#why must people and my brain torture me? like whats the point?

[feralbeeast]

Every single day I'm proven exactly why I shouldn't talk to people anymore.

I know i should just give up but fuck man.

I hate bpd.

[merrinla]

Portrait spamming

Recent discovery. If you click on the portraits of the characters like crazy, they will react to it. And the developers had a lot of fun coding these reactions xD

Tav / Dark Urge

normal - I'm awake! Mostly. - I'm starting to get a headache. - Must be the tadpole. - Quit knocking around in there! - A thousand needlepricks in my rotten skull.

combat -Ahhhhhhhh! Okay, I feel better. - I have an itch in the worst place. - Is being a mind flayer so bad? - Just waiting to venture forth here. - I'm maiming as fast as I can!

stealth - What's that ticking? - Is it me? Am I ticking? - Bomb in my head about to go off. Great. - Ah, well. I had a good run.

Astarion

normal - Why do beautiful people taste better? It hardly seems fair on the ugly - they have such wonderful personalities. - Ugh. Strahd wouldn't put up with this shit. - More like Drizzt Don't'Urden - no. No that's not funny. - Villains! Dissemble no more, I admit the deed! Tear up the floor - here, here! It is the beating of his hideous hea- oh, no, that's his brain. Where did I leave that heart?

combat: - I'm trying to focus on murder. - *Humming.* - I shot a svirfneblin in Menzoberranzan just to watch him die. - I should've been a drow. They have such stylish armour.

stealth - Shhh. Just think sneaky thoughts. - Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP. - Be very, very quiet - I'm hunting idiots. - I've got a brand new torture chamber, so come and play with me.

Karlach

normal - NOTE TO ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Blow a raspberry at the player. - Don't. Poke. The Karlach. - Who am I? - My eye!

combat - Eyes on the prize - we need to win this! - Not every soldier should've made it out of training. - Eyes on victory, tummy on dinner. - I ought to just burn this whole thing down.

stealth - My back can't take much more of this. - Not now, I'm being a sneak! - I'm getting too old for this nonsense. - I'm not built to crouch.

Gale

normal - I hope Halaster takes good care of Tara while I'm away. - Sembian wine; Cormyrian boar; Waterdhavian conversation. It's the little things you miss while on the road. - Oh, what a tangled Weave we web! - All the world's my stage and you're just a player in it.

combat - Just go for the Magic Missile and fire away. Never fails. - Don't make me go all Edwin Odesseiron on you. - Get. Out. Of. My. Head. - I really wish I could cast a Hold spell on you.

stealth - You made me hide, don't make me come seek you. - Gods, it's like trying to sleep with a mosquito in the room. - A little privacy please. - Stop it - that tickles.

Wyll

normal - Could do for a brew. - Where there's a 'Wyll', there's a 'y'. - Ever get the sense that someone's watching? - So two halflings walk under a bar...

combat - Can't hear myself think! - Wear your scars proudly. - As my father once told me: 'Can we get on with it?' - I find moderation is key.

stealth - Bad time for an itch. - Could do for a brew. - So two halflings walk under a bar... - Shush. No, really. Shush.

Lae'zel

normal - Must everyone be so exhausting? - Weapons high. Standards higher. - Is perfection too much to ask? - Pride is a virtue.

combat - I will know my queen! - There is no right or wrong, only truth. - What is the point, if not victory? - You are right to fear me.

stealth - Hush already. - There is no wisdom in madness. - Is perfection too much to ask? - There is but one way. Vlaakith.

Shadowheart

all modes - I wonder how I'll feel when I remember everything. - Strange. I've had more freedom this past while than my whole life... - Have to keep focused. Can't afford to get attached - to anyone. - If I succeed, maybe I'll be allowed a pet... ugh, stop being silly.

Halsin / his voice is currently bugged :(

normal - What I would not give for a chunk of fresh honeycomb... - Such attention... I never realised I was so popular. - Are you feeling lonely, perhaps? - Unwise, perhaps, to poke a bear this much...

сombat - Battle is afoot - you can poke me once we are safe. - Perhaps try attacking the enemy? - Admirable stamina, yet terrible priorities. - You are insistent, are you not?

stealth - Most consider it unwise to poke a bear. - My, you are eager, are you not? - Please. I am trying to be stealthy. - Calm yourself. There is plenty of me to go around.

Jaheira

normal - Oh, calm down. I'm happy to see you too. - I would poke you back, but I fear that's what you want. - My, such strong wrists. - Well you certainly have the 'omnipresent' part down, don't you? - Please go poke the ranger instead.

combat - You have my attention - now do something with it. - What? What do you want!? - Do you know, I begin to wish they had never brought me back. - Yes, yes, have your fun. It isn't you they're trying to kill.

stealth - Dry those sweaty palms and let us try this again, shall we? - Argh, my knees! Oh. It was a twig. - Would that I could hide from you, too. - Careful, or I will take your toy away from you.

Minsc

normal - ARGH! My EYE, Boo! They went for my EYE! - Know that if you poke Boo, no higher dimension will keep you safe! - Heehee. Heeheeheehee. - Well, Boo? How do you want to do this?

сombat - Are you perchance a squeaky wheel in need of a kick? - I am armed! Armoured! And entirely sick of your foolishness. - I begin to grow annoyed. It is well for you that Boo does not let me learn the bad words! - Ignore them, Boo. Let them gaze deep into their own abyss, and wonder just what it is they are trying to achieve.

stealth - A little to the left? But not so hard you make me giggle. - Boo...? Are you dancing down there, or...? - Hush! I am surprising Boo for his birthday! He is... uh... eh... how old do hamsters get...? - I am the night. A pity, then, that it is so bright out.

Minthara

all modes - You had my attention, now you have my fury. - Phlar Lolth ssinssrickla. - Your suffering will be spectacular. - Stop, or die.

[saetoru]

✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。PLAN B — ALHAITHAM.

alhaitham has long resigned to the reality that as long as he’s dating you, there can never be an argument he can fully win with logic alone. all his life, his brain has carried him above men in the most impressive of ways, granted him effortless victories that he’s strategized in just a few quick seconds—except no matter how impressive, his brain is no match for your stubbornness.

one time, he even overhears the general mahamatra mumble, it seems like he’s met his match. to this day, the moment haunts him in his sleep sometimes.

but he figures cyno is right (though no one should ever tell him this) because otherwise, alhaitham, the akademiya’s scribe and current acting grand sage, would never be buying flowers and standing before you to apologize for something he didn’t even do.

well, he did—it’s just that he did in a dream, not reality.

“oh, has the cheater come back for my hand again?” you spit, crossing your arms and looking to the side with a hmph.

the universe must be having a field day with this show, he thinks, the show of alhaitham’s life taking complicated turns in places they simply do not have to. woefully, he’s sure kaveh is enjoying this, at least. otherwise the architect wouldn’t be sitting on the opposite couch and watching in pure glee.

“technically, i didn’t cheat,” alhaitham argues, “that was the alhaitham of your conjured imagination. the real alhaitham was peacefully sleeping until he was rudely pushed off of the mattress despite having work in a few hours—”

“i don’t speak to cheaters,” you huff.

alhaitham figures it’s now time to put plan b into action. plan b is as follows: to buy your favorite type of flowers and present them to you, all while dinner from your favorite restaurant sits on the table waiting. as soon as your eyes light up at the sight of the flowers, he’ll be able to skillfully sneak his way beside you on the couch, pull you close with one arm, and before you realize what he’s done, he’ll lead you to the dining table with your usual order waiting for you.

it’s a fool proof plan, he thinks—all plans of his have always had a ninety nine percent success rate, and this is no different. the only reason there’s not a one hundred percent success rate is solely and entirely due to the fact that he cannot plan for unforeseeable circumstances that occur last minute. these circumstances are beyond his control, but the small statistical chance of them occurring puts his mind at ease that in a few short minutes, all will be back to normal.

“these are for you,” he says, holding out the bouquet he bought—which was rather expensive, might he add.

and then, because the universe hates him, that one percent chance of an unforeseeable circumstance presents itself at the most inopportune of times.

“why is this one dead?” you raise a brow, pointing to the flower in the corner he failed to notice.

wonderful, he thinks. kaveh snorts, and alhaitham simply let’s his shoulders sag.

“well,” he starts, “i didn’t notice that one. forgive me—”

“just like you didn’t notice my presence while you cheated on me, huh? yeah, for the akademiya’s scribe, you sure do miss a lot,” you glare daggers at him.

“but i didn’t—”

“it’s your fault i dreamt that in the first place,” you hiss, “who’s plan allowed the people of sumeru to dream again?”

“yes,” kaveh adds from the corner, “do tell, alhaitham. who’s brilliant plan has lead to this situation?”

“certainly not yours,” alhaitham shoots back, crossing his arms as he raises a brow at the insufferable blonde, “if it were up to you to make the plans, we’d have quit before we even start.”

“don’t be rude to kaveh,” you scold, “kaveh would never cheat on me.”

“of course i wouldn’t,” kaveh agrees.

alhaitham pinches himself in hopes this is all his dream and he can wake up from this torturous nightmare.

“kaveh is behind on rent and acutely single. the only place kaveh could cheat on you is in his own dreams,” alhaitham argues, which earns an offended sound of indignation from his roommate.

“if this is your way of apologizing, it sucks,” you sulk, refusing to meet his eyes.

with a heavy sigh, alhaitham sets down the flowers and hesitantly—he does not wish to be shoved to the floor a second time in one day—settles beside you on the couch.

“i would never be unfaithful to you. i love you,” he says simply, but his voice is delicate, serious, like he means it. “i love you because you brighten each day, and make them far more tolerable by your side—even despite your occasional illogical fits of rage. and i will continue to love you even when i am the target of them.”

“seriously?” kaveh gapes in disbelief, “that’s your apology? are you trying to be broken up with—”

“really?” you ask, hopeful.

“of course,” alhaitham nods, and if the corner of his eyes shoot kaveh a smug look…well, only kaveh sees it.

“you’ve never cheated on me?” you narrow your eyes, searching for confirmation in his.

he grabs your hands, nodding. “never,” he assures.

“okay,” you nod, “as long as you’ve learned your lesson, i can look past the mistakes of the alhaitham of my dreams.”

“the alhaitham of your reality is so graciously thankful,” he says sarcastically.

you giggle. he smiles softly. kaveh rolls his eyes and walks to his room.

“well, alhaitham of my reality,” you hum, moving to cup his cheeks and lean in until your lips are just barely touching his, “i love you too. even despite how you infuriate me—including in my dreams.”

“it’s an unfortunate quality all potential versions of alhaitham come with,” he chuckles, and then his lips are pressed to yours firmly.

and you know, from this kiss alone, from the way he holds you like you’re the first bloom of spring after a harsh winter, that you’re the only one he has room for in his heart.

plan b had a few unexpected complications, but as always, alhaitham adds another successful attempt to his list.

this reader is so me-coded pls look away 😭

[adverbally]

Just Like a Prayer (I’ll Take You There)

Written for the @steddiesmuttyseptember prompt “pillow princess” | wc: 751 | rated: E | cw: sexual content | tags: alternate universe - gender changes, female steve harrington, female eddie munson, pillow princess eddie, cunnilingus, orgasm denial, a touch of BDSM dynamics, c’mon you can’t tell me the prompt is pillow princess and not expect me to make it sapphic | title from “Like a Prayer” by Madonna

———

It’s not that Eddie is purposely not reciprocating when Stevie goes down on her. She loves Stevie, and she would be thrilled to make her feel even a fraction as good as she makes Eddie feel. It’s just that, when Stevie wants to spread her out on the sheets and dig in like Eddie is her last meal, why would she protest?

“Oh, Jesus,” she gasps on a shuddering breath, lacing her fingers in Stevie’s beautiful hair for leverage as she grinds her hips up into her mouth.

Stevie’s answering moan feels like it vibrates through Eddie’s whole lower half. It almost surprises her when she feels the sting of Stevie’s fingernails digging into her thighs, holding her securely in place as Stevie’s tongue delves inside her as far as it can go.

The sound that comes out of her isn’t a shriek, exactly, but it’s loud and high-pitched enough that Eddie could understand the confusion if she were capable of forming any thoughts whatsoever right now. Her brain has been wrung out like a wet cloth until all she can think about is Stevie.

The weight of her on the bed between Eddie’s legs, the security of her arms across Eddie’s hips, the heat licking up Eddie’s spine with every swipe of her tongue. And, God, when Eddie cranes her neck to see Stevie looking blissed out on her taste, eyes rolling back in her head as she dives in for more–

“Stevie, oh my god,” Eddie breathes. “So fucking good.”

Stevie’s gaze flicks upward to make eye contact with Eddie as she swirls her tongue around Eddie’s clit just the way she likes.

Stevie knows how much that affects Eddie— seeing Stevie’s molten gaze peeking out from beneath the longest natural eyelashes she’s ever seen, focusing on her with dilated pupils like she’s getting high on eating Eddie out. Stevie knows, and she’s playing a dirty trick to catch Eddie off guard and send her careening into her orgasm.

Or so Eddie thinks, until her thighs tense and her cunt starts to clench around nothing, and Stevie pulls away.

Eddie teeters there on the precipice, half-convinced she’s past the point of no return and going to come anyway. The moment stretches like Stevie is one of the glassblowers they saw at the renaissance fair last summer, and Eddie is molten glass, red hot and liquid, cooling slowly but surely in the hands of a master.

She doesn’t come.

It stuns her speechless. She can’t even breathe, like the shock has knocked the air out of her. All Eddie can do is lie there and watch as Stevie sits up on her knees and wipes her mouth with the back of her wrist.

Her stunned expression must speak volumes, because Stevie blinks at her faux-innocently and asks, “Was there something you wanted?”

Eddie’s mouth opens and closes uselessly before she indignantly settles on, “I was about to come!”

“I guess you were, huh?” Stevie says wonderingly, like it hadn’t occurred to her. “Sorry, sweetie.” She reaches out to lightly trace her nails across the sensitive skin of Eddie’s inner thighs, making her legs twitch.

She whines dramatically, throwing an arm over her face. “Who are you and what have you done with my sweet, loving girlfriend who never, ever tortures me?”

Stevie laughs. “Ever heard of delayed gratification?”

“I think that kills people.” She scowls and flings her arm to the side in protest.

“I think…” Stevie sing-songs, leaning over Eddie’s body until they’re face to face, “that if you’re a good girl and wait for me to let you come, I can make it worth your while.” Her hand drifts to Eddie’s jaw, thumb teasing over her bottom lip in a promise for more.

Eddie swallows hard but doesn’t look away from Stevie. She’s so gorgeous when she takes control that it’s almost hypnotic. Even when Stevie shifts forward so her thigh is snug against Eddie’s spit-slick pussy, Eddie keeps her eyes on Stevie’s face. She gets a devious smile as her reward.

“You don’t even have to do anything. I know you can handle that. Right, princess?”

Wordlessly, Eddie nods her agreement and tries to ignore the electric spark of shame that shoots down her spine, straight to her cunt.

Stevie pushes herself back down the bed to settle between Eddie’s legs, and Eddie fists her hands in the sheets as she steels herself for the next touch of Stevie’s tongue.

It’s going to be a long night.

[mamawasatesttube]

I feel so shy not being able to hide in the anon asks but for the sake of desperation I'll ask anyway.

First of all I must say that I love the way you express yourself, because even though you are against some things, or at least you don't like them. You express it so well and so respectful that's addicting.

Anyway the questions were what you thought about Tim+Kon+Bernard, because I've seen a lot of people talking about it but I don't know if it makes much sense if you think of their relationship.

Also if you had some songs that reminded you of Kon I'd love the recs! Because I'm still a newbie in the whole DC comics, but I've been having a Kon brain rot for a while.

Sorry if I don't express myself correctly, English isn't my first language. If any of this makes you uncomfy please feel free of ignoring me and I hope you have plenty of good days!!💕💕 Be careful to not catch a cold

aww thank you that's very sweet of you to say!!! :D i do love to simply start talking and rambling all the time. one of my top skills. (and yeah i turned off anon asks a while ago because unfortunately talking about racism in fandom often gets you labelled a bitch with a terrible personality 😔✊ alas!)

as for tim/kon/bernard ... i really, really dislike that ship. it takes everything i already strongly dislike about tim/ber (tim drake: robin is the worst comic i've ever read, and i'm including jeph loeb's supergirl when i say this), and multiplies it by a factor of about 500.

my biggest problem with tim/ber is that megfitz wrote them with absolutely no actual chemistry. there is nothing in the text to tell me why they actually like each other. there is nothing in the text that tells me what the issues in their relationship are, or how they might grow together as people, or anything. which is absolutely insane because you'd think "bernard knows tim's secret identity, but has not told tim that he knows" would be a MAJOR point of conflict, but instead it's just completely glossed over to the point of the comic asking us to accept that the bats would ever allow a mob of random civilians on a mission with them. there's stretching suspension of disbelief, and then there's putting suspension of disbelief on the medieval torture rack and tearing it apart. like. come ON. (tdr is also like. teehee gentrification but its cute? which is insane to me in a different way. its just. its so bad. its such a bad comic.)

so adding kon to that mix kind of gives me hives because a) we have all of my issues with tdr being incredibly inconsistent, both internally and with all existing tim characterization ever, and b) it brings up all of my issues with how kon has been written since yj2019. which i could get into Yet Again but in the interests of being at least a little bit concise, it's also incredibly inconsistent and drives me bonkers. so the concept of this ship just makes me go "why the FUCK" because i just truly genuinely cannot fathom why kon and bernard would ever give a shit about each other. i can barely even fathom why tim and bernard give a shit about each other because megfitz did the comic script equivalent of picking up two barbie dolls and mashing them together and going LOOK THEYRE IN LOVE. they have no consistent characterization under her pen.

so adding kon into that just makes me want to tear my hair out a little bit because. like. to be entirely honest i don't know how some random dude from one of tim's many high schools who tim was friendly with, sure, but not particularly close with, can hold a candle to Whatever The Fuck Tim And Kon Have Going On. especially with how flat their relationship reads to me in tdr (what do they even like about each other??? why is bernard in fucking biophysics or whatever while wanting to be a chef??? why does tim not go "you know culinary school exists right??" when he finds out??? how am i supposed to believe that tim "duty" drake would ever leave people in a burning building just for his sad boyfriend??? that batman and co would ever let a bunch of civilians fight alongside them - or for that matter, that they'd need bernard to tell them tim's in trouble?? what the fuck alternate dimension are they from where any of this makes sense???). tim/ber just is such a nothing ship to me that adding kon to it is just like. EXTREME nothing. to me tim/ber/kon is basically a flag that says "i don't care about characterization" and it's just so very deeply NOT my thing at all whatsoever.

...which is why to ME tim's first boyfriend is ives, not bernard, and in this essay i will--

ahem. anyways!! re: kon songs, oh man i have a lot. i have a whole playlist even. with a linked document to explain every song choice. i also lately have been thinking about making a second playlist for all the songs that didn't make it onto the first one!! much to consider.

also don't worry your english is totally fine ♥ and it's very sweet of you to wish me well healthwise and also a little funny because actually i am just getting over a cold that had me sniffly and miserable most of last week. but i'm much better tonight so yippee!! thank you again :D

[hardlyinteresting]

Just some thoughts on Hotch and Foyet because they've been rattling around in my brain for a long time now

I've seen some jokes about the “sexual tension” between Hotch and Foyet. And I have seen jokes about Hotch being Foyet’s gay awakening, or being so hot that Foyet changed his target base.

I don't think these memes or jokes were made with malicious intent, but I do think they miss the point entirely.

George Foyet hates Aaron Hotchner. He's obsessed with him because Aaron doesn't give in to him. Aaron doesn't take the deal Foyet offers. He refuses to stop hunting The Reaper and in doing so he strips power away from Foyet.

The Reaper is a sadist. He kills for power and for pleasure. He intimidates and manipulates to inflict psychological harm and prolong suffering. Like Hotch says, Detective Shaunassy is very much a victim of The Reaper even if he never laid a hand on him.

Hotch is determined to catch The Reaper and it puts a target on his own back. The only way for The Reaper to regain the power he feels is slipping is to show Aaron what he can do. It's why he goes out of his way to change his kill tactic and take out the people on that bus. Hotch blames himself for their deaths (wrongfully so) and in that moment The Reaper wins, even if just briefly.

George Foyet steals Morgan’s credentials and leaves the bullet for him to show the power he has. And it does intimidate Morgan, but it also pisses him off. And it pisses Hotch off.

When Foyet attacks Hotch in his own home he stabs him. Multiple times. And he stabs him in the same places he stabbed himself. Every act is a display of power.

Foyet himself comments on the profile of stabbing as substitute for sexual penetration. He goes out of his way to make a comment about what it must mean if he's stabbing men now.

He tortures Hotch, and mocks him with his own profile. Hotch tells Emily later on that he passed out quickly, that he doesn't remember what happened, but we know that this isn't true. Aaron was awake. He remembers. And he's ashamed that he was violated and he hates that he knows the team knows what it means. He can lie and say he doesn't remember it, so that he doesn't have to talk about it, but the facts are still there.

But Foyet doesn't stab Hotch because he's sexually attracted to him. The same way that r*pe seldom has any correlation to actual sexual desire. It's about power, and power excitation.

George Foyet hates Aaron Hotchner and he's obsessive about it. They stand toe to toe as power equals and George needs to tip the scales. It reminds me in a lot of ways of the grave scene in Saltburn actually. And the intersection of obsession and hatred. And how intimacy is the most powerful way to destroy someone. Stabbing is personal. Stabbing is intimate. It's violating. And in Foyet’s case it's still a substitute for penetration, it's sexually motivated, but it has nothing to do with attraction and everything to do with power.

But Hotch isn't the first man he's stabbed. Foyet himself was. I also think that because of the power balance and subsequent imbalance between Hotch and Foyet, there's a lot to be said about Foyet envisioning Hotch as a different side to the same coin. It's very much the classic hero versus villain set up. Very Batman and the Joker. And I think there's a lot to be said for the fact that Foyet shows Hotch his own scars and intentionally recreates them.

Basically, despite there being no ill intent, and despite the fact that I do understand the intended joke/ humor in the memes and things, they leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Aaron Hotchner is Foyet's victim in so many ways, and it's far deeper than the surface physical harm and the oblivious psychological fall out like losing Haley, or fearing for Jack’s life.

[aaasdgnklm]

hey hye wanna hear my epic rant too bad ur gonna anyways

spoiler warning for epic: the musical, the thunder saga

Ok so the thunder saga. genuinely I’ve been shaking so much every time I’ve heard it. I’m gonna go song by song and this is a rant so theres gonna be a shitton of tangents sorry

1. suffering

this title scared me SO MUCH when I heard it cause like oh fuck my poor little guy(hes a king and has fought multiple wars and killed thousands of people) doesnt need more shit happening to him like leave him alone and then the melody was so upbeat and I was like huh?? and then ‘penelope’ starts talking and I’m like. pardon. what. sorry?? I was confused as shit, mostly at how nonchalant ODYSSEUS was. my first assumption was its gotta be one of the gods fucking w/ him but then why is he so casual? so I thought it was a dream. but then there were little things, penelope’s asking him to get in the water(which. reminds me of. someone HAHSBHADBH), and then he says hes scared of the water and I’m like. my guy I hope youre not afraid of the water youre a captain on a ship. but then I realized theres no way odys afraid of the water unless its bcuz of posideon, and penelope WOULDNT KNOW ABOUT THAT so he wouldnt say “you know I’m afraid of the water”. and then ofc shes like “daughter” and I’m like nope. this aint penelope and its not a dream cause then it would be odysseus’ mind making her up and hed never think daughter. And then odysseus asks how to get home and at this point I’m like hm. ok. so this is some kind of water based monster trying to pretend to be penelope to lure him in, right? (ALSO the fact that the only time in the song odysseus drops the act is when he says “but scylla has a cost” is so mmmmmm)and then. and then.

2. different beast

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT THIS IS WHERE THINGS GOT GOOD. like I love suffering but different beast scratches my brain SO GOOD and the rest of the saga was uphill from there I ahhhhhhhh. initial reaction: odysseus’ explanation that he knew what had been happening the whole time was SO GOOD and had my mouth hanging open the whole time. and then when he says “cut their tails off, we’re ending this now. throw their bodies back in the water. let them drown.” ohhhhhhhhhh my god holy fuck this was when it kinda hit for me- odysseus was not fucking around in monster hes actually BRUTAL in the thunder saga and I honestly hope it continues cause fuck yeah character development. also there were SO MANY lines in this that are just SO GOOD. “youve been tryna take my life this whole time” “I know exactly what you are, youre a siren.” “my real wife knows I’m not scared of the water, and my real wife knows I dont have a daughter.” “we found a ship with no crew” “sirens know about every route and horizon now I know how to get back to my island!” “so you can kill the next group of sailors in this part of the sea? nah, you wouldnt have spared me. I made a mistake like this once it almost cost my life, I cant take more risks of not seeing my wife. cut off their tails!” “kill them all!” and then the “odysseus” at the end I’m like why does that sound familiar? MFER ITS CAUSE ITS IN THE “You dont think I know my own palace? I built it.” SOUND CLIP IM

3. scylla

silly little sounds. silly little men. silly little deaths. ok so I watched the livestream so I saw the anamatic and holy SHIT the moment that eurylochus realized why odysseus had him light six torches was BRUTAL. also eurylochus’ confession that he opened the wind bag? ohhhhhhh ok MOTHER FUCKING SON OF A BITCH also when odysseus said “not much to say” god he sounds so tortured I cant with this. and scyllas voice in general is so ahhhhhh ESPECIALLY the “Hello.” and DROWN IN YOUR SORROW AND FEARS. CHOKE ON YOUR BLOOD AND YOUR TEARS. BLEED TILL YOU RUN OUT OF YEARS. WE MUST DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE. GIVE UP YOUR HONOR AND FAITH. LIVE UP YOUR LIFE AS A WRAITH. DIE IN THE BLOOD WHERE YOU BATHE. WE MUST DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE. with the fucking crunching and screaming in the background lik e ok. I needed this in my life.

4. mutiny

THIS IS MY FAVORITE. eurolychus’ confrontation with begging odysseus to tell him hes misinterpreted the situation, comparing odysseus’ past actions and fights to how he dealt with scylla, finally ending with him yelling at odysseus to “SAY SOMETHING!”, odysseus’ “I CANT.” and the looong pause before the boss battle starts. odysseus and eurolychus’ fight, both of them clearly not wanting to but knowing they have to. the chanting their name in the background. and then when odysseus says “I am not letting you get in my way!” and the sound of a stab- I was so scared hed actually killed eurolychus(yes I knew he dies I watched the overly sarcastic productions video on the odyssey too) and then ODYSSEYUS’ labored breathing and asking “why?” like I’m sorry jorge DID THEY STAB YOU TO GET THIS LYRIC WHY DOES HIS PHYSICAL PAIN SOUND SO GENUINE and then the. the fucking. the fucking luck runs out reprise. the MOMENT I realized it was the melody from luck runs out this is when I started crying.(dw past me it gets worse) the way that the crew is basically like “yeah remember when we asked what would happen if you fucked up? well you fucked up. and now youre finding out.” plus the fact that they are so clearly driving home we dont trust you. you failed to keep us safe. basically telling him ‘youre a bad leader’. that must have HURT. and then the fact that eurolychus bandaged him up and was waiting for him to wake up ough my heart. but also the fact that hes tied to helios’ statue? like. um. buddy. looking an awful lot like a sacrafice there. hahahahahah I’m loosing it. anyways, the luck runs out reprise hitting hard once again. like HARD. holy shit, odysseus’ “please don’t tell me you’re about to do what i think you’ll do” when that was what eurylochus said to him and then EURYLOCHUS CALLED HIM “ODY” I CANT and the eurylochus clearly being fed up(but not fed) while odysseus is actually begging him to please please think about this you can HEAR the desperation the need to get home and knowing if eurylochus kills the cow they probably wont? and then odysseus’ scream of “euRYLOCHUS NO!” cut short by the sound of eurylochus killing the cattle. and then the instant ‘oh no.’ like just INSTANTLY knowing they’re fucked and eurylochus STILL LOOKING TOWARD ODYSSEUS FOR GUIDENCE EVEN THO HE LITERALLY MUTINIED AGAINST HIM LIKE A DAY AGO AND HAS ODYSSEUS TIED UP AND AT HIS MIRCY AND HE STILL DEFAULTS TOWARDS ODYSSEUS FOR LEADERSHIP CAUSE HE STILL TRUSTS HIM and odysseus IMMEDIATELY taking charge and trying to get them out. the rushed full speed ahead melody, the boom of thunder and odysseus’ dread-filled “we’re too late.”

5. thunder bringer

IT LIVED UP TO THE HYPE GUYS!! sure enough the teasers we’ve seen are FUCKING AMAZING in the context of the song, zeus having an inflated as shit ego and taking up SO MUCH space, just like constantly talking about himself even tho IT AINT ABT HIM its so in character for what a massive dick he usually is in the greek mythos. and zeus deadass saying “if i were to make you choose, the lives of your men and crew or your own why do I think theyd loose?” right before MAKING ODYSSEUS CHOOSE. I’m. also odysseus sounds so.. small in this song. I dont know if its the fact hes literally having a mental breakdown or that zeus needs to be the biggest cock in any room he walks into but odysseus’ little “choose?” and him asking “please dont make me do this” JUST LIKE WHEN HIM AND ZEUS FIRST MET, the when does a man become a monster melody playing as odysseus tries to decide with penelopes voice asking him to come home pushing him over the edge wow. just wow. and the the conversation between odysseus and eurylochus? “captain?” “I have to see her.” “…but we’ll die.” “i know” I’m SORRY I CANT FUCKING DO THIS WHY DOES HE SOUND SO BROKEN AND REGRETFUL AND SAD AND OH MY GOD. AND THEN THE FUCKING ANIMATIC SHOWN IN THE TRAILER THE WAY HE JUST POINTS TOWARDS HIS CREW AND THEY ALL LOOK SO BETRAYED AND LOST BEFORE THEY START ATTACKING HIM AND THE LAST SHOT OF HIM CLOSING HIS EYES AS THEY PIN HIM TO THE MAST BY THE NECK WITH THEIR SWORDS AND THEN LIGHTNING STRIKES THE SHIP HOLY. also if you think about it this choice was kind of the final stress test for odysseus, because this is the ultimate decision: should he be a good king, captain, and friend or should he take the small chance to see his wife again? cause its not just about who lives and dies, its about who gets to keep going, who gets to see home, who gets a chance and who looses right now. and how could he choose the people who just stabbed him in the back and have doomed them multiple times over seeing his wife whom he loves and would do anything for? honestly, with what I know about how odysseus is, I wouldnt be very surprised if he was weighing the choice both from the emotional (seeing his wife or saving his crew) and factual (hes probably the strongest and most fit leader among them, they might not do too well on their own, ithaca needs a king and he doesnt know if telemachus can be that, one person has a higher chance of surviving than a large group in a journey(ingreekmythologyanyway), and they did just make a really dumb mistake that odysseus wouldnt have made himself and yeah ok maybe hes a little salty but still.)

genuinly the whole saga is so amazing and I’m so looking forward to the wisdom, vengence, and ESPECIALLY ithaca saga. by the way I could actually do this for every song in the musical/every saga tbh

thanks for coming to my tedtalk, I fucking love epic: the musical

[a-random-person-on-the-interent]

CALLING ALL PEOPLE WHO DISLIKE THE LOST CITIES AND THINK THEY'RE SHIT

we need to make like a discord or something to talk about it, or like write essays which I think I'm planning on doing, because the lost cities is shit, I feel very strongly about this as a disabled person, and you might ask why would me being disabled have anything to do with it, EUGENICS and the Talentless and even how disabled people are treated by the narrative. Because didn't Keefe descripe feeling talentless people as being hollow and not quite complete, WHICH IS WHAT DISABLED PEOPLE (or at least people with Autism like myself) HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR YEARS. I really want a charcter to have been born with a disability (ADHD, ASD, EDS, down syndrome, Dyslexia, dysgraphia, ect) or for the series to recognize that being talentless is having a disability or even the series to recongize mental health conditions (PTSD, BPD, Depression Schizoprenia, delusions) like Sophie has all the symptoms for PTSD, and one could argue she's dyslexic with her not being able to read runes. Also back to the eugenics talk, eugenics in history have been useally used on disabled people, like myself. There are no LGBTQ characters which can be fine, I'd like some but it's not a big problem expect... EUGENICS. the elves soiciety is based on Eugenics meaning that if someone was gay or lesbian or aroace, they probably would be scorned if not it being banned to be gay or lesbian. What about trans people? well the lost cities seem to function on that they are perfect the way they're born, and if one is not born perfect (Like the talentless) you are socially exiled. The susicde rates must be massive there, but I doubt anyone will talk about them because they'll be shamed.

Let's not even get into Exile cause that is just Touture, and I'm not kidding solitary confine meant is torture, fintans cell tourture, I'm not saying it isn't effective cause it is. but the elves claim to be morally superior to humans than do that. Memory breaks would also count as tourture as you are breaking someones mind till they are practically dead. And we saw how that effected Aladin. What about the white room tourture they had Vesperia be in for centuries. there politcal system is fucked too, Cause a friendship is just as important as a romantic relationship so if they wanted them to be completey unbiased the councliers shouldn't be allowed to have friends or family, and that doesn't stop the heart from from falling in love with someone and giving them special treatment.

I think anyone with half a brain could tell you that feeding carniverous animals strickly vegan diet is bad, so let's move on to the education system and I'm 90% sure that elves are just lying about how much they helped humans, like I'm 100% sure that Mr. Forkle only thinks he inspired Loki, cause if you know any myths about him you'd know they are not similar at all well maybe aside from the shapeshifting like didn't at one point they say they helped them discover electicity, like eceletricity was ORGINALLY discovered in 600 BCE they at that time were probbaly still living among humans, like I'm sorry but you guys probbaly didn't help with anything and might've actually prolonged the process because you thought you knew better. and y'know what they probbaly haven't even gotten to the center of the earth yet which is 2,9000 KM down, but back to education, it's so heavily bias, that all the other speices that aren't elves are like what the fuck is this, this isn't how it happened, so my best guess is that it's full of misinformation. Y'know what I should make a skit of, "If I was in the lost cities"

[putnamcapital]

this is how it is

So I’m definitely not being able to turn on my analytic brain about YR season 3. I really feel for the folks on here who are disappointed or angry about how the show it ended. It must really suck to feel invested and then to feel crestfallen. I have been interested and excited to read people’s analyses and reactions. But I just thought I’d share why, I think, it’s not the ‘mode’ I’m in, in case this resonates with anyone.

I realized even before season 3 was released that it wasn’t ‘just a fictional universe’ – it was a universe I was wholly committed to, because I saw myself in it. I see myself in the characters and their strengths and weakness but also in the story’s inflection points and its overall narrative journey. I had a tremendous amount riding on ‘what happens to these people I love’ because it had become a container for holding ‘what happens to me who I love, after all, despite everything’. To give you a sense of the level of blurring between fact and fiction, I realized I had my eyes closed during the “was it like your dream” scene in the palace because it felt so real and hence private and so I definitely shouldn’t be watching – whereas as them kissing in front of everyone at school, “in public” I was absolutely fine with. And my brain fully melted when they ended up sitting in the same position I had put them in during the actual walls-breaking-down-at-last conversation in my aged-up ten-years from now pre-season 3 story.

Anyway, this is background to explain that people’s meta about “I didn’t like how it turned out” or “it wasn’t realistic” or “it was corny” just ---feels--- to me like the same level of incoherence as ‘fish riding a bicycle’. Because of course I might not like how life turns out, or I might wish it was otherwise, or I might wish I had said something different, or he had not said that all (looking at you, ‘tent scene’) but that is just absolutely not how life is. In fact life can be the pure crystallization of something you do not want, something so horrifying you cannot even imagine it in order to imagine not wanting it. I found episode 5 unbearably difficult, I was triggered in basically every way possible. It was really only then that I was willing to acknowledge there was a moving hand behind all this – a god torturing the mortals. That it was Lisa doing this to ‘them’ and also to ‘us’. It felt like, if I had seen Lisa on the street, I would have screamed at her, and it was would have been as effective as shaking my fists at the sky, the same skies which rain death on the people of Gaza.

I am still not sure whether I feel okay about the decision to drop people off the cliff of episode 5, and then leave them there for a week. But it was masterful, if what you’re interested in is the felt experience of trauma – the way that time seems to stop and then dry to a sludge – while the world goes on but it seems impossible that it *is* going on given how much has been broken.

Anyway sorry if this is a bit much for your lunch break / coffee break but I know I’m not the only one on here who has spent more than a year living in and through the hopes and fears of a handful of Swedish teenagers. So I wanted to share how and why I came to experience season 3 simply as “This is how it is. This is what happened.”

[frostfro]

Chapter 8

Previous ..... Next

Ugh…

You've been walking for quite a while this guy….

It's been around six months since you met this “god” for someone who has such a title sure is more sort to speak laid back. He's been following you ever since!

There's no end to this guy. All he does is float around you lazily and hopelessly.

“How long are you gonna follow me around for don't you have anywhere else you could possibly be?”

He flapped his big wings hovering over you. He looked down at you with nothing but a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Why my dear maiden like I said before! I came here to check things out but I didn't expect this place to be ran by such a-”

His eyes trailed down.

You scoffed unamused as your face remained stoic, you crossed your arms over your chest constructing his view.

He snapped out of his gaze and started to cough, regaining his composure.

This guy can't be serious…

“You can't be serious. Who sent you here?”

Your voice was stiff and unwavering.

He side eyed you his smile wasn't present more like a neutral expression plagued his face as he layed in a relaxed position floating in the air.

He closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders, winking at you, small tongue out.

Your face only furrowed as you scoffed and healed and tailed out as you turned around striding back inside your palace.

There's no explanation.

You tried questioning him but he always gives you the same answer. You don't wanna fight him. You don't know how strong he is and you don't wanna risk ruining your kingdom and people in the process.

You bite your thumb nail as you paced back and forth.

Whoever sent this god must be here to destroy you. After all, you deliberately disobeyed those Supreme ones. Your fists clenched in anger at the thought of them.

They created you out of their amusement, an experiment, a weapon….

Little did they know that you had your own control and free will..

Free

Yes you were free they had no strings tied to you, but there's no guarantee that they might have created or found other beings to track you down.

Your entire being shook.

You hugged yourself thinking about all of that torture they had you endured.

You were scared.

You shook yourself out of it.

There's no sense in worrying about the past and it's been six months surely there would have been an attack by now.

“Oi! Ms. Kemono!!!!”

You turned your head and the boy was waving at you desperately, his smile all wide.

You sighed and headed over, surely you could entertain this fellow. It has been years since you found someone to talk to and he seems like he's not full of malicious intent.

Your face reverted back to its original stoic stone face.

“What do you want?”

“I was thinking that I dunno we should be friends!”

Your face deadpan before your shoulders began to shake violently as your stiffles of laughter became violent as you started to laugh.

He was taken back by the sudden laughter you let out.

His eyes widened and from that point he would be lying if he didn't say his heart didn't skip a beat.

You looked so gorgeous your smile was so bright. He's never seen you crack a smile ever and knowing that he was the one to make you have such an expression made him curious to what other expressions you could make.

Happy or sad ones.

His gaze was shortly interrupted by you. Roughly patting his shoulder.

“Yeah sure you've impressed me I'll indulge you.”

He looked at you and for once he was speechless, his eyes blank.

Your eyes blinked before calling out his name in confusion.

“Uhm Barbatos?”

He snapped out of his staring spree.

“You're so pretty.”

He blurted it out, he didn't even register the thoughts in his brain.

Your eyes widened. And he realized what he said and his cheeks became beet red.

“Oh! No! I- didn't mean! You are pretty! But I didn't k-”

Your cheeks were faint pink. He had to do a double take but surely his eyes failed him.

You shook your head dismissively.

“It's not a big deal.”

.

“We're friends. Now aren't we?

He scratched his head nervously

“Aha yes of course friends..”

[waytooinvested]

Vengeance, Victory, and Undying Love - pt 3

Chapter 3 of my Supercorp fic in which Lena still creates something called Non Nocere to deal with her broken heart after finding out Supergirl's identity, but this time she gives the name to a different project. A more personal one. And now she’s coming for Supergirl.

This and previous chapters also available to read on Ao3

........................

Alex paced the length of the med bay and back while she waited for them to bring in Lena Luthor.

It was hard to believe now that she had ever considered the woman a friend when she could do something like this to Kara, the literal embodiment of sunshine who had only ever tried to look out for her.

Lena was such a bitch.

Fine, so she had made sure Alex got the message that Kara was alright after the explosion. In fact when she’d heard that Lena had taken Kara in and kept her safe until the fighting was over, had treated her injuries and got her home safely, Alex had been pathetically grateful, as if it really had been an act of genuine kindness. She’d thought – stupidly – that maybe there was hope for Lena after all.

But then Kara had told her about what happened after she woke up in Lena’s lab – the injection with the mysterious concoction that Lena refused to explain, and the fact that Kara’s powers still weren’t back even after lying under yellow sun lamps for the past four hours.

No, it wasn’t kindness. Lena had done something to her sister, and Alex was going to find out what even if she had to torture the truth out of her. Right now she was so angry that the idea almost appealed.

‘Director Danvers? Lena Luthor has arrived. We have her in interrogation room one awaiting your order’.

‘I’m on my way’.

Alex took one last look at her sister, sleeping under the buttery shine of the sun lamps, and hardened her heart against any lingering friendly feeling towards Lena. For Kara, she would do whatever needed to be done. She turned on her heel and marched out of the med bay, J’onn following closely behind.

‘Alex wait. Maybe you should stay here with Kara – I can talk to Lena. You don’t have to be the one to do this’.

‘I do. It’s my sister J’onn’.

‘That’s exactly why you should let me do it, you’re too close to this’.

‘I appreciate the offer, but no. This one’s mine’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex wasted no time on preliminaries. The second the door closed behind her she turned on Lena, the prickle of irritation at how composed she looked even now adding further venom to her voice as she spat her words across the expanse of table.

‘What did you do to Kara?’

‘You know what I did. I found her passed out in a crater moments away from being captured by people who wanted to kill her and I took her somewhere safe. I had her wounds treated and I gave her a place to stay until the danger had passed, then had her driven home. Hardly actions warranting an abduction in the middle of the night’.

Lena held up her cuffed wrists to underline her point, the chain clinking against the metal table top it was shackled to.

‘Cut the shit Lena. Kara told me you threatened to restrain her and then injected her with something. What was it?’

‘Oh that? That’s a secret. You’d know all about those wouldn’t you Director Danvers? But it’s not so nice being on the other side of them for once’.

‘LENA LUTHOR. I know Kara lied to you. It hurt your feelings, I get that. But now she is lying in the med bay unconscious-’

‘Sleeping, not unconscious. When she left me she was weak but perfectly alert. There was no indication of serious brain trauma, and no reason for her to lose consciousne-’

‘SHE IS LYING IN THE MED BAY WITHOUT HER POWERS. She’s been under a yellow sun lamp for hours. If it was just burn out from the fight she’d be getting better by now, and she’s not. That must have something to do with you. So you are going to tell me, right now, what was in that syringe’.

‘No, I’m not. I’m sure by now you’ve run every test you can think of and haven’t gotten anywhere, so now you’ve come running to me like you always do, but you’re out of luck this time. The world doesn’t need saving, and I am not feeling particularly inclined to do you any favours. I’d say you’re just going to have to trust me, but you and your friends have made it perfectly plain that you don’t, so I have nothing more to say to you’.

Alex slammed her hands down on the table barely an inch from Lena’s cuffed ones.

‘If you’ve hurt her-’

‘I haven’t. You’ve seen that for yourself – her vitals are good, she’s awake -or at least she was when I last saw her- and by now I assume perfectly able to move about unassisted. I daresay she’s feeling pretty sore, but-’

‘She doesn’t have her powers. How is that not hurting her?’

‘Director Danvers, I was not the one that knocked Supergirl out of the sky. Nor was I the one that sent her out there to get hurt in the first place’.

‘Are you saying this is my fault? Would you rather we just let the entire city get blown off the map?’

‘I’m not saying anything. That’s rather the point’.

‘This isn’t a game Lena’.

‘I am well aware of that. This was never a game. Never. It’s not my fault if you’ve only just noticed’.

‘Fine. Then I guess we’re just going to have to lock you up until you’re ready to tell us how to undo whatever you did, or until Kara gets her powers back. For your sake, I hope that happens soon’.

She stormed out of the room, leaving Lena to be manhandled down to the cells by two burly DEO guards. Alex wasn’t the one being dragged off in handcuffs, and yet she couldn’t help feeling that Lena was still holding all the cards. It infuriated her, but it was getting her nowhere.

She needed to check on Kara and get back to her blood analysis in the lab. Maybe after a few hours in their least pleasant cell Lena would be more willing to talk to her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex rubbed her eyes and examined Kara’s blood for what felt like the hundredth time. She had gone over and over everything, and yet she still couldn’t find-

Wait.

There was something there. It was subtle, almost impossible to detect as being out of place, but when she cross referenced it against a previous clean sample, there was a minute difference. She was certain of it. This was it. Proof that Lena had done something to Kara. Now she just had to work out what it was, and how to reverse it.

The trouble was, she didn’t know how to do either of those things. If only Brainy hadn’t chosen this week of all weeks for his visit to the future perhaps things would be different, but as it was she felt stuck, and wretchedly helpless.

Still, finding this gave her some leverage. Maybe if Lena wouldn’t help for Kara’s sake, she would do it to save her own neck.

She was a Luthor, after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Director Danvers! How nice of you to stop by. What brings you down to the dungeons on a night like this? Or should that be morning by now?’

Lena was being deliberately provocative, but it wasn’t going to work this time. Alex gritted her teeth and straightened her spine, doing her best to look the part of the cool, unflappable DEO Director she was supposed to be.

‘Ms Luthor. I just thought you’d want to know that we have found the agent you injected into Supergirl earlier tonight’.

There – it was subtle, but the false smile dropped a little, revealing a flash of anxiety underneath.

‘What?’

Gotcha.

‘As I’m sure you realise, this constitutes proof of your crime and we will of course push for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. As it’s only a matter of time until we have isolated the formula-’

Damn, as soon as she said that Lena’s stricken look returned to its previous expression of polite disinterest – she had given away how far they really were from actually understanding whatever Lena had used. There was no going back now though, so she pushed on.

‘- and worked out how to reverse engineer a cure, you might as well stop whatever game you’re playing. You’re facing a serious criminal charge and a long stay in prison, but if you agree to help us now, we will make sure your cooperation is taken into consideration, and it might help you get away with a lighter sentence’.

Lena raised a sardonic eyebrow.

‘And what crime is it you’re accusing me of exactly? You can hardly claim I’ve poisoned anyone when you don’t even know what was in the injection’.

‘Well then, why don’t you tell me what it was? Clear your name right now, before this goes any further?’

‘Nice try Director, but I don’t think so’.

For all her good intentions Alex’s temper flared white hot all over again.

She stepped up to the glass until she was almost nose to nose with Lena.

‘Alright, have it your way. We may not have proof of poisoning, but how about kidnap. False imprisonment. Assault’.

‘Come now. I’d hardly call rescuing an unconscious superhero kidnap, and she certainly wasn’t imprisoned. As soon as it was safe and she was well enough to travel I sent her straight home, and made sure her next of kin was there to look after her I might add. And as for assault: all that amounts to is a needle prick and a substance that you have no proof was any more harmful than pure saline. Take me to court over that and my lawyers will eat you alive. Face it Director. You have nothing on me. Nothing’.

It was at this point that things started to get away from Alex a little.

A vague, faraway part of her mind told her that this was the time to walk away and let someone else take over the interrogation. Unfortunately the rest of her was too busy swiping open Lena’s cell door and slamming her against the back wall to listen to it.

‘Alright I’ve had enough. I’ve tried being nice. I tried being sympathetic to your hurt feelings and your twisted sense of justice, but I’m done playing by the rules. You have crossed a line, and now I’m coming over it to meet you’.

Alex gave Lena another hard slam against the wall, the breath wooshing from her lungs at the impact and making her gasp, but she didn’t give her time to recover. She grabbed the front of Lena’s shirt with one hand and raised her fist, preparing to slam it directly into the evil bitch’s face.

‘STOP!’

Alex froze, fist still poised in mid air.

‘Kara?’

‘It’s alright. I’m alright, see? My powers are back! I must just have been more burned out that I thought. I feel fine now, really’.

Just before Alex turned to see her sister fly the rest of the way down the hall to prove the return of her powers, she met Lena’s eyes. She had expected to see anger there, or disappointment at her plan to strip Kara of her powers having failed, but instead she caught a flash of – could it be relief?

- before her cool mask of schooled indifference slipped back into place.

She tried to tell herself that it was just relief that the punch hadn’t landed, but the excuse didn’t quite sit right. Something more was going on here...

‘Let her go Alex’.

Oh, right. She still had a fistful of shirt. Reluctantly Alex let her hands fall back to her sides and stepped back, watching with as much reciprocal indifference as she could muster as Lena straightened her clothes and tried to catch her breath. Without taking her eyes off the prisoner she backed out of the cell and locked the door behind her, then turned to hurry her sister down the corridor, away from prying Luthor ears.

‘Are you sure you’re alright? You don’t feel sick or woozy or anything?’

‘Nope. I feel great actually. I guess a long nap under sun lamps will do that for a girl’.

The tight band of terror around Alex’s chest eased a little, but she still wasn’t entirely convinced. It was just like Kara to try to downplay her own pain and lighten the mood, even at a time like this.

‘She still did something to you Kara. I checked your blood sample and there’s definitely something different. Well… I’m almost certain there is. It’s subtle but… I don’t know. I just want to find out for sure what was in it’.

‘We will. But I honestly feel fine now Alex, and she did save me, before she did… whatever she did. I’m not even sure she didn’t do it just to make a point. Maybe there wasn’t anything in that stuff at all – just coloured saline like she said’.

‘Oh come on, why would anyone go to all that trouble just to inject you with saline? No, she’s up to something. Something… Luthor-y, and we need to know what. I think we should keep her here until she starts talking’.

‘We can’t just lock her up indefinitely, and besides, whatever she did, I don’t think it was really dangerous. Lena might hate-’

Kara broke off and closed her eyes for a moment, struggling briefly against the pain the words clearly caused her, even after all this.

‘-she might hate me now, but she’s still a good person. She wouldn’t do anything that would really harm me, because that would hurt everyone in National City and she knows it. We have to let her go’.

Alex frowned.

‘I don’t like it, and I don’t agree with you about her still being a good person... But I do see your point. We can’t just lock the CEO of L Corp up indefinitely without serious repercussions. So we’ll let her go, for now. Just until we can prove whatever was in that stuff was harmful. And I mean it Kara, if she sets one toe out of line, or so much as looks at you funny, I will-’

‘Understood. And I agree. I want to solve this too Alex, I promise you. I just want to do it the right way’.

‘Urgh, you are way too good sometimes, you know that?’

‘That’s why you love me!’

Kara brightened, the pinch between her brows smoothing out as she grinned mischievously.

‘And why you’re buying me breakfast this morning. I’m thinking… pancakes. Or muffins? Ooh! Waffles!’

[please-help-this-little-lesbian]

So, I recently started watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. The politics of the show are very interesting to me, especially considering I just finished reading The Animorphs series. Now, I know they aren’t directly comparable, what with being two different mediums (books vs a cartoon), being created at different times (Animorphs the 1990s, ATLA 2005-2008), and (slightly) different age ranges (ATLA 7+, Animorphs middle grade (specifically 9-12, though I’d argue it generally skews older.)) But both are very anti-war and anti-imperialism. Animorphs was the first series in that age range I encountered that truly goes “hard” with its themes. It asked a LOT of tough questions, and its protagonists were truly morally gray in the end. One of my favorite scenes in the series is where the villain is on trial for war crimes, and his lawyers bring up that the protagonist is ALSO a war criminal. The protagonist is acquitted by The Hague because it was self-defense. Incredible. But, back to ATLA.

An episode that really stood out to me was “The Puppet Master,” particularly Hana’s fate. Now, if I’m being completely honest, I was never afraid of Hama, and honestly, I didn’t blame her. I’m not saying she was RIGHT, she was torturing innocent people who had nothing to do with her original imprisonment, but I could understand how she’d operate on all Fire Nation citizens being a monolith. Honestly, I was a little disappointed that her arc ended with her being locked up again, the very same thing that drove her to blood-bending in the first place.

It really made me think about “justice,” particularly the western view of it. I feel like the west, particularly America (ATLA, though inspired by Asian culture, is an American made-TV show), justice is viewed as a punitive and retributive thing, where the ultimate goal is to punish the fact that a crime was committed, rather than address why, how, and the humanity at the heart of the situation. Wim Laven says, in an article for LAProgressive, “No criminal trial is motivated by healing or truth. Trials are about fact finding and fact exclusion,” (2021). Healing is a part of my problem with Hama’s story. She is someone who has suffered from immense trauma in being kidnapped, imprisoned, (probably) tortured, and lost not only her home but everyone she knew. Yes, continuing the cycle of violence doesn’t help you heal from it, but sometimes it feels like it’s the only option. Again, I’m not saying what Hama did was RIGHT, but to her it was something, something to deal with the pain and anger. And putting her back in the very same conditions that fueled this pain and anger doesn’t feel like justice to me.

Let’s take it back to Animorphs since I brought it up for a reason. There is actually a similar situation portrayed in the series. In book 20, The Discovery, we’re introduced to a character named David. He recently began attending the same school as the protagonists, and came across a piece of technology he shouldn’t have. This leads to him being targeted by the villains of the series and triggers a fight between the protagonists and antagonists. In this fight, David’s parents are captured by the villains, and his home is destroyed, leaving him at the mercy of the protagonists. They debate whether to leave David to be captured by the antagonists or induct him into their group. (The villains are parasitic slugs who can crawl into people's brains and take them over, and the protagonists can morph into any animal whose DNA they acquire. Because they take over brains, you have no way of knowing who is and isn’t actually a parasitic slug, so the protagonists must keep their powers a secret from everyone they know. Yes, IK Animorphs is weird. The point is, the slugs know everything about you, so either way David is a risk.) They ultimately decide to give him the power to morph and induct him into the group, but this ultimately ends up being a mistake. David repeatedly endangers the group, breaks their rules, almost betrays them to the villains, and tries to kill multiple of the protagonists. The group has no choice but to do something with David, but what? They don’t want to kill him, so they do something that’s honestly far worse. They trap him in rat morph (you can only stay in morph for two hours before it becomes permanent) and drop him off on a secluded island in the middle of nowhere. This haunts the protagonists for the rest of their lives. Later, through fever dream plot reasons, David comes back and begs to be killed. We never find out if he is or not. A key part of David’s story is that at the end of the day, he was just a traumatized, troubled kid whose life was turned upside down, and EVERYONE ended up suffering for it. Animorphs does a really good job of exploring the tragedy of war, and it's because of the focus on how war creates conditions where violence is the only option because it is easier to commit to a cycle of revenge than work to improve conditions so that war doesn't have to be inevitable.

I'm not saying Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't talk about this, or that it has to! It's for a younger audience, I don't expect or need the protagonists to commit atrocities! But it's interesting that they introduced a character that is villainized for this, and disappointing to me. The situation isn't black or white, Hama is sympathetic, and we understand why she's doing this, but the writing presents the only solution as punishing Hama for the harm she caused instead of allowing her to redeem herself.

I'm not saying that's an easy answer, either. The gaang are kids, in Fire Nation territory where they're subjected to Fire Nation laws, and just freed her victims. With the upcoming invasion, they couldn't just take Hama back to the Southern Water Tribe. But why is locking her away the only solution? Why didn't they at least consider the route where they prevented her from committing further harm by taking her out of the situation? Maybe they ask her to join the invasion with the promise she'll stop blood-bending. Maybe they promise to break her out later. I'm not saying everything would be perfect, but letting Hama return to her home, surrounded by people who would help her heal, takes away the desire to do harm, does it not? This is a situation where punitive justice is NOT the only answer, yet it's presented as if it is. I wouldn't even be as upset at her fate if the narrative addressed this wasn't the only way, and the tragedy of this being their only option at the moment. But it doesn't because it sees it as right.

This also frustrating because Zuko IS given the benefit of tragedy and restorative justice. Now, I haven't finished the show yet (I just finished 3x11), but from what I've seen so far, I'm assuming Zuko redeems himself by not only working to heal HIS trauma but the trauma he caused OTHERS. And that's GREAT! I LOVE Zuko, he's my favorite character. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a redemption arc. He DOES. But it's frustrating that he, a member of the royal family of an imperialist nation, who's directly harmed the gaang amongst other crimes, is given this opportunity while Hama, a victim of said imperialist nation, isn't. Yes, you can chalk it up to Hama admittedly committing far worse a crime than Zuko has, and Zuko being a child while Hama is an old woman, my main concern is still the optics here.

ATLA has a philosophy of actions defining character, and while this is fine, and I agree with it, I don't think it's given quite the amount of nuance it needs. Motivations for actions are just as important. Hama's arc is messy and nuanced, but that isn't explored nearly enough.

If we can all agree that Zuko is a victim who deserves a second chance, then why isn't Hama?

[callmeklair]

You did the most normal thing possible for a blogger and fan of the DL series by voicing, I emphasize YOUR OPINION, which is so ill-advised and stunted as a "way to foment hatred" towards the sweetest, most handsome possible boy, not only for DL but also for every past and future game (because everyone is copying Ayato's design so they can make a profit. Even in games older than DL where any of the characters have Ayato-like traits, they must have traveled to the future, that they saw Ayato and his success and finally decided to steal 😂).

However, in the eyes of his followers, he is unsurpassed, so if there is a better one than him, it is unforgivable, and there are such, and not in everything, but in different aspects such as beauty, kindness, big brain, etc. Of course, each of the boys possesses almost every one of these characteristics, but certain of them predominate.

That's how there's something for every fan, that's how diversity is created, and when you're already thinking about combining everything in just one of the characters - it's already the desperate need to add characteristics that he doesn't have at all just to do it perfectly.

Respect for writing the inconvenient truth about Ayato stans. Would you believe me if I told you that for years I was a part of this very toxic community? It might sound crazy and exaggerated, but I was one of Ayato's biggest fans when the games and anime were at their peak. That's also why I got on tumblr so I could look up more and more information about him, and here it was in abundance.

But when the first game came out I was in my teenage years and not very mature in terms of analyzing characters. That's why I relied on the blogs here without even trying to check if the information was true or not. At the time, I only played the routes of the guys I liked the most, and Ayato was my favorite of them.

And when I saw people praising and singling him out so much but at the same time saying things like "Shuu was much more abusive with Yui in terms of insults and embarrassment than Ayato". And guess what I said to myself without even checking for myself playing his route as well - “Wow, and people from other blogs are making so much mention that he's one of the best bros.” And whoops, I already had an opinion about Shu.

So, over time, I got involved with the routes of the other guys, I started contacting people who were genuinely excited about analyzing each of the characters as much as possible. People who have an objective opinion on absolutely the entire game and each of the guys as they don't hesitate to point out their flaws no matter how much they like any of the guys mentioned.

Then I realized how blindly I had believed every single word about Ayato, every single criticism of Shu and Kou, every single insult to Laito. And Ayato suddenly lost that favoritism in my eyes. No, I don't hate him at all, on the contrary, he will remain my favorite boy, but I have learned to accept him with all his faults, and they are not few at all.

However, something happened last year that almost completely cut me off from the DL fandom.It was an incident I will never forget and it really disgusted me with Ayato stans. It was about a blogger who expressed a similar opinion to yours - about Ayato's traumas and the torture he was subjected to by Cordelia. So this particular person just pointed out that Ayato's anguish as a child was a bit exaggerated compared to Laito's or Mukami's.

And indeed then there was a huge wave of pity for Ayato, it literally caused a tsunami on tumblr. Well, guess what followed next… Some ugly attacks, insults and copy-paste “opinions” and “facts” that didn't stop for a week. This disgusted me immensely.

I understand feeling sorry for your favorite character, but going and picking on people for voicing THEIR OPINION, which THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY ENTITLED to, because it's their blog and no one is forcing you to follow! This guy had pointed out actual facts from the game and justified why he thought so several times, but you can't argue with a bunch of angry teenagers who clearly haven't read any route other than Ayato's with self-proclaimed "facts" already hammered home by someone.

And I say that as someone who has been through it. Well, that still didn't stop me from following DL and being curious about the new stuff or posts from different people. But then it happened again. Some posts started in which again someone who apparently participated in the writing and inventing of the entire DL franchise categorically claimed that what he wrote were indisputable facts that could not be disputed because they were canon!

End, period, you have no right to an opinion and no one demands it from you! Oi! That was the most idiotic thing I have ever read in my entire life, seriously! For these Ayato stans, their word was law, their opinion, which they apparently considered the only true one, was pure and absolute, indisputable fact.

Anyone other than them who wants to express his opinion, no matter how objective and unbiased it may be, has no right, because they automatically stick a label on your forehead with the following words: "another one of those who don't understand anything, read through the lines, hate Ayato and with this they are trying to elevate their favorite, they are fanning the flames of hatred.”

I'm not kidding, I've come across these platitudes so many times that I already know them by heart. Finally, there was discrimination. Some ridiculous accusations started against the western fandom, it was very toxic, that they didn't understand Japanese culture and so on and so forth…

Am I to understand that being a fan of a Japanese game or anime means you speak perfect Japanese, grew up and lived in Japan to be able to enjoy or even constructively criticize anything related to Japanese works? By this logic, the Japanese also have no right to criticize Western movies and games, where there is a wide variety of things that are not specific to their culture, such as nudity, weapons, drugs, sexual activities, and so on.

I understand if you're so blinded by a fictional character who can't be affected in any way in real life because he literally DOESN'T EXIST, but I personally think you should take a nice break from this fandom, go to therapy, to help yourself. I say that for your own good because there were also many such posts where Yui was accused of being selfish for only accepting the sweet and idealized version of Ayato in her head. Pfff... This is probably some kind of irony 🤦‍♀️

Was I rude, yes! Was it necessary in my opinion, yes. I've been turning a blind eye to all this nonsense for almost 2 years now and haven't allowed myself to opine until now because it's perfectly acceptable for me to spew this nonsense on your own blogs, which I avoid.

But I don't know the last time I've witnessed these oh-so-toxic Ayato stans go around attacking and pushing their pathetic copy-paste excuses for "facts" trying to impose their own twisted views in an attempt to shut up the people who actually they want to enjoy the fandom and contribute something interesting to them.

People learn to accept other people's opinions! Yes, I know that when you like a character or a person it's harder to see their flaws, so you have to be open to a different opinion than ours, because the other person sees things differently. A fan who cannot discover, accept and embrace the flaws of his favorite cannot be called a true fan.

And I say this because in this way we cannot remain objective in a given situation. Understand that when two heroes are compared and one beats the other in a given category it is not done for the purpose of humiliation and praise. This is possibly one of the best ways to discover the strengths and weaknesses of both.

Sorry about all of this, if you wish you may not post it, but I am really sick of putting up with all of this for years. I love your blog and have been following it for a long time and I'm glad you're one of the few sane people left here.

Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes, but English is not my native language and I won't have the strength to edit everything because I just poured out this years old load.

dw I post every ask be it hate or appreciation because I love listening to your guys' opinions. and yeah reading your ask made me feel better, because I myself at start was manipulated by it, not in the sense I believed everything but like whenever I doubted anything they said about Ayato's perfect image, they would pull up their facts, and screenshots from the official contents because they are canon. this was also one of the reason that even though I was inactive for two years, yet I never checked any DL contents because it felt overwhelmed. It's not Ayato or Ayato stans we hate but people who just think it's right to "idolize" ayato yet say, we are just stating canon facts and overhype by throwing shade at other boys.

I get it they treated him like that, so did they to each other in respective routes??? like ayato is no saint even he did things to Yui and diaboys in other routes. also what Ayato did in Ruki's route is still questionable because MB came out a long time ago and youngblood came a just a few years ago. sometimes people come up with new plot even after something is released already. I hope you get what I'm saying because even for me english is my second language and I just came back from exams, sorry.

so yeah at that time there was no curse, only ayato being thirsty for you as a predator & seeing her nothing but food so yep that's some "ayato did this because he was cursed" delusional analysis just to not make Ayato look bad. And they say that the "haters" should learn to ✨read✨ ayato contents before spreading things, but I feel like it's you guys who need to read that we hate overhype and baseless assumptions of ayato as perfectionist not him as a "character." remember it's not all but some stans that we face unbearable because of unreasonable shade.

like you can't take it when people say something about Ayato, yet you are allowed to say something about other dia boys for treating ayato like this and that. like..? if for you, ayato, can have development, then so did other characters (and better).

we never said anything against rejet officially claiming ayato as the main hero, we don't like the overrated hype.

"he is so much hyped because he is the IT boy and deserves" and all is just some self-satisfaction

[hanafubukki]

Yes, OT3 and No longer you are renting free in my head. Go hit Dawny fantasy of his romance with the strange kind girl he found in the wood one day when said girl is like "Yeah. We cannot be together. Cannot say much but I know what will happen and the future is dark". I mean, even without OT3 involved, this song is so much for Dawn 😭

"The song of past romance"

"The sacrifice of men"

"Portayal of betrayal and a brother final stance"

The only difference is that Dawn don't seem to be the kind who would choose the Monster route, and commit a massacre out of hate/revenge. But yeah, self hate and imposter syndrome are my guess. "I do not deserve my wife. They say I am an hero, but I just have the blood of a mother on my hands." Please. I don't want to think of how tortured this man was when Leia belly started to show. Happy, we will have a child. Sad, I made another child orphan. Happy, the baby moved. Sad, no news of the hatchling dragon that should have already been born. Happy, the baby is born healthy. Sad, I must return to war.

And this guy died alone on a battlefield against other humans as greedy as them. Who knows what he had thought at that time ? Worried ? Relieved ? Dissapointed ?

This man take too much space in my brain for the little screen time he had.

- 🦋 Anon

Hello 🦋 Anonie,

“This man takes too much space in my brain for the little screen time he had”

THE WAY I FELT THIS.

As of right now, he’s been in only TWO chapters 🦋 anonie, just two! And the way he has gripped me??? I want to laugh and just be that Kermit frenzy meme. (Those two chapters were long, but that’s not the point shhh)

….did you know it’s been about…311 days since they reveled KOD as Silver’s bio father? (Give or take a day because of time zones, etc.) I mean who’s counting? Hahaha certainly not me, what are you talking about?? ☺️🥰

(My yume with KOD was recently 300 so that’s how i know 💞🫶)

…wait that means it’s been 311 days since Meleanor was revealed as well… @rayroseu and @kitwasnothere happy 311 days to you both 🥹🫂💞

No Longer Human just hits me in the feels 😭😭💞💞 the future is dark for KOD but bright for his son and I think that’s all that he would have wanted for his family. How frustrated or helpless would he have felt to meet someone he likes who keeps putting a barrier because they know that future and don’t want to be hurt? How would they feel knowing they can’t save him? 😭😭 (this is why I have 10 AUs in my head where he lives, I want him happy ahhh 💞💞)

In canon wise, yes! I agree! It is still a KOD song. For all of the points you mentioned above. What I really love that you pointed out what the opposites of KOD and Lilia. KOD wouldn’t become the monster like Lilia would. But technically, it’s all about perspective in this case, because the label of “Monster and killing for hate” well, the faes or humans might disagree no? Depending on the side you ask?

Not to go too deep, since I talked about it before in this post, but based on perspective. Everyone can be the hero or the villain.

BUT YESSS THE PARALLELS OF MALLEUS AND SILVER EVEN BEFORE THEIR BIRTHS. How must he have felt? To know that he has this happiness while taking away another’s? But at the same time, I want to believe that before he went to war for the last time. He tried his best to make peace with the faes. There’s a reason why the humans turned on him and Leia and maybe this is why.

I want to believe that as he laid there. He at least knew that his son would live happily in a peaceful time with people who love him.

After all, that ring just shows how loved Silver is by KOD doesn’t it? Always shining and helping him, showing him precious memories, and that smile at the end. He’s truly happy for his son and I think with that thought alone. He was happy.

[give me his damn name twst. I love calling him Dawn and all the symbolisms he is and all that without the name and such. Love that in story telling but dang it, give me a name. If I have to wait until the book 7 light novel…I think I will scream. 😆🤣]

[chekov-in-a-dress]

hello! sova headcannons (besides that he's a blonde bottom man who must be tormented)? also, thoughts on sova x chamber as a ship, if you have any?

(no pressure to answer immediately or at all. asks are for fun!)

Hello Hi Yes I am ALWAYS down to talk about this man so thank you very much for asking! ♥

Firstly, you have good taste my friend this man deserves to be topped and tortured.

So let's go through some basic background headcanons first, shall we.

Sova's parents either died when he was too young to properly remember them or when he was around 5-7, leaving him to be raised by his babushka

If his parents died later, I like the idea of Sova's mum having been either a soldier or an athlete (archery/shooting ofc) and being the one who got Sova his first bow / taught him how to shoot which is one of the reasons why he continued to practice and ultimately became a sniper since it makes him feel connected to his mother

His childhood is rather uneventful, maybe they're tight on money / struggling at times since they're living off what babushka can earn on the side and whatever pension they're receiving thanks to his parents so he learns at an early age how to forage/hunt to make ends meet

Joins the military as early as they allow because he figures this way he can get a stable income and support his babka at home as well, plus he'd be following in his mom's footsteps

He excels in the military, quickly being recognised for his exceptional aim and ends up in some kind of special forces where he gets to hone his skills further until he's established a reputation for himself

I like to think that it's during this time when he first meets Brimstone, maybe a joined OP with US special forces and they become fast friends, sprinkle a little mentorship in there, possibly Brim saving Sova's life disregarding his own safety

Which is why later when Brimstone is given the first order to form a special team, Sova is one of the first people he recruits and, of course, Sova instantly agrees

His feeling like he owes Brimstone only adds to his habit of overworking himself for the Val protocol because he will NOT disappoint Brim

He's a good little soldier, you tell him to jump he asks how high

Oh god I have so many headcanons for my sweet son, I could go on forever BUT you didn't ask for a novel so here's just a few random ones

Due to his military background he's one of the best hand-to-hand combatants in the protocol and takes over training the other, less experienced agents

He definitely has a soft spot for the younger agents, especially Gekko, Neon, KJ etc.

He pushes himself extra hard, insisting on running more simulations / practicing more than the others because he has to keep up with his Radiant/genius/augmented squad mates and preserve the only edge he has in this fight

Maybe he doesn't always wear his cybernetic eye because it sometimes overloads his brain/overstimulates him

NOW before I ramble on forever... you asked me about Chamber/Sova and let me tell you YES. Yes Good. I absolutely love Somber ♥ ( I wrote a little Somber OS at some point and I have at least five wips for them if only the writer's block didn't beat my ass all the time)

Not only do I personally think Chamber is hot and I want to see him play my babygirl like a fiddle but there's like so much potential. Because Chamber's easy, flirty nature is so different from Sova's, especially if you headcanon Sova as not having a whole lot of experience in the romantic/sexual department, which, chef's kiss tbh.

Plus, Chamber's more... grey-ish morality, his 'am I really on your team or are you just part of my plan' attitude, clashes so nicely with Sova who clearly follows a very rigid moral code.

I really love the idea of Chamber having a fun time getting under Sova's skin and the poor owl not having a single clue how to deal with it???

Don't get me started on Chamber using his indefinite resources to spoil Sova and Sova being so uncomfortable with all the fancy gifts...

Also guns. Let's talk about guns. Because I see Chamber's Tour de Force and I can't help but think 'what if he allows Sova to use it, or they get into a situation where Sova is forced to use it to protect them'?? How exactly do Chamber's powers work? Does he FEEL it when someone else touches his guns???? Is it an erogenous zone

I mean Chamber clearly respects Sova's skills (how could you not) and I just see him as the kind of man who sees something/someone he wants and then stops at nothing until it's HIS. Featuring Sova who is both confused by the blatant flirting and totally NOT down to indulge Chamber.

You can also go with the trope of Chamber being purely interested in getting Sova into bed playboy style while Sova is the 'i don't do one night stands if i date someone it's bc i'm serious aboutt hem' kinda guy. Chamber who is used to getting what he wants is both frustrated and determined to win him over to the point where he doesn't even realise he's developing actual feelings until it's too late~~ whoops~ (damn i wanna write that lowkey)

ANYWAY

Thanks again for asking lmao if you want you can join the bottom Sova server on discord where you can read through several dozen weird AU ideas or headcanons we came up with for Chamber/Sova amongst other ships lmaoo

[regheart]

regulus becoming a death eater at sixteen is something that i have a hard time wrapping my mind around, mostly because i can't imagine him doing a lot between joining and dying

the only other case that we know for sure of this happening is draco malfoy, but under very different circumstances. draco was marked after nine death eaters, including his father, were arrested, and tasked with the seemingly impossible task of killing dumbledore. the main purpose of this was to torment his family and, later on, ensure his collaboration

i think something similar to this secondary goal might be involved in recruiting soldiers so young

at sixteen, your brain is not fully formed and it's hard to see nuance, hard to structure arguments, you don't know enough of the world and it's easier to get attached into worldviews or political parties or philosophies or cults

i think that, to voldemort, ensuring the collaboration of these boys when they were at their most eager would guarantee their loyalty later on

because, realistically, there's not much he could have done with teenagers inside hogwarts. spy on dumbledore? he would know. have them sneaking out at night to hogsmead and side apparating to go kill some muggles and then be like oh sorry gotta comeback i have charms in the morning

so young death eaters — in 'padfoot returns' sirius lists some names he knew who were friends in hogwarts and later were arrested or killed — would have little use in the killing and torturing, but they still could be potential recruiters, feeding discourse into their colleagues, radicalizing other children, creating the illusion for other people that they are already winning and there's no point in fighting against it

so for the specific case of regulus, i can see him growing up with parents who believe in pureblood supremacy, his brother gets chastised for acting out and he doesn't want to be like sirius, does he? everybody in slytherin is talking about the dark lord and his oldest cousin who is so smart says he is the greatest wizard to ever exist — and he falls into the trap

he's obsessed, he's only sixteen, he's got his parents approval for his politics (what does a sixteen years old knows of politics?), sirius left and he feels lonely, he fills up a wall with paper cuts of everything that's it's being talked about the dark lord, because the dark lord is all people talk about these days

finally, he's attractive to voldemort because of his name. he must be reasonably smart. and bellatrix recommends him. that's it

i can lay it all in a way that makes sense to me, not only from what we know of regulus, but also from what voldemort might do as a military leader. ultimately, i believe sirius was right in assuming regulus was unimportant to voldemort, that's something i've always assumed from 'kreacher's tale,' volunteering a house elf was his first chance of being properly useful and that was why he was so eager to do it

(he died in '79, either still on school or in the first semester after graduating, not older than eighteen)

note 1: barty crouch jr was described as a teenager at the time of trial, later in 1981, meaning he was also recruited very young. he would have been attractive to voldemort for the possibility of spying on crouch sr, and he was one of the most fanatical followers

note 2: it's safe to assume regulus became a death eater not long after sirius ran away and while i think the aftermath played a role in his mental state leading up to that point, putting the blame on sirius doesn't make any sense because there were many other factors, sirius was right in leaving a place where felt unsafe and he had no responsibility to calculate all of the possible repercussions of his actions in influencing his already blood supremacist brother of joining a cult