In watching more interviews with Liv about Van and the escalation of Van's pragmatism to such dark degrees, I find myself genuinely baffled that anyone could ever think Van the bad guy. I mean, I'm perplexed at finding ANY of these girls The Bad Guy. The bad guy is the situation. It's being lost. It's freezing. It's starving. It's being scraped down to the barest bone of being alive. They make choices that might be snippy, or cruel, or hard-headed, sure--Shauna refusing to just hash it out with Jackie; Jackie being too stubborn to come inside; Taissa refusing to discuss her situation plainly; etc--but by the time we reach the end of season 2, it doesn't even matter. Petty bullshit doesn't matter. Jealousy doesn't matter. Those things are still going to be present and complicated, because--for all their choices, for all the distancing they're trying to do--these kids ARE still human beings. But it isn't the point.
The point is survival. Plain, simple, straightforward. Van's pragmatism is survival. It is the difference between living another day with blood on your teeth or dying pretty. It is the difference between fighting forward through the fire and the snow and the hell of it all, and laying down to die. Van knowing, in watching the ritual violence of Shauna beating Lottie nearly the death, that they will be killing and eating one another soon. Van coming up with the cards for the hunt. Van not blinking when the moment comes, Van choosing a weapon that doubles as a tool to bring the body back, Van refusing to apologize for staying alive--it's not evil. It's not Bad Guy behavior. It's purely about survival, because there is nothing else left to her--or to any of them. They can play the pretty little Sweet Angel Girl game and die, or they can get dirty, bloody, horrific and fight. Van chooses the fight. Van chooses to fight for herself, for her lover, for her team, even knowing not everyone is going to make it out...because the alternate path there is that no one makes it out. Van knew the baby wouldn't live. Van knows the rest of them won't, either. Not unless they start making the hard choices.
And, honestly, the fact that Van sees this narrative coming. Comes up with this plan. Brings out the cards. To me, that is the opposite of Bad Behavior. That is as close to justice as anyone can find in the wilderness. If someone else came up with an idea, maybe it would have come down to voting--but that would have had such a human element to it, with bitterness or hostility or whatever ultimately petty shit always comes of humans selecting who to Other. The cards don't leave room for that. It isn't fair, because the situation isn't fair, because Man vs. Nature isn't fair, but it's as close to a just system as they could possibly find. It's the kindest solution to an unwinnable game. Not to bring it back to American Gods again, but all I can think is "it's easy, there's a trick to it: you do it, or you die." Van gave them that.
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LYRIC STARTERS BASED ON MY CURRENT "ON REPEAT" SONGS
aka, subtly exposing my music taste by slamming a bunch of songs onto one post, even if these probably exist as separate ones somewhere. the sections will be separated by the song titles & artists. this only includes my top 10, because we would be here forever if i included any more.
add context & change gendered language to your needs !!
if multi, please specify which muse(s) !!
INVISIBLE - DURAN DURAN
" Living without choice is a life without a voice. "
" Has the memory gone? Are you feeling numb? "
" Will you say my name? "
" Hindsight is falling on my face. "
" When you don't hear a word I say […] "
" But a voiceless crowd isn't backing down. "
"Can you say my name? "
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FLIGHT OF THE CROWS - JHARIAH
" I cannot help but think I've overstayed my welcome. "
" The company's quite nice on crimson nights like these. "
" Well, I think that I've gotta go, and I don't know why. "
" I need you to promise that you won't cry. "
" Let those old memories go. "
" Please understand that I will find a brand new life. "
" So just let me out of your mind. "
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BLOOD UPON THE SNOW - HOZIER & BEAR MCCREARY
" Nature offers a violence. "
" The world that hardens as the harsher winter holds. "
" The ground walked here is a wonder. "
" And all things nature's given; she takes all things back from the living. "
" I've walked the earth, and there are so few here that know. "
" It's not my arms that will fail me. "
" This world takes more strength than it gave me. "
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RISK, RISK, RISK - JHARIAH
" We would've never worked out together. "
" Wager all you've got, and run me all that shit. "
" I can't take another day! I need some change. "
" There's things you just can't see with such precautious eyes. "
" I don't think I need to tell you; you'll see me when I do. "
" Better bite your tongue! "
"I don't second-guess a vision. "
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EAT YOUR YOUNG - HOZIER
" Let me wrap my teeth around the world. "
" I want to feel the edges start to burn. "
" If there's something to be gained, there's money to be made. "
" Throw enough rope until the legs have swung. "
" You can't buy this fineness. "
" If there's something still to take, there is ground to break. "
" Putting food on the table selling bombs and guns. "
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CARELESS WHISPER - GEORGE MICHAEL
" I feel so unsure. "
" Something in your eyes calls to mind a silver screen, and all its sad goodbyes. "
" Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool. "
" To the heart and mind, ignorance is kind. "
" But there's no comfort in the truth, pain is all you'll find. "
" I wish that we could lose this crowd. "
" We could have been so good together. "
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APOCALYPTICISM - MOON WALKER
" We fight fire with silence and pray somebody hears. "
" No one said the world can't change in just a couple nights. "
" We want a revolution, but only with condition. "
" He came baring the heart of a liar; wearing the face of an honest man. "
" Start feeding the dogs of war. "
" We're in your head and hiding in plain sight. "
" But I don't see any difference, they both look the same to me. "
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DIGITAL SILENCE - PETER MCPOLAND
" I won't ask a question; I'll state the truth. "
" This is the way that it is. "
" Something you love turns to something you miss. "
" This is the way that I know. "
" I feel it inside me like a pulse; it's starting to slow and the meter dips. "
" This is the sound of the truth. "
" There is nothing you can do. "
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KINGSLAYER - BRING ME THE HORIZON & BABYMETAL
" Are you looking for the other side? "
" I need to know where your loyalties lie. Tell me, are you gonna bark, or bite? "
" Wipe the system and back the fuck up. "
" You are modified. "
" You're a puppet! When they cut your strings off, don't come crawling back. "
" You're on your own. "
" I'll fight for you until I die. "
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I'M AFRAID I'LL GO TO HEAVEN - MOON WALKER
" I don't wanna live forever, 'cause I don't want what's coming next. "
" Don't think we stand taller together, 'cause half of us ain't got no spine. "
" My biggest fear ain't no red Devil, it's being near you people all the time. "
" I'll be fine as long as you go somewhere else. "
" They tell you truth is what you make it. "
" It's like we don't even gotta try no more. "
" I'm sure your god would love to keep it white, but I think that me and mine will be alright. "
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