#what with the hcs and such

[zz-chikorita]

Role swap! What would Leon and Guzma be like if it was Guzma as a champion and Leon leading the band of misfit grunts? And would you still have Plumeria be close with Guzma (perhaps also part of the league in a role close to the champion) or would she now be Leon's bestie and help look after the grunts?

Ooh, that's an interesting one. I could see this going in a couple of directions...

So alternate universe where Guzma's dad isn't a piece of shit, and raised his son with love and encouragement, maybe he actually became a trial captain and eventually a Kahuna. He still has a pretty boisterous and snarky personality but uses it to endear people to him rather than as a front to mask his insecurities.

Leon, on the other hand, maybe was unable to compete in the pokemon league, or simply was never able to beat the champion. Discouraged, he left home, believing his mother would have an easier time providing for one child instead of two.

He wandered far and wide... not really intentially, he just kept getting lost, casually battling to earn just enough money to feed himself and his pokemon. He spent time in Kanto, Johto, and even Kalos. While in Johto he discovered he was rather good at counting cards, allowing him to easily make some extra cash.

He eventually made his way to Unova, where he found he had the most difficult time surviving. After getting mugged and assaulted one too many times, he makes his way to Alola.

He always wanted to go to Alola since he knew they didn't have a pokemon league- seeing all the gyms and challengers depresses him, regardless of region.

I imagine, once in Alola, his situation became similar to Guzma's in that he joined an existing gang in order to survive and then worked his way up and broke off because he didn't like how things were run and didn't want to be pushed around anymore. And if that's the case, then I guess it would make sense for Plumeria to more or less stay in the same situation (which eventually leads to being Leon's right hand).

Leon is a very different Boss than Guzma in that he is extremely reserved, even to Plumeria, and rarely speaks, choosing to let his pokemon "speak" for him with their sheer power. (This is also at least partially due to the fact that he never underwent speech coaching and thus has a tremendously difficult time talking without his heavy south galarian dialect. He'd rather avoid conflict and prevent himself from being othered whenever possible). If he must speak, he will usually whisper to Plumeria and have her relay the information.

He does have a soft spot for the younger grunts, as they remind him of his brother, and will protect them fiercely. He's grown extremely powerful in his travels, and would be more than capable of becoming the Galar Champion, but that dream has long been forgotten. However, anyone who messes with his kids will feel the full power of him and his team. He has a reputation of being a merciless and cutthroat battler among the island inhabitants as a result.

He was livid when he found out they were beginning construction on a pokemon league in the region and, subsequently, the Team became more active and destructive.

Guzma, being the Kahuna, attempts to open communications about this with Leon, who is far less than receptive.

It's rather irritating considering Guzma is usually so good at winning people over and it eventually becomes a personal challenge for him.

Over time, he figures out the one thing that won't give him a dead stare and cold silence as a response: flirting. The first time he tried it, it caught Leon so off guard he completely dropped his mask and blinked wide golden eyes at the Kahuna and sputtered something barely intelligible. He, eventually, realized what happened and quickly stormed off in an embarrassed huff.

Guzma himself was shocked... shocked by just how cute that stubborn haole could be...

And I'll leave it at that 😁

[eydilily]

hermit family photo ! ! !

[hinamie]

post-graduation trip airport looks

[shepscapades]

Surely this will have no negative consequences whatsoever!

[sangthael]

finally put together a list of some hcs

[bean-spring]

Hot take and not to be a killjoy or the shipping police but people treating Viktor or Jinx's aroace headcanons as if they were canon is not the revolutionary take people think it is.

Headcanons are always all right but we have to acknowledge that they are somehow damaging when they apply to stereotypes. It might not be the case for everyone but most of the time people unconsciously assume that disability/mental illness=asexuality. These headcanons erase the freedom of attraction from people who are already seen as unable to have sexual/romantic experiences/desires, when it's completely untrue and harmful.

You can headcanon Viktor and Jinx as aroace, but I have seen people changing their minds once Viktor is no longer disabled (s2 with all of his other forms) and Jinx is no longer as mentally ill (alternate universe Powder). And it speaks wonders of how people see these characters.

"I never thought about Jinx being able to feel romantic/sexual attraction until s2!" To believe she's actually only capable of that when she's not "damaged" is incredibly disturbing. Especially since Jinx has always had a bit of a flirty personality too.

"I've always seen Viktor as asexual, I don't know why!" That's fine. You can headcanon him as ace. But I believe there is a reason behind it, most of the time, if for some inexplicable reason the "vibes" of the disabled character are making you think he's ace.

I say all of this being aroaspec myself, by the way. Headcanon all you want but going to people's posts commenting how "it's weird for you that they have romantic/sexual plots when they're clearly aroace" is not a win at all. It's a headcanon, after all, and it should be treated as such, and that's fine. But it also is damaging to spread stereotypes like these.

Of course the disabled character is asexual. Of course the mentally ill character is aromantic. It's not as revolutionary as you might think, tbh.

Fandom is not activism and it's all right to have any headcanons you want BUT some of them are filled with damaging stuff and perhaps we should look into ourselves more before treating these assumptions as something canon.

[mangoish]

[professorcalculusstanaccount]

I remember discussing Tintin casting choices with a friend from Germany and remarked how it was odd he often has an English accent in adaptations rather than a Belgian one, and my friend just replied "that's because Tintin gives incredibly strong English boy energy (derogatory)"

Here in the UK there's a lot of weird classism tied into accents. Today accent diversity and representation in broadcasting is actively pursued but in Tintin's time there certainly was a preferred accent to have.

imagine this exchange happens between pages 28-29 in The Crab with the Golden Claws

[ninjasmudge]

thats a red flag narinder, get that crown back while you still can

+ top panel without text below the cut

[frownyalfred]

thinking about a Damian who was raised his entire life hearing how much he looks like his Father, how he's the blood son, how he's better than any other child Bruce Wayne has taken in, starting to buy into it like a kid does, only to hit puberty and turn out looking like 80% Talia.

[https-inertia]

shiny duo

click for better quality

[zz-chikorita]

@jay-gue This started out as a dm I was sending you but then it got really long so I just decided to post it instead. Fair warning (to anyone reading) it's very stream if consciousness and I can't be bothered to edit it properly:

I gotta tell you bout this raileon headcanon I was thinking about the other day. So, I think that Leon's interactions with his fans is pretty controlled ie social medias are run by PR people, he's discouraged from engaging with fans "off the clock", he doesn't have much say in when and where his appearances are etc. This is very different from Raihan who basically runs all his own shit. So, there's a lot more one on one interaction and interactions are much different just by merit of the reply to any random fan's tweet is Raihan himself. The only reason the league even let's him do it this way is because it's proven so successful (times be a changin'). Anyways, Leon is envious because he wants more interpersonal interaction with his fans, but it is what it is. Still, it looks like so much fun to go out and have fun with fans at a bar or a club or a concert... Leon's always being told to "save his voice" for work so those kinds of environments are discouraged. But Raihan can go and yell all night in some mosh pit, completely destroying his voice and then go and post a video where he's like lol I'm gonna get close to the mic and talk very soft and calmly with my hoarse, gravelly voice since I fucked it up so bad. (Have you seen any of markiplier's "quietest" let's plays? Well, it's basically that same energy. Kinda ASMR adjacent, intimate, even a little secondhand embarrassment enducing) Anyways, Leon sees these a few times and typically can't even watch them for more than a few seconds at a time because it just starts to boil his blood and hurt his chest and he doesn't know why. Basically, he just becomes irrationally angry every time Rai puts one out cuz its not fair damnit! Raihan destroys his vocal cords and gets a million comments and praise the next day, if Leon were to do that, there'd be headlines about some outrageous bullshit reasons that make no sense to why he wasn't at 100% full volume, charismatic Leon-ness. At some point it either comes up in conversation or Leon confronts Raihan about it after it happens again and Rai just laughs like 'oh he finds it annoying, now I have a new way to annoy him' so he gets up in his face and starts using the voice. 'Course Leon doesn't know how to process his emotions so he just panics and punches him or pushes him or something like that and runs away to hide somewhere because he's sweating and his face is burning and his heart is pounding and what the bloody hell is happening????

Meanwhile Rai's just like 'damn that look he just gave me was really hot'

[farshootergotme]

Occasionally I picture Nightwing calling Red Hood "little wing" in front of others and people looking between this huge, 6'0 feet tall man with growing white hair, and then Nightwing, a shorter man who has flawless skin, probably around his 20's, and a fit but not too buff build and they just- don't know what's happening. Is it some kind of inside joke they aren't aware of? Why is Nightwing acting as if he's years older than Red-fucking jacked-Hood?

Nightwing: Little wing, you actually were decent in that fight! I'm impressed.

Hero, who was helping during this fight as well, listening in to the conversation: little...?

Red Hood: Wow, feeling very appreciated right now. Got any other backhanded compliments in there?

Hero: Wait, excuse me-

Nightwing: As a matter of fact-

Red Hood: Nope! I'm outta here. Screw you!

Nightwing: You know you love me!

Red Hood: In your dreams, dickhead!

Nightwing: Hey! We don't use that-

Red Hood: Not listening!

Nightwing: Jeez, kids these days...

Red Hood: I'm an adult and fuck you too!

Nightwing: What? Thought you weren't-

Red Hood: See you never, I'm out.

Hero: ...

Hero: what the actual fuck?

[tacc0yak1]

diasomnia parents sketches ive been doing for the past days that was somewhat anatomy practice as well

and scrapped sketch of bday lilia art mhm mhm

[valeriapryanikova]

This season, on Hermitcraft...

(speedpaint)

[bixels]

Learning that fans hated Applejack and called her "boring" is crazyyy to me because I genuinely, unironically believe AJ's the most complex character in the main six.

Backstory-wise, she was born into a family of famers/blue collar workers who helped found the town she lives in. She grew up a habitual liar until she had the bad habit traumatized outta her. She lost both her parents and was orphaned at a young age, having to step up as her baby sister's mother figure. She's the only person in the main gang who's experienced this level of loss and grief (A Royal Problem reveals that AJ dreams about memories of being held by her parents as a baby). She moved to Manhattan to live with her wealthy family members, only to realize she'll never fit in or be accepted, even amongst her own family. The earlier seasons imply she and her family had money problems too (In The Ticket Master, AJ wants to go to the gala to earn money to buy new farm equipment and afford hip surgery for her grandma).

Personality-wise, she's a total people-pleaser/steamroller (with an occasional savior complex) who places her self worth on her independence and usefulness for other people, causing her to become a complete workaholic. In Applebuck Season, AJ stops taking care of herself because of her obsessive responsibilities for others and becomes completely dysfunctional. In Apple Family Reunion, AJ has a tearful breakdown because in she thinks she dishonored her family and tarnished her reputation as a potential leader –– an expectation and anxiety that's directly tied to her deceased parents, as shown in the episode's ending scene. In The Last Roundup, AJ abandons her family and friends out of shame because believes she failed them by not earning 1st place in a rodeo competition. She completely spirals emotionally when she isn't able to fulfill her duties toward others. Her need to be the best manifests in intense pride and competitiveness when others challenge her. And when her pride's broken, she cowers and physically hides herself.

Moreover, it's strongly implied that AJ has a deep-seated anger. The comics explore her ranting outbursts more. EQG also obviously has AJ yelling at and insulting Rarity in a jealous fit just to hurt her feelings (with a line that I could write a whole dissection on). And I'm certain I read in a post somewhere that in a Gameloft event, AJ's negative traits are listed as anger.

Subtextually, a lot of these flaws and anxieties can be (retroactively) linked to her parents' death, forcing her to grow up too quickly to become the adult/caregiver of the family (especially after her big brother becomes semiverbal). Notice how throughout the series, she's constantly acting as the "mom friend" of the group (despite everything, she manages to be the most emotionally mature of the bunch). Notice how AJ'll switch to a quieter, calmer tone when her friends are panicking and use soothing prompts and questions to talk them through their emotions/problems; something she'd definitely pick up while raising a child. Same with her stoicism and reluctance at crying or releasing emotions (something Pinkie explicitly points out). She also had a childhood relationship with Rara (which, if you were to give a queer reading, could easy be interpreted as her first 'aha' crush), who eventually left her life. (Interestingly enough, AJ also has an angry outburst with Rara for the same exact reasons as with EQG Rarity; jealous, upset that someone else is using and changing her). It's not hard to imagine an AJ with separation anxiety stemming from her mother and childhood friend/crush leaving. I'm also not above reading into AJ's relationship with her little sister (Y'all ever think about how AB never got to know her parents, even though she shares her father's colors and her mother's curly hair?).

AJ's stubbornness is a symptom of growing up too quickly as well. Who else to play with your baby sister when your brother goes nonverbal (not to discount Big Mac's role in raising AB)? Who else to wake up in the middle of the night to care for your crying baby sister when your grandma needs her rest? When you need to be 100% all the time for your family, you tend to become hard-stuck with a sense of moral superiority. You know what's best because you have to be your best because if you're aren't your best, then everything'll inevitably fall apart and it'll be your fault. And if you don't know what's best –– if you've been wrong the whole time –– that means you haven't been your best, which means you've failed the people who rely on you, which means you can't fulfill your role in the family/society, which makes you worthless . We've seen time and time again how this compulsive need to be right for the sake of others becomes self-destructive (Apple Family Reunion, Sound of Silence, all competitions against RD). We've seen in The Last Roundup how, when no longer at her best, AJ would rather remove herself from her community than confront them because she no longer feels of use to them.

But I guess it is kinda weird that AJ has "masculine" traits and isn't interested in men at all. It's totally justified that an aggressively straight, misogynistic male fandom would characterize her as a "boring background character." /s

At the time of writing this, it's 4:46AM.