#; Analysis || Ferdinand ☆

[carebeardean]

sandman 1x06 + lyrics 

/ one love by U2 / fascination by tamino / one by U2 / small hands by radical face 

#*saw guy voice* hello dreamling enjoyers. #the sandman #dreamling #analysis #sandman #web weaving #tom sturridge #sandman edit #ferdinand kingsley #its so interesting to me that dream is trapped by his own pride & the belief that he Should be able to get by on his own #& hob chooses to stay because of love/friendship. his inability to give up #holds him in one place #& in a way traps him as well. #anyways. this is just an elaborate way to plug my playlist lol

[every-dayiwakeup]

I don’t know how many people know The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, but long story short it’s about a bull named Ferdinand who lives in Spain. Unlike the other bulls, Ferdinand would rather sit under a shade and smell flowers than fight. One day, he sits on a bumblebee, gets stung, and he reacts in typical bull fashion (which we’ve established by now that Ferdinand isn’t). 

“Ferdinand jumped up with a snort. He ran around puffing and snorting, butting and pawing the ground as if he were crazy.”

Five men had come to his pasture to single out the “fastest roughest bull to fight in the bull fights in Madrid”, and they saw Ferdinand reacting to being stung. It was in that moment where they decided he was the bull for the job. 

They didn’t know Ferdinand wasn’t a fighter. They only saw him during a moment of pain, where he wasn’t himself. They assumed by the looks of him that he was exactly what they were looking for. 

He was taken away from his pasture and his favorite tree for bull fight day. 

“Ferdinand ran to the middle of the ring, and everyone shouted and clapped because they thought he was going to fight fiercely and butt and snort and stick his horns around.

But not Ferdinand. When he got to the middle of the ring, he saw the flowers in all the lovely ladies’ hair, and he just sat down quietly and smelled. 

He wouldn’t fight and be fierce no matter what they did. He just sat and smelled.”

This got me thinking about Billy. The majority of his screentime, we see his reaction to “being stung”. In his memories, we see that he once had his own pasture, a happy place, before his first few stings. 

People judge him for his reaction, but they don’t seem to realize that he has been stung repeatedly and he is in no position to get away from this particular bee (Neil). 

When he is left to his own devices, he’s pretty much chilling as much as he can when the swarm isn’t present. 

Of course, he doesn’t fucking enjoy living with his abusive father. At his core, Billy isn’t a fighter. He’s had to fight to survive, but the only times he really lashes out are during or after a particularly traumatizing event (his mother leaving, Neil’s abuse, moving to Hawkins). 

The way he’s described by the general fandom, you’d think he goes into situations and immediately starts swinging, which isn’t true at all. 

Take the Byers’ fight for example. He only pushes Steve after the guy lies to him about the whereabouts of his little sister, who’s wellbeing has been made his responsibility. He knocks Steve off his feet, to get the big threat out of the way. He doesn’t want to fight those kids. He’s there for Max, not a fight. 

But it always ends in a fight for Billy. 

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove analysis #billy hargrove meta #ive been thinking about this a lot #billy & ferdinand the bull

[mwezina]

The Seer/Mage and Character Arcs

The Seer/Mage, being the wisest of the classes, must contemplate a question less related to themselves, and more with the world. They are the most powerful of the “mystical” classes, and can see into the otherworldly, meaning they have to ask themselves, “What will I leave behind?” 

Setting

The world faces a great evil or a task that is difficult to complete. Not everyone is prepared to face it. This evil is very similar to the cataclysm the Bard/Prince faces, except the Seer/Mage can see the far-reaching ramifications of it, not just its immediate effects. 

In this world, the Seer/Mage cares deeply for the world and the people within it (or at least one person). Sometimes this care is extended to their own place in the world, and the power they hold over it due to their wisdom. They must balance their own wisdom with a trust for the people they care about. Ultimately, Seers and Mages cannot control all, and they must trust in the competence and judgement of others. 

Internal Conflict

Their internal conflict is to let go of all the cares and worries for this world. They have to find a way to take care of it, while also keeping sure not to control and manipulate it. 

The ultimate transcendence for the Seer/Mage is to leave or watch over their world peacefully and at one with the universe. Everyone needs to grow on their own, and attain their own wisdom outside the watchful gaze of the Seer/Mage. 

External Conflict

The external conflict is to defeat an intangible or abstract form of evil in this world. This is something that cannot be grasped or reasoned with, usually representing ultimate evil and the destruction of morals. 

The Seer/Mage has a difficult task. They are not actually powerful enough to stop this, despite seeing with clear vision what must be done. Their role is to guide others to make good choices and fight back against this evil. 

The flip side is that if the Seer/Mage were to manipulate and control others in order to fight this evil, they would become the evil themselves, as they throw away their own morals and take away free will from others. 

The Seer

The Seer answers their defining question with self-deprecation. They will leave nothing behind. Nothing they have is of any use to others. 

They are prone to the absent parent archetype, only providing wisdom when asked, and even then, incomplete wisdoms. They are not there when needed, and must be sought out. 

Examples

Terezi Pyrope separates herself from the other players of her session. Despite having plenty of insights on people, their relationships, and the issues of her session, she doesn’t share this with the members of her session. They face the great evil represented by Jack Noir all alone. Terezi was not there to guide the members of her session, instead feeling sorry for herself and getting drunk with Gamzee. She even allows Vriska to put their whole session in danger by not sharing the wisdom that Jack Noir would follow Vriska’s trail to the rest of the trolls, killing them with ease. 

Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda is another Seer. Oogway faces the perversion of Kung Fu from spiritual attainment, to attainment of power. This is represented by the return of Tai Lung. He made choices for the greater good of the Valley but never explained his reasoning, leading to doubt and confusion from his fellow disciples and grand-disciples. In a flash-back, he also turned away from Tai Lung in his hour of need, and left him stewing in his negative emotions without a guiding hand. 

End Goal

The end goal for a Seer is to share their wisdom and guide others to face the catastrophe that they all face. The Seer knows the ramifications of the difficulty they face, and they must share that wisdom, trusting in themselves. 

For Oogway, he does make a choice for Po to be the next Dragon Warrior. And he tells Shifu multiple times, in no uncertain terms, that he must train Po. Finally, as he gets ready to ascend, he tells Shifu that he must mentor Po in the way that works best for the student. He passes on the wisdom of Kung Fu, but leaves the choice ultimately, in Shifu’s hands. 

(And this is why Terezi is not included in the end goal sections, at least for me. While she guides John to do a rewrite, she gives him no wisdom, and no choice in the matter. He follows her directions, unknowing and uncaring of what he is saving. The Seer’s other duty is to initiate other classes into their chosen character arcs. Terezi, instead, stunts John’s growth.) 

The Mage

The Mage answers the defining question with far too much self-confidence. They believe they know all, so everything they leave behind will be worthy. Not only do they believe they know all, they believe they are the only one who knows the true order of the world, and all others must follow their vision. If others won’t, the Mage will make them follow by force. 

The Mage, already having some negative associations with the likes of Jafar, can fall into the evil sorcerer archetype. They have the wisdom and the power to control all the world if they so wished. And they can be a formidable villain if left unchecked. 

Examples

Sollux Captor is a prime example. He is controlling about the actions of other players in his session, especially while on the meteor. He uses his powers to force the actions of others, especially Eridan. His fight with Eridan and insistence on controlling the actions of the other players derails any plans to prepare for the arrival of Jack Noir. In doing so, he became a bigger threat to their session than Jack Noir himself, as his fight inadvertently killed and destroyed many important things, such as the Matriorb. 

Prospero from The Tempest is another example. He faces the difficult situation of being stuck on an island, and the possibility of never being rescued. He believes his power and knowledge is all that matters, and pushes aside the thoughts of his daughter, Miranda, as well as her suitor, Ferdinand. By thinking he knows best, he nearly orchestrates his own downfall with his vindictive and petty actions against their to-be rescuers. 

End Goal

The end goal of the Mage is to let go of control and trust in the decisions of others. A Mage cannot and should not control all, even if they think they know best. Their ultimate goal is still to initiate others and guide them on their journey. 

For Prospero, he allows his daughter and Ferdinand to lead the way to safety. He also lets go of control over the spirits and lets Ariel go free. This brings about a happy ending, where all can live free. 

Conclusion

The Seer/Mage helps their world face a great evil that has long-term ramifications. They do so by initiating others, and guiding them. The Seer/Mage should have a strong connection with their world, since they can see and know all. But this bond should not be so strong that they cannot bear to see others making their own choices and mistakes. Ultimately, the Seer/Mage must find a balance between their power and the peace that comes with trusting others.

#classpect #Seer #Mage #Seer of Mind #Mage of Doom #homestuck #Terezi Pyrope #Sollux Captor #Eridan Ampora #Kung Fu Panda #Master Oogway #Po #The Tempest #Shakespeare #Miranda #Ferdinand #Ariel #story theory #analysis #my thoughts

[teejaystumbles]

Voice - Text Work: Consonants in 'Hamlet'

Ferdinand whispering “to sleep, to sleep, perchance to dream” is my new favourite way of listening to that speech. I’d give a lot to see him play Hamlet.

#also look at him #sweet baby with only 24 years #ferdinand kingsley #full watch recommended #such good analysis #hamlet #shakespeare #to be or not to be

[raxistaicho]

Giving a shout-out

Volossya recently posted an excellent piece analyzing Ferdinand’s character over on reddit, give it a read some time :)

Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/FireEmblemThreeHouses/comments/x4dco3/on_ferdinand/

Linked with permission! \o/

Also, Volossya wanted me to give a shout-out to @mittelfrank-divas for inspiring the analysis through their own works :)

#ferdinand von aegir #analysis #Fire Emblem Three Houses #fire emblem three hopes

[costofwar]

I’m really glad that Scarlet Blaze gives us more grief after Ferdinand’s father’s death than his paralogue with Lysithea does. I get the way he dies is different since in the paralogue he is killed by the bandits and in SB it’s by Ferdinand’s own hand. So it’s natural that the reaction would be different. But it always bothered me that even if it was by bandits in the paralogue we never really saw Ferdinand just have a moment of hurt and grief. What we got was very minimal and so I’m glad that SB kind of mends that in a way. It leaves so much more of an impact, especially when you know that his father wanted Ferdinand to cut him down should it come to that. He welcomed that and Ferdinand had accepted he would be the one as well. So it’s just nice to see how Ferdinand copes afterwards. He was always a hard worker, but he just throws himself into his duties tenfold. He even takes on tasks that aren’t his or don’t need to be done alone in order to keep himself busy. This even means he forgoes sleep.

It’s a nice touch even if it still really hurts to see.

#; OOC || Bri ☀ #//Not gonna lie I did have actual tears in my eyes for Ferdie. #//Seeing him in that pain really hurt. #; Analysis || Ferdinand ☀ #Three Hopes Spoilers

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 6: Ferdinand/Dorothea)

(Normal): Thanks but no thanks, Mr. Noble. I already have my heart set on someone else. (Ferdinand & Dorothea support level B reached): I suppose I can settle for you just this once, Ferdie.

The writers obviously put a lot of love into this ship, as it's one of the rare times that the main story dialogue changes depending on Support level between two characters. Plus, since he asks her out on a date outside of their Support chain, it shows that Ferdinand is canonically interested in Dorothea. And this is true in Hopes as well. He fears his mind will "wander to other things" while training with her.

Dorothea: Song and dance live on in our memories, but there's no real record of them. Even memories fade over time. Will anyone remember me when I'm gone?

Dorothea is a Libra, an air sign. Air signs are masculine, but not as much as the fire signs. Libras are extroverted, cozy, and friendly people. Libras, like the Scales that symbolize the sign, are often concerned with attaining balance, harmony, peace, and justice in the world. Dorothea had the motivation to join Edelgard's cause to dismantle the corrupt nobility. But she was also compassionate and hated the idea of fighting people she knew.

Ferdinand: I will do what I'm called to do, even if no mark of me remains in the history books.

Ferdinand bears the Crest of Cichol, which is associated with the Justice Arcana. Justice is a signifier of legal matters being resolved in a fair and balanced manner. It represents the power to distinguish between what is fair and what is unfair, in an impartial way. Ferdinand's dream was to lead the Empire to an age of enlightenment and hold his father accountable for his crimes. The downside to his ambitions was that his life revolved around being recognized for his achievements.

Ferdinand: That is true nobility! Acting in accordance with the people's needs and wishes. As war drags on, those living near the front lines inevitably get the worst of it. Still…Edelgard will not give in. She will push to complete her mission, no matter how many people die. Not everyone with noble blood has noble ideals.

His character arc was about exemplifying true nobility, defined as, "having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals." Not just being noble, defined as, "belonging to a hereditary class with high social or political status." And I would argue that opposing Edelgard was vital to his character arc.

Dorothea: Oh, Ferdie. You opposed Edie for so long… I had real hopes for you, you know? Now you're following her. Is that your duty as a noble? Follow your master when they say to heel? Ferdinand: I will not try to explain my duty or hers. You would not understand. I wish you could.

Dorothea is one of the few non-lord characters that will actually react to another non-lord character's death. If you don't recruit Ferdinand, he will die at the Great Bridge of Myrddin so that his name goes down in history as "the legendary Ferdinand of Adrestia".

If Ferdinand does not complete his arc, Dorothea will be the one who is most disappointed. She will say she had high hopes for him, a reference to their B-Support where he made her treats, and she reconsidered him as husband material. His memory will not live on in the history books, but it does live on in her heart. It was hard not to think of this pairing as "canon" after I saw this dialogue.

Dorothea: Though we only knew each other briefly back at the academy, you were still my friend—but now our paths have diverged forever.

There's even a Hopes version of this dialogue available in Record Keeper. Similar to Edelgard and Byleth in Silver Snow, if Ferdinand and Dorothea's paths diverge, it is treated as a great tragedy of fate. It shows how much the writers favored this particular ship.

(Normal): Yes… I have met someone quite charming recently. I'm hoping we can spend more time together soon. (Dorothea has reached Support Rank A with a male): I am. There is someone whose company I have come to enjoy.

While Dorothea is bisexual, she did seem to have a preference for men. The dialogue in her B-Support with Edelgard only changes if Dorothea has attained A-Support with a male character.

Linhardt: You've probably overcome a lot of tough times, haven't you? I think that's incredible, really, but why not just let go of the suffering and run away from the memories that cause you pain? I suspect you'll find it a better way of living. I know I do. Dorothea: That's not living, Lin. It's running away. If I leave my hardships behind, then all of that means nothing.

She only got into the academy by buttering up some noble, which suggests that she may have had to perform sexual favors. She had a poor self-image, despite her physical beauty. And that is why I think she pursued men so adamantly, even when she was not truly attracted to them. She was running away from her past.

Dorothea: What's important isn't how someone looks, it's their true nature. I don't pretend to know your true nature. I don't even have a very good understanding of my own. But I suppose you see mine just fine, don't you? Just a silly girl with no thoughts in her head except for marrying a noble, yes? Good-bye, Felix.

Dorothea had to hone her masculine energy while living on the streets and performing in the opera. She despised the goddess (although she has a hidden talent for faith). Her paralogue with Ingrid showed how the two had contrasting views on marriage. Dorothea wanted to play the traditionally feminine role of housewife, with a noble husband fulfilling the traditional masculine role of provider and protector.

Dorothea: But if you and I were devoted to one another… maybe we could strive for the future you believe in. Maybe I'd finally understand your path and be able to think about more than just myself. Hubert: Seems it's my turn to not understand. Did you just propose marriage as a way to get to know me?

She was always looking for a wealthy husband to take care of her into her old age, and often came across as nothing but a shallow gold-digger. Because she was afraid of living in poverty, she would settle for a nobleman regardless of whether or not she knew him very well or was actually in love with him.

Sylvain: You know, even when I was a kid, I never had trouble with girls. …But thinking about it now, I wonder what they liked about me back then. They didn't know everything about me… It's just confusing. Dorothea: Oh, where did that come from? No one can know everything about you.

She was at first dismissive of the idea that people need to know each other fully to get married. But she did commiserate with Sylvain about how people wanted to marry her without even knowing anything about her. However, she flirtatiously makes plans to grow old with him immediately afterwards. Even though they still barely knew each other.

Dorothea: I never had much to begin with in life, and I worry that one day, I'll be that way again… That's why I keep searching for someone who will love me. Someone unaware of the songstress, who can love a girl that used to be scared and alone on the streets of the capital… I wonder if such a strange person can even exist.

But what she really wanted was to spend her life with someone who did know her true self. Several of her endings depict her giving up on her goal of finding a rich husband. She is able to find love with Petra and Manuela and those are happy endings for her. But I still think the happiest ending for her is to find her dream man. A rich provider and protector who would know and love her as the scared orphan girl.

Dorothea: Oh, really? You're something different? That's not how I remember things… It was the very day that I was discovered…

I think Ferdinand offered the best closure to her character arc. There was a palpable sexual tension between them in both games, with Dorothea pushing him away yet secretly desiring to be closer. I'd argue she has more far chemistry with him than any of her other potential partners. At the academy, Dorothea did not flirt or make advances on Ferdie, despite him being the exact type of wealthy noble she was after. But in the end, she was more open, honest, and emotionally vulnerable with him than she was with anyone else.

Dorothea: Maybe I can believe you. I've wanted to ever since the day you made me those treats… I thought then that maybe you weren't like the others, but… There's a lot I have to let go of, Ferdie.

The tagline for the game was, "Sweet memories twisted by time's cruel hand". By getting closure with Ferdinand, Dorothea could reclaim a sweet memory and let go of some pain from her past. Ferdie considered Edelgard his rival and prided himself on being better than her. But with Dorothea, he said he wouldn't mind a life of being a simple drone, circling a queen. So, they both find a new way to live with each other. This pairing is a more wholesome alternative for Ferdie than Ferdibert. But Ferdie still is kind of a sub.

Ferdinand & Dorothea Ferdinand reclaimed the position of Duke Aegir and initiated reforms within his domain. Through his political methods, which closely aligned with the needs of the common people, the Aegir Duchy swiftly underwent reconstruction. Behind this success story was the significant contribution of Dorothea, the former songstress who became the Duchess, who dedicated herself to serving the commoners. Ferdinand, recognized for his achievements, was entrusted with governance across all of Fódlan. Despite being busy with his duties, he prioritized spending time with his family. He and Dorothea raised their children together, and their home was always filled with the sound of cheerful singing.

This feels like the picture-perfect ending for both of them. Dorothea achieves her life plan of marrying a rich provider and protector, overcoming her prejudice towards nobles. Her children carry on her legacy, and her memory will live on in their hearts.

And thanks to her experiences as an orphan, Ferdinand's policies benefit the commonfolk. He actually renounced his nobility and lived as a wanderer for five years because he did not believe in Edelgard's ideals, and he wanted to make up for his father's wrongdoings in his own way. He was prepared to leave no mark on history, but he is recognized for his achievements in the end.

#fe3h #fe3h meta #ferdithea #ferdinand von aegir #dorothea arnault

[adracat]

The Cycles of GWitch

This notion has been brewing in my head since I wrote my analysis on GWitch's Cinematic Rhythm. With the second cour nearly finished I can confidently say my suspicions were correct.

When we look at its wealth of influences from The Tempest, Utena, previous Gundam, Norse and now Arthurian myth the truest pattern is Cycles. More distinctly, how the past connects to the present and future.

The Tempest

The most blatant cycle is something we as a society are deeply familiar with. Revenge. It's a base and consuming thing, as we see from Prospera and also her namesake Prospero. The story goes the sorcerer Prospero was once the Duke of Milan until his brother with help from the King of Naples, usurps him. He flees to an isle with his young daughter Miranda and takes a fairy/spirit, Arial, and an island native, Caliban, as his servants.

For years Prospero was consumed by hate and the idea of revenge. However, after he commands Arial to sink the king's ship Miranda falls in love with Prince Ferdinand at first glimpse. And he loves her in turn. Prospero then relinquishes his revenge once he recognizes Ferdinand's love is true and reconciles with King Alonso and Antonio. For its loyal service, the spirit Arial is set free. The cycle of revenge in this story is broken.

Revolutionary Girl Utena

The cycle of Utena is not immediately made clear. The show keeps to the pretense of being innocuous until well into its runtime. But then we're introduced to the Black Rose Duelists, and swiftly afterward the school's headmaster and Anthy's brother, Akio Ohtori. A former prince who styles himself as The End of the World.

Abuse, filial obligation, the horrifying reality of womanhood beneath the yoke of patriarchal systems. These cycles are grounded and are hidden by a veneer of childhood innocence and fairytale mythos. The Prince was the savior to humanity, but was selfishly hidden by a witch. This witch is therefore punished eternally for her sins, pierced by the Swords of Human Hatred. She accepts this role only as someone who loves her brother and wants to protect him. She is branded a witch by the world. But as the show says, if you're not a princess you must be a witch. That's the truth of the Rose Bride. And in the end, all girls are like the rose bride; something we're witnessing now with Miorine.

The cycle Akio implements is to groom a champion with the ideals of princehood, the champion to quest for eternity with the Rose Bride's temptation and guidance, then using the champion's sword to bash down the Rose Gate in the vain hope of regaining his princehood. It's a cycle that has repeated for countless unknown years. And all the while weaponizing his sister's suffering. But just like The Tempest, the Rose Cycle is broken by love. The unfettered and earnest love between Utena and Anthy grants the witch the courage to escape her stagnant coffin.

Ragnarok and Arthurian

The Ragnarok Cycle is a series of myths that depict the birth, reign, and death of the Norse gods. I have an ongoing series of analysis where I discussed gwitch's usage here, and here. More I'm sure will follow. But as dire as it sounds, Ragnarok isn't just about the end of the world and its many gods. It itself is a continuous cycle. The gods will return and so will the world. It's a story of renewal.

The same can be said of the Arthurian Cycle. The tales of King Arthur and uniting Britain are end-capped with a messianic promise that the King shall one day return to rule Britain. Hope, despite the tragedy that follows King Arthur upon Camlann. The fact GWitch is now harking to Arthurian with Suletta in Arthur's role (and possibly Miorine as The Lady of The Lake) is intriguing. But the bones for this twist were there from the start.

Suletta, akin to Arthur, is a child orchestrated by a 'gentle magician' to receive a peerless 'sword'. And it's through Aerial's might she becomes engaged to Miorine, a 'King's daughter. Now, it appears she's to wield Calibarn or Caliburn; a direct link to King Arthur. Whether it will go smoothly is another matter. But the reference remains interesting and again reiterates the theme of cycles.

A Hopeful Note

The ultimate take away from these references is clear in my opinion. It's no coincidence that at the forefront is a positive message that not all cycles are terrible or absolute. They can be broken with love. Gwitch is deeply humanist when you consider everything it's pulling from and I hope this settles a few doubts. Cour 2 is incredibly hopeful, even with the fraught ongoings among the cast. Our protagonist is embodying this message the clearest. Doing something for gain leads to misery. Yet a helping hand costs nothing and connects us all in a cycle itself.

#cycles can be beautiful or tragic #but they're ultimately a sign of life #g witch #g witch spoilers #suletta mercury #miorine rembran #gundam witch from mercury #rgu spoilers #the tempest #norse mythology #arthurian mythology #revolutionary girl utena #analysis and speculation

[pftones3482]

i saw your post and i get where you're coming from as a fellow adult fan, but it's a kids show. the pacing is more than perfect. i recognize that a huge portion of the audience is adult fans who read pjo as a kid, but the show is still a children's show for children. if you look at it for what it is and who it's for, and not what you imagined it to be or for adults like us, the pacing is great. i'm not knocking you for complaining but i just wanted to gently put that out there in case you planned to do in depth analysis https://www.tumblr.com/pftones3482/738896974585184256/people-saying-the-pjo-tv-series-is-just-as-fast

It kind of drives me nuts when people see an adult critique a kids show and say, "Oh well you're an adult, of course it's too fast for you."

No.

I'm a writer. I have a literal degree in writing. I know what good pacing looks like. Book to TV show adaptions will always be paced a little faster, because books just naturally have a lot more exposition. That is a given, and I expected it. TV shows (and movies) also tend to have a lot of scenes cut out that aren't crucial to plot. I also expected that.

I love a lot of things about the new PJO show - I think the way they did Medusa this time was an incredible choice. I love the new tension between Annabeth and her mom, and the parallels between Annabeth and Medusa.

I love that they focused more on Grover's Uncle Ferdinand - I always thought the book kind of glossed over the fact that he was his family, and they didn't really give Grover time to mourn his loss.

But we needed the scene where Percy learns to sword fight with Luke. We need the introduction of ambrosia and nectar - that's a crucial world building element that hasn't been mentioned once. We're missing scenes that really hammer home the kids personalities, and while they've done a pretty good job putting some in (Annabeth scooping all the candy was cute, Grover being grumbly and not a morning person another good one), I feel like they're too focused on moving the plot forward rather than building the world, which is the whole purpose of a first season in a show.

I blame season dropping - even though PJO is a week by week release, it feels like it was written to be an all-at-once season drop. Like every episode I need to instantly jump to the next one.

Also like...I'm not shitting on people who like the series. Again, I think it's cute. I think the actors are doing an incredible job. I think everyone's individual personality fits who their characters are, and I could go on for hours about the detail in the sets.

"The show is for children" children still deserve a well paced show. And frankly, I think the adults who read the books and are pretty well versed in analyzing writing and media are probably the best critics of it.

(This just in - you can be critical of something and still enjoy it. Imagine that)

#asks #anon #pjo #if you don't like my take on media then don't interact with it man idk #block me idc #but don't come in my inbox and whine because i dont agree with every choice the director made

[haggishlyhagging]

The media's preoccupation with single women's miseries reared up suddenly in the mid-1980s. Between 1980 and 1982, as one study has noted, national magazines ran only five feature articles about single women; between 1983 and 1986, they ran fifty-three—and almost all were critical or pitying. (Only seven articles about single men ran in this same period.) The headlines spoke bleakly of THE SAD PLIGHT OF SINGLE WOMEN, THE TERMINALLY SINGLE WOMAN, and SINGLE SHOCK. To be unwed and female was to succumb to an illness with only one known cure: marriage.

The press contributed to single women's woes as much as it reported on them, by redefining single women's low social status as a personal defect. The media spoke ominously of single women's "growing isolation"—but it was an isolation that trend journalism helped create and enforce. In the '70s, the media's accounts featured photos and stories of real single women, generally in groups. In the '80s, the press offered drawings of fictional single women and tales of "composite" or "anonymous" single women—almost always depicted alone, hugging a tear-stained pillow, or gazing forlornly from a garret window. McCall's described the prototype this way: "She's the workaholic, who may enjoy an occasional dinner with friends but more likely spends most of her time alone in her apartment, where she nightly retreats as her own best friend."

Just as the press had ignored the social inequalities that cause career women to "burn out," it depoliticized the situation of single women. While '70s press reports had chipped away at the social stigma that hurt single women, the '80s media maintained, with the aid of pop psychologists, that single women's troubles were all self-generated. As a therapist maintained in the New York Times story on single women, "Women are in this situation because of neurotic conflicts." This therapist was even saying it about herself; she told the Times she had entered "intensive analysis" to cure herself of this singular distaff disorder.

The media's presentation of single women as mental patients is a well-worn backlash tradition. In the late Victorian press, single women were declared victims of "andromania" and "marriage dread." After briefly rehabilitating single women as sprightly "bachelor girls" in the early 1900s, the press condemned them to the mental ward once more for the duration of the Depression. In the '30s, Good Housekeeping conducted a poll of single career women that looked for signs of psychic distress. When the single women all said they were quite satisfied with their lives, the magazine inquired hopefully, "May not some of them have hidden a longing that hurt like a wound . . . as they bent above some crib and listened to the heavy sleeping breath that rhythmed from rosy lips?" And yet again in the '50s, a parade of psychoanalysts led by Marynia Farnham and Ferdinand Lundberg, authors of the 1947 leading manual, Modern Woman: The Lost Sex, marched through the women's magazines, declaring single women "defeminized" and "deeply ill."

-Susan Faludi, Backlash: the Undeclared War Against American Women

#susan faludi #amerika #single women #anti feminism

[valeriianz]

Robert Gadling is a character just BRIMMING with possibility. The lives he’s lived, the cultures he’s been a part of. The turning points in history that he’s witnessed! He’s into printing in 1489, imagine he was in Germany when Gutenberg invented the printing press? Why not! (He probably still owns a copy of Gutenberg’s Bible). Hob goes through an art phase and is there for the unveiling of Michelangelo’s David (imagine how fucking immaculate that statue looked in 1501). And then, Hob stays in Italy, obsessed with the renaissance and maybe befriending Michelangelo, gifted with the privilege to witness him working for 5 years on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Hob’s life is rife with history, with experience. He’s traveled the world, I bet he joined Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to circumnavigate the globe (because Hob would, HE WOULD). He lived on that ship and drank piss ale and rum and stepped on land he never dreamed of exploring. 

Hob’s there for the steam engine. Can you imagine him ranting and raving to Dream about how they managed to remove water from flooded mines and convert it into energy? “The power of steam!” Hob raves, gesticulating at Dream with a huge grin on. The birth of rail transport, the invention of the telegraph, the suffrage movement “women are finally fighting back!” I’d love to read something where Hob gets smacked with an appreciation for women, because you know he must’ve been some kind of problematic womanizer, back in the day (century). On and on and on it goes!

He's lived dozens and dozens of lives, different names, shifting personalities. Everything you can think of, Hob’s done it. I love when fic writers just let their imaginations run wild with Hob, the deeper the introspection the better.

He strikes me as a man of adventure and consequence. He’s smart, so fucking smart. Imagine the schooling this man has had, imagine the life experience. Imagine the people he’s taken to his bed too. This man is a literal definition of “fuck around and find out.”

Imagine the loneliness at times, knowing each relationship never develops. He makes friends, lovers, and has to break their hearts. Hob probably starts accidentally falling in love with Dream because he’s his only constant in life. He probably bites his tongue every time they meet, wanting to beg for more than one visit a century. By the 1600s Hob’s desperate for companionship. He loves the gift of immortality freely given to him, he treasures every second on this green earth, but god damn can it get lonely. 

I want to read Hob speaking foreign languages, communicating effortlessly and fluently with anyone. Striking up a conversation because someone catches him reading a worn copy of The Odyssey in its original ancient Greek or something like that. Can you imagine the tracks he has to switch in his brain when he has to converse in Yiddish? Turkish? Japanese? It probably takes him a full minute to rifle through his metaphorical filing cabinet, like a slow Internet connection because you have too many tabs open.

Imagine all the work he’s done, the jobs he’s taken up, good and bad. Morally gray or just immoral, so bad Hob can’t bear to remember. (He’s been in the mob, he’s been in a gang, he's been a marksman, he’s been a private investigator, he's been a doctor and an archeologist, on and on and ON). I can see him loving a position as a museum curator.

Oh man, this got long. 

TL;DR: I go absolutely insane for a Hob character analysis that explores his time through history and how it has changed him as a person.

#hob gadling #dreamling #the sandman #i love Hob Gadling so. much. #i wish i had even a smidgen of academia in me #so i could write a Hob centered fic of him just... living #he's such a wildcard you can pick him up and drop him in any AU #any timeline #and make it work #love that about him #my writing

[elfilibusterismo]

The most characteristic genre of the period was the notorious bomba film. The term refers to what was actually melodrama heavily laced with sex. The explicitness with which the sex act was portrayed or problematized came at a time when a social movement hed begun to grow beyond the walls of campuses in Manila and surrounding cities. In rallies, demonstrations and other forms of mass action, the national democratic movement presented its analysis of the problems of Philippine society and posited that only a social revolution could bring genuine change. The bomba film was a direct challenge to the conventions and norms of conduct of the status quo, a rejection of the authority of institutions in regulating the "life urge" seen as "natural" and its free expression "honest" and "therapeutic". Looking beyond its exploitative intentions as a product of a profit-oriented industry, one may now make a case for the bomba film as a subversive genre in which the narrative pretends to uphold establishment values when it is actially intent on undermining audience support for corrupt and outmoded institutions. Ferdinand Marcos' response to the clamor for change was to place the country under martial rule. In 1972, he sought to contain growing unrest which the youth revolt of the 1960s had fueled. Claiming that all he wanted was to "save the Republic", Marcos retooled the liberal-democratic political system into an authoritarian government which concentrated power in a dictator's hand. To win the population over, mass media was enlisted in the service of the New Society. Film was a key component of the media industry in a society wracked with contradictions within the ruling class and between the socio-political elite and the masses.

— Bienvenido Lumbera, Pelikula: An Essay on Philippine Film

#philippine film #philippine history #bienvenido lumbera #my post

[miss-macaroni-vii]

My favorite thing about Ascendance of a Bookworm is how well Myne and Ferdinand play off of each other, even just from the analytical sense of being perfect foils.

My favorote thing, of course, is their different mind sets.

Ferdinand acts cold, rational, and logical only for the reveal to be that he's an extremely emotional person who just uses the fact he's incredibly intelligent to make up excuses for his extremely emotion driven decisions.

Myne, in contrast, acts very emotion driven but, with the exclusion of books and family, is coldy, almost cruelly, logic driven. She's kind and compassionate but, when confronted with the common sense of an alien world, every action she takes from that point on is the result of a careful cost/benefit analysis and a worldview that immediately and irreversibly cuts people out when she deems them to be a liability. Even when she likes them and maintains a polite relationship with them.

It's just. Very interesting to me, especially thinking on the end of Part 5.

#ascendance of a bookworm #honzuki no gekokujou #myne #ferdinand #part 5 spoilers

[bentosandbox]

More sporadic Lone Trail ramblings/TLs

prev one here this time more about the saria/kirsten/mumu trio and fanservice and the CGs in general spoiler warning etc etc

1

(From 4-END) Silence asks Saria if she's incapable of standing against Rhine Lab because deep inside she's the same as them and when she finally answers she's like

......I'm sorry, Silence. I did think about it thoroughly, but I can't give you a definitive answer. If Kirsten's experiment does touch a law that should not have been, then I will stop her, just like all the mistakes Rhine Lab has committed over the years-- they ought to be corrected, for I have always believed, the more power one holds, the less they should act recklessly. But if I were to go back in time, to the moment where Kirsten and I first met, when everything had yet to transpire...I would not have stopped her then, nor the birth of Rhine Lab. Yes, even if I knew that Rhine Lab would create this many Catastrophes, even if I could have predicted that Kirsten, Parvis and Ferdinand would eventually grow out of control-- I would still have stood together with them as I did.

(From 5-END) Mumu:

Did you know? Back then, Saria and I even picked out Kirsten's clothes. Yup, Saria cares about fashion more than she does! (Control truly only has 1[or 2 lol] things in her brain)

Yara (HR and the one responsible for Silence2's outfit) is basically kind of a parent figure to Kirsten 🥹 (so I guess they're a parallel to Silence and Iffy...)

uhm what else. the 3 of them used to go stargazing together and in a flashback mumu picks up a (shiny) rock

Mumu: Kirsten, see that rock on the ground? What does it look like? Kirsten: ...... Mumu: It's like Saria, right? It's so hard(like, firm) and yet it shines so 'perfectly'! Kirsten: ...Like the stars.

idk how global is going to do this part but in CN (and in JP?) Rhine Lab is literally 'Rhine Life' and mumu asks if Kirsten really wants to name it that instead of something like 'Rhine Physics' since she 'just wants to fly to the sky' and she says no, RL is good, because

I want to know what exactly are the stars we see. I want to know what lies beyond the barrier wrapping around us. I want to know...to see just what kind of land do we live in, if I can really take a look while standing among the stars.......Most of the answers I want are about 'us'.

oh one last one quote out of context for you fic writers Saria (to mumu): You're the same as always. The moment you get a little nervous, you forget just how frail your body is.

2

Love the idea of mumu being doc's bestie/oomfie but her and hol's lines/whatever else have irreparably damaged the AK ecosystem fr tbqhwyf and i thought skadol was bad lol. Now we'll have triple the NTR jokes great amazing wonderful (i launch myself into space)

'But its rationalized they're all the last of their kind!!!!' Justification doesn't fucking matter the damage has been done to their (perceived) characters i want my insane morally fucked up scientists not some generic lonely gf that steals the mc from other girls or some harem bullshit forgot what the term was and i dont want to know

Imagine getting a generic ass cg of 'pov mumu is so sad and helpless and needs your help to rescue her!!' (this happens after and not getting one for the extremely kino saria and mumu fight where you find out more about just how inter-connected the 3 of them were (are…?) and saria is first overwhelmed by all the water and she remarks how shes has never seen water(from mm) this turbulent before but within the waves she cant find the elf and all she finds is are sad eyes and tears…I can only feel pity for Mumu fans who don't give a damn about shipping themselves for her. speaking of CGs...

3

AK is clearly inspired and references a lot of IRL media and it shows with their graphic design work (UI, motion graphics etc) here's a link to a Lone Trail analysis but....for some reason the story CGs are quite bereft of the same energy (dare i say passion even lol) imo

ofc CGs are to immerse you in the story etc etc and they're really pretty but

how immersive is a fucking practically copypasted photobashed kirsten (the CG is very beautiful otherwise I love aZling4's rendering style sm.. probably my second favourite CG after the depressing 2nd lobby one you get post-ST4 where......shes also in the same pose.........motherfuckers)

Like man could you not have posed him any other way than hand in pocket with average cosplayer photoshoot lighting

this CG of hol almost getting rekt by saria is pretty weak imo that grip is non-existent nothing much to say (atm) about hol but that i love fanart where she looks/acts like a freak instead of (90% of fanart)

saria literally just fell from almost space back to earth and she looks almost unscathed lol mumu's water can't possibly be that rejuvenating

Maybe it's meant to be kind of incomprehensible but uh when the story went tonight the truth is finally glimpsed by humans for the first time or something I was like ....what is even happening in this picture lol

idk like doing partitioned CGs like how limbus does it would be so good tbh sometimes all they just show is a face and its like ? all that space? I'm guessing the artists have to do the concept/compositions themselves and some just have fresher ideas than others or time constraints etc basically i would just love to see CGs that are references to kino movie shots or something, they love movies so much right??? what about some good cinematography????

Dont want to sound like im flexing my useless veterans card or whatever but like. im a day 0 fan, i played their OBT, i started my acc on day 1, i remember being so excited about this game being so different from the other mobages, i didn't like how GFL was becoming way way more fanservicey then so AK was like a literal noah's ark with a whole bunch of artists ive revered from my touhou days, and now seeing it (inevitably!) slide towards GFL and the average mobage has me like 'well im glad limbus exists they let their women wear pants and be irredeemably insane(looking at you talulah 🥲)'

regardless of all that complaining this might beat italiano perros for favourite event because i was one of those kids with a space phase and something about the trio's dynamic.... (brain chugging) something about water unable to move unshakeable earth (but it can soften though...) that in turn can never reach the sky you know you know just like how a tiger can never be on the same level as a dragon 'real' animal vs mythical

#arknights #bentotexto #Lone Trail

[costofwar]

The way they treat Duke Aegir in Hopes is very odd (dare I say even borderline disgusting). We learned in Three Houses that he was a part of the Insurrection of the Seven. We also know that he seems to deal with Those Who Slither. So it’s strange to me that they almost victimize him? I can’t speak for GW just yet, but it’s obvious in SB and even more-so in AG.

In SB it’s kind of more subtle in that Duke Aegir mentions that if only Edelgard had promised him a spot in her reformation of the Empire then all could be solved. But all of this started way before she became Emperor or before even her ideals were known. How would he know that she would strip him of his title right as she became Emperor? He seems pretty shocked about the entire situation in CF, after all. Not only that, but all of this with Edelgard started when she was really young. So if anything him mentioning that “if only she did this” feels like a massive shift of blame instead of taking it upon himself. He sees himself as a victim of circumstance instead of those that are actual victims of his actions.

Then in AG, one of the lords rats out just who Those Who Slither are to Dimitri. She even says that Duke Aegir is just being used like a puppet for them as well and that it’s not really him controlling the Empire. Which in a sense is not entirely false. But it’s once again victimizing him when he brought this upon himself. He made the choices that he made, and he ended up as their figurehead in the end because of it.

Either way you slice it, it’s disgusting to watch someone in power claim that they’re a victim. To an extent it may be true that he was used, but he was still a grown man that made those choices and got the hand he was dealt because of it. And he only begins to backtrack when he realizes that he’s not as powerful as he thinks he is because if anyone is above him it’s Thales. He’s still a mere underling who is showing to be all for himself and will blame anyone else instead of accepting responsibility.

It’s just really uncomfortable to watch and listen to.

#; OOC || Bri ☀ #Three Hopes Spoilers #//This also isn't counting the fact that in AG it's unclear what happens to Hubert and Ferdinand. #//For all we know he played his part in making them disappear. #//Or at least that's what I'm basing my thoughts off of as I sit on chapter 14. #//Especially since I've always thought that he'd even use his own son as a stepping stone. I wouldn't put it passed him. #//Also I don't know what to tag this since it's not about Ferdinand but it kinda counts as an analysis? So take it as you will.

[fleshing-out-fodlan]

Ferdinand’s everyone is born with a purpose vs Marianne’s everyone is born with a burden. Would love to see an analysis of these contrasting worldviews.

#fe3h #fe3h marianne #fe3h ferdinand #ferdinand von aegir #marianne von edmund #marianne x ferdinand