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54625 · 3 days

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What I want out of a QSMP season two.

(Some of these points may be a little divisive - it's just my personal opinion. Content creators will be referred to as players for conciseness. QSMP as it has been for the past year, for the sake of this post, will be referred to as "season 1".)

1. TAKE A FUCKING BREAK.

I do not want to see the QSMP coming back in less than two months at the very, very least. Five or six months to a year is ideal, in my opinion.

This is for a few reasons. Firstly, the obvious; I want Quackity Studios to take the necessary time to make 100% sure that everyone who has worked, does work, or will work for them is compensated. Not just this, but I want the communication among the studio to become streamlined and consistent, for the purpose of maintaining the quality of the SMP, the quality of life of the employees, and entirely avoiding a repeat of the previous situation. Any less will be unacceptable, and prove that all people in charge, including and especially Quackity himself, have not learned their lesson.

Secondly, I am very sure that a lot of players will lack or have completely lost their motivation for the QSMP, due to the nature of the last few months of season 1. I am sure that those who had a lot of lore written up and had to scrap it or cut it short are probably still quite sore about it, and may not have the energy to pick the QSMP story back up. This is especially true if they had already given their characters a canon ending and don't want to overshadow it. When creating a new SMP, or a new season of an SMP, you first and foremost need player motivation to be high. Waiting several months would ensure that the wound of player lore being ruined would have mostly healed over by the start of season 2.

Thirdly, viewer engagement will always be an important thing to take into consideration when creating an SMP that will be televised. The large majority of QSMP fans are completely burned out from watching. Leaving a large gap between seasons 1 and 2 would let fans, who have had an exhausting last few months, recover and reset. It will also allow hype and anticipation to build up when things eventually start being teased and announced again. Fans have a lot of disdain for this project at the present moment, and waiting for a while between seasons will not only let fans know that serious action is being taken behind the scenes, but also will let the sour attitude a lot of fans have right now wear off over time.

2. RESET. FOR REAL THIS TIME.

Probably my most controversial take on this topic will be; I fully believe that if a QSMP season 2 is to occur, it should be a completely new server. By completely new I naturally mean a new map, but also ZERO LORE CONTINUATION. I know this is a hot take, but I personally believe QSMP season 2 is a perfect chance for a completely fresh start, and a fresh start cannot happen if it still takes place in the same universe.

We all know that season 1's lore was overwhelming, slightly confusing, and at the end of the day, completely disjointed. We all fell in love with the terrifying Federation and Codes, yes, we all loved the basis of the story; a group of people from different countries get stranded on a "perfect" paradise island controlled by a governmental body that won't let them leave, and have to work together; but at the end of the day, the lore of season 1 became messy. Very messy. Instead of trying again and again to salvage it, the best option is probably to just start again.

Put the same players in a different map, give them a completely different premise, and let the lore unfold anew. Which leads into my next point.

3. PLAYER DRIVEN LORE.

Let the players develop the story. If a player has an overarching storyline they are unfolding themselves, prioritise letting them do so. All of the best lore in season 1 was player created, and player enacted; Cellbit's regret arc, the happy pills, Cellbit's murdering Fed workers arc, literally everything Fit ever did, Roier's lore, ect ect ect. Server admins should only intervene in player's lore when directly asked, and big changes to the server's status quo should only occur when there is no active lore to be interrupted, everyone agrees it should happen, and it would actively drive engagement up, rather than down.

The best case scenario for a QSMP season 2, in my opinion, is for the server admins and Quackity to come up with an exciting and engaging premise for a brand new universe with brand new characters, to place the players in an interesting themed map, and just let them loose. Let the lore build naturally, and see what comes of it.

IN CONCLUSION.

I vehemently disagree with people who believe the QSMP should not have a season 2. The QSMP is a brilliant idea, and its noble goals shine through all of the incredible friendships and memories it, and only it, made. There is no other server like QSMP.

The act of uniting people from all over the world has been proven to be an extremely important and worthwhile goal. I, genuinely, admire Quackity for his passion in this, and for understanding that this thing should not be easily given up on or let go. Drastic changes need to occur, but the QSMP is bigger than just a Minecraft server; it represents so much unity, community, and love.

It is worth saving.

I hope, desperately and for the sake of everyone involved, past future and present, that the QSMP can come back better and stronger than ever, continuing to further its goals; to tell amazing stories, to forge impossible friendships, to spark joy and laughter, and to bring people together no matter the barriers keeping them apart.

Thank you for reading.

#qsmp #yer man wrote an entire literal essay completely willingly #if only I'd had this energy for my GCSEs

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andthesunwillalwaysshine · 20 days

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the i believe in you spike speech i am not crying you are but also the you are a better man you may not see it but i do... i do (the voice as she repeated i do my heart can't do this) i love s7 spuffy

#god fucking help me if i ever thought i could stop shipping them #i hate that i spoiled myself but also i blame the writers for that awful episode like how could i look at him ever again unless i knew #but i still feel all the fucking feels #i cannot believe that i am watching the last ever season #it's so unfair #what type of tragic fucking ending </3 #i love this show and i hate this show #but like yeah tvd got nothing on this and that was MY show #def gonna do a rewatch of tvd eventually though and with rewatch i mean s1-s6 #the 2 last seasons is where they failed me and how buffy managed to win #mine #buffy

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ruescott · 1 year

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can feel my star wars divorce slowly but surely beginning. I can’t do this anymore besties

#rebels will always have a place in my heart and i will still watch andor s2 lol but #yesterday's mando ep broke something in me a switch has been flipped #and after the '??? lmao' wore off I realized I'm not having fun here anymore #and like. life is fleeting and beautiful and surely there are more worthwhile things I can spend my time on #things that are real you know? art with soul etc etc #things that will give me what corporate art can't give me!#like I do feel like I am just disappointed by star wars over and over but for some reason I feel like I have to grin and bear it #star wars will be difficult because there are always these flashes of brilliance even in the worst things #like this season of mando bo-katan's crisis of faith in reverse is so interesting to me #or last season. the believer. lots of good stuff in that ep but importantly also a promise of even better stuff #and then the follow-through is just. almost never there #i'm in this cycle of seeing something promising and feeling like I have to stick around to see the thing that will Finally Be Good #but that thing isn't coming!!#in part because it cannot be with corporate art!! because corporate art is about profit above all else!!#and I don't have to stay! real winners quit babey!! I can just leave!!!!!#writing an essay in the tags was really cathartic actually. if you read all of this. hello and thank you <3 #beloved followers I'm sure the divorce will be gradual but if you want to unfollow I will never ever take that personally #char posts #sw #<- don't really want this in the main tags but for my own blog organization

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averytirednerd · 4 months

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About Episodes 7 and 8...MASSIVE SPOILERS!!

Initial thoughts (because if I talk about EVERYTHING right now you'll be here for at least half an hour)...

WHAT THE HELL?!

I mean I loved getting to watch the season finale, don't get me wrong. But I have just as many grievances as things I loved about it and also SO MUCH happened?!?!?!

Charlie: Loved getting to see her be all demon-y, I've been waiting all season. Also loved her and the cannibals (especially Rosie!!!). So glad she got to work w/ Luci to protect the hotel <333 She and Vaggie are adorable too.

Vaggie: I really enjoyed watching her and Carmilla's song, that was cool. Protecting her girlfriend, very cute. I liked seeing her and Lute have that little face-off.

Husk: Sad that we didn't get to see much of him, but I get it. His interactions with the others were sweet (especially Angel). I loved the one line he got to sing on his own in that last song of episode 8. 😍

Angel: Ngl I am very glad he wasn't the one to die. It would've been a fun little "oh crap" moment but I really didn't want to be right. He's still got business down there. His interactions with the others here are everything to me, and he's just grown so much and aaaaaa. It's lovely to see! I love him more and more with every episode.

Niffty: YOU GO, GIRL!!!! Love to see the stabbing. I also really loved the...one line Nifty got. Kimiko Glenn's voice is a gift, I freaked out over getting to hear one line. Anyway. not much else to say other than I definitely thought it was Alastor doing a big "oh look, I'm alive!" thing when Adam got stabbed, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Cherri Bomb/Sir P: I was surprised, to say the least, when Cherri and Sir P had that little moment. Glad they got it before he went and DIED. Cherri is such a good friend to Angel and she's great. Now, onto Sir P...WOW, OKAY. Glad we know Charlie's plan isn't completely stupid. Wonder how Sera's gonna react to him being there now, lol.

The Vees: FIRST OFF, VOX?????? "This is better than sex!" 💀💀💀 Truly was not expecting to see as much of the Vees as we did. Not complaining though. It was...interesting...to say the least, watching Vox get as excited as he did over the prospect of Al dying (still as obsessed as ever, fr). Not at all surprised to see Val and Vox have a thing going, I figured from the interactions we've seen so far. Them dancing together was silly, them practically making out was less so 😃. Also, gotta continue the love for Velvette--putting up with these two idiots must take a lot. Also also, her HAIR! HER HAIR!! EEEEE

Lucifer: I reallllyyyyyy enjoyed seeing Luci make a return to help Charlie, even if it was in one of those "last-minute saves" that I usually hate. Idk, makes sense here I guess because he's probably always watching over Charlie some way. ALSO LUCI AND CHARLIE GOING ALL DEMON-Y TOGETHER WAS <33333333 I really loved him starting off that last song in episode 8, and telling Charlie that he believes in her. It was so sweet. I love Luci sm, hoping he becomes a more integral part of the crew in s2.

Adam/Lute/Lilith: HAHA HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LOSE??? Lute got what she deserved with the whole...arm thing. ALSO WHAT--JUST GONNA CASUALLY DROP LILITH IN HERE NOW? Sure, fine, whatever, totally cool. Not sure how to feel about Lilith atm so moving on. I dunno why I was so shocked upon seeing Adam's face. I guess I expected him to...not look as good as he does? Also so upset that he broke Al's staff. How rude. He sucks.

Rosie: Not how I expected her to sound, but I'm most certainly not disappointed. I don't have much to say other than I loved literally everything about her. No complaints--at least not yet ig, need to go back and rewatch the episodes critically. Her and Alastor is everything to me, and seeing them dance was <333333 I cannot express my excitement over it enough.

Alastor: Saved him for last because yes. If I wasn't limiting myself to a short paragraph for each, I'd be writing a whole essay just about Al, I swear....CANNOT believe what just happened omg. Not only did we get to see silly Al in episode 7, but we got to see scary (and scared) Al in episode 8. He's really freaking out, it's so entertaining! I'm so glad it wasn't him who died, I started getting a bit worried for a minute there....His relationship with Rosie is aaaaa, best of besties fr. Fighting Adam scene was glorious. Making Vox act like an idiot even when not trying was funny to watch (Vox's obsession with this guy is so silly). Him retreating sure was a move, but I'm glad he didn't get all stubborn and end up dying. Him ranting a bit in his section of the final song was so...AAAAAAA. Man is so scared, he looks stressed as can be. I need to see Alastor just have an external breakdown because he honestly feels like he's on the verge of one. 💀

Stopping for now before I go on a bigger rant than I already have. To those who read all this, I'm so sorry pfft. Feel free to leave a comment if there's something you wanna discuss (or, better yet, send one of those ask thingies. I do not have comments figured out yet...)

Anyway, have a good one <3

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waitmyturtles · 7 months

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THE MORNING AFTER: ONLY FRIENDS, EPISODE 12 -- WHEN ONLY FRIENDS GOT 2GETHER-ED

TRIGGER WARNING: EVERYONE'S UP FOR CRITICISM HERE, JOJO AND TEAM, FORCEBOOK, FIRSTKHAO, ALL OF THEM. Read at your peril.

Well. Big deep breaths. I spent a lot of time on a show that had been marketed as not-a-BL, that ended as a BL. As a mom with not that much time to spend on watching and writing on dramas that were marketed incorrectly, I am feeling some kinda way (fucking pissed off).

So many people had amazing takes yesterday, on both sides of the aisle, regarding how the show ended (pro-ending here, anti-ending here, here, here, here, here, and here, and my dear friends @neuroticbookworm and @lurkingshan did heavy lifting on reblogs yesterday, so stroll on over to their blogs for more).

I want to set up a constellation of points to touch upon before I get into the meat of this post.

1) I referred quite a bit to my review of Theory of Love throughout my watch of Only Friends. In that review, I meditate on how the majority of the general global public judges sex, and casual sex, and people who have sex and/or casual sex. Generally speaking -- even in countries that makes as progressive art on sex and sexuality as Thailand and the United States -- that's a rule of thumb that I can rely on. Sex is judged by the majority of the global public.

2) I hate to say it. I cannot believe this happened. But I was right about monogamy being an ultimate theme in Only Friends. Not just a theme, fam. A theme by which people judged others for having open, casual, and consensual sex. Queer sex. Queer sex that is so very often had outside of the constraints of a monogamous relationship.

There was a reason why that holiday party was populated by couples, except for Boston, and Boston had to grovel to them in apology for their friendship. In Only Friends: monogamy wins, and casual queer sex loses.

3) Unfortunately, in part though an analysis of Cheum inside of last week that I accidentally started (ha), I see that points 1 and 2 come together to have created a fabric and framework of judgement that Only Friends ended on.

The last paragraph in this excellent post by @benkaaoi notes that the assumption by a large portion of the OF fandom that the creative choices that were made to end this series were designed to save the sanctity -- economic and otherwise -- of the shipped pairs of ForceBook and FirstKhao. This rings true to me.

Most of the BL shows that I've watched this year are older shows, through my Old GMMTV Challenge, in which I've been studying the changes over time that GMMTV and other Thai networks, have made towards their editorial choices, attitudes, and risks in producing BLs. I included Only Friends on this syllabus to note the show's impact as a kind of zeitgeist measure of how much heat and literary controversy GMMTV could take in airing increasingly progressive queer media -- even though Only Friends wasn't originally intended to be a BL.

To the theory that Only Friends needed to save the ships... and to another theory that the ships needed to be saved in the most moralistically judgmental way that I could have ever imagined (I was actually blown away by how heavy-handed this messaging was) -- I look to the ending of 2gether.

The majority general reaction to the ending of 2gether from within the existing BL fandom in 2020, was one of guffawed incredulousness. BrightWin/SarawatTine did not kiss in the first season of 2gether. It took Aof Noppharnach to come in to make Still 2gether to indicate that these two young men may have been at least vaguely sexual with each other throughout the course of their fictional relationship.

Yet, 2gether was a massive success. Many theorize it was because 2gether was the first big BL to air during the start of the COVID pandemic, and new BL fans had time to be at home and watch shows. But I posit in my 2gether/Still 2gether review that 2gether was also successful PRECISELY BECAUSE IT LACKED SEX (and by sex here, I mean plain old kissin').

As I stated earlier: sex is judged by the majority of the global public. With BrightWin NOT kissing, new fans who may have been implicitly and/or explicitly turned off by physical depictions of queer love could glom comfortably onto 2gether, and watch a BL without the "threat" of physical depictions of two men expressing their love to each other.

Subsequently, BrightWin gained massive social media followings, 2gether made GMMTV buckets of money, and GMMTV went -- well, hot diggity.

Many of us had impressions of Only Friends as...something else than it ended up being. Early on, Jojo Tichakorn, for instance, cited an early non-GMMTV, non-BL show, Gay OK Bangkok, that he and Aof Noppharnach worked on in 2016 and 2017, as being referential to Only Friends. Gay OK Bangkok centered on a group of queer friends, mostly cisgender men with Jennie Panhan in the mix, as they lived their lives and dated away in Bangkok.

I'll tell ya, GOKB didn't end the way Only Friends did, and I'll get into that more in a bit. I believe @benkaaoi, @lurkingshan, and others are absolutely right that the ultimate moralization on casual sex that this show depicted -- and how Only Friends punished Boston for his casual sex -- was an economic decision designed to reflect on the sanctity of monogamy that shipped couples like ForceBook and FirstKhao can sell back to their fans, fans that may have actually flocked to GMMTV shows from 2gether, and that demand a fantasy of devoted monogamy from both fictional characters and professional actors who are actually only just doing fan service to earn their livings. GMMTV has known for a long time how to make money, and money the network doth has made from Only Friends, and from shipping their ships around the world to service the growing fandom.

Casual sex in fiction, casual sex that breaks up the ships.... fucks that economic shit all up.

GMMTV has taught us our lesson, a lesson that we had already learned from the no-kissing rule of 2gether. Loose lips shall not sink ships at this network. And I think we lost a chance for a big and progressively artistic zeitgeist that GMMTV could have taken risks on, if it had the courage to risk depicting something truly novel.

I want to note quickly another framework that I dug into while I was watching this show. I sent a flare to @lurkingshan before I started watching the episode that I was going to, in part, watch this last episode from my personal Asian lens. I wanted to ask myself, as I was watching this disaster -- is there anything happening here that strikes my heart with fear and doom as an Asian?

Indeed, yes. I didn't expect it, but there was a dialogue on individualism vs. collectivism.

Boston. My dear, sweet Boston. Boston, named after a city so very distant from Bangkok.

Boston was punished by his group of friends because he didn't adhere to the rules of the group. His individualistic actions and preferences -- his preferences to "roll alone," as Nick stated, would not work in the frameworks of either monogamy with Nick and/or the group dynamics of the hostel crew.

The link I linked above is an amazing answer to an inquiry I posed to dear @absolutebl last year about how Asian social collectivist paradigms are depicted in BLs. In that question-and-answer dialogue, I asked ABL Sensei about the motif of queer revelations in BLs, and how seemingly straight characters respond in kind to being approached with a proposition to a queer dalliance and/or relationship. Generally speaking, the Asian collectivist mindset is to at least attempt to respond in kind to those kinds of propositions, as one's behavioral habits are designed to be responsive to others instinctually, as opposed to only servicing oneself. To only service oneself is not only seen as selfish, but also as disturbing to the general flow of public existence among one's societies. To respond in kind means that you will not cause potentially disturbing angst to another individual or group. (Collectivism explains why Asian countries performed much better with mask mandates during the pandemic than we in the States did.)

So -- Boston filming Ray, Boston sleeping with Top, created waves in the friend group. He was so severely punished for it.

And the show iterates, and repeats, Nick's preference that Boston move forward alone in Boston's life, because of Boston's tendencies to make decisions that suit himself. As an Asian-American, I mutter to myself: god forbid.

Nick will not commit to Boston -- and yet, will also condemn Boston for making his own decisions outside of the specter of a monogamy that does not exist between Nick and Boston, and that Boston will still get judged for, as referenced in the Sand/Nick conversation depicted above.

In other words: if Boston makes a decision for himself? That's punishable. Because it might hurt someone else's feelings -- a someone else that actually hasn't committed to Boston, and/or allowed Boston to commit himself to.

This group caught Boston in a moralistic and collectivist catch-22, the likes of which I just would have never expected from Jojo and team, even if the creative team faced the economic pressures of the GMMTV bigwigs. I'm sorry to state that I am beyond disappointed in this condemnation of individualism, sending Boston alone, judged, and friendless, off to New York City to live in, what, the immoral boundaries of Chelsea? Homey, get a fucking SWEET-ASS PAD, and FUCK THESE LOSERS, leave 'em BEHIND in your cloud of airplane gas emissions. See you at the La Quinta rooftop bar on 32nd Street, friendo.

Only Friends could have ended so much better. And I understand that in the Only Friends novel, published AFTER the script was finished, that it did end somewhat better for Boston (cc @jinitak, reporting from Thailand, thank you for this heads-up about the novel!).

So. Any-fucking-way. Do y'all know how Gay OK Bangkok ended?

Of many lovely endings for the various GOKB characters, an older main character, Aof, was dating a much younger character, Big. (CC to @neuroticbookworm for our quick convo on this last night.)

Aof was sex-averse. Big wanted lots of sex. Big slept with a lot of people. He loved Aof. Aof couldn't handle Big having sex with other people, and they broke up. It was a lovingly handled break-up, written just gorgeously by Aof Noppharnach.

After their break-up, I thought Big would disappear from the show. Instead. Instead! Nong Big, the little brother to the core group of queer friends that centered GOKB, was welcomed back with open arms. Arm, Pom, Sathang (played by an effervescent Jennie Panhan), and others toasted to Big, telling him he would always be family, no matter if him and his ex, Aof, had broken up. In the queer circles of friends that I'm a part of, exes are not as commonly excommunicated as they are in straight circles.

Only Friends could have been this. Something, a little something, like this.

Instead, Only Friends punished a friend for acting outside of the rules of their group.

Boston was punished because.... because Only Friends had to end up being a BL. For the sake of the moolah, for the sake of collectivism, for the sake of the shippers who'll buy tickets around the world to see ForceBook and FirstKhao perform fan service on stage.

I just didn't think that the show would be so brutal, on so many levels, in the end, to people who want to have casual sex. I don't think any of us expected this. But, it's over, it's done, and the piece has been said -- GMMTV said, no casual sex today, and here's how we actually feel about it.

I'll see you over on Gagaoolala for Playboyy. Deuces, OF.

(It was an absolute pleasure writing meta with the Ephemerality Squad -- onto the next one! @lurkingshan @neuroticbookworm @ranchthoughts @twig-tea @slayerkitty @thatgirl4815 @distant-screaming @clara-maybe-ontheroad)

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helloporcelain · 8 months

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Retrouvailles

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Pairing: Astarion/Tav (gender neutral) Rating: Teen Tags: Reincarnation (Tav dies/Astarion doesn't), au-ish, Astarion's POV, oneshot.

Summary: “Until the day you draw your last breath, they will always return,” the god warns you. “And you will always find them. But they will never be the same, and they will never remember you.” Note: I got a little brainworm after seeing this lovely fanart by @cheesy-cryptid.

Read on AO3 if you prefer

–

Long ago, when you were a slave, you used to pray.

Beneath the lashes that were etched onto your flesh, you would pray. When your master abandoned you to the cruel clutches of starvation, you would pray. And on the evenings where your exhaustion was so heavy you nearly died under the weight of it all, you would still pray. You would pray tirelessly, and in as many broken tongues as you knew, and to as many gods as you could remember. Yet none deigned to answer your pleas.

Many centuries later, you pray once more.

This time, Velsharoon, the archmage of necromancy, the patron of liches and god of the undead, embraces you.

–

You’re not sure if this is a dream.

“Little love,” you murmur. “You should be resting.”

They sit on a bench in your garden, a willowy figure tending to the belladonnas and foxgloves you planted for them when they became too frail to stand on their own. Water spills out from the pot as their fingers tremble under the weight, splashing at their bare feet and brushing the edges of their tattered cloak.

“Even the prettiest flowers die,” they hum in response.

You watch them for a while with fondness — then you realize that this isn’t real.

“Are you a memory?” you ask.

“I am always myself,” they answer.

They pluck a blossom from the damp earth by the stem and gesture for you to join at their side, and when you draw near, they face you; yet you cannot see them, only the wilted flower that they press into your hand.

“Tell me, Astarion. Will you scoop the pleasure of existence out from the soil with your fingers? Will you have your fill until you are so full, you overflow?”

–

They gift you many paintings, each one a magnificent attempt to capture you, but you are never satisfied. They’re all just replicas , you complain, beautiful, pale imitations!

But the years pass on by, and vanity doesn’t hold as much sway on you as it used to. There is an old saying: time leaves its mark not on the faces we see, but in the hands we hold.

You long for those changes, to prove that you have shared this messy life with your darling.

Your fingers stay smooth, and you feel just as strong as you were when you first met them all those years ago on that fateful day out in the wilderness. And though you can’t see your own reflection, you know it remains unchanged.

In contrast, they bear the unmistakable signs of age: silvery wisps of hair, wrinkles tracing the counters of their eyes, and bone thin fingers. You think they are exquisite this way— that they are more beautiful than they have ever been– and you make sure to whisper this into their ears every time you make love.

Oh, they don’t believe you for a while. You’ll find me frightful, just a withering old thing next to you, they joke once, trying to hide their insecurity.

But they grow to accept their aging body– it is, after all, a gift that very few are fortunate to receive.

Occasionally, in the presence of strangers who think of you as their protégé, or sometimes even their son, they playfully call you their ‘little prince’. The nickname grates on you, a reminder of your unchanging curse, but you never voice your displeasure. Seeing them smile is just enough for you.

–

One winter’s season, just shy of their 700th year, they fall ill.

Nothing unusual for a person of their age, and certainly nothing a carefully concocted potion can’t remedy.

You kneel at their bedside, tenderly propping them up against the velvet headboard, tilting their jaw back to sip on some darjeeling tea. You raise the back of their delicate hand up to your lips and press a gentle kiss against a vein.

“Little love, I’m going to visit the cleric. I won’t be long.”

“Little prince,” they cough, smiling weakly at you. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

You have no reason to believe that the gods will claim them before the sun even gets a chance to rise.

–

You pray that they understand.

“Until the day you draw your last breath, they will always return,” the god warns you. “And you will always find them. But they will never be the same, and they will never remember you.”

You’ll wait a thousand lifetimes for them – you’ll love them regardless of the form their soul inhabits.

“When your time eventually comes– and it will come, vampire– you will not join them. Your soul will be bound to me, tethered for eternity. You will never know rest.”

You’ll forsake the afterlife, if that’s what it takes to allow you a glimpse of your beloved.

“Are you absolutely certain?”

You’ve never been more certain of anything else in your life.

“Bring them back.”

You pray that they forgive you.

–

Twenty five years and sixteen days pass.

It’s not as though they would be born again as an adult and delivered onto your front door step immediately— you understand this, but at some point, you wonder if the notoriously capricious god has forgotten all about you.

But one day, you sense their presence, just as Velrashoon said you would. Something compels you to Neverwinter – and you follow that feeling without a second thought.

Not knowing when you’ll come back, you lock up your home and bring only what is necessary for the journey there. The voyage by boat takes roughly fifteen days to reach land and you can’t wait to get off the ship; the seas are unforgiving and on the nights you do come out of your cabin, you strain your eyes out over the waves, wondering who they will be in this life.

Neverwinter is true to its name – there is an otherworldly warmth in the air that reminds you of them, even during the nighttime, which you welcome. You missed the heat of the sun while they were alive, but you longed for it even more after they passed away.

When you reach the city, you should be in awe – and in any other lifetime, you would be eager to explore it. But today, you’re frantically racing to find them. Your feet lead you to the front door of an assuming little bookshop tucked away from the busy streets.

If your heart had a pulse, it would be racing – it would be threatening to burst out of your chest. You push through the front doors, the bell above sweetly announcing your arrival, and search around the crowded shelves and stacks of books. No one stands out – until you notice someone perched at the top of a ladder, rearranging a few volumes.

It’s them.

You know it’s them.

“Ah, hello! I’ll be down in a second. Are you looking for something in particular?”

“Yes.” A wistful smile tugs at the corners of your lips. “I most certainly am.”

–

In this lifetime, they are human.

You visit their bookshop often – you purchase a humble manor in the city and you come in every week to search for a new book.

Every book is one that they once cherished, and every week that you return they greet you with unbridled excitement, curious to see which book catches your interest this time.

Truth be told, you’ve read these books a hundred times over, and they all go onto a shelf in your new home, patiently waiting for your sweet to finger through their pages again.

It really doesn’t take long for them to fall in love with you – humans have always fallen prey to vampires the easiest, something about being so fragile makes dangerous creatures like you so alluring. They tell you that they’ve never experienced a love like this, and you lie and tell them that you never have, either. Your second life with them is more or less like a fairy tale, picturesque, sometimes even boring in its loveliness. Still, you adore it all the same.

But they’re human, and humans only live so long.

–

I’ve missed you so much, darling, you confess in your third life together.

They are a nomadic bard in this life; just a wild, untameable bird when you first find them with a traveling troupe in Waterdeep. You will never wish to lock them in a gilded cage so they go where their heart pleases, and most of the time, you follow. Your sweetheart is a wanderer – and you fly along with the winds of their dreams.

They laugh, having come to expect your flair for the dramatic.

I’ve only been gone a few days, Astarion.

A few days too long, little love.

–

In their fourth reincarnation, they are born a bastard to a vicious pirate king.

You feel them around fifty years in, but don’t actually manage to track them down in the Moonshae Isles until their eightieth year – it never occurred to you that they would be thrashing around in the seas. It's not exactly your preferred territory to be adventuring in, but it certainly offers a change of pace.

The way they first greet you with a sword to your neck reminds you of the time you once held a dagger to theirs. Ah, such fond memories. This variation of your darling is one that you secretly cherish the most – the one that just cannot seem to stay away from trouble.

It’s easily one of your most exciting lifetimes, despite the fact that living amongst the ocean is one of your worst nightmares. It’s a true weakness of yours, one that you are willing to brave only for them.

“Such a strong and fearsome vampire,” your love teases, on a night where the waves are particularly strong and you can’t stand up straight. “Yet the water terrifies you so.”

Their life begins with the ocean – how fitting it is that it ends with the ocean too, screaming and struggling amidst the violent tempest, their existence reduced to bubbles as they plummet like an anchor to the sea’s depths.

You barely make it back onto dry land with your life intact.

Even if you knew how to swim, you wouldn’t have been able to save them anyway.

–

It takes a hundred years for you to find them in their fifth life.

It’s never taken this long, and you go slightly mad trying to keep yourself busy while you wait for that phantom tug in your chest.

When you do find them, they’re a paladin, hardened by loss. They don’t tell you about it, and you never ask.

Every reincarnation of them after their first form has been unfamiliar with the version of you that lies – up until the night you decide that you just need to share the burden of your profound secret.

There is an excruciating loneliness in keeping it all yourself, and though you are well aware they won’t — can’t — remember, you long for them to grasp the depths of your love. You want them to understand that your devotion spans the abyss of time, that it transcends the limitations of flesh and bone, that your eternity means absolutely nothing without them.

However, you’re just not brave enough to admit to your beloved that you have lived four lifetimes with them now, but you are able to tell them a half truth: that you were lovers, that they were reborn, and that you brought them back.

They are furious, which you expected, but they are also completely inconsolable; that, you are not prepared for.

“How dare you?” they sob, their words fraught with anguish. “How entitled you are, Astarion, to think you can play as a god.”

"Little love. Please— I’m so sorry.”

You don’t know how to apologize for this, you just do, over and over. And it doesn’t matter, don't you realize that good intentions never matter? Their cries carry the agony of a soul caught in a never-ending cycle – a suffering of which you had a hand in weaving. Nothing in the world brings you more pain than having to witness them crumbling, wishing that you could take back something you simply don’t have the power to.

Once they’ve finally calmed down, they make a request: “I want to see it. Take me to my grave.”

You bring them to their first resting place, thinking that it will help them.

They don’t leave you, but their despondency settles like a boulder on their back. They don’t have the heart to muster a smile at you during your inadequate attempts to console them, and you often find them staring out of the window, fixating on the garden beyond.

“You water the plants too much,” they say one morning. “You’ll kill them faster that way.”

And sometimes, when you kiss them, they respond, but their gaze is glassy and distant, as if lost in another plane entirely. It’s a familiar expression, one you stopped wearing a long time ago.

Your chest feels like it’s being ripped open. You’ll sooner die than let them go through this again – you promise that this is their last life, that their soul will know peace. It’s not a lie, you tell yourself, if you believe it.

–

You call on Velsharoon countless times in the years that pass. You get on your knees to pray and pray, as you did centuries ago. You offer your soul every time, imploring to him that you have no use for it now, that he may grab it if he is content to – and you beg him to please, please allow for your love to finally rest.

He does not answer.

But, you also don’t feel them anymore.

Nothing pulls at you. There are no whispers in your consciousness, no echoes of their presence reverberating through your chest. There is only silence. You wonder if Velsharoon simply became bored, after all this time, and has decided to cut you from the strings that tie you to them.

Relief mixes with your sorrow, like a strange potion you have to choke down.

Eventually, you decide that you want to open a gallery – you don’t plan on staying in one place anymore, but you also don’t want to let go of all the things you cherish. And even if you did have a permanent residence, there would be no one left to appreciate the things that make a house a home.

So you get to work and fill it to the brim.

Everything they ever loved graces the halls of your exhibition. The jewelry that once adorned them sit on silver trays, protected behind glass. The luxurious robes you draped upon them are now pinned on mannequins; ancient books from centuries past lie open, their yellowing pages forever open on their favorite passages, never to be turned again. This gallery becomes your shrine, the only way to show the world that you loved something once.

Then, it is all too painful to bear.

You leave it in the hands of a trusted curator, corresponding with her through letters and sending her any new treasures you find during your travels that might suit the gallery. You leave Baldur’s Gate.

Time stretches on, each day merging into the next. The days turn into weeks, and then into months, as hundreds and hundreds of years flow by faster than ever. You dedicate your life to seeing everything the world has to offer, crossing into different lands and learning new languages and occupying yourself with pretty new lovers. You don’t keep track of what year it is anymore, but soon it’s the age of lightbulbs and airships and the world is alive in a way you’ve never seen before – it’s spectacular.

You are so empty, and you wish more than anything that you were dead already.

Velsharoon told you that your time would come, and the morbid curiosity of how you will go is the only thing keeping you from sitting in the sun on your own.

–

One year, you find yourself returning to Baldur's Gate on a whim.

You haven’t seen your gallery in what seems like forever, but you have kept a close hand on it all this time – you’ve passed it down through the family, so to speak. Upon your arrival, the newest curator is practically tripping over themselves to greet you. They marvel at your uncanny resemblance to your great, great-grandfather – strong genetics, you tell them.

The hallowed halls of your life's memories stretch out before you, pristine and frozen in time. As you absorb every detail of every item, the reality of your age weighs heavily on you, and you find yourself feeling more ancient than you ever have. You get a sense that this lifetime might be your last – that perhaps Velsharoon is warning you.

That’s when you hear it - the voice that has haunted you through so many lifetimes.

You tell yourself that you merely wish to see what they look like.

Just a glimpse.

It’s curiosity, that’s all it is.

Then you’ll sell the gallery and never step foot into Baldur’s Gate again.

Their attention is fixed on the very first painting they had ever gifted you— their favorite one, the one that captured the sadness in your eyes so well. You’re nearby, concealed behind a column, pretending to admire a statue before you. Their hair veils their face as they study the portrait, and the longest of minutes pass before they finally move on.

You attempt to turn away just before they reach you, but your nerves betray your reflexes and your shoulders collide. When you finally lay eyes on them, it feels as though a musket has pierced your chest.

This time, they look as if they've been plucked straight from their first life with you, not a single strand of hair out of place.

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

A breathless moment lingers between the two of you, and then, a smile ghosts their lips. It’s an echo of a smile – a déjà vu so uncanny that it would unsettle you if you didn’t know any better.

“I’m sorry... Have we met before?”

“I’m afraid not.”

"I can't quite put my finger on it," they muse, their brows furrowing in thought. “But there's something remarkably familiar about you."

“Hmm… that portrait of my handsome ancestor might provide a clue," you suggest, pointing to the painting. "Though – I am also the owner of this gallery."

“Oh!” They look at the painting with alarm, then back at you, chuckling. “Yes, perhaps that’s it. My husband brought me here many moons ago, and I’ve continued to visit whenever I return to the city. It is such an enchanting collection. You’re wise to keep it in the family.”

Husband. This is the first incarnation where you've seen them with a spouse. Ah, it appears that Velsharoon has, at long last, granted them respite from you, and is revealing it in the cruelest way… you always knew he had a depraved sense of humor.

"Your husband has an impeccable eye for beauty," you complement, making no effort to hide the way your gaze lingers over their body.

“Yes…”

They turn away from you with a faint blush creeping up their neck, eyes drawn back to the painting.

“He did have a deep appreciation for the arts.”

You hold your tongue, understanding that fate is tempting you once more.

“It’s really not the painting,” they say, this time with conviction. “I know you. I don’t know how I know you. But I do.”

It’s time to make your exit , you chastise yourself, trying to recall the promise you made to them centuries ago.

Ending a conversation with a complete stranger and walking away would be the most sensible thing to do – you’re an aristocrat, and who are they to you? You have many lovers waiting for you, scattered in different homes across Faerûn – you’re a vampire, you should have a restless appetite for both adventure and wanton delights; you should be reveling in your eternal existence, savoring it with the kind of ravenous abandon that mortals can only dream of.

And yet, you are also simply just a man.

Perhaps your love was correct when they thought you fancied yourself a small god. In the grand tapestry of your existence, you ask yourself – what difference does one more thread make for a soul already condemned to damnation?

Well, there’s one thing you know for sure – you've always possessed a remarkable talent for deceit. All it takes is one look at the face that you once loved so much, and it seems that you truly cannot remember the vow. Yes, now that you think of it – perhaps it was all just a melancholy dream…

“I don’t know you, my dear. But I would love to.”

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milburnandnyman · 8 months

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SEX EDUCATION S4 *SPOILERS AHEAD*

Because I just binged the whole thing and I indeed cannot get past not commenting on it.

Spoilers begin from here on…

Let me just say that… I am disappointed with this season. And kinda in general (the entire Cavendish part felt so forced, I really missed seeing more of the old characters and the old setting and I wish other endings were happier, too), but obviously as a Jeankob shipper, that Jean storyline left me with a knot in my stomach.

I know things definitely didn’t seem promising from whatever glimpse we could get beforehand, but this was just so loose and forced and empty I could cry.

I immediately assumed they maybe could not get Mikael Persbrandt to do S4, because this storyline just makes absolutely no sense to me otherwise. If this was intended all along as is, then it is complete bullshit.

They literally built up this couple from S1 onward and made them struggle so much, while simultaneously letting us know how much they love one another, I was 100% convinced that in the very end they would get their happy ending no matter what. Love just had to win for once. And what actually happened seemed as if they just picked up all there ever was and dismissed it completely, tearing it apart.

This only makes sense to me if they had to “fix it” last minute and write Jakob out, because Mikael would not be there to do it. Because explain to me three seasons of chemistry and growth, explain to me all the S3 moments (especially the S3!), everyone indicating that Jean and Jakob love one another, the therapist, Maureen’s “Jakob adores you”, Ruby’s “you’re a good loking couple”, then the treehouse (I cannot believe they had the nerve to shit on that this season, calling it “creepy”), I thought the “you didn’t finish the treehouse” bit was there almost as a guarantee that he will indeed finish it in the future along with his promise to Otis “I’m not going anywhere”. The way Ola named the baby Joy, the Jean Jakob Joy - are you kidding me? The way Jean was so sure about Jakob being the father from the VERY beginning - “but he’s had a vasectomy”, “it seemed fated”, agreeing to the dna test without a single question, being surprised when reading the actual result, probably being able to CALCULATE as a smart woman and also, I think she literally kept the baby, because it was meant to be her and Jakob’s, because she loved the man, I’m sure she wouldn’t keep it if she doubted it was his, oh and also… I assume she definitely used protection with all her one night stands as a sex therapist, but I always assumed she stopped using it with Jakob, because they were an exclusive couple and she trusted the vasectomy. It seems literally impossible to me that she would not doubt it even once.

So, I was certain there would be some games around this paternity plot, maybe make us believe Jakob is not the father, but then something would happen and it would be revealed as a mistake or something. Then Jean and Jakob would both have “done wrong” in some way, she cheated in the past and then he left her over the dna test - they’d finally be kinda “equal” in hurting one another. And maybe realize that despite it all, they still love one another deeply and they have to leave the past behind and make it work.

And I cannot believe that instead of that we just got a very loose storyline about the baby daddy, no real explanation, just some brief crap “95% sure” and that ending of “a part of me always knew it wasn’t his, but” - I am sorry, but the Jean I knew from previous seasons would never even go to Jakob if she had even a glimpse of a doubt. She struggled telling him in the first place. So, making Dan the baby daddy in the end just felt so forced and disappointing, while mentioning Jakob only briefly + the way Jean was already unhappy for the majority of her screen time, it was sad to watch. I enjoyed some parts with Jean and her sister and getting to know more about their past etc., but all in all, her story this season was just depressing and this to me is anything but a happy ending. It’s not “finishing strong and hard”. It’s “I’m gonna pretend there’s no S4”.

I will however forever be grateful to the creator for giving us this couple, I have rooted for them from the very beginning and it is crushing to know that this is it, I am deeply sad about this ending and I think I’m going to need some happy fanfics to make it better or some past season rewatches. Because I cannot accept this. It feels like we’ve been left with absolutely nothing, robbed of it all.

So, to conclude: in my head, SexEd ends with S3 and Jeankob’s story wraps up with Jakob attending the therapy and deciding to trust again, being there for Jean at birth, Jean surviving the birth, there’s no fucking DNA test, just both of them reuniting afterwards, talking it through and forgiving one another and they make. it. work. Because they deserve it. And they live out their love, while raising their daughter.

So, with all due respect… today is a very bittersweet day. And I wish it were different.

#jean milburn #jakob nyman #gillian anderson #mikael persbrandt #sex education #jean x jakob #jeankob #sex education season 4

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maraguanabana · 6 months

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hellooooooo

so, last race of the season, last report. I don't know how to feel

SF-23 YOU WILL NOT BE FUCKING MISSED LITTLE PIECE OF ROSSO CORSA SHIT

right now, I'm the least Tifosi person on earth. Ferrari did my boys dirty with this one. Of course we had to finish the season with a Ferrari Strategy Masterclass. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!?! WAITING FOR A SAFETY CAR? EXCUSE YOU?!?!

Congrats to Max. You're an absolute beast. But please, don't be a beast next season. I beg you Maxi Taxi. That goes to you too, RBR.

In case you didn't get it, I'm angry at my favorite team. Because we fucking lost the P2 in Constructors. As my dad said, cuz we were bitches this season. I think my dad is a really wise man, I don't know about you.

I wanna punch someone and throw them to a wall. Because I've been forced to listen how Mr Pérez did not deserve his penalty, and how it was a xenophobic action from the FIA. Let me tell you something. The FIA might be group of useless people whose decisions half of the time look like they were taken with their feet, but that penalty did was deserved. "He fully turned into me" WHAT THE HELL. you are not Osama Bin Russell, last time I checked.

If I speak I'm in trouble about the man in the Mercedes with blue that snatched my P2 in the Constructors, so I will not. He did no wrongs I'm just fucking angry because I wanted that P2.

Yuki my man, you are a legend. I think I'm getting Jason Statham to go to races more oftenly if that's how you drive when he is seeing you.

I never, ever watch the races with someone else than my family. But yesterday was my friend's birthday so I decided to throw a little sleep over in my house. Said friend is a die-hard Mercedes fan. It is an understatement to say that another one of my friends had to get between us because everytime a graphic popped up in the screen and it said that Mercedes was P2 I wanted him to be the person whose head I smashed against a wall.

happy winter break everyone! this season had ups and downs, but it is safe to say that: IF NEXT YEAR IS NOT OUR YEAR I TELL YOU FERRARI YOU WILL FELL MY WRATH. AND MY GRANDMA'S.

PD. the only thing that kept me sane during this last gp was, I cannot believe what I am going to say, Lestappen and the goddamned Sticker War

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nalyra-dreaming · 25 days

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Hello! I love your blog! I watched the show when it came out last year and am getting prepared for season 2 by coming here and watching all the promos and such. I read the books years ago, so I am no expert. I have a tons of questions, but please forgive me if you have answered them before. At the end of the first season, when Armand was revealed, I assumed the love of my life line was for Daniel. To get a reaction out of Daniel, Louis did not seem Ok. But all the promo information seems to imply they have been happy for the most part all these years. Or if not happy, then content. I get that there has been tinkering, I get they are putting on a performance for Daniel, but they seem to have elevated their relationship from the book. It has been years since I read the book, but I always thought in Paris, Armand was mind controlling Louis to some degree. They barely knew each other; it was only a couple of months I think before Claudia was killed. It wasn’t some grand romance. Just manipulation to get at Lestat. I know Armand fell in love with Louis, but I felt that Louis did not fall in love with Armand. He was infatuated. Then they travel around for 100 years, but just because Louis can’t be alone and there was no one left. They are not happy or even pretending to be. Louis didn’t even notice when Armand left him. Did I interpret this wrong? I have seen that some are spectating that Dubai is Trinity Gate. But again, maybe I am wrong, but Trinity Gate never felt super romantic to me. Just two people waiting around for the people they really wanted to be with to get their crap together and come back. I know that they are polyamorous in the books, but their main romantic relationships are with other people. When Lestat and Daniel show up, they just get back with them, no drama or anything. It just feels like the show is trying to elevate Armand and Louis’s relationship to create some kind of love triangle, which just feels cheap to me. Very Twilight and Hunger Games. There are people have shipping wars over these relationships. I am also confused how people have such strong feelings about Louis and Armand when we haven’t even seen them on screen yet. Anyways, I guess I am feeling turned off by this season. Hardly any Louis and Lestat or Daniel and Armand and some love triangle with a ghost. Part of the reason season 1 was so great was the chemistry between Louis and Lestat. I think an entire season with little interaction between them and a new Claudia just will feel like a whole new show. Do you think the show is just completely diverting from the book with all of the stuff in Duabi? It seems obvious from comments made by the actors that Devils Minion happened in the past. But did it happen with Louis there? I can’t see that making any of these shippers happy on either side. Louis would very much be thrown aside for Daniel. Daniel and Armand were so intense about each other in the books and can’t see Louis not being ignored regularly if they were in a throple. I just don’t see it working because Louis in the show does not seem numb. He would care if his partner was deeply in love with someone else even if just for the principle of it. The show has already shown how well Louis handles cheating. So I am assuming the broke up but then why did Louis say they had been together for 77 years? Also, Louis keeps giving side eye to Daniel and Armand when they are having moments. Does he not know about them? It seems like he does from his poking, but I am very confused by the whole thing. Why do you think they are trying so hard to manipulate Daniel? Taking journal pages out and such. What is the point of all of this. I just cannot see a way for any of this to make sense that at all keep in line with the books. Also do you think the show will do polyamory? They went so hard on the cheating aspect in season 1, which makes me think they can’t go there on the show. You can’t make it such a deal breaker for Louis for me to ever believe that he would ok with it later.

Hey!

Glad you like!

So, first off, the last line, the "Love of my life", was revealed to be inspired by "The Graduate", and was played as such, which... changes the meaning quite a lot, imho. Here is a good post on that.

I think the Loumand we see is very much presenting a united front (something the reviews have been pointing at as well). That said, the extended look the other day made clear that the pages were not removed for Daniel - Armand removed them (at least the straight cut out ones imho), and Louis does not have access to them either. And whatever they reveal will be a catalyst for sure (I'm thinking Merrick reveal, as that book is where the diary entries are from after all).

Louis definitely knows about Armand and Daniel, in fact I believe he is trying to bring them back together.

I think that parts of the Devil's Minion happened with Louis there, or Louis at least aware. I also think Louis tried to break up with Armand in Paris (as he does in the book) and probably drifted away from him later on too (also as in the book) but maybe... that is the part where things get very muddy re memory. And tinkering.

I do not think we'll have love triangles in the sense of the word.

This is not about cheating, whether that be Loustat, Loumand or Devil's Minion, it never was.

It was presented to be, for reasons.

But these relationships just don't work that way, and one of the very hard to stomach realizations will be that Louis stayed with Armand (and especially if there were no full break-ups!) despite what Armand does to Claudia. And him.

For me it all makes a lot of sense, tbh.

It's a tale. A version of the story presented for a reason, from a specific POV. In season 2 we will get more POVs. And we already know they will revisit things. Likely in the last episodes, if the reviews are any indication.

And then... the tale will shift.

#Anonymous #ask nalyra #iwtv s2 #iwtv #amc iwtv #interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire s2 #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire amc #iwtv amc #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #loustat #armand #loumand #the devil's minion #daniel molloy #devil's minion #cheating

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calliesmemes · 3 months

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BRIDGERTON SEASON ONE (EPISODES 1-4)

DIALOGUE SENTENCE STARTERS PULLED FROM SEASON ONE OF NETFLIX’S SERIES BRIDGERTON, ADAPTED FROM NOVELS BY JULIA QUINN.

CHANGE gendered words and in-universe phrases as needed.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

“ I feel like a princess. Do I look like one? ”

“ I have imagined this day for so very long. And now it is finally here. ”

“ Now it is my day to make the both of you proud. ”

“ I have at my disposal a most powerful weapon that even the Queen lacks. My pen. ”

“ They are watching you. Now more than ever. ”

“ Stay with me today. ”

“ I shall always protect you. ”

“ It is so wonderful to see you. ”

“ Tell me your name. ”

“ Come here, old friend! ”

“ I did not expect to see you here this morning. ”

“ You and I were destined for each other. ”

“ I wish I were allowed to battle at sea. Can you imagine? ”

“ I am looking out for you. I am protecting you. It is my duty. ”

“ All eyes have been on me my entire life! ”

“ You must stop tossing peas at me! ”

“ You cannot tell me what to do! I am older! ”

“ Is that envy I detect in your voice? ”

“ You are aware of my reputation? ”

“ I assure you … I am anything but interested in you. ”

“ I am so glad you decided to join us this evening. ”

“ I believed the two of you to be friends. ”

“ Do not bring my father into this. ”

“ I know you think you are solving a problem, but you are not. ”

“ Do not make this any more difficult than it already is. ”

“ You like to speak of responsibility? Of duty? Pray tell... What should you know of it? ”

“ I cannot see you anymore. ”

“ I must do what is necessary. ”

“ Mama would never allow me to wear a dress like this. ”

“ The resemblance is remarkable. You look just like him. Your father. ”

“ You will never be my husband. I will never marry you. ”

“ Do you think yourself better than me? ”

“ It would be best for you to leave. ”

“ You should be thanking me. ”

“ I am your last hope. ”

“ I do not mock you. I am being sincere. ”

“ We could pretend to form an attachment. ”

“ It is an absurd plan. ”

“ Life as a duchess will have many demands. ”

“ You do want our plan to succeed, do you not? ”

“ You must know you did nothing wrong. ”

“ Having a nice face and pleasant hair is not an accomplishment. ”

“ If I were a man, I could do that, you know. ”

“ Surely you can understand that family must come before all else! ”

“ Do you know how precarious of a situation we are in, boy? ”

“ So, you are not dead, after all. ”

“ I see you’ve not learned any manners. ”

“ I could not very well be frightened. So, instead, I made myself frightening. ”

“ There is only so long one in a position such as ours can hide. ”

“ I must know whether I can count on you. ”

“ You are to be buried if you so much as look in her direction. ”

“ I am quite capable of speaking for myself. You had no right. ”

“ The young lady is as rare a treasure as there is. ”

“ Last night was a mistake, I admit. ”

“ It is illegal, not to mention positively horrific. ”

“ You and Papa…The two of you were so beautiful, Mama. That is what I wanted. That is all I hoped to one day find. ”

“ Suppose I want a different life, that I truly believe I am quite capable of something more. ”

“ I dare say I would be a fool at this point not to be terrified. ”

“ I will not tolerate a bully. ”

“ Is there something funny about my name? ”

“ You have returned to take your rightful place. ”

“ Our plan has worked thus far. ”

“ You cannot hide me away forever. ”

“ What you want became immaterial long ago. ”

“ You are to be fitted for a new wardrobe. ”

“ Surely you cannot be surprised. You know how this works. ”

“ Your gown — it is exquisite. ”

“ You know, you are always welcome here. ”

“ Sometimes I think on the meaning of the words I sing. ”

“ The things I know are certainly not for your ears. ”

“ You must simply know some people are not meant to be together. ”

“ I have always thought that an appreciation of the arts is what lifts us beyond mere animals. ”

“ What are you doing, hiding away in here? ”

“ She knows everything about everyone. ”

“ You could use the practice, I’m sure. ”

“ You wish to follow your heart, and I wish to nurture my mind. ”

“ You never see things from my perspective. ”

“ We both know I taught you better than that. ”

“ You’d actually have to be interesting for me to bother spying on you. ”

“ You’re a man, therefore you have everything. ”

“ I do hope you have finally given it a name. ”

“ We were never friends. ”

“ I do not believe there could be a more ridiculous notion than that of us ever being friends. ”

“ You were a convenience… a diversion, a pretty one at that, but nothing more. ”

“ I’m not here because I’m jealous. ”

“ Your responsibility will always be to that title, above all else. ”

“ You are perfection itself. ”

“ I was afraid you had forgotten. ”

“ How dare you conduct yourself in such a brazen manner? ”

“ I am delighted to see you here today, though surprised. ”

“ Most ladies I have met cannot seem to reconcile their delicate sensibilities with the brutality of fights. ”

“ Let us not exaggerate my role. I am a mere pupil. ”

“ They are the dearest thing in the world to me. ”

“ I believe I owe you an apology ”

“ Perhaps one day the two of us will be able to laugh at all this? ”

“ The young man I have always taken pride in raising, well… I would have expected more. ”

“ You allowed that young lady to slip through your fingers as if it were nothing. ”

“ Love conquers all. ”

“ You did not hesitate to steal my chance for happiness away, did you? ”

“ I never thought you capable of being my enemy. ”

“ You look absolutely exquisite, as always. ”

“ I do not know what I was expecting, but it surely was not this. ”

“ They speak of war abroad as if it will distract from inequities at home. ”

“ How dare you question my choices? ”

“ I do not have to explain myself to you. I do not owe you anything. ”

“ You cannot tell me what to do. ”

“ You have great potential. ”

“ I did what I was told, I did my best. ”

“ What exactly are you hoping to find? ”

“ I want you to know I am not angry with you. I do not blame you. ”

“ Do not treat me like a child. ”

“ I should have protected you better. ”

“ You think that just because I am a woman, I am incapable of making my own choices? Is that it? ”

“ Whatever the insult, apologize, and he will surely be a forgiving man. ”

“ I believe you may have strayed too far from home tonight. ”

“ We cannot be together. I know that now. ”

“ Your apology is worth nothing to me. ”

“ You should not have come. My mind’s not changed. ”

“ It is not merely your own life that hangs in the balance now. ”

“ Someone knows what we have done, someone who will surely talk. ”

“ Do you truly hold me in such low regard? ”

“ I know you do not love me, but I never thought you could despise me so. ”

“ You deserve everything your heart desires. ”

#askbox meme #askbox prompt #rp ask meme #ask box #roleplay sentence meme #sentence starters #roleplay prompts #roleplay sentence starters #* sentence meme #rpc help

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thebreakfastgenie · 3 months

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beejhawk 👀

LMAO I was just sitting here like "no one even bothers to send me beejhawk anymore" but bless you to the bottom of your pot-stirring heart, anon.

Don’t Ship It

Why don’t you ship it? I have several reasons, which I will get into it, but I'm going to start with this one: I like a happy ending. Beejhawk cannot be a happy ending to me. I'm not entirely convinced any Hawkeye/4077th ship being endgame can be a happy ending, even the ones I like. I want to see Hawkeye move on from the war, which is what GFA is setting him up to do. Beejhawk keeps him stuck with the war defining his life. That's depressing to me. In the larger narrative of Hawkeye's life, it's important to me that the war is unimportant. The war being how Hawkeye met the love of his life gives me the ick. It implicitly suggests the war was somehow worth it. I can't think of a single reason why I would ship it. I think the biggest reason is it's simply too OOC for me. I cannot believe that Hawkeye would be in love with BJ. That is not Hawkeye to me. I actually can believe that BJ would be in love with Hawkeye, even though BJ is extremely straight to me, but I can't see Hawkeye reciprocating, ever. I've read some beejhawk fic and a lot of posts, and the way Hawkeye behaves and is characterized doesn't just feel wrong to me, it feels wrong in the way I hate the most. BJ is usually wildly OOC too. The other big reason is the complete lack of chemistry. They have negative romantic chemistry to me. This is a much smaller reason, but the things people get from beejhawk I get from other ships that make more sense to me. For a best friends ship, I have piercentyre. If I want to ship Hawkeye with someone repressed, I have hawnk or houlihawk. Sometimes I joke about this but it's kind of true that I don't need beejhawk because I have hawnk. The Joke Is Wild? Hawnk did it first. I genuinely do not understand why beejhawk is a ship at all, except that they're the two main guys. If I didn't know how slash culture worked, I would have been shocked that it even existed. In the last few seasons, I'm not even convinced they like each other. I found myself asking "do these guys even like each other?" about the alleged best friends more than once, and I had to actively rev up my suspension of disbelief to enjoy their goodbye properly the first time I watched GFA. I very strongly dislike any framing of MASH as a love story, and I have yet to find beejhawk content that doesn't turn it into the Ballad of Hawkeye and BJ. Piercentyre is fun for me, because it really changes the show very little. Beejhawk requires me to rewire the entire show, and I don't want to. A lot of moments that I adore become less meaningful to me if they're shippy. For example, Where There's a Will, There's a War. "When I wake up remind me to give you a kiss" is an expression of BJ's profound relief and a wonderful resolution to the anxiety and guilt he's been feeling for the whole episode. It's hyperbole that only works because they don't normally kiss or want to kiss. It always brings to mind a lyric from a song about WWII: "and I never kissed so many men as on that afternoon." It's not about romance, it's about being glad to be alive. I just like the show better without beejhawk. I started out a little more neutral and my visceral revulsion built through overexposure. There was also an assumption that you shipped beejhawk that I really resented. Especially because of the implications around it being slash. I am gay, I ship gay ships, I ship other gay ships in MASH. I don't ship beejhawk. I'm not required to ship every single gay ship. So all those beejhawk posts about "gay people love this" or "gay people think that" bother me and turn me off even more.

What would have made you like it? Completely different acting/chemistry. Something completely different from what I ever see the fandom do with it. I could probably be sold on unrequited (BJ's side only) or unhappy ending beejhawk in fic if it was really well done. This is your chance to plug! I think a realistic handling of it would help too. The show gives me a BJ who is as far from leaving his family as a man can be. I need to be convinced that something would change that. Meta claiming he's actually close to leaving in the show does not work for me, it directly contradicts what I see. I need writers to dig into it. Actually show me the dissolution of BJ's marriage, the pain and consequences. Show me how he manages to stay in his daughter's life, if he does. Brokeback Mountain does not shy away from how badly Ennis treats his wife and how absent he is to his children. My experience with beejhawk is that much angst is made of the obstacles to their being together, but they're quickly dispatched with. Tell me what Hawkeye sees in BJ, because I don't see it in the show.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it? It inspired me to make these. I've been thinking lately that this lyric fits beejhawk "perhaps we don't fulfill each other's fantasies." If you know me, you know this is something positive from me, because it's from what I think is one of the best songs ever written. There is some interesting potential. Just get out of the true love box! Try something dark, something one-sided (BJ's side), something that ends badly! I do really like their friendship in the first few BJ seasons.

#i'm gonna stop there this could go on all night #mashposting #i welcome discussion on any of these points btw #you won't change my mind but it's fun to talk

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livlepretre · 21 days

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I unfortunately cannot remember, but when you watched tvd, were you totally into klaroline? And did you ever write fic for them?

I know canonically you were a delena fan, as was I, did you ever write anything for them? 🤔

hahaha no if anything I was a (silent) klaroline anti. I was very not into it!

if anything, it's been later as people have asked me this question again and again and I've mulled over it more that I've realized it's not the ship pairing itself I didn't like, but the way it was just so out of nowhere. as a viewer, I needed a shared goal/wild situation they were both thrown into/maybe like a quest or something they both had to go on in order for me to believe them getting to know each other well enough to be interested in each other. I think the sparks could fly but we just didn't get the set up that was necessary for me to enjoy it at the time.

that being said-- I am FIERCELY ship and let ship-- for everyone who enjoys this ship-- GOOD! keep on enjoying :)

I was in retrospect obviously fixated on this fic though because I wrote it into a few of my klena fics-- The Last Time, Possession, and (The Stars Were Brightly Shining) all feature Klaroline as a prominent throughline-- I think I was trying to understand the ship and so I kept writing it in to try to figure it out-- like, it was part of canon and I wanted to make sense of it and like it, so I just kept trying!

as for delena... yes, that is my primary ship in canon. Back in 2015, I started Blood Ties, which I envisioned as a 6 chapter fic exploring vampire bloodlines/covens, and like, twisting season 5 canon, but after I published the first chapter I got no comments whatsoever (and, it took months for a single comment) so I was extremely discouraged and put it aside. I had never had that experience of no interest before, especially in tvd fandom.

#asks #my writing #swbs #blood ties #the last time #possession

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lady-griffin · 2 years

Text

You know what always, ALWAYS, breaks my heart.

The fact that Jinx truly doesn’t believe she is loved; yet she is one of the most loved people in this entire show. It’s just so fucking tragic that she can’t see that.

Silco and Vi love her so goddamn much.

The climax of season 1, boils down to these two fighting for Jinx to pick them over the other, to stay with with them, be their family.

Jinx has literally just kidnapped them and shown herself to clearly be a danger to their lives and general safety, and yet….

The thought of losing her is unbearable to both Silco and Vi.

Silco would never have given her up. Never!

This is a man who less than a decade ago, would’ve sacrificed anything and anyone for his cause; but now…

He would burn everything and everyone for his daughter. For her to remain at his side.

She killed him and the most important thing to Silco, in his last moments, was making sure she knew he would have never given her up, that nothing was worth her, to comfort her, and tell her she was perfect.

And Vi. My other poor, tragic and beautiful daughter.

I don’t know how anyone can say Vi doesn’t love her sister. Did you even watch the show?

I think it’s such a misjudgment of Vi’s character that people say because she freezes up and doesn’t try “harder” to reach out to Jinx that she doesn’t love her.

Because think about that for a second -

Vi who is this seemingly unstoppable force of nature, completely freezes when it comes to Jinx.

She is so scared of losing her sister, of saying or doing the wrong thing, of hurting her again.

Vi blames herself so goddamn much to the point that Vi, VI, who is absolutely defined by her fighter response, just freezes when it comes to Jinx.

These two love Jinx so goddamn much and it breaks my heart how Jinx can’t see that; or at least not until it’s too late.

Then you have Ekko. Forget romantic feelings or crushes; this boy loved his best friend so goddamn much and had so much respect for her; that despite her (from his POV) choosing to be ‘evil,’ still put her on his mural of those he’s lost.

Jinx has killed people on that mural; and yet there is Powder in the center of everyone that Ekko lost that one awful night. She is one of three largest portraits up there. That’s an insane amount of love and respect to give to her; especially considering how their relationship devolved.

And then you get to their fight and Ekko who has been fighting Jinx and Silco for years; who has lost many of his people to them. Who is so angry and filled with pain and hates Jinx...

God, the look on his face when he realizes who he’s hurting, who is underneath him. This poor, beautiful boy goes through like several different stages of shock, pain, and longing in a matter of seconds, when he actually sees Jinx.

Then you have Vander. I know we don’t have much between him and Powder, but I am baffled by the idea that people think Vander didn’t love her.

His last words to Vi were - “Take care of Powder.”

In his dying moments, Vander thought of Powder; she was that important to him.

Now, if he has a few more sentences I’m sure he would’ve also told Vi to not seek revenge on Silco, because he wasn’t worth Vi and Powder’s lives and their safety, as well as reaffirm his love and pride for Vi.

But he didn’t get more time; so he said what was most important to him in that moment - “Take care of Powder.”

Don’t even try to say that Vander didn’t love Powder.

And while we don’t see much of them; you cannot tell me that Claggor and Mylo didn’t love Powder. Yes, even Mylo.

Mylo was an insecure, young boy who took out his anger and frustrations on his younger sister; because she was even more of a weak link than he was and he wanted to feel better about himself.

But, I can’t imagine he would’ve ever wanted to be such a source of pain and torment for her, that Jinx’s Demon!Mylo has become.

And, while we only see a few interactions between them, just the way Claggor looked at Powder tells me that he loved and cared for her.

This girl is so beyond loved (and has been loved) but yet, she can’t see it. Likely because she doesn’t love herself; she has a hard time imagining that someone could love her.

Which again, is just heartbreakingly tragic.

#jinx #arcane #arcane jinx #silco #Vi #Ekko #jinx analysis #Vander #arcane powder #silco and Jinx #vi and jinx #ekko and jinx #Vander and powder #arcane vi

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queerxqueen · 2 years

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Stranger Things is a very big and popular show right now all over the world. Do you really expect them to write Byler and canonizing it over the favored straight ship in the show after 3 seasons? I am not asking this as a shipper. But as a viewer. I have no problem with Byler. I just cannot realistically see Byler happening all things considered.

also, from another anon: How likely do you think that byler might become Canon? Cuz there's a.lot of people threatening to boycott the show if it "TuRnS GAy"?

Short answer: Yes, I actually do expect them to make Byler canon, lol.

Long answer??? Let's get into it.

Why Byler Can Be Canon

For this post, I'm not gonna bother talking about why it should be canon or all the ways it would make sense. Instead, I'm going to talk about the signs that it can be canon, and why expecting Byler isn't as farfetched as certain homophobic Redditors seem to believe.

The Rise of Queer Media

Queer representation is on the rise. I'm not just talking about Heartstopper, gay rom-coms, and more queer media in general, I'm talking about queer representation in beloved series. Have all of you been brainwashed by Marvel and Star Wars and Disney franchises? Because outside of that, queer characters are popping up more and more. The Thirteenth Doctor is sapphic; Star Trek has queer couples; the new adaptations of It realized the queer subtext of the book and previous adaptations, even if it could have been done... better. The point is, queer representation is quite literally the best it's ever been.

And no one knows what people watch better than Netflix. We talk so much about the general audience but we don't actually know who they are--between the loudly vocal shippers on Tumblr and the vocal homophobes on Reddit, it's hard to see through the internet what people actually think. But Netflix? They have oodles of data of who's watched Stranger Things (and how many times) versus who's watched any number of shows with queer characters. And I genuinely feel that the overall trends would show that the general public at the very least tolerates queer characters on the screen.

Building Themes, Subverting Tropes, and Defying Expectations

The fact that they're main characters several seasons into the show make Certain People sure that they wouldn't switch things up. But Stranger Things is uniquely set up to do that in a way that makes sense and has impact. The characters are young and still figuring out their sexualities, and Mike growing up and realizing what his feelings mean would fit in with the themes of coming of age as well as themes of non-conformity. Additionally, Stranger Things has woven in enough hints toward it throughout the seasons that it truly isn't coming out of nowhere, and if it were canon, viewers could rewatch and notice all the things us Bylers have been screaming about.

Beyond that, Stranger Things has always been about subverting tropes and making you think deeper, with the Duffer Bros repeatedly saying that little details have meaning. Mike confessing his love to Eleven, Will getting rejected, it's all so predictable and unnecessary and uninteresting. For a show that is constantly challenging people to look deeper and which often flips expectations on their head, making Byler canon would honestly make more sense for the show that Stranger Things is.

This is not to mention that the show has always centered around a team of nerds and self-proclaimed "freaks and weirdos" who are canonically bullied and outcast. Is it so hard to believe that people with that background could be queer?

Last, Stranger Things has done one excellent queer coming out scene with Robin and it's not hard to believe they could do it again. Their excellent treatment of Robin is honestly overlooked as evidence that they will do good for Will and for Byler.

"The Favored Straight Ship"

Finally, there's this idea that they would never break up "the favored straight ship." Why do people think that, exactly? There's certainly no evidence in Stranger Things' canon that would support it.

Because they did break up Mileven in season 3, and showed that they were better apart. They never shy away from breaking up other couples for new ones, either, showing people dating around rather than having one person the whole time. (Because again, they're young, it's coming-of-age stuff, come on.) But think of how they introduced Bob for Joyce in place of Jopper, broke up Stancy for Jancy and might be breaking up Jancy for Stancy, broke up Lumax, even if temporary.

Mileven is only "favored" because it's been served to people on a silver platter. Stranger Things has now spent two seasons showing why Mileven isn't actually good for each other romantically, and four seasons developing Mike and Will's importance to each other.

Again, the vocal part of the internet is not representative of the average viewer of Stranger Things, and I think the majority of people might be surprised, but wouldn't be pissed, and might even rewatch with a new perspective. Not to mention the nearly 20,000 people on Tumblr now following the Byler tag who will be thrilled.

TLDR: If anyone was going to do it, Stranger Things would do it. It's a show that subverts expectations and makes viewers look deeper.

#byler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #byler analysis #antimileven #answered #anon

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itsclydebitches · 1 year

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IM SCREAMING, THEY SAW RUBY COMMIT MAGICAL SUICIDE AND JUST WENT ON THEIR MERRY WAY. WHAT IS WITH THIS SHOW AND REFUSING TO SHOW CHARACTERS EXPERIENCING EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO THINGS HELP. The only emotions we get are Ruby's little fit and Jaune's paper thin depiction of PTSD. I'm gonna scream!

I think I'm in shock about it? I cannot stress enough that while I was prepared for the mess of Ruby's suicide attempt getting framed by the narrative in a positive light (this leads them to the way out, she gets some new ability, etc.) I still thought the GROUP would react appropriately. They just watched Ruby have a complete meltdown, she's already fainted once this Volume due to grief over Penny, they now understand the "hints" of depression Ruby has been displaying the last 24 hours (like her avoiding Crescent Rose), she runs away from them, is caught by Neo, gets the shit kicked out of her, and then looks them in the eye while drinking the Permanently Changes You And Erases Your Memories Tea while a fake Roman waxes on about how the world would be better off without her.

...and they're all just okay with that?

I was fully expecting Yang to go on a Super Saiyan rampage. I was prepared to write about how it's too little, too late now that Yang has revealed her supposedly-always-there love for Ruby after ignoring herfor most of the Volume. Regardless of how badly she's treated her little sister this season, it was oh-so-obvious to me that Yang was going to break, be inconsolable, go feral in an attempt to hunt down the Cat/Neo for revenge. I was expecting to see a frantic Blake and a near catatonic Weiss, horrified that she just lost someone else after her entire Kingdom was destroyed. I was waiting for Jaune's furious and annoyingly justified "I told you so!" after the Cat revealed their true colors and the tree - which he's said was evil this whole time - dragged Ruby away after she rolls over, 'dead' from its leaves that Neo gave her in an attempt to kill her.

Side note: for anyone who is seriously trying to argue that this wasn't a suicide attempt, if you consider nothing else, consider Neo. She does not want Ruby to be cured of her depression, or get a power-up, or take the supposedly magical medicine that will help her work through her problems. Why in the world would Neo give Ruby something harmless, let alone beneficial? Neo wants her dead. She gave her the tea to destroy Ruby once and for all and, when Ruby drank it, Neo believed she'd succeeded, becoming hollow as a result. She would not have been capable of being possessed if she believed that Ruby would survive and her revenge was incomplete. The whole reason the Cat was able to get to her was because Neo thought Ruby was gone for good and even the Cat themselves is surprised to find Ruby in the cocoon. Ruby, meanwhile, is drinking to escape the horrors of her own life that she can no longer face. That was a murder attempt turned suicide attempt.

So we've got [gestures] all of this and instead of reacting with anything like human emotions Blake is smiling as she tells Yang that this is a great thing for Ruby and Weiss is pulling a Volume 8 Yang by announcing that their mistakes don't matter because they were brave about it and Jaune is staring at these gem strangers that don't know him anymore right after watching the Cat horrifically possess Neo and announces that they were right about the tree? Seriously why is the surprise villain of the Volume positioned as the morally trustworthy source? Even Ironwood wasn't granted that.

Forget Ever After, I feel like I've fallen into a parallel universe. Not to be ~dramatic~ about it, but am I being pranked? Did someone sneak a RWBY parody onto Crunchyroll? Is RT pulling a Rebecca Welton and trying to tank their own show due to some personal grudge? I am legitimately trying to understand how we went from this

to this?

(Also, friendly reminder that the screenshot of Ruby is right after Little was murdered. I mean, I don't care about them and clearly Ruby herself should be the concern, but I just want to point out that no one acknowledges Little either. An ally has just been killed, brutally crushed during Ruby's torture session, so how do the characters react to this? They don't. They leave Little's body there and don't even mention them. Look at Yang's massive grin, Blake's satisfied smile, Weiss' (possibly romantic?) hug. Their leader just attempted suicide and a coded-as-a-child friend was just murdered... and this is how they're acting in the immediate aftermath.)

(Second friendly reminder that the group was already not reacting to the entirety of the Atlas fiasco and in the wake of the last three episodes I find myself frequently forgetting that. Yang thinking she'd died, Blake thinking she'd died, Weiss losing her entire Kingdom, not knowing which of her family members made it out, Salem getting two Relics, Jaune and Weiss still not revealing that he killed Penny... none of it is being dealt with and that was before we threw 'The group ignores Ruby trying to die' into the mix.')

#rwde #rwby #mymetas #suicide tw

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