#and I still need to finish the final season of she ra

[rainofthetwilight]

LEVI LEVI

In addition to Evil Arin, another thing that is potentially the saddest of all is if you compare his situation with the rest of the kids.

He always wanted to be a ninja, Sora and Wyldfyre didn't, and yet they're still "better" than him. They manage to contribute to the team more easily because they have powers while he has to work twice as hard to feel useful with a skill that he hasn't even mastered yet.

Sora finally found a real family on the team, Wyldfyre still has Heatwave (and she has begun to get closer to the team), but Arin can't allow himself to feel happy there because his parents are STILL missing.

The others can allow themselves to be happy with their new family, but for him, the guilt is overwhelming because his other family is still missing and he feels like he is failing to find them and be useful to both sides. And it's unfair because the one thing everyone keeps telling him that makes him a valuable member of the team (being a spinjitzu prodigy) is no longer enough to keep up with everyone else.

I want you to know that all your posts has inspired me to make a short comic of the poor boy because I love the potential angst of this so much

USGKRKKWJDJSKRJSWSHHSJAWJ YOU ALL REALLY WANNA KILL ME W/ ALL THIS ANGST HUH

UGHBBFBDBDFBJF THIS??? ALL OF THIS????

HE ALWAYS SO BADLY WANTED TO BE AN NINJA IT WAS HIS DREAM...AND WHEN BE DID HE FEELS UNWORTHY AND FEELS LIKE HE CAN'T CONTRIBUTE, WHILE SORA AND WYLDFYRE EASILY DO BC THEY HAVE POWERS...AND THE ONLY SKILL HE HAS WASN'T ENOUGH...

UGDHHDJE HE'S SO FULL OF GRIEF AND TRAUMA AND WHILE HIS CLOSEST FRIEND HAD MOVED ON AND ADJUSTED TO HER NEW LIFE, HE WAS STILL GRIEVING AND MOURNING WHAT HE LOST...

like. Oh my gosh. do you see how much happier and playful sora is in s2? she's so more animated, more cheerful, more like herself, as she finally let go of the past. so when you compare her to arin this season, who's grief has been attacking him in every waking moment, who everytime he speaks he's full of nothing but hopelessness and denial, still having his past haunt him more than it ever did. he still cannot find his other family, he still can't adjust, while sora already did, letting go of the other...

and wyldfyre, she still has her own family while adjusting to the new one, and she's happy! she's so happy, she has good dynamics with them (especially with kai), and is even told by rontu how much potential she has!!!

while arin, who's whole dream was to be a ninja, to be useful and worthy, was immediately crushed. the skill he was once praised for is now suddenly not enough, it's suddenly too weak and sloppy and unmastered. while sora and wyldfyre easily fit in, despite them not wanting to do anything w/ the ninja at first, he's still off in the corner, the jealousy consuming him even tho he doesn't want it to

they easily adjusted to their new families, while he still can't, because just like you said the guilt is overwhelming him so so much because he still can't find his other family and it hurts. he feels useless to both families, literally the first thing he said when he thought he saw his parents was that he wasn't good enough dude...

and all of these? these are all motives for him to snap, to crack his facade and become someone no one knew before, his self doubt absolutely eating him up and he succumbs to ras's words about the ninja holding him back....

oh my god I'm actually INSANE for him bro SHDHSKDJJAJS....POOR ARIN DUDE THIS SEASON HAS PUT HIM THROUGH THE WRINGER 😭

ALSO I'M GLAD I INSPIRED YOU!! :D you better thank everyone that sent the asks for that, you are all feeding me with all this angst bro 😭 also would you mind tagging me when you finish that comic? 👉👈 👀 I need more arin angst despite the fact I'm about to explode rn OUDHDHS

#ninjago #ninjago dragons rising #dragons rising spoilers #ninjago spoilers #ninjago arin #levi's asks #ty for the ask! #taddy tag #levi's analysis

[cell151]

Can you believe that there are STILL active makorra shippers? Of course, for them, just shipping is never enough.

They STILL have those sick, disgusting needs to demonize and trash Asami, and they even go so far that they imagine how they would beat her up and rip her hair... just... disgusting...

And of course that they STILL like to make that one (1) scene where Asami was angry at Korra supposedly problematic, and that Mako is somehow the one who actually cares about Korra... ugh...

The only somehow new argument now is that it is somehow bad how TLOK comics supposedly ignore the relationship between Korra and Mako.

As we know, Korra shouldn't be focused on her relationship with her actual girlfriend and instead be more in contact with her ex-boyfriend, because as we know, all people should stay in close contact with their exes, and ignore their actual partners, for reasons...

Yeah I don't get it either.

It seems like in 2014 there was sort of an even split between Korrasami and m*k*rra but I think the latter has fallen off. Like I'll come across z*t*r* randomly (again not as much as before) but m*k*rra is rare, at least in the case that you don't actively seek it out.

I like to think tastes have matured over time. Because back when LOK was running the only ships there dominating the fics, Deviantart, Tumblr, etc. were the aforementioned Z, M and T*kka (all of which, if it isn't clear, I don't like). All the best artwork was dedicated to these, the volume of fics outnumbered those for the canon couples, and poor Mai and Suki got pushed to the side, with poor Mai getting the worst of it.

I'm pleased that Maiko, Sukka and Kataang are finally getting their moment to shine these days. Again either tastes matured or the next generation of viewers didn't align themselves with those who wept when the moody firebender didn't hook up with the waterbender.

Speaking of moody firebender and waterbender, let's talk Korra.

2013: Korrasami is considered the "crackship". Book 2 puts the kabash on m*k*rra because let's face it: M*ko is a boring character. Cardboard has more personality. He is there to fulfill the stereotype of moody firebender and have cool firebending skills that animators can have with. Want something on fire? He's your guy.

Other than its the trope of tragic backstory that have no bearing on the plot whatsoever. In fact, M*ko doesn't have any bearing on the plot.

M*ko & Bolin find their family: no impact.

M*ko & Bolin have a dynamic with Kai because of similar backgrounds: lasts an episode or two. Kai interacts with Jinora for the rest of the series.

M*ko is Wu's bodyguard: aside from the kidnapping episode, which is a great episode, this subplot goes nowhere apart from some "comedy"

It's a shame that the roles weren't reversed. Firebender is the comic relief and the Earthbender is the serious one.

But alas we're stuck with off-brand Diet Zuko.

2014: The season that changed everything: Book 3.

Book 4: This is where the fractures started to form. With Book 3, those that had been routing for Korrasami (for clarification I jumped on that train in Book 2 because M*ko was such a prick in that season) found validation and with the finish line in sight, there were those that somehow believed that a relationship that soured years prior was somehow going to mend itself. As you mentioned, lack of communication between the two and a lack of trust. M*ko doesn't seem to trust Korra a lot until toward the end of Book 4.

Then the finale aired and something happened that really didn't occur when ATLA ended: Mike and Bryan wrote a post that stated definitely that Korra and Asami were together. Not just "good friends". No "up to interpretation." Korra and Asami are a couple.

Of course after LOK, there was more LGBTQ stories and characters in TV going forward, with varying degrees of success as is all media.

There are some idiotic posts that criticize Korrasami while viewing it from the perspective of having shows like She-Ra, Owl House, etc. for the past couple years. But rightly those criticisms are pushed back by those who know how much of a risk it was to even get on the air.

[wildfangz]

Get to know me!

Tagged by @vatorelilith

rules: tag 9 people you would like to get to know/catch up with

Most of the people i’d normally tag are inactive or have recently done this so.. if you haven’t and you’re down for it consider yourself tagged! Officially!

last song: Hidden Worship - Eidola

last show: Stranger Things!! Cannot wait for July 1st honestly.  Right before that though was she-ra, was watching with a friend and we’re just now finally picking it back up and finishing off the last season

currently watching/listening to: Been switching back and forth between Otzdarva’s randomizer Elden Ring stream from yesterday, and his stream from a few days ago when the new DBD killer came out to help me decide if I should get dredge or not. And maybe pick up some strats beforehand

currently reading: 

How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Why Does He Do That? By Lundy Bancroft (Thought about leaving this out for personal reasons but honestly I think it's a must read for anyone that's suffered from abuse, whether you need to process it or deal with it. It's dated and does focus mainly on abusive men but it's still a solid resource. iirc you can find it free online super easily)

current obsession: The sims! Special interest is BACK in full swing. Also Elden Ring

5 Songs I’ve Had On Repeat

Forgotten Tongues - Eidola

Unequivocal Nature - Eidola

Fighting Back - Beartooth

Nerve Endings - Too Close To Touch

My Life For Hire - A Day To Remember

#babble #Working on my future saints row reboot boss also so thats probably going on the obsession list soon

[keefwho]

November 13 - 2023 Monday

10:52pm

When I woke up I decided I was tired of my forming beard so I shaved it off. It felt good and had been around long enough to look weird with it gone. Before I shaved it completely, I gave myself a caterpillar stache which looked funny and also like something I could rock when I get older. In the shower when I was gonna use my close shaver, it wasn't charged so I had to wait for my second shower after my workout to get baby smooth. Breakfast was corned beef hash, an egg, 2 pieces of toast, and half a serving of cereal. It was a big breakfast to account for my workout later. In stream I only did a couple warmup sketches and committed to refining one picture because I didn't feel like being too imaginative this morning. I finished Blink's commission which turned out okay but he had a lot of (valid) fixes to be made so I had to go back to it a few times. Honestly I'm just annoyed at characters with needlessly complicated designs. Especially when they are generically "tribal". Like what are these even supposed to mean? AND I have to draw them all perfectly? After that was finished I worked more on the next YCH. Today's Mia episode dropped some important lore and today's He Man was amazing. It's the season 1 finale which I've never seen and it went hard. After stream I started my workout. 50 lunges, 40 situps, and a 2 mile power-walk/jog. It doesn't seem like much compared to 45 minutes of wood splitting so maybe I'll up the intensity. The problem is the time it takes because I almost never get the workout and cleaning done before lunch like I plan as it is. I meant to clean before lunch today but I only had time to shower. Lunch also made me late because it took a long time to cook. I made my custom stir fry. I felt confident during today's request but it didn't actually turn out as well as I wanted and it took longer than usual. Today's project was to sketch an art trade for someone but I really had to force myself to do it. At one point I took a small break to close my eyes and listen to a stream until I felt more up to the task. Daisy also wanted to JD which was the break I really needed. We were pretty in sync today for a few of the songs and that was cute. After dancing I got back to sketching and did everything I was supposed to do. Afterwards I tried decompressing with a stream but I didn't want to watch to be honest. I didn't know what I wanted though. I probably should have found something else to do. It didn't take long for Daisy to become free and we watched an episode of She Ra while she filled out a therapy questionnaire and job application. Then I played Mother 3 and beat it for her finally. The ending was nothing like how I expected but it was still good. I have lots of things to think about before I determine what I personally think happened to everyone. In bed I played Star Stable and we talked about what we want to do with our lives and how lost we are. I am confident we will both find our way though. The best thing is we'll do it together.

#journal #diary

[princesscolumbia]

[UPDATE] Egad, some activity?!

Yes! I am still plugging away at [REDACTED], it's just somewhat slow going due to life reasons. I'm starting to accept that I'm just never going to be as outlandishly productive as WandererD or n7punk, and I'm working on being okay with that.

If you venture over to my AO3 page, you'll discover I've been working a decent amount in the realm of She-ra (2018) fanfics as well as my ongoing love for pony. (You never leave the fandom, you only deny it until the urge to rewatch becomes too strong!) My GF happened to have found and forwarded to me a song that just punched me in the gut and became my new anthem from that moment on. I instantly became a fan of the artist and subscribed to ALL their things.

You have no idea how awesome it was when they announced they were releasing their cover of Viva La Vida.

Viva La Vida is a heavily enculturated work by Coldplay, an already divisive band. I know there are Coldplay haters out there, I'm not one of them. I personally love the song and it's honestly epic enough on its own to not strictly need the cover, but it's also in a masculine voice. (I'm trans, lesbian, looking for representation in all things, yadda yadda) The masculine voice wasn't a dealbreaker in the slightest, but with an epic cover by my favorite vocalist ever popped up, you bet your ass I was interested.

And I cried! Reinaeiry keeps making me all weepy when she sings and I don't rightly know why everything she does makes me turn on the waterworks.

In any case! From the early days of My Empire of Dirt, I'd been wanting to include a version of Viva La Vida in the official playlist but hadn't been able to quite manage it 'cause other than the original, nothing really fit quite right. So even though it's been half a year since I put a bow on Empire, I have one final update that isn't waiting for the print version, I'm now calling the official My Empire of Dirt playlist set complete:

My Empire of Dirt - Volume 1: Title Tracks My Empire of Dirt - Volume 2: The Soundtrack (this is where Viva La Vida now lives) My Empire of Dirt - Volume 3: Inspirations My Empire of Dirt - Volume 4: Music Box Blues

So if you were to sit down in a theater and start watching the cinematic production of My Empire of Dirt (in the variant universe where I had enough clout to get Hasbro to let me make the film instead of just posting a fanfic about it), once the trailers finished rolling (featuring the most hotly anticipated shared-universe ensemble movie of the season, Masters of the Universe: She-ra & He-man, based on the 2018 She-ra show and the 2021 He-man show, no not that one), the opening logos from the production company and IP holder would come up on the screen to the opening strains of Viva La Vida but It's Epic.

#fanfiction #fanfictionstory #multifandom #fandom #fanfic #my litte pony friendship is magic #mlp #mlpfim #mlp eqg #quantum leap #sunset shimmer #principal celestia #princess celestia #twilight sparkle #sci twi #spotify #playlist #reinaeiry #epic #Spotify

[introvert-celeste]

Also while you’re at it, please recommend a good cartoon to watch bc I am dying for new content but can’t make a decision.

#*whispers* tell me to watch Hilda or Kipo or Craig of the Creek #those are all shows I've been meaning to watch but I keep getting overwhelmed and distracted #I've also been meaning to watch the latest season of bnha #and I still need to finish the final season of she ra #and I'm in the middle of rewatching adventure time #ugh

[greatwillhunting]

seeing critiques of adora’s character arc saying that it was inconsistent or “thrown away” so she and catra would end up together is honestly mind boggling so here’s why that’s a bad take

adora doesn’t leave the horde because she’s being treated badly. she leaves because of what they’re doing to other people, and because shadow weaver’s big talk of destiny being her purpose makes she-ra all the more appealing. when she leaves, it’s not her breaking any of her patterns, it’s simply her finding a different environment to have them in. this isn’t to say that catra always understood adora. shadow weaver raised the two very intentionally so that they could never really function together. shadow weaver’s treatment of adora will always make her blame herself for catra’s abuse, and shadow weaver’s treatment of catra will always prevent her from truly seeing how adora is being abused as well.

if you’ve seen succession, it’s obvious that the roy siblings were trained like attack dogs against each other. they don’t know how to love each other (or anyone, really) because logan’s abuse has prevented them from ever seeing each other as anything other than competitors in a war for his love and validation. obviously this doesn’t directly apply to catradora, but you can see similarities in that because of their conditioning as children, they will never see each other in a way that’s conducive to a healthy relationship. adora’s been conditioned to never feel like she’s has enough until she’s truly given all of herself away. so at the end of the pilot, you see their relationship truly fall apart thanks to the groundwork laid by shadow weaver.

the next major episode for adora’s character arc is 1x07 aka the mystacor episode. this is where she truly realizes that shadow weaver has been manipulating her and using her as a way of controlling her. this is important for gaining agency, yes. but it’s not an end to adora seeing herself as just a vessel that needs to carry out her duties. adora never would have been accepted into brightmoon if she wasn’t she-ra. ever. even in 1x03 when angella welcomes her to brightmoon, she welcomes She-Ra, Princess of Power. not adora. this is an incredibly important distinction. yes, glimmer says she-ra isn’t the reason they like adora in 1x04, but they never would have gotten to that point if it weren’t for she-ra. and that doesn’t negate the fact that in brightmoon, especially by glimmer, adora is seen primarily as she-ra and for what she can do for the rebellion.

in promise, we see more manipulation but this time from light hope. it’s clear that catra is attached to adora in a way that’s completely isolated from her duties as she-ra, and so catra is shown memories that intentionally manipulate her into cutting all ties with adora as a friend. this advances light hope’s agenda to remove adora’s agency. even as adora realizes that she’s truly fighting for her friends, the damage has been done to their relationship.

season three is instrumental to adora’s arc but nowhere near the end of it. in the portal reality, we really see the consequences of shadow weaver’s conditioning on catra and adora. adora wants to take responsibility for catra. she wants to save catra. but catra won’t let her. catra wants to win. like she’s been trained to. she needs to win because shadow weaver has always told her she never could. i don’t think adora knows this, but she does finally realize that she’s not responsible for catra. this is huge. this is the final nail on the coffin for their relationship in the horde and all its codependency. but this isn’t the end for adora’s lack of self being replaced by a desperate need to do what she has to. before she punches catra, she says: “i didn’t break the world. but i am going to fix it.” she still needs to fix it. it’s still her responsibility. season five doesn’t throw away or backtrack on adora’s development because her development still isn’t finished.

in fact, season four is pretty much an entire season of characters who aren’t catra (and mainly glimmer) reinforcing adora’s belief that she’s only good as good as what she can do. obviously glimmer is heartbroken after what happened to angella and yes that is indirectly catra’s fault but it’s necessary to point out that this was going to happen no matter what. in season 4, glimmer’s extreme dedication to getting rid of the horde (which has been there from the start) is just rearing its ugly head. she does “what she needs to” and uses adora as bait for the horde. she repeatedly disregards how adora feels so she can win the war. she ignores adora’s warnings against light hope, right as adora is starting to realize that she’s being manipulated by her as well. so when everything goes to shit and adora has to give up she-ra- give up her destiny, that need to save the world we’ve seen all along, even after her development in season three, is still there. but now, she doesn’t have a destiny propelling her forward.

so we see season five adora, bereft of all of her coping mechanisms and everything she’s needed to function. this is a logical progression of her character. even though she no longer takes responsibility for catra and she realizes she wants a choice in what she does, she still doesn’t know who she is or what she wants without someone telling her. in corridors, catra’s memories of adora inspire her to save glimmer. she starts to realize that outside of the war and the abuse, adora truly did want to be her friend. (side note- i see a lot of posts about how catra’s physical behavior in the flashback to when they were like 5 is abusive. i want to tell you that you look stupid.) anyways. after catra hit rock bottom in season four, her saving glimmer expecting to die once she did is a complete reversal of the toxic behavior we saw in season three. instead of doing anything to see adora lose, she sacrifices everything so adora can win.

when adora hears catra’s apology she realizes that catra has truly changed since the portal. and what happens next is incredibly important for adora’s arc. like i said earlier, catra is something to adora that’s completely removed from what she needs to do. catra is the only thing adora has ever truly wanted for herself. adora saves catra even when it doesn’t make sense to and this is basically the first time we’ve seen adora take agency in spite of the war. it’s because of this that she’s able to become she-ra again, this time as an extension of herself rather than shoes to fill. how is that throwing away her development?

in failsafe, we see that even though she’s accepted that she needs catra, she still feels like she has to save the world even at the cost of her life. no one challenges this except for catra. so when catra shows up, once again ready to sacrifice herself in a reversal of her previous behavior, adora is joined in what is basically a guaranteed death by the only person that’s seen her as more than what she needs to do. and that person ends up saving her. by the end of the show, both adora and catra still have trauma to get over. but it’s just a logical (and quite beautiful) conclusion to adora’s arc that she overcomes her trauma-instilled neglect of her own needs by accepting love from someone that she’s always wanted in spite of what she had to do.

don’t insult the writers or say they need to go back to writing 101 because you’re disappointed your ship didn’t win or whatever. the show’s narrative is cohesive and pretty easy to follow if you know how to think critically.

sincerely,

a film/tv student whose life is dedicated to studying and understanding narratives and is starting to get embarrassed for catradora antis

#this is so long sorry #spop #she ra #adora meta #catradora meta #spop meta #she ra meta

[yurimother]

Fishing for Lesbians: Arguments About Queerbaiting in Anime

The Owl House creator Dana Terrace once spoke about queerbaiting and said, "I see [baiting] a lot in modern anime, specifically."

But I disagree and believe that anime's problem with LGBTQ+ characters and audiences is, in fact, much worse.

Check out my new article: Fishing for Lesbians: Arguments About Queerbaiting in Anime

As queer people, we face so much torment and rejection that we turn to media, to fictional worlds. And when these worlds hint that they recognize and accept us, it gives us such hope that it will affirm our identities in ways reality too often does not.

Read it and other Secret Garden articles on Pateron

The Secret Garden is YuriMother’s series of monthly articles about Yuri and LGBTQ anime and manga. You can get exclusive access to the entire series on the YuriMother Patreon, and get other rewards like early access and more. Check out free articles and subscribe for the full series: https://t.co/3fkQ8lVSz0?amp=1

And check out a preview of the Fishing for Lesbians below.

...

The logical and literal interpretations of queerbaiting as we look at it do not apply to anime. So why is it still so frustrating when an anime we so desperately want to show same-sex romance does not? Why, as Terrace said, does it feel like these anime are "making fun of viewers for becoming invested in a relationship?" The constant and historic disregard and ignorance about LGBTQ+ audiences goes further than just trying to bait them in to improve ratings and sales. And it is hard to point the blame at a director or studio when this is what anime has always done. They do not need to put lesbian characters in because just having two women be friends is enough. It is still Yuri. They do not need to have discussions about gay and transgender audiences because BL and Yuri were never made exclusively for them, and in the vast majority of cases, they do not portray them and overlook their vast contributions to the genres. Indeed, the current definitions of queerbaiting does not do enough to express how disregarded and unnoticed we are.

As queer people, we face so much torment and rejection that we turn to media, to fictional worlds. And when these worlds hint that they recognize and accept us, it gives us such hope that it will affirm our identities in ways reality too often does not. It is why we all celebrated so hard when Luz and Amity asked each other out, why we look at every new anime that features two girls smiling with arms wrapped around each other's shoulders with hope, and why it causes so much pain and it is so overwhelmingly frustrating to have those hopes dashed again and again.

I can tell you exactly where I was when I binged the final season of She-Ra; describe precisely what I felt when I first saw episode 12 of Strawberry Panic and saw Nagisa and Shizuma kiss; articulate why I could not stand and was sobbing tears of happiness on Valentine's Day 2014 after I finished The Last of Us: Left Behind; perfectly recall the overwhelming joy and disbelief the queer community experienced and expressed on Tumblr when the Korra finale aired and our wildest dreams came true. Ask me in 10 years, and I can guarantee I will remember everything about July 31, 2021, when Lumity became canon. These moments of validation, excitement, and community are forever impactful. And as an anime fan and member of the LGBTQ community, I know what it is like to be resigned, and in a near-constant state of disappointment in a medium I love. It is not "queerbaiting", but a constant disregard and ignorance about queer people's lives and participation in anime and manga, and damn does it hurt.

Continue reading at https://www.patreon.com/posts/54386395

#Yuri #lgbtq #lgbt #patreon #the secret garden #lgbtq+ #queer #gay #lesbian #lesbians #girls love #gl #wlw

[applejackofalltrades]

Why Do I Like AppleDash So Much?

Literally nobody has ever asked me this but I'm going to answer this question anyway.

Intro: How I Got Into My Little Pony

Imma be real. The reason I started watching the show is because some of my old Twitter mutuals were interacting with posts about the Friendship Is Magic 10th anniversary. Some of them were talking about Rarijack and how it was a good ship, and others were discussing the implied canonicity of Appledash.

I had, at the time, just finished catching up on The Owl House that had recently been in the process of finishing up season one or had just gone into hiatus (can't remember which) and I was losing interest in my old hyperfixations fast.

See, I do this thing where I get really REALLY invested in a show and then as soon as it ends or as soon as I absorb every bit of media in it, I lose some of the interest or it fades. I don't usually lose full interest. For example, I still love She-Ra (my last big fandom) and I'm obviously still invested in The Owl House, but ever since both of those shows ended/stalled, I was desperately needing something to distract me from the trials and tribulations of my will to live that my daily life often forced upon me.

As you can guess, ponies was my solution.

I went into the show with a Rarijack mindset, but knowing that Appledash existed. I guess my mutuals just really liked Rarijack. I decided to give season one a chance. Actually, I felt quite silly for even deciding to watch the show. You see, back in 2018, I was still quite... trivial about watching anything that was seen as "girly". I didn't really have any problems with watching cartoons (ie. V*ltron, Steven Universe, Avatar, Pokemon etc.) but it was the fact that a show was "girly" that made me iffy. I had a very fragile masculinity, okay?

Anyway, so I actually was really afraid to watch She-Ra, even though the teaser images and trailer looked good. But I did and I decided that even "girly" shows could be good and that I was silly.

But, oh boy, cringe culture really messed with me. In mid/late 2020, I was ashamed to watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I said I'd watch one season just so I could laugh at it. I wanted to watch it as a joke, and who knows, maybe I found a guilty pleasure to watch while I waited for The Owl House to come back?

I loaded up Netflix and I hit play. Instantly, I was cringing at myself. Can you blame me? Early season MLP was obviously meant for kids. Not that it was immature or bad, but it was definitely a kid's show, especially considering the iconic storybook opening of episode one.

I watched the episodes, but they mostly were just background noise as I did other things. I remember watching them, but I was indifferent, although frustrated that I found myself chuckling at a few of the jokes and quips. I wasn't that invested, though. I thought Twilight was boring, Rarity obnoxious, Pinkie annoying, Fluttershy frustrating, and Rainbow Dash infuriating. I didn't really mind Applejack, I mostly kinda just thought she was the best one. (Nothing's changed, eh?)

And then....

Fall Weather Friends

Season One Episode Thirteen rolled around.

It starts (as y'all know) with Rainbow Dash and Applejack throwing horseshoes.

I don't know why, but this caught my attention. Of course, being only a few episodes after Look Before You Sleep, I had Rarijack on the mind. But I did think that Applejack and Rainbow Dash were probably good friends and would make for an interesting pairing, and a more interesting episode given their similarities, but also their differences.

I found myself fully watching this episode, and I dare say, it's the episode that dragged me fully into the show.

Maybe it's because I see myself in both of them in a way. Maybe that's why I connect so much with the pair, but them having an episode together? That was really good for me. I wasn't in the best state of mind, and something about seeing two characters that were in some ways reminiscent of myself interact and argue and have an endearing episode together made me smile.

It was then that I discovered the simple amazingness of AppleDash.

I mean, who doesn't love obnoxious, competitive girlfriends that are both prideful and headstrong?

I know I love it.

Anyway, so at that point, my mind kinda just clicked and I decided that my OTP was AppleDash. However, poly rights and Applejack has two front hooves *cough* Rarijackdash *cough*

But yeah so that's how I got into AppleDash. Fall Weather Friends, which was kinda the episode that made me love MLP.

How That Progressed

Well, obviously, I still love that ship I mean I live for it. If I could have any one single ship it'd be them. It just kept getting better and better as the show progressed, I mean their dynamic is great whether you want to see it platonically or romantically. They have a lot in common right off the bat (example, they are both incredibly stubborn, though AJ would take the cake for that) and seem to be close (I mean right from episode one they appear to already have a pre-established friendship), but they're also different. Applejack is a hard worker all of the time with anything she does, while Dash tends to be lazy but can be extremely driven when she is motivated (for example, when she wants to achieve her Wonderbolts dream). Applejack is immensely caring and family-oriented and does things for the good of everypony, while Rainbow Dash can be kind of a jerk and not mindful of her actions when she's wrapped up in the stuff she's doing for herself (not to say she isn't caring, but she tends to be kind of an ass, even to Fluttershy sometimes).

Their growth was immensely fun to watch and as time went on, they shared more and more screentime together. Even if it's not an episode that revolves around them, whenever one of them is in frame, most of the time the other is close by, and they often stand next to each other.

Now, in terms of why they work in the show's canon (in my opinion, either romantically or platonically, they do make a great pairing):

They are both competitive and enjoy competing with each other, though they know (especially after FWF when they've taken it too far)

They watch out for each other (AJ often holds Rainbow Dash back when she's about to rush into danger, especially in early seasons, and Dash always lifts AJ out of danger first [the two examples I can think of off the top of my head are in Best Gift Ever and My Little Pony: The Movie])

Their personalities even each other out. (AJ is a lot more calm than RD, and while they can both get worked up, Applejack is usually the calm one)

Their colour schemes are literally complementary. (AJ's coat is orange while Rainbow's is blue. AJ's eyes are green while RD's are pink/red).

They share a lot of cute moments. (You can just look these up)

THEY'RE HECCING CUTE.

AND FINALLY

I mean fuck, the finale. They're literally canon, you cannot tell me otherwise. It was absolutely intended and you cannot prove otherwise. (read the script notes l o l "we actually could do sort of a subtle wink to the idea that they are now a couple???" < RE Appledash). They live together, they have domestic arguments about chores, they are always giving each other fond looks throughout the episode, always standing next to or near each other, and well we all know Rainbow's iconic hoof on AJ's head in the last shot of the show.

Ashleigh Ball really was the OG shipper and fuck it, she was right. We all know they are in love, she knows they are in love. The only reason they couldn't explicitly state it in the show is probably bc Hasbro would have been against that at the time (I mean, Lyrabon had to be very subtle but hey we gottem).

Oh and, I know this isn't exactly canon canon, but it is an official game: The My Little Pony Magic Princess app. Future AJ and RD's descriptions allude to them being together.

You could negate this and say that this is just them being friends but I mean... come on. Come on. Sweet Apple Acres is Apple family land, and the only people who live there as of The Last Problem are Apples. (AJ, Sugar Belle and Big Mac and their foal, and you guessed it... Rainbow Dash).

You cannot tell me that they aren't canon. You'd really have to be grasping at straws because all the signs are there. They had build up, development, and it just makes sense.

If you don't think it makes sense... did we watch the same show??? It absolutely makes sense.

Anyway, AppleDash is canon. :)

#jay has pony thoughts #appledash #applejack #rainbow dash #i just like talking

[catrasredemption-moved]

can I ask a prompt with some ppl giving pregnant catra a hard time? (is it still okay for pregnant catra? if not then it's okay too)

Vomiting TW

Time didn’t heal all wounds.

Catra was aware of it, and she didn’t take it personally when people glared at her or made comments. She drew the line at people trying to physically hurt her, but usually at that point Adora was between her and whoever was taking a swing, and she didn’t have to worry too much.

Even ten years later, Salineas was still the worst place to go. The kingdom had recovered nicely (due in no small part to the hours of sleep Catra had sacrificed to rebuild it), but memories lasted.

Mermista’s word trumped all feelings, though, so when Catra was invited to Salineas, no one could really protest.

“I’m still not sure why we couldn’t teleport,” Glimmer grumbled. “Pretty sure the boat is worse for Catra.”

It absolutely was. Catra had spent most of the journey leaning over the edge, or resting limply against it while Melog tried to comfort her. “Are you sure she’s okay?” Bow added, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. Adora rubbed the back of her head nervously.

“Yeah. Yeah, of course I’m sure. I’m just... going to go check on her.”

She scrambled across the deck, joining Catra, who was starting to look a little green. “Maybe we should’ve just let Glimmer teleport us,” she said uncertainly. Catra shook her head furiously.

“No. No magic around the baby. Not like that.”

“Then can we at least tell Glimmer and Bow why? They’re worried.”

Catra raised her head to look blearily at their friends, who weren’t even trying to pretend they weren’t staring. “Maybe later,” she mumbled, dropping her head back against the edge. “If I survive this trip.”

They hadn’t told anyone outside of Mystacor they were trying to have a baby, and they hadn’t told anyone when they’d found out last week that Catra was pregnant. They were going to, but she was only six weeks, and they wanted to just wait a little longer, to be absolutely sure. They didn’t need pity if anything went wrong.

“We’re almost there. Just take a deep breath.”

Catra did as she was told - then groaned when the smell of salt water hit her sensitive nose. “Bad idea,” she groaned, leaning over the edge again. Adora rubbed her back pityingly.

It was a relief to finally dock, even if it took Catra an extra few minutes to collect herself and get up. They weren’t that far from the palace, but Glimmer still offered to teleport. “Nope,” Catra said, squaring her shoulders. She was not going to spend the rest of the night locked in the bathroom.

She felt a little better by the time they arrived at the ball room. It was Mermista’s birthday, which was pretty much the event of the season in Salineas. Catra was sure she would have reluctantly accepted if Catra had played sick to stay in Bright Moon, but... who was she to turn up some of the best sea food in the kingdom?

“Yeesh, I figured you guys would get here first,” a dry voice said as they walked into the already crowded room. They looked at Mermista, who was watching them with a dry smile and a raised eyebrow.

“Happy birthday!” Bow and Glimmer hugged her tight.

“Catra insisted on not teleporting for some reason so we had to take a boat-”

“What, was two hours of being sea sick better?”

“A little fresh air never killed anyone,” Catra said dismissively. Mermista rolled her eyes.

“Sure.”

Catra went straight for the food table, dragging Adora with her. “Well at least you’re feeling better,” Adora teased, squeezing Catra’s hand.

“Oh shut up-”

“She-Ra!”

Every time, without fail. Catra rolled her eyes, sighing, as Adora was waylaid by several admirers. She wasn’t about to wait - she was starving. And the baby was demanding shrimp.

And she wasn’t alone for long. Scorpia and Perfuma were already at the table, talking and snacking. “Hey Wildcat!” Scorpia said happily, scooping Catra into a hug. She winced, but smiled, patting Scorpia’s back.

“Hi Scorpia. You mind? I’m dying.”

Scorpia set her down, letting her get to the table at last so she could eat. “How was your trip?” Perfuma asked. “Bow mentioned you were taking a boat.”

“Yeah, enjoying the sights, you know.”

“Did you develop some love for the ocean?” Scorpia asked doubtfully. She’d seen Catra on boats a couple times. It never went well.

“I mean...”

Her attention was torn between Scorpia and Perfuma and the food, not to mention the din of the party. She had almost no warning before a rough hand grabbed the back of her shirt, throwing her to the ground. She landed hard, head snapping back with a crack. The world went blurry for a minute.

“-tra? ...okay?”

Perfuma’s voice drifted in and out. Catra grimaced, blinking a few times to clear her vision. Perfuma was kneeling beside her, trying to help her sit up, while Scorpia held Adora back from punching out the chef who had decided it was a crime for Catra to be enjoying herself in the kingdom she had destroyed. She sat up, grimacing, one arm crossing her stomach. Six weeks. She wasn’t fragile by any means, not like she would be in about six months, but that didn’t mean she could just be pushed around and thrown into floors, either.

“Hey!”

Mermista’s voice reverberated in Catra’s head. The princess cut through the crowd that had gathered, furious. “Adora, stop trying to murder my chef and take care of your wife. Sea Hawk, put him in cell.” The chef started to protest. “You don’t think you get to assault someone at my party and get away with it, do you?”

Sea Hawk appeared to take the chef away; there was no further protest. Adora knelt on Catra’s other side, gently sliding an arm across her back to support her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Catra took a few deep breaths. Her head hurt, but she was fine. The baby was probably fine. It wasn’t even really a baby at this point, just a bunch of magically bound cells trying to make a baby, it would suck if something happened, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It wasn’t like Catra hadn’t already taken to talking to her stomach when she was alone, or poking it experimentally, thrilled about the little life growing inside, or-

“Catra? Catra, hey.”

She was shaking, her breath coming a bit too fast. Adora had a hand on her cheek, trying to get her attention. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? Does something-”

The world turned over in a sickeningly familiar way. Catra pressed her face into Adora’s shoulder, groaning, as soon as they were settled wherever Glimmer had taken them.

“Glimmer-”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to get you both out of there.” Glimmer sounded nervous. Catra wanted to look at her, but her eyes were still squeezed shut and she had no intention of opening them. “I’ll... I’ll be right back.”

She teleported away. “There’s a bed,” Adora said quietly. “Do you feel okay moving?”

“Sure,” Catra muttered through gritted teeth. That turned out to be a lie; she forced her eyes open as she was moved, and the world was spinning. Nope. “Adora-”

A small trash bin was forced into her hands before she could finish the sentence. And of course Glimmer chose that moment to return with Bow, Scorpia, Perfuma, and Mermista.

“Should... I get a doctor or something?”

Adora rubbed Catra’s back as she heaved. “No... maybe? I’d rather take her to Mystacor-”

“For a head injury?”

Catra cracked an eye open to look at Adora, who was watching her uncertainly. She nodded miserably, returning her attention to breathing and trying not to freak out. So much for keeping it to themselves.

“Well, she’s um... she’s pregnant, actually.”

Dead silence followed the words.

“I’ll kill him,” Glimmer declared.

“I’ll help.” That was Scorpia, surprisingly.

“Okay, okay,” Bow cut in. “Maybe murder isn’t the right idea...”

“Let’s not out-rule it completely,” Mermista said darkly.

“It’s probably fine,” Catra mumbled, setting the trash bin aside. “I’ve been sick for like, two weeks, this isn’t exactly a new development.”

“Seeing a healer might still be a good idea,” Perfuma pointed out. “When you’re ready to move.”

“Is this why you didn’t want to teleport?” Glimmer asked. Catra ducked her head, refusing to answer. “Why don’t I go to Mystacor and get someone, and if they  say you’re okay, I can take you home - that has to be better than suffering on the boat.”

“I didn’t think the boat would be that bad.” Catra sighed. “You guys don’t have to stand there and stare at me. Go back to the party - I mean, yes, get a healer first.” She’d feel better just confirming that everything was okay. “But it’s stupid to stand around staring at me.”

“It’s not stupid to want to make sure you’re all right,” Bow said. “And what about our future niece or nephew?”

“Why don’t you stay, Glimmer goes to Mystacor, and the rest of us can go back downstairs,” Perfuma suggested. She had spent enough time with Catra to know when she was starting to get overwhelmed. Scorpia started to protest, but stopped when Perfuma placed a hand on her claw.

“I’ll send up a staff member in case you need anything,” Mermista compromised. Catra nodded, since it didn’t seem like she had much of a choice. She knew her friends cared, though.

Everyone left, and Bow immediately joined them on the bed. “I didn’t know you guys were trying to have a baby.” He was doing a very good job at restraining his excitement and not shouting. “How far along are you? Do you have thoughts about names?” He gasped. “Will they have little cat ears?”

Catra smiled slightly, dropping her head to rest on Adora’s shoulder and letting Adora handle the questions. She knew her wife had been dying to talk about the baby with someone besides Catra, and it was nice to listen to their excited chatter fill the silence.

(Everything was in fact fine, save for the slight head injury, and the healer assured them that it was perfectly safe to teleport with Glimmer. Catra vehemently disagreed with that last part, but that was an on-going debate.)

#MAN that got long I'm sorry #anyway um #here? #pregnant catra #askbox fic #Mystery Person #Sam Answers

[meanautisticenbian]

Lilith Clawthorne has Borderline Personality Disorder: an essay

Content warnings: mentions of abuse, cults, and self harm

I don't have much of an intro but I need to get some things out of the way. 

First off, this is an essay that I made mostly for fun and because I feel like more people need to hear about this. I am not excusing Lilith's actions in any way, though hopefully this may explain some of them. 

Secondly, as you might know I have BPD myself. I'm self diagnosed yes, but I still have enough symptoms. I see a lot of myself in Lilith, as well as several traits, and I hope that this essay will be informative.

With all that being said, let's get into the analysis starting with the symptoms that are only hinted at. One of the hallmarks of Borderline Personality Disorder is an intense fear of abandonment, which Lilith seems to display disgusted as her desire to cure Eda's curse. If it's not clear enough, Eda's really the only thing Lilith cares about, which makes sense since she's clearly the only thing she has. We know that she isn't super close to Amity, despite what fans want to believe, we don't know if she's formed any positive relationships with anyone in the Emperor's Coven and it would say a lot of she didn't. With all that in mind, she is clearly very close to Eda and whenever she tries to get away from her, Lilith is always either pissed off or saddened. Sure, this could just be because she wants to heal Eda's curse and is most likely being punished by Belos, and that's why this is listed as something that's hinted at. Then again, Catra from She Ra is BPD coded as well and she mostly wanted to bring Adora back to the Horde because Shadow Weaver wanted her and was an abusive piece of shit, but it was pretty obvious that she also just wanted her crush and only friend back, so I don't see how this can't be applied to Lilith as well.

Lilith seems to have a black–and–white view on the people around her and maybe even herself. Whenever Eda escapes her, she suddenly flips from being loving and caring to her and really acting like she cares about her to treating her like she just pissed on her waffles. Her way of viewing other people (mostly Eda) is another symptom of BPD, being a black–and–white view on everything and rapid changes in self image and views of everyone else. One moment she views Eda as a beautiful and loving sister, the next she's just an old woman slowing her down. One moment Belos is a trustworthy leader, next he's a monstrous tyrant. One moment Luz is an annoying child she can use as bait, next she's her only hope in saving Eda.

She seems to harbor some of these feelings to herself as well. One moment she acts like she's fully aware of the baddie she is, and next she seems to hate herself. Another valid explanation is that this could also be viewed as her hiding her insecurities since she is clearly one to hold back those emotions and she only ever seems to let Eda see this side of her (save for Luz in the season 1 finale) but this is still a common BPD trait that seems to fit her so it would make sense.

Now let's move on to the more explicit symptoms. If it's not obvious enough, Lilith has some major anger issues. She was ready to kill Eda after she did as much as annoy her in Covention and tell her how worthless her life is after she (actually Luz) escapes her in Once Upon a Swamp. It was certainly reasonable for her to be upset about Luz accidentally blowing up the side of a building, but she had a worse outburst over her sister rhyming.

Now we move on to what I think is her most obvious trait: her impulsiveness. Like I said before, Lilith tends to have sudden violent outbursts and act without thinking. It doesn't excuse anything she's done but it certainly does explain a LOT.

It could be a possible explanation for why her first instinct was to use Luz as a human shield while she was fighting Eda and threw Luz off a cliff in order to get Eda to use all her magic instead of making a new bubble for Luz or doing literally anything that WOULDN'T harm Luz. This could maybe (key word) also provide an explanation for why she cursed Eda instead of going and talking to her (assuming she didn't), but her disorder seems to stem more from trauma than it does genetics, both of which are ways BPD can manifest.

Mood swings are another symptom she definitely has, but that can easily be paired with the point about her changes in self image and how she views others, as well as the points about her anger and impulsivity, so I won't go into detail about that.

Depression, guilt, and ongoing feelings of emptiness are obvious traits that don't need much explaining.

The last major trait wanna bring up is self harm and self destructive and suicidal behavior. I couldn't really find any point in which she showed any suicidal tendencies or urges to hurt herself and it is most likely that she won't be showing those traits at any point in the future, though I do believe it is possible that the show may depict self destructive behaviors in her. Obviously, she wouldn't be shown cutting or burning herself, but maybe it could be displayed in a more PG fashion such as her not taking proper care of herself or having risky behaviors.

There are nine main traits of BPD and one needs to have at least five of them to get a diagnosis. Lilith seems to exhibit six and possibly seven of these traits. I could end it here by saying that Lilith definitely has BPD and needs a hug, but we're not done yet.

Despite what most people might say about borderline people and how we're depicted, we're more likely to be victims of abuse than we are abusers. Most of the time the trauma from the abuse is the cause of the disorder, for those who don't inherit it. Many people with the disorder have claimed to have been physically, sexually, psychologically or emotionally abused or neglected during their lifetime. We don't know the exact details of Lilith's time in the coven or what it was like for her, all we know is that it was basically a cult and she definitely experienced some form of abuse. We know that emotional and psychological abuse were definitely present in her and Belos's relationship, and there is definitely a possibility that there was some physical abuse as well. As for neglect, there isn't really anything that can support the claim even if it seems plausible, and logically speaking, she most likely wasn't sexually abused simply just because this is a family show, so unless Disney is ok with Dana going THERE, that one's a little too far out of the realm of possibility.

So, where does that leave us? Well if I'm being honest, she definitely seems to have a case of untreated and probably undiagnosed BPD caused by a series of traumatic events. And the thing is, she's only in 6/19 episodes in the series so far, and we've probably only really seen the tip of the iceberg. She could have a lot more going on with her that we will definitely see in season 2, I highly doubt she won't.

Lilith is definitely BPD coded, and whether the rep is intentional or not, it's still something I can consider good rep. It's super rare that you find borderline characters in the media that are not abusers, manipulators, or terrible, irredeemable people in general. Lilith is not a bad person whatsoever, and even if she's not much of a good person either, she's not irredeemable. She certainly has a long way to go, but with proper guidance and psychological help, she will get there eventually.

I would like to finish this off by saying I'm not trying to excuse or condone her actions, I am simply addressing how it's possible for her to be borderline, based on what screen time she has and my own experiences. I just want to express my appreciation for what rep we have, as well as analyzing her character a bit.

Thank you all for reading

- Sunny

#the owl house #toh #lilith clawthorne #toh lilith #lilith #emperor belos #edalyn clawthorne #eda clawthorne #toh eda #toh luz #luz noceda #tagging them just because they're mentioned and important #cult mention #bpd #Borderline Personality Disorder

[kittyprincessofcats]

She-Ra S5 E09 - An Ill Wind

In which the Best Friend Squad’s back on Etheria and I’m back to writing up my thoughts about it. (The real question is whether I’ll manage to finish these posts before season 5’s one-year-anniversary.) I probably really don’t need to say this anymore, but there might be spoilers for the rest of the season in this post.

- I think it’s funny how Catra can’t stand teleporting, but what’s even more important is how visibly concerned for her Adora is each time. Have you seen how she touches Catra’s shoulders and looks at her with such a worried expression? D’awww.

- “Wow, you don’t trust the princesses? I am shocked.” No Glimmer, Catra’s 100% right. This has nothing to do with trusting the princesses; you really don’t know who’s chipped and which places are occupied by clones. Perfuma literally told you the rebellion was compromised.

- “Catra’s right.” THANK YOU, ADORA! (Also, I love Catra’s satisfied little smirk in the background when Adora says this.)

- I just paused the episode when they arrive in Erelandia and counted the Horde flags you can see hanging all over the town: 14, plus one giant Horde sign in the sky and a spire not too far away. Prime, are you compensating for something? (Also, Adora has an arm on Catra’s back again. Cute.)

- Is it a little disappointing that all the rebellions against Horde Prime on other planets got reduced to one brief exposition scene where a clone mentions they’re happening and a few quick images? Yeah. But I also get why the show just didn’t have the time for more and wanted to focus on Etheria.

- Speaking of, are those the magicats we see in the second image? Interesting… I’m not sure how I feel about the idea of Catra potentially being an alien as well. But then again, the show never clearly answers it one way or another, and there’s no reason magicats couldn’t have existed on multiple planets.

- Also, am I understanding this right: The Star Siblings started the intergalactic rebellion after meeting the Best Friend Squad? And now there are already rebels on several planets? Nice job, Star Siblings!

- “My heart aches for these misguided children.” I’m not sure if I’ve ever properly addressed the heavily religious symbolism around Horde Prime and his cult, but… that right there is *such* a Christian-extremist-coded line, holy hell…

- So Prime says he wants to use the Heart of Etheria “to bring peace to all the universe” and at this point I’m not entirely sure what his exact goal is. Does he just want to destroy all the planets with the Heart? Because I’ll be honest, I tend to find “I just want to destroy everything” a bit boring as a motivation in villains. What’s the point of him ruling the universe if there’s no one left to rule over? I mean, I know Prime had his whole “If there’s no one left, there are no wars, etc.” speech in an earlier episode, but that’s also just so dumb.

- Where did the Best Friend Squad even get those cloaks? Either way, Catra looks adorable with the outline of her ears showing under the hood. 🥺

- “I hope you, too, are full only of love for Horde Prime… and have no crippling doubt eating at your soul.” / “Brothers, there is nothing to see here!” Like I said in an earlier post, all of Wrong Hordak’s lines are absolute winners. Also, I love how the other clones just keep falling for his very obvious bluffs.

- Wrong Hordak learning to wink so quickly makes me jealous because I can’t wink. (No, I really can’t; I’ve tried. Whenever I try to only close one eye, I always end up closing both. If anyone has good advice on learning to wink, let me know.)

- I love the character designs of the mushroom people.

- Catra wasn’t wrong about the locals selling them out and not telling them anything useful. The others should listen to her more.

- Bow posing as the “average traveler passing though” is especially funny because I’m pretty sure there are no “travelers passing through” in times of Horde Prime.

Catra: “A town that hates princesses? Should I buy property here?”

Everyone else: *glares*

Catra: “Is what I would have said before I joined you. Go, team.”

😂😂😂 Catra’s quiet little “Go, team” in the end is what gets me most about this moment 😂. She’s adorable and trying her best, okay?

- I love how Wrong Hordak just calls everyone “brother” regardless of gender. Also, Adora’s little “Did you just wink at me?” / “That’s not how winking works!” moments are hilarious and adorable.

- “You’re wearing hooded cloaks, it’s highly suspicious.” Okay, mushroom lady’s not wrong, though. And I love how someone finally points this out, since hooded cloaks are so often used as “undercover” disguises in shows like this.

- That said, both she and mushroom guy earlier did try to sell the Best Friend Squad out super quickly. Like, I get that the locals are scared, but still… They could have tried to stay safe without running towards the clones to tell them everything right away.

- I’m just noticing that Erelandia has mushrooms everywhere. Obviously the people are mushrooms, but there are also mushrooms growing outside in the streets everywhere, and the shop they’re in is selling mushrooms and clothes with mushrooms on them as well.

- Both Bow and Glimmer blowing their covers almost immediately and Adora just quietly shaking her head at both of them in the background is amazing.

- Love Catra (and Melog) just casually stealing a mushroom from a mushroom lady.

- So Catra’s just chilling in a tree and eating stolen mushrooms and Entrapta wants to analyze samples that’ll be ready in 4-6 weeks – neither of them’s really helping right now. But then again, Catra wanted to leave in the first place because she thought the locals would sell them out (and she was right about that), so she probably thinks it’s not worth the effort.

- Also, you know who this scene with Entrapta and Catra is missing? Scorpia. If there is one problem I have with season 5, it’s that we didn’t get any Super Pal Trio reunion / moments with all of them on the same side now. (Or just in general, that we didn’t get to see Scorpia and Catra properly talking things out.)

- “That’s the windy one, right?” Okay, am I the only one who finds this line weird? Spinnerella literally has Adora, Bow and Glimmer trapped in a tornado as Entrapta says this. Obviously she’s “the windy one”? Entrapta can literally see that??

- “Lord Prime has given me peace.” Oh, I’m just realizing that’s just what Catra said when she was chipped. That’s got to be awful for Adora to hear again.

- Glimmer grabbing Bow and Adora’s hands and teleporting them out of the tornado was badass.

Adora: “How are we supposed to fight our own friends?”

Catra: “It never stopped you before.”

OMG. I love that Catra still considers their time as enemies as “being friends”.

- I really love Netossa’s entrance. What makes it really cool to me is that at that point the Best Friend Squad didn’t even know if there were any unchipped princesses left, so Netossa jumping in there with a casual “Welcome back, guys” was just an amazing moment.

- Also, I don’t know if I’ve said this before, but I really like that this season finally made Spinnerella and Netossa more important characters. (And I wonder how much network censorship of LGBT+ storylines had to do with them not being that important earlier on.)

- Hordak getting flashbacks of Entrapta again (while Prime looks at his older body’s memories) is just 🥺. I like how Prime talks about Etheria while Hordak slowly remembers more and more about his own life on Etheria.

- “So, the only person I’m fighting here is… my own wife.” I love the on-screen confirmation that they’re married! But also, Netossa wanting to attack Catra and Wrong Hordak at first was pretty funny.

- Catra and Glimmer’s respective expressions when they hear about Scorpia and Micah being chipped are a gut punch. Also, Netossa talking about how she has to get Spinnerella back is making me tear up.

- “Where are the rebels?” “Right beside you!” 😂😂😂 Amazing, just amazing.

- Love to see Catra taking out those bots. She’s so badass ❤️.

- “Be careful.” “Always am.” I wonder at what point Netossa started to realize what’s going on between Catra and Adora.

- Love Netossa whistling at She-Ra’s new look. Your wife’s right there, darling. But then again, who wouldn’t whistle at She-Ra’s new look?

- Honestly, why did anyone ever say Spinnerella and/or Netossa were weak? Their fight here really shows how powerful both of them are when they don’t hold back.

- “Stop holding back. She won’t.” Looking past how hard this must be for Netossa, this line really sums up why so many characters in shows like this seemingly become more powerful when they turn evil (or less powerful when they turn good): Because the bad guys have no reason to hold back.

- Adora firing a rainbow beam from her sword was amazing. I wish we’d gotten to see a bit more of She-Ra’s new powers this season.

- “Please. I love you. Come back to me.” I’m crying 😢. That’s a nice first taste of all the “I love you”s to come in the finale. And I love that it works (even if just for a bit). The whole “power of love helps you break free from mind control” thing might be a cliché, but it’s a cliché I love, so…yay, awesome!

- But also, and I’ll probably talk about this more when I get to the next episode (that I had a few problems with), I like how Netossa doesn’t only rely on the power of love, but still realizes she has to first fight Spinnerella without holding back to get her into a position where they can even have this talk.

- Yay, mushroom town is saved!

- Catra reassuring Netossa that Spinnerella will be okay was so sweet. She’s really trying to be nice and I think she’s doing great 🥺. (Also, Adora looks at her so proudly.)

- I just noticed that when She-Ra replaces the Horde symbol in the sky with her sword symbol, all the Horde flags around town are already gone, too. Did Catra, Glimmer and the others just like… take all of those flags down in between fighting the bots? Or did Wrong Hordak maybe walk around taking off the flags while the others were fighting?

- That said, the rainbow sword in the sky looks amazing.

- “I think Horde Prime is going to know She-Ra’s back.” “Good.” Love Adora’s determined expression here.

- Geez Horde Prime, no need to punch the screen. The screen didn’t do anything to you.

- Okay, so Horde Prime finally decides to go to Etheria himself, and when he announces that, Hordak looks at the crystal in his hand – it’s all coming together.

- “This is where the rebellion is hiding out?” “Yup. Why, have you been here?” The looks on Glimmer and Catra’s faces here are amazing. People have of course already written all kinds of amazing metas analyzing their expressions, but the short version is that Glimmer seems to remember their fight fondly, while Catra seems embarrassed.

- Perfuma trapping them all in vines and demanding to see their necks is not only hilarious, but also shows that the rebellion has learned from their past mistakes. 👍

- All of their reunions (Bow and Perfuma, Glimmer and Frosta, Adora and Swift Wind, Entrapta and Emily) were super sweet – I like big reunion scenes 🥺. Wrong Hordak meeting Emily was adorable. Perfuma clinging to Bow and crying about how she doesn’t want to be in charge anymore had me laughing so hard 😂.

- Okay so, I know Frosta’s punch breaks the mood a moment later, but I really think Adora wanting to officially introduce Catra to everyone after seeing her standing there alone while everyone else was having big reunions was super sweet. The way her face falls when she sees Catra standing there sadly, the way she asks her to come here so gently… it’s just so sweet. 🥺

- Also, unpopular opinion, but am I the only one who didn’t really find Frosta punching Catra funny? (And the same goes for Scorpia electrocuting her in the next episode, by the way.) I know these moments are meant to be cathartic “drag the former villain because some people are still mad at them” moments, but Catra’s whole story is largely about being a victim of physical abuse. Wasn’t there some way for the story to make fun of her without having other characters physically assault her? I like how Catra’s redemption was handled overall, but moments like those kind of rub me the wrong way. (Netossa trapping her in a net was fine though, because that didn’t actually harm her.)

- That said, Adora’s “Catra’s with us now. Okay? Hmm.” was hilarious. I love how she just gives the briefest explanation and then turns away from Frosta with a smile and little “hmm”, just completely expecting Frosta to be fine with this now.

- That ending shot of all of them together is epic.

So, what changed this episode is that Erelandia was freed, the space group has reunited with the remaining princesses, and Horde Prime is heading for Etheria. Good episode!

[Previous episode]   [Next episode]

#spop #spop s5 #spop s5 spoilers #An Ill Wind #Spinnetossa #Spinnerella #Netossa #Catra #Adora #Bow #Glimmer #Entrapta #Wrong Hordak #Scorpia #Frosta #Perfuma #Catradora #Horde Prime #Hordak #Best Friend Squad #Erelandia #long post #actually this one didn't even get that long

[bloodraven55]

It isn't the slow burn. She Ra had a slow burn and people did not call it a baiting show. It is the fact that Queerness is treated different by the show. There is 1 queer relationship (Jaune's sisters) every single other confirmed relationship is het. There are jokes about Jaune wearing a dress because men in dresses are silly. There is no queer culture, queer language, queer history. No queer reference. Blake and Yang dance in a room of male-female couples.

Y'know I wasn't gonna bother with this since I got several other suspiciously similar asks at the exact same time so I can tell it's not in good faith, but let's break this one apart piece by piece anyway.

“It isn't the slow burn. She Ra had a slow burn and people did not call it a baiting show.”

Yes, people absolutely did claim that She Ra was queerbaiting during its run. Obviously practically all of those people have since changed their opinion given how the show ended, but it's objectively untrue to say that She Ra was never accused of baiting. There was literally a huge incident where an article was published spreading fake information to try and ““prove”” that the show was manipulating its LGBT+ audience. Not to mention that She Ra aired within the span of only two years while RWBY is spanning around eight years and counting, making the two completely incomparable at the moment. So you've begun with a lie and a false equivalence; great start so far.

“There is 1 queer relationship (Jaune's sisters) every single other confirmed relationship is het.”

This could be an almost valid point, if it weren't for the fact that judging LGBT+ rep solely by the presence of same-sex relationships is hugely disingenuous and misleading, and moreover pointless given how many real life LGBT+ people that logic would exclude if it was applied e.g. straight trans people and single queer people. RWBY's canon has nine confirmed LGBT+ characters, including two title protagonists. And as for relationships, there are currently only two ongoing romances getting any screentime, which are B/umbleby and R/enora. One of them is wlw, one of them is straight, and they've been treated exactly the same throughout the show.

“There are jokes about Jaune wearing a dress because men in dresses are silly.”

If there had been a single moment or ““joke”” like this in the show since Volume 2 then this would make a very strong argument, but all of the questionable attempts at humour from the early seasons have completely disappeared by this point. It's literally impossible to deny that they've improved markedly in this department over the years and failing to acknowledge that is simply uncharitable. It's perfectly possible to have a problem with a scene from Volume 2 without ignoring the progress that's been made since then.

“There's no queer culture, queer language, queer history. No queer reference.”

I'm LGBT+ myself and I have a whole bunch of WIPs I'm currently brainstorming or working on. Let me tell you something: not many of them have loads of explicit references to queer culture, language, history, etc. Not because those things shouldn't be included in stories—they absolutely should—but because they aren't the single defining marker or always a necessary part of good LGBT+ representation. For example, when it comes to literature a lot of LGBT+ novels are contemporaries, and personally I don't tend to enjoy that genre as much with some exceptions of course. Therefore, I usually read and write fantasy stories which just so happen to feature lots of LGBT+ characters again obviously with some exceptions, because that's my individual preference.

Different LGBT+ people will want different things from their rep, which is precisely why we need not just more rep but more varied rep as well, and there's no one set of criteria that can determine if a piece of rep is good or not. Also, not every story with LGBT+ rep needs to focus primarily on LGBT+ issues! Narratives which revolve around LGBT+ identities and narratives which simply happen to include LGBT+ identities are equally valid, and ideally there should be plenty of both.

“Blake and Yang dance in a room of male-female couples.”

Where?? Where are all these prominent straight couples in the show that you keep bringing up??? A/rkos died with Pyrrha at the end of Volume 3, and Ren and Nora are the only other heterosexual pairing among the main cast. All of the others are either long finished and never to return—e.g. Jaune/Weiss and Neptune/Weiss—or featured so briefly they hardly count—e.g. Ghira/Kali, Salem/Ozma—and none of those pairings ever even kissed on screen. Pyrrha kissed Jaune once and then died. Ren and Nora finally got to kiss seven seasons into the show and three whole Volumes after their Romantic Airship Moment™, and are still having relationship difficulties now. I'm simply not seeing any significant disparity in the way the show treats its straight couples as opposed to its gay ones.

No one's telling you that you have to be a fan of the show's LGBT+ rep yourself, or that you have to have any specific opinion on it, but I don't think that actively misrepresenting the facts or basing your stance on your personal biases is going to help us get better rep at all.

#rwby #raven.ask #raven.salt

[princessofgayskull]

in celebration of one year of she-ra season 5 and canon catradora, here’s the first scene of cruel summer (upper west side: part III)

Hazing Arizona, June 1995

Rain was rare this time of year.

Rarer were the types of thunderstorms that brought enough rain to flood the roads that evening, tearing up the night sky with flashes of white that illuminated a mass of thick, gray clouds indomitable above stretches of desert. On that night, there was rhythm to the relief the rain bought; a challenge to the usual beat of the kind of summer that left every inhabitant of the town high and dry. Yet despite the barrage of thunder and lightning and fleeting downpour, it was the sort of storm that promised to be gone by morning having left no evidence of its waning threat of destruction.

But in the room marked by dark shadows and a haze of smoke, the night was still young and the rain was just another variable that needed to be waited out.

Static from that evening’s rare desert thunderstorm had followed the blurred lines that were the occupants of the room, blurring the nameless, faceless people into indistinguishable shadows. The static powered the most holy of objects beyond its wear and tear: a police radio that sat, scuffed, at the center of the poker table- the center of room, the center of everything. The static rippled through the crowded den causing the languid yellow of the light bulbs to stutter and flicker. Like traveling through a circuit, the static connected everyone waiting around the poker table and kept them suspended in a kind of twisted, suspended anticipation.

Crackling, the radio woke, as if to cement the apprehension; it wasn’t just the lingering smoke that had everyone holding their breath.

“Officer Johnson, what’s your 10-20?”

Someone- it wasn’t known who- flinched at the sound. Another curled their fingers into a fist, but this smallest of actions went unsent. A quick flick! of a throwing knife tossed into the static only to be caught by the handle again disturbed the no one’s concentration. Again the radio crackled before an immense strike of thunder deafened the sound of another officer’s reply to the first. When the thunder subsided and the radio fell silent, someone coughed. No longer could the sound of dripping from the crack in the ceiling be detectable beyond the static.

Sitting at the table, in the center of the static, was a shadow more myth than man. His figure, less opaque than the ones of his companions that evening, a testament to his winning streak in a line of waiting games. In dry and calloused fingers, the man- known by the moniker Hordak around this dry and calloused area- he twisted a set of dice, pushing them under his thumb, shifting the surface area under his fingers. He would roll the dice eventually, he always did- but not yet. Not now. Tonight, Hordak was once again gambling stakes in a game of waiting. The die stayed in his grip.

What was happening here hours before the storm was easy to assume for the room’s newest member: stacks of red and black poker chips washed out in the flicker yellow light punctuated sets of overturned playing cards on the carpeted green of the table that had become the graveyard of this unfinished game. A wad of cash, a golden watch washed out in the dim light, and a half-empty carton of Menthols sat next to the winning hand of the round. It was the Menthols next to him that Hordak reached out for then with his free hand; in his other, the dice clacked, pulled apart by two fingers only to be crushed under the force of his grip once more.

Hordak unveiled a lighter- it’s not known from where- and brought it to the cigarette teetering between his lips, the smoke he exhaled cutting straight in the direction of the shadow that sat opposite from him. The smoke cut her form as it traveled through the room’s small expanse, defined the wrinkles of her face, the taut line she kept her lips pressed into. Whispers between cautious onlookers of the scene had called her by the name Mrs. Weaver. This woman had her arms folded across her chest, her fingers almost white from pressing into her sleeves, and she held her gaze level with Hordak’s, eyes narrowing as he continued to smoke through the silence.

The police scanner had been silent for a while now. Ten minutes? Twenty? Maybe an hour and a half, or a whole latent hour. Time here was as trapped as the shadows in the smoke and static. No one idling around the poker table could say how long it had been since the static brought the radio to life, only that the sound of rain had long past faded. The anticipation, much like a lung expanding as it took in new air to hold, had grown in droves- but still, no exhale. 

“This really going down tonight, boss?” Another woman, one with the form of a body guard and the throwing knife of a bagman, who’s undefined shadow took up the length of the door frame, cut through the static by asking. 

Hordak inhaled, blowing out smoke in response. 

“Patience,” the die in his hands clacked softly, “Good things come to those who wait.”

A phrase like this- one malleable, assured- was uncommon from the sullen, hot tempered man the room’s occupants called their boss. There was a practiced strain to his voice that was borderline unnerving. No one here was the sharpest tool in the shed, their presence in the house was an example of that, but even the dullest among them knew challenging Hordak at the head of his kingdom was the same as having a death wish.

“And how long have we been waiting for?” asked the woman sitting in the direct line of Hordak’s smoke. In this light, her face took on a sickly grey wash that was almost inhuman. The way her fingers curled deeper into the muscle of her arm was just another unseen, short lived gesture of animosity that became lost in the static.

Hordak did not reward her shrewdness with an answer- but his grip on the dice grew tighter nonetheless.

The stub of a dying ember was what remained of Hordak’s cigarette when the radio came back to life, cutting the tight tension in the room in half with just a few words. 

“-is Johnson,” a rumble of static and then, “We got a Code 963 at the corner of Alwyn and Teela. Multiple fatalities, car was totaled and on fire when I responded-” another rumble, this one quieter, “-don’t see any other vehicles in sight. Requesting backup, over.”

“10-4-” The static washed over the voice on the other end before the responding officer could finish. Just as quickly as it had sputtered awake did the radio collapse back into silence. The silence that enveloped the room now crawled up the limbs of its inhabitants, keeping them frozen in place and from making any sudden moves as they waited for the dyad of forces at the table to make theirs. 

“There,” growled Hordak, smashing the bud of his cigarette between his finger and his thumb, “Is that all you ask for?”

A light flickered. Another swish! of the knife lacerating the air to come back to the clutch of the bodyguard in the doorway. The woman’s chair scraped the floor, but she made no move to leave it and walk out of the room, her new prize now safe and secure. 

“I expect her to be delivered to me by the end of the week, as per our arrangement.” Oh, and how bold was this woman to tempt her fate further by pushing through the fumes and poking Hordak’s scalding anger. Another low growl, dripping with indignation, escaped his lip as her last warning.

This woman had, afterall, been desperate enough for his help in the past. Whatever importance their symbiotic deals of the past carried- Mrs. Weaver was not in any position to bargain. Now her foolishness was rearing its ugly head as she was brash enough to come to him again. Who was she to make additional demands in the light of the staggering cost of her bounty?

Hordak’s knuckles turned an unnatural white, the die protesting under the pressure of his ever closing fist. Even through the haze he caught the gleam of familiar pride that flickered in this woman’s eyes- the pride of beating an unworthy, unchallenging opponent- and he knew that he would not have it. But just as his own chair scrapped the floor and Hordak moved to put her in her place lest she forget to mind her tongue in the future, to show her her place, the bodyguard caught her knife midair again.

“What about the other one?” the bodyguard dared to prod, “Weren’t there two, or am I missing somethin’?”

Right. The job that had brought them all to this table tonight. One woman’s foolishness wasn’t reason enough to derail the objective when it could be easily taken care of after the storm had passed. 

As if to answer his bagman, Hordak peeled back the fingers of his right hand one by one until the set of dice sat squarely in his palm. His bagman gave him a nod, shifting the entirety of her weight so that she was now standing in the room and not just on the precipice of it. Hordak didn’t bother to put the die down as he knocked the Menthol’s in the bodyguard’s direction. The carton spun for a brief moment before a flash of yellow and silver plastic broke from the paper confines. 

Folding up her throwing knife, the bodyguard stepped forward and grabbed the packet of cigarettes.

“The supplies are where you left them earlier. Your only issue should be waiting out the rest of this rain. Our…” Hordak’s eyes narrowed in the direction of his table’s guest, “informant shall meet you there in time.”

“Hmm, can’t wait to finally meet this chick,” the bodyguard muttered under her breath as she turned on her heel back towards the door frame her shadow inhabited only moments earlier, the cigarette carton pocketed without an afterthought.

“You are not to be followed. Understood?” It was the last instruction Hordak left her with.

“Pfft. Never am, boss.”

With that, her form blended back into obscurity. The sound of her footsteps as they echoed off the old wooden floors and the creak of the door opening and shutting was the only indication the bagman had been in the house that night at all. But even those imprints would fade and become subliminal with time.

The bodyguard now a forgotten, out of place memory, Hordak and his guest found themselves alone against a background of insignificant insurgents. Neither made a move to speak. Neither thought it smart to back down in the face of this tension. Neither considered themselves humble enough to lose- saving face be damned. Because neither Hordak nor Mrs. Weaver had pushed the thought of their previous, interrupted standoff out of their minds; whether this was the beginning of a new, separate dispute or a continuation of well established friction was just semantics. 

Both were teetering dangerously close to the edge of the boiling point- almost with wanton abandon for the chaos that would ensue. And no one, not a single trivial figure in the room on the night of that rare storm, wanted to be around when the years of tense civility bred between them erupted and took all of them with it.

Hordak’s jaw tensed as Mrs. Weaver waved the wafting smoke from her face. The corner of her lip upturned at the sight- the cinch in his brow, the tightening of his fingers around his precious die, the slight twitch of his shoulder, it brought Weaver a great satisfaction. His patience was bowing against the pressure, quivering like a string pulled to taut right on the verge of snapping. 

This. This was her favorite part of these evenings, the ones wasted away breathing in his exhaled chemicals and sitting in the stench of his decay. Watching the inferiority of her superior bleed him until he was dry; a fitting punishment considering the position he put her in. He had imprisoned her in this backwater town and shackled her to a deficit she’d long worked off, yet he thought himself the almighty conqueror when he was merely the host of this parasitic partnership they shared. He needed her- as a governess to his motherless, a secretary to his proprietaries- and so she intended to take him for all he was worth. Just like all the others.

She may have signed her name on the dotted line, but it was the devil who wrote the contract and handed her the pen all those years ago.

However, never being one to wait around in the name of watching her machinations sink in and take hold when her plans were at long last beginning to manifest, Mrs. Weaver forced her expression into one of boredom. Because she could wait. She could waste the last dredges of this rare, godforsaken thunderstorm for all she cared. But she knew- and revelled in the vindicating knowledge- that she didn’t have to.

She’d won, afterall, hadn’t she? A sad man playing king did not even fill his emptiness, and it wasn’t much for entertainment. They could play this little game of theirs when the sun came out.

Only when Mrs. Weaver lay her hands down to push herself away from the table, the sad king grunted his dissatisfaction and caught her eyes. Ever the sore loser, this little demonstration meant that Hordak was refusing to let her excuse herself from the game until he had won the round. Mrs. Weaver clenched her fist as his voice cut through the smoke. 

“You will repay this debt,” he spoke with a cold type of confidence, his voice low and his stare unwavering “Along with all of your others.” 

There was a quiet buzz, a flicker.

His words were a challenge she was just simply not strong enough to resist. Hordak’s grip around the die relaxed, his fingers flexing, as she stumbled headlong into his waiting trap. Ah, there it was. Her lips upturned in a scowl, her fist shaking at the very reminder of who was really in control. So she chose to forgo her mask of apathy in favor of salvaging her pride, wounded as it was. What a showing of her true cards; the woman’s bluff was embarrassing at best, just another pretender with an empty hand and too, too much to lose. 

“Repay you? It’s you who should be repaying me! It was my idea to stage Smith’s “accident” to get him off of your trail and destroy the evidence against you and- and your pretend little mob family!”

The die spilled from Hordak’s grip, hitting the green of the table as the last of her pathetic attempt to disarm him spilled from her mouth. He stood at once, his weight displacing the contents of the poker table, the toppling of chips a prelude to his fury.

“Enough!” Hordak shouted with a force that rivaled the earlier thunder. “You are not to continue testing me, woman. Everything you have is mine to give or take as I see fit, including the girl!”

A light bulb, somewhere in the background, buzzed. Flickered. Shorted out as the fuse finally blew out and left them in a half-lit smog.

Even in the dim glow, the sight of Mrs. Weaver deflating, returning to the size of her true ego, was reward enough. Hordak exhaled in the sound of her silence and savored it even so. Because she was so quick and careless to forget that she was under his thumb, indebted by her own choices and own doing, she thought herself of more consequence than what she really was- a pawn on his board and just as indispensable. It would be no waste to get rid of her with the snap of his fingers.

Had she really been so tactless to forget she meant nothing more to his plans than that of an exchangeable position? Hordak saw straight through her empty threats, no part of him amused or distraught by her excuses at a bluff. For he alone held the winning hands; he had the deck stacked in his favor, not hers. 

With the tension shattered beyond repair by their lightning-and-thunder exchange and bets off the table, it should’ve followed that Mrs. Weaver dug her knife in deeper and dug her grave further. The indistinct face should’ve prepared to turn their gaze away, to hide behind their drunkenness and let this woman reap what she’d sown- but her next verbal counterattack never came. Hordak had become a walking target for her wrath, yet remained unscathed. Unchallenged. 

Rather, Mrs. Weaver held her tongue- just like the sad king told himself he wanted. In the silence, the static resettled itself back in as if it’s presence had never been interrupted.

Her mask of apathy restored, Mrs. Weaver was calm as she stood up from the table, her voice steady as she said, “She will be brought to me by the end of the week. Then I will see about returning my other… debts.”

She hit the last word like it was nothing more than… than an amusing joke. And if this was really the game she and Hordak treated it as, then the gamble might’ve died there, the consequences never would’ve been.

No one saw Mrs. Weaver leave that night. It’s not that no one was looking- everyone’s bloodshot eyes followed her in her little performance against Hordak. She just didn’t walk out of the room, across the foyer, and through the front door, not that anyone would ever speak about that night again to say that’s what happened. Maybe it was the deep intoxication of the room full of witnesses. Maybe it was the haunting elixir of smoke and static- chalk it up to it’s mind numbing, memory warping effects.

Mrs. Weaver was there one moment. The next she was just another shadow cast by the remaining yellow light flickering throughout the room. A palpable, uncomfortable emptiness was left behind in her wake; the kind that couldn’t be stomached. It brought sweat to the skin and a shortness of breath, a sense of make it stop, make it fucking stop, fingers twisted up into the nearest surface and eyes pressed shut willing the nightmare away. But relief- please wake up, wake up, goddamnit!- it never came. And something in the tangible static promised it wasn’t going to any time soon.

At the center of his kingdom, Hordak now stood alone. Alone as his pride was humiliated. The muscles in his hand twitched, fingers reaching for a long gone carton of cigarettes and lighter he’d given just as freely. As simple as that, the man more than myth was losing his fragile hold on control. It was slipping, inch by inch as Mrs. Weaver’s words, trapped by the smoke in the room, echoed loud in his ears. The satisfying sensation so brutally ripped out from under him leaving him with no ground to stand on and nothing- no one- to fall back on.

Right before the static ripped through the radio for the last time, it could be seen: the most obvious elephant in the room. Hordak, for all of his sauntering, understood that he was reduced back to nothingness without that crucial hold of control.

“-Johnson again. I think what we’ve got here is some sorta hit-and-run situa-”

A roar erupting from his fuming, the nameless, faceless occupants of the room turned a blind eye as Hordak brought his fist down into the center of the police radio and did not see it die in a blowout of smoke. The machine sparked and hissed its final words, but those noises were long forgotten to those who heard. In the remnants of the destruction, no one saw the force of Hordak’s fist send the table’s contents flying every which way.

No one saw Hordak’s precious dice as they were separated and catapulted in two different, aimless directions. And to this day, not a single living soul that was there in the static and the smoke of the room on that night of that once in a blue moon thunderstorm, knows where the two dice landed. 

To Be Continued

#upper west side: cruel summer #uws:cs #upper west side #happy catradora day! #CW: smoking #cw: car accident #cw: gambling #cw: death #tonally this is very different but I can promise the rest of the fic won't be like this this is just the beginning!

[takerfoxx]

Some stuff from 2020 that I actually liked

Okay, so 2020 was a godawful year, we all agree. But a lot of good did happen to keep us sane, so I want to go ahead and list everything that made me happy last year. Also, note that some of these things actually debuted earlier than 2020, but I came across it in 2020, so it counts for me.

TV!

-The Hollow.

The Hollow is a truly underappreciated show. A cool premise and interesting characters that just got better every episode.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

This is one of the best single-season shows I’ve ever seen. Absolutely brilliant, and fuck you Netflix for pulling the plug!

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

This show is not my thing by any means, and I would never have checked it out if the opening wasn’t so attention-grabbing. Glad I did, because it gave me genuine joy. Though it probably should have debuted later in the year, since it seems custom-made for the quarantine months. 

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 5

What more can I say? One of my favorite shows of all time going out with a fantastic bang. God, I love this show.

Honorable mentions: Kipo and the Age of the Wunderbeasts, The Owl House, Magia Record, and SSSS Gridman.

MOVIES

There wasn’t a lot of movies worth talking about this year, and fewer that I actually saw. This one had the good fortune to drop just in time to dominate the box office right before quarintine shut everything down. And for a film with such an uninspired premise, such a problematic production, and being a video game movie no less, it just brought me so much joy.

VIDEO GAMES

Stinkoman 20x6: Level 10

Homestar Runner was my first favorite thing on the internet, and I spent many hours playing through Stinkoman 20x6 well over a decade ago. So when they finally announced the final level mere days before flash died forever, it was a big of closure I never thought I would get.

A Hat in Time

This game was a surreal delight. More like this, please!

Hollow Knight

On the other end of the spectrum, good lord was exploring the world of Hollownest a joy. Can’t wait for Silksong!

Honorable mention: Orri and the Blind Forest

PRO WRESTLING

Tetsuya Naito achieves his Destino

I’ve already got into detail why this moment was so special, so I won’t repeat myself here. But man, was it incredible.

Kota Ibushi, back-to-back G1 winner!

If it were anyone else, I would be annoyed. But it’s Kota.

I started watching Lucha Underground!

This show is years old, but I only started watching it this year, and I’m glad that I did, because it is so much fun. It’s basically Mortal Kombat as a wrestling show!

Honorable mentions: the Firefly Funhouse match, Roman Reigns turning heel, Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley’s AEW championship wins

LITERATURE

Two Dresden Books

The Dresden Files is my favorite book series, and after waiting so long for it to return, getting two books in the same year was a real treat

Dance in the Vampire Bund

This is probably my guiltiest of guilty pleasures, because unlike other guilty pleasures like To Love-Ru or the Hollywood Undead in which their unashamed schlockiness is part of the charm DitVB is largely a fantastic vampire story with a richly drawn world, great characters, a compelling plot, and some truly great action. It just has that one really gross aspect that overshadows everything else, and unfortunately is promoted as its main selling point. That being said, I was happy to see it return.

PERSONAL WRITING

Returning to fanfiction

Ah, IM and RD, how I’ve missed thee. Sure, my heyday may be over, but it’s still wonderful to return to old stories

Finishing both Walpurgis Nights and Restless

These two were both passion projects that have been taking up space in my head for years, so finishing both was a dream come true, no pun intended

Getting Blood Island going

I have no idea how my future in original fiction will go, but I hope it’s good.

MUSIC

DemonDice

Yes, we all know who she is now, but finding Calliope’s older stuff kind of makes me mad about how unappreciated she was. 

Mystery Skulls - Ultra Rare vol. 2

I remember asking Mystery Skulls right after vol 1 dropped if a vol 2 was in the worlds, and he said definitely. It took a while, but it’s finally here.

Skyhill returns

God, Howling at the Moon came when I needed it the most.

K/DA All Out

I found out that this was coming out literally days before it dropped, and it ROCKED!

Ken Ashcorp

Why yes, I would like more incredibly catchy, shamelessly horny songs about nerdy stuff that I like, thank you very much.

Honorable Mentions: Hybrid Theory deluxe edition, In This Moment, Gorillaz Song Machine

Misc.

hololive

This is the era of the Vtuber. I still don’t fully understand why these cute but psycho anime girls bring me so much joy, but I’m glad that they do. 

And finally...

Donald Trump gets voted out of office.

Fuck you, you narcissistic, fascist piece of shit. You losing didn’t make up for such an awful year or for the four years in which you ran this country into the ground, but it was a good start!

#the hollow #dark crystal age of resistance #she ra and the princesses of power #keep your hands off eizouken! #stinkoman 20x6 #a hat in time #hollow knight #tetsuya naito #kota ibushi #lucha underground #the dresden files #dance in the vampire bund #demondice #mystery skulls #skyhill #hololive #k/da #sonic the hedgehog #ken ashcorp #2020

[experiment-000]

My Top 10 Ships of 2020

It's been a weird year but I've seen other people doing this. Plus this year I've been way more into gen fics (love a bit of found family especially in clone wars and marvel) than anything shippy. So I genuinely don't know what imma put on here aside from two ships for sure. Sorry this post is super long idk how to do the below the cut thing and I've had this app for 5 years...

10) Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki - Yuri!!! On Ice

It was a real toss up between this, supercorp, kanera and wolfstar cos they're all very integral ships to my fan heart but this son because of the Yuri on Ice fandom's rebirth this year. I've never stopped shipping this, never stopped reading fanfic of them for any extended period of time, they're still my most bookmarked ship on ao3 (although I think now star wars - all media types may have overtaken them for fandom). They were one of the first things I watched where the queer ship I loved became canon and I can't wait for the film (and hopefully someday a season 2). Heck I even made my mum watch Yuri on Ice with me so I think that says it all.

9) Edelgard Von Hresvelg and female Byleth - Fire Emblem: Three Houses

My first fire emblem game was fates when I was like 14 (and finally gay awake lol). I was so disappointed that I had to be with a guy character because the only female option was kinda creepy and also I wouldn't get the character of kana. So when three houses came out I was so happy because finally there were beautiful incredible female characters my female byleth could romance (I'm so sorry mlm you deserved so much more than you got). I got the game as soon as it came out (had to search a lot of shops let me tell you) and started on black eagles. I was actually kinda disappointed back in 2019. I didn't like the explore the monastery bit (still find it kinda tedious) and the battle mechanics weren't quite the same as fates (no pairing up?! Aka my main battle technique for protecting the weaker units). So I got like 20 hours in and put it down. Came back to it in lockdown and finally finished it! I'm so proud of myself I virtually never finish games. And I fully fell in love with the useless lesbian edelgard in the process. When I started back playing in 2020 I was like eh I wish I'd picked a different character to romance (like shes an emperor that's morally very shady) but then the romance stuff started with edelgard and I fell the heck in love.

8) Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter (and Topanga Lawrence) - Boy Meets World

Disney+ was released in the UK this year and I finally got the opportunity to watch boy meets world in its best quality (aka not on YouTube). I watched it back when I was like 12 or 13 and it's such a nostalgic show for me. Watching it again I still absolutely adore it (and my bi ass was low-key crushing on Shawn especially in chick like me - I'm 18 btw and I got so scared for a sec but rider strong was 18 when chick like me came out so it's fine woah). And of course now I see the possibilities of the beautiful Cory and Shawn relationship like they were so bromance it was basically romance and throw in topanga it's the perfect ot3 (but I'm also fine with just Cory and Shawn or just Cory and Topanga). Read some good fanfic for them this year. My favourite was one about Shawn stealing makeup and stuff and exploring gender (need more fics like this I'm biiii).

7) Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes - Marvel Cinematic Universe

I rewatched all the MCU films this year too. And got really into Peter parker whump and irondad. Plus my eternal obsession with identity and relationship reveals of course led me from Spiderman identity reveals (and found family cuteness) to stucky coming out. Especially when it involves the internet and social media. Not my favourite ship but it's been significant to my year due to the sheer amount of marvel stuff I've read.

6) Satine Kryze and Obi Wan Kenobi - Star Wars

I rewatched clone wars in prep for season 7 and wow Satine's death was sad and sudden. She first appeared in S2 E13 I think and just the sheer sexual tension of their bickering. "The sarcasm of a soldier. The delusion of a dreamer." Just ugnnhhh my bi ass can't take much more of this. And Anakin just sipping his wine in the background grinning. And I fully believe korkie is a Kenobi.

5) Commander Cody and Obi Wan Kenobi - Star Wars

I am very much an Obi wan multishipper. I don't really have a favourite but I fully believe he was with satine and Quinlan in his life. I don't think be would've actually done anything with Cody because of the whole superior officer thing. And this probably isn't even my favourite Obi wan ship - that honour probably goes to quinobi or obitine. However the most popular ships in the fandom are codywan, quiobi and obikin. No offence to anyone who ships these they're just personally not to my taste, but I can't stand quiobi, and obikin I find only slightly more tolerable and I think that's just because there's so much obikin content so if I like the concept of a fic that happens to be obikin I'll read it. I'm just not a fan of the mentor/student relationships. So I generally favoured the codywan fics when there was shipping involved meaning I read a lot of them this year. Needed that nice fix it content post season 7.

4) Zuko and Katara - Avatar: the Last Airbender

Again I am a multishipper I have nothing against zukka it's cute. But I'm a zutara shipper first and foremost because when I first watched avatar I was like 13 and denying my gayness and gayness in general so I shipped the straight things and the straight things only. Most of these ships I stopped shipping - dramione, spuffy, some my little pony ones which we don't talk about. Zutara stayed. (I have nothing against any of the things I used to ship I just stopped shipping them so much/shipped new things more). I've continuously shipped zutara since I first watched avatar even if I didn't necessarily spend that much time on it it has always been here as one of my favourite ships. It has such good fanfic I swear including my favourite ever fanfic from any fandom - love thy enemy. Plus like the black games (reread this for the millionth time this year), a delicate subterfuge (which I read for the first time this year and damn it's so good) and so many more. With the avatar resurgence this year I haven't actually rewatched avatar aside from my normal random episode every now and then when I feel like it. But there's been a lot of avatar on my dash from people I follow getting into it and people I followed for avatar returning so naturally I returned to the fandom and read quite a lot of fanfic. I also read just a lot of avatar gen fics which were great at the whole found family thing I've been so obsessed with this year.

3) Catra and Adora - She Ra and the Princesses of Power

Catradora is canon! They kissed! What more is there to say. Arguably they should've been top but I never shipped them that much since I was always very much a multishipper when it came to she ra so yes I was very happy it became canon because we actually won for once but also I've never read much fanfic for them etc. But they are very much a dynamic I love and watching she ra all again in prep for season 5 I really enjoyed the build up of their relationship. The other two only go above because Buffy is my favourite show ever and damn there's some good fuffy fanfic and Aphra and Tolvan is both fresh in my mind and star wars owns me. Would love some catradora fic recs btw if anyone has them tho.

2) Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I didn't realise it was last year that I got super into them but according to my ao3 bookmarks it was lol. 2020 I swear it's lasted an eternity. I got into them about a month before lockdown (which feels like another lifetime). I've loved Buffy since I first watched it when I was 13. It's arguably still my favourite TV show. I've been through a lot of ships for Buffy - bangel to spuffy and now fuffy. I still think angel and her were a beautiful ship back in season 2 and especially in the angel episode I will remember you. But faith and Buffy had so much chemistry in season 3 - she would've been a fresh start for Buffy and the amount of fix it fics I read I swear. My favourite has to be one where they met in LA during Anne and how that changed everything feat Buffy's internal homophobia.

1) Cheili Lona Aphra and Magna Tolvan - Star Wars

I read Darth Vader (2015) and Doctor Aphra (2016) for the first time at the end of 2020 (got a comic subscription which has served me very well already I've nearly finished the star wars canon comics). Just to see canon queer ladies in star wars was so magical for me as a queer lady. I didn't think star wars would be so overt yet as to have a queer kiss in canon (even if it's in the comics) and especially not with the main character of arguably their main comic series. Now we just gotta hope that we'll get it in live action someday soon. They weren't the ship I consumed the most content of in 2020 but they were the highlight of my 2020 because star wars did that and I finally found out about it

Honourable mentions: Vivian and Elle - Legally Blonde, Candace and Vanessa - Phineas and Ferb, Stevie and Alex - Wizards of Waverly Place, Xander and Spike - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I actually don't ship this but damn some authors are good - this was the ship that made me realise I don't need to like a ship if the author is good enough to write it well), Eli Vanto and Mitth'raw'nuruodo - Star Wars (started reading the books last year but finished this year and only started with fanfic this year), Villanelle and Eve - Killing Eve, Kanan and Hera - Star Wars, Barriss and Ahsoka - Star Wars, Remus and Sirius - Harry Potter, Kara and Lena - Supergirl (let's hope this becomes canon next year!) (Those last four are ones I've shipped forever some of my og ships but nothing particularly big has happened for me this year with them so)

I got Disney+ this year so rewatched a fair few things from my youth and though hey my obsession with that character may have been a little gay.

#fuffy #chelli lona aphra #aphra x tolvan #magna tolvan #zutara #top ten ships 2020 #very star wars lol #victuuri #edelgard x byleth #codywan #catradora #obitine #stucky #shory #shorypanga #idk what their ot3 name is #boy meets world #hmu if you like any of the more obscure of these #or vibe with my reasonings #top ships 2020 #and if anyone wants any fic recs for any of these ships just ask