#and truly too much experience being bitter about questionable writing choices that alter a character in a fundamental way

[raspberryjellybrains]

i just want to be a kid who wasn't born like this

//

tags: saiki kusuo, saiki k reawakened (more like cleaning up the mess of their implications because Netflix writers wouldn't know nuance if it hit them with a brick), post-canon, mentall illness

trigger warnings: suicidal ideation and disdain towards surviving (this is very big!), mild swearing, canon-typical violence.

//

Kusuo spent the rest of the evening digesting and confronting the fact that he was not human.

He was brushing his teeth to the rhythm of not human, not human, not human. The showerhead whispered as it sprayed not human, not human, not human. Before sleeping in the silence created by his germanium ring, his heart beat with not human, not human, not human. Every moment, words echoing between his ears not human, not human, not human.

It had been a very long time since he considered himself fully human; so why did it hurt this bad to have it confirmed? He felt lonely like this, a being in a class of its own, isolated by his unique power. Even Aiura and Toritsuka weren't this powerful. despite being strong psychics, too, he could probably kill them both with a flick, or even a turn of his head without his limiters on. Kusuo should try even harder to cut off his idiots, they'd make it hard and his own will would make it harder, but it was for them. He couldn't have himself losing control and hurting them, wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did. Could he die? He could probably figure it out. Is it possible that this curse has revoked his right to love and right to die?

The injustice of it all welled up in his throat, and it was the possibility of what he could do to everyone in the vicinity that kept him from screaming. He didn't want this, never wanted any of it, he was still a kid for fuck's sake! Kids aren't supposed to worry about killing their friends because of some ridiculous powers they never even wanted!

Kusuo teleported to his special spot in the desert to throw what was, if he was honest with himself, a fit. Rocks flying everywhere and screams breaking the sound barrier, he felt a little better. When the crashes ceased, millions of years of nature's hard work lay scattered in chunks all around him and there were tear tracks through the dust covering his face.

A voice that sounded an awful lot like his brother's floated through his head, reminding him how childish he was being. It probably wasn't actually his brother, but he responded with a venous 'fuck you, I am a child.' for good measure.

Feeling irrationally guilty for the damage, he restored time on the landscape around him and used the last of his energy to teleport home. Kusuo changed and later when he lay in bed, he found himself too tired to sleep. The silence he had almost begun to take for granted before bed was gone, replaced by a cacophony of dreams and thoughts from everyone within a 200 meter radius. He almost got up to grab his germanium ring before remembering he had carelessly tossed it into the trash a couple days ago. After laying there a little longer, Kusuo noticed his mouth getting sticky and his face wet.

He was crying. Again. 'I need to get a better grip, come on'  he chastised.

His tear ducts did not listen, rudely in Kusuo's opinion. If he was loud, his parents might hear and come running in. They'd have good intentions, but they wouldn't understand what the problem is, why being this way would make him feel so painfully alone. They couldn't know, he couldn't burden them like that.

It's fine. Saiki Kusuo is not human anymore, not really, and this has rendered him completely alone, but it's fine. He'll manage. He always has, always will. He'll put one foot in from of the other and avoid launching himself into space to suffocate or crushing in his peers skulls by accident or letting himself love and feel. It's what he's always done, what's a little longer?

#i have Several bones to pick with saiki k reawakened #and truly too much experience being bitter about questionable writing choices that alter a character in a fundamental way #by misinterpreting a bit of complexity within said character #basically. #what the fuck was that where they had saiki declare himself superhuman in the first episode #i havent read the manga so maybe its there but legitimately pissed abt that #and then when they reinforce it at the end with his powers returning! #WHAT DO YOU MEAN??? WHAT IS HE THEN??? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THEIR UNIVERSE AND HIS CHARACTER??? SLOW TF DOWN!!! #also i think saiki is entitled to throwing walleyed fit at some point so i decided that point is here #(all of them do tbh) #but like. what do you do when your character rooted in normality and humanity is declared to be above that? #what does that mean for the character who's tethered themselves to this concept of sharing the barest sliver of commonality with peers? #i get that saiki does hold himself above others #but you can see in tiny moments by his reactions and emotions that he still finds this concept of maintaining humanity incredibly important #as well as adhering to some form of moral code as a result #someone who truly does not value other human lives #who sees them as cockroaches #would not go to the extent to protect them that saiki dows #is it occasionally rooted in self-preservation? yes. #is it often rooted in a legitimate desire to be decent and good to the world around him? also yes #why would he go to such efforts to be a good and normal person if he didn't think of himself AS a person in some crucial capacity? #so to sweep away this big motivator without addressing the implications #especially without addressing the implications in any capacity #seems like a lazy and poor writing decision to cash out on a popular series #that was way too much and could've been a whole separate post and probably will be #saiki k #saiki kusuo #saiki kusuo no psi nan #tw suicidality #tw violence

[0aurelion-sol0]

Yo~

What's your opinion on the Will Byers DID theory? If you like it, which version do you like better? Both interpretations seem cool to me, though I personally like strangertheory's version better ^.^

Hi!

That's a very interesting question. I want to start by saying that I am a singlet, so I don't have DiD or OSDD. My knowledge of this condition is primarly known through medias I consume or some more "advanced" psychiatric documents or researches.

DiD is a condition that hasn't been always best represented or accurately represented since this condition varies from people who have it and so while there are similarities, the experience of it is very much unique and personal. It is also something that in a fictional setting with different genres, themes and tones is very hard to pull off or represent unless you go for the very realistic take on it.

It is bound to be, like many other things in fiction, dramatized. And speaking from a singlet perspective, who also had particular problems represented in fiction, I think it's okay as long as it's done right, in the setting, tone and genre it is in.

For example, we have today a lot more LGBTQ+ representation and like everything, unless you go for the fully realistic route, it's going to be simplified and dramatized. There's so many gender identities and sexual orientations today, you have to simplify it. And that goes for many other things that people care about in media, it has to be done right, but the writers still have a story to tell and unless that subject is the focus of the story, they're not gonna always spend their time talking about that. There is a story to tell.

Secondly, if it is the main focus of the story, that is where people have to do their research and really represent what they are talking about. Not some half-baked representation with dull arguments and points that come from a capitalist and conservative worldview. (Looking at you Disney.)

Now what you are referencing are @strangertheory 's and @kaypeace21 's theories which are about the show being about a DiD system where we see different alters evolving in said story with the host being Will Byers.

There is a lot of evidence pointing towards it, I'm gonna let you go see their posts and read it.

But their theories are very different in the way that they see the show portraying DiD, I have actually find quite a great way to describe the two takes.

@kaypeace21 's take is that elements of the DiD system have been externalised through science-"fictional" or supernatural means. Similar to Legion from the Marvel universe.

(David is a powerful mutant with DiD where each alters, if I remember correctly, has a different power or powers. (Which to this day is still one of the most BADASS thing I have ever come across though it must be quite terrifying for David.))

@strangertheory is an internalised POV on the DiD system existing in the show. She believes that what we are seeing right now is what is exclusively happening INSIDE the DiD system and that what we are experiencing is not our standard definition of the "real world". As in the physical world we all know. This would be in very vulgar terms happening inside Will's self, head, mind or brain. In a sense, it would be a more accurate representation of what DiD is about. A Shyamalan twist if you prefer.

(Though right now I don't have any word for word examples of such take, there is a show called MR.ROBOT that fits a bit of this description since there are moments in the show that we are seeing are only happening in the DiD system itself.

I recommend this show A LOT. It still is a bit dramatized but from what I know the DiD representation is quite accurate and pleased a lot of people with DiD. Also some people on the Stranger Things crew worked on that show.)

Now do I love the DiD theory ?

Heck yeah, I fucking love it! And with a big L! (Am I right "The First I love you?").

And I Love both of the takes and I think each one works at explaining the mysteries of this story. I even think that in some ways both could work well together.

I believe that DiD can be, without the meaning of being used, like many things a powerful storytelling "device" since it is connected to so many themes and other writing tools and is linked literally to the psyche, emotions and personalities of the characters.

I can understand why some people like both or one or respectfully and logically dislike both or one of the takes. But it is close to my belief about what the show is about or were even before I came into this fandom or on the internet, not as complex and thought out as the theory itself but pretty close in the overall themes and aspects of it.

(Though it bewilders me how much people lack imagination or are scared of such twist when I have seen so many of those types before whether it's done well or not, accurate or not.)

Now both @strangertheory and @kaypeace21 are intelligent people with very nuanced takes. And they had their fair share of completely unjust controversies coming from either rabbid ignorant shippers, far too sensible people or downright ignorant stupid people, most of the time 16 year olds. I am not saying that they are perfect, no one is, but the hate they have received is completely unjust.

And I am gonna lay it down right here, they are begging for an accurate representation here, they are not doing this because it just sounds cool and is edgy, they are actually wanting that The Duffers pull this off well. They would be very mad if they use all the imagery just to make it look cooler or scarier.

They are not bringer of truths, they are just like us. They are theorists, they believe in something that they think can explain the story they love and are experiencing. And so far, they have a pretty damn good track record.

They are analysing, dissecting the show because it's what they want to do and they believe in it and they believe the Duffers wants them to do that (I mean how come no one believes it when watching a show like that set in the 80's with so many references ?).

It is also supposed to be fun. Have fun for God's Sake! You can disagree with it but calling names and being disrespectful because somehow they don't agree with very basic, lazy and cliché theories (and no it's not being hypocrite, a lot of people barely do the work.) or are not on board with your creepy projection over the characters IS not okay.

And no, they aren't supporting p*d*philia as some people have claimed. How can you read these theories and come up to that conclusion ?

Most people haven't even read the DiD theory or have gone all the way through with it because they are lazy, easily bored people who don't have the time to just relax, process and think.

Stranger Things is not a kids show, some dumb teenage romance drama show with cool monsters! It's a very mature show, with real problems that are treated, out of which is trauma and mental health. Kids are killing people and even dying on this show. There is sexism, racism, abuse both physical and psychological.

It is a very mature and dark show. And you are being disrespectful to the Duffers when you say they are not that smart or that isn't that important. They are putting a lot of thoughts into this and the fact that no one really recognises this annoys me.

Or people only think it's important when it is only about the things they enjoy in the show. (Which is more hypocrite to me.) OR people are very stupid if they truly think that or are just jealous, bitter that two women have more imagination together and individualy than all of them or that person alone.

Color and costume choices, subtext, context, camera angles, directing, VFX, music, editing, sets, props, script, acting and editing are very important. All must be carefully done or you get very bad or generic stuff if you don't. If you love and you are passionate about the work, you put all the details you can into it.

And the Duffers and all the people working with them have already referenced those sort of things AND the practice of what we do on the internet. They are aware, they know because they have been in the same place too. They grew up with stories too, they made theories too whether it's on the internet or not.

At the end of the day, it is just a theory. An explanation of what is unfolding, may unfold or may have unfolded. I believe in it, I think it is reasonable, it has logic and it makes sense. It also has a lots of elements backing it up.

And the Duffers don't even have to go with DiD or mention it. Will creating some of the characters and supernatural events from his trauma is also similar and more accessible to the masses. But a Shyamalan twist can also work if it is done well.

And I am also open to other possibilities and theories, if they make sense and have enough elements IN THE SHOW and everything connected to it backing it up.

If the Duffers write something completely different but it is as good and also explains even better than this theory than I'll be okay. I love being wrong, it makes me learn new things and enhances the way I approach stories in the future.

If the Duffers only used this as some very inaccurate and disrespectful scary/abstract subtext without commiting to it. That is where I will have a problem.

Or write something completely incoherent with the rest of the show with a bad plot twist catering to the main public masses to sell the story even more and just make money so that they are safe with a fallacy of a work of fiction. Because they are cowards who didn't know how to manage themselves and baited entire audiences or listened to some crappy executive who didn't understand shit about the story. (wink wink, looking at a certain something...)

So yeah, I do love the DiD theory and both of it's takes and if it happens and is done right, with of course my perspective on the thing and PRIMARLY the perspective of people who have DiD or know a lot about it, I'll be pleased with it and I think it could be something very important for stories, people, the world and "art" in general.

Thank you for the question it was really fun! I hope I described the theory and the condition in the right way @kaypeace21 and @strangertheory and also the people who are concerned or know about it if I didn't let me know. Also, if you disagree with what I said, the way I said it or the subject itself let me also know IF it's respectful of course.

#stranger asks things #stranger asks #did theory #the did theory #will byers #will the wise #willel #stranger things