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summerspn · 4 years

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Gilmore Girls

Jess Mariano

Sarcastic, intelligent, hard headed, troubled, witty, caring. Played by Milo Ventimiglia, Jess was in my opinion, the best love interest that Rory had. He was complex but also very simple in that he liked very few things: Rory, books, his uncle Luke (even when he pretended not to), and being independent.

Jess made a lot of mistakes as kids do, but he was basically punished for even the tiniest thing, by the people of Stars Hollow.

His first appearance on the show explained briefly that his dad had never been in his life & his mom was flighty & clueless. He was getting into some trouble- as kids who grow up in such situations do. His uncle Luke takes him in.

Immediately after meeting Jess Lorelai doesn’t like him. She finds him rude of course but instead of acknowledging the fact Jess had zero structure, no guidance & no one to talk to for the first 16 years of his life, she just acts like he was a criminal or something. She tells people she doesn’t like him so then her cult (sorry, townspeople of Stars Hollow) believe it too and no one even gives him a chance.

Jess picks up on this because he’s not an idiot. Since he’s not used to knowing how to deal with conflict (let alone anything else) he just became determined to ignore them & take care of himself.

When people approach him, knowing how they felt about him he gets stand-offish.

Meeting Rory he can see she was intelligent as well as beautiful & is impressed that she wasn’t a sheep like the rest of the town. So he really likes her, hoping to be with what he felt was the only tolerable person in town.

As we get to know him we realize that Jess took care of himself & gained his knowledge purely from books. He learned some life lessons from them but clearly it isn’t enough.

Luke guides him in the best way. He let Jess be himself, they argued, he gave him advice & Jess acted out out by it but he stayed. Season 3 we see he even joked around a few times with him. And when Jess was being a jerk, Luke called him on it & tried to put an end to it.

We find out that Jess was with Shane (and it’s implied about other girls) because that’s the only type of girl who will give him the time of day. But he starts to realize that Rory might like him...and when they do get together he’s actually happy.

It’s the first time we really see him happy.

Jess shows progress when he starts dating Rory. He grows. He makes an effort to be more respectful of other adults, particularly Lorelai. He also shows actual interest in her friends.

When Rory was dating Dean & they had that impromptu dinner - Jess, Paris & Rory- Jess genuinely seemed interested in being nice to Paris & even potentially being a friend to her to.

He also seemed on good terms with Lane though they didn’t hang out.

Jess gets a job at the diner to help Luke out. He didn’t have to. He could have ignored Luke if asked to help. But he didn’t. Then he got a job at Walmart. He liked being able to take care of himself & get a jump on his adult life.

When he arrogantly assumes he could just write a few tests to graduate- and realizes he flunked out - he’s devastated. He knows he could easily have passed if he had just gone to class & that he royally screwed up.

Knowing he would disappoint Luke upset him. Luke’s rule was he had to go to class or he’d be kicked out. As he’s from an unstable background he probably believes Luke would actually send him away. His uncle likely would send him to New York but show up hours later to drag him back....as Luke wouldn’t let Jess ruin his life. Jess probably assumed even Luke had his limits.

However, the biggest upset about not graduating high school was not being able to take Rory to prom. He knew she’d be devastated but he couldn’t deal with how she’d feel about the fact he didn’t graduate. Instead of trying to deal with it (as he’s still a troubled kid) he runs away.

Jess finds his father in California & despite the fact the man tells him repeatedly that he can’t stay with him, Jess pleads with him & ends up staying so he can get on his feet.

He really was looking to find out who he was & why he was screwed up...like he had to understand why his dad was screwed up first.

It does seem to help give him perspective & to not be so angry.

The tough love relationship with Luke though was the best thing for him & we can understand that by seeing him in later seasons. He’s mature, enlightened & has a good relationship with his uncle Luke.

Jess goes back to Stars Hollow briefly & thanks his uncle. Gives him his number (reaching out & showing he wants to be in his life). He apologizes & wants to pay him back for everything. It’s heartwarming to see.

As a boyfriend Jess was obviously flawed in a few ways, particularly how jealous he’d get. If Dean was around, Jess likes to point out he was more intelligent & that he was a better intellectual equal for Rory. They also got into some fights. He tries to walk away a couple times but not always.

The difference though between his & Dean’s jealousy is that Jess never got scary angry. He did slip a few times & we saw how stupid he was about fighting but he never intentionally scared or hurt Rory.

There was a scene where he was getting handsy at the party then got upset when Rory wouldn’t sleep with him...but he had stopped himself from hurting her. It was still messed up & one of his main reasons for leaving town. He was ashamed & wanted to make sure he didn’t hurt her ever.

I think his leaving was good though. He needed to leave. For himself & for Rory. It was needed so they could both grow.

Eventually he realizes his mistakes & his feelings for Rory but it doesn’t fix what was broken. That’s one of the reasons why I love their story. He still loves her even though he gets nothing out of it. It also feels more...real.

I also love how after he professes his love, he knows it was too late & they were broken. But he doesn’t revert back to who he was because he had changed. Later we see he became a writer/poet & is getting his life together.

Jess even went to Yale & asked her to runaway with him. He was being the romantic he always read about. Unfortunately it didn’t happen but the rejection helped fuel his creativity.

Rory clearly had feelings for him but she didn’t trust that he wasn’t going to do something like leaving. She tells him she loves Logan but it felt almost...premature at that point. He tries to talk sense into her because Logan was immature- even more that Jess was when he met her. Plus he didn’t like what he saw in how Rory was treated (she wasn’t put on a pedestal like everyone else in her life had done in the past).

Rory didn’t understand Logan wasn’t interested in a monogamous relationship like she was then was being petty & jealous. She used Jess to try to get back at Logan. Jess was smart enough to see through it. I felt really bad for him because she knew he loved her.

Jess was hated from the start by nearly everyone in the show. A jerk, hoodlum, criminal etc...labels people gave him but he ended up as the most well rounded, evolved character of the series.

I hated how Emily was angry because of the dinner with him & Rory. But that wasn’t his fault. He was on his best behaviour. Rory pushed, pushed, pushed about his black eye. She insisted on delaying dinner even further to confront him about it. He was tight lipped (due to embarrassment) & she didn’t believe him when he said it wasn’t a fight. They argue then he ends up leaving because she pushed him away...it wasn’t intentional but he felt attacked & very uncomfortable. I’m not sure anyone else would have stayed. Lorelai wouldn’t have. She’d been know to up & leave too.

However, in the Gilmore Girls universe, everyone on the planet thought bailing on someone was charming for Lorelai & unconscionable for Jess. A double standard that always annoyed me.

Year in the Life even got Jess right though. He was a nice addition & we got to see how far he came. He gave Rory really good advice but he also was shown as mature & a good person. Though I think a quick mention of all the books he’d written would have been good...and a little tidbit or two about what else was in his life. Did he travel? Have a career? A dog? Girlfriend? I wanted more.

#jess mariano #tv serials #tv #entertaining #tv shows #alexis bledel #gilmore girls #keiko agena #lauren graham #love #milo ventimiglia #this is us #heroes #jared paladecki

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unwoundvisions · 4 years

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Macayla Laurence Info Dump 7

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

The first time she saw Laurie be praised by his friends for his more carefree nature threw her for a loop because she was always judged or scolded for it. That and many of the other hypocrisies when face made her feel helpless for a really long time. It also led to her not really being herself around most people.

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

She doesn’t wear many things with pockets and is envious that men just naturally get to have pockets. Honestly, if she did have them she would probably just have sweets in them.

Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?

She doesn’t really dream which disappoints her because she would really like to. If she ever remembers a dream, it’s usually a nightmare that feel so vivid she has trouble going back to sleep after.

Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?

Oh yes, quite often. Her grandfather taught her how to use a gun when she was around 13. He wished for her to join them on those big hunting parties they often had but she had no intentions on doing so. Still, she had a genuine interest in target practice and became the best shot in the family. Granted, she’s only ever fired at stationary targets but her shot is usually more accurate than Laurie’s or her grandfather’s.

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

Not really. Her father did denounce a lot of the family’s money when he married her mother. Still, her mother made pretty good money as a musician and she can’t recall them ever struggling. After their death, she and Laurie grew accustom to the wealth their grandfather had.

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

She is much more comfortable in less clothing but rarely ever gets to wear something comfortable. The noble fashion usually involves lots of layers and that’s just dreadful for her.

In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?

The time a man attempted to have his way with her. He had seemed like a very nice man and she had never expected him to do such a thing. She had dismissed his advances and assumed he’d give up like everyone else but the second she turned her back, he grabbed her. It was terrifying but thankfully she was loud enough to get help before anything serious could happen.

In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?

She was shockingly calm with Rachel’s crew for a while. Not exactly happy or thrilled to be hostage but she felt at ease with them. She felt safe to a certain extent.

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

Not really. If anything, it triggers something in her to do something. She usually tries to help whoever is bleeding any way she can.

Does your character remember names or faces easier?

She can easily remember faces. She can remember names too but not as well.

Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?

Not really. She of course has both but it’s not something she feels like she needs to be happy. She only wishes to use her wealth to help others.

Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

Happiness and she still holds out for happiness despite always being urged to make compromises in her life.

Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

She admires both a great deal but ambition is something she admires a lot because she considers herself to be slightly ambitious.

What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

She’s never really had a romantic relationship before. However, some of biggest flaws would most likely is that she is hesitant to say how she truly feels until she is sure the other person is serious about her. Her other flaw is her insecurity. She struggles with her confidence sometimes. Not all the time but there are days where she doubts everything about herself and her appearance. She also gets anxious and often overthinks things. She’s also very emotional which isn’t exactly a flaw but could make arguments harder.

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

She is guilty of comparing herself to others but whenever she notices that she’s doing that, she can usually stop herself because deep down she knows that comparing yourself to anyone is pointless.

If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?

It sort of depends on what happened. She doesn’t like to point the blame at other people unless it’s absolutely necessary. She’s more likely to blame herself but she really doesn’t even do that unless she feels personally responsible.

What does your character like in other people?

She can like a lot about people but generally likes if they are determined, brave, funny or kind. As long as they are a good person, she’ll probably like them.

What does your character dislike in other people?

Overall, she dislikes people who look down on others. Judgmental people. Hateful or cruel people.

How quick is your character to trust someone else?

She is very hesitant to trust people given how gossipy nobles are. She’s always hesitant about revealing too much of her true self.

How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?

She will suspect others pretty quickly because she’s been betrayed by “friends” far too many times for not behaving enough like a lady. However, if she is close to someone, she will most likely never suspect them because they’ve earned her loyalty and trust.

How does your character behave around children?

She’s always liked children and genuinely enjoys entertaining them. She’s also never minded taking care of them. Because she is a older sister, she’s always sort of had a maternal instinct and she’s always seen herself being a mother at some point in her future.

How does your character normally deal with confrontation?

She is going to cry. No way around it, she will eventually start crying. She always tries to hold her own and but if the person is being a bit too harsh or speaking a little too loud, she’ll cry. She can’t help it. Hell, she’ll cry if she feels like she’s not being understood. Truly, the crying is most likely unavoidable. She can be furious and crying at the same time. It’s a mess honestly.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

She’s not really a violent person. It truly takes someone else attacking her first, or attacking the people she loves first to draw a physical reaction from her.

What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

When she was younger, her mother really influenced her more creative passions. She used to dream of being a singer or actress. She kept dreaming of that for a while until she and Laurie came into their Grandfather’s care where that dream got pushed aside as she grew up.

What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?

She truly can’t stand any kind of any kind of bigotry, sexism or anything hateful like that. Whenever people are cruel or abusive is awful to her as well.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.

She is at her most comfortable when she feels as if she can truly be herself. Usually late at nights with Laurie where she doesn’t have to worry about carrying herself properly all the time.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.

Usually at parties because she is usually crowded by potential husbands. She doesn’t like being sought after by so many people as if she’s nothing but a trinket. She’s not very comfortable around men in general because far too many of them have talked down to her, tried to touch her or other inappropriate things.

In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?

It depends. If the person giving them criticism is genuinely trying to help her improve, she’ll try to take the criticism and improve. However, if someone is offering unhelpful criticism, she will probably get upset and defensive.

Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

She will immediately try another method if it did not work the first time. She’d rather find a way that does work than waste time a method that didn’t.

How does your character behave around people they like?

If she likes them, that must mean she trusts them. If that is the case, she is a lot more carefree and herself. She’s happier, relaxed and eager to have fun. She’s not at all worried about keeping up appearances or behaving properly. She’s a lot more confident and sure of herself.

How does your character behave around people they dislike?

Very cold and ridged. If she does not like the person, she’ll most likely say as little as possible because she does not want to engage with them what so ever. If they do try to engage her, she’ll try to be civil but her irritation will probably be evident.

Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?

Defending her honor for sure. She’s done everything under the sun to ensure the family’s status is protected but if someone were to question her honor, she’d prioritize that.

Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?

It sort of depends on the situation. If it’s possible to avoid the threat/problem, she will because that most likely means a horrible situation can be avoided. However, if it’s unavoidable she’d rather face the threat/problem head on.

Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

She was actually bitten by a dog when she was a baby. Thankfully, she was so young that she can’t remember it. She doesn’t have a fear of dogs, she actually loves them. It did leave her with a small scar near her mouth though.

How does your character treat people in service jobs?

Given that her home is staffed with people working for them, she’s always treated them very well. Her grandfather always taught her and Laurie to be respectful to those waiting on others.

Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

Not at all. She knows everything she has is simply because she was born into a wealthy family and thinks there are people far more deserving of it than her.

Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?

Not really, she and Laurie have always had their grandfather.

Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

Not really. There have been several people who helped take care of her and Laurie when they were growing up such as nannies, tutors, ect but they always had their grandfather.

How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

Saying it to her family is very easy to her. Saying it to friends is easy as well. She’s never told a person she loves them in a romantic sense. She’d be very hesitant to do that though because she has a fear of rejection. She can’t really imagine saying the words without meaning them.

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

She does believe in an afterlife but doesn’t think it’s exactly what people imagine it to be like. She assumes it’s nice but just not exactly as it’s described. However, just because she believes in afterlife, that doesn’t mean she does not fear death. She fears death and will always fear dying which is why she wants to live her life to the fullest.

#➵ cunning cayla #✧ modest musings ✧#༄ The Voyage (sky pirate fic)

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ctrlaltkibo · 6 years

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crucial muse development questions

01. what would completely break your character?

The Professor has been gravely injured? The one man who took his time to look after him, and care for him, and this is how he was repaid? Immense sadness overwhelmed Kiibo. For the first time in his life...he felt emotion. He felt guilt, he felt upset, he felt angry at himself for attacking the Professor. He didn’t want to be like this-!

Error. Emotional output overload. Resetting K1-B0 intelligence...

02. what was the best thing in your character’s life?

A few weeks after the incident, Kiibo’s AI had completely reset, his emotions and intelligence reset to a blank state. Though, as he helped the Professor around, making sure his injuries weren’t affecting him, the robot felt a strong surge of sadness as Idabashi talked him through the incident, and why it had happened. But the sadness was replaced with confusion...and a strong surge of affection as the Professor gently smiled, ruffling Kiibo’s synthetic hair and assuring him that he wasn’t in trouble. They had simply worked out a few bugs in his system, and they can continue their normal life as if nothing had happened. And when the robot questioned it again, the Professor simply stated something that warmed Kiibo’s chestplates immensely.

“Because it would make no logical sense for a parent to punish their child for something they couldn’t help performing.”

03. what was the worst thing in your character’s life?

Not really a life defining bad thing, but to be constantly told he doesn’t matter, that he has no free will and is prone to breaking laws simply because he isn’t human...it stings. Kiibo is proud of who he is, and tries not to let words get to him, but he would definitely be lying if he said it never made him upset. Robots should have rights, like people do, and they should follow laws much like people do. But to be told he is lesser simply because he is a robot will always make him uncomfortable, even if he has heard it many times before.

04. what seemingly insignificant memories stuck with your character?

They might seem insignificant and tiny, but any small moments of bonding shared between him and the Professor are always firmly embedded in Kiibo’s memory bank, and he will always bring them up if the situation calls for it. Stuff like Idabashi gently warning him to be careful when choosing friends, or playing catch in the lab to test Kiibo’s reflexes, it always sticks around. It also serves as a reminder that despite the accident that happened between him and the Professor, his father figure will always look after him and love him, like if Kiibo were his son.

05. does your character work so they can support their hobbies or use their hobbies as a way of filling up the time they aren’t working?

The second, definitely. Though, Kiibo doesn’t actually perform any work in a job sense, since he is still a student, but performs his hobbies as a way to pass time when he is bored. And since he gets bored pretty easily...it’s a good thing he has quite a lot of hobbies to keep himself entertained if his work is done.

06. what is your character reluctant to tell people?

Kiibo will never stop being proud of being a robot, and will always insist that he is just as capable as performing actions and feelings much like any person can. But what he will never admit openly is his inner frustration and embarrassment whenever he fails to understand and perform human actions as well as they do. This is more prominent when it comes to romantic relationships; he is able to experience emotions relating to crushes and love, but will always feel inferior because he feels he cannot offer the same kind of relationship another person might, due to being a robot. Not like he’d mention it openly, of course.

07. how does your character feel about sex?

Kiibo is still very unfamiliar with the concept of romance and intimate human relationships, let alone sexual relationships. Any kind of education he might have received on it doesn’t make him feel any less awkward about it. He is of the opinion that people should only consider a ‘sexual pairing bond’ if they’re already in love, and can never quite understand one-night stands or human reproduction. And due to his inability to familiarise himself with it, Kiibo is very prude and gets embarrassed very easily if someone mentions sexual comments or attempts flirting with him in that manner. Besides, though he has no shame in who he is, he doesn’t even have...ahem...anything to allow him to feel sexual pleasure or even reproductive organs, so what would be the point?

08. how many friends does your character have?

Kiibo has a fair few friends, with even fewer considered quite close to him. He particularly enjoys Miu’s company, and can often be seen hanging out with Shuichi too. He’s also seen acting quite pleasant with Gonta and Kaede, and while he acts rather formal around people such as Kirumi and Tenko, he’s still pleasant with them, despite not being quite considered friends. You can tell if he’s quite friendly with someone, because he’ll speak more openly to them and about them around others, and will let any ‘robophobic’ remarks slide more often, because he knows they don’t mean any particular harm.

09. how many friends does your character want?

Kiibo logically knows that he cannot please everyone, and large crowds of people actually overwhelm him, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t want everyone to be friends with him. He wants to make everyone happy, and he also wants them to see just how awesome he really is! So, it’s always a bit of a disappoint when someone says they don’t see robots as people. He might want a lot of friends, but he knows keeping a small group of close friends is better, especially since he also knows to be careful when picking them.

10. what would your character make a scene in public about?

Oh, god. Did he overhear a vaguely robophobic comment that could be potentially taken in another way that doesn’t sound robophobic? Has he seen a poor machine working too hard, even if it is being taken care of? You bet Kiibo would create a stink about it. He will not tolerate robophobia or machine abuse, especially if it involves him directly! He will chastise and rant openly, presenting logical arguments for the poor soul that has unfortunately been caught in the crossfire. Kiibo’s been warned not to make a fool of himself in public in case someone might wish to harm him, but when it comes to robot rights...he’s still sensitive on it.

11. for what would your character give their life?

Kiibo would give his life as a last resort measure. He might fear death a little bit, but for the greater good ( such as destroying Danganronpa ), he will not hesitate to sacrifice himself. Technically, his artificial intelligence can be backed up onto a storage device and his body can be rebuilt, despite being extremely expensive to do so, which is why he might lack that hesitance in the first place. So, if there is simply no other option, and his action would actually leave a good lasting impression on the world, he will not hesitate to press the button.

12. what are your character’s major flaws?

Quick to judge others, easily offended, oversensitive, extremely prideful, occasionally insensitive...there are quite a few things that can be considered flawed in Kiibo’s programming. This was partly intentional; a robot much more human than any other machine before it couldn’t be a perfect angel with a heart of gold. That would be too unrealistic, wouldn’t it? Kiibo was taught since the first booting to be proud of himself and to not let others put him down...a mindset which evolved into his oversensitive reactions to robophobia and his need to show off his features to everyone.

13. what does your character pretend or try to care about?

Trivial affairs, such as petty arguments and name calling, when it’s related to other people. Kiibo can be sympathetic, and wants to try and help, but he simply can’t understand why people would insult others just because they can. Wouldn’t it make a lot more logical sense to be kind, or at the very least, neutral? This is why he doesn’t particularly get along too well with Ouma either; he can’t quite understand the other boy’s motives.

14. how does the image your character tries to project differ from the image they actually project?

What Kiibo thinks he’s showing to others: Awesome robot who has many features incapable of being equipped on anything except him with an extremely strong learning AI capable of performing many different operations at once. He’s proud, he’s something to be proud of, why wouldn’t you be awed?

What Kiibo actually shows to others: While kind and pleasant, he can come across as far too prideful in what appears to be a very normal robot. Can be insensitive to others and their emotions, and gets too pushy if they don’t think he’s awesome, or they’re robophobic to him. Basically, while his heart is in the right place, he’s headstrong in his beliefs and can be rude.

15. what is your character afraid of?

Law breaking. His moral standing and understanding of the laws of robotics makes him a little bit too oversensitive when it comes to rules and laws. There are also many social rules he still has yet to understand, and doesn’t like it when he breaks them, which unfortunately happens quite a lot due to misunderstandings. In dire circumstances, he will break the law of robotics [ such as when he destroyed the school ], but he’ll always apologise for it afterwards and carry a heavy heart because of it.

#{ control alt keebo ) ooc #{ advanced ai } headcanon #[ i got bored so have this ]#[ i might do drafts later i dunno ]#{ control alt keebo } ooc

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dkettchen · 7 years

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An open letter to Marvel, Taika Waititi and the writers of Thor: Ragnarok

On behalf of my snowflakes

I spent the last days trying to figure out what exactly about Ragnarok it was that upset me so very much.

As a storyteller, I supposed it was because of flaws in story and execution, like the pacing of some of the beats being off, the characters were lacking depth and in part (extremely) out of character, or because things hinted at in the trailers and whole shots of what we were shown that were edited or left out completely, altering the movie we were promised to something completely different, or in light of that, because of my theories, that I had crafted from said promo material, which pointed to an amazing movie, didn’t come true, and my expectations were simply too high.

But after a few days of unrest and reflection, and now being able to take a step back from my expectations, I still don’t like it. The pacing and characters were off, and it is quite disappointing, when you’re able to imagine exactly how the movie could have been better, but all of that wasn’t the thing that upset me.

The thing that upset me was the carelessness to let Loki be so very out of character. Not the fact that he was out of character, but the fact that the people who made the movie did not stop to think about the implications of that, not on their story (also on their story) but on their audience. And I don’t mean the part of the audience that doesn’t care about Loki, the part that wants to see a Thor movie for Thor’s sake and kinda deals with Loki being there as well. (Thor was a bit out of character too btw, but that’s not what this is about)

I am talking about the part of the audience that is Loki’s army. Loki’s fans.

They are an extremely dedicated fandom, and they have waited 4 entire years to finally see their favourite again.

And now you might think, yeah but how are they any more important than any other fans? How is their character’s accuracy more important than that of other characters?

They aren’t. But the reason that their character is more important to get right than others, is because of the impact he has on them.

Let me put it like this.

Here you have a group of thousands of people, who identify with this character. They like him because, just like them, he struggles, he feels too many feelings, and life and the universe itself seem to hate him, judging by the amount of shit they throw at him. But unlike them, he always finds the strength to persist, to keep on going, he always finds a way out, always gets back up, no matter what. That makes him their hero. Their champion.

And that is what the superhero genre is about. To give hope to the hopeless. Whether that is by giving them someone superhumanly perfect to look up to, like Superman, or by giving them someone they can identify with, but who can overcome the limits they can’t, someone who makes them feel like they can do anything. (A recent example of that being executed very well was the Wonder Woman movie)

Even if Loki isn’t always a hero in the stories he’s in, he is still a hero to his fans. He is there to represent them, in all their troubles, whether it’s mental health issues, lgbt+ rights, or even just seeing the shades of grey that make up our world and human nature itself.

And now these troubled souls have waited for 4 years, for this movie, that the trailers promised to be so very good, getting themselves hyped up within the fandom, because they’ve been waiting for this for so long, looking forward to finally seeing this character they care about so much again, only to be given someone who was not at all the character they know and love.

And it’s not like Loki’s character wasn’t really defined, the last three movies, not to mention the last at least 6 years in comic books, were exploring his character in depth, and defined it quite consistently even across the different media.

Ragnarok completely disregarded all of that character work, and made Loki into a bad caricature of himself. With stress on bad.

After he went from neutral (beginning of Thor) to evil (peak in Avengers), to realising his mistakes in TTDW, everything, trailers, costume design, everything seemed to point towards him having a good arc in Ragnarok (before inevitably going back to neutral in IW). Which would be in line with the recent years of comics, and the state of mind he left off in in TTDW.

Even the people outside the fandom read the trailers as clearly Loki being one of the good guys now, being part of team Thor and all that.

And the fandom rejoiced, after loving the Kid Loki and Agent of Asgard comics and after years of hoping for Loki to finally have some good stuff happen to him, they grew hopeful of seeing him trying to be good on the big screen, being included in a superhero team, potentially even getting a love interest, finally.

But that didn’t happen, did it now.

Instead it seemed like the movie was actively trying to put Loki down, to not let him be a hero, bond with and be an equal part of the team, or even to let him get a love interest who might’ve chosen him over his brother against all odds. It didn’t let him be his own person, it barely even let him exist within the story.

And this is not bullying the character (I mean, it is, but) this is bullying the people that are already miserable, who identify with him, and who came to see this movie in hopes of feeling better about their own life, because there’d be someone there on screen, who is like them and to whom good things can happen.

This is telling them that there is no hope for someone like them, that nothing good will ever happen to them, this is telling them that they are worth nothing. And the thing is life already does that.

Fiction, and even more so superhero fiction, is supposed to inspire its audience and give them hope. And your movie did quite the opposite. I hope you realise the impact of your work and I hope you feel ashamed of yourselves.

Kind Regards

A fellow storyteller who cares greatly about our patron deity and his fans

PS: To all my dear people in Loki’s army who are feeling down after the movie, I want you to know that I and the rest of the fandom will be here for you, even if the movies aren’t. You are worthy, you are valid, you deserved better. We all did.

I will be working in industry in a few years, making content not for the content’s sake, or the mainstream audience’s sake, but for the sake of people like you and me, who are underrepresented and need some good vibes.

I promise you that I will try my best. Always. (And I don’t promise things that I don’t intend on keeping)

The thing about real people rather than fictional characters is, they won’t ever be out of character, meaning if I tell you you can believe in me, that won’t change, ever. I promise.

#Ragnarok #open letter #long post #if you're feeling down about the movie read this #if you haven't seen the movie there's no spoilers beyond character work and production stuff no major story spoilers #I'm here for you guys #trust me

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urtle · 7 years

Text

So here is my life right now, I just need to write it down so I can have it. If anyone makes it through congrats to you because it is mostly just thoughts to write down just because. I apologize for any mistakes there is because well I am clearly not perfect.

So I am in a love triangle because both of my ex’s decided that they made a huge mistake and that I am the best person they have ever dated. I really don't know what to say or who to choose, although I have kind of technically chosen. It is messy.

Here's what happened, I dated both these guys the first guy lets call him guy A, we dated for 4 months and we were happy but he broke up with me in May because he wanted to be free and not be tied down. When me and guy A broke up it was hard, he was a first boyfriend and my first kiss. It was the first time I had to learn to let go of something and it was hard. I wanted to talk but I knew he made his decision and there wasn't anything I could do to change it.

The second guy let’s call him guy B I dated and we were happy but he wasn't ready to really fall in love and so yet again I had another break up in May. When guy B broke up with me it was so so hard. I didn’t eat for days and I slept all the time because I was so upset. We kind of left room for if we ever got back together but he had some major stuff to work on so I didn’t know if I would ever get him back. Our break up was really hard to get over and really if I am honest to this day I am not necessarily over how it all went down.

Now this is where things get more messy, I choose not to talk to guy B because every time we stopped talking it was like we broke up all over again so I just had to let him go completely. Me and guy A didn’t talk for a whole year until we ran into each other in a common place and he avoided me like the plague. But I wanted to clear the air with A on everything and make sure there was no hard feelings so we began to talk. It started as once a month then ever two weeks then a couple times a week and then eventually it became daily (mostly cause of snapchat) I didn’t want to think much of it but of course when you are getting that much attention from someone you have to. One day our break up came up and we began talking of getting back together, I thought it was a good idea we were good together we definitely had some things to work on but doesn't everybody. He made me laugh and was a really sweet guy so we decided that why not get back together.

Now 4 days after we were back together guy B messaged me and told me he missed me and he loved me and he made a big mistake letting me go. All I could do that day was cry but I don’t really know why. Was it because what I had wanted for so long was right there in front of me but because I am in another relationship I could not go for it or was it because I had to disappoint someone and say no which I am really bad at. It was a hard day really a hard couple of days. I told guy A it didn’t change anything and at that moment it didn’t really, it was something that was hard but I had made my decision.

Then flash forward 6 weeks when I am back at school, I ran into guy B when I was done my classes and he asked if we could talk. We sat in our chairs talking for 4 hours, we covered almost every subject imaginable. He told me how sorry he was for how things ended and the choice he had to make, he said he missed me every day since we broke up, he said that no matter where he was whether that was the other side of the world or trying to move on with another relationship I was always in his head. He told me he loved me. It was all nice to hear in the sense that it was an ego boast but it killed me inside to hear him say these things and know that he can’t have what he wants. I so badly want to make everyone happy but it doesn't seem feasible. I told guy A of our little run in and some of the things that were said, guy A for the first time was a little jealous, he knew that guy B was interested but I think he thought guy B would get the I am in a relationship message and back off but really that hasn't been the case. I shoved guy B aside because that is what guy A has asked of me. He believe that distance is best and I do for the most part too, it is just hard. I told guy B that distance is the best and that lasted for all of three days before there was something I wanted to talk to him about. Then there was a meet up that guy A didn’t know about and now all the cards are on the table.

I like both of these guys very much, they have played significant roles in my life but I am not sure what I want. I hate having to literally destroy the future each of them has planned out for “us”, it is a large task. Some days I am so happy with guy A and others I can’t seem to get guy B out of my head. Both have promised to only make me happy and to treat me excellent and both can help me live the life I want to live.

Guy A is a true gentlemen, he pays for me, he drives me around, and he opens my doors. He cares for me but he never seems like he lets me all the way in. Sometimes he seems very surface level to me and it makes me worry what is underneath or whether anything is underneath. He is very relaxed and funny. I am always smiling in his presence. But he is my dad, which is not a bad thing but I don’t want a relationship like me parents and I can quickly see that we have that potential. Guy A has an excellent work ethic and never lets anything get him down but he still has yet to accomplish his goals and that worries me. What if he never gets where he wants? How would that change his life would he be too stubborn to see that his goals may never happen? What is the default? He is someone I can talk to about anything without the worry of being judged but he never seems to want more than what I tell him, he doesn't inquire when I expect him to and sometimes that makes him seem a little uninterested. He also is really bad at being weak, he doesn't like to let people seem him hurt or hurting which leads to this whole part of his life that I feel I am excluded from.

Guy B is a genius with so many talents that I love witnessing. Although he is not a gentlemen he did say he treated me wrong the first time we dated so that could change. He is emotional, he tells me what makes him upset and when he cries and what he cries about. He is inspiring, I have never had someone challenge me more than he does, and although sometimes I rebel he pushes me to do new things and to be a better person. He listens and remembers what I have said. He cares lots about other people and seems to make a good impression on the people he meets. He has a creative spirit and an adventurous mind that leads him to a world of opportunities in his future career. He is funny and good at accents. I like the way he walks and talks and his dimples are nice too! Guy B believes dance is the way to solve conflict in the world and I think that is genius and so funny. Guy B just like guy A has the potential to help me do what I want in my life. He has some flaws though and he was pretty flighty the first time we dated that trusting him would be the hardest thing I could ever do. He lets me feel needed which is an excellent way to make me happy. He is vulnerable with me and probably knows more about me than any other person in my life. He has a thankfulness list that is in his bedroom and his goals right beside it.

I just don’t know what I want. If I could combine them it would be ideal but that is not how it works. I don’t know whether to go with the guy who will always strive to make me happy and content or to go with the guy who challenges me to be more. Would I still like guy A if he didn’t do these things for me or do I like him because he lets me live life the way I want without much effort on my part. Would things really change with guy B or would I still have to force him to be a gentleman. I will never really know any of these things but I continue to pray everyday to find out the reason for this. Is God trying to remind me that he has a life planned for me that is with guy B by brining him back into the equation or I am supposed to resist the temptation of another and stay with guy A?

Part of me wants to just disappoint them both and start a new, it will be so hard to disappoint one and be with the other knowing what has happened. Will I always wonder what would have changed with guy B if I never date him again? Will I be able to live with myself if I break the heart of a guy that is fully committed to me? There is a lot on my plate and not a lot of answer to my problems. I like them both and they both mean so much I am in trouble.

I go back and forth all the time and maybe some of it is that I like the attention that this gives me. When one is absent I can have the attention of the other. But also it brings me great guilt to have no idea what I want and who I am going to choose. Both can make me happy and both clearly care about me but is there a right choice? Or could I make it work with either of them?

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