#and the despite treating him like an equal he didn't really consider himself an equal to lxc

[mostlikelytofangirl]

What do you think Jin Guangyao needs the most in a romantic partner?

Hi there! Sorry for the late reply ^^;

Honestly? Given canon, I think this little guy needs first and foremost to feel respected by his partner, the assurance that he is seen as an equal despite his background and baggage.

I'll also say that he'd need to trust them, and while trust is a staple of any relationship, in JGY's case, the fact that he is aware of the things he had to do throughout his life, feeling like he is not going to be accepted by his partner would already nulify the first requirement of respect.

Can't feel respected when he is convinced that his partner is going to think less of him, or even stop loving him if they were to know everything about him. So even subconsciously he is working on the assumption that he isn't an equal to his partner if he feels like he cannot share this part of him with them.

So the perfect romantic partner for him, in my opinion, would have to be a person that not only treats him like he isn't either inferior or superior, but that can also show enough open-mindness and... let's call it grayness of morality for him to feel like he is going to be understood if/when he opens up about the less flattering side of him.

Also validation. It's very important that he is told that he is, in fact, a good boy on a regular basis :')

#replies #mdzs #jin guangyao #this is coming from as an objective pov as I can offer #bc my allyao agenda means I can see value in all the different flavors #but working on this assumption I'd say maybe chengyao and ruoyao?? #mostly chengyao tho bc it's impossible to ignore the power dynamic in ruoyao #nieyao is not really working here and funnily enough neither is xiyao imo #the entire guanyin temple made it clear that jgy never fully trusted lxc in this way #and the despite treating him like an equal he didn't really consider himself an equal to lxc #suyao is the other side of it with sms being too devoted and holding him in a pedestal that didn't make them equals either #maybe qinyao could work too but we'll sadly never know what qs' real position would have been to jgy's whole deal #... honest to god didn't expect chengyao to win here XD #anyways feel free to completely ignore me this is just my delulu rambly opinion lol

[autistichalsin]

Do you ever just... think about how Halsin's life at the Grove was not only lonely and full of pressure, but also so full of expectations that the image Halsin had to cultivate of himself was nothing like who he was?

Everyone at the Grove only seemed to know of him as a leader, scholar, healer, and powerful Druid. In truth, he hated the first, understood the importance of the second but did not actually enjoy it, was proud of the third but again, didn't consider it part of his identity, and rarely acknowledged the fourth as anything but a way to serve nature.

Even in the way they addressed him it quickly became clear it wasn't who he was. Halsin NEVER shows any comfort using the title of "Master Halsin"; it was a title the others used for him that he reluctantly went along with. The instant he leaves the Grove, he never uses it again. He's just Halsin.

He may have been fond of some of the Druids at the Grove, and most of the others were fond of him right back (hell, even Kagha, if she is pushed away from the Shadow Druids, and then learns that Halsin perished in the goblin pen, laments that she will really miss him)... but none of them saw him. What they saw was a mask he had to wear, a role he had to play, because he had to. Because he was forced to and no one wanted the role back. (And seriously, he was desperate to give it up. It took his Grove nearly being taken over by the Shadow Druids and Halsin having to leave to help end a potentially world-ending threat for them to agree to send a replacement. You can't tell me the guy didn't try to pawn the position off before, only for his Circle to say "no".)

The refugees see him as a protector (which he is) but as the leader, as the most powerful one. The Druids see him as a lot of things- a leader, good or bad; some see him as weak and a failure, others see him as beyond a reproach and someone to put on a pedestal; they see him as the BEST healer of all, the most POWERFUL Druid they know, the SMARTEST, the STRONGEST, an "elf with the presence of a bear"...

But the one thing he can't be around them is "just Halsin."

He couldn't even trust any of them with the full truth when he discovered the altered tadpole; Nettie had suspicions, but he didn't tell her the full truth, he immediately swore off telling Kagha with the reasoning that she would demand answers he couldn't provide (expecting too much from him), and in fact, he was so worried about this that he split his notes into two.

So then along comes the player, who first finds him in an extremely vulnerable position- being tortured by goblins. Halsin says in as many words that he didn't think anyone was coming for him. Halsin didn't think the people he was charged to lead and protect cared enough for him to mount a rescue mission- and he was tragically right. (Granted, for some it was a matter of fear, inexperience, etc, but the fact remains.) The player rescues him, treats him as an equal despite this (and that's what he wants, he wants to be an equal with some expertise to share, not a leader), helps him to correct what he sees as the biggest mistake of his life, possibly pursues a romantic relationship with him where they are kind enough to not even hold it against him where he loses control of his powers and accidentally polymorphs during sex, and, in the newly added post-Drow scene, offers him guidance and counsel on something he's been unable to talk about for over 100 years, admitting that he lost perspective on it for just this reason. He had no peers and was forced into a leadership role so stressful that it made him romanticize his past as a sex slave in his own head because he was that desperate to not be responsible for the wellbeing of others, to not be relied on- even if the alternative was being treated as literal property and his autonomy repeatedly violated. That's how desperate he was.

Halsin's entire arc is how he's been lonely and isolated, always in different ways, but still the same thing. Misunderstood and scorned for his size, or kept as a prisoner, or with few friends, or losing his peers, or being forced into a leadership role with no equals or friends to take care of him, or so focused on his leadership duties that the chance to have a family (which he wanted desperately) passed him by... just one thing after another.

And then people wonder why he falls in love with the player so fast. The player is literally EVERYTHING he has been wishing for for over 100 years, not just in the romantic sense, but for everything. All he wanted was someone who would let him be HIMSELF, no pressures or responsibilities he was woefully unequipped to fulfill.

#halsin #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

[dwyntwo]

Okay, so... as a collective fandom, we can agree that bullying Kaz is fun, yeah? There's just something about seeing the guy down at his lowest and then prodding him with a stick and going "Come on, do something."

But I'm going to stand in his corner for a bit in this post.

Something that never really sat right with me is the collective implication that Kaz isn't good enough for Inej (and never will be).

I'm totally with you: he didn't deserve Inej in the first book and maybe not even yet in the second because he didn't give her anything to work with. He didn't even visit her after she was stabbed, or show her how relieved he was when she recovered. And this is just the thing: he didn't deserve her because of his BEHAVIOUR, not because he's inherently less important or less valuable or less of a person than her.

However I've read so many post-CK fanfictions where Kaz has been working on himself, is openly communicating with her, basically kisses the ground she walks on, treats her as his equal and goes above and beyond to make her as comfortable as possible, and still everyone INCLUDING Inej (and Kaz) goes "I/she deserve/s so much better than me/him". And THAT implicates that the reason Kaz wasn't good enough for her was not his behaviour towards her, but the fact that he as a whole human being is just "not enough" and "less valuable" than her, and that viewpoint has always made me super uncomfortable, especially considering his trauma.

Now I know what you're going to say, and I absolutely agree: trauma never excuses abhorrent behaviour. But there's just something icky to me about looking at a traumatized person who has not only been making an EXTREME effort to overcome their issues, but also shown amazing results, and going "They don't deserve X", "They're less than X" etc. just because they haven't fully healed yet or might never fully heal. It gives "Traumatized people are damaged goods"-vibes, which is especially weird considering my next point: INEJ IS TRAUMATIZED TOO AND HER TRAUMA GETS IN THE WAY OF A GOOD AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP JUST AS MUCH AS HIS.

She literally admits to herself that she wears as much armor as Kaz does and was being kind of hypocritical when she told him to remove his. Inej is a flawed character (which somehow seems to be a controversial take in the fandom), and to put her on a pedestal because of how virtuous and "better" she is than Kaz takes all the nuance out of her. There are definitely some parts in the books where I felt like she was in the wrong or toeing the line, but the others never really call out her behaviour the way they do with Kaz, not even in their internal monologue, so we're left with this image of an Inej who can do no wrong and a Kaz who simply got lucky.

The fact that in aforementioned fanfictions (that I still absolutely adore btw) Inej too thinks he isn't good enough for her despite everything he does for her and for himself, and despite how far he's come also turns her acknowledgment of her own self worth into something ugly and vain in my eyes. She loves herself, but she also loves Kaz, so I don't think she, or any good partner, would look at her boyfriend who clearly already thinks very little of himself and go "Yep, this fucker isn't good enough".

So often people will look at a healthy happy couple and go "He/she could do so much better than her/him". Like that's a whole person you're putting in a competition of "Who's more worthy?" as if they were some object that is of better or worse quality.

I don't think I articulated this too well and there's a lot more to be said about this, but I hope you understand the gist of it. Post CK-Kaz who works on himself and openly communicates ABSOLUTELY deserves Inej, and I will ROT on this hill.

Now I've been nice to him for long enough I think *whacks him with a crow bar*

#wtf is wrong with me omg #kaz brekker #six of crows #soc #inej ghafa #ck #crooked kingdom

[the-sage-libriomancer]

Shigure's relationship with Kyo drives me crazy. he doesn't hate Kyo in the slightest - in fact, he pities Kyo, and not in the condescending "oh you poor little boy, cursed to be a horrible, disgusting monster" sort of way that everyone else does. Shigure pities Kyo for the reason he should be pitied: he's just a kid caught up in a system so inhumane it can't possibly be survived without some seriously unhealthy coping mechanisms.

and it drives me crazy because - listen, Shigure is the only zodiac member who's emotionally aware enough to see the other zodiac members as exactly what they are. he knows Yuki is a severely traumatized kid who projects all of his self-hatred on a single convenient target. he knows Akito is really a scared little girl with a raging god complex (literally) and no concept of a healthy relationship. and he knows Kyo is a regular-ass human being who doesn't deserve to be locked up for the rest of his life just because some arbitrary system says so. he KNOWS it's stupid. he KNOWS it's ridiculous and unfair. and he has to share a house with Kyo knowing that Kyo is living with a sword over his head, hating himself and hating others in perfect tandem because he has no other way of coping with the insane amounts of negativity he's had to deal with his entire life.

but the thing about Shigure is that he KNOWS all of this, and the same time he doesn't really CARE. he feels sorry for Kyo, but an apathetic sort of pity, a disinterested "this is how it is. such a shame." sort of pity. in some ways he's worse than the other zodiacs because he DOES see Kyo as a person, someone he likes being around even, but he still considers Kyo below his attention because all his focus is on Akito and breaking the curse. and sure, once the curse is broken Kyo will theoretically be set free with the rest of them, but that's more of a coincidental side effect than anything. despite being in a much more dangerous and precarious mental space AND comfortably in Shigure's reach, Kyo is about as much a priority for Shigure as Ritsu or Momiji.

and it drives me CRAZY because i think Shigure does start actively caring about Kyo as the series goes on, but it's hard to tell when that happens and to what extent. when Kazuma told Shigure he planned to reveal Kyo's true form and Shigure said he was going too far - whose sake was it for? was Shigure trying to protect Kyo, who would be hideously traumatized/emotionally scarred by such a cruel betrayal? was he trying to protect Kyo and Tohru's relationship, which was still formulating and might, under such severe testing, ultimately end up damaged beyond repair? was he only trying to protect Tohru, who wasn't ready to be burdened by such a horrible aspect of the curse so soon, or perhaps simply didn't deserve it? or was it all for the sake of himself, trying to protect his still-forming plans of using Tohru's positive effect on the Sohmas to break the curse?

Shigure cares about Kyo, but they're not close and Kyo clearly isn't a priority. he treats Kyo like a person - offering him genuine advice, teasing him like he teases anyone else, even speaking up on his behalf once or twice - and yet he's too entrenched in the long game to spare much active interest in Kyo. for a very long time, he doesn't care about Kyo the way he cares about Yuki or Tohru, and it's never made clear when exactly that changed. and the thing that gets me about this whole situation is that right from the start, Shigure is in a position where he can meet Kyo at his level - as equals, just one human being to another - but he doesn't, because Shigure is a chessmaster, Shigure is someone who observes and calculates, Shigure never steps in unless one of his chess pieces makes a wrong move and he absolutely has to.

it drives me crazy. Shigure drives me crazy. this series drives me so so crazy.

#i think my point here was “shigure sees kyo as an actual human being but still treats him badly” #which is kind of the point of shigure - it's why he's such a gray character #he plays with people's lives like they're toys #but this post actually originated from the realization that shigure doesn't hate kyo in the slightest #(honestly i don't think the majority of the zodiac actually *dislikes* kyo. i think they're just too used to dehumanizing him) #and i was like “okay. so how *does* shigure view kyo?” #and then i thought about it more and went progressively more insane #tbf i think shigure knew he was being immoral in the way he treated kyo #he's incredibly self-aware and knows exactly what he's doing #he just chooses to do it anyway. that's why he calls himself “despicable” #i think the fact that kyo clearly suspects shigure has something more going on under the surface probably didn't help either #it's a very interesting sort of complex #anyway. them #fruits basket #shigure sohma #kyo sohma #analysis #edited for your convenience #(<-capitalized all the names bc it was driving me up the wall)

[hollowed-theory-hall]

"gave Snape a stable job....despite being abusive to children (though he probably didn't perceive himself as such)"

I am a tad confused about this. How could Severus not possibly understand that he was being abusive to the kids under his care- especially Harry? Did he feel threatened by the children under his care to the point of viewing them as equals and thus justifying his behaviour to himself (why didn't the other teachers call him out on his shit)

Anonymous: am curious. You mentioned Snape likely doesn't realise that he is abusing the children under his care and mimicking his father. Does he actually feel powerless enough to justify his behaviours to himself? When he sees James in Harry and blames Neville does he see the boys as his equals/ someone above him in power that needs to be put down- thus allowing himself to continue acting the way he does? It's ironic all things considered. For all that Harry looks like James, he takes more after Lily.

Okay, so, I just wrote a post about Snape, but I'll cover here what I'm thinking about this specifically in more detail.

I'm not sure where the quote you mentioned is from, but I can say what I think about the way Snape treats Harry and his students and how he sees it.

So, Severus was abused by his father. From his behavior, what I guess is that a lot of his treatment of his students is him mimicking what he saw from his father.

Like, Severus became a professor at 21. It means his older students knew him as a student. Not to mention he was a terrorist, known Death Eater, who was saved by Dumbledore from being sent to Azkaban. And his students knew this.

So Severus felt like he needed a way to make sure his students would take him seriously. The main example he decided to draw from — his father, Tobias.

We don't know what exactly Tobias Snape did, he was a poor, working-class man who abused his wife and son. And I think when Tobias wanted to be taken seriously, he used fear, insults, and force. So this is what Severus knows.

Severus sees what he does as the only way students would treat him seriously, he doesn't really see it as abuse, as I believe he doesn't really see his father's mistreatment of him as abuse.

Severus always struck me as a character who doesn't want to get better.

I think Severus is one of the abused kids who rationalized his own abuse as something he deserved. He clearly wants to beat himself up about his mistakes. He wants to feel the guilt over pushing Lily away and then over killing her (in his mind). So, to him, in his mind, it's not abuse, it's what they deserve.

Is it good that's what he thinks? No, not at all, it actually sucks. Snape needed therapy.

Now, with Harry specifically, his treatment is different. With Harry, he really does see him as an equal and he needs Harry to treat him seriously. Like, Snape projects James on Harry way more than Sirius does. And Snape can't show anything resembling weakness to Mini-James Potter, so he goes back to his father's methods to be taken seriously. It's about Harry not seeing him as weak like James did.

And revenge, a little bit. Snape is very petty.

He still doesn't see his vengeance as abuse, because, as much as Severus wants to believe he's the one in power, he's scared of Harry more than he's willing to confess. He doesn't see a power imbalance between him and Harry, he doesn't actually see himself in a position of power, because he sees James in Harry. Harry doesn't treat Severus with the respect usually given to professors, which strengthens the way Severus doesn't really see him as a student.

Like, the fact Severus felt the need to remove memories he didn't want Harry to see when teaching him Occlumancy shows how much he fears Harry. Fears the possibility of Harry getting this information and using it against him.

Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific things happening to him. . . . If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Curse . . . he’d have Snape flat on his back like that spider, jerking and twitching. . . . “Antidotes!” said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. “You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one. . . .” Snape’s eyes met Harry’s, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison him. Harry imagined picking up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snape’s greasy head —

(GoF, 300-301)

In the above quote, Harry has these thoughts while Snape is reading his mind — there's eye contact. So Severus sees these thoughts from Harry and doesn't separate this from James, he sees it and thinks that Harry very much might actually spill his entire cauldron on him — like James might've done. So, Severus is taking every instance like this to justify his fear of Harry and his need to keep him down.

With Neville it's different. He doesn't fear Neville the way he fears Harry, I think he does see Neville as someone weaker. In the case of Neville, Severus is, I think, doing what a lot of bullies do, picking on a weaker link to feel better about himself. More in control, more capable. Neville being next to Harry is kinda part of it, I don't think Snape would've been as harsh with Neville if he wasn't near Harry, who makes Snape kinda lose it and feel unbalanced and insecure in his position because he sees him as James more than as Harry.

And I agree with you second Anon, personality-wise, I think Harry isn't very similar to James at all. And he definitely has some of Lily's traits in him, but he's not her either, he's his own person. Something Snape willfully chooses not to see. It's easier for him not to see it, so he chooses not to, so he can keep up with his petty vengeance towards a dead man.

As for why other teachers didn't call him out, well, I think the Wizarding World has a very different approach to child care than the modern western world does.

We know corporal punishment was allowed at Hogwarts and the Wizarding World at large. One of the good things Dumbledore did as a headmaster was stop the use of it at the castle, but it was socially acceptable in the WW even in the 1990s. Actually, even in the muggle UK in the 1990s caning was still allowed in private schools, and Harry is clearly aware of this fact:

“Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?” Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him? But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick’s class looking confused.

(PS, 109)

Because this is something that was still practiced in the UK. Harry actually had to lie to Aunt Marge that he was getting canned at St. Brutus school since that's something that happened there.

And it also happened in the Wizarding World until very recently, Molly says Arthur still has marks from what was most likely a caning when he was at Hogwarts:

Mrs. Weasley grinned, her eyes twinkling. “Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll,” she said. “He got caught by Apollyon Pringle — he was the caretaker in those days — your father’s still got the marks.”

(GoF, 616)

Umbridge (and the Carrows) later returns corporeal punishment to Hogwarts, and it's quite clear there is no law against it in the WW:

“Approval for Whipping . . . Approval for Whipping . . . I can do it at last. . . . They’ve had it coming to them for years. . . .” He [Filch] pulled out a piece of parchment, kissed it, then shuffled rapidly back out of the door, clutching it to his chest.

(OotP, 673)

Molly actually beat Fred with a broom (or at least attempted to) and it's considered fine and legal and not abuse:

“Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?” said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. “And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick.” Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box.

(PoA, 200)

Because the Wizarding World (and the UK) in the 1990s had a very different view on abuse and domestic violence. So, yeah, I don't think Severus considered what he did abuse, he considered it harsh discipline, like he himself received as a child. The way everyone ignores Harry's (and Snape's as a child) very clear signs of being abused is also telling. A rough hand and insults with disobedient children is just considered what you do, and not horrifyingly gross behavior like we see it today.

And the other teachers don't step in, because they consider it just as legal and acceptable as Snape. Because it is in the Wizarding World.

#harry potter #hp #harry potter thoughts #hp thoughts #asks #anonymous #anon asks #severus snape

[kerubimcrepin]

An analysis of Joris Jurgen’s various fears and insecurities

Aka, Liveblog - Dofus, livre 1 : Julith [PART 9]

This scene is one of the most important pieces of Joris's characterization,  — because of what it shows us about Joris's inner thoughts, and how he came to be the person that he is.

Joris knows what he said to Kerubim was cruel. And the things that terrify him are both the guilt and the reaction Kerubim might have:

The guilt of knowing why Kerubim is like that: His life full of nothing but horrible things and tragedies, that made him vulnerable. And Joris just called him an old wreck, as if it's Kerubim's fault that he was wrecked to begin with.

And the fear that he will be too distraught to reason with. That Joris will have to grovel and beg for him to calm him down.

He probably deems himself selfish, for feeling bad about the idea of giving Kerubim an apology for everything he said. Selfish, because really, he does owe everything to him, does he not?

Joris is perfectly aware of his place in the world as an orphan. Kerubim didn't have to adopt him.

He could have tossed him out like a hot potato, and perhaps, for how grateful Joris is, it might be just what he deserves, as far as Joris is concerned.

Joris is more than aware that he's fortunate to even have a roof over his head and some semblance of a family. Both because of Lilotte, and Kerubim himself.

So feeling bad about anything concerning Kerubim is like looking a gift horse in the mouth.

And here's the jealousy I spoke of, earlier. He views Lilotte both as a friend, and as a rival for Kerubim's affections, — because his survival has always depended on Kerubim liking him.

It's why he's so anxious, and why his thoughts are so quick to spiral out of control, just like at this moment of the movie.

He has nothing going for him besides Kerubim. Absolutely no family to speak of. So, if Kerubim can't, or doesn't want to take care of him, he has nobody left.

Children learn very early on how to please their parents: and for Kerubim it's pure, uncomplicated love, with no drama, no hate involved.

And it's the reason he fears Joris growing up, and keeps treating him like a little kid, trying to offset the inevitable:

Subtly, these feelings of love become more and more complicated, as someone grows older.

It's why Joris tries so hard to mold himself into a comfortable image for him.

And yet, despite all his attempts, Joris finds himself growing up into yet another person scorned, — doomed to hurt Kerubim. Even though growing up and hurting Kerubim, whom he loves so much, is the last thing he wants.

Even though he has his own needs for respect and personal space now. These childhood experiences and pain make him into a very guarded person. To him, deep friendship is all about emotional labour and being infantilized.

Joris can't really be his own person as Kerubim's son, and nobody will ever take him seriously from a first glance, — he's faced with reminders of that in every aspect of his life. This has made him a creature of pride.

He has to work with every fibre of his being to seem serious, cool, and professional, — because otherwise, he is doomed to not be taken serious, and be considered a child yet again.

And he has every reason to feel that way. It's just a constant uphill battle to be recognized as an adult.

It's why he wants Kerubim and Atcham to act as his children, — he can't, he just can't have people he actually likes knowing about Kerubim, and risking them seeing him as subservient to the man, as his son.

It's a way of having Kerubim and Atcham treat him as an equal — as a superior, even.

Though he knows that Kerubim and Atcham will never actually think that way of him, it is enough.

They keep protecting him. And also, softly, making fun of him for these neuroticisms. But at least they don't think of him as child anymore.

And at least, he doesn't have to care about offending them, — a father is a creature that offends often, after all.

#ro liveblogs dofus #dofus #wakfu #krosmoz #dofusmovie #joris jurgen

[anti-spop]

Hello! I just saw ur post saying g hintlow is badly written in your opinion. Could you please tell me why you think so? I'm kinda curious?

I also didn't really like huntlow since it kinda came outta no where all of a sudden but what do you think??

*cracks knuckles* (just kidding lol)

Honestly, I just think H/untlow has several writing problems. I'll be pointing out the main reasons I think so under the cut. If anyone who follows me or comes across this post ships H/untlow, it's totally fine, just please don't send me hate for what I'll say here:

Hunter and Willow have nothing in common. The show forces the "half a witch" thing onto Hunter despite the fact he was never called that anywhere in the show, he's usually just called annoying or a brat. Besides, Hunter could be a metaphor for disability considering he doesn't have natural magic powers (until the show decided to kill off Flapjack, but I'll get into that later). However, Willow is not the case. She may not be good at abomination magic, but she's incredibly powerful with plant magic. But for some reason, the show treats these experiences as equals, even though that's a thing Hunter has more in common with Luz than Willow (and in this case I'm not talking through a romantic lens).

Hunter and Willow are out of character. Hunter, the prodigy and the emperor's right hand, becomes utterly pathetic and wimpy just so Willow can look like a badass girlboss. And Willow then just comes off as cruel sometimes. I appreciate Willow for being nice but also being a badass, but even then, Willow was never cruel prior to her meeting Hunter. She apologized to Luz when she realized she could've hurt her, and when Willow met Gus she was patient and understanding, teaching him a breathing technique to calm him down. I'm not saying Willow has to be overly nice, but she just randomly captures Hunter to make him join her flyer derby team. And at this point she doesn't even know that Hunter is the Golden Guard, so she just... attacks a random kid and scares him for no reason. Worse yet the fact that she drags him into the ground THE SAME WAY BELOS DOES in Hollow Mind. Even after Hunter tells her he's "half a witch", Willow isn't patient with him, she's just a brute again. Which is my next point:

Unhealthy power dynamic. Hunter refers to Willow as "captain", and it's honestly a red flag to me. I am NOT saying Willow is abusive. However, we have to remember that Hunter's abuser uses his position of power to mistreat him. Hunter looks up to someone who's not an equal to him and in turn, he does not value himself. And Willow never seems to realize it and explicitly say that she's not his leader, she's his friend. This pairing is basically the girlboss/malewife model, but not only does it not make sense, it's not healthy for Hunter to fall in love with someone who has power over him, and who might be paralleled to his abuser as I pointed out before.

Ruined character arcs. I think most of us agree that Hunter's character arc was unsatisfactory as he became another Caleb without ever processing it, but Willow was definitely done dirty as well. Willow never had her own episode, not even Understanding Willow was about her, it was more about Amity. Any Sport in a Storm also focuses more on Hunter. Even Gus had more character development than Willow, despite the fact he was also done dirty in the end. Willow's breakdown wasn't carefully developed, it was never hinted in Thanks to Them or anywhere before that. It came out of nowhere in For the Future, and in turn it just pushed Hunter's character (and Gus, literally) aside so he could save Willow. And this is yet ANOTHER point I hate:

Willow only reciprocates Hunter's crush when he gains powers. Seriously, for the longest time I didn't even think H/untlow was going to be mutual. Only Hunter seemed to be attracted to Willow, by blushing and being shy around her. Willow never seems to see Hunter in another light in the following episodes, not even in Thanks to Them despite them living with each other for months. That only happens in For the Future, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Like I said before, Hunter might be considered disabled, but his disability is "cured" with magic, and ONLY THEN does Willow fall for him. That contradicts the entire message of the show, which welcomes and celebrates disabilities.

And overall, Hunter and Willow never have a genuine emotional connection. Hunter has more connection and things in common with Luz, Gus, and even Amity (and sadly, his parallels with Amity were never really explored after Eclipse Lake). Hunter and Luz don't have magical powers. Hunter and Gus are both taken advantage of by others, and they have an identity crisis, not knowing how to trust themselves anymore. Hunter and Amity then, they were both raised in an abusive household and they're expected to be someone they're not, and they have to push everyone else down so they can be better. But Hunter and Willow don't share this kind of connection. They might touch on the "half a witch" thing but that never deepens. And in For the Future, it comes off as rushed, and Hunter has to push down his grief for Flapjack to save Willow. Not to mention Gus and Hunter never get to talk about Caleb - Gus always knew about Hunter's secret, and not even THAT gets a satisfying payoff because the show is more concerned in making H/untlow canon. But that would have to be its own post.

Sorry this got long, lmao. I have very strong feelings about how H/untlow was handled. I actually used to ship it at first, I think it COULD'VE worked. But they don't even seem to be close friends at the very least. It sucks because even R/aeda was written better despite the fact it had less screentime than L/umity. Sure, Eda and Raine were ex-lovers, but I thought their relationship was written very well for the most part. I don't know how the writers dropped the ball with H/untlow this way.

#asks #toh critical #anti huntlow #<- tagging for blacklist #not spop #abuse tw

[password-door-lock]

“You know, you can stay here, if you want.” 

Saeran turns to stare at you in utter disbelief. He doesn’t need to let you know that your suggestion has left him absolutely baffled— you can tell already from the look in his eyes. He's spent the better part of the past few days doing everything in his power to break your spirit, but now, you can practically see the guilt draped over his shoulders, weighing him down as he regards you with utter confusion. You could understand if being around you were too painful for Saeran to handle right now, if your very presence in his space were a reminder of the horrible things he’s done in the name of the Mint Eye. You wouldn’t hold it against him if he laughed in your face and took the opportunity to slink off into the night.

But you don't know what kind of person you'd be if you didn't at least give him the option of staying by your side.  He might not believe that he deserves to be with you, but you need him to know that the invitation is always there for him. You want to make it clear to Saeran that he and Ray are both special to you, and that despite the nuances of your (admittedly very complex) triad dynamic, you love both of them with equal fervor. You want him to understand that everything is up to him— you won’t force Saeran to stay with you if he doesn’t want to, but you won’t let him force himself to leave if he wants to be here, either. 

“What are you talking about?” He asks eventually. There’s hesitance in his tone that you’ve never heard there before, but you suppose you can't really blame him. It breaks your heart to think of how he’s been treated— of course, he’s never explicitly told you anything about his trauma, but he’s let enough clues slip that you were able to piece together a devastating picture. You already know that Saeran won’t accept your pity, and you don’t hold that against him, either. All you want to do is let him know that he’s loved. 

“If you want to, you should stay,” you repeat, in much more decisive terms. Maybe if Saeran is sure that you actually want him here, that you’re neither trying to placate him nor being nice just for the sake of it, he’ll be more inclined to follow his own heart. You don’t want him to leave just because he thinks you want him gone— but you also don’t want him to stay just because he thinks you want him here. “You could get some rest with me, Saeran. Just for a little while. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, of course— it’s up to you.” 

“I can't,” he tells you, voice shaking almost as much as it did when he grabbed you by the shoulders and screamed that he is nothing like that woman. You get the feeling that he wasn’t talking about Rika, though you know better than to bring this up with Saeran. Three hours ago, he was still pretending that he meant you harm. You can’t imagine how monumental it was for him to give you this apology, and you won’t take his sacrifice so lightly. He can tell you what he wants to— assuming he wants to tell you anything at all— in his own time. “I— you don't need me right now. You need Ray, and—” His voice is thick with the tears that he’s restraining. Even now, he’s forcing himself to be strong when he doesn’t need to. If only he would realize that he’s safe with you— but after the life that he’s lived, you really can’t fault him for keeping his guard up. 

“I love you just as much as I love Ray,” you assure him, not wanting to harp too much on the matter of him staying or going. You hope that someday you can show him how much you love him, but the last thing you want to do is press.  You’ve done what you can— he knows that you’d be happy to have him here. “Please just listen to your heart. Whatever you decide, I trust you and I love you.” You hope he knows that this applies to more than just the situation at hand.

He swallows, and you can tell that he's still fighting off tears. You suppose he’d be good at it, considering he’s spent his whole life fighting— if not the tears, then himself, and if not himself, then the RFA, and if not the RFA, then Ray, and if not Ray, then Rika, or whoever else has done him harm throughout his life. You wish more than anything that you could steal all of that pain from him, wrench it out of his grip the way that he’s stolen so many things from you over the course of the past few days. But you know that you can’t do that— even if it were possible, you have to prioritize Saeran’s needs above your own urges. It’s true that living at Magenta breeds anger, but from what you’ve seen, the Mint Eye thrives on rage. You and Saeran both need the space to live a calm and happy life together, though if he’s planning on staying here in any capacity, you don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.

 God, when will the universe just allow this man a fucking break? He has truly been through hell over and over again since the moment he was born, hasn't he? You can't change his past, but you can try your hardest to improve his future. “Okay,” he says eventually, not taking off his stiff suit jacket as he lays down beside you, on top of the covers while you huddle under them. Is he still worried about intruding, after all the things you’ve told him, or is he just concerned about the temperature? “Are you sure you still want me here after everything?” 

“Of course I’m sure. I’m listening to my heart, too,” you assure him. “Is cuddling okay?” You ask tentatively.

You already know that this is a huge step for Saeran, and you'd be happy to know that he was laying down on any bed, resting at all— the fact that he's here with you right now is almost more than you could ask for. Almost. Because you want to do everything in your power to make him comfortable, to let him know he's loved, and you want to cling to him and never let go. You're terrified of what might happen in the morning, and you're not an idiot, no matter how many times this beautiful man reclining beside you has thrown that word in your direction. You know that the moment you fall asleep, he'll climb out the window and leave you here alone— and that's just fine, you tell yourself, perfectly fine, but you know it isn’t. It's his decision to make, yeah, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't wish he'd make a different one. There has to be a way that you, Saeran, and Ray can all escape this place safely.

“Yes,” he breathes, still engaged in that uphill battle with those same, deeply pent-up tears. He makes no move to embrace you, as if he’s waiting for you to set the tone of the interaction, as if he’s unsure of what should happen next. “I’d like that.” His voice is so quiet that you can barely hear him— but you don’t need him to repeat himself. You’ve got the message. 

So you bring your arms around him and you pull him close. “It's okay, Saeran,” you breathe, “You can cry if you need to. You’re not weak for crying. I hope you know that.” You would be a fool to believe that you could pull out every last idea that Rika ever planted in his head with only that one utterance, but you hope you can at least do something to help. 

Saeran releases a heavy sigh, and then he follows your suggestion. You just hold him and rub his back as he sobs, grateful for the opportunity to offer him some much-needed comfort. After all, you love this man, just as much as you love Ray.

#I've been thinking a lot about Suit lately #Tbh I struggle to write about him as much as I want to because the game just does not give us the timeframe #mystic messenger #mystic messenger drabble #choi saeran #saeran choi

[they-them-that]

(spoilers for Zero Calcare's "The World Can't Tear Me Down")

I just finished binging "The World Can't Tear Me Down" on Netflix. It's a heavy watch that tackles white supremacy and xenophobia but it was well done imo and a great follow up to "Tear Along The Dotted Line". A lot of adult comedies can be flimsy (and outright problematic) about how it represents social issues and I was worried this series would toe that line but it was able to represent how people get coaxed into supporting the wrong side without excusing them either. It isn't black and white although I do think it's still important to hold individuals' responsible for the way they hurt others.

Cesare and Sara are Italian born citizens who despite being disenfranchised in their own ways, do end up threatening stability for the refugees which is an abuse of their privilege. Although I can understand that Sara's plight is both due to her own struggles and being misled to believe the school shut down is due to the refugee shelter, I couldn't really sympathize when her motivations felt ultimately selfish and at the expense of the refugees' safety. At the same time, I can understand how Zero was conflicted as a cishet white male who's also a famous cartoonist. Zero obliviously tells Sara they're "still young" and Sara had to point out that a woman nearing her 40's is seen as socially useless, something Zero failed to consider when a man in his late 30's isn't looked down on in the same way (and he's someone who's already gained a stable job where he doesn't have to job hunt at his age unlike Sara). Zero was also confronted with his own privilege that challenged his right to judge others with Cesare who was victim to the social stigma and government neglect against addicts and impoverished people. All of this while Zero is conflicted on whether or not he should speak about the xenophobia on TV because of the way it could affect his career. The fact he was considering being quiet himself but lectured Sara and Cesare for their complacency/participation in the issue was a deliberate point of hypocrisy and we'll never know what Zero would've done in the end.

Zero spends the series reckoning with the complexities of moral righteousness that isn't as simple as doing the right thing when there are complicated circumstances behind making poor decisions that aren't just pure bigotry (but still deserves to be called out). At the same time, we get Selco who also grew up disenfranchised but still understood what side he's meant to support. He calls out Zero for essentially turning a social issue into a personal plight of virtue when what really mattered was standing up against Nazis. We end up seeing Sara own up to her mistake and join the protestors (although she condemns the violence in a way that treats it like both sides are equally at fault when it isn't) and Cesare also opens up about what really mattered to him, turning his back on the Nazis (but not exactly looking out for the refugees).

Among our main cast, there isn't actually a role model for us to project onto as the ideal moral pillar, something that the series purposely deconstructs for us with Sara's character. It reminds us that we're all people and we're not always going to make the right decisions nor the people we care about will either. We just have to keep doing our best and help those near us to stay on the right path. We have to grapple with our own privileges, complacency, and hypocrisy to be activists. We have to understand the humanness that comes from veering off that path in order to help those who do and to be able to diagnose the problem. That it's not just an individual decision but a systemic problem.

The only big complaint I have is that the refugees felt like a backdrop to the story of Zero's philosophizing despite the creator criticizing himself for doing the same thing, which may be the humanness I brought up earlier. Understandably, Zero didn't get to interact with any of the refugees until the end of the series and he clearly empathizes with what they go through but having the one refugee wax poetic to shed perspective on our White Italian male protagonist wasn't as moving as maybe it was meant to be.

#zero calcare #zerocalcare #the world can't tear me down #tear along the dotted line

[voidnoidoid]

Jimmy, aka Tumble Town's Outlaw (+ rambly character progression analysis and stuffs)

my take on Jimmy's villain arc is that instead of trying to reclaim his role as Sheriff, he should instead become the most feared outlaw the empires have ever seen.

old timey sheriffs often toed the line between justice and crime, and Jimmy has made it clear he's not above some corruption: bribery, stealing, manipulation, shady deals, arson etc. He's not the pillar of justice and upholder of the law he makes himself out to be. Hell he doesn't even follow his own laws sometimes and he let Scar break all of them! So why not turn to crime and vengeance?

recently I read an article about Kid Curry, a notorious outlaw of the Wild West, and I thought hey, what if Jimmy's character went in that direction? (PG-13 of course cmon) He could have a cool nickname like Dynamite Jim or something. Another thing I noticed is that Jimmy doesn't use a gun, saying that he is averse to using that kind of weapon, despite most cowboys carrying some form of firearm on them. He prefers to use a bow and arrow and his lasso. Could it be that he's used a gun before? Anyway I think it would a real turning point in his character arc for him to start using a gun, and ironically name it the Peacemaker (after the colt single action army revolver)

I find the Sheriff turned Outlaw story really compelling given what we know of Jim's character so far. Other people have brought this point up but Jimmy's whole character seems to tie in with themes of isolation and loneliness. Tumble Town doesn't have any villagers or custom citizens anywhere. The saloon is empty and devoid of any beverages. It's just Jimmy and his horses around here. Almost as if Tumble Town is completely deserted.

We don't know anything about Jimmy's life before he became the self-proclaimed Sheriff, but I assume his life before that wasn't a happy one. Why else would he crave respect so desperately, unless he wasn't afforded any before? He hates being seen as powerless and lesser than, as being called a toy is very much a soft spot for him. Him shrinking down in size and having his peers literally and metaphorically look down on him isn't helping either. From the beginning, Jimmy was never one to be taken seriously, as he was a goofy, good-natured man who kind of bumbled into being a Sheriff.

He demanded respect by imposing his laws upon every empire, despite not really having any right to do so other than being "The Sheriff". He is the leader of Tumble Town, not the whole 12 empires after all. Jim didn't really do much to show that he deserved the kind of authoritative respect he wanted from everyone, but the other rulers still liked having him around. People he considered allies such as Gem, Sausage and FWhip treated him nicely for a time, but either tolerated his Sheriff playacting and/or made fun of him by playing into the whole Toy Story bit. They were his "friends" but didn't give him respect as Sheriff and as a person.

For the majority of empires Jimmy has been treated as lesser than, as someone who isn't even human. He wasn't given basic respect asa a person. Joel outright mocked Jimmy by calling him a toy to his face, and every single person who has interacted with Jimmy has engaged in the toy bit. Hell, his own deputies, FWhip AND Scar, didn't treat him like an equal.

FWhip became deputy for his own gain and wore the toy story alien uniform to subtly make fun of Jimmy without him knowing. He did get attached to Jimmy though and took it extremely personally when he got fired for disrespecting Jimmy, getting back at him by stealing the hat and badges. I do think c!FWhip took it too far and is basically an embittered ex.

Scar on the other hand, was extremely nice to Jimmy and literally built him an entire train and a bunch of buildings as well as setting up villager trading posts for him. It's a really kind and generous thing to do for Jimmy, but despite that he still doesn't respect him in the way Jim wants him to. He gave Jim a whole pep talk about how "being Woody is a good thing" which, while being very sweet and encouraging, also unconsciously reinforces the fact that Scar DOES see Jimmy as a toy just like the rest of Empires. And when Scar was imprisoned by Jimmy for like 10 seconds, he threatened to call Jimmy a toy to get himself out of jail.

Alright fast forward to present time. Jimmy meets the Old/Past Sheriff and learns more about being a real sheriff. He learns how to get people to respect him more and is really excited to have a mentor figure, especially someone who used to be a real Sheriff running a town. Excitedly, he calls his friends over to the great bridge, riding atop a horse, to share about the cool thing that happened to him. Notice Gem, Sausage and FWhip are all wearing the Dawn Sunglasses, and Jimmy isn't, which creates this feeling that Jimmy is an "other" and not part of the in group. Instead of listening and congratulating him, all three of them crouch and poke fun at him for being small. Jimmy is all too aware of how everybody is treating him. He promises to be a better man, a better Sheriff they can all be proud of. And so he begs them, "so do you guys finally respect me now?"

Do you see me for who I am?

Will you finally see me as your equal?

Your friend?

And he is shot dead.

They've made their point loud and clear, and Jimmy has had enough. No more playing games. If they refuse to respect him, he will make them fear.

#empires smp s2 #empires s2 #solidaritygaming #geminitay #mythicalsausage #fwhip #esmp season 2 #empires gem #empires jimmy #empires sausage #oh my god I just wanted to talk about how cool it would be if Jim became an outlaw #and it escalated into THIS #dudes I am so personally invested in c!solidarity's villain arc #empires smp s2 analysis

[wearenorth]

While I was searching for one line from GoT, I stumbled on this one:

Link: https://www.quora.com/How-would-you-respond-to-Missandei-accusing-Sansa-of-not-showing-her-loyalty-to-the-Dragon-Queen-without-whom-they-would-all-be-dead

To sum up all those few answers to this question:

a) It was a private conversation between Tyrion and Sansa. Missandei had no right or was rude enough to interrupt and defend Daenerys.

b) Sansa was right. Tyrion chose to serve Dany, who sought to become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms; Sansa wanted the North to be independent. So that would have meant that they would turn into enemies.

Let's start with the topic. And it's correct. Sansa didn't show any loyalty to Daenerys. If anything, Sansa only antagonized and annoyed Dany, showing her no respect and courtesies, despite the fact that Dany is the Queen and person who came to save your asses.

But this line served as a reminder that Dany is the savior, after all. Missandei might still be a Kraznis slave, sold to someone else, or even dead, which is the most likely outcome. The same could be applied to either the people that Dany freed or those who chose to follow her. Even Tyrion, if Daenerys hadn't accepted him into her services, what do you think would have happened? Most likely drank himself to death. As for the North, without Daenerys, her dragons, and armies, they stood no chance. It's quite obvious, but it wasn't obvious enough to Sansa.

Also, it could go as a reminder to Sansa, who safely sat in the crypts, that Dany was out there fighting against the dead.

Now, as for those answers:

a) If you're talking loudly for everyone to hear in a closed space with many people around you, is it really still considered private conversation? Missandei heard it, and other people heard it too. The only difference is that Missandei called out Sansa for her bullshit.

b) I would never understand people who say that Sansa had every right not to want Daenerys to rule over the North and that Sansa had every right to want the North to be independent. You do realize how feudalism works, right? Actually, Sansa had no rights. That's not how it works. She's not above other northern lords. She's not above Jon, who is chosen as the leader of the North and as the King (or was, until he bent the knee), and Jon's words are the last: Jon bent the knee. This means that the North is not only Daenerys' subject, but that Daenerys is the Queen for Jon and Sansa too.

Also, Sansa is not equal to or above Daenerys in any way either. Sansa is Lady of Winterfell, thanks to Jon for giving her this title, but this doesn't make her ruler or leader of the North. Unlike, for example, Yara Greyjoy or Ollena Tyrel, who are leaders of their people or rulers of the kingdom, Sansa can't make any demands towards Dany that regard the North. 

If it's hard to process what I just wrote, well, here's a simple example: imagine you - the North - are admitted to the hospital. The doctor, Jon, who comes to check on you, says he doesn't have enough knowledge/resources to treat you, so he asks for help. Another doctor, Daenerys, who has enough knowledge/resources, agrees to treat you with the condition that you and Jon will be under her care and command.

This condition makes Jon to not agree, so he tries other ways and he finds one, that will require a lot of handwork. Daenerys, seeing Jon's devotion and all the hardwork, not only decides to help with this task, but also offers that she would help Jon to treat you without asking anything in return, especially after she just lost something very significant to her. Jon, after seeing that Dany is a good doctor and that she came to aid, even when she didn't have to, decides that Daenerys's condition, that you and Jon would be under her care and command, is reasonable and agree to it. So they decide to work together in order to heal you.

But then there comes someone from non-medical personnel, Sansa, who tells you that you should receive different treatment and that she should be your doctor, well, because she wants it. 

#anti sansa stark #anti stansas #anti sansa stans #anti d&d #anti got #daenerys targaryen #missandei

[utilitycaster]

Threatened this once as a throwaway tag, so: let's talk about why "Justice for Adeen Tasithar" as an attempted criticism of Essek is absolutely wild as a choice.

Disclaimer: there are many deeply annoying fans of Essek who do not seem to understand that the narrative and the cast (and by extension, merch/official art/comics) will treat him differently for being an NPC, even if he is a very important NPC and a member of the Mighty Nein, and you are justified in being annoyed. There are also a number of equally annoying Essek haters, most of whom are bitter shippers who have (correctly) realized it's slightly more palatable to others in the fandom to openly hate on Essek than on a PC; or else they are the miserable souls who think that every minute spent on a character other than their personal favorite stolen and wasted time. I am a firm believer in this post; everyone is annoying and complaining on your own blog about it is your absolute right. Also, both in regards to the fans mentioned above and the characters mentioned below, it is possible for people on two opposite sides of a position to both suck.

The first issue is the phrase itself; it co-opts a statement usually used for victims of hate crimes or political prisoners in the real world, and makes it unironically about a pretend guy who had precisely one scene, which is certainly a choice. I'm not actually opposed to using "Justice for" jokingly in fandom, but it is weird to use it relatively seriously in fandom.

The second is that Adeen Tasithar is a member of one of the Dens of the Kryn Dynasty, and is a Taskhand, a term reserved for people with high-level military responsibilities, and is a member of the Bright Queen's Court. During wartime. Coupled with the fact that Essek, who, as described below, is never portrayed as particularly cruel nor petty despite his many flaws, thinks Adeen genuinely does suck, this means that at best, Adeen Tasithar is heavily involved in military operations at a very high level and is in some way personally unpleasant. At, frankly, not even worst, we're talking D&D Donald Rumsfeld. Now, we can debate whether Essek is a war criminal or merely traitorous (not on this post though, because I don't care and it's not relevant), but, while we know very little about Adeen Tasithar, it's not an overreach to say that this man has a pretty strong chance of being guilty of his own war crimes. In general, calling for justice is something I'd hesitate to use in an "the enemy of my enemy" manner, especially if it's well within reason to consider that you're talking about Ludinus Da'leth's Kryn counterpart.

The third is that while you're under no obligation to like Essek, he really is, in general, portrayed as a decent judge of character and a terrible judge of whether selfishly following his own ambition was appropriate and what the consequences might be. He detests the members of the Cerberus Assembly with whom he works; he likes the Mighty Nein despite them ultimately being his potential undoing. He has a few friends in the Dynasty and cares about his (unambiguously good) brother, and feels remorse about his father. Essek has done terrible things in the service of his goals; but directly throwing an innocent under the bus (vs. setting into motion things that will, as a side effect, lead to innocent collateral damage, which he obviously will do) isn't his style. Again, at the very least, Adeen Tasithar is someone whom Essek genuinely believes is a bad person (note that Essek, by this time, also considers himself to be a bad person, and Trent Ikithon to be a "fuck hole", which might help your understanding of scale here). This doesn't mean Tasithar deserves what he got, but frankly, in a campaign about people who got a lot of things they didn't deserve, it's a pretty blatant straw-grasp onto a side character with the briefest of appearances to decide he's your poster boy victim just so that you can go full spiked bat on a character you dislike.

The fourth is that there's never any connection to how Essek not being friends with the Mighty Nein (or entering a relationship with Caleb) would provide justice for Adeen Tasithar, who is in an Empire prison by the end following the exchange during peace talks. It's actually entirely possible that the Empire eventually figures things out re: Adeen, notably because memory modification as a criminal act is going to be really fresh in their minds following the Ikithon trial (and if they interrogate Trent, it's also possible the Empire finds out about Essek). Essek is already a fugitive from the Dynasty and cannot move freely through the Empire as a drow whom assembly members would recognize. The guy didn't get off scot free anyway, so really, he is going to suffer to some extent; you just want him to experience abject and total misery, rather than constant fear tempered with a small degree of happiness, like some kind of sicko, or megachurch member.

The final one is that "justice for Yeza Brenatto" or "I don't like that Essek worked with the Assembly even if he wasn't happy about it" would actually be far more reasonable statements to make. Yeza was, in fact, a simple alchemist who was forced to become a pawn in the game being played by, among other people, Essek, and suffered immensely for it. The Assembly does in fact suck. And yet, rather than admit Caleb also considered working with the Assembly for selfish reasons, or that Veth, you know, exists people jump to woobify some random NPC about whom we know basically nothing other than "Military guy, well-connected politically."

So anyway: feel however you want about Essek; but if you're on Adeen Tasithar's bandwagon, I don't think you actually are terribly bothered by hypothetical fictional war crimes. I think you just are too spineless and online to say "I dislike Essek" and needed to construct an elaborate poor reason why.

#i feel like tagging this discourse is elevating it above what it is. this is straight up fanwank and I'm well aware of that #but if you need it tagged lmk #cr tag #queue

[yuikomorii]

I hope this doesn’t bother you, Admin-chan, but I just find it odd how Ayato and Ruki are your top boys taking account they’re rivals and well…Ruki wronged Ayato in many ways and I don’t wanna be that person but he’s one of the least problematic Diaboys so I don’t get why Ruki would treat him the worst out of them all. I mean, shouldn’t all Sakamaki’s be a threat to him, why only be so mean towards Ayato? That’s what I can’t understand.

// Don't worry, it doesn't bother me! I know Ayato and Ruki have very different personalities, and I've stated several times why I love Ayato, but Ruki is my second best boy because we share many interests and a thirst for knowledge. I'm actually in the mood to write an essay about it, so please excuse the length 👉🏻👈🏻

Ayato & Ruki Analysis, let’s go!

I love Ruki; he's such an intriguing character, but his attitude towards Ayato irritates me at times, especially because he sees Ayato as some sort of privileged brat who gets everything served on a silver platter, despite the fact that we know that’s exactly the opposite taking account that this guy had been mentally, emotionally and physically abused for decades.

The Mukamis are my favorite family, but I dislike how they constantly dismiss the Sakamaki brothers' trauma and adopt the "I've got it worse than you!" mentality.

Going back to Ruki, yes, what happened to him was indeed heartbreaking but the thing is, they wanted to show how Karma hit him. We know young!Ruki was a cruel child, he punished his servants for every little mistake and considered himself superior because of his position. Now, let’s talk about young!Ayato. He was literally Ruki's polar opposite; a kind child who didn't care about his Prince status and treated everyone equally, such as the butler, who was shown caring a lot for Ayato in LE and YB.

I usually like rivalry when it’s good portrayed; I really enjoyed the Shu x Yuma and Kou x Subaru ones, I think they were really well written. However, in Ayato’s and Ruki’s case… that’s a whole other story.

Ayato despises Ruki primarily because of romantic jealousy. Ayato may appear narcissistic and confident, but many people fail to realize how insecure and low his self-esteem is. Ayato is shown in MB to believe that no one will ever love him back. He is aware that if he falls in love with someone, that person won’t reciprocate his feelings, and thus he will get hurt. That's why Ayato kept rejecting Yui there and eventually let her go with Ruki. He clearly knows Ruki is better than him in every way, he just won't vocally admit it; he knows Ruki can easily win Yui's heart, and that's why he's a threat in his eyes.

Ruki's hatred for Ayato stems mainly from power jealousy. Ruki's main goal is to become Adam, but he can't because he isn't a pure-blood vampire, so he projects his insecurities onto Ayato, who, as the main guy, is considered the true Adam. Throughout the routes, Ruki appears to be impressed by Ayato as well. He once questioned whether Ayato truly is special, but quickly dismissed that thought. Another reason is that, as mentioned in his MB brute end, Ruki believes Karlheinz loves Ayato and his brothers. He is very insecure too; he knows Ayato is stronger and has a better chance of having Eve.

I’m honestly sick of how many times Ruki has called Ayato “unworthy” of being Adam but little does he know that’s not something he chose. I suppose people really overlook the fact that Ayato doesn’t want the powers, he couldn’t care less about Karl’s plan, he just wants Yui’s love. He was literally cursed to become Adam, that’s definitely no blessing. Have you seen his awakening symptoms in MB? The guy couldn’t even control his blood thirst anymore; he was literally ill.

And, while we're at it, what exactly did Ruki do to be "worthy" of the Adam title? His orphanage plan already failed because Kou, Yuma, and Azusa were all shot, and if Karlheinz hadn't shown up, he would have most likely been gone. He basically took care of them in Eden and "trained" them, which essentially means telling them the details of his plan, while his biological children were going through nightmares.

Anyway, I'm relieved Ruki is no longer obsessed with the Adam and Eve plan. In CL, he seems less addicted to it and I'm glad CL demonstrated that Ayato would indeed help Ruki if something happened to him; he became concerned when he suddenly fainted and was eager to save him and others as soon as possible.

I doubt they'll ever become friends because their personalities clash, but it's nice to see they don't hold grudges against each other anymore.

#diabolik lovers #ayato sakamaki #ruki mukami #sakamaki ayato #mukami ruki #dialovers #admin #(oh I’ve been waiting for this one)

[dearweirdme]

https://www.tumblr.com/dearweirdme/743956303944318976/so-i-the-jm-lukewarm-anti-is-back-i-saw-that?source=share

I was asked in the comments to contribute my opinion. The other members have said themselves that Jimin is the most traditional and conservative when it comes to the hierarchy of respect. He's said to be the one who adheres to honorifics, for example. He has been seen scolding both JK and Taehyung when he thinks they step out of line in that regard. He takes a big brother, caretaker approach with Taehyung despite there being only a few months between them and despite the fact that Taehyung actually acted in a protector role himself towards Jimin when they first met, they seemed to have settled into that natural dynamic of Jimin acting somewhat like an elder towards Taehyung. This is usually a sign of someone who does subscribe to the traditional culture of respect. You can contrast this with how Taehyung treats JK much more equally, however if the assumption is that they're dating then this might not be the best comparison since their interactions will be skewered by a different kind of intimacy and closeness.

Perhaps a good example might be a pairing like Jin and Yoongi or Jin and Namjoon. You'll notice that Jin very rarely, if ever, reinforces the honorific standard on his own behalf. We saw him undermine Jimin's attempts to remind Taehyung of it during their fight and said it didn't really matter. However, he will 'pull rank' if it's to benefit one of the others, especially the younger members so this strikes me as Jin being someone who either doesn't feel a personal connection to the traditional ways and doesn't see a benefit in them or he actually enjoys rebelling against them.

How a Korean holds themselves does tie in closely with how they lean traditionally. As a conservative culture, strong displays of individuality or assertiveness are not viewed as positives or within keeping with social harmony

Taehyung and Jin, for example, who have shown a more lax approach to honorifics are also known for being the most likely to hold their ground against the company and openly take swipes at HYBE or display sarcasm and boldness and a determination to do what they want. They are more likely to openly rebel against what is expected of them but guaranteed, there are those who will use this to negatively define their personalities the same way agreeability is used to negatively define a person in others.

Jimin and Hobi, who is also said to be quite the disciplinarian with the younger members, are more likely to think carefully about how they come across because how they present themselves ties into their idea of respect and how much of themselves they feel comfortable showing. It's telling that members have pointed them out as having the 'scariest' tempers.

Neither approach is right or wrong. It's just a personal matter. Some people are more guarded than others. Some people are more stubborn than others. You'll find people who admire or condemn these differences in personalities based on their own. I admire Taehyung and Jin's assertiveness. I also think being guarded is a smart choice in their industry.

Regarding the accusations about Jimin being fake or a company man that I've seen throughout the years, that's an unfortunate consequence of carefully and wisely curating how you want to appear to the world but we also have to consider the context to see if its fair to label him as such and I don't think it is because if you take a group of 7 individuals, each with their own ambition and emotions, is it really likely that they're all going to speak so highly of a member who throws them under the bus to advance himself? The members themselves have told us that Jimin is one of their greatest supports, he is their shoulder to cry on---we've seen examples of this with our own eyes.

Does that really sound like someone who never sticks up for his friends or just leaves them floundering to suit himself? Is that the kind of person that anyone would really trust when they are at their lowest emotional point.

Jimin might appear to be the most reasonable member the same way Hobi appears to be super laid back but behind Hobi's sunshine, humor and bubbly personality is a person who can be just as focused and serious when he needs to be.

And I would guess the same applies to Jimin since there must be some reason why the others, even Namjoon, view him as so strong and sturdy that they turn to him for support. This is not the kind of man that trembles and turns his back on his members when they need him most.

Who they show us is unlikely to be who they are behind the scenes. The same way do we really believe Hobi is 24/7 smiles and laughter?

Each member decides which parts of themselves they want to show and which parts they don't but, to me, BTS has always seemed to take their group first mentality very seriously and that means even in the face of the company. I really couldn't think of a single member that I would imagine putting the company above their members or working with the company against the best interests of the group. We have heard how the members take a 7 or nothing approach when it comes to agreeing contracts and re-signing and I think the fact that they are still visibly close and comfortable with each other after so many years is a good sign that they carry it through.

So in conclusion, if Jimin was all the things people say and think he is, why would anyone else in the group trust him or have confidence in them to share their deepest feelings with him? You would think after 10 years of being screwed over by a company man, the others would have learned their lesson and kept their distance but we know that they don't so isn't it more likely that there is no weight or legitimacy to this kind of thinking? Since people tend to even instinctively veer away from people who throw them under the bus not get closer to them.

Hi again anon!!

Thanks for this! So insightful!

#american korean anon #members

[smallcrystals]

pls pls pls i need some flashspruce headcanons, idc what they're abt i just NEED

i've been on the verge of insanity lately

this is so real and honestly your insanity brought back mine so thank you

i feel like part of the reason i've kinda fell off my eqg soapbox is bc i felt like i've said all i've ever wanted to say abt them, but i don't think i have actually! if you do not mind me repeating myself occasionally:

between flashspruce, flash has the most experience with boys despite having realised his attraction to them later than timber did. this is mainly because flash is surrounded by more boys because high school, the maths is pretty simple

timber, on the other hand, had a more complicated relationship with sexuality because his gender was doing all sorts of funny things. he had an idea that he was pan (of course, he didn't have the words for it yet) but he was never sure if he was romantically interested in boys or just admired them so obsessively he wanted to be one. as timber grew into his teen years he realised it was both lol

timber hides this with his confidence but flash can see right through it because he's dealt with boys like this before when they've hit on him previously (though they're never quite as cute as timber is. pretty privilege i tell ya)

when they're friends, they have this specific dynamic that idk how to explain (the closest i can think of is hyung-dongsaeng in korean culture), but essentially it's this feeling of wanting to dote on your friends that are younger than you (even if it's just by months). that's how flash treats timber in the early stages – flash finds out he's older than timber by a few months and now he cannot think outside of timber = baby

timber loves the mane 7 but if flash is tagging along with their hangouts (which is usually the case, timber only rarely hangs out with them as a group by himself), he's very clingy and has his arm hooked with flash's. flash finds it adorable, especially when timber refuses to let go in public

i see 2 ways in which they can go from friends to lovers; either it's very natural and it doesn't feel like anything's changed, OR they've reached a breaking point where they're just seconds away from devouring each other. sunset says that sometimes flash looks at timber like he will leave bite marks on the guy if he doesn't stop whatever he's doing (existing). both are good i'd say

timber has always filmed little candids of flash when they start being friends, mainly on his phone but whenever they're out by themselves, he brings his fancy camera out. flash doesn't know this, mainly because timber doesn't show him out of embarrassment, but you can really tell the person who filmed the videos loves their muse

flash sends over lyric docs whenever he feels like it and usually these are without any context, literally no "hello" or "how are you", just [text].doc and timber's like ???. but then timber reads them and is like sad™. timber's never admitted to this, and it'll take him a while to do so, but there have been certain lines in flash's lyrics that had him crying. how many chances do you get in life where your muse considers you their muse too?

flash sometimes buys timber books that he's read just so timber can also read them and then freak out the same way he did. most of the time timber's reaction is "why would you make me read this i am now clinically insane" which was exactly flash's goal

i would try to debate who would be the pathetic lover between flashspruce but there is no answer to that bc they are both equally pathetic in their own ways sorry loverboys

flash actively joins timber when he goes to get more wood just so he can see timber in a tanktop and an axe but flash will deny this every step of the way

timber can't say anything though bc man does this as well during the summer months when the flash drive are performing at bars; flash is Not about to wear leather in this weather and timber's gonna enjoy every moment of it

and yeah flash teaches timber the guitar bc what is he if not a lover of music and queer rockstars (he thinks timber could make a really cool queer rockstar if not for the fact he would steal a million of girls' hearts in one second and a smile)

these two make me want to chew a wall. dead serious

(i see your ask about flash, i will get to that soon i promise 🫡)

#flash sentry #timber spruce #flashspruce #equestria girls #timberflash

[decepti-thots]

Character ask game: Tarantulas

one aspect about them i love: I love how DRAMATIC he is. Tarantulas considers himself the centre of his universe and he acts accordingly, right? He is the main character of his life. Everything he does is the most important thing anyone is doing and so he treats it with this gravitas that just makes him delightful whenever he's on the page. As far as he's concerned, Prowl's life begins and ends with when they were interacting and everything else is a footnote subordinate to them. There's something really great about a character whose absolute indifference to almost everyone else results in them being this almost... excessively self-realized person. Tarantulas is completely in tune with himself, I doubt he really has much capacity for self doubt... at least, until Prowl fucks that up. I think of that whole situation as being this fluke occurrence where something outside of himself managed to worm its way in and so he just has no idea how to deal with missing it once it's gone- it fundamentally changes him in a way he doesn't really understand, which is why all he can think to do is try and get it back despite everything that makes it a bad idea. I have a lot of thoughts on that but I will spare you lest this be 746362 pages long usidhdjjkdf

one aspect i wish more people understood about them: Tarantulas only wants Prowl to come back to him by way of Prowl agreeing to. Oh, his idea of what counts as "agreement" is phenomenally broad; he'll blackmail, torture and coerce that out of him. But Tarantulas very specifically needs Prowl to say "yes" before he's satisfied. He is trying to make Prowl admit he wants to work together again. It would be completely hollow if he didn't get that "yes". Even if he had managed to run off with him at the end of Sins, you can imagine it would have just been an extended version of his attempt to prise out that yes. I can't imagine a version of events where Tarantulas delights in Prowl being unwilling and miserable; that would probably just make Tarantulas equally miserable in a different way. It's proof he's wrong about them.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character: Tarantulas has read Wreckers: Declassified, while he was hanging around pre-Wrequiem. He's really mortally offended on Springer's behalf because it's TERRIBLE, like it's really fucking dumb stupid propaganda that anyone ought to be able to see is not how any of these people really are. Springer is described like a one dimensional caricature and he hates it. However he has still read it like, eight times. He doesn't have a lot of other ways to find stuff out about Springer, after all. Mostly he finds himself really annoyed with Prowl for deciding that the best way to deal with their creation was to treat him like one of Mesothulas' bombs and hand him over to the military, which had definitely not been what Mesothulas planned. (He may have been deluding himself slightly that it wasn't what Prowl planned.)

one character i love seeing them interact with: I can't just say Prowl. OK, Verity, actually. He just DISDAINS her so much. But then there's the weird bits where he refers to her in a way where it's like. Are you projecting Prowl's betrayal of you onto her? Of Ostaros? Talking about how he used and discarded her, how she's someone vulnerable who Prowl failed to protect. I would love to dig into that sometime. That almost repulsed recognition he feels with someone who he so clearly sees as beneath him at the same point his feelings of having been undervalued are coming to the surface.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more: I wanted to see him interact with Shockwave SO BAD. Chinhands. I am so fascinated by that implied connection. I am on a one person mission to make other people interested in the idea of Mesothulas having had a connection first to Senator Shockwave, actually. But also, Shockwave would be like, THE ideal person in Mesothulas' eyes, I feel, because he's a person who acts in ways that are primarily motivated by very clear principles due to his shadowplay. He exemplifies the point-A-to-B way of doing things; you have a goal, you find the route to that goal that works, and you do it. If you want something from Shockwave and you know what Shockwave wants, as long as you are also amoral, you can pretty much always work out a way to slot into that if you make youself useful, and I imagine for someone like Mesothulas who sees other people on a macro scale of inputs and outputs that fit his needs perfectly.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character: Tarantulas really loathes Impactor. Except. Except that Impactor saw Ostaros and couldn't kill him, and there is a tiny angry unwilling part of Tarantulas that is aware on some level that he's grateful to Impactor for that. He can't completely stamp it out. Infuriating.

#ask meme