#in what I remember of the victim-blaming and killer-defense

[nateofgreat]

"What's wrong with the Acolyte being Jedi critical? It's okay to criticize them since they have a monopoly on the Force don't they?"

Okay, let me break this down.

1: The Jedi do not have a monopoly on the Force.

Say, remember the Nightsisters of Dathomir? The dark side cult that the Jedi tolerate. They even go there to negotiate in the Clone Wars without making any threats to their continued existence. The only time they ever come into conflict is when they leave Dathomir to mess with someone else.

They're not the only ones either. The media doesn't focus on it much, but there are dozens of different Force-based organizations in SW (Legends and Disney canon) that the Jedi Order coexists with. There's also the simple fact that the parents of Force sensitive children can simply decline the Jedi's offer which would indicate that there are people in the Galaxy with the Force who live independently from the Jedi.

As it happens the only organization the Jedi are constantly fighting are the Sith and for darn good reasons.

2: What's wrong with being critical of the Jedi?

Let's not split hairs here. The "criticism" the Jedi get nowadays almost always seems to end with, "and that's why they deserved to be exterminated down to the children via Order 66." So, pro-Jedi fans are a bit on guard when they hear that a project is "Jedi critical."

Now, in theory, there's nothing wrong with characters in-universe having disagreements with the Jedi way or having criticisms of them. However, despite the show's claim to not be about "good vs evil" I think it's VERY likely to posit that the Jedi are wholly in the wrong and to blame for the conflict in some manner. While downplaying the actions of the villain on account of them being a victim.

Why do I think that? Because the trailer.

3: "This isn't about good or evil. It's about power and who's allowed to use it."

Right at the climax of the trailer is this line. Which spells pretty clearly that the show is saying that just, doesn't matter if the Jedi are good, because they're also powerful and influential in their own regard. So in the show's mind that means they're the problem.

They might offer a halfhearted condemnation of the serial killer murdering them for no reason but chances are they'll suggest that they're not really the problem: that the Jedi are for being powerful. I've even seen quotes floating around saying that show will ask the question "what if the Sith are really just the underdogs?" when they go around blowing up planets.

As for the question itself. It's likewise silly as the Jedi don't actually persecute other Force traditions or force everyone to join them. They don't even force you to stay once you've joined. So it doesn't seem like they're attempting to control the Force at all. Meanwhile, the Sith want to dominate the Galaxy and either exterminate or enslave any opposing traditions.

So the question itself is self-defeating.

Oh and while I'm here...

4: There is no "endless cycle"

Slightly off-topic but it comes up a lot as a defense of the anti-Jedi mindset. It goes something like, "The Jedi perpetuate an endless cycle of war because the Sith keep coming back!"

First off, it's not the Jedi's fault that some lunatics keep popping back up to try and control the Galaxy. All they do is stop them every time they do.

Secondly, the "cycle" only exists because new books keep getting written. Stories need conflict and thus the Sith are revived over and over again.

Thirdly, please someone try to tell me that this could be avoided if the Jedi let their members marry or something.

And fourthly, the cycle's honestly not that bad because the Jedi just win every time and restore peace to the Galaxy for a long period.

#anti the Acolyte #Acolyte critical #the Acolyte critical #Star Wars #The Jedi #Pro Jedi #In defense of the Jedi #the Sith #the Acolyte Trailer

[tower-of-erinyes]

The Blame Game | Kesley | Trial 1.5 | RE: Beni, Angelo, Mika | ATTN: Atropos, Drew, Beni

“Hey. To the blondie over there that did jack-shit all investigation and trial.”

Oh, yeah. Looks like someone did, in fact, take offense to Ruby’s lackadaisical attitude with regards to the trial. 

“I’m the last guy that wants to hear people fuck about in a goddamn fucking murder trial. I don't think the victim deserves any of this bullshit. But you know something? I’d still be more willing to tolerate bullshit from the people who actually did shit. Understand what I mean? You have no room to call a defense shit or not, I'm surprised you're even aware of what's going on.” 

Ouch. Right to the point on that one, huh? 

"Exploring the motive is fine and all, but just looking at whether someone was cold or broke is probably blinding us to some possibilities. I don't think one's more compelling than the other." He addresses Mika and Dante here on that front. "The money only involved one person, right? Only the saboteur has access to that possibility. The motive, however, affected everyone by putting all our lives in direct danger. We all would have frozen to death at some point had a murder not occurred. We could just as easily explore the avenue that somebody here felt the need to play hero by sacrificing one for the many."

There's just. A lot going on. Kesley's kind of impatient. He's just going to get right into it here.

“If you want my opinion?” Nobody does, but go on, Kesley. “As someone who actually investigated with the intent of giving this poor girl some justice?” (Wow. Another low-blow, huh? Damn. Going for the throat on some people here.) “Both Beni and Drew have some fucking explaining to do, because neither of their explanations so far has cut it for me.” 

Honestly, he didn’t trust either one as far as he could throw them right now. Granted, probably shouldn’t phrase it like that. He’s pretty sure he could soccer kick a nerdy bean pole like Drew a good few yards, but he digresses. 

“Everyone’s so quick to say that this guy was just being an incompetent idiot.” Kesley jerks his thumb over in Drew’s direction. “However, playing dumb’s gotten me and a few buds out of a few assault charges myself. It’s a legitimate strategy. And it fucking works when it’s used right. Clickbait over there made that point earlier." Guilt-tripping is also a good strategy, but that's neither here nor there.

"So I wanna know, right now. Does anyone here really, honestly, wholeheartedly believe that this guy is as incompetent and moronic as he’s appeared to be throughout this entire trial? That he's really that blind and deaf to his circumstances? Because I don't think so. He had enough foresight to determine from the rules that he'd be safe from the possible killer's retaliation. In fact, he's the only one of us who recalled that little tidbit and used it to his advantage. Personally, I refuse to believe he's mentally capable and sound enough when in the presence of a dead body to deduce that much and not realize, at the same time, what an utter fucking buffoon of a red herring he's making himself to be. Understand what I mean? Or does everyone really not want to explore that avenue? Because I’ve pegged you as a lot of things myself, Drew, and believe me, ‘dumb and incompetent’ were not on the list.” 

He lets that hang for a bit before shifting his attention. Then his gesture pivots to Beni, and. Ugh. He doesn’t wanna address this any longer than he needs to. Let's get this over with. 

“As for this guy, yes, for the one that asked. I did see him with something strange on his face this morning. Yes, it could have been a bruise of some kind. I can't say for certainty, because everything that Beni said was true, and I won't risk fucking around with selective recall or memory biases here. I can't give a wholly accurate testimony on what was up with Beni's face. I didn't get a good, clear look, and I didn't even remember about it until much later. But I wouldn't put the possibility out the window."

Sorry he can't be more helpful on that front. Unfortunately, this is the best he can give. This whole thing is getting way too complicated. He just wants to wrap this up and quickly. "So. Do I know if the mark on Beni matches with Tsukiko’s injury? No, not in the slightest. Would it have been a great cover to goad me into attacking him this morning? Sure. Does it prove he’s the one who did this? Again, no. But it is pretty fucking suspicious. But Beni’s also been picking fights left and right since he got here. Just because someone lost their patience with him and possibly decked him in the face before I did doesn’t necessarily mean it has anything to do with the case. But dancing around it isn’t a good fucking look, either, so how about you cut the bullshit yourself, Beni, before you make me really fucking angry.” 

His arms folded across his chest as he lightly kicked at the podium, a heavy scowl on his face. He's well-aware this is getting a bit long-winded, and he doesn't trust the attention span of half the people here. He swears to god, if someone like, he doesn't know, Dante, hits him with a snarky 'TLDR,' he is going to shove the Reddit mascot down their throat so hard, they're shitting karma for a month.

“My conclusion here is neither of you are telling us the whole story. Beni, you’re a shit-stirring arrogant lowlife, and I wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire, and I absolutely wouldn't put murder past you. Drew, you’ve hidden way too much throughout this investigation, whether accidentally or on purpose, to be considered at all trustworthy. So, for the rest of us who aren't hiding evidence in our storage chests or fucking knives on our person like a crazed fucking hitchhiker murderer, we’ve got two main suspects here, yeah? We're not getting anything damning or exculpatory out of either of them. We're kinda just chasing our tails here. The next step should be comparing them against each other, right? Their stories, their evidence. Because from the looks of things right now, one of you is guilty." He shifts a suspicious glare between Drew and Beni, letting them know with just one cursory glance that he didn't trust either of them.

"I'll come out and say it now. I fully believe it's one of you. So if I’m right, that means the both of you should know who the killer is between you two. The culprit obviously knows. And the other will know by default. If you're innocent, that means the other is guilty. Because all this useless circling around and around is getting me pissed. Drew had the right idea earlier. Instead of trying to convince us of your innocence, how about you start trying to prove the other's guilt?"

His eyes sweep across the room, his scowl deepening. “And since some of us can’t be bothered to take this seriously. Maybe we ought to be fully aware of what happens at the end of this whole fucking farce.” Oooh, look at Kesley, using such big words.

“I mean, think about it. Because I have. I've been thinking over it a lot, actually? Like why I should even bother with all this, apart from the fact that Tsukiko deserves some justice. There’s gotta be some stakes involved here, otherwise, there wouldn’t be a need to turn this whole thing into a judge-and-jury thing instead of just a goddamn murderous free-for-all. Why have this trial in the first place and not just let the killer leave, huh? Beni and Drew aren’t the only ones holding back information, so, hey, Shit-Lips. If you’re dead-set on having us play your fucked up game, you better be telling us all the rules in advance and information in advance. Otherwise, why the fuck are we even playing? I'll walk out right now. And why shouldn't I? Why don't you tell me what's stopping me? If you can't, I'm bouncing. What's. The fucking. Point.”

Shit-Lips. He means Atropos. I’m so very sorry.

“You never told us what specifically happens if we get the culprit wrong or right. Yeah, the culprit gets to escape the tower if they get away with it, right? Is that really it? But what happens if they don’t get away it? Nothing? Do they get a re-do? Oops, try again? Maybe next murder?" His voice is dripping with some serious sarcasm here. No one ever advertised Kesley came with this much sass.

"You said, in your own rules, there would be a punishment. You never told us what this punishment is, and how it applies respectively to a correct or incorrect verdict. This can't not have any greater stakes, or there'd be nothing to keep us playing your game. You’re hiding something, and I want you to spill it.”

#submission #kesley

[phoenixyfriend]

One of the things that gets me about "Padme couldn't tell the Council about Anakin's actions on Tatooine because they wouldn't have understood his attachment to his mother as a good thing" is like.

What. What kind of an excuse is valid for baby murder.

Please tell me what the council was supposed to understand about the baby murder.

If someone up and slaughtered some preschoolers IRL--which has happened!--are you going to be one of those "Well, he was mentally ill" people or are you going to point out that this person shouldn't have access to deadly weapons in the first place and needs to face either prison time or an extraordinary amount of counseling before being allowed to interact with society sans supervision again?

Exploring Padme's understanding of the Tuskens as subsentient because she's not from Tatooine and doesn't realize they're people in part because she's a little space racist is a thing I can get behind, but "Padme recognizes they're people and all, but she takes Anakin's side because the Council would be too harsh" is like. How harsh is too harsh when someone's killing kids.

Like "he really loved his mom" is not an excuse that should fly in real life! He killed children! "They wouldn't understand" I WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE POV LABELED "BABY MURDERER"

I love Anakin I really do but some of the 'logic' I see about justifying Padme's actions post-massacre is just. What. I understand Anakin refusing to confess, and I even understand Padme not snitching, but her actions were inherently selfish and I feel like people try to justify it to a point that's not really sensible.

I feel like I need a tag for Tusken Massacre discourse, holy shit I just keep having feelings about the absolute clusterfuck this plot point represents.

#Tusken Massacre Discourse #Phoenix Talks #Padme Amidala #Anakin Skywalker #Pro Jedi #Character Analysis #Star Wars Wank #discourse #child death tw #I should clarify that the Sandy Hook Shooting is what's sitting in the back of my mind right now #like a solid portion of today's Holy Fuck is situated #in what I remember of the victim-blaming and killer-defense #that happened in the wake of Sandy Hook #500 notes

[imperiuswrecked]

Welcome to the final issue of the Trial of Magneto. I’ve been worried for weeks, then spent the night angry, and now I get to unload about how stupid this whole thing is and first things first, this right here? A LIE. Pietro is not in this comic.

We start off with Wanda revealing who it is, that’s it. No mystery to uncover through clues, just her blaming her “killer”, once second to pause and say: Fuck you Tony, fuck all the avengers, no matter how many times Marvel tries to shove “Avengers are a Family” b.s. down my throat I will never believe it. 

So Erik and Wanda use Toad as their scapegoat because SURPRISE they needed a fall guy so they picked the most pathetic loser they know to take the blame of a crime he is innocent of and they sit aside and watch as he is swallowed up by Krakoa. Posting panels out of order just to be able to explain this.

I’m gonna take a minute here in the defense of Toad, he isn’t the most beloved character in the X-Men, he is a Loser, but he is also an abuse victim who’s biggest contributor was Magneto, and now Wanda joins him in this, what a totally gross way to handle Wanda’s character, having her be willing to let a man innocent of this crime take the fall for her.

Also X-Factor freaking sucks at their job, their one job, and remember that metal magic? yeah no Wanda used that to kill herself with and Erik planted it in Toad’s room.

Having Toad say it was all for Magneto, for a team that had long disbanded in universe, its been literally 10 or more years in their time and he still isn’t over it? I would laugh if I wasn’t so pissed off over how stupid this comic’s writing is.

Fuck you Vision, the way he speaks to Wanda as if they were a couple leaving a party, um you two are not a freaking couple anymore. Sick of the WandaVision narrative constantly used in this issue. It disgusts me. 

Also wowww now the Avengers can’t get involved in another nations punishment for crimes against them? wow, where was this when you all went running to Atlantis to call Namor insane and interfere with him running his nation? hypocrites. They just don’t care because it’s a loser x-men ex-villain they don’t even like. 

LOVE HOW THE RETCON WAS NEVER UNDONE AND YET WE HAVE THEM CALLING EACH OTHER FAMILY. BY LOVE I MEAN, WHAT THE F-

How the fuck did Wanda get resurrected through a mutant pod but still isn’t a mutant, hmmmm??? was there a need to point this out? no? ah yes we just have to keep saying that they aren’t really a family but are a family anyways because uhhh of all the great family bonding we’ve seen with Lorna and Wanda over the years, and let’s have Wanda calling Erik her father again. Pietro? Hug his sister? Care that she is alive? HA. What a silly notion. 

I wish people would let Erik be a complicated man who has a lot of fears and understand that most of his work/actions is in relation to that and not love. Erik’s past trauma constantly shifted to the side to push the narrative that he is a good man now, he can be a complex and not a good man but a man with grey morals and still be a good character you know.

Hey everyone, I found the Trial. It was love all along 

Also just in case you missed Billy and Tommy, who were screaming hurtful things at Wanda the other issue, here they are! What? where is Quicksilver? Pietro Maximoff? You still think he is gonna show up? hahahahahahaha 

To wrap up, the reason why Erik and Wanda kicked Toad into the fire and watched him burn and used him to further their agenda is because Wanda had a plan to bring back all mutants who were never in the database, and she knew that cult island wouldn’t accept her dying and being resurrected through their super special eggs. I think that if an island of people hate you then they would be ok with you dying then maybe that island is shit, just a thought. 

Anyways the ONLY good thing to come out of this whole stupid miniseries that has become the Wanda and Erik show except it’s totally the Wanda show and not even a good one is that John Proudstar is back, if you don’t know him it’s because he has under 40 comic appearances and was killed off a long time ago but he was part of the new line of X-Men.

Oh and now Northstar and Kyle are gonna be dads.

Charles you stupid slut. 

No, I need to insult him because he is an idiot and also point out how WASTED this artist was on this stupid as fuck plot line, look at that DRAGON. 

Hey Wanda! Remember how we spent months and months talking shit about you? Well now you get to join into our little cult and tell stories! 

And so ends my suffering. 

At this point I’m sure Pietro is passed out in that bar drunk out of mind and no one cares enough to go pick him up because where the hell is he, certainly not with his family.

#wednesday spoilers #trial of magneto #magnet family #wanda maximoff #erik lensherr #lorna dane #john proudstar #thunderbird #northstar #magneto #polaris #scarlet witch #xmen #avengers #this whole series was so unneeded #wanda's character is not better now than she was before in fact its worse because she condemned an innocent man

[hello-nichya-here]

Least favorite Joyce moment?

Christ that's a difficult one, there are so many. I'm gonna make a top five.

1 - Being pissed at Buffy for finally forcing her to confront the obvious fact that she has no fucking clue what is going on in her life AND has no desire to do so, kicking her own daughter of their home for being the Slayer, being shocked that she didn't come back AND blaming Gilers even though SHE explicitly told her not, not doing anything to look for Buffy at all, acting all passive aggresive when she finally does comes back, not once asking how she's handling the fact that she just had to KILL HER BOYFRIEND, complaining that Buffy won't talk to her to resolve the issue when SHE is the one avoiding the subject, throwing a party full of people Buffy doesn't know and basically forcing her to interact with them which just makes her feel more isolated, and then putting all the blame on her for "wanting to leave again" and trying to play the victim when all she has done since Buffy came back is make it very clear that she is not wanted.

2 - Instantly throwing Buffy in a mental institution after she tells her she's the Slayer without trying any other, less traumatic alternative first, "forgetting about it after a while" to the point that she shows no reaction whenever Buffy lets stuff slip (which happens A LOT), not noticing/reacting to all the times Buffy just fucking disappears in the middle of the night, AND NOT EVER ASKING BUFFY WHY HER CLOTHES ARE CONSTANTLY DRENCHED IN BLOOD! "Neglectfull" is too kind of a word for Joyce. Are we sure she didn't just know that Buffy was the Slayer and was hoping that the demons and vampires would kill her?

3 - TRYING TO BURN BUFFY AT THE STAKE! The only reason this one isn't at the top spot is because there were magical shenanigans involved - but let's remember that Joyce was the only one of the people who already knew Buffy was a slayer who was influenced by the spell, and even when the thing was at it's weakest she straight up campared Buffy to demons that killed children. I genuinely think Joyce wouldn't have ever gotten violent, but that hatred of daughter because she won't be what she expected of her? Yeah, that's 100% Joyce, just look at the top spot.

4 - Still siding with Ted (her boyfriend who Buffy straight up said threatened her) after she had spent an entire day without consuming the drugs he was giving her (and that only made you RELAXED, it wasn't straight up mind control - and it says a lot that Buffy's friends were subtly but still visibly different from their usual selves this episode, but Joyce was acting EXACTLY the same), blaming Buffy for his death even though Buffy repeatedly said it was self-defense because Ted ambushed her in her room and attacked her, only snapping out of her denial when Ted gets violent towards her instead of her daughter, and then after finding out he is a serial killer not once does she ever apologize to Buffy for not listening to her or for putting that man in her life.

5 - Finding out that an older man who has some clear stalker tendencies had sex with her 16-year-old daughter, broke her heart, and then did something to make her feel threatened to the point that she is now actively avoding him... and her first reaction isn't telling that creep to get lost, or asking Buffy what happened, or calling the police, or trying to offer her daughter any kind of emotional support, or being scared for Buffy's safety ('cause again, Angel was stalking her and had slept with her despite being a grown ass adult while Buffy was a teenager), but rather slut-shaming her for losing her virginity AND criticizing her for "not thinking of anything besides boys" and for choosing the wrong guy - I remind you, this is AFTER TED, after Joyce dated a serial killer that wanted to kill them both. The fucking nerve of this woman.

I hate Joyce. I really, really, really, really hate Joyce. Combine Angel, Parker and Riley, all the villains, all the times the good guys acted like assholes, and put them into one character and I STILL would hate Joyce more. You can remove all the supernatural elements from the story and she is still the worst mother ever. She's emotionally and verbally abusive, neglectfull to an absurd degree, stupid as hell, and will just never take responsibility for a goddamn thing in her whole life. Her death might have been a tragedy for Buffy for obvious reasons and those episodes were very emotional, but good lord, I was SO FUCKING GLAD she was gone. I couldn't stand that woman.

#asks #joyce summers #fuck joyce #buffy the vampire slayer #buffy deserved better

[whosscruffylooking]

The Purest Things- Repeating History

Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: Brief mentions of murder and alcohol. Canon typical violence.

A/N: this takes place during season 3 episode 11, birthright. i had a lot of fun studying this episode and making it my own. i have changed certain dialogue and who says what for the sake of the story. please enjoy!

The Purest Things Masterlist

(my gif! please credit if you use.)

january 2008

Syd Moore said, “Disregard for the past will never do us any good. Without it we cannot know truly who we are.”

+++++

Your alarm is often hushed before it even has an opportunity to set off nowadays because you usually wake up before it even has the chance.

4:25 A.M.

You groan and toss your pillow over your face. Maybe, just maybe, you can will yourself to sleep for a little longer. As if someone heard your pleas for slumber, your phone starts buzzing on your bedside table. Of course, it is unnecessary for you even to read the messages. There is a case.

+++++

"Last night in Fredericksburg, a 20-year-old woman, Molly McCarthy, was abducted," J.J. begins, "She's the third to go missing in the last 6 weeks. All disappeared from public places. No one's seen them since until now. A couple days ago, body parts with cigarette burns were recovered from a national park that was once the site of the battle of Chancellorsville."

"Were they able to make an I.D.?" you and Hotch ask simultaneously. Your eyes meet, but he breaks the contact abruptly. Flustered and insecure, you bury your focus deep into the file in front of you. The group discusses the case for a couple of minutes, but you are so concentrated on the papers that you hardly absorb any information they've shared.

There is something familiar about this case to you. Suddenly, realization strikes.

Rejoining the discussions, you say, "I remember reading about a case like this in Spotsylvania county. Similar markings on the bone. It was the winter of 1980, also in Fredericksburg. There were 5 women aged 16 to 24. They were buried in pieces."

"Same markings. Same civil war battlefield," J.J. responds in agreement.

The team agrees that this could be the works of the same killer. There are aspects of the more recent killings that would be impossible to copycat since those details had never been released to the public. But, if this is the same unsub, what's he been doing for the past 27 years?

+++++

Hotch focuses on the road while you watch out the window of the passenger seat. Occasionally, you sneak the odd peek at him. His stoicism is alluring, and you find yourself drawn to this demeanor like a moth to a flame. Piecing together the tiny glimpses you've collected thus far as if working on a mental puzzle, you scrutinize his attributes. His eyes bare the beginnings of crow's feet. Only his sideburns tease the speckling of salt and pepper undertones. His lips turn downwards at the corners, no doubt from years of scowling at unsubs.

Reid speaks up from behind you both and breaks your train of thought. Probably for the better, there's no reason why you should examine your unit chief so intently.

"It's funny--he always dumps the bodies in this battlefield, no matter what the risk."

"It's a respected landmark. He's flaunting," Aaron reckons.

"It makes him feel important," you say in agreement.  

Once you have arrived at the crime scene, you follow Agent Hotchner closely. Reid trails ahead, most likely trying to keep up with his own train of thought.

"How does someone not see or hear them?" You ask the sheriff.

He turns to you with a defeated expression, "It was dark. He had the advantage. Molly's boyfriend was the last person to see her. He said she was alone for a minute, maybe less."

Hotch surveys the surroundings, "He's patient and works fast."

"He's perfected his M.O.," Reid states while looking around.

You cross your arms as a wave of unease gets the best of you as you envision the moments leading to Molly's attack.

"If our unsub's pushing 60, he's gotta be strong enough to carry her a long way without her struggling," you bring out.

Hotch looks to you with a concerned squint. You shake your head, signaling to him that it's nothing you can't get under control. He nods in response. The sheriff agrees to point out the various entrances to the park.

"I'll catch up with you," your Unit Chief states. He motions for you to step aside with him, and you comply.

"You know, ever since my wife and I had our son, I dread receiving cases involving children," he discloses to you.

Tears well up in your eyes, "I can't even imagine, but sir, why are you telling me this?"

"This job will inevitably strike close to home on some cases more than others. It's okay for you to feel overwhelmed by it all every once and a while," he assures you.

"You never lose it, though."

He sighs heavily, "Maybe I should have."

Shortly before you joined the BAU, Hotch's wife Haley left with their son Jack. You never ask questions or stick your nose where it doesn't belong. It isn't your place, and you can't blame him for not wanting to bring his family struggles to work. He deals with enough broken families on the job as it is. Mixing his own personal life into the field would only make it more challenging to prioritize. Despite all this, you cannot help but wonder what exactly led to his and his wife's separation. You hope that they can find their way back to each other. The crimes you investigate do not need to claim the Hotchner's as victims as well.

+++++

"I'll let you talk to Chrissy Wilkenson," Hotch directs you towards the kitchen. You wipe your sweaty palms against the fabric of your pants and make your way into the kitchen, Hotch following closely behind you.

"Mrs. Wilkenson," you say gently, "My name is Y/F/N. I have just a few questions about your husband. Where does Charlie usually go when he's stressed?"

"The barn," she stutters. You can tell she's anxious and afraid for the well-being of her family.

"Anywhere else, Chrissy?"

Hotch is called into the other room, and you continue questioning Chrissy. She's becoming overwhelmed, so you guide her to the dining room.

"I know this is difficult, Chrissy."

"Did the father of my child really do that to those poor women?" She cradles her baby bump.

Your heart breaks for her, and you choose to remain silent. Sometimes saying nothing speaks louder than words.

Footsteps bound throughout the house, and Hotch appears in the doorway, "The sheriff will stay here with Mrs. Wilkenson. We need you with us."

Standing up from your chair, you place your hand atop Chrissy's, "History doesn't have to repeat itself." It is almost as if she could tell you were reading her thoughts. The endless whispers that cloud her mind making her feel like she's left with only one choice, but there's always another option. That is all you are trying to remind her of.

+++++

As you and your team trek through the forest, you see a clearing.

"Hotch, this way," you beckon him to pursue your course.

Suddenly, a gunshot rings out, and you stop in your tracks. You make eye contact with Hotch and mirror each other's actions, dashing towards the opening in the trees. Your heart pounds in rhythm with your footsteps colliding against the ground. It is clear to you from your exchange with Chrissy at the house that the origin of the gunshot will shock everyone but yourself. As you reach the clearing and rush down the hill, your speculation is validated.

Chrissy Wilkenson is standing over the body of her husband, the unsub. A traumatized young man haunted by his father's past and plagued by the idea that children are trapped in the endless cycles created by their parents.

I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Jesus. Now is not the time for that.

The newly widowed woman claims self-defense, yet the cops handcuff her anyways. Inside, you feel conflicted while watching her get into the back of the squad car.

Hotch appears by your side but remains silent. Again, sometimes silence speaks louder than words. You bit your lip, attempting to hide the fact that it is trembling.

"What did you say to her as you were leaving the dining room?"

"I told her that history does not have to repeat itself. I wanted her to know that even when it feels like you are backed into a corner, there is always another way out. Sometimes people don't know where to look for their out thought," you quiver.

He lightly touches your arm and gives you a reassuring tilt of the head, "Just know that you did everything you could. We will never do this job perfectly. Doing the right thing usually costs more than it pays. You did your part.  I'm not a saint, and I am far from a hero, but I have integrity and honor, and I do this job to the best of my ability."

"If you can leave a case with a clear conscience," he continues, "you know you did the best you could. Any other thought process will eat away at you slowly but surely, and ultimately, it will result in the demise of your career and destruction of yourself."

+++++

After a seemingly neverending day, you all arrive back at Quantico.

"I could really go for a drink, guys. What do you say? Newbie's buying," you wave your wallet around frivolously.

"I could go for 5 drinks!" Prentiss exclaims.

"Count me in," Morgan winks at you. He never fails to make you blush.

Reid hesitates and you pout your bottom lip, "Please Reid! How could you not want a repeat of Dolly Parton night last month?"

Hotch comes down the stairs, "Dolly Parton night? Do I want to know?"

You and Derek snicker to each other as Spencer attempts to diffuse his own embarassment.

"9 to 5 is an iconic female anthem that certainly has a rather bewitching affect on a man when mixed with alcohol."

"You only drank Diet Coke that night," you roll your eyes at him.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Hotch forcing his way through the small group formed around the desks.

Making your way over to him, you invite him to join, "Want a beer?" You second guess yourself, but it seems as though his rather stern expression softens ever so slightly when he pivots on his heels to look at you.

"I would like that," he answers softly.

He immediately returns to his original path and hovers near the glass doors. You casually make your way over to him, joined by Dave and Emily. A man barges in through the glass doors announcing Aaron's name.

"Agent Hotchner?"

"Yes," the subject in question breaths out almost defeatedly.  

The yellow package he holds in his hands is all too familiar and instantly churns your stomach into knots. You gnaw at your bottom lip, drawing a metallic taste that causes you to cringe.

"What is it?" Emily speaks up.

There's no question as to what it is. Oh Hotch. I’m so sorry.

Hotch's eyes trace the package from corner to corner in disbelief, "Haley's filing for divorce. I've been served."

When he eventually takes his eyes off of the lettering, his eyes meet yours. They lock onto you and it is in that moment that you feel as though you have been given the key to unlock his soul. His eyes are so unusual at this moment; they are more vulnerable than you have ever seen. The stoic man is gone, and instead, it is the eyes of one who is in tremendous pain. You had mistaken his bloodshot eyes for physical fatigue on the plane, but now you see that it is emotional exhaustion as well.

If only you knew how badly I want to hug you and tell you that you won't be swallowed up by this darkness. There's a long road ahead, but you have so many people here who love you and are here to support you through this. You aren't alone. Trust me, I know.

In some way, you pray that he can read into your soul and see the pain you feel for him. Once more, your shared silence proves to speak for itself.  

At last, he breaks eye contact with you and finally releases the breath that you had been holding in. Dave grabs onto your arm, seeing the clear impact Hotch's news has on you, no doubt having also noticed Hotch's immediate response in looking at you.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can join you tonight," he excuses himself and escapes to the seclusion of his office.

Maybe history does have a way of repeating itself.

Tag List:

@chellybear98​ @destiny-tsukino​ @wanniiieeee​ @sweetiecake180 @vampiracontessa​ @weexinling​ @spaghetti-dad187 @hothskies​ @star-stuff-in-the-cosmos​ @mac99martin​ @clairedragonessbaker @cecemariee7302​ @halloweenwithreid @megans-txmblr​ @theoldestguard @purpledragonturtles​ @chazubagi​ @frogrrylovebot @agentaaronhotass​ @obsssedwithjustaboutanything @mcntsee @ssagube @softhetixx @kenzies-mr-j @peachyotps @cat11-2 @prettylittlemoonlight @ravenmoore14 @gubs-boobs @spencerreidsoulmate @joyclubie

#criminal minds #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotch x reader #aaron hotchner x y/n #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds reader insert #aaron hotchner fanfic #aaron hotchner fanfiction #aaron hotchner x fem!reader #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner angst #hotch x y/n #hotch x reader #hotch x you #aaron hotchner headcanon #spencer reid #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x y/n #imagine #derek morgan imagine #derek morgan x reader #criminal minds headcanons #thomas gibson #fanfiction #emily prentiss #jennifer jareau #the purest things series

[waragainstyourfaith]

Thank you to @broughtmeyourlove for listening to the beginnings of this (aka when I first got my thoughts down) and thank you to me for saying all this in the shower but most importantly thank you @hannibalhadalittlelamb whose art got me to finally think deeper about the nature of Hannibal’s trial. Let’s begin.

Hannibal’s trial isn’t something I usually see discussed within the fandom space. And why would it be? We know the final verdict and we know that besides that everything works out in the end anyway. It’s an afterthought. So who would care? That’s like reading the first few chapters of a book to skip to the final one. Characters change and so does the story as a whole.

On @/hannibalhadalittlelamb’s post (here), their tags read that their depiction of Hannibal is leaning into OOC (out of character) territory. I disagree.

During Hannibal’s trial, we have to think about how it would have gone down. Actually. There was no possible way for Will to miss or be exempt from this trial. His coworkers and boss knew his strong relation to Hannibal and how their professional relationship had definitely, at some point or another, turned personal. The mutual attempts of murder had not been lost on anyone, but, of course, that made Will all the more personal a witness.

However, Will wants nothing to do with Hannibal.

I understand there is a popular theory going around that Will and Hannibal were in a sort of understanding during the trial, but, honestly? We see Will desperately wanting to remain kept away from Hannibal, to live a normal life with a wife and son. Hannibal throws a wrench into this whole ordeal and this trial, after what conspired between them overseas, leaves Will in the headspace and with the opportunity to quite literally never see Hannibal again in his life.

And after everything and with what Will thinks he wants, how could he deny that? Helping Hannibal rule into the insanity plea was not an act of mercy but an act of protection. Will more than anyone knows Hannibal should be kept under 24/7 surveillance and away from every person he could ever harm. Being ruled out of given the death penalty was the underlying bonus his conscience wouldn’t let him think too deeply about.

In court, you are sworn in on the bible, on God, to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth [...] So help you God.”. Both Will and Hannibal were undoubtedly sworn in, but considering the argument Hannibal’s legal team was using, would you trust a man under the insanity plea or his victim who is an FBI agent more? Right.

So, Will is given free rein in this courtroom to spin the story of him and Hannibal whichever way he pleases. Seeing what I mentioned before, Will is going to remove himself as far away from Hannibal as he can while still being able to confidentially and securely reveal everything without getting his hands dirty nor embarrassing himself. Hannibal does not get this luxury.

Hannibal is a man of his privacy. As many analyses have written and as many real psychologists have said while dissecting the headspace of Hannibal, his need to eat people is his need to control. The trauma Hannibal went through with Mischa, whether you know the depth of it or just the surface, is enough context to explain what happens next. Hannibal eats them. Attitude is Hannibal’s one basis of morals and consensus. “One should always eat the rude”.

To determine their fate and to consume them is him “playing God”, but at its core, it is Hannibal needing to be in control. We see the severity of his true, underlying, desperation come to light at a first glimpse with the gruesome death of Beverly Katz. Undoubtedly, this is one of his most haunting scenes and we see the insides(dissection) of Beverly as she had attempted to find in Hannibal by going through his home. By sneaking a glance under the person suit. His inner monster comes out in a rage during this murder. He is private and anything that anyone knows about Hannibal is what he has allowed them to live to be able to say so. Look at Will’s position once more.

What no one seems to realize is that, during this trial, Hannibal is not in control. Will is the spinster of their life, a life Hannibal used his truest of colors to paint, and ultimately watched it becomes torn to shreds in front of him. Remember, Will is sworn in during this trial. This does not necessarily mean he is telling the truth, but it means everyone thinks he is. It’s a play of tragedy and Hannibal and Will are the two lead star-crossed lovers.

The entirely of Hannibal and the world he has handed to Will on a sparkling platter is being dissected and shown to everyone. The story of the Chesapeake Ripper was undoubtedly massive. A criminal having not been caught for years that everyone seemed to know nothing about revealed to be one of the closest, inside links with the FBI themselves? Tale of the decade.

The spotlight is on Hannibal, but he is being puppeteered by Will without a say in it for himself.

Hannibal cracks as he’s poked and prodded and bare for the media to do as they like and Will sits by and says what he likes. Here is where we would see a sliver of what lays beneath their person suits. Hannibal’s impulsivity and monstrousness under his charming exterior and Will’s manipulative, isolatedness under his empathetic cloak.

We look at Hannibal. He would be torn to shreds from this. The porcelain pot that contains his beast has broken and shattered by the swatting hand of Will, someone he trusted and loved. The intruding eyes of the jury stay on him as he is diagnosed as insane while he considers himself to be in the best possible headspace he ever could be. Everything he told Will and what he considered truth from Will’s mouth was dismissed and disputed under oath.

Hannibal is embarrassed. People call him insane and lock him away at dig through his mind and his things without his permission with protruding needles and telescopes. Hannibal has to play nice to simply be allowed a working toilet and the books that he has collected himself. Anything and everything he writes and draws that he wants to send out is dissected and analyzed. He has no privacy. He is not allowed a toe out of line.

Looking back at Hannibal from season one, episode seven is a good one to compare from, and when we see him first after year years in isolation, we see plain as day these are not the same men. In season one, Hannibal is handsome and cunning enough so that he wiggles his way into the deepest, most protected parts of the FBI as one of the highest-ranked killers on their watch list. He is polite enough to even invite them to dinner and feed them the organs of his victims.

He’s slick and intelligent and Hannibal is the idea of a lifetime.

And then we come to the second half of season three.

Hannibal, at this point, has been isolated for three years and has been under painful scrutiny even longer. During this time, he’s had all the space he could get to rebuild the person suit, but the pieces won’t fit. It’s jaggedly put together and no matter how long he spends trying to perfect its construction to what it used to be, it isn’t what it used to be. Will had done that to him. Will had effectively broken Hannibal.

I see often the running gag that season three is immensely funnier and leaning much more into the comedy aspect of Hannibal during his interactions with Will and Alana and even jack to an extent. But this is not him being funny; this is Hannibal pushing limits.

Looking back to paragraph eleven [“To determine their fate and consume them…”] we come back to Hannibal’s need to control. Remember, in this space, Hannibal is shoved into line. He’s snappy and cynical here. This is Hannibal exercising his limits and testing patience. His acting out and making snide comments is nothing he can be punished for, but it clearly agitates them. Hannibal teeters just enough on the edge of annoyance so that his jabs still hit, but his privileges still remain.

This is his monster leaking through the cracks. Hannibal is desperate. He is grasping for a hold over these people he had looked down upon from his throne in the sky as God for so long. He is rude. This is both his shield and deception. It leaves Hannibal with the idea that he is effectively feeding them out of his hand, that he has them right where he wants them. When Hannibal does this, it is his last line of defense to keep himself from blowing up. Ruining it all.

Season three is not season one. He is gasping and hurt and that is what makes the Dolarhyde kill all the more powerful. The whiplash and bounce back with his and Will’s relationship is powerful and dangerous.

Will watching Hannibal with his dead stare, person suit thrown off the moment he decided to go with Hannibal into that car, as he is shot is groundbreaking. Hannibal can see Will. they have effectively switched positions. As though he were God, Will looks down on Hannibal’s suffering. When Will decides to fight Dolarhyde in retaliation,  this is the point it all cuts lose.

At that moment, Will has freed the beast. Hannibal has finally someone to take the reins of his monster whom he trusts. Because Hannibal never blamed Will, even during that time in his isolation, he was waiting. Waiting for Will because despite the betrayal and despite the hurt he loved him. All that time he loved him.

The Dolarhyde kill is the messiest one of the show, which makes it all the more powerful. Hannibal has--I don’t want to say “lost composure”--but he definitely has dropped the act of his togetherness. In this, Hannibal is free. So long he has spent trying to hold himself together, to fool those around him and take care of everyone and himself. 

It’s a common misconception that a person in a position of power, such as a CEO, would want to be in this position all of the time. In fact, it’s been shown that the human mind needs a healthy balance. A person who is pushed around on a day-to-day basis and has no control over their life would most likely enjoy having control over a person and vice versa.

God must be tired. Hannibal was. Wearing his person suit for years and years, with only a dangerous outlet to relieve the built-up tension of his monster. To place the control into Will’s hands is inevitable and the best relief for both of them. Hannibal in killing and Will in power.

In that final scene, Hannibal has surrendered control to Will while barring the entirety of what lay within and Will has a high enough apathy for this to no longer have any hold over him. They have switched their roles. Now, Will is the one pulling the strings and Hannibal is the one letting himself be maneuvered.

This trial was the turn of the tables. It was the biggest part of their character and the biggest foreshadowing for the finale.

In Florence, Hannibal has the hold over Will. In season two, Will has the hold over Hannibal. In season one, Hannibal has the hold over Will. This trial that has been left out was the missing piece to even their stance and to level their playing field, making it easiest for the two to blur.

The trial is effectively and consequently one of if not the most important scene that was missing from the show.

#takes a deep breath of relief #working on this all day in bits and pieces #hannibal nbc #text #hannibal lecter #this is 2k words long have fun yall i did not reread this #gro.dy

[problematic-faves-appreciation]

Problematic Faves Cliffs Notes: Harvey Dent/Two-Face

Batman (1980) #329

Summary: Once a crusading district attorney that worked alongside Batman and Jim Gordon to fight crime – now the duality-obsessed super criminal known as Two-Face.

Harvey Dent also serves as a dark reflection of Batman's own struggles living a dual life with conflicting identities.

Main Goal: To enact his own justice whilst committing crimes.

Fears: Uncertainty, himself in general [the things he's capable of, specifically], losing control, his loved ones dying, his darker half discovering Bruce's secret identity [Detective Comics (2016) #1021], Renee Montoya's rejection [Batman: No Man's Land, novel], and the Joker [Joker (2008), only].

Mindset: Sees himself bound by fate and its will. As a result of Harvey's black-and-white worldviews, he considers his two-headed (scarred on one side) silver dollar a truly objective instrument of justice due to it only yielding two simple, 50/50 outcomes at the end of every coin toss.

"Some people go to the beach to forget their problems. They can watch the waves for hours. I understand the fascination.

There's a pattern – then there is no pattern.

It's the same with the coin. We want it all to mean something – we want to find the pattern – but in the final analysis, it's just waves."

— Harvey Dent, Secret Origins Special (1989) #1

•••

"He was always interested in the law – some might say obsessed. Man's law gave order to Harvey's world – they delineated the parameters of right and wrong, good and evil. They gave him something to believe in."

— Gilda Dent, Secret Origins Special (1989) #1

•••

Hugo Strange: Let's go back further, you were a rising star, a beacon of light for this city. A white knight riding in to save it with the Dark Knight not far behind.

Harvey Dent: You can leave him out of this. He is wrong. They all are. No one understands the beauty of fate's hand. I am grateful to Falcone. He gave me a clarity; a purity that few will know. Everything boils down to a simple choice, this way or that way, good... or bad.

Hugo Strange: Do you really believe that?

Harvey Dent: How could I not?

— Batman: Arkham City

•••

Batman: If you pull the trigger, how are you different from the Roman?

Harvey Dent: That's Jim Gordon talking. You know the system doesn't work. That justice can be decided like the flip of a coin.

— The Long Halloween

•••

"You thought we could be decent men in an indecent time... but you were wrong! The world is cruel. And the only morality in a cruel world is chance. Unbiased, unprejudiced, fair."

— Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight

•••

"Life's a lottery, Holman. It's chance that decides who lives and who dies. Who gets cancer. Which kid is born with spina bifida. Who gets run over by a truck.

This [the coin] is what decides whether or not I blow your wife's brains out."

— Harvey Dent, Joker's Asylum: Two-Face #1 

Teen Titans Spotlight (1987) #13

Character Traits:

🌗 Loving • Idealistic • Genuine • Principled • Resolute • Focused • Driven • Workaholic • Passionate • Eloquent • Wrathful • Obssessed • Brooding • Self-loathing • Black-and-white thinking • Dauntless • Fair • Honest (generally) • Man of his word • Learned helplessness (regarding the coin and his choices) • Self-destructive • Unpredictable • Hair-trigger temper • Can be persuaded • Charitable (depends on coin toss) • Takes his pain out on others • Self-enabling • Serious • Harsh • Intimidating • Vengeful • Physically violent • Self-aware • Conflicted • Feels remorse • Tries, but fails to improve as a person • Too Dependent on his coin • Fatalistic • Suicidal • Forgiving • Self-centered, but not selfish 🌗

Key Facts:

Harvey Dent...

• Had mental health issues long before his disfigurement [Batman Annual (1990 #14, Batman: The Animated Series - Episode 10, and Batman: Arkham City].

• His father physically abused him every day as a child. Christopher Dent used a double-headed coin to make Harvey believe he could "avoid" the beatings if the coin landed on the non-existent "tails" [Batman Annual #14].

• Bruce Wayne was his childhood friend [Rebirth universe & Batman: Nightwalker].

• Harvey "Legal Eagle" Dent was the top of his class [Secret Origins Special (1989) #1].

• Paid for his father's nice apartment [Batman: Two-Face (1995) - Crime & Punishment].

• Half of Harvey wanted to love his father, while the other half wished him dead. Despite everything, he tried to make peace with Christopher prior to the acid attack [Batman Annual #14].

• Never stopped loving/thinking about Gilda Dent when she disappeared from his life following the events of the Long Halloween [Batman (2006) #653 & Batman (2011) #712].

What's more, Harvey continued loving Gilda so much that he wound up murdering her second husband's killer in a pre-Long-Halloween continuity [Batman (1980) #329] because the man's death left Gilda grieving.

• Fun fact: The Power of Love helped him resist Poison Ivy's pheromones in the Dark Victory #11!

Begone, thot!

• Blamed Batman for what happened to him with Salvatore Maroni Carmine Falcone and the acid attack that scarred his face [Batman: Arkham Knight].

• Uses his coin to determine whether he should kill or spare his victims. Also, he has been known to perform acts of charity [Detective Comics (1942) #66 & Batman: The Silver Age Newspaper Comics Volume 3 (1969-1972)] sometimes.

• Loves and hates Gotham [Batman and Robin (2013) #23.1].

• Dislikes hypocrites [Batman: Two-Face (1995) - Crime and Punishment & The Spectre (2001) #5].

• Developed strong feelings for Renee Montoya in the Batman: No Man's Land storyline.

• Continued caring about Renee deeply, despite the events of Gotham Central (2003) #10 [Convergence: The Question #1-2].

Received training from Batman [Batman #653] and Deathstroke [Deathstroke (2018) #38].

• Has tried growing better as a person, but he keeps failing [Batman Annual #14 & Batman and Robin Adventures (1995) #1-2].

• Has re-scarred himself more than once [Batman Annual #14, Batman #653, and Batman: Black and White (1996) #1].

• For all his faults and crimes – such as nearly beating Dick Grayson to death in Robin: Year One – he has helped people [The Batman Chronicles (1999) #16], defended Jim Gordon from himself as Jim's defense lawyer [Detective Comics (1999) #739], cares about the women in his life, and keeps his word when the coin comes up good.

He is a complex character, period.

Other Facts:

• Has seen Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" [Batman (1986) #397].

• Knows how to sculpt [Detective Comics (1986) #563].

• Owns a "thememobile" like Batman [Batman (1987) #410]!

• Likes baseball [Batman (1987) #411].

• Likes symmetry [Batman (1989) #442].

Smokes, but also doesn't [Batman (1994) #513].

"My own version of the literary reference mark known as a diesis – more commonly known as a double-dagger! My next pair shall strike to the heart of the matter!" — Harvey Dent, Batman: Two-Face Strikes Twice #1 – the words of a man who certainly reads a lot!

Batman Annual #14 & Teen Titans Spotlight #13 – A himbo he is not!

• Reads classic books such as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" [Detective Comics #66] and "A Tale of Two Cities" [Batman: Two-Face Strikes Twice #2].

• Still finds putting criminals behind bars fun [Batman Gotham Adventures (1999) #12].

• Can speak Spanish [The Batman Chronicles #16].

• Doesn't mind hitting women at all. There are so many examples of this; Harvey confirmed it himself [Batman: Streets of Gotham (2009) #7], and beat up Jim Gordon's wife in Batman (1999) #572.

• Made a self-insert comic book in an art therapy program. Yup, he wrote and drew it himself [Detective Comics (2001) #753]!

Called it "The Adventures of Copernicus Dent and His Best Girl and Plucky Assistant R'Nee!" 

• Plays chess with Batman [Gotham Knights (2002) #32].

• Has watched Star Trek [Nightwing (2008) #150].

• Fought and killed a werewolf [The 2008 DC Universe Halloween Special]. Yes, really.

• Was a cult leader [Detective Comics (2020) #1020].

• Rebirth!Harvey is now working as a jailhouse lawyer in Blackgate [Detective Comics (2020) #1024].

• Understands how binary code works, but computer geeks make him sick? [Robin (1994) #11] Yeah.

• Has kids. Twins! [Batman: Two-Faces Strikes Twice]. It looks like they're irrelevant.

• Remembered Renee's birthday and sent her tulips [Detective Comics (2000) #747].

• Has been a judge before [The New Batman Adventures - Episode 24 & Arkham Unhinged (2013) #11].

• Hates odd-numbers [Robin: Year One #2].

#batman #harvey dent #two face #gilda dent #dc comics #my posts #problematic faves cliff notes

[another-cancer]

Chapter Seven: Ladybug is Dead, Or That is the Lie I Keep Telling

Age Nine. Damian Al-Ghul.

They came a week after Ladybug had and demanded to know where she was. And when he refused to tell them they attacked. They died the same day. And The Order sent more and more. Until he was tired of it all. He was done fighting the same incompetent assassins, none of them even close to his skill level.

So when the last one came he said, “She’s dead, just like the rest of the fools sent here. I killed her.”

He felt proud when they fled to tell their leader Ladybug had been killed. To Damian, it didn’t matter if it was a lie or not. It felt good. And it meant he was finally left alone. He liked being alone.

Damian wore the title of Ladybug’s killer with pride, while the guilty slowly manifested. When others caught wind of the news of Ladybugs death they became afraid of the league. People stopped attacking as often as they had in the past. Everything seemed secure and safe. And for a while, it was all good.

Until it wasn’t. Two months later he was tasked to kill one Fei Wu. A girl who had already lost so much before losing her own life.

According to the information Damian received before his mission the girl was an orphan twice over. The first time, her birth parents were killed. The second time, her adopted father was killed. He was the one who trained her. She was alone. And he would kill her.

It was one of the few vivid memories he still has between the time of Ladybug’s death and living with his father. It was a memory he wished he could forget with the rest. But instead, he was stuck remembering the day like it was a scene from a movie.

Fei was ten when she died at his hand. It was in the middle of winter. Her birthday had passed the week before. She was alone when he arrived. She was scared. He could feel it as soon as he met her. Scratch that, she had been terrified, and rightfully so. The girl was gifted. She was smart and skilled, she could hold her ground against most. But Damian was not most. He was the killer of Ladybug. At least that is what he told himself. He was strong. He was perfect.

He spent less than twelve hours in China.

By hour three he had already found Fei.

By hour five he was ready to kill her.

By hour seven she was dead.

By hour nine he was ready to leave.

By hour twelve he was on a private plane.

But what really happened on that day?

///

Hour Three.

He had eyes on Fei, she had taken shelter at an abandoned school. Her guard was up, but it seemed to be for living off the streets. She didn’t know he was there yet.

Hour Four.

A CHILD. It didn’t hit him at first, but by hour four he realized he was killing a child. A child only a couple of months older than him.

They tasked me to kill a child. She’s an innocent whose family is dead. Their debt was paid when they died. Why take a child’s life?

What if it was me?

Would they do the same? No. Mother and Grandfather would never. They cared. LIE. She must have done something. He blamed the victim, something he’d eventually outgrow, years later. I have never killed a child, but if I was sent here there must be a reason.

Can I kill a child?

Hour Five.

I will kill her. I killed Ladybug. LIE. I can kill her. It will be okay. LIE.

He was a liar. But he talked himself into being a killer.

Did Ladybug do this? Is this why she failed to kill me? Is this the same weakness she had within?

Hour Six.

He was standing right in front of her. She knew he was her killer. She lunged forward to attack him. It was a mistake. If she had stayed on defense she might have had a chance. But her constant strikes while Damian dodged left her exhausted as the fight continued. In another life, she would have had a chance. She had fight in her. And even when she knew her world was ending she fought until the end. She was strong.

Hour Seven.

And she was dead.

Damian felt lost. Before Ladybug nothing like this had ever happened. But now it felt as if he was stuck in limbo. Everything was a constant reminder of Ladybug. Even in her death, she haunted him. With Fei dead, he sat there replaying his life. Searching for any answer that wasn’t Ladybug. But everything kept leading back to her.

And he realized, I am a failure. Weak.

Because as much as he said Ladybug was dead. There was still someone else alive. Someone else was born the day Ladybug died. And whoever that person was, they were his weakness.

Age Ten. Damian Wayne.

He was living with his father. He was given a fresh start. He wondered if this is why she gave up Ladybug. He hated that almost a year later he was still wondering.

Under his father’s guidance, he wasn’t allowed to kill. And he was grateful for that. He was happy someone was teaching him to control the bloodlust. He was taught remorse and empathy.

But Ladybug still haunted him. And for that, he wanted her dead.

Age Fourteen. Damian Wayne.

“She’s not a good person. When I was nine she tried to kill me. I am unsure of why she is in the city. While I do not believe she is here to do harm based on what I’ve heard from Tim about her actions thus far. I believe we should be careful around her. Make sure not to set her off.”

He lied to his family to hide his weakness. And he put her in danger.

Lots of danger.

First Previous Next

#enemies to lovers #Damian Wayne #marinette dupain cheng #Assassins au #maribat #damienette #living among the regular people of the world trying to blend in

[shirtlesssammy]

2x07: The Usual Suspects

Then:

Sam and Dean Winchester, professional grifters

Now:

Baltimore, Maryland

The cops have finally caught up with Sam and Dean Winchester. The SWAT team surrounds their motel room and takes them into custody. One cops sums up all of Dean’s killer ways at his interrogation. Dean is unaffected.  (Because he’s not a killer.) 

Sam, meanwhile, gets the good cop for his interrogation.

She reads off Sam’s life story to him and he lays on the Winchester snark in return. They’re trying to break this straight A student to get more information on his derelict older brother.

Sam starts talking.

Flashback to why Sam and Dean were in Baltimore when they got caught. John and a man who recently died,Tony Giles, were old friends. They were hunting an invisible killer. (And for the record, it’s clear that Cas is Scully. Sam is Skinner, third-wheeling the far more compelling duo the whole way.) 

Sam tells the cop that they weren’t even in town when Tony died.

They went to visit Tony’s widow, Karen (and secret publisher of Sam and Dean’s life story!). Dean asks if Tony talked about anything strange in his life before he died. She mentions he had a nightmare about a woman with red eyes.

Sam and Dean then were spotted breaking into Tony’s office. They’re thinking a vengeful spirit. Dean finds a bunch of papers with the words “danashulps”

Sam then finds the name finger-smudged on Tony’s glass desk. They look but can’t find that name anywhere.

Dean goes to ask Karen if she knows anything about this name. Sam tells the cop that he went to make sure she was doing okay. Sam stayed to crack Tony’s computer password but tells the cop that he went back to the hotel.

Twist! Apparently, Karen is dead too! The cop tells Sam that the brothers separated because Dean was heading to murder Karen. The 911 call indicated that someone was in the house with Karen.

We get a flashback of Karen seeing a woman in the window of her house. She runs upstairs and calls 911.

Her phone disconnects, her lights flicker and then her printer starts printing “danashulps’. She heads to her closet to pull out a flashlight, and turns around to find the woman!

Dean knocks on her door some time later. When she doesn’t respond, he lets himself in. The lights aren’t working. He finds her dead on her bedroom floor. He notices bruising on her wrists. And that’s when the cops find him.

The coppers reunite to confirm that the brothers’ stories match. Good Cop tells Bad Cop that they have to get Sam to flip on his brother or they don’t really have a case —no murder weapon, no motive.Bad Cop insists that this case is in the bag. They’ve got Dean’s prior in St. Louis after all. Good Cop —now known as Diana—informs the audience that Bad Cop was good friends with Giles. Also, Diana and Bad Cop are in a secret office romance.

While Dean waits out his interrogation, he stews over the name “danashulps”.

He guesses that it’s not a name. Sam, who has access to a pen and paper, starts the anagram game. Dean plays the game in his head AND HE’S MY SMART BOY FOR IT. Dean’s public defender, Jeff Krause shows up then. Dean doesn’t seem to care that someone within the legal world has come to help him —he just needs a pen and paper. He breaks down the word and asks Jeff if he recognizes anything. Jeff worries that Dean isn’t taking this seriously.

Jeff points out that Ashland is a street name in the area. Dean asks if he can see Sam.

Diana is typing up the police report when suddenly her computer starts writing “danashulps” over and over again. It only happens for a few seconds, the screen filling with seemingly nonsense characters, and then it reverts back to normal again. 

Jeff visits with Sam and hands him over the paper from Dean pointing out that Ashland is a street. Before he can get into Sam’s defense case, he’s called back to Dean’s holding room. Dean’s decided to confess!

In one quick line, Dean yoinks the rug out from under the cops. “I did not kill anyone,” he states at the start of his purported confession, but he knows who did it. “Our working theory is that we’re looking for some kind of a vengeful spirit.” This goes over just as well as you might imagine with most of the cops. But Diana sees the DANASHULPS scrawled on his sheet of paper and has an OH NO moment. When they accuse him of the murders in Saint Louis, he casually tells them it was a shapeshifter.

With Dean Winchester written off as a lost cause, they head in to question Sam. To their surprise, he’s escaped! Diana finds Dean’s letter about Ashland and I SHAKE MY HEAD AT YOUNG SAM WINCHESTER for leaving a clue for the cops.

In the ladies room, Diana discovers the overhead lights are out. All the taps turn on, steaming hot to fog up the mirrors so Ghosty can write her catch phrase on the glass. The ghost also spectral projects herself to Diana, mouth moving like she’s trying to say something. Shaken, Diana heads back to talk to Dean “Crazy Occult Guy” Winchester. 

Dean tells her that vengeful spirits originate from violent deaths. My Smartest Buttercup notices that Diana has fresh bruises encircling her wrists. She doesn’t remember getting them. Dean warns her that death is stalking her now, and tells her to seek Sam’s help for protection against the spirit. 

At Sam’s motel, she gives him the lowdown and shows him the bruises on her wrists. Sam gives her a stack of victim photos to see if any of them match the ghost. Diana identifies Claire Becker as the ghost. She was a heroin dealer in life, and might be targeting Diana for her narcotics work. Sam and Diana team up to salt and burn Claire’s body at an abandoned store on Ashland. Claire makes an appearance during the search, but only seems to want to reveal herself to Diana. They find the mystery word - it’s Ashland - and a half erased word fragment. Sam busts out the wall the clues have pointed them towards. They haul out Claire’s body. Around her neck, there’s a necklace. Diana knows it well...because she’s wearing an identical necklace!!! Her office romance Pete gave it to her. DUN dun dun. Sam concludes that Claire isn’t killing anybody. Instead, her spirit is functioning as a death omen. 

The killer...is PETE. Diana’s a quick thinker, and remembers that heroin went missing from evidence a year ago. Pete would have used Claire to fence the drugs, and later killed her. 

Cut to Pete driving Dean Winchester to parts unknown at two in the morning. Dean’s a quick thinker too, and realizes he’s about to be murdered by a crooked cop. Dean gets hauled from the van. Welp. Looks like he shall meet his end in a sloppy cop drama! 

Diana confronts Pete, who tries to blame Claire’s death on...Claire for trying to turn Pete in. He spills everything. The other guy who died was in on the scheme, and Pete killed his wife for good measure. Pete insists that killing Dean - “one more dead scumbag” - is the best approach. I hiss, and fist bump Dean when he tries to defend himself against the “scumbag” accusation. Diana shoots Pete somewhere nonlethal, but Pete still manages to get the upper hand. Claire appears to him then and smirking, draws Pete’s full attention. Diana shoots him clean through the chest. 

Afterwards, Diana asks about Claire. “She should be at rest,” Sam assures her. I...side-eye this young man and then let it go because it IS the television show, Supernatural, after all.

Diana tells them the cover story: Pete confessed to her before his death, and the suspects escaped. Dean and Sam head out to rescue Baby, and we get a wink at Diana’s (Linda Blair) Exorcist acting legacy in case you missed it.

What an Excellent Quote for an Exorcism:

You want me to turn against my own brother?

I'm not Scully, you're Scully

My name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius. I enjoy sunsets, long walks on the beach, and frisky women

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive! 

#spn recap #dean winchester #sam winchester #spn 2x07 #the usual suspects #supernatural season 2

[luxexhomines]

How would the V3 girls react to killing someone (accident, self defense or intentionally), but they didn’t know that they didn’t completely kill the person and their s/o killed them so the girls won’t be executed?

This was the oldest ask in my inbox, and I had actually started working on this request months ago, but I never actually finished it. I don’t feel able to really complete it, but I did do a short bit for Kaede and Maki. I’m just going to leave the request like this because I don’t think I’ll be able to finish the rest of the girls (and because my rules have changed since then to only have 3 characters and under). So here we are. 

I think I struggled a bit with this request, so it’s not really at the quality I wanted it to be, but I can only leave it like this, not having the energy to work on it more.

NDRV3 Girls x S/O who takes the fall for their kill

Kaede Akamatsu

When Kaede stumbled upon the scene of the crime with Shuichi and the others, she felt immense disgust and guilt. Not because she resented the killer–or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she did, that she hated the killer with every mite of her being. She had failed to protect everyone again, and as the perpetrator of this murder, she could feel bile rising in her throat as she stared at the result of her crime. 

Putting a hand to her mouth, she took a step away from the crime scene. Then another. She knew she had to stay calm, stay strong–and she should hardly be surprised at this point after all the killings and even more so because this one was directly related to her. But maybe it was because this one was exactly her fault that she felt such intense contempt for the crime and grief when her eyes were met with the sight of the body.

“Are you okay?” Shuichi asked, looking at her anxiously. “I know it’s always a lot to take in…” 

Oh, yes, it was a lot to take in. But in a much different way than usual. Instead of casting her suspicion elsewhere, she could only blame herself. Giving in to the urge, she asked for a reprieve.

“Is it okay if I go out for a bit? I’m not feeling too well.” 

Shuichi nods and turns back to the body, but not before telling her to take care of herself. How ironic, asking the killer to take care. Kaede staggered out of the room, nausea swirling at her core. She didn’t think she could investigate this one. It was simply too painful. There seemed to be more blood than before–but she must have been imagining it; after all, she could barely stand to look at the scene.Kaede ends up sitting out the investigation, while just about everyone looked around, including yourself. The couple hours allotted for investigation flew by, and soon enough it was time for the trial. 

Only about ten minutes into the trial, Kaede’s already feeling sick. She can’t hide this from everyone. She has to let them know the truth. Even if it causes them to hate her, or ends in her own death–after all, it’s only what a criminal deserves for their crimes. Even though she had failed to protect the victim, she could at least do her part and protecting everyone else from an undeserving fate.

“Everyone,” she says softly. 

Surprised, each student turns to her in kind. She hadn’t been around in investigation and hadn’t spoken up till now either, both of which was extremely unusual. 

“What is it, Kaede?” Shuichi questioned. He was getting a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. 

“I have to tell you all the truth,” Kaede says, trying to bring up her courage. “The true perpetrator of this murder is-”

You interrupted. 

“Me.” You take a breath in and then let it go slowly. “It’s me.” 

Kaede turns toward you, clearly shocked and confused. 

“No, that’s not what I was going to say! It was me. Why would you say it was you?” 

You shake your head, offering her a bittersweet smile. 

“All I can say is that the nature of this crime isn’t what it seems.” 

She can only stutter, utterly bewildered. “B-But… I did it! I killed them. Why are you doing this?” she asks. “Please don’t make this any more difficult for me than it already is,” she pleads. 

Shuichi’s gaze flickers between the two of you. 

“Why don’t you both run an account of what you believe to have happened?” he suggests cautiously. 

Kaede volunteers to go first, and she recounts it exactly as she remembers it. She went to the game room, and there she got into a fight with the victim. In a rage, the victim flew at her with a billiards stick, and she parried, hitting the victim over the head and accidentally killing them. They collapsed and did not get up. 

You tell your story next, which is almost the same–only you stabbed them at the end, too. 

Kaede’s bewildered once again. 

“I didn’t see a stab wound…” she mumbles to herself. 

Shuichi confirms your version. 

“There was a stab wound. I’d have to say that Kaede’s version is missing that.” 

But then Kaede finally understands. 

“Wait! S/O, you’re not really the killer. You just stabbed the body to make it seem like you did it,” she remarks in an epiphany. It hurts to say because it suggests that you almost got punished instead, but she realizes it must be true.

Except that it’s not the truth. The truth, as always, is much, much crueler. 

You shake your head stoically. 

“I didn’t want to say it,” you state. “But I saw it all happen when I was hiding in the game room, and the victim was still breathing when I stabbed them, which means that I killed them.” 

Kaede’s breath stops short. 

“W-What do you mean they were still breathing? You mean they were still alive?” 

You nod. 

“Yes, they were still alive. Barely.” 

She couldn’t believe her ears for once. And, by the looks of the others, neither could they. 

“What, why? Why did you do it?” 

You laugh derisively. 

“Kaede… How could I just watch you accidentally kill someone and get sent off to your death? I couldn’t let you die here. I couldn’t let someone’s death be purposeless! I need you to live,” you reply. “We all need you to live.” 

She can’t think of a response to your words. Her mind is short-circuiting, going crazy. When she only offers silence in response, all everyone can do is vote quietly and conclude the trial. 

“Congratulations! You’re right, once again!” Monokuma says cheerfully. 

Everyone is watching you. Kaede manages to meet your gaze. 

“You shouldn’t have done it,” she whispers. “You should have let me take the fall for my crimes. It’s just wrong!” 

You give her a hug, her usually strong voice wobbling and her eyes watering. She feels unbearably small in your arms right now.

“I did what I needed to do,” you answer. “I couldn’t let you go like that. You didn’t even do it on purpose.” 

She sniffs. 

“I know, but I still did it. It’s my responsibility!” She lifts her head and escapes your embrace, turning to the bear sitting above, surveying the current situation with amusement. “Monokuma, can I take s/o’s place in the execution? You saw what happened. I’m the person who killed the victim.” 

He laughs. 

“Upupupupu! Usually, I’d allow it, but it’s way more interesting to have you stay around, and they’re still the one who finished off the victim. Rules are rules, so let’s just start the execution now!” 

Kaede grabs your hands. 

“No, you can’t! It’s too early, and I’m the one who committed that crime. Don’t!” 

But you were ripped from her grasp mercilessly, and she was forced to endure watching your execution, just as painful as the previous trials. You mercifully killed for her, but you wouldn’t be killed mercifully. 

Following your death, Kaede continues to lead the remaining group to escape. There was no way she’d let a death like yours happen ever again. There was just no way. 

Maki Harukawa

Maki had never planned on revealing her identity as the killer. 

At least, not until you stepped up to divert the attention from her and claimed to be the killer yourself. And, with a start, she realized that not revealing her crime would lead to your death either way. There’s no option but for her to tell everyone the truth, even if it meant that the entire purpose of her having killed someone would be forsaken, that the whole reason for their death would be null and void. 

“Stop right there,” she interjects as you’re in the middle of a sentence explaining how it was you who killed the victim.

Everyone looks at her questioningly, as do you. 

“What is it, Maki?” you ask. What could she possibly have to say at this stage of the trial, at the closing argument?

“Don’t cover for me,” she says bluntly. “I’m the true killer. There’s no way s/o could possibly have killed someone.” 

The trial room explodes into chaos with everyone trying to talk at the same time. Somehow, Shuichi manages to calm everyone down. How he did it with as quiet of a voice he has, no one knows, but he does it, and Maki is grateful for that. 

“Why are you only coming out with this information now, Maki? Why admit it now?”

You nod, crossing your arms across your chest. 

“Yeah. It looks more like you’re trying to cover for me,” you smile infuriatingly, and Maki grits her teeth. 

“You know the truth, s/o. Why are you doing this?” 

You shake your head, meeting her gaze across the trial room, unfaltering. 

“It’s exactly because I know the truth that I’m doing this, Maki.” 

“You know that I’m the killer and want to get yourself and everyone else killed by covering for me?” she bites out. The one time she wanted to put her loved one before herself, and she was met with rejection. This was the last time she let herself show weakness in front of anyone.

“No, that’s wrong. I want to protect you and everyone else by showing them the truth of the culprit’s identity–myself.” 

She realizes that you’re not going to relent. Fine, then. Two could play at this game. The only way she’d get the truth revealed was to beat you with logic. 

“Fine. Then how did you kill them? What weapon did you use? Explain what happened from start to finish with as much detail as possible,” Maki challenges. “We both know I’ll know if you’re lying or making it up.” 

A side of your mouth quirks upward, and you nod. 

“Of course. That was what I was going to do before you interrupted me.” 

And you complete her request, flawlessly. 

Maki doesn’t know what to say. How could you have possibly known exactly how the victim was killed and where Maki even stored her weapons after the deed was done? Maki prided herself on being discreet. But somehow, you had figured her out. 

“I don’t see a problem with their logic,” Shuichi states. “What do you think, Maki?”

In frustration, she grips the trial stand before her. 

“That’s…! I know you must be lying,” she says, glaring at you. You weren’t often subject to her more deadly looks, but when you were, it was surprisingly more hurtful than it was terrifying. 

You shrug carelessly. 

“Where’s your proof, Maki?”  

Rendered speechless, she stares you down as you casually vote for yourself, and as everyone follows. There’s nothing else left to do at this point.

“And right again! You lucky bastards are just on a lucky winning streak, aren’t you,” Monokuma sweats. 

“How could this be?!” 

Maki was completely destroyed. She didn’t know how to feel about this situation. She knew- or, at least, she thought she knew the truth. She had briefly considered the possibility of Monokuma lying or not knowing the truth but quickly understood that he would always choose the truth because it would bring the most despair. 

The trial over, you walk up to her. “Hey… Could I have a hug before I go?” you say. 

She bites her lip. Maki didn’t know what you were playing at this entire time, but nonetheless, she loved you, even if it didn’t show all the time. She relented and hid her grief behind a curtain of apathy and anger. 

“Fine.” 

The two of you embrace, and although Maki is slightly stiff, you’re more than happy with this. 

“I love you,” you breathe in her ear, and she twitches. 

“...I love you too,” she says gruffly. “But I don’t understand why you would do this.” 

You separate from her, and you smile.

“Like I said, I love you.” 

Maki puts two-and-two together, and suddenly it all makes sense. You’d seen it all happen, so it was easy for you to insert yourself in the situation and for you to add on to the crime. Once the victim was finished off by you, technically you had been the perpetrator. And you’d done it so Maki wouldn’t have to be executed. 

“Wait! It’s not fair, it wasn’t you-” 

You put a finger to your lips and offer her another smile. 

“Shh,” you say as you get pulled away toward the execution site. “Don’t tell them.” 

With those last words of yours, Maki watches you disappear, and it’s the first time she’s felt so weak, standing there alone. She’d never needed anyone before. But right now, she needed you terribly. 

She was going to be careful the rest of this game, not to hurt or be hurt. She couldn’t take your sacrifice in vain. It would be too devastating, even if living on was almost as painful as dying.

#kaede akamatsu #maki harukawa #ndrv3 imagines #danganronpa imagines #drv3 #danganronpa #dr #ndrv3 #drv3 imagines #danganronpa v3 #new danganronpa v3 #imagines #writing #one-shot #drabbles #lux writes #requested #anon #sorry... #this is actually a whole two years late ahaha ;;; #but anyway #here it is.... #just going to publish it anyway bc i wrote it aha... #luxexhomines #Anonymous

[niallloverontheloose]

One of the reasons that Scott McCall would never be my favorite character is the way the show entitled Scott to indulge his own selfish needs, driving him to violate relationships and boundaries and common sense. Time and again, Scott’s allowed to emotionally overreact and there are no consequences to it. He calls Allison psychotic, he stalks Allison, he lies to Allison about her mother’s death, he screams at Allison after forcing her to go out with Matt (her stalker) just to get her mom off her back in Season 2, but Allison is never allowed to file a restraining order against him and tell him to fuck off. Scott claims that the hunters had a valid reason to slaughter the Hales to Derek’s face in Season 1 and then violates, dehumanizes and humiliates a rape victim to save is own whiny, cowardly ass in Master Plan, and Derek just takes it instead of clawing Scott’s face off like Scott deserved. Scott forces Malia to shift back into her human form without her consent and lies to Malia about her parentage, and Jeff Davis and the Teen Wolf writers and producers make it a deficiency of her character that she can’t behave like Scott wants her to. He dehumanizes Stiles and accuses him of being a violent, dangerous, inhuman monster and serial killer and gives that garbage “It is not self defense anymore! You need me! You trusted him, too!” speech in Lies of Omission and in The Last Chimera, gaslighting and victim blaming Stiles for choosing not to share his own trauma with Scott like Scott wanted and demanded and for daring to accidentally kill a powerful wendigo who threatened to kill his dad more than once in front of Scott and who was actively trying to kill him in self-defense. And Jeff Davis make it Stiles’ responsibility to forgive Scott and help Scott fix all the consequences of Scott’s own failures and toxic behavior. Et cetera, et cetera...........

Now, remember when Derek threw a glass at Isaac to make him leave and save his life in Season 3A? Isaac abandons Derek, and Derek is forced to deal with the consequences of his own actions. Meanwhile, Scott physically assaulted and repeatedly abused Isaac just because Isaac dared to interact with his ex girlfriend. And what consequences did Scott face for assaulting an abuse victim and survivor? No one. Isaac was forced to stand there and take Scott’s beating, and Melissa (Scott’s mom) turned a blind eye on her son’s violent, abusive behavior instead of slapping the fuck out of Scott and kicking him out of her house like he deserved.

There are always direct consequences to every single Teen Wolf character’s actions. But Scott McCall can literally mind rape Corey and sacrifice Hayden’s life by using her as bait against the Dread Doctors without her consent, and it’s never brought up again – not only that, but Jeff Davis & the Teen Wolf writers also had Mason Hewitt (a gay black character) justify Scott and tell Corey to get over it, because: “I know the last time you saw Scott wasn’t his best day. But he’s trying to help! More than most people would!” (05x09, Lies of Omission) Scott McCall can sell Derek, Erica, Issac and Boyd out to Gerard Argent in exchange of Allison and dehumanize his neurodivergent best friend by calling him a dangerous, inhuman monster and a serial killer; and Jeff Davis & Scott/Posey stans will claim that Scott’s victims DESERVED it. They are things that Scott McCall is entitled to do and never answer for because *TRUE ALPHA* Canon Scott McCall and his defense squad have always prioritized Scott’s inflated ego and temper tantrums above the common good. And yet antis still wonder why Scoot is no one’s fave and even Tyler Posey prefers Stiles Stilinski and Derek Hale to him

Spot on anon, spot anon!

I heard Teen Wolf is coming back for season 7? It will be interesting to see how his character is portrayed and if he shows any sign of character development. Probably not. Especially when people like Dylan (Stiles), Holland (Lydia), and Shelley(Malia) won’t be there to defend Scott and his actions.

Side note: I actually don’t know if Holland and Shelley aren’t coming back, but I hope they stay as far away as possible.

#anti tyler posey #anti scott mccall #he should have died in season 1 #no one would have missed him #submission

[k-s-morgan]

[part 1 of 2 ] Would disagree, want to do it anonymously. That Will struggles across 3 seasons and doesn't give in to Hannibal till the end ( where he tries to kill themselves) is a huge reminder of his morality. There is a big difference between why Hannibal kills, how he chooses his victims and how he kills and how Will does those things. Like Will killed Francis because he killed families, Will is naturally kind and wants to protect families (innocents).

[2 of 2] Will went because he looked at his own family and couldn't say no, it is canon and clearly spelt out. He finally lashed out AFTER Molly was attacked and he was pushed to brink. Hannibal kills because he can, dominance. Sometimes minimum sense of justice may be. Will kills to be able to save lives. Again clearly stated and canon. Francis, Randall, Hobbs everyone falls in that group. Chilton ruined several lives and Francis would have targeted Will (self defence) Will's morality is canon

Epilogue - I appreciate your interpretation and also appreciate the show as morally grey. Will is not above the grey. But it would be a fallacy to compare him to Hannibal due to basic difference in psychological set ups, motivations, method and notwithstanding Will's unrelenting rejection of Hannibal and Hannibal's persistent influence. ( Bedelia - 'What Hannibal does is influence', Will -'one moment of clear thought under your care is impossible' paraphrased)

----------

When analyzing Will and his words, it’s very important to observe who he says them to. He might claim he works to save lives to Jack, but when does he ever say that to Hannibal, Abigail, or to himself in genuine discussions? Will’s explanation for why he likes murder is that he feels power. You said Hannibal kills for dominance - WIll killing to feel powerful is exactly the same thing. It doesn’t matter how their preferred victims differ - Will never once says that he enjoys making this world a better place. The most that’s said on this is that “killing a bad person makes you feel good”, but it’s about murder, not about its implications. When Will is talking about Randall, does he say that he enjoyed knowing he won’t be able to hurt anyone? No, he says he enjoyed his murder. He says he never felt as alive when he was killing him. If he cared about lives, he would have shot Randall to secure his victory. He wouldn’t have thrown away the gun and attack him with his hands. If it was about justice, Will wouldn’t have snapped his neck when he was incapacitated - he would have tried to bring him for questioning so he could arrest Hannibal, saving more lives. Will does the opposite of that. Will kills him brutally.

Killing Francis is not about Molly or justice. First, Will may say he’s motivated to save families, but who does he say that to? To Alana. Do you think he’d tell her the truth? Of course not - Will is playing his own game from the start. If he was motivated by desire for justice, he wouldn’t have to manipulate the situation to get there. He deliberately left Jack alone with Molly so that he could talk her into persuading Will to go. Will was removing responsibility for what was about to happen from himself, and it worked since Molly blamed herself for sending him away. This is very cold and calculated of Will. What is the first thing he does when coming back? He runs to Hannibal, not because he needs help (since we saw him reconstruct the crime scene perfectly), but because reuniting with him is his primary goal. Hannibal and Bedelia, people who know him best, call him out on it.

Will plots with Francis to break Hannibal free. How is that about Molly or saving lives or himself? Will gets many officers killed with his plotting. Francis drives away, Hannibal could have driven away too, and then two murderers who tried to kill Molly and Walter would be on the loose. Did Will care about that? No. He wanted Hannibal free and he wanted to experience murder together. He sacrificed innocent lives to get it. If this was about saving others or self-defense, he wouldn’t have betrayed Jack and stuck to his plan.

Will and Hannibal are stated to be just alike repeatedly. They both see beauty in murder. They both appreciate making art of it. Will is openly stated to set up Chiyoh to kill or be killed out of curiosity - Chiyoh (who was relatively innocent, by the way) rightfully accuses him of it, claiming that he is like Hannibal. Bedelia notes that Will was curious when setting up Chilton, too. Chilton is innocent, and Will doesn’t list his actual transgressions when discussing why he did it.

Will: The divine punishment of the sinner mirrors the sin being punished. Chilton languished unrecognized until Hannibal the Cannibal. He wanted the world to know his face.

Bedelia: Now he doesn't have one.

Does Will mention the lives Chilton ruined? Of course not. He’s talking about vanity, and if anything, it sounds like Will is defending Hannibal’s honor as a killer, paying Chilton back for turning it into a joke. And it’s not like he’s one to talk, considering what he’s done. Setting up Chilton was a malicious and cold-hearted action, and it was even worse than what Hannibal usually does because Hannibal has a system. Will doesn’t. He was feeling resentful at that particular moment and he picked a victim.

Bedelia: You were curious what would happen, that's apparent. (off his look) Is this what you expected? 

Will: I can't say I'm surprised.

Curiosity as motivation places Will next to Hannibal again.

Will accusing Hannibal by saying that even a moment of clarity under his care is a miracle is Will looking for excuses. Hannibal never forces anyone to do or think anything. He offers explanations and his unique justifications of murder, but whether it makes sense to a person or not is up to that person. Will made his own decisions, even if he doesn’t always want to take responsibility for them. WIll later admitted that he knows himself best when he’s with Hannibal.

Will does have some morals, sure, but few very things he does are actually motivated by them. Wanting to be a good person doesn’t mean much when you constantly slip and hurt someone. And it’s really important to remember that Will likes murder - just like Hannibal does. The implications of this murder (saving others) is a bonus, and Will prefers bad people because it makes him feel better about enjoying the process. Will is a killer, not a vigilante. The distinction is vital here.  

#hannibal #will graham #hannigram

[unmaskedagain]

Worse than the Devil

Hey Everyone, I got really inspired by the amazing response to my first fic Queen Of Mean. I decided to write a follow up. Its to Selena Gomez’s version of Cruella De Vil. I loved it when it first came out and it sent shivers when I realized it was perfect for my follow up.

Looking back the missing pigtails in the bluenette’s hair when she walked into class Monday morning, dressed like she just got off the runaway, flanked by Chloe at her side, should’ve been the first warning sign.

But in the class’s defense, it had been a crazy weekend. The fireworks that came with Ladybug’s video, Alya’s meltdown, and Lila being outted as a liar didn’t die down after class ended that day.  No. The weekend had been filled out a never-ending stream of group texts, complaining of hurt feelings, nasty little liars, and why, or why wasn’t Marinette replying to their texts? Answering her phone? Didn’t she know they were sorry? Didn’t she know they needed their everyday Ladybug now more than ever? Alya in particular.

Alya, who had spent the entire weekend, nearly 24/7, trying to save her blog; defend her life’s work against the avalanche of criticism that had come it’s way; even the most loyal fans screamed of betrayal. She had released a dozen video explaining what happened and begging her viewers to understand that people make mistakes. Calling Marinette with no answer, texting her best friend for help only to get no reply. Texting Marinette that Lila was a dirty, rotten, liar in over a hundred different way, in over a hundred different texts; only to never get a reply; which Alya never understood. Marinette was right. Lila was a liar. Alya and Marinette should be teaming up to bring her down like their brought down Chloe; stand together like best friends do.

As Alya sat patiently at her desk, with Nino holding her hand in support, waiting for Marinette to arrive so she could find comfort in her bestie, never once did an apology cross her mind. Alya was too indignant, too self-righteous, convinced the Ladybug was victim-blaming. It wasn’t Alya’s fault. Her boyfriend agreed. Her entire class agreed. She just knew, soon, all of Paris would agree.

           When Marinette casually strolled in, talking animatedly with Chloe about their week, she left the other students stunned. Gone was the pintails. Gone was the easy-going, simple, practically trademarked pink pants and grey flower decorated shirt. Gone was the happy smile that the students had always remembered was there to greet them and bring them cheer on a sour Monday, like the day was.

           Instead, Marinette’s hair was down and flowing down her shoulders, longer than they could ever remember it being (though granted they hadn’t paid much attention to their once friend in last few months, except for giving her a few quick glares and sneers) and was perfectly coiffed with strands pullback in braids that would’ve made Daenerys Targaryen take notes. She was dressed in all black; a cropped leather jacket, a sparkly black halter top that tied around her neck in a pretty bow, her jeans black and skin tight, and killer high heels that would make most girls envious. The only color Marinette wore was the sliver bracelets adorning her arms and the classic movie star red lips she sported. Marinette looked a supermodel.

           And if Marinette’s new look didn’t stunned them. Then the look on her face when she glanced at them sure did. Move over Hawkmoth, because if Marinette didn’t scare you, no evil thing could.

It was like the entire classroom went colder. Maybe it was because of the ice in Marinette’s stare, her curved red-stained smirk that screamed: beware. The way everything about her just screamed predator, alpha, top of the food chain. Queen.

           Alya blinked hard. Nino blinked hard. Adrien blinked hard. Too stunned at the sight to even remember to badger the bluenette.  She and Chloe, also dressed like a runaway model, flounced to the back of the class without a hello, a smile, a wave; anything friendly. It was like they were too insignificant for the girls to notice. If they had an ounce of luck still in their lives, that would’ve been so.

           Unfortunately for them that wasn’t the case.

           The girls were painfully aware of their existence; of every move they made over the week, every stupid text they sent, every false apology uttered. Because the downfall of the Ladyblog was just a taste of what was to come. At this point, Marinette and Chloe was just Spiders waiting for the kill.

“Girl, you don’t have to sit with Chloe,” Alya exclaimed.  “We’ll make room, right?” Nino nodded quickly, eager to give his childhood friend an olive branch.

“Why wouldn’t I want to sit with Chloe?” Marinette asked nonchalantly. “She’s my best friend.”

           What happened next was similar to what, Marinette, thought happened in movie; where the main character says something shocking at a dance, there’s a sound of a record scratch, and silence as all eyes turn to the speaker.

           The smirk the spread over Chloe’s face, the glow that filled her, the thought of the havoc she was about to help commence practically made her purr.

“Best friend?” Alix asked, her pink hair pulled back and her face skeptical. “Last I checked, you were mortal enemies.”

“Last time you check was not long after Lie-La came to class,” Marinette retorted.

“Which is the last time you’re opinion matter to us,” Chloe added. “Or well to Mari here. I never paid you peasant any mind.”

“You can’t be best friends,” Alya jumped up. “You shouldn’t even be friends. I can’t believe it? After what she did to you?”

           The other students nodded.

“She stole your design.” Rose put in.

“Bullied you for years,” Max said.

“Ruined your present for teach!” Kim added.

           Alya nodded smugly at the class backing her up, and gave Marinette a bright smile and an expectant look that always used to work on cowing the other girl.

“Bygones,” Marinette sighed. “I forgave her. And we bonded over how stupid you were at believing Lie-La.” Marinette leaned back in her seat. “Besides it’s not like she ever called me a jealous bitch? Told me to check my sources? Ditched me a million times. Whispered mean words about me right in front of me. And even crueler words behind my back. Chloe would never do that.”

“You know who would?” Chloe grinned. ‘You.” She pointed at Alya. “And you.” She pointed at Alix. “And you!” At Nino “And you, you, you, you. And well everyone here really.”

“Chloe maybe be mean; in fact the greatest mean girl Sharpay,” Marinette smiled lovingly at the blond who preened at the praise.

“But at least I’m not a bad friend,” Chloe snipped viciously.

“Now Chloe that would imply I’m still friends with them at all.”

           At the statement, students wilted into themselves. Their misdeeds weighed heavily on them. They had been so upset at Lila for lying to them, at themselves for believing her, kicking themselves for not listening to Marinette, they never once considered how Marinette felt about the whole mess. But now they knew, she wasn’t happy.

           Little did they know just how furious the once sweet girl was.

           The two girls turned their attention to each other.

“Wasn’t this week just amaz!” Chloe said easily. “Fashion shows are always just so spectacular.”

“Your mom is, like, the best,” Marinette nodded eagerly. “I still can’t believe we got to model.”

           Chloe side-eyed the students, pretending they weren’t listening. “And why not? They were short. And just look at us. We’re beautiful. We deserved to be on that runway.”

“Runaway?” Mylène asked, awed. “You were in a fashion show.”

           Marinette nodded, kindly, though inwardly smirking. “There are pictures from the show online. They’re trending.” So was Marinette’s social media accounts. “We got to model with Kate Upton and Bella and Gigi Hadid.”

“We’re all the rage!” Chloe stated. “Mommy’s thinking of making us the faces of her new line. We’ll be in next week’s issue of Teen Vogue.”

“I posted a few photos on my Insta,” Marinette shrugged. “You can look if you want, I guess.” It was said with a faux unsure, insecure, unassuming voice; a voice that even the most terrifying vampire bat could have even the smartest of victims dancing to it.

           With that the girls went back to their conversation. Pretending they didn’t notice their classmates whipping out their phones to verify.

“WOW,” Rose beamed. “They do have pics with the Hadid sisters. Oh you look so pretty Marinette.”

“Dude is that Kendall Jenner?” Kim asked.

“Beyoncé!” Alya yelled. “Beyoncé was there. You met Beyoncé.”

“Chill,” Chloe snapped. “We didn’t meet her. We just waved. Jay-Z was there too btw.”

“Jay-Z,” Nino whispered in awe.

Before befriending Marinette, Chloe was have gladly lied and said they met the goddess, that was Queen Beyoncé. But Marinette wouldn't suffer liars. And hated anyone who lied about her. Chloe was smart enough to know losing Marinette as a friend would be costly to her; both personally and professionally.

           The blond refused to toss away the blessing that was Marinette’s friendship. Not the like fools before her. They didn’t know what they lost. But Chloe would make sure they did.

           It had taken weeks of slowly inching her way to being Marinette’s friend. The girl had been untrusting the blonde’s actions at first. But eventually, Chloe won her over, proved she could be a good friend, if not the best friend Marinette ever had.

           And the best part? Chloe didn’t have to change. Granted she had to dull unsavory traits like lying and stealing but it was worth it.

“Tony. Stark.” Max gulped like he was just told Santa was in fact real. “You are in a picture with Tony Stark; Iron Man.”

“Pepper Potts wanted a vacation,” Marinette said. “Peter, their son, is a friend of mine. We met last summer when he was visiting England with his class. I was there with my grandma. We hit it off. He knew I was nervous about going on stage so he got his mom to come here so he could support me. It was just supposed to be the two of them. Until Mr. Tony realized and followed along. Swore up and down they were trying to ditch him,” Marinette laughed.

“Oh please,” Chloe huffed. “He was proud that his kid was hanging out with a gorgeous French model.”

“Two gorgeous French models,” Marinette corrected. “The three of us got ice cream afterwards, remember? I can’t wait for this summer. Peter said we can spend of three weeks at Stark Tower; interning. PR for you. You’ll be amazing at it. God knows I could do, though.” She said glumly. Though her internship was going to be assisting the Pepper Potts on her day to day life.

“Ridiculous!” Chloe snapped. “Utterly Ridiculous. You know you can’t wait to get your hands on Thor’s cape to find out what material Alien princes use. Not to mention the plans I saw for a potential Captain America supersuit.”

Marinette crossed her arms, and huffed. “Hey that man is walking around dressed like America’s drunk prom date. Someone has to step in.”

“It’s a classic look,” Nathanial told them.

“It’s a crime against fashion,” Marinette hissed.

           With that, the girls went back to talking about their weekend and bickering over summer plans. Or at least they tried to.

“You could’ve invited us,” Alya snapped. “Or at least told us.”

“Why?” Marinette asked. “We’re not friends. Why don’t you ask Lila how it was? I’m sure, she’ll happily spin you a yarn about how amazing everything was. And promise you’ll meet them next time.”

           It was like a slap to the face. The entire class quieted back down; wishing the bell would ring already. And wondering where Miss Bustier was.

           Unfortunately for the teacher, quite a few concerned parents and staff members had taken issue with how Bustier had been running her class. Bullying, students being constantly turned into Akumas, why Lila could miss so much school without it being a major issue.

“Don’t you think you’re being harsh?” Adrien asked. “They’re sorry.”

No, Marinette thought darkly. They weren’t. Not yet. But they would be soon.

“Okay,” Marinette shrugged, carelessly, inhumanly. “I don’t see why that matters. I accept their apology but it changes nothing. Sorry doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t magically make every alright again. It’s no Ladybug charm. Let it go.” She warned.

           While Marinette did have plans to bring down Adrien, they were for a later time. And when she did, it would be painful. And it would break him. Like he helped break her.

           For months Adrien had stood by, remained silent as Marinette was made into an outcast, bullied, lost all her friends… when he knew. Knew Lila was lying, knew Marinette was just trying to help. After he promised, vowed to have her back. Instead, Adrien let them deface her sketchbook after Lila accuse Marinette of yet another bullying incident; destroying all of Marinette’s hard work. Despite knowing Marinette couldn’t have possible done what Lila said she had. He just let it happen, too afraid to stand up and tell the truth.

           Adrien didn’t take the hint. Or didn’t recognize a warning when he heard it.

“Their hurting too!” The blond boy defended, outraged at how his everyday Ladybug

“How?” Marinette asked curiously, innocently reminiscent of the girl who had been their friend who had existed when the world was still a wholesome place. “You said it yourself it’s not like Lila was hurting anybody. At least that’s what you told me, remember? You knew Lila was lying since like forever and you’re just fine.”

           It went silent again. Adrien paled. Marinette could barely stop the smile from slipping onto her face. If she wasn’t careful, they might combined their collective ten brain cells and catch on. See that she was a monster that should’ve never been released.

“You knew?” Nino asked in horrified disbelief.

           Dozens of hurt filled eyes trained on Adrien. It was at that moment Ms. Mendeleiev walked into class. “Students, I’ll be filling in today and possibly for the rest of the week. Everyone in their seats. Class is about to begin.”

           It was the smoothest devastation Chloe had ever witnessed and grew up with her mother and Gabriel Agreste as role models.

           In few years, the blonde knew there would be few would who hesitate to call Marinette, or herself, the devil. Too stunned to realize just how much worse either girl was.

           Chloe glanced at the girl who had become her best friend, and fellow mean-girl-in-arms. Marinette had her bluebell eyes trained on the chaos she had just unleashed, once again, on her fellow classmates.

      ��    A lessor man, woman would’ve shivered. Chloe had shivered and had nightmares the first time that gaze rested on her.

           However, when time wore off the shock; Chloe realize she’d only see those type of eyes watching from underneath a rock.

           If you weren’t scared of the New Marinette, then you hadn’t met her yet.

Look out world, Chloe thought. Long Live the Queen.

#Queen Mari AU. #Ml Salt #ladybug and chat noir #ml salt fic #ml spite fic #ml spite #adrien agreste #marinette dupen chang #marinette deserves better

[velvyy]

I remember you talking about Angel a little bit ago and how you didn't think he was as bad as everybody else was saying. What makes him appeal to you, I can't really get behind him in all honesty.

So I keep getting asks regarding to clarify my stance on Angel, and while I don’t mind this despite getting asks about it even now from HH fans and non-fans alike, receiving charitable and uncharitable asks and takes simultaneously from both, I might as well answer because I’m getting a bit tired of it. Not on here that often and every time there’s a new ask regarding it and I don’t understand why people want my take on this, despite me having already given one, or the clarification. That being said, my mind has changed a bit on the subject, and I kind of wanna give a small analysis on Angel and how I feel about him now, so here we are.

 Firstly, the debate surrounding Angel Dust is off-putting to me because while I seemingly see both sentiments, I also feel as though they’re both simultaneously wrong. The positions are usually “Angel Dust represents a harmful stereotype that contributes to our marginalization and is a literal walking sex joke and nothing else.” and “Angel Dust is a hooker. A sex worker, prostitute. He’s supposed to be in hell. He’s supposed to be bad and awful. Moron” and really, I dislike both of these takes for rather similar reasons. Reason being is that I feel that it’s addressing the wrong thing here, which is the characterization of Angel, and not really what the over-arching narrative and well, show itself has to say about Angel, and I also feel that the issue here isn’t homophobia as much as it involves vilifying sex work potentially.

My issue with the first take is that obviously, we’ve barely scratched the surface with this character. I will say that the way he was introduced in the pilot was left to be desired. Not that he was offensive or meant to be a major middle finger to the gay community, but simply because we typically see big, larger, main traits of a character in a pilot. In Angel, we primarily see him embodying those things that many of the “HH hate crowd” disliked about him. Upon first introduction, he genuinely does come off as a stereotype, something that was written solely for the purpose of being “the gay” and nothing else admittedly. While said analysis is probably inaccurate, I don’t blame anyone for initially feeling that way, and coming to their own conclusions. Recognize that everybody’s opinion on Angel is all pretty much based on first impressions, because we only have so much to say about him at the moment. There isn’t even a show. It’s the pilot. Things even now can still change greatly. However, Angel in the show, being a prostitute, and a sex worker, seem very much rooted in his character primarily because many of his own personal struggles also lie in the fact that he’s someone who’s also victim to sexual assault, exploitation, which obviously has connections to his occupation. We can say that many of his actions are rooted in not only his job, and experiences, but also the mask he wears to hide his pain. I feel like to simply look at that and say “Fuck Angel Dust, he’s harmful.” is simultaneously neglecting a silent minority in the gay community that genuinely deals with the hardships of sex work in real life. You don’t see that type of humanity brought to the forefront in regards to gay sex workers in media. They’re usually there to be mocked at, and while you could say Angel comes off that way initially, additional context in the comics and Addict suggests otherwise. He’s not Alastor. He doesn’t have all these special abilities aside from being able to manifest guns and bombs, and probably shoot webs out of his anus or something. Angel is in pain, and in a situation where he feels stuck. He feels like he’s on a leash and only copes in the way he knows how, that being hedonistic actions and such. As to what the general narrative and world of Hazbin might have to say? We don’t know, and that could vary. We don’t have a conclusion as to what the world of Hazbin has to say about Angel, and whether or not he needs to be “redeemed” which is an issue I take on its own. I will get into that shortly.

I take issue with the second take for similar reasons as previously stated, but it has less to do with the analysis coming from the people who say this sort of thing, and more about what it reveals about the people saying “He’s a prostitute. He’s supposed to be in hell. He’s baaaaad.” Because it shows a type of reactionary sentiment that justifies the villainizing of sex workers, and also goes to show that they probably appreciate Angel’s character for the same reason those who despise Angel, are critical of. They find him funny potentially because in their mind, Angel is something to be mocked. Because he’s a “freak” in the sense that he’s this awful, slutty monster, seemingly missing the intentions behind writing Angel the way he is, as a way of potentially showing a sign of sympathy towards the livelihoods of real life sex workers. Instead these people probably don’t think too highly of people who work in that industry and view them as a circus act, the same way they might view Angel as the funny token gay man, and it shows that people appreciate this character for very different reasons. Not to mention, this take is not a very good defense. Does someone being in hell necessarily necessitate them to be “offensive?” A very non-offensive, non-confrontational, seemingly polite person could be the most awful person when the optics of civility are stripped away... Like a politician.

However, I end up pondering about what the narrative itself has to say about Angel needing to be redeemed. Because of the pilot’s highlight on his hypersexual manner, I end up asking myself what he needs to be redeemed from. His sex work and sexual nature certainly doesn’t make him a bad person. His violence probably does, but there’s so much emphasis on the sexual side of him and not the “gangster” side of him, and suggesting that people who are exploited by the industry they work in need to be “redeemed” almost insinuates like they’re doing something wrong. As if it potentially shares the same reactionary sentiment about sex workers that those who view Angel as a laughing stock do. Now, if “redemption” is a euphemism for “rehabilitation” then I would view this differently. However, in the pilot, the term “rehabilitation” and “redemption” are both used, seemingly interchangeably, despite both of these terms having different meanings. In terms of Hazbin, since we’re in hell, which is based on the Christian mythos (most likely also inspired by other cultural interpretations of a bad afterlife) “redemption” here is probably referring to the absolving of sins and what have you, although we don’t really know what Hazbin’s criteria for being worthy of Hell is, and said criteria is also never questioned. We just know that everybody there in hell is supposed to be bad as the latter say, and that’s that. They’re all “sinful”, all worthy of being considered bad people despite some clearly not being so... awful. Vaggie isn’t so awful. She’s a bit angry, but for a good reason. Why is she in hell with literal murderers, homophobes, gangsters, etc? Of course we don’t know much about her yet, but she seems substantially more innocent than say Alastor, who’s a literal serial killer. But according to fans, she’s in hell. So she’s bad. Bad people go to hell, and hell is where the bad people reside in, and all are in need of rehabilitation or “redemption” in order to achieve/attain heaven. (obligatory jojo reference heehee) Issue being that what’s good and bad is subjective, and despite nobody being morally perfect, they’re just in this place together with no real chance of redemption, while being told by the dominant structure and culture in hell that nobody really even wants to be “redeemed”, despite nobody wanting to be there, and probably housing some regret, only to be chained down by a culture of doubt, and many of these inhabitants probably not even really needing to be “redeemed.” There are people who are there for probably very irrational reasons, like stealing some stuff from a grocery store or something. Hell, even if someone is a murderer, what if they murdered in self-defense? Or trying to protect their family? Are they, a sinner, in need of being absolved, and to confess their sin of wanting to survive? Many “sinners” are probably people who come from unfortunate circumstances, and are forced to adapt to certain conditions that force them to do things that are considered “sinful.”

Of course, this is all very assumptive. For all we know, Hazbin could very well go into detail about this type of thing, and I’d be all for it. I feel like a lot of the former critique I’ve mentioned would be cleared away and people would be able to actually make a formed opinion on characters like Angel instead of the typical surface level takes I usually see. I’d be highly disappointed if the writers of Hazbin didn’t go down this route and question the very nature of this Heaven and Hell dichotomy and the moral code and structure presented. I have to clarify though. I’m not “behind” Angel. I acknowledge his character and how he’s written, and honestly thought the way he was shown initially was sub-par, and still believe that. My irritation revolves around fans and non-fans alike thinking they have a finalized idea of what Angel is, when they don’t, and then you have Youtubers making videos pretending it’s flawless while making statements about how stereotypes are apparently not harmful at all while making the assumption that every harsh criticism is a result of people wanting to ALL destroy Vivienne’s career when that’s just as reductive as saying that Viv is evil for shit she did years ago.

Aside from this, there’s still other things about Hazbin too. Vaggie even now I still can’t really see how she’s in anyway offensive or purposely off-putting. She’s angry because she has to react to a world who wants to take advantage of her, and her girlfriend. I’d be pissed too. She isn’t angry because she’s written to be the angry latina (despite Viv’s dumb tweet about “I’M A FIERY LATINA TOO WEE”). Alastor is a subject of discussion too because of the whole voodoo thing despite him passing as very, very caucasian and white, while also claims of cultural appropriation due to the certain iconography used when Alastor exhibits his power while playing into that “spooky voodoo” stereotype. I don’t have much to say on this because I’m simply not that familiar the religious practice aside from it having origins in Western Africa, and the Caribbean. Some say Alastor is biracial but that isn’t confirmed I don’t think. Some people say Hazbin is bad because of a Jeffery Dahmer joke, and saying that Katie Killjoy is proof of homophobia despite her being pointed out as an actual piece of shit with zero standards.

It’s all crazy. I look forward to what the Hazbin crew do with Hazbin, Helluva Boss, and especially Zoophobia. My mind is still open.

#hazbin hotel #vivziepop #angel dust #alastor #vaggie #demons

[notgonnarememberthis]

find your way (back to me) - chapter 12

Another update for y’all! Starting from here we’re beginning to see the end fold out. I’m so happy y’all have been liking this so much and it means so much to me to get so many sweet comments. As of right now I have a pretty good idea how the rest of the events are going into fall into place. Until next time!

Malcolm comes out of the room, finally. Ainsley and Edrisa’s lighthearted conversation ended abruptly with his appearance. He looks simultaneously lighter and like he has the weight of the world balanced on his shoulders. His eyes don’t quite meet the crowd anxiously awaiting his input.

“She talked to me.” His smile is a sad one. One that he’s seen plenty of times after talking to a victim’s family. When he knows that they’ll be ok, although changed forever. “The killer is a cop.”

Dani casts an alarmed look at him and Edrisa stiffens. JT, who clearly had been listening outside the door comes in with a deep scowl on his face. “Who is it?”

“She doesn’t know. The killers were wearing masks the entire time but she saw enough to identify the uniform.” He shifts from side to side. One of their own. “It explains a lot.”

“That’s why your mom was asking ‘where is he’ in the precinct.” A flash of guilt and understanding passes over Dani’s face. She quickly covers it with one of curiosity instead. “So how do we narrow him down?”

“Well based on her description he’s white, late thirties to early forties judging on his voice. Fit build in order to carry bodies and super religious.”

“How does she tell he was religious?”

“She didn’t. The surgeon did.” Gil states. Edrisa’s face sinks turning back to Malcolm. He nods at her, a promise that he’s ok if a little tired. “When I visited him Dr. Whitly talked about the needle’s eye. It was the name the killers claimed just before Jess escaped.”

“The needle’s eye?” Ainsley asks, she kept up with the news being a journalist but it’s the reference she’s not familiar with. Not that Gil blames her, none of the Whitly’s really grew up religious.

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Gil recites, Martin’s tone still fresh in his mind. The room holds still for a second, processing. 

“A religious white cop in his early 40s. Simple.” Dani shrugs bitterly. She’s right, half of the cops in their precinct alone could match that description. It doesn’t help that they can’t pass along the information. They’ve seen this play out too many times. Defensive tones and screaming matches. More intent on protecting friends than the people they’re meant to serve. Even when there’s undeniable proof, they’d sooner fall on the sword than turn against a fellow officer. 

All of the people he trusts are in this building.

“I’ll speak to Jess.” Gil sighs. None of them argue, with Ainsley still processing his words and Dani and JT stirring in the anger of yet another corrupt cop. It’s Edrisa who breaks the tension.

“Bright, why don’t we make some tea for your mom?” It’s a small question but the relief on Malcolm’s face is immediate. His answer is an eager nod and quick steps. He knows the steps of his mom’s drink by heart but her presence is an ease on the pressure.

Ainsley’s heel taps 3 times. It’s an anxious tick to keep her own tears at bay. Dani stands and tosses her head at the door. “Let’s go on a drive.”

Her eyes go comedically wide. “Me? No, I’m fine.” Dani evens her with one look. When a Whitly says their fine, it is a guaranteed lie. “Well, everyone should eat and I doubt Gil has enough food for 7 people.”

He laughs but knows what each of them are doing. His walls are thin. Without the noise of casual chatter, either Whitly would be able to hear their mom and if it got tense? It would be something Jess wouldn’t want either of them to hear. He swells, just a little, feeling grateful that his team will take care of his family.

Now for him to as well.

When he comes in Jessica looks annoyed, knowing that he needs to go through the process of questioning all over again. “Dani and Ainsley are going to get food.” Her eyebrows furrow. “I can send them to your favorite diner.”

“It’s not my favorite.” She pushes and it makes him smile. He’d taken her to a rundown diner shortly after Martin’s arrest. It was a hole-in-the-wall place, the food greasy and burnt coffee permeating the air. It was a place where nobody would recognize her, everyone too focused on just getting by to be caught up on the socialite drama. They frequented there for years and no matter how many times she insisted it wasn’t her favorite, her eyes lit up in a special way when she ordered the cherry pie.

“Sure it’s not.” He sits in the seat across from her. Her eye roll is a gratifying one, it’s clear she’s beginning to feel more like herself. “So what didn’t you tell Malcolm.”

She gapes, ready to defend herself. But he tilts his head with a knowing stare. She sighs, annoyed and relents. “I told him most of it.”

“Most?”

“How I got shot, stabbed.” She looks to the door, “He wouldn’t leave until I did. After I told him…” That the killer is a cop, he finishes in his head, “he didn’t trust anyone else to question me.”

“Did you talk about Freddy?” The look on her face is enough to tell him no, she hadn’t. “We found his family.”

“God.” She breathes.

“His name was Francisco Garcia, he was a volunteer at Claremont.” Her face drops, already coming to the realization before he says anything. “His mother is Dr. Garcia.”

For a moment she sinks back into herself. For one terrifying moment he thinks she’ll shut down again. And then she laughs.

It’s deep and bitter, where every emotion is so strong, so overwhelming. Too many tears had been shed in the past two weeks that the empty laugh is haunting. He knows it’ll be in his nightmares. “Of fucking course.” She takes a deep breath and he knows if she were in her own home she’d be throwing something. But since it’s not she controls herself not to break anything of his. “He was connected to Martin.”

“That’s why you went to see him.”

“Yes.” She stands, her energy too much now. She paces back and forth in the small space between his bed and closet. She turns back to him, eyes wild with unkempt rage. “You know what he asked me?” She shakes her head. “He asked someone broke into our home. Our home!” She tosses her head back, her wild curls flying with the motion. “That bastard hasn’t lived there for 20 fucking years and he dared to call it our home. And,” She gasps remembering more. “And he looked at me. Concerned! Like he has any fucking right. It just-” Another gasp. “It reminded me of-”

He walks to her holding his hands out slowly. She eyes the movement warily but when he places her hands on her shoulders she breathes evenly again, though still furious. His fingers stroke the exposed skin from where his shirt that she was wearing had slipped down.

She steadies herself with his touch. “What gives him the right? He doesn’t care for us. He wants to control us.” Her eyes light again. “And- He knew! He knew that bastard is a cop. That all this time. When he threatened Malcolm and Ainsley. And he acts like he cared!”

“The killer threatened Malcolm and Ainsley?”

“I wasn’t cooperating. He told me he’d bring them in and make them choose between me or a stranger.” Gil takes a shaky breath. “And Martin knew. I called Malcolm our son.” Her voice breaks at that, her head bowing into his shoulder. He wraps his arms around her and her own come to grip the back of his tee shirt tightly at his shoulder blades. She clings on like if she loosens her hold for even a second, he’ll disappear.

He presses a kiss to her temple whispering soft comforts to her while they rocked back and forth. He rubs soothing circles between her shoulders careful of places where he knows that bruises still linger. When she finally calms down he doesn’t know what to say. If he lets her speak first she’ll apologize, pull herself away from him. He won’t let her do that so he blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind. “You know, Malcolm punched a journalist.”

This laugh is lighter. Her shoulders shake in a new way, alleviating all the tension in the room. It fills the hollowness that her confession had left. She must have pictured it because her laugh gets louder and he can’t help but laugh too.

And he knows they’ll be ok.

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