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demiromanticmickey · 3 months

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On today's "I am SO not normal about Dead Friend Forever": Discussing Catholicism and Colonization in this gay Thai slasher series

Some background on me: I am from a Latine Catholic family. Raised as a non-practicing Catholic (we didn't go to church or pray). Then my parents enrolled me in a Catholic school that I attended from 5th grade to the end of 7th grade. Today, I am not Catholic and have never really considered myself as such.

Ok, so in the flashback episodes of DFF, I have been noticing a lot of things. My findings under the cut.

Let's start with this crucifix and photo of the Virgin Mary and a baby Jesus.

Screenshot from ep. 5.

The camera lingers here a bit so we're obviously meant to pay attention to the phrase. I put the screenshot through Google translate's image translator and the translation it gave me was, "Think good, do good, be a good person." I didn't think much of it when I first watched the episode other than it was supposed to establish that the boys attend a Christian or Catholic school.

But then there was this image posted on Be On Cloud's Instagram (also from ep. 5): X

Zooming in, we can see there's another picture of Mary in the background. Watching the classroom scenes, it's easy to miss because the series itself is more washed out than the official photos posted. But this emphasis on Mary led me to believe the school is a Catholic one. So out of curiosity, I looked up the schools the writers and directors attended because I felt I was onto something here. And boy, was I!

Source: MDL

Ma-Deaw, if you didn't know, is one of the directors of Dead Friend Forever (he also directed Manner of Death and Inhuman Kiss , and lots of other things).

One Google search later (X) and I learned "Montfort College" is a Catholic school. It started out as a primary school that later added a secondary school as well.

Now let's take a closer look at some of the details of this school:

First, the school's motto "Labor Conquers All Things". This reminded me of the phone conversation Tee had with his uncle:

On my first watch, this sounded familiar to me but I couldn't really place why. It wasn't until I saw this other Tumblr post (X) that pointed out it's similar to a bible quote from the New Testament. The quote varies a bit depending on which version of the bible you're using but it's along the lines of, "He who does not work, neither shall he eat".

This is meant to discourage "laziness". Nevermind the fact that people deserve to eat simply because we get hungry and need food to survive. The idea that we only "deserve" things based on productivity is an extremely colonial one. — Reminder also that Tee is being forced into this "work" in the first place. He's just a high school kid. I don't need to like his character to understand how fucked up his situation is.

Then there's the patron of the school. St. Louis de Montfort was a French Catholic priest most known for his study in Mariology. What is Mariology (X)? The study of Mary, the mother of Jesus. I didn't know that was a thing but it's unsurprising considering how prominent images of Mary were in my own religious upbringing. And she's what started me down this rabbit hole in the first place. Mary is a big deal to the Catholics. I'm going to be paying even more attention now if more Mary imagery pops up.

The Garden of Eden and Original Sin

Now I want to draw attention to these images:

Screenshots from ep. 7

Here we have Non and Phee biting into an apple as they leisure around this lush green field. We know they've visited this location more than once because they're wearing different outfits in the screenshots. And I think it's important to note that it's Phee holding the apple and offering it to Non.

The use of the word "bait" in the bts of ep. 7 is quite interesting too. (X)

The Garden of Eden was the paradise in which Adam and Eve resided. In this garden, there were many trees to eat from. The one tree Adam and Eve were forbidden by God to eat from was the Tree of Knowledge. A serpent (Satan), first tempted Eve into taking from the tree to eat it's fruit. And then Eve gave the fruit to Adam. That is Original Sin. And because Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge, all humans thereafter are born sinful and bad, and can only find salvation through God.

Of course in the scene between Phee and Non, the sin the apple represents is being gay. And it's after this, and after the bracelet scene, that Non becomes involved with Por's film and his tragedy begins.

Zoomed in screenshot from ep. 5

And I wonder if the bracelet scene is the last time Phee and Non visit this forest location. It would parallel how Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden once they sinned.

Final Thoughts

You give me a story that criticizes Western religion and how it's used as a tool for oppression and colonization, and I'm gonna eat that shit up. I am gonna eat it up. Every. Single. Time.

I really wasn't expecting anything like this from Dead Friend Forever. This level in attention to detail is unmatched. I don't think I've watched a more well planned out show. And no matter where DFF goes from here, these seven episodes will always hold a special place in my heart. 💗

#dead friend forever #dff the series #pheenon #barcode tinnasit #ta nannakun #dff meta #dff spoilers #tabarcode #dff*#*#i just love it here #this is my comfort show idc

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sisterdivinium · 14 days

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It’s tempting to think of Jillian as an atheist given her connexion to science, her confrontation with the church in s1 and simply as a counterpoint to all the religious characters around her. I’ve used the word for her myself in fic before, but I did it fully knowing that Jillian is perhaps the character who most wants to believe.

There’s an implication that she speaks from experience when she tells Kristian one doesn’t ever really leave the church…

… And her firm principle of proving faith and science can coexist shows she has no intention of dismantling faith in itself or the value people find in spirituality.

When Luther supposedly nailed his objections to that fateful church door, he didn't intend to shake the core of what faith actually is—quite the contrary, one could argue.

Neither is Jillian trying to destabilise faith in itself... The difference is that she just decided to build her own door instead.

The church might stand in her way, yes, but one could could make a case about how it is more due to their keeping of divinium than to the criticism she directs at Vincent on the subject of Hell and the subjugation of women. She might well believe it—or any part of her performance during most of season one, really—but her conflict with the institution lies less in the way of ideology than in matters of practical consequences.

Were it not so, wouldn’t she have been a little more resistant to her son’s visions of an angel? Why believe in a child’s prophetic drawings otherwise? Even if she by any chance didn’t consider the giver of those visions an angel, the very fact of taking a vision seriously would suggest some degree of fidelity to the very idea of there being something more, something else than the life we know in this plane of existence.

If she doesn’t admit the existence of a god outright, she at least lends credence to the idea that there is something. We might not be able to take her fully at her word in the scenes where she’s playing her part as a seeker of knowledge maligned by the Vatican, but there is some amount of truth to what she says. She might not have truly found Heaven, she might not be able to prove her portal actually leads there...

… But she most certainly wants to be right. For Michael’s sake, there must be something else, even if not precisely what has been foreseen by scripture.

And, even so, she finds worth in that very scripture she doubts.

Perhaps she’s being honest when she tells Vincent she likes the stories—there’s a lot of knowledge to be found in even the simplest of them to she who knows how to seek it.

Perhaps there’s an underlying attachment of hers to the Bible, a past she cannot really abandon. It’s not all that common for people with absolutely no ties to Catholicism to have something like the image of a saint as decoration hanging in the background.

Sure, there are other religious elements scattered in her workplace including a Buddha, but it’s a man who used to be an archivist at the Vatican she hires, not a defected monk or rabbi.

Yes, she will work with anyone who is equally willing to work with her. It’s not from the goodness of her heart as there is a component of selfishness in such cooperation—one to which she admits herself—but her attitude is also a testament to the openness she has concerning the results she might obtain. Maybe the OCS is right, maybe there’s a God and saints and Heaven and Hell…

It doesn’t really matter as long as there is something, something to work towards, something to seek.

Or it didn’t matter—while Michael was alive.

She has had her proof of there being more... And she has paid a high price for learning of it.

It’s a pity we don’t know what she would have done with this information. How do we react when what we believe is confirmed to be true but not in the way we expected or desired?

Whatever shock the nuns have experienced to their faith in this business with Adriel, the perversion of the power of prayer and all else they've survived during season two, Jillian is likely to have felt the very same blow right alongside them.

#warrior nun #jillian salvius #exercises in observation #i don't recall what prompted this actually. the fic i'm writing i guess?#i never write anything directly on the computer and this was a little exception so sorry for that as it tends to weaken my texts #me cackling as i DO have saints decorating my house despite believing in fuck all. they're family heirlooms okay?#actually it's saints AND buddhas AND other little images of god knows what lol

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whateverisbeautiful · 2 months

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♥️ Ranking Richonne

#6: Cuz I'm Okay Too (S4E16)

Such a heartfelt and important moment in the making of Richonne. 🥹 The scene is brief but still manages to communicate something so important about Rick and Michonne's profound connection. That You're Okay/I'm Okay interconnectedness between them is one of those deep and consistent qualities that make Richonne one of a kind. By this season 4 moment, I really and truly believe Rick and Michonne had fallen in love and I cherish that this beautiful scene is a part of their love story. The scene is a true Richonne classic...

Richonne's love story has so much life to it because it was able to breathe as it evolved each season. And as much as the world was screaming at them - when it came to Rick and Michonne's pre-canon build-up there were these small quiet moments like the one in this s4 finale that still really helped to lay their foundation steadily and naturally.

I appreciate that Richonne's journey was a slow burn (the most fiery slow burn, might I add 🔥) and that we got to see their love story play out from the moment they first laid eyes on each other all the way to now as a husband and wife determined to find each other again. The build-up was as great as the payoff in the making of Richonne and this season 4 pre-canon moment between them is one of the foundational staples in building their relationship.

As I’ve stated before, I consider this 4.16 ep quite monumental to Richonne as I feel its by this point these two have fallen in love. And this scene just really backs that up to me and gives us our first insight into the unique interconnection they have.

The reason why I so confidently refer to these two characters as soulmates is because absolutely every time Rick and Michonne were together it was clear they had a deep mind-body-soul connection and a magnetic draw that showed they were tethered to each other and meant to be.

They were so kismet that even in the beginning of their relationship they seemed to be strongly emotionally connected to each other.

In the early stages of their growing bond, Rick and Michonne really would often look at each other like they were both something special and inexplicably familiar, like a missing piece of themselves that they yearned for and felt innate trust and safety with. And, to me, this scene illustrates all of that.

I also noticed that since I've gotten so used to seeing team family in the 'stability' of ASZ for half the series, whenever I see scenes of them in these earlier seasons where they had no home base it makes me a little emotional because it makes you realize just how little they had, and how much they were being held together by their resilience and their family alone. It's really a testament to their strength and the family they built that fueled them to keep going.

I love the way this 4.16 scene is shot, the fall vibes are just nice with all the leaves as they walk. Also the show did a good job of always making it feel like there was some added weight to when Rick and Michonne were around each other. The two together on screen are just always electric as this scene solidifies.

(Side note: watching this show back, I love how quiet the ambiance was in the earlier seasons, it really made the world feel immersive and lived in.)

When Rick protectively sat outside of that car in the previous scene with Carl asleep in Michonne's lap, Michonne heard Rick talk to Daryl about who he is and why he’s here, and her expression as she listens was telling. I know R&M both were more aware of how much they mean to each other from here on out. And then that love only grows stronger, even as soon as their next scene.

So this #6 scene starts with Rick walking ahead, and I love how Michonne is looking at him as she walks closer to him. I’d love to know exactly what she’s thinking at this moment cuz she clearly has some thoughts. 😊

As she studies him in this scene I really do feel like it’s her seeing the resilient man he is and feeling a lot of genuine love and respect for him. Especially after seeing Rick go to an incredibly intense place to save her, Carl, and Daryl the night before.

Rick went to lengths not many would even think to go...but that level of fight in him is one Michonne knows well. It's in her too. And I think at this moment she knows truly that they are cut from the same cloth.

She silently observes him and, before she even speaks, Rick senses her and asks if she’s okay. I love that he checks in on her after what they went through.

When Rick and Michonne found each other after the prison fell, they became a package deal and went through most things side by side from then on. And I love that through all the wild things they experienced together, they had each other to check in with and make sure they were okay because they got to be fully human with each other.

Michonne nods and says a reassuring 'yeah' and then again has those little glances at him that, to me, suggest sis has caught feelings.

Then I always love that Rick proceeds to offer up that he’s okay. He initiates saying that because he wants her to know this and he knows this would matter to her. Ever since reuniting after the prison, Michonne has often brought up the importance of Rick healing and resting, so he knows she cares about his wellbeing and that he’s okay.

And it’s also like by offering up, "I'm okay" he wants her to know he’s still okay as a person even after showing that he’s capable of some pretty intense stuff. I’ve always loved this, especially because as a woman traveling alone with men, it means a lot to have a man want you to know he’s still okay and safe to be around.

But then what is so lovely about this scene is that Rick gets to see that he doesn’t need to do any convincing with Michonne because she has always seen and understood him on a deeper level.

(It makes me think of when Michonne talks with Merle during season 3 inside the prison. She defends Rick and Carl and notes that they're both killers but she doesn't say it as a condemning thing because even as strangers she understood that Rick and Carl are still good people despite what they've had to do to survive)

And as much as Rick is grappling with all that he’s capable of here at the end of season 4, it’s so refreshing that Michonne is right there to let him know he’s not a monster to her. So when he says he’s okay, she says without any doubt, "I know." 😊

Then I so love that Rick asks, "How?" It’s an interesting thing to ask because he could have just left it at her saying she knows, but I love that he’s curious to know this. Almost as if deep down wanting to know that she really does see and understand him as clearly as he sees and understands her.

And when he can’t help but ask, I adore the way she looks at him and so effortlessly tells him, “Cuz I’m okay too.” 🥹

Another classic line in Richonne's journey. 🥰 And a line that is as powerful as it is pretty.

I know I've said a lot of their scenes are giving romantic but this one is 1000% giving romantic. I mean this dialogue between them could be seamlessly inserted into a romance movie and I'd be like...

And it is just such a sweet sentiment - "Cuz I'm okay too." Similar to Rick's "Must've been something else then," line, I'd love to know exactly what Michonne was aware of regarding her attraction and feelings for Rick at this time.

It’s significant for Michonne to vocalize this and let Rick know that she has developed enough feelings for him that his well-being impacts her own. He’s okay, so she’s okay. And we see that 'you're okay then I'm okay' thing that they have play out in so many moments between them in this series.

One that comes to mind is an honorable mention scene in s5 at Alexandria when Michonne can’t sleep, and then we see that Rick has also been up and unable to sleep. It’s almost like Rick's restlessness played a part in what was affecting Michonne's ability to rest.

And Rick even vocalizes as much when he asked why they're both awake before touching her shoulder and her reacting in a way that further proves their magnets. Something innate within them is so often on the same wavelength, even when they have some different outlooks.

I love these TWD reactors who noted how Rick’s mind silently racing was still so loud to Michonne and keeping her up in that s5 scene, whereas if Rick would sleep she probably would be able to fall asleep too.

Rick and Michonne are just one like that and they have always been so emotionally intertwined. They don't just understand what the other is going through, they feel what the other is going through. #TetheredSoulmates

So I love and appreciate this s4 finale scene for fully establishing Rick and Michonne's unique and heartfelt interconnection - both that they have it, and that they deep down know they have it too.

Rick nods after Michonne says this, and this subtle moment just feels like he gets what she means. She doesn’t even have to explain further cuz I think he knows he feels the same - You're okay, I'm okay.

And then the way Michonne is looking at that man at the end of this scene...Cupid got her, y’all. Just like Cupid got Rick lol. 😊

Richonne really was inevitable because right here in s4, seasons before their canon ep, these two loved each other and had at least some awareness that the connection between them runs deep.

Am I smiling from ear to ear rewatching this? Best believe. They just go together and it’s so clear here. And I love looking at this scene and knowing this is a husband and wife in the making who will bring a beautiful baby into this world. Won't He do it! 🙌🏾 It's scenes like these that confirm to me why Richonne’s pre-canon and post-canon moments are both top-notch.

As Michonne will tell Carl in a beautiful bonding moment later in the s4 finale, she knows the Grimes boys brought her back. They helped make her okay again. And the way Michonne brought so much good to Rick and Carl's lives, she brought them back too.

So I’ll forever love that in this quiet scene between Michonne and Rick, we see so clearly how they help make each other feel more than okay. 😌

#richonne #top 30 #top 10 #number 6 #rick x michonne #reveling in richonne #twd 4.16 #twd towl #the ones who live

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crimeronan · 3 months

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i think there's something really beautiful about carpenter distancing herself from the trawler man every chance she gets and still getting showered by miracles while faulker, oh he of strong convictions, gets to bring the miracle of the trawler man to everyone around him but never quite gets to ascend to glory himself. i just love that they're both perfectly poised to stare at each other and each think "your goals are backwards and your methodology is dumb and possibly sacrilegious" and then still end up as something close to friends

also let's talk about how, despite these dynamics, at the end of the day, the trawler man is really just trying to give each of them what they want from him.

MMM YEAH. carpenter being beloved by multiple gods despite being such an ornery bitch who wants NOTHING to do with their sacrificial bullshit..... it really gets me. as does faulkner's ongoing crisis of faith and spiral into Faithless Cult Leader (TM). SO GOOD.

perhaps only tangentially related, but.

i've been thinking a lot about faulkner killing roemont lately. i was surprised that roemont's death ended up Breaking My Fucking Heart -- a real testament to his voice actor!! the whole pathetic old man losing everything he's worked for really.... Got To Me. ough. "don't you recognize me?" OUGH.

but i've been thinking about it in the context of faulkner's crisis of faith, too. because like. faulkner Knows that roemont is faithful. he considers roemont a heretic for trying to legalize the worship of the trawler-man, but it's like....

i feel like. killing roemont was a test of the trawler-man that faulkner devised on purpose. because if roemont dies due to the prayer marks that faulkner scrawled, then there are two possibilities:

1. the trawler-man really IS furious that the high katabasians want to legitimize the faith; the trawler-man really IS on faulkner's side; this schism really IS necessary to keep the faith "pure," and faulkner has never done anything wrong;

2. the trawler-man really IS nothing but a mouth. this isn't a god with a plan or with sentience or with feelings, this is just a living river that chews things up and spits them out, and it doesn't care for its followers at all. and if that's the case, then faulkner is betraying nothing by being a faithless cult leader lying repeatedly to his people.

faulkner is devastatingly clever and constantly being underestimated. but he's also completely alone in the world. and he's Desperate for any sign that the choices he's making are the right ones. and he can't find that sign in anybody close to him, because he keeps destroying the lives of those close to him. so he has to devise his own trials....

hrugh. my boy. my boy my boy my boy.

#replies #the silt verses #the silt verses meta #faulkner #carpenter #horrible godsaint trauma pals #i keep just thinking about like. the constant question of how much gods care and how much agency they have #how much of this worship is a social construct made by people and how much is natural to the world?#does it matter? is there a difference between those things?#as someone whose original fiction ALSO plays a lot with #'magic is real but the way it's perceived is based in social constructs'.... I FUCK WITH IT SO HARD.#and the silt verses is a piece of media that like... i end up having different thoughts every time i listen to it #so in a few days or weeks i might not even stand by this meta. i might have different thoughts/interpretations entirely!!#it's a different story every time i listen. it's SO GOOD.

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em-writes-stuff-sometimes · 7 days

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I would like to say thank you to all whom have shared, commented, or reached out to me about the situation I spoke of in my previous post.

I will reiterate that I am not blameless in all this. I have said mean-spirited things, and have reached out to those I have spoken ill of and been honest to them about this. I endorsed unkind beliefs about numerous members of the fandom, and I declined to take action on instances of anonymous hate, racial aggression or outright cyber stalking. I have engaged in untrue speculation about other users, and I have performed actions that I cannot take back. This makes me part of the problem, and I own that. Again, to those of you whom I have reached out to and apologised personally, I will reiterate this publicly: I am sorry. I was unfair, I was unkind, and I will do better.

I do not wish to make further public commentary on the perpetrators. I have said my piece, and I believe I have done so in a way that does not suggest I have not had a part to play. I will state again that, at the end of the day, this all started over fanfiction. We came here for our love of reading and writing stories about our favourite characters and our favourite worlds. Not this.

But where there has been so much pain, suffering, anger and hatred, there is also the burgeoning of hope. Individuals from all sides of this fandom have lent their ear and offered me a truly astonishing outpouring of kindness, acceptance and support. Many mutuals whom I have had little interaction with in the past have come to offer kind words and encouragement. Users I have not known in the past have reached out. People who have believed untruths about me and Ange have apologised to me, and I have readily accepted these apologies in the spirit of doing and being better. I have even been able to correspond with people of whom I had spoken ill of and levied a great deal of emotional damage to in the past, and the degree of love and well-wishes from a community that I had long considered 'broken' has really and truly been a testament to how willing we all are to effect change and move on as a group.

I would like to say thank you to you all: for those of you who have reached out, for those of you who are thinking of reaching out, and those who have offered your support silently. There are many ways in which you've all done this, and it is so incredibly appreciated. We've had a difficult run on here, but here's hoping we can call it the Post-Season 1 Madness in our fandom lore and recall it with wry expressions and the pangs of hurt since passed, rather than continued hostility. It won't be easy. There's been a lot of bad blood here. But I'm ready for change, and I know everyone else is, too. That's good enough for me.

Lastly, and these words are understatements: I want to say thank you to @ewanmitchellcrumbs. Ange, you have been admirable in all this. You've faced an awful lot in your time here, none of it easy and little of it kind, and while it is validating to see the outpouring of support for you, I know that none of it can truly erase what has happened. We all of us see the things you've endured, and you are absolutely one of the strongest women I know. I love you very dearly, and I truly hope that from here on out, fandom is the enjoyable experience that you deserve.

Thank you, everyone. Here's to a happy 2024, and an exciting lead-up to Season 2.

Team Daemon for the win!

#hotd fandom drama

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writeradamanteve · 1 year

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Lockwood & Co Book Thoughts

Can’t believe it’s over. I’ve finished all 5 books and the short story, and wishing there was more.

I can’t even begin to describe how amazing that series was, how perfectly everything in the story fit, and how masterfully handled all the relationships were.

Reader, take a seat as I am about to ramble.

And also, SPOILERS GALORE from this point on.

Lockwood & Lucy

Lockwood and Lucy were fantastic, and truly, to anyone who ever considered their relationship “subtle”, they must have been reading different books. Sure, they didn’t get to snog, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what hadn’t been written. After turning that last page, I know what came next. They are truly, undoubtedly, I’ll-stake-my-mother’s-life-on-it in love. They love one another so much. Lockwood would give his life for Lucy (he truly was GONNA), and Lucy WOULDN’T LET HIM.

It’s not even about the jewelry Lockwood gave Lucy, either, though that is a pretty good indicator, but it’s all the things he says and does. It’s the way he looks at her, turns to her, is vulnerable with her. Lockwood and Lucy almost talk with their eyes. He knows her more than anyone else, simply from his proximity and his observations of her. I can go on and on about his heart eyes and his need for her approval (in this, we know Lucy does the same to him), so

I will.

First of all, Lockwood does consider Lucy attractive. Lucy doesn’t like the way she looks, but that’s just regular self-consciousness, which we all have in spades, no matter how amazing our own better qualities are. Lockwood so easily complimented the way she looked when she got dressed up for the Fittes’ ball. He never criticized the way she looked or dressed, and while he had occasionally mentioned the size of her body, which Lucy’s self-consciousness interpreted as being a criticism, it was never about that with Lockwood. Lockwood’s mention of her body-type has everything to do with what it was capable of, of its strength, even its athleticism. Lockwood absolutely likes how Lucy can brawl with the best of them. Absolutely. He never treated Lucy like a frail flower until he actually saw her bleeding, which is truly a testament to how he respected her physical abilities. He’s a little more careful with her psychic abilities, but that’s a whole different discussion.

The point is, Lockwood always liked the way Lucy looked. She is his type. There were clearly several, more attractive people around them, Holly being the most beautiful of them all, with a really lovely personality, but Lockwood’s eyes NEVER strayed. Never. He took care of Holly, but there wasn’t an indication of Lockwood ever being vulnerable with her as he was with Lucy. We know this because it’s one of the things Holly indicated to Lucy after Lucy’s months-long absence—that she couldn’t crack the boys the way she knew Lucy did, and she was hoping Lucy can give her tips. Lockwood is a caretaker, and he takes care of those who thinks need protecting. When Holly first started, she was rusty on the field and Lockwood knew it. He was their leader and he felt responsible for all of them. He knew Lucy could handle herself and Holly couldn’t. Towards the end of the series, as Holly got more experience on the field, Lockwood looked out for her less. Lucy was always Lockwood’s second on the field. George’s seniority gave him second chair in the agency, but it was Lucy Lockwood depended on when they were fighting side-by-side. He always trusted that she could watch his back.

They were perfect partners on the field. He alludes constantly to how well they work together, how he missed her when she left them for a few months after The Hollow Boy, how she has her own mind, that he is always thinking about her, how he trusts that she would always have his back. That last part always bowls me over, because Lockwood would always tell Lucy to let him go alone, and she never listens, and he just knows she wouldn’t, so ordering her to let him do something alone was almost perfunctory at a certain point. And of course we know that no matter how far Lucy runs away, no matter how forcefully she goes out and does things by herself, Lockwood would ALWAYS follow. He simply wasn’t going to let Lucy go off by herself, getting herself killed.

They complement each other perfectly, with Lockwood’s confidence, style, skill, and balls like dynamite, he is capable of doing the impossible, improbable, and lead armies into battle. And he is strong enough, good enough, to inspire Lucy’s loyalty and cooperation.

Lucy is A FORCE. She gets frightened and is aware of her limitations, but she will power through the fear and self-doubt, she will do what she has to do. She might not be the most graceful about it, but she will get things done. She will enforce. She will barrel through with whatever she can get her hands on—a 4x4, a hammer, a vase, her foot, her entire body, the forces of fucking physics. I pity the fool who dares to hurt Lockwood and George. The ones who dared threaten her other friends—Holly, Kipps, and even Skull. They will know Lucy Carlyle.

And then we get to the groveling, the way he did everything to get Lucy back to Lockwood & Co., back to 35 Portland Row. How after he had managed to talk he back into working with the agency, he kept reminding her how they had such a great partnership. We don’t get to see Lockwood like this until The Creeping Shadow (book 4), but we were treated to it so early on in the Netflix series. This is mainly because Lucy is more bedazzled by Lockwood’s charisma and confidence in the books. Netflix!Lucy is more disillusioned from the get-go from the things she’d already seen and experienced on her own, so it’s only natural that she is quicker on the uptake when she first walks into Portland Row, and how she more swiftly realizes Lockwood’s recklessness as early as the antique shop incident with the Winkmans. In the books, Lucy doesn’t become overly concerned by Lockwood’s tendency to forgo his safety to ensure hers until The Hollow Boy. It featured daily in her anxieties in The Creeping Shadow, and then she accepted it as fact in The Empty Grave, where she did everything she could to prevent him from sacrificing himself for her.

A lot of things happened in The Empty Grave, with the spectacular events of the Problem coming to a head. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a book ending as much as this. But as far as Lucy and Lockwood go, this was amazing.

It starts at The Creeping Shadow, for sure, but in The Empty Grave, Lockwood has stopped pretending that he wouldn’t always turn to Lucy first, that she and he share a special bond. Lucy says so—they are closer than ever. Lockwood takes time alone with her every chance he gets; Lucy seeks Lockwood when she doesn’t see him.

Lockwood was mesmerized by a ghost because it took Lucy’s form (by the way, I WANT TO SEE THIS SCENE IN NETFLIX. From the time Lockwood falls under the La Belle Dame’s spell to Lucy’s death-defying trapeze act to save his life), we know because HOLLY thought she saw Lucy, and we also know from previous male victims that the La Belle Dame’s ghost took the form of whomever her victim most desired. It’s what she did in life, so it’s what she does in death. With women, as was with Lucy, the La Belle Dame tapped into Lucy’s isolation and vulnerability—again, something the La Belle Dame understood when she was alive, as she seemed to take special disregard in the wives of the men she ensnared. Her manifestations between men and women as a ghost reflected how she impacted them in life.

And we all could see at this point how everyone else knew how Lockwood and Lucy felt about each other, probably since book 1, but it was only in The Creeping Shadow that Lockwood actually began to get obviously aware of it.

Jonathan Stroud likes to heavily imply things rather that put it out there. He does it with Flo and George, Holly and her roommate, and most distinctly with Lockwood and Lucy. I bet that if you asked Stroud outright whether Lucy and Lockwood ended up together, he would say, “Short of making them kiss on the page, I don’t think I could have been more obvious.”

Which brings me to the other characters in the books.

George Cubbins (aka George Karim)

George’s value to Lockwood & Co. cannot be overstressed. He is the reason they actually had purpose to everything they did. They could not have defeated any of those ghosts without George, at least not without loss of life. It was George who inspires the most brilliant or/and most outrageous ideas, whether they came from Lockwood, Lucy, or George himself. He is some kind of eccentric Muse to Lockwood & Co.

I confess that my mind’s eye of George goes from Book!George to Netflix!George, depending on what he’s doing in the books as I read about him. When he is eating and inadvertently flashing his butt crack, I definitely imagine him as Book!George. When he is wild with research, teaming up with Flo, and when he got beat up, I am totally imagining Netflix!George.

Lucy is right in saying he was the best of them in the Netflix series. He is their constant, particularly in the books. He is the person they relied on to seek answers and they know that with him around, they would find a way through the seemingly impossible questions, which is why their entire world got upended when George got beat near to death. The fact that he couldn’t even be at the house did a number on them all. They couldn’t make heads or tails of anything without George, and in their helplessness, they did Research the only way they knew how—break into a library, steal Stuff, and blow the entire house down, bodies at their wake. George would never. At least not the exploding part.

In the books, George joined their caper in the Black Library, and he was exceptionally bad at it, getting stuck under a shelf or table of some sort. In the Netflix series, they left him out, and rightfully so. It was not George’s thing to break things in a library, which is all Lucy and Lockwood did in them.

George incites Lockwood and Lucy’s most protective instincts, and when George got hurt, Lockwood and Lucy plotted revenge. They didn’t even argue about it. Lucy was, “I’m going to kill them all! I am SO GOING TO MAKE THEM SUFFER.” And Lockwood was like, “Yes. And. We’re going to steal that book back as we do it. And if we burn everything else down, so be it. Won’t be the first time.” No argument after that. They just agreed to do it like the maniacs they were.

It’s Protect George at All Costs. If anything happens to George, Lucy and Lockwood will burn down the entire world. Everyone knows this because everyone who was in on the plan accepted it as fact.

And Then of Course There’s Skull

I’m going to take a moment to appreciate the sheer skill in which Stroud wrote Skull as a character.

The book is so full of complex characters, but to write someone to be so despicable and yet have all of us rooting for the little fucker is a tremendous feat. And no, Skull is not like the Draco Malfoys and even the Jamie Tartts of fandom.

No. Let me explain.

Draco Malfoy was NOT a likeable character. Not in the slightest. Whatever redeeming qualities he had was plucked and cultivated by fandom. He became complex because the fandom examined Malfoy down to the threads of his expensive robes. It was fandom and fanfic who reshaped Malfoy’s post-HP character.

Jamie Tartt sucked at the beginning of Ted Lasso, but his character DID grow. He became a better person on the show. He redeemed himself like a decent human being, so he IS lovable. He’s pretty amazing and OF COURSE we’re rooting for him now. That’s pretty much the arc they wrote for him.

Skull is different in that he didn’t change one bit. Not a single bit. He was every bit as despicable from beginning to end, and yet his last final appearance in the book, he did save Lucy and Lockwood. Did he feel friendship? Maybe. But it never seemed like he did things for anyone other than himself, even if it looked like it did. Did he really do it for friendship? I think he did it for vanity. He wanted to show Ezekiel and Marissa that he wasn’t weak, that he was stronger than Ezekiel himself. A ghost having feelings seems far-fetched. He was an evil little thing in life and he wasn’t that much different in death, and we will never truly know why Skull saved them in the end, but if there was ever a person who can motivate a ghost to feel something, it would be Lucy.

I laughed when everyone else finally met Skull on the Other Side and they heard him speak. Lockwood immediately asked, “Is that how he always talks to you?” Like, of course Lockwood would be concerned, because Jesus Christ. Skull is just terrible and poor Lucy has to hear it all the time. Lockwood is understandably concerned.

Skull is just awful, and yet we all think he’s Lucy’s bff and some of us even believe Skull wants Lucy all to himself. I personally wanted him to survive that blast. I kept wishing Stroud would leave us with that.

What a fantastic character Skull is. (Why is it that all dudes with his character look like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?)

And it’s a little funny that Quill kind of gets him.

Quill Kipps

Where do I begin with this guy. He was a massive prick at the beginning of the series, for sure. He was worse in the books than he was on Netflix, for sure, but I always imagined Netflix!Quill as I read him. He is the Jamie Tartt of Lockwood & Co., the character that showed the most growth.

I was already sold on him because of the show, but I absolutely appreciated him fully in The Hollow Boy, when it became clear to me that all he really wanted was to keep all agents safe, to stop the madness of the Chelsea outbreak because it was costing lives. He just wanted to be useful again, and I can’t tell you how tickled I was by his unbridled enthusiasm when the glasses allowed him to see the ghosts again.

And then he was just part of Lockwood & Co. They call him a consultant, but that’s just a load of bullshit. He is as much Lockwood & Co. as Holly is. When they realized how badly injured he was, the sheer panic of everybody, scrambling desperately for materials that could staunch the bleeding, and finding the means to transport him through a throng of murderous people and ghosts. They can call it whatever they want, but they all, Lockwood included, loved Quill enough to fight for his life.

I was seriously ready to write a rant post if Quill had gotten killed. My relief when he survived was the same as Lucy’s and the same as Lockwood’s (happy enough to hug him and worried enough to ask after him at the hospital).

I don’t think Quill ever lost his edge (aka His knee-jerk skepticism of Lockwood and his exasperation of George’s sagging pants), but he is completely trustworthy and brave.

Speaking of complex characters—

Holly Munro and Lucy Carlyle

I wanted to give Holly her own section, but so much of what I know of Holly stems from her relationship with Lucy.

As a character, I think she is the reason Lockwood & Co. are thriving. She knows exactly how to handle the clients they don’t need and she understands Lockwood’s goals well enough to book the clients that were worth the trouble. And it wasn’t always about the money and fame. Holly had a keen eye, not just for what Lockwood wanted, but also for what Lucy and George might enjoy. She is a true professional, and she is the magical, caring assistant that any organization could hope for.

Orderly, efficient, unafraid of offending important people because she had the looks and the smarts not to offend. The way Lucy described her, petals may as well float to the ground she walks on. Holly was beautiful, smart, classy, and the picture of poise. She could have fallen down a trash chute and she’d be dirty only in the right places. She could be covered in sludge and still look amazing. She cleaned, she catalogued, she was on top of things, and her fashion sense was impeccable. In short, Holly played on every insecurity Lucy had and Holly wasn’t even trying to do any of that.

We only come to find out at the end of The Hollow Boy that Lucy played into Holly’s insecurities, too, and it was Lucy’s own half-assed efforts to act like a mature adult that ended up grating at Holly’s generally sweet disposition.

I can tell that both Holly and Lucy made it work. So much hate is lobbed at Lucy for being thorny and irritable, but they were feeding each other’s contempt. Lucy seems more abrasive about it, but that is truly her way, unrefined by pleasantries and the more particular norms of decorum that tends to be easier for those in Holly’s social class. Lucy’s upbringing was less avocados and quinoa and more potatoes and gravy. Lucy did not have the money or the parental love to know the difference between “critical conversations” and unfiltered honesty, but she did know how to be polite enough, and both she and Holly were mature enough to deal with getting paired off during missions, at least until they decided to have it out at the end of The Hollow Boy.

In spite of all that, Holly and Lucy was keenly aware of the other’s gifts. They knew they had issues and they both did their best to work together, and just when they got to a place where they can be friends, Lucy pulls the rug from under them and leaves. Everyone is convinced it’s about Holly, but of course everyone is wrong.

At the end, Lucy and Holly came to appreciate one another. So much so that Lucy didn’t so much as blink at the suggestion of Holly moving into 35 Portland Row.

I wish there were more books. I wish Netflix would keep making new seasons.

I could not get enough, and I suppose all there is to do now is write fanfic.

#lockwood and co #lockwood & co #lockwood and co spoilers #lockwood & co spoilers #anthony lockwood #lucy carlyle #george karim #george cubbins #the skull #holly munro #quill kipps #lucy x lockwood #locklye #lockyle

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betterfettered · 11 months

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Hello! I hope you’re doing alright! Is it ok if I ask for the brothers’ reaction to their darling dying during childbirth?

Their attitudes towards their darling’s pregnancy is sort of a mixed bag already which makes me wonder, would they obsess over their child and sort of see them as their last piece of darling or would they hate their child and blame them for darling’s death?

Thank you in any case!

Hello hello anon anon! I hope you're staying cool. I have been sweating like a pig since mid may so even wearing makeup is hard because it runs so much.

As I mentioned before I don't have much experience with this topic so I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you disagree with me, I'd love to hear your thoughts <3 (AFAB!reader x AMAB!yandere)(grief)(child neglect/abuse)(absentee parent)(18+ readers only please, mdni)[Abuse and neglect are inexcusable in real life. Children always deserve a nurturing, loving home where they feel safe and valued.]

Yandere!Lucifer is most likely going to torment his child as a result, unfortunately. Much like how he treated Belphie in the first game, when he's emotionally overwhelmed he falls back on what is proper and what can be considered as respectable as possible. So he'd be strict with the child and want them to exceed what every other child is doing at the time. However, I don't think he can maintain this kind of mentality. It gets to a breaking point with him where he has to honor his emotions, so I think that once it's clear this isn't working and hurting everyone including him he'd be willing to try and reconsider how he's been dealing with your death and the child.

Also, because he would probably be responsible for children in a few of the below scenarios (lolll), he'd be much, much more lenient and caring with a kid that wasn't his and didn't come from the death of his darling. He'd be a good surrogate father, even if he is a little distant.

Yandere!Mammon would be very, very unwell and probably not able to pay much attention to the child. His typical way to cope is either crying or making jokes about it, but he doesn't have enough tears to cry and can't find a way to laugh at you passing. I think it would take him a few years to be able to be consistently present with the child, but when he did he would try to treasure them as a remainder of you.

Yandere!Levi would probably not want anything to do with the child for five or ten years. They are a personification of his own hell, because they took your attention and presence from him just like he knew they would. He would blame them, I think, but once the child started to reflect your habits and your looks, he would be drawn to them and try to be in their life more. He's pretty negative but not necessarily bitter, so when he eventually tries to bond with the child I think he will be caring and sweet.

Yandere!Satan wouldn't voluntarily give up his child but would likely revert to only being able to feel rage, so they would be taken from him by his brothers. He's not emotionally articulate in the first place so trying to express the massive grief of losing you would exceed his capabilities and just become a lot of destructive, painful wrath. Lucifer will likely parent the baby until Satan can calm down -- and who knows how long that will take? -- but once he was able to be with the child, I think he would really, really do as much as he could for them, researching how to parent and what to do at every point. Even if he doesn't have the words for it, he mostly would see the kid as a testament to his love for you so he'd try to love them perfectly. At first he'd probably be too harsh and too strict, but I actually think he'd course correct sooner than Lucifer would.

Yandere!Asmodeus is the least likely, in my opinion, to end up parenting because I think your death would actually break him. Yan Asmo has managed to smooth over every part of your unhealthy relationship with him by ignoring or reinterpreting it through his delusions, but there isn't really a way for him to be delusional about you being dead. I think he'd be very deeply, personally changed, and it's hard to tell if or how he would recover from it. I think that in the case he did recover he'd be so different from the experience that he'd be rebuilding his personality in conjunction with the kid's development. He probably would never be the same old Asmo.

Yandere!Beelzebub is the most likely of all of them to rise to the challenge and stay parenting the child. Duty is really important to him, considering how seriously he takes protecting Lucifer and the other brothers despite that not being his job any more. He has always imagined parenting a family with you, so if you're not around to make that happen it means he needs to work twice as hard at it himself. Of course, he'd struggle with the grief of it, but your memory would be motivating to him.

Yandere!Belphegor would try his hardest to take care of the child, but he likely wouldn't be able to do it all by himself. He's spoiled and not used to doing anything really difficult, so when he gets really overwhelmed by grief he'd have to rely on the others to help him. Because he'd always be doing his best, as the years passed and the grief became easier to handle, he'd be a better and better dad. I think he's the most likely to use it against the child in an argument when they are older, but he would try to apologize almost immediately (and then probably need help to actually properly apologize).

A little somber, but I hope you enjoyed it!

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clatoera · 1 year

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What are your thoughts about the epilogue? Specifically this sentence :

It took five, ten, fifteen years for me to agree. But Peeta wanted them so badly.

How do you interpret it?

Disclaimer : this question is for textual analysis, it's not meant to incite fandom war. please DNI if you don't like this topic.

Thank you so much.

@curiousnonny

BUCKLE IN BESTIES

I personally have always been a huge fan of the epilogue. Back when I was little (I say little, I was 11 when it came out) and read it I was like omg yay babies, but as I’ve grown and reflected on it I genuinely have come to love it for the depth of what it represents.

Katniss makes it clear in The Hunger Games that the reason she does not want children is because it is not safe. It is not because Katniss inherently dislikes children or doesn’t want them because she’s tired of raising kids, it’s because the world is literally unsafe. She can’t guarantee them a roof over their heads, or food to keep them alive, and especially she cannot protect them from the games. Katniss actually demonstrates a lot of maternal instinct towards her sister and Rue, so I would venture to say she has the instinct if she chose to pursue it. If i’m not mistaken I also think there's a piece of CF where Katniss considers what a good father Peeta would make. Katniss is afraid of having children because of the world she lives in.

The growth to the epilogue is none to be ashamed of. I think it’s actually a natural progression sometimes, as you get older, too. For example when I was Katniss’ age, I certainly was adamant that I didn’t want children. And now, I’m twenty five, and while I'm not itching to be a mother, I am far less opposed to the idea of it. I am by no means saying that people should be told they’ll change their minds or be ignored when they insist they don’t want kids, but again, Katniss was more afraid than she was against it. The world was not safe for her children. The world was not safe for the children in twelve NOR the children of Victors. I think Katniss, after 5,10, 15 years saying yeah. I think I could have a kid. Is a HUGE testament to the world she lived in after the war. She felt safe enough, finally, after all that time to make the step forward and have children.

The fact that 15 years later Katniss felt secure enough to have children means the world changed in the way she wanted it to. Everything she did, everything she gave, everything she sacrificed, was finally worth it 15 years when the world she came to live in was one where she could have kids. This is a sign of a safe world. Of a world where there are no more games. A world where she doesn’t have to be the mockingjay anymore. A world where she can be mom/mama/mommy, instead. This is the world she fought for, where Peeta Mellark’s kids could be safe.

I also think it’s imperative to say I do not think “it took 5, 10, 15 years for me to agree. But Peeta wanted them so badly” is ANY indicator that he manipulated her or anything of the sort. We know Peeta is the master of the scene, he could manipulate the audience of the capitol, but he never once manipulates Katniss. I don’t think that changes post war. Do I think it’s a conversation that could have come up naturally after..all that time together? Yes. Of course. But a conversation is not manipulation, in fact it’s healthy to check in with your partner where you stand on these sort of things. It could be as simple as a quick off handed comment after seeing kids leave the bakery. Conversing about your future is not inherently manipulation. It’s normal and really should happen in any long term healthy relationship. In that same vein, I don’t think saying “Peeta wanted them so badly” is saying he’s begging for them. If someone wants kids…you can tell. In the way they smile at babies at restaurants. The way they wave back at them when they pass them on the street. The way they smile and shake their heads when they do something that a parent may find embarrassing but you’re trying to make it clear that they’re kids and you know that and its okay. It is obvious, when someone with a big heart, who wears it on his sleeve, wants children. I don’t think Katniss needed Peeta to say “i want them” for fifteen years. She knew. She saw him interact with them at the bakery. She saw the way he talked about Finnick and Annie’s son. Katniss knew because she loved Peeta, not because Peeta was harassing her about it. Baby fever is absolutely written on some people’s faces, and seeing how Peeta holds his son in the epilogue in the film, there is no doubt that Katniss knew, from loving him for 15 years, that he wanted them.

I also think, for Katniss, this was something she could control in her life. Her life in Twelve was really not her own. The lives of ANYONE in Panem were not their own. I have a long long essay here about the illusion of reproductive choice in Panem, so I won’t repeat myself too much. But I think exercising her control over not having children is a way for her to take control of her life and say “I won’t give them my children to slaughter. I won’t give them my children to starve.”

I also think Katniss’ age shouldn’t be overlooked. She turns 18 at the end of Mockingjay. Eighteen years old. That is SO incredibly young. Do I think people in Panem tended to have children starting around 18/19? Yes. But that wasn’t going to be Katniss, who is in mourning. And then okay five years later…23. So young, thats the age you graduate college. 10 years later? 28. Okay understandable, normal. 15 years? 33 years old. When I was younger I thought omg that is SO late in life to have kids that is SO old. No. That’s..a very normal, very healthy, very adult age to have kids. If I had them i’d be 32/33. Thirty Three is such a normal age to have kids, she’s still young, but she’s an adult. With life experience. And years to process her trauma. I think fifteen years makes SENSE when you are eighteen. Live. Figure out what your life is like in this new world, this world without games, or mentoring, or peacekeepers and district lines. She learned had time to grow, she had time to adjust to life. Fifteen years..it makes sense that after that time she’d be like you know what? I have proof the world is safe. I have faith. I feel comfortable and confident and ready to take this next step.

This part I am treading lightly because I don’t want to get controversial. However, I think a lot of the rejection of the epilogue and the idea that Katniss would choose to be a mother comes from the idea that motherhood and things that may be considered ‘traditionally feminine’ are a weakness, and I think there's some deep societal misogyny at play. The beauty in life as a woman is having the choice. THAT is feminism. The choice to have kids or not. The choice when to have them. Accepting and loving and embracing your fellow woman whether she has chosen to make a career as a homemaker or as a politician. That is what it’s all about. Having the choice and supporting each other. Having Children does not make you weak. It does not mean you settled into the patriarchy. You can be the mockingjay. You can be a mother. You can be a doctor. You can be a chef. You can be a teacher. You can be a nurse. You can be a writer. These things are not separate. You can make the choice to do these things, and that's what is so important that Katniss CHOOSES this life. She Chooses to have children. We are not shaming women for that choice, just like we don't shame them if they choose NOT to have children.

She chooses to become a mother in a far more authentic, genuine way than katniss chose to be the mockingjay.

Leading a rebellion. Being the mockingjay. That was not really her choice. She didn’t really have the choice to not be the mockingjay, did she? There wasn’t really an option.

But Katniss CHOSE to have children. She CHOSE to become a mother fifteen years later after the war that stole the person she loved most.. By her own accord. Katniss finally got to choose and direct her own life's path. And Katniss chose to have babies with Peeta Mellark and more power to her for it.

Katniss led a revolution and it can all be traced down to the love she had for her little sister, who she raised. I don’t think having children is particularly out of character for a woman who changed the world out of love for a young girl.

For Katniss to go from the mockingjay to mom is probably the most peaceful and well deserved transition of her life.

And most importantly of all, it was clearly her choice.

thank you!

@curiousnonny

#the hunger games analysis #mockingjay epilogue #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #katniss and peeta #the children of katniss and peeta #mockingjay #the hunger games epilogue

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solradguy · 9 months

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Guilty Gear hugs tier list. These listings can be debated if you want, but I'm going to post this, sign out, and go for a walk before it rains.

Reasoning:

BEST ==

Dizzy: Come on, look at her. Hugs like a best friend you haven't seen in years.

Elphelt: Might be kinda awkward if there's a snowball's chance in hell she thinks she could marry you but otherwise it's a damn good hug.

Jack-O': I'm biased. Hugs like it's the last time she'll ever see you.

Goldlewis: Like being hugged by a grizzly bear. Pats your back. 10/10

Sin: Kid puts his whole heart into everything he does. No way he hugs bad.

Axl: Good at hugging because it really just might be the last time he ever sees you.

Sol: He won't hug you. However, consider: warm, big arms, big chest. If Sol hugs you then the Earth is about to explode and he doesn't want to go out feeling alone.

GREAT ==

May: She's kinda bubbly (pun) and bubbly girls hug good.

Ky: Has rehearsed hugging. Knows the precise amount of time to hug for and how hard to hug but it still feels genuine.

Bridget: Don't have an explanation for this, just think she'd be good at hugs.

Izuna: Hugs like the cool uncle that let you take a sip of his bourbon when you were a teen. Pats your back.

Kliff: Dad hugs. Almost crushes your ribs but there's love in it.

Potemkin: Man's heart's full of love. He's careful not to kill you.

Chipp: Don't think Chipp hugs very frequently because he's a president and he's got an image to maintain, but I think he'd hug like everyone was his friend even if he just met them.

GOOD ==

Jam: Maybe a little too friendly for a hug with a stranger, like she hugs for just a bit too long and it starts getting kinda weird. She didn't mean anything weird by it though.

Zappa: It all depends on how involved S'Ko gets. There might be insects. Decent despite all that.

Slayer: I just don't think he'd hug anyone better than he hugs Sharon. A formal hug.

Leo: Tries too hard to hug well and doesn't quite make it.

Nagoriyuki: Could be killer at hugging if he had more opportunities to. A little out of practice from how long he was sealed in that thing.

Answer: Extremely formal and quick. He's got things to do.

Testament: Out of practice like with Nago. They're getting better though and at least whatever they put in their hair smells nice.

OKAY ==

Anji: If he hugs you, he's probably hitting on you. Depends entirely on how you'd feel about that. If he hugs you and he doesn't like you, I think it'd be a just barely acceptable hug.

Johnny: Saves his best hugs for hot women and his adopted daughters. It's a little awkward, like he doesn't really want to be hugging someone.

Faust: The image here is Strive Faust and I think Strive Faust would hug not great because he's really going through it in Strive and he just needs a moment. Xrd Faust would be up in GOOD or GREAT tier though.

Paradigm: Either you gotta squat down awkwardly to hug him or he's gotta climb up onto a table. Hugs in a professional manner, but the logistics of it make it difficult.

Bedman: Is asleep. Is strapped to a giant bed.

Ram: She's still learning. It's a cold hug because she's not sure how you're supposed to do it yet.

Giovanna: Doesn't want to hug and would rather be doing anything else.

Asuka: He was alright at hugging in 2015 but now it's 2187 and he's forgotten. The experience is uncomfortable for both parties.

Venom: Unless you're Zato, it's a quick and distant hug.

Raven: Would probably hug decently if he was in a serious mood, but odds are he's gonna make it bad weird.

BAD!! ==

Millia: She's had a rough life and also does not want to hug. A hug that makes you fear for your life and be grateful when the hug's over.

Justice: She's dead. Before that she wanted to destroy humanity. You can hug Justice but only once, and you better be fast.

Baiken: You might get stabbed. I can't imagine a scenario where she'd willingly hug anyone that wasn't Delilah.

I-No: Will just straight up kill you. Has never had a reason to hug someone before and might make it horny-weird if she's in a good mood and doesn't kill you first.

Robo-Ky: Assuming Crow programmed him to hug like Flesh Ky, it would still be like hugging a pile of sharp metal. If you're a woman he's going to say something uncomfortable.

Baldhead: Man's really going through it!! Going through it like no man's gone before!! Odds are looking like you'll get murdered.

ABA: Doesn't know what a hug is. Smells like rotting blood and flesh.

Order Sol: Sol at possibly his lowest point. Reeks like hair grease, body odor, and rotting blood. 48% chance you'll get Savage Fang'd, 48% chance you'll get Tyrant Rave'd, 4% chance he rips your heart out with his bare hand.

Valentine: She just stands there and doesn't hug back. Asks questions about hugs, hugging techniques, the meaning of hugs, the history of hugs, and what purpose they serve for as long as you're willing to bullshit answers.

Haehyun: The little human inside the robot is alright at hugging, but the robot itself will probably crush your bones.

Happy Chaos: He's going to do something really friggin weird for shits n giggles and you're going to regret it.

Zato: He's just shit at hugging. Dude died and came back wrong.

#photopost

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luthwhore · 10 months

Text

I want to preface this by saying that I haven't read every comic in which Lex has ever appeared, and most of what I've read has been from the last two decades or from the Bronze Age; I am still working my way through most of his post-crisis/pre-flashpoint content.

These are also recommended based on how much I personally enjoyed them, so there is a bit of subjectivity here. However, if I think a comic is particularly important to Lex’s canon and/or objectively well-written, I will try to make note of it, even if it doesn’t suit my own tastes.

Stuff listed as “further reading” is content I have more mixed feelings about or that features Lex less prominently, but still think is worth a read if you want to dig a little deeper.

There are a few things I recommend avoiding unless you really, really want to read it for historical reasons (often because the comics include triggering content), and I've tried to make note of these as well.

⭐️ = most important for current continuity 💜 = personal favorites

Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid ⭐️

Generally considered the definitive retelling of the Superman origin story, and the comic that reintroduced the idea of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor growing up together in Smallville to the mainline canon after it was written out during Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Further Reading

↳ Superman: Secret Origin (alternate telling from Birthright) ↳ Action Comics Special #1 - "The Last Will & Testament of Lex Luthor" ↳ Superman: American Alien (Superman origin story that actively contradicts Superman: Birthright, but has some fun Lex moments)

Lex Luthor: A Celebration of 75 Years 💜

Not a single comic, but rather a historical account of Lex through the ages. Rather than featuring entire arcs, it tends to feature a single issue that showcases the Lex of each era, so it's a good read to figure out what versions of Lex you personally enjoy. Some of the stories in this collection are included elsewhere on this list.

JLA: Rock of Ages by Grant Morrison (JLA 1998 #10-#15)

Lex and the Injustice Gang take on the Justice League! I really like Lex's characterization here because it really shows how Lex thinks, and it does a great job showing that despite being a villain, Lex does have standards and tries to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Salvation Run by Bill Willingham & Lilah Sturges 💜

A villain vs villain story, featuring most of the DCU's villains being stranded off-world together and comparing Lex's style of leadership with the Joker's. Probably one of the best examples I've ever read of exactly how competent Lex is, and seeing him go head-to-head with the Joker is a delight.

Superman: The Black Ring by Paul Cornell (Action Comics #890-#900)

Might be a little hard to follow if you're not familiar with Green Lantern lore, but the arc does a great job with balancing Lex being villainous with still feeling fun and flawed and human. Not a lot of interaction with Superman until the very end, but there is a lot of Lois in this one. (Sort of. You'll see.)

Further Reading

↳ President Luthor: Secret Files and Origins ↳ Superman's Nemesis Lex Luthor ↳ Lex Luthor: Man of Steel ↳ Superman: Last Son ↳ Superman: Unchained

Forever Evil by Geoff Johns ⭐️

The start of Lex's "hero" arc, which spans from the end of n52 until 2018. Functions as a bit of a reset for his character and sets the tone for everything from here on in Lex’s continuity. It gives some insight into Lex’s relationship with Lena post-reboot, and has a very sweet take on his relationship with Bizarro.

Justice League (2011) by Geoff Johns ⭐️ (Lex appears in #30-52, though you can start at #24 if you’re interested in the setup for Forever Evil)

Follows up on the events in Forever Evil and kickstarts Lex’s several years’ long time as a formal part of the Justice League. I really enjoy his dynamics with each of the Trinity here, particularly with Diana. I would recommend the Darkseid War arc in particular (especially if you’re a Clex shipper), but the whole thing is enjoyable. Lena also appears here! Read Justice League: The Darkseid War - Lex Luthor between #45 and #46.

Action Comics: Path of Doom & Men of Steel, by Dan Jurgens ⭐️ (#957-962, #967-970)

Continues on with the “Super-Lex” arc teased at the end of the previous Justice League arc. This is also where Jon Kent (Clark & Lois’s son) is introduced. There’s a lot more Clark & Lex interaction here than most of the other comics in Lex’s hero era, and you do get the sense that he is genuinely trying to do the right thing, even if his motivations for doing so are a bit…self-centered.

Superman: Imperius Lex, by Patrick Gleason & Peter Tomasi ⭐️ (#33-36)

The end of the Super-Lex arc, though not technically the end of Lex’s time as a hero. Make sure to read the n52 Justice League: Darkseid War arc first, since it references the events heavily. Great Clark & Lex content, including a scene of them being stranded on a red sun planet together.

Justice League: No Justice, by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, & Joshua Williamson

The official end to Lex being a hero and a member of the Justice League, as well as the setup for the Legion of Doom & Year of the Villain arcs. Imo, his reason for becoming a villain again is pretty contrived and frustrating, but it does set up what will end up becoming a very important dynamic between Lex and the Martian Manhunter in the next arc.

Further Reading

↳ Action Comics #23.1 - Bizarro ↳ Action Comics #23.3 - Lex Luthor ↳ Superwoman (2016) #1 - #8

⚠️ Note: Superwoman (2016) issues #1-8 feature both Lex and Lena and follow up on what was set up in Forever Evil and Justice League (2012), but the writing around Lena’s disability is extremely ableist. It does feature a lot of Lena and expands more on the backstory set up in Forever Evil, and there are a few good character moments for Lex, but Lena's treatment is pretty bad, so read with caution. ⚠️

Justice League (2018) by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV (#1-39)

Lex’s return to classic villainy, along with the Legion of Doom. The arc is a little weird in places and I’m not crazy about some of the choices made, but his dynamic with the other villains is fun, and I enjoy his relationship with the Martian Manhunter. I personally like both Snyder and Tynion as writers enough to power through the general weirdness of this arc, but your mileage may vary. It’s pretty dense and hard to follow at times and I felt like it didn’t really hit its stride until about issue #8, so you might need to power through a bit at the beginning.

Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen by James Tynion IV

Follows up the “Year of the Villain” plot set up in Justice League. It’s weird as hell but it does have some good character moments for him, and more importantly, features the conclusion of the arc.

Further Reading

↳ Justice League Annual #1 ↳ DC’s Year of the Villain Special #1 ↳ Year of the Villain: Lex Luthor 💜 (Features an alternate universe where Lex is married to that universe's Kal-el. No, really.) ↳ Dark Nights: Death Metal ↳ Action Comics #1000 (special anthology issue)

Superman: Son of Kal-El (Annual #1) by Tom Taylor

I don’t have strong enough feelings about Lex in Son of Kal-El for me to recommend the whole series for him alone, but his interactions with both Clark and Jon in the annual are very enjoyable. (If you like the annual and you enjoy Jon, Lex is a recurring character in SoKE, and the series is a pretty quick read.)

Batman: The Abyss, by Joshua Williamson 💜 (Batman (2016) #118-121)

Technically a Batman story, but a very short one. Superman is currently off-world, so naturally Lex needs to find another hero to menace. Williamson is the current writer on the mainline Superman book and imo he is THE best Lex writer at DC. He really captures the way Lex earnestly views himself as a hero while doing the most unhinged bullshit you have ever seen. Worth a read if only to watch Lex take Bruce on the worst date of his life.

Action Comics #1050, by Joshua Williamson, Philip Kennedy Johnson, & Tom Taylor ⭐️

Provides context for the current Superman run. You could technically skip it, but with Williamson as a co-writer, I have no idea why you would want to. Lex is truly a mess in the most enjoyable way here.

Superman (2023), by Joshua Williamson ⭐️

The holy grail, the crown jewel, THE comic to read if you’re a Lex fan. The comic is only a few issues in as of writing this list, but Williamson really hits the perfect balance of making Lex funny and charming while still kind of being an asshole. (Updates monthly, though July-August won’t have new issues while the Knight Terrors arc is coming out.)

Further Reading

↳ Superman: Son of Kal-El ↳ Superman: Kal-El Returns ↳ Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (2019) ↳ Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton ↳ Action Comics: The Rise of Metallo

The Last Days of Lex Luthor, by Mark Waid 💜

Written by the same author as Superman: Birthright. This comic is a Black Label comic, which means it’s not part of the mainline continuity and is more “adult oriented” than the mainstream books, so the writer has significantly more freedom and it shouldn’t take a lot of prior knowledge. In this comic, Lex is dying, and Superman is trying to find a way to save him. (The comic will be 3 issues long, released every other month.) I would strongly recommend reading Superman: Birthright first, though it's not mandatory.

Smallville: Season 11, by Bryan Q Miller 💜

The S11 comic is a little bloated with random cameos from other DC characters and the art is pretty inconsistent at times, but there are some really nice moments in it if you want more Smallville Lex. You can skip the Titans & Lantern arcs if you’re not interested in the extended Smallville universe, but the rest of the comic features Lex pretty heavily. Prepare yourself to cry over Otis. If you read nothing else, read Smallville: Alien, particularly if you're a Clex shipper.

Batman: Last Knight on Earth, by Scott Snyder 💜

A post-apocalyptic/dystopian future story, following Batman as he attempts to make his way back to Gotham. Lex only appears in issue #2, but Scott Snyder really loves his villains unhinged and psychosexually obsessed with their heroes. Lex’s fate in this might make you tear up. ⚠️ Character death warning. ⚠️

Clark & Lex: A Young Superman Graphic Novel, by Brendan Reichs

Young Clark Kent enters a competition to win an internship at Luthorcorp, where he meets and befriends a young Lex Luthor. Heavy Smallville influence is present here! This novel is marketed as the first in a series, so we'll hopefully see more in the future.

Further Reading

↳ All-Star Superman (widely considered one of the best Superman stories ever written, but I would not recommend if you’re new to Superman) ↳ DC Bombshells ↳ Injustice: Gods Among Us / Injustice 2 / Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent (would not recommend these if you’re new to DC)

Prior to the changes made to Lex's lore in the wake of "Crisis on Infinite Earths", Lex had been a mad scientist first and foremost, and had generally been portrayed as fairly human and flawed. This version of Lex grew up in Smallville alongside Clark Kent, though in the 80s and beyond this would be written in and out of his continuity several times.

These can be a little campy and goofy at times, since the comics were still being marketed toward children and were largely episodic, but there are some truly excellent bits of characterization for Lex within the pre-crisis canon, and it really is a treasure trove of Clex content if you're into that.

How Luthor Met Superboy, by Jerry Siegel (Adventure Comics #271)

The original story of Lex and Superboy (Clark) meeting for the first time. Eventually retooled slightly for Elliot Maggin's "The Luthor Nobody Knows" and then massively overhauled for Superman: Birthright, but this is the original, and while a bit corny and dated, some parts of it still hold up!

The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman, by Edmund Hamilton (Superman #164)

Lex and Superman face off on a red sun planet in an attempt to prove once and for all which of the two of them is stronger. The start of the short "Lexor" arc wherein becomes a hero on another planet.

Luthor Unleashed!, by Cary Bates 💜 (Action Comics #544)

The conclusion of the Lexor arc (mentioned above). Lex has a wife and child on Lexor, and considers that he might even be able to let himself be truly happy there. Unfortunately for him, his obsession with Superman wins out.

The Luthor Nobody Knows, by Elliot S! Maggin 💜 (Superman #292)

This story is somewhat of a retelling of "How Luthor Met Superboy", but told via flashback from the perspective of Superman. It's a bit more introspective than the original Silver Age story, with Clark reminiscing on his relationship with Lex.

The Einstein Connection, by Elliot S! Maggin 💜 (Superman #416)

Long before Smallville decided to make Lex an Alexander the Great fanboy, pre-crisis Lex uphold Albert Einstein as one of his heroes. A great character study on pre-crisis Lex, and in general a great example of the more "frenemy"-esque dynamic that Maggin wrote Clark and Lex with.

The Ghost of Superman Future, by Elliot S! Maggin (Superman #416)

A story set in the far future, with an elderly Superman recounting his life, including his friendship with Lex Luthor and all of its many ups and downs and complications. Contains the first-ever reference to the idea of Lexcorp, though it would not be fully incorporated into the mainline canon until post-crisis when Byrne revamped the character. ** If you like this story, I would strongly recommend reading Elliot S! Maggin's short story "Luthor's Gift", as it delves further into the dynamic between Clark, Lex, and Lois and presents a very bittersweet story of the end of Lex and Lois's lives. **

Further Reading

↳ Luthor -- Super-Hero! (Superman #168) ↳ Lex Luthor -- Super Scalp-hunter! (Superman #282) ↳ The Parasite's Power Play (Superman #286) ↳ Seven-foot-two... and Still Growing! (Superman #302) ↳ Welcome to Luthorcon III! (DC Comics Presents: Annual #4)

There are some I would personally recommend only reading for historical purposes, as they do not have a lot of connection to Lex's current characterization and have largely been retconned. These contain some pretty triggering content and I will try to warn for it where appropriate.

Superman (1986) and The Man of Steel (1986) by John Byrne

John Byrne was tasked with rebooting the Superman franchise after Crisis on Infinite Earths and made a lot of sweeping changes to the Superman lore at the time. One of the changes made was to switch Lex from a mad scientist who grew up in Smallville and was friends with Clark Kent as a child to a corrupt billionaire who grew up in Metropolis. A lot of the emotional complexity and depth of the pre-crisis version of Lex was stripped away into making him more unambiguously villainous. The Lex of the Byrne era is... to put it delicately, very predatory and abusive to the women in his life. John Byrne is also a far-right conservative and his politics in general bleed through a lot into his work, so I don't recommend it on... pretty much any level.

Lex Luthor: An Unauthorized Biography by James D. Hudnall

This comic contains Lex's Metropolis-based origin story, which would be his accepted origin from Crisis on Infinite Earths through the publication of Superman: Birthright. On top of lacking most of the aspects of Lex that most people who like him actually appreciate, this comic continues the Byrne-era trend of Lex being sexually predatory and physically abusive to the women in his life. You've been warned.

#lex luthor #dc #dc comics #comic recs #reading list #will probably add things to this later

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sirenjose · 5 months

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Victor Analysis + Analysis of the 2022 Autumn Letter Event

(Reposting another older analysis I did back when the Autumn Letter Event 2022 was still going on. This originally started as just an analysis of the event, but turned into an analysis of Victor and his backstory as well.)

When Victor was 5, his mother took Victor and they traveled a long distance. On an autumn day, Victor's mother left him to be instead raised by his uncle. This may have been the last time he ever saw her, as Victor can’t even recall what she looked like.

Victor's mom taught Victor what good and bad lies were. Since when Victor explains what a broken promise by using the example "telling you they'll be back soon, this place is your home, or they'll contact you again", it's possible this is what Victor's mother did to Victor.

She promised they'd return home soon before traveling far away, then when handing him to his uncle she says this is his new home and promises to contact him again, but likely never does from how little Victor says about her and how he emphasizes he’s never received letters from anyone.

Victor's mother taught him what good and bad lies were, and then does exactly that to him. That's probably why she did it. She probably knew what she was about to do, but did it anyways, though we don't know why.

It's confirmed that she never comes back for him as Victor says he was "raised by my uncle" on day 6. As Victor is sent off to boarding school, it could imply his uncle didn't want to raise Victor either.

Considering Victor's belief "nothing is yours when you live under someone's roof", Victor likely learned this as a result of whatever his uncle's personality was, implying he may not have been the best (he was potentially quite strict).

While at boarding school, Victor is once again left alone, just like how his mother and uncle did.

It seems he didn't really have any friends. Instead, he listened to his schoolmates talking to each other at night while looking out an open window at the different seasons.

The lamp's description is "'Victor, it's lights out! Stop reading meaningless fairy tales!' They kept saying that in school".

Seems Victor tried to escape reality by diving into the worlds written in stories (and into other people's stories via letters), especially fantasy ones.

He likely did this because of how different (and potentially better) those worlds seemed than his current one. It also fits with how well Victor is at reading between the lines and reading other people's emotions (as day 2 describes).

Victor left boarding school when he was 15. His schoolmates promised they'd keep in touch, but they never did, which may parallel what happened with his mother.

Considering the mention he was 15 when he left boarding school, this may connect to Victor's harmonica, which in the event has the title "Gift for a 15-Year-Old" + the description "this was the only gift she ever gave me".

We know that this harmonica came from a female, meaning it couldn't have come from the policeman who owned Wick, especially as Victor hasn't even met him yet (Victor only just met Wick).

The in-game description for Victor's harmonica as the S-tier accessory is "Victor didn't think that this present from his poet friend would be the last testament of their last meeting."

The only female Victor's mentioned so far has been his mother. It's possible she still occasionally visited or contacted him somehow, and maybe she gave this as a gift for him finishing school, but the earlier example when explaining a broken promise makes me not sure.

Victor also did say he’s never received letters from anyone. Then there's Victor describing the person as a "poet friend" and I'm not sure he'd refer to his "mother" as a "friend", though it could be because of the lack of intimacy due to his mother leaving and not raising him.

It could've come from someone Victor knew at school, but as Victor talks about not having anyone to send letters to + how alone he describes himself as at school, I'm not sure about this option either.

The only other option is it's from someone we haven't been introduced to yet.

What we do know about the harmonica is it's incredibly important to him, to the point it's the only item he wishes to be buried with when he dies (on Day 6).

There's also how the harmonica in the event starts with "Have you tried playing the harmonica by a river in autumn?"

This should tie to Victor describing the day his mother left him. Regarding this, he says "We crossed the bridge over the river, and then she let go of my hand and just waited by the bridge. Then my uncle took me... And she left."

Finally, Victor on Day 6 says he likes playing Greensleeves on his harmonica. Some claim this song was written by King Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn, who rejected Henry's advances, or Lady Greensleeves (who the song is about) may have been a prostitute, though both are likely false.

In the song, the author says Greensleeves "was all my joy" but "alas, my love, ye do me wrong / to cast me off discourteously", adding "I have been ready at your hand / to grant whatever you would crave".

The next parts of the song describe what the singer tried to do to gain the lady's affections, but "thou couldst desire no earthly thing" and "yet thou wouldst not love me". He comments on how much he spent/did for her yet she still won't love him.

He prays that she'll see his "constancy" and "yet that once before I die / thou wilt vouchsafe to love me", before saying "farewell".

This song first appeared in 1580 (after Henry had died in 1547). The mention of "lady" may imply she could've been nobility (so not a prostitute)

The writer gives the lady multiple gifts, potentially trying to show how rich he is, but fails to get her to love him though she does keep the gifts.

During the renaissance, besides meanings that imply prostitution, green could also symbolize love and joy, youth, and chastity.

Greensleeves may have originally been a poem that was set to music, which could tie to Victor getting his harmonica from a "poet friend". If he was told to play the song while by a river in autumn, it's possible this friend was trying to help cheer Victor up when he was depressed thinking about his mother leaving him.

Considering the lyrics of the song, it's possible Victor felt similarly in the song. Doing everything he could to gain someone's love, but continuing to fail no matter what he did, but he still refuses to stop loving the person.

Though if it was the mother who sent it, it's possible it was her way of apologizing? Maybe that could also fit with, if his mother left when he was 5, he remembers her enough to talk about but not remember her face, why this could be the "only gift" he got from her.

It's possible, rather than abandoning Victor, Victor's mom had to leave Victor so he could attend boarding school. There was a law in 1870 (which fits the time period of the game) that made it mandatory for all kids between ages 5-10 to attend school.

Considering Victor was 5 when he left his mom and 15 when he left school, he would've been at boarding school for 10 years, which apparently is a possible amount of time for kids to stay at boarding school for. Maybe the harmonica was a gift, and maybe she sent Victor poems while he was going to school, but maybe she died soon after he left school and not long after giving him the harmonica. Maybe she gave it the harmonica to him so he wouldn't miss her. Maybe the last time her saw his mother was the day he got the harmonica from her.

Or again, maybe someone else gave it to him.

I'm not quite sure either way. I feel like I'm missing a little bit of info to really put all the pieces together to be completely sure. So for now, I can only throw out all the potential theories.

In any case, after school Victor began working for a post office, which is where the event takes place. It also matches with Victor's 1st deduction that talks about Victor becoming a postman.

Victor met Wick for the 1st time on day 1, where Wick says his "master just lost a letter! That's what I'm here for".

It seems to be while Victor is talking to Wick he gets the idea to write letters to himself. He comments during day 1, after Wick asks if he has anyone to write to, Victor says he doesnt have anyone to send them to, and he doesn't have anyone who's ever sent him letters either.

On Day 6, Wick tells Victor he should “keep these letters for yourself”, which likely refers to the letters Victor is looking at right now, which are letters Victor is unable to send due to smudged addresses, incorrect sender info, and so on.

Maybe it’s soon after this Victor gets the idea to do something similar by writing to himself. This could connect with Victor’s 1st letter, which is by Victor written for Wick (as well as some of victor’s deductions which are described as letters he wrote to himself).

Victor talking to Wick (like Wick can actually converse with him) also fits really nicely with Victor’s 1st letter, considering Victor is sending a letter to Wick and at the end of the letter, there is a reply from Wick to Victor (in morse code).

It's not until day 7 that we see this letter Wick was looking for. It is a letter from someone asking Wick's owner, the policeman (as it mentions a "measly salary" at a "police station" + we know Wick's owner was a policeman), to help them by passing goods and obeying "Big Daddy".

At the end of the letter, the author of the letter mentions also needing a "mute to pass a message". This should match with Victor's 2nd deduction, which has a very similar line: "Find a mute who can speak. That's someone who can keep a secret".

Based on the title of this deduction and line right after it "Nickname: 'Big Daddy' never called me by my name. He only calls me 'Postman', just like how everyone calls him 'Big Daddy'", seems it's soon after this event that Victor begins working for Big Daddy by sending messages and helping the policeman ship the "goods" the policeman was asked to send by Big Daddy's group. This is likely the "list of supplies for the transaction" and "addresses" referenced in Victor's deduction 3.

As Luchino's 1st letter references a "crime syndicate" linked to Lakeside Village, this may be Big Daddy's group ("Big Daddy" may be Miles' father, Mr. Donnelly, who Eugene Hayward, Margaretha's uncle, works for and was talking to when ordered to move Michiko's body).

The title of Victor's deduction 3 is "Curiosity", with the line right after it being "He said if something happens, he will ask Wick to give this letter to me for delivery." Considering the policeman was told to "find a mute" and Victor helped Wick, the policeman's dog, who probably showed the policeman he liked Victor, this would explain why the policeman would likely trust Victor enough with his dog and tell him he'd send him a letter with Wick if something happened to him (the policeman).

The money the policeman and Victor received in exchange for helping Big Daddy should be the same money referenced in Victor's deduction 4, which also states Wick would receive letters for the policeman when the policeman wasn't there to receive them himself.

The reason Big Daddy wanted a mute is hinted at in Victor's deduction 5, as people were "asking about the identity of 'Big Daddy'". Those who delivered messages before Victor likely died due to talkin, which explains why Big Daddy wanted a "mute" to deliver messages this time.

Then there’s Victor’s deduction 6, where he witnessed the policeman “beating up a hooligan”.

This seems to be a turning point for Victor.

It’s not explained why the policeman was beating them up, but considering deduction 8 is a note likely from the policeman who is starting to go against Big Daddy, as he doesn’t want to do “more” and wants them to stop using Victor, and considering back in deduction 3 the policeman thought something might happen to him and promises to send Wick with a letter to Victor if something does happen, I wonder if the “hooligan” was 1 of Big Daddy’s “gang”. This fits with the summary for Victor’s deduction 2 in his character relations page stating he “became the witness in a fight between a police officer and a gangster, and thus lost the trust of ‘Big Daddy’”.

Victor’s deduction 7 is him realizing he’s a just a "tool" and wants his own secret. I wonder if the policeman had been trying to protect Victor . Maybe he wanted Victor to get out, and that's why he wanted Big Daddy to send someone else instead of Victor.

It’s after this fight Big Daddy stops trusting Victor and “won’t let me deliver letters for him anymore”. It’s possible this was because the policeman stopped working for Big Daddy and so the Victor didn't have to do the same things he did before with the policeman as a result.

The policeman going against Big Daddy is reflected in the title and line for Victor’s deduction 8 “Business: the envelopes delivered here are getting thicker, yet the parcels being sent back are getting smaller”. Big Daddy wanted the policeman to do more, but the policeman decided he didn’t like what he was doing anymore. Big Daddy wants the policeman to ship more goods, but the policeman is refusing. He likely tried to speak out or do something potentially to get Big Daddy arrested.

As a result for going against Big Daddy, the policeman is killed. The fire was likely purposefully set to hide any evidence. Victor tried to save the policeman, but failed, only succeeding in rescuing Wick.

We know the policeman promised to send Wick with a letter if something happened to him, which likely contained everything about Big Daddy and other important secrets of the gang.

These were likely the evidence the police probably wanted to use to get Big Daddy caught, but failed to use before he was killed. This could also explain why the title for deduction 9 is “Possession: I hold my own secret now”.

In deduction 10, the title is “Hesitation: Should I remind him? Will he question me? Is there a chance to get that letter still?”.

I’m not sure what Victor means by “remind him”.

It’s possible Victor tried to ask something of Big Daddy, possibly to be let go or something. Or maybe he asked to keep Wick (especially if Wick had the letter from the policeman). The “letter” he still wants should be the letter the policeman wanted to send Victor.

As the rest of the deduction is labeled “monitoring record” and describes the gang watching him + willing to kill him if he talks, he either had to be careful to retrieve the letter, or maybe he wanted to use that letter against Big Daddy but had to be careful how he did it.

As Victor has skins like Paperboy (COA 5) where he’s using the newspaper to oppose Metropolis/Eternal Aurora, the idea Victor wanted to use the secrets from the policeman against Big Daddy makes sense. It'd also explain why the gang were worried and felt the need to watch Victor.

The last deduction should tie with the summary for the 3rd deduction in Victor’s character relations page, which states he was “involved in a police corruption case. His life was even threatened”.

As the title for deduction 11 is “lost letter” + “I’m still the Postman, but I’ve lost the Bronze Bell”, and how Victor during the event still describes having the “bronze bell” rung, I wonder if this deduction implies he was forced to leave working for the post office (bronze bell like that on a door to the post office to signify when someone entered to have a letter sent?).

If Victor did try to release the truth about Big Daddy like his skins (ex: Paperboy from COA 5) imply, that could explain why there was a “case” about “police corruption”, as in the kind you’d find in a judicial court.

Deduction 11 is a note “Don't say anything. You stick out like a sore thumb. We won't mind burning that dog again”. The meaning could be the gang/Big Daddy didn’t want Victor to say anything in court about them, and that would explain why they'd threaten “burning that dog again”, as the gang went from threatening to burn the dog to threatening his life was because he did talk out about the gang. It’s also possible he didn’t say anything, and that’s why Victor’s last deduction still uses the “nickname” Big Daddy and the gang call him, aka “Postman”.

Whatever happens, it’s around then that Victor receives the invitation from the manor. Victor is happy to finally receive a letter from someone else, and is more than happy to go.

#idv #identity v #victor grantz #postman #autumn letter event 2022 #idv victor #identity v victor #idv postman #identity v postman #sirenjose analyses and theories

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