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compacflt · 5 months

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If you want, and only if you want to, could you explain about making Logistics a big part of Ice's career path? Not only did fit so well with your Ice's characterization, it was just so neat I've made it my HC for Ice's career path.

yes!

I got REALLy deep into the defense policy weeds in this post so I’m putting a cut to save people’s dashboards

1. when i was rewriting chapters 8 &9 last winter i did literally the bare minimum of research about the current set of high-level officers. the commander of the pacific fleet at the time had previously been the director of pacific fleet logistics ordnance & supply. So that was easy to yoink. a proven chain of succession.

2. but also: it fit ice’s (or his alter ego admiral Kazansky’s) neat, orderly, effective, collected, strategic characterization. And as professional tactics go, there would be no better promotion for a high-level officer looking to take over the fleet than DFLOS. understand the fleet by the numbers, you comprehensively understand the fleet.

3. In terms of secret-keeping logistics, ice is supposed to be kind of the best. like, because of his logistical thinking, he & maverick get away with it. Or that’s how I would’ve written it if I were a little smarter. Obviously in practice a bunch of people find out so it’s not great. but the navy AS A WHOLE doesn’t find out.

4. The field of military logistics is rigorously bureaucratic, boring, soulsucking, selfdefeating, notoriously corrupt, and yet entirely necessary for the military to succeed at any level (in the very first draft of WWGATTAI i included a famous US marine corps maxim that most people have heard at some point: “amateurs talk tactics. professionals talk logistics.” but that was literally the only good thing about the original chapter 6 which got entirely rewritten a month after i published it). So logistics as a field of specialization fit in perfectly with my secondary character thesis that rising through the boring bureaucratic ranks of the Navy sucked all the humanity & will to live out of ice one day at a time.

a couple related interesting things that I’ve never talked about on this blog & might never get the chance to again:

a) ice canonically joins the navy as a fighter pilot & ends his career as a glorified bureaucrat. that sucks. obviously the struggle to rise in the ranks is a notoriously cutthroat, political, sleazy business (you do not get to the top of the United States Navy by being nice to people), but i would also not be the first person to say that—for exemplary officers—leadership is an EXPECTATION that can counterbalance someone’s natural drive to excel, if that makes sense. You get promoted because you’re good at something (flying), but you get promoted away from the thing you were good at. There is an extent to which you have to fight for a promotion—but there is also an extent to which commanders above you pick you for the job, suck you up along the pipeline. Loss of agency—a major major component of joining the military—does still apply to upper-level officers.

B) to that end, i am reminded of one quote from Todd Schmidt’s 2023 book “Silent Coup of the Guardians: US Military Elite Influence on National Security.” This is an Army training & doctrine commander speaking: “the military has a lot of two- and three-star senior leaders that were confident, charismatic commanders at the O-6 level. But that’s the end of the story. One in fifty, maybe one in a hundred, truly have what it takes to operate successfully at the strategic level and make a real difference for their service. The problem is that they all tend to think that, since they have stars on their shoulders, they’re the one.” —I’ve been writing ice as “The Chosen One,” the officer unicorn, for two reasons: one, it provides him cover for his illegal relationship (and also asks an interesting chicken-egg question: does he get away with his rlnship because he’s so good, or is he so good JUST to get away with his relationship?); and two, he’s “the chosen one” in canon, i.e. he already has four stars in canon: canonically he is not a mediocre officer. But most officers (cough cough maverick) are not cut out for high-level leadership.

C.) in Thomas E. Ricks’ book “The Generals,” Ricks argues that (at least in the Army) mediocrity in the general/flag officer ranks is unfortunately by design. In WWII, if you were a mediocre officer, you got relieved! You got fired! It’s part of why we won: merciless culling of the general officer ranks! But between WWII and Korea, officer relief began to be associated with shame & wasted resources. Mediocre officers got promoted anyways. The military elite pipeline sucks mediocrity up the chain of command. Ricks blames this issue for (at least the Army’s) shit leadership in every post-WWII war, including but most especially Iraq and Afghanistan. There’s no penalty for mediocrity. That in turn reflects on military strategy (mediocre strategists at the helm) & the outcome of every military foray (mediocre outcomes).

D) additionally. There’s a whole neverending debate in the field of civil-military relations (an extremely interesting field of study btw) about the corporatization of the military—lots of high-level talk over the years of “running the military like a business.” If you get kinda into defense policy like me (am i still antimilitary? Idk! but i CAN easily tell you i am against the navy’s littoral combat ship program! It sucks!) then you will know that the navy is struggling right now on a lot of different fronts (procurement [shipbuilding esp. is a disaster—ford-class carriers are under budget though 👍🏽], recruitment, theatre prioritization, general preparedness, readiness against major adversaries [China in particular]). Simply, the navy is pretty mediocre at the minute. I talk a big game about ice being COMPACFLT & SECNAV, but if those are true, & if he “exists” in our current timeline, or even canon timeline (COMPACFLT in 2020), then he’s complicit in a lot of why the navy is sucking ass right now. He didn’t do his job very well. LOL. So, because I love (especially my version of) ice too much to see his legacy suffer, I am stating for the record that my timeline is a different timeline where ice saves the navy from itself and fixes all its issues & solves all its problems & makes it the pride of the armed forces & the tip of the spear of American defense :) because I said so

E.) unrelated but important. It sounds obvious but it must be said. Ice dies on the job in TGM canon. To the extent that in earlier drafts of the script, not-his-sister-Sarah even points out to maverick that ice is still active duty, in the same breath as she tells him ice is sick again. (A wise move to remove that line.) ice does not resign his commission. Ice does not retire to spend time with his family at the end of his life. Ice dies as commander of the pacific fleet. He dies on the job; he dies FOR the job, bureaucratic as it is. If you were wondering why I wrote ice so dormantly suicidal, it’s because canon (i argue) has made it clear that—since the second ice signed up to be a fighter pilot during the Cold War to the second he died active duty—ice has ALWAYS been ready and willing to die for his honorable Navy career.

#so imagine what would have happened had he been publicly dishonored 😶#It’s also why i interrupted his SECNAV tenure with his cancer #to pay respects to compacflt Ice having the same thing happen to him #my Ice is built different tho. it doesn’t kill him #he retires to spend time with his family ☺️#unlike selfish asshole canon ice ‼️🤬#/s #this post gets DEEP into it but i find this stuff sooo interesting #got really into defense policy & missing the forest for the trees #i will admit that #military bad? yes but.#but defense policy so interesting anyway.#tom iceman kazansky #top gun #top gun maverick #icemav #edts notes #asks #last post of the night

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solomonssock · 1 year

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Delicate Love

Not the way I was kicking my feet while writing this…anyway, I love Asmodeus :)

Pairing: gn!reader x Asmodeus (established relationship!)

TW: Brief suggestive content (it's Asmodeus), a lot of fluff...like intense fluff and wooing by you, exploring courting behavior, brief non-canon Devildom history exploration, death mentioned but not discussed seriously,,,,uhh I think that's all! Let me know if there's anything else, ty!

Word Count: ~3,400

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"Mo, you know I adore you, and I'd do anything to make you the happiest demon alive."

You heave a sigh as you finally slide into the booth beside Asmodeus, leaning back to sink into the cushioned lining.

"But I'm never going on a shopping haul with you ever again."

You groan and begin massaging out the indents littering your arms from the bag handles you'd lugged around for the past couple of hours.

Right now, you'd enjoy nothing more than sitting across from your lover on your weekly scheduled date day. It's a lovely thought: fingers tangled atop the table as you lean in for a sweet kiss or two, admiring him and his coy smile as you tell him all the ways he makes your heart whole.

Unfortunately, that space is currently occupied.

You glare at the copious amount of shopping bags piled on the seat across from you two. In retrospect, offering to carry all his bags in the first place was a rash decision. But you bore the agony with pride. The spring in his step as he flittered around the racks with ease, batting his eyelashes at you all the while, was payment enough. With his birthday right around the corner, it also had the added benefit of making it easier for you to sneak your own purchase, custom matching anklets for the two of you, among the pile.

Glancing to your side, you watch as Amodeus pulls out his D.D.D. to scan the menu QR code before scrolling through the options. He turns to you with a smirk, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Aww, you don't mean that! You love spending time with me. Aaand," he drags out the word as he leans against your side, gazing deep into your eyes with his usual intensity, "if you hadn't come, you would have missed out on your private show."

Warmth rises to your cheeks as you recall the heated kisses Asmodeus snuck inside the dressing room, pressing you up against the stall door in between outfit changes.

"Seemed to me like you enjoyed yourself," he chuckles, "and weren't the outfits just so cute! Especially that last little number, don't you agree?"

You do.

Asmodeus had strutted out of the stall with a lacy red lingerie top tucked into tight leather shorts. Slowly and sensually, he pulled on the knee high boots one after the other before requesting that you zip them up for him. Teasingly running his fingers through your hair as you kneeled before him, promising to wear it for you on your next night out together.

"The clothes were cute, but I was more focused on the model." You knock your knee against Asmodeus's as you wrap an arm around his waist and pull him closer into you.

Gently, you lift your hand to his cheek, brushing your knuckles over the skin before pressing your forehead against his own.

"It's all just additional, anyway. Your beauty isn't confined by any pretty piece you put on."

His eyes shift away from yours, and you know you've hit a sore spot.

For some time since you two started dating officially, Asmodeus had become increasingly stricter on his skincare routines. Often cycling through new products weekly. You weren't sure what he was searching for, but he'd become meticulous with just about anything to do with his appearance. Accepting no less than perfection before meeting with you.

You weren't even allowed to come into his room in the morning anymore before he had a chance to see himself.

"I mean it," you tilt his chin to face you before pressing a kiss to his cheek, the corner of his mouth, and his lips.

"However you come to me, I'll love you all the same."

Asmodeus pushes his face into the space between your collar and jaw, trembling just a bit. You tighten your hold on him as you move a hand up to run through his hair, smiling as you feel the onset of a light purr thrumming against your side.

"Hmm, love you too." The mumbled words tickle your skin as he presses a kiss against your neck.

You take a moment to look around the cafe and smile as you see plenty of other couples taking up the tables near you. Most of them are holding hands, intertwining tails, or pressing up against their partner as Asmodeus does to you now.

Touch, you remember, is something sacred.

Earlier this week, you joined Satan on a trip to the Royal Library. There, you stumbled across a collection on courtship etiquette and decided to peek through a couple of volumes. The first one you picked up broached the subject of touch.

"Allowing another to place their hands upon you in public, especially in an intimate display, signifies to them and your company several things. First, that you entrust this demon with your body, permitting them to freely handle you. Second, that you find comfort in or openly desire them and their presence. The manner in which you permit them to touch you and its implications will be addressed in Chapter 4. Third, that you find them worthy of witnessing your vulnerabilities and trust them to tend to you when you are at your weakest. This has the additional benefit of informing your company whom to seek out in case of any emergencies. Therefore, if you have no intention of pursuing someone or inviting them into your close circle, it is advisable to abstain from intimate or prolonged contact. You don't want to be seen as an indecisive and inconsiderate heartbreaker, do you? "

For demons, you've recognized that tender or friendly touches are extended only to their loved ones. The casual touch you were accustomed to in the human world: hugging, rubbing someone's back, reaching for someone's hand, even grabbing a loose eyelash, means something deeper here. It had finally clicked for you then, as to why Lucifer had found your tendency to casually high five him and his brothers so peculiar during the start of the program.

It also explains why Asmodeus seems to be most at ease when he hides into your neck like now. It reassures him, you figured, of just how deeply you trust in him to protect you as you let his fangs graze the skin and run over the veins that lie beneath.

The neck, after all, is one of the weakest parts of the human body.

"So," you give Asmodeus a soft squeeze, "finally gonna tell me why you've been wanting to come here?"

All week, Asmodeus had mentioned how excited he was to take you to this cafe on your date day. It was the new hot spot for couples in the Devildom, he teased, and you two obviously being the hottest couple were duty bound to go. That in itself was fine, but for the hot spot he claimed it to be, you hadn't heard a single thing about it. It didn't help that Asmodeus wouldn't tell you the name or spill any details. You just had to be patient and hope he wasn't taking you somewhere...overstimulating.

The cafe is more tame than you expected, and quite romantic too. Flowers top the booths, loop through the hanging chandeliers, and create a pleasantly sweet aroma. At the center of each table, a heart shaped candle burns its wick as it sits atop the welcome card with the menu QR code. The walls are covered in paintings of what you suspect are well-known lovers in Devildom history. Among the demonic pairings, you surprisingly find one couple you recognize, Orpheus and Eurydice performing together in death.

"I get why it's so popular. It's really nice in here," you murmur, gaze turning towards the heart shaped candle to watch the flame flicker to-and-fro.

Focused on the burn, your eyes follow the wax as it melts and trickles off the bottom edge of the heart, leisurely sliding down until it pools into the dish it rests upon. You snort in amusement at the imagery it inspires.

Man, you've got it bad.

Asmodeus jolts from the sound, reluctantly pulling away from you with a small pout on his lips. Yet, his hands still settle on your waist, balling up the fabric there.

"What's so funny? I was comfortable, you know," he grumbles. You smile, tilting your head as you lift your hand to briefly squeeze his left arm.

"It's pretty silly, but...", you nod towards the table, "when I was looking at that candle and how the heart drips downward; the first thing I thought of was you."

"It reminds me of your true form," you begin to draw hearts onto his arm, mapping out the markings as you remember them. "I was thinking about how beautiful these are."

Asmodeus's hands release your top, smoothing out the fabric, before they settle again.

"Especially, when you hug me," you hum.

It's a struggle to put into words, the right words, how much you love and appreciate someone. But for Asmodeus, you'll try.

"This is going to sound ridiculous, but don't be mean," you flush, "I...sometimes think of how your markings droop down, like they're in search of something. And I hope it's me."

You rearrange his scarf as it begins to fall out of place, taking care to put it where he likes it best; tossed over his shoulder.

"You're sort of like the flame too, you know?"

You let out an awkward chuckle. Asmodeus hasn't said anything. So, fidgeting more with the scarf, you press onward.

"You're so bright that everyone can't help but admire the warmth that flows from you...even me," you confess.

"Your confidence just makes me want to be more confident in myself. Like, I appreciate that I can be myself around you and that even if you don't always get my style, you look for things you know I'll love."

"Your brothers can complain about how you're self-centered, but I know how wonderful of a listener you are. I always feel understood by you. It's kind of freaky, actually," you laugh, "sometimes I feel like you understand me better than I understand myself!"

"But," you pause and pull your hands back as your gaze returns to the candle and what rests below it, "I want to be like the dish. Your dish."

"I see how all of it exhausts you, Mo. Beloved by all, but known by none."

You know you've hit the bullseye when you hear him take a sharp breath.

"Well, that doesn't have to be true - we can change that. I want to keep getting to know you, to be with you at your best and your worst. So...you don't have to hide or push yourself too much when it comes to me. You're a resilient demon, but I'm happy to be the shoulder you continue to lean on."

You sigh with a small smile, finally letting the words you've been stewing over for weeks burst free from your chest. Yeah, It's embarrassing to say these things so plainly. But it's freeing too. It's not something humans do much anymore, so casual in their confessions and in how quickly they pick up, drop, or cycle through their partners. But if it means he'll understand that you're ready to accept him just as he is, that he doesn’t have to change himself to earn your love, then it's worth it.

You turn to face Asmodeus and gasp at the captivating sight before you.

Butterflies erupt and flutter in your stomach in response to the blush that spreads across his skin. His face, his chest, and the tips of his ears; nothing is unaffected. His glassy eyes shine with real tears, and you're a little worried you may have gone too far as he gnaws at his bottom lip.

You're so glad for the dim lighting, and that the bags forced you to sit beside him, obstructing any view of him from prying eyes. You don't want anyone else to share in this unguarded expression he bares to you.

"Mo, hey" you move to grab his hands and nudge them off you gently, "I didn't mean to upset you."

But you leave him be as he lets out a distressed whine that raises goosebumps across your skin. His hands only leave you for a second to push yours away before they return to your hips.

"Mo, what's wrong?" You whisper, leaning forward to press your forehead against his again.

"Ugh, nothing's wrong! It's too right!" He whisper-screams back.

Wait...is he embarrassed?

You look into his eyes, and for the first time ever, Asmodeus is the first to look away. You pull back, snickering into your hand.

"Are you laughing at me?!" He looks affronted, but you smile at him. You wrap your arms around his neck, eyes crinkling from the joy flowing through you.

"You're too cute, Mo!" You croon as you kiss his cheek. "If I had known", you press your lips there again, "how much my silly little thoughts would affect you", and again, "I'd have told you how deeply I feel about you every day."

You let out a giddy giggle as he blinks away the wetness in his eyes, pouting at you. His skin feels hot to the touch with a tinge of rouge everywhere. You lean forward, whispering in his ear, "Yeah. Red is definitely your color."

"Now you're the one who's being mean!" He whines, pressing his face into your shoulder. You lean your head against his and hold him to you.

"There, there, sweetheart." You tease, just as he usually does when he overwhelms you with his affection.

"I won't go into how much laughter you've brought into my life, or talk about how much your passion inspires me, or explain why your eyes remind me of orange chrysanthemums."

Mo lifts his face off your shoulder with a slight sniffle.

"Why chrysanthemums?" He asks. And although you only command them, you feel devilish as you gaze into light orange eyes with a knowing smile.

"Because," you whisper, "despite their intensity, they signify a delicate love."

It goes unsaid, but as Asmodeus's eyes widen you know he understands exactly what you mean.

He is the orange chrysanthemum you tend to. With stunning and stimulating colors, he attracts all. But once his onlookers have had their fill of his beauty, they move on, leaving him to wilt. No matter how much his fans claim to love him, they have never, and could never, water him with the gentle attentiveness that you do.

Despite the titillating and tempestuous ideations he conjures in the minds of many, you know that at his core, the Avatar of Lust is a fragile lover.

Asmodeus is silent as he presses himself into your neck again, but you're not concerned as his body sags into yours. For the first time in these past few weeks, he lets go. Trusting in you to hold him up.

"Mo," after a couple of minutes, you rub his back to get his attention, "I saw you looking at the menu earlier. Is there something specific you wanted me to order for us?"

"Mhmm," he hums as he sits up to look at you, "you have to order the Bound Blood Berry Custard." You snort at how serious his request sounds.

"Have to? What if I wanted to order pie? Or cake? Or macaroons?" You smirk, raising a brow at him.

"Aww, you can get whatever you'd like too! But, we have to get that to share."

The custard, you've determined after having a few spoonfuls, has a tangy aftertaste. You didn't expect the lighter citrusy flavor from something with "blood" in the title. But it goes down smooth and is actually pretty refreshing. You take another scoop as Asmodeus does, but this time, he holds his spoon up to your lips.

"Go ahead, darling," he coos, looking at you expectantly. An excited trill leaves him as you lean forward with a chuckle, letting him feed it to you. You do the same to him, holding your spoon up to his lips, heart fluttering at the happy hum he lets out. You two go back and forth like this, feeding spoonfuls of the treat to one another until it's all gone.

"So, what's so special about that custard anyway?" You lean against the booths backing, pleasantly full from all the other treats you two ordered afterward.

"Well," he leans back to join you, leaning into you once again, "the website says the Bound Blood Berry Custard can only be made every 77 years, when the berries around a shared unmarked grave come into season."

"Unmarked?" You glance over to him, but his eyes are shut as he cuddles into your side.

"Yup!" He chirps.

"One review said it belongs to a commoner and a member of the aristocracy. It's been there longer than we've been in the Devildom, probably even before it united under one ruler."

You think back to the history class you attended during your first year here, remembering a brief lecture your professor gave over the travesties of the Warring Generals Period. The Great Generals of the North, South, East, and West conspired to form an oligarchy and successfully killed their king. However, unable to resist the temptation for greater power, they soon turned on one another. They established their own mandates within their territories, endangering demons everywhere as their laws usually conflicted with the legislation passed by the weaker interim rulers.

"Their love was forbidden by some shriveled up duke in the South. It's sad how they passed, executed as an example of what happens to those who tested his law." Asmodeus scoffs.

"They swore as they were together in life, so would they be in death. Apparently, they weren't even supposed to be buried together, but their love inspired some commoners to remove the duke and give them a proper burial. 77 years later, the bushes popped up, guarding their grave."

Asmodeus lets out a dreamy exhale as he opens his eyes, gazing into yours.

"It's so romantic that they've been buried together all this time. I'm almost jealous! Should we plan to share a plot too?"

You shake your head but entertain the idea, "If it comes down to us fighting for our love to exist, then sure, I'll fight for you. But hopefully we won't have to plan anything like that for a long long time."

"You'd fight for me?" Asmodeus smiles, moving to hold your hand in his.

"For or with you," you shrug. "Whichever comes first."

"Oh, my sweet little human is willing to give their all to protect me?" He teases.

"I'll hold you to that, you know? Besides, there's no way I'll let anyone take you from me." With his free hand, Asmodeus grasps your jaw and leans in close to you.

"Rumor has it if you share the Bound Blood Berry Custard, your love will last for at least 77 years until the next thicket grows. So," he pecks your lips once, twice, three times, before he pulls away, "you're stuck with Mo till then ♡"

Maybe it's the sugar high, but you yank him back over for a real kiss. You two take your time, savoring the sweetness, and giggle like love drunk fools between each press of lips.

Many misunderstand the passion Asmodeus carries, thinking it doesn't extend beyond himself. Those lucky enough to be loved by him, however, know they'll receive it in full force. You can feel it in the eager kisses he presses against any skin he can reach, in the way he clings onto you as you clutch his jacket in your hands, and in how he nuzzles his nose against yours before he pulls away.

"You know, Mo," you let out a breathy laugh, "77 years might not be long enough."

You brush back some of the hair that's fallen into his face with a deep sigh.

"I mean, how do we know that the years don't stack up based on how many we eat together?"

You feel giddy as you watch his eyes light up, grin widening when he finally registers what you're implying.

"Oh, that's true! Should we test that theory?"

In the privacy of the booth, you empathize with those star crossed lovers. There is no way in the natural order of things that you and Asmodeus were ever meant to be. But here he is, and here you are. Inseparable.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to try. How many should we order to go?"

#This is literally so gross /lh #Being in love?!?! Ugh can you imagine… /j #I fr had to take breaks writing this #fluff just makes me go feral…it’s so overwhelming in a really ?? exciting ?? way #I dunno my heart thumpin #Mo’s just so asdhijeksd when he wants to be you know??#I had a lot of fun weaving in courtship stuff here #also loved making that bit up about a non-united Devildom #It would coincide with how Diavolo visits the mausoleum to pay respect to the kings who came before him who kept order in the realm #Anyway :)#Exploring the possibilities is just too much fun!!#obey me asmodeus #asmodeus x reader #asmodeus x mc #reader x asmodeus #obey me x reader #obey me x mc #obey me one master to rule them all #om! asmodeus #omomtrta #obey me reader #obey me reader insert #asmodeus x you #asmodeus x y/n #this request was so much fun to complete!!#fluff #obey me fanfic #obey me mc #obey me drabble #demonic courting

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breadclubrising · 10 months

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idc enough to rip and upload the video or see if anyone has posted it already

but this video of kenny saying he went somewhere (not canada!) to "recruit an old friend" who is "near and dear", I would have thought was going to be a swerve, like 'yep, my old friend YUJIRO 'THE TOKYO PIMP' TAKAHASHI'...

i WOULD HAVE thought that IF i had not seen kenneth's lil smile when people IMMEDIATELY started cheering when he said "old friend who is near and dear to my heart." he also threw in what appear to be a bashful head drop and a trying-not-to-get-choked-up voice when he started talking again. even in this shitty lil twitter vid from someone's phone, that smile looks real enough to convince me to tune into blood & guts in a couple weeks.

#kenny omega #golden lovers trutherism #my horrible little desiccated heart was like [limmy waking up meme] do i need to care about wrestling again #and i mean yes yes golden lovers absolutely but also IBUSHI KOTA TRUTHERISM TBH!!!!!! can't have the former w/o the latter babey!#two great tastes that taste great together #two heartwrenching longings of my wrestling fan heart that do flanking damage together #either it's ibushi so kenny's in his feelings OR he knows the people THINK it's going to be ibushi and he's having feelings about THAT #either way these strike me as likely ibushi feelings #ugh fine i will pay slightly closer attention to aew for a couple weeks #no disrespect to yujiro 'the tokyo p*mp' takahashi #in fact mad respect to yujiro 'the tokyo p*mp' takahashi #(do we still need to censor swears and bot words in the tags so that our posts will show up in people's tracked tags?)#(like one time i had the word f*cial in the tags and the post got filtered out. took me forever to figure out what did it)

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spacedlexi · 10 months

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it honestly frustrates me when i see people reduce the ericsons cast down to "just some teens in the woods" acting like theyre no different than any other group of lone teenagers from other existing properties and treating them like an overused trope

it is sooo important to acknowledge the "troubled youth" aspect of the whole equation. theyre not just some random teens in the woods clem stumbles across. these kids were abandoned by their families for their various "difficulties" and fucked up by The System before the outbreak even began. and then once zombies started roaming the streets their familes never came back for them and the adults that were in charge of taking care of them just left them there to rot in that old boarding school (except for ms martin who was like their lee 🥺 the only person who ever saw them as the scared traumatized kids they were and died protecting them)

the whole aspect of them already being fucked up by the adults that controlled their lives is like.....kind of important when discussing the whole "delta is stealing kids to force them to fight in a war they have no real part in and want nothing to do with" aspect of the season. and its important when comparing them to clem and her journey of also suffering at the hands of the adults around her forcing her to become self reliant. AND its important when discussing the "just trying to build a safe home (and future) worth fighting for in this world that wants them dead" aspect of the season as well

these kids were forced to come together to survive. and a Lot of them didnt... theyre the only family they have left and you can tell that even when they argue with each other theyre still a close knit group who looks out for each other. theyre a Real family before clem even gets there (and its why what really happened with the twins and brody and marlon hits them all so especially hard)

all of this is what REALLY makes ericsons such a perfect home for clem. its a Real community of her True peers. theyre not Just teens. they mightve had a layer of safety clem never had by at least having walls to keep them safe. and having the benefit of the school being hard to find. its the only reason theyre still alive when clem shows up. but theyre also some of the only people who can Truly understand where clem and aj are coming from. and its why it hurts so much when they vote to kick them out. but its also partially why she merges back into the fold so easily when she returns. plus the fact that shes Really the only one who has any idea what shes doing. shes their rock and she makes them feel safe because underneath it all theyre still just those scared traumatized kids ("EVERYONE is scared, clem..." vi was Definitely including herself in that 'everyone'), and on some level, so is clem

they saved clementines life. and she saved theirs. "the school was supposed to help them with their trauma, now they help each other" its about the LOVE the COMMUNITY the SUPPORT!!!! and thats the shit that makes good zombie media honestly 👌

#it speaks #twdg #there i go again writing another essay but i will Always defend the ericson cast theyre one of the strongest out of all 4 seasons #complaints ive seen about s4 typically include mentions of the teens as a trope being overused and im like.......did you even pay attention #the fact they were branded “troubled youth” and basically thrown away by everyone who was supposed to take care of them is SO IMPORTANT #these kids are Fucked Up but theyre Trying to make a kinder world #nobody talk to me i fucking love the ericson cast 😭😭😭 theres not a single one of them i dont like im serious #them using poor pilgrim of sorrow in ep3....ericsons is heaven to clem 😭 all the comments she can make about feeling safe there 😭😭#clem being everyones rock but violet being clems rock back 🥺😭💕 waaaaahhh thats why it was over for me when vi stood up for them in ep 2 #vi having the courage to stand up to her group for aj........... yeah she had me in a vice grip after that. she fought for them so hard #and if it wasnt for her advocating so hard for them to stay they ALL would have been taken or killed #vi cared about clem so much she undoomed them all #and aj loved clem so much he undoomed her :')#s4 is just the perfect ending to clems story truly itll make me happy for the rest of my life im so happy for u clem 🥺#tfw the media you like gets a good ending and the main characters are respected and it feels like it was made from a place of love #instead of being like...actively hostile to its fanbase and destroying its own characters for the Laughs #and when i say “good” i dont necessarily mean “happy” i just mean “competently written"#i wouldnt call it perfect but it survived both a cancellation AND the financial collapse of a major game studio. its perfect to Me #for what it is (and what it originally almost was with the clems house plot) we truly lucked out so fucking hard #truly a return to form of season 1 but with less despair and more hope which i appreciate :')#all the things ive liked over the years that were destroyed for me by bad or weird writing decisions... clutches onto twdg like a lifeboat #god i love s4 so much nothing has ever been More Specifically Written For Me Personally

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