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moonshine999 · 5 months

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Querencia

(n.) a place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self

Pairing : Helaena Targaryen x Aegon II Targaryen

Summary : Helaena is pregnant with her and Aegon’s child. The only problem is no one even knows that they are together, much less the fact that they fucked.

Warnings : mild angst, mentions and implications of alcoholism/addiction (still fluff for the most part though)

A/N : so it’s here, for good now. Sorry for the weird glitch that sent this to my posts instead of my drafts but it’s here now. Going to thank the every lovely @fatherforgivethem for the prompt and the sweet encouragement, I hope I did it justice to what you had in mind ♥️ (it got super long but gah, the prompt was just so good)

Two. Two lines. Two souls. Too many people not in the know.

The rhyme burned into her mind till it became just noise in its mess. She rocked back and forth, try to give herself some pattern, some assurance but to no avail. What had they done?

“Hel?” The familiar voice sent a jolt up her as she lifted her head. Her eyes were wet, tears dancing along the bridge of fear and joy. Aegon walked towards her, slowly, as if she could erupt if he rushed.

“Is it..” A sigh. “So it’s positive.”

The tears fell hearing it in the solidarity of his voice, her hand immediately grasping around her mouth to control herself.

“Hey hey hey, it’s okay, we..we will be fine. It’s okay..” He comforted, kneeling down next to her.

“How!?” The question came out rougher than she intended and yet not enough to show the true extent of how much she felt. “What if mom finds out, Aegon? Ma? Criston? Our brothers? Anyone?! What if they’re disgusted? What if we get kicked out of the house? What if we lose-“ a sharp breath before she stopped herself. Ranting wasn’t going to help the situation. Yet the panic remained. What if?

Silence followed. Unsure, reckless silence. Confused, awkward silence. Silence.

“Aegon..if we keep the child, I want you to promise me something.” “Of course, what is it?” “Promise me..” she cleared her throat “promise me.. that you will not leave us.”

And so something snapped. Is that what she truly thought of him? That he would be so sick?

“I wouldn’t Hela! I wouldn’t, you know that! I’m not that low of a person.” he near shouted. “No you are not but..” But? “But you have tendencies when it comes to this addiction and…I will not sacrifice this child for the sake of your liquor.” She sat, eyes wide, face stained, voice steady. But the fact was, he was always more of a mess than her. And it was too much. His own love thought him lesser than his curses. How? Why? Before he knew it, his feet carried him rampantly out of the room, frustrated at her, himself and entirely too much.

Two souls. Too much.

“Dearest, you have any idea why Aegon is not here for dinner yet?” “Uhm. No, Ma I don’t.”

“Am afraid to tell you, Ali but your son seems to be out about the town again.” Cole answered.

Ma sighed, Aemond scoffed, Daeron barely noticed, mom started playing with her food, clearly uncomfortable.

I am afraid to tell you too, Ma.

The painting hung high. It was always one of Ma’s favourites that she had made. How fast the mornings and afternoons seemed to disappear for him, taking the sun as far as they could, only to leave him a cold, dark evening. However, this painting shone in the moonlight that snuck in through the long windows. It shone brighter than any sun could make it. It was of the two of them, as toddlers, smiling with wide grins and child like ecstasy. Oh, what they had become. For each other, for the family.

The fear pounded at his heart, the regret clawed at his brain, the confusion scribbled all throughout his face. How? Why? He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t. He can’t. All he did was stand there, staring at the brush strokes.

“Tsk, if you’re done with standing in the hallway, may we leave for the meeting?” Criston called out, putting his blazer on. “Mhm.” He wasn’t done. “Aegon!” . . “Did you ever want children, Cole?” The question was jarring, out of the blue, completely irrational to ask their bodyguard, but it felt right. “Why..?”

“Just so.. can’t I simply ask?” Cole scoffed, smirking. “Never thought about it as such. I always thought I was too reckless or confused, I won’t be able to bring up an entire human.” A chuckle escaped him “You? Reckless? Since when?” “When I was about your age, Aegon. But oh well, I got employed here and left those thoughts behind. Then Nyra married Ali and they had them. 4 times. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t protective or even if I said it didn’t make me a better person. Because it did, this is the closest thing I have to a family and maybe that was just what I needed, perhaps without knowing for sure at first. Life is a confusing, winding path, isn’t it?”

Oh.

“I suppose it is.”

Cole laughed, “Come on now, otherwise your mothers will make me regret they had you in the first place.” He joked, tapping his back before wrapping his arms around his boy.

“Ma? You here?” “Hmm yes, sweetheart?”

She was glad her mother was able to hear her through her headphones. This was the most domestic she would see her Ma, in old, racked overalls, paint stains at every corner of the room, headphones at full volume, paintbrush spinning in hand and every red curl shining in the sunlight. It was hard to believe this was the same woman who co-owned one of the richest companies in the world.

“Ma, can we talk?” She slid off her headphones and looked skeptically at her daughter. “Talk?” A nod. “About what?” She asked warmly, smile rising and eyes showing excitement in every speck. “I’ve been meaning to ask you this. For a..while now. So..uhm..why did you decide to marry mom in the first place? Didn’t grandpa object or something?” She chuckled sweetly “Ohhh I see.” Shit. “You want to know about me and mom’s little love story don’t you?” oh thank the seven. “Yup! Caught me there.” She laughed.

Ma’s face radiated further as she looked back on the memory, her paintbrush now still, her smile now wider, her eyes now glowing.

“Well, to put it simply. I love your mom. And she loves me. I know that much, there’s an assurance, a trust. Because I met your mom when life was gone to shit for me and through those confusing and unsure times, our love was something I could always fall back on. It was sure, it was constant, it was steady. I liked it.”

Ma laughed. Then looked towards her.

“As for grandpa, we were terrified to tell him anything about our relationship. I had no idea whether he would even be accepting of me marrying a woman, much less a Targaryen woman. But we were brave enough, we did it. And then your grandfather patted Nyra on the back and said ‘take care of her, she’s all your burden now.’ The rest is history.”

“So you knew you were ready for marriage?”

“I think so. There isn’t anyone else I’d rather spend my last days with. You want your life to have memories, not dreams, hopes or what-ifs.”

She smiled. “Thank you Ma.”

Ma tilted her head slightly and gave her one last question. “But..why?”

“I need a reason to speak to my own mother??” She asked, exaggerating offence.

“Tsk, get lost.” Ma giggled.

Two. Two days had passed and they had not spoken a word to each other.

Perhaps it was her fault. She shouldn’t have assumed such a thing of him. She knows he wouldn’t, why did she have to say that? Why? .

Perhaps it was his. Shouldn’t he just have assured her? Did he have to storm out the way he did? Why couldn’t he just talk to her? Why?

A message popped up on his phone.

Gardens. Now.

Who was he to object?

“Hel?”

Oh gods.

“Listen-“ “Listen-“ “You go first.” “What? No, it’s fine, you go first.” “This isn’t going to work if we keep going like this. You go first.” “Fine.”

She took a deep breath. Her palms felt clammy, her pocket felt heavier and her face heated up. Fuck, why was she nervous. It’s fine, you’ve rehearsed this, it’s okay.

“Aegon.” “Helaena.”

“Listen. I’m sorry about what I said. I..I genuinely am. I know that you wouldn’t and it was in the heat of the moment. It’s just we, all of us, have been raised so so happily that I started overthinking and I put the blame on you for something that I understand you can never do.”

Fuck, she was good.

“I had expectations as soon as I saw the test. I wanted you whole, unscathed, not a big mess, perhaps.” “Wow-“ “My gods..listen!” “Okay, okay.”

“More importantly, however is the fact that I want you. As you were. As you are. As you will be. I don’t think there is anyone else I can imagine spending my life with.”

Oh.

“Aegon. I am in love with you and right now, with this child. Our child, I don’t think I have ever been more sure of that.” Tears welled up in their eyes, gods, too much.

“Aegon Targaryen..” she took the weight from her pocket and knelt on one knee. “Will you marr-“

“YES! I mean, yeah, yes, sure.” She laughed and put the ring on his finger.

“Oh it’s beautiful…thank you, Helaena.” He whispered, immediately pulling her into his arms. And then he kissed her, because he loved her. She loved him. He was sure of it. There was assurance in their kisses. There was his past, present and future in their kisses. There was her. And their soon to be family.

“Hel. I promise I will never, ever leave you or that child. I know that I have flaws, various things I need to get over but love, you are my everything. You are my heart and everything I ever held dear. I wouldn’t dream of leaving you. Life is confusing, it really is. But..you’re not, this is not. I’m sure of it.” His voice strained with his tears threatening to leave their bounds.

“Ñuha vēzos.” “Ñuha hūra.”

My sun. My moon.

“Is this really necessary? I have two more calls to-“ “Nyra..they want to talk so let’s talk.” “Oh this should be fun.” “Not the time Cole…yes darlings.”

“Ma, mom..Criston.” Hel spoke first, she’s good at that. “We have been wanting to tell you this for a while now.” Just take it slow, it’s okay.

“Me and Aegon have been..together. Romantically. For the past year.” FUCK.

Mom sat, mouth agape and looked at Criston who responded with the same expression. Ma took a deep breath and smiled. Shit. It was one of Ma’s sarcastic smiles.

And then, roaring laughter. Mom and Criston’s.

Helaena and Aegon looked at each other, eyes wide. Shock? Fear?

“Oh hush you two. Uhm. Sweethearts, we know.”

“We aren’t blind.” Cole giggled. “And I can only assume but..Hel is pregnant, isn’t she?”

Simultaneous nodding.

“What?!” Ma exclaimed. “Hmm, someone owes me a 50” mom sing songed.

“Let me this straight.” He spoke the first time since this interaction started. “You knew we were together, the entire year and you knew she was pregnant and you didn’t bother to tell us?

“Well we just wanted to see how quickly you’d give in.” “Ma!” “they gave in pretty quickly actually, we didn’t tell my parents till we were way past the 3 year mark.” Hel sighed before chuckling into the laughter herself.

“We also know that you have proposed” Criston continued, pointing towards the ring on Aegon’s hand.

“I can’t believe this. Holy fuck.” “Language.” A collective phrase from all 3 of them.

Too many people who knew?

“I’m gonna be an uncle!?” “As long as I don’t have to change any diapers, all will be well.”

“Aegon for the Seven’s sake, stay calm and stop pacing around.” Aemond sneered. “My fiancée is gone to get her ultrasound, in what world do you expect me to be calm about this!?”

Cole giggled as he walked into the room. “You don’t have to stress yourself over it anymore, Aemy, they’re already back.”

“They’re back!?” “I told you to stop calling me that!”

Before he knew it, his feet carried him out to the front hall. Hel was wrapped in a side hug by Ma as they laughed and whispered about something. “Hel!” Her head snapped towards him, eyes glowing as soon as they caught his gaze. He rushed towards her and immediately hugged her. “Easy, Aegon.” “Yeah yeah Ma.” She scoffed and walked away, leaving the couple be. “Soo? How was it? Can I see? Is it a boy? A girl?” He gleamed. She giggled and kissed him.

Two. Two souls.

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shaniacsboogara · 10 days

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something about the current situation that feels so gross to me is the sudden vitriolic hatred towards steven lim??? yes, as the ceo he probably helped make the decision to start watcher tv. but before this whole dilemma, wasn't steven "super underappreciated" and hyped up constantly by the fandom??? weren't there hundreds of posts begging for more steven content??? wasn't there a lot of excitement about steven possibly getting his own show??? it just seems strange that people claimed to love him so much but are spewing some awful insults towards him now???

(note: this isn't talking about anyone criticizing steven or the company. this is talking about people blaming EXCLUSIVELY steven or excessively hate posting about him. critique and analysis are healthy ways to stimulate discussion and utilize critical thinking)

#watcher #also obviously not EVERYONE is hating on steven #i really appreciate everyone who's been criticizing the business move without demonizing steven shane and ryan

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leonardalphachurch · 2 months

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every time rwby stuff gets recommended to me i remember how fucking obnoxious i find it that that fandom has quarantined off all criticism into its own tag. i’m so happy rvb is a hater fandom and we put all our grievances in the main tag i think i’d die otherwise

#getting a lot of rt stuff bc of recent events and. man. aren’t you tired.#genuinely so exhausting #i never ever want to be in a space where appreciation analysis and critique are not all existing side by side #i’m not gonna say you can’t be a fan without engaging with critique bc that’s a ridiculous statement #but i do think you can’t engage with any sort of deeper understanding of the text if you’re unwilling to acknowledge its flaws and criticism #obviously you don’t need to be as passionate about it as i am but if you want it blacklisted completely??#sorry. i don’t think you’re good at media literacy.

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borgeslabyrinth · 5 months

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"Florida is hell on earth" sounds like a you problem

#does florida have some really bad traits? yeah obviously #the tourists the traffic the politics #but i can't fuck with people painting with a broad brush because there's so many wonderful things about florida #the everglades the beaches the wildlife #like you can't possibly tell me there's nothing good in flroida when the everglades exist #she provides 8 million people with drinking water. she has eight separate habitats.#she protects and houses many critically endangered species like the florida panther the american alligator egrets #even the ghost orchid #if you really think florida is nothing but a hellhole you lack the ability to see beauty all around you #and lack of understanding in how important a part nature plays #it's not perfect but it's home #like how can you look at a manatee and say that florida's nothing but a hellhole?#maybe if you visited blue springs park to watch the manatees you'd calm down #or take a glass bottom boat ride at wakulla springs or go tubing down the ichetucknee #go look at some birds and alligators and frogs #go collect sharks teeth off the beaches in the gulf #florida has a truly beautiful and unique ecosystem and i feel bad for people who can't appreciate it #oscar talks to himself

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knowlesian · 2 years

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personal take: it’s more useful and important to learn how to consume problematic media and assess it critically for flaws as well as what it does right than to try to cultivate a world where we convince ourselves we only consume Perfect Things

#like: personal lines are important! some shit is just not gonna fly or too personal or you just don’t wanna #this is not like YOU CANNOT HAVE BOUNDARIES #but all media carries some problems and ages poorly in some ways as culture shifts and what is widely permissible changes #and it’s almost like inoculation i guess #if you have these critical thinking skills it means you can catch issues creators didn’t even while appreciating media #if we let the skill go lax and seek out Morally Correct Things Only and avoid anything that stumbles at all #we can’t spot the issues as easily going forward #also since. tumblr. obviously there’s a difference between “this piece of art has some issues”#and “whoa fuck this is legit just hate”

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heartbats12345 · 3 months

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I like drawing and thinking about my guys it would figure I'd post them eventually

#NO FINAL DESIGNS obviously always trying to improves my babes #any constructive criticism is appreciated...#although skull is pretty much where i want her right now #la la la la laaaaaaaaa #laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa #laaaalalalalalaaaaa

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margaetyrell · 10 months

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hi. just came to say i’m alive and well (mostly) if anyone cares. i simply broke down due to emotional stress so i had to delete the app and cut it all out. idk how long it will take, but i’ll be back and catch up on blogs/tags/messages by then! hope you’re doing great, i’m sending you all my love and a special shoutout to @itsniceto, @mycastlescrumblingdown, @jdschecter, @intomymelancholia and @mayangelsleadyouin for being such a ray of sunshine. miss you and love you all soooo so much 💜

#part of not coming back rn is taylor tbh. in case you missed it i kinda distanced myself from the fandom although obviously #her music will always be a big part of my life. but it’s so tiring trying to separate the artist when shit keeps coming out #& yes i’ve listened to sntv but all i’ll say there is that now it’s oficially top last lmao esp after what she did to my fave tracks #like wth happened to btr and this album production. but again i have no intention of talking shit nor i care enough at this point #i’m also on the verge of a break up and my brother’s health is getting worse so. i really cannot deal with any criticism rn #at least i knew long before i couldn’t afford to go to a show. anyways enough talking to myself ! these are the news ig #also thanks to everyone who keeps tagging me on their edits. i appreciate it sm and i will reblog them when i’m back!! promise #see you around and please. remember to take a deep breath and drink water and put yourselves above anything else <3 #pt

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silasbug · 9 months

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reminder: stop asking SO their opinion on my art.

spoiler: it's always disappointing.

#like idk man. i think i'm getting a little better (disregarding SebbyQUEST obviously) but their reaction is always disheartening #like.. i dunno man.. if i seem a little excited about it maybe don't go 'nice..?' with an audible/unsure question mark #a solid 'nice' would be appreciated #my favorite is still 'ehhhh...... mehh...' ouch #fucks sake mate #and you know what? those reactions would be perfectly fine if they at least had some constructive criticism #or said anything to accompany that #but they don't. so it only feels shitty. (thanks.)#i don't want to feel like the kid whose crappy drawing you put up on the fridge only because you feel bad about it. but that does it.#i am very well aware that i'm.. not great/mediocre at these things. i don't expect more than a lukewarm reaction.#and i know that. and at the end of the day. i'm doing/making these things because i want to. because it brings me some form of joy.#and because i hope to get better with time. but i.. don't think a little encouragement is too much to ask for.#actually i think the best reaction i've gotten from them so far was actually SebbyQUEST. lol. yikes.#sighs. here i go being a whiny lil' bug about it.#bug.txt

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s-c-l-n · 6 months

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im going to be potentially real right now:

i dont think one actor doing wrong is enough for me to turn away from a show. its not like i take a blind eye to what the actor does, its that in an ensemble cast, one person ruining the experience feels somewhat wrong. so for the rest of the cast in the show i will watch it, and just pretend the problem is not there as much as i can

#this is about stranger things #specifically noah schnapp #which kinda breaks my heart in a way because he was a postive and passionately jewish person and i really appreciated that #but obviously he has supported things that are not things one should support #i still do maintain that in criticizing him you should not weaponize his jewishness #criticize him for his beliefs and for the mocking of others #not that hes jewish #anyways #the rest of the cast imo dont deserve to be shoved to the side because of noahs views #i believe we all have battles to fight and this one is one i am not going to fight

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irregularbillcipher · 9 months

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my flatland confession that i feel is gonna alienate me from 90% of the fandom on tumblr is i do not like the film

#... also that even in flatland rereads i often just stop reading once the sphere gets there #i konw the satire doesn't END there obviously there's some juicy stuff #but the worldbuilding of flatland as a society is what i love about the book #i do appreciate how batshit the film is at least #also the creator saw my long liveblog thread where i nitpicked it to hell and back and also criticized him for being a right wing libertari #and then he said my liveblog was really funny and followed me on twitter which was admittedly not the reaction i was expecting

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moonshine999 · 6 months

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Hephaestus

God of blacksmiths , craftsmen, fire, metal, sculpture and volcanoes

The freedom of imperfections was the most tempting drug.

But the oh so incessant need to prove himself was stronger. Prove that he was the best student, the best swordsman, the best dragon-rider, the best.

He still remembers the night. The horrendous night when he had to forcefully accept an entire part of him taken away by the blade. It wasn’t intentional, it wasn’t the action of the most renowned of swordsmen. It was simply a boy clumsily trying to defend his brother. And he let that scar him forever. He let that be the cause of this damned imperfection.

“The flesh will heal..but the eye is lost, your grace.”

Nothing healed. Too much was lost. All his pride was stripped away as he sat in front of the fire, surrounded by strangers, bloodied scar, ruined boy.

So ruinous in fact, no one would dare let him forget the shame of weakness. Forever etched to his name, “Aemond-One Eye”.

It was hard to think back when exactly he was fascinated by the sapphire. Perhaps his sister’s gowns? His brother’s chalices? His mother’s vault? All gone to history now.

But he does remember the nights spent in the library, desperate to find every bit of information he could about the jewel. Desperate to know all he could, desperate to think of it as his own.

He read upon all the hours artisans and jewel-makers take to carve the gem to be one of a kind. He read of it symbolising education and intelligence. He read of its perfection. Not for him. For his weakness.

The weakness he had to see upon a mirror every day. The missing piece of the puzzle, the hole in his face. It served as a reminder of what he was, what he let himself become in that moment, why he will never submit like that again. He shoved a stolen sapphire into the socket and winced.

The sharp edges hurt, like a million different needles stuck inside his eye. Good, he presumed. If that was what it took to remind himself of the consequences of the drug, then so be it.

Yet through all the pains and striving he had forced himself through, he would never get the true prize of their house. The position that commands the city.

He deserved it more than anyone else. He let himself think it wasn’t ego but simply his right. He was capable of the name of king and yet they hand it off to a man who would rather run away and drown in his cups like a bumbling fool.

Fire of his house blazed inside him at every turn, knowing his fate. There are several great students all across the realm, several skilled swordsmen, yet there was only one king.

But his hopes were dashed all the same.

All he will ever be remembered as was the second son who let himself lose an eye.

“Do not mourn me, mother. I may have lost an eye..but I gained a dragon”

His one source of pride.

When Vhagar flew through the winds of King’s Landing, the gusts of wind, what he could make out of the people’s murmurs, the low roars of the beast, he felt.. powerful. He felt royal, like a king. The only time he would let himself feel as such.

Their bond wasn’t created as quickly as Sunfyre with Aegon or as easily as Dreamfyre with Helaena. It took, surprisingly, silence. Both man and beast were at their best in silence.

They were lonely, isolated from the dragon pit and the Keep.

He often went back to the memory of visiting her the morning after he was maimed.

She acknowledged him with a low growl and then both of them sat still.

He remembered crying, as much as he could and then going back to his books like nothing happened.

Against each other and in the hours that passed, they formed something which could bring the Red Keep to its feet.

Vhagar was the closest thing he could call his own. Not because he could control the dragon; no, far from it; but because he and her were too alike. Alike in a way, he had never let himself feel with another human. Vhagar had several riders through her life, he was sure but he let himself think that perhaps, she feels the connection to him as he does to her. Because this and whatever life may put on his path, whatever he may be inked as in the books of history, they’ll always remember that he rode Vhagar.

The Queen of all dragons. The ride of someone who desired to be King.

Till death claimed his end.

A moment later, both dragons crashed into the lake, the collision sending up a gout of water as high as the Kingspyre Tower at Harrenhal. Neither man could have survived.

#house of the dragon #hephaestus #team green #aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #don’t know if this makes sense #but the themes of Hephaestus being shunned for his appearance with Aemond’s whole “perfect” scheme ruined by his eye getting cut out #im not sure about this but idk how to like fix it #if that makes sense #criticism is obviously appreciated #just be respectful #[ • 'house of the dragon' characters as the twelve olympians • ]

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guideaus · 1 year

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I swear there needs to be some embargo on talking about csm lmao. It's not a masterpiece, but somehow the media literacy for it is so low... and there's always so many of the same bad comments 😭

#personal #idk im like SAY CSM ISNT DEEP AGAIN. SAY IT 🔪🔪🔪#in this house we support out ethical incel that sells used cigs to homeless ppl #its ppl who have not seen it/see 5 mins and judge or dumbasses saying denji fumbled himeno #imo its just also weird all their criticisms were the point of kt #they said it was abt how creepy men are (no) but then said makima wouldnt have affected denji if he appreciated what he had (which was #nothing) and its like hmm its almost like. thats literally what helps him break free from makima... the reason she could control him was bc #he had nothing 🤔🤔#obviously they dont know that but them making that their criticism on ep 1... bro Wait.#its very tumblr 2015 steven universey to me. like 'su PROBLEMATIC bc lapis was mean to peridot :('#wow almost as if theyre characters 😳

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shirkers2018dirsanditan · 1 year

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The release of films like The Woman King and Black Panther creates a strange kind of pressure for black writers, journalists, and critics who are often, if not only, called on to make sense of these cultural productions for a mostly white liberal readership. Seizing on the opportunity to have their work widely read, especially in a legacy publication, there’s a forensic tone to these reviews, which either place political responsibilities on glossy Hollywood productions, or confuse uplifting displays of representation for resistance art. Nonetheless, a part of me was curious about the kind of film The Woman King could have been if it refrained from taking liberties with the Agojie’s role in the slave trade. The excesses of identity politics have nurtured a self-regarding approach towards the unsavory legacies of people who look like us, compelling us to affix them with identities and beliefs that mirror our own. But even if we weren’t so egotistical, I’m not convinced we’d find it unchallenging to come to terms with the actions of our forebears. Sometimes the truth is too painful, even for those of us who search for it. If I didn’t feel obliged to anticipate and counter the racist arguments from slavery and colonialism apologists, I can’t say for sure whether I could’ve handled watching the real actions of the Agojie onscreen.

Several years ago, the American writer and free speech absolutist Thomas Chatterton Williams wrote a surprisingly thoughtful essay in n+1, where he described feeling an “ancestral ache” when confronted with “Sambo-like dolls and figurines” in the homes of his friends in Paris. Chatterton Williams’ idea of an inherited agony might account for why representing the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism touches on a raw nerve for many. It might also explain the creative distortions in The Woman King, which I’m still not convinced were entirely necessary. However, the film has made me reflect on the censorious attitudes emerging from the “trauma porn” discourse, in which people have called for fewer to no films on some of black history’s harrowing legacies.

Although I oppose the idea of ignoring films that tackle uncomfortable subject matter, I also know this viewing experience is not easy. Perhaps we need to concede that while films like The Woman King can offer us a small glimpse into the past, they cannot give us the full story.

emphasis mine

#i've made my opinions on the woman king and the backlash clear so i won't rehash them #and obviously as someone with a background in history and historiography i don't necessarily agree with parts of this review #but this is a great review that makes great points #all around #but also to mention that the film was written by two white americans which got lost in the backlash that just fueled the typical xenophobia #and parroted anti-african imperialist propaganda #which this article also propagates #but. anyway #i appreciate when critics can be self critical lol

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