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rottmnt-residuum · 2 months ago

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Hi, I've read the Residuum comic, and I think the characterization of the boys is really good. I was wondering if you have any tips on how to write them? Especially Mikey, please.

I'd actually recommend re-watching the show with one character in mind. All my notes on the turtles come from doing separate re-watches for each of them. The key is to ONLY watch the character you are focusing on.

In the end, you'll probably be happier with your own personal interpretation. As we are with ours lol

TL;DR

Massive post under the cut

To preface: we'll be contrasting (this Mikey) against the fandoms version of Mikey, as our interpretation is very different. Don't worry if you prefer the fandom version, there's nothing… wrong per se with writing him this way. We just find him flat and uninteresting. (Main author: not me, I just hate him, lol).

Every reader or fan comes into a story with their own biases and experiences. A ton of our view of Mikey is based on how our siblings acted. We see Mikey as the young sibling that got preferential treatment from the whole family, simply due to being the youngest, but is now aging out of the privilege. Which all youngest siblings do at some point or another.

The fandoms version of Mikey is empathetic, naive, vulnerable, co-dependent and quite often a door mat who cries at the drop of a hat. And as much as the fandom like to say that people love him… when this particular character archetype is in other media, they seem to attract the most criticism. Mable pines, Bolin from Korra, people rag on Aang all the fucking time, and Steven Universe is a whole other bag. These characters don't deserve it, and yet it happens anyway.

To flatten Mikey to simply 'the baby' is a disservice. We don't see or write Mikey as the fandom “baby” version (cinnamon roll uwu). Part of this comes from having multiple siblings, so we interpret the times when Mikey does the puppy dog eyes as typical younger sibling bullshit, mostly by the way that the other turtles rarely react to it, if at all.

The other turtles traits can also get projected onto Mikey. Mikey being the fandom therapist is in the same category as this. He isn't a therapist, he's a psychology nerd who likes to psychoanalyze people and meddle in their relationships. (Donnie and Shelldons relationship, Splinter and Draxums...) he's not trying to resolve your emotional issues. Of the turtles, the character that cares the most about people's feelings is Raph. And Leo is more of a consoler than Mikey ever is. It flattens all the turtle's characterizations when you start doing this because you are ripping out parts that are integral to another characters' complexity.

Co-author has told me that they've seen people become confused when going into the show after only reading fan fiction or coming from the movie. They see his characterization as inconsistent and become upset when their view of him is contradicted. This also happens when a fandomized version of him becomes the primary characterization that they use. Sometimes when this disconnect happens (or if they just don't like the character), Mikey characterization is swung in the complete opposite direction.

They make him manipulative and abusive, or someone who is hyper violent and avoids being held accountable for anything. This is an uncharitable interpretation of him and can come off as pretty racist depending on the circumstances. (like if someone considers the turtles black or not)

Every version of Mikey is a shithead (affectionate), even this one. Especially this one, really. When Mikey not doing the "baby schtick" hes mean. If you pay attention to what he's saying, and just not his tone of voice, he's consistently saying pretty mean or condescending stuff. (You could take this as simply naïveté, but he still says mean shit pretty often regardless)

The times he does say genuinely nice stuff the turtles don't exactly expect it from him, at least, in the early season. And while he is mean, and seems to find saying mean things to be funny, Mikey isn't cruel. Nor will he ever be.

This shit-headery behavior is found in both 2003 and 18 Mikey. They have a degree of social intelligence that lets them use it to annoy people into doing what they want. 18 just has the advantage of being baby faced and having better tonal control. He's good at using people's perception of him to get what he wants.

Let Mikey have his problematic traits, but don't overexaggerate them. He doesn't revel in fooling people. He loves doing character bits, and the baby faced one just happens to be one of them. However, to infantilize or to deem him incompetent is to piss him off, he wants to be viewed as a competent part of the team and competent as an individual. He's not insecure about being young, he just doesn't want to be treated like he can't do anything.

Mikey above all is an optimistic character, he sees the brighter side quite often and is conscious of the harm his actions have on people. Mostly after the fact, but he consistently attempts to rectify the harm he has personally done to peoples lives. (Todd, Bullhop, Draxum). Food and shelter seems to be a thing that he considers to be a right. He doesn't cross a boundary twice once he learns of it, and he never pushes people too far (if he likes you, that is. if he doesn't know you or doesn't like you, he doesn't give a singular shit. But that is standard to most people.). He doesn't care about people's stuff, though. He breaks things all the time.

Mikey understands boundaries, but he doesn't automatically recognize them. He needs them to verbalized or for there to be a very obvious reaction to the boundary being crossed (unfortunately, for Todd and Donnie). Sometimes people mess up (esp. younger people), and it can take a while for teens to learn where boundary is, but he fully respects the boundaries he does know about. He doesn't act petulant when he's told about boundary, he apologizes, accepts it, and moves on. He doesn't dwell.

Mikey doesn't hold on to distressing emotions. He bounces between emotions quickly, but isn't effected in the long run. One thing Iv'e seen people often conflate is the difference between sensitive and vulnerable. Mikey is sensitive, but I have never seen him vulnerable to others. To be sensitive is to be easily influenced by the current situation. To be vulnerable is to hold that influence for a long time. Characters can have one, both, or neither of these traits. But Mikey is not vulnerable. It is the difference between compressing memory foam and a piece of metal until they deform. One will pop back, the other does not.

Those who are vulnerable but not sensitive will take longer to effect, but once you do, they will hold on to that emotion for a very long time. The vulnerable, are grudge holders. (leo). But like I've said, Mikey bounces back. What a character does has an effect on his emotions, but it doesn't make a lasting impression.

Forgiveness is another thing people like to push on him. It is not that Mikey forgives people easily, it's just that he doesn't hold grudges. He neither forgives nor forgets, but he does not ruminate. He's generally affable, first impressions seem to be a big part of how he views people. He is idealistic, and doesn't assume people are unchanging and/or evil, but he's not a mark.

Mikey isn't so much as naive or overly trusting… it's just that he's inexperienced. He doesn't get fooled by anyone in the series except meat sweats, and that's because Meatsweats is on Todd drugs. Mikey just didn't notice when he started faking. He's not… actually all that aware of people's emotional states, passively. He has to tune in to notice things like that.

Mikey isn't someone who really tries to regulate others emotions, either. The fandom like to make Mikey afraid of his brothers fighting and others being upset, but Mikey doesn't actually care. The most distressed we ever see him in a fight is in the movie, and he's not SCARED, he's just concerned (and then alarmed once it turned physical). If anything, outside extenuating circumstances (like the movie), Mikey actually seems to find their fights annoying.

(Mikey actually seems to have a pretty short fuse, but his bounciness doesn't really let it linger very long, lmao)

(One pet peeve of fandom Mikey is the constant crying, crying at fights, crying at insults, crying for no reason all the time. Sure, he tears up when he gets emotional, but when Mikey is genuinely crying It's when he's desperate, like when he's hungry, or when he's trying to save Leo from certain doom. Same thing, really.)

Mikey respects no one (we love him for this). He admires people, he admires his family: April, the turtles, his dad, Lou Jitsu. He admires Rupert Swaggert, but he respects none of them. No one is sacrosanct to the Mikey.

Above all, the way we write characters is to give them a past that informs how they act now. We view Mikey and the other turtles as teenagers that were kids, and that will be adults. Yes they all have “problematic” traits, but 1) good characters need flaws, and controversial traits are one of the best to use, and 2) they're teenagers, don't expect adult behaviors from them, also don't expect them to be kids. They're minors, not toddlers.

This is getting as long enough as it is, so we'll stop here, but this is a very broad overview of how we characterize him. There's a lot we didn't cover here, but if we even started on hobbies, or the real minutia of his quirks and ticks, or even how he feels about other specific characters... we'd be here all day. So I hope this is good enough lol

If there was something you wanted to know in particular, you'll need to get specific. Feel free to ask again ahahh

#residual asks #rottmnt #rottmnt michelangelo #rise mikey #side note:#do not write the characters based on archetypes ah la heroes journey/hero with a thousand faces #(john campbell is a racist sexist pos)#hollywood was ruined by the attempts to copy Star Wars ad infintium #everyone thank co-author for deleting all my vitriol #i am full of rage and too many opinions on the show and how people handle the characters #but co-author is a patient soul who has removed all my dumbassery and wrote half of this #thank you co-author we love you #honestly there is so much i want to include here but i didn't want to make you wait longer than this ahahahah #if any of you want our stuff on the other characters you'll have to ask for them separately #and then wait a week or two lmao #also we have a list of mikeys verbal ticks if you want #ough.. writing words give me tummy ache

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royalarchivist · 9 months ago

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Quackity: These past days I've been in many calls, and I'm not done yet. I've spoken to a lot of people and creators. I've read your comments and I'm well aware of what needs to be done to carry out this project. I want to tell you all, beforehand, that for me the team's well-being is fundamental. I'm very involved in this topic to sort it out and I want to make that very clear. I want to tell you something... I want to tell you all that the administrative staff responsible for so much harm to the project has been fired. Specifically, those who made decisions without my permission, affecting the administrative and financial area of the project. Consequently, after this, I was in charge of doing a financial analysis that's carrying out for the QSMP.

Guys, to be really honest, it was not going to last. Therefore, I've had to make deep drastic structural changes that have lead me to reduce the performance of the server down to the most essential, and this is in order to ensure the well being of everyone involved in it. Having said this, I want to give a very important update: I want to let you all know that the QSMP will have to slow down temporarily. This is to ensure this new structure adapts to the project, because it's a restructuring that's taking place. I'm letting you know, and I reiterate, there are no voluntary positions inside the QSMP.

At the moment, there will not be any more individual update accounts of all 5 existing languages in the project. In any case, during this transition, there's going to be a temporal absence of all Eggs and NPCs. I know these are difficult changes, and I repeat, it's temporary until we adjust to these new conditions that will improve the performance of this new structure that's being made from scratch, both in the administrative and financial part. I'd like to reintegrate people fro the QSMP as time goes by if a financial viability can be found for the project Taking advantage of this update to tell you guys that within the changes of the server as it is, creators will have full control of their lore and stories. The team will not intervene in the way that it was being done. Moreover, efforts will be made to change the competitive dynamics inside the game so as to ease up the game style for the creators. Like I'm saying, all of these changes, and more, are being carrying out to have the project as best as possible, and they're being done little by little. This is a whole new structure that will ensure the best continuity and experience for the creators, the community and the team behind.

Guys, I want to make very clear that this is restructuring process, and again, it's not a fast one. The server being open does not mean everything's perfect, I understand that very well. Conversations will keep taking place, communication will continue and the constant improvement of the project as well. I ask, please, for everyone's patience and understanding regarding all changes. Please do wait for official announcements since a lot of incomplete and incorrect information is being spread. I want to tell you all something- if you don't trust in these changes or have many doubts about it, and don't want to consume any more of the project's content, I understand 100%. I have a personal commitment with the QSMP and I will work until it functions in the way it is supposed to do.

Lastly, I want to let you know that it was being worked on for months on finalizing the integration of Korean creators to the QSMP. For that reason, tomorrow we will be welcoming the new Korean creators of the QSMP, of course, taking into account all the changes I've just mentioned. I hope you can give the new Korean members warm welcome to the project. And as you know, their schedules are earlier. For everyone who would like to watch, they will be joining at 11am Mexico time and at 9am US time. Basically, I wanted to give that update regarding everything that's being done within the project. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding- these are necessary changes and I'm glad they're being done now. And many more things will keep being adjusted.

via @QuackitySubs

#Quackity #QSMP #QSMP Official #Translated #This is very long and I bolded parts to make it easier to read #but if there's a way to make it more accessible to folks lemme know!#I personally find the bolding thing helpful but I know everyone is different #Edit: got rid of the additional ''Quackity:'' bolded parts since that's unnecessary #since. you know. he's the only one speaking here #Quackity Subs also missed a few words in here so I added those in but otherwise this is exactly what was posted #Minus the part where they said ''fro''#I don't know if they meant for or from but that's a very vital difference so I'm leaving that as-is #IMO: It's reassuring hearing the full statement #''Please do wait for official announcements since a lot of incomplete and incorrect information is being spread''#is an especially important reminder #There has unfortunately been a lot of misinformation and catastrophizing / doomposting going around #I understand it's a very scary stressful time for many people #and it sucks being told to be patient #but we actually DO need to be patient if we want to get actual accurate information

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yeyayeya · 23 days ago

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QUEEN YUSHI HUANG WE FINALLY GOT AN ILLUSTRATION OF HER SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!(back off Pei Ming its my turn)

And He Xuan????? Omg he looks fucking amazing (he even got matching couple tattoos with Qingxuan look at them they’re so cute 🥰)

I need the short film and Season 3 SO BAD

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justc2world · 9 months ago

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Charlos moments in Bahrain GP full access

#there's so much to unpack #just say you two went to sleep together and woke up together we won't judge #just carlos breaking charles by reminding they won't be teammates for long #the way carlos waits patiently when charles told him to is so husband #squeeze the plushie when you hate me.. carlos you menace #i will miss their laughter #the eye contacts #the lack of personal space #i will start crying now thanks #carlos sainz jr #carlos sainz #charles leclerc #charlos #c2 #charles x carlos #scuderia ferrari #f1 #formula 1 #bahrain gp 2024

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autisticaradiamegido · 11 months ago

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thoughts on dave and aradia (<>)?

day 356

BIG fan tbh. in this house we love and respect timerails

truly yall read this log and tell me theyre not cute

#day 356 #year 4 #dave strider #aradia megido #aradave #homestuck #she really saw this kid and was like OH YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH YOUR MORTALITY?? :D #boy do i have some relevant life experience and wisdom to impart on THAT ISSUE SPECIFICALLY #and then she just. very gently and kindly makes the subject more approachable for ghostdave #the pesterlog i linked is literally my FAVORITE aradia moment. to me it is THE character defining moment for god tier aradia #yes she is being kind of ominous and trickstery at first #but it VERY quickly becomes clear shes got genuine concern for this kid she's had very little to do with up until this point #she really wants to connect with him over their shared time aspect stuff #and she really DOES care about how he feels about everything. she wants to help and she wants to put him at ease #because she KNOWS from experience that being dead and having to cope with what that means for you is like VERY UPSETTING AND TRAUMATIC #shes not just like. 'hee hee i think death is great and awesome because im edgy'#shes like 'no dude being dead is scary if you dont have anybody to explain this shit to you. so im going to explain it-'#'-and hopefully by the end of this conversation you will have some new things to feel relief and maybe even joy and excitement about'#'not just in spite of the death thing but BECAUSE of it'#i know shes spooky and has weirdgirl swag and we all love that about her but like #at her core she is a very KIND person. she may occasionally struggle to connect to people through the Death Special Interest Haze #but she WANTS to and when she DOES she is like. a genuinely very warm and comforting presence for her friends #ANYWAY. if andrew hussie or i guess james roach now want to give me an honorary doctorate for my 12+ years of intensive aradia studies #i will be here waiting patiently #timerails

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carnivalcarriondiscarded · 8 months ago

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yet another little Treat for myself! do i have a problem? maybe!

#got two lil jars As You All Can See to transfer the hearts into #and then i caved and got myself some snowflakes because i need some stress relief tonight!!!#sprinkle hours sprinkle hours-#photos from the bog #soon i will have Four little sprinkle jars on my shelf!#ohhhh and letti has discovered their refilled scratching circle...#im so glad i was able to go into town and get her a new collar PLUS! scratchy wheel #UPDATE! SHE IS LAYING ON IT! THE QUEEN APPROVES!#actually allow me to gush about her she's such a polite little beast #i had to put her new collar on #and she 1) came when called 2) jumped onto the stool and sat when asked 3) stayed perfectly and Patiently! still as i put the collar on #AND adjusted it!#she didn't complain or squirm one bit!#she let it happen and when i let go she stayed put and politely waited for a treat (or two! we indulge here!)#she looks so fancy...#i still dont know what happened to her other collar! the pendant was so nice!#now she has a shitty fish one </3 #but her collar is a lovely blue with gold sun/moons on it #i thought it would compliment her lovely white & caramel fur! i was Correct!

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fisheito · 5 months ago

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the leash isn't even anchored to anything

#he can go. but he doesn't #he just...waits patiently #what a good boy #i'm going to obliterate him #i am envisioning yakumo's collar from chimes of darkness #i jsut. udh. you know waht would be so eas. y #just take a leash and #clip it onto the middle link #drag him around #but wait.... we don't want neck damage....#snakes are pretty much all neck after all......#should we get him a harness? so that any pulling won't put direct pressure on his neck?#i mean. i doubt we need to worry about much pullback on his end #he'd follow pretty willingly. very little resistance #. let's consult the budget and see #nu carnival yakumo

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milkymooshi · 8 months ago

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Completely enamored with Gotham’s Riddler and Penguin bc it’s just two disaster queers who discovered the clearance section of H&M at your local small town mall and just bought everything in sight and hoped for the best

#they’re also divorced and constantly trying to out disaster glam the other #they also shoot at each other in the mall #I feel they would wait patiently in line to check out tho idk. Ik it would be like ooc but I think it’d be funny if they were like #come on man we gotta put this on the stolen credit card and change before I shoot you dead outside #Gotham #oswald cobblepot #edward nygma #Gotham riddler #gotham penguin #moo.txt #nygmobblepot

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uhohdad · 5 months ago

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Reader is turned on by cocky and mean men you say?

*the dormant Titan/Reader shipper in me awakens*

WARNING: 18+, NSFW, DEPICTIONS OF NON-CONSENSUAL SEX AND PHYSICAL ABUSE. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND TAKE CARE <3

“Konig! Konig!”

“Oh no, it’s too late for that, Funny Girl.”

Titan’s fingers ruthlessly indent the flesh of your cheeks to keep you from squirming, his other hand restraining both of your uncomfortably twisted wrists to the dirt with little effort. You can feel it, just how strong he is, bruises blooming at his fingertips and a cruel ache under his grip.

“Say my name,” he growls.

“Konig! Help!”

The hand restraining your face releases you, only to return to your cheek in a harsh open-palm strike. He’s didn’t use nearly his full strength, but it’s still powerful enough to make you see blinding white, thoughts forced to a grinding halt.

Heat immediately rushes to the impact, a rough outline of his handprint raising on your flesh and tears welling in your eyes.

“What did I say?!”

Titan’s voice is no longer a purr, now a hiss through clenched teeth.

He’s stunned you, wide, tear-brimmed eyes and shallow, sniveling breaths out of parted lips.

“Please-” Your voice could hardly be considered a whisper, more a squeak lost to the wind.

Titan’s fingers curl around your chin, digging his nails into your sore jaw and forcing you to look at him.

When you close your eyes to try and pretend he’s not there - pretend this isn’t happening, pretend he doesn’t haven’t you restrained in a straddle on the forest floor and is about to do unspeakable things to you - he gives your head a rattle, shaking you until you open your eyes to be met with a blurry world and Titan’s wicked smile.

“It’s too bad, Funny Girl.”

He leans in close to you, your wrists crying under his body weight. His eyes widen on a flare before narrowing - his voice has adopted a soothing tone, but his words are nothing less than gut-wrenching.

“You can be the smartest girl in the world, but it’s nothing compared to strength.”

By the end of his sentence, his cheeks are dimpled into a sickening grin, razor sharp canines salivating over his next meal.

Your wrists are dancing under his hold, but his grip is ruthless. Your eyes are truly pathetic, your squeaky pleads adorned with sloped brows and tearful eyes.

“Titan - please, please don’t do this. Just kill me, please.”

He laughs, that sickenly sweet sardonic laugh that slices through you harder than a knife in the stomach.

“Oh no, Nine. We’re well past that.”

He practically sings the last sentence, drawing out syllables in teasing purrs.

“You like to play dirty.”

He’s unarmed, but his sneering tongue and brute restraint is worlds more threatening than a deadly weapon.

He leans in, inches from you, the heat of his breath on your face bringing your hairs to attention.

“So we’re going to play dirty, Funny Girl.”

He throws his head back in another wicked laugh. When he returns, he jerks your head to the side and buries his razor sharp canines into the sensitive flesh of your neck, drawing a harrowing cry from you. Titan’s tongue roughly laps up the fresh blood pouring from his punctures, laughing into the taste, his lips and breath violating your skin.

It’s getting harder to think, the instinctual panic of an animal has all of your limbs squirming in his hold, but it’s useless.

He’s right.

There is nothing that can compare to brute strength.

He will get his way.

Because he is bigger.

Because he is stronger.

THE OTHER TITAN DRABBLES YOU KNOW YOU WANT, FUNNY GIRL

KONIG X READER HUNGER GAMES AU

#been waiting SO patiently for someone to fucking ask #i love my batshit insane son #like y’all know you want it why are we being so shy there’s no secrets between us #please don’t judge dad too hard lmao #thank you anon <3 #titan #*smooch*#uhohask #tgwcm #uhohwriting #konig #könig #konig cöd #konig cod #konig call of duty #könig call of duty #x reader

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pigeons-with-jello · 19 days ago

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seeing posts abt the election and frowning then scrolling and seeing posts abt tma and smiling again rinse and repeat

#us politcs #the magnus archives #tma #im american but i cant vote so i legit cant even doing anything abt it #im normally very opinionated but honestly i cant bring myself to care until i actually know whos being elected yknw #all we have is speculation right now so just chill out and stop blowing a fuse over something you never could or already tried your best to #stop or control #most of the polls are closed by now so just sit back and wait for the news #you cant do a thing once the patient goes in to surgery but hope the surgeon is good at his job #that being said trump supporters pretty please leave the blog :33 blink blink blink #anyway must go read an absurd amount of tma angst yknw

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binah-beloved · 18 days ago

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despairful day. remember to take comfort in anything that brings you joy. for me, that is Binah. for you, it might also be Binah. that is alright. she has hugs enough for all.

#project moon #lobotomy corporation #library of ruina #binah #binah lobcorp #binah library of ruina #i have sworn to myself that i will keep going #that i will try to have something that sparks delight #it will be difficult #but who will do the things we do #who will make the things we make if we are gone #in troubling times think of everyone you love #binah is there. sitting with a cup of tea #queequeg is waiting patiently to embrace you for she loves the feeling of you in her arms #for those who follow the bus. your coworkers are there too #yi sang is a quiet comforting presence #faust will tell you facts to get your mind off of events #don distracts you with stories. or perhaps she just sits with you and knows what despair feels like #ryoshu will show you how she paints. just this once #meursault is steady and always reliable if you are in need of anything #hong lu messes with your hair however he can with a smile #heathcliff allows you to lean on him. for he is warm and comfortable #ishmael.#rodion paints your nails and offers to help with your outfit. anyone's nails can be painted #the tick of dante's clock is slow and soothing #sinclair can exchange tips to not wallow in nervousness #outis is more lenient. she carves wood did you know?#gregor's not sure what advice to give you. but his voice is calm and soothing #this became long #good. it needed to be

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goldensunset · 1 month ago

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you know how in school they’d always make you (still make you) like choose random topics to give class presentations on while everyone politely clapped even though they didn’t really care about your powerpoint on fungi or whatever bc they’re too worried about getting their own over with. tumblr is like if every single person in the room was paying full attention and was absolutely stoked about it and gave you wild applause and wolf whistles at the end. you can just get on stage and talk about coelacanths and you become a celebrity for a few minutes. like on tumblr it’s on your own terms so it’s like oh snap education is actually supposed to be fun

#this is to say i got a big presentation out of the way today that i was stressing about #or rather i should say i thought about it as ‘getting it out of the way’#but then once i completed it and was ready to present i was like wait this is actually so cool i’m so excited to present #like i was waiting patiently for my turn #and i had a GREAT time yapping for eight minutes about parthenogenesis in sharks #and i’m like aw i’m kinda sad the project is over… :(#maybe i will yap about it on here some time #i love genetics it’s sooooo cool to me i love you punnet squares i love you genes and reproduction #peach rambles #ALSO i got complimented on the presentation by the girl i wanna befriend sooo bad #like holy snap we have similar energy and we both get way too into this class …#and then we yapped for like 15 minutes more on stuff bc we had to do a ‘group discussion’ for something unrelated in that class #and we were literally the only two people in our section doing that thing #we were only like half on topic lol #can’t beat the ADHDemons #then i had Another presentation in the class right after that and it was kind of terrible bc i can only prepare for one thing at a time smh #but it was much lower stakes so #but like WHEWWWWW i can’t believe i got a chain of massive assignments out of the way…. it’s been a wacky past 48 hours

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gd-dollopole · 3 months ago

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But what makes Merlin the perfect tragedy it’s its end.

Yet, it is not that end, it is not Arthur’s end. It is not the death per se. It is the wait. The end hurts more to us viewers because we witness Merlin’s grief. They could have hinted about the fact that he is immortal, that he lived long after what everyone knew.

But they didn’t stop there. We know Merlin has been waiting.

What hurts more is the pain we see in Merlin’s eyes as he stops on the side of the lake, in a place where that lake is no more, where that life hasn’t existed for ages, now. We hurt as Merlin hurts, because he remembers as we remember, because we’re conscious that we don’t know what is worse:

to die, or to watch the person you had adored most, you had loved most, die by something you should have had under control, while you still live.

And Merlin wishes, but he can’t have.

That’s what’s always going to hurt us. The tragedy could have ended like any other:

with a death, whatever it is deserved or not.

But there is something else to be added, there is a, “what if”, there is, “and now what, will Merlin wait forevermore, will he wish to die too, did he suffer unimaginable pain than what we could possibly imagine, because he has lived so long, he has loved so long, perhaps he has killed and healed so long, and yet, after all these centuries,

and the only man Merlin still thinks about, is Arthur.

Arthur’s death hurts not because he dies.

Arthur’s death hurts more because we know Merlin has died that day too.

But he’s patient.

And the ending reminds us of that.

It reminds us that Merlin is still there, hoping.

But we have no idea for how much longer he’ll wait, and if the years that have passed in which Merlin has hoped, will be repaid with Arthur’s return.

And that’s why the ending hurts more than Arthur’s death.

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