Tumgik
#(also yes i know many people have made similar posts before. i just i really really love reading those so i wanted to make my own one!)
bcacstuff · 22 hours
Note
I think people will jump and say he’s dating her but the facts are still facts. They haven’t seen each other (that we know of) outside hyrox related stuff. He didn’t go watch her in Birmingham when he was in London for St Patrick’s day, he didn’t go watch her when he had a free day in Paris instead of going to Germany which is a short flight and he was signed up then to. I think he enjoys these competitions and would like to compete but couldn’t this year. I think he is her friend and supports her as friends do. I think they did not stay at the same hotel just as she stayed at a hotel in Glasgow instead of at his house, where he has friends stay all the time. Including female friends like Marina. I truly get a brother sister vibe from what I’ve seen. Men and women can be friends. I’d say they don’t flaunt the friendship because of his crazy fans but they’re not hiding it either, which I think they’d be much more discreet if actually dating. Anyway that’s my take on it as I’m sure you’re getting bombarded with anons. Also I still don’t believe that’s her with him at lunch. But again my take.
Thank you Anon, you're message sums it up in a realistic way which I can agree on. Next to the 3 times they met (that we know of), all the time fitness/Hyrox related, there's a huge list of facts that we know of that just leaves us with the conclusions you made in your post. You didn't even summed up all of them but just a few.
The thing is people go overboard when something fits their narrative, and make much more of it than there really is to see. In this case he's already the 'perfect stepdad' and people jump to the conclusion that he's 'only in London for her'. No idea how they know, they're all not there and he's been so many times to London, a place he lived for years, has many friends there, his agent is there... and I can go on for a while. He has a bank holiday, so not such a surprise he's in London to begin with.
It happens in all fractions however, they all take what fits their narrative, and when it doesn't they're all quick to jump to all the excuses they can think of. The woman is paid, she's a beard, the fan that posted the video is a PR plant, she's a liar. It's actually disgusting how people get attacked. I've felt these attacks myself as well (I just need to look at my inbox). You can see it in the comments of the fan who now also posted her video on IG:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
I don't know about you all, but how disgusting are these accusations. (and btw. I do know very well who the cherylecheryl account on IG is, and it isn't the one P always claims it is! Yes I have proof for that).
This doesn't only happen by this account, which is btw. not a shipper (so you make your guess) but I saw similar accusations on shipper blogs as well, amongst others calling her a liar.
I don't know why this is necessary. Why can't we just accept that he's having female friends as well, or can have a lunch near a Hyrox location and then go there to see her race? The same happened so many times in the past as well, whenever I posted a video of him having lunch, or a drink with a female person. A short video, or even just a picture, a moment in time. And people start to argue and fight and call others names and accuse them of all bad things. WHY?
I told you earlier today, it is Liberation Day here in the Netherlands. 79 years ago the Netherlands was freed of the Nazi occupations by the allied forces. Half of the Netherlands was freed a year before, the other half had to endure the hunger winter and another year of oppression since Operation Market Garden failed halfway.
I told you a number of times, I live very close to the German border, it's just a 10 minute walk away. Here in the place we live, our liberation celebration is always shared with our German neighbours. Representatives of the collaborating cross-border organisations and even representatives of the Deutsche Bundestag are invited as speakers. They are always impressed and very grateful to share the celebrations with us Dutch inhabitants of this border village.
The message is always simple, freedom and peace is not a given fact, it's not granted, we have to cherish it, we all have to work on it every day. A line on a map, being an inhabitant of another country doesn't change that. Having another opinion, should not be a reason for hate, violence, aggression. We can have different opinions, we just need to be adult enough to accept it.
I don't want to compare this fandom to the wars and differences in the world, loss of lives and all the grief and terrible, horrible situations people need to survive in. But I do wonder if there can be so much aggression and hate thrown at people over a simple thing like SH having a lunch with a woman, how on earth are we able to make this world a more peaceful place?
Now have a thought about that! Thank you for listening to my TED talk
Tumblr media
69 notes · View notes
transmascaraa · 4 months
Text
gaming headcannons!
he's liked you for a while now...
crush!gaming x gn!reader
author's note: sorry this took a while lmao i was too lazy to write anything. it might be ooc but oh well i js really like him and he's so skrunkly omgshhfhs and i wanna do a gf furina x reader FANFIC for a christmas special or smthn😍 i'm too insecure abt my writing skills like for fanfics but i hope it comes out good🤷 anyways, enjoy👍
"so you see, i've been dealing with a strange feeling ever since we've met..."
Tumblr media
-he would be all over you already at the first eye contact you two made
-he was really energetic when he met you
-oversharing about himself, talking constantly and giving you a compliment every now and then
-you kinda fell for him too, but didn't think much of his actions(you were a little blind)
-he tried flirting a couple of times and it made you blush but again, you were a pessimist.
-but he had high hopes on you loving him just by the look you gave him
-so after a while of knowing eachother, you guys met at the lantern rite, a small place near a little lantern shop
-"hey y/n!" he waved and smiled brightly at you
-"oh, hey gaming!" you replied, walking towards him and smiling in return
-he was head over heels for you, trust me.
-not like you weren't for him.
-the two of you chit-chatted for a little bit, just enough for him to get comfortable in the conversation.
-"hey, also, i see the people getting prepared for launching the lanterns, do you have yours?"
-"yup, let's go!" you exclaimed as you unconsciously grabbed his hand, making him blush a bit
-getting to a place with not too many people there, you finally started lighting up your lanterns, whispering your wishes to them and slowly allowing them to fly high up in the sky, making your wishes come true.
-the sky was covered in lanterns.
-little lights.
-little yellow dots.
-until they couldn't be seen anymore.
-while you were looking at them, he was looking at you.
-your eyes shining in such adoration as you looked at them.
-his shined too, but not for the lanterns.
-for you.
-finally, you looked back at him.
-"wow, that was so beautiful..." you softly said to him.
-he only had a few seconds to think before replying.
-now or never.
-now or never.
-now or never.
-"but not more beautiful than the person standing right in front of me."
-one could say that there was a smile on his face.
-but a Mona Lisa type of smile.
-you blushed and hid your face.
-"w-what?..." you were too shy for this.
-no way he actually said that.
-you were dreaming.
-"i'm being serious... i've..."
-*sigh*
-"i've liked you for quite a long time now..." he shyly said.
-"but it's up to you if you wanna try..."
-he was so insecure.
-he was looking down the whole time, not even realizing that you were ready to look him in the eyes and answer
-"gaming..." you said, voice barely above a whisper.
-"h-huh?" he looked up, his eyes meeting your eyes.
-eye contact.
-he trusts you.
-you trust him.
-"i like you too..." you put your hand on his cheek and gently caressed it with your thumb.
-he was left speechless.
-his face was burning.
-his heart going 1000 miles per hour.
-"y-you do?"
-"yes, gaming, i'd like to try this. only with you." you were looking at him with a hopeful look.
-"thank you, my dear..." and before you could say anything else, he had his forehead pressed against yours.
-so... close.
-"i love you..." he whispered, blushing so hard.
-"i love you too..." and with that, your lips met in a soft, true, kiss.
-your wishes came true.
-now you surely know what to wish for next year...
~~~~~
this won the poll and when i have the motivation i'll do this similar confession but with dahlia. BUT FURINA FOR CHRISTMAS FIRST.
TYSM GUYS FOR SO MANY LIKES ON MY RECENT POSTS I'M GOING INSANE.
ily all sm also this gaming guy is adorable omfg
442 notes · View notes
mgwbanmott · 2 months
Text
I've never understood the constant hate that Wilhelm receives. I don't know if it's a matter of people relating more to Simon or what but I feel like in terms of what they have done wrong, they're pretty on par, at least to me.
Take the part where Wilhelm denies it's him in the sex tape. Yeah, that was wrong of him. And we have to think about how specifically it was wrong of him in Simon's eyes. It was wrong of him because he left Simon all alone. But at the same time, Simon is leaving Wilhelm all alone by breaking up with him. And I understand that it's not the same, Wilhelms actions are worse. But I feel like people willingly forget that simon has a support system of people he can trust completely. He has a supportive family and supportive friends outside of Wilhelm. For Wilhelm, he only had felice, and even then they weren't so close when the breakup happened.
Additionally to this, we learn about how Wilhelm is very susceptible to pressure from his family in s3 e5 when he mentions how he wanted to remain silent in terms of the video, but he was pressured into making a statement. And I get that he made a promise and he did have a choice, but he is also 16 and WAS heavily pressured. Like, the camera crew was hired before Wilhelm even spoke to his mother about the situation.
The argument scene in s3 e5 in general was amazing and really told you about Wilhelms character motivations and helps you understand, but I feel like many people didn't take it as that. They took it in the sense that simon was afraid and that's why he broke it off with Wilhelm again. But I feel like that's fundamentally misunderstanding the point. I feel like the point is that simon is really understanding the position that Wilhelm is in and how he slots into it and how he is now in a similar spot because he's with Wilhelm. It's him defining the relationship, not him realizing that Wilhelm is bad for him. it's not Wilhelm who's bad for him, it's the position that's bad for him. In addition, Simon has probably gained many self esteem issues from the media.
But overall, W and S's problem isn't that they are bad for each other, their problem is that they have barriers in place which prevent them from talking about certain issues which need to be talked about.
This is not really me posting about how Wilhelm was in the right, because he's not always in the right. It's more of me saying that people need to realize that he has understandable reasons for most of his actions and it's not like simon is an angel. They BOTH constantly make bad decisions (as do all other characters in this series) which is why I think they're so interesting.
The point I'm trying to make is don't let your like/dislike of a character warp their actions. This is how we get statements like "Wilhelm and Simon aren't compatible" like, YES THEY ARE. you're just too busy demonizing Wilhelm to see it.
218 notes · View notes
ingravinoveritas · 3 months
Note
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
(Note that @angelsadvocate96 also included a screenshot of AL's post, which I am omitting here since we have two already.)
I did see this Insta story yesterday, and again...wow. Before I go any further, I want to be clear that my issue with this has nothing to do with it being "inappropriate" (depending on your definition, of course). I am by no means a prude, and it is not and should not be shocking that Michael and AL have had sex. We know this, and we have proof of this, so that is not a big thing. I do, however, think it is interesting that just a few days ago, we had Michael being David's "boyfriend" and now here's AL seemingly marking her territory again. So that makes me wonder what has suddenly changed.
Also, as angelsadvocate96 mentioned, this does indeed seem to be a Georgia-style brag...but it falls flat. It doesn't help that "sleep next to" is just a really weird turn of phrase, and could as easily mean AL and Michael's beds are next to each other (a la every 1950s TV sitcom) as it does that they're sleeping in the same bed. It also stops short of being overtly sexual (because she didn't say "sleep with"), and so ends up in that weird place of trying to be scandalous, yet also not. But when you have Georgia out here five years ago talking about how much she and David enjoy anal sex and possibly her pegging him, Anna's "innuendos" just seem completely tepid in comparison.
The other thing that stood out to me is the mention of Ian McKellen, the #lifegoals hashtag, and Anna seemingly bragging about the fact that one of the most important parts of her relationship with Michael is meeting celebrities. We knew this already from the Dolittle premiere and the now-infamous picture of her meeting Rami Malek, as well as the fact that she follows many of Michael's co-stars and other famous figures connected to him on social media, and has had a history of replying primarily to comments from those people, to the exclusion of most everyone else. But I'm genuinely confused as to why you would ever want to give that impression of your relationship, especially on a post that's supposed to be promoting a TV appearance of his.
Her post also made me wonder how aware Anna really is of Sir Ian or his work, as I wasn't sure I could see her being a big fan of his...until I realized she shared this post from her and Michael's PR person (@dobbscld). The OP mentioned Sir Ian specifically, and knowing that, it suddenly all made sense. But it also struck me that, rather than make a post or story of her own to promote Michael, AL shared a post from PR...and once again made a post about Michael into a post about herself. Just as we've seen before.
Honestly, I don't think I would even mind this post or similar posts AL has made that much if it felt like Michael was even remotely a part of it. But it's the very fact that he never talks about her or their relationship (and not in a "he's a private person" kind of way) that makes it so awkward. And here he was going on Graham Norton to promote his directorial debut--a project that is hugely important to him--and Anna just brings it down to the most base level, making it seem like she does not take Michael or his work seriously. And I can't think of anything more embarrassing than that.
So yes, that was my reaction to AL's Insta story yesterday. Again, this is just my perspective, and I'm glad to hear from folks in the comments on this post with their thoughts. Thanks for writing in! x
75 notes · View notes
animasola86 · 6 months
Text
Sebastian Sallow Headcanons (revisited)
I made a similar post a while back, but I think it's time to revisit it.
Tumblr media
Sebastian Sallow is a Scorpio (born between Oct 23 and Nov 22).
Typical Scorpio traits include being resourceful, ambitious, brave, (com)passionate, possessive, jealous, loyal, supportive, emotional, intense. I’d say he is all that. Also fits the Slytherin characteristics.
I don't have a particular date in mind for him anymore, but I'd say around Halloween or after would suit him and Anne. (I haven't looked at the actual Astrology aspect of it, leaving that to the experts here!)
He is a nerd and an athlete.
He is the kind of nerd who will hit you with knowledge when you least expect it and never as the know-it-all type, but rather the let-me-share-my-knowledge type. I'm sure he'll be actually fun at parties.
And I see no problem in him being hunched over books for hours on end and being physically fit at the same time. (Yes, he seemed a little unfit at the start of fifth year, being all breathless on the way to Hogsmeade and during a mission up some stairs, but I'll ignore that. He'll grow into it.)
So he's not only fit enough to brave all those stairs in Hogwarts, I also see him on the Quidditch team. I initially had him as a Beater in my head, and I still stand by it, but I do see him as a Seeker as well now, just because how he can show off by catching the Snitch.
(I don't see him as a Chaser, too average a position for him imo, or a Keeper, I think he'd be too hyper to stay in one place all the time, even though his protective trait might play into it, but he can focus on that more when he hits some Bludgers around.)
He is tall.
I also HC that Ominis is taller, but Sebastian is still tall. I put him at 1.80m/180cm (5′11″) initially, but I might even put him taller now. He'll definitely have another growth spurt during his last years at Hogwarts and grow into an even taller adult, so for now, let's settle on him being 1.85m/185cm/6'1" at the end of the game. (Angst can make you grow, yes.)
(And I need him to be tall because my MCs usually are quite short and I just love that size difference dynamic so much!)
He is an extrovert.
He might have his baggage to carry during his fifth year (and beyond), but he still has many extrovert tendencies, especially needing people around to recharge - even if it's just one person (our MC preferably). He is a twin, so being alone was never really an option before Anne got sick.
That's why he hates being alone, he'll certainly have his mind flooded with doubts and dark thoughts if he happens to be alone. That might make him clingy and/or overprotective towards his significant other/friends, but if it helps him sleep at night, he won't hesitate to hog those special people to his advantage.
He is a light sleeper.
And probably has nightmares more than your average boy considering all the stress he puts himself under, with his worries for Anne and the constant abuse from Solomon and his general past (loss of his parents, etc.).
Yet even though he might have trouble falling asleep and sleeping in general, I do think he can sleep anywhere, thinking about the shed in Feldcroft that the fandom considers to be his place to stay when he visits his sister. Also as a twin he was probably used to sharing small spaces and finding sleep wherever he can.
He can't sit still for long.
Call it ADHD, restless legs syndrome or general nerves, he probably can't sit still and has to fidget a lot as well. Might conflict with his ability to absorb himself in books for hours on end, but even when reading, I'd imagine him moving a lot (think back to him pacing in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, or his constant walking cycle through the DADA tower, etc.).
His favorite color is green.
Obvious choice, I just needed something to end this with. So here we go. Green for Slytherin, for nature, and maybe, probably hope? Who knows.
Tumblr media
[ 🔞 NSFW Sebastian Sallow Headcanons ]
135 notes · View notes
theheirofthesharingan · 3 months
Note
Okay, sorry if this was asked before but I'm curious and I'd really like to learn more. You've mentioned in a couple of posts now that Itachi wasn't retconned. Could you please elaborate further?
Hey! No, this wasn't asked before. I was thinking of making a separate post for this, but procrastination is evil. So, I am one of the 'Itachi was meant to be a good guy/was not evil/had more to him than he let on' people. Watching the anime, it was the feeling that there was more to him. His reveal was along the lines of devastation and shocking for me than surprise. Detailed post is below the cut.
First thing first.
Tumblr media
This was Itachi's first look that Kishimoto had planned.
Itachi was originally conceived as the leader of Konoha's Special Assassination and Tactical Squad called the "Anbu", dubbed the Itachi Squad (イタチ隊, Itachi-tai), which would have been a 70-man group divided into four teams, specializing in assassination and other illicit operations. However, this idea was scrapped in favour of the current Itachi working for the Akatsuki.
The above paragraph is from Itachi's wikipedia that cites a couple of interviews as sources. People can't be too blind in their delusion to think the author who wrote the story had no idea what he was writing.
Tumblr media
Next is the Naruto Databook that has some fishy things if we look closely. In the first glance it's not very obvious, but after learning the truth it seems very much obvious.
It says, "the ones who know the reason of its downfall are very small". Go back to Obito's words about only four people being aware of the reason of the clan's downfall.
Additionally, Itachi carried out 134 B-Rank missions. Zero A Rank. And one S-Rank. The S rank mission being the Uchiha massacre. It's very fishy that he was given one s rank mission without any A tank mission. Suspicious? We know later on why.
It's also interesting because the first databook was published in 2002 and Itachi first appeared in 2003. If his twist wasn't planned from the beginning this databook is very telling.
Since I mentioned how he looked, here's him in Sasuke's flashbacks for the first time.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He looks far from evil or sadistic. You want to know who enjoys killing for fun? Hidan. Itachi, on the other hand, on the day of the massacre itself, looks miserable and lost.
Tumblr media
In chapter 7, he in a haze-like manner he talks about crying. In many English translations it's translated as 'he made me cry' and in many it's this. It's very, very vague, but his statement is complimented by Sakura's question, to which he still responds in the similar way 'My..' Maybe he was trying to say 'My brother', but he instead finishes his speech with 'my goal is to take revenge' etc., Since it's still very early so it might not be the strongest evidence, but a few chapters later in chapter 27, during their fight against Haku, when Sasuke awakens his Sharingan, he has two tomoe in his right eye.
Tumblr media
Yes, he might have awakened it this way, but it also suggests that maybe already had his Sharingan and that's why this is 'asymmetrical' awakening? In the later chapters we find out he actually did have his Sharingan he awakened after the massacre.
Tumblr media
This flashbacks in chapter 127 most firmly establishes Itachi's twist. The tilted head-protector. Sasuke remembers it vaguely, but he has no recollection of Itachi crying that night, because his mind is still hazy from the "truth" Itachi wanted him to believe. We know later on the significance of this scene.
Tumblr media
There are three moments before Itachi was even introduced that give away what we see right after his truth reveal and connect to the chapter 403.
The 'Itachi was retconned' camp also uses 'Itachi was meant to be older (than 13) but Kishi made him younger later on' as an excuse to justify their retcon bullshit.
Tumblr media
Kakashi, in chapter 142, states Itachi was 13 when he was made the Anbu captain.
Tumblr media
Itachi graduated when he was just seven. Sasuke is the same age as Itachi was when he graduated from the Academy. Itachi is 17 at the time of his first appearance and Sasuke is 12. It is enough to tell lies were spread about Itachi. We, obviously, learn later on why.
Some more obvious hints were his interaction with Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi.
Tumblr media
The criminal infamous for annihilating one of the strongest clans refuses to indulge in fight?
Tumblr media
He also asks Kisame to keep things low key and not get too much attention. That's an excuse. He's not here to wage war. Yes, later on he does ask Kisame to go ahead. But that's because he's a spy. He cannot let Danzo know he dropped his guard. One single mistake from his side that could unearth the truth of the massacre and Danzo would lay hands on Sasuke. Plus, while he's strong, his opponents aren't just fragile saplings who couldn't stand any blow he or Kisame cast. He knew reinforcements would be on the way.
Tumblr media
Kakashi also wonders why Itachi didn't just kill him. Again, yes, the torture was brutal, but they're ninja who are meant to do and endure cruel things. Itachi had to look like he was a menacing criminal reputed to have killed the Uchiha singlehandedly.
Tumblr media
So, he completely avoids fighting Asuma and Kuernai, takes on only Kakashi because he's strong and can take it, also has Sharingan. But he completely refuses to go against Jiraiya. Jiraiya may or may not be stronger than him. Maybe they were equal. However, recalling Obito's words again: Itachi devoted himself to fighting Sasuke to death.
Two conclusions come from this:
He didn't want to fight Jiraiya because it would result in a massive bloodbath and killing a leaf Shinobi is out of question for him. He's not a coward. He just doesn't want to fight him.
As we know from later on, he wanted to fight and die at Sasuke's hands only. Killing a Konoha Shinobi or dying at the hands of someone that isn't Sasuke isn't a part of his plan.
This can also be tracked further when Kisame captures the Four Tails.
Tumblr media
Kisame most likely knew about Itachi's illness, knew Itachi wanted to die at Sasuke's hands. The reason Itachi didn't fight Jiraiya and Rōshi was most likely the same.
Tumblr media
Kisame comments on Itachi's 'lingering affection' towards the village. The Akatsuki pairings' dynamics are quite opposite. Deidara and Sasori love art but have differing opinions on eternal vs explosive. Hidan and Kakuzu represent religion vs materialism (money). And Itachi and Kisame represent treachery vs loyalty. Itachi isn't loyal to Akatsuki, Kisame is.
Tumblr media
They also wonder why is Itachi taking the matter of kidnapping Naruto so lightly. He could have done it very easily. We know now that that wasn't his intent and his objective to visit the village was something else.
Tumblr media
As popular as 'Itachi knocked on the door before kidnapping Naruto' meme is, the truth is, he wasn't there to kidnap him at all. Replace Itachi with Kisame alone for a moment. Knock on the door? No, sir. Naruto would be half-dead. Or replace him with Hidan and Kakuzu. They're sadistic bastards and would have damaged Naruto in the worst possible way.
Furthermore, when you think of it, he revealed 'Akatsuki are after jinchuriki' years prior to the Akatsuki even began collecting the tailed beasts. It was a message he left because it was important. His job in the Akatsuki wasn't to "pass on the info to the village." It was to keep tabs on them so they don't attack Konoha.
Tumblr media
After the massacre, Sasuke's unwavering faith in Itachi despite being put in Tsukuyomi. At first it doesn't seem too much, but we later discover that Itachi used to be a kind and gentle boy. So this bit isn't just Sasuke is blind, but also that Itachi was a kind child before the tragedy happened.
Tumblr media
Sasuke's flashbacks in chapter 220 also hint towards Itachi being trapped in the politics of the village/clan. Fugaku is speaking to his own son but the discussion is so intense that he has to activate his Sharingan to convey the message to Itachi.
These are the flashbacks from the chapter #221 that further shed light on Itachi being a spy.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He's the "pipeline between the clan and the village" - a spy. Later Obito says Itachi was callously used for his devotion towards the village, this is an example of his clan doing this to him.
Tumblr media
This is Itachi right after being accused of Shisui's murder. He looks in grief, while also processing the news. Once the narrative delves deep into Itachi's story (through Sasuke's eyes) in VOTE1, he continues to look miserable, lost, in pain, and in dire need of help. And once we begin to see more of him before his death, he is quite human. But again, Kishimoto had his whole story figured out by that time, knew what he was to do with Itachi's arc and Sasuke's future there.
_______________
Kishimoto isn't a terrible writer because some people choose to ignore what's written right there or cannot accept happened. Usually the deniers of this are those who question his morality. His morality is never the subject of the debate because Itachi isn't exonerated for his crimes. He's a part of a world that's cruel and violent and his actions align with it very much. The ones who "praise" him have their own bias, and that gives him nothing in return. Characters in fiction always, I mean, always respond to the information based on their morality. When Hashirama praises Itachi, it's because he grew up in the warring era and lost all his family. He learns there's this kid who chose a path with the least damage but at the cost of his life, he's a good Shinobi. Hiruzen also has his bias as well as his guilt. Naruto's praise for Itachi is not only because of stopping a war, but also for loving Sasuke. No one other than Sasuke sees him as a person whether anyone likes him or hates him. He's praised by other Shinobi for doing things that are expected from a Shinobi.
Either way, at the end of the day, Itachi himself doesn't see himself who is worth forgiving, worth loving, worth being remembered. That's his whole arc.
Some things above in the post I took from this thread. Some information I ommited from it, so feel free to go through it, please.
73 notes · View notes
volturissideslut · 10 months
Note
How would the guards be with a human mate that has a gift similar to Didyme, where she makes everyone around her feel happy and content, so naturally Marcus tends to be near her all the time.
𝖁𝖔𝖑𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖎 𝖌𝖚𝖆𝖗𝖉
It's been a WHILE since I've posted so Im going to do as many as I can right now and post them steadily to try and catch up with all the requests I've got
Alec
While, yes, he respects the kings and Marcus as his master that doesn't make this any less awkward for him
He really enjoys his alone time with you - obviously, you're his mate - but now he kind of has to be in work mode around you a lot because Marcus is so drawn to you.
Your gift is both a blessing and a curse to him because of this. He just wants to spend his free time with you
He also isn't that big into pda, especially in front of Marcus as he's the king and it feels disrespectful
Loves you, loves your gift, but isn't necessarily too pleased with the situation
Jane
In the social hierarchy of the volturi, it doesn't get much higher that her position in the top of the elite guard
While she greatly looks up to the kings, perhaps even seeing Caius as a mentor of sorts, your gift drives her bonkers
If you can control it, great. Please do.
One) she values all her emotions, they are there for a reason and even the negative ones hold ourpuse to her
Two) she does love your gift as well as you but at the same time she's possessive and everyone is drawn to you all the time
Three) she's constantly on edge. Jane is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to her work and with the amount of people that surround you, including Marcus, it's difficult for her to wind down
She's also really not into pda, so it will be difficult to have sweet moments and affectionate times
But when it's just you and her, she loves your gift, it calms get and makes her feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. It was weird for her at first but it's made the castle feel more like a home to her with your presence there
Demitri
Perfect! Now he gets to brag to everyone about how lovely his mate is
Loves to flirt with you infront of everyone just to watch you goggle and your power come off in waves - it's bordering addiction at this point but he couldn't care less
Will gross other guards out with pda to make them give you some space, tough luck if you're not into it because it's one of the few ways you can get some privacy
He's empathetic to Marcus to an extent, and is happy that you get along well with the kings because it only further insures your safety
He's so ronamtic with you, even before knowing your gift, but will go to the furthest lengths to make you feel as happy as you make him feel (both with and without your gift)
Felix
Felix loves your gift. It actually made him fall in love with you all over again when you both realised after you were turned
You're like the literal embodiment of sunshine to him and he just wants to pick you up and never let you go
You've broken him and turned him into a softie (he already was, he just refused to admit it)
Isn't too bothered about how drawn to you others are, so long as they know that you're with him and are respectful about it
The same goes for Marcus, so long as he's respectful of the fact you are your own person with your own life and things to do he's happy that you've made a friend through your gift
167 notes · View notes
e-vay · 4 months
Text
Evay QA Bulk Post 3
Here’s the latest assembly of asks, assorted by topics so you can browse only what interests you. Also, some questions refer to the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure game I made, so to avoid spoilers for those of you who haven't played it, I put those asks all the way at the bottom. If you haven't played my game yet, please go play it!
PERSONAL ASKS
Anon asked: E-vay may i ask which tablet mark do you use for your drawings?
And dreamylumi-art asked: Was wondering what is your favorite brushes In Procreate? Your drawings look so fun and bouncy that I’m interested in your process!
A: I use an iPad and I do all my drawings in Procreate now. I like to experiment with brushes, but the primary brushes I use come standard with Procreate. I use the "Procreate Pencil" for my sketches and the "Technical Pen" for linework :)
Anon asked: How are u and ur family doing? ❤️
A: You are so very sweet for asking ❤️ We're all doing really good right now. My dad's surgery went great and he's cancer free and fully healed. My mom is on medication that's helped her a lot. Things are also looking up for my younger sister (she even got engaged this Christmas!). I'm stressed but for good reasons hahaha I'm very thankful and counting my blessings right now.
twistedchaos101 asked: Hey, what’s your MBTI?
A: I just retook the test and I got "INFJ-T Advocate" for myself :)
karura-senpai asked: Have u ever heard of these new bollywood movies like Animal and Dunki which are popular rn around the world because of instagram reels and tiktok videos...
A: I can't say that I have, I'm sorry! My Tiktok FYP is very niche so I don't see many things about movies on there.
edwinflores428 asked: E-vay, since you're also a Beatles enjoyer, did you hear the new Beatles song 'Now and Then'?
A: I had not known about this before you told me! I just listened to it and I really loved it. It has that beautiful, 60's-Beatles feel to me. Thank you so much for point it out to me!
Anon asked: What's your creative process when going into writing / planning for a comic? Apologies if this has been asked before.
A: I normally start by just jotting down any super rough concepts/quotes in my notes app. If the piece I'm doing involves stuff I don't know by heart (renaissance clothing or certain landscapes or anything like that) I'll work on gathering a TON of resource images. That way I'm not interrupting my drawing process by repeatedly stopping to look up references. I try to do it all up front and have it saved somewhere I can easily access.
Once I have more time, I'll write out the script in a Google Doc. I break up the script by each panel. I won't always have all the elements ready in my head, and sometimes I'll combine panels or separate them more, but I can always adjust:
Tumblr media
Once I have a basic script, I can start to rough out the drawings/panels. These are just gestural drawings; I'm not looking to do anything too detailed here. I'm trying to figure out what best captures the emotions/energy of the scene and determine the natural flow of where your eyes will want to read the art and word bubbles:
Tumblr media
Then I move on to the "pencils." This is my opportunity to nail down the expressions and flow. Sometimes I'll realize the page is imbalanced so I will redesign the panels so it has more even weight distribution or make it more dynamic/emotional. I always draw the characters in different colors so it can help me make sure I know what lines belong to which character:
Tumblr media
Then it's on to all the fun stuff: Lines, coloring, shading and adding text!
Tumblr media
I hope this answered your question! It's pretty straight forward :)
Anon asked: have you ever watched the anime fairy tail? if no i think sonamy fits the main couple NaLu (natsu x lucy) really well, like as if they’re similar 🫶🏻
A: I'm sorry, I've never seen it! I don't watch much anime anymore.
Anon asked: Can you make different characters(aka people sonic characters/oc) in your own style
A: When I'm open for commissions, yes! I am not open for commissions at the moment but I plan on doing that this year.
--
MISC SONIC ASKS
chrismantike asked: What’re your thoughts on longclaw (the owl from the sonic movie) does she exist in your AU as Sonic’s mom?
A: I liked the relationship we saw between Longclaw and baby Sonic in the movie, but I consider the movie as something entirely separate from the game/comic canon. I don't include any of the movie elements as part of my AU.
essycogany asked: What do you like most about Prime!Sonic?
A: Hmm, I think my favorite thing about him is how open he is with his emotions. In this show, he's very verbal about how much he cares about his friends and he doesn't hide it when he's sad or upset about something. In other media, Sonic has a habit of masking his emotions. I get that that's part of his personality, but it's nice to see this different side of him. (I also like how he showed more emotions in Frontiers, too!)
juli071023 asked: e-vay, what motivates you a lot about Sonic these years, why do you love it a lot, what motivates you about that character?
A: In the words of Young Neil, 'that's kind of a big question' haha. Simply put, the franchise just fuels me with excitement and joy and love! The character Sonic represents happiness and freedom and living in the moment and loving life to the fullest and I think that's such a great outlook to have. From a meta standpoint, I love how good the Sonic Team is to us fans. They engage with us regularly and put out SO MUCH CONTENT for us, more than any other franchise I'm aware of! I mean there are plenty of other great IPs out there, but you don't get the bombardment of games and shows and comics and social media engagement (etc) that you get with Sonic. I just think that's so cool! The fans love Sonic so much and the creators know that and reward us for our commitment. It's awesome.
Anon asked: So who do you think would win in a fight between Mario and Sonic
A: I gotta go with my boy Sonic! But of course it's better when they team up :D
Anon asked: How do you feel about the Dadow theory/au? As in Shadow being Silvers Dad. I honestly like it a lot.
A: If they're related, I think it makes more sense for Shadow to be Silver's grandpa or great grandparent. I think there are plot holes to say that he's directly his dad but I'm definitely open to them being related. Plus I think people can headcanon/au just about whatever they want, so I'm not against that theory :)
Anon asked: Hi e-vay, I hope you’re having a great day!! My question is: if there were to be a Sonic movie that’s only about Sonic and the guys but they were all being played by human actors, which actors do you think would suit them best?
A: Thank you so much, I hope you are too! Oh man this was so difficult but I put a ton of thought into it. And I'm sure there are still tons of actors I'm not thinking of who would be better, but here's what my gut tells me: Older Sonic: Max Greenfield [x] [x] or Jack Quaid [x] [x]. They're so witty and handsome and are built like runners! Younger Sonic: Jack Dylan Grazer Older Amy: Alison Brie. Even if it wasn't a live action movie, I so desperately wish that Alison Brie could be Amy's voice actor. I'm actually working on an animation where Amy is paired with some Alison Brie lines because I think it's such a perfect fit. She's sweet and funny and strong and sexy. She's on the petite side but she has that confidence that just commands a room. Ugh, Amy and Alison are my dream women 💖 Younger Amy: McKenna Grace Older Tails: Justice Smith or Cole Sprouse Younger Tails: Noah Jupe or Jacob Tremblay. Sorry, I don't know many young actors but I think they're both great! Older Knuckles: Terry Crews or Jason Momoa Younger Knuckles: Tyler James Williams [x] [x] Shadow: Jensen Ackles or Michael B Jordan 💖Swoon💖 Older Rouge: Ana de Armas or Charlize Theron Younger Rouge: Jenna Ortega or Sophie Turner
Anon asked: How old are the sonic boom characters in your opinion?
A: Firstly, I've said this before but I don't think Mobian age works the same as human age. I consider the Sonic Boom characters as all being what we'd consider as late teens or young adults. They all act like me and my friends did when were were college age haha
Anon asked: What do u think tails looked/acted during puberty🙂
A: That's what Tall!Tails is all about! I think he shot up in height and outgrew Sonic immediately. Maybe he got a bit more snarky and might mutter about how annoying it is that Sonic doesn't think things through before acting, but Tails is a sweetheart and I think he'd overall still be nice even while he's in that awkward stage of life.
--
MY OCs/AU ASKS
@redbirduniverse13 asked: Hi i love your art 💖 My question is, are your characters aware that other versions of them exist?
A: Thank you so much! No, they aren't aware of any other versions of them out there. Ruff would probably be most hopeful to meet other versions of himself since he's into comic books and would love the concept of the multiverse.
twistedchaos101 asked: What's your ocs MBTI?
A: I have too many OCs to do all of them lol But I'll do it for Aurora and CC. As Aurora, the results from the test were: "ENFP-T Campaigner" As CC, the results from the test were: "INTJ-A Architect"
Anon asked: Question, how is Aurora able to glow ?
A: Aurora has photokinesis, which gives her the ability to manipulate light. This results in a lot of things she's able to do that involve light, but glowing is the easiest thing for her to do (and is the hardest for her to suppress lol). She was born with these abilities but they didn't manifest until she was about preteen age.
charlieangel345 asked: You know everytime I saw Aurora glow up, her photokinesis power changes color. It made me wonder if she feel happy, angry, or sad, her light power might change colors. I can imagine she can create rainbow light.
A: Absolutely! Her powers are severely influenced by her emotions, so the color of her glow would definitely change based on her feelings. I have her inhibitors glow green naturally, but she could do any color under the light spectrum.
freshcreationgarden asked: I like to think Aurora's favorite fairytale growing up was beauty and the beast. Something about a handsome prince who hides beneath a rough exterior who believes they are not worthy of love who is bound to a "Rose"
A: Oh that is just too sweet! That metaphor is very perfect for what I write for her romantic future ;) I have said in a previous ask that Thumbelina is her favorite fairytale, but I like your headcanon too!
Anon asked: Hi, something randomly popped in my head about like the comics of aurora and I wondered, has aurora ever gotten sick?
A: Of course! She's just a regularly lady so she gets sick like average people do. I see her as the type that doesn't get sick often, but when she does it LAAAASTS. (That's how I am and it sucks!)
Anon asked: I know this might be a weird question, but can it be possible if Aurora can do chaos control with a chaos emerald like Sonic and Shadow.
A: I'll be honest, because we don't know much about Chaos Emeralds, I don't know who is capable of using them or not. But because Sonic is capable of using Chaos Control, I'm going to say yes Aurora should be able to as well. I don't think it's a technique either of them can master like Shadow does. Chaos Control seems second nature to Shadow.
Anon asked: if we go by sonic underground lore imagine Aurora finding out that she's technically a princess/duchess. Like sonic always call her princess because that's what dad's typically call their daughters, but then she finds out and her mind just explodes.
A: Honestly, I'm not a Sonic Underground fan. I know a lot of people love it for the nostalgia, but I didn't watch it growing up so I don't have any ties to it and I am not a fan of the story. I'm okay if people want to headcanon tying it in, but it's not for me.
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon said: Hi, so glad you’re back! Just reread Boom!Baby where Rouge mentions how hedgehogs have a lot of babies and I think it’s kinda funny in the future Shadow and Aurora have eight
A: Thank you so much, I'm so happy to be back! Yeah, Rouge really knew what she was talking about 😆 I bet she told Shadow the same thing when they were expecting!
Anon asked: Does aroura ever run into her ex again?
A: Aurora spends most of her life in a small bubble, rarely leaving her home town, so she would have run into him now and then. Again though, they were kids when they were "boyfriend/girlfriend" and you can hardly even call them that (Imagine like in the Barbie movie, how Ken and Barbie don't know what it means to be Girlfriend-Boyfriend) so it's not awkward running into each other. It's more of a "Hey there's that person I used to know"
prophecyhyper asked: When Aurora was born and Amy said "She's more perfect than I imagined" What did she imagine of Aurora looking like?
A: She didn't have an exact image in mind when she said that. It was more like an amorphous concept. You know somehow the baby will look like you and your partner, but there are so many different outcomes. So she would have daydreamed about all the possibilities: the baby looking more like Sonic, the baby looking more like her, maybe the baby having elements of their grandparents.
Anon asked: Will Sage exist in your AU?
A: Yes! I adore Sage!
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon asked: Hey Evay, I’ve been thinking about this lately. It’s kind of silly question. If there is a naughty and nice list, which of Shadora Kids is naughty or nice.
A: This was a great question and I'm so sorry I missed it before the holidays! This is all in fun, none of them got punished: Piper: Nice but ONLY after Santa had to give her a lecture on how she needs to not be a smartass and boss around her siblings Zane: Naughty (He did too many stunts indoors!) Nova: Nice Aster: Naughty (He and Blitz plotted to kidnap Santa) Blitz: Naughty (She finds it a point of pride) Diamond: Nice Cinder: Nice (He's scared of Santa) Boon: NICE! (He doesn't know the meaning of the word naughty!)
Anon asked: haven’t seen CC in a while, could we have more CC please
A: There will be more CC, I promise! :)
kbluetoons asked: Say, after reading your spindash lesson comic (which was really cute by the way), what if Aurora showed her kids how to spindash like how Sonic showed her?
A: Aw I'm so happy you liked it! Yes, learning to spin dash is vital to a hedgehog's upbringing ;) She'd teach them very young but then immediately regret it because they'd be spindashing all over the house. Now she knows why Sonic was so hesitant to teach her when she was little!
mod-bubamon asked: I know spooky season is over but how do cc and tails handle horror movies? Does cc Criticize every litter thing the protagonist do? Does tails even get scared after all he's been through? IF CC GETS SCARED DOES SHE HUGS TAILS TAILS FOR COMFORT??? THIS IS IMPORTANT
A: Hahaha I loved this question! First of all, Spooky Season is never over for me! ↜(ˈ╰ •ω•)╯ψ So bring on all your Halloweeny ideas! CC would not be fun to watch horror movies with. She would be overly analytical, not only of the actions that the victims are doing but how unrealistic the injuries/gore/battles are haha. I see Tails as someone who originally was afraid of scary movies, but watching them with CC has actually helped him to be less afraid of them. Now he spots the same flaws she does and they like to roast them together! Just to clarify -- CC does get scared of things, just not horror movies.
Anon asked: Hey, I rediscovered your art recently and almost forgot how much I loved it! I love CC and was wondering if you had any small head cannon kinda things you have for her and Tails you would share that you haven't already?
A: Well welcome back and thank you so very much! This question was not related to the previous question, but the previous question sparked an idea for me so I'm going to expand on it here. When Tails and CC first started watching horror movies together, CC noticed that Tails was super on edge. To help relax him, she'd take his tails into her lap and pet them to calm him down. He's not as scared of movies anymore, but he always has her stroke his tails while they watch shows together now :) Also, CC is still getting used to Mobian mannerisms and nuances. They've made a nightly routine where during dinner, she debriefs Tails on all the new conversations and interactions she's had with people and Tails scores her on how well she's adjusting. She likes the challenge and strives for a better "score" every day!
--
SHIPPING ASKS
essycogany asked: How are you feeling about the new Sonamy material from this and last year? Things are really starting to become more obvious as the years go on.
A: It does my shriveled little heart so much good! I don't know that they'll ever cross that line in canon, but I love how much their relationship has evolved compared to years ago. It means the world to me that Sonic considers Amy as one of his best friends and as someone he can depend on (and is even willing to think about dating ((in reference to that cut dialog line from Frontiers)). And I love that Amy has proven that her feelings for Sonic are more than just a fan-crush; she genuinely loves him for who he is and will always be there for him. UGH IT MAKES ME FEEL SO ALIVE!
Anon asked: I just wanted to say that I love love love your sonamy works! :D Absolutely adorable (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧ Also, only if you want to answer ofc, what are your thoughts on the ship Metamy (Metal Sonic and Amy)? Thank you for the lovely food you bring and have a wonderful day!
A: Oh gosh, thank you so much! You just made my day wonderful by this sweet message! I do ship Metamy! After all, I believe in my heart of hearts that Sonic has feelings for Amy and Metal Sonic is supposed to be the same as him... ^_~ I think despite his transgressions, Amy has a special place in her heart for Metal. He's one of the reasons she even met Sonic in the first place! But what I'd prefer most is for Metal Sonic to have a Metal Amy. That way everybody wins 💕
Anon asked: Hi e-vay I love ur dr who art!! Question, do tenrose remind you of sonamy? Or do any characters or couples from the whoverse remind you of any sonic character or couples?
A: Ahhh thank you so much! I always thought my Doctor Who art got lost in the void so I'm so glad you found it! TenRose is my favorite DoctorWho ship, so I think by law I have to relate them to sonamy haha. But honestly I think RoryXAmyPond suits sonamy more if you reverse the roles. Rory's absolute dedication to AmyPond--regardless of death--was the definition of love, and that's how I feel Amy Rose is for Sonic. I can't think of any other ships that are good parallels. River Song reminds me of Rouge just that she's savvy and flirty. Forgive me, I stopped watching after Eleven regenerated so I'm not up to date on anything. If you don't like the Shadora ship then don't click this link, but I have drawn Aurora and Shadow as Ten and Rose before :)
Anon asked: Werehog Sonic and Werehog Amy kiss meme or a mini comic about both kissing in their werehog forms?
A: I kind of already drew that :) It's the 10th drawing in this post.
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
penguin-evere asked: hello! this is my first time doing something like this. i've loved your art for a while now (probably since 2017-2018), and i love the new style you have! anyways, i wanted to ask if you've seen the frontiers twitter takeover, and the newfound information about shadow's secret like of some good ol' t. swizzle music, and was curious if aurora would be a fan too, and if they would go to a concert together! i think it'd be really cute.
A: Thank you so much! And I'm so relieved you still like my stuff even after all this time :) Aurora loves pop music and so yeah I could see her being a Taylor fan for sure. Although I don't take Swifty!Shadow as canon (lol) it is still fun to think they could bond over that music together!
*The next question is a Shadora Ask. Skip if you don't like Shadora*
Anon asked: what was the shadora confession like? Cause I like to imagine that it was shadow who confessed and that he did it in the most dramatic way possible, cause he's our drama king.
A: I don't want to reveal too much until I've properly drawn it, but yes for my stories Shadow would confess his love first. He's technically loved her longer since he met her when she traveled back in time to save him so once they've "re-met" I don't think he'd be willing to hide his feelings too long. It's Shadow so of course it has to be so romantic and dreamy~!
--
ASKS RE: MY GAME
Anon asked: How did you make the Trick Or Sweet Halloween Game, can you show me what you used or did to make it? If you can do a step by step that would be helpful or just tell me how you did it that would be helpful:))
A: Oh man... Honestly, it was way too complicated of a project to explain in just one answer. And I won't be able to explain any of the technical/coding side. I watched so many tutorials but I just couldn't grasp it, so my husband had to code it for me and I have no idea how he managed it. From a non-technical standpoint, I had to first write out the script for it. That means writing out all the dialog and also writing out every option possible. Even though my game was fairly linear, this was still complicated to write. What helped me was using icons and colors to help me know which actions would lead to which outcomes:
Tumblr media
Then came the longest part, the drawing! I had to draw a variety of sprites and backgrounds and objects. Also, some of the actions you take make certain items go away, so I had to remember to hide them depending on the path you took. Once I had all the elements, I assembled them in a Slides presentation to test it out. If you're not doing anything too complicated, you could probably get away with making your game entirely in Google Slides. Mine was too complicated and I wouldn't be able to publish it to my website but it was good for testing. When it was ready for build, I had to make a comprehensive guide for Ryan showing what clicks lead to where, what sound effects should be played when, when the music tracks should switch, etc:
Tumblr media
He programmed it in Adobe Animate. I don't know how he did it, other than he's just a brilliant babe and I thank god for him lol
Anon asked: Just at a curiosity though, whatever happened to everyone (especially Sonic & Amy) AFTER your truth serum wore off from your ‘Trick or Sweet Adventure’? Also how about Shadow & Rouge? Did they get affected as well?
A: They lived happily ever after, of course! If the two just told each other how they felt then they'd be happy (in my opinion) so they just needed a little magical kick in the butt haha. I didn't have any plans for Shadow or Rouge, but if I could cast a spell to make them happy then I would give Rouge a throne of diamonds and Shadow the chance to ease the pain in his heart (T▽T)
---
Thank you all for the questions!
Evay QA Bulk Post 1
Evay QA Bulk Post 2
64 notes · View notes
aprilohneil · 2 years
Text
Soft Shells and Donnie
⚠️WARNING: rottmnt movie spoilers ahead!!
I have many thoughts! So many thoughts! Before I get into them just a quick couple of things:
All image IDs are in alt text
I'm able-bodied, and I've been concious of that and done my best to stay in my lane, but please let me know if I've overstepped! Edit: I'm no longer able-bodied lol, but this is still something I feel I dont have much authority on
I'm just some guy, this is my personal interpretation of this, I'm not trying to say anyone else's opinion is wrong!! I just wanna share my thoughts
Okay alright let's get into it!
A lot of people interpret Donnie's soft shell to be a fatal weakness or an analogy for a disability, and I disagree! At least, in canon. I've seen a lot of content exploring his shell as a disability that I've absolutely loved!! I'm not talking about fanon or headcanons or AUs or whatever - this entire post is in the context of canon. I love it when people explore things that aren't touched on in canon (and I wish it WAS touched on more in the show) I just wish the series handled it better than what they did.
I'm also not saying that having a soft shell would not be a weakness or not make him vulnerable in certain situations! It's just I've seen people talking about it in a really black-and-white way; Donnie has a soft shell, therefore he's a lot more fragile and weaker than his brothers. I think it's a lot more nuanced than that.
For a start, Donnie's shell is MEANT to be soft- he's a spiny softshell turtle. This isn't a case of an injury or something else that's made his shell like that, it's just how it is. I don't think it's fair to say that his shell is inherently a weakness, in the same way that April, a human, isn't inherently weak because she doesn't have a shell. There are both pros and cons!! In the same way that there are both pros and cons to having a hard shell!
I've seen some posts that really rubbed me the wrong way, saying things like "Donnie's probably scared of beach balls because one hit his shell when he was younger and it bruised him" and similar, I can't recall anything more specific and I'm not going to go looking for them. It just. Really annoys me?? It's borderline infantilizing.
In the movie, Donnie's soft shell and how it could affect him in battle is addressed for the first time in the entire series - if I recall correctly, that is. Its been a while since I've done a full watch through, but I'm pretty certain.
I'm not a fan of how they handled it in the movie because of that. It seemed really out of the blue, and out of character, especially for Mikey and Donnie. All throughout the show, it's never been an issue or cause of concern, and now suddenly it IS. It's suddenly a HUGE problem for Donnie. If you're going to have a disabled-coded character, then COMMIT. Include it during the entire series, not just for shock value and to create tension.
Tumblr media
In the first scene, Donnie saves Mikey from being crushed by crouching over him. His battle shell is crushed, he's left without protection, and him and Mikey panic about it.
THIS scene makes sense to me, this scene I really liked! Their reaction makes sense, because in this situation, Donnie IS vulnerable. The ceilings caving in, the Krang are absolutely viscous, and they're losing the fight with no way out. At all. Not a great time to have ANY fleshy parts unprotected.
Once again it was a little jarring, just because it was literally the first time it's been addressed on screen. But that's whatever, nothing's perfect etc etc. I'd prefer it to be included late than not at all.
Tumblr media
It was THIS scene that really irked me. Donnie's asked Mikey to take off his battle shell for him, so that he can fully be submerged into the Technodrome.
Yes, taking off his battle shell in enemy territory is a cause of concern, but no where near to this extent. Donnie has fought many times without it with no issues. They're not even actively fighting here - Donnie's about to be absorbed into a cocoon of tentacles (which was so so gross shdjdm). Mikey being this worried makes no sense to me, and it's kinda insulting to Donnie to be honest! It's ignoring his past experiences, ignoring the strength and skill he has been shown to have.
I've gone through and watched all the scenes in the show where Donnie doesn't have his battle shell on (once again I might have missed some, but I'm pretty sure I got them all).
Mascot Melee
Tumblr media Tumblr media
This was a pre-planned move! Donnie wasn't forced into a defensive position, he put himself there in order to use his battle shell to blast the enemy back, and exposing his shell. He's already got another battle shell on standby waiting for him, so while it was a risk, it was a calculated one, and a very small one at that. His soft shell taking a hit would hurt, yes, but not seriously injure him.
The Purple Jacket
Tumblr media Tumblr media
His battle shells have all been stolen and he's PISSED, but he's not worried at all about having to go out and fight the Purple Dragons without the protection they provide.
Insane on the Mama Train
Tumblr media Tumblr media
This is the big one!!!
Donnie purposefully destroys his battle shells and walks into a fight he KNOWS will be dangerous, against enemies he knows are strong. Not only does he hold his own against them, but he kicks absolute ass!!! He knows his limits, his strengths and weaknesses, and he knows how to fight in the way that's best for him, specifically. His soft shell is not holding him back, he's adapted, he just has to fight in a way that's a bit different than his brothers!!
Also his brothers and Splinter are not shown to be worried or concerned for him at all during this episode. They know he can handle himself.
End Game
Tumblr media
This would've been a great opportunity to explore how having a soft shell would affect him in certain situations, but it's not addressed at all. They all get buried under rubble, Raph asks if everyone's okay, and they all get up and walk it off.
Many Unhappy Returns
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Once again this would've been PERFECT to explore how having a soft shell would effect him!! You can SEE the damage Shredder did to his battle shell - and his battle shell is not weak!! It's made of some pretty strong stuff!!
That SHOULD'VE hurt him, in a way that it wouldn't have hurt his brothers, and they could've done so much with this and they didn't and I'm MAD.
Todd Scouts
Tumblr media Tumblr media
There's not a lot to add here, the only thing to point out is that, again, Donnie isn't worried about his shell being unprotected, and neither are his brothers. I do find it funny how the second he's separated from his tech he goes completely feral I love him so much <3
the ONLY time his soft shell was EVER actually addressed was in Donnie's Gifts.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
And it wasn't about his shell, not really. It was about him being sensitive emotionally, not physically, and it was just a play on words.
They could've handled it a lot better in the movie. Yeah, it's tough to do when you're trying to add something that didn't exist in the series before hand, but there were so many ways they could've done it.
This is a bit of a sidebar but I never see anyone talk about this and I think about it literally all the time SO:
Donnie having a soft shell can also give him some advantages that his brothers don't have!!
Tumblr media Tumblr media
From Todd Scouts and The Purple Jacket. He's very flexible!! A great skill for a ninja!! He can sneak through smaller spaces, find more places to hide, and would be great in stealth missions!!
Because of his smaller, flatter shell, he can pass as human more easily! He was the first of his brothers to go in public alone, and without a full-body disguise. To a HIGHSCHOOL no less he is braver than me.
I also want to point out that having hard shells doesn't automatically make his brothers infallible. Yes, Donnie's shell can be hurt more easily, but he would be able to take a lot of damage before it's fatal. For his brothers, with their hard shells, if anything managed to hurt them, it would be very, very serious. A cracked or broken shell could very easily kill them.
There's a reason why, in the movie, Donnie protected Mikey from the falling rubble. That very likely would've crushed Mikey's shell, and that would've killed him. Donnie's battle shell and normal shell have some give to them, they allowed him to take the hit while getting away without being horrifically injured.
It's also very lucky Raph's shell got punctured through the lip, and not closer to the centre. That would've been very bad!!!
(If anyone wants to read about shell trauma, then the IDW comics are right there - Donnie's shell gets smashed, he almost dies, and has to wear a prosthetic, it's so fucked up omg)
But yes that concludes my essay on why I didn't like how the movie handled Donnie having a soft shell, and why I don't like how a lot of the fandom treats him. Thank you and goodnight it is 2am
1K notes · View notes
cherylmaso · 1 year
Text
how to get a grip and write soap non cringeworthy (by a glaswegian lass)
Tumblr media
this may or may not be half a rant. but. okay. okay. i made a post like this before, but i kinda wanted to detail it a little more as i've seen posts like these popping up, but made by english people.
so i'm gonna make one about being scottish for non scots and how to more accurately portray soap as scottish. this is probably mostly aimed at people from tiktok, so feel free to share it around. this is also educational as well as light-hearted and is meant to be taken as such, don't get offended or just be fr
1.) okay, i'm gonna start off by saying... some of these unintentional(or intentional) stereotypes are fucking mind blowing. i'm not one to necessarily get offended by things like this, but i think it's worth mentioning. not all of us play bagpipes, or run around wearing kilts... or - for the love of god - RUN AROUND SCREAMING "SCOTLAND FOREVER." honestly..... it's so odd? i know you would be heavily offended if i called you a fat american, but really what's the difference?
(also the scotland forever is so cringe. i've never in my entire life heard anyone from this country say that)
2.) since i don't think there's any canon of where soap was specifically brought up in scotland(city-wise), i'll have to go off accents and his voice actor for this point. which is alright with me, because scottish accents can be very easily identified.
a lot like the english, scottish people can have MANY varying accents, and a lot of varying phrases. for example, someone down in ayrshire might say "i ken" instead of "i know" whereas people from glasgow usually wouldn't. you catch me?
...now, soap. soap would not go around saying certain phrases. from what i hear, he sounds glaswegian/edinburgh, which is east/west of scotland. the tiniest... TINIEST... bit of research will unveil a plethora of things that people from there would actually say.
aye/yes, naw/no, cannae/cant, could'nae/couldn't, fizzy drink/soda, how/why(this one is weird)..... that's an extremely small portion but you get the point. the scots talk EXTREMELY different than americans do, we have new words for almost everything.
and, before i lose my mind, PLEASE STOP HAVING SOAP REFER TO HIS MOTHER AS MOM. thank you.
3.) the general cringe. i've literally seen people say he would refer to himself as a big scotty boy. no one in scottish history has ever referred to themselves as that unironically. ever. again, circling back to the similarities between the english and scottish, we both have very sarcastic/edgy/cynical humour. ours won't be the same as the americans. our definition of sarcasm differs from yours. headcanons are fine, sometimes, but it's so out of character most of the time if you aren't from the country. bro would NOT spend his free time listening to lana del rey but don't let that stop you from saying he would LMAO
4.) we don't call ourselves british. i mean, some of us do(if yer a bastartin tory x), but most of us will literally get offended if you call us british. we'd all just much rather call ourselves scottish. don't ask me why.
5.) also! please educate yourself on how to properly use scottish slang. the amount of things that just genuinely do not make sense is appalling. it takes two seconds. also my dms are always open... feel free to ask a literal glaswegian lass. context also matters. if you don't know what you mean, just shut the fuck up x
6.) ...he wouldn't be a tory. none of them would be fucking tories. none of them would be sad about the queen. i know americans can't comprehend we don't actually worship the queen in britain, but considering they all probably grew up in some form of poverty or just a bad household, they just wouldn't be tories. or they literally wouldn't care.
7.) props to codie for this point. circling back to the stereotypes, i think it's MENTAL to see what you guys think are "funny" and "relatable" when really, you're absolutely perpetrating harmful scottish stereotypes. ha ha you are so funny when you make jokes about soap being really aggressive and a "gremlin" and an alcoholic and ahahha scotland forever and ahahahha he has bagpipes as his alarm clock... sorry but it's really not as funny as you think it is. like, there's a line and a lot of the time all you cunts online love crossing it with your poorly written headcanons and tiktok videos. i think a lot of you deserve to be told that it's not okay. i know you would all cry if we done the same and also it's just kinda embarrassing
8.) learn our culture but don't forget theres so much more to it. this isn't even primarily about scotland culture but more so british culture as a whole. it's completely different from any other culture and it's also not super hard to do your research. kinda hard to explain if you're not part of it but yk what i mean. sometimes it's obvious to me that you guys don't care to educate yourself and don't care to understand different cultures but i appreciate those that do lol
9.) where soap is from, he wouldn't speak gaelic either. i'm sorry, he just wouldn't. not really a thing in big cities. it's scots he would speak, and there's a difference. don't say they're the same things or you """prefer""" to call gaelic scots. yes someone actually said that LMFAOO. scottish gaelic isn't just saying aye and naw either. jesus fuckign christ x if you don't understand the difference or what you're even saying then just don't say anything LMAO
that's all for now. i'll probably randomly think of other stuff to add, but for now it's currently 5am and i cba. sorry if theres mistakes/typos, again, cba x
also if u get offended u need to get a grip and this is obvs aimed at u. ok have a good day pookie bears xx
(i promise i don't have a problem with americans but it's funny how it's always you guys)
209 notes · View notes
writing-for-life · 7 months
Text
Writing Is The Loneliest Art...
A couple of days ago, this piece of art with a Neil Gaiman quote flickered across my desktop, and it made me think, so longish post about writing, mental health and human connection ahead..
The actual quote says:
The hardest part of being a writer is that you get lonely. It's just you and the stuff in your head and nobody else can do it for you.
I used to be a performer. I spent a good 10 years of my life in theatres and on stage. That can be lonely, too, but in very different ways. You find a "family" for a short while, and then the show is over, and you all disperse to heaven-knows-where again. Some of these friendships last, others don't, but even the ones that do are hard to maintain because of the nature of the job (if you a very lucky, your paths may cross again for another show).
But the difference, to me, was that I had a physical outlet. That's also stressful in many ways, and being a performer is hard and emotionally taxing (plus, the industry sometimes makes you want to vomit). But it is a very different feeling to channel creative energy into something that is physical.
When I write, I only have the words in my head and the blank page; if I am lucky, the words will come out in a way that stops the page from being blank. And although I wrote "Writing Is The Loneliest Art" as a headline, I imagine this must be quite similar for visual/graphic artists.
I was a writer before I was a performer. I came back to my first love, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Writing always was, and still is, the most truthful form of creative expression for me. I am also lucky enough not to have to earn an income with it (although I do) because I have a job that takes care of that (and thankfully one that comes in handy for character development and world building). But it is very easy to become trapped in your head and thoughts, to stop engaging with the life that is out there. And that life is important--for inspiration, for self-care, for human connection. To break these connections, knowingly or unknowingly, is a real issue for many writers. If I am not careful, it happens to me, too. I have a family, and I am constantly teetering on the edge of spending time in my head or with the blank page when I should be present with them. I can snap myself out of it, but it is not always easy to do, and most writers can probably relate. Because thoughts are thoughts and ideas are ideas. They don't care when they pop into your head, and they will try to claim space, whether the moment is "right" or not.
I have a self-care routine in place to prevent myself from getting trapped in my own head (that's maybe for another post), but it takes effort and constant reminders to get up from my desk, get out, get fresh air and move. Because I'd rather be in my head and write. I am an introvert, like many writers, but that's not a big blanket permission to stop connecting with life. Introversion and loneliness are not one and the same, and writers (everyone really) need to understand the difference. You need to pick up that phone, see people and surround yourself with humans from time to time for your own sake. Not just through your job. You need humans around you whom you truly connect with.
But back to different art forms: As a performer, I had the direct interaction with my fellow performers, and with my audience. I cannot stress enough how important the latter is, and I have said this on here many times: Art comes alive through interaction and communication. It connects us through shared humanity. And there are art forms out there that take care of that connection by default--I have felt the difference, and it is profound.
Yes, we can still write or create art as a form of processing emotions, and from a psychological viewpoint, this is healing and helpful.
But art needs to be both created and experienced. Every art ultimately becomes meaningless without the viewer/reader/audience. Art is never a one-way street.
Writers tell stories, but these stories don't exist in a vacuum. They exist because we can't help writing them, and we would always do it anyway, but they also exist because we want you to read them. And it means something to us to know they moved you, made you laugh, made you cry, made you find out something about yourself you didn't know yet, or they just helped you forget about the troubles you are going through for a little while.
So if you appreciate art forms that don't have direct audience interaction, let the artists know you did. It is not annoying us. We are happy about it. Most of us want that communication. And writers probably need it most...
79 notes · View notes
the-s1lly-corner · 11 months
Note
JONATHAN AND GN!READER AND THEIR ANTICS !!!!!!!
Antics w/ Jonathan and Reader!
I did a similar post yesterday!! (Linked at the end, hopefully, I'm mobile and sometimes tumblr can be weird)
I'm so so sorry it took my so long to get this request <\\3 I was trying to come up with new ideas so it could be different than the other ask <\3, which I highly recommend checking out! Imma be real I'm not totally confident in how this one turned out so that second post can be like an extra/make up <\3
I wasnt sure if you wanted this to be platonic or have them dating so!! It's mostly written as vague in that department!!
Tumblr media
Jonathan doesn't strike me as the person who goes out and does things a lot
Just. Wake up, work, home, sleep, repeat.. he'll sometimes send texts to friends and family to schedule a lunch here and there but
That's about it, hes not very social
So a lot of these antics are really going to be made through you making the plans; with the shenanigans really being unplanned byproducts
Honestly I can totally see Jonathan starting shit with someone, be it accident or on purpose, prompting both of yall having to hightail it out of the area
Reminds me of that part from one of the diary of a wimpy kid movies, where greg n rodrick do that fake puke prank on the guy and have to make a run for it
Actually I can totally see yall subtly being menaces and fucking with people
Maybe not a fake puke prank persay but
Yk?
No crime stuff; I only really see that becoming a thing after he becomes Spot! Both from how he worded his whole "turning to a life of crime" thing and the fact he just
Lacks the experience and confidence
Moving on
Maybe it's just my "let's get silly with the writing" part of me, or it's my need for chaos (arguably the same thing), but
I feel like
Somehow, you guys would accidentally probably maybe kinda sorta
Wreak havoc in ways spot could only dream of (before doing the whole. Bouncing across the multiverse thing)
Yall could probably start the day wanting to go to some food truck and
End it by spending a night in jail
Neither of you are allowed anywhere near food trucks after that /j
No but serious note, Jonathan is basically a hermit, he doesnt like leaving his apartment unless he has to; people are just, so
Eeuuughchk!
So when you two hang out it's either his place or yours
But that's not to say it isnt fun!
Hes got normal stuff people have in their homes, like board games and consoles
And also science doohickies
Yeah people have that in their houses, that's a normal thing
Ngl if you give him any ideas for machines or whatnot hes totally going to give it a try
See previous post with a trans s/o, he would make the transgenderinator if you asked him to
Well now hes just turning into doof
Ykw
I feel like he'd take you to alchemax to show off stuff but like
If you asked nicely
How can he say no to that face?
And also he has no backbone
That's not to say you would pressure him, though! Because that's not cool, dont pressure people. But like, he would cave in the way of "I know it's not that serious and I know they'll probably understand if I say no, but I don't want to ever risk disappointing them ever in my life, so I'm gonna say yes!" Kind of way
He just like me frfr
And this is assuming you even know about alchemax
Which personally, unless you're in some way associated with it, I'm p sure be would have a strong boundary to keep you out of it
This is really just turning into a general ramble <\3
Anyways
I dont have many ideas since I struggle with general hcs like this but!! Yeah!! Definitely recommend the linked post for a better more cohesive (?) List of ideas and hcs!! This post kinda
Made me realize I dont have many hcs for Jonathan outside of making his personality a smart pathetic science man
Gotta fix that , give him some hobbies n stuff in the future
Link to a similar post!
128 notes · View notes
astraltrickster · 2 months
Text
The thing is - okay, let's humor Matt and say, fine, your story is 100% true. There was a popular user who got banned after being mass-reported and upon review of their (which I use in this intro paragraph because we're pretending for the sake of argument that it could have been anyone and gender played no role in this whatsoever) account, it was found that - oops, the post that got attacked was totally innocuous, BUT they ALSO did do some other stuff that was very much a bannable offense.
The actions and statement I would make in that situation are probably along the lines of:
"Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We reviewed the case, and unfortunately, it's a fairly complicated one.
We've verified her [because I would, you know, fucking check what pronouns everyone uses] claims of harassment, and have taken action against the parties involved, including penalizing the blogs that were involved in the false reporting campaign and restoring the content that was taken down erroneously.
Unfortunately, upon review of the account, we did find multiple abusive messages to and about other users that were in violation of our terms of service. Because of this, we cannot in good conscience restore the account. The user has been made aware of the specifics of these violations, and if she would like to sign up again without engaging in this behavior, she is free to do so.
We are aware that this case was a very frustrating and difficult one for many people, and we apologize for the stress it has caused our community. We are constantly working to solve the open problem of content moderation systems being abused in the way we have witnessed here, and appreciate your feedback when something goes wrong, not least of all because we recognize the severity and the discriminatory nature of targeted harassment campaigns such as the ones faced by this user. If you see something similar happening, please don't be afraid to reach out, nor to use our reporting system for its proper purpose.
Thank you for using [WEBSITE]."
I would NOT-
Insist on keeping the fully SFW photos down because well the user DID have SOMETHING to get banned over so that's BASICALLY the same thing
Change my justification from "well she posted NSFW" - "I mean she THREATENED me LOOK!" [Looney Toons imagine spot] - "I mean she threatened and harassed me AND other users, really, I swear I have it right this time!"
Threaten to call the fucking FBI on someone over cartoon violence imagine spots posted for justified frustration with my website's moderation speed
Misgender/degender the user in question over multiple iterations until "well I'm just not SURE what that user goes by despite everyone and their grandma telling me in no uncertain terms 🥺" runs out of plausible deniability
DM the user's friends to insist that they just don't know the full story and really she was an awful person you gotta believe me
Go completely scorched earth on the user, past, present, and future
Continue to go on a days-long tirade about how no one UNDERSTANDS and no one has the full picture and refuse to provide even the slightest additional detail, expecting that if I just keep talking I'll find a way to please everyone
Admit that I believed there was no war in Ba Sing Se problem with arbitrary to bigoted harassment and the moderation system being too slow and overburdened to mitigate it at best and used to assist with it at worst until I was personally inconvenienced by the matter, despite the entirety of my marginalized userbase saying there was a problem since before I even took over the site and my predecessors having been under a legally binding agreement to fix it to the best of their ability which I then inherited
Choose THAT moment to say that yes there was at one point a rogue mod who got fired (partially because I or someone else representing the site would probably have made a statement about that AT THE TIME)
Threaten to delete the entire site over it
FOLLOW THE USER TO OTHER WEBSITES TO CONTINUE HARASSING HER
Otherwise shave years off my lawyers' lives
And okay. Sure. I'm no professional. In fact, someone who is a professional could probably draft a better version of that statement. If I were a professional, maybe I, too, would struggle to get it even this close to right under the stresses of trying to manage a website with more than maybe 200 users-
But that's WHY I don't manage a site at this scale. Because I know that I'm personally not cut out for that. Which is a level of self-awareness that more people in the online communications platform business sorely fucking need.
39 notes · View notes
desultory-novice · 4 months
Note
I recently found out that “weekend Susie” is a mistranslation and it’s actually called “susie on vacation” in jpn. I’m pretty sure she’s supposed to be Susie in the future like Manager Magolor..any ideas on why shes missing her hairclip and the “Secretary” title she always has in jpn? Susie is so hard to figure out..like how she only smiles three times in the entirety of robobot (once when she takes the program controller and twice when singing the noble haltmann but ONLY when saying the words father in jpn) so I’m curious on what your thoughts are on her (and unfortunately has the worst localization ever…i had to look at the robobot translations from @/kaialone on tumblr) sorry for rambling but shes so interesting to me and it’s a bit sad seeing how a lot of the details she has in characterization never get talked about
Anon...Did you somehow know I've been replaying Robobot in Japanese?! And it's basically strengthened my confirmation that some people - though less than before - are a bit too harsh and/or restrictive in their takes on both Susie and her father. 
That said, I do I try to give people room to "safely hate" these fictional characters as, for a lot of people, it may be one of their only ways of processing a gross problem that affects the real world/so much of history that they can't do much about.
But I love the silly/tragic Haltmann family. I'm sympathetic and even semi-defensive towards 'em. Which is why I'm happy to answer any good faith Haltmann asks.
Ahem! Also, before I get into it, I wanted to say that technically "Weekend Susie" vs "Susie on Vacation" is not a mistranslation per se.
What it IS is a localization.
休日 can mean "vacation," yes. When you break down the kanji, literally it is made up of the words "rest day." So it can also be just about any day when you're not working/not at school/not busy.
For most of western civilization (not me because I'm a contractor XD ) the weekends are people's "rest days." To read 休日 as "weekend" might not even be that much of a stretch/localization!
Probably explains the lack of "secretary" title. She's literally not on the clock! As for the hairclip, who can say...? Similar reasons? I know in Susie's case, it's sentimental, though hairpins in Japan often have this association with studiousness/"time to get serious" so removing it is an easy indicator "She's allowing herself time to be silly!"
I do like to imagine that this is a post-canon Susie though. That girl deserves something nice after her trauma...
Anyway, reminder that post-FL, the localizers have been working more closely with the Japanese team to create a more accurate translation for us. I know the wounds from PR's rough translation (and SA's fast-and-loose in weird places one) still hurt, oof, but the Kirby series is getting better about its translations!!
Actually... you know... there's not THAT many cutscenes...
Maybe I will make my own "If they'd hired Dess to translate Planet Robobot" translation of the game? I've already threatened several times to do a full translation of "The Noble Haltmann" with all references/metaphors intact...
But yes! Speaking of how Susie uses her emotions, I was so moved by something in her first meeting with Kirby, I actually wrote about it! And I'm going to share it here, because you might find it interesting~
-
So, I had my eyes peeled for any interesting bits of characterization left behind on the cutting room floor. Immediately, I was amused by how politely Susie talks to Kirby in the beginning. She doesn't really "talk down to him" or insult his intelligence in the slightest. (One could argue that it's a false business politeness, of course. Although she only breaks that in like, the second to last cutscene) Any dismissal of him feels very "company-mandated." (And the company is run by a murderous computer but leaving that aside...)
She gently praises how beautiful the water and the air on this planet is and that's when something... starts to change in her...
Susie gets impossibly sad. And her attitude changes COMPLETELY.
I stopped for a second reading this. "Hold on. What? Why does she lose her cool HERE? Is this some indication that the place she and her dad used to live on was a really poor planet without clean air and drinking water?" And heck, maybe that is the case!
But something else struck me about her line:
"...You don't even know the value of what you have..."
It's not the snooty we-know-better-than-you "misappropriation of resources" that is triggering her. It is having something precious right next to you and you don't even recognize it.
It's about her dad. Right from the beginning.
She can't NOT talk about it. It affects all her actions. Maybe another reason while I feel like it's better to judge Susie on a whole than any one individual action she takes, because (like Magolor, oops oops oops) she is masking her intentions alllll the time.
Also, omg, I know some people are still sensitive about the Mechaknight thing but that is PEAK grim humor in Japanese! It is treated way too cold and business-like in English, imo.
In Japanese, she starts to describe him exactly like she's telling her bestie that she just met the man of her dreams and then the WHAM line: "So, I gave him a full-body modification!"
Yes, it's unhinged. But it's also wonderful. (She's so Eggman-core.)
49 notes · View notes
ghostflowerhotpotch · 10 months
Note
Do you think that gwen stacy is trans?
Tumblr media
Yes, yes I do.
Now, the last time I talked about this I also mentioned I didn't see a point in making a post about it, because nothing I was going to say was going to be different than what you had probably already seen everywhere else.
That being said-
I had seen SO MANY idiots on the internet, to which I haven't replied (because I am also trans I used to know when or not to bother with people like that,) which had made me want to discuss the matter in my own words, even if I can't truly add anything new to the table.
So, I will probably do the same reasoning everyone else had already said, if anyone is still interested in reading it feel free, if not you can scroll. I will also address some common criticism of the theory.
Before we start the actual arguments, a few things.
No, I don't think if you believe Gwen is cis you are transphobic or something, as long as you are respectful.
I can't say how people see her or not, and while for me the evidence feels obvious, I know unless we have Gwen saying it (or someone close to her at least,) it cannot be sure one way or another. Remember that, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I am fine if someone doesn't think she is trans, but I do think believing is IMPOSSIBLE for her to be is when you are entering transphobic territory. The reason why I think this is dumb, aside of the evidence; is the fact that if a character doesn't need to say I'm cis at any point to believe so, Gwen shouldn't need to say I'm trans for people to HC her as such or similar.
With that out of the way, let's start.
Tumblr media
Going back to this image, we see that Gwen has a flag that says "Protect trans kids." Which to me feels like says a lot.
I had seen people suggest that "Of course she is an ally, she is a hero!" And while I could get Gwen being interested in helping people who face discrimination, since she deals with crime and such; the idea has me cackling more than anything else.
Is not impossible, but seriously, WHEN had you seen an ally with a flag in their room? It feels like an excuse someone who is in the closet would say; allies could have trans stuff or displayed in certain situations, but those situations tend to be in public, you know? Since being an ally means being vocal when you need to; there is really no reason for an Ally to have a trans flag in their room as decoration.
To top it all off, is on top of her door, not a window or anything, is obviously this is more for her than anything else.
Tumblr media
George Stacy has a trans flag on his uniform.
This...This a really big deal honestly.
In a vacuum is a small gesture, perhaps if you aren't part of the community you don't get why I think this is amazing. So let me say a couple of things.
He is supporting his trans daughter; maybe is because of my family, or because all of my current trans and non-gender conforming friends have parents who range from shitting to not very supportive in general. So having Gwen be trans, still be a teen, and her dad supporting her? FUCK that means the world to me, even if I think he isn't that good of a dad.
This is in his uniform, this isn't just supporting Gwen in front of her, but also when she isn't around. You would be surprised how many parents say to be supportive but be quiet while hearing about discrimination. This also can lead me to believe he will be supportive when other trans individuals are around.
He is a cop. In real life, I don't feel safe around cops for a multitude of reasons I will not get to because I don't want to get too political here. Regardless, the fact that he is the Police Captain of his department while having this shows that he can be supportive of trans people, is huge.
Now, I know the next piece of evidence has been debated A LOT, especially for people who honestly, have clearly no idea how cinema, animation, or art work at all.
Tumblr media
You know? Coding can be so funny at times.
There have been multiple times, when things had been coded on purpose, to the point I thought it was as subtle as a brick hitting your face; and yet I still find people who don't get it and just baffled me to not end.
Examples: Norma in Dead End Paranormal is coded as autistic, but it is never explicitly said on the show, (I think is mentioned in the comics? I know the creator is autistic.) However I never felt it needed to, because Normal has so many signs and hints that I clock her in the first episode, and the representation is so point it feels as if she needed to state she is a woman of color.
Nimona is another example related to the trans experience; seriously almost word for word what Nimona says can be applied to trans people, with the creator also being trans; and yet I was baffled to see some people saw the movie and didn't clock that.
Now, is what Gwen is saying in this scene talking about her experience being Spider-woman? Yes. However, just like Nimona didn't explicitly say she was trans, their entire story revolves around a trans allegory (As well as being likely genderfluid,) feels like is trying to say something.
Not to mention that this is a story, an animated one at that; everything you see on screen was put there by someone and animation tends to have fewer coincidences because you are going to be staring at this screen for a LONG time most probably. It was also noted by the crunch situation (which is again, horrifying and I think Chris Miller needs to find another way to work rather than wasting time and resources like he did,) that the writers had a tendency to tweak to make sure everything was on point; this couldn't have been thrown carelessly.
With all of this preface, Gwen's speech in this section? This could be played WORD BY WORD on a come-out speech.
"And they can only know half of who I am!" -> Having your real gender identity in the closet a lot of times feels like you need to hide half of who you are, from likings to aesthetics to even how you behave socially, it can be a big toll.
"So I'm completely on my own!" -> This is a common sentiment for people who are in the closet without support, because you are carrying all these feelings alone and have no one to understand.
"And now, I don't- I don't even know what the right thing is, anymore!" -> People may be a bit confused about this one, but believe it or not, it happens more often than you think. Should you transition? Should you wait a few years? Should you try to have this conversation with your parents, cousins, etc?
"But I know...I can't lose, one more friend." -> I don't think, I need to talk about how often people aren't supportive of trans individuals. I could talk more about this, but frankly, I don't need to. It happens, even to this day and age, especially in the current political climate.
To top all of this off, the reason why I singling this part (Aside from this speech being as subtle as the Ruby Gillman movie having the antagonist be a parody of Ariel.) Is the background.
The colors are just like a trans flag.
Now, I had seen people suggest that pointing at this is dumb because "that's just an homage to the covers!"
To which I said, no, this is the homage.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
And what the background is doing with Gwen in the speech scene is definitely not the same thing.
I find this argument really funny from an artistic point of view, but in case people are wondering why I don't think it counts, let me number a few things.
The covers do this lighting situation OUTSIDE, they normally depict Gwen being around the city on a landscape when things happen, not indoors. This is both the covers and the sky in Gwen's universe. But we don't see indoor places doing this really.
The colors blend, while you can see buildings and windows have their own colours, you can also see them going from orange, to pink and red on the exact same wall.
If you want even more proof of my support, let me show you what the artbook says about this (which includes the covers.)
Tumblr media
My point is, even if we try to argue that the covers had something to do; do you think in a movie where they already have Gwen had a trans flag, her dad had a trans patch; would have a moment when the speech mimics exactly the trans experience (or a big chunk for many people,) with the colors in the background being EXACTLY like a trans a flag, with creators and creative that they have STATED, the importance of color in Gwen's world and in Gwen specifically, somehow just choose colors at random at a pivotal moment of the movie?
And I am somehow the crazy one?
Biases
I like to believe I am a fair person, for the most part. Every time I do these analyses I try to be as impartial as possible, and when I know there is a chance my biases and personal opinion will come into hand, I said that much.
As I said before, I am trans, anyone who has seen at least my master post can probably guess I like Gwen. Having a character I dearly love be trans (Even if our situations are wildly different) obviously means the world to me, and perhaps I would have had a similar headcanon even without any hints or evidence.
Regardless, I don't think what I am saying is purely biased; things are put in movies for a reason, especially animated movies, and let me tell you something, has this been another character, especially if it was a new character? I don't think people would be debating this.
If we have a new character having a trans flag in their room, their dad having a trans patch, this narrative; I doubt anyone would be saying this is coding. (Honestly, we would probably have more dudebros saying this is woke garbage than the ones I had seen lol.)
Alternative theories
Now, since I have addressed the theory and some of its criticism, I can't just ignore the number of people had rather than thinking Gwen is trans, believe someone else is.
Theory 1: Peter is Trans
This isn't odd. Honestly if you had been part of the Spiderman community while being queer, or aware of queer readings, you would have probably come around to the fact that a lot of people headcanon Peter Parker as trans, in multiple different variants in different mediums.
Partially because the spidey-hero situation really mimics the trans experience (there is a reason why you can put Gwen's speech on a come-out scene while simultaneously being about her hero identity without either way sounding forced,) and depending on what source materials, other clues can apply. This post isn't about that and it is already extremely long, so I will not dwell on this.
With this theory in mind, Gwen and her dad would be having trans flag and patch in memory of Peter, since with this theory it was likely that was the reason he was bullied, and probably another reason why to experiment to become the lizard; since being bullied could make him feel like he needs to find a way to be more masculine.
And look, do I have a problem with people thinking Peter is trans? Not really, I encourage it, I personally like the idea that both Gwen and Peter were trans and they bonded over it.
However, I wouldn't want this to be in canon, why?... It feels like it would fall into some harmful stereotypes.
Think about it this way; if we go with this route, a trans teen was bullied, after showing he looks like he is kind of isolated (Gwen seems to have the band at least, Peter looks like he was a loner, and then Gwen started to put distance between them because Spider-woman issues.) Get's so desperate that in an attempt to be "special" (maybe even "better" and "stronger," if he felt he wasn't enough as he was,) tries to experiment with things he shouldn't dying in the process; to which Gwen and her dad then would try to fight for trans rights in his memory, as this theory also heavily implies Peter was bullied because he was trans.
And look, angst narratives had their place, and a lot of people like this narrative, heck I remember a book that does something similar (More than Gold is the name, tho the character doesn't die,) and that was written by a trans person.
Nonetheless, the idea to suggest the only trans person in this narrative, dies after ostracization and bullying, and their purpose on the story as a whole would be to fuel Gwen's pain, with the "protect trans kids" idea only happening partially because of her guilt; feels a lot like "bury your gays (or trans in this case,)" something akin to frigging (while Peter would obviously still consider a boy in this theory, having a character from a minority die to hurt/inspire a protagonist, feels deeply concerning.) Is just a combination of too many things that I dislike.
Again, if someone likes this idea I will not say they are a bad person or anything; but I would have fewer issues if it wasn't because a SIGNIFICANT number of those who said this theory, had also shown to be deeply transphobic; insisting Gwen is obviously not trans with non-arguments. Doesn't need to be everyone, but it still annoys me.
2. Captain Stacy IS the trans one!
This one is...interesting, to say the least.
This one is less frequent than Peter's, but I had seen it pop around enough that I decided to address it.
Unlike Peter's, this one doesn't carry horrible connotations. Well it would have the "only" (if we go with this theory and with no other "canon" trans parent in the story,) trans parent be also the one that tries to point a gun at his daughter, to also be so extremely stubborn even when she finally comes back he acts kind of petulant- okay all of these things are bad, however, they wouldn't need to be related to each other; since none of these are really stereotypes of trans men. That's something?
Anyways, the big idea behind this theory is that aside from being more plausible for an adult to use a trans patch because they are trans rather than because their kid is trans, it could be a possible explanation as to why there is no mom or mention of a mom, since this child could be in vitro.
Which, okay, not that bad; I don't think a lot of trans men would like the idea of being pregnant, however, it has happened before so why not.
I don't think this is a bad theory overall, I just don't roll with it because it feels kind of, lazy? Again, do as you may; but it feels that the people who did it were more interested in again, having an explanation for Gwen not being trans, while also not actively being transphobic. Maybe some people just want more trans dad content I don't know.
There are technically instances of both the Peter theory and the Dad theory that could dethrone both of these, but the one related to Peter makes me feel a bit gross to think too hard about, and the other George one could imply something things that one way or other I don't like when the reality is that is a few frames on a scene where the patch isn't the focus. Another reason is that hey, if I don't have solid evidence on my own, I am not going to nitpick at other fan theories.
Speaking of which.
Is this Representation?
Short answer: No, no it's not.
I don't even want to discuss if is good representation, because it doesn't feel like it is to begin with. Yes, I do believe Gwen is trans, but all the things I have are background references, that are okay, however not having a confirmation does sting. It doesn't have to be the focus of her character, yet is not even off comments really, just some clues around.
Do I think it doesn't have Merit? No.
I remember during the first days this movie was out, I read a comment from someone who was in Florida, who said when they saw the "Protect Trans Kids" flag in Gwen's room, started crying.
I think of myself, almost a decade ago, in a country that wasn't really welcome to gay people, much less trans people; of the discrimination I faced because of it. I think when I was a teen, grappling with all these feelings; and how I would had feel seen the badass and cool, Gwen Stacy as Spider-woman, having that trans flag in their room. I know I would have cried too.
We cannot act like things are perfect currently; the United States, England, and other countries are becoming increasingly transphobic; having these things in a PG movie, from a big company, that is released to a worldwide level and is making bank. Not to mention that as small as these details are, the movie did end up getting banned for it, not even censored.
I think we can get better representation, but it doesn't mean this is less huge or less special; even if it didn't touch me like it would have in the past, it had touched many people, and that's something I appreciate one way or another.
This is in itself, another reason why to love this idea.
Gwen being trans fits the themes of the story better
Stan Lee is obviously, talking about Spider-MAN, but it gets the message across doesn't it?
Part of the reason Spiderman became so iconic, was the idea that ANYONE could be Spiderman, this ended up involved in these movies too.
In Across the Spider-verse, we see multiple types of spiders, people from the future, and past, children, women, men, animals, and a popsicle at one point (literally.) The movie also has Miguel, who is the antagonist, convinced what makes them Spiderman/Spiderwoman/you get the idea- is decided by a cosmic force, with Miles claiming that Spiderman is an idea, a responsibility, but something much more diverse than "you need these events to happen in order to be considered truly spiderman."
In Into the Spider-verse, this idea is also shown, by having spideys that are not just Peter Parker, and how Peter while important, isn't truly the protagonist of this tale, he doesn't need to be.
This franchise hinders the idea that being Spiderman is more than a name, a gender, or your background; is about someone that when given the possibility of using their powers for their own gain or ignoring the call, decides to risk it all, to handle a difficult life, to try to do their best despite the circumstances; because the essence of Spiderman, is being a hero, and anyone can be Spiderman. Anyone can be a hero.
Gwen being trans, elevates this idea.
While I think having more Spider-woman content is empowering on its own, cis woman or trans, the idea of having a trans hero obviously exemplifies this idea more than having her absence.
If Gwen is a trans girl, it would mean having a trans girl who is a tridimensional character, a trans teen that messes up, that doesn't know what to do, but is also a hero, and wants to do her best like everyone else. It means showing a trans girl as someone beautiful, badass, and having a guy who adores her with all his might.
If the idea of having her Peter be trans could be problematic, having her be trans means having a great role model, means a story about trans joy where we are free to be more than our identities, because the idea of Gwen casually being a hero and also trans is amazing in its own.
Is not perfect, but I ultimately love this idea, because it brings me hope. It means comfort for some trans and trans teens suffering out there, it means perhaps someone out there will try to offer more stories on the big screen with trans teens.
I want to believe this because Gwen being trans means more for us and the narrative than it would be otherwise. Let us have our dreams.
94 notes · View notes
tonyglowheart · 1 month
Text
Thinking again (more, lmao) about The Contentious Chapter 45, and my Why It Needed to Happen thesis, so here are some more semi-organized thoughts on this topic:
Why It Needed to Happen: Yan Wushi edition. So, we don't ever really know what specifically Yan Wushi went through/experienced in his life and more specifically his childhood - we get hints here and there that seem to imply or can be interpreted to be that he's gone through some shit as Xie Ling, and that's (partly? mostly?) what led him to reinvent himself as Yan Wushi, and then there's also the New Years Extra that has a line about how he'd (already) witnessed countless evils borne of the human heart - but the text does tell us he has this belief that human nature is wicked, slash humans can be pushed to do wicked things no matter how "good" they may think themselves to be. As far as YWS knew by Chap 45, SQ was no different -- he'd received no proof yet that SQ was different, he just hadn't found SQ's bottom line. This is sort of similar to the abused child or abused dog thing, where they will lash out to try to provoke the abuse they're expecting either to "get it over with" or so they know where the line is with this new person (except these are purposeful tests that YWS is doing and not like a reactionary mechanism). Basically, this needed to happen for YWS to know/believe that Shen Qiao is different from what he's observed of human nature -- he needed this proof of concept that the world isn't just rival(/rival peers) -- the closest to equals he has, and rabble. This needed to happen to show/prove - to him and the reader - that there may be a thousand Chen Gong's in the world, but there is only one Shen Qiao.
Why It Needed to Happen: Shen Qiao edition. Shen Qiao is a good guy, but he WAS very sheltered and naive. He holds his beliefs firmly, but his worldly experience was limited and so his character was untried. It's the "it's easy to be a good person when you're rich" idea -- he doesn't know if he has a bottom line yet if he would snap. It's easy to say that you will stay true to your principles when they're not tested - it's when they're put under the stress test that you can truly say that you know yourself and your character. Yan Wushi threw him into a fire, yes, but in many ways this was a tempering of his character, much as one would temper steel. This whole experience very much was an absolute low for Shen Qiao, and it's easy to see fire (analogy) as only destructive, but fire can also be a creative force -- e.g. the forging/tempering analogy from earlier, fires used to clear out brush and weeds choking up the land so that new growth can germinate in the new fire-enriched soil, that kind of thing. This isn't to say that Shen Qiao doesn't experience agony in this metaphoric fire, but he also very much textually experiences a sort of epiphany and rebirth. This is both a spiritual (character-based) sort of rebirth, as well as a rebirth of his wugong. It's after this and after traveling with Yan Wushi that we see Shen Qiao exhibiting much more wisdom when it comes to people, where he's not just naively believing and expecting the good in everyone (I don't have specific citations but iirc this is textual, there's whole parts where it's like, before he might have thought x, but now having traveled with YWS he knows xyz, etc.) Yes this was "bad," maybe, but it tempered Shen Qiao, catalyzed his recovery/"rebirth," and overall led to the strengthening of his wugong and his character. (The conversation they have in Chapter 124 underscores this point, actually.)
Why It Needed to Happen: Yanshen edition. Or maybe more like, what does it do for us from a yanshen perspective lol. Cuz imo, it does a lot. I've posted about this elsewhere before lol, but like aside from the above for the YWS side of things, an argument can also be made that this was YWS going "wait. oh shit, I'm experiencing... feelings? for him" (narrator voice: that feeling was friendship, although he had never experienced it before) and like, lashing out at Shen Qiao like "that'll show you for thinking of me as a friend (and maybe making me feel friend-like feelings towards you..)" -- he was already softening before this (him digging that grave for the dead boy unasked, for example), and the way he's like. ....so you think of me as a... friend? before he pulls the rug from under SQ's feet. But this is important because it tells us that YWS *does* care. He's flippant and teasing and gives the impression that he does it for personal amusement and not really out of affection or anything, so really Shen Qiao may be his latest target of amusement, but it could be anyone. But the fact that he reacted like this to Shen Qiao declaring him a friend instead of just dismissing him as not being worthy of being his friend, not being on his level, etc (I mean he does also do that, but it's not the FIRST thing he does, and also I'd argue that when he Declared it contextually he was purposefully trying to hurt Shen Qiao's feelings), or like, just laughing at him and ridiculing SQ for something so preposterous -- this tells us that he IS feeling some kind of way about Shen Qiao already, that something HAS changed and Shen Qiao went from "latest disposable amusement" to at least "point of fascination." We're not in the endgame yet with this, but it does show that for all that Yan Wushi is trying to influence and "experiment" on Shen Qiao, traveling with Shen Qiao/being around him is conversely having an effect on him, too. That he's not just some unchangeable flat "evil" archetype but is also a complex character that responds to stimulus/reacts to his environment and is capable of being influenced by Shen Qiao. Theirs isn't just a one-sided relationship of one influencing the other or one trying to change the other-- it already by this point is a mutual communion between the opposing but complementary worldviews they hold and embody. They're already like if the taijitu were people (sans the dots in each section-- that comes through the course of the story with their mutual temperings). The same or similar actually holds for the SQ side of things too. Actually, the very fact that he feels anguish from this act and finds it a betrayal is also a very huge indication that Shen Qiao also already cares. I mean, yes, he declared YWS his friend, but like YWS said when they were burying the boy - you didn't even cry when your shidi Yu Ai betrayed you - or later when YWS was about to face Hulugu and SQ says if he were to do it, it would seem natural, but if a friend were to do it, he'd worry. and YWS is like, a friend? If LQY were to face Hulugu would you feel the same way? -- Basically, a similar idea holds here. Would you feel the same way if it were someone else? Yu Ai betrayed him, we didn't see him experience this level of individual, personal anguish. Chen Gong betrayed him, he just kind of sighed and moved on. But coming from Yan Wushi... he reflects on how much it hurt, actually. I still hold to my theory that SQ fell first and by this point was already at least kind of in love with YWS, but even that aside, the very fact that this "betrayal" hurt SQ shows that Shen Qiao, like Yan Wushi, despite seeming above worldly/petty matters slash is disconnected from such normal-people-problems like getting your feelings hurt or, godforbid, heartbreak -- are very much not above that, at least, not when it comes to each other. They're not just two ships passing each other in the night -- they're already mutually entangled together, and this growing bond will only grow stronger as they travel more together
24 notes · View notes