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ae-neon · 11 months

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Nesta Vs ACOSF, a rambling rant

TW: mentions of sexual assault and abuse

Besides the "love" story that read like a quiet descent into domestic horror, ACOSF has one element that keeps me from being able to pick it up even just to sift through for Nesta gems: sex.

Here me out, I'm not a prude and I think we could have gotten a smutty romance but...

At her core, Nesta has always been a proud and modest person.

To be clear, with pride, I mean that her sense of self - her famous steel spine - has kept her together and unbroken even during harrowing circumstances. It's vital to her. It's so ingrained in her that - given we have no other explanation - we can assume it's what shields her mind from literal magic. However, like any trait, her pride can also be a thing that comes off as negative in the wrong situations.

With modesty, she was raised to keep a certain ideology that based her value on sex, beauty, marriage etc but it's important to understand that Nesta applied those standards inwards, at herself. (Eg In acotar, she brings up Feyre and Isaac in defence of her and Tomas, in acomaf, she is mostly upset about not hearing from Feyre or being notified that Feyre has switched courts - not about Feyre sleeping with Tamlin and then Rhys)

Now, I don't think Nesta's modesty makes her better than Feyre, in fact I was happy to get the representation of two different types of views on sex

But what I didn't consider at the time was that SJM was painting this out to be a negative trait.

In retrospect it seems obvious even though Nesta has defied her narrative destiny and become a sort of icon, at the end of the day she was still supposed to be written in a negative contrast to Feyre.

It seems funny but imagine you consumed the book the way Sarah intended, the way so many in the fandom have. The old Sarah Says rule, for my long time mutuals.

For example:

The dinner in acomaf - it's obvious Nesta is upset that she hasn't heard from Feyre only to have her come through not only as a whole Fae but bringing others and endangering their entire family.

But imagine it as a one dimensional reading and suddenly the "I fuck" dialogue is a girlboss moment of feminism giving a fuck you to the strict patriarchy of the "mortal lands" let's ignore how the Fae are actually more patriarchal and the Illyrians even more so than that

So understand that Nesta's modesty is being directly contrasted with Feyre's sexual freedom. The reader - at least from sjm's perspective - is supposed to agree with Feyre and disagree with Nesta in a sort of win/lose, yes/no, black/white dichotomy.

And because sjm is consistent and boring and a self-inset author, this dynamic doesn't change even when the protagonist does.

Only now sjm and her feminism has changed from fuck-whoever-I-want girlboss to kinky-but-only-with-my-husband tradwife

So Nesta can't be prudish and cut off because 1) it's not as conducive to the breakdown of self and buildup of a dependent and abusive relationship and 2) it's not in direct contrast with Feyre's current monogamous, traditional family values character.

So Nesta starts drinking and sleeping around and it's not because we're going to explore the unraveling of the pride and modesty at the core of the character as part of her transformation or as a result of her trauma

But because it's supposed to be a bad look, degrading, it shows she's failed, it makes her a loser

All of that is already insane. And even more so when taken with the context of her assault by Tomas and the sex centred relationship she has with Cassian

Now add to that the fact that in the book, Nesta is an object of desire for 2 villains and undergoes assault and drowning AGAIN

Sjm literally gives less than 2 fucks about SA, that much is obvious even from the way she inflicts and then disregards the experience of both Feyre and Rhysand respectively. It's a tool for her, a quirky story element

But to have Nesta experience such a similar thing - especially when the experience of being Made can be read as a sort of rape allegory on its own - and all for the sake of "romance" fantasy??

Even Nesta's reading habits are sexualised, to be clear I don't think there's anything wrong with reading smut, but the scope of her intellect and reading is narrowed down when we're suddenly made to believe most of the books she reads are smut.

This is someone who likely taught herself economics and investment within months in order to not just pay off the debt, upgrade her whole family's way of life but also rebuild the family fortune. Someone who, having stopped schooling at around 14/15, did the math needed to calculate the feasibility of the evacuation of a small country.

Someone who's verbally stated life goal was to see what a woman could make of herself in the world.

Even her love of reading is used as a stepping stone for how horny she is, instead of it being a result of her deeply ingrained need for escapism

She reads smut because the only thing she has in common with Cassian and the IC is sex. Because sjm thought one of the core elements of a friendship between 2 SA survivors and a disabled woman from a culture that mutilated her for being born a woman would be their desire to fantasise about men.

All the while the male love interest treats her like garbage.

We could have had a smutty book filled with sex where each scene could have been the growth of Nesta's trust and love of Cassian through intimacy. It could have been a sexual relationship that involved and explored kink - which explored vulnerability and the negative impact of how Nesta's pride became a source of stress and strain.

It could have been an exploration about the complicated relationship with desire and oppressors that many survivors have. But it isn't.

It's hahaha horny, so RELATABLE

Even when it comes to the abusive situation Nesta grew up in, it's just hung up like decoration on the character. Not explored, let alone healed. I don't wanna hear that sjm explained or explored Nesta's abuse when we don't even get her mother or her grandmother's names

We don't get

The complexity of being a trapped and abused woman who came from a trapped and abused woman who came from a trapped and abused woman

Or the complexity of a dysfunctional family

Or even the journey of recovery from addiction and self-harming behaviour

Now, not every aspect of Nesta or any survivors lives have to boil down to how it relates to their experiences but SJM is praised for her "recovery" and so much of this book is about sex and abuse but has no depth

It could have been a less-deep, fun experience of sex and desire and kink. But no

Nesta has sex with many faceless men because sjm is condemning her as a failure. Sex is her punishment, it makes her dirty and unworthy and cheap.

Then, through her "healing", she becomes a sex doll for the right guy. Sex is her reward, it makes her hot and useful and appealing.

Sjm writes not just like a man but like a particularly talented misogynist so it's the way sex is used that really puts me off

Edit: ultimately I think the sex and romance should have interacted with and evolved her pride, modesty and past experiences, rather than those things being demolished to turn her into a sex doll

#anti acosf #anti nessian #anti sjm #acotar rant #nesta deserves better #sjm critical #nesta archeron

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escapismthroughfangirling · 25 days

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Some of the criticism of the show is valid and some of it is just...people lacking any sort of nuance or comprehension skills.

1) "They are stupid and irresponsible for being together in the public". Yes, but also the public doesn't know ji han is a chaebol and ah jeung is a no name actress. The public also doesn't know who Dohan's financee is. Only the wedding has been announced. It's not surprising at all that the two dumbasses thought they could be together without being seen. Ji han has no reason to believe his step siblings would send a reporter after him knowing it's Dohan's position they are after. Something so obvious shouldn't be have to be spelled out by the writers for you lot.

2) "How could that bitxh Ah jeong have the audacity to have feelings that don't revolve around Dohan? She should have continued being miserable and uncomfortable because it is only Dohan's safety and comfort that matters." No woman should put herself through so much pain for another man not even for her gay best friend. If you want to watch women make decisions centered around their relationship with a man then plenty of shitty BLS and works by incels with one dimensional fl characters exist.

3) Dohan, ji ahn and ah jeong are flawed human beings. None of their mistakes deprive them of their humanity and their right to love and be loved.

4) kdrama viewers have a meltdown every time a character makes decisions that are not the most ethically, culturally or rationally correct. It's not bad writing if a character makes a terrible choice CONSISTENT with their character.

5) But the outrage is always more loud for a FEMALE character every single fucking time. Like clockwork. Not only are you guys consistently boring with the demand for characters to stay conventional but also consistently MISOGYNISTIC.

6) Both ji han and ah jeong fought their feelings for each other before finally giving in. It wasn't immediate. They both are clearly guilty. Both of them wanted to talk to Dohan about this. He was the first person they wanted to talk to. He was on their minds on the date too.They only went out together as a couple to a STRANGE PLACE for ONE DAY where they thought they would be safe. Why are people acting like they have been hiding their relationship for ages? They didn't even get the chance to be public yet. NO, THEM ROAMING IN A STRANGE PLACE DOESN'T COUNT AS PUBLIC BECUASE NO ONE AROUND THEM KNOWS.

7) MEDIA SHOULD NEVER CATER TO YOUR MORALES OR FEELINGS. This world consists of average people who make horrible choices and who hurt themselves and others. I like watching them on screen. Hope more kdramas are courageous enough to experiment with genuine character flaws that aren't just being 'quirky' or a 'tsundere'.

8) None of the characters one this show are 'morally dubious or gray'. They just are people with flaws. Idk maybe read a book or two or watch peaky blinders.

#wedding impossible

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luciddownloading · 7 months

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Tarot Reading: What Is Your Main Character Energy?

Good evening/morning/afternoon. Whenever this finds you! I am choosing to do a classic today; one that all my favorite readers have done: what is your main character energy? Please know that "main character" does not mean being self-centered or making everything about you. It just means how you can best live out your life story. How are you the protagonist of your own movie or novel? Because we all are, whether you embrace that concept or not. Embracing it moves you into your main character energy.

Choose the pretty picture of the mirror below that you feel most drawn to. Then, scroll down to your pile's description. It's okay to feel drawn to more than one. Not only because all the aesthetics are aesthetic-ing but because your main character energy may be so dimensional and complex that you can't be described by just one pile.

Trust your intuition. If it doesn't sound like you or the potential you have within (but may not have grown into yet), it's not your pile. Take what resonates and leave the rest.

PILE 1

PILE 2

PILE 3

PILE 4

(Clarifying cards in parentheses)

PILE 1

Five of Pentacles

(Two of Pentacles, reversed)

Seven of Cups

(Eight of Pentacles)

The Fool, reversed

(The High Priestess)

Two of Swords, reversed

(Six of Pentacles, reversed)

Two of Wands

Pile 1, I am feeling like you guys are dreamers. Big dreamers. But, you're not just about the dreaming. You're also about the hard work and the effort needed to make those dreams come true. Your main character energy stems from the fact that you are equally pragmatic and idealistic. Your head is in the clouds but your feet are on earth. But, what people underestimate is how HARD this balance is. It's really difficult for you because, until you come to a place of inner peace, one side of yourself is constantly disappointing the other. If you cling to your fantasies, you feel like a failure who isn't getting anything done. But, if you try to live in the "real world", you feel trapped and claustrophobic, like you're killing your dreams by conforming to a normal, boring life or approach to it.

Here are two things you probably need to hear right now. 1) There is no such thing as "the real world". Nothing is real and everything is real. It all depends on the reality you create every day with your thoughts. Don't let this dull, unawakened, unimaginative society kill your beautiful, magical spirit. At the same time 2) You need to make sure you get and stay grounded. You all who chose this pile have VERY high frequencies and powerful energies. You are also great manifestors. But you can very very easily manifest what you don't want, as your vibration is so strong. You can't afford to be a manifestation skeptic or not be conscious of this part of life. It will really really slow you down. This is a call from your Guides to consistently work on the grounding techniques and practices/meditations needed to anchor on the physical. Earth is the worst, at times, because of some humans in it but also so beautiful in other ways. You move into your main character energy when you fully embrace being on this plane and allow yourself to cultivate a very abundant life.

I am getting a heavy vibe of "artist" from this pile. And I say this because, with love, there is also a major "struggle bus" energy here. Many of you know all too well the life of being a starving writer, actor, singer, dancer, etc. But, don't allow yourself to settle for that! You have major blockages to your manifestations, which may even stem from past life experiences of poverty or financial loss. That feels very comfortable to you. A lot of you claim to not care about money, to not be materialistic. But, do you maybe subconsciously feel like you don't deserve financial abundance or material success? Also, while it is noble to sacrifice for your art, there is a message here about not romanticizing that struggle. Rent still needs to be paid, my good sis. Here again is the importance of balancing your dreamy, imaginative, idealistic side with practical concerns. And you can do that without becoming a slave to capitalism.

All The Small Things by Blink 182 just came through, particularly the lyric "Work sucks, I know." Maybe you hate your day job or don't want to get one? If you're not pursuing an artistic path, I wouldn't be surprised if you still had a creative side. Maybe you gave up your dream of being an artist to pay the bills. Well it's not too late to pursue that dream! You are being urged to not let the world turn you cynical. There is a big dream you have and I feel like many of you haven't quite gotten there or haven't pursued it yet. But please know that you can and will. I think you need to change how you view yourself. You are SO much more capable and impressive than you give yourself credit for. Be very very careful with how you speak of yourself in this way. If you keep referring to yourself as a mess or a loser or broke, that's how you will remain. You can't level up til your thoughts do!

I feel like you guys are very free-spirited. Colorful and fun. You can make the most of any situation, which may be partially why you don't change your adverse financial/professional situation. It just doesn't faze you anyway! Going back to All The Small Things, your energy reminds me of that music video. Playful and silly. You are, though, capable of taking your goals very seriously. If you allow yourself to. Again, a juxtaposition of two opposites. You're a walking contradiction! You also, per the lyrics, find such joy in life's little pleasures. It's lovely and even childlike.

Also, you are highly intuitive. Please stop brushing it off or being afraid of it. Your logical side can make you very resistant toward your psychic abilities. But, they still play a major role in your life anyway. It's funny. You have a strong psychic gift that you are pretty much always using but rarely noticing or believing in. Lol your Guides find it kind of funny too (in a loving way) because you are always in communication with them but you just see it as so normal, you don't realize it. Some of you are natural mediums. You may want to research that because you could discover a whole part of yourself you didn't know you were using. And you may make good money as a spiritual practitioner. Yeah, some of you have a LOT of fear about developing your intuitive gifts. Please know and trust that you are protected. I think you have one Guide in particular who is meant to help you develop your gift and will be your intermediate to the other side, keeping all the negative energy at bay.

Very artistic people are usually very psychic and vice versa. Either path could be the one for you or you could do both. Here's the thing. You picked this mirror that looks like it's in a rich person's mansion. And I am going to reveal your dirty little secret so don't hate me for it: you want to be wealthy. Deep down, you do. That could mean making six figures or being a millionaire or just always being able to pay your bills without any worries and have plenty of disposable income. Don't worry. It doesn't make you a bad person! You owe it to yourself to tap into your abundance.

Your main character energy is being very well off, a success story, maybe even a rags to riches story. If you want to live a fabulous life, please do what you can to manifest that for yourself. Do not feel guilty about that. And don't let people and their limiting beliefs keep you small, in a state of struggle or lack, or from pursuing what you want. If someone wants to "eat the rich", then they can have your future wealthy self on a plate with some Tobasco sauce. And if someone tries to kill your dream, know that it exists in your head, not theirs.

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PILE 2

The Hierophant

(Queen of Cups)

Four of Swords - reversed

(The Hermit - reversed)

Ten of Wands

(Knight of Cups)

King of Cups - reversed

(Page of Cups)

The Empress

Pile 2, your energy is precious. You guys are such sweethearts! I not only get an adorable, kind, bubbly vibe from you but a very feminine one. It doesn't matter what gender you identify with, you have strong feminine energy. That is a big part of your main character energy: femininity. In particular, it's more of what's known as "light feminine" energy: soft, kind, perky, nurturing, pretty. I got two images in my head: Elle Woods from Legally Blonde and Anna Faris' character from The House Bunny. People may unfortunately underestimate you because you are traditionally feminine but it's their mistake if they do. You are a force to be reckoned with in a cute package. Iron fist in a velvet glove.

Some of you may resist this main character energy because you want to be taken more seriously. You might try to hide or deny your soft, sweet or aesthetic side. Well, don't. It's through this energy that you come out on top. I have to say that people ADORE you, whether you realize it or not. You might be too focused on your flaws or your dark side to realize that everyone thinks you are just this really nice, really loving little cinnamon roll. That may be how some underestimate you but not out of malice. People can dismiss many of your shadow traits, too busy idealizing you, and you can get away with murder sometimes, low-key (I am tempted to say high-key but I don't think y'all are manipulative like that. Unless I'm also underestimating you lol)

You excel by holding yourself to some sort of lovingly high standard, if that makes sense. "Love thy neighbor" and I don't mean in a religious sense (though some of you could be). I just mean being very loving, very compassionate and encouraging. You kill with kindness because this is not only how you rise above negativity and hate but how you get ahead in life. You become the main character by showing how many more bees you get with honey than with vinegar.

I would not be shocked if many people find you angelic or call you an angel. That, by the way, does not mean you're perfect or all-good. It just means you're capable of exceptional empathy or kindness or service to others. You struggle with tremendous guilt, though. Many people pleasers in this pile! If not, then you are definitely an "over-giver", someone so generous and available that they just let people take and take. And take and take and take. Please recognize when your energy is being drained, when you're taking on way too much. Honor your boundaries! There can be something of a martyr complex here. You were not meant to take on the weight of the world! Also, you can't save people! You have to let people work through things themselves.

I think you have a very, very rich inner life, as well, Pile 2. People might also not suspect this because of the bubbly exterior but you are capable of diving deep, sometimes painfully deep. As such as an empathic person, you are also often processing others' emotions as well as your own. There is like this huge "depression/anxiety rabbit hole" that you can easily fall into that may kind of haunt you. No matter how happy you are or good things are going, one step in that melancholy direction of thoughts can easily derail you. It's important for you to monitor your thoughts and know when you're about to "go there". You shouldn't repress those states if they naturally arise but you also should know what to do when they do. So you can prevent yourself from spiraling. Some tips I am getting: writing poetry, meditating, gratitude journal, singing, any hobby that can calm you down and get you to focus on something else. Knitting, maybe? Painting. Take all that applies.

Also, um, you are gorgeous. Whether you believe it or not. People find you so beautiful, inside and out. For some, there is an emphasis on your outer beauty, maybe a bit excessively, to your frustration at times. The good thing? Your main character energy allows you to not only exude beauty in all ways but to get many people to also see past it. "Yes he's really good-looking but he's also so talented!" "She is stunning yet she's also just an amazing person." Your looks are the cake icing, not the cake itself. Some people may take a while to realize this. But, again, like the aforementioned main characters who were written off as mere pretty faces, you inevitably surprise the ones who think that when you display all the layers and facets and talents you have.

At the same time, don't be ashamed of taking pride in your appearance, putting effort into it. It's not a sin to want to look good! You are very popular with your preferred sex(es). Yes, you are a regulation hottie. Own it. Some of you may struggle with it if you had an adult "glow up" after years of awkwardness but there's nothing wrong with embracing your attractiveness. At the same time, there may be a bittersweet irony here because you aren't always treated how you deserve by love interests or romantic partners. You are more drawn to counterparts with a very masculine energy yet there can be a pattern of choosing very emotionally unavailable or immature people. And since you're so kind and giving, this is often a recipe for heartbreak. I am sure a particular person or two just came to your mind lol.

But you know what? I get the sense that these love interests end up regretting their actions. They may break their own heart by letting someone as precious as you get away. And as time goes on, you will gradually learn your lesson about giving your heart away to those who force you to do all of the heavy lifting. While you will learn the hard way, your love life will get increasingly satisfying with each painful lesson in relationships. That beautiful heart of yours will never shut down. You refuse to let it and will probably end up teaching one or more of those unavailable lovers what true love means, allowing them to turn it around and become much more open-hearted. But, again, don't try to do that for them.

Oh, I almost forgot your channeled song. It's weird because many girl-anthem pop songs came through but none really stood out. So, I will do something different. Pick your favorite female pop star and do a shuffle playlist of her music. The first song that comes up is your message.

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PILE 3

Five of Cups

(Nine of Cups - reversed)

Two of Pentacles - reversed

(The Wheel of Fortune - reversed)

Nine of Wands

(Seven of Swords)

Justice

(Nine of Pentacles - reversed)

Five of Swords

Wow, alright, Pile 3. I think you're in need of a hug and I am sending one to you energetically. There is some very intense and very painful energy to this pile. Unfortunately, that is part of your main character energy: to work through a lot of pain, heartache, even trauma. The pitfall is that you can make the mistake of believing that this suffering is your identity. You are not your trauma. That trauma is made up of so many lies that others told you or that you even told yourself to cope with your situation.

But you know what? You did the best you could at the time with the inner tools you had at the time. Many of you may be on a healing journey but then shaming yourself for ways in which you were once self-sabotaging or defensive. Instead, be grateful for your past self. You had to be that person you were then in order to become the person that either you are now or that you will grow into. But, I can see some of y'all tormenting yourselves by replaying certain mistakes or moments that weren't your finest or proudest. Okay, so you messed up. We all do. Please take yourself from down off the cross. You deserve forgiveness and compassion and that starts with yourself.

It's Been Awhile by Staind keeps playing in my head. If you don't know that 2000's emo classic, please give it a stream/look up the lyrics. There may be a message for you in it. You are the main character by being quite emo. You might be a Millennial who came of age in that era and listened to a lot of emo bands. My Chemical Romance may be significant. Also, Green Day. Regardless, there is a quality to you that is like a moody, tortured teen. And I am not trying to mock you or be dismissive. After all, teenage pain is just as real and valid as an adult's. It is just not expressed with as much perspective or reason. No matter how smart you are, you can lose all perspective entirely when your triggers or unresolved feelings arise and it causes you to blow a lot out of proportion.

But, I also think it's because you struggle intensely with having faith: in yourself, in other people, the Universe or life itself. Even if you're more spiritual, I think you can still feel as if the Universe is actively "punishing" you. Big fears about the rug being pulled underneath you. But, you have been badly betrayed in the past. Whether by romantic partners, friends or family, I think there are certain incidents from the past that you've never gotten over and that heavily influence your decision making to this day. Going back to the teenager thing, I feel like there are certain things from your teens you need to purge as well.

Yeah, it may be especially difficult for you to believe in relationships. A partner or two in the past really did you dirty. But, you don't have to define yourself by that! Your main character essence is more so about deciding whether you want to keep living in the darkness or embrace a more positive path. To know that happiness is possible. And to also trust in yourself. You might believe you don't deserve a stable, functioning relationship or that you'd inevitably screw it up. But, your life does not have to be defined by these self-fulfilling prophecies. You are often way too convinced that your pessimism and fear are reality.

There is this meme that I cannot stand that goes "You can't hurt me. I seen it coming two months ago when I was overthinking." Maybe you like that meme or have posted it before and feel called out lmao. Well, I say this to say that mentality is bullshit. Overthinking is nothing but a defense mechanism. But, like all defense mechanisms, we think it's helping us when it is often only robbing us of actual, genuine happiness. It's all motivated by fear and a need to stay safe. I know I am psychoanalyzing a meme but I saw people in the comments of that post arguing about how right it is and how they do the same thing and that it isn't toxic and that just troubled me lol. But I digress. Long story short, you don't need your defense mechanisms and protective walls as badly as you think you do.

I am also getting a message about a relationship in particular that could be very pivotal. But it will be pivotal because it will be the catalyst for you to find real happiness, either with this person or in general. You don't feel very worthy of good things and you may not feel good enough for this remarkable and impressive love interest, who will be all that and a bag of chips to you (and many others). But putting them on too high a pedestal is a sign that you need to love yourself. This person may either explicitly or indirectly compel you to do that. In spite of the positive lessons, there could be something tragic about this situation. It may end in more heartbreak but you could turn it all into a valuable experience, if you let it. Or maybe, fittingly, for your dramatic life, there's a big breakup but even bigger reconciliation. In any case, you are being challenged to be very conscious of the narrative you craft for yourself. Do you want to continue the drama or do you want to flip the script and live the happy life that you deserve?

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PILE 4

Nine of Cups

(The Hierophant)

Knight of Swords - reversed

(Three of Wands)

Three of Cups - reversed

(Six of Swords - reversed)

The High Priestess

(Four of Pentacles - reversed)

Ten of Pentacles

Pile 4, I can tell right off the bat that y'all are my wild things. I wouldn't be surprised if you were also drawn to Pile 1. (But, only check it out if you were. Don't let me sway you) There was a similar feeling there but it was more free and whimsical. This pile is a little more... dangerous, I would say. Not in a psychotic way. Just extreme and bold in a way that may unnerve others at times. And even if you don't think you're all that crazy, I would say you do a good job of acting more restrained or "respectable." But, you can really live on the edge: making radical changes or life decisions, taking risks others wouldn't dare take, throwing caution to the wind.

I keep hearing that Born To Be Wild song and I don't want to disturb the flow of my channeling by Googling the artist. Lol but you probably know which one I am talking about. A few rock songs, actually. Lithium by Nirvana is another one, which makes sense. I think you feel as if traditional society wants to stifle you, place you in this cage and force you to conform. Your family of origin, in particular, might be very conservative and I don't mean politically. I just mean having very rigid or judgmental ideas about what's right or acceptable. But, you were not having that. I get big "black sheep" vibes from this pile. Yet, I think you had to grow into that. Many of you may have succumbed to your family's pressures and expectations when you were growing up because you had no choice. Now? You live life solely on your own terms.

It's notable that you chose the only picture outdoors, in the wilderness. You might have a deep love of Nature or outdoorsy ventures like hiking or camping. More so, it represents that unfettered spirit you have. Travel is also being highlighted. Some of you may life very far from your hometown and like it that way. I don't see you as the type of person eager to go to their high school reunion or something. Far from it. I think you are so adventurous and forward-moving that you are constantly outgrowing your past experiences. Or, more accurately, at times, trying to outrun them.

Growing up, you may have felt like your hometown was too small or boring to contain you. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson could be significant. You dreamed of the exciting, fulfilling life you'd be having once you grew up and got out. You were the school or town outcast/misfit. While you have successfully escaped that environment, I think you may underestimate how much you're still carrying it with you. There is a certain trauma that stems from being so harshly judged by family or peers and so unable to truly be what they want you to be. Instead of compensating for that all the time with your fierce confidence (which is a strength, don't get me wrong), you could benefit from honestly addressing and healing that.

You also might be surprised to recognize how much you have been positively shaped by where you come from. And this could just mean the actual place. After all, you can take the boy/girl out of (your hometown/state/country) but you can't take it out of the boy/girl. You might, after years of travel and adventure and living in various places, finally be able to circle back and honor your roots, possibly by even moving back. Time heals wounds and maybe you'll fall in love with your old stomping grounds again after some maturity and absence. This could also reconnect you with many people from your past, like old friends or even family, if you're comfortable or things are healthy enough. As you get older, after a lifetime as the prodigal son/daughter, you may be shocked to suddenly become very family-oriented and (dramatic gasp!) even traditional. A little bit. Kind of. Especially if you start your own family, which I think you will absolutely adore if you do.

So, your main character arc can be of the chaotic wild child who gradually settles down in life. But, you will remain crazy, in the best way, and larger-than-life. You have this amazing magnetic aura as well as this mystique to you. Though you may seem expressive and out-there, people don't know you nearly as well as they think they do. I especially get an image of this when you're in "new territory". You can be that exciting yet enigmatic figure in a community that people know little about. I think you like sharing your story in specific ways you can control, like maybe through a blog/vlog, your art, or just if and when it feels necessary. Otherwise, much about you is shrouded in mystery, even day-to-day things (you probably rarely post on social media or don't even have it). But this just leaves others wanting more!

However, you seem to know everyone else's secrets. Like Pile 1, you are very intuitive, even psychic, and you are learning the value of sharing the messages you receive. Whether it's crazy dreams about others, downloads you think the collective needs to hear, or anything else you pick up on or observe, share it. Start a spirituality blog or a Tarot channel. You are often surprised at how deeply your words resonate and impact people, at how dead-on you are. But I also think you're at a place in your journey where it's not as much of a shock. You are gradually recognizing the power of your gift(s) and putting it to good use.

I also have to say that people are highly attracted to you but also often equally scared of you. It's the power you exude and the freedom you insist on. In terms of dating, I think your level of self-possession and the respect you command allows you to avoid a lot of fuckery. Lol people do NOT try it with you, particularly controlling behavior. You absolutely demand your freedom and accept nothing less. This attitude is part of what makes you so sexy yet also scary to lovers who can't handle you. But, you'll have a good time regardless. I think you'll reap many of the benefits of your sex appeal when you're sowing your wild oats. Great freedom can be found in unapologetically being casual and open with your sexuality. However, after an iconic era (or even lifetime) of being confidently unattached, you may be very surprised to wake up one day in a long stable marriage with a gang of kids. And your sense of freedom and confidence will remain. Whatever you do, you fully commit and trust that it's right for you.

#tarot reading #tarot #channeled reading #pick a pile reading #pick a card reading #pick an image #pick a picture #channeled message #channeled song #main character #main character energy

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iambicpentameterhamster · 1 month

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Every umbrella academy character ranked

Prior to Season 4 coming this year, thought I'd share my character rank with you for the first 3 seasons all together. (Spoilers ahead)

#33- Marcus, Jayme, Alphonso and Fei

Painfully insignificant and underdeveloped. Their only character traits being "spoiled and a bit evil" made them EXTREMELY captivating villians...

#32- Christopher

Only higher because I find the idea of someone carrying around a cube on a stick onset really funny.

#31- Sparrow Ben

Hard to watch honestly, especially in comparison to his lovely counterpart Umbrella Ben.

In general, the Sparrows were terrible and pointless characters, and clearly the writers knew this because most were killed off pretty quickly. All except for Sparrow Ben, which just meant we had to suffer watching him for even longer.

#30- Viktor

This is a controversial choice. He is tolerable in season 1, but then just becomes a moochy emo sod who is boring to watch. I don't know if it's the acting, script or both, but he’s just such a meek and flavourless character who is PARTICULARLY bad in season 3 when he jeopardises his whole family and is repeatedly selfish and has a victim complex.

#29- Luther

He caused the apocalypse in season one and you can't convince me otherwise. Got some alamaba shit going on with Allison...

There are so many reasons I hate Luther. He's a self-centred man child who couldn't care less about his siblings and their feelings, showing zero empathy to Klaus or Vanya, for example. He only shows respect and kindness when he is attracted to the person (As shown when seasons 1 and 2 he is only nice to Allison, then completely ignores her when he moves on to Sloane) or when they pose as an authority figure to him. All he does is whine and feel sorry for himself.

What's that? You lived in the apocalypse all alone for 40 years? You are addicted to drugs and lost the love of your life in a war? You have a power you can't control and a lifetime of rejection? WELL LUTHER WENT TO THE MOON

#28- Carl Cooper

Hated him as a character but he was a menacing villian which I can respect

#27- Harlan

Couldn't care less about him, only there for plot convenience and Victor's arc pretty much

#26- Sloane

An improvement from Luther's literal sibling. Further evidence that Luther will simply fall for any woman who gives a flying fuck about the moon.

Personality: attracted to Luther

#25- Pogo

Basil exposition of the first series

#24- Detective Patch

Barely remember her

#23- The Swedes

They were kind of goofy as villians but there was some good acting and they posed a real threat. Cute moments with the cats. In general, alright, but they could have easily been replaced plot wise with something more interesting.

#22- Cha Cha

Lack of character development for me. I think she deserved to be fleshed out more, I don't think it's fair that only her partner got to be a three-dimensional being. What are her motivations? Who is she underneath it all?

But overall i liked the acting and she was a good villian.

#21- That hotel worker from season 3

He's barely a character but I liked his sass so he's on the list.

#20- Reggie (Reginald Hargreeves)

He is supposed to be the main antagonist/villian of the show, yet The Handler stole his spotlight. He's a bit too stereotypically evil and asshole-ish for me, basically twiddling his moustache and stroking a cat in a dark corner the entire show. The delivery is too blunt and that doesn't help to build the tension and mystery surrounding him as much, but if he were more complicated and cryptic in his personality it would be more effective.

This is very nit picky and overall Reggie is fine. He has some hilarious moments with Klaus in season 3 and I am genuinely intrigued about the unanswered questions surrounding him.

#19- Elliott

He wasn't a particularly important or central character but I enjoyed it when he was on screen and he played his role convincingly. He was a good comic relief in some scenes, and when he died (spoiler alert) the reactions from other characters were realistic and quite impactful. I felt for him throughout, which is impressive for less significant characters and he had a lot of depth relative to the size of his role.

#18- Destiny's children

Not a singular character, but I LOVED Destiny's children. It fit Klaus's character perfectly to have a cult and led to some of the funnies moments in the series.

#17- Dave

From the very limited moments we see with this character, a lot of personality and emotion was communicated, and I feel like we got a big sense of the character. That is down to the brilliant acting from both of Dave's actors and from Robert Sheehan that really sold this character with so little screen time.

Anyway please come back to life Dave! Death doesn't look good on you!

#16- Agnes (Donut woman)

Very sweet and I wish her all the best in life.

#15- Sissy

BRILLIANTLY acted and impactful. Stole every scene between her and Vanya.

Also, she looks EXACTLY like Sheldon's mum in young sheldon...

#14- Herb and Dot

I want to put them both in my pocket and protect them from harm.

#13- Kenny's mum

Again, barely present but I love her. She's a queen. I would go to a rave with Kenny's Mum.

#12- Stan

I love Stan, and he's a big part of Diego and Lila's character development and motivations. I hope they adopt Stan and live happily ever after.

But yeah, great one-liners from Stan.

#11- Grace

Very well acted and haunting.

Top 10 *drumroll please*

#10- Harold Jenkins (Lenoard Peabody)

Again, quite a controversial placement, but I stand by my decision. The acting and delivery of Harold Jenkins as a villain is possibly the best in the whole show. I was totally convinced Lenoard was a nice guy and I was rooting for him and Vanya, until he started dropping hints and slowly revealing his true self and losing the facade and its... it's chefs kiss. So realistic. The actor deserves an award and a standing ovation.

The writers also deserve a pat on the back for this one because he has a convincing motivation and backstory, and the dialogue is DELICIOUS when it comes to Lenoard. He is a truly menacing villain without being overtly scary and powerful and dangerous.

#9- Ray

Charismatic, gentlemanly, empathetic, loving, trusting, supportive... Ray is THE IDEAL MAN. I'm a little bit in love with Ray so I don't blame Allison.

HUGE step up from Luther, for sure.

#8- Umbrella Ben

I would have liked to see more of his character, but I liked what I did see. He loves his siblings and shows it. He is selfless and sacrifices his own existence for Vanya, he is blunt with Klaus because he cares and wants him to improve. Of course, he and Klaus are also a hilarious duo.

#7- Hazel

One of the most touching arcs that offers an insightful message about what life is for, and about Love. Beautifully acted, a very real and lovable character who probably resonates with many in some ways. Hazel is adorable and i miss him in later seasons.

#6- The Handler

I LOVE THE HANDLER MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPLAIN!!! Funny, playful, entertaining, uexpected and whimsical and yet simultaneously dark and menacing, AMAZING villian that stole EVERY SINGLE SCENE she was in. Kate Walsh was the perfect choice for the role and she played it to perfection.

A bit of trivia about the role, The Handler was originally written for a man, and when Kate Walsh got the role she insisted they didn't change the script (which, let's be honest, they would have.) She put a wonderful spin on it and it's just perfect, I wouldn't change a thing. I would 100% watch a spinoff all about the handler. Season 3 was worse than the previous two thanks to them killing her off (amongst other questionable plot choices)

#5- Allison

Allison was the only character who knew what they were doing, and honestly, if everyone just listened to Allison, there would be no apocalypse. Her storyline losing both Claire and Ray and her powers driving her crazy with power breaks my heart but is well portrayed and impactful.

She's charismatic, clever, strong, and kind. I love Allison and I think most of us do.

#4- Diego

He's stupid but in an endearing way, I find him to be so entertaining and funny, and the actor's face is like an open book. He's not show-stopping but his consistent presence just sets the mood and allows others to act off of him, while he really sells it with his expressions. He's like the rock of the show.

#3- Lila

Lila. Mi amor. Mon amour. Amore mio. Meine Leibe.

#2- Five

For several reasons:

A) He is the daddy here, Luther!!

B) That should be the only reason you need

Seriously, though, I was SUPER impressed with Aidan Gallagher and his incredible screen presence, especially at such a young age. He really embodies the character. Five is the face of the Umbrella Acadamy, and is undoubtedly the most iconic character. 10/10, two thumbs up, absolutely BRILLIANT.

#1- Klaus

No justification necessary.

#the umbrella academy #klaus hargreeves #diego hargreeves #five hargreeves #reginald hargreeves #allison hargreeves #lila pitts #ben hargreeves #luther hargreeves #vanya hargreeves #viktor hargreeves #raymond chestnut #the handler #the sparrow academy

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rosesradio · 21 days

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I’ve been seeing this thing around about rating pjo ships so i thought I’d give it a go 🤠 no personal offense if i don’t give your ship a high rating, i’m pretty particular except for when I’m not

Percabeth - 9/10. love them loads, but could have gone without the judo flip + other odd behaviors that are only seen as “cute” because the sexes are flipped, otherwise they’re great

Jercy - 1/10. i can see potential i guess but also there’s just a lot of better options for both of these characters imo, plus i see them as bros

Valgrace - 10/10, to storm or fire the world must fall, best friends to lovers, no notes

Solangelo - 2/10. i can see…the potential. their “significant annoyance” scene gave me the warm fuzzies as a 14 year old looking for rep. but oh my god how they’re written in canon sometimes is just so bad, it ruins fanon for me as well. not to mention the one-dimensional-ization done in order to amplify the “grumpy x sunshine !!!1!” trope. however i will say Some solangelo fans understand that they should Both be freaks (and in that AU it’s a respectable 8/10 from me) and the ship has fantastic fan artists

Shelper - 2/10. no hate i’m just bored…like who is shel?? tell me one thing about her personality. does she get any dialogue?? richard??

Jasper/Jiper - 1/10 the fake memories were cute but the inside of pipers head did not pass the Bechdel test. would love to see them as platonic soulmate roommates though

Jeyna - 1/10 the devotion is admirable but yk. can relate being aroace and latching on to some dude lmao

Theyna - 4/10. not my cup of tea but in a world where either they aren’t hunters or it’s an interpretation where the hunters can be lesbians…it’s a good ship. haven’t really seen much for them but I’m open to it. might prefer them as a platonic buddy cop duo though

Pernico - 4/10 i see them as annoying cousins but i respect the angst potential of unrequited love. i don’t think the ship as endgame would be good for either of the characters. however, again, really good fan artists

Jasico - 10/10 the drinking out of the chalice scene was hot don’t look at me. really good fan artists etc. i should write more with them

Valdangelo - 10/10, yk how i feel about pushing my blorbos together and making them kiss lol. massively underrated, read ceaseless eve, etc

Pipabeth - 7.5/10 i like percabeth more but it’s my favorite piper ship. I haven’t seen much content with them but i’ve liked what i have seen. I might make some stuff with them

Rachbeth - 2/10, the potential is there i guess but i see them as best friends

Perchel - 8.5/10 i guess i’m in the minority but what makes the pjo love triangle so compelling compared to other YA love triangles is that Both of the ships are really good. idk what to tell you they go well together

Lukercy - 6/10 i see the potential but if you’re going for dark fic vibes i think lukabeth is better

Lukabeth - 9/10 the dark fic potential has me chewing the furniture. wouldn’t ship them as like a fluffy endgame but that’s not the point

Frazel - 0/10 richard please let two people of the opposite sex be friends

Caleo - -100000000/10 nothing could be a better crafted anti-caleo fic than canon itself

#pjo #perhaps i will tag the positively rated ships and not the others…i’ll receive flames either way so 🧍#percabeth #pipabeth #valdangelo #jasico #valgrace #perachel

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flower-boi16 · 3 months

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Why Helluva Boss's Villains Suck

So, Helluva Boss is a series with a LOT of villains. The show certainly has a large rogues gallery of them, that's for sure. There's just one thing though; Helluva Boss's villains...suck. And In this post I'm going to explain why.

1. What Makes A Good Villain?

Before I get to why I don't like HB's villains let's first ask a question; what makes a good villain? To me, a good villain could be either of two things; 1) They could be compelling and interesting antagonists; with deeper motivations as to why they do the things they do or why they act that way, a good villain is a villain that's interesting and complex. However, not all villains need to have a lot of depth to be good villains as 2) Sometimes some villains don't need to be super deep or compelling and could just be fun or entertaining to watch. Take villains like Magica De Spell from Ducktales 2017 or any villain from the Disney Renaissance Era; they may not be super deep or compelling characters, but they are still good villains because they are simply fun and entertaining to watch, usually by having a personality to them that makes them a bit goofy while also being a villain you can take seriously due to the threat they may pose to our heroes.

And, generally speaking, a good villain should be able to be semi-competent and pose some kind of threat towards the protagonist, without being incompetent (Unless you writing a villain that's supposed to be dumb like Lord Hater from Wander Over Yonder, but villains like him are usually villains you aren't supposed to take too seriously)

A good antagonist should be a character that poses a threat to the heroes while also being a compelling character in their own right or just being fun and entertaining to watch. So, now that we've established what (in my opinion) makes a good villain, let's now start talking about why HB's villains don't work.

2. My Thoughts on Each Villian in Helluva Boss

Now it's time for me to give my thoughts on each villain in Helluva Boss. Note that I'm only going to include recurring antagonists and I'm going in order of which they all first appeared. Ok, so now, let's begin.

Stella - Stella had some potential to be interesting. Unfortunately, HB squandered that potential and made her a one-dimensional abusive asshole to make Stolas more sympathetic. Not much to say about Stella, she's just a boring one-dimensional asshole.

Veriosika Mayday - Another underdeveloped villain. She's kinda supposed to play into Blitz's whole arc but so far she hasn't gotten much if any development whatsoever. Again, not much to say about her, she's just boring like Stella. Maybe the show will develop her in the future but for now, she's kinda just a one-dimensional basic bitch.

The Cherubs - Don't have much to say about them either. It would have been cool to have them be recurring rivals for the IMPs but nope. Like the other villains, they aren't really that interesting.

Striker - Now...I'm probably going to get hate for this but; Striker is an overrated AF villain. I don't find him that interesting - HOWEVER, I will say he's one of the show's better villains because he's at least kind of menacing in his debut episode. Aside from that he's the "Oh a character that is better than the protag at literally everything who turns out to be the villain!". Ya I don't care for Striker that much - he's fine but I still don't care for him.

The Dhorks - These guys are just stupid. 1) They already had VIDEO EVIDENCE of the IMPs and they FOR SOME FUCKING REASON didn't send it to the government already??? How did they even get the footage of the imps??? And then 2) they also FOR SOME REASON kept on using melee weapons against the IMPs when the episode shows us that they. have. GUNS. Why don't they just use those??? Oh, it's because Edo weapons were more "badass"? These are villains we are suppoused to take semi-seriously, deliberately making them idiots doesn't fucking work. Also 3) Seeing Stars shows that the humans don't recognize the IMPs at all - meaning that, even after obtaining MORE video evidence of the IMPs existing, they STILL just...didn't tell the governments about this for some reason??? Maybe there's an explanation for this in a future episode but for now this is just bullshit! So ya, the dhorks suck, they're boring and just flat out stupid. Least favorite villains in the show so far.

Crimson - Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you...the show's most POINTLESS antagonist. I've already said this multiple times, but why. Literally why. Why did Moxxie need to be the THIRD character with daddy issues? It adds nothing to his character and removing this aspect changes nothing about him - he's the same character without his daddy issues. Crimson literally has nothing interesting about him aside from "abusive dad mob boss". Like all the other villains, he's fucking boring.

So ya, that's my thoughts on each villain in Helluva Boss. As you can see, I don't have very nice things to say about any of them, and if you paid attention to what I was saying about them - you can see one of my major issues with HB's villains. That being...

3. They're Boring

Helluva Boss's villains are just. BORING. A majority of them are very one-dimensional Saturday morning cartoon villains with nothing interesting about them - none of them feel like developed or compelling characters. Granted, as I already said, a villain doesn't need to be super compelling to be good - sometimes a good villain is just one that's fun to watch while still being a good threat to the heroes.

But in order to do that you need to make that villain have a well-fleshed-out personality and mannerisms that make them entertaining to watch. HB's villains don't have that; they aren't compelling nor are they fun to watch, they are just boring. Stella especially is an example of this problem; I've said it before, but there was potential to make Stella an interesting character, but the show chose to waste that in favor of making her a mustache-twirling villain who just likes making Stolass suffer for shits and giggles.

The "I like tormenting you" line especially hammers this in; Stella is just a one-dimensional asshole and nothing else. Again, you don't need to have a character to be super compelling to be a good villain; sometimes you just need them to be fun to watch, but Stella isn't interesting nor is she fun to watch. She's just one-dimensional. Obviously, a character like Stella could work; after all, some stories just like having a villain REVEL in how evil they are like Lord Dominator from Wander Over Yonder, which falls under the "just fun to watch" category, but once again, Stella isn't fun to watch nor is she a compelling or interesting character, she's just boring.

Which is something I can say for all of HB's villains; they aren't compelling or interesting characters nor are they fun and entertaining to watch, they're all just one-dimensional and boring.

Another character I'd like to bring up is Verosika, a character who so far has gotten ZERO development TWO SEASONS IN! Maybe the show will develop Verosika more in the future, but for now there isn't anything about her that's interesting except for MAYBE her past with Blitz, but how the show is going to execute that we'll just have to wait and see.

So Helluva Boss's villains are boring, they aren't compelling characters nor are they fun to watch, now let's move onto my second problem, that being...

4. Some of Them Are Stupid/Incompetent

So a good villain is supposed to be competent, right? Well sometimes an incompetent villain can work; however, it only works when the villain is SUPPOSED to be stupid because they're a villain who you're not supposed to take very seriously. The problem comes when you're supposed to take a villain seriously but they act like idiots to the audience when the story doesn't want us to see them that way.

There are three examples I can think of when I say that sometimes HB's villains are just incompetent at times, those being Striker, The Dhorks, and Crimson. I already talked about the Dhorks here in this post but they're not the only villains that make dumb decisions in the show; Striker does too Western Energy.

For one, when Stolas calls the IMPs for help, Striker for some reason doesn't immediately go and break Stolas's phone when he can HEAR HIM TALKING to them. Instead, he just sits there, letting Stolas notify IMPs that he's in trouble, and THEN takes Stolas's phone. Striker literally could've just smashed Stolas's phone the second he heard Stolas talking - if he did that, then IMP wouldn't have been notified that Stolas has been captured and the episode's plot wouldn't have happened. It's making a villain stupid for the sake of the plot.

And then later in the episode, when he has Stolas tied up on the train tracks, he decides to just... monologue to him? When he could literally just finish Stolas instantly by decapitating him or something, why is he just sitting there doing nothing and stabbing Stolas in random places???

Then there's Crimson, who, for some reason, didn't check to see if Chaz was lying to him. Seriously, if somebody you used to hate went and said "Oh hey I'm rich now", wouldn't you go and check to see if they're lying or not? But Crimson for some reason didn't think to do that, so he just...let himself get scammed because he was too stupid to actually check for himself. Yaaaaaaay.

Again, I already talked about the Dhorks, but it bears repeating that the fact that they decided to use melee weapons when THEY HAVE GUNS is fucking stupid. The show tries to pass this off by saying "They chose those melee weapons cuz they were badass!", except that excuse doesn't work because it makes the Dhorks just...incompetent. And usually when a narrative purposefully makes a villain stupid we aren't supposed to take that villain seriously, but the Dhorks are villains who we are supposed to take at least semi-seriously so deliberately making them stupid like this doesn't really work.

Another example I can think of is in Oops where when Blitz comes up with a plan to get rid of all the henchmen all at once using guns, they, for some reason, didn't hear all the gunshots and screaming going on and didn't go to check what the fuck was happening. If they did do that, then they would have most likely all gotten shot and not only would the episode's climax not happen, but the show would also lose two of its major recurring villains.

So HB's villains are often incompetent or just straight up stupid - they make dumb decisions just so to continue the plot. If they did the logical thing, major changes in the show's plot would happen and it can't have that now, would it? Now let's talk about the next problem...

5. There's Too. Fucking. Many of them

This is my last problem with HB's villains, that being; there are just WAY too many of them. Now, having multiple recurring antagonists isn't a bad thing, a lot of shows have a few smaller recurring antagonists here and there. The problem here is that in HB with each new villain creates a new plotline; Stella's conflict with Stolas regarding their divorce, the Cherubs being kicked out of Heaven and probably will try to get revenge on the IMPs, the Dhorks going to expose the existence of demons, Striker going to assassinate Stolas, and Crimson most likely going to get payback from Moxxie.

It contributes to a major issue I have with this show; there's just. TOO MANY plotlines going on and it makes it feel unfocused. Most shows I've seen usually have a main plot and 2-3 maybe even 4 smaller plots than it focuses on per season. HB meanwhile set up six yes six plotlines in just its first season (The ones I've already mentioned + Blitz making amends with the people he hurt and Stolitz). And now in season 2, it's just. Adding more with Crimson.

The show suffers from cramming in TOO MANY characters and plotlines making the show feel messy and unfocused. I would also like to point out how the show just adds plotlines that are like. Completely unnecessary? Mainly the Dhroks and Cherubs plotlines; these aren't connected to the show's core story (whatever tf its supposed to even BE at this point), and removing them doesn't change anything about the show, so they are just completely unneeded. The same thing goes with the Crimson plotline.

They only serve to clutter the show even more and make it feel unfocused, which is a problem HB's villains contribute to a LOT.

6. Conclusion

So, ya, that's why I don't like the villains in Helluva Boss. In conclusion; HB's villains are boring, one-dimensional, sometimes flat-out incompetent, and are just plain underwhelming. So uh ya...bye.

#helluva boss critical #helluva boss criticism #hazbin hotel critical #vivziepop critical

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