#i have a lot of thoughts about this

[transrevolutions]

While overall I felt like the tbosas movie was well done, there's one part that really bothered me. When Sejanus gets involved with the rebels in the book, he's fully on board, stealing them ammo and weapons from the base, and planning to hold guards at gunpoint to free the prisoners. In the movie, however, he just wants to run away and then is surprised and upset by the fact that the rebels were planning an act of violence.

This doesn't seem like a major change, but from a political standpoint (as tbosas is a very political book), it's a big one and one I very much do not like.

In the text, Sejanus plays the role of the moral compass. Whereas both Coriolanus and Lucy Gray having complex and subjective motivations, Sejanus is always driven by wanting to do the right thing, even if it costs him. He acts as a baseline, keeping the readers from getting lost in endless loops of justification for atrocities just because Coriolanus's internal narration is rhetorically persuasive.

So when Sejanus (who up until this point has been relatively pacifist) joins up with the rebels in the book and agrees to participate in an act of revolutionary violence, the text is pointing out that that act of rebellion is morally permissible. That even violence against the oppressor class can be an altruistic action. Sejanus planning to fight the guards with the rebels is not a sign of his corruption, it's a sign of the fact that his society has become so corrupt that not doing it would be morally worse than doing it. After all, someone's going to die either way, so why not have it be the oppressors?

If movie!Sejanus is still occupying the role of the moral compass (which he seems to be), then his dismay at the possibility of the rebels using violence acts as a narrative condemnation of the violence, when the opposite is true in the book. The movie tries to make a distinction between the "good" dissenters (pacifist, nonviolent, morally superior) and the "bad" dissenters (violent radicals/terrorists). In the current political climate, this idea and narrative is extremely unsettling. And I'm disappointed they did this, but not surprised. Like the other Hunger Games movies, it was produced by a large media company, and they can't follow the satire of the book too closely lest people realize the fundamental irony of it. People in positions of power do not want to tell a story where violent activism is portrayed as moral--at least when it's against a society that obviously mirrors our own. (The brutalist architecture style is another complaint that I have, but that can be discussed in another post.)

Changing that seemingly small detail about Sejanus's involvement with the rebels doesn't do much to change the continuity of the storyline, but it does a lot to change the underlying message of his character and the story. This was almost certainly intentional, because the same sort of thing was done in the original trilogy movies as well. Companies are scared of subversive media because it makes them look like the 'bad guys' too, so they wrap rebellion in a lens of fantasy and moderatism.

#sejanus plinth #politics #tbosas #the hunger games #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #analysis #thg #pigeon.txt #I have a LOT of thoughts about this #but this post is already long as hell #anyways. violent revolution is morally justified. #we have nothing to lose but our chains

[scarlethoodi]

Over on Hunger Games TikTok and I’m learning a lot (more) about the story’s lore especially regarding The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which has been very fun. One interesting thing is learning that while this (unfortunately) isn’t shown in the movies, in the books Dr. Gaul tells Coriolanus that there will be no replays of game 10 which makes him happy because it erases Lucy Gray from the narrative thus removing her from the minds of capitol citizens. But I also thought about how it does another thing which wouldn’t necessarily matter in Coriolanus’ perspective (at least not at the time), it also erases the moment Reaper “buried” the other tributes.

The Hunger Games works to fuel division amongst the district because of course watching kids from other districts kill the kids from yours ignites anger and hatred, even when you all know that the Capitol is the reason behind this violence the division is there and has been for years. So, if that game was replayed and people from other district were to watch a young boy from an outside district handle their fallen children with such care as Reaper did it would be such an unexpected act of compassion that something would bound to ignite…which later did when District 11 watched the care Katniss gave Rue and how she laid her to rest even though they were “enemies” and that district was amongst the first to rally behind Katniss. So if something like this was witnessed earlier; that unity, compassion, and care (no matter how late) could be shown between the tributes in the middle of a forced death game who knows what would’ve happened.

Anyways media censorship is a bitch

#the hunger games #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the hunger games 10 #katniss everdeen #lucy gray baird #coriolanus snow #dr gaul #district 12 #district 11 #I have a lot of thoughts about this #everything is so calculated if you think about it #and it makes it all so sinister

[i-am-a-freg]

People would really have you murder babies with disabilities. Mom might grieve after that baby is born, in fact she probably will, especially if it was unexpected. But how much worse to decide that child should die, and never get to learn how to take care of them, to help them grow into a beautiful human, help them learn how to live?

#idk man #I have a lot of thoughts about this #life really is a choice #and I think pressuring a family into having an abortion because their baby has a disability is such a cruel and heartless thing #you’ll never know the joy of figuring out how to dress that baby #how to feed them and take care of them #you’ll never have the joy of seeing them grow and learn how to adapt #idk #every life is beautiful and this is all true of babies without disabilities #but how horrible to deem someone not worthy of living #just because they’re different

[mj-thrush-gxn]

i’m trying to decide if i want to continue the cover project for season 2 as well. i want to because there are things that happen in the episodes and characters that i really wanna draw- but then again- the fandom is dying. if i do s2 covers idk if im doing it for me or doing it out of necessity.

i can’t move on from this fandom, i’m way to attached to it. it feels wierd to see people leaving. props to those who can, but i just can’t. i joined the fandom april 11th 2023. it feels like o just got here and im not ready to move on. it’s sad that im watching the fandom die as i am grasping at the remains just because i dont wanna lose it.

#season 1 was great #season 2 had great potential #honestly i feel like after they got dood a lot of stuff fell apart #i wish anthony had rolled fear instead of love #because the doodler had really good potential #also terrys death felt unneeded. scary’s arc hasn’t really happened #she’s changed #so shes had an arc #but it’s been an underlying thing #anyway #i have a lot of thoughts about this #thrush rambles #dndads #dungeons and daddies #thrush talks #dndads s2

[socialc1imb]

yeah, Soul is just a guy and he regularly starts his conversations with “yo” and “what up mfs” and kickflips his trident and drinks two full cases of monster in a month because he’s a little silly and has main character energy when he is not busy being depressed but what i need you all to understand is that he is cold and bitter and violent when he allows himself to be. One minute he’s laughing and joking and the next he’s holding his trident up to Mind’s neck for making too rude of a comment towards Heart as a clear threat to get the other to shut up or he’s pinning Heart against the wall for attempting to punch Mind and digging the prongs of the trident into his side just to show the other who’s in charge. When he gets angry, he changes from the silly and mostly enjoyable presence into something a little more sinister and violent, a personality that both Heart and Mind have come to fear over time, someone who is unbothered by his sudden shift in morality and will not hesitate to manipulate and hurt others to get his way. And it’s not like Soul enjoys it, but it’s not really like he has a choice. As a separate being from the other two, he no longer has mind’s logic or heart’s sense as an innate part of him to help hinder and control that violence and bitterness inside of him, so when he gets like that its not always easy for him to come back to himself and his senses and it terrifies the other two. Do you understand. I need you all to realize this.

#chonny jash #chonnys charming chaos compendium #the soul eclectic #cj soul #i have a lot of thoughts about this #soul can be a monster given the right opportunities #and sometimes its not always up to him #sometimes that bitterness takes over before he realizes it #and then suddenly thats not Soul anymore #not *their* soul anyways #thats the hole in which the soul once resided

[somethingnurseywoulddo]

while i think samwell retires jacks number, 1 hanging proudly over faber ice, i believe that the impact bitty has on ncaa hockey is felt for generations to come. i believe the ncaa sees number 15, eric bittle, the man who made history and changed the lives of hundreds, and decide to retire his 15 across ncaa hockey.

#i have a lot of thoughts about this #and then 1 and 15 fly next to each other in faber for generations #their impact as players are felt both in the school and the ncaa for years and years #omgcp #check please #omgcheckplease #check please! #eric bittle #jack zimmermann

[cellarful-of-noise]

thinking about that post talking about how tolkien likely equated no trees with evil because of his experience in the great war and thinking about how poppies bloomed in no man's land and thinking about The poppies blow / Between the crosses row on row and thinking about how contrary to popular belief orcs are not an inherently evil race because orcs are not their own race they are elves who inwardly turned so evil that it manifested itself outwardly and thinking about how in war people don't look evil they just look like people and thinking about tolkien going to war as a young man and coming home having lost friends and years of his life and his youth and seeing unimaginable horrors and fields with trenches and poppies and no trees and evil people using evil weapons who just look like anyone else

#i have a lot of thoughts about this #and it always bugs me when people use orcs as an example of inherently evil fantasy races #because orcs are elves who chose to become evil and so it manifested outwardly #tolkien #jrr tolkien #lotr #lord of the rings

[spacedustmantis]

everyone is always trying to assign fire motif to jay when she's so obviously air coded

#i have a lot of thoughts about this #mainly jay not being her father therefore having a different Thing #and also the fucking #she has a tattoo of a bluejay feather #they had a whole bit about her being a bird #feather fall #etc #jay ferin #jrwi riptide

[dragoncat223]

6.

I read a post here somewhere about Andreil saying I love you. I know Nora says they don’t say it explicitly, hell, I know there are so many different ways to say it, but I just… My feelings aside the post said that Andrew says it once.

Neil is not one to assume anything about Andrew, including his feeling for Neil. So what if Neil did know Andrew loves him, because he does. I wrote something small, I meant to expand on it for Valentines Day, but I just got distracted by life, but I suppose I’ll post it here and work on the rest later, as I did promise my bestie I’d write the full fic. Eventually. This is supposed to be toward the end of the fic end when Andrew finds out that Neil is being a dumb martyr, staying with Andrew, even when Neil thinks Andrew doesn’t love him.

Anger and frustration warred inside Andrew’s chest. That idiot.

He pushed Neil up against the wall, their faces inches apart. “I am only going to say this once, so listen closely.”

Neil blinked at him and stayed silent, not that Andrew would have waited to see if his idiot was actually paying attention. “You. Are. Everything. Do you understand me? Everything.”

Andrew took a moment to make sure that information made its way into Neil’s thick skull, then stepped back. He straightened his jacket and began to walk away, but like he is wont to do, Neil caught up with him. There was a big smile on his face. “So… You like me.”

“I hate you.”

“You like me.” Andrew was starting to regret ever talking to Neil.

“I hate you.”

“Sure.”

Instead of making Neil leave or doing something to lose this hanger on, Andrew linked his pinkie through Neil’s and let Neil start talking about some idiot in one of his classes.

#aftg #all for the game #neil josten #andrew minyard #andreil #ask #aftg neil #i have a lot of thoughts about this #they are in love #they just don’t say it #and there are so many ways to say it #i know that #but i do think it’s important to say it at least one #to establish fact #communication #gods dam it

[stephadoo]

Classic Who // New Who Parallels  

#second doctor #thirteenth doctor #classic who #doctor who #dwedit #cwedit #gifs #cwnw #i have a lot of thoughts about this #especially the doctor's reaction

[palmtreepalmtree]

The other day I was telling a friend how they should use Ancient Aliens as a teaching device for high school students to develop their media skepticism skills. Among many techniques the show uses is that it sandwiches actual experts from legitimate academia between alien-ologists.

I wondered to my friend whether these historical experts actually know what show they're being interviewed for when they agree to appear.

This morning in my half-awake state, in the middle of an episode about the Ark of the Covenant, I recognized one of the expert voices...

It's my Rabbi. My Rabbi is one of the experts being interviewed on Ancient Aliens.

#i have a lot of thoughts about this #but i have to go to work #so expect more later i guess

[only-in-december]

Hey, do you ever think about Jim Kirk after "City on the Edge of Forever"? Do you think that when they got back to the ship, he hid from the crew for a while? Maybe he called his brother and talked to Sam about everything that happened with Edith? Do you think that he didn't talk to Spock or Bones for days unless he needed to because he's the Captain? Because even though they weren't to blame for what happened, he needed someone to blame? And then, do you think that when "Operation: Annihilate!" happened Jim almost left Starfleet because first Edith died, and now his brother was dead too? Do you think that's why Bones never held the way Jim acted toward him in that episode against him, because even though Jim was purposefully hurtful, he was also hurting? Do you think that maybe him calling Sam after Edith was the last time they talked before things went wrong? Do you think Jim regretted that for the rest of his life?

I don't know, I just think about that sometimes.

#Star Trek #James T Kirk #Sam Kirk #City on the Edge of Forever #Operation: Annihilate! #Star Trek TOS #I have a lot of thoughts about this #oof

[meraki-yao]

God, he must be so overwhelmed being in that huge city far from home and alone. I know he's a grown man and he is working but it's always better to have someone close on these long and tiring journeys 🥹

See, I kind of have a little more complicated perspective on his trip to China

Taylor travels a lot (I think in September we saw him in Australia, New York, London and Spain?) and I think he mentioned he loves doing so, so to some degree I think travelling comes easier to him

But China is different from all the other places we've recently seen him travel to. I have some authority to say this as 1, I am Chinese (ethnicity-wise, I am living in Hong Kong), and used to visit family in the mainland (geopolitics are weird) at least once a year 2, I check on the RWRB Chinese fandom from time to time (still mostly here, I consider myself to be a western RWRB fan, being a Hong Konger is weird and fun in that regard) 3, racial micro-aggressions and colourism is a common issue in China that everyone just goes with (I am mad about that) 4, I know Chinese celebrity culture and how different it is from Western celebrity culture. I was so anxious for him the moment he landed at Shanghai airport because I was worried the different perception of both his race and him as a celebrity/him as Alex would hurt him in some way. I kid you not, I was worried the whole time, even if I know he's a grown man and there's functionally nothing I can do.

In a way it did and it didn't, I guess? There were a couple of issues that I personally had with the GQ event, but those are more my subjective opinions. And there was an incident two days ago that I cannot for the life of me find a reliable retelling, so take it with a pinch of salt, but what happened was there was an... art event? That Taylor attended at a restaurant? I think he co-designed something, either a plaque or a shirt. It was a private event, but one of the guests leaked the invite online, so people knew he was going there at what time, and then a crowd gathered at the restaurant and even though it was relatively peaceful and police were there to keep them in order, it's still a crowd in front of a restaurant. They didn't get to meet him, he had to leave through a back door, and later on Little Red Book said he had a change of plans. Again there are like, two contradicting narratives I could find and I pieced this together to the best of my ability, so please take it with a pinch of salt. However, I will say the whole gathering at a place where a celebrity would potentially show up is the norm in China. It's not good, it will cause inconvenience, but it is how it is.

But on the other hand, on the day of the GQ event when we saw him on the boat and everything, people were showing him so much love. People were shouting "Welcome to China" from the bridges, some people took the day off just to travel to the venue to see him, and a lot of them prepared gifts and cards for him. I heard some really fucking awful Twitter drama was happening to him at the same time (and no I don't want to hear about it) so it was relieving in a way to see him get so much love in real life. And Taylor was incredibly sweet, signing books and photos and phone cases. This would never happen with Chinese celebrities (because everything is monetized), especially with firstprince or TayNick photos. (because even shipping and RPS shipping is monetized! It's so fucked and I'm mad about it!)

I am still concerned with just how much work he had and how tight his schedule was (on the 7th he changed into 5 outfits, did a photoshoot in the morning in the black blazer, photoshoot and meeting with fans in the afternoon in the casual set, early dinner party and blue carpet in the white suit, water carpet and red carpet in the brown suit, then dinner party in the lilac suit, what the fuck, especially when apparently no other guest had this tight a schedule) and I was extra concerned when he said in the live stream that he came alone (I already suspected that when he arrived at the airport and the police were keeping order instead of private security) and I kind of think the whole trip could have been better organized or done in a way less demanding for him

But with that being said, I am incredibly proud of him and grateful for him for coming to China and doing all these events. It feels like a step. And I completely admire him for going through all of this in such a different, foreign environment on his own. As much as seeing the boys and RWRB content makes me happy (and frankly, helping my shitty mental health), I do hope he has a good rest when he gets back. I think this trip took a toll on him even if he (hopefully) enjoyed it.

Chinese RWRB fans are joking that as much as they want Nick to visit as well, with how intense Taylor's schedule turned out and how introverted and tired Nick is, he'd be "swimming back in England" after a day 🤣

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #rwrb movie #taylor zakhar perez #alex claremont diaz #rwrb thoughts #this unintentionally turned into an essay #I have a lot of thoughts about this #anon ask #answered

[authenticcadence18]

The Owl House’s treatment of Belos as a villain is everything I’ve ever wanted Miraculous Ladybug’s treatment of Gabriel to be.

The two villains are very similar, which makes the difference between how their narratives treat them all the more obvious.

More below the cut:

They both have a child in their care whom they are extremely controlling of and abusive toward: Hunter and Adrien, respectively.

If that wasn’t enough, Hunter has been confirmed to be a grimwalker created by Belos in the image of his late-brother, while Adrien has been heavily implied to be a sentimonster created by one or both of his parents.

Both Belos and Gabriel want to tear down the current world they live in and reshape it to their liking. Belos seemingly wants to destroy all witches/magic, and Gabriel wants to quite literally end his reality and create a new one.

Both of these villains have moments where they are humanized, such as Hunter and Belos’s conversation in the beginning of “Eclipse Lake” or Gabriel and Adrien watching Emilie’s film together at the end of “Gorizilla.”

…but how are they portrayed when they’re alone?

When Belos is alone in “Hollow Mind,” he is not made out to be sympathetic whatsoever. He shows no remorse for Hunter or his predecessors, and the narrative makes it clear that whatever affection he shows Hunter, it’s all just for show, a means to an end.

And then there’s Gabriel. Who’s given dramatic monologues accompanied with sad music where he laments his wife, Emilie. And a very odd subplot involving his relationship with his secretary/sidekick, Nathalie (who is canonically in love with him). And an (albeit inconsistent) desire to protect Adrien.

The Owl House’s narrative clearly does not want us to feel sad for Belos. Belos is not humanized to make us feel bad: he’s humanized to help us understand how other characters might be manipulated by him. He is evil through and through.

But Miraculous Ladybug’s narrative does want us to feel bad for Gabriel. Poor Gabriel, who lost his wife and will do whatever it takes to get her back—including destroying Paris. Poor Gabriel, who loves his son so much that he’ll akumatize and traumatize him to achieve his goals🙄

I trust The Owl House to give Belos the ending he deserves.

I do not, however, trust Miraculous Ladybug to do the same for Gabriel.

I’m all for humanizing villains. But when this is used to justify their actions—the way Gabriel’s more humane side is used to justify his—I draw the line.

I like both of these shows. But The Owl House makes it abundantly clear that you don’t need to genuinely humanize your villains whatsoever to make them compelling and display why other characters might humanize them. Thank you.

#I have a lot of thoughts about this #I HATE GABE #Like i hate belos but i have a different kind of rage for gabe because THE WRITERS DONT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW AWFUL HE IS #STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL BAD FOR GABRIEL AGRESTE STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME SHIP HIM WITH NATHALIE IM NOT GOING TO HE #IS THE WORST #anyway. Toh for the win #The owl house #toh #the owl house spoilers #toh spoilers #hollow mind #eclipse lake #miraculous ladybug #ml #miraculous ladybug spoilers #ml spoilers #gabriel agreste #philip whittebane #emperor belos #hunter toh #adrien agreste #ml salt #toh analysis #ml analysis

[aesdi]

imagine a ghost au for wroef where the family haunts the house, somehow knowing when the “curse” will strike again and able to do nothing about it

#I have a lot of thoughts about this #and not enough motivation to write them #like imagine the family all getting their spidey-sense and they follow the feeling towards the bathroom #or Calvin having to watch his brother die in the same way he did #idk man this has a lot of hurt potential #and i like hurt #what remains of edith finch #wroef

[cornbreadcrumbs]

Thinking about Howard's truth. About how he was one of the strongest people on this show, and we never thought about it. Thinking about "You've mistaken my kindness for weakness." That he worked so hard to be decent to people. That he took the brunt of Jimmy's hate so that Chuck could pretend to be a caring brother instead of a sabatour. That after chewing out Kim, he relented and shared that truth with her, despite being under no obligation to do so. That he was the only one to take any responsibility for Chuck's death, bearing the heavy load of guilt and anguish. That he was never the kind of man to talk trash about his wife or their marital problems to anyone. That he kept that pain inside, silently making perfect little cups of coffee with peace signs in the hopes of gently creating some kind of healing. Living in that large and lonely house, friendless. That he reached out to try and make things right with Jimmy, only to be met with vitriol. That the last day of his life was the worst kind of humiliation. And having the bravery to speak his truth, only to be met with lies and lies and lies. You think his wealth or his privilege means he's a weak and hollow prig? You'd be wrong. Howard's strength was never turning his pain on other people. Not becoming embittered or hateful. Willing to learn from his mistakes. How many other characters on this show have done that? How many other characters could end the episode saying, with all honesty and conviction, "You've hurt me deeply, but I know I can land on my feet?" Like Nacho, Howard had his Emilia moment. He said what needed to be said. However fun or exciting this con was, there was a real human being on the other end of that. A decent man who never hurt anyone. And now he's dead.

#howard hamlin #bcs #i have #i have a lot of thoughts about this #youve mistaken my kindness for weakness #better call saul #jimmy mcgill #kim wexler #bcs spoilers #plan and execution