#why is it so easy to get connected to everyone else's human characters

[amiya-shirou]

I genuinely believe Federico is like 90% of the reason why the central themes of emotion, humanity vs seaborn, and human connection actually work, because it would be so easy to completely ruin the message by making it a vehicle for typical "love is what makes us humans" "if you don't feel love and emotion exactly like everyone else does you're not an ACTUAL human with a SOUL!" nonsense, like to the point I'm also anxious I might end up sounding like that every time I try analyzing the seaborn conflict in any way, but thanks to Fede being written the way he is while having such a central role in Zwillingsturme and being so close with and important to Arturia we know that when she says "it has to include everyone" and when the game falls on praising human qualities and the power of human connection they don't mean "everyone who can feel normal human emotion :)" "everyone but they're gonna need to become human" but simply everyone, no one left behind, no one erased. The focus on destroying the barriers between people exists as an answer to oppression and discrimination, to bring humanity together so they can work as a whole to face adversity, not because not feeling empathy the same way Arturia does is "wrong". Even during the piano scene when Fede is shown as unable to understand why music, why art move people the way it does, despite it being a focal point of everything about Arturia and everything about the humans who stand against the Seaborn, it's never presented as a failing on his part, never presented as him being fundamentally incompatible with humanity - in fact that scene is where he learns how to approach emotion from his own angle in his own way as a form of data and it's when he grows as a person and becomes able to use it to better get Arturia despite his difficulty in conveying and "feeling" emotion. He doesn't get Sankta empathy, he values logical understanding over emotional connection, he's joked about from other characters as being more like a robot than a human, he's deliberately written as being an opposite to Arturia's unrestrained empathy, and yet he is the protagonist to Arturia's antagonist role, he is the one who understood her the most and who could support her in the finale, he's the one outsider who cared the most about fixing things in the Monastery while the "proper" Sankta were all busy dealing with their own problems or actively worsening things (hi Oren). His character arc doesn't have anything to do with him starting to "get" emotions like "real people" do but just about starting to ask questions, to find a way forward when his strict adherence to logical reasoning fails him, to interpret why he does what he does and feel the way he does, to understand why things happens and why people act certain ways, and in quite a few scenes that's precisely why he could reach a conclusion others couldn't.

His biggest scene in Hortus involves him refusing to accept Clement's position that just because the only flower left from his garden he had a deep emotional attachment to was a bit damaged and not perfect the way he grew all the others to be, the way he wanted it to be, then its survival is meaningless.

Just because Clement couldn't see the worth in the flower's existence it doesn't mean there was none for anyone.

Just like Federico was the one chosen by the Law amidst countless "perfect" Sankta well accustomed to their supernatural Empathy.

Everyone means everyone.

[meltedbrains]

Yet another mini essay on the fifteenth doctor and RTD'S latest airing as showrunner. Spoiler alert, I was not particularly impressed.

So after two series Ncuti Gatwa's time as the Doctor is over. 18 episodes, two of which he was absent in, except for a cameo part (73 yards and lucky day), and another of which he had a greatly reduced role (dot and bubble).

These felt like high budget versions of low concept episodes (both of these were doctor-lite, while boom was a bottle episode set in a quarry). The only two parters were the season finales and realistically when you only have 8 episodes a season you have to try and cram in as much as possible to have the same effect, there's less breathing room than with the standard run of 12 (roughly). However breathing room is exactly what they needed, it's what Ncuti deserved as an actor.

The 15th Doctor did not get the same chances to run around saving the day with their quick thinking and clever words, faithful companion kicking names and taking ass at their side.

So many episodes purposefully retrod the 'familiar' ground of nuwho from nearly 20 years earlier. Ruby's first episode mirrored Rose's: Doctor takes girl to the far distant future, gives their phone the ability to call across time, shows them what becomes of the human race, runs around and away from monsters and leaves. (They are distinct stories but with some familiar beats, lots of episodes have them).

The problem is that so many of these episodes felt lacking (to me), they would have benefited from being condensed to 30 minutes or extended to two episodes. The first historical (the devil's chord) barely features the historical figures. Yes, the Beatles save the day, but it's basically an accident, it could have been set at any point in history, including modern day and the future, without having to change anything. The Doctor and Ruby go to see them record, realise they're shit and that something's gone wrong, then confront the maestro alone. Where's Dickens running away from ghosts, or Shakespeare helping banish the carrionites?

This lack of breathing room becomes obvious if you try to look for character arcs or emotional beats that last more than one episode. The Doctor simply doesn't have one, they experience racism and enjoy finding a community that accepts them but still sees them as an outsider but it doesn't carry on to future episodes, there is no emotional journey to be had. Bad things happen to the Doctor, the Doctor does bad things, words are exchanged, apologies made, people are forgiven or forgotten, the episode ends, the next one begins.

The doctor does not necessarily need a big arc, they work pretty well as a static character, but it's so easy to do. 9 learnt to forgive themselves for the time war, to love themselves and realise that saving people doesn't have to mean killing others. Compare the gleeful, angry, mocking of the lone Dalek to explicitly choosing to be a coward if the alternative is genocide. By contrast 15 has left on the same point as they started.

So the doctor is static then, fine. What about everyone else. How do the companions fare? Is there an overarching storyline, connecting the disparate episodes?

Ruby Sunday is introduced wondering who her parents are, she is another mysterious girl (woman), like River and Clara. In the Christmas special the Doctor decides that it's not his business and she's better off not knowing. Then, when he changes his mind, his actions have made things too complicated and it's impossible to know who she is. But then we find out anyway. And it's fine, mystery solved, she was just a scared teenager (who was traipsing around in the snow, hours after giving birth, seriously, hire more women). They meet, get along, meet her dad, happy families all round. Ruby is happy, old mum is happy, new mum is happy, we never learn why she can make it snow, or why she remembers alternate timelines, it's fine, don't worry about it. Any conflict is short-lived or side stepped.

Then we get Belinda, in a (hopefully) shocking amount of oversight, RTD retreads Martha's storyline in a way that gives Martha her flowers by comparison. Two medical professionals, both women of colour, both overshadowed by the younger blonde women that came before them. After a pretty strong start Belinda gets passed over for another solo Ruby story (lucky day) and then does sweet F.A. in her last three episodes (interstellar song contest, wish world, and the reality war). At most she politely admonishes the Doctor's torture then quickly forgives him for it.

Then, depending on your interpretation, she is either revealed or rewritten to be someone we never really knew (a single mother, living almost a completely different life).

Moving on to the overarching storyline we get a bit of a damp squib. The pantheon are introduced then defeated by their built in kill switches in the same episode, with the exception of Sutekh in the two parter finale. Mrs Flood keeps showing up and is revealed to be the Rani, only to be defeated two episodes later. Rogue is introduced, sent to hell and who knows when, or if, they'll return.

But wait! There's more of the pantheon out there, Mrs Flood survived, Rogue can be saved (somehow), Susan and The Boss are apparently waiting for the Doctor to find them (same person?). But if these plot points ever come to fruition it will be without 15, Belinda is unlikely to come back now that she has a child, Ruby is free to return, but why bother (narratively she's done and out-of-universe Millie Gibson seems uninterested).

Gatwa's performance was memorable and a fun change of pace to previous Doctors, he was let down by unsatisfying arcs and a condensed runtime that he then had to share with Ruby and UNIT.

Billie Piper is not the next doctor (or at least not confirmed as such) it could be a war doctor situation, or a complete misdirect. Either way, the 15th doctor committed suicide and it's unlikely we'll see them again. When 10 knew they were dying we got a montage of them checking in on their former companions and saving their lives one last time (mileage may vary; I remain unimpressed with marrying off Martha and Micky and don't believe that Luke would ever forget to look both ways before crossing the road). 15 checks in on Belinda and Poppy, finds out she isn't/was never his daughter, gives a heartfelt if cryptic goodbye to someone we never really knew, hops in the TARDIS, waves goodbye to Joy (who also essentially committed suicide) then is replaced by RTD's favourite white woman who will not stop haunting the narrative/answering the phone when called, no matter how many exorcisms she gets.

RTD has gone one record saying that he is largely focused on attention grabbing scenes and plot points that will generate interest online; and this seems to be a feature of the current media landscape. But goddamnit could you not have tried harder? Could you not have done more? Could you not have rewritten the scripts now that Belinda was replacing Ruby? Could you not have done right by your poc characters to correct your previous mistakes? The casual racism was wrong then and so many people rightfully called it out only for RTD to double down 20 years later and make the first black doctor's run marred by disappointing writing.

[*Edit* something I forgot to mention is that these seasons had a much larger presence of previous doctors than others have. A charitable interpretation would be that this is RTD (and the other writers/producers) trying to hammer home that Gatwa is the doctor, just like everyone else was. However it can feel that 15 is not free to tell their own story. In previous seasons the doctor regenerates, spends an episode getting used to their new body and personality, and then carries on with the rest of the season arc. Sometimes previous companions or characters come back and comment on the change but normally multiple doctors are confined to specials.

The bigeneration into 14 and 15 is all about Tennant's return, Gates gets to be a starry eyed fan and then we forget about them till the Christmas special and the start of the next season. This shadowing works together with the retreading of familiar plot points and returning characters and places I mentioned earlier and can compound this feeling of 15 not being free in the same way the other doctor's have been. (Obviously all the Doctors are connected and this is definitely a mileage may vary situation). 15's departure then also features a previous doctor, this time 13, and a previous fan favourite, Billie Piper. The fact that they lampshade Tennant's frequent appearances does not change the fact that 15 got neither regeneration to themselves. Gatwa never really got the time to shine on their own in the same way the other actors did.]

[mumms-the-word]

There’s a minor masterstroke of genius that I think Clair Obscur does that isn’t talked about quite as much as the grief stuff and that’s how connected creatives feel to their creations

you get to the end of the game and realize you have put so much emotional work into loving and appreciating and laughing with and mourning with these characters who who are nothing more than paint (in the canvas world) and pixels (in our world). and then you’re met with that choice at the end that dares to ask you, are the lives of these painted (pixel) people worth saving? do they have value? is their value more or less or equal to that of “real” lives?

I say “real” in scare quotes here because, well, what is real for Alicia/Maelle is still not real for us

And there may be a hint that the Writers who caused the fire that killed Verso and scarred Alicia are actually the game writers, which adds an extra layer, right? In a meta way it is almost like it asks us “what if characters truly do have lives of their own and they are aware of how our arbitrary or intended plot decisions affect their lives and psyches?”

The difference here is that no one intentionally painted Gustave, Lune, or Sciel. They were born into this canvas world. Maelle was born into the canvas world too and got to experience it as something no different than them. It’s a huge part of why Alicia/Maelle looks at everyone in the painted canvas and believes they are genuinely living people worthy of living out bright and beautiful futures.

And honestly, the game doesn’t make it easy to dismiss that idea. People are born, and grow, and die in Lumiere and the surrounding landscape. Generations have passed. More than 67 years have gone on inside the canvas—centuries if you can believe Esquie

The characters don’t feel like pale imitations of humanity and that’s part of the reason Maelle finds it so hard to let go. Painted Verso is real to her. Even if he’s not her real brother Verso, he’s still a real person, just made of paint and ink instead of flesh and blood. Losing him (and Lune, and Sciel, and Gustave) hurts no differently than losing her flesh and blood brother. Why treat them as anything less than human?

Maelle’s ending is meant to be unsettling because when she paints everyone back into existence there’s this hint that they’re missing the one thing that makes them seem human rather than static characters—they almost appear to be missing their autonomy and their free will apart from their painted creator. If nothing else, they lack control over their deaths, because Maelle can just paint them back into existence if they die.

Even if they don’t want to be alive.

But at that point, are they Maelle’s characters now? Are they simply her interpretation of them, and not truly themselves? have they become static, because Maelle won’t let them live their lives freely, and thus they’ve lost the things that make them seem more human?

the game doesn’t give us easy answers but man I keep thinking about how the game sets up these hypothetical, meta questions about the relationships between creatives and their creations, not just in terms of art, but in terms of writing and characters too

[maidenvault]

I feel like it kind of comes out of nowhere how Andor, after Luthen’s death, suddenly wants to prop him up as the guy who supposedly did more and gave more than anyone else for the rebellion, and a lot of discussion of the show accepts this and kind of whitewashes his moral ambiguity that is what makes him a really fascinating character, the standout one of the series imo. Luthen was never the only person building and running a spy network or the only one funding and supplying the rebellion.

And what has he sacrificed that’s supposedly so much more than anyone else’s sacrifices? Compared to all his agents who were more regularly on the ground risking themselves. Or victims of genocides like the one on Ghorman he was happy to have some responsibility for if it made the galaxy wake up more. Or Vel who lost Cinta, Cassian who’s lost everyone like family to him, and Mon who lived with her every move being watched for so many years and left behind her family without even getting a goodbye. If you give up all human connection, you don’t have much to lose, really. (And yet he didn’t even actually do that considering what we learn about Kleya, and his methods would have ultimately been self-defeating if it weren’t for her, the only person he didn’t alienate over the years.)

But even Cassian, of course, clearly doesn’t think everything he did was justifiable. He defends Luthen despite having complicated feelings about him. The series has constantly made a point of juxtaposing his perspective and his methods with those of other characters and he’s not always proven right. So why does the fandom seemingly take Luthen’s rationale at face value?

His defense of the move he made with the Aldhani robbery is to unapologetically tell Mon that the point is to hurt people and escalate things. To him it’s more about that than the money. As Tony Gilroy’s said himself, he’s an accelerationist. And yeah, Cassian being used for slave labor as an indirect result does begin to radicalize him (but the messages Maarva leaves behind are also surely a big motivator in getting him all in). But because of the legislation passed after Aldhani there are probably millions of people still in those hellish prisons for a very long time with the public having no idea how they’re being treated. Luthen doesn’t know about the Death Star project and the gargantuan labor force needed for it. The Empire was surely going to find a way to use slave labor to build it regardless and he quite possibly just gave them an easy excuse to ramp up arrests and extend sentences.

Then he basically plays into the Empire’s hands by aiding the rebellion on Ghorman because he doesn’t know what the endgame is and that the Empire wants the Ghor to fight back. Isn’t it crazy how we’ve been shown from the beginning Dedra is good at her job because she can think like Luthen, and she’s the one who comes up with the idea to stoke resistance among the Ghor and make them look dangerous? But he never considers that using the enemy’s weapons against them can just end up handing the Empire more weapons because chaos and fear are easy to take advantage of. Using those has always been Sidious’s playbook. I mean it’s no wonder nobody at Yavin likes Luthen when he’s still on his accelerationist bullshit two years before the Battle of Yavin, when the rebellion is starting to gather forces there and is already getting stronger every day without the additional push of another genocide.

Cassian’s instincts are right when he doesn’t get involved with the Ghorman resistance, and I think it’s kind of meaningful that Cinta dies so senselessly following Vel on their mission there. Vel’s a very capable rebel but has sometimes served as a kind of foil showing how much more of a natural leader Cassian is, and she doesn’t make the same call when arguably none of them should be there that night.

Ultimately what we see is that the Empire never needed any help from Luthen to hurt people enough that they inevitably fight back. They’ll do that completely unprovoked and with no reason but needing a resource in the ground under people’s feet. Ghorman was going to be destroyed no matter what, which is Dedra’s terrible excuse for her participation and no consolation to Syril, but nonetheless surely true. The Ghor fighting back with help from Luthen only makes it easier for them to control the narrative. A narrative Mon has to risk her life to tear apart on the Senate floor in a move that’s perhaps more powerful in encouraging resistance than the deaths of millions of people who couldn’t choose to sacrifice themselves.

Luthen is human and he makes mistakes. He isn’t a Jedi, he has normal weaknesses and limitations, so he has to make compromises. But after he’s been doing this so long, he clearly has stopped weighing the cost every time and become a little too comfortable with those compromises, like he’s just got to be in for a penny in for a pound to keep justifying to himself what he’s already done.

And in the end, all his work pays off in such a huge way with his Death Star intel only because he got really lucky - or perhaps because he was meant to be there at the right time. It also pays off because he didn’t do the ruthless thing he usually would at the end of season one, never getting an opening to kill Cassian without talking to him first. He breaks his own rules sometimes, he cares about Kleya, and that also pays off. His humanity and fallibility is exactly what makes him a hero - he had to start so small and with absolutely every disadvantage and he still did what he did. He still got a kind of redemption in the end when he wasn’t even looking for it. He could always see the endgame in his designs and that there’d be hope in that he couldn’t share in himself, but ultimately he is part of a destiny that’s even more important than anything he could have expected his efforts would bring about. The hope was always there and maybe he wouldn’t have done some things the same way if he could see it.

[iridescentscarecrow]

what frustrates me about fandom interpretations of makima as a one note Source of evil, apart from the fact that the manga itself refutes this, is that her character haunts and ties together so much of part two that it's impossible to fully understand without understanding her.

makima isn't ever a unilateral antagonistic force. she's an agent of the institutional evil that looms over all of CSM. she's in as much a commentary on gender and performance of gender as denji is.

and fjmt in part two enacts the "haunting the narrative" trope in such an interesting manner because you see flashes of makima in every female character. you see elements of her diluted into, most visibly, the characters of asa, nayuta and fumiko.

in asa, i see makima in that yearning for connection. i see her in the way that asa herself is fundamentally unable to approach the relationship of equals that she so desperately desires, partly due to her own social awkwardness but also because of yoru's threat: everyone she gets close to turns into a weapon. the fundamental inequality to human relationships that makima is unable to overcome.

during the aquarium date, you see asa echo makima again and again in lines that evoke makima's purposing of denji. that weaponising. "i'll grant you any request / save me chainsaw man! / you don't have to think about a thing."

and her connection with denji also founds itself upon this. yoshida talks to asa about parasocial relationships -- rerendering makima's idealisation of the CSM in how asa sees denji as a love interest. asa and denji parallel each other so organically in their gendered suppression and portrusion of desire. it's a punctuation of denji's search for intimacy that's mirrored by makima's in part one. exploring how asa is different from makima is perhaps the most intriguing part of this reflection though: an example being the way asa overthinks her outfit for her date with denji while makima seamlessly models herself into an Effortless woman.

[it's not like asa borrows just from makima. for example, there are things to be said about the way she views her Body (as compared with reze and quanxi) but examining how mkm's character bleeds into asaden is quite compelling.]

nayuta being the most visible remnant of what makima was is also interesting because makima herself appears so little in nayuta beyond the surface. nayuta's role as the control devil is hinted at frequently as is her appearance resembling makima's

but her and denji's dynamic more often echoes the hayakawa family and pochita than anything else. consider: aki giving up his goal (his 'easy revenge' that he finally sees for what it is) for the sake of his family, that warmth of blood and platonic bodily intimacy that power embodies--

it's all referenced to again with nayuta and denji, in direct panel callbacks and the plot itself! nayuta is The Family that makima constructs for denji in part one to pull him along the plot she prepares. i'm thinking about how makima is an allegory for capitalism. and what the family unit means in a capitalistic structure. the propagation of an ideal that hinges on birth and descendancy, about narrative and reproduction of narrative, about how nayuta births herself from makima and denji's relationship.

and this is also why nayuta herself exerts so much control over denji in the plot, as well as why she's used as a piece to control him. in part one, family was used to create the Chainsaw Man from denji. in part two, it's used to make denji abandon the Chainsaw Man, this icon that the church and the public now take possession of. [something something alienation of the worker from the product. from the collective. from the self.]

fumiko is perhaps the hardest to pin down here because her role evolves as the fandomisation of the Chainsaw Man evolves too. in fact, as a denji fan, she represents not just makima but multiple people who see something in and want something from denji! (think of how she references reze in her highlighting how denji is just a child; how reze uses her commentary on denji to engage with her Self. it's fandomisation,,, and what is makima but Chainsaw Man's fan?)

fumiko most obviously calls back to these wants and their conceptualisation of denji in the raw sexual violence that the events in the theater scene moving into the karaoke scene embody. the undercurrent of sa that runs through p1 and p2 is brought to the forefront in this scene -- denji falling back into these cycles of abuse, him slipping into habitating the wants of others (his initial horrified expression and then his grin during the fight. his initial inner monologue and then the cut to him licking the tentacle.)

so much of CSM rests on this fandom of denji, this theme of what production and idealisation means, one you can trace through fjmt's body of work. and this fandom reaches its crescendo in p2. what's even more interesting about fumiko is her pathos under this layer. her seeing denji as denji at some level but in the end, her handling of him is so selfish. her echoing makima's uninhibited laughter at the horror of denji's situation, her predatory cruelty. denji simultaneously humanised and dehumanised through her fandom.

fjmt's characters exist as foils, as parallels and ideas. makima's character has such a stranglehold over part one and these ideas run over into part two naturally -- as a consequence of denji being a reciever of these themes, but also deliberately in fjmt evoking the Thing that is makima repetitively -- to underscore the forever re emerging structure that denji and now asa are trapped in. the same structure that makima produced and was simultaneously caged by.

[1eos]

I got the purple reader too! I hadn't thought about my taste like that honestly. Though I think the book recs didn't seem to interest me necessarily. (Or well, I just donnnt like Murakami :/ ) Do you have any book recs that you think would also suit this kinda style?

i thought i was being snooty when i wasn't vibing with any of the book recs but everyone else was like 'damn these recs are ASS'. like i saw ishiguro's never let me go on there and honest to god scrolled back up thinking the quiz was for summer reading 😭 and GOD i hateeeee murakami. ppl keep toting him as some kind of revolutionary but every time i try to read his shit its deadass just man making his objectification of women verbose and 'deep' but if only if you're like 17 and have no life experience idk.

but YES i do have some purple reader recs! the description focused on books being dream-like, innovative, pushing the envelope or being experimental so i'd say:

in the dream house by carmen maria machado - a memoir but packaged in a way that's more like a domestic horror short story anthology about how abuse escalates in a relationship is akin to a haunting in a way. not easy to explain but it's SO good and carmen maria machado just has a very dream-like way of writing

ring shout by p djeli clark - one of the most unique books ive read concept wise. its an alternate historical supernatural novel where in the mid 1900s the kkk is actually like a demonic clan and these black hunters are tasked with taking them out. and omg the main character has this recurring nightmare and there's a major reveal abt that and it's stayed with me FOREVER

a tale for the time being by ruth ozeki - the book that got me back into writing. ruth's a writer and lives on an island and finds a lunchbox on the beach that has the journal of a japanese girl named nao who is being bullied in school and wants to chronicle why she's gonna kill herself. and it's such a long lasting story abt not hope per se but the infinite amount of growth and resilience of the human spirit and how buddhism is the wave basically lol

the nine lives of rose napolitano by donna frietas - i've never encountered a book that focused on alternate timelines without being heavy into scifi like this one. the book starts with rose on the fritz with her husband bc she's never wanted a baby but he's now pressuring her to have one and from this one confrontation it explores all the different ways her life can splinter and it's so interesting bc it doesn't go the cliche 'this is the life where im happy with a baby and here's a life where i'm miserable without one' it truly explores the deeper aspects of her marriage and how rose can find contentment no matter what. i really liked it at the end

jungian symbolism in astrology by alice o howell - i never know if ppl ever check out my astro book recs BUT this one is SO purple book coded. its abt astrology but you don;t need to know much because she doesn't talk abt methods but rather breaking down the meaning of astrology symbols. and it's not in a classic format its written like letters from the author to a dear friend. AND it goes beyond the basic astrology shit and really breaks down the importance of symbols and connects astrology to carl jung's ideas and it was such an interesting read that changed how i look at a lot of things

the night guest by hildur knutsdottir - a short but bold psychological horror. idunn realizes she's been sleepwalking and things happen. this is very dream like and very cold. very sparse. in a good way. a lot of american horror writers overwrite so this one was interesting in that it was more bare bones. the ending and the the reality of the horror is left really open ended and on goodreads a lot of ppl didnt like that but i fawking loved it

there's no such thing as an easy job by kikuko tsumura - follows the main character as she goes thru 5 different jobs after getting burnt out and the pitfalls of each job as means of 'escaping' the jobs that cause burn out if that makes sense. all of the 5 jobs are pretty unconventional and the main character accepts that even tho these jobs are 'easier' than her old job there's always just something that makes even an easy job complicated.

the secret lives of color by kassia st. clair - this is a nonfiction book about colors! like literally how we got the names for colors how we got them etc etc. i read it a long time ago but i remember that it was formatted really uniquely and written well

room by emma donoghue - read this for my humanities lit class in college a while ago but i never forgot it because i don't think i've ever read a book from the pov of a child in this kind of situation. basically jack's 5 and he's lived in a single room his entire life with his mom bc theyve been held captive by this weird ass old man. and the whole book you're like okay the mom's actions are kinda weird what's going on and then the reality of the situation sinks in and it's like...oh! all from the pov of a child that literally has only ever existed in a single room

[alshamswelnahr]

I’d love to share why Kimetsu no Yaiba is so dear to me but I could go on for ages so instead I'll briefly talk about what I love most about it

The Characters:

The characters are the real stars of this manga. They all have such unique, recognizable designs, and their introductions and story conclusions are really memorable. Each one is so different and interesting, both in their personalities and abilities. I love how the story really dives into their minds, flaws, and connections with others. Their story arcs perfectly tie into the bigger themes of the series. The focus on bonds, especially the emphasis on family—whether by birth or the ones we create—is particularly touching. And I love the way it shows the characters dealing with the same situations of loss and grief, highlighting their distinct qualities.

The Story’s Messages:

The story focuses on how love and the desire to support others are key to finding purpose and beauty in a cruel world. It shows the power of human will to fight against injustice and make a difference, no matter how difficult things get. The narrative also humanizes even those considered inhuman, allowing us to empathize with them, and understand the circumstances that might lead someone down a dark path. The story stresses that life’s cruelty isn’t an excuse for violence; instead, true strength comes from love, emotional openness, and connecting with others. It portrays death as both a painful loss and a continuation of existence through our impact on others. It’s all about justice and accountability without revenge, showing the effects of evil on everyone involved while still insisting on the beauty of life, even with all its challenges.

The Fights:

The fights in KnY aren’t just about physical combat—they’re deep and meaningful, involving emotional, ethical, and thematic battles. They’re set up between characters who share similar experiences, but how they handle things differently really highlights their personalities and contrasts.

The Heart/Emotions:

One of the main reasons I love this manga is the emotional depth. Whether it’s the backstories of demons and slayers, heartwarming reunions, or the gut-wrenching moments when characters give in to their worst instincts, the goodbye scenes or the emphasis on the love and bonds between characters, and what they’re willing to do for each other, it's all incredibly touching.

In Conclusion:

KnY is sincere, enjoyable, and easy to follow. It’s well-paced and knows exactly what it is without trying to be something else just for the sake of it. And of course, Ufotable’s adaptation takes all of this to the next level with their amazing production, flawless animation, and incredible music and voice acting.

[linkspooky]

Hi I really love ur metas your jjk ones really made me appreciate the story even more. I was curious about ur analysis on why Gojo is important to Geto.

It's obvious as to why Geto is important to Gojo and how Geto effected him but I don't think it's talked about enough of the reversal

That's a good observation anon, the story makes it less obvious what Geto needs Gojo for, while spending a long time lingering on the tragedy of Geto's loss and what the loss of his only real friend meant for Gojo.

I think part of this is because Geto is a character of deep self-reflection so a lot of his internal narration is about his feelings towards his self and thinking through his own ideals and what that means. Whereas Gojo doesn't really self reflect but he does observe other people. We don't know what Gojo's opinions on a lot of things are, but we know what Geto meant to him because he's much clearer on how he felt towards Geto. Geto's staring into himself trying to figure what he feels personally, Gojo is always staring at other people trying to figure out what they feel.

As for why Gojo means so much to Geto, it's important to remember that they are a duo. They're the same idiot in different fonts. Geto's a much more human character and we are inside his head more often so it's easy to forget that when they were young Geto had the same kind of god / superiority complex that Gojo did.

Geto is associated with religious imagery over and over again, the same way that Gojo is associated with budhist ideals of enlightenment and escaping karma. They are both people who were in their teenage years more powerful than everyone around them, and because of that looked down on everyone.

Even Geto's stated ideals of "protecting the weak" come from a place of superiority. He still divides people mentally into the weak and the strong. The special ones and the common rabble. He sees people the same way Gojo does, he just believes that the strong like him and Gojo have a moral obligation to use their powers responsibly in service of others.

Geto's not more humble than Gojo. Their moral disagreement comes from how they should use the power they've been given, but they both feel that the power they have puts them in a position above other people.

All of this to illustrate the fact that if Gojo felt isolated as a teenager because all the power he had made him feel lonely and unable to connect with others, then so Geto probably felt isolated in the same way too. They each found in each other someone they could finally call their equal. Because of it they gained someone they could be vulnerable around and someone they could trust to watch their back.

The things Geto does for Gojo (check on his feelings when no one else would, go out of his way to reassure him), Gojo does for Geto in return. It's not Geto always taking care of Goo it's a partnership between the two of them where they lean on each other.

When Kuroi is kindapped and Geto immediately falls into a funk and starts to blame himself for his mistake, it's Gojo who reassures him by hurrying him along and telling him they need to focus on planning what they should do next. Gojo knows Geto well enough to know his tendency to get trapped in his own thoughts and gives him the kick in the pants he needs.

In the same scene where Geto checks on Gojo's well-being to make sure he's not overusing his power, Gojo returns the sentiment by reassuring Geto not to worry about him because he won't push himself too hard and that he's not in this alone Geto's here too.

That's probably a big part of it for Geto. Yes, Geto tends to naturally slide into the caretaker role, watching out for Gojo and checking in on him but at the same time Geto probably likes that there is someone who needs him in that way. If Gojo's defined by his lack of connection with other people, Geto's defined by the way he goes out to make connections. It's nice to be needed as they say. The fact that someone as seemingly self-sufficient as Gojo not only relies on Geto a great deal, but lets Geto take care of him is probably a big part of their bond.

Which is probably why Gojo's awakening post Toji is a big part in why they started to grow apart from each other. If Geto likes to live in service to other people, and defines himself by his connection to others he probably interpreted Gojo no longer needing his support on missions and suddenly doing everything by himself as Gojo pulling away from him.

I think a big part in Geto's downfall was the hit he took when one he was defeated by Toji someone without Jujutsu and too, Gojo suddenly became out of his reach. Gojo himself never said that they were no longer the strongest duo, or that they were no longer the strongest together it's all Geto. As I said Geto has as much of a god complex as Gojo does.

He thought they were on the top together, and not only is he suddenly confronted with his own weakness at the exact same time Gojo's become so strong it appears on the surface that he no longer needs anyone's support, especially not Geto's.

Nanami says it out loud, but Geto probably echoes the sentiment. If Gojo is now strong enough to handle every mission on his own then what need does he have for other sorcerers - and Geto in particular? Geto goes from feeling needed in a lot of ways by Gojo who was just as important a friend to him as he was to Gojo to watch Gojo suddenly handle everything alone. In a lot of ways it probably felt like Geto lost Gojo far before the KFC breakup and his defection from Jujutsu High. From Geto's perspective their relationship was over, their partnership broken and Gojo just did not realize it until after the village massacre.

At first Geto had as big of an ego with Gojo, and connected in a special way with him because the two of them were on top together. However, he came to believe that the only reason their partnerhsip worked was because they were both the strongest. When Gojo became the strongest alone Geto believed incorrectly that what they once had was lost and Gojo no longer needed him when Gojo's emotional reaction to Geto's defection shows that's anything but true.

In Geto's mind it is though because he's kind of got the same messed up way of dividing people into strong and weak that Gojo does, he probably just realized that he was one of the weak ones and feared Gojo thinking the same way.

During Geto and Gojo's final confrontation he almost has an inferiority complex about it when he talks about how if he had the limitless he'd easily be able to accomplish what he set out to do.

Until that moment Geto always thought they were equals, but now Geto's suddenly talking like he covets Gojo's power. He suddenly wants to be Gojo, probably because he incorrectly believes that their partnership is base don being equals in power when it's really just a normal friendship.

Which is why the loss of Gojo's friendship affects Geto just as badly as the other way around. Everyone wants to be equals with their friends, especially to a friend as important as Gojo was to Geto.

There's almost a tragic irony in how when speaking of his friendship to Nanako and Mimiko, Geto acts like their friendship ended when Gojo left Jujutsu High. It's their in his death scene too, Geto is surprised by the fact that Gojo has any feelings left for him.

Geto's so insecure over his connection to Gojo he didn't understand that in Gojo's mind they were still friends right up until the very end, and perhaps if he were just a bit more secure they would have been able to reach one another instead of falling apart.

[snoopyhq]

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ ARCANE CHARACTERS AND THEIR POKÉMON TEAMS !!!

includes: viktor // jayce // mel // caitlyn // vi // jinx // ekko

a/n: if you guys want a part two with any of the other characters, feel free to lmk which ones :D !!! i had a lot of fun with this, and it kind of went into a whole AU direction with all my ramblings. oops!

tagging @anexcellentshot <3

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ VIKTOR

For his team, I wanted a collection of 'mons that would kill it in a steampunk themed show, so here we are!

GOLURK

Its lore centers around it being an ancient Pokémon built by an ancient civilization, so not much is known about it

To me, this Pokémon would be perfect for Viktor due to its aura of mystery and its creation by human hands

It also fits well with Viktor's arc when he becomes the Arcane Herald (glowing eyes, larger stature, commanding presence, associations with otherwordly abilities)

LUXRAY

I'm a firm believer in the fact that Viktor is a cat person, so of COURSE he gets a feline Pokémon

Luxray is an electric type cat. Need I say more?

Viktor's Luxray hisses at anyone who looks at him wrong. It's very funny. A total lapcat and demands his attention at all times

Everyone else who isn't Viktor can get fucked

KLEFKI

END KLEFKI HATE 2025

Why do people hate Klefki?! Being so serious right now btw... like are they just allergic to fun and whimsy or what. IDGAF if its just a key that became a Pokémon, it's one of my faves forever and always

Anyways. As for its relevance to Viktor, I see it as sort of being a good assistant for him in the lab and such. Carries his keys, yes, but also his tools for him

ALAKAZAM

I'm pretty sure it's the most intelligent Pokémon, and Viktor is a whole genuis

The dots connect!

Alakazam likes watching Viktor work on his various projects, and it oftens plays chess with him. A very intellectually stimulating experience for them both. The score currently is very close, although whose ahead, we'll never know :-)

GALARIAN CORSOLA

OK SO ORIGIN STORY !!!

We know Viktor grew up in the Undercity, and where he was shown had a river with cave systems nearby. I believe him and Corsola found each other the same fateful day he met Rio

They see each other as kindred spirits, having suffered in the environment they were dealt. Viktor is protective of his Corsola, and caring for it makes him feel a sense of accomplishment

Very bittersweet

MAGEARNA

A Pokémon that was also built by human hands, specifically by scientists according to its lore

It also has an ability that makes it a wonderful caretaker of people

That falls in line with Viktor's motivation to use Hextech to improve the lives of the less fortunate, and this Pokémon fits his aesthetic so well. I think Magearna is a wonderful way to end his team with :3

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ JAYCE

His character grew on me. Jayce Talis, you should've been born into a shoujo, not forced to shounen </3

TIMBURR

Very helpful fella to have around a lab! Construction sites! Factories! That's the Talis family specialty!

His first Pokémon, and the two often played with wooden building blocks and LEGOs in his childhood

Specifically choosing the first evolution because I can see Jayce's Timburr growing alongside him in the craft and one day evolving into a Gurdurr, and perhaps even a Conkeldurr

Or maybe it can stay a baby, who knows?

HERDIER

Looks like Heimerdinger. I am GREATLY amused by this

Is the Talis family dog, and followed Jayce when he went off to the Academy

Always sighing like its got bills to pay but that's because it has to watch over Jayce away from home 😭 Get him a martini (dog-friendly) and a long vacation ASAP

Big theme of family and Pokémon with Jayce here hehe

TINKATUFF

Another great Pokémon to help Jayce out with his endeavors!

This one has the most attitude of his team, and only helps with extremely ambitious, daring projects

It wants to improve, and taking up easy shortcuts is an insult

Overall, a diva

He loves it anyways, and always makes sure to express his appreciation because its efforts DO pay off handsomely

DARMANITAN

Jayce works in a forge at some point in the series, so having a Darmanitan with him just fits

It can withstand the high temperatures and has the muscle to help him out

I was debating between this fella and Heatmor but I like Darmanitan's rotund look better, sorry Heatmor

CARBINK

Very mystical Pokémon. Parallels the Mage that saved Jayce and Ximena when he was a child

Also resembles a Hextech crystal lowkey

MELMETAL

I think it's SO funny that it has "Mel" in its name

Also, more continuation of Pokémon that can dabble in craftsmanship

Evolved from a Meltan that snuck into his luggage when he was moving to the Academy district and refused to leave

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ MEL

I wanted a team that serves both cunt AND power, so here is Mel's team! Looking for a transparent BG, full-body picture of her was actually so hard. What the flip. I thought it'd be in her Arcane Fandom Page Gallery, but it wasn't. AUGH

DELPHOX

Fox motif

Also a mystical one too, since its lore states that its burn marks were used in divination long ago

Mel being a mage means she can connect with her Delphox on a deeper level

KOMMO-O

Noxians are people who value raw, physical strength

Ambessa is canonically a warmonger. Mel having a fighting type Pokémon like Kommo-o goes well with that lore

It's powerful, dual-type with DRAGON, and just radiates aura

Also, its scale patterns and her braids can sort of match in style and it also works with Mel's gold accents!

UMBREON

Evolved from her Eevee

It happened around the time Mel left home for Piltover for the first time. Their bond runs deep

Hates being confined to a Pokéball, so it roams out and about at all times

SNEASEL

Devious Troublemaker #1

Smart AND sneaky

It's resourceful with its wits and stealth, like Mel

Tolerates her Fezandipiti

FEZANDIPITI

Devious Troublemaker #2

Abuses its pretty privilege to get away with EVERYTHING (it works)

Best buds with her Sneasel

INDEEDEE

A Pokémon that "never leaves its trainer's side", so it makes sure she stays taken care of and GOD KNOWS she deserves a break

Secretary Pokémon basically

Keeps tracks of her papers, blueprints, speeches, and council talking points

Hovers over her during the duration of those meetings and makes sure she's comfortable

Also really, really good at snooping around and finding out the most incriminating secrets. Memorized everything to the letter

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ CAITLYN

Firm believer that she would be a competitive player in a modern world.

FROSLASS

Cold as hell (figuratively AND metaphorically)

Just like Caitlyn

It's a feminine Pokémon and it's TERRIFYING, I love creepy/non-conventional Pokémon lore

Highkey judgemental. Has purposefully iced out a council membor on more than one occasion. Thinks they're useless

SINISTEA

They're kind of twinning. Tell me you guys see the vision too

Like... same side part and everything !!!

Tea parties and they're both the prettiest princesses. They also talk about the best way to 'get rid of' Salo. It's great

Caitlyn never utilizes her Sinistea in battle. It follows her around instead, offers an off-putting vibe to the function

YUNGOOS

Yes, this is because of the mongoose comment

Also I think it's really funny that you have these elegant and put-together Pokémon on her team, and then there's this guy

Bites ankles

DECIDUEYE

She's a sharpshooter and so is Decidueye

Had it since it was a wee Rowlet, and the runt of its litter (nestmates? flock? i don't know bird terminology)

With her in every shooting competition and practice she attends

Her ace Pokémon. They're so in sync, she doesn't even need to voice moves aloud anymore

GROWLITHE

Enforcer ☹️

CORVISQUIRE

It's intelligent, even compared to other bird Pokémon similar to it

Also has that air of innate curiosity

Caitlyn had her whole detective thing in Season One of the show, so her having a curious corvisquire on her team makes sense to me

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ VI

If Vi has no lovers, I'm DEAD!!! Literally became one of my favorites the second she showed up one screen. I’m also the eldest sibling so maybe I connect to those characters more… Choso from Jujutsu Kaisen is another absolute faves of mine.

URSHIFU (RAPID STRIKE STYLE)

Matches her boxing fighting style

Very focused and disciplined

Her go-to sparring partner

LOKIX

A good kicker is needed to balance out a team of mostly fist-to-fists combat

Makes sure she does not skip leg day

Not that Vi would ever but it's nice to have someone look after her like an elder sibling for once

ALCREMIE

Similar to Caitlyn having Yungoos on her team, I find it funny to have Alcremie be the contrats on Vi's team

Her calling Caitlyn "cupcake" all the time? Please

Vi dotes on her Alcremie

First Pokémon she caught that wasn't in the Undercity, so it's a little bit of a primadonna, but who cares? It's adorable

Head chef of the team because picturing this little 1'00" Pokémon bustle around a kitchen area and whipping up delicacies makes me laugh

RIOLU

The youngest on the team and has the most to prove

Or at least, that's Riolu's mindset

Follows her Urshifu around like a little shadow, eager to learn and become the strongest of 'em all

Will evolve into a Lucario one day

CHARMELEON

Complements her color palette

I firmly believe she would choose a fire-type starter in any game route

Also has an insatiable fighting spirit, which I believe can be properly nurtured with Vi as its trainer and the rest of her team

Pairs up with her Riolu the most during sparring practices

ALOLAN MAROWAK

Both Vi and Marowak lost their mothers at a young age

Both watched their mothers die, even if the circumstances were slightly different

Not having a Cubone that evolved into a Marowak on her team would've been such a missed opportunity

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ JINX

Her team was the first one I finished putting together in my Google Docs. Very happy with how this one turned out.

BOMBIRDIER

The word "bomb" is kinda in the name

AND that fuckass bird is an asshole, according to it's Pokédex entry

I think it's hilarious, and fits Jinx's antics very well, especially with her first scene after the timeskip in season one

PANCHAM

The Pokedex entry for this one says it finds a Pangoro to look up to and trains relentlessly to get stronger like its mentor

Very much a reflection of how Isha looks (looked) up to Jinx, and wanted to be like her :')

NICKIT

Only surviving kit in the litter of Silco's Theivul

Naturally, it became Jinx’s Pokémon

Messes with her Espurr all the time. Gets lightly scolded, pretends to feel bad, and gets right back to it when her back is turned

Brings her scraps of metal and other shiny valuables it nicked (haha!) from unsuspecting citizens

HISUIAN TYPHLOSION

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR MY BOY TYPHLOSION

Justice for him for REAL.

But anyways. Colorful flames, extravagant, explosions. It basically spells itself out

Keeps her Nickit in check when it gets too rough with her Espurr

INFERNAPE

Her signature calling card is the graffiti monkey

Her monkey bomb/gadgets !!! Motifs...

The most disciplined of her Pokémon

ESPURR

Look at it and tell me it isn't experiencing the horrors(tm) and the voices(tm) at all times

I think Jinx could see herself in it in a way, and having Espurr on her team is kind of a grounding experience for both of them

They save each other

This lil guy is her PRIDE AND JOY ok

˚ ♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀ EKKO

Ekko deserves the entire world and more, I'm being so serious right now. Ekko 4 President.

DRILBUR

Little guy who just enjoys digging. Yeah, put him on the team

Would be very helpful for finding trinkets that Ekko could bring to Benzo's (in a happier timeline, they continue spending their days like this)

When the canon events happen, its role now becomes finding/forming tunnels and escape routes

NOCTOWL

Scout in the air

Goes along with Ekko's owl motif :D

Caitlyn already had Decidueye, and I feel like a tougher, more rugged looking Pokémon like a Noctowl fits the boy savior better

His team is a lot of earthy tones I've realized

Undercity Represent 🗣️🗣️🗣️

CELEBI

Ekko's connection with time, the four seconds, etc. etc.

Celebi is a time traveling Pokémon. It's perfect :3

I think he's the only character with a mythical Pokémon on his team, and you know what? He deserves it. Big Ekko fan! He can have a mythical Pokémon, as a treat

HOUNDOOM

If aura farming was a Pokémon

Looks tough, is an even tougher fighter

The rear-guard of his team. It looks out for the other ones and makes sure they all get to safety whenever it's brought along during one of Ekko's missions

Acts as a heater for the others and Ekko himself

Completely chill with letting Noctowl perch on its back

SKWOVET

Ok hear me out, this is the comedic effect guy

I headcanon that he pulls a Meowth in the anime and taught himself to speak human. NOT for the pursuit of romance this time, but for the pursuit of gossip

One of the tiniest ones recorded, so it sneaks around really easily

Like Mel's Indeedee, it gathers talk and whispers that otherwise would not see the light of day, and relays it all back to Ekko

It keeps him up to date on movements of other political factions and certain people (Jinx)

Has grown spoiled on all the treats it gets fed from being really damn good at its job

KROOKODILE

Found by Ekko during one of his explorations underground with his Drilbur

Battled against his Drilbur, and then his Houndoom when they broke up into the surface

Was eventually caught, and now goes on side quests with Ekko's Drilbur

Gives Ekko some peace of mind knowing that Drilbur has a bigger, more formidable friend watching out for it

Totes the coolest, rivalling Houndoom in levels of chillness

[seraphtrevs]

Lalo thoughts idk

I always thought what makes him so uncanny besides his clearly not very human behavior and beautiful dead eyes...

I think the fact that we never see him get badly injured or have sex with anyone helps that too?

He eats, he breathes, he is mildly affected by the outside world. He yearns for human connection, but he always does it in a very unnatural way.

I think twins not talking should have same spooky effect that makes you question their humanity in a literal sense.

Thinking about him this way makes his death seem like a voluntary act? As if he know he doesn't have to keep living to bring Gus down, so he lets it happen. Therefore a laugh in the very end.

I love thinking of Gus, Lalo and Walter as not quite human... They're closer to Gods. Too lucky, too all knowing, everything is too easy for them. And their deaths are all silly in a way. You're so powerful and inhumane and you're brought down so easily by a slight oversight at a very specific moment...

(sorry for bad grammar, eng is not my first language)

I have a confession - when I first watched BrBa, I didn't like the twins. Shocking, I know! I thought they were too cartoon-ish for the show. But I've come to change my mind. The brbabcs verse does have a touch of magic to it - or maybe mythic is a better description. Because these shows are also morality tales, tackling questions about good and evil, damnation and redemption, vengeance and forgiveness. I think that's why I'm so drawn to these shows, because the characters are incredibly nuanced and sympathetic, but they're grappling with these giant ideas that are really about what it means to be human

But back to Salamancas. The characters are all very psychologically realistic EXCEPT for these guys. Lalo is an impossible person - for instance, with his sleep habits. I love that in season 6 they doubled down on Lalo's comment to Nacho that he only sleeps an hour or two a night - they literally showed him setting a timer for one (1) hour when he's stalking the meth lab.

But maybe it shouldn't be too surprising, because he does a lot of other very improbable things. He takes down an entire squad of assassins single-handedly. He'll drop down from a ceiling to kill you, or else he'll fly away out the window if he decides to spare you. Even his psychology is kind of impossible. Like you said, with his embrace of his own death. Lalo laughed because he was bested by a worthy opponent - he lost the game, but he'd had fun playing. I'm not saying it's completely impossible to be Like This, but I agree he feels like something more than human - or at least, different than human

Instead, he's the embodiment of the seductive dangers of the cartel. Because in the end, Jimmy wasn't forced into a connection with the cartel - he was seduced into it. A life of crime is terrifying - but it's also tempting. If it wasn't, everyone would be a law-abiding citizen.

So therefore, Lalo as a character should be scary, but also sexy and fun. It's all fun and games until... well, you know.

[ilikethecolorredsstuff]

ARCANE Rant

Arcane s2 ending is underwhelming because the show was slowly building up to it (the biggest disappointment of the century)

U can feel it slowly letting go of the class issues that s1 was based on ( arguably the reason why the show was appealing to begin with) foe what seems to be no reason. Cause it seemed that they could've done better with presenting the themes that were already there in the subtext of it all or atleast it was that way for s1 and the first act(s?)

By the 3rd act, it's like they make it a point to stray away from what the show is supposed to be about and maybe that's why there's a lot of distraction going on (*caughs * fan service). In the last act there's just so many loose endings and key points are missing, ones that are usually provided to the whatcher bethey offer needed insight like how jayce decided to touch the arcane or what happened with ekko and jinx when he stopped her. This is a pattern that also shows in s1 and the other acts but the avoidance of clearing things up or providing insight on character's behaviors in this case isn't to get us to think about it and interpret it on our own instead it leaves a feelibg of just accept it for now that's how thongs came to be, and it doesn't even explain it later(would've beena great move tbh).

This lack of insight makes it easier to just accept other shifts that don't actually make sense like the main shift of victor's character when he gave up on doing good for the ppl the moment jayce attacked him and honestly not only did jayce have no business doing that, victor also had no reason to change his ideology for only that. The attack harmed not only him but also the ones connected to him so it does make sense that instead of healing he decided to eliminate all danger but even then it wouldn't make sense for him to agree to forge an army and pick sides for a political war something he aims to demolish.

And then it's not even about his conquest anymore and we get a fairly easy and rushed destruction of the black flower and then back to Victor.... Victor changes his ways and they disappear leaving everyone behind to what? Move on? As if the story is about how humans weren't ready for a progress that fast andbnow they can learn from their mistakes and take their time, as if that insane leap of advancement both biological and technical isn't just a by product of an environment manufactured by classism that pressured and cornered ppl into this extreme reality.

At the end, nothing has changed from the beginning of s1, the counsel just added a physical chair for the undercity instead of the invisible one that silco did hold at some point.

The truth is zaun isn't even a separate nation anymore it's still the undercity who now has a representative in the counsel.

War didn't even unite the ppl in fear and grief because except for the enforcers the fighters were mostly from zaun, this is dangerous because it paints a picture where the unpriveleged lot are fighting someone else's battles while the priveleged (root cause of said battle) get to flee and only comeback when everything is settled to look all bigoted and give side eyes to the representative of the unpriveleged (im looking at u short grandma).

My point is what is the show trying to say by ignoring the core issue, leaving us in the dark abt a character's motivations, and jumping to war with spiritual robots meanwhile the counsel is full of classist cowards leading a nation they fled when shit got bloody and letting the war criminal from the uptown have a happy ever after, her crimes don't even get mentioned while jinx is told that no amount lf help she offers can undo the harm she caused. It's all intentional, the show even ends with a hidden message that heimdinger was correct from thr beginning for restricting research or at least it felt that way.

[stargirlfeyre]

The most interesting thing about people being upset about Nesta and Rhys’ relationship even after they “made up” in Acosf is we literally told y’all that this would happen and y’all just dismissed it as being Nesta hate.

Let’s break it down.

Rhys and Nesta did not make up. They bonded over their shared desperation for saving Feyre. In that situation emotions were running high and former animosity and resentment were pushed aside for their love for Feyre. This can also be compared to Feyre and Nesta “bonding” over helping Elain and the humans in Acowar. They didn’t have a genuine connection between them but a shared goal. That’s why when that goal was no longer something being worked towards by both of them, their relationship deteriorated once more.

This is the same case for Nesta and Rhys. Saving Feyre was that goal. Rhys was in a situation where he had to rely on Nesta to save his wife and child and now that they’re both out of that situation, there’s nothing binding them anymore. There’s nothing that they agree on anymore. The desperation for Feyre’s life wore off and it’s like “Oh yeah. Now I’m remembering why I didn’t like you”.

And it all boils down to the fact that they had no conversation. No one in these books did. They didn’t talk about their issues, why they resent one another, the hateful things they have said both to each other and to their shared loved ones etc. There was absolutely no closure for that on either end. They spent a year hating one another and said not a word about it after…

And the craziest thing is we said this was needed and y’all dismissed it. We said that these relationships can’t truly heal without a conversation and y’all said “actions speak louder than words”…well not in cases like these babes. Nesta saving Feyre, while admirable, does not change how she treated her and how everyone else disliked her for how she treated Feyre. And your response to that was to call us ungrateful and say that we expected too much from Nesta when really that’s not the case at all.

What we were saying is, this is a group of people with so much hatred and animosity between them that they’re literally threatening to murder one another. That the years of abuse and mistreatment will not be fixed with an action (no matter how big the actions) but with multiple conversations.

Conversations are important.

We told y’all this. Rhys and Nesta do not have a relationship and they never truly healed the hatred between them. That’s why it’s so easy for the both of them to yell at one another or resort to insults when they’re pissed at each other. They don’t understand how the other feels, they don’t listen to one another, they aren’t sympathetic towards one another and all because they didn’t talk.

Yes they both love Feyre but your love for someone can’t be the only thing helping you get along with someone else. And that can go for the relationships with many of these characters. Sjm is afraid of deep verbal confrontations when it comes to these characters and that’s why their relationships seem so stagnant.

[baconcolacan]

Hi Neil!! I love your work so much! I'm a beginner writer (just started getting into the hobby a few weeks ago) and I'm hoping you could give any tips or words of advice on writing fanfiction? You're actually the main reason why I got into Eddsworld and fanfiction in the first place, so I look up to you a lot and wish to reach your level of skill one day! Hope you have a wonderful day/noon/night!

Oh sure! I’ve given writing advice before, the gist of it is that you start with a skeleton plot; chapters with specific themes and sub scenarios that happen in them.

e.g. for chapter 1 of Regimen, my skeleton plot looked like this:

REGIMEN CH1: Escape

>What has Tom been up to (get to know the squad)

>News segment reveal with Tord

>Escape from Norway and its consequences

Pretty barebones and it looks short, BUT if you’ve read my fic, you know how long just one chapter with these points is.

Another thing to keep in mind is your writing style. I’m an introspective writer, so a majority of my writings have a lot of personal thoughts from my MC, even if they’re not in first person.

e.g. Regimen again with Tom (Chapter 1)

‘None of the paths were to be used more than three times by anyone so that there wouldn’t be any traces of footprints. Tom had, like everyone else, been forced to memorize all of the General’s paths, it gave him a splitting headache on most days but fortunately he had used the path he was currently on only once, this allowed him a second tread back as long as he kept his steps light.’

You notice that while I’m world building, Tom interjects with his own experiences and thoughts about the world, you’ll find better examples in the fic but I often dont world build without a comment from my MC.

There are also paragraphs where it’s Tom just thinking about things, because again, I like introspection. Some writers are purely hands off characters and more world-buildy, some writers are omniscient and would tell you everything about what every character is feeling. In my case, I like focusing on one character’s thoughts and feelings at a time.

This is entirely up to you, but it would be best if you chose a solid writing style to follow through with.

And one important thing I like to repeat: EXPERIENCE things. The arts are all about US, human life and emotions, and writing hopes to put all those complexities to words.

Life experience is important, it’s how we connect. I’m not saying you should SUFFER for your art per say, experience can be something as easy as media consumption, see what works for other stories and artforms, you might be able to implement it into your own writing.

Be sure to BRANCH OUT as much as you can, many genres and artforms are great sources of creativity you can slowly learn to translate for your own purposes.

And one last specifically fanfiction related advice:

When writing a particular character, I always try my best to “hear” their voice for specific dialogues, we always joke about things like ‘He would NOT fucking say that’, but it’s steeped in truth, if you really can’t hear their voice saying certain lines, it would be best to revise them.

[solkorolevastan]

I just finished Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield and so few books have managed to make me this depressed

5 stars obviously and I’m just gonna talk about my thoughts on the book with some spoilers

“I know all this, and I know that as my head cleared, finally, of everything, sunken thoughts receding with the thing that we had left below, I thought to myself Miri Miri Miri and I waited for the ocean to end.”

Leah and Miri loved each other so much but they also both didn’t want to accept that something had changed? Like Miri spent so long pining for her Leah that when Leah actually came back different she couldn’t do anything but sit and watch her disappear

Leah was changed after what she experienced and so I think she wanted more from Miri but didn’t know how to express it like from what you got in the flashbacks their relationship wasn’t that tension filled precipice it was when Leah came back like it was easy and comforting and Leah changing changes their entire dynamic which is apart of why Leah goes back to the sea

This book made me cry so much it’s not even funny like it just makes you feel the loss over and over again like Miri lost Leah twice and the second time she had to watch the love of her life grow worse and worse in front of her eyes when she couldn’t do anything to stop it

Do you think Miri thought if she went in the bathroom sooner or stayed in the bedroom with Leah or kept trying to make contact emotionally and physically she could’ve saved Leah? Do you think she blames herself?

I think a lot of it it her blaming Leah too for abandoning her because that’s what happened in a sense like even at the bottom of the sea when Leah had the chance to go she had to keep searching. Going back to Miri was a specific choice in Leah’s mind because apart of her wanted to be down there and that’s why she ends becoming apart of it in the end

I think I’ve said this in fifty different ways but I think Leah and Miri forgot how to love each other in the time they were apart. They forgot how to love overall. You could even argue they forgot how to be human which is why when Leah is gone Miri is truly alone because no one can understand what happened except for Leah. No one can understand her except for Leah. Leah was her everything and she was gone

Leah probably felt so alone when she came back to the surface. When she was down there even though she was technically alone, she had Matteo and Jelka and while it drove them crazy, it helped her to cope knowing there were other people there. When she came back up she couldn’t possibly explain everything to Miri the sounds, the pressure, sunkeness like everything was so intense and personal you can’t pass that on to someone else easily.

I think the weight of all she saw is what really made her go back. That and the obvious connection with the eldritch terror which probably felt more stable than the one she was in Miri when she got back

Leah is such a tragic character like she just makes me so sad to think about like in Miri’s eyes she was so full of kindness and light and we can see that even when she’s down there like you can see every piece of her that Miri talks about slowly being stripped when she’s in the ocean. I think when Leah came back she was a shell of herself because the ocean took away everything that wasn’t the sea. It stripped her of everything that made her foreign to it and so when she came back all that was left was water

Miri is also tragic because of how she forces herself to be alone. I don’t think that Miri is going to get better now that Leah is gone because Leah was her lifeline. I remember she said that she couldn’t cope with the idea of Leah dying before the left like it was so foreign and strange and yet it happened. Leah left her slowly in the end without talking just like her mother.

Miri isolated herself from her friend, Leah’s friends everyone because she just wanted her wife back and when her wife came back she isolated herself from her too. It’s so sad because they’re both so alone but they’re so together, like they’re so intertwined with each other in a heavy way

But yeah imma stop crying and all in all it was an amazing book even better than I could’ve hoped for like I was so sure it was gonna be some alien switched with my wife type story but it was even more tragic. Like this is probably one of the only horror books I’ll read because it was horrific not in a jumping screaming way but in a suffocating, drowning way.

"To drop below the surface is still to sink, however intentionally - a simple matter of taking on water, just as drowning only requires you to open your mouth."

[zenkindoflove]

I've been thinking about a comment I've seen thrown around in the great "whose book is next?" debate, which is "we don't know enough about Elain yet."

I wouldn't say I'm confused as to why people say this. I know it's because for many people, Elain is easily forgotten and purposely ignored because of her character archetype. Especially in fantasy, female characters who are more soft spoken, traditionally feminine, and have a penchant for following social norms or being generally agreeable as a way to get by in the world are often pushed to the side. You see it not only in how other characters act towards them but also how readers value them. We specifically see Rhys and Feyre actively choose to put Nesta's needs (and ultimately her story) before Elain's by focusing on "one sister at a time" which is explained by Nesta being the squeakier wheel.

But let's take a moment to understand what we have seen of Elain's journey so far.

We have seen Elain: live in poverty, witness her sister's kidnapping, mentally manipulated by fae magic to forget, see her family return to riches, have to navigate high society again, find a fiance and become betrothed, host queens in her home to help her Fae sister which she hides from her betrothed, kidnapped, made into a Fae against her will, have a mating bond snap with someone who isn't her fiance, grapple with becoming fae, learning the nature of her new powers, mourn the separation with her love, processing that she has a mating bond to another, receive visions of a powerful death god, try to get back her fiance and is horribly dumped, kidnapped again, present in a battle, killing the King of Hybern to protect her sister, losijg her father,process some more her trauma of losing her human life and grieving her father, trying to fit in with her new family and her new life, insisting she wants to help the NC and to learn more about her powers, pursue a crush and be rejected... Again, grapple with the codependent relationship she has with Nesta both in setting boundaries and trying to heal, reconnect with her sister Feyre, and witness her sister die and be resurrected in childbirth.

To me, that spells out quite a character journey of experiencing trauma of many types, overcoming adversity, and trying to find her identity and place in the world.

What is most important is on all three of those counts we have seen the start of this process but we haven't delved deep or had any resolution. And more specifically, because these are romances, we haven't seen how Elain will grow and make sense of her mating bond that she feels a lot of reluctance towards. I point all of this out because there is a lot of tension in Elain's narrative. There are several unresolved plots and actions that have happened to her character that we are sitting and wondering what she is going to do and what she thinks of all of these things.

I just don't think the statement that "we don't know enough about Elain yet" for her to have the next book is a valid argument to make when you actually sit down and take the energy to see Elain. To focus on what her specific experience has been so far in the books.

Her story is geared up and ready to go. Specifically her story with Lucien. And this is leaving out how connected she is to the overall fantasy plots because the bigger point I wanted to make is that as a character, Elain already has a lot to her story and even more to explore. She is more than geared up to be a FMC.

I know especially with the ship war it's easy to get caught up in rooting for what we want to see happen. But at the end of the day, this is a character we've known since the first novel, who has been integral to many parts of the story and directly affected by what has happened in the story. So the entire attitude that it's preposterous to think Elain is ready for her own book is really just doing what everyone else in her life does to her - underestimate her. And I can't wait for people to see how much they have misjudged and ignored her.

[mattress-ing]

What about gunmetal stuck out to you to where your writing a multi chapter fic about it? Just curious

Contains spoilers if you’re not caught up on riptide

Give or take ten episodes, I’m not double checking right now

Might be faster to name all the things that didn’t lol

We have my usual pulls; mlm ship, side characters with a lot of “offscreen” time, nontraditional relationship dynamic, and the fact that they’re both so interesting. Also, if I don’t write down my headcannons I’ll just go crazy sitting in a room going no one knows them like I do

So: why I ship them.

They both have the ability to really go wherever they want, but since our introduction to each of them, they lose their “purpose” or their main tie to a place or a plan. Alphonse is freed and gryffon kills Grimm. Now they’re both kind of aimless and *cough* adrift *cough cough* and have to find what to do with the rest of their lives. Both took what looks to me like the easy option of just follow the nearest people with a plan concepts of a plan

With Gryffon, I was drawn to him referring to himself as cuddly at one point. I wanted to explore how he balances or doesn’t balance the warring aspects of bounty hunter who is clearly comfortable killing and feeling like he’s soft and cuddly on the inside. I wanted to see him coping with what we can infer is the loss of his entire race, and pinpoint what drives him to keep going after he got his revenge. Is it hope? Spite? Blossoming attraction? Fear?

I think Gryffon sees Alphonse as more naive than he is, and wants to protect him while also harboring guilt for feeling a romantic connection there. Whereas Alphonse sees Gryffon as emotionally stunted and wants to draw him out of his shell and feels frustrated and confused when he is met with shell wall in situations he thought they already got through.

And finally, intimacy. Alphonse can’t register touch in the same way that humans do. And it drives me crazy. For him, intimacy is something entirely his own. And since he enjoys building I figure he’s drawn to mental connection more, emotional honesty, a knowledge of building. He likes having all the pieces of someone in his mind. I think even more than that, he enjoys solving puzzles. And Gryffon gives him many opportunities for that. His arm. His general demeanor.

Gryffon being the last of his kind means the loss of language. Both spoken and intimate. Imagine no one knows what a hug is, or a fist bump, or a kiss. How many displays of companionship or affection that he experienced as a child haven’t been performed in a decade? How does he go about explaining meaningful gestures to people who’s bodies aren’t genetically programmed to have that gesture release oxytocin? And what if that person can’t feel touch anyway? Gryffon has to teach everyone else how to love him in a language only he speaks. But first he has to trust someone enough to accept their love. And he hasn’t been able to let his guard down for a decade, that doesn’t come off in the wash.

Then the ship fiasco.

(A brief aside to say; while I think it was horrible for the characters to do this to their friend, it was a comedic bit that got turned into canon. Just because I’ve decided to take it in a serious manner doesn’t change the fact that the show is there for fun and for laughs (we’re on the piss on the poor reading comprehension site, I’m covering my ass))

Alphonse becoming the ship was such a “woah this guy is getting essentially enslaved by his friends” and he seems almost resigned to it in canon portrayal. So I wanted to figure out if I could explain to myself why he is so resigned about it.

I think Alphonse, who is finally finding his passions, choosing to sacrifice himself for this child and then being brought back into a body he isn’t in charge of, is a web of emotions so knotted together that its hard to pull one string without tightening the whole thing.

Gryffon sees these captains he respects treat a crew member like he’s only there to serve their goal. But he also sees them bring him back from death. Should he feel horror or relief?

Does Alphonse feel indebted for this third chance at life, two of which he received from these same captains? Does Gryffon worry about leaving Alphonse behind if he leaves to spare himself a similar fate?

TL:DR I have a lot of questions and I’m not accepting answers that aren’t mine because I’m a control freak about my scrunglies