#which its shown IN THE VIDEO shes not being considered as such

[red-dyed-sarumane]

"isnt the new magu song a lolibait song" god u people dont have brains do u.

[lu-is-not-ok]

two in one theory... i am listening very intently if you ever feel up to share it!!

Alright, so this is gonna be... as close to an Abridged explanation of the theory as I can make, because if I went off on everything about it I would end up writing a whole dissertation or five hour video essay script on this shit.

There are gonna be three main sections to this post - Hong Lu's Daiyuisms, Hong Lu's Themes of Identity and how that connects to the concept of Two in One, and the Daiyu-Baoyu theory itself.

Strap in folks.

Hong Lu's Daiyuisms

If you know anything about my theories in the earlier days of Limbus, you might know that I'm one of the very few people who was convinced Hong Lu is actually Daiyu, due to some evidence I found personally compelling. This has not changed, as we've only gotten just as much extra evidence to this as we have to him being Baoyu. So let me just speedrun through some of these points.

The Fucking Jade Eye

Ok hear me out. This is maybe the least important piece of evidence but I can never stop thinking about it. Hong Lu's jade eye? Not actually fully blue! If you look closely on most of his sprites, you can see that he actually has sectoral heterochromia, meaning his jade eye is both blue and black.

Daiyu's name, quite literally, translates to blue-black jade.

Now, you could claim that this is merely meant to be an easter egg reference to her, but... is that really Project Moon's style? After all, when people speculated on Don Quixote being Sancho or a Bloodfiend partially based on her appearance all the way back since near launch, they turned out to be right.

Hong Lu's Father

As of now, there is only one instance of Hong Lu referencing his Father in Limbus, and it's a voiceline from his Base Identity:

Now, if you know anything about DOTRC, this should already be raising some flags, because if Hong Lu was just Baoyu, he would not fucking talk like that about his Father.

In the book, Baoyu is consistently shown to be afraid of his Father, for a good reason mind you, as he's his main abuser. Baoyu would not be looking forward to introducing his friends to that man.

Even if Hong Lu was trying to downplay the abuse he's recieved, this would still not fit his pattern of behavior. When topics that genuinely bother Hong Lu come up, such as what could make him distort or how rich people would enjoy gifts made of humans, he immediately pivots and tries to avoid the topic at all cost. He would not bring up his main abuser in such a lighthearted manner, he would avoid bringing him up at all cost.

However, there is a character in DOTRC which does in fact have a more positive relationship to her Father, and would likely be the one with an opinion such as that - Daiyu. Daiyu loves her Father, and when he dies she completely disappears from the story for a bit to attend his funeral. If there was anyone who would be excited to introduce their friends to their Father, it'd be Daiyu.

Lasso Hong Lu's Corrosion

I made a whole seperate post about this, but I might as well mention it here as well for the sake of completion. The design choices made for Hong Lu which are missing for Faust are very, very Daiyu-coded.

For one, not only does Hong Lu completely turn into a flower, unlike Faust, his horse also gains a flower in its mouth. For those whose knowledge of DOTRC is zero to none, Daiyu is a reincarnation of a Flower given sentience due to being watered by the Jade. I don't think I have to be the one to connect the dots between those two pieces of info for you.

The second is how the halters become a noose for Hong Lu. This, too, is a very Daiyu thing - Rose Hunter as an Abnormality represents the inability to escape one's fate, and Daiyu's fate is to die - the Jia Family arranging a marriage between Baoyu and Baochai leads to Daiyu falling deathly ill, which in itself could be considered a part of her repaying her Debt of Tears - the debt she swore to repay to the Jade/Baoyu when she was still a Flower.

The hilarity of the fact that this E.G.O came out in the same update as Hong Lu being called Baoyu in-story is not lost on me.

Rose Sign Abnormality Log

The third Log for Rose Sign ends in a very peculiar way.

There's multiple ways one can tie Hong Lu's odd reluctance to talk about flowers and the petals. One is the obvious "he's being reminded of Daiyu because she was a Flower" connection, but there's another one.

One of the most commonly potrayed images of Daiyu relates to a scene in DOTRC where she buries fallen flower petals, weeping for and lamenting the mortality of the flowers and herself. Hong Lu's reaction here to his fellow Sinners being reduced to nothing but petals upon Rose Sign's death feels like a notable parallel to Daiyu's flower burial scene.

Like literally everything about Kurokumo Hong Lu

The title for this is a bit of an exaggeration, but at the same time. I'm serious. Kurokumo Hong Lu is perhaps the most Daiyu Identity out of all the Hong Lu Identities we have, and the way he is designed to stand out among them further makes me go insane.

Kurokumo Hong Lu's most defining trait is his attitude - he often complains about his position and how authority treats him, though he doesn't really act out against them in any major way outside of making snarky or sarcastic remarks.

This is, frankly, an extremely Daiyu thing to do. Daiyu is one of the few characters who audibly complains about her treatment in the household. For example she complains about not being given as many opportunities to show off her poetry skills as her male peers are, and she recognises how, when all the girls in the family are given flowers, she's the last one to recieve them and thus is stripped of the ability to pick, being only given the leftovers.

Then there's the whole. Everything about Kurokumo Hong Lu's visual design. Because once you realize just how Daiyu-like the Identity is, you realize just how weird he is compared to other Hong Lu Identities. I mean just look how he compares to his other Identities.

He's the only Hong Lu Identity with a blue tint to his hair in the combat sprite rather than the usual purple.

He's the only Hong Lu Identity whose hairtie is a ribbon rather than a jade ring (Liu Hong Lu technically has the ribbon in his post-uptie art, but he doesn't have it in his combat sprite so I'm not counting him).

He's the only Hong Lu Identity to not be smiling in his combat sprites.

And he's the only Hong Lu Identity (and one of only four Identities in the game) whose Idle sprite has its body facing away from the opponent rather than facing towards them.

All of those combine to make him stand out like a sore thumb in a Hong Lu Identity lineup in a way that makes it feel intentional, especially since he's also the only Hong Lu Identity with that kind of notable attitude towards authority. Other Hong Lu Identities are either obedient, don't express any opinion, or just straight up are the authority.

The Baoyu reveal is framed in a very weird way

This is, admittedly, less of a Daiyuism and more of a not-Baoyuism, but I thought it'd be important to mention nonetheless.

There are a lot of things about Canto 7's reveal of Hong Lu's name being Baoyu that are very strange, especially compared to how the Canto frames Don Quixote's own reveal of actually being Sancho.

For one, the timing itself - why is such an important piece of info being revealed so early? Again, compare to Donqui - she was revealed to be a Bloodfiend in the Intervallo right before Canto 7, and the Sancho reveal only came in the second half of the Canto.

For two, the framing - Donqui's reveals are treated as what they are, Major Reveals. The Baoyu reveal on the other hand happens in a single off-handed line, with nobody reacting to it in any way. Neither Hong Lu nor the other Sinners seem to hear it after all.

And mind you, it's not like Limbus is opposed to giving us important information in off-handed lines - far from it in fact. Project Moon loves shoving little bits of foreshadowing and reveals you don't realize are reveals until way later in these kinds of off-handed lines. But the way those lines are treated is still very different to how the Baoyu reveal is treated.

Usually, when there's foreshadowing in off-handed lines, it's usually either vague enough to be something a character could say regardless of context (see Yi Sang getting hung up on the Sedatives bit in Canto 2 or Ishmael's comment about Syndicates pretending to be Families foreshadowing her own history with the Middle via Queequeg) or something that is in the middle of a scene that distracts from what is actually being said (like Hong Lu's distortion foreshadowing being in the middle of an important infodump or most of everything in Canto 2 being surrounded by a comedic tone).

None of this is present for the Baoyu reveal. There's nothing to distract you from this information, as the scene is already focused on discussing Hong Lu, meaning you're already likely to be paying attention to what is being said about him. There's also no vagueness about it, there's no way you can brush it off since not only are Wei and Xichun newly introduced characters, but it's a whole ass clearcut namedrop.

The only way I can justify that reveal being there in the form it takes is that it in itself is the distraction. Think about it. Didn't I point it out earlier that this reveal came in the same update as the E.G.O with an extremely Daiyu-coded corrosion design? Wouldn't it make sense for that reveal to be there to lower your guard, make you think you resolved that mystery, only to later on reveal it wasn't the whole story after all?

Hong Lu's Themes of Identity

So this section is a bit more vague than the Daiyuism section, because Hong Lu is the type of guy to just Say Shit all the time. It's basically just. Anything that I find relevant to the idea of Hong Lu's Identity being more complex than him just being a random guy using a pseudonym, with some (but maybe not all) of them directly tying to the idea of Two in One.

"Which one is the real you?"

There are currently two seperate scenes where Hong Lu muses on the idea of someone's identity being in some way vague or obscured.

Is Dante the person or the clock? Is the dreamer the one in the dream or the one who wakes from it? Which you is the real you? Does it even matter if that you will flutter away in the end?

This idea of there being one true self. That even if there are two, there is only one of them that is actually you. Curious, right?

Face-changing dance

During the Canto 2 scene where everyone gives their reasons for whether or not they'd be a good pick for being the one to dance, Hong Lu says this.

Bian lian is a kind of dance literally translated as "face-changing". It involves rapid changes between various masks and make-up to represent different emotions or characters.

Now, it's no secret that Hong Lu is a great actor, as we see in Canto 4, and Canto 7 shows how the comparison to theatre and actors can be used to symbolize one's performance of identity, as it does for Sancho and her Don Quixote persona.

Mind you, this reveal comes in the same scene as Sinclair's dance invoking the image of a bonfire burning all through the night according to the Mariachis, a clear foreshadowing to Canto 3 and the Literal burning down of Sinclair's home.

Hong Lu knowing bian lian could be further foreshadowing to his own skills in deception, and how he too is a sort of actor, not unlike Don Quixote. On the other hand however, it could also be a more literal foreshadowing, that he (Baoyu) Quite Literally changed his face. We won't know until Canto 8, but it is an option you know.

The HamHamPangPang dish(es)

For those who don't know, here is a list of the Sinner-themed dishes that were available at HamHamPangPang.

Now, chances are, not all of them have deep meanings. I don't think there's much of a deep meaning to Heathcliff and Ishmael's dishes, I think PJM just legit don't know much about British/American cuisine so they just picked something recogniseable.

However, not all of them are meaningless picks either. Ryoshu, likely a mother, has a meal literally called "parent-and-child donburi". Don Quixote, a Bloodfiend, has a garlic-based dish. These were clearly done on purpose.

So, what does it say that Hong Lu's dish is actually two different dishes? That he's the only one whose dish is two different dishes? And it's not like the two are in some way inherently connected, since they're of completely different cuisines. Japchae is a Korean dish, not Chinese like the Mandarin rolls.

And just in case you weren't convinced that Hong Lu's choice of dishes is purposeful - another name for Mandarin rolls is flower buns, and one of the special occasions japchae is commonly served for is weddings. If you had read through the Daiyuisms section and somehow have no idea what the significance of that is, I don't know what to tell you.

The Daiyu-Baoyu Theory (finally)

So. I gave some evidence for why I think Hong Lu could still be Daiyu despite being revealed as Baoyu. I gave some evidence for why I think Hong Lu could be a Two in One deal, or that at the very least there's something more complex going on with his identity. But let's discuss the theory itself, how it would recontextualize certain things, and why I think it's an extremely fitting an thematically resonant direction for Hong Lu's Canto to go in.

The Theory

Here's what I speculate is going on.

Daiyu, just like in DOTRC, is someone who was taken in into the Jia Household rather than born in it, and who strongly connected with Baoyu upon meeting him. The two would end up forming a bond strong enough that they would be willing to die for one another (or, if they're in particularly argumentative moods, to kill themselves just to force the other to have to live a long life grieving over them - this is an actual argument they have in DOTRC and I pray to god this is adapted into Limbus because it's too fucking funny).

At some point, Baoyu either dies or is brought to near death, likely through the same circumstances as in DOTRC - being beaten by his Father. To save him, his memories and consciousness would be transferred to his eye, a process not dissimilar to the one Xichun brings up in Canto 7, and implanted into Daiyu's body, causing them to become a vessel for Baoyu. This would be how Hong Lu as he is now is created.

All of the above is the main basis for this theory. Everything else that I might speculate about, such as the exact nature of the two's relationship, Daiyu's more exact background and personality, how their pre-reincarnation lives could be adapted - all of those are things that are purely speculative and ones that I don't really expect to be actually fulfilled. The only bits that I am sure are likely to be true is what I laid out above.

So... what does it all mean for the future? I'm glad you asked!

The Recontextualization

Here's a collection of just a couple of things that Hong Lu has said or is depicted as that would be heavily recontextualized if this theory ends up being true.

Hong Lu surviving despite claiming he didn't fight back when his siblings first tried to kill him: With the context that he used to be two seperate people, the answer to how he survived is made very simple. Baoyu is the one who wasn't fighting back. Daiyu, however, could have still protected him in turn.

The red ribbon on Hong Lu's weapon: There is only one other Sinner who has a similar decoration on their weapon - Ryoshu, who also has a red ribbon on her sword, which could be easily connected to Yuzuki and her death. With the context of Hong Lu being Baoyu occupying Daiyu's body and thus effectively rendering their self non-existent, the red ribbon could be a parallel symbol - a symbol of Daiyu and their 'death'.

How Hong Lu treats his weapon in his base E.G.O: The way Hong Lu holds his weapon in the illustration is more like he's cradling another person. This could be a representation of how he feels about Daiyu's situation. Likewise, in the attack animation, he's not really attacking with the weapon itself, is he? He's simply using it to direct a ribbon (which in itself is missing in the illustration), the part that is actually the attack. If the weapon in the base E.G.O represents Daiyu, this could be a parallel to how Baoyu feels like he's merely directing Daiyu's body to attack, rather than being the one actually attacking.

The duality of Hong Lu IDs: There is a notable pattern among Hong Lu IDs, and that is the focus on his attitude to violence. When he's in a situation where he's obedient towards his Family, he's either uninterested in violence, bored of it, or otherwise given no other choice but to use it as a reprieve from boredom. However, when he's in a situation where he's disconnected from his Family or otherwise questioning the status quo, he's shown to not only be much more aggressive and violent, but to outright enjoy it. With the context of Hong Lu being composed of two people, this duality could represent each of his components - the obedient and violence-averse being more Baoyu-like, while the questioning and violence-favoring being more Daiyu-like.

So, there's a bunch of stuff that would be given new meaning under the premise of this theory being true. But now, what about the future? What would this theory mean for the themes and ending of Canto 8?

The Resolution

I believe this is how the Daiyu-Baoyu theory will affect Canto 8.

At some point, whether before or during the Canto, it will be revealed that Hong Lu is both Daiyu and Baoyu. There will be an attempt to seperate the two, perhaps to implant Baoyu into a more fitting, more Jia Family-approved Vessel. Perhaps because the 'arranged marriage' from DOTRC could be adapted into something more... let's say Fear and Hunger kind of marriage rather than traditional marriage.

This will leave Hong Lu to be returned to their state as Daiyu, who will be revealed to be a very different person to what the Sinners knew Hong Lu as. There is a non-zero chance that Daiyu will be unable to hear Dante or be revived by them due to the one who signed the contract being Baoyu, and so they could end up acting as an uncontrollable ally unit not unlike Xichun in Canto 7.

The climax would then be Daiyu and Baoyu reuniting and being unwilling to part with each other again, even for the sake of returning to being the fake persona that is Hong Lu, leading to a potential duo boss fight/distortion boss fight/duo distortion boss fight.

The ending would be the two of them deciding to embrace their new identity as Hong Lu and truly becoming one, discarding their pasts and the selves that had been forced on them by the Jia Family. This ending would have a twofold meaning regarding how it connects to the DOTRC adaptation.

One - it would be a direct parallel to the ending of DOTRC where Baoyu leaves to become a monk. By becoming Hong Lu and discaring his previous identities, he'd be leaving behind the earthly attachments inherent to being Baoyu and Daiyu and become spiritually whole.

Two - it would be a reflection of the major theme of DOTRC, that being "Truth becomes fiction when the fiction's true. Real becomes not-real when the unreal's real." Hong Lu, as a person, is a 'fake' persona used by the 'real' Baoyu and Daiyu. However, by discarding those two identities and deciding to just be Hong Lu, the fiction of his existence becomes the truth, while his former real selves become not real.

Conclusion?

I could honestly just keep going with this post, but I think I'm going to stop myself here before I'm forced to find out what tumblr's character limit on posts is. Believe me, I was trying to be brief, and still this post is. This fucking long.

I hope this explains why this theory has been the subject of my brainrot for the past however long, and why I feel like it's surprisingly plausible despite being as deranged as it is.

Godspeed and godbless, I have classes tomorrow and I'm spending my time on this.

[purpledemonlilyposting]

It's almost impressive how much incest shit Lily's been shown to have saved/written/whatever. She's got to be DIGGING to find this shit cause where to did that stupid slut phone game even come from???

Let's just catalogue all the incest shit Lily has broadcast across all her videos, streams and posts shall we?

Games:

Kana: Little Sister

Mentioned 17 seconds into her 2nd Dunmeshi video with an image of the little sister from Digimon on screen.

A game where the MC can bang his infirmed 15 year old sister.

That Lily didn't have much of a problem with back in 2011:

A Slut Phone

One of the ones Lily accidentally Vaush'd on screen while saving something to her downloads folder like a boomer.

This game appears to be about the titular "slut" being sexually exploited and raped by her father and brother.

Sisters: Ruby & Yang

The second game Lily accidentally Vaush'd on stream:

Not sure if its an actual game or not but it's at least a collection of porn of the two sisters from RWBY by incest porn artist Khartemis.

The Imoen Romance Mod

Written by TC Dale, a known incest erotica author, the Imoen romance mod allows players to romance their half-sister Imoen in Baldur's Gate 2. Lily won't ever shut up about this mod, acts like it's essential to the game's experience and calls it the best romance she's ever read:

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley

The only one Lily will admit to and the only one that gets kind of unfairly characterized as "the incest game" when that's a small part of it and also the bad ending.

But since Lily won't shut up about it and doesn't seem to realize its her third most popular video because she released said video when the game was a hot topic I can only assume she heard "incest game" and slammed the buy button.

Books

[Evidence of Lily's post, she may have deleted this]

Flowers in the Attic

The most mild of these as its actually considered a classic book and wasn't written for titillation but we all know Lily's motivations for mentioning it aren't pure. She mentions it at 16:22 in her Wholesome vs Dark media video and put it on her chart up there.

Forbidden

One of the books on Lily's chart up there that she mentioned at 19:57 in her video on siblings. She claims she tooooottally had nooooo ideaaaaa what the book was about when she read it. Here's the description:

Hale

A book Lily flashed in at 7:53 in her Wholesome vs Dark Media video. Let's look at the description shall we?

You know K. Webster who got banned off Amazon for writing father daughter incest among other things.

Flawed

It's up there on Lily's chart and you'll never guess what it's about!

That's right! Brother-sister incest again!

MISC:

This one is a little more tenuous as I'm not sure which video it was in but someone claimed Lily brought up a film called The Cement Garden which is about... YOU GUESSED IT!

So that brings us to a total tally of

10

10 pieces of media about incest Lily has either referenced or been caught with. The majority of which were clearly produced to be sexually stimulating.

[pineapplehazard]

Not the One

Buck had been particularly down this week. Bobby couldn't help but notice how little excitement Buck had shown about the team playing a role in Brad's show. Knowing how smiley and happy he usually got whenever they encountered camera crews or filming sets, the captain had expected the kid to be jumping around like a golden retriever. But Buck had let out a barely audible, “Oh... that's cool,” and when Chimney started joking about the miracle of them being allowed on set—considering Bobby and Eddie had insulted the show and its “star”—Buck had barely taken the time to flash the fakest, weakest smile ever before turning away, leaving the conversation.

Bobby had also noticed the absence of baked goods from Buck over the following week. He had been so proud of him for finding an alternative to contacting Tommy, trying to separate himself from that failed relationship in a healthy way. Maybe it was a bit much to actually be considered healthy, but spending overtime baking was definitely one of the less destructive coping mechanisms someone on this team had ever used.

Now, this could have meant that Buck had finally come to terms with the breakup—or even better, that he had finally realized he deserved a much better partner than Tommy had been. But Bobby knew better than to be too hopeful.

The sudden halt in Buck’s baking habit could also mean two terrible things:

He and Tommy had somehow gotten back together.

Buck’s mood had dropped so low that even baking wasn’t enough to cope.

Somehow, the hickey blatantly visible on the young man’s neck didn’t help Bobby figure out which option had won.

As Bobby prepared lunch, he couldn’t help but watch his team, hoping to see in them the same worry he felt for his kid.

Hen was focused on the video game in which she was currently beating Buck. If she was worried about him, it was well hidden behind sarcastic comments and playful shoves on the sofa.

Eddie, however… Eddie was watching Buck with a complicated expression on his face. Bobby sighed. What a terrible time to have a revelation, Diaz. (Then again, Bobby knew better than to hope that either of these two idiots would realize what they were to each other anytime soon.)

“I’m afraid we’re back to Buck 1.0, Cap,” Chimney said, coming up behind him at the counter, resigned.

“1.0?”

“Truckstealer Buck, if you prefer. It’s too bad. I think we were at least on Buck 5.0 by now. Maybe 6.0? Do you think the lightning strike caused an update?”

Bobby gripped the pan handle tighter than he should have at that unnecessary reminder.

“A hickey doesn’t mean he’s back to his former bad habits…” the captain said, uncertain of who he was trying to convince.

“Sure, no. But three hook-up dates in three days?”

Bobby didn’t answer, but his face must have said enough. Chimney sighed and shook his head.

“I know… It’s bad. He even refused to babysit Jee or come over for dinner! Buck loves seeing Jee!”

Their conversation was interrupted by the end of Hen and Buck’s game. Chimney left to set the table, grumbling about how he should have tried harder to stop Buck before he even started dating that “asshole.”

None of it was mentioned for the rest of the shift. Buck tried to act as usual, Hen managed to do so, Eddie brooded, and Chimney and Bobby exchanged concerned glances from time to time.

Bobby remembered his talks with Buck when he’d started his relationship with Abby, and later, the conversations they’d had after the Buckleys’ first visit to LA. He remembered how proud Buck had been of his personal growth—of no longer needing to be used to feel like he mattered. Bobby thought of all this and decided he couldn’t just watch Buck destroy all his progress. His kid was hurting, and Bobby was going to help him get better.

Which led the captain to be standing in front of Buck’s door.

For a second, he hesitated, realizing suddenly that he might find Buck in a compromising position, considering the frequency of the “hook-up dates” Chimney had described. Still, he knocked.

Not two minutes passed before the door opened to Buck, fully dressed (thank God) and apparently alone.

“Bobby?” Buck frowned, clearly perplexed by his captain’s presence but still stepped aside to let him in. “I’m—I’m sorry, it’s a bit of a mess right now, but, um… come in?”

As Bobby walked in, he did notice the “bit of a mess.” He wouldn’t go so far as to say the loft was unrecognizable—he had spent too much time in it after bombings, lightning strikes, and housefires not to recognize the place—but it did look like a tornado had made its way inside. Most of Buck’s baking instruments were scattered across the central island, empty flour bags and takeout boxes filling the rare voids.

The living room wasn’t much better. Dirty T-shirts and sweatshirts were lazily thrown on the chairs, and by the couch, DVDs and… Lego boxes? covered the floor.

Bobby took a determined breath and looked Buck right in the eyes. “I think we need to talk.”

Buck’s confusion turned to dread. “Is everything okay? Is Athena—”

“Athena’s fine. Everyone’s fine,” Bobby reassured. “Except you, it seems.”

“What?”

Grabbing the kid’s arm, he guided him to the table. “Stop gaping like a fish and sit, Buckley.”

Dirty sweatshirts were thrown further away, they both sat, accompanied by an awkward silence. Buck wouldn't meet Bobby's eyes, looking like a kicked puppy.

"I'm going to talk, Buck, and I would like for you to listen, to hear what I'm trying to say... Okay? This isn't a reprimand or anything like that, I'm just worried about you, kid."

At that, Buck finally raised his head, and god, those sad blue eyes could really break Bobby's heart over and over again.

"I couldn't help but notice a change in your behavior recently. You're not smiling as much as you used to, you're not baking anymore, you're avoiding your sister apparently, and visibly you've been..." The man gestured awkwardly to the hickey. "going out? Again. And that's a lot of signs indicating that you're not doing very well."

Buck just nodded, lips pinched and eyes watery. Bobby suddenly regretted choosing to have a whole table between them. He should have been holding Buck close, in such a good hug that it would shield the boy from all of his problems.

"I know from experience that when we suffer, we tend to lean on our bad habits, and we say to ourselves that it's because they're comfortable, but in truth, we go back to them because we know that they hurt us."

"Bobby..."

"And I know it might not be my place, but I'm not certain that you going out on dates with different people, and... what follows, is actually doing you any good."

In front of him, Buck had become red, stumbling on his words, embarrassed.

"I—uh—hm... Bobby, I don't—I have not been sleeping around, if that's what you're worried about."

Bobby's eyebrow lifted by itself, too skeptical considering the purple mark on the young one's neck.

"Okay, I... I had one date. Yesterday. And it didn't go further than what you can see, actually. He... He wasn't who I really wanted."

Oh, Tommy Kinnard. If punching people in the street was more accepted... How could someone voluntarly decide to break this boy's precious heart?

"Then why couldn't you see your sister and your niece? Two different times?"

"Well... I was busy...," Buck gestured to the whole flat, "sulking... as you can see."

"That's all?" Bobby asked, unconvinced.

"No..." Hesitation passed on Buck's face before he continued. "Can I say something terrible?... They're too happy. I mean, I'm glad that they are! But... I didn't think I could have survived spending time with the perfect happy family... Maddie and Chim are so happy together... They're married, and they have a wonderful daughter who's as shining as them, and... They're the reminder of everything I've just lost, you know?"

Bobby didn't know, actually. Sure, things had been going well enough between Buck and Kinnard, but to think that the kid was already projecting marriage and children with this man? Bobby had been lightyears away from imagining things were that serious between them. He should have known. Buck always went all in in his relationships. Now the captain felt terrible with how lightly they all had approached his breakup, if Buck had been grieving this entire future he had envisionned.

"Sometimes you meet someone thinking that they're the one, and it seems so perfect that the idea that they could leave you one day never crosses your mind... But sometimes they do... and it hurts. It's normal that it hurts." As Bobby talked, the young man just nodded, wiping his nose from time to time. "And you're grieving, because no matter how short it was," Buck frowned. "what you had with them was real. What matters, Buck, is that you can cherish what you had without punishing yourself for not having it anymore."

At this point, Buck was barely holding his tears, and Bobby decided that enough talking had been done. He walked around the table and wrapped his arms around the boy.

"It's too hard."

For a moment, they stayed like this, Buck holding Bobby like he was his lifeline, wetting his captain's T-shirt with his tears. Oh, Bobby wished he could take all his pain away. Until he found a way to do that, he would continue to hold him tight.

"It feels like my one real happiness was right in front of me, but it got snatched away before I could really catch it."

"It might feel like it right now, but I'm sure you will find happiness, Buck. It might just not be with Tommy."

The boy suddenly froze in his arms.

"...With who?"

[wimpywompythethird]

Hello! If you’re new to the Hazbin/Helluva critic side of Tumblr and have heard people discussing how certain characters are stereotypes but aren’t sure why, I’m here to explain! Today, we’re diving into Angel Dust.

Trigger warning: Mentions of drugs, abuse, and sexual assault

Many viewers have criticized Angel Dust’s portrayal in Hazbin Hotel for leaning into the stereotype of the overly sexualized gay man. Initially, his design balanced both masculine and feminine traits, as he was originally intended to be gender-fluid. Early concepts also included Angel in a relationship with Vaggie, and his character was more focused on his role as a mafia member rather than being defined by sex work or his abusive relationship with Valentino. However, Vivziepop later reworked his character to be explicitly gay, shifting the focus of his story toward themes of sex, drugs, and sex work, while making him entirely feminine. Even back when the pilot was the only official material, there was already debate over how his character was meant to represent a gay man and whether it perpetuates harmful stereotypes.

While there’s nothing wrong with exploring themes of femininity in gay men or addressing sex and sex work this has sparked some controversy within the fandom, particularly regarding Angel’s interactions with other characters, including his sexual harassment of Husk. Some argue that Angel’s behavior reflects his trauma, with hypersexuality serving as a coping mechanism for past abuse. However, others feel this narrative risks reinforcing harmful stereotypes. Specifically, the idea that Angel’s behavior can be excused due to his trauma is concerning. While trauma may explain his actions, it shouldn’t excuse predatory behavior, and he shouldn’t be treated any differently when acting inappropriately.

There are growing concerns about how the show handles sensitive themes, particularly regarding non-consensual content. Vivziepop has previously shown troubling support for such material, including liking a post describing a scene from the “Poison” music video, where Angel Dust is sexually assaulted by his abuser, calling it “hot.” She also defended an employee who sexualized the ship Valangel (Angel and his abuser, Valentino) by falsely claiming they were a sexual assault survivor, using this defense to downplay their actions. This is the same employee who made inappropriate sexual comments to a minor, and when this was brought to Vivziepop’s attention, she dismissed it as a “joke.” This pattern of dismissive and concerning behavior is compounded by incidents in Hazbin Hotel, where Sir Pentious almost experiences assault, which is treated as a joke, despite him explicitly stating that he didn’t want it. Similarly, Helluva Boss portrays Moxxie being subjected to assault, again treating it as comedic. These instances of sexual assault being portrayed as humor are deeply problematic. While the show seems to want to tackle serious themes when it serves its narrative, it disregards the gravity of these issues when they are deemed “funny.” It’s essential that serious topics like sexual assault be handled with care, respect, and sensitivity. The line between humor and harm must be carefully considered, especially when addressing such delicate subjects.

In conclusion while Angel Dust’s backstory includes elements of trauma and coping mechanisms, the way his character is written raises significant concerns about the potential reinforcement of harmful stereotypes. The handling of sensitive topics like abuse and hypersexuality combined with the portrayal of non-consensual situations as jokes, risks reducing a complex character to a problematic trope

[cursed-cube]

So a common headcanon/theory I’ve seen floating around is that when Okarun shifts into his yokai form, the personality shift he undergoes is representative of a “truer” inner self. I can see the line of logic that led to this, but the more thought I’ve put into it, the less I’ve agreed with the premise. And I’ve put so much thought into it at this point that it’s had to become its own whole post separated from the analysis it was originally a part of, so strap in.

Disclaimer: if this is your personal headcanon, I’m not here to try to prove you wrong or make you change your mind, I’m more so discussing this from the theory side of things and what I think will happen as the manga continues. Also slight manga spoilers for up to chapter 172 !!

So as the theory goes, the personality that comes out when Okarun’s transformed is a more genuine version of himself, where his yokai form removes his anxieties and allows him to act more confidently and openly show the depression and pessimism that’s lived in him the whole time. On a surface level this tracks, as being in this form does make him more confident, blunt, and he completely drops the formal way he speaks to people, going so far as to adopt a cute nickname for Momo.

I don’t think this fully makes sense for a number of reasons, though. Firstly is that throughout all 175 chapters that are currently out, I can’t recall any moments where Okarun ever acts in a way that would hint at his real inner workings reflecting the personality and behavior that come out when he is transformed. I could have missed something, of course, but when so much of Momo and Okarun’s relationship is built on them being their genuine selves around the other (more on that in this great video I saw), I’m inclined to believe that there isn’t going to be another shoe to drop nearly 200 chapters in.

To explain my other reasoning, I’m going to have to go into a little bit of a side tangent about Aira, and first I want to establish why I think comparing Okarun to her in this instance makes sense. So up until the cursed diorama arc, the only character that really has comparable yokai related powers to Okarun is Aira. They acquire these powers in different ways, and Seiko says Okarun has Turbo Granny’s “spiritual power”, whereas Acro-Silky says she gave Aira her “aura.” Given the contexts of the scenes these are said in I would assume they are meant to be two different concepts, however it’s not ever explicitly stated or shown how the difference there affects them or their yokai abilities, so I am treating them as functionally the same thing for this analysis. Regardless, the similarity between them seems to be that in one way or another, they have been left with the spiritual energy of their respective yokai, which allows them to transform in very similar ways. Their transformations affect them both physically in making them taller and stronger, as well as their personalities, with Okraun becoming less formal overall, and Aira becoming more formal in the way she addresses people.

Even though they are affected by their transformations in very similar ways, I haven’t seen any kind of headcanon or theory that the way Aira behaves while transformed is how she truly is or feels, which makes perfect sense considering her first character arc. From when she’s introduced, she’s shown to have a dynamic with Momo, Okarun, and her other peers at school, where even before she’s able to use Acro-Silky’s abilities, she’s pretty two faced. In chapter 51, Momo even says, “There’s our Aira!” when she and Okarun pull Aira away from her class and she immediately shifts to her more snarky attitude towards Momo. The manga makes it quite clear that the way she acts at school, and on occasion towards Okarun, is an act, and that her genuine personality is a little nasty and rude (which she is loved for! By other characters and audience members of taste). And with that established, of course no one put that much emphasis on how her behavior changes when she’s using Acro-Silky’s powers. She’s still the same person, her mannerisms and the way she speaks are just altered slightly, which is also pretty much how I feel about Okarun’s yokai form.

That being said, I don’t want to fully dismiss that the shifted personality could mean something, and in fact I wouldn’t be surprised if Okarun did still have some repressed feelings and pessimism from his time growing up without any friends, but at the current point in the story I’m not sure if I could see that being shown explicitly tied to his yokai form. As of chapter 165, Okarun gets his final ball back, and as per his end of the deal, he returned Turbo Granny’s spiritual power to her, and she left with them and hasn’t made an appearance since. Okarun no longer has access to his yokai form, but at this point he’s surrounded by friends, he’s confessed his feelings to Momo, and he’s even grown physically strong enough to hold his own in a fight without any powers. As far as what we’ve been shown, Okarun has developed and his life has changed so much that he doesn’t really have any of those reasons to be a pessimistic downer that he had before the events of the series. Not to say he has no reasons to be sad, of course, we still haven’t been given even a hint of what his family and home life is like, and I expect something will happen with that eventually. But with where the story has gone so far, I don’t see this theory being true or narratively compelling.

TLDR: There’s not much evidence going for this theory, and several things against it, so I personally don’t see it going anywhere in the canon series. The way Okarun acts and the feelings he expresses in his yokai form could still potentially mean something, so I won't completely dismiss it, but with where the story is currently I don’t think this theory being true would add much or be a compelling element of the plot.

[theclownghoul]

Gratuitous

Opinion piece & analysis

I really hate how Jinx’s suicidality is portrayed in S2, largely in Act lll but we’ll talk about all of it.

In S1 we have about three moments (by my count) that show Jinx harming herself or trying to end her life. Hitting herself in episode 3, being careless with the staples in episode 7 and pulling the pin on the bridge also in episode 7. There is also a line she says to Vi “You’re the reason I’m still alive” in episode 9 which given other things she says in that moment could be interpreted as other ideations.

What makes these moments different from S2 episode 9? Well none of the three main writers were credited to those episodes other than the dialogue in S1 episode 9. Most of them are communicated through animation only. They also just feel different, they’re vulnerable, other things are the focus and her doing these things is just a reaction to those feelings. There was something to get from the scene besides a showcase of her pain.

Episode 9 of S2 is not that. It’s gratuitous, it’s a spectacle, it’s gory and somehow losing all its impact. There’s the music which is not what I’d call tasteful or subtle. It’s making an impression, wants to force a feeling or reaction. Make you sad or horrified and oh, I was horrified but not the way they wanted.

Even the way she digs her nails into her cuticles in S2 episode 8 isn’t really meant to show us anything about her. It’s meant to affect the audience.

In comparison I almost appreciate how people have read her pulling the pin in S1 episode 7 as trying to manipulate or take Ekko out too instead of being a completely clear cut attempt. Because it at least shows that there is enough going on with the character’s mindset that we can speculate on her motivations and how she’s reacting to all the emotions that came from fighting her old friend. If you look at her face it’s sadness and regret (S1 is also better at story through facial expressions since there was forethought). You’re free to have your own reaction, not the one that’s set out for you.

I have mixed feelings about her fight with Vi now and telling Vi that she’s okay to go out by her hand. It feels closer to the moments in S1 than later in episode 9. There’s more going on, we’re meant to consider multiple layers of both her and Vi’s feelings in the moment. It’s a non explicit parallel to the Bridge and does show a pattern of behaviour. It’s also not credited to any of the main writers.

The scene from the opening of episode 9 as a whole, is it romanticization? Heard differing opinions on this and I honestly don’t know where I stand. One one hand it shows how empty she feels and how everything has come crashing down despite trying and it communicates her emotions through the images and music. On the other the scene is meant to be visually appealing while also showing her detonating the bomb very explicitly, like you see her blood. I’m sorry but this is some 13 reasons shit. None of this is helped by the fact that Isha was killed purposely to get her in this state.

I had way more emotions about the actual story in the scene with Ekko in S1 and the scene with Vi in episode 3. Originally I liked this scene but I just can’t really remember why exactly, especially when compared to the earlier ones. The other scenes aren’t lacking in any way when it comes to showing her despair so I’m lead to believe it’s a stylistic choice in line with S2’s music video focus.

Then there’s Ekko… what did he do to deserve this? I’ve said before that if he had to he would save her but the reason he had to was because this scene sounded like a good idea. Saw someone say why is it his responsibility to save her and yeah why? He’s her romantic interest? Not from her perspective at this point and that’s a terrible reason anyway. Not only are we shown her blowing herself up in detail, being inflicted with it but he also has to see that, multiple times. Please don’t make me think too long about it… then we don’t see what actually changes her mind and actually see their bond. That also doesn’t give me a lot of faith is what they think is important to show.

Then she sacrifices herself at the end to “break the cycle” which no one is actually clear on what is meant by that and the same damn song is playing. It’s weird.

I’d like to compare it to the Poison sequence from Hazbin Hotel since that scene faced backlash for romanticizing abuse specifically in that scene. If I can describe what makes Poison not exploitative and what makes Wasteland so then I can safely say they are different and there is something deeply sinister about Jinx’s scene.

Poison benefits internally, inside the context of the story from being visually appealing and pretty. That tells part of the story in and of itself and eventually it cracks, mirroring how Angel feels in the scene and in his situation.

Wasteland benefits externally, it’s done for the audience as I’ve been saying. There is nothing about Jinx’s mindset or actions that we get a better insight into from the stylistic choices. We know “she loves a spectacle” but that’s the only internal explanation that I could make. Even if they wanted the cutting of her hair and the burning on the last drop but the framing could have easily been different.

Think about the staple scene for contrast, it has no interest in being something other than what it is, brutal and disorienting, just as she is feeling in that moment. Jinx would behave that way whether there were “eyes” on her or not. Poison is the same, Angel “performs” to keep his thoughts at bay regardless of an audience. Wasteland only exists in its current form to entertain.

The final “sacrifice” also falls into this, solely focusing on eliciting a reaction from the audience and making a spectacle of sadness. There is no resolution to Jinx’s earlier conversation with Ekko, we don’t see her reflect, we don’t see a change. We have no reason to believe she’s in any way in a better place. Her decision to give her life for Vi’s isn’t particularly fleshed out and this as a conclusion to her arc is bizarre at best and offensive at worst, suggesting she had to remove herself from her loved ones lives, something she simultaneously feared and was tempted by.

I probably shouldn’t feel the need to make such a caveat but I am aware that the could be a matter of preference when it comes to how scenes like this are portrayed but the way this scene was done continues to strike me as odd. I can’t help but think it maybe intentionally or unintentionally is playing into the “sacrifice” message where, it may be a sad thing but Jinx had to die. And that’s a horrible thing to say.

[snowyh2o]

So, saw a video on YouTube that was analyzing if Alastor exhibited traits similar to someone diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. It was interesting, if a bit superficial and missing a lot of the smaller blink and you’ll miss it details (as well as for some reason omitting his past relationships and focusing only on his current ones), but it got me thinking about how much we know of who Alastor is.

And I think that we actually know a lot more about who he is as a person and what makes him tick than we think we do. What we don’t know is what his situation currently is, and that’s sort of conflated with not knowing or being sure of him and his motivations.

So to list what we do know of him in no specific order:

He claims he’s sponsoring the hotel because he wants to watch other people fail for his own entertainment, something that we know for sure now is not the case, or not the entire reason.

He was very desperate when making that deal with Charlie, this is something he was probably aiming for and has been waiting to do for a long time.

His disappearance is a sore spot that he doesn’t want others to be prying into.

He’s trapped in a deal that appears to be restricting either his actions, power, or both and he desperately wants to get out of the deal.

Related, the deal appears to be new, based off Husk’s comment and Alastor’s reaction/surprise at the comment.

Related, he HATES being reminded of his deal.

All his shown past friends are women. Conversely, he seems to get along well with women over men.

Related, he lets Mimzy, Nifty, and Rosie all touch or manhandle him around without showing discomfort or distaste. He also lets Husk poke him in the chest, and appears to have grown equally as comfortable around Charlie.

Related, he offers Charlie his microphone twice when she needed to do a big inspiring speech.

Related, his microphone appears directly linked to some of his powers, and could also be considered a weakness of his should it be broken.

He knows that Mimzy only ever comes to him when she needs something, and doesn’t care that he’s being manipulated and taken advantage of into taking care of her problems. In fact, Mimzy stated that he loves taking care of her (problems).

Related, the hotel is important enough that he can’t risk having that kind of behavior with Mimzy here, that he’s willing to shoo away one of his few friends he’s genuinely happy to see.

Rosie is his best friend, he’s the most comfortable with her and while in Cannibal town. It’s the only time we’ve seen him so cheerful and relaxed and smile like he means it. His smiles here are wide enough to show his gums, but his eyes and lips reveal its not just a well disguised snarl.

Related, he’s very excited to show off Cannibal town to Charlie when he brings her over.

Related, he hasn’t gone to see Rosie since the overlord meeting despite having had 5 months to do so after coming back from his hiatus.

Related, he doesn’t ask for Rosie to help during the battle, he specifically restates his favor to “well your cannibals help at least”. She’s seen sipping tea and listening to the news in the aftermath.

His beef with Lucifer started way before he ever met the guy. In his advertisement, he makes a note to say there’s no tacky circus decor at the hotel. When he sees the welcome sign he visibly sneers at it. When Lucifer finally shows up and hugs Charlie his eye is twitching.

Related, whatever beef he has with Lucifer is unrelated to Lucifer’s attitude towards him when they finally meet, though that certainly does not help.

Related, it’s also clearly not about being the most powerful person in the room because he doesn’t behave that way when speaking with Zestial, or during the overlords meeting.

Related, he’s bothered when Carmilla reveals she wasn’t curious about his absence (which fair. I’d hope my colleagues would ask where I’ve been if I went MIA for 7 years).

He offers Charlie advice on projecting confidence and control when she’s not, a tactic he employs every minute of every day.

He tends to be helpful but in a backhanded way. He helps Charlie get out of her funk by being mean about it and mocking her for accidentally landing the hotel in hot water. He summons an old fashioned mint condition camera for Vaggie at first before replacing it with a beat up and bandaged video camera. He helps Vaggie with the advertisement after watching her struggle. He does get rid of the eggs, but only for a day by taking them with him on his overlord meeting trip.

Related, more miscellaneous menial labor is usually done straightforwardly, like fixing the wall, for the umpteenth time and apparently unclogging the toilet when nifty gets stuck.

He likes listening to people vent about and struggle with their situation.

He does not like listening to people vent about and struggle with their love life.

Whatever he’s up to it appears as though he’s truly thrown his lot in with Charlie and the hotel, at least for now.

Apparently used to be friends or friendly with Vox. And will let people take a picture of him if it’s with an old fashioned camera.

After the battle, instead of returning to the others he drags himself to his radio tower, the one that fell down off a cliff after Adam destroys the hotel. This means he didn’t head there first when he retreated, and only went afterwards once the fight was over. He was probably staying close enough to see how the fight was going, evidenced by how he knew where to go to find his radio tower.

During his mental breakdown, he’s smiling harder than ever before, and only seems to regain some semblance of control when he’s restating his current goals.

Related, Alastor’s current objective is to free himself of the deal or find a loophole around it. He’s probably planning on using Charlie’s favor for that.

Related, Alastor could’ve also wanted a favor from Charlie as general insurance in the off off chance she ends up betraying him. He seems to let his guard down around her more after the deal, and even helpfully supplies her an army without any more prompting or deal making.

Alastor’s expression when talking about making soul deals in general.

Related, Alastor’s expression when talking about how Charlie still has her soul specifically.

Used to take out last overlords for slighting or doubting him, doesn’t do that anymore. There’s a chance he stopped doing that before his seven year absence.

Related, apparently Sir Pentious also didn’t know about what Alastor did to overlords back in the day??? And they’ve fought 20+ times??? Strengthens the assumption that Alastor stopped killing overlords after he’d established himself as a top dog. Deer. And before his disappearance.

Related, while Carmilla was surprised to see him at the meeting, she and the other overlords like Zestial weren’t scared of him and accepted his presence without complaint. If he were still actively hunting down overlords I doubt, as overlords themselves, they’d have been so comfortable in his presence.

Didn’t appear to have any plans in announcing his sudden return until Vox provoked him.

Related, his broadcasts might’ve been about overlord gossip, aside from the screaming.

Shared what he can do to help during the battle with the rest of the hotel. Specifically the shield he conjures.

Related, likely volunteered himself as the one to take on Adam, since he’s the most experienced and strongest fighter in the group (Charlie’s inexperience with using her power means she’s unsuited for the task).

He speaks fondly of the group as a whole when talking to Nifty when she speaks about how much she likes them (and can we keep them, please?).

Apparently he doesn’t just enjoy watching people’s suffering but also the bonds these wayward souls form with each other.

He does, still, enjoy kicking people when they’re down. Or rather kicking people when they try to challenge him and think they have a chance.

He really knows how to get under people’s skin.

Shark snacks go nom.

Additional points from the replies:

If Alastor was sent to the hotel against his will, then whoever sent him there also did not stipulate that he couldn’t make deals with the residents, which is a huge oversight. (Peppersnap79)

Husk and Nifty appeared to stay behind and help the hotel of their own free will, Alastor did not appear to order them to stay in any way. (Peppersnap79)

My Conclusions based on more things than just what I’ve listed out: he’s probably insecure about his status in hell after the seven year absence. Whatever happened during that time is also a sore point for him, something he doesn’t want others to know about or pry into.

His reputation as the Radio Demon is very important to him. He put a lot of effort into crafting the Radio Demon’s reputation and persona as someone to be feared and not to be fucked with. This is put at risk when he nearly dies protecting the hotel.

He smiles to put himself in control, to trick both others and himself into thinking that he’s got control of the situation or himself more than he actually does. He does not like being reminded that he is not in control of his life at the moment, and his current greatest desire is freedom from his deal. The more out of control he feels, he harder he tries to smile.

He is very soft and forgiving/tolerant with the few friends he has, and has grown visibly attached to or fond of the rest of the hotel. He also appears to be protective of them, in his own weird way. Constantly defending Mimzy against whatever trouble she brings and ultimately leaving Rosie out of the actual battle. This is counterproductive to his plans, and interferes in a way he hadn’t been expecting it to. Part of his breakdown is a direct result of this unexpected interference, that his own emotions had gotten him to risk his life defending the hotel (the group).

Restating his goals to eventually escape seems to reassure him and calm him/act as a grounding mechanism when he feels like he’s losing it. He’s using the Radio Demon persona like it’s a lifeline, because the Radio Demon is who he wants to be, needs to be, if he wants to get out. The Radio Demon’s always in control, he’s the one who holds all the cards, pulls all the strings. Nothing scares him, and nothing controls him.

He’s sadistic, calculative, intelligent, spontaneous, a showman, a softie, arrogant, egotistical, insecure and paranoid. He gets attached to things more easily than he’d care to admit, and lies to himself as much as he lies to everyone else. His Radio Demon persona is just as much a part of him as it is a mask to hide what’s going on underneath. What’s there to hide if he shows them what they want to see? The audience should only care for the play, not the actors behind the scene.

[cheesymellow]

my last thoughts & predictions before the shadow milk update1!1!

(lots of yapping and BAD explanations)

My bingo better have at least 1 line

alright so im gonna start off with my wl prediction

In the teaser, Ive noticed we only seen her twice. and i had a thought

shadow milk has been with pure vanilla the whole time right? Or at least, he was listening to EVERYTHING during Beast yeast ep 2 right? so he probably must’ve heard white lily say this to pure vanilla:

“Instead of following the voice in your head, Just follow my voice instead!” -wl

something like that im too lazy to find the exact line

What if he uses that to his advantage? 🤯

What if the white lily we see in the trailer is just an illusion, a puppet. Something shadow milk is controlling to fool the trio and pv. Or hes disguised as her. ORR-

We get seperated with the real white lily and get in contact with the FAKE white lily. ORR- she gets possesed (which is probably the least likely)

BUT ANYWAY-

Imagine like, Shadow milk tries taunting pv but hes resisting. So his backup plan is to use that white lily puppet. he has to make it subtle but its a key role to making him corrupt/“see the truth”. or whatever

and as fake white lily leads him too his doom. What if the real white lily is there just horrified what the fake her has done. Then once the real her manages to get to pv. Pv might not listen to her and they split-

but the thing im wondering about is also, Why would white lily go with pure vanilla? I always thought all ancients are fighting their beasts at the same time lorewise. But with WL being with PV, That kinda debunks that theory. Which is why im gonna cling more to the puppet/illusion of white lily~

-its been stuck in my head okay 😭

Okay moving on back to my previous theory:

The corrupted PV theory

im starting to doubt it because judging by the rest of the videos shown, it looks more like possesion 😭.

This reflection here also might JUST be a vision but i still have hope considering how similar it is to this silhouette:

call me delulu Anyways-

IM THINKING, If corrupting or posession wouldn’t be a thing. Imagine if they switch personalitys/perspectives.

Like, The videos said pure vanilla and his friends are looking for the “beast binding ritual” thing.. But what if it goes wrong? Shadow milk could possibly counter it but instead of countering it what if he changed the spell..

“binding”.. BINDING.. WHAT IF SHADOW MILK ACCIDENTALLY GIVES ALL CORRUPTED ENERGY TO PURE VANILLA LEAVING HIM UNCORRUPTE-

Okay thats too far isnt it. No freaking way devsis would do that to us! if this is actually real i don- Okay were gonna move on.

I still think PV is definitely gonna snap, I really hope he does. But like i said before, Maybe he will just experience the cycle of corruption, But maybe/not go fully through it

Connecting the WL prediction. Maybe right when hes about to snap, or even actually go corrupted, the REAL white lily finds him and helps him regain his strength

But not his sanity! Maybe after experiencing that, What if his point of view changes?. Ive seen theories on once pure vanilla overcomes smilk he will permenantly open his eyes which is a nice theory So maybe he might be slightly derranged, or maybe even slightly silly like shadow milk! putting a few jokes here an there but overall still himself-ish.

Possession in the otherhand.. I cant think of any real reason on why shadow milk would want to posess him. He still thinks of him as a mere half anyway. But he also wants to reveal the truth to him?? im confusing myself oml

oh my freaking gosh this is so confusing its like 12am writing this what am i doing

Alright moving on to my Previous theory on Pure Vanilla Falling from the spire:

Starting to get more confident but im not sure what’s happening here

honestly have no ideas but my OG prediction was basically:

Pv climbs the spire to try and escape smilk, Only to find emptyiness at the top and get an existential crisis, Then smilk talks to him then pv decides to fall OR smilk pushes him. Then when he falls he either awakens or corrupts, and thats what saves him from the fall

but after seeing this, I cant really think of ideas on what smilk would do to pv here. Feels like he put him there? Wait no, We have a photo of pv climbing the spire..

i dont have much ideas for this lol, Still hope he corrupts tho

[primaviva]

PAIRING: gwen stacy x fem!reader

SYNOPSIS: while hanging out in gwen’s room, you find a neatly folded piece of paper on the floor of her messy room, which is weird considering how messy she is. she clearly cares about it and upon questioning her, she doesn’t wanna spill her secret. it had you thinking, what was so special about the sheet of paper?

WARNINGS/NOTES: none! pure fluff, kissing, gwen being the rockstar gf that she is, crappy movies that’s not a warning im just scarred from actually watching the movie ENJOY !!

as the afternoon approached and the sun began its descent, the world outside seemed to transform into a watercolor landscape. from gwen's window, you gazed in wonder as the sky blazed with bright oranges, rich yellows, and deep purples, each hue dripping like drying artwork caught in a gentle breeze and blending seamlessly into the next like an artist's paint strokes. it was a breathtaking sight, and for a few moments, you simply savored the beauty of the world around you.

gwen had taken you to a peculiar sandwich joint on your date, one that she had seen being robbed by the typical goon. in hindsight, that should have been a red flag to you, but the food turned out to be surprisingly good. ‘maybe that villian that spiderwoman fought had some redeeming qualities after all and maybe he was onto something’ you thought. as the sun began to dip below the horizon, you both strolled through the city streets, not quite ready to call it a night. eventually, the clock crept towards 5:00 and gwen invited you back to her place. you accepted happily, totally not feeling a flutter of excitement in your stomach at the thought of spending more time with her.

gwen had stumbled upon a truly crappy movie on her laptop, but you were both excited to watch it regardless. it was a ritual the two of you had developed, where you would play bad movies and indulge in your inner video essay film bro, analyzing and critiquing every aspect of the film.

although gwen had stepped out of the room for a moment, you couldn't wait for her to return so you could resume watching "creature from cannibal creek." despite its laughably low budget of at most $50, the movie had captured your attention and you found yourself fascinated by its cheesy plot and shoddy special effects. in your mind, you couldn’t wait to argue with gwen once the film finished on how it was the ultimate "so bad it's good" movie and a cinematic masterpiece of our generation.

gwen was still downstairs fetching snacks, leaving you alone in her room. as you waited, you couldn't resist the urge to snoop around a little. as you explored, you tidied up a bit, putting things back in their place.

while you looked around, your eyes fell on a row of polaroids hanging on her wall. the sight of the pictures brought a smile to your face, and you couldn't help but pause to take a closer look. among them was a photo you had taken with gwen's camera when she was sick and you had come to stay with her. in the picture, you were holding the camera with a big grin on your face, striking a pose while gwen lay unconscious in the background, likely snoring away. you remembered how you had shown her the photo, and how she had rolled her eyes and said she hated it, even though you knew she was joking. seeing the picture still hanging on her wall brought a warmth to your chest, and you felt a rush of affection for her.

while you were looking around, your leg accidentally bumped into the bass drum of gwen's drum set, causing the front of it to pop out. you felt a twinge of panic at the thought of having damaged her beloved instrument. however, as you inspected the damage, something else caught your eye.

a small, neatly folded piece of loose leaf paper had fallen out from behind the bass drum cover. It looked like it had been ripped from gwen's notebook, but what surprised you was its pristine condition. gwen was notoriously messy and disorganized, and her belongings were no exception. it was unusual to see something so carefully folded and well-maintained. you couldn't help but wonder what was written on it, and why it was so important to her. the fact that she had gone to such lengths to preserve it only added to the mystery.

furrowing your brows in confusion, you bent down to pick up the small piece of paper. as you carefully unfolded it, you were surprised to see intricate patterns that looked like drummer notations for some sort of rhythm. ‘it’s a drum sheet’ you concluded.

your eyes widened as you realized what had really caught your attention, your name, written at the top of the page like a title. “(y/n),” you mouthed, heart beginning to race as you tried to make sense of what you were seeing.

your body froze at the sudden sound of gwen's door opening wide, exposing you to her view with the sheet of paper in your hand. "sorry it took so long, but uh, you okay babe?" she asked, concern etched on her face. "i heard a loud bang and was wondering what it was-"

gwen froze mid-sentence as she saw what you were holding. you froze when she saw what you were holding. you both stood there in silence, and you couldn't help but feel like you had stumbled upon something you weren't supposed to see. in fact, gwen looked embarrassed, and you could feel your own cheeks heating.

"what's this, gwen?" you questioned, looking up at her and still holding the sheet of paper with your name on it. you tried to read her expression, but it was difficult to decipher. she slowly made her way over to you, setting the snacks down on the coffee table before taking a faraway glance at the sheet. the whole mood of the room had changed into something completely new, and you couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind.

"uh, yeah. it’s is a drum sheet. i was just working on some new rhythms,” she lied, right through her teeth.

“gwen,” you deadpanned, “my name is on it…is it about me?” your voice was curious but also filled with excitement.

she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. you stepped closer to her, handing her the piece of paper. “is there something you wanna tell me?”

"okay, okay, you caught me," gwen confessed, scratching the back of her neck and taking a deep breath as she prepared for the worst. "it's not just some new rhythms. it's a composition i've been working on for a while now… about you."

your eyes widened as your mouth parted slightly, now you didn’t know what to say. you felt a surge of butterflies fluttering in your stomach, and you had to look down to hide the heat rising to your cheeks. gwen's cheeks were equally flushed, and the room was filled with a charged silence as you both tried to process the confession.

“for real? it’s about me?” you asked in anticipation as your eyes lit up at hers.

gwen nods, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "yeah…ever since our first date, i've been wanting to express how i feel. about you, about us, about how you make me feel- but i uh couldn't find the words. so i channeled all of those emotions into my drumming, and this is what i came up with."

gwen had been playing drums for years, and it was her passion. she spent countless hours practicing and perfecting her skills, always striving to improve. but since your first date, gwen had been overwhelmed with emotions and feelings that she couldn't quite put into words. after she walked you to your place and got home herself, she couldn't find any other way to express how she was feeling besides getting on her drums. it started out simple and quiet as she reflected on the beginning of your relationship. but as she delved deeper into her thoughts, reminiscing about your beauty, your laughter, and how you made her feel seen, her hits got harder and her sound got louder. she only stopped when her dad knocked on her door, telling her to keep it down. but to gwen, playing the drums was like keeping a diary. every hit and every variation of sound coming from her drums was a sentence that described how she felt about you. over time, she had created a beautiful and powerful composition that perfectly captured the way you made her feel. it was her way of expressing her love for you, and it was a testament to how much you meant to her.

you were surprised and touched by this revelation. you had no idea that gwen had been working on a song about you this time, and it made your heart skip a beat knowing you were the muse.

you felt your heart swell at her words, but the look on her face was still flustered. "gwen, that's really sweet. i had no idea you were working on something like this. i mean a song about me? why didn’t you tell me?” you asked, no shame in how eager and giddy you sounded.

"i don't know… i didn't know how to bring it up and i didn't want to even think about showing it to you until it was perfect. i guess i just wasn't expecting you to find it,” she shrugged while glancing down to look at the paper.

you put your hands over here as she held the sheet, moving your head a little over the paper so she would look down at you instead. “well i'm glad i found it, and i'm honored you wrote something for me,” you tell her in a hushed tone, being so close to each other she could hear you with ease from the distance. her cheeks were airbrushed a pretty pink as she felt the softness of your hands touch against her jagged ones.

her hand cupped your cheek, bringing solace to your beating heart. despite her calloused hands, evident from her drumming, they held you with an equal amount of tenderness. gwen’s love for music was evident in every aspect of her being, from her rough fingertips to her deep, soulful eyes. it was as if the rhythm of life flowed through her every movement. yet, even in the midst of it all, she made you feel like you were floating, light as a feather in her embrace. she made you feel like you could forget all about your troubles and just enjoy the moment. you loved every bit of her, from her hands to the music that danced along her fingertips, to the deep love and appreciation she has for you. it was a feeling that made your heart skip a beat.

“can i hear it? if you’ll play it for me,” you ask her, not wanting to push gwen considering you weren’t even supposed to find it.

gwen nods, feeling a newfound sense of confidence begin to outshine her nerves. "of course. i'd love to play it for you," she spoke with a smile.

you got yourself comfortable on her bed, watching in anticipation as she set up her drums. a big smile was stretched upon your face as you eagerly waited for her to start playing.

"are you ready to hear it?" gwen asked, her voice trembling slightly.

you nodded eagerly as you watched her take a deep breath, the silence of the room was suddenly shattered by a big bang as the first notes began to fill the air.

it sounded slow and gentle, with a steady rhythm that gradually grew in complexity. it was melodic, and mirrored the range of gwen’s emotions. gwen's hands moved quickly and fluidly across the drums, creating a hypnotic melody that filled the room. she used different hand and stick movements that created different sounds and textures against the drum, elevating its sound and building the composition to a crescendo. it was reaching its loudest point.

the song sounded like her heartbeat, with each beat reflecting the pounding she felt when she was with you. in the beginning, the hits were gentle and slow, mirroring the time before you two began dating. but after your first date, gwen had fallen deeper and deeper for you, and every intense hit was a sign of every time she wanted to say i love you, every time she wanted to kiss you but was too scared to, and every time she just wanted to be near you. it was all about you. you couldn't take your eyes off of her as she played, her aura glowing as she hit each beat with precision and finesse. as the composition progressed, gwen's movements became more and more passionate, her face contorting with emotion as she poured everything she had into the music. she had never felt more in tune with her emotions before, as if she was communicating her feelings directly through each echo of the drums that bounced off the walls. as gwen played, she felt a sense of catharsis wash over her, a release of all the repressed emotions that she had been holding onto for so long. every beat of the drum was like a weight being lifted off her chest.

for gwen, music was a way to express herself in a way that words could not. it was a way to communicate her deepest emotions and feelings, to connect with others on a level that was beyond language. and in that moment, as she played her heart out, she felt more connected to you than ever before.

you watched in awe as you felt yourself being transported to another whole world. gwen’s world. as the music filled the room, you closed your eyes and let yourself get lost in the rhythm, feeling your body slowly rock in time with the beat.

as the song reached its climax, the thunderous high gradually began to die down, the sound of quick fluttering against the drums still evident as the composition eased its transition back to its origin. gwen's hands moved so quickly that they blurred together. however, the song never returned to the same gentle tone it had in the beginning. yes, it was quieter, but it was also peaceful and optimistic. it was symbolic of how much you had changed gwen's life, how you had supported her to be better and how she had become a better person just for you. now, she had never been happier and more at peace with you by her side to make her days a little bit easier. her heart, the composition, was no longer slow but balanced, reflecting the growth and transformation that she had experienced since meeting you. as the energy in the room reached a fever pitch, you could feel the emotions rising, building towards a powerful climax. and when the final note rang out, gwen was left breathless, her hands still hovering over the drums as she took a moment to catch her breath.

you, on the other hand, were left speechless, moved by the intensity and beauty of her musical expression of love.

"that was... incredible," you managed to say, voice slightly hoarse. your eyes were glossy, and tears threatened to form as you struggled to find the right words. “i’ve never heard anything like that before gwen.”

feeling overwhelmed by the intensity and beauty of the music, you made your way out of her bed and slowly walked around her drums, taking in the sight of gwen in all her glory. her smile was radiant, a mix of relief and pride shining through as she looked at you. the two of you just stood there in silence, savoring the afterglow of the performance. it was as if time had stood still, and nothing else in the world mattered except for the two of you and the music.

“i'm glad you liked it," she replied, putting the drum sticks down and catching her breath. “i just wanted to find a way to express how much you mean to me, and this seems like it was the best way to do it."

for gwen, playing the composition had been a deeply personal and emotional experience, one that had allowed her to express herself in a way that words never could. and for you, it had been a moment of pure magic, a glimpse into the depths of gwen's heart and soul that left you feeling grateful.

before you knew it you jumped into gwens lap as she was still sitting on the stool. she let out a gasp before catching and holding you firmly against her, sitting you more comfortably on her while your arms made their way around her neck and pulled her close. as you embraced her tightly, gwen could feel the warmth of your tears on her shoulder. she held her close, feeling a sense of contentment that she had never experienced before.

"i didn't mean to make you cry," gwen said softly, one hand wrapping around your waist while the other rubbed up and down your back. “was i that bad?” she joked, which earned a loud snort from you which was muffled by her skin.

"i’m okay- i’m sorry," you apologized weakly, pulling back to look into gwen's eyes. "it's just... your song was so beautiful, and it really hit me. i don't think i've ever felt so loved before."

gwen felt her heart swell with love at your words. she had poured so much of herself into the composition, and to hear that it had touched you deeply was more than she had ever hoped for.

she moved her hand from your back to cup your cheek, using her thumb to wipe the tears from your eyes. 'i'm glad," gwen replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "i wanted you to know how you make me feel… how grateful i am for you, and i couldn't find the words. but i think the drums said it all."

you smiled, wiping away the last of your tears.

“yeah, your drums have a big ass mouth. maybe that’s how i can tell you own them,” you agreed, voice still shaky. “it was perfect, i loved it.”

gwen giggled at how you sounded, her laughter filling the room. "i guess you're right," she agreed, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "but in all seriousness, i'm glad you loved it. i put a lot of myself into that composition, so it means everything to me that it touched you."

she grinned, relieved that she was finally able to share the song with you. you cupped her cheeks with a bright smile, savoring the moment.

“just wish i could express myself as well as you do,” gwen admitted, her eyes looking into yours like she’s staring at the world.

you gave her a reassuring look, hands caressing the sides of her face lightly. “that’s fine with me,” you replied, reminding gwen of your willingness to be patient with her. “what you did spoke volumes.”

you stared at gwen's lips, feeling a rush of desire wash over you. you wanted nothing more than to feel her own on yours, to taste the sweetness of her mouth and lose yourself in the moment. slowly, you leaned in, savoring the anticipation of what was to come. you paused for a moment, inches away from the inevitable kiss as you gazed deeply into her eyes. they were like watercolor paintings, shades of blue and green blending together in a mesmerizing pattern. the tension in the air made her heart skip a beat, and before you knew it, she leaned in to meet your lips, closing the gap between you both. her mouth on yours was tender and slow, a reflection of her passion and love for you. you pulled her closer as she leaned her head to the side, allowing you the deepen the kiss. it felt like a declaration of love, like you both knew you were meant to be together.

as you and gwen pulled away, you rested your foreheads against one another, catching your breaths and reveling in each other's presence. the world faded away, leaving you two in this perfect period of lovers bliss.

“i love you,” gwen said, her voice barely above a whisper. you felt your blood rush to your cheeks at her words, despite hearing them before. she didn’t say it often, but you knew that for gwen, expressing certain things verbally wasn’t easy. it wasn’t the frequency that she said it to you that mattered, but the sincerity in her voice about her love for you. everytime she said it, it felt like a precious gift and a reminder of how important you are to her.

"i love you too," you replied, your eyes glistening as you looked at the love that reflected in her gaze.

suddenly, you both heard the low battery sound from gwen’s laptop. it was then you both remembered the snacks you had set up to watch a that crappy film.

"we should probably get back to the movie," gwen suggested, laughing at the thought of what they were about to watch.

"you're right, we can’t leave that oscar worthy cinematic gold waiting," you joked, smiling even though your sentence sounded like word vomit. "but first…”

before you finished your sentence, you leaned in and kissed gwen again, your lips meeting softly as you let the warm and comforting sensation of her mouth sink in.

"okay, now i think we can go watch the movie," gwen said, grinning from ear to ear as she picked you up from under your thighs and carried you to her bed. you laughed at her sudden display of strength, fighting the urge to make a suggestive joke.

gwen turned the lights off as you both got comfortable, snuggling into her side. your head against the crook of her neck as her arm hooked around your shoulder, lightly tracing your chest. the atmosphere radiated a peaceful feeling as you felt your muscles relax, happier than ever to be this close to your girlfriend.

she made sure her laptop was charged before pressing play on the movie, and you both settled in for what promised to be a night of laughter and relaxation. when the opening credits rolled, you felt gwen's hand slip into yours, and you squeezed it gently, feeling the heat of her skin against yours.

as you watched the terrible plot unfold, you guys couldn't help but laugh at how bad it was. from the outrageous twists to the ridiculous costumes and awful sound effects, it was a train wreck of epic proportions. in other words, flaming garbage. but you both didn't care, because you were together, and that was all that mattered.

when the movie finally ended, you both began your stupid arguments and psychoanalysis of the film. but gwen could tell you were getting tired by the way your speech started to slow as you talked. she closed the laptop and moved it to her coffee table before gently guiding your head onto her chest, her arms wrapping around your waist and pulling you close.

you felt her fingers run through your hair as her hands traced and roamed your skin, guiding you to sleep. she felt content as your breathe hit her neck, finding her own eyes getting heavy.

the last thing you felt as you drifted off to sleep was her strong arms wrapped around you, a warm kiss to your temple, and a faint “i’m so glad i met you.”

gwen felt a sense of pride and happiness as she looked at you, knowing that asking you to be her girlfriend was one of the best decisions she had ever made. even though she might not always be able to express her feelings in words, she was determined to show you just how much you meant to her. through her actions and her unwavering support, you knew that she loved you deeply and would always be there for you. whether it was a warm embrace after a long day, a silly joke to make you smile, or a simple kiss on the forehead, gwen always found ways to show you that you were loved and cherished.

you knew that you were lucky to have her in your life. and yeah, she might not always say what she feels, but her actions spoke louder than words, and you know that her love for you is real.

A/N: i thought this idea was so cute so i wrote this whole thing at like midnight. anyway creature of cannibal creek is a real ass movie and it’s actually unbelievably bad that it’s a comedy like the budget….that’s a post for another time anyway reblogs and everything are super appreciated ty for the love 😘

© 2023 primaviva

[sonkitty]

The Matchbox and the Book of Life

Here is a video focusing on the book sound I've mentioned the matchbox makes in Heaven:

I have amplified the volume for the last two segments that focus on this part.

...

Here is an image to show the audio of that book sound is meant to stand out and be heard:

This sound is the main clue I go by for why I think the Book of Life is in the matchbox. It could be some other book or magical object, but given the full context of the season 2 story, I think the overall clues point toward it being that particular book.

...

While I've mentioned the touching sequence Michael does for this scene, I'll go over a few things here.

The Earthly Objects game gives clues that Michael could have unlocked it with the proper touch but didn't.

Mainly, she did not user her thumb or thumb tips to physically touch the matchbox directly.

She uncrossed her legs before Muriel set it down on the desk. Her hands are also repeatedly crossed and then uncrossed by the time she touched the matchbox.

Something that has further occurred to me over the past several months, is that she never places any digit inside the box.

The book is possibly invisible. As a further clue that is the case, the scene ends with Michael saying, "I can see that," before Uriel says, "I think he's gone to Earth."

The preceding scene with Crowley and the lightning was to communicate to an audience player of the sideburns game about the invisible border between the bookshop and the car for shortening Crowley's sideburns.

...

I've mentioned that I consider this disguised object as giving off "trying to get back to its master" evil ring vibes towards Crowley.

Because of how my mind wanders in drafting a post such as this one, I thought, "Oh, maybe it's like summoning Crowley for the last two episodes because he goes up to Heaven with Muriel." With my "fuck ups" post in mind, I was like, "Are there any other 'up' type things for Crowley's bookend scenes with the matchbox?"

And yeah, there is.

Crowley's red lightning shoots upward "to the heavens" shortly before the scene where the matchbox is passed from Muriel to Michael.

Okay...well, what about the first time the matchbox is shown? There's no 'up' for that one, right? Well...barely. Crowley's left index finger goes up to hang up the phone.

Since each of these "up" movements happened in the Crowley scene before the matchbox scene, was there an "up" in the scene with Gabriel? And yes. Crowley was touching a chair and crouching to be under Gabriel's eye level when the matchbox is mentioned. He eventually goes back up after his "looking where the furniture isn't" line.

But even if the matchbox did "summon" Crowley up to Heaven, we never saw him interact with it or touch it. At most, he sees the matchbox dropped in the footage from Heaven's files, which does not give him a good look at it. His link with Muriel might let him see Muriel's memory of it more clearly, but no further time or energy is spent on the story communicating such a thing to us.

Then by the time Michael is threatening Aziraphale with the Book of Life, both Crowley and Aziraphale do not seem to feel all that threatened by the idea, even before the Metatron steps in to stop Michael from going further with the threat.

I'm not sure how much the Metatron knows about where the Book of Life is or this matchbox disguise. The way he asks Aziraphale if there's anything Aziraphale needs to take with him and entrusting the bookshop to Muriel suggests he might suspect the book is in the bookshop. But if he has figured it out, then that's part of his relief to get into Heaven at the end of season 2.

[saintsenara]

I saw the posts on Ron and Hermione needing couple’s counseling. I also saw someone commenting the other day “ why is it so bad if couples need couples counseling?”

I like to ask that again. I think it would be quite mature of them if they would.

I saw the video where JK said that they would. It was more in a joking manner honestly. I’m surprised everyone took it so seriously.

as i have said on multiple occasions, my issue with "they should get couple's therapy!" takes isn't that i think couple's therapy is "bad".

but nor do i think it's "good".

any form of therapy/counselling/life skills coaching etc. is a morally neutral thing. it is more or less necessary to a person based on circumstances, but it has no bearing on whether that person should be considered good or bad. the same is true of couple's therapy - a couple is not made up of bad people [and it is not a bad partnership] simply by virtue of not attending couple's therapy, and a couple is not made good simply by seeking counselling. therapy is an intervention made necessary by specific circumstances. it's not a certificate you need to get - even if you find it unnecessary - which says you're allowed to live your life.

and this is why i think it's important to interrogate thoughts like "it would be mature of them to get couple's counselling". going to therapy is not an indication of maturity - because, in such a context, the word "maturity" is being used to imply a value judgement by suggesting that not attending therapy is "immature" [or childish, or unstable etc.]

that is, it's being used to ascribe a moral weight to the concept of therapy without any thought as to its necessity.

obviously, it goes without saying that if an author wants to write ron and hermione attending therapy, they should go ahead and do so, because how they want to handle these characters is their business.

but i do think it's sincerely important to bear in mind the idea of necessity rather than morality. what is the issue that ron and hermione are having as a couple which makes them feel therapy is necessary? and why is it an issue that they feel needs to be resolved through therapy rather than between themselves or with the input of their friends and/or family alone?

because, in canon, they do resolve many of the knots in their relationship without outside intervention - they have a demonstrably good communication style [and you're allowed to argue with your partner without needing therapy! conflict is not inherently a sign of something darker!]; ron's entire arc in deathly hallows is him learning to manage one of his primary negative traits - his jealousy - in a healthy way, through his own self-reflection and through his relationships with harry and hermione; they are shown to fundamentally like and value each other, and to have a partnership with a high degree of equality.

and all of these things can exist alongside issues which would make a couple feel therapy is necessary. but these actually need to be identified and fleshed-out by readers and authors to make the statement that ron and hermione would consider counselling a beneficial intervention to be justifiable.

it's not enough to say "they fight a lot" because... they don't [hermione is someone who works through feelings by debating them and who shows affection by nagging, ron engages in these debates and accepts the nagging because he can handle this communication style, harry doesn't because he can't - which shouldn't surprise us, given his life circumstances]. it's not enough to say "ron is possessive and controlling" because... he isn't [he handles hermione's relationship with krum poorly - just as hermione handles his relationship with lavender and crush on fleur poorly - and she thinks he's being a fool about it, ignores it, and continues her relationship with krum anyway]. it's not even enough to say "hermione was violent towards ron", since ron regards being attacked by birds as a one-time minor annoyance which doesn't have any long-term impact on how he understands the power-balance between himself and hermione.

if an author wants to say that these traits make therapy necessary, a reason needs to be introduced beyond "they are annoying" or "the relationship contains conflict" or "i wouldn't like this if it happened to me, ergo it's bad". the conversation cannot be "why would it be so bad for a couple to get therapy?", it has to be "what are the circumstances in which this is necessary?"

i complain about this so much not because i think it's deep how people interpret characters within the context of the harry potter fandom, but because the attachment of a moral value to therapeutic intervention [and, therefore, the attachment of a moral value to intrinsic aspects of the human experience, such as discomfort, conflict, and fallibility] has real-world repercussions which - for various reasons - bother me.

[tumblingxelian]

RWBY V8 & Penny's Fall:

I wanted to weigh in on this matter again with a perhaps alternative take to some of what I see as the more usual FNDM stance on her fall.

Namely, it doesn't bother me.

Sacrilege, I know, but the thing is while Penny is not in my top four, she is a character I both like & find genuinely interesting.

Heck, I have a video heavily focused on Penny & Ruby's characters & relationship being much deeper & more interesting than the UWU beans I find in most FNDM.

She's a great character but that's also why it doesn't bother me as I feel it works for the story & made sense for the character. 

But first, some house cleaning.  

House Cleaning - They made her human?

As others noted, this is something some take issue with for a few different reasons. As I understand it the main issues people tend to have with V8's handling of Penny outside her death was that they made her 'human' in place of keeping her synthetic body. As others also noted, I am unsure if she even was human and not just another kind of synthetic entity, but that's rather besides the point. 

House Cleaning - Thematic Representation?

The other thing people take issue with this is that they regard it as a form of ableism to make her human. I always feel its integral to note that while many in FNDM understandably took Penny's robotic nature as meaning in a Real World AU, she might be using prosthetic limbs.

There is no evidence as far as I am aware that the writers intended her to be considered analogous to a disabled person or to thematically represent disabled people. 

Thus, while its a fine and fun headcanon, I am not sure one can argue it was some sort of deliberate offence or act of ableism on the creators part if they never even conceived of Penny as such.

This wouldn't be like becoming aware of queer subtext, ship teasing then killing one of them off and putting the other in a straight relationship. As far as I can tell their thematic framing of Penny never shifted and was never explicitly used to draw such comparisons. 

House Cleaning - A Reward?

Penny being rewarded with a none robotic body & then dying. We'll discuss the death later but just on the reward angle, I think that is rather iffy.

Yes, Penny appreciated not being dead and enjoyed the increased tactile sensations. But we also see how much more fragile and floundering she is with her new form. When Penny fought Cinder last time with Cinder having backup, Penny kicked her ass. 

Here, Penny has the support and is barely keeping up. She's in pain, she can't fly easily, she can't use her weapons easily, she has lost tons of functions that were once innate to her very being.

Maybe one could argue its like post surgeries fragility or that she'd have grown into it, but as it stands, I don't think the new body was presented as strictly speaking a good thing or a reward. It was a desperate gamble to save her life, nothing more. 

Adding onto that, I think people mis-ascribe the source of Penny's angst regarding her mechanical nature. She's shown cheerfully embracing and enjoying many aspects of it all the time. When it becomes an issue for her is when others use it to de-'humanize' her.

Given how quickly Ironwood, the Ace-Ops, Mantle and even just casual conversation could do that on purpose or by accident. I think its less "I hate being a robot" and more, "I hate that people treat me this way because of what I am and its giving me anxiety & or insecurities". 

I also think anyone would be a little uncomfy with their body being something someone else can take over and puppet, that's an issue with loss of agency & physical invasiveness & we have Semblances which might not have been able to effect Penny that can do similar things, IE memory erasure & mind control. 

House Cleaning - Conclusion

For comparisons sake, if Ruby's essence got moved over to a sort of life sized marionette and she was cool with it because she's still alive & have super flexible joints for wicked cool attacks, but then she he died fighting, I don't think people would regard it as a reward turned sour.

In essence, I think a lot of the stigma comes with people associating tropes & themes to the writers decisions that were not actually in the story & just assuming them present; as opposed to than having textual support & despite CRWBY's efforts to deconstruct tropes & themes in general. 

The Main Event:

Moving on to Penny's death, people take issue with quite a few aspects of it but I weirdly feel it all ties together well and think it works on a thematic level. My reason being, that Penny is the other side of the coin whose other half Ironwood and between the pair are the likes of Winter, the Ace-Ops and so on. 

What I mean here is that the Atlas arc dealt heavily with the themes of 'de-humanization' of seeing people made unto like objects, mere cogs in a machine that were not expected to think, feel, or heal & have their entire worth judged against an idea or a system & always come up wanting. You don't matter, I don't matter, they don't matter, only what we can accomplish for the worlds, the cause, Atlas, ETC, matters. 

Ironwood regards Mantle as a few city blocks, their suffering is at best a theoretical moral burden to him and a political nuisance, nothing more. Winter thinks expressing any emotions or making decisions for herself is a failure and act of disloyalty and is not allowed time to heal after severe injuries but just poured into a mobility mechanism, then thrown back onto the battlefield. Meanwhile the Ace-Ops are not allowed to even conceive of real, deep or genuine emotions or ideas, they have all convinced themselves they don't matter except in how they serve Atlas.

The Happy Huntresses are actually the exception to this because they escaped the coin/system & are dedicated to people, ideals & each other. 

Meanwhile, Ironwood is the opposite of Penny, while both still embody the opposite extreme ends of the same spectrum of beliefs. 

Both of them talk of or otherwise frame themselves as the one with the duty to save the world, both put themselves under immense and isolating pressure tanks to their respective Atlas's complexes and both default heavily to sacrificing whenever the opportunity or even potential need seems to arise. Both will do whatever it takes for their goals and beliefs. 

The difference?

Ironwood sacrifices everyone else for his goals and beliefs, for his idea of what Atlas is, what it means & what its worth. 

Penny tries from volume 8 if not earlier, to sacrifice herself because of her goals & beliefs, & what they're worth to her. 

She does this so much and so often, that she had to keep being talked out of throwing her life away in the hope that Ironwood, or Salem would calm down and leave them be. She defined her self worth and existence by being out there doing things, hence becoming so saddened when needing to be kept away from the battlefield despite the fact she was both a target and potentially a huge game changer for any of the villains. 

Penny has Atlas's ideology of de-humanization and sacrifice every bit as much as Ironwood, but in her mind she's the expendable one, while Ironwood cannot conceive of himself as being expendable, because he has tethered himself to Atlas, which he has tethered to the world. 

Here is the thing though.

While Penny's take on this idea is more noble, more charming, more useful it is still part of an incredibly self destructive ideology, one that is of itself rooted in Ozpin's well known Guardian theory. With isolated lone champions serving as paragons of virtue & himself as the main character heroically bearing all the burdens. An ideology we saw sent Pyrrha spiraling, left Ozpin a broken & paranoid wreck & nearly destroyed Ruby.

Penny & Ironwood both fell because both keep trying to sacrifice others (Ironwood) or themselves (Penny) in a bid to accomplish their goals & or otherwise fulfill their designates roles; roles that both only have because of the culture and ideals suffusing Atlas, as reflected by how they are seen in so many other characters and the overarching themes of the Atlas Arc. 

Thus, it makes sense character wise and I think it both makes sense thematically for the reasons outlined above & dramatically as this is the darkest moment. But also because if Penny just won, or somehow survived without changing that ideological thinking it'd be implicitly arguing that this was a good way to think and act rather than one that is ultimately self harming. 

For comparisons sake, if a show has a good victim who only gets help because their trauma responses are convenient or 'cute' and who never grows out of or overcomes said traumas and the show argues it is meant to represent how best to view escape & recover from abuse. Then that series is inadvertently arguing its better a person stay locked in a traumatized state than actually try to change or grow & that is a story problem.

So, in this regard, Penny surviving would also necessitate her making the decision to prioritize the mission over her self sacrificing tendencies or to otherwise prioritize her own safety (Which she has every right to do given the circumstance). However it would not involve Penny flinging herself into another self sacrificial bout but winning this time, or just being saved again after its happened so many times already. 

I hope that, that made sense. 

I am essentially saying to keep Penny alive but keep everything else mostly the same, one then throws away the thematic & narrative meaning of the Atlas Arc; or if they want to keep Penny alive, they need to alter the Atlas Arcs themes or the cast & overall story to keep it coherent.  

People are obviously free to not be fans of it, I am sad when characters I like die, but I don't view it inherently as a bad writing decision and I hope I have outlined here, exactly why I think that this worked for the Atlas Arc, the series of RWBY and made sense for its characters. 

Thanks for reading! 

Speculation:

Now, I don't do much speculating, but given so much of the shows current drama was created as a result of someone wanting a dead loved one back, them returning but it ultimately not being enough to stave off tragedy and self destruction. I feel one can also ague this is meant to serve and tie Ruby & Salem closer together as nominal dramatic foils.

This is speculative of course, especially given the nature of death, balance and resurrections in this series is not even close to the hard line some think it is thematically speaking, but I do think that is worth keeping in mind. 

[disturbingstar]

Scream 4 trivia

• Scream 4 was the last film directed by Wes Craven before he died due to brain cancer on August 30, 2015, at the age of seventy-six.

• This is the first Scream film in which Cotton Weary and Randy Meeks do not appear.

• The scene where Kirby says that her favorite scary movie is Bambi to Robbie mirrors the scene in Scream 2 (1997), where Randy tells the killer that his favorite scary movie is Showgirls.

• In one of the deleted scenes, Dewey explains to Gale that Sidney's father, Neil Prescott, has passed away since appearing in Scream 3 (2000) and this is the first time Sidney has returned to Woodsboro since his death.

• This movie is the sequel with the most homage count to its original.

• The scenes when Jill cuts her face, throws herself in front of a glass picture and then on top of a glass table were done by her stunt double, Allison Caetano.

• This is the first Scream film where two characters of the same gender were killed in the opening scene (The first 3 Scream films opened up with a male/female death).

• In an early draft of the script, Gale and Dewey had a baby, but was changed after it was decided bringing a baby into the film would make shooting impossible.

• This is the third movie that Sidney falls from a height. In Scream, she falls off the roof onto a boat. In Scream 3, she jumps out of the window of her mother's murder room scene and in this movie, she slips off the roof.

• This is the first movie where Dewey doesn't get stabbed in some way. Instead, he's hit over the head with a bedpan in this installment.

• Selena Gomez was considered for the role of Jill Roberts

• With four installments, this landmarks the Scream franchise as being one of the only horror franchises to have both its main characters as well as its director return for all of its sequels.

• The killer is featured on the movie poster for Scream 4. That hadn't been done since the 1st Scream movie.

• During the scene in the Cinema Club, posters from various other movies directed by Wes Craven were seen. These include The People Under the Stairs and The Hills Have Eyes.

• At 1hr 28min in, Jill & Charlie explain their plan and Charlie shows Sidney footage of one of them killing Marnie; the video is actually footage of the alternate opening to this film, where we see Jenny die first, then Marnie get stabbed in the gut by Ghostface.

• As of this movie, Sidney is shown to no longer be in possession of the Greek necklace that Derek Feldman gave her in Scream 2 (1997) and she subsequently wore in Scream 3 (2000).

[theamityelf]

I really love your Makoto in V3!AU and have started thinking about it a lot lately.

So, we are shown the audition videos of Kaede, Shuichi, and Kaito for Danganronpa in 6th trial (which are probably another lie from Tsumugi, but.. whatever) and I had a question: if in your AU Makoto survives to the end, what is his video interview like? What is his reaction and that of the rest of the students?

It would be interesting to hear about his pregame version in your AU. Thanks in advance for your reply! (^_^)

Oh, this is a good question. A lot of implications for the broader lore of this AU. My Naeouma posts kind of made it canon that the killing game is a simulation in this AU, so presumably the audition videos are fake and Makoto's pregame-sona would also be fake.

Anyway, here's my thought process on Pregame Makoto, whether or not he really existed:

So, the theme of how the pregames were translated seems to be keeping the general vibes but going tropey and ironic with them. Pregame Shuichi wanted to be a detective for the cool murder tricks, as a trope subversion; he was made into a played-straight Ultimate Detective character, no trope subversion. Pregame Kaede specifically didn't like people, and she's made to be the tragic "Let's be friends after the killing game!" character.

If we interpret the Pregames as real, then this shows that the fans, or at least the ones who auditioned, wanted to see the show break new grounds or go in new directions with its established character archetypes, but the show was unwilling to do that.

If we interpret the Pregames as fake, then it just means someone thought up the cruelest interpretation of these characters, specifically to hurt the ones in the trial.

So my task here is to honor both possibilities and lowkey clarify Makoto's role here overall. I think the best Pregame Makoto for me right now is one whose motivation is to be popular. Where the gist of Pregame Shuichi's audition is "I'm a huge fan of Danganronpa and I really want to turn the usual tropes for an Ultimate Detective character on their head," and the gist of Pregame Kaede's audition is, "I have no faith in humanity, so I'd be great in a killing game," and the gist of Pregame Kaito's audition is, "I'm going to kill everyone and win for the fame and fortune so nothing will be impossible," Pregame Makoto's audition would basically be, "I don't know as much about Danganronpa as a lot of other people do, I could never win a Danganronpa trivia contest, but I know that people love Danganronpa characters, and I want to be like that. I don't care if I win any money, I don't care if I survive, I don't care if I kill; I just want everyone to like me, like they like Danganronpa characters."

Meaning either that Danganronpa took a guy whose whole thing was wanting to be liked no matter what and made him into all-around-good-guy Makoto who finds himself winning people over just by being himself, or Danganronpa took Ultimate Hope Makoto Naegi and spun his wholesome likability into a completely compassionless need for attention.

And I'd say, assuming he survives to see those audition videos in the trial, his reaction would probably be some form of denial. Basically, his mind goes, "That's not true to how I actually feel, and I know that's not representative of Kaede, Shuichi, or Kaito."

Honestly, and maybe I haven't given the matter enough thought, but I think he just generally doesn't have enough skin in the "truth and lies" motif to be quite as bothered by the idea of being fictional as the others are. I think he would pretty quickly reach the conclusion that their feelings for each other matter more than whether they should be considered real. The idea of "There's a person who used to live in this body who was destroyed to create you" I can see bothering him. Like, I think his take on that case is more reactive to Danganronpa's crimes than the nature of his own existence.

(The idea that Pregame Makoto is still in him and he'll always be on the lookout for those kinds of feelings is something that might come later.)

And he and Shuichi basically take different paths to the same conclusion: They have to end the killing games forever.

[urpersonalpublicgalaxy]

in-progress fnaf theory!!! now that ive established fnaf has a space on my blog... :3

prototype freddy.

thats some weird shit right??? well actually no he very well could be perfectly explainable and heres how (in other words i see a lot of confusion over him anddd my brain connected some dots i would like to share!!)

(at the very bottom is tl;dr!!!)

gonna explain the some base info first, but i am assuming some level of understanding of sb and ruin during this however so if ur new to either this might not make sense, sorry :( im gonna ramble a bit so get comfy

princess quest is the canon ending, based on evidence from ruin. this theory is reliant on that

ok so!!!! lets talk about the Vanny option (at the doors, 6am) as choosing this option is mandatory to reach both the vanny ending and the pq ending

when the option is selected everyones least favourite Freddy Gets Trashed cutscene plays, regardless of doing pq or not

yknow...

so!! the damage to him, which is from this scene, happens regardless of vanny ending or pq ending, we just only get to really see it in the vanny ending

heres a good look at that

and now i want you to take a good stare at prototype freddy (especially the arm and torso!!)

the damage is, while a little more extreme (which could easily just be from how much time has passed between sb and ruin) near identical

and his head is missing, which circles back around to the pq ending, in which gregory takes freddys head with him!! small issue- the damage

which is rather clearly completely missing from him in the pq ending. well luckily i can explain this too :3

there are very obviously time gaps in the pq ending cutscene. what we are shown is not *everything* thats happening there. link to a video of the cutscene,,

he leans out the window, takes a look at the staff bots deactivating- and then it cuts to him, standing near the exit, vanessa waiting for him at the door, freddy already in a bag. shit has CLEARLY gone down off screen in that time jump because 1. shes waiting for him and not freaking out, 2. gregory isnt scared shitless of her and freddy trusts her (you cannot convince me freddy would trust her automatically, even if he did at the start of the night. he KNEW that she was vanny,

or at the very least that she was connected with it,

and he still literally instructs gregory on killing her. this is a screenshot from a pq ending playthrough.)

so!! they fixed freddys head

what better way for gregory to trust vanessa than her helping to fix the one consistent friend & safety hes had in that whole place?? besides, at this points its mandatory that hes done the power upgrade plus roxys eyes and either montys or chicas parts, so hes got SOME experience at least, not to mention that repairs seem to be intentionally incredibly simple in design (probably so they dont have to get employees with actual qualifications... lets be honest, makes sense considering the company we're talking about.)

however-- the damage done is something considerably different than before, and doesn't have a built-in routine, which does pose some entirely new challenges, and before he atleast had some direction from hand unit.

so of course, vanessa who is an **actual employee** probably comes in handy here!! especially considering the fact freddy himself would be 'dead' for most of it-- since thats what happens at the end of the vanny ending cutscene, he shuts down

anyways its entirely believable that this kid would want to get his new father figure fixed first and foremost (hes gone out of his way just for freddy before, and vice versa) and that she would want to help him in any way possible after yk, being murderous.. and entirely believable that this would be possible to do. and, it explains the level of trust shown in the cutscene :)

and the course of action with 'ok take his head off', it makes sense the rest of his body wouldn't be salvagable, with it beyond either of their qualifications (since vanessa is a security guard and not a technician) and most importantly, probably impossible for either of them to actually move. and vanessa was literally talking shit to him headless earlier, not to mention gregory having to reattach it- theyre both familar to some degree with the idea of him working without his body connected

tl;dr: prototype freddy isnt another model or some weird shit, its just his leftover corpse lmao couldnt be me

PLEASE please join in the discussion; this theory is NOT foolproof and while i could explain how the prototype mark and present in his chest wouldve gotten there, ive got many reasons why and nothing concrete to say which one of them is accurate!!! (if anyones interested, i can reblog with my current ideas on that ^_^)