#bitches will give any excuse before having a character they can romantically ship | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

buffysummers · 3 years

Text

Oh, hello there, gentle viewers. Today, I’m finally going to discuss why the claim of “I only ship Spuffy in season seven” is, in fact, still not okay and deeply flawed.

Before I jump into this, I just want to preface this by saying that we should ALL be allowed to like what we like, EVEN if it’s garbage or toxic. We all have that One Ship™ or that One Character™ that we’d risk it all for, even if we know they’re evil/etc. There is NOTHING wrong with enjoying bleak, dark and disturbing fiction. Fiction is a great way to escape reality and explore the darker, grittier, more twisted aspects of life with no real consequences, because, you know, it isn’t real.

HOWEVER, a lot of people have a hard time drawing a line, especially when fiction often explores very real issues, such as abuse and rape. This brings me to the Buffy and Spike, “Spuffy,” problem and why we cannot just simply write off Spuffy as fiction because this dynamic explores very real issues that happen to people everyday, and when we see people excusing rape and abuse, that’s when the not-so-real fiction becomes a very real and serious issue. That’s when rape and abuse survivors start to feel uncomfortable or triggered. Or when people that (thankfully) haven’t experienced these terrible realities feel confused and also a bit appalled. Here’s a bit of juxtaposition to better elaborate on this point: a human being cannot be emotionally/romantically/etc involved with a 200+ vampire because vampires ARE NOT real. But a human being can definitely be abused and raped. That is not fantasy. It’s real life.

Ok, I’m almost about to dive in. But I also want to add that I am addressing this because I have received a lot of anons from Spuffies defending their ship and claiming that they don’t ship Buffy and Spike in season six (which is probably a lie since half of the Spuffy edit tag is gifs from season six lol) but only in season seven, where Spike “gets a soul” for Buffy. Since like 70% of the Buffy fandom is up Spike and Spuffy’s ass, I don’t really expect many people to read this. But I am just really tired and I need to get this out of my system. Plus, analyzing fiction is rewarding in so many ways.

Now I’m actually going to start, and there’s nowhere else to start but from the beginning, where Spike allegedly gets a soul for Buffy after he attempts to rape her, so that he “can be the kind of man who would never—” I use the word allegedly, because here’s some quotes from Spike right as he leaves town to “get his soul”:

It's the chip! Steel and wires and silicon. It won't let me be a monster. And I can't be a man. I'm nothing.

Get nice and comfy, Slayer. I'll be back. And when I do ... things are gonna change. [sidenote: this line and the previous line are a bit vague and open to interpretation, and COULD be referring to him getting a soul. But the manner in which the lines are delivered, with so much anger and loathing, do not indicate he is going to do something good, like say, getting your soul.]

DEMON: Something about a woman. The slayer. SPIKE: Thinks she's better than me. Ever since I got this bleeding chip in my head, things ain't been right. Everything's gone to hell.

Bitch is gonna see a change.

Got any more ruddy tests for me, you ponce? I'll take anything you can throw at me, if it'll get me what I need to take care of the Slayer. Give her what's coming to her. [sidenote: again, he says this angrily, and the script reflects this as well.]

So you'll give me what I want. Make me what I was. So Buffy can get what she deserves.

Ok, so the last line is, of course, pretty ambiguous. The writers even said that they intentionally tried to throw off the audience and make them BELIEVE that Spike was trying to get his chip removed. But they were a little too convincing, so the twist does not feel earned. It would be one thing if these lines were written and delivered in a different way. Maybe with conflict and regret. But he refers to her as a bitch multiple times, and says every line with malice. Now, say this were a courtroom and this were a murder trial. Intent matters, intent always matters. Intent often can make or break a case. The most logical way to read these lines is that Spike INTENDED to get his chip removed because the text best supports this conclusion, but the demon saw through him. So, even though the demon understood the internal conflict better than Spike clearly did, he did not go through those trials to get his soul. And that is why, to this day, fans of the show still don’t think he went to get his soul back for her.

For argument’s sake, maybe if he really DID intend to get his soul back, and we just completely sidestep all the references to his chip, he still isn’t getting his soul with good intentions (takes us back to: intent! matters!). Maybe he’s getting his soul “for her” but the way the scenes are written, with such malice and anger, coupled with the fact that Spike is STILL soulless and incapable of doing anything for purely selfless reasons, he is not getting his soul for romantic and valiant reasons.

The soul aspect is obviously very important because this is basically what causes Buffy to forgive Spike. When she first sees him in season seven, she is rightfully angry. She says things like: “Everything about you is wrong, Spike” and “You tried to rape me. I don’t have the words.” She can tell he is withholding information from her (especially because she found him crazy in the basement) and is skeptical about his intentions. But then he makes that speech to her in “Beneath You” which I’m quoting from the script:

SPIKE: Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh. My flesh. Nothing else. Not a spark. (nods) Oh, fine. Flesh then. Solid through. (starts unzipping his pants) Get it hard; service the girl.

BUFFY: This is all you get. I'm listening. Tell me what happened. SPIKE: I tried to find it, of course. BUFFY: Find what? SPIKE: The spark. The missing... the piece that fit. That would make me fit. Because you didn't want... (starts to cry) God, I can't... Not with you looking.

SPIKE: I dreamed of killing you. I think they were dreams. So weak. Did you make me weak, thinking of you, holding myself, and spilling useless buckets of salt over your... ending? Angel—he should've warned me. He makes a good show of forgetting, but it's here, in me, all the time. The spark. I wanted to give you what you deserve, and I got it. They put the spark in me and now all it does is burn.

BUFFY: You got your soul back. How? SPIKE: It's what you wanted, right? And—and now everybody's in here, talking. Everything I did...everyone I— and him... and it... the other, the thing beneath—beneath you. It's here too. Everybody. They all just tell me go... go... to hell. BUFFY: Why? Why would you do that— SPIKE: Buffy, shame on you. Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev— to be a kind of man.

This is all very important because before Buffy found out that Spike got his soul back “for her,” she wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, only a few scenes earlier in the same episode, he makes a joke about the fact that it was their first contact since he tried to rape her.

So, while Spuffies like to prop up Spike getting his soul for Buffy as a very romantic and amazing gesture, there isn’t good evidence in the show to support that he was getting it back for her, and also, that it was used as a manipulation tactic. Now, suddenly, Buffy feels conflicted about holding Spike accountable for anything he did to her, and she feels pressured into forgiving him because he :/ got :/ his :/ SOUL :/ for her. And now he’s crazy in the basement!

Moving on from that. Now Spike has a soul and he got it for Buffy and Buffy knows that. Now the writers make Spike the victim of The First, which makes it much easier for the audience to sympathize with him, and thus forget that he literally tried to rape the show’s titular heroine. Spike is in danger, Spike doesn’t have free will, Spike is now important to Buffy’s mission because he clearly has been under the influence of The First, so therefore he is valuable to Buffy’s mission. So, now she must get close to Spike to learn more about the thing from beneath them that plans to devour them all. [for reference: 7.08]

This leads us to “Never Leave Me” where Spike victimizes himself, and shames Buffy. Here’s an exchange between Buffy and Spike:

BUFFY: How did you do it? How'd you get your soul back?

SPIKE: Saw a man about a girl. (sighs) I went to seek a legend out. Traveled to the other side of the world, made a deal with a demon.

BUFFY: Just like that?

SPIKE: No, not just like that. There was a price. There were trials, torture, pain and suffering... of sorts.

BUFFY: Of sorts?

SPIKE: Well, it's all relative, isn't it?

BUFFY: Meaning?

SPIKE: Meaning I have come to redefine the words pain and suffering since I fell in love with you.

BUFFY: (sighs) How can you say that?

SPIKE: Apparently, I just slaughtered half of Sunnydale, pet. I'm not really worried about being polite anymore.

BUFFY: (nods) So, that's what this is about. (stands, crosses arms) You feeling sorry for yourself, Spike?

SPIKE: I'm feeling honest with myself. You used me.

BUFFY: Yes.

SPIKE: You told me that, of course. I never understood it though. Not until now. You hated yourself, and you took it out on me.

I think Buffy puts it pretty nicely when she says, “You feeling sorry for yourself, Spike?” Because in this scene, he completely ignores the damage that he did to Buffy (which, YES, it’s in season six, but he is ENSOULED while doing this) and instead says that she used him. Which is kind of pointless to bring up because he also says “you told me that, of course” so therefore the only reason WHY he brings this up is to victimize himself and make her feel guilty about it. It’s important to note that Spike still has not apologized for trying to rape her, by the way.

So, this leads us to how Buffy’s character arc suffers so that the writers can instead evoke sympathy for Spike from the audience. Here are some totally, and extremely, out of character things Buffy does in season seven (and actually all of her OOC moments are because of Spike):

Buffy agrees to let Dawn stay with Spike in 6.20 immediately after he tried to rape her. This is the same Buffy that literally sacrificed her life to save Dawn, by the way. Dawn is the most important person in Buffy’s life. But yeah, she’d TOTALLY let Dawn stay with Spike so he could “protect” her. (yes, this is season six but it’s too important not to note, seeing as it’s her most OOC moment in the entire series).

Buffy doesn’t immediately dust Spike in 7.08 despite the fact that she just discovered that he’s being controlled by The First and slaughtered a dozen+ women. You can make the argument that she doesn’t dust him because he may have valuable intel, and that’s a pretty good argument. But still, it just doesn’t seem like something Buffy would do. (SIDENOTE: Just wanna add more to this point. She almost killed Anya three episodes prior because Anya slaughtered some frat guys. Anya even acknowledges and understands WHY Buffy has to kill her. Buffy later defends her choice and compares it to when she had to kill Angel, where she says verbatim, “I loved him more than I will ever love anything in this life.” You’re telling me that now she isn’t capable of killing Spike despite the fact that he’s been MURDERING girls for weeks? Yes, this is different from the situation with Anya because Spike didn’t have free will, but Buffy is often a little self-righteous, and innocent women being murdered doesn’t really seem like something she’d sweep under the rug, especially given how unstable Spike is. He is much more of a liability than an asset to her mission, at this point.)

In 7.09, Spike basically BEGS Buffy to kill him. He even asks her: have you ever really asked yourself why you can’t do it [kill him]? This frames him as the noble guy, the selfless hero, while she defends his actions and looks dumb while doing so. We’re SUPPOSED to be on Spike’s side in this scene because Buffy, despite having no real reason not to, refuses to kill him and ignores all the damage he’s done, the damage he readily admits to. He’s essentially admitting he’s done terrible things but not expecting any consequences because Buffy is being written, well, entirely out of character. She makes excuses for his actions. It’s like going to confession, you say what you’ve done, and suddenly you’re forgiven. Because, OF COURSE, Buffy would ignore the fact that he’s a liability to her, the girls, and her mission to save the world.

Buffy is more concerned about rescuing Spike from the cave in 7.11 rather than dusting the turok-han that is an immediate threat to her safety and literally the entire world, seeing as the turok-han is The First’s weapon and its mission is to destroy the Slayer line which destroys the balance between good and evil, which will then allow The First to overrun the earth.

Buffy lets Spike live in the house with all the potentials despite knowing that he has a trigger that can be activated at any time by The First. 7.12-7.17. But ESPECIALLY in 7.17 when she sees it activated in front of her very eyes and yet decides to unchain him. Giles tries to reason with Buffy that she is putting their entire cause at risk and all of their lives at risk as a result, but she simply doesn’t care. Buffy has never been stupid, but she looks pretty stupid here (hence, the OOC aspect), especially because she has no rebuttal to his argument. Dawn is also injured by Spike in this scene and instead of going upstairs with her, she stays with Spike.

Buffy says she will let Spike kill Wood because she has a mission to save the world. Now, I don’t have *as much* of an issue with this because I see Buffy’s point a little, seeing as the fate of the world is more important than vendettas and Spike, now free of his trigger, is a valuable asset to her army. But she would never just sit by and let an innocent human get murdered lol.

This leads me to the conclusion of: If you have to change almost everything about a character to make a ship make sense, it’s probably not a very good ship.

The writers also continue to isolate Buffy from the rest of the group. Enough where Buffy says in 7.19: “You sent away the one person [Spike] that’s been watching my back.” So, let’s unpack this. Here are the ways in which Spike has had Buffy’s back up until that point in the season:

He shows up last minute to help her save Cassie in 7.04

He goes on outings with her and the potentials while she trains them in 7.12

Here are some group efforts he made (meaning, he wasn’t the only one helping Buffy):

He helps get the love spell jacket with Xander in 7.06

He helps shut down the seal in 7.16 with Buffy, Wood and Andrew after the rest of the gang helped research.

A moment where Buffy could have really used his support:

In 7.15 when Buffy calls Chloe weak and everyone starts to gang up on her and call her out of line, he chooses to leave.

The Golden Rule, aka “show, don’t tell” is an important writing technique that we should all follow when writing literally anything. Here, season seven fails on this front, again. Just because Buffy SAYS Spike is the one person that’s had her back does not automatically make it ring true. In fact, there’s no evidence to support that claim by Buffy. [sidenote: he does have her back BIG time in 7.20, but again, that doesn’t undo the fact that when Buffy said that line, it literally wasn’t true at all. It just shows you how the writing isn’t there to support these claims. It’s all empty words used to manipulate the audience into thinking this relationship is more than it actually is.]

There’s more I could say, of course, but this is already so long. My main point is that the writers in season seven do not let Buffy heal, they do not let Buffy process her trauma whatsoever. Instead, they emotionally blackmail her via Spike getting a soul for her, victimize Spike, and have her make very dumb, irrational and OOC decisions to justify her feelings for him. Buffy is a very forgiving person, it’s true, but they do not let her acknowledge or address her trauma. So, seeing her coddle Spike just simply does not make sense, especially when season six is all we have to fallback on for their “relationship” which wasn’t, in fact, a relationship at all (Buffy even says to Spike in 7.20 that they were never close.) Honestly, you can’t really entirely separate season six and season seven Spuffy because their supposed connection, their history and her reluctance to kill him or let him go is entirely built on what happened between them prior to season seven.

The abuse in season seven is a lot more subtle, and it’s mostly verbal and emotional abuse, but it is STILL abuse. And it STILL shouldn’t be supported or romanticized. Like Spuffy all you want, but justifying this is just plain wrong and harmful for so many reasons. Just use your brain before you say something that could potentially trigger, offend or harm someone that has experienced this firsthand. Victim blaming is very real and happens everyday, and it happens to Buffy repeatedly throughout season seven.

#anti spuffy #anti spike #buffy thoughts #season seven #rape tw #abuse tw #btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #again this is long and this was more so for my benefit bc I have always wanted to analyze my issues with season seven #and basically the only issue i've ever had with season seven is spuffy #and the way buffy is characterized at times #all bc of him #the reason I care: buffy is my favorite show #I don't watch it BECAUSE of the relationships #If I did... well I would've quit after angel leaves #I watch it for buffy

142 notes · View notes

venomous-ko · 3 years

Text

Wine Drunk while watching Godzilla vs Kong

Some major spoilers up ahead!

Mans really just annoyed the shit out of his coworker until he left so he could hack shit, huh?...I love it! 🤣🤣

——————————————

You mean to tell me that the explanation for why Godzilla attacked the one tech company site by the dude who studied Kaiju communication and behavior for a living is just, “sometimes people (and creatures) change”???? Like some dumbass justifying a toxic person/relationship??? Like excuse me???? Why are the literal teenagers making more sense than you?????

Also, we’re all in agreement that this facility is either housing Ghidora’s dead head, Mecha Godzilla, or Mecha Ghidora, right?!?

——————————————

Lol! “Apex Cybernetics!” That’s not foreshadowing! 🤣

——————————————

Apparently, I didn’t get my fill of white nonsense from Falcon and Winter Soldier, bc someone decided to put this blonde-hair-blue-eyed little bitch in charge! That’s not ganna go wrong somehow. 🙃😑👀

Like this bitch literally wanted to send a fucking child into unexplored hollow earth territory without a second thought! 🙃🙃🙃🙃 I was literally like 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕 for that entire convo.

——————————————

I’m sorry! This conspiracy man just met these teenagers, and his first impulse was, “yeah, theses seem like some good people to break into a tech conglomerate with!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

Why are these people surprised Kong knows sign language? These are people who study Kaiju (and presumably other animals in order to draw conclusions about certain behaviors) for a fucking living!!! We have primate species that recognize and communicate in sign language already! Why is this surprising???!?! Like...has NO ONE except this precious child tried this????

Also, nothing bad better happen to this child.

——————————————

That ship literally fucked around, and Godzilla let it find out! Lmao!

——————————————

Kong: Hey, Godzilla...look at me...

Godzilla: >:[

Kong: ...bitch.

——————————————

Precious girl: Thank you, friend 🧏🏽‍♀️

Kong: ☺️😴

THIS GIRL IS TOO PRECIOUS!!!!

——————————————

Bitch-ass White Man: How’s Kong with heights?

BITCH, you really ganna try that?!?! You really think you ganna find any aircraft(s) that are ganna be able to support all that weight?? Never mind any other problems with Kong trying to nope the fuck out of that situation and all kind of other hosts of problems!

And if you do somehow have one (or multiple) WHY TF DIDN’T YOU USE THAT BEFORE KNOWING FULL AND WELL YOU RAN THE RISK OF GODZILLA MERCING KONG’S ASS IF YOU TRAVELED VIA SHIP!?!?!?!

——————————————

Down the Hell Naw tunnel we go!

——————————————

“I think it’s romantic,”

I fucking love Millie Bobbie Brown’s character!! 🤣❤️🤣

——————————————

WHY IS THIS TEENAGER SMARTER THAN EVERYBODY OMG!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

“This is page one in the ‘Playing God’ handbook, right?”

I’ve decided I love this character! 🤣

——————————————

WHY YOU GETTING INSIDE THAT THING—Oh god! 😨 Why y’all got eggs!?!? This is like if Weyland-Yutani succeeded in getting Xenomorphs! 😬

——————————————

Oop! Locked in! THIS IS WHY YOU DON’T HIDE OUT IN MYSTERIOUS ROOMS!!!!

——————————————

Oh shit! Apex Cybernetics think they on that Wakanda shit now!

Also, why was that one Apex Cybernetics bitch bitching about how one of those HEAV crafts could power Vagas for a week if y’all clearly have a whole network or transportation using this tech!

And I never understood how tech companies kept that shit to world domination shit! Build a public transportation system with that shit! Boss man said he likes ideas that make him rich! Pretty sure that would do the trick!

——————————————

WINE BREAK!!!

Saving the rest of the last bottle for coking Gumbo, so gotta open up a new bottle

——————————————

Aw, Kong is so sick of this bullshit! 😂😭

——————————————

“It’s not working”

Bruh! Give it more that two seconds!

——————————————

HOW DARE Y’ALL USE KONG’S LOSS AGAINST HIM!!!! HOW DARE Y’ALL!!!

——————————————

HEAV go Brrrrrrr Shoooooooooooom!!!!

——————————————

LMAO!!! Monarch has their own brand of bottled water!?!?! Idk why that amuses me so much!

——————————————

This hallow earth portal thing is some Pacific Rim bullshit right here, lol!

——————————————

NYOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM

——————————————

Are we...are we really Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaur-ing this shit rn??? 😂😂😂

——————————————

“It’s beautiful,”

Of course it’s beautiful! No hoomins have touched it! Lol

——————————————

Y’ALL GOT FUCKIN DRAGONS IN THIS BITCH!?!?!?!!! 8D YO!!! SIGN ME THE FUCK UP!!!!

——————————————

*marvels at the creature creation ideas*

——————————————

Kong’s first thought: *nom the dragon guts*

——————————————

THE ROCK HAND OMG IM GANNA CRY!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 It’s the same gesture the Precious Girl did OMG!!!!

——————————————

“We going in?”

“Yeah”

The BALLS on this child!

——————————————

“AAAAHH 😐”

*fear*

LMAO!!!!! I’M FUCKIN WHEEZING!!!

——————————————

“Sacrifice Pit”

OMG 🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

I KNEW IT!!!! MECHA-GODZILLA MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!! 8DDDDD

——————————————

YO PACIFIC RIM RAN SO MECHA-GODZILLA COULD FUCKIN SPRINT!!!!!!!!

——————————————

YO IT’S A GOOD THING I AIN’T SEEING THIS IN THEATERS BC I’D BE FLIPPING MY SHIT!!!!

——————————————

“Humanity, once again, will be the apex species,”

THERE it is!

——————————————

Why Mecha-Godzilla so skeeny?!? He need ta be thicc if he ganna take down REAL Godzilla!

——————————————

*Ryan Bergera conspiracy voice* Is this the real reason Kong was contained!? So this douche could snatch up Skull Crawlers without Kong intervention???

——————————————

OH SHIT!!! I think this thing is emitting alpha waves (or whatever we’re calling it) and THAT’s what set Godzilla off!!! He fought Ghidorah, heard this shit and went, “Nu-uh, bitch! NOT AGAIN!!!”

——————————————

Monarch dude: Yo, Godzilla’s headed to Hong Kong for some reason?

FUCKIN CALLED IT!!!

——————————————

This look like the door to fuckin General Grievous’s lair,da fuq?!? 🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

I got waaay too emotional over that handprint, y’all! 😭😭😭

——————————————

Y’all, the fucking art history major in me is fuckin screaming at this temple scene! The fact that some of these Kaiju not only had the urge and drive and capacity to build a fucking temple around this power source or some shit and create weapons like the axe that Kong just fucking Excalibured the shit out of that one skull crawler’s skull fucking implies the fact that there is intelligent civilization amongst these fucking Kaiju and all that shit! I want to know more about this shit! Take that you fucking racist-ass white historian motherfuckers!

(Note: I definitely needed to use talk to text for much of this bit, because there was no way I was going to be able to contain all my excitement in just typing, alone, lmao)

——————————————

BRUH!!! Why y’all exiting g the HEAV without no breathing apparatus or lead suits or nothing!?!?! In previous movies, y’all implied that these Kaiju lived in environments in which their environments were hella radioactive compared to our own!!!

——————————————

Kong is s the true heir to the iron throne, Lmao!

——————————————

FUCKING CALLED IT!!!! THEY HAD GHIDORA’S REMAINS IN THERE SOMEWHERE!!!!

——————————————

OH FUCK!!!! Y’ALL AINT JUST SENDING OUT ALPHA VIBES WITH YOUR MECHA-GODZILLA!!!! YOU SOMEHOW USING GHIDORA’S HIVE MIND OR TELEPATHY SHIT TO DO IT!?!?!?! AAAWWWWW SHEEEEEET!!! Y’ALL ARE BONED NOW!!!! FUCKIN BONEROWNED!!!!

——————————————

Godzilla! My bruh! My dude! You didn’t HAVE TO get up right where that bridge was!!! 😂😂 Ya douche bag!!!

——————————————

At the same time, tho, I can just hear him going, “Ah! FUCK! NOT AGAIN!!! Sunova bitch!! Motherfuckin!! STOP BUILDING sHIT SO DAMN HIGH!!! Goddammit!”

——————————————

You know, with all the Bright twinkly lights in Hong Kong, I can’t help but think of the sequel to the original Gojira movie ( that I can’t remember the title of ,rn) where he was fucking triggered by fucking lights. And I wonder if this little scene where he’s stomping all through Hong Kong is a tribute to that or whatever. But I’m probably overthinking it.

[Sober Edit: it was Godzilla Raids Again]

——————————————

*GASP* HOLY SIHIIIT!!! The axe is made out of Godzilla skute!?!?! GOLY BALLS THAT’S NOT ONLY COOL BUT CONTRIBUTES MORE TO THE FACT THAT THESE KAIJU (likely Kong’s species, in particular) WERE REALLY FUCKING INTELLIGENT AMD TJOUGHT, “Imma beat this muthafucka with their own spiky thing! Bc that’s what screws us over, so, why WOULD’nt it hurt them!?!” I need SO MUCH MORE of this Kaiju/Kong culture studied and shit! HOLY FUCK!!!

It even fucking glows!! Like ... they managed to fucking piece together that its glow was a fucking warning sign like Sting or some shit!!!! Holy fuck!!!!

Also, how does that work? How are the skutes still connected even after dismemberment???

——————————————

NO FUCKIN WAY WRE YOU—AAAAAAAAHHH!!! Excalibur that shit my boi!!!!

——————————————

I FUCKIN LOVE YHIS MOVIE HOLY SHIT!!!

——————————————

“ that’s Apex property now,”

Excuse me bitch! Are we really not gonna listen to the scientist who saying “hey we don’t understand the shit out of this fucking power! Maybe we should hold off on taking some fucking samples!”

Are we really just gonna ignore that shit???????

——————————————

Kong said: TRY ME BITCH!!!!

——————————————

Oh thank the GODS this Serizawa dude is taking precautions like his old man! Also, what is his relation to Ken Watanabe’s Serizawa!?!?!

——————————————

UH OH!! SOLDIER DUDES GETTIN ATE!!!

——————————————

OH SHIT!!! PILOT JUST GOT ATE!!! FUCKIN DRAGON BASEMENT UP IN THIS SHIT!!!

——————————————

BITCH YOU REALLY GON THROW A ROCK AT IT!!! FUCKIN NONSENSE OF THIS BITCH!!!

——————————————

LOVE AND FITE ME ENERGY IS STORED IN THE ATOMIC BREATH

——————————————

“Shoot him!”

WHY!!!???!! He literally had NO problem with you before then!!!

—————————��————

Why does white man who don’t know anything about this vehicle suddenly know how to pilot this shit!???!?!!!!!

——————————————

Y’all love had SO MUCH wine!

——————————————

The FUCK this dude got a flip flop phone for!!!?!????!!!?

Da fuq!?!?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 yeah that’s the most unrealistic part of this entire fucking movie! Not the fuckin Kaiju robots. Not the fucking hollow earth bullshit! The fucking flip phone! LMFAO!!!!

——————————————

“Maintenance! I’M MAINTENANCE!!! This bitch ain’t buying it”

That made me laugh WAY FUCKIN harder that it should have!!!!

——————————————

Y’all really ganna try to shoot at a kid!?! REALLY!?!?!??!

——————————————

GAWD, I’m so glad I impulse bought these oatmeal bites from Dominos! 🤤😋

[Sober Edit: I have no idea how my autocorrect managed to convert “Parmesan” to “oatmeal,” but okay! 😆😅]

——————————————

Kong be like, “Hey, bitch!!! You lookin’ for me!?!?”

——————————————

Find you a partner that bites your neck like Godzilla does! Lmao!

Sorry, I’ll be crawling back into my hell hole, now.

——————————————

EAT YOUR FOOKIN VEGETABLES GODZILLA!!!!!

——————————————

Did Godzilla just axe throw with his fuckin teefs!!!????!?!?!

——————————————

THIS IS THE FOOKIN MONSTER VS MONSTER FIGHTS IVE BEEN CRAVING SINCE KING OF THE MONSTERS HOLY SHIT!!!!

——————————————

“Really? Groupies, again?”

First of all, again!?! What happened last time???

Secondly, where tf are YOUR grpupies, asshole! No need to judge! Ya cunt!

——————————————

“There can only be one alpha,”

Really! You really gotta bring your toxic masculinity into a fuckin monster fight, my dude!?!

——————————————

Kong said, “Yeet! YEET SELF!!!”

——————————————

I am living for the feral fight scenes!!!!

——————————————

Kong’s expression , tho! 🤣🤣🤣

Like, “Can you ducking NOT, Godzilla?!? Can you, like, fucking chill??!!? Aight, fine! ASDASHKLSDJKLDZJL ADKLKDZDJ!!!!!!”

——————————————

Awwwww! Godzilla let Kong go, bc he knows what it’s like to be the last of his species! 🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭😭

——————————————

“This is how we [...] win!”

Oh, honey, you ‘bout to die! Lmao! 😂

——————————————

Oh god! I knew he was going to use the sign for “coward” at the most inappropriate time! Lmao! At least the Precious Girls is smart enough to know what Dumbass White Man means, lol

——————————————

Oh, thank god we do t see this dumbass in any sequels!

——————————————

Dammit, he escaped!

——————————————

This girl is too good!

——————————————

Did y’all really think you were ganna break into a semi-sentient Mecha-Godzilla by GUESSING ITS FUCKING PASSWORD!!?!?!?!!!!???? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

YEAH!!!! TEAM-UP COMING THROUGH!!!!!

——————————————

“I was hoping to die with adults, but that’s okay,”

🤣🤣🤣

——————————————

“I’VE GOT TO DIE WITB YOU AND SOBER!!?!?!”

GOD, I love this movie!!!!

——————————————

OOOOOOHHHH HOLY SHIT!!!!! 😱😱😱😱😱 He powering up the axe!!!!!

——————————————

YOOOOOO KONG WENT PREDATOR/YOUTJA ON MECHA-GODZILLA’s ASS!!!!

——————————————

Kong said, “I’m done, y’all! Imma take a nap!”

——————————————

“Dad. Uh...Bernie.”

I fucking love Bernie!!! 😂😂😂😂

——————————————

JIA NOOOO!!! Don’t go running between two disgruntled Kaiju bby!!

——————————————

Yo, why do monsters have less toxic masculinity than we do??? Lol!

——————————————

Yaaaaaay! Kong has a new home!!

——————————————

WELP!!! I fucking loved this movie, and I highly recommend it to everyone!!!

#SPOILERS #Godzilla #godzilla vs kong #King Kong #kaijuverse #my posts #my drunk ass #godzilla vs kong spoilers

47 notes · View notes

oliviermiraarmstrongs · 3 years

Text

mid-year book freak out tag

thank you @bloody-wonder for giving me an excuse to share my book thoughts!

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2021?

It’s gotta be The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood; I hear “feminist period novel about mentally ill woman unable to cope in upper-class society” and I am THERE! It’s like [Stefon voice] This book has EVERYTHING: repressed women, a decaying old house, a complex relationship of two sisters, a pulpy sci-fi story-within-a-story-within-a-story, criticism of capitalism and reactionary attitudes and politics, commentary on how conservative society shuns those it perceives to be “other” and a threat to the social order (poor people, socialists, “unconventional” women). It is EXTREMELY my shit.

2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2021?

The only one I've read is Siege and Storm, so Siege and Storm! Shadow and Bone was captivating, if a little simplistic, but the sequel really fleshes out the characters, setting, and themes. It’s great to see Alina take a more active role, and I love the exploration of sainthood.

3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?

I’m really curious about Michelle Zauner’s memoir Crying in H Mart. Same with Axiom’s End, which I haven’t really been seeking out, but it’s been resting on my list since I like a lot of Lindsay Ellis’ stuff.

4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2021?

5. Biggest Disappointment?

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. I’ve been getting into Atwood, and I have a soft spot for female-centric retellings of myths, so this was on my list for a long time. It’s not bad; it’s decent as a character study and offers some good perspective on the hanged slave women from The Odyssey, but overall it came off as...bitter? And not in a good way. It’s reasonable to include commentary on how bad things were for women in ancient times, but after a while I’m just like “But there had to be a time when Penelope was happy, right?” But the biggest failing has to be the treatment of Helen. Why a story focused on bringing literary justice to silenced women also characterizes Helen of Troy as a manipulative, arrogant bitch who single-handedly ignited the Trojan War because she enjoys fucking people over, I’ll never know. Ironic that in the opening chapter, Penelope bemoans being used as a yardstick with which to judge other women, and then the book proceeds to do exactly that with her and Helen. Can’t let Penelope have a positive relationship with another woman! There could be some form of unreliable narrator at play, but there’s not much indication that that’s the case here. Even Homer had a more nuanced portrayal of Helen than this!

6. Biggest Surprise?

I suppose The Red Tent. I picked it up at a Goodwill because of my aforementioned interest in female-centric retellings. It’s not amazing, but I wasn’t really expecting it to emotionally affect me like it did. You spend so much time setting up Dinah’s family and this supportive community of woman within a patriarchal society, only to have Dinah abandon it all after getting betrayed by her father and (most of) her brothers. Hearing about how her family fell apart after she left and she never got to see her mothers again really gets to me. The book has flaws for sure - neither of Dinah’s romances are developed very well, and some of its themes can come off as gender essentialist - but I think it’s a nice exploration of female labor and traditions that too often get ignored.

7. Favorite New Author?

The only relatively new author I’ve been reading is Leigh Bardugo, soooooo... honestly I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t already been said, I got into the series pretty late. Great world-building, witty dialogue, a familiar type of story with enough interesting ideas to make it feel fresh. Check out Shadow and Bone if you get the chance. Sound of the summer.

8. Newest Fictional Crush?

You would think it would be Nikolai Lantsov since I just finished reading Siege and Storm and he seems to be the fan favorite... but nah, not yet. He’s fun, but he doesn’t hit me in that way (Though very sexy of him to just casually proposition Alina and Mal for a royal polycule, a la Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot; would love an AU where they accept his offer). However, I would let Zoya murder me. Every time Zoya is not in a scene I am asking “Where’s Zoya?” Also shout out to Alina, just because I would treat her better than all the men in her life!

9. Newest Favorite Character?

Gonna try to do this without spoiling too much, but Laura Chase in The Blind Assassin really resonated with me. Her personality reminds me a lot of myself, especially as an an autistic person, like the way she has her own way of thinking that makes perfect sense to her, but makes other people see her as odd and naive. I love how she’s set up in-universe as this Sylvia Plath-esque tragic heroine, with Iris spending the rest of the book interrogating and deconstructing, and in a way, reconstructing this image of her. Atwood you’re insane for this. I forgive you for the Helen thing now.

10. Book That Made You Cry?

I never got as far as crying, but the part in The Goldfinch where [spoilers incoming] the art heist goes wrong and Theo is alone in the hotel room and he’s spiraling and considering suicide and finally dreams of his mom… all that was too much for me and I had to put the book down for the night. This guy just can’t catch a fucking break.

11. Book That Made You Happy?

fucidjdjdj I didn’t read any happy books this year. Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm because I read them really fast unlike my usual months-long reading schedule.

12. Favorite Book Adaptation You Saw?

Predictably, Shadow and Bone. I basically bought and read the book less than a week before the show came out because I thought it looked interesting and wanted in on the hype (mostly because Jessie is cute 🥰). Honestly, the show improves a lot on the first book; the multiple storylines make it more dynamic and complex, the actors really help to make the characters feel more fleshed out, and Alina and Inej interacted for like three scenes, introducing an unexpected but thematically rich ship.

13. Favorite Review You’ve Written This Year?

14. Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought So Far This Year?

I impulse-bought this book of Romantic poetry at Barnes and Noble just because it was pretty and I had a gift card

15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End Of The Year?

Besides finishing The Grisha Trilogy/Six of Crows duology/Zoya’s duology that I forgot the name of….I don’t know. I’m not a reader that plans in advance. I acquire books, finish whatever I’m currently reading, look through my stacks deciding what to read next, spend an hour doing so because I can’t decide if I’m in the mood for any of them, and either force myself to read one or buy/borrow a new one.

I’m tagging @betweenironyandsilver, @illuminaticns, @borispavlikovskys, @chdarling, @sctine, @mightyaubs, @excuseforadrink, and @trckstergods, if you wanna! Or anyone who wants to yell about books.

#sophia says shit #tagged as me #sorry for taking so long I write slow and am on vacation #but thank you! I don’t get many excuses to talk about books!

16 notes · View notes

janetsnakehole02 · 3 years

Text

Y’all I wanna clarify when people say Loki in the show was WEAK no one is saying Loki’s softness/vulnerability is a weakness. Honestly I think there’s strength in that. I’ve seen a lot of people argue “well wouldn’t you change after watching your entire future in one sitting” and you’re not wrong, that’s why you clearly see Loki starting to become more comfortable in his vulnerability. And that’s great. I don’t think it was ooc for him to say he just wanted Sylvie to be okay in the finale. He’s admitted he’s cared before, he’s admitted he didn’t want the throne before, so this isn’t brand new information, it’s sweet that he’s willing to be vulnerable enough to admit he cares after everything he’s been through (which I did not interpret as romantic pls I am not a shipper ew also side note idk why so many people thought that Loki saying he didn’t want the throne/saying he cared was character development, it was a PARALLEL because he fucking told us the exact same thing back in Thor 1 like again y’all this is not brand new information). Emotions don’t make Loki weak. No, what’s WEAK is dumbing him down to make Sylvie look like the better variant.

The Loki we know is too clever to compromise his disguise on the ship the way he did in episode 3. Hell even in episode 1 he outsmarted B-15 and got the beeping tracking collar thing around her neck. That was AFTER he watched his whole future. He may have opened up more of his walls but it never got in the way of his intelligence. We got to see other Loki variants reach their full potential in terms of their magic but never our Loki. We get to see Classic Loki create an illusion of ASGARD. We get to see Sylvie enchant Alioth. And when I saw Loki using Lævateinn in the trailer I was expecting almost an explosion of magic from him but he was simply used as a distraction while Sylvie did the grunt work. I was expecting the season finale to culminate in our Loki realizing his strength and just reaching his absolute full potential, and I was honestly so underwhelmed by the minimal role he had in that finale. And to everyone saying that’s why there’s a season 2 - bitch PLEASE. I am NOT asking for too much when I want to see the full extent of Loki’s powers. We have been denied of this for 10 years now and we were literally promised by the creators of this show that we would get more of his magic. There’s nothing wrong with giving us his powers in the season finale and then building on that even more in season 2. Loki is incredibly adept, powerful, cunning, and skilled, but it just felt like we were being told that Sylvie is the more talented one because she taught herself magic, or she’s the more powerful one because she enchanted Alioth. And good for her, that’s great, but the show was never supposed to be about amplifying her powers, it was supposed to be about Loki’s.

And that drives this back to my main issue with the second half of the show which is that once Sylvie was introduced Loki turned into a plot device used to advance her journey. I loved her when they first introduced her but as the show went on I began to have mixed emotions about her portrayal and how she didn’t really have many defining character traits besides anger. I don’t hate her, I do strongly dislike some of her actions but I don’t hate her, I just think she could have been developed better instead of being defined simply as an angry revenge-hungry shero love interest. Many people are drawing comparisons between her and Thor 1 Loki which is fair, they were both in the same position, but at least with Thor 1 Loki we got a proper glimpse into his emotions and his psyche that drove the decisions he made. We got a flashback for Sylvie, sure, but we didn’t get much of Sylvie being introspective on her own about her past, and they could’ve done that without taking away from Loki’s spotlight, the same way they did for Loki in Thor 1 without taking any of the spotlight off of Thor. They could’ve done this instead of wasting time trying to show us that Sylvie is the “superior” variant.

Sorry I know it’s been over a month since the finale but I’m still just so irked with the second half of this show, maybe it’s on me for expecting so much. But it still pisses me off how in the finale we just got Loki right back where he was at the beginning - heartbroken, betrayed, and helpless. Which reminds me, it was also WEAK to put his happiness and well-being on the backburner. He’s been through enough in the MCU lemme give you a reminder in case you forgot - found out he was adopted KIDNAPPED, attempted suicide and survived, tortured by Thanos and put under mind control, imprisoned in his own homeland by his own “father” - and he just watched his entire future AND DEATH in 1 episode. I know that trauma can be crucial to character growth but viewers can tell when it’s becoming too much. And it’s clear that the writers (or rather Waldron) don’t care much about Loki’s issues, I mean Waldron himself said he thought Loki was using his trauma as an excuse to be selfish and if that isn’t the most cruel gaslighting bullshit I’ve ever heard. As someone who has heard this way too many times I can attest that it really fucking hurts and it is such a dismissive thing to say. If the writers are treating the main character of their show so callously how can I not be upset? In Loki’s own words I just want him to be okay is all. And it was WEAK to put him through this much pain alright there that’s all I have to say

#loki rant #loki #loki series #loki season 1 #loki season finale #sylvie laufeydottir #classic loki #michael waldron #marvel #mcu #mcu phase 4 #antisylki #antis*lki

5 notes · View notes

redxblueihateloveyou · 3 years

Note

This is a personal opinion but from where I see it the Given movie and the anime itself definitely was... something that I would question because somethings just.. didn't make sense to me. The development of the Characters were either super fast or super slow and it made the pacing really really weird for me idk. But I do think that a huge reason so many people love the Given movie is because of the fact that when you compare Given to OTHER JP BL animes, there's very very slight improvement in terms of the story itself of Given. Is the story poorly executed? Fucking hell, who the hell is going to say no here. But is it better then some of the JP BLs out there? That's depended on how you view BL to be. For a lot of people things like Super Lovers or Hitorijime My Hero are super unbearable to watch because it's "problematic" (which honestly okay, you do you BB) which then leads them to look for BL animes that DON'T have such "themes." Leading them to actually liking things poorly executed but just "not problematic", Given for example.

Given is “not problematic”? Debatable.

Their first kiss was right after Mafuyu finally had a courage to sing a song about his ex who commited a suicide. ???

Problematic doesn’t only mean stuff like “he’s underage”. What about using someone to get over your grief or getting into a relationship with someone who is still not over his ex death and is vulnerable at the moment? Is this suddenly “not problematic” bc they’re same age and he haven’t pushed him into a wall in throws of passion?

To me it’s not even about the fact if it’s problematic or not (it’s rarely not tho, no matter what ppl think), it’s about whether its believable and feels genuine or not. It depends on many factors: situation, characters past, traumas, etc, etc. It depends on the story and how you write it.

Change some stuff and it’s gonna be a completely different thing. Make it like Uenoyama only hugged Mafuyu after the song, even tho he wanted to kiss him, but knows that it’s not the right moment. Make Mafuyu heal first, make Uenoyama be in his own angst that he loves Mafuyu so much for example, but cares about him recover more, so he doesn’t expect for it to go somewhere, then he tries to date someone and Mafuyu first starts getting out there, when he feels like he can start trying again. Someday he gets sick and Uenoyama cancels his date to take care of him even tho it’s nothing serious and then the realization comes. Make Mafuyu kiss him first and take the first step. This would’ve changed everything so much. He should’ve made the first step when he was ready, this would’ve felt so right. Uenoyama kissing him after that song is just.. it feels, I was like ehhhmmm.. weird?

Seeing someone saying that Given is a masterpiece is hilarious to me. The fact that it includes heavy themes like suicide, doesn’t make it a masterpiece, esp when it’s handled this badly. Once again, if you pick such thing as a base for a love story, do it right then, not in a “bibbidi bobbidi boo” kind of thing.

BL or not BL, any relationships, it depends on whether you watch it and it feels plausable or not.

For example, if Yuu says that he can’t live with Mika, my tongue won’t even twist to call it “unhealthy” or be like “dude why”. But if some high schooler in slice of life anime who has a caring family tried to end himself bc his two weeks friend left him, I would’ve yelled “bitch go see a doctor”.

Depending on the story you can sell some feelings or not.

Nezumi and Shion are also problematic according to ppl’s logic these days. But I 100% believe they’re each other’s true loves. Only 11 episodes and it’s sold.

In Given I didn’t believe it. Bc it’s ridiculous, ok? It wasn’t the right place or time to start this relationship. It is not a new love story, it’s just a sad story.

Given movie is slightly better compared to other japanese BL? Why would you offend Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, Uragiri wa boku no namae, No.6 and many others?

Also better where? They kept the same old “’stop, i don’t want to’, but he did it anyway” stuff AND on top of that the story sucks.

The way he used him knowing very well that he was unrequitedly in love with him for so long is so disgusting that it leaves a much grosser feeling than many yaois combined. You’re saying “it’s slightly better” bc they’re of age or don’t have an age difference? I don’t get it. It somehow makes everything better?

No, thanks. I’d rather watch Onodera sleep with Takano in high school with them being genuinely into each other and it going great than whatever happened in the Given movie. I don’t care if they’re both 18 there, it made me feel bad.

I didn’t feel bad, when Wei Wuxian thought “why the fuck didn't I have sex with Lan Zhan back when I was 15? I've really pissed away all my days, haven't I?”. I wonder why is that.

Like what you’re saying here is that their opinion on BL is so low that they automatically would give it 10 out of 10 bc it’s slightly better than smth that they find “unbearable” to watch? What kind of evaluation is that exactly? Maybe also let’s compare each anime to “boku no pico”, then everything will look like a masterpiece.

Like excuse me for the fact that when I watch some shonen-ai and yaoi, I judge it the same way I judge any other genre and any other relationships (hetero or gay) in animes. On a scale whether I care or don’t care, whether I believe that they love each other or don’t, whether it’s a good story or not. I don’t get what it means “it’s good for yaoi”. It’s just not good. This movie is trash, I mean, the relationship in it is trash. Who the fuck cares gay or not gay. Trash relationships are trash. Bad story is a bad story. Whether it’s a bad gay story or a bad hetero story, I don’t give a shit.

The reason I’m more into boy on boy ships is because I love the relationships there more than relationships in most heterosexual couples. My fav hetero ships are either “from hate/attraction to love” stories like “gone with the wind”, “anastasia” or “pride and prejudice” or stuff like “equals without pink goo, who only see each other and don’t need no one else and would die for each other, epic soulmates” like Richard and Kahlan. In anime 99% of those fit bromances, not romances. Like I don’t find Midoriya/Uraraka appealing at all for a reason that “she said ‘hi’, he blushed as a tomato, now they’re supposed to be each other’s romantic interests” is not what I find romantic. I find romantic the fact that Todoroki is forever devoted to Midoriya bc he knows he’s amazing and is not afraid to say it; and he’ll always be there for him when he needs him, no matter what it is, him just sitting there crying, some villain trying to kill him or if he’s too late out ther grossery shopping. Uraraka most of the times doesn’t even care where he is.

Most hetero romantic animes, I just find ridiculous, too cheesy and unrealistic and I’m not ready to watch 50 episodes for them to hold hands. I’m not in that age and I also never found things like this romantic before either. Stuff like Kisa/Yukine, when you meet someone, find him attractive, wanna fuck him, then fall in love accidentally.. yeah, that’s understandable to me. Stuff like Takano/Onodera “I was an naive idiot in high school, but now life made me a sassy bitch and I can’t open up to people as easily” also yes, relatable.

When you’re turning into a tomato bc someone said “penis” and think holding hands will take your virginity or smth, that’s not my thing.

So when I watch BL, I expect more, not less. So if it’s bad, I just say it’s bad, I’m not gonna be like “hmm... unproblematic... then 10/10″ like what?

1stly, even “little mermaid” and “cinderella” are problematic.

2ndly everyone is so focused on purity these days, like storyline don’t matter at all. It’s like any great love story is automatically trash if they have age difference. Any trash love story is great, if they don’t?

Let’s then also rate “Dororo” as 1, bc it’s like 24 episodes of them falling for each other while she’s 11 and he’s 16. Wow, such gross relationships they have during the whole story. Doesn’t matter that she grew up at the end of the last episode, the whole anime she’s a child. And let’s rate Noragami 0, bc 2000 years old perverted Yato is into 15 year olds.

No one has to fuck asap (heck even in the same hella problematic “Super Lovers” you talk about, Haru refused to fuck Ren even tho he was 17 in s2 and wanted to fuck another guy) and the rule “you can only fall in love after 18″ doesn’t exist. Also underage is not BL thing, it’s all anime thing. It’s time to shut it already. There are zillions of age gap couples out there who are great. Hyakkimaru waited for Dororo to grow up, it’s fine, seriously, they love each other in the right way, he didn’t want to fuck her when she was 11, okay? They did love each other tho already then. Pls excuse them for that.

3rdly, some relationship that ppl here call unproblematic are 20 times more problematic, than what they call problematic.

4tly, why the heck it’s like couples who have an amazing character and relationship progression, who love each other to death and will do anything for each other, ppl go: “wow, at the very beginning, he grabbed his wrist, he needs to go to jail”. Meanwhile a relationship who has no base, no story, no logical progression, no anything are “yes, best love story in the world”. Yeah... who cares if it feels like it’s all been pulled out of an ass and doesn’t make sense, very healthy tho.

It sounds lately like if most ppl here had two stories in front of them and one would be about two men who just met and the next day one proposed and they lived happily ever after and 2nd would be some complicated incredible story with a natural progression of the relationship, but they yelled at each other once, they’d be like “1st is better”. Well, not to me, no.

#answered #anonymous #anime

8 notes · View notes

xwing-baby · 4 years

Text

Freedom (Mandalorian X Reader

Characters: The Mandalorian (Din Djarin), The Child, Reader, OC Vinca Dara

Warnings: Mentions of sexual abuse, canon level violence

Word Count: 5691

Synopsis: Y/N is a princess from a planet in the inner rim. Successfully escaping her fate as a Imperial wife, she unfortunately becomes a target for the Mandalorian.

A/N: WOW I look pretty good for a dead bitch! I’m back after a two year writing hiatus, with a fic nobody asked for. This is my blog I’ll do what I want. I noticed that there’s not much Mandalorian stuff here, and the only stuff is all smutty and romantic. No more. Strictly professional relationships here. Basically it’s what I would write if I got to be a writer on the show. ENJOY

Tagged: @tortles @inked-poet @dartheldur

My home planet, in the core of the galaxy, was rich and prosperous. I grew up happily oblivious to any struggle that surrounded me outside the palace walls. I grew up with two older brothers, both jostling for the throne from the age of ten. My mother died in childbirth with me, so my father ruled alone. I had no other family, as I would later learn they had all been murdered by my father and his men to ensure his unopposed ascension to power.

It wasn’t until I was nearly sixteen years old that I learnt about what my father had done and what was really going on behind the palace walls. The only time I’d ever been allowed out of the palace grounds until that point was for public events, I would stand and wave and smile at the people who came to see us while my father gave a speech about peace and prosperity. However, on my sixteenth birthday I met a boy named Han. Han helped me escape for that one night, showed me around the surrounding city, and my life changed forever.

A year later, I made my first escape attempt. I didn’t get very far beyond that city perimeter before I was dragged back by the royal guards. I tried again, getting to the next town before again being captured and sent back to my father.

On my eighteenth birthday, I decided I would try once more. This time I had enlisted Han’s help, now a smuggler, to get me off the planet. I crept out in the depths of night, managed to find the ship and I was gone. That was until the captain of the ship found out who I was, held me hostage and shot me in the arm for trying to escape him and the planet. As it turned out the captain was a great supporter of my father and returned me, with a small fee for the favour of course.

For the next year, my father kept me under close supervision. But unlike my father, I had sympathy and empathy. I managed to make friends with my supervisor, a old lady named Ellyn. She taught me a lot about what was really going on outside the capitol. The famines and the abuse from the royal guards to the local people. She also told me of the growing concern within the palace of my father’s changing allegiance from the New Republic. These concerns only grew when Storm Troopers were spotted on the outskirts of the city.

Then I got the news. My father was intending to marry me off to Vinca Dara, the son of an Imperial officer, to aid the new Empire. I was horrified. My uncle had told me stories of the Old Empire when I was little, the pain it brought into the galaxy. The thought of having to be a part of anything like that made me sick. I had to run away, for good this time.

With Ellyn’s help, I managed to barter a ship and escape the planet without anyone realising. I reached the outer rim before anyone knew. By the time anyone had started to look for me I had landed on a new planet.

And that brought me here. A small, dirty back street bar in the centre of the city. The outer rim was not somewhere good for a princess to be, so to avoid the risk of anyone recognising me, I cut my hair, changed my name and hid.

Of course, a few bounty hunter’s had made their way to me. But I seemingly had luck on my side because they either gave up or I fought them off before they could capture me. The last attempt was several months ago now, I was comfortable and certain that my father had just given up.

The bar was busy, as always. Full of criminals and outcasts from the inner rim searching the wild space to something to do, or to give them purpose again. I had to learn fast who and who not to joke with. I learnt a lot more about the galaxy in the last three months of being in this cantina than I had in my life so far.

“Hey! No droids!” I called, not even lifting my head from the sink as I spotted a glint of metal in the corner of my mind.

“That’s not a droid, you idiot,” My coworker, Tann, jabbed me in the ribs, “That’s a mandalorian!” He hissed. “Sorry, she’s new!” He apologised. The Mandalorian didn’t respond.

“New to the galaxy,” One of the creatures at the bar slurred into his drink.

“Alright Rex calm down,” I said, a little embarrassed. “I don’t know they were real,” I said quietly as we all watched the man sit down at an empty table on the other side of the bar. Rex laughed and shook his head.

“You really crawled out from under a rock or something?”

“Just go do your job, please,” Tann sighed.

I nodded and confidently walked over to the bounty hunter.

“What can I get you?”

“I’m trying to find Asker,” The Mandalorian said, looking around behind me. Asker was a regular, a troublemaker and a renowned criminal, but he was paid his bill so the owners of the bar never minded too much. I wondered why the Mandalorian was looking for him for a moment before answering.

“He left a little while ago,” I replied, “But I imagine he won’t have gone far, maybe try the hostel up the street. Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thank you,” The Mandalorian shook his head and stood up to leave.

“Mando!” The pot bellied Asker bellowed through the bar, announcing his presence before he waddled inside. For such a small creature he certainly knew how to make himself known. Asker was just over four feet tall, with grey-ish skin. His large eyes took most of his face that wasn’t covered by a whiley red beard. For someone so small, he was incredibly strong and quick on a trigger, the blast marks that covered the walls of the bar were testament to that.

The Mandalorian and Asker walked together to the darker back of the bar, specifically reserved for Asker's shady business. Like I said, the owners didn’t really care as long as he paid the bills.

“You know Mando, it’s been for too long! I missed you,” Asker cried.

“You didn’t,”

“No, not really,” Asker barked a laugh, “but I did miss your talent. These new hands they’ve got at the Guild? Awful! Can barely even shoot straight! I’ve been trying to get this quarry off my hands for weeks! All of the have been unsuccessful, so I thought it’s high time I call my lovely friend Mando and get some real professional on the job,”

“I don’t work for you,”

“Not even for half a million credits?”

“Excuse me, gentlemen,can I get you anything?”

“The usual, thanks darling. My metal friend here can’t drink so he’s all good,”

“Coming right up,”

I stepped back to the bar, and they talked a lot quieter from then. I poured the drink and walked back over, back in earshot of the conversation.

“Kids a royal runaway,” Asker said quietly. “Her father is a pretty big deal out in the Mirrin Sector. Last I heard, she’s here in hiding,”

“Any name?”

“Y/n L/n,”

I put the drinks down carefully, trying not let either of the men see how much my hands were shaking. My heart was racing against my chest and I scurried away before I could hear anything else. I leant against the bar and took some deep breaths and tried to calm down. It was fine, I’d fought off the last guys I could do it again. It’s not like mandalorian are the best bounty hunters in the known universe, no. Oh stars!

“I’m going out for a minute,” I said quickly, already walking out the back door before he could even say yes. I pulled the apron off from around my waist, shoving it into a cargo box before stepping into the bright light outside.

I squinted and let my eyes adjust to the bright light. Looking back inside, the Mandalorian had not noticed me leave. I was safe for now. I walked through the city's crowded streets, back to where I was staying to come up with a plan.

I smiled to myself, I’d gotten away with it once again! But four times was too many to be nearly captured by bounty hunters. It was no use anymore just moving to the city, I had to get off the planet.

The port was quiet, as it would be late in the afternoon. Everyone was either eating or sleeping while the sun started to cool down. I tried the first few stations but each door was locked, the next was empty and the one after it was covered in druids working on the rusted shell. Then, bay 8. The door was open, there were no druids around and the ship looked in pretty good condition. It was old, pre empire but it looked steady. I quickly checked behind me, that no one had seen me, then went inside, pushing the large gate shut behind me. I had found my ticket out of here.

My uncle had taught me to fly when I was very little. He unfortunately was murdered by my father before I turned 12 but I cherished the memories I had with him and was extremely grateful for the skills he had passed on now. The first time I ran away I ended on a workers ship and learnt very quickly that the price to pay to get onto the ships and out alive was far too high. The blast scar up my right arm was a reminder of that. Being able to steal a ship and fly it on my own was a major boost. Unfortunately I had been caught before I had managed to leave a planet before. Now was my chance.

I ran around the ship first, checking it out and making sure there was no one hiding on it. Now, to get inside...

Before I could even step closer to it, the cargo load hissed and pulled open. I pulled out my blaster and aimed it at the door. I stepped onto the metal once it hit the sand, and barely had the other in step when I saw who had opened it.

The Mandalorian.

Shit.

I kept my blaster raised, and we both stared at each other down for a few moments.

“You’re Y/n L/n?” He asked carefully.

“Are you going to kill me if I am?” I retorted. “Cus you’re not the first Asker has sent after me and I know my father wants me alive there’s no way you’re gunna kill me if you want the credits,”

“Lower your weapon,” He commanded. I refused.

I kept it steadfast. I could do a standoff, all day. I was not going back home. The mandalorian sighed and shot once, barely missing my head, as a warning. I didn’t flinch.

“This isn’t my first rodeo, Tin Man. Asker must have said I don’t come easy,” I jeered, taunting him. He couldn’t kill me! Wouldn’t risk half a million credits on that. The mandalorian stepped forward, and I took two steps back. “I just want to get off this planet, I’ll pay you. More than you’ll

get for bringing me in,”

Before I could say anymore, the Mandlorian fired a dart into my chest. I looked down at it for a moment, then back at him then fell to the ground. Black.

I came too sometime later, handcuffed to the side of the Mandalorian’s ship. My hands and feet here tied. It was quiet. Looking around me, I was in the hold. A small ladder disappeared above me to the rest of the ship. I had no idea where we were, had he taken my request? Or was I on my way back to the hell hole that is my home planet.

I had to find some way out. Someway to get myself free. I tried to move to reach a tool box so cruelly just out of my reach, but it was no use. Then I heard a little squeal from behind a box. I turned to see where it was coming from but there was nothing. Again, another squeal and a giggle? Was it a rat? I wouldn’t be surprised if there were rats aboard, the place hadn’t been cleaned in forever. But rats don’t giggle, no matter where they’re from.

Suddenly, a tiny green creature popped up from behind the box. It peered at me for a moment, then hid again. It was so cute!

“Hey little buddy,” I said quietly, “I won’t hurt you,” The creature slowly stepped out and babbled something at me. I didn’t understand what it said, even if it was speaking any proper language. “Where’d you come from buddy? He got you trapped here too?” The baby giggled and waddled over to me. I smiled and curled my legs round underneath me to let it get a bit closer. I didn’t see any danger in a creature so small. “Why does Mandalorian have a little baby? You’re not his kid are you?”

“Hey! Get away from her,” The Mandalorian had appeared in the hold while I was focused on the baby. The baby babbled and toddled back happily to the Mandalorian.

“What is that?”

“Nothing,”

“It’s not nothing, it’s a baby,” Suddenly I remembered I had seen a drawing of a creature like that one before. My uncle told me about it, a Jedi master or something. “Do you know what it is? My uncle showed me a picture of one of those once, it was a jedi! I bet it can do weird stuff, right? Where did you get it?”

The Mandalorian ignore my questions and picked up the creature, walked across to the other side of the hold and put it away in a large cupboard. Cruel. I became spiteful.

“Fine, ignore me then. I’ll just report you to the Guild when I get back home. Tell them you have that thing! People would pay good money for information on a Mandalorian gone rogue! And to think Mandalorian and Jedi were enemies for years, didn’t they murder your kind to near extinction? Seems weird you’ve got one in a box as a pet,”

“It’s not a Jedi, and you won’t tell anyone. If I find you have, I will kill you, on sight,”

“You’ll be doing me a favour,” I spat.

I could tell he was angry, the way his hand waved over his blaster for just a second. I should have been scared of him, deep down I was. But the fate that awaited me at home was worse than being killed by this bounty hunter. I knew we can’t be far now. I didn’t have much time left to convince the Mandalorian not to send me back to my father. If it came down to it I really would rather die.

The Mandalorian disappeared up the ladder once more, satisfied that I wasn’t going to cause anymore fuss right now. Before I could even call after him to try and make amends and get him to actually help me, the hatch slammed shut and it was too late.

---

A few hours later, I had dozed off but was harshly awoke by the Mandalorian shaking my shoulders.

“We’re here,” He stated, pulling me up by the shoulder. I shrugged him off, and stood up on my own. My feet had been untied already, I rolled my ankles and sighed as my body clicked. The bounty hunter wasn’t having it, grabbed my arm harshly and dragged me down the ramp to the ground. “Come on,”

The site of my home planet made me sick. It was happening. For months I had managed to be unknown, successfully getting away from this place. But I was now being dragged back, by a Mandalorian none the less, to be dragged through my city like a criminal.

The Child reappeared as we stepped off the ship, babbling quickly and waddling as fast as it could. The Mandalorian grumbled unintelligibly and dragged me back up, collected the child and locked it away, pulled me back down to the soil of the planet. I could hear the creature complain from its little box and wondered if it was trying to help me. Whatever it wanted, the Mandalorian ignored it, closed the cargo door and we walked into the city gates to my family's palace.

The site of the grand building made me sick. When I was younger I didn’t know of anything different, I didn’t know of the suffering of the people beyond the city walls. The people who worked tirelessly everyday on the lush fields only to be paid single credits for the hard labour, and all the food going to my family and court. I never knew of the suffering and poverty that my father ruled over while we lived such lavish lives inside. I had tried to explain it to my brothers after my first escape attempt, they just laughed. Said that that was just the way the world worked. There was a set order. I hated it, actively spoke out against them but all it did was get me slapped and set away to my chambers.

We were met by my father and two brothers in the great hall. Staff stood to attention around the perimeter, glaring at me like I was dirt, as I was dragged in in disgrace by a bounty hunter.

“My daughter, you’re safe!” My father exclaimed, throwing his arms up in praise. There was no kindness or love in his voice. “Get her inside, we can’t have her escape again,” He gave a cold laugh as I was given to a new set of guards. My brothers jeered and laughed in unison with their idol. “I understand you’ve been paid by Asker to do this?” My father addressed the Mandalorian now. “Fucking idiot couldn’t catch his own breath. Here,” He threw a large bag of credits at the bounty hunter. “A million in full.” The Mandalorian nodded, putting the bag into his belt. “You don’t know how great a service you have provided to the galaxy,” My father continued with a wicked smile stretched across his wrinkling face. “A girl like her will surely be the mother of our new empire,”

I nearly threw up, the enormity of my situation now crashing on top of me. I tried to look to the Mandalorian for help but again it was no use. I was marched off into my new, secure, chambers to await my fate.

The Mandalorian frowned beneath his helmet but said nothing whilst in the presence of the King. He’d finished the job, there was nothing else for him to do here. He’d never got involved in politics before and now was not the time. He knew these were not good people but he was not in a place for judgement either.

He returned to his ship, pleased with the doubling of the earnings from this trip. That amount of credits meant he could lay low for a long while with the Child and finally work out what to do with it.

Back in the ship, the Child would not settle down. In the few months the Mandalorian had the creature he had never seen it like this. It cried and grumbled, wouldn’t sit still or fall asleep. He knew what the problem was.

“I can’t do anything about it!” He explained to the Child. “It’s not my problem. The credits I got from that job will keep you in food for weeks!” The Child grumbled and wailed. “Go to sleep,”

-- 4 Months Later --

It was a simple quarry for a quick bit of cash. The ship needed to be patched up after it had run into an asteroid field. The quarry was from a jealous man on Corellia after his wife’s lover. Easy.

The planet was rich and bustling with people, making the Mandalorian disappear into the background. He swept through the city in search of his bounty, following the tracker in his hand. He was only slowed down by a large crowd which had gathered at the town’s centre. A small stage was set up across the square, with many people surrounding it on all sides. People even hung out of their windows to listen and watch what was going on.

A familiar face on the stage caught the Mandalorian’s attention. It was Y/n. Now looking like the shell of her previous self. A black cloth covered her head and moth, leaving only sunken sad eyes on show which were covered in gold makeup. She stood smaller, next to a man talking passionately and animatedly about something. The surrounding chatter from the town’s people drowned out what the man was saying.

The Mandalorian carried on on his mission, shaking off any guilt he had. Bad things like this were always happening throughout the galaxy. There was nothing he could do.

- --

My new life as Vinca Dara’s wife was awful. Far worse than I had ever dreamt.

I was dragged from planet to planet, city to city trying to recruit and inspire rebellion. We travelled to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, as far from the New Republic as possible to try and gain sympathy for a new regime.

I was miserable, abused and exhausted. My husband’s forcible attempts at producing an heir were proving futile and he was getting restless. It was like my body even rejected the idea of giving him a child. I figured it was only long before he killed me. He’d been close before when I lost the last child.

This was a big event. There were already a large group of rebellion supporters on the planet and Vinca Dara and his team were hopeful. I was to stand next to him, looking pretty while he addressed the city, then be his arm candy to a private event with the planet’s leaders.

The evening’s event was filled with the planet’s most horrible people. I wore a tight royal blue dress, my hair down and flowing over my bare back. Vinca Dara had left me to my own devices a little while ago, instructing me to convince some of the ladies of ‘our’ new ideas for the galaxy. So I stood and mingled with the guests wive. They were not interested in politics and rather talked back local gossip which was rather refreshing after months of nothing but plans of death, destruction of the New Republic. A little alarming that they did not care, but I welcomed the break nonetheless.

As I listened to the women, my eyes wandered around the party. Many different species and races all in one room with staff waiting hand and foot, scurrying between the clusters of people. Then, something caught my eye. A flash of blue baskar, glinted in the light from the corridor just outside the room. That had to be the Mandalorian! I thought I had seen him in the city but I thought I was imagining it. He was here!

“Excuse me ladies, I just need to freshen up,” I excused myself from the group and went to find him. This was my chance. Summoning all the courage I had in me, I followed him.

It took a moment to work out which way he went but a sharp shot from inside one of the servants quarters told me exactly where it was. He was lucky the party was so loud, I thought.

Checking nobody was following me, I carefully pushed the door open As soon as I entered the small dark room the Mandalorian held his gun to my face, finger on the trigger ready. I threw up my hands and pushed myself back against the door.

“Don’t shoot!” I exclaimed. The Mandalorian did not lower his gun.

“What are you doing here?”

“I-I’m hosting the par-,”

“Here, I mean here right now,” He interrupted, obviously agitated.

“I need your help,” I said honestly. The Mandalorian didn’t reply, but lowered his gun and returned to the dead body on the floor. “Please. My husband will kill me if he doesn’t get a child soon and… and I can’t do it. Please, I need to get off this planet. Away from him,”

“I’m working,”

“I’ll pay you!” I exclaimed desperately. “I’ll give you everything I have. I just need to get out of here, out of this solar system,” The Mandalorian stopped and looked at me for a moment, the helmet completely unforgiving in guarding his expression. “Please,” My bottom lip began to tremble and tears welled in my eyes.

“No. Go back to your husband,” The Mandalorian turned back to his task. My desperation turned to anger in that moment, I stormed over to him.

“You know he’s been looking for the Child,” I said spitefully, looming over him as he knelt down with his victim. The Mandalorian looked up at me and stood up slowly. “That green thing you keep as a pet? If you won’t help meI will go to him and tell him you have it, that you’re on this planet,”

“Are you trying to blackmail me?”

“Help me and Dara will never know,” I said slowly, staring directly into his visor.

The Mandalorian was quiet for a moment, I held my breath. This was it. My last chance at freedom and even this was the man that brought me to be in this situation in the first place he was my only hope.

“Put that on,” He finally said, gesturing to the pile of servants' clothes piled on a table to the side of the room. “And help me move this body”

I nodded quickly and moved to the clothes. I untied the neck of the dress, the bounty hunter respectfully turned back to his victim as I undressed. The clothes were far too big and made of a very itchy material but I didn’t have much choice. I tied my hair up in a ponytail. The only reminder of who I was, was the gold makeup across my face and sandals on my feet.

I stood on look out while the Mandalorian pulled his bounty into a bag and dragged it out the building. A transporter waited outside.

“Take that one, with the bounty. My ship is out on the east fields. You’ll see it,”

“What about you?”

“I’ll meet you there,”

I nodded, unsure of why he was trusting me with his bounty but it was the easiest way to go out of the city unnoticed. I dodged in and out of people on the streets, finally coming to the East gates. Two guards sat asleep at the post and didn’t even wake to see me go. As I rode out into the open land, I began to laugh. The suns were setting beautifully over the horizon casting beautiful colours into the sky. I was free!

I sped through the fields, towards the familiar ship a little way away. The noise another transporter hummed behind me. I figured it was the Mandalorian so I didn't bother to look back until a red shot flew past my head, narrowly missing me, and exploding in the grass. I screamed and swerved violently, nearly losing all control of the vehicle.

I turned back quickly, to see who was attacking me. My husband led a band of four guards on smaller bikes. That bastard Mandalorian must have told them I was trying to escape!

I sped up, racing towards the hills in the distance. I skipped down between ditches and ploughed through crop fields to try and evade capture once again. They remained on my tail.

Another two shots fired out, missing me again. “Stop! Y/n! Stop right now!” My husband called out. I held my hand up in an offensive gesture, turning back to narrowly miss a large boulder. I was getting into the forest now, it was becoming more difficult to maneuver the heavy vehicle through the trees.

The trees became denser and I decided I could move better on foot without the extra weight.

“I’m going to fucking kill you Y/n!” My husband screamed. I could imagine his horrid sweaty red face, that awful vein that pops on his forehead when he’s angry. I shuddered, and kept running.

I jumped into a small creek, the water soaking the ends of my trousers and nearly bare feet. The hum of the transporters had disappeared, they were on foot. I noticed a cave and decided it would be best to hide there while they were some way behind. I crouched down and sat in the warm water, my body pressed against the back wall, hidden from sight.

“Y/n!” Vinca Dara screamed again. This time multiple shots followed and a crash as something fell into the water. “You can’t hide forever!”

They were getting closer. A red shot splashed into the water in front of the mouth of the cave. I jumped and hit my head on the low roof, making me yelp. I clamped my hand over my mouth praying that I wasn’t heard. I pushed myself further into the dark and shut my eyes as more shots rang out. Shouting erupted from above me and heavy footsteps splashed through the water.

I whimpered and curled up into my knees, screwing my eyes shut, waiting for the end to come.

“I told you to go to the ship,” A metallic voice said from the front of the cave. I opened my eyes and gasped in relief. It was the Mandalorian! I pushed myself up out of the water and walked over to him, my relief turning into rage.

“You sold me out!” I screamed, pushing him as hard as I could. “You fucking told them!” The bounty hunter remained calm, and was not at all affected by my attack.. “You fucking bastard!”

“If I did, why would I be here now?”

“You-,” I stopped and saw the three bodies floating in the water around us, “You killed them?”

“I thought you still had my bounty,” The Mandalorian said nonchalantly. I smiled.

“Thank you,”

Seemingly satisfied that I wasn’t in any more danger, the Mandalorian turned and began to walk back to his ship. I quickly followed behind, not wanting to be left behind again. I stepped over my husband’s dead body, pleased by the multiple shot wounds that had killed him. He deserved a bloody death. I ran to keep up with the Mandalorian, and jumped back on the abandoned transporter, following him back to the safety of his ship,

“Thank you again. And I promise I will send those credits to you as soon as possible,” I thanked him again once we were inside. I sat on a crate, and pulled the ruined sandals off my feet.

“It’s not necessary,” The Mandalorian said, his back turned to me as he put away his weapons.

“Yes it is. I am a woman of my word, I owe you my life,” I said sincerely. The Mandalorian shut the cabinet and turned back to me.

“Where would you like to go?”

“I don’t care. Just drop me off wherever you are going next. As long as there's opportunity for work and a place to sleep I will be fine. I just need to be as far from all of that as possible,”

“I’m going to Nevarro next,”

“Sounds perfect,”

I sat in the back of the cockpit while the Mandalorian flew off the planet. I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my face as the planet soon disappeared into the vast black of space behind us. I had finally made it out, with both my father and husband dead I knew no one would come looking for me. I was truly free.

“Hello again,” I cooed to the Child as he toddled over. The baby babbled and giggled when it recognised me and raised its arms to be picked up. I happily obliged. “You’ve grown! Yes! Oh aren’t you just the cutest little thing!” I tickled its large ears, making the child laugh. “I don’t know how you get anything done with this thing around. He’s so cute!” I said to the Mandalorian. He didn’t reply.

I shrugged it off, and went back to playing with the baby. The stress of the day finally settled in, and I yawned, absolutely exhausted. The little creature in my lap, copied and babbled at me. I smiled softly as sleep began to take over me and stroked its little head until I fell asleep.

A rumble awoke me, we had entered the Nevarro atmosphere. I sat up from my slumped position and sighed as I stretched. The Mandalorian turned around, I smiled and he turned back. The Child was sitting on the desk, playing with a silver ball too busy to notice I was now awake.

We landed without any trouble.

“So I guess this is it,” I said. “I will forever be indebted to you Mandalorian,” I bowed my head in reverence, “Are you staying here very long?”

“A few days possibly,” He said as we walked towards the small settlement. “I’ve got some business here,” We walked in silence for the rest of the way until we reached the gates. “There’s a cantina not too far from here, tell them I sent you and they’ll give you work. There’s plenty of rooms to stay in here,”

“Thank you,” I smiled, “I will sort those credits out as soon as possible,”

“It-,”

“I swear bounty hunters don’t usually refuse money,” I laughed. “Take it, and I’ll see you around, hopefully not too soon,”

“See you around,”

We shook hands and parted ways. My life had finally begun.

#mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #mandalorian x you #star wars imagine #star wars imagines #star wars x reader #din djarin x reader #din djarin x y/n #x reader #x y/n #star wars fan fiction #the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian fandom #star wars #baby yoda #fanfiction

94 notes · View notes

sergeant-angels-trashcan · 3 years

Note

bro I sent the matt/kate ask and you gave me kate/frank feelings so like if you want to can I have that as well?

How dare you. i have been waiting for years to be asked about frankate (also i feel the need to clarify that this is very specifically Nazar-fic-Kate)

What was their first impression of each other?

“this fucking idiot” basically. they meet when Matt is chained to the roof and Kate is like “pls stop terrorizing my bf” and frank is like “your bf is a moron”

What is their ship name?

Frankate...frankkate? anything that’s a chess pun (bishop...castle...get it...)

in my WIPs they’re spooks and snipers

Describe their relationship dynamic.

Kate: FRANK NO

Frank: FRANK YES

it’s honestly a lot of philosophical discussions about killing people, Frank calling Kate out on her bullshit, and Kate acting as an impulse check. One of the BIG THINGS with this relationship is Kate realizing that Frank can and will kill someone if she asks him to, no questions asked, and that is both terrifying and a turn on. The fact that Frank trusts her moral compass so completely--he realizes that he’s a little fucked up when it comes to that, so he will look to her for the thumbs up/thumbs down kind of thing.

like. to the point Kate has to kick Frank out of a fancy Bishop party because if he stays she knows she’ll ask him to kill her dad and he WILL.

What was their relationship like before they got together?

once they got done bitching at each other over Daredevil (and Kate yelled at him a LOT) they worked pretty well together? Kate helped Frank figure out the drug smuggling thing (turns out Derek Bishop was involved with that). They would get each other coffee and check in with each other’s mental health. Frank is very soft with her, in a lot of ways. But also not, they did beat each other up at least once and Frank shot her very much on purpose but they always were fond of each other.

once they meet back up after Matt ~dies~ they’re....really, really good for each other. Kate feels like she’s able to be honest with Frank in a way she can’t be with anyone else, because what the hell could she say that would scandalize Frank? She doesn’t need to step lightly around him because Frank’s never stepped lightly in his life. Kate feeling like she has more leeway to be brutally honest around Frank means he feels freer to be honest around her, and she’s seen some shit so he respects her in a way he doesn’t respect a lot of people.

Kate gets to be angry around Frank in a way she can’t with anyone else, except maybe Clint, and that’s really important.

They both like coffee and dogs, i mean, what more do you need

How would they describe each other?

Kate: That asshole

Frank: fuckin’ fed

What do they love about each other?

absolutely nothing. they barely even know each other! what are you talking about?? go away.

they love how fighty the other is, even if it drives them crazy. the inability to leave well enough alone, the willingness to do stupid stuff together.

What do they have in common?

WEAPONS. Kate doesn’t use guns professionally but she does love going to a range every now and then. Kate knows bows and grenade launchers and long range rifles, but doesn’t care for handguns. so there’s a lot of very sexually charged shooting dates where Kate lets Frank put his hands on her and around her to correct her grip, and he knows she’s just letting him, for the most part, but they both like it. she teaches him how to use a bow, and he’s terrible. it doesn’t help that Kate smells really good and she’s very very close and he’s never going to need to know how to shoot a recurve, so he doesn’t feel bad about not paying attention. Kate has general gun knowledge so he gets super obscure stuff to teach her how to shoot. like a musket, or the kind of rifle you’d take down a hippo with, something with a shitton of recoil so he can brace her against him. He’s not a proud man, okay, he’ll take his excuses to hold Kate close in public wherever he can

Frank likes dressing Kate up in body armor and Kate likes dressing Frank up in sweaters and suits.

Also dogs. The have Lucky, and the dog Frank rescues. Kate names him something terrible. Like Charm (lucky and charm, get it?) or (apple) Jack (lucky charms and apple jacks) or Oberon

What are some differences between them?

Frank is very willing to kill. Kate is not. Frank is very mission-oriented--he’s a soldier, he gets a job, he does it. Kate’s been a leader, she’s worked with bureaucracy, she thinks about the optics of situations (yes it makes sense to have a shootout on the boardwalk but perhaps we could go to a less family-friendly location?)

What made them realize they were in love?

almost losing each other--or thinking they were almost losing each other. also, the day Sarah Lieberman kisses Frank. That’s when Frank has the realization of “okay, the kissing, that’s fine, but there’s actually someone specific I’d like to do this with” and with Kate it was more like “ (: i’m so happy ((: frank has found some happiness. i am not jealous of him kissing someone else (((: that would be silly”

What are their love languages?

so much physical affection. so much wound bandaging. Frank bringing Kate coffee to work or food to a stakeout. Beating up muggers together. Cooking together, they’re so disgustingly domestic. cuddling. all the time cuddling. hands in back pockets, pinkies linked, Frank just COCOONS her in bed (which is not to say Kate is always the little spoon. Frank loves being little spoon every now and then) they both get very octopus-limbed with each other. “if i’m plastered to you you can’t leave without me” kind of thing. they’re lowkey possessive

Do they get married? Who proposes and how?

Frank proposes, but getting to that point is a team effort, yanno? They're out in LA and Kate's in the kitchen stock still because she's living??? With Frank castle??? And kind of has been for a WHILE? And Frank's wrestling with Lucky and Kate suddenly realizes she loves him so much and there's like pasta boiling on the stove and its domestic and unexciting and neither of them are bleeding and Kate sort of dazedly says “hey Frank, would you be interested in getting married someday?”

and Frank doesn’t answer, just rummages around in one of his bags, pulls out a small box that he tosses to her. Inside is a ring. “took you long enough,” he says

What would happen if they never met?

they’re both very sad and depressed. i feel like being with Kate gives Frank more moral nuance and being with Frank makes Kate rawer, in a way. So without each other, they are really closed off emotionally. Kind of frozen.

Who dies first? How does the other one react?

Woooof ok Frank probably dies first and Kate is fucking FURIOUS about it. It's not unexpected because hes the punisher for god's sake, and he's older than her by almost a decade but still

It could happen, though, that Kate dies first, sudden and unexpected. And Frank loses. His. Shit. Idk who kills her, Fisk or Masque or Russo or all three, but you can bet your ass Frank gets his bloody revenge. And he doesn't technically kill himself, but he's reckless and gets shot a lot and bleeds out on Kate's grave. Yeah.

Are there any love rivals?

BILLY RUSSO, Totes makes a move on Kate, and also he’s in love with Frank so there’s that.

Matt isn’t really a rival? In a perfect world they’re ot3 but do not ask me how we get from Matt pretending to be dead to a happy healthy polyamorous relationship, i don’t know

Describe your favorite moment of that ship!

the pining! the mutual yearning! and both of them are like “this is not a good time for a relationship” and then the dumb jealousy! Frank is jealous of Billy Russo, who is trying to get Kate to work for him, and Kate is jealous of Micro’s wife, Sarah, when she kisses Frank, the YEARNING

What do other characters think about this relationship?

“What. the hap. is fuckening”

Micro gets it, he thinks they’re idiots and adorable af, you know, for people who are such deadly shots, but most of the people on Kate’s side of the equation just don’t get it or think Frank’s a rebound. America and Cassie are the first ones to realize he’s sticking around.

Karen’s not to sure about them, but she likes them both and thinks they’re good for each other.

Curtis think they’re both morons (fond) but in different ways so they balance out.

Most people on Frank’s side of the equation get it. People on Kate’s side are like “you went from self-castigating catholic lawyer to vengeance-fueled murder machine, are you ok?”

Describe or write a really fluffy scene!

ohhhh ok so this is. probably one of my favorite scenes ever. not because it’s particularly well-written, but because i like the idea behind it

Kate has her legs wrapped around Frank, her arms draped over his shoulders as they watch the sun set over the ocean. He is very much a person to drape oneself over.

"Frank," she says, a touch of reverence in her voice as the light catches something. "Frank."

"What?"

"You've got grey hair."

"The fuck? Seriously, Spook, you gotta point that out when we're doing the romantic thing?"

Kate wraps her hands around his skull, tipping it this way and that. It's hard to tell when he has it this short but—yeah. It's there. Kate swallows down an unexpected lump in her throat as Frank continues to bitch until she drapes herself more over his shoulder and turns his head so she can shut him up with a kiss.

Kisses.

A lot of kisses, actually.

"Jesus," he pulls back after a minute, the pad of his thumb rough on her cheek as he swipes at the moisture under her eyes. "You cryin' over some grey hairs?"

"I didn't think you'd stick around long enough for me to see them," she admits.

"Not goin' anywhere, Spook. You're stuck with me."

He's not getting it. Kate presses her forehead against his, her fingers finding the spot where a bullet entered his head and changed his life. "Frank, I didn't think you'd be alive long enough to get them."

Describe or write a really angsty scene!

how about matt comes back aftermath

“You’re not going to make me choose?” Kate’s voice slips out of neutral, into something like hope. Not the kind of thing she’d ever thought Frank would be suggesting, but--

“I’m not gonna make you choose, no.” He smiles at her, a wrong kind of smile, and turns slowly, heading towards the door. His hand is on the knob before her brain processes this enough to send words to her mouth.

“Where—what are you doing, Frank?”

He doesn’t face her. “I’m leaving.”

“You’re—leaving.” The words feel strange, they sour in her mouth and panic wraps brittle fingers around her throat, choking her. “Why—are you leaving?”

“I just said, Spook. Not gonna make you pick.”

Realization and rage burn through her, bright and quick. “So you’re leaving? You’re not making me choose because you’re doing the choosing for me?”

“That’s what you want.”

“No it’s not! Stop making decisions for me! I don’t—I don’t know what I want, yeah, but I know what I don’t want!”

“You told me you still love him. Best thing is for me to go.” He says it with no inflection, as if he wasn’t ripping Kate’s heart out and his too.

“No, I don’t want you to leave! You leaving is the opposite of what I want because what I want--” her voice breaks. “Is for you to stay. I don’t know what to do, but I don’t want you to leave, Frank. I love him, but he left me. He hurt me. And I love you, too. And I like you, which is more important, sometimes, and you helped me when I couldn’t find myself, you just—you let me be, you let me be angry and ugly and awful and you didn’t make me apologize for it or feel sorry about it, or guilty. And I owe you for that—that’s not why I want you to stay, but if you do stay because of it—god, that’s bad, right?” She takes a shaky breath. “Frank. Please stay. I want you to stay.”

Talk about a headcanon you’ve never talked about before.

Frank poses as Kate’s bodyguard when she’s Kate Bishop, heiress who doesn’t know self defense. They were at a party and Kate’s sister Susan was like “huh, you look a lot like mass murderer frank castle, there, pal.”

and of course frank says no he’s not he gets that a lot, and Susan gets right up close to him and says “i don’t care who you are, i just see how my little sister looks at you, and if you break her heart like the last guy did i will litigate your ass into the ground, sir. the GROUND”

also, like, an entire 1920s mafia au where derek is the man behind frank’s family being killed (which is why frank is working for him) and he’s kate’s bodyguard and he covers for her sneaking out and kicking ass

What does a typical date look like for them?

not to be basic but walking dogs and drinking coffee together. stopping a drug deal along the way. going to a shooting range.

What’s a really significant moment in their relationship?

Frank gets roped into being Kate’s backup on a SHIELD mission. Frank takes a shot at the target and Kate’s pissed because she was supposed to take the shot, and it’s this whole thing. About Kate being angry that Frank could have been made and Frank being angry that Kate wouldn’t take the shot, putting herself in danger, and both of them are just PISSED until they realize that both of them are just AFRAID and FRANTIC. they’re both just like “what would I do if something happened to you?? huh???

#Anonymous #kate bishop #hawkeye #young avengers #frank castle #frankate #my stuff #god i have a lot of feelings about these two #i am working on the other ones i PROMISE!!!

9 notes · View notes

hydra-collector · 4 years

Text

Lost Without You, Half Dead

AO3

Ship: Anxceit

Characters: Janus Sanders, Virgil Sanders

TW: suicide attempt, self-harm, blood

Words: 1207

Summary: janus keeps virgil alive.

Note: title from the song "half dead" by the mountain goats. it was the first thing i thought of and it mostly fits ok

Virgil hovered his finger over the call button.

On one hand, he didn’t want to die without a note. On the other, Janus despised him.

Their friendship had ended… badly. Both of them had said things they regretted, things got a little personal and… it ended there.

Right when Virgil hoped it could’ve been something more.

He supposed that was partially the reason he’d dumped out a container of painkillers in his hand. That and the fact that he was nearly failing college, hadn’t had a real friend besides Janus since sixth grade, struggled to pay rent each month, and he’d been looking lovingly at bottles of bleach ever since he learned they could kill him.

Should he tell Janus what he was going to do?

The phone buzzed, his… friend picking up quickly as usual, despite his anger with him.

“What do you want, Virgil?”

“Mostly, to apologize. I’ve been shitty and said shitty things and you didn’t deserve that. I don’t know why I called you, it’s not like you care, I just needed to- needed to tell someone that I’m gonna be gone.”

“Gone where?”

Virgil’s mouth faltered, a lump forming in his throat.

“Gone where, Virgil?”

“Gone- gone forever.”

“If you don’t fucking wait for me to get to your apartment, I actually won’t forgive you. Don’t fucking try anything. You got that? You wait for me to get there or I’ll tell everyone what you tried to do, because you’re not gonna fucking die, and I’ll stop whatever you try to do, because I know you don’t have anything that can kill you that quickly, so you’ll be alive and left with whatever residue from your method, so you’re gonna fucking wait, okay?”

“Why do you care?”

“I’m the closest thing to a friend you’ve got.”

Janus wasn’t far. His own apartment was only a few blocks from Virgil’s, and he was a fast runner. It didn’t matter how many people he weirded out, he wasn’t letting Virgil do anything.

“What do you have?”

“Painkillers. Maybe if I take them now, I’ll have a chance.”

“I’ll have to make you vomit.”

“I don’t care about the goddamn discomfort, bitch. I’m willing to risk a little vomit if it means I get out of this place.”

He wasn’t sure where Janus was, which worked in his friend’s favor. By the time he heard the faint clicking of pills and Virgil’s “goodbye,” he was already dashing up the stairs.

“Get out, Jan. You don’t really care.”

“Up Virgil. Over to the toilet.”

He pulled him from his position on the floor, dragging him in front of the toilet. He made him vomit himself, pressing his finger to the back of Virgil’s tongue as he resisted. He squirmed, trying to get free, but Janus held tight.

“God, why didn’t you let me fucking die? It’s not like you care, like you ever cared. At least let this fucking stop, let me die and have no friends if you never liked me.”

“I am never going to let you die. I don’t care how miserable you are now, I’ve seen you happy and we both know it can happen again. Don’t give me any of the bullshit about ‘no one loves me’ because I know someone who does and it’s me, the person you brought here, so I think maybe that’s who you'd appreciate it from.”

“You were all I had! You were all I had and you left, I left, I lost that person who maybe fucking loved me because I’m a fucking piece of shit.”

“I’m here. What you have now is someone who loves you as much as a hundred people could. I haven’t told you, haven’t shown you enough of that, maybe you wouldn’t have felt so awful, so alone. I can’t help caring for you, even when I should hate you, when I should feel hurt. It’s disgusting how much I love you, it’s gross how I- how I want-”

Virgil’s lips collided with Janus’s, tears streaming down his face, his hands grasping his neck. They both stumbled towards the wall, Janus’s back pressed up against it. He wrapped his arms around Virgil’s waist, pulling him close. The stayed there for what felt like forever before Virgil broke it, letting his hands slip down to rest on Janus’s waist.

“You taste like vomit.”

“Fuck you.”

“Seriously, though, your first instinct after we break up as friends, I come to your house and save you from killing yourself is to kiss me?”

“To be fair, you were really fucking hot and saying gross romantic shit.”

“God, this is so much like us, isn’t it?”

“Now if you’ll excuse me while I wash the taste of vomit out of my mouth,” he said, pushing Virgil away.

“Oh, aren’t you going to hug and comfort me now? And I’m the one who vomited.”

“Yeah, but you kissed me. I didn’t have a choice.”

“...You literally made me vomit.”

“I didn’t have a choice, you’d just fucking swallowed twenty Aspirins.”

“...Well, while I wait for you, I’m gonna bury myself under the covers and cry some more.”

“At least rinse out your damn mouth.”

“God, fine.”

Janus joined him on the couch, limbs intertwining underneath a mountain of blankets. Virgil talked and talked about everything that had happened, and all Janus did was listen.

#sanders sides #anxceit #virgil sanders #janus sanders #ts virgil #ts janus #tw suicide attempt #tw medicine #tw vomit #tw bold #grays fics #assume all of these fics are gonna be queued ones #i might have intrulogical tomorrow

60 notes · View notes

mymindsmadness · 4 years

Text

Why I hate seeing the Uchiha logo on Sakura’s shirt/why I don’t ship SasuSaku

DISCLAIMER: I’m not shitting on anyone’s ship. I get it. You love them. You do you booboo, I’m just here to speak my truth. Don’t come at me with comments shitting all over the things I love. You have your opinion and I have mine.

If you are a SasuSaku shipper and you read past this point, you have no one but yourself to blame for your anger!

I’m probably gonna rant a bit, so I’ll start with the bottom line. Sakura and Sasuke’s relationship is one of the most toxic relationships I’ve ever seen.

Unrelated (but kind of related): All the female character are written pretty shitty, and that adds to this whole mess.

Part I [Young Love]:

Okay. I get it. She’s all for Sasuke and he doesn’t give her the time of day. We love a queen that gets hers in the end. The problem is that Sakura’s core personality traits are based off of her obsession. Her wants. Her flaws. Her essence as a [non] person is completely defined by Sasuke’s character. This is even verified when Kakashi asks them about themselves and Sakura literally gives [giggles] Sasuke for every answer.

When they’re tested with the bells, Sakura shows no ninja prowess whatsoever. She shows no skill beyond hiding in a bush. The only time we really see her moving/thinking/talking, is when it’s to ‘rescue Sasuke’. She even refers to him as ‘my Sasuke’ a dozen or so times. Seriously, it could be a drinking game.

During the chunin exams, we see a little more of a backbone from Sakura. But even as she struggles to make herself be seen, she really only wants to be seen by – you guessed it – Sasuke.

When Sasuke gets extra angsty [YOLO style], and tries to leave the village, Sakura tries to go with him. Think about that. Sakura tries to leave the village. Her home. Her family. Her friends. Everything! She does this because the idea of becoming a criminal is more appealing than being left behind by Sasuke.

But you know what? I’ll excuse it. She’s only thirteen at this point. She’s entitled to make stupid choices in the name of puppy love. We’ve all been there, man. And sure, at thirteen all love feels like true love. You know what girl? I forgive you.

Part II [Personal Growth]

At this point, Sakura’s whole character arch is defined by the people that leave her. And I could forgive this – almost. Enter Tsunade. I love Tsunade. I worship Tsunade. She is probably the one female character in the whole show that is as well integrated as the men [if we ignore the fact that her whole backstory is revolved around them]. When Sakura started training with Tsunade, I knew there was about to be an Eye of the Tiger montage. Sure enough, my girl comes through. Come Shippuden, Sakura is kicking ass and taking names [literally]. Better yet, she found her niche in medical ninjutsu [insert joke about how females always play the healers]. She’s got chakra for days and the control of a saint. Piss my girl off? You ‘bout to lose a lung.

Yes, Sakura’s still insecure when it comes to her place among the others, but can we blame her? She had demi-gods as teammates. But it’s different now. Sakura knows she’s a badass. She’s fully aware that her control and strength are something to be proud of. She uses those years of neglect and training to help her comrades!... and chase down Sasuke.

By the beginning of the 4th war, this bitch has lost her damn mind. At this point, Sakura and Naruto have been searching for Sasuke for the last 3 [or so] years. All this time, Sakura is under the impression that she’s in love with him. The times from when Sasuke left to the end of the war, are some of the most defining years in a person’s life. At 13-17 is when a person’s personality really starts to develop and lay out the foundation for the adult they will be.

Part III [All’s Fair]

Now, I’m not saying that Sakura didn’t hold a certain level of love for Sasuke her whole life. It’s very possible. However, there was no way it could be a romantic love. Think about who you were when you were twelve. Now think about who you were at seventeen. Did anything change in that time?

Sakura could not have been in love with Sasuke because she didn’t know who he was. They hadn’t been in contact in years! She had the memory of who he had been on a pedestal, and without him around to alter that image, it became more and more idyllic. By the time Sasuke returned [at the end of the war], Sakura was still in love with the idea of him.

She had put their relationship and romance in the forefront of her mind all of her life. It had been her driving force and defining mindset. When this crazy ass bitch [ily gurl] activated her seal and literally jumped on a pike for her boys, it was the most badass thing she’d ever done. And when she was done with that? She got upset that Sasuke hadn’t noticed/cared. She was fighting for her friends, her family, her village, her life… and all that confidence she had gained was brought down by the fact that the boy she thought she loved didn’t notice.

Part IV [In Which Sasuke Cares… Allegedly]

Remember when Sakura finally got Sasuke to notice her? When he overcame his terminal broodiness and admitted that he was touched that she never gave up hope in him? When he kissed her goodbye with the promise of returning and being worth all of her unfounded love and attention?

Oh… right… that never happened.

I mean… he tapped her forehead like Itachi did to him that one time… Same thing I suppose.

Okay, okay… I might be being a little harsh. I’ll concede that it is a genuine act of affection for Sasuke. But… a minor one. Alright, our broody boi doesn’t like PDA… Still, we’re given no indication that they talked about their feelings before this goodbye. That’s backed up by the fact that she asks to go with him – something she would have done before now if they had. Legit, Naruto got more of a goodbye than Sakura did [two dudes, chillin’ in the woods].

To the best of everyone’s knowledge, Sasuke only stayed in Konoha for about a year after the war. Now, depending if you follow the manga or anime, some of that time might have been in jail. My point is, that a year or less was spent in the village after several years of Sakura loving him from a distance.

At this point, she very well might have learned about the older Sasuke. She might have decided that she did still love him [doubtful on a realistic level]. But then he leaves. We’re not sure for how long, but if we look at Boruto, it’s common for him to leave for long periods of time.

Once again, Sakura is left behind with her memories of the man she thinks she loves [because without a functioning adult relationship, there’s no way to be sure].

Part V [Sakura Achieves Her Nightmare Dreams]

Let’s step into Boruto for this next part. We flash forward to all of our beloved characters in their adult years. I know what you’re thinking ‘Oh! I’ve missed so much! They’re all so grown up!’. Hahaha, don’t worry. They’re not at all the same people.

Since the series is based on the children, we’re forced to fill in some of the blanks ourselves. Sakura – the best medic nin in Konoha. The woman whose strength rivals that of her mentor’s. The woman who mastered the Seal of 100. The woman who grew into her own as a character, even if the driving force was a boy - is living her best life as… a housewife? I mean... maybe?

We don’t know this for sure, and a lot of us hope she runs the hospital or something [because we want all good things for our girl], but have you noticed that she doesn’t wear a headband? A ninja one that is. The girl who worked hard to not be left behind’s whole adulthood is… the woman left behind.

Even if it can be argued that she achieved her goal… has she? Yes, she wanted to be Sasuke’s wife and baby mama since waaaaay too young of an age to be thinking about that shit, but like this? We know from the fact that Sakura fainted when Sasuke came home that he’s rarely there. This means that she probably raised their daughter alone. Even now, she can’t just leave because Sasuke’s always away.

If you think I’m taking libraries with filling in the gaps, I refer you to that one time her daughter basically asked if they were really married. And if you think I’m exaggerating Sasuke’s absence, I refer you to that time he almost killed his fucking daughter because he didn’t know what she looked like!

Let that sink in.

Part VI [In Summation]

Sakura was a girl that grew up with a false ideal of love. She obsessed over a person that didn’t exist and carried that falsehood into her adult life. When presented with everything she thought she had wanted her whole life, Sakura jumped on the chance because it was the logical move. In gaining everything that she thought she wanted, Sakura lost any personal growth that she had gained by the absence of her obsession aka Sasuke.

Sasuke, who had ignored her as a child, tried to kill her as a teen, and barely acknowledged her beyond using her to revive his clan, can’t be bothered to even appreciate her. Even as he leaves again as an adult, he says goodbye to their daughter [again, with an oh-so-affectionate poke], but simply walks away from Sakura.

The truth is that given the way she blushes and faints around him still, Sakura doesn’t know him. She’s still in love with an idea of the man that grew from the boy she had been obsessed with all her life. She wears the Uchiha symbol on her back as a reminder that she did it. She got the guy! True love wins again! I mean… maybe? He’s fucked her at least, so…

There’s a chance that Sasuke loves Sakura. I think he loves her for loving him. At the very least, we know he’s fond of her… I assume.

Sakura was a character that was used to further the plot of a man. Even as an adult, she’s left to sit and pine as the boys go off on their adventures. She’s a woman that’s stuck in a hell of her own creation – even if she loves her daughter and the things that marrying Sasuke has brought her.

There’s ‘getting the guy’ and being trapped in a toxic idealized relationship. How you choose to see this one is up to you.

#anti sasusaku #naruto #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno #my opinion #rant #toxic relationship

255 notes · View notes

xsecretblastsx · 4 years

Text

1x18 Much I do about nothing

So, here it is the final recap for S1. Once again this one took way too long, but long story short I have limited access to a laptop I’m basically only able to do this on mobile, which is not the best.

I normally do the recaps in one sitting, which takes me quite a while and it’s hard for me to find the time to do it. So going forward I’m going to try to do it a bit differently and watch the epsiode in parts, I’m hoping that will help to have the recaps out there faster.

Anyway, here’s the recap.

Thoughts I had while watching the episode

Serena calling after Dan all night... he isnt’t worthy of that but she loves him so there’s that

Rufus and Lily finally got their sexy time. Too bad is the morning of Lily’s wedding. Talk about akward.

This is one of my fave scenes of Chuck and Blair, there’s cuteness, there’s flirty banter and feisty Blair, what’s not to love.

I still want to know the story about him not removing that scarf. Just for entertaining purposes.

Nate and his dad running is a nice little call back to the early episodes of S1, which feels like ages ago.

And here we are with Dan and Georgina and Serena finally exposing her as a manipulative evil mastermind

Thanks Serena for reminding that Lily & Rufus can’t coexist with Dan and Serena 😪

That scene between Bart and Lily is actually good, he’s obviously making a point and letting her know she must make a choice, the good old days when Bart was actually a character and not a cartoon villian.

I remember thinking on my first watch while Dan and Blair are scheming, the show should make them snarky friends that would be fun. 😪

Seriously Dan and ‘Sarah’ have known each other for how long and they already have “their spot” guys are the worst

“Humphrey you’re a born liar” you don’t even know the half of it Blair

As much as I love Blair and this iconic line “haven’t you heard, I’m the crazy bitch around here” I still can’t believe that aftet plotting the whole night with Chuck their plan was just ratting her out to her parents.

Sorry Jenny but that dress Vanessa is wearing is awful. Actually I’m not a fan of Blair’s dress either. Anyway everything is a tad better with ‘Time to pretend’ playing in the background, overplayed as it was I still love it.

Also Blair and Chuck again with the flirty bantering, reminiscing a bit about that first time and Chuck getting kicked. Quality content all around.

I don’t know about Serena but luckily for Blair twenty years in the future she won’t be on her fourth husband

I always hated that “I didn’t sleep with Georgina, but I may as well have” like first of all what does that even mean. Second it’s so frustating because it feels like the show went through great lengths to keep Dan as the “good guy” on this particular situation, and that wasn’t fair to Serena.

Even though I know this is only the end of S1 and there’s more to come I’ll forever be bitter about Rufus and Lily not being together. I do like the bittersweet note of this particular moment though.

Rufly aside I have such a soft spot for the Van der Basses. Sure it was far from perfect but still.

That earlier bit between Nate and Chuck with the captain pointing out that whoever the girl they’re fighting about ain’t worth it and Chuck agreeing and Nate saying that’s the problem may seem like another of Chuck douchbag smarmy moments, but I actually like how it sort of makes sense later in the episode, because is only when Chuck admits the truth to Nate about how he felt about Blair, that Nate not only finally listens to him about the captain, but is also willing to have his friend back.

Poor Nate, always being let down by his father, at least he got to make his point, even if he had to punch his dad (again) to do it.

Even though Blair is on full bitch mode towards Vanessa, she ain’t actually wrong about Nate: endless family drama and never getting over Serena.

Nate and Chuck’s friendship isn’t as larger than life as Blair and Serenas, but is one I still love, and finally is back on. Also Nate’s amused and surprised smile about Chuck’s feelings for Blair is priceless. Chuck’s reaction too, how con someone be smug and shy at the same time?

Dan makes me want to scream like what bullshit is thid “i got seduced by a girl who was pretending to someone else and you knew” so somehow that’s Serenad fault? “I am the most understanding person in the world” Excuse me!!! In what universe, like honestly Dan just shut up.

The fact that this show actually has Serena saying “we are exactly we were at the Bass brunch when we started dating I wasn’t the person you thought I was and you can’t forgive that” and then Dan just sidetracks and claims a lot has happen... and we’re only on season one

Beside the fact that I love the scene of Chuck’s speech while he’s looking at Blair, this line is so spot on “in the face of true love you don’t give up, even if the object of your affection is begging you to” the whole speech is basically the abreviated version of the Chuck and Blair story.

Serena’s is in her own cloud of missery and yet she still makes a face when she sees Chuck and Blair are kissing 😂

Chuck Bass is a romantic, and that’s all that matters 😉.

As much as I’m not sad about Dan and Serena breaking up, it is kind of sad watching them have a last dance with ‘the ice’s getting thinner” playing in the background (such a good song btw)

I had honestly forgot about Jenny for a bit here.

I feel so robbed because they just skip a week and we didn’t got to see any of it, like Chuck being a complete gentlemen? C’mon! Anyway Blair’s traveling outfit is almos customy, nevermind I still love it, it also helps how fears about helicopters aside, she’s excited she’s about the Tuscany trip,

I remember the first time I was like so that’s the end of Nate and Vanessa? How swift. Not that I mind because that scene between Nate and Serena was so promising about summer and the Hamptons... but that’s a rant for S2

The way Bart can’t help but messing up Chuck’s head, even if he doesn’t try to, though whith Bart one never knows. Fun fact: the first time I watched this episode when Chuck goes after Amelia I literally screamed to the screen: “NO!!!’ You idiot”.

So that’s a wrap on Season 1! It was such a fun ride and I’m going to miss it. This last episode was really packed, it also felt quite long for some reason. It also ends with every major ship on the outs, which sucks a bit but it’s also a great set up for season 2.

First there’s Dan and Serena, who call it quits because for the last few episodes their relationship has been a constance struggle of secret and lies. One could make the point that their relationship was always dishonest by Dan’s secret identity as gossip girl, god knows I’ve been ranting about that the whole season particularly the last episode, because in principle is very hypocrital of Dan to be so mad about Serena’s lies when he’s keeping the biggest secret of all. But since she doesn’t know this the whole discussion is centered about her mistakes... Serena makes the very valid (and true) point that Dan can’t forgive her for not being who he thought she was, and this is something that’s going to keep being an issue for them the whole show, but for this particular break up the other big issue is lack of trust

Trust is the key point in a relationship and how can Dan trust Serena if she lies and hides stuff, they can’t have a relationship that way, even if she has come clean about her past who’s not to say if they come across another issue Serena will be honest this time and not hide and try to handle it on her own, truth is she most likely will, (she does act this way in future seasons) but what I would like to point out is that as much as Dan can’t trust her now, Serena actually never trusted him, not in the sense that he would spill her secrets but rather that she didn’t trust him not to judge her and she also didn’t trust that he would still love her if he knew everything about her. And in her mind he proves her right that’s why she points out they’re having the same argument they had at the Bass brunch and even so (sadly) Serena still wants to work through this and Dan is the one that says no, let’s break up. I don’t disagree with him is better for them to be separated but I ‘m petty and so I kind of hate he’s the one in his high horse breaking up with her, when he almost cheated on her with Georgina and even has the nerve to be like “i only did that because you cheated on me and you’re a liar and you let me get involved with a psycho” and it’s just hell no Dan! First of all no one force you to do anything, and also how long did he knew this girl Sarah and they already have “their spot” like that’s on you, and I’m not even mentioning how this argument of the psycho pretty much destroys itself when one remember he’s gossip girl so... who’s the most twisted manipulative one there. I would have issues with Dan and Serena even if he wasn’t Gossip Gilr, but the fact that he is... seriously he’s one devious guy.

Also not a fan of the show going out of their way to keep Dan’s nice guy image, they keep teasing his night with Georgina and then they decide to be light, well he didn’t actually slept with her, the intention was there, but he didn’t because he’s good Dan and sex is meaningful for him, so it’s a big deal for him, but still he was nice and faithful. Sorry but no, have him cheat, everyone else in this show makes questionable decisions and surely the UES changes Dan, so I would like for the show to embrace, they eventualy show it, but they had the space to start to show it much earlier, also just for the record sex with Dan was meaningful for Serena, it wasn’t something she had really experienced before, and it was pointed out earlier in the season, so sex it’s not only meaningful for Dan.

Other two relationships have a quick death this episode: Rufly & Nate and Vanessa. The later gets set aside almost like and afterthought which was dissapointing because it was like why bother then in the first place? Also I actually like their interactions and Vanessa while still judgemental makes and effort for Nate to be more understanding and in turn allows her to show different sides of her character and that’s nice. Then we have that scene between Nate and serena and it’s iluminatinhg, because at list at this point it looke like the show wanted to set something up there and it’s like finally! let’s unravel this (and then...😪 but that’s a rant for the next recap). Rufly on the other hand I like how it went, it felt natural and yet sad because basically they don’t take their chance because they feel that boat sailed a long time ago, it’s been 20 years, and they could have stolen moments, but more than that is just not possible, doesn’t seem like it could work at this stage of their lifes, and while it’s exciting to take the plunge I totally get why they didn’t here.

Finally there’s Chuck and Blair, and me screaming into infinity. Don’t get me wrong I love this episode and even when I still was like No Chuck you idiot! In some ways it needed to happen. Or at least some version of it, but I’m getting ahead of myself. What I love about this episode is all their flirty banter, their chemistry shines through every single scene they have, and they truly make me think of much ado about nothing, i like the back and forth and the obvious subtext of how much they truly like each other, and one can also tell how this is exciting for them, these thing between it’s a first for both of them for him it’s the first time he wanted more from a girl, he yearns for her in a way he never has feel before, he feels, he’s in love, and to her is quite a heady experience to be so openly wanted by someone, she doesn’t even have to try, to force it like she did Nate whose eyes were always following her best friend, Chuck’s eyes follow her and no else. For a minute there they take the plunge, armed with having his best friend back and getting a family Chuck’s goes for it via a best man speech and an apology. He’s a romantic at heart and he wants her to know, and she can’t resist it and goes for it to.

We’re robbed from that week they’re together after that night and is such a shame because while I feel internally each of them have acknowledged they’re in love with each other, there’s a difference between falling in love with someone and actually loving someone, and I feel this is the time that while they obviously don’t speak about it, I don’t even think they fully realized then but they truly fell for each other to the point where it was never the same again. It’s a scary thought, and it’s Bart who brings those fears to the front of Chuck’s mind, the guy is scared to death, is not only because the change of going from womanizing playboy to boyfriend seems monumental for a guy like him but more importantly Chuck’s someone who believes the worst of himself, and it wasn’t a big deal for him, because to eyes of the person whose opinion matters the most to him he’s alreayd a failure and that’s not got to change, but Blair is his second thoughest critic, what she thinks matters and unlike Bart she actually believes he has it in him, to be whatever he wants to and Bart’s words make him think of the expectations Blair may have of him now, and the thought of proving her wrong, he doesn’t want her to see that, and sure he’s going to fail and she’ll hate him for it... and that would be it. So better to end it now, on his terms while he’s the one in control of the situation and put a stop to it.

Bottom line he ain’t ready for it at all, he actually won’t be for a long time, and because of this is going to take Blair a lot of time too to be ready for it. Is what I like about Chuck’s best man speech at first glance is his way to tell Blair he feels something for her and he wants her to give him, them the chance to be something. It’s a plight at heart. It also works perfectly as a summary of what their relationship will be for a while. That no matter what, they love each other, theirs is true love and even if it’s hard almost impossible at times, they can’t give up, and that when one of them wants to throw the towel there’s the other one to remind them of why is worth it in the end.

The game between them is really about to start, here we go S2.

Random bits I’ve noticed:

Chuck lightly squeezing his dad’s arm when Lily’s almost at the end of the altar warmed my heart.

#gossip girl rewatch #gossip girl recap #gossip girl #1x18 #much i do about nothing

9 notes · View notes

thesharondefenseleague · 3 years

Note

For when people started making a theisis to defend their ship i think that became a thing when being fake woke and finding probematic things in ships became a part of ship wars. So pre emptively shippers got defensive and made counter arguments to avoid salty antis and ship in peace.

But another big factor is treating fan content creators like they are making canon.

Fan content is very big on shipping. Even huge epic story rewrites often end up focused on one or a few few romantic couples. Even if the original story wasn't. Its not always like that but it often is.

And fan content is more interested in exploring on whst wasn't in canon rather than what was. So often non canon ships get more focus. Which is fine. Except that people as a whole are very deeply involved in fandom possibly more than canon and want more content with their favorite in fandom. So they talk about importance of including their favorite character or ship the way people often do when talking about canon.

These fan creators aren't just rewriting the story they are exploring what they are most passionate about. If there is a love triangle between x characters x y and z and the fandom is primarily interested in the romantic relationship between x and y then there isn't a very big place for z in those types of fic or art. And rare pair hell sucks.

But they aren't writing canon just exploring what they most interested in and that just might not be your fav and they aren't obligated to include your fav.

But i think they feel obligated to acknowledge and comment on and pander to other characters or ships they dont like.

Like i hate Steve's ending and it makes me hate Steggy. But if you want to focus on Steve and Peggy's relationship you aren't obligated to comment or focus on or acknowledge his love for Sharon or Bucky or Tony or Sam or whoever in your fancontent.

If i ship SteveTony or whatever i don't have to "acknowledge" and give weight to Steggy's existence if i don't want to.

But there is this pressure on content creators to give that acknowledgement hence the thesis and the disclaimers and the explanations for just liking their ship.

I feel old, because I remember being a teen in fandom years before joining tumblr and there was never ship wars that involved taking down other characters but rather treating each character with equal respect and zero hate. And I’ve never seen that happen since. Absolutely tragic.

I agree that the thesis era does come with everyone getting into ship wars because there was no longer this idea of “I like these two together”, but rather “I like these two together but I swear if that other bitch touches him I’m going to lose it”. Which is weird. And then that evolved into finding excuses to keep that other character excluded from your ship. So the main way was to force your view of that relationship into “they’re like a sibling! I could never get with them!” (especially with male characters of color), making them the most evil person possible to turn your fans against them (saw this with Pepper a lot back around 2014), or killing them off (which has been faded out). OR, speaking of rarepairs, pairing off characters just so they can’t possibly interrupt your ship. As an example, I’ve never seen a genuine person writing Sam/Natasha and meaning it. It was always to keep Sam away from Steve and Natasha away from Bucky in the shipper’s mind.

Honestly, what this all boils down to -- the theses, the treating fanon like canon, the demonization of characters only to justify your ships and not because you actually like any of these characters -- is that everyone maybe needs to take more time away from the internet and explore something else. I’ve stepped out of ship wars 3-4 years ago, and it feels so good not to deal with it. I’ve stopped responding, just blocking, and no longer feel that I need to be on the attack to defend ships and characters every single day. (Though I will keep bringing up that this fandom loves that N@zi because it’s part-fandom needs to not do that, part-Marvel needs to stop humanizing them. Funny how it was a big deal in 2015 and 2017, but now we can brush it off.) And it also gives me the chance to not be angry at people so I can have more reasonable responses.

Also these are Marvel characters we are talking about. Almost every single one has hit or attempted to kill each other at some point. Just ship what you want and go, don’t gatekeep who likes who, and if you don’t like certain ships then good for you, just stop hating on the characters and putting down others for it. At the end of the day, this is all probably Markus/McFeely’s fault for being the worst screenwriters ever.

~Mod R

1 note · View note

d-n-battle · 4 years

Text

You know... it’s not so much that I hate Naruhina and Sasusaku...

It’s more like I just really don’t get how anyone can really like these pairings?? Like I really just don’t understand the appeal???

Like did I really watch the same series as all you Naruhina and Sasusaku shippers????

Y’all: aaawww look at all of these Naruto and Hinata scenes, he clearly loves her sooo much <3 <3 <3🥰😍😌

Me: bitch where????😂😂😂

(Literally, I could make the exact same joke about Sasusaku)

Like, is it just me, or are these two ships literally just about the girls’ feelings???

I mean I’d be totally fine with these two couples, if they didn’t put this emphasis on the girls, and completely ignore the guys...

I mean ok - serious time now - can the Sasusaku shippers and Naruhina shippers show me any evidence from the anime (or manga if you’re a reader) of Naruto and Sasuke returning Hinata and Sakura’s feelings respectively???

Again, I want to reiterate that this is a genuine request, I’m not trying to poke fun with this one. I’m just genuinely curious as to what you guys can dig up. (But also, side note - please refrain from using the films or Boruto as I haven’t watched them yet. I honestly don’t think I’m even gonna watch Boruto, cause I’m not a big fan of like spin off series, so yeah...But anything from the 720 anime episodes, or any of the manga chapters is fine.)

Anyway, back to my point.

Relationships are about two or more people coming together because they recognise that they have romantic feelings towards each other.

Which is exactly why I, like I’ve said already, don’t understand how Naruhina and Sasusaku are supposed to work???

Like yeah, Sakura and Hinata both like/love Sasuke and Naruto.

But when have Sasuka and Naruto expressed that they like them back in that way???

I mean as a whole the show was never even about romance, sure there were hints at possible relationships throughout, but that was never the point of the show.

I mean I feel like this all harkens back to some points I’ve already seen made by other people, but like why is romance necessary in this situation???

.....siiiiiigh.....😒

Because what else are female characters for??? If not to fawn over the male character then really what are they for??? I mean it’s not like they’re meant to represent real life people just like the male characters right??? It’s not like they’re meant to actually have well fleshed out characters with goals that don’t revolve around getting the guy of their dreams to notice them right??? Nooo, of course not, don’t be ridiculous....

I am seriously just soooo done with this bullshit. Like I’ll be the first to admit that Hinata and Sakura are not my favourite characters, but I mean it’s not like that’s really their fault now is it??? I mean they honestly both had a lot of potential. Like, seriously, soooooo much potential. I’m being completely honest here, I was well and truly so disappointed by how these two girls’ character potential was squandered 😔😔😔

And all for the sake of fullfilling their ‘true’ purpose in the show....

And don’t even try to give me the excuse that because Naruto is a shounen anime aimed at a primarily male audience, female characters can’t be feutured as anything besides the love interst. Like what kind of shit is that - so guys can’t even enjoy female characters unless they’re lusting after the male characters they like to insert themselves into???? I mean if you really think that then you must really hate guys.

Like I’m sorry but that just makes men sound like shit. It makes them sound like they only view women as people who belong to them, and are only relevant when it comes to how they are connected to men.

Women are their own goddamm people!!! They don’t exist solely to appease men!!!

As I woman, I have had to put up with this shit for years, and I am so done with it. If guys get to have characters that represent them in almost every piece of media out there, then why don’t women get to have the same treatment??? We make up a whole half of the entire goddamn population!!!

Honeslty, a bitch is soooooo mad about this 😡😡😡(thag bitch being me of course)

And what I’m also super mad about is that these two relationships imply that the guys feelings are completely irrelevant. Like I’m sorry but no amount of Sakura liking/loving Sasuke makes it okay for her to end up with him - if he doesn’t feel anywhere near the same amount of love or appreciation for her. And the same can be applied to Hinata and Naruto.

This outcome also forces everyone to just completely ignore/forget the fact that Naruto and Sasuke are completely unready to be in a relationship with anyone.

Like, yeah I’m gonna admit here that I am indeed a Narusasu shipper, but I’ll also admit that I dead ass don’t think they’d even be ready for a relationship with each other.

I mean the war and everything else just completely messed them both up, so they would both probably need some time to heal. And knowing those two, it would most likely take quite a while before they’re anywhere near healed enough to date - let alone fucking marry - anyone.

And, also (so that I’m not accused of favouritism towards the boys) - what about Sakura and Himata and the shit that they themselves experienced??? I mean Hinata had to watch her cousin die in front of her - that’s gotta mess you up. And Sakura was a medic - there’s no imagining the shit she must have seen.

War messes people up for a long time, and bassed off of what I’ve heard of Boruto - the timeline implies that these two couples got married and had kids pretty soon after the war.

That. Does. Not. Add. Up. Sis!!!!!

Honestly, the series should have just had what I like to call an ‘open ending’. This is where pretty much everything is left (you guessed it) out in the open. By everything I mean like the final relationships and stuff like the minutiae of the story. Unless, your story is a romance story in which case the romance is the most important thing, but as we’ve established- this is not the case with Naruto.

If you don’t explicitly state that characters X and Y are married with 2.5 kids, everyone who would dislike that as an outcome is free to think that they didn’t.

Like seriously, the whole point of using the line “and they lived happily ever after”, is so that you can leave the ending open to the interpretation of the audience. That’s why I’ve never liked being told how they lived happily ever after.

Because, ultimately everyone has different ideas of what happy looks like.

Some people want to get married because that’s what would make them happy, and for some marriage would achieve the opposite. It’s the same case with having children. Or what job you wanna have.

I mean really, there is soooo many different ideas of what happy looks like.

So why limit yourself and more importantly your audience/readers????

I mean think about it like this. The purpose of a main character is basically to give us a point of view of the story through which we can be influenced. That’s why a lot of the time they don’t really have distinct personality traits - so that the reader can project their own onto them. That way the reader/audience member is able to immerse themselves in the story. We are allowed to image that the main character is us. That’s why we get angry when they do something we don’t like, our first thought is - “well, I wouldn’t have done that...”. So image how disconnected you would feel, from a character who makes a big decision that you don’t agree with. Like say, getting married, when you yourself can’t imagine yourself getting married??? Or say, getting married to someone who you yourself wouldn’t want to get married to???

I think that’s the real issues in case of Naruhina and Sasusake. The majority of us - who are clearly of sound minds - would not want to marry Hinata, Sakura, or even Naruto and Sasuke. Most likely because their characters often times feel like caricatures of people, instead of real life people. They feel somehow unfinished, and so we have a harder time seing the bigger picture, and how these big decisions they have made are supposed to make sense.

Okay, I feel like I’ve rambled enough. I leave you with this -

I don’t mean to offend anyone with this post, and so I hope I haven’t/didn’t/won’t. I’m truly just stating my opinion here. If you don’t agree with anything I’ve said here, please do let me know; I’ll always appreciate constructive criticism.

I will always love Naruto. But in order to truly love something you have to also recognise it as flawed. And this was simply me pointing out some of the things which I perceive as flaws of the show/manga.

Please, don’t think of this post, or any others which I might make in the future, as hate posts. As I’ve said, I do love the show/manga - but that doesn’t make me unwilling to crique it.

Alrighty, this is where I actually end the rant.

Thanks for coming y’all,

Love,

Danny

#boy this took a while #almost as long as it’s taking me to re-watch Naruto #this really isn’t an anti post #please dont hate me #sasusaku #naruhina #sasunarusasu #I really do love this show ya know???

18 notes · View notes

annes-andromeda · 4 years

Text

My Star Wars: The Last Jedi Rewrite

Alright, so I’m gonna do a rewrite of TROS (which I’ve renamed Rise of the Fates), but before I post it, I’m gonna do some bullet points of what I’d change in TLJ. Keep in mind, that this correlates to my vision and not actual canon, so expect it to be rather nitpicky:

Han Solo lives. I feel like that’s something I should state right off the bat. He lives.

Also him and Luke are the ones that have the romance and not him and Leia. Yes, I ship Skysolo and I’ll ship it till the day I die.

But anyways, for some context, in the original trilogy they were supposed to be a sort of “forbidden romance” type, since same sex relationships were uncommon back in the day and considered taboo (sorta like in real life). So, to keep their relationship a secret, Han and Leia got married and secretly divorced after having Ben Solo. However, everyone else believed that they were still together and instead separated once Ben turned to the Dark Side. In reality though, Han and Luke were romantically involved while Leia had developing feeling towards Lando (it’s a rare pare, but I ship it hard)

Anyways, back to Last Jedi.

Han joins Rey and Chewie in retrieving Luke from Ahch-To. And no, Luke doesn’t throw Anakin’s lightsaber over his shoulder (that was a stupid move). Instead, he gives it back to Rey solemnly and takes some convincing to train her. Despite feeling bitter after the events of the Jedi Temple and Kylo Ren, Luke has glimpses of his old self when he sees Han and Chewie, and when Leia is mentioned.

Rey and Finn are the ones who have the Force bond, NOT Rey and Kylo. It establishes early on that Finn is Force-sensitive, and not at the last minute like TROS. This also increases their relationship and gives us a properly written friends-to-lovers trope rather than the poor excuse of R*ylo.

Rose is an actually good developed character. She understands early on that Finn isn’t trying to escape, and that he isn’t a perfect hero like everyone claims him to be. Also, her and Poe are childhood friends. This would add some familiarity to the trio and not make her some random girl who was introduced out of nowhere. Sorta like the Lando of the group: someone who has a past bond with one of the main characters.

The mission that Finn and Rose go on is actually meaningful and not some stupid poorly written mess. Perhaps it could be to go on a planet to gain support from the Republic, while also coming across the civilians who cannot defend themselves and live in fear of the First Order. This can add some dimension and we can see how the war is affecting not just the upper class, but the lower class as well.

Rose can also have some development with the mission: showing her compassion towards the civilians and explaining her disdain of the First Order. Similarly to how she comes across some kids in TLJ, the same thing can happen here. She can inspire hope into the younger generation to stand up for themselves and make a change. Think of it as Rose being the heart of the Rebellion, representing those who fight to protect those they love against those who would harm them.

Perhaps on this planet (I don’t have a name for it, sorry), Finn and Rose can come across Holdo and the Republic. Holdo can also be a good written character, who wants to do everything in her power to help the Resistance. And we can even get some moments that imply that she was an old friend of Leia during her time on Alderaan.

Speaking of Leia: how about giving her an actual character arc outside of “There’s still good in my son despite him not showing any signs of real change”? Holdo basically gives us a glimpse of how Leia was in her youth (and I mean before the events of the original trilogy), making us pity how we no longer see Leia smiling as much or letting herself go.

Another thing: there’s no Leia in space moment. Yeah, it was cool seeing Leia actually use the Force, but how about showing it in a way that doesn’t make you wanna snicker rather than gaze in awe (cause let’s be honest, Leia is a space goddess, not gonna lie).

Leia does get harmed in the explosion but is still the leader of the Resistance pack with Poe by her side.

And speaking of Poe: maybe don’t make him an undeveloped version of his character in TFA? Yes, he makes his mistakes but he ultimately learns from them. It’s established that Poe has a close bond with his squadron, and feels immense remorse when some of them are lost to the First Order’s attacks. He learns the true qualities of being a leader and a major theme in the story: failure is the greatest teacher of all.

Despite having help from Holdo and some ships given by the Republic, the Resistance mostly falls to the First Order, forcing Leia to call for evacuation. Poe, however, leads the battle on Crait, showing his development from pilot to leader.

So, now that we’ve got the Resistance storyline out of the way, let’s get back to our dual protagonists AND, our main relationships: Rey/Finn and Luke/Han.

Hey, look, Finn gets some actual character development and information about his past. And he’s not sidelined to be nothing but the comedic relief!

Throughout the whole Finn/Rose mission, we get flashbacks about Finns time in the First Order as a child. He was taken in as a baby and has known nothing but violence and authorities his whole life. However, that doesn’t mean Finn didn’t have someone raising him.

From the time that he was an infant to when he was an adolescent, Finn was raised by a man named Lieutenant Damarcus (a character of my creation). Despite being strict and rather serious, Damarcus was the only father figure Finn ever knew, giving him a sense of safety and security against the First Order. However, that time was cut short, as Damarcus was later accused of treachery and of being a spy for the Resistance. As punishment, he was publicly executed as a warning for those who’d dare defy the First Order. The event scared Finn for his life, leaving him alone in the world until he defected from his masters and met his new family.

If Damarcus sounds unnecessary. Trust me, he’ll be important later on in the TROS rewrite.

This would give us insight to how Finn was in his youth, and make us feel pity for the other children who were brainwashed into becoming Stormtroopers. It would also show that some children would disobey their masters, showing that they had no choice but to fight or die. It’s also implied that Finn was top of his class and had/has impeccable shooting range. So yeah, for any writers who write Finn as some dumb baby who knows nothing: stop that.

Finn and Rose also infiltrate the First Order, which causes Finn to inspire his Stormtrooper brothers and sisters to rise up in rebellion. Because hey, it actually gives Finn some development and shows that now, he wants to be a beacon of hope for those who don’t have the strength or will to fight. Also, he still fights Phasma and yes, he wins. Cause he deserves it.

Alright, Finn is done and established! Now, let’s get to Rey and Skysolo!

So, Rey has some trouble practicing with the Force. In TFA, it’s established that Rey is tough and abrasive, since she had to survive on a desert planet with hardly any food or water and bandits everywhere. She also learns that the Jedi Order was not perfect, and in their mission to create peace, they ultimately created more problems due to their hubris and hypocrisy.

And something very important that needs to be said: REY IS NOT TURNED INTO A REHABILITATION CENTER FOR KYLE RONS CRUSTY ASS. She’s her own character who has her own arc. She doesn’t try to justify Kylo Ren’s actions or try to redeem him when he clearly shows that he doesn’t want to change.

Her parentage is also made important in this. Rey always believed that someone would return to her on Jakku, but she ultimately decided that they weren’t coming back. However, she’s still curious about who her parents are and if they really cared about her. And no, her parents aren’t no one. Rey hears a voice calling to her when she goes into the cave on Ach-To, implying that her parents or family might be alive, but that they chose to abandon her and not return for her.

This can show that Rey has accepted that her newfound friends are her family now, and that whoever left her had given up on her, showing that family doesn’t have to be blood related (But don’t worry. Just like Finn, her parentage is revealed in the TROS rewrite)

Now, let’s get to Luke and Han.

Luke ultimately decides to train Rey because he can see that despite her having pulls to the Dark Side, she has goodness in her. This gives Luke hope that perhaps light still does exist in the Galaxy, and this girl who he’s just met brings out the young farm-boy from Tatooine who wanted more from life and to help those in need.

Han still feels extreme pain from when Kylo Ren stabbed him, but his focus is mostly on Luke. The boy from a desert planet who captured his heart all those years ago. Alongside making sure that Rey learns all this Force business, Han wants to reconcile with Luke. To tell him that it wasn’t his fault, and that now they don’t need to keep their relationship a secret anymore. And yes, there’s a big kiss scene in the rain between them cause I’m a sappy bitch who loves love.

Luke leaves with Rey and Han to fight against Kylo Ren and tries one last time to find the good in him, as he did with his father but years ago. However, he fails as he sees that Ren is too far gone, accepting the Dark Side of the Force. Luke and Han finally make up, and everyone in the Galaxy is like “sis, we’ve been knew”. Also, Luke doesn’t die either.

Now, let’s get to my final change that I wanted to leave for last: Kylo Ren

This punk ass bitch is probably the main reason why the sequel trilogy was such a flop: cause a bunch of teenage/grown ass women made him into a “uwu misunderstood boi who needs a hug uwu” and tried to make him a poor copy of the legend that is Darth Vader.

Instead of whatever the hell J.J Abrams did to him in TLJ, Kylo Ren does have conflict in him. However, it’s more complicated and the conflict is actually of his own making. He’s being tempted by the Light and haunted by the guilt of attacking his father. But despite this, Kylo does everything in his power to prove to Snoke (who has a bigger role in this and is actually a compelling villain) that his allegiance is to the Dark Side. The conflict drives Kylo mad, making him more prone to violence and taking anger out on any living thing he comes across.

Also, some of you might get triggered, but do I care? Meh

Kylo Ren and Hux have a sort of thing going on. Instead of fighting for power and Snoke’s approval, they wish to rule the Galaxy together, overthrowing anyone who stands in their way. Kylo promises to give Hux a higher position in power, while Hux promises to give Kylo the Galaxy. They eventually decide to commit treason against Snoke and Kylo executes him with his own lightsaber, who represents his unstable mind (don’t worry, Snoke ain’t going away that easily). By the end of the story, Kylo has finally snapped to the point of no return, sporting an uncomfortable composed and unhinged demeanor as apposed to his erratic behavior.

Another bonus point I forgot to make: In one of the books for TLJ, it states that Luke has a trophy pendent made from a Sith kyber crystal. Well, it’s revealed that the kyber actually belonged to Darth Vader’s lightsaber, which was retrieved from the fallen Death Star and then destroyed. Luke believed that one day, he’d be able to heal the crystal, but the events of the Temple left him hopeless. Now, at the end when he finally meets Finn and the rest of the Resistance (meets Poe, Rose, reunites with Leia etc.), he gives it to him, believing that someone who healed themselves from their past trauma can restore the crystal back to its original self.

Second bonus point: Ben Solo actually has a reason for joining the Dark Side. He believed that the Jedi were failures and that the Force shouldn’t just be limited to just peace and tranquillity. So, he meets Snoke and learns in the ways of the Dark Side. Luke confronts him, but doesn’t instantly attack him. He first tried to talk to Ben, telling him that he won’t force him to be a Jedi but still teach him about the Force. But Ben eventually gets violent and burns the temple down, taking some students with him who later become the Knights of Ren. Also the Knights are mentioned and appear in this. Do with them as you wish. Basically, Ben was a privileged white boy who wanted to be more privileged. Motivation established.

Last bonus point, I promise. Yes, Poe is gay. Yes, he did have a crush on Finn, but he knows that he has a crush on Rey. But don’t worry, Poe’s fine. He’s getting some in the TROS rewrite.

So, that’s pretty much it. I’ll be posting the first part of the TROS rewrite later on. Constructive criticism is appreciated and please be respectful.

16 notes · View notes

nunaya-business · 4 years

Text

Let’s Talk About Steven Universe

*WARNING* This … “essay” has my opinions only. I am not speaking for the community, I am speaking for me because I like to express myself and there are people like @susanaaatc out there who like these kinds of discussions. So if you want, I’d like for others to give me their whole opinions on the show as well. Hell make a whole post about it like I did and tag me in it so that I can see your opinion. With all that stated, let’s get down to Bismuth.

So Steven Universe came out in 2013 and I was 11 years old at the time. I liked Regular Show and Adventure Time, not to mention I was obsessed with Rise of the Guardians and Monster High, so I was a bit preoccupied to watch the show. Eventually though, my best friend at the time talked about it constantly and she brought up the concept of fusion. She showed me the art book of the show that she bought and it showed how two completely different gems could fuse into one gem to become stronger. This is where my interest started, and it was the same concept that started pushing me away from SU later in it’s show run.

So fusion in Steven Universe is mostly treated as a relationship, and it’s not always just romantic. It can be between two friends, it can be seen as a more sexual relationship between two gems, a romantic relationship, or a parent-child relationship like with Steg (Steven and Greg’s fusion). This is an amazing concept and I love it so much but… I’m not here to talk about what I like, I’m here to talk about what I dislike.

One of the best characters in the show is Garnet. Garnet was revealed in season 2 (I think) to be a fusion between the two tiny gems Ruby and Sapphire, and Garnet is the manifestation of their love. She’s an amazing example of not only a healthy, respecting, and loving relationship between two people, but also is an amazing example of a healthy same-sex relationship. You see, Steven Universe uses “code” to represent something like race, gender, and age… But we’ll get to that later. My problem isn’t really with Garnet herself, but what Rebecca and the Crewniverse has made her in to. Many have said it before, and I agree. After her reveal as a fusion, Garnet was no longer the cool, collected, fun-in-her-own-way “mom” we knew before, she turned into a fusion, and a symbol for fusion, and a representation… of a fusion. After the reveal, all the crewniverse seemed to view Garnet as… was a fucking fusion! She lost a lot of personality in the 3rd and 4th seasons in my opinion and was really only used in the plot when it had something to do with fusion. To me it’s like having a friend group with only one Asian friend and the rest a different race, and then only inviting the Asian friend to hang out when you’re going to watch Anime, or a Kdrama. It’s a bit racist is it not? Just because you can relate a character to something in the plot does not mean that character has to be there. Maybe instead of putting Garnet in every fusion episode (with the exception of “Earthlings”) just mention her. She doesn’t have to be in every damn episode that has to do with the subject.

A lot of people have an issue with Bismuth… and I can understand that. Let me explain why. “Coding” is what a creator of any media does to give the consumer an idea of a character’s personality, race, age, gender, etc, without it being too obvious. Off the top of my head I’ll state what I view the “coded” characters as.

Garnet, Sapphire, Sugilite, and Bismuth are coded Black.

Amethyst to my knowledge is coded Hispanic or Latina or something like that.

Pearl, the Diamonds, Opal, and Rose Quartz are coded White.

Rainbow Quartz and Aqua Marine are coded White and British.

And I’m not sure about Peridot, Lapis and Jasper are supposed to be coded as.

So the race thing has brought up some issues. In the official artbook that I mentioned earlier there was a concept design for Concrete and the design was a little… oof. People weren’t very happy… lemme just show you.

So obviously people weren’t happy that good ol’ Concrete here looks like a blackface character from the early 20th century animations. And I agree it’s pretty bad, but I don’t think it was intentional.

Some controversial things that come from the show (other than countries like Kenya being assholes and trying to act like LGBTQ doesn’t exist) are the portrayals of two specific characters, who also happen to be fusions, and I agree with most things people don’t like about them.

Let’s start with Stevonnie. Stevonnie is the nonbinary (but let’s be honest she’s a girl) fusion of Steven Universe and his love interest Connie Maheswaran (I had to look up how to spell her last name smh). They’re supposed to represent Steven and Connie’s closeness as best friends and their growing crushes on each other. Rebecca Sugar has also stated that they’re a representation of puberty…. Excuse me? Puberty must have went swell for you Sugar. There’s someone who made a video about why they hate SU, that person being the ever controversial Lily Orchard, and she covered why Stevonnie is just… honestly she’s waifu bait. I agree with probably everything Lily says about this character because… it’s true. Puberty seriously ain’t pretty, and it sure as hell ain’t sexy until after it’s done… sometimes. Also, Sugar is contradicting herself saying that the Crewniverse isn’t sexualizing two very under age kids because Stevonnie is Steven and Connie’s ages added up… which would make the fusion 26 years old… that’s a bit old for puberty Rebecca. It feels to me like they wanted to make a sensual character, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but they didn’t really want to add a new character so they just put the two love interests together. But that’s so fucking wrong. I’m sorry, but sexualizing Stevonnie, which they are doing btw, I will make a post if you question it, is like people shipping siblings or an underage person with someone way older than them and saying “it’s totally fine because they’re just characters” (*cough cough* Ereri *cough cough* Hitachiin shippers *cough*). If you’re going to use that excuse, but then get angry at people who don’t take the character seriously because they are just a cartoon, then you’re a hypocritical asshole. Sorry to tell you. Stevonnie is a very good character overall though. I’m just uncomfortable when they appear because they’re two kids in a trench-coat with curves like an anime schoolgirl and moves like someone who just successfully seduced a poor guy into giving them the secret to the Crabby Patty formula.

Now let’s move on to Steg, the fusion between father Greg Universe, and son Steven. There’s nothing wrong with them fusing because fusion in SU symbolizes a relationship, no matter what kind. However… why do two chubby men make a sex symbol rock idol??? That’s… that’s gross. Why the fuck is Steg so “hot”? Why on earth would you create a fusion out of a father and son and think it’s appropriate to sexualize them and make them gyrate their genitals like they’re an Elvis Presley impersonator? Just… WHY? Do I even have to explain why this is so wrong? Really? Honestly??? You can fuse Steven and Greg and not make it so sexual, but nah let’s give them rock hard abs, a humongous bulge a sharp jawline that neither of the two have, and a tight ass. What the actual fuck??

That’s not my biggest issue though. My biggest issue is giving the Nazi bitches a redemption ark smaller than my nonexistent cock. Endeavor from My Hero Academia is an absolute prick right? He abused his children, notably his youngest, and his wife, and is an absolute asshole to everyone, but he gets a redemption arch. Do you know why it makes sense though? First off because as far as we know Endeavor never committed genocide, and second because he’s not a Nazi, he’s an abuser. Abusers, whether we like to admit it or not, can eventually see the error of their ways and understand that what they’re doing is both wrong and that it doesn’t work. Endeavor is getting a redemption arch because he obviously loves his kids, he just doesn’t know how to show it because of some circumstances we may not know. 90% of the time an abuser was abused themselves growing up, so they grow up with that resentment and they go one of two ways. They see how wrong it is and knows that it won’t get them anywhere in life if they bully others to stay on top, or they think that since they went through it and came out alive, then others should go through it too. I should know, because my dad was from an abusive family, and he turned out fine(ish… long story) while his brother and sister are pieces of shit that can’t hold a job or a home because they’re too involved in criminal activity to do so.

What does Endeavor from MHA have to do with the Space Nazi Diamonds in SU? Well people were sending Horikoshi Kohei death threats because he had the gull to redeem an asshole, and SU fans are pissed because Rebecca Sugar had the lady balls to “redeem” space Nazis. The difference being, you can be redeemed if you were an abusive cock, but not if you’re a genocidal bitch. There’s a huge difference.

Rebecca and the Crewniverse giving the Diamonds a 4 episode redemption arch is absolutely abominable. Peridot’s redemption? Fucking amazing, beautiful, couldn’t have done it better myself. Jasper’s? It’s currently going amazing and they’re doing a great job keeping her in character while also making her likable and even a bit charming. Lapis? Oh… let’s talk about her shall we?

Lapis Lazuli’s character is an absolute disaster. She’s a cunt, she’s a horrible friend, and my god is she abusive! Lapis was supposed to be a sympathetic character, and for a while she was. You could feel bad for her because her gem was damaged and she was trapped in a mirror for thousands of years and when she’s finally released, you understand her want to go back home and why she took the Earth’s ocean to try and reach it. It was understandable when she didn’t want to break out of the prison ship because she was anxious and scared of being locked away for another thousand years. It was easier in her mind to just behave and wait. When Jasper convinced her to fuse with her Lapis didn’t really want to, but saw an opening for the freedom of the humans and mostly for Steven, the one person who saved her from hell. But then everything went south.

Lapis and Jasper were fused as Malachite for months, obviously in a very stressful “relationship”, and apparently a very abusive one as well. When they were finally able to unfuse, Lapis was played off by the Crewniverse as a victim of abuse. This may be half true. After all we don’t know exactly what happened with them at the bottom of the ocean. What we do know however is that Lapis admitted to being abusive. This makes her an abuser. She described how it made her feel happy to abuse Jasper, or “taking my anger out” on her. She admitted to abuse and the Crewniverse still painted her as a victim. They’re both victims of abuse, and they’re both abusers. But that’s not what makes Lapis a horrible person… gem…

Lapis is a cunt… again. It’s okay to be antisocial, it’s okay to be cautious and stand-offish because you’ve been trapped, imprisoned and used so many times. What’s not okay is being a bitch to people trying to comfort or make friends with you, or try to cheer you up. Poor Peri, she was just trying to make amends and comfort Lapis after her whole ordeal with Jasper. Peri offered the cunt the thing that helped her organize her thoughts, the thing that calmed her in situations that made her anxious, the thing that comforted her and the first gift given to her by her first friend and the first person that listened to her thoughts, and the cunt destroyed it. She destroyed Peri’s recorder right in front of her, calling it garbage. Oh and the abuse doesn’t stop there, it only really began, because when shit started to hit the fan, instead of helping each other through it, Lapis abandoned Peridot and took the home they shared. Without a single thought she just took it and abandoned her, and it devastated Peri. I don’t remember her apologizing, and if she did it doesn’t matter because if I don’t remember then it must not have been very sincere.

I’m sick of spitting negative shit so I’m gonna end this here. Personally I’ve been liking the last few episodes, but I’m not too confident that the finale is gonna be satisfying. Those are my thoughts, do with it as you will, but for God’s sake be fucking adults about it. If you don’t got the guts to curse without saying “h3ll” or “pu$$y” or something like that then you’re not mature enough to respond to this. I’m not gonna argue with 9-year-olds. I’ll only have a conversation with mature people.

#steven universe #steven universe future

9 notes · View notes

salmonthestoryteller · 5 years

Text

That Darn Love Triangle

So I’m going to throw my two cents in on the love triangle of Alex/Michael/Maria. But first a few quick links to relevant previous posts:

My previous A/M/M thoughts (Mid season):

My post about Maria’s POV:

My post about Michael’s Headspace in 1x13

My post about Maria’s plotline with her mother:

And I did highjack this post about small town dating:

All of which are relevant to my final view. I also have two views - that as a storyteller viewing the narrative and as an audience member trying to understand the characters headspaces and interactions. This got really, really long. Here’s the short version.

Storytelling - I don’t like the choice of a love triangle involving these three characters. I don’t really see it as moving the plot or character development forward right now - which is the whole point of a plot device. Not just random drama, but plot and character development. I’m a ship and let ship gal - I can see the appeal in both ships - I’ve written fics for both ships. I just wish things had been handled slightly differently.

Character Headspace: All three characters are to blame for the mess they’re in.

Then there’s the long version.

When it comes to the set up for the love triangle, it all comes down to one main factor.

Alex and Michael’s complete silence over their relationship

While Max and Isobel seemed to have figured out Michael’s feelings for Alex over the years (possibly due to the pod squad’s psychic connection), the relationship doesn’t truly come to light to anyone else until the present day. The silence when they were younger is pretty understandable - especially given Jesse Mane’s actions. However, there’s definitely a hint that they’ve met up since that fateful day as teenagers, and that comes from their words at the drive in:

Michael: Guess you’re still the guy looking for any excuse to walk away

Alex: Maybe, but you’re still so good at giving them to me.

Seeing as I don’t see these lines referring to Jesse attacking them in the shed, this hints that there’s definitely been at least one more meetup. Either before Alex joined the Air Force, or some time during the ten years that followed. Their continued silence into the present day is part of how the triangle is set up. With nobody knowing how Alex and Michael are connected, it changes viewpoints and dynamics that otherwise would have existed between them and their respective friends and siblings.

Which brings me to the second part of the set up, and I am firm on this.

Alex ends their relationship at the drive in.

Sorry, but the words:

Alex: This isn’t going to work out.

Is pretty much classic break-up speech. I count the drive-in as a date for them, despite the three feet retained between them on the truck flatbed. (Feel like making a Quiet Man reference here. The proprieties shall be observed at all times. No patty fingers.) (And the lack of shared funnel cake. No, I’m not letting that go. Seriously, who doesn’t share funnel cake with their date?) So I feel they were viewing their latest interactions as the start of a relationship. Alex actually refers to them as us in the trailer that same morning.

Alex: Wait, does she know about us?

If they didn’t consider themselves in a relationship, he could have asked that question in a variety of ways. Does she know about this?/Does she know that I’m here?/Does she know we’re having sex? All phrases that could have easily been used to indicate he didn’t consider them to be anything serious. Instead he terms it like a relationship - Does she know about us. So when Alex then says it’s not going to work out, that’s a break up. He follows it with a line I actually find a lot of fault with:

Alex: I’m an Airman, I can’t be with a Criminal.

His line about Michael’s side hustle is fine with me. If he doesn’t approve of how Michael is living his life - than, sure - it’s a legitimate excuse to end a relationship. These words, though? They cross a line for me. They aren’t - I don’t like what you’re doing. They’re - I’m better than the likes of you. Which, whoa, objection. Alex basically just called the guy he’s in love with trash, which is not okay. I definitely feel this is Jesse getting to his head, but like with so much of what follows for all the characters, the reason why may give the audience an explanation, but it’s not an excuse. It’s still a shitty thing to say to someone.

Despite this, Michael attempts to approach Alex again over two months after the drive in, and Alex won’t even engage him in a conversation. When he goes to leave, Michael asks where they stand and if it’s really over. And Alex confirms that, yes, it is. Which leaves Michael in a position to pursue a relationship, regardless of who either still have feelings for. Feelings are not a relationship. Relationships require mutual consent, not just mutual feelings.

Small Towns Views Dating in Social Circles Differently

Because of my viewpoint of small towns - which given Liz’s soliloquy in the pilot as well as the general atmosphere of the town during the show I feel Roswell is presented as - I don’t really have an issue with Michael choosing to pursue Maria. If Michael had ended the relationship, I may have thought it was a questionable choice. But he didn’t - Alex did. That changes the dynamic. Especially since Maria occupies a space in both their social circles.

Frankly if I had friends/acquaintances A, B & C, and A broke up with B, then B got into a relationship with C months later, and A came to me to complain? I’d tell A they were being a little bitch, and to grow up. Considering workplace relationship drama, I probably am guessing I may even have said that sometime in the last ten years. If A was upset about it, I’d tell them to reconsider their feelings for B, but that they really still had no claim on B. That’s kinda part and parcel to the whole dumping thing.

That brings us to Michael and Maria, for which I have two things to stress.

Maria does not know about Michael and Alex’s history at first

Michael and Maria’s relationship is not based on a one night stand

I think the second part is what is throwing some people off. All they want to equate is that Maria and Michael slept together. To me Maria crying on Michael’s shoulder was in no way romantic, and more about Maria shattering under the realization she can’t save her mother and Michael shoving his own pain about Isobel aside to comfort her - making the scene doubly tragic. However, it’s a scene that changed both characters views of each other. Michael had never seen Maria vulnerable til then - and let’s not forget that MIchael has a positively huge hero complex - and Maria had never seen Michael as someone capable of kindness and selflessness til that moment. That starts the change to their dynamic, which then continues into friendlier banter when he fixes her sign, followed by them flirting in Texas. All this leads up to the one night stand, which isn’t truly romantic, either. Both are upset about the outcome of the trip in regards to helping their mother/sister. In that moment both of them are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain. Let me stress that, even. Both are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain. Remember that, because I feel it’s very important for what happens in 1x13. However, the moment their viewpoints of each other change, that’s what starts them towards a relationship - not the one night stand.

Honestly, from a storytelling standpoint, I think this is actually not the best choice for setting up a love triangle. I see plenty of relationship set up, if this relationship was set between two characters whose relationship stands alone. However, I think having the relationship between Michael and Maria be new wasn’t a smart storytelling choice in this case. They could easily have had them have a previous relationship during the ten years Alex was away, and fall back into the relationship after Alex dumps Michael and Michael comforts Maria. I just feel in terms of a love triangle, the two relationships are unbalanced because more history and episode time are given to Michael and Alex. You don’t generally build that big a back story, and have huge moments involving romantic confessions in the middle of a building that’s about to explode with a couple you don’t intend to end up together. (Short of killing one) That makes how the love triangle will play out transparent, and makes me doubt how useful it will be as a plot device. Moving on.

Alex claims his feelings are past tense to Michael

After Jenna brings the Alien Serial Killer to their attention, and Kyle knocks some sense into Alex both about teetering on the edge of drinking his father’s kool-aid about the pod squad and his feelings for Michael (Thank-you, Kyle. Everyone is seriously hopeless on this show. At least someone has perspective.), Alex does go talk with MIchael. Despite Kyle calling him on the fact that his feelings are current, twice, Alex places their love in the past tense when talking to Michael. I’d say he’s both right and wrong about how well they know each other, because while his only known random fact about Michael is his dislike for Mars Attacks, the conversations they did have when younger were far deeper than fav movies or foods. Alex shared that his own home life was bad and offered his bolt hole. Michael told him about his chaos and music, and his lack of belief in humans just being kind to each other. Those are heavy conversations, tbh, and worth more than fav colors. Still, starting to get to know each other from scratch isn’t a bad idea. However, I still feel a miscommunication is going on over what Alex wants from Michael in this moment, and I feel Michael misunderstood why he chose to leave when he did.

Maria lies to Alex about her feelings

This is one of Maria’s biggest errors. While I feel it comes from two places. (Guilt and denial over her own feelings) - she still left Alex with the impression that she doesn’t care about Michael. At all, really. Do I think Alex suspects she’s lying? Yes, I do think so. I also can see why Alex wouldn’t have pressed that matter. He doesn’t want Maria to admit she likes the guy he’s in love with. I think overall this is Maria’s biggest contribution to the mess of the love triangle. At some point, when she began to realize pushing Michael away was hurting her feelings, she should have come clean to Alex. This is her moment of an explanation is not an excuse.

Storytelling wise they don’t give them a single scene past that confrontation, which makes the confession impossible. They could have made time for it, though, and I feel a second conversation on the subject would have gone a long way to making this love triangle less about random drama and open the door to it actually being used for character development.

Michael tells Maria he and Alex are over

Because their relationship is over. Refer back to previous facts.

Alex dumped Michael

Alex confirmed they were over when Michael flat out asked him

This is why breakups can be messy. One party can still have feelings - even both parties can still have feelings. Relationships require more than feelings. They require consent, the ability to build a life together, effort; communication. (That last one is a huge issue with these two) Michael and Alex are not on the same page at any time post breakup. So, Michael was telling the truth to Maria. Alex feeling hopeful is great for Alex. If Michael doesn’t feel that way, even if he still loves him - that’s Alex’s tough luck. Love isn’t an obligation. Until Michael is ready to be in a relationship with Alex again, Alex doesn’t have any say in Michael’s life.

Alex confesses at Caulfield, and seeks him out a few hours later

While Alex’s confession is huge, especially for his character, it comes at a desperate time. They are both minutes away from dying when Alex manages to finally tell Michael how he currently feels, but Michael fails to return Alex’s confession, instead focusing on trying to shut him down and send him away to safety. MIchael is desperate to save his people or die trying - until his Mother talks sense into him. (Thank-you, Mara. Damn, for such a short scene you really steal everyone’s hearts.)

This leaves their relationship on an edge, with Alex being the one whose put his heart on the line, and not sure where Michael stands. It’s not surprising he seeks him out again, both to ensure he’s alright and to try to get clarification on that. The problem is, they are again not on the same page. Alex is messed up about Caulfield because his family was running a house of horrors, and he nearly lost Michael. MIchael is traumatized by what happened to the rest of the people on their ship and the loss of his mother after finally finding her. Alex’s desire to finally talk about his past choices and the problems he’s currently wrestling with would be a great step in their relationship, if it didn’t occur at a time when Michael is not in a good mindset to receive it.

Michael tells Alex they will talk the next day, but doesn’t speak to him before going to Maria

While I admit, Michael is traumatized, and storytelling wise I don’t like him being in a relationship with anyone right now, this is another of those an explanation is not an excuse moments. Alex was definitely going to kiss him, and Michael did not look like he was planning on pushing him away. While I do have objections to Alex approaching him in that moment when Michael is pretty messed up in the head, Michael should have spoken to Alex first the following day. Even if it’s just to tell him he can’t be with him - it still should have been his first stop. Trauma or not, it’s a jerk move.

Maria accepts Michael’s overtures to a relationship in 1x13

I see a lot of people saying they don’t understand her choosing Michael over Alex. That’s how they see this choice. Friendship vs Crush. That’s not what I see. To me, she isn’t choosing Michael over Alex. She’s choosing herself over Alex. That’s a very different thing, and occurring for a very different reason.

This choice is likely to damage her friendship with Alex, and hurt his feelings. So in terms of her friendship with Alex, it’s wrong. However, all of them are single. This isn’t adultery. She is not “stealing” Michael. He is not an object to be stolen to begin with. Her accepting a relationship with him is not inherently wrong. Nor does it make her a bad person. It means, just like Alex and Michael through this whole love triangle mess, she’s making a call that’s going to hurt somebody else. It means she’s human.

So, the real question is - why is she making this choice? Let’s refer back to my earlier statement of why they slept together in 1x09:

Both are looking to grab onto something to take away the pain.

Every complaint I read about Maria’s choice seem to look upon this action as if Maria is in a happy, chipper place. Like her life is hunky dory, and she has no reason to be in anything but the best headspace. I’m really baffled by this interpretation. So, let me enlighten you. She’s not in a good headspace.

Will you step away from alien drama and take a good hard look at Maria’s life? Let me give you the shorthand. She has been solely responsible for her mother as her health failed for years. She’s emotionally and mentally exhausted from that - we witness that in 1x07 and 1x09. She is financially unstable despite owning the bar she also works at due to her mother’s medical bills. (Mentioned in 1x07) Her own mother no longer recognizes her. (Stated in 1x09). And three days ago, considering the only questions Deputy Evans asked her that evening, she believes she was targeted and drugged by a serial killer.(Noah taking control of her and using her to steal the serum in 1x11)

Seriously? How good a headspace do you think she’s in? Chipper and well adjusted right now? Hell to the no. Just like Michael, she is falling to pieces right now. They are both in pain, both experts at fake it til you make it, and choosing to grab onto something new that seems to promise happiness with no pain attached. Do they honestly care about each other? Yes. Is it love? No, I don’t think it is anywhere near that level yet. If it weren’t for life really sucking right now, would they make this choice? We don’t know - because that’s not the story we’re given.

From a storytelling standpoint, I actually wonder why they chose to reveal Alex and Michael’s relationship to her in 1x10, rather than hold out for second season. It would have been easy not to do that scene, and have them get involved in an actual relationship before she found out. I really don’t see how that would have hurt their relationship more than them putting them into a relationship and then her finding out, say, Michael is an alien. (Still do not approve here.) Liz found out before she got into a relationship with Max present day. Alex found out during their break up, and before he chooses to pursue Michael again. Even Cam found out after she split with Max. Other than Noah, who doesn't really count anymore due to being an evil manipulative murderer who already knew anyway, nobody found out during a relationship. How is that not going to be way worse a secret to reveal in the middle of a relationship? Not to mention that her two best friends are also keeping this secret from her. Right now I don’t see this plot ending happily for Maria, on any fronts. So from a storytelling standpoint, especially as a fan of Maria, I hate this love triangle.

From a character headspace - All three are having potentially the most miserable year of their lives since they were seventeen, and are really effing things up.

#roswell new mexico #alex manes #Michael guerin #maria deluca #love triangles #malex #miluca #marichael #roswell nm #roswell cw #everyone is to blame for this mess #I still don't like this triangle set up

48 notes · View notes