#viv metas

[saltwatersweets]

i think it’s really funny how many people say that alastor is ace, not aroace, just because viv has only called him ace.

love you guys but you are GRAPHICALLY overestimating people’s knowledge on aromanticism and asexuality and how they are different. they have been confused with each other since their existence, and just because someone is queer doesn’t mean they’re incapable of confusing the terms or using them interchangeably. alastor is clearly shown to not have romantic feelings, just take a look at some of the official jokes.

both of these are explicitly non-romantic. not just non-sexual, they are both jokes and comments about being aromantic, not asexual.

yes, rosie only mentions him being asexual in episode seven, but again, this is a joke made about the idea of him being in a ROMANTIC relationship. unless rosie was implying that she knows alastor and charlie wouldn’t fuck? which 😭😭 i don’t think she would do that??? it was definitely a joke about him not wanting romance because of his romantic and sexual orientation. and yes, i understand how annoying it is that asexuality and aromanticism are being used interchangeable in this instance, and this is an issue ace/aro people have been facing for years, but this is clearly a joke about him being aroace, not just ace.

again, you guys are giving alloromantic/allosexual people WAY too much credit on how much they know about ace/aro people, when most of their knowledge (if any) is “asexual people dont want sex, aromantic people don’t want romance” and that’s it. vivziepop, despite being queer herself, is still allo as far as im aware. allo people BARELY know anything about asexuality or aromanticism or care to learn the difference, and it’s clear that aro/aceness is being used interchangeably here. alastor is portrayed as aroace, and is clearly meant to be seen as aroace, even though he’s only ever been explicitly called ace by viv.

[tealvenetianmask]

Some thoughts on Blitz having combined type ADHD and why it matters to me . . .

First, I'm not negating other neurodivergences that he might have or other roots of his issues. I do think he also has dyslexia, and I also think his father didn't bother to get him much of an education. And yes, a lot of the traits I'm about to write about overlap too with ASD and various trauma responses. Comorbidity is real, and we're talking about fiction and only have so much to go on. Your interpretations/ways of diagnosing him are valid even if they don't match mine. Cool? Okay, let's go.

Inattentive symptoms. Blitz's plans come off as disorganized/chaotic, he doesn't do paperwork, doesn't know what insurance is, and visibly zones out during some conversations. He also hyperfocuses when something strikes an emotional cord, i.e. following M&M and looking for his sister, and can't focus on anything else. Random tangents and doodles seem to be a regular part of his workday. He can do fucking somersaults in midair but falls on his cute little face when he's not paying attention to where he's walking.

Hyperactive symptoms. He's bursting with energy and almost always seems ready to get up and go. He's randomly climbing things/sitting weird in chairs all the time, even as an adult. I thought this was an imp trait. Other imps don't do this. It's a Blitz trait. He speaks without thinking a lot and seems to process things out loud.

Strengths. He's calm and strategic in a crisis. He's creative and excited about his own ideas. He's at home in chaos and makes chaos WORK for him. He improvises. He's always wanted to be the boss of his own company and do things his own way. I love him so much. I love that being different/original/chaotic is portrayed so positively.

RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria). Without going into Blitz's everything, the gist is that behind the front that he doesn't care, Blitz is super sensitive to being rejected and spends a lot of time scared that rejection is going to happen. Look at him at the end of Ozzie's. Listen. This can be caused by A LOT of things, but it's super common with ADHD too, mostly because we have a ton of experience with being rejected and trouble predicting when it's going to happen. Among everything that's happened to him, Blitz had lots of "not good enough" moments as a kid.

There's a lot more. I was going to do screenshots but got overwhelmed by how many episodes I'd have to sift through.

Why I care:

I'm feeling well represented of course. So often, the person with ADHD in a piece of media is a kid, or if they're an adult, they're the primarily inattentive type. I'm still hyperactive in adulthood, and when I'm not masking enough, my behavior gets misunderstood a lot (some of this also comes from being a woman, but since I'm talking about a male character here . . . another time). It's fun and affirming to see a character in fiction who's not masking his ADHD much (because he really isn't good at that lol) and has a ton of issues but kind of rocks at being himself anyway.

[akirathedramaqueen]

No rest for the wicked

What often keeps my mind occupied and worried for the last couple of... weeks, or even months, maybe, is what might happen to Stolas's relationship with Octavia in the near future.

We know something bad is brewing. The trailer gave us enough information to freak out but learn nothing from it. I think though that I have found yet another foreshadowing, and I am sad I did. I was not sure if I should post it since predictions and speculations are not quite my style, but fuck it, I’ll roll with it. I want you to suffer with me <3 Besides, after yesterday's @tealvenetianmask's wonderful post about Stella and how society enables her behavior, and my rambly reblog, which delves more into Stolas's relationships with Octavia and how they are affected, I decided I need to let it out of my system.

So, you see... while I believe this screenshot is our last hope for us, the Stolitz nation—that these two dumbasses will have ANOTHER chance to talk properly...

It implies that something arguably worse than their breakup is going to happen. Something on the 'whole palace is in ice and Stolas is in immediate mortal danger' level of 'worse.' Something bad enough to make them forget all the shit they’ve gone through with their disastrous miscommunication and unite to face a common threat.

Andrealphus.

Something that would make Stolas to leave quickly and forcibly. Run for his life. Disappear, sweeping off his trail, without Octavia knowing...

And let her think he ran off with Blitzø.

Are you gonna run off with him and leave me behind? Go away, where I can't find you?

Make her run around the palace looking for him and not being able to find him. Because he isn’t there.

Daddy! Daddy... I had a dream! A really bad dream! I was looking all over the palace, and I couldn't find you anywhere! You weren't there!

And the worst part is that it would make her assume the worst: that he left her behind just for a weird red dickhead.

Why?

Because Stolas's relationship with Blitzø has caused a rift between the prince and his daughter.

Because he, unfortunately, has never told her what kind of mother Stella is, or what she has done to him. She is left to believe everything was okay until that imp came around, seduced her father, ruined her family, and wrecked her home.

Because Stolas grew distant and forgot about the important stellar event he promised to show her. Was he wrong for it? Of course not! Stella made everything to throw him off the rails completely that morning. But Octavia still has the right to be upset.

Not to mention that she’s nowhere to be found since that night in Los Angeles… Why isn’t she around? Is she resentful toward him? Is she being kept from him? Or is he keeping her at arm's length because of the assassination attempt and his deteriorating state of mind? What happened?

I can already see how Stella and Andrealphus could use all of it against Stolas, grooming Octavia and simmering her in hatred for him. Bluntly lying about true reasons Stolas fled.

Stolas kept silent about the abuse he survived, hoping to protect Octavia and let her live a perfect childhood. But instead, she won’t have a single soul to support her, since Stolas will be chased off and hated. By her. Surrounded by vultures who now prey on her, who have couped her father and forced him to break the solemn, earnest promise he made to her.

What?... No! No, no, never! I'd never do that. Never...

How fucking tragic is that?

[wexhappyxfew]

thinking deeply about vivian ratcliff. grew up in fort collins, colorado with a good family, a good childhood, filled with many homemade dinners and pastries after meals and flowers in pretty, passed-through-generations vases. her family had a big farm that’s been there for hundreds of years through the ratcliff family and she spent many summers riding horses, tending to the cows, chickens, pigs and her ma’s honeybee farm. they make quite the profit. she’s kind and conscientious, aspiring teacher, and a happy-go-lucky, calm-cool-and-collected type of girl. she’s content with where she is in life. and she wants to do things, see new places, read and learn all there is. and then she meets boyfriend-turned-future-husband when her dad needs a handy-man and james pennington shows up. she attends the university of washington and completes a program for teaching but goes into the military after graduation because of an opportunity to shoot and fly - and, with a war on, she could kill two birds with one stone and see the world and do something for it at the same time. with her parents a little less than happy and her boyfriend shipping out to the navy, viv takes this in stride. heading to utah, she gets a gig on a plane as a turret gunner before being accepted into Silver Bullets under captain birdie faulkner, the first female pilot of the war for america. the crew builds up, the friendships form and Silver Bullets is the finest B-17 there is. she writes to james, she keeps up with her family and friends back home, she goes to the flying club, and takes early morning runs around base. she’s content. things are good.

then, captain faulkner is KIA. flying a regular bombing run - freak accident with the shrapnel flying through the air. killing her right in the midst of the sky. viv remembers how numbed and equally freaked out francis was - how’d she manage to land a plane and maintain composure? lieutenant annie bradshaw is the newest replacement and finds herself next as the newest pilot of Silver Bullets. viv thinks things are okay, things are looking up.

then, a letter comes in. james pennington is KIA. her world seems to shatter. everything seems to crack open and equally fall apart. she’s half in a spiral and half trying to keep it together in front of everyone else. no one should see her like this. she hardly wants to see herself like this. annie bradshaw and the rest of the crew seems to pull her through; most surprisingly, so does everett blakely. he was always more in the background, a handshake, a comforting pat on the shoulder, willing to check in and move on his way. an all-around gentleman. then, she starts to notice him. at breakfast, at dinners, before missions, after missions, glances through the interrogation tables, before bed when cigarette butts were stubbed out and last minute conversations were held. everett blakely was always there.

then, the Silver Bullets crew is split across half of europe. and yet again, with 40% of the crew MIA, viv is sent to operations and is suddenly stepping into a world where her hands are filled more with pencils and papers and maps then a gun. yet again - without annie bradshaw and francis montez, who became a pilot for a new B-17 crew with quite an annoying co-pilot, viv feels more alone than ever. until ev blakely is there. always there. again. they grow closer than they ever had - breakfast together, sometimes even lunch and dinner, cigarette breaks, sharing coffee breaks, finding moments to take a glance throughout the operations room. moments viv didn’t think much of. until she was heading out for the night and ev invited her to the flying club for a drink and a dance.

and then the war ended. and everyone went their separate ways. and reality hit. and it hit hard. james pennington’s funeral, the reality that the man she was going to marry is now dead, and her family, torn at the edges, crumbling. she’s hurt, filled with a grief she can’t untangle and is lost between what to do and what else there is left for her. until everett blakely starts writing. and doesn’t stop writing. writing the Silver Bullets girls were on thing, but writing ev blakely was different - in his words, his phrases, what he talked about.

they decide to meet, and everything comes flooding back. like the crash of high waves, just as fast, just as harshly. and she doesn’t feel herself turn away like she would. and suddenly, she doesn’t want him to leave. and for the first time in her life, he doesn’t. he stays.

[cosmic--dandelion]

So I dipped out of the overflowing septic tank that is the Helluva Boss fandom for a few days to recharge and HOLY SHIT you guys need to get a fucking grip.

It is not healthy to hate someone this much, let alone someone you've never met and never will who probably lives thousands of miles away from your shitty flyover state and has done absolutely nothing to you personally expect make a free internet cartoon you don't like. And don't even get me started on started on inventing these increasingly elaborate conspiracy theories about why all the fulminating hatred is like, totally justified, you guys! Really!

Interacting with a relatively normal fandom gave me a new appreciation for how discincerningly obsessed the HB anti-fandom is. There is absolutely no excuse or justification for this pathetic, revolting, and downright freakish behavior. Get help, man. You're weirding me out.

This really is Gamer Gate Mach II, isn't it?

[thebluespacecow]

Got bored in class yesterday

Have a dc oc

[jizzlords]

────────────────── in the earlier years of hell, specifically when Morningstar crashed into the earth and was the first fallen angel, the seven deadly sins fell shortly after along with him. Ozzie bore witness to Lucifer falling.

Upon witnessing Lucifer's fall, Ozzie's (dominant pair of) wings were ripped from his back and he was next: falling down, down, down until finally crashing into the earth. In that state of dreary disorientation, Ozzie was still made to fend off wayward Exorcists who followed him down to do as much damage to him as possible when he was already struck and bleeding out. Surviving the attacks, Ozzie — who was one of Lucifer's best friends — immediately sought after the fallen angel. But it was to no avail.

Thankfully, Ozzie's search for Lucifer doesn't end in vain — for instead, Bee was one of the other deadly sins he'd rediscovered. Dazed and spent, the two stuck together ever since and developed an even tighter bond. Ozzie found Mammon not too long after finding Bee. They faced the discomfort of their Sins together, the changes they didn't suffer utterly alone. Still, Ozzie — who knew these individuals pre-fall and what traits they possessed in heaven had now amplified in hell and worsened over time. Ozzie had the displeasure of watching certain Sins change for the worst and some, he was luckily willing or able to tolerate. It couldn't be helped with the Deadly Sins as it was what they all became in the end. Worse versions of their sins. Embodiments.

Centuries passed. Broken bones have long since healed and massive scars webbed where massive gashes once bled the blues. Across his back and alongside his ribs, healed but never forgotten nor forgiven. All this time long since passed with no trace or word from Lucifer despite Ozzie's attempts to reconnect. Answers weren't clear, questions have gone unanswered and are long gone. Resentment has taken its rightful place yet Ozzie still holds out for a call.

The years roll by. That resentment Ozzie harbors within his heart remains frigid and intact in present day and growing stronger, especially when news of a princess being conceived had broken out. Ozzie is familiar with Lilith and Charlie. In fact, Lilith has even gone out of her way to visit him. A proper introduction between Hell's Queen and one of her Seven Deadly Sins.

It was Lilith who introduced him to Charlie. And it was Lilith who somewhat smoothed the fabric of Ozzie's resentment. Although his feelings about everything are certainly not resolved, he respects Lilith significantly and in that, has found a fondness for the princess alike. He (jokingly) took on the unofficial role of an "uncle" as he would be entrusted by Lilith to look after Charlie from time to time. It's because of this, does he know Charlie a little better than the other Sins.

Upon Lilith vanishing, however, Ozzie is reminded of Lucifer. Ozzie still found himself looking after Charlie from time to time but the effort was exhausting. Moreso emotionally than mentally. Even still, Ozzie couldn't recall seeing Lucifer again. Even in times where he'd be left looking after her. It's a sore memory and every time Charlie is sent back home, Ozzie is left even more sore than the last time. The older the Princess became, the less she came around.

Now, Ozzie spends his time living as the Sin he is. Despite a hollow past, he's "moved on" to better things. But it'd be a lie if Ozzie said he never looked back and wondered, never made haphazard attempts to contact with still, no answers. Forgotten or neglected, whatever the case — Ozzie still became a respected Sin and lives vibrantly in his ring as the King of Lust. He could live even more vibrantly if an old friend would answer Ozzie's long-abandoned pleas.

[sophfandoms53]

Having this caption in an episode that finally gives us some depth about Millie is so funny

[martyrmarked]

proper post to come but sidri tends to come off fairly cold upon first impression. she's very guarded and watches both her words & expressions closely, unwilling to give away even the faintest hint of her thoughts on a matter without meaning to, and in turn can seem severe.

she's much more likeable one on one and, with time and familiarity, is actively enjoyable to be around. at her absolute best, she's warm and too clever by half.

[imaginarylungfish]

i just finished the last season of sex education and i have some thoughts:

first of all, i really do love what the show did. they brought sexuality, queerness, disability, mental health, and other "taboo" topics to light. it wasn't perfect, and i think they took on a lot of new arcs that were a little unresolved this last season. but overall, a solid show that i will probably re-watch in the future.

i'll list out the specifics of what i liked and disliked below, so spoiler warning! (also tw for anything mentioned in the show)

---LIKED---

ADAM

i was surprised that my favorite interaction was between adam and his father (michael).

i liked how the show handled adam's character development. we are introduced to him in season 1 as a bully. but wait, it's because he is emotionally repressed and has internalized homophobia. this is not an excuse, but an explanation. he is still accountable for the pain he caused (namely, to eric).

and being with eric helps him a lot, but they were not compatible. i really liked how they showed that dynamic. like, some people are so pivotal in your life, but they are not meant to be in it in the same capacity forever (or at all).

i also love how adam is able to admit he's bisexual to the horse girl and she's so normal about it.

MICHAEL

i am very happy they kept michael in the show even though i probably would have been fine if he never returned after the first/second season. but that's not life. people who hurt you stay in your life. and they either turn a blind eye to the pain they caused or try to make amends and change.

seeing michael come to terms with his part to play in his separation with maureen and his lack of connection with his son was peak. a father figure learning how to feel his emotions in a healthy way and take responsibility for how his behavior has hurt others? what a groundbreakingly average thing to show.

his redemption arc is clumsy. he makes adam feel uncomfortable by saying sorry and by voicing his emotions. but he is trying to break out of the cycle of emotional repression. yes, it's too late. damage has been done. but that doesn't mean you don't still work on changing yourself to stop further damage.

in general on this show, i like how character's backgrounds are shown so we understand why they act the way they do. but those are not excuses. those characters must come to terms with what they've done and put in effort to mend relationships.

(also, i cried during this scene ^)

idk like this father-son depiction was so helpful for me to see. seeing a parent take accountability was huge. i really haven't seen many depictions like this in media.

but i hope to see more.

ERIC

love love love this character! he's the flamboyant, confident gay some part of me wishes to be.

i was surprised to like his character arc this season too, even though it involved religion. tbh, when the religious scenes with him would pop up, i'd sort of ignore them and want to get back to the other stuff. but i am actually happy with what they were trying to show with him here.

i loved how they showed eric's conflict. his queerness is at odds with his spirituality. okay, what's new? well, he also wants to stay within the church because he does truly believe in its teachings. plus, his cultural identity is tied to his church, and he doesn't want to give that up.

so again, we as viewers do not get the easy way out (to just leave). we must stick it out and wade our way through the messiness of it all with eric.

i have a personal connection to this character's story as i am queer (more proudly and confidently now) and grew up catholic. i love how the show showed the pastor and other people in the church turning a blind eye to eric's queerness (at first), expecting him to hide it while citing "beliefs" as to why when it's clear jesus (if he was ever a real person) would have never done that.

i do not believe in god anymore. so i thought i'd not relate to anything more of eric's arc after it was clear he wanted to stay religious. but i think they did a great job showing how queerness and religion are not mutually exclusive for people who want/believe in that.

i love how eric stayed true to himself. he is proudly queer AND christian. and i found myself respecting that, even though i, of course, do not fully understand it.

also the moment when his mom stands up and says "i love you as you are, my son" after he comes out to the whole church was peak. a mother who is proud of their queer child? again, groundbreakingly average.

another quote i loved from eric: "i love myself too much to not tell my truth." this is now my mantra.

also, i was surprised i didn't find the whole "seeing god" thing super cheesy.

but it was kinda healing for me, as if i got some closure from my time being queer and catholic.

i remember reading a catholic book in high school that said people who had "homosexual tendencies" were just called by god to be stronger and resist those feelings, as if we are soldiers in a war. as the good little catholic girl i was back then, i obeyed.

so seeing this "god" say "i made you this bright so that others would see in the darkness" was really huge for me.

ERIC & OTIS

i always loved their dynamic. a straight man being able to show affection for his gay best friend (and even dress up in drag together)? groundbreakingly average.

i really liked how they showed their dynamic change, too. otis is eric's best friend but that doesn't mean he's going to understand everything about him. eric needs more friends than just otis. he needs queer friends, black friends, religious friends.

i loved seeing eric come to terms with this. he needs more! he feels guilty! he feels annoyed that otis doesn't listen to him! he tries talking about it with otis but otis shuts him down again and again.

but as this show likes to do, they find a way to work things out. otis is able to look inside himself and realize they don't relate to each other about things that are important to each. and that's okay. they talk. they communicate. they apologize. hurt is acknowledged and repair is happening.

they can still be really good friends, even best friends, even though they are really different than when they started.

i'm so glad a show called "sex education" knew to put a big focus on the importance of deep friendship.

---DISLIKED---

VIV

i really like this character! she is focused on her goals and straight to the point. no bullshit. (and maybe autistic-coded??) i'm glad we still have her in season 4. plus, her and jackson's friendship is still going strong (again, love me some friendship rep).

BUT i do not think they did a ~great~ job with her arc. it was too rushed. they had some great things to say, but little time to properly execute it.

i think the show did a good job showing beau's love bombing and how viv didn't mean to get caught up in the vicious cycle of emotional coercion and abuse (as it is never the victim's fault).

and i really like what aimee had to say to viv about love: "love should make you feel braver... it shouldn't be confusing and it shouldn't be scary."

i also love that viv stands up for herself by saying: "i don't wanna hear from you. i don't know what made you like this, and it's probably something really sad, and i hope you seek some therapy, but if you keep trying to contact me, i will report you."

it's such an emotionally mature response. she acknowledges that there is probably a misguided or potentially traumatic reason beau acts they way he does. but that does not excuse the harm he caused. and she makes it clear there is no avenue for repair in this relationship, so he must do the work of healing (if he so chooses) on his own. she will not allow him access to her.

but idk this whole arc seemed rushed and almost just thrown into the season. like trauma for trauma's sake.

and don't get me wrong, i am glad this was portrayed. it helped me and i imagine many other people in similar situations. but i hope to see a depiction of this more fully fleshed out in media in the future.

CAL

i have similar sentiments for cal's (and jackson's) arcs.

showing how trans dysphoria affects mental health and how medical transition is life-saving is super important !! it's not talked about or shown in media enough !!

but omg this sensitive topic was so rushed. and what was the conclusion? did cal get top surgery? did they finally get to experience gender euphoria? did they go to therapy to help them with their suicidal thoughts? we don't know.

JACKSON

i feel like they really should have kept him as a supporting character this season. he really didn't need his own storyline.

he already had a big arc when he self-harmed to get out of swimming. that was really important to see.

but this whole thing with his dad not wanting him seemed so rushed.i feel like there was something there. some message. but it totally fell flat for me. it was confusing and underdeveloped.

i really like his character so it was a little disappointing to see how he was written this season.

---HONORABLE MENTIONS---

AIMEE

i've enjoyed her character throughout the seasons. she's light-hearted, goofy, and a solid friend to maeve.

showing how she has been processing her sexual assault was liberating. i liked how the writers show her process of accepting it, naming it, and finding her power again. she learns how to continue living and loving with, and not despite, it.

ISAAC

i'm glad the show included a visibly disabled character that didn't seem like pandering (since he wasn't just added in last minute).

he's rough and abrasive sometimes. he's a lil bit of an asshole. but he's kind and has a big heart.

i have a soft spot for purposely written annoying disabled/sick characters. yes, you are allowed to not like a disabled/sick person because of their personality. please do. please just treat them like a human (cause god knows you don't like every single human on earth).

JOANNA

even though her character arc could be categorized as one that was rushed and unresolved, i think she brought a little more insight into jean's character which evened things out (for me).

i like how they show her denial of her childhood trauma. like, it's okay to not want to confront it. it makes sense. and if she never wants to, jean will still love her and help her (to a certain extent). but joanna might be able to be happier if she addresses it.

this quote was amazing: "i'm scared that if i stop moving, and start properly talking about what happened, then it might all catch up on me, and i won't be able to pretend that i'm okay anymore."

MAEVE

kinda weird for her to be so low on this list because she's one of the main characters, but idk i think that's okay. she needed to break free from moordale. she gives herself permission to do so once her mom dies and jean steps in to say the thing she needed her mom to say to her. she needs to go back to america to finish her studies, believe in herself, and see how great of a person she is. and that's hers to do, not ours to see.

the only disappointment i have with maeve just not seeing more of her being happy/content on screen. (i know i literally said that could have been the point, but idk it still would have been nice). she has a big heart, is so resilient and smart, and goes through a lot of heartbreak and loss. she deserves happiness!

THE NEWBIES: THE COVEN & O

super psyched we had some trans, disabled, ENM, and ace rep... but it did feel a little pandering ngl

i think what i liked most about these new characters was seeing the different reasons behind abbi's and o's need for control.

like yay! we're showing that queers are unlikable for their personalities (and not for their sexual orientation)! genuinely so happy to see that (for the same reason i like seeing unlikable disabled characters)!

OTIS

oh otis. he was definitely on the backburner this season. and i was fine with that. it seemed natural? idk. i don't really have much to say about him, even though he is the main character lol.

---CONCLUSION---

and there you have it! my take on the last season of sex education. like i said, i think this show did a great job talking about topics that our society deems "taboo." it gave a platform to many different topics, identities, and experiences. it portrayed sensitive topics tactfully and injected humor at the right moments. it wasn't perfect, but what show truly ever is.

if you have anything to add to my review, feel free to comment. just please be nice! these are just my opinions. and i wrote this for fun! thanks!

[conjuredup]

viviane is her own taste tester for the potions she makes ( yes, even the negative ones ) given that she usually works out of her own home by herself, she has no one else that she can ask.

this has, naturally, led to her body building up a natural tolerance for poisons and other negative affiliations - simply due to the fact that she has poisoned herself ( among many other things ) when making those types of potions or simply when she makes a potion wrong.

she keeps antidotes and healing potions in heavy supply and nearby when she's brewing her own potions and tonics, simply as a safety precaution. should be noted that once she's got a recipe made how she likes it she does have it written down so she doesn't need to taste every bath she makes, just the initial ones she's making for the first time or ones that she's revamping. : )

[groundbreakingdot872]

every time I see one your delicious headcanons, I get the sudden feeling that all of my writer’s block is going to flee from me for a few precious moments and I’ll suddenly find the Herculean strength to write something decent :)

your writing is so inspiring, it’s almost vicious! The way you tease out these tiny minuscule details into an entire life span of characterization, perfectly spotted with metaphors that make me Feel things it’s just … no words ironically

This idea of ‘Mother’ as this hulking, just massive presence held together as a teeth-clenched grit and an overpowering love translates so well into Merlin’s larger-than-life existence as an immortal and as Magic itself…

I think this is the missing peice of the puzzle, the final cornerstone in what makes Merlin such a interesting character, both in the way he’s cared for Arthur, Albion and all the rest of the millennia till the budding modern legend, and his omnipresence as fucking Emrys, Zeus-like on a hill- this just clicks

and I’m foaming at the mouth

‘the warmth of a hollowed-out carcass in winter’ where you can see every nerve and tissue defined in a space less than a millimeter from your eyeballs, but the reprimand is from not facing it, from not daring to look head-on at the undead membrane cloaking you, sheltering you, blanketing you as the snow falls as quiet and heavy as a dead man’s breath. And you come to terms with the instinctual and gripping nature of survival that protects you while it curses your cowardice.

He’s survival personified, the rising nape of ‘a provoked lioness’ that feels horrifyingly the same as the doom-fall of galaxies and the realization you might lose everything. And with the bitter palm-stained knowledge of having lost everything, he’s more vicious in the face of Dread and Despair than anyone, or anything else.

A ferocity that bares its teeth at the blinding web-weave of destiny and shrieks in a premature grief before anything’s even been lost, the idea that Magic is a second skin to the pull and push, moment to moment, death dance of Nature means he’s well aware of the consequences of losing the game

Mother is Overwhelming, a drowning roar instead of soft whispers, falling in the ears of men who might’ve been prophesied to live just a thimble of life time longer, if they’d hurried under the shelter of his arms. Instead of attempting to mewl in bravery like day-old chicks.

I’m- just fixating so hard on this idea of Merlin, Mother of Legend-born, and his offspring the children of Albion; every brave-hearted youth that might’ve pocketed his stories of Arthuriana and wanted to try their own hand at the ‘sword’ or the play of something greater- but like many curious and terribly naive scampering children, fallen prey to the watchful eyes of Something that Merlin tried his hardest to scare away.

A force equal and instrumental to Magic’s downfall, with Merlin as the Other, second Force. A deadly and cunning and grinning face, at the idea of Merlin’s love, the expansive darkness to his ever guiding light.

merlin is a mother-type character and it’s hard to explain that to people because they see chaos and murder and impulsivity and they think “that’s not motherly” (or else they mischaracterize him to fit their idea of motherly, which is an independent but equal issue) and i need you all to understand. when i say merlin is a mother-type character, i don’t mean the common perception of human mothers. i don’t mean the warmth of an embrace and the reliability of structure and the soothing of an unshakable figure. i mean the kind of “motherly” associated with wild, vicious animals. i mean the warmth of a hollowed carcass in winter and the harsh reprimand of something bigger and wiser than you trying to keep you alive against terrible odds and the vibrating single-minded ferocity that comes with a protective instinct so deep-seated that even something twice as large and just as hungry doesn’t stand a chance against the brighthot rage of fucking with something that should not be fucked with. because magic is a wild thing and merlin is magic as much as he is human and merlin’s motherly tendencies are every bit as feral as a provoked lioness. merlin is not a mother of humans, he’s a mother of the earth and humans just happen to inhabit it.

[akirathedramaqueen]

The Five Stages Of Grief: Verosika vs. Stolas

Alright, guys, it's time to play the complete denial card and ignore for a moment what we've just seen in the last short Viv dropped like a fucking nuke on our heads (seriously, this woman makes me swear more than a sailor).

Are we going to talk about something light? Ha-ha, you are looking at the angstiest person out here. Sorry. No relief for you.

But maybe some bits of analysis will do? Let's go.

The setup

Some time ago, I discussed how differently Stolas and Verosika react to their breakup with Blitz in response to one of my previous posts (it might be useful to read that to have the whole picture, but it's not crucial—here).

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 8:05

If we recap that reblog, I find that Stolas deals with his emotions much better and processes them in a more mature manner than Verosika does.

We could stop there, really, but I wanted to explore the situation from a different angle. Using the Kübler-Ross five stages of grief model, we can pull out more nuance from their actions and words.

They both went through a similar traumatic event—Blitzø hurt them in arguably one of the worst ways possible. The circumstances, Blitzø's intentions, and the outcomes are slightly different, but at their core, they are both left broken and deeply wounded.

Left: S2EP8, The Full Moon, 22:00 Right: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 18:03

So, what about their personalities makes their responses to trauma so contrasting?

Disclaimer about the model's credibility

This is probably me being overly pedantic, but I want to point out that this model is deemed to be popularized by the media, and professionals’ opinions are conflicted—some say it is accurate while others criticize it for its lack of flexibility or go as far as to say it has no application in real life. The studies are also inconclusive—there are papers both in favor of and against this model.

What am I trying to say here? This is a silly analysis about silly demons from a silly show, and if you do happen to unfortunately experience grief in any way (I am so sorry you have to go through this!), it is essentially experienced by all people differently. You should not feel bad if you skip stages or if their order is messed up.

Okay? <3 Okay. You’ve got this in your own way.

Tomorrow will be better than today.

Stolas: A Classic Way

One of the things I noted in my previous post is that Stolas immediately recognizes the pettiness of the party, and I praised his remarkable ability to see through the issues with such events.

The one day a year the spirits can rise amongst the living and it's spent celebrating mutual pettiness. S2EP9, Apology Tour, 6:55

And don’t get me wrong—his own way of dealing with problems is just drinking them away, and that’s not healthy. That’s why he actually belongs at this party.

But emotionally, Stolas is much more aware of what’s going on with him and the people around him. I think that despite his drinking problem, this awareness helps him process his own grief faster and find resolution—or at least an outlet—in just one night.

Let’s apply the five stages of grief model to him and see what’s going on.

Denial

You can see the denial seeping through during their morning conversation—there are moments when he clearly hopes Blitzø will suddenly listen to him and change his demeanor, despite Blitzø being consistent in his brashness and hostility.

Left: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 3:56 Right: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 4:23

Can you see the hope in his eyes? Can you see how ready he would be to brush off the whole shitshow happened between them just for Blitzø to take at least a bit of accountability or accept his feelings?

Additionally, although it doesn’t fit the term perfectly, we could stretch the concept a bit and say that the following lyrics below are somewhat denialish. Notice, by the way, that it’s not linear to the suggested model—you’ll see why later.

But I, I keep on waiting Waiting to want you less than I do And I do, oh, I do, yes I still do want you S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:08

'Cause I am not a thief, but you were mine to earn S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:42

He struggles to accept that the relationship has ended (we struggle too, baby owl, and we're not accepting it… but it gets worse before it gets better), and he still waits for Blitzø to return, maintaining a possessive feeling—“you were mine to earn.”

Anger

Stolas's anger is vastly different from Verosika's—I promise to elaborate on it later.

He uses his anger throughout the morning confrontation with Blitzø to protect himself from Blitzø's attacks and futile attempts to retain the status quo. His anger serves to assert that he is done with the transactional arrangement and Blitzø's behavior.

As shocking as this might seem, Blitzø, I don't think I'm in the mood to "do sex" with you. In fact, I don't think I'm even in the mood to do words with you! So, how about you respect that? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 0:57

[Stolas]: Get out. Right now! [Blitzø]: What?! [Stolas]: I'm tired of this! I'm uncomfortable how you're speaking to me now! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 2:24

And all of this happens just the night after that disastrous full moon meeting! Stolas is pissed off, and rightfully so. But he still gives Blitzø the chance to correct his behavior, explain, and apologize. He asks Blitzø to leave him in peace but stays to hear him out until it becomes clear that Blitzø is not going to relent or give in.

His anger is not used to destroy those he is angry with; rather, it is directed toward keeping himself whole—at least as much as possible.

Bargaining

The whole verse of All 2 U, where Stolas contemplates what went wrong and if there's something they could still do, represents him trying to bargain for a better future.

Maybe there's something here for us to glean? For you to teach and me to try and learn? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:32

Of course, this is also something very useful for when they come back together (not if!). Despite Blitzø being the focus in the Apology Tour episode, Stolas has a lot of work to do, too. And him realizing that is a positive step.

But for now, from the perspective we’re looking at, this is a clear sign of him trying to trade anything he can for their relationship to flourish.

Depression

Eventually, Stolas breaks down publicly. He can’t hold the mask on anymore; seeing Blitzø is unbearable, as it reminds him too much of everything that happened and everything that could’ve been.

You! Why are you here? I don't want you here, go home, please! Let me not feel so sad! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 15:50

And he manages to compose himself incredibly quickly…

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 16:07

It takes him just 17 seconds to fall into crying and calm himself. But there was more brewing beneath the surface—he just didn’t show it.

Calm yourself, young prince. You know excitement is unbecoming of a Goetia. S2EP1, The Circus, 00:20

Acceptance...?

Then there's the guy who received more hate than he (allegedly) deserved—Better Than Blitzo guy. He asks Stolas for a dance, and Stolas accepts. He seems to quite enjoy himself there, actually… maybe even a tad too much (arguably).

Well, I just wanted to see if... Maybe... I dunno... You'd wanna... Dance? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 16:16

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 19:08

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 20:08

Did he move on? Did he get over Blitzø? We don’t know. I don’t think so. But that dance was certainly an outlet. A relief he was ready to accept. He was ready not to dwell on negative emotions and allow himself to feel something good for a change.

Verosika: A scorched earth way

Now, let’s see how Verosika is doing after all these years post-breakup. Surely she can’t care less about Blitzø now, right?

Anger

Right… No petty feelings at all.

S1EP3, Spring Break, 8:13

There's still resentment...

A selfish imp in the sheets And just as bad in the streets A reckless, heartbreaking freak! S1EP7, Ozzie's, 11:54

Anger… to the murderous degree, actually…

Fuck Blitzo in the fucking ass! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 8:14

Disrespect...

That cock-sucking motherfucker! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 9:36

Remember when I said their anger is different?

She uses hers to fuel her determination to destroy Blitzø’s reputation. She uses her fame and all her resources to humiliate him.

She never moved past anger. Never really processed it.

But wait…

Acceptance?!

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 18:55

All it took was just one long-overdue genuine talk. The moment she saw Blitzø's remorse and let her feelings out, she immediately warmed up, stopped using his dead name, and even gave advice—it’s debatable whether it was the best one, but I believe she meant well for both Blitzø and Stolas.

Hold it, Blitzø. Y’know, if you wanna change, it just starts with saying: “Good for him, hope he gets laid.” S2EP9, Apology Tour, 19:18

You know, I feel there’s a good chance that the next anti-Blitzo party might not ever happen again.

Because she leaped through all the stages in one night, and, maybe not at that exact moment, but she is on the path to acceptance. Finally letting it go.

Baby, I'm not over it, but I'm over you.

Could've saved many years of simmering in rage and destructing herself over Blitzø though.

Conclusions

Oh shit, now I need to somehow connect all the dots, don’t I?

Well... *chuckles nervously* I guess I gotta put on my nerd glasses and pretend I knew what I was doing here and not just threw shit at the wall and saw what stuck.

What I really wanted to say is that Stolas is much more self-aware and was able to work through all his feelings and process them in one day. He went through the complete journey and made immense progress. We don’t know how it will go further, but from what we’ve seen, his emotional intelligence helps him, if not to avoid problematic behaviors like binge-drinking, then at least not to burn bridges behind him, leaving space for understanding, forgiveness, and acceptance.

It’s not to say that Verosika’s way of doing things was wrong because she was angry and skipped through some stages. It was wrong because she made her entire personality revolve around it, turning bringing Blitzø down in any way possible into her ultimate life goal. It was wrong because she never processed it.

And it shows why, even after the break-up, #stolitz can still work, given that Blitzø is open about how he feels and Stolas is open to listening to it.

AGAIN! There’s no right way to process grief. But there should be a priority to heal and accept instead of doubling down and ruining yourself and everything you cared for.

(I am watching you, Blitzø hater. Don’t you dare to shit on my poor lizard. He has his own heap of issues and has had enough after that fucking penguin slur short. So don’t. >:()

[broodwolf221]

writing two series and I have a small varric/solas wip I still wanna work on and I'm about halfway thru another delwyn/solas sfw wip and-

[heartsbreaking-migrated]

would your muse go to coachella with vivian kellman? asking for vivian kellman

⬆the face of someone who wants company at coachella

[sammaggs]

1x02 Diefenbaker’s Day Off // 2x08 One Good Man // 2x13 White Men Can’t Jump to Conclusions // 3x01 Burning Down the House | Normalized

due South does a main character re-casting better than any other show on TV, and they do it by playing with television's own accepted meta-narrative.

Recasting a character has a long tradition in television, creating a viewership that knows and understands the storytelling short form at play. As viewers, we realize that sometimes actors aren't available to reprise a role (or simply aren't interested in it anymore); but, for the sake of the story, sometimes the show needs that character to come back. So we lean hard into suspended disbelief and just go with it. After all, the characters in the show accept the parareality of it—why shouldn't we?

Of course, the most famous example of a character recast would be the Dick/Darren disaster on 1960s sitcom Bewitched, when Dick York was unceremoniously replaced by Dick Sargent in the role of Darrin Stephens. ("The Dick Wars" would have gone absolutely insane).

it was... not successful

But they weren't the only ones to do it. Aunt Viv from Fresh Prince, Becky from Roseanne, Daario Naharis from Game of Thrones, Greg Serrano from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (pain, agony)—recasting characters but maintaining the fiction is a storied tradition in TV. New actor, same character; totally normalized.

And shows continue to do it, even today, with a—uh—similar dedication to fucking it up doing it poorly.

why must we be punished like this

due South even engages in this trope itself in season 2, when hard-hitting investigative journalist Mackenzie King is recast and they don't even try to find an actress who looks similar. In 1x02 Diefenbaker's Day Off, she's played by brunette Madolyn Smith-Osborne; in 2x08 One Good Man, she's been replaced by blonde Maria Bello, and nobody talks about it.

yeah i'm absolutely the same person, obviously

Everyone diegetically (within the world of the show) is just like, oh yeah, that's hard-hitting investigative journalist Mackenzie King. Totally. Only non-diegetically (outside of the world of the show) does the viewer go "No, that's not the same person." Internally, the fiction proceeds as usual.

So what would happen if, say, Samantha Stephens turned to Dick Sargent and said "You're not Darrin," when everyone else in the show continued to treat him as though he was? Or if Jaskier told Geralt that he knows he's not actually Geralt, and everyone treated him like he was delusional?

Or if Fraser, even, had recognized Mackenzie King as someone entirely different, and everyone treated him like he had a hole in his bag of marbles because of it? Of course that's Mackenzie King; even her boss knows it. No, she's never been a brunette. What are you talking about?

And that's exactly what happens in Burning Down the House.

the rays vecchio

Diagetically, everyone else treats Callum Keith Rennie's character as though he is Ray Vecchio. "Oh, good, you found him," says Det. Huey. Elaine, Franchesca, literally everyone else both at the station and outside of it treat Callum Keith Rennie Ray Vecchio as though he is David Marciano Ray Vecchio. They're acting exactly as any other TV character would in the face of a recasting: as though absolutely nothing had happened.

Except for Fraser.

Fraser's specific brand of parareal Canadian plot magic means that he's immune to the recasting blindness; he's acting as an agent of the viewer, voicing our non-diegetic concerns. Fraser is (as he so often is) a character with one foot outside of the narrative. He's just always been like this and he doesn't know why.

oh this man is infuriating and hot, fuck. shit.

And for a character who already thinks he is likely insane (he sees the ghost of his dead father! He communicates with his deaf half-wolf! He is instantly committed to a mental institution upon voicing the actual true story of his life!), this is very extremely distressing. Fraser thinks he's actually lost it this time, because everyone else in due South is acting like a TV character, and Benton Fraser is acting like a viewer.

This is so brilliant on so many levels. They just fully lampshade the damn thing. It allows our protagonist to speak for disgruntled or confused viewers. It engages at a postmodern level with television as a medium with a storied history (and due South is incredibly postmodern; nearly every episode is or contains a reference to another piece of media). It's written from the perspective of someone who loves and is knowledgeable about TV tropes.

And it gives us an entirely new Ray while still maintaining respect and loyalty to the original, something no other straight (lol) recast could ever do.

Genuinely one of the most clever, witty, well-crafted hours of television ever made. I could write essays about so many different parts of it. And I guess I will!!!!!!

It’s Burning Down the House week in our dS Stacked Rewatch!