#until one day it clicked:

[ruvigapo]

Run boy run!! The sex monsters eat salmon!!

In which i arrive Fashionably Late to the fishssek party

[amphibianaday]

day 1677

[justafewberries]

You're one of my favorite hunger games analysts, so I have to ask: What is the significance of the porcupine scene in SOTR? For me, I was never bored reading the book except for that scene. I hate the porcupine scene. I'm hoping you'll help me come to some more intelligent conclusions

First of all, thank you, you’re one of my favorite hunger games artists, and I’m SO glad you asked. I’ve been meaning to post about this since I first read the scene. 

The porcupine scene is a metaphor for the infighting of the districts, and how their hatred is orchestrated by the Capitol’s intentional starvation. It all comes down to how they lured the porcupine away with olives.

First, let’s talk about the characterization of the porcupine. Collins compares the porcupine’s noise to a baby’s cry, and the way it shakes to a toddler’s tantrum. We are primed, before we even reach the scene, to expect a child. When we arrive, we find it isn’t a human, but a porcupine with “rows of pure gold, silver, and bronze quills”. 

The people at the scene are Buck (D10), Chicory (D11), Hull (D11), and now Maysilee and Haymitch (D12). These tributes represent some of the poorest districts, some of whom may have never even dreamed of seeing that much luxury in one place.

Now, let’s return to the quills. The fine metals likely derived from District 1, as they produce luxury items. Juxtapose that with the poorest districts, and we have a metaphor for Panem. The porcupine is a representation of the better off districts. It has wealth, it has the fine metals and its quills, but what doesn’t it have? Food. Just like the rest of them. 

It stops fighting when it has food. Panem, the districts, would stop fighting and unify if they had food, too. Instead, a mutt programmed to kill the tributes, and districts programmed to hate each other, all fight, when the starvation comes from the top down. 

(But Haymitch doesn't throw just any food. He throws olives. Olives represent wisdom, resilience, and covenant. He throws an olive branch!)

It’s a metaphor for the idea the districts are only fighting because they don’t have enough. Once they have food, they’ll be “the porcupine crashing through the trees like a dog after a bone”. But they will never have enough unless they turn towards the Capitol, not each other.

It’s telling that Hull, who comes from a farming district, attempts to down the porcupine with a pitchfork. A pitchfork is used to harvest food, but now, instead of using it as intended, he must use it as a weapon. He has turned arms against the porcupine. A pitchfork buried in someone’s neck cannot harvest a field.

This metaphor extends to the fact the filmmakers didn’t show how it truly happened in the recap. They don’t show them drawing off the porcupine with food, it just “wanders off”. It would introduce the idea that the districts, like the mutt, are just hungry, too. They’re not programmed to kill, or programmed to hate the “better off” districts because of true hatred. They’re all just deprived of their needs.

Everyone is lacking the same thing, whether they mine coal or gold, they are just as hungry as the others. Sure, some districts have better fed kids, but it’s a perpetuating cycle. The more you win, the better fed your district kids are. The goal of the games is to win. The prize? Food. It all comes back to food.

The illusion of hatred is thwarted by the remedy of basal needs.

In fact, fighting the porcupine hurts him just as much. The porcupine only launches quills toward him after he throws the ax. He attacked first. And when it happens, they both get hurt. So much so that Haymitch loses pieces of himself: 

“Tiny bits of my flesh cling to the barbed end, leaving a raw, stinging wound.”

The districts hating each other weakens their overall power. They lose pieces of themselves. There cannot be many against the few until they recognize fighting each other is fruitless. 

To continue this thought, Haymitch defines the porcupine as a beast based on two characteristics: 

“It might have been crossed with [a bear] in the lab, given its claws and teeth.” 

After the arena, interestingly, Haymitch describes himself similarly:

“Somewhere in the last few weeks, my nails have turned to claws, my hair to fur. I’ve killed multiple times and preserved no life but my own. I left a simple district piglet and returned as the murderous beast that they always suspected lay in wait.”

He has developed the same claws as the porcupine. He has become a beast, a mutt, and forced to kill through his own starvation. Despite it all, he still fed others. He tried to feed Lou Lou and Wellie. He fed Maysilee, and they tried to get the antidote into Hull, because “maybe someone so young and strong and deserving of life as Hull might find his way back to it.”

Haymitch and the porcupine are beasts by the same master. They are starved, deprived, and tortured. It is only when he realizes that maybe the baby-crying, toddler-tantruming beast might be hungry too that he finds a way out through an olive branch.

(Side note and fun little call back, they tear a branch off of the tree to try to flip the porcupine, and before the games, Wiress mentions the value of a “pointed stick” if it comes to being the only weapon they can source (sotr, 99). So that’s a neat ode to her.)

[yingdu-lover]

link clickers (us) and their affinity to destructive thinking (sauteed with melancholy and PTSD) needs to be studied.

statement : lu guang was successful saving cheng xiaoshi in yingdu!

lcf logic : but original cxs died, lu guang's cxs died :(

statement : shiguang encounter with the villain-

lcf logic : cxs knows about lg's truth, peak shiguang angst, cxs contemplates suicide

statement : lg's backstory is unknown

lcf logic : his parents died, he lived in an orphanage, something extremely traumatic happened to him, he will be the villain-

statement : only lg's post shows his height is such n such and he is still growing lmao

lcf logic : lg's height is growing because he is the only one alive

statement : haoling and lan studio artists say that that halo associated with lg symbolises his angel like presence in cxs's life

lcf logic : lg died too, S2 lied

statement : *cool xf pv*

lcf logic : my baby is gonna die...

...

and lc fans are genius. traumatized and genius. it's scary. everyone is a potential lu guang or a sacrificing cheng xiaoshi

[zilabee]

[cassiskurocorner]

Try not to make Sebastian have heated eye contact with another man challenge (Impossible edition)

[itspileofgoodthings]

ALSO I am learning how to teach very introverted students, something my natural skillset as a teacher does not help me with.

[twobrokenwyngs]

I was dying to participate in this, but I put a little twist on it - these are a selection of 100 of my all-time favorite movies that I currently have in my DVD/Blu-ray collection.

I'd love to know how many you've seen!

keep in mind that when all the Blockbusters, Gamestops, etc went out of business, that was a boon for me.

[apotelesmaa]

I think tsukasa is a normie sorry. He does not know memes or internet trends he’s too busy scouring the internet for bootleg theatre productions and practicing facial expressions in the mirror. Guy who could tell you everything you need to know about some obscure actor/play from 100 years ago but does not know a single modern celebrity if they’re not involved in acting. He’s adding new poses to his vast repertoire he is not making banger posts online. “Based? Based on what?” Type of guy.

[robotrightsactivist]

I know it's Film but I think in a timeline where it could be done well there would be an I Saw The TV Glow point-and-click adaptation

[froggielovescoffee]

Puts a tiny microphone to you

Any tips for rendering?

taps the little microphone

ermmmmm

the best advice i can offer you is to study anatomy, shapes, lighting, and color theory!

a lot of my improvement has come from studying both real life references and the works of artists i admire :) (shoutout to to impressionism, love that style)

to be honest tho, a lot of it is fucking around with random techniques and styles of rendering (AND SO MUCH PRACTICE HOLY SHIT) until something sticks

(for me, it was using textured brushes and mimicing painting techniques that stuck)

it may be frustrating at first, but i promise if you stick with it and keep practicing your brain will explode and then it will all suddenly make sense one day

i am so so far from a professional though—i have no idea what i’m doing man. i’m just throwing shit at canvas and hoping it looks nice /silly

OH ONE LAST THING (or two)

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO FUCK UP 🫵

DO IT BAD, DO IT MESSY, JUST KEEP MAKING ART YOU SILLY LITTLE GOOBER

[peony-pearl]

@khoc-week - dreams

The encampment is quiet, save for the surrounding trills and squawks of unseen fauna hiding out in the woods and the snores from the pile of travelers all huddled up next to the embers of a dying campfire.

Mint rolls over unceremoniously as a contented snore rattles from her sinuses. Hollander's arm slaps over Magnifico's chest, both of them oblivious to the real world. The group is weary from a long week of roaming from world to world, trying to ensure they aren't caught by Maleficent. Now that it has been more than a day since seeing either her or Diablo, the team has found a sense of momentary peace.

But it still came with caution as Nimue sat propped against a large tree trunk, keeping close watch on her crew. Despite her heavy eyelids, she steeled herself and kept her mind occupied until dawn could relieve her of her duty.

Her eyes bounced from one person to the next, from Owen, who sleeps stick-still and silently with his hands folded over his stomach as he clutches his glasses; to Harle, who, if she had her way, would be sleeping in the trees. But due to the threats that followed them, she curled up with Chaos in her arms as his paws and tail twitched.

The only person not sleeping amongst the team was Merlock, who rested nearby as he mirrored Nimue, leaning against the treetrunk, not making any sound as he slept.

Nimue had learned how to gauge when Merlock was truly asleep; her sense of magic would buzz with activity as his powers loosened up in slumber. She could tell he was still wearing his talisman, which was a source of his heightened abilities.

Nimue sighed and looked up to the tree canopy, which blocked the view of the stars. While it meant security, she hated that she couldn't see the dotted diamond sky. The universal tapestry that was laid out above them that she so often craned up to look at as a child, and then as a keyblade master going out on missions, wondering if her loved ones were looking at the same stars as her.

She often looked for one particular star that her father, Knoll, told her about as a child. It was rumored to have been a living star, and one that fell from the heavens at the callings of a troubled girl who loved her city and people so much that her heart reached it from millions of miles away.

When Nimue found herself feeling lonesome or homesick, she would take the time to pinpoint where the star was in the sky, and once she did, she felt like she had found her feet again. Like she found the direction she needed to go in.

... It had been a long time since she truly felt the need to do that; as when she had met Yen Sid and became involved in him, he filled the negative space around her with calm, assured words and a bright heart.

He would smile at her, with his stars and moon motif glistening in his robes and amor.

She could remember dragging a gentle claw across the silken embroidery of his clothing, how each stitched star had special, magical beads sewn into their design. Her frantic heart and rapid pulse would ease in the presence of his light as he silently guided and grounded her.

He was her own star, helping her maintain her direction.

Why didn't it last?

His guiding light became searing, like the sun; Burning and scorching in a rage against her as he demanded to know how she could betray him. How she could betray her mother and father and her town. How she could turn her back on everyone and everything that had loved her.

Merlock awoke at the sound of a voice, and shuffling nearby.

"Wrong... You're wrong..."

Nimue's voice warbled through the still silence of the night that was just about to become dawn.

A darkness in the sky that Nimue remembered as Yen Sid destroyed the darkness she'd cultivated from her own heart; but in an effort to protect everyone, the darkness simply attached itself back to Nimue through her rage. It was a blinding, red hot rage that rivaled his searing light. Her screams were sirens, alerting the world to her blood-boiling anger at Yen Sid's betrayal.

Until the sight of her beloved home being ravaged was all she could see.

Until the sight of her mother reaching out for her hand became everything on her mind. How she tried so hard to reach her, how her mother's agony was so palpable as they held tight to light fixtures amongst the wreckage of the town and the darkness swallowed the city.

Estelle's voice crying out for her daughter was the last voice Nimue heard for thirty years.

Until Merlock's voice reached her ears.

"Nimue! Wake up!"

Gasping as large hands jostled her shoulders, Nimue opened her eyes. She felt as though she had been freefalling and her stomach was crashing back down to earth.

Merlock hovered over her as she leaned forward, placing her head in her hands as she gathered her bearings.

"... I'm sorry; I fell asleep," she croaked, not looking up at the stern face she knew the sorcerer was wearing.

Yet despite his usual severe scowl, it was worn with a mixture of tired patience.

"Hmph... perhaps I should take over," he offered gruffly. Nimue shook her head vigorously.

"No, no... I'm fine now." She lied. "I'm fine. Just a lapse."

She wasn't expecting one of his large, clawed hands to reach forward and press against her forehead.

"I said I'm fine," She insisted.

"You're burning up."

"Just some bad dreams."

Merlock listened, but still didn't move too far. He sat beside her against the tree trunk, both of them listening to the sounds of the forest. His eyes shifted as he watched her clutch at her chest. He frowned, but remained still.

He remembered finding her in the Realm of Darkness, with light shining within her like a beacon; like a lighthouse for those lost at sea.

He had no need for beacons or lighthouses. The only thing he needed was her skills to take down Yen Sid and to keep Maleficent from destroying him.

"So tell me," Merlock rumbled quietly; he could see Nimue's ears twitch as she listened. "Who was wrong?"

Slipping her head from her hand, Nimue looked back to him, her large golden eyes like saucers. Her clawed hands dug into the thick fabric of her pants.

"... Him. Yen Sid. When he found out about my research. He told me nothing good could come from it. That I was... that I was a violation of the order." She scoffed. "I was a violation because I wanted to understand the darkness! I didn't want to run from it! He treated me like a criminal for deciding I wanted to walk side by side with something so natural! He would rather cower and sit in his light and morals than be seen as anything but perfect."

Nimue looked to Merlock, her eyes intense.

"And yet, to stand so close to the light means creating a shadow as big as that light. And I won't cower."

Merlock's gaze didn't flinch.

"Even if that darkness threatens to swallow the light you have?"

Nimue smiled. "Thirty years in darkness and I'm still here, aren't I?"

"... Indeed," Merlock smiled. He noted Nimue fold back in on herself. "You should get some more rest."

Nimue shook her head.

Merlock huffed. He leaned towards her and, taking her shoulders, rested her against the tree trunk before placing his palm against her forehead.

"Close your eyes."

Nimue blinked; she looked up towards him, unsure at first. He was not a being of generous gestures, so she eyed him critically.

"I need you to trust me," he growled.

Nimue nodded, and she closed her eyes. From the space between Merlock's palm and her forehead, a spark of light glimmered.

He never liked using light-based magic; it felt like burning, like touching jagged rocks that had been baking in the sun.

He made a small exception this once. He asked her to close her eyes, not to fall asleep, but so she didn't see the crystalline rays of light snaking up his arm as she fell into slumber.

A rare favor he offered for very few.

The birdsong was jovial and exciting; the sunlight that filtered through the leaves turned the world into a golden, glittering paradise as Nimue awoke under her favorite tree by the brook. She could hear voices from the villagers in the distance, the laughter of children, and the clattering from carriages traveling across bridges.

She felt full and whole, like the light in her heart wasn't a seething supernova, but a tender hearth holding tight to a crackling fire she used to roast marshmallows over. She rolled over onto her side and smelled the sweet grass and wildflowers.

"Nimue!"

Nimue's eyes opened and she sat up to find her mother jogging forward, picnic basket in hand as she waved to her daughter.

...............................................

"Is Nim okay?"

From up ahead, Mint looked back towards Merlock, who watched the team from the rear, with Nimue in his arms as they traveled under clear, sunny skies.

"She's fine. Just tired."

Merlock looked down at Nimue, who, in her slumber, smiled and leaned into his frame with a contented sigh.

And a light that didn't feel like sun baked rocks pricked in his chest.

[astralprisms]

You can't take these two anywhere

[quietwingsinthesky]

you know what would be fun enrichment for thirteen. putting her in a time loop starting the moment she lands on gallifrey with the master.

[bmpmp3]

HOMURANE RAYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[stiffyck]

I adore the way you draw scar, especially how you're willing to draw his wheelchair (when a lot of people don't) :( it means a lot to me to see that rep, and see people lean into who scar is and what he stands for, as a disabled person I think we often get overlooked when making fanart for disabled CC'S or the character version. Ty for including those details.

Aw I'm very happy you like my art! I definitely want to make more wheelchair art but there's a huge problem:

I DESPISE drawing legs. Worst thing to draw ever. I have been trying to get better at legs but they look so bad every time and it's such a boring thing to draw

I HATE DRAWING LEGS GRRRRRR

But anyway yes this ask made me very happy and I'll try to draw more wheelchair art in the future <3