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fanfic-recs-01 · 10 months

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Johnlock Fics

This is a list of John Watson/Sherlock Holmes fics I like on AO3, if you have any recs for me feel free to send me some!

Updated 8/13/23

Relationship Reveal

Yarders Find Out by MidnightMonster

~How the yarders or more specifically Greg gets to know about Sherlock's soldier husband, John Watson who had been in Afghanistan for a little bit more than two and a half years.~

Can't Be His Boyfriend by sorrowsofyore

~In which Sherlock has himself a doctor and Lestrade is just befuddled by it all.~

Secret acquaintances by whokilledholofernes

~Sherlock rushes from the crime scene after receiving a text. That leaves Detective Inspector Lestrade behind with the question: What is Sherlock hiding?~

(un)remarkable by intrinsicness

~Basically I want a fic where John is like this nice but seemingly boring guy who you've known for years but never really bothered to get to know much about because it's obvious that nothing interesting ever happens to him. In reality though his life is fascinating.~

A Study In Partners by LonelyThursday

~Sherlock and John met years before ASiP, but nobody told the Yard that~

The Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers by rhelia

~Alternate Universe where John and Sherlock were flatmates (and boyfriends) even before John enlisted, leading to one very surprised policeman.~

This is my friend, John Watson by SeamsInLine

~where Sherlock is married and the Yard doesn't even notice.~

Outed By a Drugs Bust by Inactive Account (sassybleu)

~Sherlock and John are together-but no one else knows that. The damage is done when Lestrade and his crew break in on a drugs bust.~

I Thank My Lucky Stars (For Every Crack, Scratch, and Scar) by burnedplaylists

~Greg was aware that Sherlock acting a bit out of the ordinary wasn’t unusual. In fact, weird was Sherlock’s own brand of normal. But he had been texting the bloke for a week straight with no reply, not even with the promise of a locked-room murder.~

A Surprise in 221B by lancesface

~Lestrade entered the flat prepared to find a consulting detective sulking on the couch due to the lack of cases but instead found a short blond man, wearing an oatmeal jumper, who was limping down the hallway towards the door.~

Illusory Correlation and Confirmation Bias by VanillaBegonias

~Looking back, there were a few things that should’ve tipped Greg off long before that night at the pub. A few things Sherlock left fairly obvious, that on reflection, made Greg question how he’d gotten his job in the first place.~

In Which Sherlock Is Hiding Something by Huffordle

~Sherlock is hiding something from Greg although the DI doesn't notice.~

Capt John H Watson, MBBS by anthonyedwardstark

~Sherlock has not been seen or heard from for more than a week. Lestrade decides to begin his search for the man at 221B Baker Street. When Scotland Yard's finest arrive at the flat, what (or rather who) they find is certain to surprise them.~

Sherlock's Secret by Superlocked_25

~Sherlock had a secret, one that he told no one. But people were becoming suspicious.~

Sherlock's "Friend" by Lavander_Clearwater

~Sherlock has been acting strange and Lestrade tries to figure out why.~

"Surprise! I'm gay!" by Awkward_bean_sky

~Sherlock suddenly doesn't answer any of Greg's calls anymore and he's worried to say the least. In the end, things aren't nearly as bad as he'd suspected.~

The Internet Is Not Just For Porn by cyerus

~John is Sherlock's internet boyfriend - from CANADA.No one thinks he's real.~

5687 (Approximately) by prettysailorsoldier

~When John's leave request for Christmas is denied, Sherlock is nothing short of devastated, not that he's letting it show. The holiday season now something he's just waiting to end, Sherlock doesn't think anything can possibly make it worse. That is, until he realizes no one in his life believes his army "boyfriend" is even real, but, luckily, everyone is in for a surprise.~

A Long Time Coming by thestanceyg

~Sherlock's been acting strangely, and Lestrade isn't sure why. One day he finds a shirtless soldier in Sherlock's flat and things start to make a lot more sense.~

The One Where Greg is Exasperated & Confused, Sally is a Cow and Sherlock is Apparently Married by WhatLocked

~When Greg first met Sherlock he was rude, abrupt, acerbic, strung out and practically homeless, and was most certainly not in any way marriage material. This is probably why, when four years later, Sherlock flippantly mentions that he is married, no one believes him.~

Sherlock's Little Secret by DoctorRainyStardusttheThird (orphan_account)

~Namely...an army doctor boyfriend. During a drugs bust, the Yarders stumble upon something they weren't expecting.~

The Imaginary Boyfriend by Oliver_966

~John and Sherlock met after Johns first leave, and have been in a relationship for years. Sherlock hasn't ever mentioned this to anyone at the Yard, and when he does they turn it into a joke. Sherlock doesn't care though of course, because he knows his John is real.~

Sherlock's Who? by freakypet

~John has been away for Sherlock's entire career and suddenly returns to London unexpectedly from Afghanistan. Injured and tired and in pain, all he wants is to surprise Sherlock and kiss his husband. His search to find and surprise his wayward partner takes him across London and meets him up with those in Sherlock's world he has only heard about until now.~

Misc.

What Meets the Eye by worldaccordingtofangirls

~Amnesia is just another case to solve. Piece together unfamiliar faces, reconstruct the old identity, the lost reality. A challenge that Sherlock could even enjoy. He can read people like books. The man with the silver hair is his boss. The tottering old woman, his landlady. The girl with the worried look in her eyes…infatuated. And as for John Watson? His husband. Obviously.~

The Blind and the Clueless by InTheShadows

~5 times Greg saw John was perfect for Sherlock but didn't say anything and one time he did.~

Division by MrsNoggin

~John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes. Coffee Shop AU.~

Without Knowing How by kinklock

~John grows up reading about a fictional detective named Sherlock Holmes but, after nearly dying in Afghanistan, finds himself in a world where Sherlock Holmes is very much real.~

"finally kiss the bloody idiot" by Salambo06

~"John and Sherlock know the Yard has a pool going for when they’re finally going to get together. It’s been running forever, and it’s worth thousands of pounds. It’s all fun and games, hahaha, until they find out Lestrade is in dire financial straits and they decide to fake a relationship to win the pool for him. Sherlock figures out the day and way that Lestrade thinks it’s going to happen, and they act it out. It’s all for a good cause, fake relationship style, until it’s not."~

Off on the Wrong Foot by Unloyal_Olio

~John and Sherlock aren't flatmates. Instead, John gets a job in Bart's morgue, and Sherlock attempts to abscond with body parts.Which is just not on.~

He’s Not Paid Enough to Deal with This Shit by janonny

~(Or the one where John returned from the war and ended up working for Mycroft as his personal assistant slash doctor on retainer. Everything was fine, until he was sent to post bail for one Sherlock Holmes.)~

An Officer, A Sociopath and A Soldier Walk Into A Bar by ourdancingdays

~...And the punch line is for their ears only. / When Greg started yet another drugs bust, he expected the decomposing ears and infuriating detective, but not the war hero husband leaning against the kitchen counter.~

Cherry Hearts by harrypotteryaoi

~Lestrade's team is unaware that Sherlock is in a relationship, but an accident on a case leads them to meet someone unexpected.~

The Soldier by Evandar

~Captain John Watson meets Sherlock Holmes in Afghanistan and - after a whirlwind romance involving spies and giant monsters - marries him on the army base there. Months later, he's shipped home to his husband wounded.~

Five Times John Noticed But Didn't Really by ScandalousMinds

~5 times John (thought) he noticed something peculiar about his and Sherlock's relationship but really missed the obvious.~

The Other Kind Of Drugs by Yuval25

~'Flushed, dilated pupils, and that weird text. Clearly, Sherlock's back on drugs, right?' A worried Detective Inspector Lestrade decides a drugs bust is in order. Little did he know, the new drug that Sherlock's got himself addicted to is much more... human. And blond. And a doctor.~

Signs of Life by DefNotForWork

~The Yarders have a pretty well developed view of Sherlock Holmes. Cold, cruel, dispassionate and robotic. He simply doesn't register as human. As Sherlock and John fall farther and farther in love with one another, however, the proud men and women from NSY find themselves facing irrefutable evidence as to the true existence of a heart in Sherlock Holmes.~

The Imaginary Boyfriend by Oliver_966

Homecoming by nbcravenstag

~Greg Lestrade always knows when there's something wrong with Sherlock Holmes. When the detective stops talking, stops eating, doesn't come to crime scenes, and barely moves from the red chair in 221B, Greg starts to worry that he's using again, and this time, he's in too deep to be helped. That is, until a certain soldier shows up at a crime scene.~

#johnlock #fic recs #sherlock holmes x john watson

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amyreadsandstresses · 1 year

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AMY'S DAILY FIC REC

Here we go! We have returned! This time with some BBC Sherlock, BBC Merlin and Stranger Things

*Complications - EstravenAi

20k, 15/15, Johnlock, Medical Trauma, Permanent Injury, Angst with a Happy Ending

Heat and noise...

After John is seriously injured during a case, he and Sherlock must deal with the fallout.

*The Imaginary Boyfriend - Oliver_966

2k, 1/1, Johnlock, The Yard finds out, Humor, Angst, Fluff, Married Johnlock

John and Sherlock met after Johns first leave, and have been in a relationship for years. Sherlock hasn't ever mentioned this to anyone at the Yard, and when he does they turn it into a joke. Sherlock doesn't care though of course, because he knows his John is real.

*Illusory Correlation and Confirmation Bias - VanillaBroompolish

10k, 6/6, Johnlock, Greg is a good friend, Molly Hooper, Sally Donovan, Relationship Reveal

Looking back, there were a few things that should’ve tipped Greg off long before that night at the pub. A few things Sherlock left fairly obvious, that on reflection, made Greg question how he’d gotten his job in the first place.

*Limits - WhatLocked

41k, 23/23, Johnlock, Baby Watson, Mentions of Infidelity, Mary Ships Johnlock, Mycroft is a good brother and uncle, Arguments and Confusion, Fluff and Smut

Basically, John leaves, without a trace, after discovering that Mary has left and the baby is not his.

Sherlock gets frantic, Mycroft gets sassy and limits are reached.

Sherlock somehow acquires a baby that he didn't expect to meet and eventually John comes home.

That is when things get tricky...

*Sharp Angles and Thin Measurements - wistfulpisces

TRIGGER WARNING, 1k, 1/1, Sherlock-centric, OCD, Eating Disorders, Unilock, Stream of consciousness

Sherlock has always been sharply aware of his body.

Perhaps too aware for his own good.

*For Now and Always - merpancake

996, 1/1, Merwaine, Proposal, Short and lovely

It was a joke, surely just meant to be a joke, but- suddenly Gwaine could see a future unrolling in front of him like a tapestry.

*Mornings - ShipsUncloaking

320, 1/1, Merwaine, Short and Fluffy

Merlin and Gwaine have been married for a year, and at this point their morning routine is pretty much set in stone.

*to spill soup (down someone else's front) - southfarthing

615, 1/1, Gwen & Merlin, Gwen/Arthur, Fluff and Humor

A visiting noble says something rude. Merlin and Gwen try to out-friend each other.

*the things that you hold - EachPeachPearPlum

1k, 1/1, Merwaine, Gwen/Lancelot/Arthur, Magic Reveal, Fluff

“I’m a sorcerer,” Merlin announces, the second Gwaine closes his bedroom door behind himself (our bedroom, Gwaine would insist, but Merlin’s been hesitating on that, holding back until Gwaine knows all of him, because how can anything be theirs when Merlin is keeping so much from him).

Gwaine stares at him, somewhere between a little bit startled and actually alarmed, and Merlin curses internally. Idiot, he tells himself. You idiot, this wasn’t the plan.

*Little Miracles - Lola_Rose_Robins

3k, 1/1, No Slah, Parent Merlin, Parent Arthur, Queer Platonic Relationship, Family Fuff, Adoption

One of Merlin and Gaius' patients dies in childbirth, leaving behind two young children with nowhere to go. Merlin decides to take them in and pretty soon the entire castle is fully on board.

*A Golden Coin (With Two Sides) - Lilmia_Casand

939, 1/1, Merthur, Fluff

Merlin gets hit by a spell that gives him dragonish tendencies, it's really too bad that Arthur's hair is as golden as Merlin's brand new hoard. Because Merlin might try to hoard Arthur and that would just be- soft, fuffly, adorable. I could go on.

*It's The Little Things - KellyDrake6

1k, 1/1, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Gwen, Language of Flowers, Fluff, Hugging

Arthur notices Merlin hasn't smiled in awhile so gives him flowers to cheer him up

*Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend - VikingSong

4k, 1/1, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Gwen, Knights of the Round Table, Scar reveal, Magic reveal, Angst and Humor and a Happy Ending

Arthur catches sight of a scar on Merlin’s back which he can’t explain, so he asks each of the members of the Round Table if they’ve seen it, too. They have...but it wasn’t the same scar.

*The resident oddball - Lola_Rose_Robins

4k, 1/1, Aroace Merlin, Aroace Leon, Stimming, Oblivious Arthur, Autistic Merlin, George is a good friend, Arthur knows about Merlin's magic

Merlin's autistic, he's got some sensory issues, his friends help him.

*Cloth Armour Series - a_chilleus

2 works, 6k, No Slash, Autistic Merlin, Hurt/Comfort, Canon Era, Sensory Overload

He brushed his hand over the smooth metal of the freshly polished helmet, smiling at the cold texture, before picking up the breastplate. He carefully wiped the mud off the shoulders, revelling in the soft swish sound of the cloth against the metal, moving slowly simply to draw out the satisfying sound for longer. There was no hurry.

*Scenes From A Summer - vensre

2K, 1/1, Merthur, Autistic Merlin, First Kiss, Gwen, Gaius, Hunith

If Merlin had Asperger Syndrome on top of being magical, his life might be something like this.

*Taking a Chance - cordeliadelayne

2k, 1/1, Lancelot/Merlin, Arthur is a good friend, Light Angst, Getting Together

Merlin doesn't think that having something of his very own is too much to ask, not this once.

*On Shapes and Stories - TyalanganD

2k, 1/1, No Slash, Dyslexia, Light Angst, Humor

The spell book that Gaius gave Merlin upon his arrival in Camelot, is a really precious gift. It would be even more precious if Merlin could fucking read.

*Breathe - kriadydragon

9k, 1/1, Gen, PTSD, Friendship, Torture, Hurt/Comfort

Merlin saves the day - yet again - when he manages to get an injured Arthur and knights to safety. But Merlin's troubles are far from over when an investigation into what had happened to the king and knights leaves him in a bad way, and now it's Arthur and Gwaine's turn to be there for him.

*In Deep and Out of Control - LFB72

5k, 2/2, Gen, PTSD, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury

Arthur and Merlin are trapped with no means of escape. Merlin is injured and struggles to control himself as a past trauma comes back to haunt him

*The Time Tried our Souls, and Through the Darkness we Overcame - mollrach13

8k, 1/1, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Grief, Healing, Torture, Magic Reveal

A fill for this prompt at kinkme_merlin: Merlin goes through a lot of trauma and has gotten very used to hiding it, moving on (or at least appearing to), and coping silently and without anyone noticing, because most of the time no one can know something happened. One day something traumatic happens to him, which everyone knows about, and everyone is waiting for Merlin to snap, only for him to...not. Arthur is caught between worried and suspicious, and sets about to get to the bottom of this.

*The Burning Truth - FoiblePNoteworthy

2k, 1/1, Gen, Magic Reveal, Drama, Merlin's Backstory

“My Father was a sorcerer,” Merlin said into the silence.

*Darker State of Grace - Nabula5030

6k, 1/1, Merwaine, Gaius & Merlin, Trauma, Serket Stings, PTSD, Scar Reveal, Chronic Pain, Physician Merlin

While on a patrol gone wrong, Gwaine leaps between Merlin and a serket, taking the sting himself.

*Over, Under, Around, and Through to the Heart - anarchycox

4k, 1/1, Merwaine, Arthur Pendragon, Elyan, Gwen, Fluff, Minor Angst, Secret Courtship, Happy Feels

In Ealdor, you court someone by braiding their hair. Gwaine does not know this. Merlin knows Gwaine does not know this. Which means that braiding Gwaine's hair can be just because Merlin wants to, not because he is really courting the man.

He is really courting the man.

*No Badges to Wear - mollrach13

12k, 7/7, Merwaine, Getting Together, Angst and Romance, Scars

“You could do with a good mark. How a man trails around after King Trouble-Magnet for years without a mark on him is an impressive feat.”

Merlin stills under his touch. It’s only for a short moment but Gwaine feels it none the less before Merlin’s body melts back down into the sheets.

“Oh, you know me,” Merlin says with a small shrug. “Just lucky I guess.”

Or; You've all read scar reveal fics. Well, this is an anti-scar reveal. With Merlin/Gwaine because there isn't enough imo.

*A Study in Natural Philosophy - Mad_Mauldin

13k, 1/1, Series 01, Daemons -His Dark Materials, Magic Reveal

It wasn't all that unusual for people to hide their daemons; Merlin, however, seems to be taking it a little far.

*take me up, cast me away - redkay

12k, 1/1, Merthur, Canon Era, Pre-slash, Gwen, Gwaine, SO GOOD

In which Merlin has a selective understanding of the term banishment, Arthur needs to lock his doors, and neither of them are half as good at mending themselves as they were at breaking in the first place.

*hide and seek - southfarthing

11k 2/3, Gen, Aithusa, ANGST, Recovery, Happy Ending, Post Magic Reveal, Good Morgana

In Arthur’s more selfish moments, he catches himself wondering whether it would be better if Merlin were dead. Better being at peace than fearing Arthur in a self-imposed exile.

On the run from Camelot, Merlin is captured and locked away with a dragon. It is years before Arthur can find him and bring him back.

*Dying to Return - StormDancer

19k, 1/1, Merthur, Gwen/Arthur, Gwen/Lancelot, Future Fic, Angsty but so good

When they try to hang him, he floats.

They put him on the pyre at dawn.

He doesn’t burn.

*All the Colours in Disguise - inktomi

3k, 1/1, Gwen/Arthur, BAMF Merlin, Magic Revealed, Humor, Angst

Arthur knows. Arthur knows that Merlin knows that Arthur knows. They don't talk about it. (They don't need to.)

*hide your dragons - southfarthing

6k, 2/2, Gen, Aithusa, Gwen is a good friend, Adorable and fluffy and so good, Humor

'It is clear in the law,' Arthur says. 'No magical creatures allowed in Camelot. Sorry.'

Merlin lifts Aithusa up so Arthur can get a better look.

Arthur blinks. 'I will make an exception because she looks very polite.'

In which Merlin tries to raise a very illegal dragon in a very dragons-aren't-allowed sort of place.

*Do You Have Need of Me? - TheActualAuthor

33k, 5/5, Gen, Assasins, Druids, Spy Merlin, Emrys Reveal, Grief, Angst, Identity Crisis

Merlin is Camelot’s spymaster and must reveal himself as such to Arthur when he becomes king.

*chosen family - safi

3k, 1/1, Hurt Steve Harrington, Sickfic, Joyce Byers

Sometimes the best family is the one that we choose, not the one we're born into.

Steve's parents never make him their priority, so when he's sick, he is left to his own devices. When Joyce finds this out, she treats him like one of her own sons and makes sure he gets the care he deserves.

*hungry heart - babadak

1k, 1/1, Steddie, Fluff and Crack, Eddie Munson Lives

The realization should be scary, but his perception of scary went down the drain after beating a demon with a baseball bat in Jonathan Byers' house in '83. And then being tortured by Russians in '85. So, being gay should be... it should be something bigger, he's well aware. But it isn't.

Or: Steve Harrington likes boys and isn't freaking out about it.

*The Steve Harrington Triptych - ouijaboy

6k, 2 works, Steddie, Disabled Character, Angst with a Happy Ending

Sometimes, he wishes it had been Vecna. At least they could’ve done something about that.

*Ignore my hurts (Silence my cries) - MossTheMarauder

3k, 1/1, No Slah, Head Trauma, Chronic Pain, Vision Impairement, Steve-centric, Child Abuse

It turns out there’s only so much damage a brain can take before something has to give, and when that brain frequently gets treated like a pinball perhaps side effects should have been expected sooner. Having said that, Steve didn’t realise the permanent harm being done until it was too late to stop it; not that he would have if it meant the people he cared about getting hurt.

#far too many fics dear god #bbc sherlock #johnlock #sherlock holmes #sherlock fanfic #bbc merlin #merthur #merwaine #stranger things #steddie #steve harington #amy's fic rec

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azura-tsukikage · 5 months

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Finding patterns in randomness is a fascinating aspect of human cognition. Our brains are wired to seek order, meaning, and structure, even in situations that are inherently chaotic or random. This tendency is a result of various cognitive processes that evolved to help us make sense of the world and identify potential threats or opportunities. Let's explore this intriguing phenomenon:

Cognitive Processes:

Pattern Recognition:

Humans have a remarkable ability to recognize patterns, even in seemingly random stimuli. This skill is beneficial for survival, allowing us to identify familiar objects, navigate our environment, and detect potential dangers.

Agency Detection:

The brain is naturally inclined to detect agency, meaning the attribution of actions to intentional agents. This helps us discern whether a particular event or pattern might be the result of a deliberate action, even in situations where randomness is at play.

Evolutionary Roots:

Survival Advantage:

In the ancestral environment, the ability to detect patterns and anomalies quickly was crucial for survival. Identifying a pattern in the rustling of leaves or the movement of shadows could mean the difference between detecting a potential threat or overlooking it.

Hyperactive Agency Detection Device (HADD):

The concept of the "Hyperactive Agency Detection Device" suggests that our brains are predisposed to detect agency, even in situations where none exists. This hyperactivity may lead to the perception of patterns or intentional actions in random events.

Cultural and Cognitive Influences:

Cultural Context:

Cultural factors play a role in shaping the patterns we perceive. Cultural narratives, beliefs, and expectations can influence how individuals interpret and make sense of randomness.

Cognitive Biases:

Cognitive biases, such as the confirmation bias and the clustering illusion, contribute to the tendency to find patterns in randomness. People may selectively focus on information that confirms their existing beliefs or see patterns where none actually exist.

Pattern-Seeking in Everyday Life:

Superstitions:

Superstitions often arise from the human tendency to find patterns in randomness. Associating a particular action with a positive outcome, even if the two are unrelated, is a manifestation of this pattern-seeking behavior.

Gambling and Probability:

In activities like gambling, individuals may perceive patterns in the outcomes of random events, such as coin flips or dice rolls. This can lead to the development of strategies based on perceived patterns, even though the events are inherently unpredictable.

Creativity and Innovation:

Positive Aspects:

The inclination to find patterns in randomness is not solely a cognitive quirk. It also underlies creative thinking and innovation. Discovering novel connections or identifying unexpected patterns can lead to breakthroughs in various fields.

Art and Music:

Artists and musicians often harness the power of pattern recognition to create works that resonate with audiences. The interplay of repetition and variation contributes to the aesthetic appeal of artistic expressions.

Challenges and Misinterpretations:

Illusory Correlation:

Illusory correlation, the perception of a relationship between variables that don't actually exist, is a common challenge. People may believe that certain actions or events are connected due to the perception of a pattern.

Randomness vs. Meaning:

Distinguishing between true patterns and random fluctuations is a critical cognitive challenge. It requires a balance between pattern recognition and an awareness of the inherent unpredictability of certain phenomena.

Finding patterns in randomness is a testament to the complexity and adaptability of the human mind. While this tendency has evolutionary roots and serves practical purposes, it also poses challenges when it comes to accurately interpreting the world around us. Embracing a nuanced understanding of pattern recognition can enhance critical thinking and contribute to a more accurate perception of reality. Let's navigate the dance between order and chaos, recognizing the beauty and intricacy of patterns woven into the fabric of existence. The human tendency to find patterns in randomness also plays a significant role in the bridge to witchcraft, intertwining the cognitive processes of pattern recognition with the mystical narratives and practices associated with witchcraft. Let's explore how this connection unfolds:

Symbolism and Pattern Recognition:

Herbs, Crystals, and Symbolic Associations:

In witchcraft, various herbs and crystals are often associated with specific intentions or magical properties. The human mind's natural inclination toward pattern recognition allows individuals to establish symbolic connections between these elements and desired outcomes.

Moon Phases and Ritual Timing:

Aligning rituals with moon phases or specific times is a pattern-seeking behavior rooted in symbolic associations. The belief that certain magical workings are more potent during specific celestial events reflects the human desire to find meaningful patterns in the cosmic dance.

Agency Detection and Magical Intent:

Intention and Willpower:

The belief that one's intentions, when infused into spells or rituals, can influence outcomes taps into the human tendency to detect agency. It's a way of attributing personal willpower to the events in one's life, creating a sense of control and influence.

Tarot Cards and Divination:

Practices like tarot card reading leverage pattern recognition in the interpretation of symbols and archetypes. The cards are shuffled randomly, yet the mind seeks patterns and meaning in their arrangement, providing insights into the past, present, or future.

Cultural and Cognitive Influences:

Cultural Narratives and Belief Systems:

Witchcraft often operates within cultural narratives and belief systems that guide the interpretation of symbols and rituals. The patterns recognized within these cultural frameworks contribute to the rich tapestry of magical practices.

Cognitive Biases and Spell Efficacy:

Cognitive biases, such as the placebo effect or confirmation bias, can enhance the perceived efficacy of spells. If a witch believes in the potency of a particular ritual, the mind's pattern-seeking nature may interpret subsequent events as affirmations of the spell's success.

Personal Empowerment and Rituals:

Empowerment Through Rituals:

Engaging in witchcraft rituals provides individuals with a sense of personal empowerment. The act of crafting and performing spells aligns with the human need for agency and control, fostering a connection between the practitioner's intentions and the perceived outcomes.

Narratives and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy:

The narratives woven through witchcraft rituals can act as self-fulfilling prophecies. As individuals invest belief and energy into their magical workings, the patterns perceived in the outcomes reinforce the efficacy of the practices.

Creative Expression and Symbolic Acts:

Witchcraft as Creative Expression:

Witchcraft can be viewed as a form of creative expression where practitioners weave symbolic acts, rituals, and spells into a personal narrative. The patterns established within these practices contribute to a sense of coherence and meaning in the practitioner's life.

Sacred Geometry and Patterns:

Practices like drawing sigils or incorporating sacred geometry into rituals involve creating patterns with symbolic significance. The belief in the power of these patterns reflects the human fascination with geometry and order.

The bridge between pattern recognition and witchcraft is built on the human mind's innate ability to seek meaning, order, and agency in the world. Witchcraft harnesses this inclination, utilizing symbolic associations, rituals, and narratives to empower individuals and shape their experiences.

#witchblr #witchcraft #witches of tumblr #spiritual growth #self care #psychology #self awareness

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upyrica · 1 year

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How do you navigate suspense of disbelief when working with magic while keeping it from veering into what is clinically known as "magical thinking"? I wish there was a better term for this. Becoming fixated on connections where there are none might be better wording.

Basically, how do you bring on a spiritual or meditate state while remaining grounded in reality?

(I'm not asking from the perspective of someone with psychosis- I kind of have the opposite problem. I tend to think myself out of magic before I can begin to work with it)

Personally, I would say the answer is twofold, both parts being rooted in comprehension and critical thinking.

Firstly, it requires a healthy level of involvement in the mundane. You have to have a certain comprehension of the way the tangible world works on the basic level, a grasp on reality firm enough to discern correlation from causation. The notion that the material is illusory, or that thought alone is more powerful than matter or the will of others, is a convenient one when one wishes to develop a sellable brand, but the denial is not going to be useful for a magical practitioner with any pretense of agency within their practice. It is not mastery, it is the avoidance of it through a complete refusal to deal with the subject.

Secondly, it should be kept in mind that magic is not random. It is not a chaotic boogeyman in service of superstitious compulsion, it is a mechanic within the world that allows impact through close contact or association, which is no different than the laws of physics.

Charitably, magical thinking allows one to regain a sense of control by following certain guidelines; the issue comes when those guidelines are only in service of their own fulfillment, without understanding of cause or relationship.

#witch #witchcraft #magic #pagan

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sophieinwonderland · 1 year

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…do you think children are actually born separated into self states? because the more i think about it, the more i feel like it's a bit strange to say so. children do experience emotions pretty vastly, and seem to "switch" between these feelings, but how is that not different than humans who are outwardly emotional?

i have a slowly developing theory that did/osdd comes from a child forming agents to dissociate ones self into pieces and protect themselves, but one isn't inherently separate pieces from the beginning, and to say that one integrates as a child just... how can we be sure that these "self states" aren't just aspects of a singular identity, like how one has a work self or home self or party self.

if they are separate, why arent our work selves or home selves or party selves treated as separately in similar ways? why do we designate this to children/babies exclusively? what is, truly, the difference between a childs self states and the aspects of a singular identity seen in singlets? is there a study that shows a difference?

rant over now-

I do believe there are studies showing that kids are more likely to view themselves as separate people in different situations than adults. But I do think this only shows part of the story.

And I actually don't think your theory is too far off from the Theory of Structural Dissociation. From DID-research:

The newer theory of how alters are created is that of structural dissociation. According to this theory, alters are created when no existing parts can integrate new materials (e.g., memories, strong emotions, perceptions, attachment styles) because these materials are too threatening or are perceived as conflicting too strongly with what is already held. Over time, these materials are used together often enough that they integrate into a new self state.

The theory is not that alters are existing self-states but that, because the child doesn't possess an integrated personality during this age range, it's easy for these new experiences that can't integrate into the child's self-concept to form into new self-states.

I hope you don't mind me going on a bit of rant myself...

To be honest... I don't think that babies are born with an identity at all. I think we're born... null. We start developing our self or our selves around the age of six months, as we start recognizing other agent. We see people, recognize them as such, and our brain's begin assigning thoughts to them. Then our brains do the same for our selves.

And it's generally believed that we only develop true self-awareness at about the age of 2. Which is probably why trauma before that age doesn't cause DID.

After 2, you really start being aware of external agents and yourself. And I believe your awareness of others and your ability to empathize is directly connected to your own sense of self, using the same or related mechanisms in the brain.

From what I'm aware of my host's memories, I don't think my host ever actually saw himself as separate people as a child. I think this could still be something that commonly happens, with more distinct states and a less cohesive sense of self being possible, but I don't really agree with the idea of it being an absolute experienced by all children.

Another thing I take into account are the "illusory social agents" children talk to. Referred to as imaginary companions. While the majority of children have imaginary companions in childhood, most are gone around the age of 8. (Which also correlates with the cut-off age of when DID is generally believed to form.)

While DID has traditionally been linked to having vivid imaginary companions, I haven't seen anyone actually link this phenomenon to a child's multiple self-states, which I think might be a mistake as both of these could be considered plural or pseudo-plural experiences.

(Disclaimer: not all imaginary companions are plurality. Only those with agency and self-awareness. An imaginary friend completely controlled by the child isn't a headmate.)

The main thing though is that plural experiences are much more common in childhood, and then gradually dissipate as a child grows up and develops into a singlet. What's unclear as of right now is if singlethood is caused by biology or culture.

I, personally, come down on the side of singlethood being culturally-induced.

#ask box #syscourse #plural #plurality #multiplcity #pluralgang #systems #system #imaginary friends #imaginary friend #plural system #multiplicty #endogenic #system stuff #psychology #psychiatry

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moontrinemars · 1 year

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A Proposal for Studying Tropical and Sidereal Placements in Tandem

These are my own ideas based on individual research. Credit if you reference. Refer to my blog bio for more.

We have been born into an early time in creation. We may feel as though the world is old, because of how short our own lives seem by comparison, but we are still living in what is projected to be the early childhood, if not infancy, of the universe.

I have a working theory that, without putting the onus on any force in particular, the patterns of the universe work out such that they align with the capacity of its inhabitants to interpret them. Thus, I suspect it is less than incidental that the breach between Tropical and Sidereal placements began when it did.

The existence of this breach does not necessarily imply that one school of astrology is wrong and the other is right: I suspect that instead, it signifies a need for astrologers to analyze the difference in the way that either methodology's calculations are expressed in reality, to come to a more nuanced understanding of how the patterns we glean from astrology interact in reality.

I believe that the tropical zodiac and the sidereal zodiac are both legitimate systems with their own respective meaning and significance, ideally studied in tandem.

While the difference between sidereal and tropical placements are relatively minimal at the moment. It will only grow as time goes on. As such, the distinction between how each placement is expressed may seem minimal now, but it will become more obvious as time goes on, because the difference will grow.

For example, when tropical and sidereal placements were in sync, people may have been born tropical Gemini and sidereal Gemini Ascendants. Now, people like myself might be tropical Cancer-sidereal Gemini Ascendants. In some time, people will be born tropical Leo-sidereal Gemini Ascendants, then tropical Virgo-sidereal Gemini Ascendants, and so on until, eventually it comes full circle to double Gemini again.

So back when Tropical and Sidereal placements were aligned, and thus they impacted the native toward the same thing, there was no real need to distinguish between the two zodiac systems. But now with nearly a sign's difference between the two, astrologers often subscribe to one system over the other based on what aligns with their personal interpretation of events and individuals.

I suspect, as this gap grows greater, particularly once the systems are squaring one another and thus enter new rounds, the truth that either correlates with respective aspects of reality will become more obvious, and the legitimacy of referring to both not just on their own but also in tandem will gain traction among astrologers.

If this sounds like a potentially viable theory to you, and you want to be ahead of the curve, there is value in figuring out the impact of either system on the individual. Personally, I have my own working hypothesis - keeping in mind that I'm young and I have plenty more experience to gain and research to conduct:

Tropical placements are best referenced for key insight into lived circumstances. Sidereal placements are best referenced for insight into purpose and fate.

The tropical zodiac is best for circumstances. It reflects the impact of reality in this life on the native. The sun is valued more because of its significance to choices, which define our circumstances.

It is also why western astrologers, who mostly use the tropical, zodiac, treat the north node as benefic but regard both nodes as less important. The nodes are illusory, so they may drive natives to pursue change for the betterment of their circumstances, but they do not exist in physical reality, which makes their effects less tangible or obvious.

The sidereal zodiac is best for fate. It reflects the purpose shaping the current reincarnation of the native's soul. The moon is valued more because of its significance to foundations - which ultimately construct or lay the path to our fate.

This is also why vedic astrologers, who mostly rely on the sidereal zodiac, consider Rahu malefic but place more value on the nodes altogether. The nodes are illusory, representing visions of the life path with disconnection to reality, which may disrupt karma. However, because they represent illusion and higher powers, together the nodes are seen as pretty significant.

You may ask, then what about the draconic zodiac?

Here's how I see it. The draconic zodiac is determined by aligning the north node in the chart with a placement of 0º Aries. So? Well, the north node is the illusory unfamiliar. It is a mathematical object that represents newness and potential. Aligning it with Aries, the sign of inception, instigation, and beginnings exposes who we are when we passionately pursue a brighter future, and when we strive to embody an unfamiliar, and more powerful version of ourselves.

This is why I think using the whole house system with Aries ruling first is necessary in draconic charts - it places the North Node at the cusp between the self of the 1st house and the unknown of the 12th house.

These are my thoughts on the subject - for now. Hopefully further research and experimentation will lead to more insight, but in the meantime, I hope this was interesting, and thanks for reading ♡♡♡♡

#astrology #tropical #sidereal #draconic #zodiac #zodiac systems #vedic astrology #western astrology #natal astrology #mine #authored

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talonabraxas · 4 months

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A Color Diagram (From book, "The Anatomy of the Body of God")

1. Recognize the source, and intuit into the unity of all existence. The idea that we can win at the expense of them is, in the long term, illusory. We're all in this together. Ecology. An expanded sense of identity. Also, this source points to the great mystery of creation, and what lies beyond our knowledge.

2. Celebrate creativity. It's a mythically grounded idea. There's a tradition in many religions to imitate God, however the Divine is imagined: The most useful way to do this in our own time is to recognize the prolific process of creativity–not just through the "Big Bang," but in the present moment, through the imaginations and inspirations–literally, in- spirit- ations – of all sentient beings.

Corollary: Question authority. Accept nothing as the final solution. Dare to re-evaluate, revise, re-negotiate, imagine new possibilities. Obedience, in this view of the meaning of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, is no longer operative–there's a move from the medieval tone of unquestioning acceptance to the modern and postmodern worldview that supports responsibility, an alert consideration of the needs of the moment in light of continuing developments, discoveries, new technologies, etc.

3. Recognize the Other-ness of people, their differences, of the environment, and of the Divine. On one hand, we may be expressions of the Divine flow, and at some level, as claimed by Yogis and other mystics, "one" with It, yet that doesn't mean that the world is there for the gratification of your ego-narcissistic desires. Respect, reverence, humility, and a valuing of the needs of others and the whole all are implied here.

4. Cultivate Generosity and Purpose. The life force is innately generous, but in states of fear, can contract to mere life-sustenance. In today's complex culture, there are tendencies towards stinginess of spirit, and this must be balanced, in wisdom, by the joy and need for an extra bit of giving of oneself to the world. Seek to clarify your talents and abilities and turn them toward this task, at least to some significant degree, lest you die having lived selfishly, pettily.

5. Realize Limitations. Much of human life is a process of dis-illusionment, which is a process of dissolving childish feelings of omnipotence. This need not be tragic. Much of it is simply adjusting to the realities of physical and social constraints, learning to think and work politically, seeking a more refined and less impetuous mode of action in the world. It's a one-step-down form of humility, more practically applied.

Realize, also, that as shown in the diagram of the Tree, the lessons play off of each other, and especially there is the ongoing play of 2 and 3, 4 and 5, and 7 and 8, while 6 is to some degree, the player, the juggler, the dancer.

6. Exercise Balance, seek to harmonize the many different needs, desires, inspirations, ideals, and other complexes that seek expression through your own mixture of temperament and interests. One of the beauties of our time-bound lives is that we can choose how to diversify, focus, take turns, and thus have some existential responsibility for how we live our lives.

7. Identify your passions, what the comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell called, "following your bliss." What tickles your fancy? Instead of pursuing what is merely fashionable, liking or disliking largely to garner approval or to be included in the "in group"–which is an in-authentic reason–, get in touch with what more genuinely interests or appeals to you. This can take many years, even into late adulthood. Often you'll find it correlates with what you have at least some moderate ability to do. Have the courage to pursue it. (And this can be tremendously varied in the world, different folks liking different strokes.)

8. Recognize and work within the cultural matrix you live in. If not, then either be a smart revolutionary–to change or expand it–or pay the price of changing cultures, emigrating, and becoming acculturated into a different culture. Lots of people do this, too. The point is to deal responsibly with the social context you find yourself in, rather than simply sulking, withdrawing, giving up, mindlessly conforming, or numbing yourself.

9. Cultivate Imagination, in many ways–the arts, drama, mythmaking. Note that much of ordinary education and life neglects, distracts, and sometimes actively suppresses this human potential. Refuse to be tempted by vicarious imaginary experiences offered by the media, in video games, television, movies, etc. Take responsibility to use those elements like small stimuli, like appetizers or dessert, but not your main meal. Become a person who imagines your own life!

10. Manifest your life. Avoid the temptations to become preoccupied with the seductions of spectatorship, or living in "what if" (either in past or future). Deeds, projects, action. The world is no illusion. You have an opportunity for authentic enjoyment, for adding your own creativity to helping the world be a better place. In can be in as small a way as an act of kindness or generosity.

Lest these points seem like mere platitudes, rather obvious, consider that many if not most people do not live these principles out in their lives. Nor are these ten points the only lessons you can gather from studying the tree. They just show what can come to mind–that the principles noted are by no means mere abstractions.

Another way to view the tree is in terms of how it can reassure and remind you: That you are part of a great, unified "becoming" of the cosmos (1); that this is a creative process and your life creativity is an integral part of the great becoming (2); that the cosmos is here, a matrix (related to the Latin word root for mother) for you, a setting, playground, stage, for you (3); that you can choose a direction, many directions, in fact, and your choices add to your story–and indeed, you may be assured that your life is a story (4); part of that story involves the way you've coped with limitations–your body's structure, illnesses, dis-abilities, areas of no-talent, the weakness and deficiencies of your family, region, and historical era, and the many other obstacles that life presents–and indeed, that which makes your story a good piece of drama! (5); the creative way you've balanced your strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and limitations, etc.(6); the many lines of interest and ability, the archetypes, the mythic resonances with the spirit of (whatever dimension you channel)–all set you into stage in which you play many parts in a unique fashion (7); the cultural forms all this enactment takes, and how you are a carrier of certain cultural values, and a challenge to others that you don't agree with–these, too, make your life good theatre and also part of the great unfolding myth of that culture!(8); the richness of your imagination as you assemble these many threads into a meaningful story, embellishing it also with all the other what-if-dramas you can fantasize, thickening your existence (9); and, finally, how you actually play out your unique life, your actual achievements, your deeds. You might be surprised how far many of your actions have reached (10).

The point of this rhapsody is to enjoy the depth of your mythic embeddedness in the Divine Process of Unfolding. This is the way God works, through your individuality (and everyone else's, also, of course)! Envision it as an infinite symphony, improvised, incredibly rich, which, if perceived from enough distance and time, expresses amazing harmonies (in spite of a surprising amount of what in the moment may seem like mere noise, or as Shakespeare called it, "sound and fury." On a micro-scale, it may "signify nothing," but in the big picture, this is how we all grow, evolve as a species, groping, going up blind alleys, turning back, trying another way.

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bittersweetresilience · 2 months

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i really want to finish aro félix fic in time for the end of aromantic spectrum awareness week but i feel like it has to be perfect because. it'll be one of the only ones. and i have learned about one shot illusory correlations and stereotype formation

#in sum people naturally encode how common or rare a group is #and if a weird behavior is performed by a member of a majority group it is compared against a vast experiential base of normal behaviors #performed by other majority group members and therefore it is dismissed #but if a weird behavior is performed by a member of a rare group there is no comparison base #and thus it immediately forms an association between group and behavior #what this means is if i fuck it up i'll ruin aro félix Forever #okay now that i typed that that's ridiculous no one is even going to pay that much attention i am totally overthinking everything is fine #🌃#i am safe... safe and lonely like a bird in a cage #...#aw man

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arinaco · 1 year

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Romelle: her story in the past and in the present. Part II

Translated and edited by @ Nadezhda932

Link to the part I.

IV. Heroine of the New Age

Before proceeding to the analysis of the biography and personality of Romelle today, I’ll clarify one point. Subsequent assumptions have emerged based on data from the VLD. They already existed when I started researching the plot of GoLion and DOTU, and before writing this article, I had never watched the old series.

That is, the plot of the old series served for me as additional(!) proof of the correctness of my theory, but wasn’t the reason why I came to such conclusions.

Where do we start? With Lotor, of course - Romelle is tightly attached to him in the plot, and when the writers decided to turn his personality inside out, she followed him.

If you compare VLD with the old series, you can see that Lotor hasn’t only changed as a character - he has become a completely different person. Neither Sincline nor his dimwitted counterpart had ever looked like scheming or tempting snakes. Yes, Sincline clearly could and knew how to make cunning plans, but nothing more. He didn’t possess the gift of oratory, and didn’t feel any need to have it. Sincline supported his father until he blamed him for the defeat of the Galra Empire, beat his own subordinates, and killed and raped the victims without a shred of remorse.

In GoLion in particular, Sincline never set up colonies to deceive the civilian population. Why invent something if you can openly let slaves in experiments? Sincline had no reason to do something secretly from his father, and even more so to take care of his moral character, and therefore he calmly used the resources of the empire.

That is, “Lotor creating colonies” is, to some extent, an invention of VLD. And if you’ve read my previous articles, then you know that in my opinion, the second colony was the home of Luca and Merla, not the first. And that the first colony, where the millions of Alteans declared by Lotor live, never appeared on screen.

If you think about it, Romelle's story looks like complete absurdity. Even in the initial episodes of the first season, it was explained to us that virtual reality technology only imitates form without content - people can see objects, touch them, but nothing more. Coran pulled Allura out of her half-sleep when he pointed out the lack of smell in the flower. And if it had occurred to Allura to chew this flower, then, most likely, she wouldn’t have felt any taste.

This technology was intended to create scenery and couldn’t fully replace the real planet in conditions where people literally lived next to the forest and (most importantly) were engaged in farming. Just think about it: according to Romelle, for ten thousand years the Alteans have been planting illusory potatoes in illusory soil not noticing any trick. They didn’t notice that the flowers don’t smell, the berries have no taste, and the forest rests against the wall.

Only a very emotional and impulsive person could believe in the stupidity of the poor, unfortunate Alteans, who for a hundred centuries haven’t been able to distinguish real nature from the local analogue of Stardew Valley.

For example, such as the red paladin. Keith... or Allura.

What about Krolia? Krolia had no idea how this technology worked, she had never come across it...

So neither the Romelle’s base nor the pod space base were real colonies. We can only guess about their true purpose. The space base looks like a stand-alone laboratory/medical unit, but the Romelle’s dwelling is more like a staging post - hastily built according to the standard Galran template and abandoned long ago by the Alteans as unnecessary.

But where’s the truth buried here, Holmes?

The idea that the planet of Luca and Merla isn’t the first colony occurred to me when I began to correlate Lotor's words about millions with what we’re shown. Honerva apparently landed at the point where she could attract the most attention, but she came out to meet almost no one. Moreover, water meadows with low houses stretched around, obviously not designed for a large population. This place couldn’t be the capital of a multi-million advanced race. For ten thousand years, the Alteans had to not only multiply, but also build normal modern buildings for their own comfort.

But if we assume that this place is a secret second colony, then it’s easy to conclude that all the important buildings were simply hidden for security purposes, leaving a few insignificant and inconspicuous houses on the surface. So insignificant and imperceptible that when the BoM arrived at the coordinates of Keith, they didn’t notice any signs of life on the neighboring green planet.

Lotor has always been a paranoid and overcautious person, and he must have put a lot of effort into keeping his hidden colony a secret. So he would never leave the pod base undisguised and protected if he wanted to hide it from the Alteans.

What’s also interesting is the presence in the colony of a huge number of well-trained specialists.

Alteans of Honerva:

managed to create white mechas;

Which means, at the very least, smelters to work with heavy-duty materials and skilled workers who know how to organize the production process. While the Earthlings spent several years perfecting four fighters, the isolated farmers showed unexpectedly deep knowledge in the field of metallurgy.

What wonderful building elevators are there in the background. Is there a second floor? Or is this smelter located underground?

What's more, the white mechas had a striking resemblance to Sincline mecha, suggesting they were designed by the same people. More specifically, Alteans.

And it turns out that in addition to professional metallurgical engineers, they also had design engineers who were versed in modern technologies.

professionally used these mechas in battles;

The white mechas weren’t animated creatures like the Lions and didn’t help their pilots with training, but the Alteans fought well, competing with the Voltron team. The preparation of such personnel requires many years of practice under the supervision of good trainers - but Honerva couldn’t provide anything of that. She flew in alone and had no idea how to pilot combat vehicles. That’s why her personal mecha was equipped with teludav, and as we remember from Allura's ordeals, the control of combat and conventional spaceships was significantly different.

From which it follows that Romelle's statement that the Alteans can’t pilot spaceships smacks of brazen lies. The colony maintained and trained its own small army.

What conclusions can we draw from this?

Lotor built a second colony because he knew that Zarkon's appetites were insatiable, and sooner or later the Galra empire would reach the Quantum Abyss. There lived not just abstract Alteans, but qualified pilots, scientists and engineers. Lotor conducted research in the field of quintessence, designed war machines, and generally increased the combat potential of the Altean people.

“Just remember, we suffer this isolation so the next generation may not have to”.

In particular, Lotor tried to build his own Voltron, as he understood that this was the only weapon capable of fully resisting the Ghalra armadas, and in particular the monsters of his mother.

And here, to complete the picture, I turn to the plot of GoLion.

To the sister planets: Altea and Hercules.

Altea is an unfortunate planet. When Golion was defeated, Altea didn’t have enough combat power left to protect itself from enemy attack, and the population had to hide undeground for many years until the Lions again found pilots for themselves. Apparently, the inhabitants of Altea relied too much on the power of Golion, and therefore didn’t develop their army.

What about Hercules?

Hercules was a former colony of Altea and was considered a militarized and very dangerous state. Even Daibazaal (aka Zarkon) recognized the power of the Heraclians and therefore didn’t try to attack them in the same way as Altea.

Only the beasts of Honerva were considered by the Heraclians to be serious opponents.

Also distinctive features of the Heraclians:

martial arts as an inseparable part of culture;

selfless service to their people and royalty;

fearlessness in the face of death;

And… it actually looks a lot like the Altean VLD civilization.

Yes, Allura said that the Alteans are a peaceful people, but in fact we see that they, just like the Galra, used edged weapons in the space age, and the standard education of the princess included martial arts. Why was the princess staying in the palace was taught to handle edged weapons? Because it was part of their culture.

In addition, the VLD Alteans had a cult of selflessness, and testing for loyalty to this cult was a major part of the trials on Oriande. Willingness to give up personal benefits for the sake of a higher goal. And this is also similar to the behavior of the Heraclians.

As a result, if outwardly the Alteans of the VLD really looked like the inhabitants of peaceful Arus/Altea, then inside they looked like people from Hercules, ready to attack armed Galra with sticks so that their princess could escape.

And this is a very interesting approach of the scriptwriters, if we remember that the Alteans and Heraclians are one and the same people, they just went in different ways of development.

Alteans in VLD are like a tiger raised at home. It’s sweet and kind ... while well-fed and no one offends it.

In addition, when Voltron fell into a trap, the Heraclians themselves made the decision to take over the defense of Altea. Hercules came to the defense of its sister planet, and really saved it when developed a weapon in time that could change the flight path of a dangerous planetoid.

And this already looks like a prototype of the relationship between the second and the first colony. The second colony existed to protect the first.

By the way, do you remember why the Heraclians decided to cooperate with the Galra? To build their counterpart to Golion, which they were going to use not only against Altea, but also against the Galra themselves.

Moreover, if we compare Samson and Sincline...

Don't feel it yet? What if we compare them like this?

You know, Sincline was the first mecha which main weapon was dual blades. Voltron learned it only at the very end of the series in order to defend himself against Luca's attacks.

And for some reason, I think that it wasn’t just that Sincline was painted in the colors of Samson - in a gray color of a bluish tint. And even red inserts, with due imagination, can be considered a reference to the hair of the elder prince of Hercules.

Why did I describe all this? In order to clarify the conditions in which Romelle was born and lived.

Romelle didn't quite lie - she was born and raised in a colony with her brother. Only not in the first colony, but in the second. For her, the second colony was the only homeland, as the planet Hercules was the only homeland for Princess Amue.

Where everyone worked for a common cause under the leadership of Lotor, to create weapons together to protect the Altean civilization. The colony was founded not just by settlers, but by people who came to live there for a specific purpose, and their children were growing up in this reality and with varying degrees of enthusiasm joined the common work.

I’d like to ask one interesting question: how will a person whose enthusiasm is equal to zero feel in such a society?

Who was born in a second - specialized - colony, where everyone works on one project, and no one asks new members of the society if they want to do the same. Where the cult of sacrifice was considered the norm...

...and where Romelle didn’t fit. Let's remember everything that Romelle said about her people.

First of all, she presented them as people who don’t see the true nature of things and don’t notice that they live in a cage from which it’s impossible to get out.

“My brother Bandor was always faithful, but I had questions”.

The colony really looked like a cage in the eyes of Romelle, but not for all Alteans, for her personally. Of course, no one kept her there by force, but she couldn’t just leave, and her brother wouldn’t agree to fly away.

And where to fly away when there’s an almost uninhabited Quantum Abyss around? It was impossible to enter the first colony - its inhabitants believed that traveling to the second colony was a one-way road, and no one would let her into the explored universe, and even more so, they wouldn’t give a spaceship capable of flying there for personal use.

So, if for Princess Amue, Sincline was a literal jailer, then for VLD Romelle Lotor became a mental jailer. She blamed Lotor for creating a society where she felt like she was in prison and didn't understand why others felt differently.

“...but I also knew that no one would believe me without proof”.

But why (!) she began to break out of the general system is a topic for speculation.

As we already know, it was extremely difficult to build a second Voltron. Lotor was unable to do this, even using the material of a unique comet. Something didn't work, something was missing. And this something, most likely, was the knowledge of alchemy, lost along with the old Altea.

Moreover, the main problem was not the lack of a soul capable of turning a machine into something more - white mechas weren’t animated mechanisms, like Voltron or Sincline. But on the other hand, the white mechas were finalized by Honerva, the greatest alchemist of her time.

The mechas ran on the quintessence of their pilots. Voltron had an extremely high efficiency, and the process of return was exclusively voluntary - as much as the pilot was ready to give to their Lion. Shiro gave everything during the battle with Zarkon, and therefore not even a corpse was left of him - for the sake of victory, Lion dried him.

But what if some mecha isn’t (!) intelligent and simply draws energy from its pilot in the amount it needs? What if the efficiency of this mecha is much lower than we would like, because knowledge about alchemy is critically lacking?

Then attempts begin to understand how to increase the efficiency of the mechanism. And then comes testing on the most enduring volunteers to find out how long the pilot can last in this mech. And not always the pilot had time to return to the hangar and get out of the mecha before it turned them into a mummy.

Finding volunteers among the Alteans was the easiest thing to do, but that doesn't mean their families didn't mourn their loss. The names of the dead were engraved on the monument to forever remember their sacrifice.

As we remember, pink was considered a symbol of military sacrifice. Honoring the dead, not the living.

Romelle said that by the time her brother agreed to the “great honor”, her parents had already “gone”. In her story - to the base with capsules, but in reality, most likely, they died during the testing of the prototype.

The entire Romelle’s family were professional pilots who took part in the tests. And, having lost both parents, she thought about how justified this sacrifice was, and Bandor's desire to repeat this feat completely plunged her into despair.

Most likely, she didn’t believe that the Galra really posed a threat - the colonies had quietly existed for ten thousand years, and no one had attacked them. The Alteans had no idea what was happening in the explored universe, and Lotor was in no hurry to back up his words with some evidence.

And Romelle began to get angry. To be angry from hopelessness, because she couldn’t influence the decision of her younger brother in any way. She hated Lotor for the idea of building a new Voltron and the dedication with which her relatives reacted to this project.

After all, she almost directly called Luca a fanatic. The best pilot of the colony an example to follow for everyone else. Who calmly activated the bomb on her mecha when she realized she couldn't defeat Voltron.

True, Romelle tried to be polite when she was alone with Luca. She didn’t yet know that Honerva had told the Alteans about everything, and, apparently, before this event, her relationship with Luca was at a relatively sane level.

Seeing no other way out, Romelle strove to at least outwardly fit into the society around her. She copied the behavior of others, adjusted, hypocritically. She didn’t want to become an outcast, and therefore she had to lie to others about her attitude to what was happening.

And she learned to lie masterfully.

She was sincere only with her brother, and - like her prototype from the old series - spoke out against the preparations for war and convinced Bandor that Lotor didn’t deserve such blind admiration.

But Bandor… what about Bandor? Even though he was the younger brother of Romelle and the namesake of the little boy from DOTU, but… what colors were his clothes dyed? In the colors of Samson. The same Samson who decided to sacrifice himself for the victory of his homeland in the war with Altea and the Galra. And for some reason, I think that VLD Bandor wasn’t a defenseless naive child, because they didn’t take random Alteans to the test.

And when the moment X came, and Bandor was injured during the next test, he, like other pilots in such cases, was taken to the space base. What exactly was done with them is unknown, but most likely they were kept on artificial life support until they returned to a stable state.

And Romelle decided that this was her chance to forcibly take her brother to a safe place. Perhaps to that same abandoned base, or perhaps she planned to get to the first colony and start a new life there.

But she failed to bring Bandor alive. He died on the way, because it was absolutely impossible to take him out of the pod. And that's why when Lotor was chasing them, he was doing it in the company of medical robots. Not because he was afraid of a lonely woman with an unconscious guy in her arms, but because he took a team with him for urgent resuscitation of a dying person.

If Lotor really wanted to catch Romelle, he would have done it. She had nowhere to run, but he had zero desire to catch her. He didn’t perceive Romelle as a threat, and made a fatal mistake when she found grateful listeners in the face of paladins. And given the whole story with the advent of Keith, here again the old series is remembered.

Episode 21, where Amue tried to escape from Sincline's prison in the company of friends in misfortune.

Amue’s emergency landing on a desert planet – Romelle’s emergency landing on an abandoned base;

Amue sent a signal for help – Romelle sent a signal to the explored universe to bring the curious to her;

The paladins were met by the witch, who pretended to be a princess – Keith met Romelle, who pretended to be a defenseless Altean;

The witch forcibly took the unconscious Alor away - Romelle took the unconscious Bandor away from the space base;

Too much coincidence, don't you think?

It’s also very interesting that Amue was exchanged for Farla, who pretended to be Akira. Just like in VLD, the paladins decided to trade Lotor for Holt, who turned out to be a hologram.

And it was also for the sake of Lotor that the Alteans were ready to die, just like the Heraclians were ready to die for their princess.

And it was Lotor who came to the aid of the paralyzed Voltron by attacking Haggar, although he could simply fly away, saving his own skin. Just like how Amue turned the ship around and went to ram the Galra to save Voltron in the old series.

And the scriptwriters followed the same pattern when they wrote the death of Bandor. It wasn't his transformation into a robeast that killed Samson, but Sincline's order to shoot him. It wasn't the trials that killed Bandor, but Romelle's attempt to take him away from the base.

But since by that time she considered Lotor the reason of all her troubles, she convinced herself that it’s he who killed Bandor, ignoring her role in this tragedy.

She didn’t want to return to the colony - there she would have to answer uncomfortable questions and pretend that nothing had changed. Therefore, Romelle decided to try to get out of the Quantum Abyss into the explored universe - to the place where the "jailer" was losing his power.

Moreover, Lotor had been so conveniently absent for many months and couldn’t prevent this in any way.

Most likely, Romelle didn’t even hope to find those who would be able to kill Lotor. The chance that a real Voltron paladin would fly to her signal was well below one percent. I think she just wanted to lure someone with a capsule of quintessence, and then bargain for her way into the explored universe.

Nor had she planned for the Alteans to ever learn of their saint's murder. Romelle thought that they would continue to live in the colony in blissful ignorance, and considered these ends cut off. That’s why she was so surprised when Luca accused her of betrayal.

She was already in amazement and horror when, in the wreckage of a white mecha, they found a painfully familiar Altean woman. Alive and relatively unharmed, which provided a chance to talk to her, which Allura and the earthlings decided to use.

Allura was very worried about the fate of the Alteans, and Romelle - that the truth might come to the surface.

By that time, the universe had suffered greatly due to the loss of Lotor, and if the paladins (and most importantly Allura) found out that he didn’t use the Alteans as a source of fuel, and indeed didn’t deceive anyone, then Romelle would have been waiting for a real massacre.

Therefore, she sharply grabbed Allura and began to follow her, pretending her best friend. Firstly, she wanted to convince Allura that Luca was inadequate and her words couldn’t be trusted, and secondly, if not to drive Allura away from Luca, then at least control what they would talk about.

I think Lance and his love plans have become a real gift of fate for her. She had no idea what kind of past connected Allura and Lance, but she took the opportunity to kick Allura out of the Garrison for at least one evening.

And of course, it was on this evening that Luca came to her senses. It remained unknown how Romelle entered Luca's room unaccompanied. Maybe while Coran was looking for Allura, she hung around and offered to talk to the Altean instead of the princess. And the earthlings decided that this was a good idea, since Romelle and Luca already knew each other.

While talking to Luca, Romelle was obviously nervous and spoke ingratiatingly. She realized that the situation had gone completely in the wrong direction, although more recently she was sure that a new life was beginning for her.

Plus - Luca died without having time to give out some important information, minus - she said that the Alteans know about the murder of Lotor, they’re angry and thirsty for revenge.

As it turned out, the ends weren’t cut off at all, but were dragged along from behind, having managed to catch on a huge fragment along the way, which became a heavy burden and almost a stone around the neck.

We don’t kbow what Romelle was doing on the Atlas while the whole company dealt with current problems. It’s quite possible that she not only portrayed ballast, but also thought about how she should behave in the new realities. So far, the Alteans haven't looked like people to sit down at the negotiating table with, but that doesn't mean the paladins and Allura won't try to do so.

And then Honerva managed to pull Sincline out of the Rift and showed Allura that she was in complete control of him...

And after all, the Alteans also saw this, and were unlikely to be delighted with what was happening. They didn’t help Honerva at all so that she would turn their prince into her obedient slave. Such behavior wasn’t very similar to the joyful meeting of mother and son.

This was the moment when their trust in Honerva gave the first crack.

However, not so big as to feel the desire to communicate with a traitor.

In fact, the Day 47 episode, although it seems filler, is of great importance to Romelle's plot. It very clearly shows how she reacted that not one, but a whole bunch of Alteans were dragged into the Atlas. It was already much more difficult to expose a whole group of people as inadequate fanatics, especially since Tavo didn’t make such an impression. He was calm, polite and much older than Luca.

And... Romelle was freaking out.

She appears near Allura, portraying her best friend, exactly when she wants to chat with the pilots, and then immediately disappears, leaving the princess alone with the deepest stress.

When the earthlings try to question her about the Alteans, she says that she has no idea why they’re attacking, breaks into a scream and is clearly worried, with her lies getting more and more rude, such as claiming that the Alteans are scared.

...the same ones that built white mechas and flew to smash the universe...

“But you must understand: my people were haunted nearly to extinction”.

And it’s very curious that in the next episode, Clear Day, she isn’t among the vacationers, and in subsequent episodes she did appear only in edited scenes.

Why did she suddenly disappear? Where’s she?

Romelle constantly pretended to be a cheerful fool, and couldn’t help but go to the festival with the rest of the paladins. Unless, of course, she was doing something else at that time.

For example, running away.

Yes, I believe that while all the earthlings were resting during the Clear Day, Romelle escaped from the Atlas. It was the most logical decision in her situation. She could easily hijack a ship (and even turn off some of the cameras), because in fact she was very good at piloting spaceships.

After all, what happened at the very beginning of the Clear Day episode? Tavo decided to talk to Allura. Personally, without a company. Perhaps Romelle's absence was discussed separately, but that doesn't matter.

The important thing is that Tavo, unlike Luca, survived, and Allura realized that he was ready to share information. It was foolish to wait for them to raise the topic of Lotor in a conversation, but then there was such a great opportunity to run away while the entire Atlas team was walking at the holiday.

What happened next? Here begins guessing without an evidence base.

Theoretically, this story could have ended in an instructive style, where the villain went unpunished, and the only thing left for the heroes is to fully feel their stupidity and pay for their mistakes. But I don’t think that such endings are VLD-style - so, most likely, the fugitive should have been caught and returned to the main characters for a heart-to-heart conversation. Or rather, for a public conversation with Lotor, since such a meeting was required by the symbolism of the plot.

And despite the fact that many Lotor fans quite naturally dream of punishing Romelle in various inhumane ways, I think... that Lotor would forgive her.

Firstly, because he’s not a vindictive person. Throughout history, Lotor never took revenge on anyone, and if he got rid of someone, it was only because he considered this person a threat. Lotor never considered Romelle a threat - for him she was just an offended woman.

Secondly, Lotor really felt guilty for the death of the pilots during the tests. He called them martyrs, and didn’t deny that they suffered because of their participation in his project. And he could sincerely sympathize with the grief of a girl who had lost her entire family.

And that would be a very powerful moment. After 7,5 seasons, where someone constantly took revenge on someone, Lotor would have forgiven his offender and lowered in peace. He could, I believe in him.

#vld #golion #voltron dotu #romelle #Allura #lotor

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