#vengeance against a fictional character

[dayurno]

first of yeah i hate when people try to use any sort of disability as punishment for characters in stories as for most attractive ppl 1. Jean Moreau sad boy tall sad and French he would match my crazy and my mental state and i mean this in the unhinged tumblr way 2. literary any character that is strong and beffy as fuck so might as well just put riko here i am very attracted to strong and athletic individuals so really anyone woudl fit here but this is kings spot now 3. Jeremy Knox fake blondes with tan, it's very unusual look at least in my city/environment and tbh considered bit "trashy" but i personally love people who don't match 100% to fashion/beauty standards 4. Renee i don;t need to explain just Renee 5. Probably some raven I am really NOT PICKY tbh like appearance is such miniscule thing? I more care about someone's choices of fashion and how they carry themselves .... no kevin on this list because he is such basic ass white boy even with all the queer diva aesthetic this fandom puts on him sorry he is way too normie

BAHAHA kevin is a glossy two page magazine spread he cannot run from this hes very conventional and classic….. but i do love that about him 🫡 between him and jeremy we can make a fashion magazine for aspiring boys next door

ALSO CRAZY THAT YOUD WANT JEAN i am genuinely like. after having read into jeans mind i can understand the deliciousness of him as a concept but we could not coexist i do not think he is just too pathetic i cant do it… famously the only man ive ever considered being with was meek and submissive which i guess is a point on jeans part but i dont know. hes really crazy. i wouldnt get on this ride at all knowing how loose the screws are

[whatudottu]

Hey, I noticed your post on Ectonurite religious practices, and I thought the concepts were very interesting. I’m a big fan of the Anur System myself, to the point I’ve learned how to make languages for them, if that’s not too weird…

In reference to this post-

The 'having a favourite fictional setting' to 'make a conlang' pipeline is all to real Pilgrim, my linguistics teacher let me use mine for my end of term project instead of the assigned analysis (transcribing a conversation between yourself and a friend, which probably would've been useful to study); you wouldn't believe what planet I based it on (don't look at my icon that's cheating :P)

But nah yeah, the Anur System is to me one of my favourite parts of Ben 10 Omniverse since I love horror and horror themed things but hate being scared of them so- the Anur System and the movie monsters that influence their design always has a special place in my head!

Even in my mutants and magic au where I retcon even OS to include more mutants and more magic users and presence where I made the Mummy an actual mummified priest who's attempt at resurrect worked (to the detriment to waking up to the grubby mitts of the British museum) and making Viktor an actual frankenstein's monster who's functionally mutant both to parallel Gwen and Max better (Gwen for magic obviously, Max for being a not-so-ex-Plumber who dealt with more than just alien phenomena but humans doing weird things inspired by old books and other stuff), I can't not still have the entirety of the Anur System still exist! I can't remember who but someone made thep khufan siphonophores and well- riding the coattails of my fulmini posting I got excited over them :P same goes for transylians though I haven't thought much about their potentially interesting biology other than the thought of 'how weird can scar tissue adaptations in biology become' so :P :P :P

[luna-azzurra]

Character motivations for fictional characters

1. Revenge: Seeking vengeance for a past wrong or harm.

2. Power: Craving dominance and control over others.

3. Love and Relationships: Longing for love, companionship, and emotional connection.

4. Redemption: Seeking to atone for past mistakes and find forgiveness.

5. Survival: Striving to stay alive in dangerous or challenging circumstances.

6. Justice: Fighting against injustice and upholding fairness.

7. Exploration: Satisfying curiosity and a desire for discovery.

8. Ambition: Relentlessly pursuing success and achievement.

9. Freedom: Seeking liberation from oppression and constraints.

10. Knowledge and Wisdom: Thirsting for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

11. Family: Protecting and nurturing one's family and loved ones.

12. Acceptance: Craving acceptance and validation from others.

13. Friendship: Building and maintaining meaningful friendships.

14. Escape: Seeking to break free from a stifling or undesirable situation.

15. Truth: Uncovering the truth and exposing lies or deceit.

16. Creativity: Expressing oneself and bringing imagination to life.

17. Competition: Striving to be the best and outperform others.

18. Self-Discovery: Embarking on a journey to understand oneself better.

19. Healing: Seeking emotional, physical, or spiritual healing.

20. Faith and Belief: Holding strong religious or spiritual convictions.

21. Mentorship: Guiding and inspiring others to reach their potential.

22. Revolution: Fighting against oppressive systems and advocating for change.

23. Sacrifice: Putting others' needs above one's own and making difficult choices.

24. Fear: Overcoming fears and finding strength in the face of adversity.

25. Fame: Desiring recognition, acclaim, and celebrity status.

26. Identity: Discovering and understanding one's true self.

27. Empathy: Understanding and connecting with others' emotions and experiences.

28. Tradition: Upholding cultural or familial traditions and values.

29. Rebellion: Resisting authority and challenging the status quo.

[jedimaesteryoda]

Every once in a while on Twitter (not X, Elon can go screw himself), someone circulates a complaint about A Song of Ice and Fire that is basically some version of "GRRM's series is nihilistic where everyone is gray, there are no heroes and villains, or heroes die and villains win compared to Tolkien's magnum opus where there are clear heroes and villains with the heroes being upright and good always wins."

It's written by people who either never read nor understood the series nor understands the author.

Firstly, Martin himself is a fan of Tolkien stating "I revere Lord of the Rings, I reread it every few years, it had an enormous effect on me as a kid," and is such a huge fan of Tolkien he complains of "Tolkien imitators" who "cheapened it. The audience were being sold degraded goods. I thought: 'This is not how it should be done.' "

Tolkien was a clear inspiration for Martin's magnum opus given in the same interview he stated "I wanted to combine the wonder and image of Tolkien fantasy with the gloom of historical fiction." You can even find nods to Tolkien throughout the series from names like "Oakenshield" to a dwarven heir to a mighty mountain fastness filled with gold. Underneath the gloom on the surface, there is a layer of Tolkien-esque romanticism.

ASOIAF isn't nihilistic. No one would call characters like war criminal and murderer-rapists like Gregor Clegane, Ramsay Bolton and Euron Greyjoy or the vivisectionist and torturer Qyburn morally grey. There are heroes like Brienne of Tarth who risked her life in a hopeless fight to save an inn full of orphans, Sam who stayed with Gilly and her babe beyond the Wall in a forest filled with wights and Dunk who defended a puppeteer from a prince. Then, there is Daenerys whose experience as a domestic abuse victim and child bride lead her to put her plan to take back the Iron Throne on hold to liberate slaves.

My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results… but it is the effort that’s heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight. -George R.R. Martin

These characters go out of their way to help others and live up to their ideals in a world they know won't reward them for it. That's what helps to make their actions truly heroic. In the end, it's their striving that sets them apart.

The ones who are villains don't seem to win in the end. Tywin was killed by his own abused son on the privy over his mistreatment of a peasant girl, and his legacy is already crumbling. Jaime lost his sword hand and is becoming increasingly disillusioned with his house, slowly realizing that they're not the good guys. The Boltons are facing a rebellion and their new bannermen don't want Ramsay as their liege lord. More Freys have been killed as a result of the Red Wedding than fighting for Robb, and they're being overextended. Not to mention, one of their victims has come back from the dead to enact vengeance on their house. House Greyjoy is destined to fall to ruin as the Greyjoys suffer and die in their fruitless pursuits for crowns.

It's also a superficial reading of Tolkien. Tolkien has moments in his series where heroes fail like Isildur, the guy who slew Sauron, failing to do the one thing he needed to do to end the threat for all time by keeping the One Ring, and Frodo, the purported hero of the series, doing the same thing at the end. Thorin Oakenshield refused to provide money to the people of Lake-town over the destruction of their city at Smaug's hands as a result of his party's actions. There's also plenty of stories of heroes failing in The Silmarillion like Turin.

Both are great series in their own right, and if you don't like Martin's series, that's okay, no series is for everyone. But don't mischaracterize it and pit it against a dumbed down, mischaracterized version of Tolkien's work.

[artbyblastweave]

As a person that knows a lot more about capeshit than me, what’s the meta-textual significance of the Superpowers in The Power Fantasy abstaining from establishing secret identities?

Principally it's to signal that the characters, while informed by the traditional superhero paradigm, exist largely outside of it.

Contemporary superhero fiction has a complicated relationship with the concept of The Secret Identity. When you come at the premise fresh without years of ossified genre convention, you get hit with the double whammy that a civilian identity is increasingly difficult to keep secret and that even if you buy into the idea of doing vigilante shit in secret to avoid going to jail, it's still going to take some extra work to get to the finish line of grown men calling themselves "Batman" or "Ant Man" and expecting to be taken seriously.

So, retellings will often go out of their way justify how these characters could develop these public identities semi-organically. "Superman" is usually not Clark Kent's idea in modern retellings- the media names him that, Lois names him that, and he runs with it. The Batman has the fantastic recurring gag that Bruce appears to actually self-identify as the comically overwrought "Vengeance," but the bat motif led to everyone just calling him Batman instead. The X-Men have advanced the idea, in a couple different forms, that "Mutant names" are a sub-cultural thing brushing up against a cult thing, a ceremonial way of setting yourself above and apart from baseline humanity. And you've got military callsigns, obviously. I think that's where "Ant-Man" and "Hawkeye" come from in the MCU.

In The Power Fantasy, none of the superpowers have a dual identity because they've all got extremely specific political (or artistic) projects that don't mesh well with that. To a degree I think this is playing in the same space as X-Men, where a lot of the cast have shifted over the years from being public ciphers to being public activists whose real names are on the news alongside their code names when they blow something up. But even if they don't have dual identities, the superpowers do have identities, personas, nicknames; there's a mix of deliberate image-building and outside-designation-by-society occurring. "Heavy" Harris is a thing an activist or cult leader who controls gravity could plausibly come to be called in the course of Moving and Shaking. Masumi is mentioned, in passing, to also go by the name of "Deconstructa," which reads like either a pretentious artist thing or a common-parlance nickname she picked up after the Kaiju thing. Eliza Hellbound is clearly not that woman's real name, but also, it is- and it's descriptive, and she's certainly powerful enough that that's what she gets to be called if she wants. "Jacky Magus" is really really really obviously not what's on that guys birth certificate, but it's also the only name he has that actually matters. Ettiene gets a whole monologue about the necessity of constructing himself as a figurehead that human governments can work with. He wears bright yellow, he gives interviews, and I will eat my hat if his actual last name is Lux. These people are similar to traditional superheroes in that they are constructing larger-than-life identities, they're playing a game, they're selling the world on specific narratives about themselves. But the truth that they're covering for is never that they've got some kind of secret civilian life waiting for them when they clock out. By choice or otherwise, all six of them are simply well past that.

[familiarscars]

Drive You Insane | Noah Sebastian 03

adult content | minors do NOT interact.

⋆ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. Noah Sebastian X psychiatrist!Reader.

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒. A mysterious new patient arrives at the Grimshade sanatorium and you have been tasked with taking care of his case.

⋆ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆(𝐒). disturbing environment, violence, unconventional treatments, manipulation, questionable relationships, explicit sex and profanity.

It's okay to not agree with the characters' attitudes during the fic. It's good to remember that the story is fiction from the author's sick mind and of course they will make dubious decisions according to my fantasies. Nothing is done to be compared to reality.

Fortunately, the disturbing sound of screams could feel inspiring when used as a backdrop.

You had been buried in the files for so long that, for a moment, you wondered if you even remembered how to read. Your fingers rested on Noah’s case file, and your nails made an irritating sound against his photo as you strained to think. He was a patient who refused to speak, and you didn’t believe that would change anytime soon, making it all the harder to know him well enough to determine if he was guilty or not.

Innocence had already been discarded by everyone. His silence reinforced the majority’s verdict, but you were never one to follow the current. You preferred to tread carefully, trusting only what you saw with your own eyes and your professional intuition.

And it insisted, relentlessly, that something was wrong.

What if Noah wasn’t guilty?

You knew that specific reactions emerged from different patients under certain stimuli. Maybe he had developed post-traumatic stress after finding his girlfriend’s body displayed so brutally, causing him to withdraw, trapped in that final scene. He could simply be struggling to process the trauma, and his aggressive outbursts might be the result of associations between the crime and the real perpetrator. Maybe he even knew who the killer was. It could very well be a case of targeted vengeance against him.

But... what if he was guilty?

Noah could be hiding his own guilt behind a mask of arrogance. He knew what he had done. He showed no remorse, as the diagnosis confirmed, and perhaps his silence was a calculated provocation to the authorities, a way to manipulate the media spectacle that had grown around the tragedy.

The possibilities felt endless.

“Fuck!” you muttered, slamming your fist against the desk.

Solving a case like that would be a major feat on your résumé. It would guarantee your career and bring enough recognition that Grimshade would become nothing more than a brief chapter. That case hadn’t landed in your lap by mere coincidence. It was the perfect opportunity to unlock the future you had always wanted.

Of course, if that damned man would just talk.

Your first and only patient of the day was about to enter, and a sharp wave of nausea coursed through you as soon as you realized who it was.

Tom Harrow.

You read the name on the clipboard, drawing a deep breath before allowing him into the room. Your body still carried traces of fatigue, but you straightened your posture, forcing professionalism to smother any distractions. At Grimshade Sanatorium, every encounter was a psychological game more dangerous than the last.

When the door opened, the cold, dull light revealed a gaunt figure with broad shoulders and skin marred by fine scars and burns like knife marks. Tom sat on a metal chair bolted to the floor, his arms restrained by leather straps binding his wrists to the armrests. He smiled as you entered, revealing teeth white and sharp like a trap.

“Doctor...” His voice slid out like warm syrup—slow and sticky. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”

He always pushed sarcasm to its limit, every interaction dripping with malice, which he carried not only in his gaze but in every calculated word. Tom was a sexual predator accused of killing more than 35 women over three decades without raising a single suspicion. Mistaken for a respectable citizen, he went to church on Sundays and hosted neighborhood dinners where he was adored.

At night, he scoured the internet for vulnerable women, lonely for one reason or another, luring them to a secluded cabin where he abused, tortured them with depraved fetishes, and kept them captive until their bodies were deemed disposable after the skin began to rot. Harrow was only caught because he allowed himself to be caught, leaving a trace of a kidnapped neighbor in his home while the authorities did the rest.

But if not for that... he would still be free, you thought.

“Good morning, Mr. Harrow.” You closed the door with a firm click, trying to ignore the metallic scent in the air—a mix of disinfectant and sour sweat. “How are you feeling today? I heard a patient complained about being harassed by you in the lunch line. Is that why your hands are restrained?”

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his eyes slowly traveled over you, stripping away each layer of fabric, then skin. The silence stretched a second too long, making the air feel heavier.

You walk to the chair across from him and sit, positioning the clipboard on your lap like a shield.

"That’s not exactly how it happened," he said with confidence.

"Then tell me how it was," you allowed, activating the timer at the center of the table. "We have plenty of time today to talk about whatever you’d like."

"She provoked me, and I gave her exactly what she wanted with that attitude. You women are all the same—tease us, then can’t handle the reaction."

You remained expressionless.

"What do you feel when you have these impulses, Tom?" Your voice came out steady, though inside, a warning bell had already begun to ring.

His smile widened. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes gleaming with a malice.

"Impulses? You mean my... passion?" He stretched the word, letting it ricochet through the air. "Oh, doctor, you should know. Everyone has desires. It’s not wrong... to want. It’s not wrong to love women so much that you build an altar from the outer layer of their skin."

You kept your composure, but the knot in your stomach tightened.

"And what exactly do you want from all this, Tom?"

"Depends..." He leaned as far forward as the straps allowed, his tongue sliding slowly over his teeth. "Have you ever wanted something so badly it hurt? Felt heat under your skin, like a fire waiting to break free?"

Your eyes remained fixed on his, but your grip on the clipboard grew tighter. Your desires were none of his concern, and how you dealt with them even less so.

"Do you think that justifies your actions?"

He laughed softly—a low, rough sound filled with something that crawled along your spine.

"Who said I’m trying to justify anything? You think you understand me?" His gaze drifted downward, settling on your blouse where the top button had come undone without your notice.

"This conversation is to understand you—through your own eyes."

"Then what do you think I see when I look at you, doctor?" He leaned forward over his thighs, casting a look so dark it seemed to scratch beneath your skin.

Your body chilled, but your face stayed stone still.

"This session is over."

"Ah, don’t end it so soon... Sitting here... tied up like this... Isn’t it a bit insane? How they keep me bound while you... so free? Don’t you want to see through my eyes? How about I bind your arms and tear apart that sweet little cunt, doctor?"

You stood, the blood rushing too fast through your veins.

"We’ll speak again soon, Tom."

He only laughed again as you left, his chuckling reverberating down the corridor like a stain that wouldn’t wash away.

"Are you alright?" Travis’s voice broke the silence as his hand touched your shoulder suddenly, making you jump. You pressed a hand to your chest to steady your breathing.

"Got it," he said with a small smile. "Rough session?"

"Tom Harrow," you replied flatly, resuming your pace beside him.

"Shit. Was he... restrained?"

You nodded, and he exhaled in relief.

"Sorry."

"It’s over." You didn’t want to linger on it. "Since you’re here, I need a favor. I want to study Noah’s case more deeply. I could do it alone, but without internet or TV... it’s tricky."

If the case was as well-known on the island as people suggested, local news archives shouldn’t be hard to find. At least, that’s what you assumed.

"Hm. Old-school methods, then," he said with a chuckle, navigating the stairs with ease, greeting colleagues and signing prescriptions without breaking stride. "Old newspapers, interviews with people who knew him... that kind of thing."

"And where would I find all that?"

"In town, definitely. The university he attended still has plenty of stories about him. He was pretty well-known there. You know, because of the family name. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone willing to talk." He paused, eyeing you with renewed curiosity. "Are you really this determined to prove his innocence?"

You kept your tone professional. “I want to understand what really happened. The more information I have, the better my arguments will be during our sessions.”

“And you think that’ll make him open up.”

His sarcasm cut like a hidden blade. You lifted your chin, the heat of irritation rising slowly.

“I don’t appreciate your tone, Dr. Rune. I know Noah has the charm of a predator, and I’m sorry if giving up the case left you without an excuse to admire those…” You paused, your gaze sharp. “...incredible arms.”

The laugh that burst from Travis was genuine, full, and shook his shoulders before he shook his head in surrender.

“You’ve got a unique sense of humor, darling.” He winked, his blue eyes glimmering with amusement. “I don’t care about things like that, but when I started my career, I also thought my first problematic case would be my breakthrough moment.”

“And now you’re here, still stuck at Grimshade. Doesn’t seem like it worked out too well.”

The challenge in his gaze met yours, and for a brief, rare moment, you felt camaraderie—an honesty he didn’t bother to mask.

“I didn’t have enough time.”

“What happened?”

His expression darkened slightly, but he shrugged as if it were a trivial detail. “He killed himself.”

“I’m sorry...”

“It’s just another file in the trash. Don’t be silly.” Rune dismissed it and shifted his attention to a nurse calling him from down the hall. With a brief nod, he took off, his lab coat billowing as he hurried toward the masculine voice.

You understood why his apathy lingered like a cloud—it was a constant companion in this place, no matter how unsettling. Over time, nothing stayed surprising or shocking; it became just another day’s work.

Outside, the sky was a dull gray, making no effort to inspire anyone. You walked through the wide yard where patients had a designated hour of sunlight. Hidden Ward inmates came at separate times, under heavier supervision, for reasons that didn’t need explanation.

The trees were bare and poorly trimmed, and patches of grass fought for space amid wide circles of mud. The landscape was so devoid of color that when you held your arm up to the light, your skin looked as pale as your bedroom walls. The island’s low saturation was eerie, like the backdrop of a horror film.

You passed a minor commotion where a patient had lost control and harmed herself with a thread of fabric. Three orderlies wrestled her to the ground, dragging her back toward Hidden as she screamed.

“Prepare the hole!” one of them yelled to the nurse by the gate.

The hole? You didn’t know what they meant, a reminder of how incomplete your tour had been.

A few steps further, you stopped abruptly, noticing a figure crouched ahead. Almost instinctively, you adjusted your glasses on your nose and smoothed your coat before proceeding.

Noah, as always, was alone and silent, poking at the dirt with a plastic trowel, seemingly focused on a small garden plot.

The scene was bleak: dark brown, brittle saplings lay lifeless as he methodically pulled them up, tossing the dead roots into a bucket before covering the soil with fresh seeds.

“Keeping your mind busy with a hobby is healthy, Noah,” you said, your voice breaking the silence as your hands clasped behind your back, fingers twisting nervously.

He didn’t turn, didn’t acknowledge your words. He remained engrossed with the soil, as if the voice didn’t exist.

“If you don’t figure out what’s wrong with the ground, the next crop will die, too.” You circled slowly, stopping in front of him and crouching until your eyes met his. Sifting the dirt between your fingers, you let it fall softly. “First, you identify the problem. Then you treat the cause before planting again. If you just cover it up, the rot stays underneath.”

His eyes—cold, empty—rose to meet yours, the disinterest in your metaphor as obvious as the tension in his shoulders. From the dark look on his face, it was clear he wished you would simply disappear.

“This is your hobby, isn’t it?” You arched a brow, a hint of a smile tugging at your lips. “Does working with plants bring you comfort?”

Utter silence. Of course.

“Well, at least now I know what you like!” Your tone grew almost playful, the smile breaking free. “We’re about to become great friends. Don’t you think?”

He remained unmoving, but something in his gaze held too firmly, cut too deeply—like roots refusing to be unearthed. Your body reacted to each layer his brown eyes pierced as though they reached beneath your skin with every silent exchange.

“You may be good at this game, but I’ve always been very competitive,” you murmured, leaning closer to narrow the distance. His posture stiffened, a warning, but you pressed on, ignoring the cold that slithered down your spine at the visible fury brewing within him. “I will make you talk, Noah Sebastian.”

Visibly tired of the forced social interaction, Noah threw the bucket and trowel at your feet with a sudden, sharp motion. The plastic clattered against the ground like a full-stop punctuation. Without sparing you a second glance, he turned and walked away, heading back toward the building with a confidence so disarming it required no escort of orderlies. He never caused enough of a stir to warrant physical restraints—the fragile peace of the sanitarium seemed to hinge on one unspoken rule: leave Noah alone.

Staff and patients alike followed that law as if it were an instinct for survival. Eye contact with him never lasted beyond two seconds, as if any longer would invite consequence. He was a lone wolf in the heart of the Hidden Ward, indifferent even to the most hardened criminals. No bonds, no conversations, no trace of connection to anyone.

Noah didn’t share space in the dining hall, either. While others sat together, murmuring or staring vacantly, he preferred the meticulous solitude of his meals, delivered and consumed alone, a routine as unwavering as it was unsettling.

And then, there was his appearance. Day after day, while others withered beneath the weight of confinement, Noah thrived. His uniform remained impeccably clean, fabric fitted to a solid frame that betrayed no sign of frailty. His hair—straight and brown like the smooth surface of a moonlit lake—fell effortlessly across his face, and his skin seemed untouched by exhaustion or sleepless nights. His eyes burned with a sharp, simmering fury.

Noah appeared more like a figure from dark fantasy than the specter of a bloody past—a twisted fairytale prince where the wolf owned the plot.

You had been watching him since the day he arrived.

“Hey, girl!”

Sloan’s voice pulled you back to reality. She tugged you down to earth with her usual flair, and you dragged yourself away from your thoughts, making your way to the back of the estate. You sank into one of the lounge chairs as she plopped down beside you, offering a cigarette that you declined.

“Hiding in a hole? Haven’t seen you around lately.”

“I…” What could you say? Oh, I’ve been far too busy obsessing over a patient, picturing him while I sleep with someone else, consumed by his case to the point of madness, driven by a twisted need to be near him just to hear his voice in a game where silence reigns supreme. “I’ve been working too much.”

Sloan shook her head, letting smoke curl lazily between her teeth. Her dark curls tumbled free as she let her hair down, her breasts pressing against her neckline as she stretched.

“Boring.” She rolled her eyeliner-framed eyes. Sloan was striking. “I was dying to see you after happy hour at the tavern. I saw you and Rune leave together. Damn, girl, you don’t hold back.”

She nudged your arm with a teasing grin, and you smiled.

“It wasn’t a big deal. We were drunk…” You trailed off, unable to recall the night with him—because your mind had been tangled up with someone else entirely.

“Lucky you! I’ve been trying for years to get that man’s dick between my tits, but he’s so uptight I’ve developed a kink for just seeing him shut up.”

“Definitely more attractive when he’s quiet.” You nodded with certainty, and her eyes widened before she burst out laughing.

“Been after him for a while?”

In just a few days, Sloan had proven herself more than a stellar professional—she was a living compendium of gossip. Nurses, doctors, even patients—none escaped her scrutiny. Nothing escaped her cat-like gaze, and there were no limits—gender, danger, status, or intellect—her reach was boundless.

You couldn’t deny how intriguing that was. Sloan was an endless source of untapped knowledge.

“When I started, he was already here. Just another psychiatrist—like you,” she pointed out with a smirk, not bothering to sugarcoat the insult.

You smiled.

“He was a total suck-up to the director. That’s how he climbed the ladder. But, with all his rich-kid vibes, winning isn’t exactly hard.”

“Working here is winning?” you deadpanned, shaking your head. “He’s definitely screwed.”

“Oh, you just killed my crush.” Sloan sighed, stubbing her cigarette against the wall.

You both laughed, and she hooked her arm through yours as you walked back toward the sanitarium together.

“You know I’ve taken over that patient’s case… Noah, right?”

Your question lingered in the air, and Sloan merely confirmed with a brief nod, waiting for you to continue.

“I need more information about him,” you pressed, your voice firm, laced with a touch of urgency. “The records are practically empty, and without internet access, I can’t search for old articles or any other data related to the case. I feel like if I only had the right pieces, I could get closer to him. Maybe even understand why this case feels so inconsistent, with such a huge gap between one point and the next.”

Sloan frowned, thinking carefully before biting her lip as though weighing her words.

“Look,” she began hesitantly, “I think there’s something wrong with this case too. But I can’t tell if I’m analyzing the facts clearly... or if I’m just falling for some kind of Stockholm syndrome, because, let’s face it, he is a hell of a looker, isn’t he?”

You sighed in disbelief, bringing a hand to your forehead.

“For God’s sake, Sloan!”

“Kidding aside…” She pulled you closer, lowering her voice. “There are a lot of rumors about how he ended up in Grimshade, and one of them is that his diagnosis was bought.”

“Bought?”

Suddenly, you were even more intrigued by Sloan’s friendship as she seemed to strike precisely at the point that had been gnawing at your suspicions. One of the things that most fueled your doubts about Noah’s case was his diagnosis — it just didn’t seem to fit.

“Remember, it’s just a rumor… but his family is insanely rich, and as you might already know, they own this island. They maintain an impeccable reputation; no one’s ever heard a bad word about them — just those glossy magazine articles about rich people’s successes. They say that when they found out what happened, they bought a diagnosis to get him placed here. That’s why his record is full of gaps. They knew Noah probably wouldn’t last long in prison, especially if the other inmates found out what he did. Here… well, here he’s just another killer.”

She shrugged, and you couldn’t hide how much the information impressed you.

“I thought his parents didn’t care about him after the incident,” you remarked.

“They don’t. He doesn’t get any visitors. But they fund absolutely everything for him here. Supposedly, Grimshade receives a good sum to keep him here and keep things running as they are. They don’t want him deemed competent — if that happened, he’d end up on death row, you know? And Noah being a stubborn jerk who won’t speak just helps.”

Rumor or not, every word aligned with your own suspicions. His file lacked the traits expected of his diagnosis, and you viewed all his behavior during therapy as a rebellious act. Was he part of his parents' scheme? You doubted it, not after how he reacted to seeing his family photo.

It was all about protecting their image.

“I appreciate the honest update,” you said with a smile as you both stopped by the coffee machine. Sloan ordered a cappuccino, and you went for a latte, though you had no real desire to drink it. “I considered asking Travis about these things, but he always seems so prickly when it comes to Noah.”

“Doctor Rune was his first psychiatrist. The big boss upstairs,” she gestured toward the administrative wing with a nod. “He referred Noah during the trial. But Travis has a temper. He’s got rigid opinions on certain methods and zero patience. When he realized the kid wasn’t going to talk, he blew up.”

“They argued?”

“Not sure you could call it an argument, since one side wasn’t talking, right?” She chuckled. “But yeah, the tension was thick, and they decided to bring someone else in, since the Hidden Wing was being neglected too.”

Dr. Rune clearly had no intention of sharing this part of the story with you. It was no wonder he sent you off with a suggestion to look into town for answers.

“Now I’m even more curious…” you admitted, biting your lip and watching the steam rise from your cup. “If it’s more than just a rumor, if the diagnosis really is wrong… he could be innocent.”

“Sounds like one of those dramas,” Sloan said, draining her cappuccino.

“Rune mentioned the city would be the best place to dig up more,” you added, folding your arms. “His family’s well-known there, so it shouldn’t be hard to find something useful.”

“Perfect!” Sloan grinned conspiratorially and winked. “On our day off, we’ll go investigate Noah’s life in town!”

A flicker of relief passed through you. Slowly but surely, you were getting to know your colleagues better, and the way they welcomed you made the environment less toxic and lonely. Now you had information that made things feel a bit more concrete, even if it was just hearsay. Still, you were determined to go deeper.

Getting Noah to talk seemed like a promising plan to boost your career and leave the asylum behind, but turning the tables with a proper diagnosis — and possibly solving his case — would be even better.

From the corridor window, you had a clear view of the grounds outside. Well, clear might be an exaggeration — the exterior was a tangled mess of chaos — but you could still spot patients moving about, including him.

“The Hidden Wing’s outdoor time ended already,” you noted to Sloan, checking the wall clock. “But he’s still out there.”

Noah had returned to the same spot where you had found him earlier. Crouched, he sifted through brittle branches, pulling up rotting roots and planting new seeds. As always, he was alone. You tried — and failed — to look away from the way his shirt clung to his chest, soaked with sweat, and the arms that seemed ready to tear through the fabric. In a fleeting moment, he lifted his eyes from the garden and squinted toward the window.

A wave of heat surged up your neck. You rubbed the back of it, but the gesture did little to douse the flames his furtive gaze ignited within you. You weren’t sure if he hated you, despised your presence, or wanted to add you to his list of victims. But one thing was clear: he felt something.

“He’s allowed to roam Grimshade freely,” Sloan said, following your gaze. “Privileges, right?”

Your body went rigid, eyes widening instantly. Your reaction was so obvious that even from afar, Noah allowed himself a sly, wicked grin.

“Free?” you repeated, your voice tight. “At any time?”

“That’s what they say.”

Breathing suddenly became a challenge. Your gaze remained locked on his dark, provocative smile. Your heart thudded wildly, threatening to leap from your chest as heat crawled up your face.

It wasn’t your imagination. He really had been watching you through the window that night.

[mxtxfanatic]

Wei Wuxian, Morality, and the False Justice/Revenge Dichotomy

A key feature that drew me into Wei Wuxian's character is that while he is moral, he is not an unconditional pacifist. He will always do the right thing first and foremost without a care for how others will view him, because his morality is not dictated by vanity or reputation:

[Wei Wuxian said] "...But, let the self judge the right and the wrong, let others decide to praise or to blame, let gains and losses remain uncommented on. I, too, know what I should and shouldn’t do...."

—Chapt. 75: Distance, exr

However, that doesn't mean that he will accept just any treatment towards him. Wei Wuxian is the absolute last person to just lay down to be trampled underfoot by his adversaries:

If he were Chang Ping, he wouldn’t have cared how prominent or powerful the LanlingJin Sect was, or how much glory the road ahead offered him, and he wouldn’t have let the matter go. Instead, he would’ve went to the dungeons on his own, cut Xue Yang up so that he was nothing more than a puddle of flesh on the ground, and summoned his soul back to repeat the process to the point that he regretted ever being born in this world. But, not everyone was like him, preferring to perish together with his enemy.

—Chapt. 30: Dew, exr

The scene inside of the supervision office was more than horrifying. Within the courtyard, corpses lay everywhere. Not only there, the bushes, hallways, fences, and even roofs were piled up with corpses. All of the corpses wore sun robes. They were disciples of the Wen Sect.

—Chapt. 61: Evil, exr

He returns the suffering dealt to him by his enemies back 100 fold, but after he has gotten his revenge, he is able to move on peacefully, which is why he holds no grudges towards the Wen remnants once the Sunshot Campaign against the QishanWen concludes and even encourages Wen Ning's corpse to seek revenge against his murderers. Mianmian actually explains it best:

The woman seemed as if she was scared. She was even more careful, “No... I don’t mean anything more. There’s no need to be so agitated, everyone. I just feel that the words ‘killing indiscriminately’ isn’t really suitable.” Someone else spat, “How is it unsuitable? Wei WuXian has been killing indiscriminately ever since the Sunshot Campaign. Can you disprove this?” The woman tried hard to protest, “The Sunshot Campaign is a battlefield. In the battlefield, would it mean that everyone is killing indiscriminately? Let’s consider this as it stands. I really don’t think it’s right to say that he killed indiscriminately. After all, there is a reason. If the inspectors really abused the prisoners and killed Wen Ning, it wouldn’t be called killing indiscriminately anymore, but rather revenge...”

—Chapt. 73: Recklessness, exr

Seeing a protagonist that believes in "an eye for an eye" without being labeled as bad or "morally gray" by the narrative for refusing to turn the other cheek, who also knows how not to take it too far and stray out of my personal morals, has been such a breath of fresh air. It is also very validating to see a work of fiction so concerned with the subject of oppression and marginalization that doesn't frame violence and vengeance as antithetical to moral righteousness and justice. Because what is "justice" without restitution? And is it truly restitution if the option to avenge oneself of an unconscionable wrong is denied based on the false equivalency of being "just as bad as" your own oppressors' actions? Because the truth is that in most cases, violence is the only route to liberation, and sometimes, revenge is the only way to make possible the release of your resentments, lest the unaddressed wrong keep you stagnant in your malcontent. I am glad that Wei Wuxian serves as a model for this particular lesson.

[deus-sema]

The discourse surrounding Sauron and Galadriel about love and obsession has been rather interesting to catch up with so far. After going through the perspectives of both those who like this pairing and those who don’t, I think both sides can unite in agreement over this one fact, if nothing else: obsession, without any shred of doubt, exists between them. It exists on both sides for she has been obsessed with him long before he was with her. Yes, it was motivated by unadulterated hatred and a desire for vengeance, but he occupied her thoughts for the better or worse. Now, she has planted herself in his mind too.

Then comes the question of whether whatever there is between them can be considered romantic or not. Is it appropriate to label it as love or not? Here it is a matter of preference which differs from person to person. What will be interpreted as romantic by one may not be so by another and vice versa. It is completely understandable why many will be uncomfortable with the notion of obsession being associated with love. Obsession – over anything and anyone – is usually an unhealthy emotion. Unwanted and unpredictable, it can prove detrimental to both the individual experiencing it as well as the people around them. In the real world, it needs to be recognized for what it is and addressed for the betterment of everyone.

But, herein lies the difference between the world we exist in and fictional worlds. Every work of fiction, regardless of genre, exists on a different plane whose happenings have no bearing on our reality. Fiction is a realm of infinite possibilities which is the reason why people use it for wish fulfillment. People can’t fly or use magic for real but they can do so in a make-believe world. People can cheat death and turn over a new leaf. Foes can become friends and overcome their grievances. They can live happily ever after without any worries about betrayal or loss. It is a place where ideal and unconditional love is allowed to thrive. Simultaneously, it is also where love can exist in flawed, twisted and, even, perverse forms. It can be greedy, possessive, selfish, and warped while still retaining its essence. That is probably the reason why many, myself included, are fascinated with the idea of stories with obsessive love. With the idea of an all-consuming desire and yearning on one character’s part for another that can go on to be destructive. With the concept of evil beings experiencing love. It is why obsession fueled by love, whether executed properly or not, is an integral component of many dark romances. Within stories, it is permitted to be what it is most certainly not in reality. In real life, no emotion – not even what we believe to be love – should override our individual well being or anyone else’s. This is why fiction is a safe space to explore fantasies. Even the most incredulous ones of all.

Now, about how I interpret Sauron and Galadriel, specifically, within the context of this show: It is love. They developed feelings for each other when their paths crossed unexpectedly and they forged an unlikely bond because of the circumstances they faced together. Simple. Unintentionally, Galadriel began to care for her greatest enemy and believed him to be her friend. She is still obsessed with defeating him but whatever she felt for Halbrand now exists alongside her hatred for Sauron. Meanwhile, Sauron is still pretty much evil. He is working to further his own interests or,rather,what he thinks to best for Middle Earth. But, at the same time, he desires Galadriel. Both were visibly attracted to one another in the first season. Even though no words were said, Charlie and Morfydd, being the phenomenally talented and intelligent actors that they are, conveyed it beautifully through their expressions and body language. I don’t think it is a betrayal to the characters either for the show, more or less, took Sauron’s canonical obsession with Galadriel and her persistent defiance against him and added to it a layer of romance which is doomed because of who they are. I don’t claim to know what the show plans on doing with them in future and it is not in my hands. We can only speculate, engage in wishful thinking and write fanfics and AUs if things don’t go the way we want them to.

RoP is a show I’m enjoying so far in all its aspects and I’m not exaggerating when I say that its fandom is one of the most chilled-out and relaxing ones I’ve engaged with in recent times. I’ve gotten to interact with many amazing posts. However I’m well aware that where there is more than one person, there are differences in opinions. Where there are differences, there will be disagreements. Where there are disagreements, there will be clashes. Clashes will lead to fanwars. Fanwars have high chances of turning toxic. I know the drill for I have undergone it in many fandoms. I’ve been carried away by the toxicity and have made my fair share of mistakes too. Those experiences have taught me some important lessons. One mistake I made, rather repeatedly, during my…..enthusiastic….stanning phase was to engage in fights with people whose opinions on a certain topic or fictional character differed from mine. All factions believe their interpretation of whichever nonexistent character they like in whatever made-up story they are into, is the correct one and many a times they can substantiate their claims with reasons. Sometimes, these contrasting opinions lead to some riveting and respectful discussions between people which, to be honest, is the entire point behind a public platform. Sometimes, they result in nasty fights.

Ideally, the feelings of real people should be prioritized over seemingly trivial issues like different preferences in fiction. But if we were capable of that we would all be perfect but, as we all know, perfection exists only in Valinor. Fictional works are dearer to us than some random stranger on the internet. So, when we encounter a radically different opinion about something we are passionate about, the first reaction is usually one of annoyance. Depending on whether it is mild or severe, this annoyance can make us petty. We crave the satisfaction of one-upping those who disagree with us, of validating our perspective over their’s and, as a result, we don’t realize if someone’s feelings get hurt in the process. Or even if we do, the euphoria of ‘winning’ in the discourse makes it easier to sweep the adverse effects under the rug. I don’t believe we need to withhold our opinions to make others happy. We are not bound to understand each other's opinions, much less agree every time. But we do owe it to each other to be civil if not anything else. As for me, what I’m going to try and do is to ignore the takes I disagree with and mind my own business. If it gets too much then I am going to press the block button. I advise those who dislike my opinions and takes to do the same. It’s nothing personal and we all deserve to enjoy in our own spaces while choosing what content we wish to see and engage with without suppressing our thoughts. We deserve to vent as well for it is healthy. I cannot guarantee that I’ll be successful right away for there are still instances when I end up behaving in a manner that is plain immature. But, to paraphrase the late Diarmid who once tried to counsel Sauron (Eru bless his soul), I simply have to keep trying until it becomes a habit.

So, take care everyone, and I hope you all are doing well wherever you are.

[nycteris-g]

Éowyn, Tolkien's views on gender roles and on war.

Although its length may suggest otherwise, this post is not an essay; my goal is to seek answers from those dissatisfied with Tolkien’s treatment of Éowyn. If you're willing to answer or simply add links to posts/papers on this, I'd greatly appreciate it.

My doubts—and believe me, they are exactly that—stem from, admittedly, too many hours spent reading "war books," both fiction and non-fiction about the Great War and WWII, particularly accounts from real soldiers, which may distort my perspective of Éowyn. My attraction to these stories has little to do with History itself and everything to do with the soldiers’ stories. And one thing they have in common is this: those who fought in the wars rarely saw their sacrifices as glorious—quite the opposite. Deaths in war are almost always portrayed as utterly senseless and unreasonable.

And Tolkien, very notably, was one of them. Now, I don’t know if he explicitly addresses this topic in any of his letters. What I do know is that, likely because of my readings, I notice—or misinterpret—the soldier in Tolkien.

I’m particularly focusing on The Children of Húrin and Túrin as an example, though I’ve traced similar themes in other characters throughout his entire legendarium.

A defining trait of Túrin is his hunger for vengeance against Morgoth. His ambition is to gather a sizable force and storm Morgoth’s fortress. Many characters (Beleg and Gwindor in particular) tell him outright how futile this ambition is. Even if he’s lucky, they argue, he will at best inflict minor losses on Morgoth’s forces, but he will never truly defeat him. Túrin stubbornly insists that any victory, no matter how small, is worthwhile: "For victory is victory, however small, nor is its worth only from what follows from it.”

Yet others, especially Gwindor, suggest that even these so-called victories serve no real purpose ("Petty victories will prove profitless at the last," says Gwindor) and may ultimately do more harm than good. Why?

At the very beginning of CoH, we glimpse Morwen’s perspective on war. She argues that those who go to battle forget the suffering of those left behind—especially when their loved ones don’t return. She tells Húrin this, and when he fails to come back to her, her life (and those of her children) becomes a living hell.

This is precisely Gwindor’s point when he tells Túrin: "You think of yourself and of your own glory, and bid us each do likewise; but we must think of others beside ourselves, for not all can fight and fall, and those we must keep from war and ruin, while we can.”

Note how Gwindor frames Túrin’s thirst for glory as selfish, in contrast with the need to protect those who cannot fight. What happens to them when nothing and no one stands between them and destruction?

This is where I perceive the soldier in Tolkien: he does not glorify Túrin’s bravery. His pursuit of battle is senseless because he cannot win the war. And if he cannot win, his death will be meaningless—and worse, it will bring greater suffering to those he seeks to protect.

Now, back to Éowyn. Does Tolkien truly dismiss her experience as a shieldmaiden, treating it as something she must be “tamed” out of? Does he believe her natural, ultimate, and rightful state is that of a traditional feminine role?

I think the answer is both yes and no.

Éowyn’s grievances are consistently dismissed by the men in her life. Honestly, I’d punch Aragorn. Of course, she does not wish to fight only for glory; she fears being caged—both in the literal sense of a conquered people facing enslavement and in the figurative sense of her role as a woman. She is not free to choose her fate, and the cage that traps her is built by the men around her.

Yet her desire for battlefield glory is one of her motivations for fighting. And my take is this: for Tolkien (as I interpret him), glory is not a genuine reason to become a soldier at all.

Faramir, the man who ultimately “tames” her, is also the one who says: "I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend."

The only true, valid reason to go to war is to protect others—our loved ones, our people, our comrades.

Éowyn’s greatest accomplishment is slaying the Witch-King, but she does so not for personal glory, but to protect her kinsman.

Of course, in the end, Eowyn goes back to the role of a care-taker — except, her exact words on her future endeavors are: “I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.” Healing is not the same as becoming a homemaker. In modern terms, she essentially chooses to become a doctor. While Tolkien frames healing as a feminine role, there are notable male healers in his works—Elrond, for instance. Given that Éowyn is a noblewoman living in peacetime, healing is a meaningful, self-directed path for her.

And once again, it is Faramir who “tames” her. To me, this means he helps her realize that her hunger to prove herself on the battlefield is futile—not because she is a woman, but because war itself is futile. As many soldiers have said: War is hell. It is not a proving ground for personal merit or growth. 

I deeply love both Túrin and Éowyn’s courage. And while I think Tolkien’s experience as a soldier influenced how he wrote Éowyn’s “taming,” I can’t completely dismiss how his beliefs about traditional gender roles likely played a role.

So, my question is: does my reading (which, as I’ve made clear, is deeply influenced by my non-Tolkien readings) distort and fail to fully grasp the sexism in her portrayal? I’m trying to be more critical of Tolkien’s treatment of his female characters. At the same time, I don’t want to do Éowyn a disservice by reducing her arc to "No, no, it’s not sexism. Tolkien just rejected the idea of glory through battle altogether, regardless of gender."

[cosmereplay]

Are you a Moash defender?

Not trying to attack you with the question just legit wondering.

Personally, I would NEVER put myself in the same league as the people who have thoughtfully and critically broken down why Moash's vengeance arc was nowhere near as destructive as Elhokar's Vengeance Pact. Or why fans' vitriol against a fictional character is thought-terminating bullshit at best and at worst, an acceptable way to target people for bullying. Or why fans of colour are much more likely to feel a kinship with Moash and feel betrayed by the narrative's focus on individualism. That kind of analysis is for smarter people than me, though I truly appreciate it and enjoy reading it. I've learned a lot!

Hmmm. I've made art of him. I've written fics with wildly different tones and characterizations of him. I have a #moash stormlight tag for serious posts about him and a #moashposting tag for silly posts. You can check those things out and decide for yourself.

Right now, I don't think I would call myself a Moash defender. I'm a Moash sexualizer. Personally, I headcanon him as alloaro and if he'd been able to fuck regularly he wouldn't have done all that.

[mhevarujta]

It's really stupid to think that Ellen was avenging herself against Orlok.

I think that some of you just didn't really connect with Ellen's character as more than a self-interest in some romance. I mean, she's fictional, so you're not harming anyone by romanticizing what was happening in a gothic horror movie, but it's also weird that you try to force your (false) opinion upon others.

Ellen had every reason to want revenge against Orlok, since he abused her, manipulated her and hurt her loved ones. That's not hard to grasp if you're not watching the movie with shipping goggles on. She desires him and she has an understanding of the darkness and of the repressed urges that he partly represents, but she also sees him as evil and doesn't love him. She wanted to be fulfilled but she also wanted him gone. And she gets both. Their consummation involves sexual satisfaction and a union with Orlok, but it ends with his destruction. The latter was the insentive for Ellen to give in to her appetite in the first place.

Per the script, the moment when Ellen uses her last strength to rise, grab Orlok by the temples and turn him towards her was a look of reckoning. Are you aware of what that entails? Vengeance.

This is something that Eggers has even addressed completely unprovoked:

So she dies not for her sins, but for our sins? She dies for our sins, in a way, yeah. I think there is a sacrifice. But there is also vengeance, and there is also a weird kind of sacred marriage, in a union sense, and a sort of completion of some kind of destiny, because as much as Orlok is a disgusting abuser, he’s the only person who can understand and fulfill a part of Ellen. Hopefully there’s nuance going on there, and it’s not just this or that.

[nightbringer24]

So you want to watch a Warhammer Fantasy film...

Well, you've got no luck at all. Sadly, there is no Warhammer Fantasy film, live action or otherwise. I do think there's one fan-made film, but the name of it escapes me.

BUT LUCKILY, there are films that I feel fit the bill for what Warhammer Fantasy is about. The grittiness, the dark fantasy, the griminess, the campness of it all. They aren't exact, but they're close.

Some people might feel I'm off the mark on some of these, but these are films I feel to be as close as we can get to live action Warhammer Fantasy films:

Pirates of the Caribbean original trilogy

I'm focusing mainly on the first three films: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, here since they fit the bill better I think.

Set in a world in the 18th century where all pirate associated myths and legends are true, it does count as 'low fantasy' which can cover some aspects of Warhammer Fantasy where magic, daemons and other such fantastical elements aren't front and centre for the audience, it's a collection of swashbuckling action scenes, cannon broadsides and simple humans fighting against either the undead, creatures that were once human but became something more through a pact made with a malicious and powerful, some would say demonic, entity, or even just other humans.

Destiny, blood lineages and blood magic are as much at the forefront as gold and vengeance. Curses and oaths play a strong part in the drama and conflict to the stories, and also why magic is never a thing to command lightly. Voyages to places that only the lost know how to get it and are near impossible to get back from without breaking the laws of physics and nature, binding the immaterial for material gains, and dealing with the eldritch powers beyond normal human comprehension.

Solomon Kane (2009)

Based on the eponymous stories by the late and truly great pulp fiction author, Robert E. Howard, the Solomon Kane film brings to live the start (at least, I and others think so since it feels so plausible) of the titular character's journey. A former captain in Sir Francis Drakes' navy out of Tudor England, after a brush with the 'devil's reaper' (such a weird phrase; the 'devil's reaper'. Is there two reapers?), Kane tries to reform with the help of religion and renouncing violence before ending up having to fight as he used to to save his soul and an innocent life.

If the image of Solomon Kane immediately brings to mind the Witch Hunters of the Cult of Sigmar, then you'll know how far reaching Howard's storytelling has reached into fantasy at large.

As the image shows, Solomon Kane is a true swashbuckling adventure, with Kane using both flintlock pistols and rapier and sabre (or falchion) to cut down the followers of a dark and evil power. The atmosphere of the film is oppressive and sombre, showing the horrors of the evil stalking through 16th century England, with wretched souls trying to protect themselves against brutal marauders. The setting is grim and dark, with the only source of a light a man steeped in blood with the will and courage who's job is, in one of the best lines in literary history, "to ease various evil men of their lives."

Brotherhood Of The Wolf - 2001

In a similar vein to Solomon Kane, we have this French film from the early 00s. Now, while Solomon Kane is decidedly historical fantasy (or as I've seen Robert E. Howard's work described as 'psuedohistory', and that term is used positively), this film is... ahistorical for sure, based around the exploits of the Beast of Gévaudan in pre-revolutionary France... and a lot more beside. It's a monster movie, action movie, romance film, political thriller. And it's fun. I enjoyed it.

Now, obviously 18th century France isn't the Empire of Man nor Bretonnia, but the general vibe and tone of the film is definitely something you'll find in Warhammer Fantasy. Something stalking the woods, hunting the local populace who require specialist aid to help them. The actions of the nobility to hunt the beast, only for the viewer to then find out (or guess in some cases for those who were smarter or just took a wild guess) that it's the nobility that were controlling the beast for their own ends. Really sounds like the campaign for a Warhammer Fantasy RPG.

Heck, the 'Beast' even looks like it could be used in Mordheim too.

Excalibur - 1981

Now, if you've not watched this film, I'm saying that you should, since it's a truly epic film. And if you've watched this film, watch it again.

Directed by John Boorman, this is a very fantastical take on the Arthurian legends, playing heavily with the more fantasy elements of the story, though I would also say that at times this film plays more towards dark fantasy than regular fantasy in some places. If you know the story of King Arthur, you'll know the gist of the story, but you need to watch the film to understand it.

There's a lot of full plate armour, and I do mean A LOT of full plate armour going around in this film, many of which have interesting and truly fantastical designs in some places, and if you go looking them online you'll see what I mean. Magic users invoking powerful magic from a source beyond mortal knowledge that would slay a mortal being without a care while also being an intangible part of the world, not tamed but channeled. A land tainted by sickness and famine after the good king falls to a plot of hubris and malice, overrun by cruel and wicked men, before the king returns to his own and with his loyal retainers fights the foe, and though he perishes along with his foe, the kingdom is restored but to a shadow of what it once was. There's a certain brutal majesty to it all, especially when the knights are in their full plate fighting so bloodily with each other, but it definitively feels like a true blue fantasy film.

With the release of Old World, this is fairly close to what happened to Mandred Skavenslayer in the Empire's history, or even Bretonnia's civil war before the End Times.

With Fire and Sword (Ogniem i Mieczem) - 1999

Now we're stepping away from the fantastical and pseudohistory to the actual history (well, as close to actual history as we can get. Authenticity versus accuracy here).

Based on the 1884 novel, part of The Trilogy (With Fire and Sword, The Deluge and Fire in The Steppe/Pan Michael) by Polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz, set in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the mid-1600s, this film follows the story of a Polish nobleman called Jan Skretuski, who falls in love with the noblewoman, Helena Kurcewiczówna, who at the same time is also the target of affection for the Cossack noble, Jurko Bohun. This is all set around the backdrop of the Khmelnytsky Uprising.

This film is 100% a work of art in so many levels: the costuming, the music, the dialogue, the characters (Longinus!), the sets. It's a lovingly done portrayal of the 17th century in motion picture, and while some scenes are meant to be big battles that clearly suffer the same problem that the Sharpe series in the UK faced around the same time, i.e. desire for big scope - not enough budget for all the extra cast, it makes up for it style! I mean, it has Winged Hussars on the charge. What more could you want?

Now, in terms of relation to Warhammer Fantasy, while there is only a tangential and very loose connection to the game that could be made (there is a scene where Bohun meets a pagan mystic woman, and Chaos is based highly around old school and bloody paganism, and that's about it really, and you could also play it off as a civil war in Kislev, with the Cossacks being Ungols and the Polish being Gospodars), I feel that this film gives a more...it gives off the right feel for Warhammer Fantasy, especially if you're a fan of the roleplaying games from Final Flight Games. You've got the knightly nobleman, joining forces with a nobleman of petty rank who's friends with a towering knight of a warrior, along with a professional soldier who's also a skilled duelist bar none, all seeking to aid their country while also dealing with the machinations of a rival nobleman. It has the castles, the swords, the lances, the capes and the hats, the politics and the duels.

----

So, sadly, I only have 5 films to use, but these for me highly rank as must watch films for any fan of Warhammer Fantasy. If you have other suggestions, let me know.

[valacirya]

Decided to make a post about how most (not all) of Thingol's actions that fans criticize were justified (or at least understandable) and in the interest of his people. I'd recommend checking out warrioreowynofrohan and imakemywings for far more comprehensive meta about the tall boi. Also, no quotes because I'm lazy, but all the canon I mention is from the published Silmarillion.

*************************************************************

1. Quenya ban

I've seen the Quenya ban be described as cultural genocide which icks me out. First of all, maybe don't use genocide to describe fictional characters in a fictional universe, especially when it's happening to real people and cultures. Second of all, that term is still inaccurate. Quenya was spoken in Gondolin, probably in Hithlum and Nargothrond too, and no one was punished for it. Earendil could speak Quenya. The Numenoreans could speak Quenya. Bilbo fucking Baggins could speak Quenya.

The ban was a nonviolent way for Thingol to enact some sort of consequence for the people who murdered his brother's people, stole their ships, and then took advantage of his hospitality while keeping this heinous secret. And it was a way to make sure that Sindarin remained the lingua franca of Beleriand, because the Noldor had already proven their disdain towards the Sindar and their intent to establish their own kingdoms. I think it was imakemywings who said that the ban was also a soft power move to show how all the Sindar who worked with/under the Noldor were still ultimately loyal to Thingol and would obey his decree.

So no, the Quenya ban was not racist or xenophobic or cultural genocide. Again, don't use those terms to describe fiction, and if you insist on doing so, at least look them up in the dictionary first.

2. Isolationism

No he wasn't. He was friends with the dwarves, the Laiquendi, and the Falathrim. He made a mutually beneficial alliance with the Haladin. He was rightfully wary of the (armed-to-the-teeth and hiding something) Noldor but even after he learns about the kinslaying he says he won't cut off relations with the Nolofinweans indefinitely because he recognizes that they're in the fight against Morgoth together.

The Girdle of Melian was only put in place after the first battle when Denethor was killed and it was absolutely the right decision strategically. Thingol knew immediately what it took the Noldor 400 years and countless deaths to understand: there was no defeating Morgoth without the Valar. So he took his people and anyone else who was willing, and he created a kingdom with a semblance of peace where they could thrive. Doriath was a fortress and a symbol of hope for Beleriand. As long as Doriath stood, Morgoth hadn't won completely. No one who cared about Beleriand would have sacrificed that hope for some fanciful ideals of vengeance and glory. And don't forget, he let Beleg and Mablung participate in the Nirnaeth. The fact that only those two went means that no one else in Doriath was willing to fight.

3. Maedhros's comment about a king is he who can hold his own

The arrogance. I'm sorry, Mr. I Got Fooled By Morgoth, were you able to hold your own? You'd be a skeleton hanging from a cliff if Fingon hadn't rescued you. Thingol was filling his armories while the Noldor were still chilling in Valinor. Thingol was battling Morgoth while the Noldor were betraying each other and abandoning their home. He literally said: "...elsewhere there are many of my people, and I would not have them restrained of their freedom, still less ousted from their homes." Those are the words of a king who feels responsible for the people outside of Doriath too. Also, check out the difference between Maedhros's "we'll go wherever we want" comment and Thingol's "I don't like them but they'll be the deadliest foes of Morgoth".

His decision to retreat and put up the Girdle was strategically sound. Many Laiquendi joined him after Denethor's death and the Falathrim came and went freely. He had a choice between spreading out his already depleted forces to help the northern Sindar/Falathrim (and likely get annihilated) or retreat, recover, and wait for a better opportunity (the arrival of the Noldor was not a better opportunity; like I said, he knew only the Valar could defeat Morgoth, and Melian also sensed the Doom). Again, Doriath was a symbol of hope. "Gondor wanes, you say. But Gondor stands." Its survival was essential.

4. Attitude towards Men

Look I'm not going to defend his less-than-stellar attitude, but I do think it's exaggerated by the fandom. Before Beren came, Thingol still agreed to let the Haladin dwell in his territory. He even sent the marchwardens to aid them against orcs. And the minute he realizes Beren's loyalty, bravery, and true love for Luthien, he changes and welcomes him (and also appreciates his humor). He treats Turin like a son, and honors and pities Hurin even when Hurin disrespects him. Turgon otoh refuses to let Hurin into Gondolin even though they were actually friends.

5. Didn't join the Union of Maedhros

See: reasons above. Doriath had to survive. Elves could not defeat Morgoth without the Valar. Also, afaik he didn't actually have an army, just the marchwardens and his guard. Also also, Maedhros had subtly threatened him, Celegorm and Curufin had openly threatened him, and this was after they kidnapped and tried to forcibly marry Luthien. Also also also, he "went not to war, nor any out of Doriath save Mablung and Beleg" meaning the general populace didn't want to fight either.

6. Didn't accept refugees

As far as I'm aware, this is completely fanon. The (Noldorin, just fyi) refugees of Nargothrond are accepted into Doriath, as are the Sindar after Bragollach. Curufin and Celegorm's people join Amrod in Ossiriand I believe after the Nirnaeth. There's no canonical basis for this claim.

7. Responsible for Finrod's death

Nah dude. I'm not saying he was right in setting the quest, it was absolutely a horrible quest. But Finrod decided of his own free will to help Beren. You can say that he wouldn't have died if Thingol hadn't set the quest, but that's like saying if Morgoth hadn't stolen the Silmarils, the kinslayings wouldn't have happened. Objectively true, but missing a whole lotta nuance and absolving the Feanorians of their culpability. And I'm not comparing Thingol with Morgoth so don't start.

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The criticisms I don't mention are the ones I agree with. He should have listened to Melian. He should have reasoned with the dwarves instead of insulting them; honestly, his death was pretty stupid. He probably should have been a little more willing to establish relations with the Nolofinweans, but I understand completely why he didn't. He definitely shouldn't have fucked with the Silmaril but tbh, that seemed like one of the parts where a bigger force was determining things, like it was written in the Music already, because that Silmaril did play a key role in Morgoth's defeat.

In conclusion: Thingol rocked, fandom shocked.

Obligatory disclaimer: I meant no offense to anybody, and everyone is entitled to hold their own opinion on the Silm and its characters.

[dangerousdan-dan]

Hi there, I came from the Red Hood post about why you hate him and what's wrong with him wanting to kill the Joker? The guy has done so much, if Red Hood killed him he would prevent all kinds of death

Hi!

I'm well aware that saying "because killing is actually bad" isn't enough of an argument when it comes to discussing fiction. Fiction is escapism, after all, and like I said in that other post, I love plenty of dark characters and most of the stories I write myself are about vengeance and blood, so it wouldn't make sense for me to use that as a superficial reason as to why I don't like Jason's whole thing without explaining in a little more detail.

Jason's motivation for wanting to kill the Joker makes sense for his character and I understand where he's coming from (in fact, I as a reader wouldn't care much if he actually got to do it since I find the Joker extremely annoying lol), but the thing about Jason is that he makes it everyone's problem and essentially goes "hey, you're a piece of shit for not wanting to kill someone for me" and acts like everyone else is in the wrong for having a very reasonable boundary against murder. Yes, he's a flawed and tragic character, but his reasoning and entitled attitude makes it really hard for me to empathize or care about him.

Now, to the core of my problem with people using the Joker thing to defend Jason's actions and repeat the same justifications over and over again. Saying it's okay to kill someone because it would prevent more deaths is a VERY delicate argument to make. Isn't that the same mentality that led to him quite literally committing mass murder of inmates while he was in prison?? He was an inmate too, he had hurt people too, would it have been justifiable then, if one of the prison cops decided to shoot him just because he was a criminal and he "deserved it"??

Like I said, it is fiction, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be approached critically, and there's a world of difference between "I like this character" and "what this character did was right".

[witsserviceablesubstitute]

This post isn't really about the characters I reference, even if I use them as examples, nor is me navel-gazing my interpretation automatic criticism of other interpretations, so bear with me.

I find it amusing, in a self deprecating way, when I see players say how killing Anders is the most difficult choice for them in DA2 because I never do. I'm too much of a queer literary nerd to make that decision. I don't give up Jowan, or kill Anders, or even fight Grandin to the disapproval of, well, basically everyone in the party. What does it mean to me that I let justice, vengeance, and rage go free? I know what the game is trying to tell me it means, but I— disagree.

Allegory in speculative fiction overrules the contextual reality of fictional worldbuilding because fantasy and science fiction have too much history using it as a metaphor for real life sociopolitical baggage. Oppression against magic and fantasy races in particular are a frequent stand-in for real life attitudes for marginalized sexual identities and racist power structures. It doesn't matter that having magic in a show like Merlin or in comics like X-Men means individuals have contextual advantages over others, magic doesn't exist, the people they represent do. So when Fenris says it's magic that hurt him by way of graying the area around Dragon Age's pro and anti-magic sentiment in-text I just— disagree. A virulently racist power structure hurt him, magic was the weapon that was used.

What does letting justice, vengeance, and rage go free in Dragon Age mean to me? It's a cathartic release of queer rage, queer vengeance, and queer justice. Magic is an innate identity, it's not something the individual can help, as a queer allegory it is strengthened when systems of power are against it, strengthened even further when those systems of power are religious in nature. And so I let the response to that oppressive atmosphere go free because I think it should exist. Whatever the consequences later in the story.

[seraphimumbra]

My Amrit Doobay opinion is that I don't particularly want him to be written differently and I don't think it would necessarily make him a better character. A better person? Sure.

But him being obsessive, thinking he knows best and thus being disrespectful, controlling, creepy and overstepping all of her boundaries is fitting right alongside the rest of his personality.

I don't want him to suck less, I think he makes for a very enjoyable character as he is. One can enjoy gutting him like a fish or leaving him alone to rot in his pathetic misery or maybe even join him in his insanity depending on the mood. Whether or not his actions were forgiven and ignored by the narrative is thus a bit more complex to comment on since it becomes a path issue.

Amala joining him and moving past all of of his actions is not the same as the narrative doing that. This is the same Amala who has justified a lot of mass murders along the way, who has experienced a lot of traumatic events quite recently and we have been outright told by the narrative that she is going a bit insane.

If this person justifies his actions and decides that she wants to spend her life with him, that doesn't translate to the narrative saying that it's the correct or healthy thing to do. It could means that she did it anyway. She wanted to. She didn't care.

I don't think he was a failed morally gray character per say, because I don't think he was meant to be written as that kind of morally gray character in the first place. He was very outright on the wrong side of things about several issues. Characters who only do 'bad' things for the greater good are fine and good but characters can be wrong about what the greater good is, or about how they should go about it.

They can also have their own flaws outside of the trolley problem debate. Not every flaw has to sit nicely in the morally gray box where this was a bad thing done for good reasons. This was a bad thing done for bad reasons actually and the reason is that this person sucks. This same person had a distinct goal when doing that other bad thing though, arguably a good enough goal. Not every action has the same reason. Characters whose motives and actions are nuanced are fun.

So, I find Amrit Doobay to be a fun character to play with, not necessarily just in the scenarios provided to us in the game. What would happen if she got him arrested and took over the Dozen for herself? If she tried to kill him but he survived and now is sitting there analysing what just happened via his delusional lens, his entire worldview crashing right onto his head.

The self victimization that would come with any scenario of Amala not wanting to play along his schemes and instead doing something of her own. He might fancy himself the last do-gooder, the only one who knows what needs to be done, thus making everyone who goes against him not only dumb but dangerously so - a rabid dog that needs to be put down. Would he also admit to himself that it is out of vengeance, it is for fun, or would it just be 'the necessary thing to do'. His loneliness and deranged expectations from Amala to be his divine soulmate - all of these things make the dynamic interesting to explore to me - in several different ways, not necessarily including them actually being together in any shape or form (well, except for the thread).

All in all, yes he sucks and yes he is fun to explore which easily makes him an enjoyable character to me because I want my characters to be interesting more than anything else. It's fiction.