#he actually has many books

[stiltonbasket]

lxc having the #1 Hot Guy Ranking is kind of funny? Like, he's such a sweetie that he's ignoring all of the people making googoo eyes at him? and lwj is staring down anyone that looks like they might try anthing (except nmj).

Jiang Fengmian, several years pre-canon: I want that boy as my son-in-law. :(

Nie Huangyin, watching a tiny NMJ eating snacks with LXC and JYL: I totally get where you're coming from, but that divine honor was destined for me. 😌

Jiang Fengmian: What?

Nie Huangyin, playing dumb: What??

*twenty years later*

Lan Wangji, to the general public: "I will separate your heads from your shoulders if you even think about trying anything with my Xiongzhang."

Lan Wangji, re: Nie Mingjue: "Why in heaven's name is Chifeng-zun not even thinking about trying anything with my Xiongzhang???" >:(((

#asks #nielan #lxc doesn't have many girls chasing after him because he is just such a bro #they fall for him because of his looks #but then they actually meet him and go #huh #i think I want to start a book club with him #or a Cultivator's Innovation Group #or a crochet circle #NOT a family #he gives off the vibes of a taken man #though he honestly has no idea that he's been spoken for since the age of 12 #jiang fengmian #nie huangyin #lan wangji #lan xichen #nie mingjue

[markantonys]

i have spilled so much ink about gawyn but really i only need 2 passages to explain why he is Like That

1. My blood shed before hers; my life given before hers...That was the oath he had taken when barely tall enough to peer into Elayne's cradle. ... Gareth Bryne had had to explain to him what it meant, but even then he had known he had to keep that oath if he failed at everything else in his life. (LOC prologue)

2. From Morgase, Queen of Andor, to her beloved son, Gawyn. May he be a living sword for his sister and Andor. (ACOS prologue)

like yeah, no wonder he does what he does in AMOL. people will be like "gawyn is so stupid for not thinking about the fact that his death would hurt egwene" as if he's being maliciously stupid and careless, when in fact, he has such little self-worth that he genuinely does not consider himself a valuable human being whose loss would impact anyone or anything. his life given before hers. a living sword. this has been his mindset since toddlerhood and nobody ever noticed it enough to try and counteract it. gawyn is exactly what rand would have been like at the last battle if he hadn't had a mental health intervention.

#SAD ABOUT GAWYN HOURS #god i would die if the show portrayed the oath-swearing onscreen as a flashback cold open. it is THE formative event for his character!! #gawyn trakand #wot #wot book spoilers #gawynposting #gawyn and rand really are foils in so many ways #the way they are objectified and viewed as weapons (by themselves as well as by others) #but gawyn has been raised that way since birth whereas it's a new thing for rand #so rand has childhood friends & family & memories to remind him that he IS a person. gawyn doesn't. #his own mother taught him to view himself as a sword for others' use (but she wasn't being malicious that's just what being a royal is) #and then if you look at some of gawyn's behavior it's SO similar to how rand behaves #what really struck me is during the coup when gawyn shuts down and becomes very cold and emotionless #and min and readers are like 'oh my god he's a sociopath' #but he's actually deeply traumatized and shutting off emotions as a coping mechanism as we've seen rand do COUNTLESS times #but we're in rand's head and we're not in gawyn's so we have more sympathy and understanding for rand #'how can the other characters who don't have the benefit of seeing inside rand's head misinterpret his trauma behavior as assholery?' #well

[marcmorrigan]

@fenglianweek day 6: memories/growing up

the best thing thats ever been mine

#tgcf #xie lian #feng xin #fenglian #fenglianweek24 #my art #full color #I SPENT SOOO LONG ON THIS ONE... like not long for me. fast for me! but compared to the other ones ive done for flw. long. #this has been a few weeks of work and im very happy with how it turned out! tried to be thoughtful about how i approached the colors #and i think it really paid off! theres SO MANY COLORS in the pants im so proud of all the fabric in this... #that white fabric has so. many colors. it makes me super happy #also some of the fallen petals make hearts. btw >:o) #idk if they translate well but feng xin has top surgery scars!!! theyre both trans but xie lian is a cultivator so. he just uses magic #i KNOW when he first learned transformation magic he like BOOKED IT to feng xin to show him like 'LOOK. FLAT!!!' #and little teenxin was like 'ummm 😳 yeah. flat' #ANYWAY!!! idk if they actually look like teens here... hopefully yes. xie lian does to me at least??? #or at least he looks different from how i draw him as an 800smthng year old lol. but still like himself i think!!! i hope... #whatever. point is. do you remember we were sitting there by the water. you put your arm around me for the first time. you made a rebel of #the tags cut me off there. thats a good thing. IF YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW. #did you guys know i have headcanons about the type of tswift fans mu qing and xie lian would be. well now you know. I Have Thoughts #OKAY THATS ENOUGH TAGS I NEED TO ACTUALLY POST THIS. ILY MUAH TTYL

[bonefall]

As a big sibling with a lil sib with epilepsy, when they read TBC they Honestly thought if they got struck with lightning reciting the lord's prayer they'd be cured like Shadowsight is from their epilepsy. I had a discussion with them on how that's not how it works, but ge was so upset they took it away from Shadowsight that he hasn't picked the books back up and has stated that 'he hopes Ashfur wins and starts a new religion.,'

I do not even know how to respond to this besides saying that your little sibling is 100% right to be pissed and I now also hope Ashfur wins and starts a new religion.

#Legit I did not know that Shadow's epilepsy being taken away was so deeply upsetting to SO MANY people #I put it back because putting it back was just the right thing to do (even asked the small following I had at the time what type to portray #(they picked the full tonic-clonics. I would have just done localized or absence if they'd asked me to) #And I did all that research for one single anon who asked for an epilepsy herb guide #So holy cow I didn't know that SO MANY people were snubbed and upset by canon's choice to do that. I'm so sorry #Your little sib isn't missing anything btw they do just go on to confirm that Shadow no longer has seizures. #In book 4 of TBC they say that it was all Ash all along and that's what they've stuck with into ASC #I'm sitting on an essay about... That plot thread. The Ashfur Grooming one #But it's in my drafts because I was a bit afraid of controversy #because i think it was written poorly. Even on top of Book 4's pivot to retcon away Shadow's seizures #I know a lot of people like and are invested in the grooming subplot of TBC. But. I think it was executed AWFULLY #and its really telling that THIS is the plot they tout as grooming *by name* in-canon.-- #--and that Shadow has to 'pay' for what he 'did' in some way as if there was ever a choice in the books they wrote-- #--But seemingly didn't even seem to clock that what was happening in Spotted's H was grooming until there was intense backlash #and a big part of my contention is the way that Book 4 suddenly tries to retcon that Shadow was groomed from the time he was a child #when it was actually part of book 1 that Shadow was able to personally tell the difference between a real vision and Ash's suggestions-- #--BECAUSE he didn't have an accompanying seizure #So like... just know it's also NOT just 'you' if you connected to the character that was epileptic. It WAS there. It was a BIG part of him #Book 4 retconned it so that his epilepsy was part of a long scheme when before that point it was part of him #''ohh ur destiny is to see into the shadows'' BULL SHIT!! #bone babble

[fandom-101]

Ya know, the one thing im really worried from the show is Grover.

Like, characterization wise, they are doing a bang up job with him! And Aryan delivers everytime. No notes and no complaints.

But where is any of his satyr side of things?

The bleating he does when he is nervous. Any of the nature magic he can do. Him playing his pan flutes. The fact tht he can read emotions. THAT HE CAN SMELL MONSTERS! Like ?? where is all of tht??

(I am very glad tht they added Pan and the searchers like this cuz i was afraid it'd be too late to mention this)

#and like #also Zeus. like why isnt he interfering? #we havent heard a word from him? by this point in the book #he had thrown many lightning bolts at the kiddos. He WAS the one who sent Echidna after Percy #cuz Zeus thinks tht percy stole the bolt so like ?? why has he done anything to stop em from reaching the underworld? #(i actually thought tht Echidna was gonna say tht she was sent by Zeus and tht why she could enter the temple rather than it being Athena) #...also still waiting for Gabe and the terrorist Percy cuz #not only the manhunt was funny #but its gives more screentime/insight on Gabe and Percy's feelings towards him #im rambling now LOL #percy jackon and the olympians #percy series #pjo tv show #percy jackson tv series #percy jackson tv show #pjo tv spoilers #pjo tv series #pjo tv adaptation #(how many tags does pjotv needs!?) #Aryan Simhadri #grover underwood

[beaulesbian]

thinking about this sequence of neil and andrew's interactions over the course of the king's men:

- where it began with neil trying to be honest with how much andrew meant to him and about what was slowly happening between them, and andrew was ready with a reply denying he feels anything (positive) towards neil.

- the same happening few more times, in different variations of important revelations ...

- until andrew's replies slowly lost any real bite, and neil understood what they actually mean.

- to the point where neil knew that andrew wasn't telling him the truth (not that he would push him, it probably amused him what next will andrew say).

- until andrew didn't argue with neil's words at all. and that silence spoke more louder to him than anything.

(in neil josten's voice: i'm fine (lying 😭😭).)

#having this revelation 7 years after i first read the series only bc i decided to reread lmaoo #i finished that book and left staring at that last page until i understood what that 'silence' meant and had to reread this part #and then had to make this bc oh my god.. its like andrew has been telling him all along how much he cares for him but in his language #and thankfully its a language neil can speak now probably fluently ;-; #but just that the silence left neil feeling so many things?? what it meant for andrew not to say anything else #just accept that yes - he did actually liked neil (and in that silence was all their confessions and love they couldnt spoke out loud) #;-; im rlly fine (not) #tfc #all for the game #aftg #andreil #neil josten #andrew minyard #the foxhole court

[batcavescolony]

Death's in comics just don't do anything for me. Why would I be sad, they'll come back? Like what you're telling me a big character is done? Dead? Never coming back? Bffr give it a few months.

#comics #dc comics #marvel comics #im reading new xmen and Northstar is dead and everyone is mourning but im like 🤷‍♀️ i know he'll come back eventually #jean paul beaubier #jason todd #didnt stay dead #bucky barnes #im sure thell be back #robin #batman #comic books #northstar #ya got dc killing off the justice League every five minutes #everyon looked annoyed at their funeral #superman #how many deaths has he had? its just expensive at this poin! #do you have to give them a funeral every time? unnecessary mourning is expensive and a waste who hasn't died! #what do they do with the memorials after! 'here lies ______ rip hero✊“ (actually they came back 260 days later so.... welcome back?)

[watchmakermori]

rereading The Bedlam Stacks: my feelings six years on

until recently, I'd only read The Bedlam Stacks the once - back on release, within the span of a few days. I'd enjoyed it at the time, though not nearly as much as my beloved Watchmaker, so I thought it was time to go back to it and see how my feelings on it have changed.

back in 2017, I recall enjoying the first third of the book a lot, finding the middle section a bit slow, and thinking that the ending was a bit sudden. Having reread it again, my thoughts are similar in some respects - I still think that the pacing is strongest at the beginning, and hits a sluggish section once Merrick gets to Bedlam. My feelings on the ending are complicated, because part of me thinks that it's missing something, but part of me thinks it has the best conclusion of any Pulley book so far.

Bedlam is a difficult book for me to critique. There is so much that I love about it, so many isolated scenes and concepts that stick with me, and the prose is fresher and more beautiful than I remembered. The scene where Raphael turns to stone for 70 years is so beautifully, horrifyingly handled. The markayuq are a haunting, fascinatingly original concept. Merrick and Raphael, while hitting a lot of the classic Pulley duo tropes, stand out in many other ways - the fact that their romance is only implied, and left somewhat ambiguous, is actually a novelty against the context of her other works. They also feel more...mirrored than other Pulley pairings? Most of her romances seem to thrive on difference. Differences in class, in race, in intellectual standing, in physical strength. And obviously Raphael and Merrick have some of that, but they're also markedly similar in a lot of ways. Even though Merrick doesn't have Raphael's strength, he does have the memory of being a much stronger and healthier man. Both characters have a past of physical violence, and they are both shown to be capable of it in the narrative itself, as with when Raphael shoots the passing traveller and Merrick strangles Martel to death.

Their relationship to disability is also similarly mirrored, because both of them are haunted by old versions of themselves. Raphael is watching himself turn into a markayuq, feeling himself lose time and mobility, knowing that his transformation is impending and inevitable. Merrick also knows that he will never again be the man he was before his leg injury; he has to adjust to it, to work around it and accept that it has changed him. The acceptance of inevitability is a really interesting theme in Bedlam, which feeds all the way through Merrick and Raphael's central friendship. They don't really get the best of anything - they meet under bad circumstances, for less than a month, and they will never have enough time together due to Raphael's condition and a thousand other factors. But that doesn't mean that their friendship isn't worth something, that it isn't immensely precious.

So there's a great deal that I love about Bedlam on a thematic level, but I do think that the actual plotting of the book is quite weak overall. There are lots of isolated scenes that I love, but the connecting tissue is somewhat thin. The middle of the book involves a lot of waiting - waiting for the snow to clear, waiting for Clem to return, waiting for Raphael to tell Merrick the truth and take him beyond the salt line. Merrick does not have a great deal of intentional impact on the narrative, so it does often feel like you're sitting around waiting for the plot to come to him.

That's not to say that the plot needed to be bolder or bigger. It didn't need to focus more on the search for quinine. Honestly, I don't think high-stakes drama is one of Pulley's strengths - her forte is small interpersonal conflicts between select units of characters. In Watchmaker, the conflict and stakes don't really come from the lurking bomb threat or the police investigation - it's about Thaniel struggling with his own desires over the impulse to do the 'right' thing. Grace represents a more conventional path for him - a wife, a house, a future with children, and the money to look after his sister and nephews. But Mori is who he actually wants. And those warring desires come into greater and greater conflict as the story moves from beginning to middle to end. Thaniel's goals are not static.

But in Bedlam, there isn't that same sense of escalating tension and raising stakes. Merrick has his reservations about Raphael and whether he is dangerous, but ultimately, those reservations don't really change the decisions he makes. So much of what happens feels like it was always going to happen, which means that a lot of the tension feels somewhat...inorganic. Intangible. There isn't even the threat of discovery for most of the book, because Raphael knows exactly why Merrick is in Bedlam and Merrick makes no attempt to hide the truth. He keeps quiet about the threat of the army, but even if Raphael had discovered it sooner, it doesn't feel like it would've materially impacted how the story played out.

So it's a hard book for me to articulate my feelings on. The themes and concepts and characters and isolated scenes are excellent, but the story feels - just slightly - like it is less than the sum of its parts. At times, it seems more like a series of episodic events than a narrative, even if those episodic events are still deeply enjoyable.

But the ending is immensely powerful. The melancholy and the joy of it. The simple devotion of Merrick being there when Raphael wakes, 20 years later, with a cup of coffee - which was what Merrick had gone to make when Raphael first went into stasis. It is simultaneously an act of mundanity, and also an act of incredible loyalty and dedication - and love often does shine brightest in those small moments of devotion.

A while ago, I was lamenting that Pulley only ever gives us happy, cosy endings rather than something more tragic and bittersweet, but I don't think I was actually accurate on that. The conclusion of Bedlam is desperately sad, for all its loveliness. Because while Raphael and Merrick are reunited, we can't know how long they will have together. The story denies us that knowledge, that closure, by ending just as Raphael laughs.

I'm so glad I reread it. It is a bit of an odd fish next to all of Pulley's other works, and that makes me appreciate it much more with retrospect. This reread also reminded me, on a more general level, of everything I love about Pulley's writing - the sublime weirdness and the quirky characters and the nonchalance with which she handles speculative elements. For all her flaws as a writer, nobody is doing it like her, and I truly cannot wait for The Mars House.

#the bedlam stacks #natasha pulley #i do love her books because they always give me so many THOUGHTS #what's notable about pulley is that her actual broad arching plots do not tend to be what I remember about them #I don't remember a lot of the sprawling political stuff in pepperharrow #but I DO remember the aching internal conflict of thaniel desperately worrying that mori is not what he thinks #the smaller personal drama is where her books REALLY shine #so I think her work is at its best when she leans into that #as with watchmaker. the dramatic climax of grace engineering an explosion has barely half of the weight #of thaniel steepleton leaving his wife on his wedding night and going to kiss keita mori

[wonder-worker]

Margaret of Anjou’s visit to Coventry [in 1456], which was part of her dower and that of her son, Edward of Lancaster, was much more elaborate. It essentially reasserted Lancastrian power. The presence of Henry and the infant Edward was recognised in the pageantry. The ceremonial route between the Bablake gate and the commercial centre was short, skirting the area controlled by the cathedral priory, but it made up for its brevity with no fewer than fourteen pageants. Since Coventry had an established cycle of mystery plays, there were presumably enough local resources and experience to mount an impressive display; but one John Wetherby was summoned from Leicester to compose verses and stage the scenes. As at Margaret’s coronation the iconography was elaborate, though it built upon earlier developments.

Starting at Bablake gate, next to the Trinity Guild church of St. Michael, Bablake, the party was welcomed with a Tree of Jesse, set up on the gate itself, with the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah explaining the symbolism. Outside St. Michael’s church the party was greeted by Edward the Confessor and St. John the Evangelist; and proceeding to Smithford Street, they found on the conduit the four Cardinal Virtues—Righteousness (Justice?), Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude. In Cross Cheaping wine flowed freely, as in London, and angels stood on the cross, censing Margaret as she passed. Beyond the cross was pitched a series of pageants, each displaying one of the Nine Worthies, who offered to serve Margaret. Finally, the queen was shown a pageant of her patron saint, Margaret, slaying the dragon [which 'turned out to be strictly an intercessor on the queen's behalf', as Helen Maurer points out].

The meanings here are complex and have been variously interpreted. An initial reading of the programme found a message of messianic kingship: the Jesse tree equating royal genealogy with that of Christ had been used at the welcome for Henry VI on his return from Paris in 1432. A more recent, feminist view is that the symbolism is essentially Marian, and to be associated with Margaret both as queen and mother of the heir rather than Henry himself. The theme is shared sovereignty, with Margaret equal to her husband and son. Ideal kingship was symbolised by the presence of Edward the Confessor, but Margaret was the person to whom the speeches were specifically addressed and she, not Henry, was seen as the saviour of the house of Lancaster. This reading tips the balance too far the other way: the tableau of Edward the Confessor and St. John was a direct reference to the legend of the Ring and the Pilgrim, one of Henry III’s favourite stories, which was illustrated in Westminster Abbey, several of his houses, and in manuscript. It symbolised royal largesse, and its message at Coventry would certainly have encompassed the reigning king. Again, the presence of allegorical figures, first used for Henry, seems to acknowledge his presence. Yet, while the message of the Coventry pageants was directed at contemporary events it emphasised Margaret’s motherhood and duties as queen; and it was expressed as a traditional spiritual journey from the Old Testament, via the incarnation represented by the cross, to the final triumph over evil, with the help of the Virgin, allegory, and the Worthies. The only true thematic innovation was the commentary by the prophets.

[...] The messages of the pageants firmly reminded the royal women of their place as mothers and mediators, honoured but subordinate. Yet, if passive, these young women were not without significance. It is clear from the pageantry of 1392 and 1426 in London and 1456 in Coventry that when a crisis needed to be resolved, the queen (or regent’s wife) was accorded extra recognition. Her duty as mediator—or the good aspect of a misdirected man—suddenly became more than a pious wish. At Coventry, Margaret of Anjou was even presented as the rock upon which the monarchy rested. [However,] a crisis had to be sensed in order to provoke such emphasis [...]."

-Nicola Coldstream, "Roles of Women in Late Medieval Civic Pageantry," "Reassessing the Roles of Women as 'Makers' of Medieval Art and Culture"

#historicwomendaily #margaret of anjou #my post #henry vi #yeah I don't necessarily agree with Laynesmith's interpretation (that it was essentially Marian with an emphasis on shared sovereignty) #which she herself says is 'admittedly very speculative' #as this book points out that interpretation tips the balance too far on the other side and has a somewhat selective reading #It's also important to remember that this interpretation was not really reflected across wider Lancastrian propaganda at the time #which isn't really talked about - let alone emphasized - as much by historians but remained focused on the King #For example: look at the pro-Lancastrian poem 'The Ship of State' which hails Henry VI as a 'noble shyp made of good tree' #and emphasizes how he was widely supported and defended by many great Lancastrian lords and the crown prince #but not Margaret who was entirely absent #also look at the book 'Knyghthode and Bataile' (presented to Henry) and Fortescue's various pro-Lancastrian texts in the 1460s #even the recording of that Yorkist trial which was iirc reported in the 1459 attainder #all of these were entirely conventional and highlighted the presence and importance of the King. Margaret was not emphasized. #so either the Lancastrians were impossibly inconsistent about what message they actually wanted to convey about the role of their own queen #or the Coventry pageants were not actually meant to emphasize Margaret in the lieu of Laynesmith's interpretation #and would not have been viewed in such a manner by contemporaries #I think we should also keep in mind that we don't really know what Henry VI's condition was like at the time of MoA's entry to Coventry #we know he had been injured in St. Albans and had only just recovered from his second illness #this is especially important to consider since we know he had also arrived at Coventry before Margaret but much more discreetly #and was not welcomed by any pageants that we know of. This is VERY unusual and can be best explained if we consider the fact that he #may have simply not been in the right state (be it physical or state of mind) for it at the time #in which case the pageants for Margaret should be viewed as more of a improvisation/cover-up/temporary measure to bolster prestige #or Henry may have deliberately taken a more discreet role to emphasize the position of his heir - especially important after the long wait #imo I think Kipling's interpretation (ie: that they addressed Margaret but really referenced the prince & heir) makes a lot more sense: #'Coventry [...] regarded Margaret's entry as a kind of triumph-by-proxy: the Queen entered the city but Coventry received its Prince' #though I think he tends to view Margaret as more of a cipher (and has a very questionable view of Henry VI) which I also don't agree with. #The pageants very much DID focus on and reference her but they most prominently emphasized her 'motherhood and duties as queen' #ie: I think Kipling and Laynesmith tip too far on opposite sides and I think this interpretation takes the most realistic middle ground

[legolasghosty]

🐑 Alternate Universe- Magic, Mutual Pining, Demonic possession, Furbies

Oh dear...

Alex is attending one of the most prestigious magic academies in the country, on the orders of his parents of course. Even though Laiz Fier Academy reviles even the name of the only type of magic he's ever been good at. His parents swore he'd find another specialty here, and he'd let himself believe them, like the idiot he is. He's scraping by in classes. Barely. At least he's managed to make a couple of friends and figure out how to sneak into the library stacks to find books that will actually help him hone his skills.

However, Alex realizes now there's a reason why it's not recommended to do your first summoning alone. Because, while he does manage to summon a demon, it doesn't exactly end up in the silvery urn he'd laid in the center of the pentagram.

So now he has a talking, demonic Furby to hide. One that, despite its too-wide eyes and disconcertingly smooth voice, Alex thinks he might be developing feelings for.

(Fake fic ask game!)

#legolas tag #legolas ask #julie and the phantoms #willex #so okay in my head #Alex is super good at a specific branch of magic #which usually would be awesome since he was born into a high power magical family #unfortunately the thing he's good at is demonic magic #which is.... unpopular to put it lightly #his parents send him away to school in the hopes that he'll latch onto something else with so many options to explore #that doesn't happen #he meets Luke and Julie (both music magic) and Reggie (animal magic) #and they all become friends #and they all figure out how to sneak into the stacks together #where Alex finds all the hidden away books on demonic magic #cause it's not actually Evil like people think #just... darker in source than most #Alex may fall down a bit of a spiral about his abilities and worth though #and ends up attempting to summon an actual demon to help him learn magic #but... well he must have messed up the binding part of the ceremony? #Cause he does get a demonic magic coach #but said coach (Willie) goes into the Furby Reggie got him as a prank birthday present #and well... Alex knows he should figure out how to undo it and send Willie back to Hell or wherever #but then he has to rush to hide him first before he gets caught #and then they end up chatting a fair amount over the next few days #because Alex is a world class insomniac and Willie just doesn't sleep #but Alex is kept too busy with classes and stuff to go back to the library to find the stuff to sort out the mess he's made #and if Willie knows how to do it he isn't sharing #(he totally knows but it's his first time in the human world in ages and Alex is nice and kinda cute tbh so...) #and...they become friends? And also develop massive crushes on each other?

[shadszyyx]

im about to be such a stupid hater but as an aromantic person i hate the httyd 3 ending.

#YES i know its similar to the books ending #but idk man toothless leaving hiccup to go live far away with some random dragon he met like two days ago after he and hiccup have basically #grown up together just rubs me the wrong way #they've been through so much together #both literally saving the life of the other at one point #and YES i know they didn't just leave bc of that #but CMON THEIR FRIENDSHIP??? toothless and hiccup care so much about eachother #they're basically eachother's whole world #they're soulmates even /p #even valka tells her son that he has the soul of a dragon #idc what ppl say #idc if the ending was supposed to be ''realistic'' #it's a fictional world they could've came up with a happier ending where they didn't have to get separated #also i love love love astrid #dont get me wrong #but even since i was a kid i never really cared that much about her's and hiccups relationship #← aka aroace person speaking #yeah they have a lot of cute moments together #just bc im aroace that doesn't mean i cant find their relationship really cute #but again the friendship between dragons and humans is what the story is all about #idk where im going with this anymore sorry #im tired n mad n i just wanted to talk about one of my favorite franchises in the world #i love to just pretend the actual stayed together at the end of the third movie n also the light fury doesnt really exist #sorry but thats a topic for another post #bc i feel like this one has too many tags already #not that i completely hate the light fury #its more complicated than that

[aroaceleovaldez]

yall dont wanna see the rant i just went on trying to math out if Clarisse and Silena = Achilles and Patroclus, then does the Battle for Manhattan in TLO = the Trojan War, and in which case who’s who. is the Titan Army the Trojans? or is Olympus the Trojans because they’re defending Olympus (i.e. Trojans defending Troy)? If Percy is also Achilles, kinda, cause curse of Achilles, what’s everybody’s roles then? What do we do with two Achilles? is Ethan Nakamura Hector? Does Luke = Paris? (in which case Hermes = Priam? which actually works really well cause Hermes did aid Priam in the Trojan war). or is Luke... Helen? Or is Luke just straight up the Trojan Horse?

Also side-tangent, if Clarisse and Silena are Achilles and Patroclus, we can make some guesses for who Chris Rodriguez vaguely is analogous to, but not really Charles Beckendorf? at least purely in terms of love interests. Which is interesting. Again: who’s who. I simply must know.

#pjo #percy jackson #riordanverse #analysis #there's also a whoooole lot of Percy and Nico in the Underworld = Caeneus in the rant #but that's besides the point i've gone on that rant enough times #though i do think its interesting in a manner of if it is an intentional parallel (which is very possibly is!) #then it implies that Rick started leaning more into Nico being canonically romantically interested in Percy back in TLO #which would make sense given you also have Clarisse and Silena as Achilles and Patroclus *very* explicitly in the same book #and whereas Achilles and Patroclus being lovers is a debated topic - Caeneus' romance is as far as im aware undisputed #(probably primarily because Caeneus was a woman for most of it) #and like from book one Rick referenced myths like Ganymede #so like. i dont think the whole ''greek mythology had a lot of gay stuff' was going over his head or anything #and Caeneus is not an obscure figure. he was an Argonaut! #and the Argonauts were. yknow. the entire basis for the second series. and also a good amount of SoM #there was also a lot of ''Does Nico = Orpheus?'' and How Many Times Did Nico Pull An Orpheus (the answer is like. 2. maybe 3.) #(maybe 4 actually) #regardless Nico has fully exhausted Most Orpheus Myths so theoretically they shouldn't come back. #[I AM LOOKING VERY HARD AT THE NICO BOOK. DO NOT DO THE THING I SWEAR I WILL BE MAD.] #not because ''oh no tragedy'' because i KNOW it's gonna turn out fine and Different This Time and ill just be mad #because it got overused cause WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT SPECIFIC PART LIKE. TWICE. IN THE FIRST SERIES. GET OUTTA HERE. #anyways options for if the Argo 2 members represent Argonauts then Who Orpheus - Piper. Leo. Nico. #i personally prefer Piper best for thematic reasons but Leo could also fit and Nico is really trying on the myth-reenactment-front #and also being the mopey guy on the Argo ruining the vibes for everyone cause he's busy being heartbroken and emo #he hasn't been torn limb from limb and his immortal severed head turned into a speaker for his parents to listen to tunes from though #so really Nico are you even trying? (the ''parents-grant-immortality-after-death'' thing though is also a Nico-pulls-an-Orpheus moment tho)

[markantonys]

odds of the show giving mat additional (non-endgame) love interest(s)? the books make such a big deal about what a flirt he is, but he doesn't actually do much Onscreen Romancing before he meets tuon, just his brief flings with melindhra and aludra (no, i do not count tylin as a Mat Romance). i feel like since they gave perrin a wife and made randgwene actually have a real relationship, it's not outside the realm of possibility that mat could have new romance(s) added if it served the story.

or they could also just flesh out his book ones more, especially aludra since that one is almost blink-and-you'll-miss-it in the books (although there's no guarantee aludra would make it into the show - depends on how they're planning to handle the dragon-cannon invention plotline). plus, with the condensing of events in the show, there may not be much time for him to have more than a 1-scene hookup with anyone besides melindhra (season 3 or 4) and tuon (whom he could potentially meet in season 5 if his ACOS & WH ebou dar activities are condensed into a single season).

#poor mat has nothing but Bad Romance in the books and i want him to get to have some fun in the show lmao #and he would be a great candidate for adding mlm content with a major character! just saying! #otoh that's a double edged sword since a) it's kinda tired to make the Flirty Character be the Bi Character #b) if mat was canon mlm then biphobic queers would have a whole fit over him ultimately ending up with a woman #but *i* would love to see a canon bi character end up in a different-gender relationship bc that never happens in media! esp for bi men #since media is even worse at representing them than bi women since society is convinced bi men are actually just gay #okay i'm going off on a tangent. point is i want mat to kiss as many people as possible in the show #wot #wot on prime #mat cauthon #wot book spoilers

[naisvalta]

ive seen several people just assume that will is evil now and i find that very odd. he doesnt want to hurt people, he just wants to live his life and protect his friends. he doesnt want to be some evil king. i expect book 2 will have huge themes of free will and exploring the question of can you stay a good person through your choices when youre destined to be bad. are you the same person as the one youre a reincarnation of if you cant even remember being that person? i highly doubt its gonna be as simple as ”will evil now”

#i mean idk if ppl actually think that or if its just jokes #but whenever i see someone say like ’i know will is evil but i love him and james’ im like #IS HE THOUGH????? is he evil???? what has he done that makes him evil #he does so many things in the book that prove that ultimately he wants to do the right thing #so is he evil just because of who he was in a previous life?? stay tuned to find out im sure #dark rise spoilers #dark rise

[secretmellowblog]

The reason I’m having trouble writing the second chapter of my recent Hugo-pastiche Les Mis fanfic is that, every time I try to write Jean Valjean in the style of Victor Hugo, the chapter just turns into an overlong agonized inner monologue of spiraling self-recriminations and self-loathing. and then the story never moves forward. :P

Originally I’d actually hoped for this entire fic to be a short comic, but I changed it to prose after realizing that most of the comic’s script was just Jean Valjean’s inner monologue and yet somehow all that inner monologue was still not enough to feel like anything even close to resembling something like the characterization of Hugo’s Jean Valjean.

This is why it’s so much easier to write Javert. Javert canonically hates thinking and will not do it. It makes everything so much easier

#we need more characters who deliberately refuse to have an inner life #it makes them so much easier to write #Les mis #I don’t pretend I’m writing Valjean completely ‘in character’ or w/e #but it has taken me Years to figure out how to write him in something that even resembles his narrative voice in the novel XD #years! and a couple older fics that I have very mixed feelings on now #especially wrt Valjean's characterization #Javert is an easy character because once you realize he doesn’t think and has an authority kink he’s p easy to write #but Valjean is actually like a genuinely complex little guy #and there are so many contradictions and nuances in the way he thinks that its difficult to get a solid read on him #especially we spend a lot of the book viewing him 'from the outside' #and to the people around him he's often mysterious and unreadable

[relmint]

I understand lmk isn't a completely faithful adaptation (Also the murder monkey tone down cuz kiddos) but is it that bad of one? I got into LMK first and then started looking into jttw but haven't had time to sit down and read it just yet (school be like 🙃) I've seen some people say it's a pretty good one, and others seem to really dislike it. After your posts about lmk I'm curious about your opinion? Is it just the fandom or the show as a whole? Cuz I'm kinda with you on the buff, that's funky to me too, but curious if that's your only issue with it.

Ramble underneath!

For me personally, I don't have much of a problem with the show itself although there r some bits in the show I grew to dislike haha Especially when they downplayed DBK and SWK's friendship replacing DBK with Macaque KSKSKSKS Another thing is that I don't like the fandom much coz sometimes I just see takes that are so devoid of the characters from the og novel and they state it as fact KSKSKS. For ex. making SWK not being able to read is one irritating take. I really don't like it when ppl dumb SWK down because in the book he really is clever and conniving. Also, I'm gonna be honest here the amount of shadowpeach I see started to irritate me as well KSKSKASKLJKL Like a lot of my previous opinions about the LMK show and fandom changed ever since I started reading the book and looked more into Chinese culture jsjsjsjs I am no expert mind you and I have not finished reading the book yet, but I wish some ppl just did basic research you know KKSSKSD I know there r some ppl in the fandom who does put in the effort to learn more about Chinese culture and mythos but I feel like they r the minority here. I don't like to associate myself with the LMK fandom anymore but I'll still watch the show because I like the animation I guess HAHAHAHA. Anyways read JTTW you won't regret it JSJSJSJ

#there r also a ton of issues regarding how the LMK fandom treats these important Chinese figures JSJSJSJS #also book SWK is much funnier and badass than lmk SWK sorry ASHHDSH #relscreeches #also I am an Erlang Shen apologist and I see so many ppl hating on him in the LMK fandom so naturally I get defensive for him < #HAHAHAHAHAH #like come on guys Erlang Shen's story is actually pretty cool and he's so interesting....he's not just Heaven's lap dog brah #he has the drama....the angst.... #also there r also issues in the show in terms of representation KSKKSKSK #antidote explained it best #but yeah the show be walking on thin ice with the yellow skin lemme tell ya that JSJSJS #i get they r legos but #can u really blame other ppl when they do a double take at that #The first time I watched the show even I raised an eyebrow JSJSJSJ #ngl I dont really know what's happening in the LMK currently coz I filtered all the tags related to it JSJSJSJ