favourite food groups.

After Vadlik had bought Gaelan and himself a dozen pastries and fried potato hashes, which he doused with a dollop of soured cream, they crouched down on the porch of a closed shop-front to eat. “So — what will happen tonight, then?” Gaelan asked, his eyes straying to the huge, unlit candelabra that had been erected in the centre of the square. It was eight-pronged, like a trident, built elaborately from brass. One of the candle-holders was positioned higher than the others at the left-most side, while the others were still lower. It stood around twice his height. “One of the elders of Stiffbeards will light this tonight,” Vadlik said, gesturing towards the candelabra. “They will make blessing for all of us, for our Clan, for our homeland.” “And each of the eight nights,” Gaelan went on, “is to commemorate a different house of the dwarves?” “The eighth night — final night — is for all of us. The seven coming together as one,” Vadlik corrected. “Tonight, night five, is a special night for Stiffbeards. Stiffbeard night tonight. Many songs, many dances. You see costume dances — dwarves will dress as animals and dance: many will dress as one mammoth!” “A mammoth! You mean, one for the head, and one for the arse?” Gaelan laughed, imagining him and Vadlik taking on the role of mammoth-dancing. He’d much prefer to be a head than a backside, though. “No — many dwarf! Sometimes six will be one mammoth on… ah—” Vadlik mimed something being attached to the bottom of his legs. “Stilts? They dance as a mammoth… on stilts?” “Yes,” said Vadlik, raising his eyebrow at him, “no short mammoth. Tall mammoth.” He supposed he was right about that. As more and more dwarves crowded into the square, Vadlik recounted tales of his youth as a drummer for a band of mammoth-dancers, and how competitive difference dancers got; not just those dressed as mammoths, but those who performed as a whole host of beasts and creatures for the fifth-night carnival. Snow leopards, birds, dragons, and even nuruk, ancestral spirits, all came alive in intricate costumes — stitched with a mosaic of spiralling, glittering beadwork, and even outfitted with moving eyes and mouths.

Before that, however, the lights had to be kindled. A hush fell over the square as an elderly Stiffbeard mounted a set of steps next to the candelabra, assisted by a carven cane. Their face was so deeply lined and brown that they looked as though they had been hewn from an ancient oak tree. Their plaited hair stuck out on either side of a huge, tiered fur hat, and their shoulders bowed under the weight of yak-pelt furs. Someone passed them a torch from below the steps, and they raised it high above their head. A few, commanding words of khuzdul were uttered, though their dialect and accent was so thick that Gaelan could barely understand with his limited knowledge of the dwarven tongue. Vadlik, however, intoned the set responses next to him solemnly along with the rumble of the crowd. The Stiffbeard elder bent forwards slightly, and touched the tip of the torch to the first oil well, the largest of the eight. It went up in a spurt of yellow flame. Then, slowly, they lit five more. Even at a distance, Gaelan felt the heat on his forehead, and shouted in a cheer as the whole square erupted in screaming and clapping. He grinned caught sight of Vadlik’s face, dark eyes reflecting the light in their depths. The beginning of a memory, perhaps. “Khag sameakh!” Vadlik said, gripping Gaelan’s forearm. “Khag sameakh, Vadlik,” Gaelan replied. Tonight he would remember the time they met, the words of khuzdul he had been taught that he still held dear, the many times he had sat at a cramped, food-laden dwarven table in a Stiffbeard’s house and been shown boundless hospitality. Tonight, his heart got just a little more dwarven.

[almaqead]

"From Three to Nine." Introduction to Surah 30, Ar Rum, "Stripped!"

Surah 30, also known as Ar-Rum, was revealed in 615 AD. The surah's name comes from the second verse, which mentions the words "ghulibat-ir-Rum". The historical event that took place in 615 A.D. is the basis for determining the exact year of the surah's revelation: 

The Romans were defeated by the Iranians in the territories of Jordan, Syria, and Palestine. 

The Prophet permitted oppressed Muslims to migrate to Habsha. 

The surah's opening verses predict that the Romans would be victorious again within a few years. Some consider this prediction to be a strong example of the Quran being the word of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad being a true Messenger of Allah. 

Surah Ar-Rum is an example of a "Meccan surah," which means it was revealed in Mecca before the Prophet's migration to Medina. 

While Rum is Arabic for "the Romans", Hebrew for pomegranate which means "high, but not haughty." Ar Rum in Hebrew means "naked, stipped."

The word Rūm comes from the Greek word Ῥωμαῖοι (Rhomaioi), which means "Romans". It was used to refer to the pre-Islamic inhabitants of the Balkans, the Middle East, and Anatolia, when those regions were part of the Eastern Roman Empire. During the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Rūm was used to refer to the Eastern Roman Empire. It is sometimes translated as "The Byzantines" or "The Greeks". 

The word Rūm is also used in Turkish and Persian. In Turkish, it remains a synonym for the medieval Eastern Roman Empire and its people. 

...

I still do not have news of the American government's proper decision to put Donald Trump in prison and close his party, the Republicans for their role in the siege of January 6, the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, or its unapologetic use of state power to traffic in sex with minors. The DOJ and now the international community have all the data, but there is not one hint justice will be served. This is unholy, a violation of all that has happened since humanity stood on its feet long and long ago.

The Russian army continues to prowl and the Turks are now out of water. There are supersonic missiles flying, the seas are rising, billions are choking, starving, and writhing. It is just another day. But God made the Muslims numerous so they could speak the loudest and the most articulately for the God of Heaven and you must be heard. I insist.

Thus begins the Surah.

30: 1-10:

Alif-Lãm-Mĩm. "Pray, teach the people about the Spirit of the Water."

The Romans have been defeated

in a nearby land.1 Yet following their defeat, they will triumph

within three to nine years.1 The ˹whole˺ matter rests with Allah before and after ˹victory˺. And on that day the believers will rejoice

at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful.

˹This is˺ the promise of Allah. ˹And˺ Allah never fails in His promise. But most people do not know.

They ˹only˺ know the worldly affairs of this life, but are ˹totally˺ oblivious to the Hereafter.

Have they not reflected upon their own being? Allah only created the heavens and the earth and everything in between for a purpose and an appointed term. Yet most people are truly in denial of the meeting with their Lord!

Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the end of those ˹destroyed˺ before them? They were far superior in might; they cultivated the land and developed it more than these ˹Meccans˺ ever have. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. Allah would have never wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

Then most evil was the end of the evildoers for denying and mocking the signs of Allah.

Commentary:

The Prophet states from defeat the Romans will rise and be again victorious, but not in the ways God dictates. But Muhammad said the tide will turn in nine years. Nine years are Angelic Code for the amount of time it takes for mankind to learn its lessons.

Now I have ended Christianity and the Mormon faith, they had no scripture and were not serving God or man. Their pilgrims a destructive breed of incestuous perverts and lawless freaks may find their way to heaven if the Spirit will allow and their determinations are correct. But for Jews, Muslims and the rest, God has given us three to nine years.

"Within three to nine years.1 The ˹whole˺ matter rests with Allah before and after ˹victory˺. And on that day the believers will rejoice at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful."

The Value in Gematria is: 18077, יחי ע‎‎‎ז‎, "Long Live the Lord."

The mission and Spirit of the God of Islam is the objective search for what is good, moral, ethical, and truth no matter how thorougly deceived the world has become.

The world's leaders are sending too many men off to die, too few to live. To reverse these circumstances and resume the path, we must find the real purpose of life.

Thus we name the Surah "stripped" because that is what we are going to do until man obeys the Law and the laws and publishes the peace and holds fast to its standards. Man must be able to benefit from his time in this world. This is what is called Allah, this is the measurement.

Every good Muslim knows heaven and the earth are the same. Until both places equalize each other in fact as well as definition, Allah is not present. And so long as there is war in the Middle East, the US Government knows it can do whatever the hell it wants, and this exposes the Mosque to heresy. The Mosque = 445, tameh, "the Day of Judgement" about which man is "puzzled." Also, "taste the intonation of God."

In Parsi, it is Hemat, "the certainty of sooth." Now read the Quran backwards and forwards and follow it back to the Mosque where the Messengers left their marks, and all will work out.

The Surah will continue.

[randomclam24]

ESL

Update - Paul Joseph Watson is known as the zeitgeist of our alt-Right that's "really wonderful" for forward compatability In reality some middle eastern leader is quoted claiming that the European definition of democracy is a country run by jews In reality Europe is known politically as the society that could not survive American culture In reality these people who are coming out saying you're not democracy *are* the jews Update - I found the source of the projection https://www.smashjt.com/post/crazed-sweet-baby-inc-employee-says-their-goal-is-burning-the-games-industry-to-the-ground They conspicuously changed archive.is (Technically if these were tweets, which seems to be the basic unit That last sentence would be an update Update - an alternative was Stillio, it is impossible to share direct links, they must be downloaded and uploaded Update - The truth is, they're not crazed, the source for the leftists needing to deliberate

https://files.catbox.moe/v4tql8.png In summer 2021, it was probably surreal entertainment that released, basically, "do you want Mark Zuckerberg's Sweet Baby Ray's

Update - oh yeah this is the source of the welfare queen worship (hence we're living under a military firmament

(Not just SOAD - "We're all living in America" vibe is truly bad if about the people and not the military This is the country where the current is backed up after being deleted

Update - It's not just one time, and bravery doesn't exclude smarts, either: If you want to pick on a normie, consider pic related, which I titled "this doob" like the meme

Get the full page and zoom in

It really would be categorically Members Only

Update - So we're getting closer to Germ Theory being the ultimate cause for the Corona virus (fiasco

Some guys posted about whole milk being "triggering" read the fine print - it leaves those with weak immune systems vulnerable Update much later - not sure how I got roped into this, but black people on shoes All I have to do is mow the lawn - otherwise I wear sandals I actually chose recently All Star Converse update - tennis shoes Also, while the iron remains hot - I got my mom to get me a dinner SANDWICH for doing it having drawn it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnEQbKbNWEw on the previous topic. Update - I won't be here for immediate responses, but I used to keep Smarties cut with my thumbnail like a Pez dispenser to equate the sense of bile Update after mow - I'm starting to get the sense that the old game Acno's Energizer's BALLs has the Google Chrome logo appeal Update later - current pasta The Decline of "Oldfag Culture" and the Dark Influence of Zoomers on 4chan

In the digital underworld of the internet, there exists a realm that once stood as a bastion of unfiltered chaos, sharp wit, and unapologetic subversion—4chan. It was the birthplace of memes, the launchpad for subcultures, and a refuge for those who sought to operate outside the strictures of society. But in recent years, a new generation—Zoomers, or those born roughly between 1997 and 2012—have begun to infiltrate this once-pristine territory, altering the very fabric of its culture. What was once an unrestrained haven for the "oldfags"—those who navigated the site's darker, unpolished corners—has, over time, been slowly but surely hijacked by this younger, more easily offended generation.

This shift has not just been a change in membership demographics; it has been a profound erosion of 4chan’s ethos, from an anarchic, unrelenting force of online rebellion to something less recognizable, more curated, and dangerously fragile. The digital pulse of "oldfag culture" has been dulled, replaced by a new order that is often perplexing, disorienting, and—worst of all—predictable. The Rise of the Zoomer Infiltrators

For those who lived through the early years of 4chan, it was a place governed by an ironic distance from mainstream society. Humor was cynical, self-deprecating, and dark. Offensive content was common, but it was often wielded with a knowing wink—an acknowledgment that nothing was sacred, and everything was fair game. 4chan wasn't a space for niceties. It was a sandbox for chaos, where anonymity allowed the true, untamed nature of its users to thrive. "Oldfags," the veterans of 4chan, prided themselves on their immersion in the site's unique culture. They were the gatekeepers, those who could decode the endless layers of inside jokes, trolling, and subversive commentary.

But with the arrival of the Zoomers—those who came of age in the age of social justice, oversaturation of memes, and hyper-commercialized online spaces—the foundations of this culture began to crack. The new wave was accustomed to a very different internet: one that catered to their social awareness, political correctness, and easily consumable viral content. To them, 4chan was not the home of unfettered freedom, but a place to argue over boundaries and ideology, where "safe spaces" were suddenly in demand and "cancel culture" wasn't just a buzzword—it was a weapon. The Death of Anonymity and the Rise of "Performative Radicalism"

Anonymity was the lifeblood of 4chan's culture. It allowed users to engage in unfettered expression, explore taboo subjects, and embrace the most absurd forms of self-representation. The oldfags who built this subculture were proud of their facelessness. In a world of curated Instagram photos and endless Facebook profiles, they reveled in the freedom to exist without identity, where every post was a cipher, a throwaway fragment that could be made, broken, and remade anew.

But for the Zoomers, anonymity was a concept that didn’t resonate in the same way. Their lives were defined by the constant curation of their online personas across social media platforms. They were children of the algorithm, trained to post with purpose and with awareness of consequences. The anonymity that was once sacred on 4chan became increasingly irrelevant to them, as they began to reveal parts of their identities even within this most chaotic space. Whether it was their gender, their political leanings, or their unyielding need to prove how "woke" they were, the new generation began to reshape the culture of 4chan into something unrecognizable.

What emerged was the rise of "performative radicalism"—the idea that to be truly radical or countercultural, one had to display the most extreme and outlandish views for the sake of online clout. In this environment, the subtlety of humor, once a hallmark of 4chan, began to fade. What replaced it were shallow, shallow takes on complex subjects—posts that lacked the nuanced edge of the oldfags’ biting irony. Instead, the focus became louder, more abrasive opinions, curated outrage, and an obsessive need to fit into an ever-shifting set of cultural codes that often contradicted the very spirit of anarchic expression 4chan was built on. The Erosion of Humor and the Death of the Meme

Memes, as they are understood today, are far removed from the visceral, raw energy of the memes of old. A few years ago, when a new meme emerged on 4chan, it was a bizarre, underground creation—an inside joke built from a pool of shared knowledge and a rich history of in-jokes. It was a meme for the initiated, a symbol of belonging in a space that was intentionally exclusionary. The humor was dark, often nihilistic, but it was always self-aware. It was the kind of humor that only those who truly understood the absurdity of life could appreciate.

But the Zoomers—the children of viral social media and mainstream meme culture—are not interested in these kinds of memes. Their humor is louder, faster, and more surface-level. TikTok-driven memes are less about subtlety and more about virality, often driven by trends and challenges that lose their meaning as quickly as they gain popularity. The edge is gone. The crude and rebellious nature of old meme culture is diluted, watered down into easily digestible content for the masses.

The result is a twofold tragedy: on one hand, the humor itself has become less inventive, leaning into worn-out formats and cliches. On the other, 4chan’s original function as an incubator for subversive creativity has been extinguished in favor of increasingly bland, corporate-friendly meme aesthetics. The Fragmentation of 4chan and the Oldfag Exodus

The death of oldfag culture on 4chan is not merely an ideological shift—it has caused a mass exodus of the site’s original denizens. The users who once defined the tone of the platform have migrated to smaller, more niche communities, seeking refuge from the encroaching tide of new blood. They no longer feel at home in a place that has become dominated by the values of the very mainstream they sought to escape.

It is impossible to ignore the dissonance between the platform’s past and its present. Once a wild west of internet freedom, 4chan has now become a space where moderation, censorship, and groupthink creep in under the guise of "keeping the peace" and "protecting the community." The oldfags have largely disappeared, and in their place stands a fragmented collection of subcultures, each vying for attention in an increasingly crowded and sanitized ecosystem. Conclusion: The End of an Era

As the Zoomers continue to dominate the conversation on 4chan, the once unassailable fortress of oldfag culture fades into memory. The site is no longer the chaotic, creative powerhouse it once was, and what remains is a hollow shell, curated for a generation that, while tech-savvy and hyper-aware, lacks the irreverence and anarchic spirit that made 4chan a true online force.

The decline of 4chan's culture is not just a simple generational shift. It is a death—a slow, painful unraveling of a community that once thrived on the ability to speak freely, without fear of judgment or consequence. The Zoomer invasion has taken this freedom and turned it into something… less. Less raw, less daring, less dangerous.

And so, the oldfags—those who once stood at the vanguard of internet rebellion—retreat into the shadows, as the Zoomers take over the ruins of what was once their home. The internet, like all things, has moved on—but for those who remember the golden age of 4chan, the change is not just disappointing. It is chilling. The soul of the site, and with it the heart of online irreverence, has been suffocated by the very generation that claims to embrace the chaos.

In the end, perhaps it is only fitting that the decline of "oldfag culture" mirrors the rise of the sanitized, bite-sized internet we see today—shiny, quick, and ultimately forgettable. Update after above Temp Spawned from Stuart K Reilly's review claim of GBA Duke Nukem, I actually considered gauging the uncanniness of each port of Doom by how they rendered Deimos Lab Update - here's why I said it temp SNES won out Update - Apparently, the take on the sharty is that millenials are listing the trauma they are because they're in the mentality of just paying off their student loan Update - If you just sit there, the most active thing ever since daytime television is porn

[affluenzafm]

you know you love me.

Meet MO MASHKOUR, or if you read the Anti Grapevine, THE WANNABE. He is/ a 25 year old STAND UP COMEDIAN, that currently resides in DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN.

He is known around the city for his UNINHIBITED & OBSTINATE demeanor, but they may be hiding something… WHEN STUCK IN A CRUNCH FOR HIS LATEST NETFLIX SPECIAL, MO NOT ONLY USED OLD MATERIAL THAT HE'D TOSSED ASIDE, BUT ALSO USED MATERIAL HE DIDN'T WRITE … BUT CONTINUES TO CLAIM THAT HE ONLY USES MATERIAL THAT'S COME FROM HIS OWN MIND.

MENA MASSOUD, CISMAN HE/HIM.

Mo grew up feeling insecure about his self-image, always cracking jokes as a way to mask his vulnerabilities. He quickly became known as the guy who could make anyone laugh, even on their worst days. It was easy to hide any struggle he felt by commanding a room, finding an element of control by being the one to set the tone. Despite his charm, Mo's rise to success came through relentless hustle, carving out opportunities wherever he could find them. Fame soon followed, but so did a change in his attitude — People always warn you about ego, to be careful when you gain traction in your career. The newfound attention went to his head, and he gained a notorious reputation for being brash and unapologetic. While it served him in the comedy world, where bluntness and a curt demeanor is often what sells, it didn't necessarily translate everywhere else. In Mo’s eyes, though, it’s not that complicated: if people didn’t like him before the fame, why should he care now? For him, the hustle was about survival, and he's unapologetically living the life he fought for, even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way.

it's all about who you know.

JAKE MARTIN. best friend. These best friends are the definition of a "bromance." They've been through it all together—every high and every low, never once wavering in their loyalty. Whether it’s getting through tough times or celebrating victories, they’ve always had each other’s backs. Their bond is unshakable, built on years of looking out for one another, and no matter what life throws at them, they stand strong side by side, always ready to go to bat for each other.

DARCY EDWARDS. friendzoned. Darcy was the girl of his dreams, but for the longest time, she never gave him a second glance. Then one night, fate seemed to intervene—she got stood up on a date, and Mo swooped in, offering company when she needed it most. They spent the night talking, laughing, and for a moment, it felt like things were finally shifting in his favor. But as the night ended, she thanked him for being such a good friend, unknowingly crushing his hopes. Still, he’s not ready to give up just yet, holding on to the belief that there’s still a chance for something more.

JT YORKE. dislike. The rivalry between these two aspiring comedians is anything but friendly. Mo has spent years honing his craft, grinding through open mics and building his credibility from the ground up, determined to earn his spot in the industry. JT, a newcomer, seems to coast effortlessly, drawing attention with minimal effort and gaining quick success. It’s a clash of experience versus raw talent, and the tension between them is clear as day. Both are hungry for the spotlight, but only time will tell who’s going to claim it—and neither is willing to back down.

this character is taken.

*this character is middle eastern, cast accordingly.

[fandom-geek]

'Colonialism', it has been remarked, 'is one of the great mirrors of our time: all those who look into the mirror tend to see the reflection of their own preoccupations and views of the world'. Perhaps a 'hall of mirrors' is a better metaphor, with its concave and convex reflections pulling our collective memories of the Middle Ages into grotesque distortions of past reality.

The categories and attitudes espoused by modern European colonial empires - a cocktail of paternalistic claim-making, benevolent disdain, Orientalist allure, and imperial apologetics - shaped many of the priorities and themes of medieval historiography from the late nineteenth century. Prior to World War I, French historians such as Emmanuel-Guillaume Rey (d. 1916) and Réne Grousset (d. 1952) advanced a benevolent interpretation of the Frankish expansion into the Holy Land in the era of the crusades. They developed these 'colonialist' models precisely in the era of French occupation of the Middle East. Similarly, the doyen of historians of the 'Norman' invasion of Ireland, Goddard Henry Orpen, published his magnum opus, Ireland under the Normans, in two instalments (1911, 1920) during the Irish 'Revolutionary Decade', which saw Britain's rule in Ireland constitutionally tested and militarily contested. Orpen's mastery of the historical sources and archaeological evidence was remarkable, and in many respects his narrative of 'Norman' expansion in thirteenth-century Ireland remains unsurpassed as a single coherent historical interpretation. It was also, quite unapologetically, an exercise in imperial apologetics, one which sought to establish on secure scholarly foundations the benefits that 'Norman' rule brought to 'anarchic Ireland's.

Such academic contributions were not mere backdrop: they formed part of the wider instrumentalization of medieval evidence. This pursuit of the Middle Ages within the public sphere has often served dark political or polemical ends, justifying territorial claim-making and military aggression. Notable here is the Ostsiedlung interpretation of medieval Germanic settlement of the 'emoty spaces' of barbaric Eastern Europe. Equally sinister is the occlusion from collective memory of unfavoured 'out-groups' such as the Arab populations in Palestine. As Christopher Tyerman has observed: 'Such things are ... potentially just as corrosive as the most rancid application of colonialism'.

Peter Crooks, "Colony", in Using Concepts in History (2022), pp. 51-71 (pp. 59-60)