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picturebird · 13 days
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picturebird · 19 days
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Dark Heir Spoilers!!!!
I think the thing that I find funniest about Will versus Sarcean is that Sarcean doesn't seem to give a fuck. He has about two (2) actually cool moments in the entire book. Will is out there leading people, making genuinely good decisions, and treating every falter like he's succumbing to his inner darkness instead of the usual mistakes you make when you're stressed. Meanwhile Sarcean is like "Well, I may be evil, but have you considered THIS????" And then reveals that he's had sex with most of the named characters from the Old World.
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picturebird · 20 days
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MOMMY ISSUES WILL KEMPEN AND DADDY ISSUES JAMES ST CLAIR
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picturebird · 1 month
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ngl i feel like fandoms are hypocritical (<- word choice alludes me) when it comes to implied identities.
a character could be implied to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or any other “main” label that a lot of people know, and people will defend that identity until their dying breath.
but if a character is implied asexual, or aromantic (especially aromantic, in my experience), people will.. completely ignore it? people will only defend it if it’s stated as fact within the media of that fandom, and even then people will use everything under the sun to explain how no, this character actually is allo. and the dreaded “aro/ace/aroace is a spectrum *ships the character in a way that is allo and their aro/ace/aroace identity is nowhere in any way influencing their decisions and behaviors*” that allo fandom-goers adore
idk i just feel like people are super quick to deny any implication a character can’t be paired off romantically/sexually
no this isn’t about any one fandom, just an observation i’ve made over my time in multiple fandoms
Submitted 10/03/24
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picturebird · 1 month
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(this vent pertains specifically to aroace fans like myself)
jeez louise some people really cannot fathom the idea that maybe enjoying a non sex/romance repulsed alastor headcanon is not a malicious attempt to obliterate aroace representation and maybe i’m just an aroacespec person (non repulsed) who wants to project on the deer man.
seeing the “boohoo, saying ‘aroace is a spectrum’ is not an excuse!” stuff particularly grinds my gears because, like, homie. it’s not an excuse. that ‘little to no sexual/romantic attraction’ stuff? that’s my LIFE. that’s my REAL LIFE. but because my real life aroaceness does not match your real life aroaceness, it is somehow less valid? and i should stop, along with every other aroace who headcanons him that way?? i see people frustrated about erasure, but, like…what is that, then?
i don’t think any of us non repulsed aroaces want you to stop headcanoning alastor as repulsed. keep doing it. i’ll read that just as much as i read the alternative. we need more art by aroace people for aroace people. i am just so sick of people acting like the fact that there is more than one way to be aroace and that it’s not always that simple is an excuse made up by allo people to justify erasure.
i already struggle to feel like i belong in this community because my identity is more complicated than just a binary of “into it” and “never into it” and this shit does not help.
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picturebird · 1 month
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No context Dark Rise/Dark Heir spoiler
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picturebird · 1 month
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Some Asexual/Aromantic Reminders for Fandom
1. There is no justification for thinking “I like this character better when they’re not aro/ ace.”
Aces/aros aren’t better when they’re allos.
Gays aren’t better when they’re straight.
What that really says: “I don’t like asexuality. I don’t like aromantics.” No matter how you dress it up.
I feel like I shouldn’t have to explain why this is wrong. No character is better when you make them less special.
2. Saying “asexuals can have sex” is a huge oversimplification. When aces have sex it doesn’t make them allosexual, they don’t feel the same things. It doesn’t mean they even enjoy sex. It doesn’t mean they can have sex with a partner. It doesn’t mean they can do it more than once. And it doesn’t mean they have “fixed” themselves and can now love properly.
When bisexuals have sex with someone of the opposite gender it doesn’t make them straight. It doesn’t mean they “fixed” their homosexuality.
3. Erasure can happen in cannon and head cannon. You don’t have to be a professional to participate in it. When social media is flooded with images of an asexual character in sexual situations with no acknowledgement of asexuality, it’s impossible to see the asexuality through it. Maybe it’s not erased, it’s buried in an avalanche.
4. I can name five canonical Aro or Ace characters. The rest are allosexual. In every movie, book, tv show, and comic that’s ever been written. Throughout all of time.
Sherlock Holmes (original novels) who is constantly paired non platonically with Irene Adler or John Watson in his incarnations. No hate on those ships, just pointing out an example.
SpongeBob SquarePants who is asexual because real life sea sponges are asexual.
Rafael Santiago (Shadowhunter Chronicles) who was portrayed in the books as cold and indifferent to people’s feelings.
Isaac (Heartstopper) whose entire story is about being Asexual.
Alastor (Hazbin Hotel) who actually has a personality, a backstory, goals outside of being accepted as asexual, a dynamic story arc, and complex relationships with friends/enemies that are actually fun to watch. Honestly the best ace/aro rep I’ve ever seen: a guy with no interest in sex who actually has a sense of humor!
When the ratio is a million: 5, it’s not ridiculous for aces and aros to ask people to ship someone else as allosexual. Literally anyone else. This can’t possibly be the only option.
5. Creators have a history of not defending asexual/aromantic characters. They don’t fight to make sure people respect their sexuality. It’s always better for business and social media trends to encourage shipping. Sex sells. Romance too. They may be the authority on a character, that doesn’t mean they’re an authority on aces/aros.
6. You can’t show a visual of someone being asexual or aromantic. Not in the same way you can show two girls kissing or men getting married. You can show platonic relationships, but that doesn’t prove the absence of attraction. All fan art with ace/aro people requires context. It’s not hard to scribble a note here or put in a tag or something. It’s also super sweet to see in a post.
7. Shipping and fandom should be about fun. Fun for everyone. Ship freely and kindly.
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picturebird · 1 month
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Dark Rise Reread Discovery!
Rereading Dark Rise, I found something I’d forgotten. This excerpt is about Will trying to access his power when he faces James. (I’ve abbreviated this a lot btw. I didn’t want the post to get too long)
“When he hit that closed door…It hurt; a sick, nauseating pain, like pushing on a broken bone…He gasped, coming back to himself in a rush to a throat of blood, as though something had ruptured.”
Will trying to access his power on his own is not only mentally straining but also causes him physical harm. That door inside him isn’t just shut, it’s guarded by a power that hurts him when he tries to force through it.
If he pushed hard enough to reach the power beyond the door, if he didn’t stop until he had it, it might kill him.
I think he’d be willing to do that.
Because it might be the only way to get the collar off.
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picturebird · 1 month
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CS Pacat says he will be writing the end of Dark Rise 3 in Toledo, Spain 😏
and a little more from that signing event:
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"Hot Dark Lord"
(video belongs to mariileysan on X. Uploaded with permission)
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picturebird · 1 month
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Does anyone else think the Elder Steward knew what Will is - knew the entire time and took him in because she believed that Sarcean turned out the way he did because of how he was treated and not because he was inherently evil?
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I’d put money on there being a huge moment of catharsis for Will in book 3 when he finds this out. It’s a good explanation for the continued existence of the Elder Stone, too. It’s going to be used again in book 3 and I think this will be the conversation he ends up having with it/her.
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picturebird · 1 month
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I think if Grace and Farah knew it’s highly likely the elder steward knew as well. Maybe she didn’t tell the rest of the stewards because she wanted to harness Will’s powers and knew the other stewards would refuse. She might have regretted what happened with James and the lost opportunity to use that power too.
CS Pacat’s writing style has made me inescapably suspicious of every character. I’m legit wondering if Grace somehow already knew Will was the Dark King even though it would mean throwing out basic narrative logic.
Pacat could make it work
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picturebird · 1 month
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Dark Rise Theory (again):
Maybe Devon is hoping that when the Dark King comes to power he’ll wipe out humanity. He isn’t exactly their biggest fan.
Also he’s literally the Last Unicorn
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picturebird · 1 month
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Sarcean’s brand but it’s the S everyone used to draw in middle school
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picturebird · 1 month
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Dark Rise Theory:
What if the Lady spread false information about Sarcean and ensured all the legends about him that were passed down were so horrible everyone’s immediate reaction to discovering his true identity would be to kill him.
The rumors and lies would leave him no allies in the future when he would be Reborn. His next life, anyone who knew the stories would be his enemy. Only through the collar, which restored James memory as Anharion, did he have someone on his side.
Maybe she made sure no one would follow him willingly if they knew he was the Dark King. She poisoned that title until all it evoked was hatred.
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picturebird · 1 month
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Another Dark Rise Theory (I have many):
In Italy, the locals said that one who was immune to the white death would be the savior. We know the Lady’s descendants are not immune to the White Death. It killed Katherine. It’s another legend that may point to Will being the true hero in the end. Or at least a hero for some people. Maybe people who aren’t blinded by the Light.
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picturebird · 1 month
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Im rereading Dark Rise and there’s something that caught my eye.
“‘It’s said that in our darkest hour, the Stewards will Call for the King, and the line of Kings will answer.’ Justice smiled a little ruefully, as if even to him this was just a story.”
Of all their stories and legends this is the one they doubt.
Maybe this isn’t referring to one of the four kings that had thrones in the hall.
Maybe the Stewards Called for the King, and Will answered.
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picturebird · 1 month
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I am starting to think Will and James are written to be opposites of each other. Not complete opposites, but there’s an interesting contrast between them.
Will is missing a father. James is missing a mother.
Will’s mother kept him despite knowing he was Reborn. James’s father was willing to kill his son for being Reborn and cast him out.
Will wanted to avenge his mother’s death. James helped cause his father’s death.
Will’s power is locked up. James’s power originally could barely be contained.
Will appears honest but he manipulates people. James appears sinister but actually hates deceiving people. (Looks like a cinnamon role…you know the rest)
Will’s destined role is leader and ruler. James’s destined role is follower and servant.
Will always resisted being the Dark King. James embraced his role as Anharion for a time to feel special.
Will has never betrayed anyone, even if they deserved it. James betrayed both the Stewards and Sinclair.
It’s like their stories oppose each other. Maybe it will have significance in how things end.
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