#literally does not feel like a natural progression of his character

[jupiters-galaxy]

I've seen some people criticize how quickly Peter and Steph fell for each other (to the point of being the thing they treasure most), and while I do understand some of the criticism, I think there are a few key things that some people aren't picking up on.

-Treasuring each other IS NOT strictly romantic. While it's true that Peter is in love with Steph, and Steph with Peter, it goes deeper than their repressed love story. They ARE friends. They do genuinely like spending time together, although their connection is relatively new. They care about each other as people first; neither of them seem like they NEED to be in a relationship with the other. They seek each other out even when they're just friends.

-It's also important to remember that the lords in black only want treasured things in the metaphorical sense: they can't give up OBJECTS. It presumably has to be a person or a concept.

-It's important to remember that both of them have been through an unbelieveable ordeal. Peter's closest friends were murdered. Stephanie lost her DAD, and although they weren't close, that can't have been easy to stomach. I cannot stress this enough; Peter and Steph quite literally have no one else left. Peter has no other friends. It logically tracks for him to be attached to Stephanie, as she is someone who experienced the same traumas as him. From Stephanie's angle, she doesn't really like her friends, and since objects are out of the question, Peter is the only person who she feels truly knows her. He's really the only option for her, even if her feelings are confusing.

-I also want to point out that you can really kind of feel them falling for each other, although it is admittedly subtext. Peter is weak to Steph as early as the opening number. He does out of character things to make her happy; a compliment from her makes his day amazing; he faces his biggest fear in hopes of seeing her at Pasqualli's. Stephanie cares for him from the first day they meet, although her care is a lot more ambiguous. She teases him about how he's into her, but at the same time, she's protective of him, feeling horrible that he got beat up and wanting to stop it. Even beyond that, she's inclusive towards him, inviting him to hang out with her simply because she likes his company. Her attraction to him makes sense: we know that Steph has a thing for funny and smart guys, and Peter's geeky snarkiness ABSOLUTELY fits. Their relationship is one that just makes a lot of sense!

-Their relationship is actually portrayed really realistically near the end. They're not intense about their love, nor are they overtly sexual. In NPMD, they don't even kiss! The furthest they go is dancing close together and having conversations, cautiously stepping into a new relationship that they mutually want. Despite the heavy nature of their confessions in As Cool As I Think I Am (Reprise), the payoff is not drastic. The confessions were likely only so heavy because they both thought Peter was about to die. Of course he would go out detailing how he loves her, and of course she would say it back; their last memories together should be good ones. When faced with normalcy, they progress as most teens would.

-At the end of the day, they're two traumatized teenagers who already liked each other before the trauma. It makes sense that they feel like the other is the most important to them; after all, Grace is the only other survivor from their group, and they're thinking about her in a less than favorable way past Richie's death, if not sooner than that.

This is not to say they're perfect, but I think their portrayal was really sweet and a joy to watch. I think the implications are extremely interesting idk!! I love Peter and Steph, I think they're more nuanced than they're getting credit for. I love to see cringefail nerds getting badass and amazing girlfriends, let me have this!!!!!

Anyways yeah that's my hot take. One of many. NPMD is consuming me someone help

#nerdy prudes must die #team starkid #starkid #starkid npmd #npmd #peter spankoffski #stephanie lauter #lautski #npmd spoilers

[skubean]

Headcanons for Aihaitham, Vox, Luca, and Rei with shy gn s/o?

hi, anon, i did get your request, and thank you !! hope you like this <3

Vox, Luca, Alhaitham & Rei with a Shy! GN Lover

characters: vox akuma & luca kaneshiro from luxiem, alhaitham from genshin impact and suwa rei from buddy daddies

notes: gender neutral reader, slightly ooc, uses of petnames such as love and darling, just fluff, nothing else enjoy!! (haven't proofread yet, so lmk of any errors!)

[ vox akuma ]

you've known vox to be someone who isn't shy with affection nor words, so he definitely likes bringing out a reaction out of you knowing that you're shy.

pda is his thing, and the first time he held you and you got so red, the image of that is basically permanently planted in his head.

vox is very reliable, so i assume that he would be the type that will do stuff for you if you can't. for example, he'll initiate most of the affection and will always be sure that you're comfortable.

he would ask for permission before touching you, so that you don't get surprised when he suddenly snakes an arm around your waist while your doing some chores.

he definitely notices your efforts in being the first to approach him, but he'll never push you to do it. so imagine how proud he was when you were the first to ask for a kiss after you both started dating.

"my, isn't this something, darling?", still manages to tease you before he gently leans into your lips, slightly feeling you tremble before holding you tight to reassure you.

he would tease you sometimes, but doesn't do it often because he doesn't wanna make you feel uncomfortable. so, he'll only usually do it if he notices that you're being playful.

the type to definitely sneak kisses when he thinks your asleep because he just finds you adorable!

overall, isn't really a problem to him knowing that his loveable significant other is shy around him, in fact, he likes it!

[ luca kaneshiro ]

luca's very social! so it was a surprise to him at first when he found out that you were actually shy.

hesitant to tease you, but does it anyway lmao

he thought you didn't like him, that's why you were so quiet (you were actually so into him, you just didn't know what to do)

once you both progressed into the relationship, luca would be the type that would play small pranks on you to see your reaction (mostly because he wants to see you smile)

isn't pushy with pda, but you can never resist his puppy eyes. he doesn't even know it's his charm, it just works!

pda in public happens occasionally, mostly because it's you who initiate it. otherwise, luca wouldn't want to push it (not that he doesn't like it, he's also kinda flushdge)

luca's a man of many words, so he's definitely one to tell you plenty of stories while you listen attentively.

talks a lot, listens kinda trope

after a while, luca's become a natural around you. he knows you best when others don't! so, people sometimes say that he's a pro when it comes to you.

"ofc i'm an expert! i'm the best bf ever", makes you laugh when he says that in a silly voice.

long story short, luca's the type of so who tries his best to make you feel comfortable, so he's definitely the #1 material man.

(more utc!)

[ alhaitham ]

ah, yes. the scribe. the acting grand sage. the man who ppl assume has no care for others and is extremely ignorant.

lies. lies everywhere.

alhaitham is the type to act really cold or carefree in front of others, but in front of you? baby.

it's probably your shy nature that makes him so comfortable. (prefers you over anything, so >>>>)

comes home and would drape himself all over you, while you get all flustered and red. this man will just laugh and pecks your cheek.

hes cheeky like that, i just know it.

very protective. literal definition of protective.

saw kaveh try to talk to you one time while he wasn't home and mans ran just to push kaveh away from you.

people know that you're both together because alhaitham makes it a habit to flaunt his locket of you every chance he has.

"acting grand sage, regarding this matter-" "it's 5. work is done. now, if you'll excuse me, i have someone waiting for me at home", literally leaves the office in the middle of a meeting bcs he will never come home late.

"love, im home" "uh, haitham, your co-worker called-" "pay them no mind, love. they're idiots", gets all handsy with you.

alhaitham doesn't really care that you're shy, he actually likes when you act all natural and blush around him only.

anyways, you're his beloved that he cares more than anything else. lowkey a simp. (i love goofy alhaitham sm im sorry)

[ suwa rei ]

rei is not a man of many words, we know that. so he doesn't really mind your preserved nature. in fact, it's like you both connect telepathically.

you were the first to ask him out (much to your own surprise), and rei thought you were really cool.

i feel like rei is also protective but he hides it a lot. the type who would sort of stalk you just to make sure your safe.

he may not talk much, but he does it for you. he knows what it feels like not being able to speak, so he doesn't push it onto you.

you and kazuki are probably besties, because kazuki bribes you with information abt rei you've never heard of before, and rei is always trying to separate you both.

he actually likes seeing you all sparkly and excited.

the both of you were pretty awkward early on in the relationship since talking wasn't really a thing.

but after a while, rei got used to the idea of having you around that he doesn't act all lazy anymore (kazuki thanks the lord for you).

if you also play games, expect a lot of late night dates where you both play games and hang out.

rei trusts you with his life, and is probably most comfortable with you. so, he isn't shy to prove that he loves you.

confesses out of the blue so often just to make sure you still love him.

"y/n." "yea, rei?" "i love you", sees your cheeks redden and smirks in satisfaction. (hes a fucking tease, i just know so)

overall, rei is the best if you're an introvert or prefer quiet dates. idk i just feel like rei doesn't mind you being shy because he himself has no care for anything skskksk (in a good way ofc).

a/n: okay, i just wrote what came into mind, so im sorry if this is a little scuffed! since valentine is tomorrow, feel free to request for valentine-themed hcs or imagines -> here!

happy early valentine's everyone <3 i'm spending it alone sadge T.T but i'll probably write some fics tmrw! see you - eden

#shy so is cute ok #happy early valentines #luxiem x reader #nijisanji en x reader #nijisanji x reader #njsj x reader #njsj en x reader #vox akuma x reader #luca kaneshiro x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin fluff #alhaitham x reader #alhaitham x you #alhaitham fluff #suwa rei x reader #rei suwa x reader #buddy daddies x reader #genshin imagines #buddy daddies imagines

[chaos-of-the-abyss]

akio and the coffin

it’s fascinating how akio both literally IS the coffin of ohtori academy and, simultaneously, is trapped by it. ohtori academy is in many ways a manifestation of the ugly side of adolescence, of clinging on to something in your past and refusing to move forward in your life. every character has something they continue to hold on to despite the fact that they ought to let it go for the sake of growing and maturing. for example, saionji has his inferiority complex regarding touga, his refusal to let go of the simplicity of their childhood together when he felt that they stood on the same ground, and that touga saw him as an equal. everything he does in the series is an attempt to make himself feel as though he is finally on equal grounds with touga. if he would only stop tying his self-image to the perception that touga is somehow above him, that touga looks down on him, then he would be able to let go of that sense of inferiority and move on. but he can’t. juri refuses to let go of the pain she feels regarding her past with shiori, and continues to see shiori as someone who is “innocent”, albeit cruelly - someone who is unknowing of the pain she causes juri through her actions when in fact, shiori in seducing the boy she thought juri loved was deliberately acting to hurt her. if juri would only realize and accept the true intentions behind shiori’s behavior, then she could get one step closer to understanding shiori, to being understood by her, and moving past the pain of shiori’s betrayal. but she can’t. 

most of the characters, except utena and anthy of course, remain in ohtori by the end of the show. while they’ve all made progress in “maturing” thanks to the events they experienced throughout the series - both saionji and touga’s as well as juri and shiori’s relationships have gotten visibly better, as shown in the final medley of scenes - they still have more growing to do, hence why they remain in ohtori academy until their time comes. one day, the show suggests, they might also revolutionize their own worlds - their own selves - and finally leave the coffin of ohtori behind as well. 

so where does that leave akio? i think he can be said to literally be the coffin of ohtori in that he is explicitly shown to try to manipulate others into remaining stagnant, to clinging on to whatever toxic things they are struggling to process and come to terms with, though this is of course only shown via the characters he most directly interacts with. naturally it comes across most clearly with anthy, although i think utena and to a less direct extent, touga, are the other two people who are the most straightforwardly influenced by him. when it comes to anthy, she clings to her love for the person her brother used to be, the older brother who, at least as she perceived, was kind and caring and wanted to protect people. to protect that older brother, she willingly took on the hatred of the world, and continues to endure the pain of it to this day for what is implied to be centuries. but akio has shown time and time again, through the repeating dueling cycles, that if he was ever kindhearted and genuinely caring, those parts of him are gone now. i do believe he cares about anthy to an extent even now, but whatever affection he has for her is paltry in comparison to his desire to reclaim his power as prince dios. it’s for that purpose that he set up the entire dueling system, for which he freely allows duelists to treat anthy like a prize and an object. and additionally, because anthy is so integral to the power he has now in ohtori, he uses emotional, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse to keep her tied to him. he’s willing to not just let her wellbeing come last, but puts it at the bottom of the list of priorities, and actively tears it down himself for his own benefit. anthy knows all this - but because she still holds onto that love that she had for who he used to be, she stays with him and does his bidding. and that’s what akio wants. he is the coffin, wishing to keep people in their states of despair, conflict, and pain, therefore ensuring that they are compliant and vulnerable to his manipulation. 

at the same time, akio is trapped by the coffin like everyone else. he, like all the other characters, has something that he ought to move on from for his own sake as well as the sake of the people around him: his goal to reclaim his powers as prince dios. akio has failed in this goal every single dueling cycle that happened before the show’s events, and as displayed in the final episode, he definitively fails the one that takes place during the show as well. he can attempt the cycle over and over and over again, redo and tweak and modify the dueling system however many times and in whatever ways he wants - it’s all useless. there is no sword that can break open the rose gate. there is no way to reclaim his powers. they’re gone, that part of his life is over, and if he accepted that fact, it would allow him to move on and heal from what he experienced. but he can’t. at the very end of the series, right before anthy leaves ohtori for good, he’s typing away just as diligently as he ever did and, completely oblivious, tells anthy that he’s rewriting the rules of the rose crest, that he’ll be counting on her again. and i didn’t pick up on this until rewatching the episode, but it really just hits you then how utterly stupid he looks, working so hard and speaking so confidently about the upcoming dueling cycles as if any of them are ever going to matter in the slightest. i love anthy’s response to him too; i love the subtle but at the same time so blatant scorn in her words: “you really don’t know what’s happened, do you?” because once again, throughout all this, akio has learned nothing. he hasn’t realized it’s useless, what he’s trying to do; he hasn’t realized all the effort and pain and anguish he’ll cause in people for yet another dueling cycle will never make any difference. he is unable to come to terms with the reality that he will never have his powers as prince dios back. he refuses to move on. 

akio is the coffin of ohtori, wanting to keep others in stagnation and regret. he’s also trapped by the coffin, incapable of maturing past his own stagnation and regret. and it really, really says something that all of the other major characters of the show, who have been in ohtori for far shorter a time than he has, have been able to make visible strides in their growth. anthy, who is the only one comparable to akio in terms of duration at ohtori, revolutionizes her world and leaves. meanwhile akio, as deluded and self-unaware as he is, hasn’t made a single step of progress in all this time. the only thing he does is call in bewildered desperation after anthy as she finally leaves him behind, still totally clueless as to what has happened. 

tldr; i once saw an author say one of her characters represents inertia, in fact he is inertia. i think that’s a spot-on explanation of akio, at least in terms of what he symbolizes in the story. i want to beat him in the dick with a cactus

#revolutionary girl utena #rgu meta #shoujo kakumei utena #saito chiho #chiho saito #ikuhara kunihiko #kunihiko ikuhara #akio ohtori #ohtori akio #akio rgu #rgu akio #anthy himemiya #himemiya anthy #anthy rgu #rgu anthy #touga kiryuu #kiryuu touga #touga rgu #rgu touga #kyouichi saionji #saionji kyouichi #saionji rgu #rgu saionji #juri arisugawa #arisugawa juri #shiori takatsuki #takatsuki shiori #juri rgu #rgu juri #utena

[unluckiestmember]

Arcane x innocent reader? Like someone who is a literal angel?

Of course! Coming up!

Arcane X Innocent! Reader

Characters: Jinx, Vi, Viktor, Caitlyn Kiramman, Vander, Silco, Ekko, Sevika, Jayce Talis and Mel Medarda.

Tags: Fluff, established relationship, Jayce being Jayce, Jinx being Jinx, overprotectiveness, innocence and reputations trying to be kept.

Warning: None. SFW.

A/N: I adore innocent readers and OCs! I feel they have a way of bringing out the true nature of characters, especially with this kind of cast! Also sorry to everyone for taking so long, I unfortunately have a chaotic and no good life. XD

Jinx

“Hey, toots! How has ya day been? Did you miss me?! Of course you did! Come here, you cute little bunny!”

You are Jinx’s little bunny! She loves how innocent you are for someone who hangs out with her, and in a way, you keep her grounded. You are the sunshine in this dark unforgiving world. Usually she loves destroying things and making others lives harder to live.

But when it comes to you? She is extra careful. She never lets you go on missions or patrol unless she’s with you. You’re in her hideout? She’s doing safety precautions by forcing you to wear a welding mask or staying six feet away from her projects. And unless they are little trinkets and presents for you, you can’t exactly touch them unless she assists you with them. You are a porcelain doll in her eyes. She doesn’t want you to break or become corrupted at all. She’s you’re protector and your lover and she won’t let you forget that.

Violet "Vi"

“Do you know how cute you are? You’re adorable… Hey, don’t hide that face from me, I mean it. You’re adorable.”

Vi is known to be a hardass sometimes to people, but around you? She lets her true colors come out. She’s super affectionate physically and verbally, telling you how much she loves you and cherishes you. If anyone was to hurt you, she’s not just breaking their nose, she’s breaking their entire body. You are so precious. Maybe too precious to her.

She always rushes from work back home just to cuddle with you and ask how your day was. And don’t get her started on your bashful nature, she adores it so much since you only get that way around her. Does she wish you could stand up for yourself? Sometimes. But for the most part, she’s okay with it, especially since she can protect the both of you. To everyone else, she’s a wild card with muscle and snark. But to you and only you, she’s perfect.

Viktor

“Rodnaya. Did you fix my calculations?... Please, don’t fret- I’m not angry. I’m just wondering… What did I do to deserve you?”

Viktor thinks you are make believe. There is no way someone as sweet as you should exist. How can you be so in love with someone like him? He believes he can never give you what you want or need, but whenever you assure him he can, his spirits are lifted and his confidence gets a significant boost.

Whenever you are around, you make Viktor feel he can make all the progress in the world no matter what anyone says. You make him feel a little more comfortable in his skin, which is nice. But even better is the fact that because of you, he tries his best to exercise self love. This can come in the form of taking a few breaks from his project and treating himself whenever he makes a huge accomplishment. Viktor cherishes you so much and he hopes you know that no matter how nose deep he can be in work.

Caitlyn Kiramman

“Good afternoon, my darling. I didn’t keep you waiting, did I? Let me make it up to you… You’re too sweet, but I insist.”

Because of how innocent you are, Caitlyn sometimes compares you to an angel. She finds you to be a bit pure and needs to be protected. Though unlike Vi, her protective nature is more tamed. She’ll prefer protecting you with her words, choosing to ask questions regarding your well being. But if you are in physical danger, she has no problem jumping to your aid with her gun in hand to scare those who hurt you away.

You mean a lot to her and she’ll show you by inviting you to places or showing you the many gardens in Piltover. Of course, she’s not without having more personal evenings together at home, cuddled together and enjoying each other’s company. All in all, she loves you and she’s not afraid to tell or show you that.

Silco

“This life. One of hardship and poverty, is not one that you deserve. I promise, I’ll grant Zaun its independence. For all of us. For you.”

If Silco is the king of Zaun, you are his king/queen. It’ll take a while for you to get close to him because of the locks he usually has around his heart. But if you are able to cut them off with time and effort, Silco will treat you as if you are royalty. Expect him to show you off to those around you, whether it be you sitting on his lap or standing by his side.

That being said, do not expect him to shower you in kisses and snuggle up to your body. He has an image to hold, so the last thing he needs to hear from his men is that he’s gotten soft and mushy. Around them and under the eyes of Zaun, you are just his second half. But behind closed doors? You are more like his life. Just make sure you don’t tell anyone.

Ekko

“Damn, the light here really knows how to bring the beauty out of you. Are you sure you’re not an angel in disguise?”

You and Ekko have a pretty chill relationship. You’re his lover and he’s yours for the most part. He’s not overprotective, but he can have moments of being a helicopter boyfriend. You’re going on a mission? Take Scar with you. You want to go into Zaun to get something? Why doesn't he tag along to help? You would bring it up to him that you don’t always need someone with you, but your bashful nature makes it a little hard. So unless another firelight realizes what’s going on, be prepared to not go many places alone.

Outside of the following, Ekko is for the most part considerate of you and what you want. You can always find him asking you what you desire or need from him and even if you try not to answer, he will subtly find ways to get most of the unspeakable answers. 

Sevika

“Hey, we can… Cuddle later, okay? Right now, my crew is here and I don’t want to ruin my reputation.”

Compared to Silco, Sevika is more open in her relationship with you. She’ll tell everyone that you are her lover and in her own way be proud of it. That being said, she tries not to show a lot of PDA in hopes of protecting her reputation and mainly yourself. In her mind, if her group or anyone finds out you mean a lot to her, you can become a prime suspect in future kidnappings or blackmail. And she doesn’t want that for herself nor for you.

Outside of work, Sevika makes up for having to be a little distant with you. She’ll take you gambling with her and if you don’t prefer that, you guys can always hang out somewhere else. As long as you are content and safe is what matters. Sevika’s a good girlfriend, very protective. Just don’t expect her to be super verbal with her love, she prefers actions over words. But do be on the look out for a lot of teasing.

Vander

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself from picking you up, you’re too cute... Screw it, you’re all mine.”

Vander is a big ol’ teddy bear when it comes to loving you. He doesn't care if anyone at the bar comments on your relationship with him because he will waste no time picking you and showing you off like a trophy. He talks about you almost nonstop if he’s not talking about work or affairs occurring in Zaun.

When it comes to his affairs with Piltover, he makes sure you are nowhere near it. In his eyes, you are too precious to get in the middle of anything affiliated with them. Not to mention, he wouldn’t be the same if somehow you got hurt or worse. The kids need you and so does he, because with you in their lives, they feel like a complete family. You hold the hound down on a leash and he loves you for that.

Mel Medarda

“You know what? After I’m done with meetings at work, we’re doing whatever you want. How’s that sound?... Come on now, love. You have to speak up.”

When it comes to Mel, conversation is key. Which is why your relationship can feel like a relationship, but also like a class. She pushes you to speak for yourself in many situations, but doesn’t force it upon you. It’s not that she hates how innocent and bashful you can be, she just doesn’t want that to be used against you or for other’s personal gain. So if she can shape you up to speak for yourself just a tiny bit, that will make her content.

Regardless though, she enjoys your company, especially after stressful days working with the council. In a way, you two kind of act like a married couple, having an unspeakable bond, but a loving one nonetheless. 

Jayce Talis

“Yeah, the meeting was great!... Okay, fine, I skipped it- But can you blame me? Why would I want to rehash work when I could be here with you?”

If you were a dog owner, Jayce would be that golden retriever that gives you a run for your money, but makes you feel intense happiness. Every day is always something new with this man because he will give you a run for your money due to how hyper he is when he gets a new idea. Also he’s very loving around you, wanting to spend as much time with you as he can.

Though, he’s no Jinx. He knows that the both of you have lives and duties to fulfill. So he’ll give you space. But not for long. Just be ready to be working or relaxing when Jayce pops up out of nowhere to check up on you. If you forget your lunch, he’s going to deliver it to you. Forgot paperwork? He’s already on it, all you need to do is check for numerous errors. Everyone knows how you feel to date Jayce; It’s a wild ride, but a fun one that’s worth it.

Arcane requests are currently open! :D

Likes and retweets are always appreciated! I love you all, be safe and have a good day! <3

#arcane x you #arcane x male reader #arcane x female reader #arcane x reader #arcane league of legends #arcane lol #arcane jinx #jinx arcane #jinx league of legends #jinx lol #vi league of legends #vi arcane #caitlyn kiramman #arcane caitlyn #arcane ekko #vander #arcane silco #arcane sevika #sevika arcane #sevika #jayce arcane #jayce talis #mel medarda #mel arcane #viktor lol #jinx x reader #jinx x gender neutral reader #jinx x you #jinx x y/n #vi x reader

[viridianevergarden]

This again. I just want to break down my thoughts here so bear with me.

(I did the math and calculated ~ 7.9k people voted that 55%) 💀

First of all,

Elain doesn’t just enjoy gardening for the aesthetic, but rather for the fruits of her labor through hard work. Spring Court’s flowers and nature are only in bloom by magic (The High Lord’s). Not work. Not labor. But rather for convenience and aesthetics (to embody the very domain that one, being Tamlin, High Lord of the SC, resides in). That, to me, goes against Elain’s very enjoyment of the craft of her gardening.

Couple that with the fact that she has completely neglected using those gloves that Lucien gave her. She put them down after they were gifted to her, not even bothering to look at them as if she didn’t care for them. She doesn’t seek protection from the labor of her craft. She doesn’t want to make it easier. She enjoys the challenge. I think Feyre’s perspective on that made it clear.

And again, why would Elain in her right mind willingly go to be with her younger sister’s abusive ex? Why would she? I’m pretty sure she is well aware of what transpired between the two. That she is aware of Tamlin’s actions. Especially when he is partially, if not entirely, responsible for her life quite literally being turned upside down. Having her mortality stripped from her and her love and happiness (or simply content) gone along with it. If she is so visibly uncomfortable with Lucien, who was an accomplice, I’d imagine she would also hold animosity or discomfort for Tamlin tenfold.

Secondly,

Regarding mating bonds being rare: This is a story that encompasses a main group of protagonists. 3’s are SJM’s specialty. Just because 3 brothers may get with 3 sisters does not automatically mean that mating bonds aren’t rare. As a fae romance series with mating bonds clearly being a significant staple throughout, we will encounter mating bonds. Especially with our protagonists. That just seems like logic to me. Even then, it’s been stated and shown time and again that not every mating bond works or is positive. That just because two individuals have a bond doesn’t mean they’ll have good chemistry.

Also take into account that our dear Inner Circle is not the entire continent of Prythian. The Inner Circle does not equal the entire population. So therefore, a small group of mated individuals ≠ a common occurrence.

What’s wrong with the storyline matching up to have a 3:3? Is the perfectionism so wrong? I think that the phrase “too perfect” should be replaced with “complete/completion”. One last brother to one last sister is the remaining piece of the puzzle. Yes, you can argue that the cliche of 3:3 is boring or too simple but this is SJM’s world. She is a cliche author. She always has been.

Lastly,

I believe that Tamlin has had his redemption arc. If you want to call it that at least. In my opinion, he doesn’t need one. His prime arc is over. The series is way bigger than just Tamlin now. I simply see no reason as to why SJM should take more time for Tamlin , who arguably has done more than enough, rather than anything else. I feel like it’d be a backward progression.

Not every character has to be redeemed.

Not every character should be able to find peace or become good after selfish or morally questionable acts.

Not every character calls for major development.

To me, it’s just bad writing to redeem and develop every single character.

Even then, Tamlin is a well written character. He doesn’t need more depth. (I think this post alone proves that people don’t understand him already). He doesn’t need Elain to come in and “fix him”. No one can. No one but Tamlin himself. And we see that if anything, he’s wasting away rather than trying to help himself. He’s wallowing in his grief, anger, and hatred. Be it for others -like Rhys- or himself. It’s on him. Hell, even Rhys tried to help him. Yet he remains unmoving. That is Tamlin’s choice. Elain shouldn’t need to be his catalyst for change. He should.

To Conclude,

I see no logical reason again as to why people think this is a possibility. It just seems like a terrible writing choice for the story of ACOTAR. Of course, SJM can indeed surprise us. She wields the mighty pen after all. But then again, why would she turn around and completely dismiss 4 books of chemistry with a certain shadowsinger just to pitch our third sister with someone like Tamlin or Lucien? If she had planned to do so before, why would there be 4 books worth of obvious chemistry? It’d be a waste. If she has planned or plans to have Elain go with Lucien or Tamlin, why hasn’t she written any semblance of true chemistry between them? If Elain should allegedly have a balance with Tamlin or Lucien, why isn’t there any chemistry? All I’ve seen from Elain is obvious discomfort.

“I thought it was obvious…” - SJM

I could write more about Lucien and Elain’s dynamic but I think that is a whole different matter that doesn’t pertain to the current topic so I’ll leave this here. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

#acotar #elain archeron #pro elain #tamlin #elriel #pro elriel #The math ain’t mathing here man #Let Elain stay in the NC where she WANTS to be #She owes Tamlin nothing #no one does #Let Elain garden in peace with Azriel by her side #a court of thorns and roses

[yiangchen]

it's so tragic funny that while i was watching t100, jroth was so adamant that there was nothing romantic there with bellarke, that it literally made me doubt what was very clearly being written as romantic (and it actually was. like, we know this now. it has been confirmed).

looking back, bellarke could have kissed at so many different points in the show, without changing anything else but having them kiss, and it would have made perfect sense. it would have flowed. it would have aligned with their relationship development.

just think about it. 1x09. unity day. is this a bit early? yes. but do they have the chemistry? yes. and have they had sufficient build up for two characters to have their first kiss? yes. honestly more than a lot of ships that happen in the first season of their show. especially since day trip just happened! plus, the flirting during unity day was...not subtle.

listen...she wanted to kiss him here so bad. seriously though. clarke could have and that would have been a very natural progression of this scene. it would have especially fit the early drop ship days vibe.

(or you could add in a scene where clarke finds him later, now sufficiently buzzed, they flirt some more, then she kisses him, and bellamy's like, "woah, woah, princess, what are you doing?" but he's smiling and she just shrugs with a smile and goes in to kiss him again, saying "having fun", and bellamy says, "you're drunk" and clarke is exasperated saying, "well you told me to!" and bellamy laughs, very amused, and from the look in his eyes, you can tell that he is also very very VERY smitten.)

if you still think that's too soon, yeah, i tend to agree. i love the idea of s1 bellarke in fanfic, but for the show, i prefer a bit more of slowburn. so let's push it to season 2. no, that's not a true slowburn, but still, you had to wait a little for it, and a lot of shows do this successfully. so anyway. 2x05. post iconic reunion hug, shot in a very romantic way i might add.

bellamy is watching clarke sleep by the fire, she wakes, we have some platonic gazing with firelight flickering across their faces...

we all know how the scene goes. he reassures her. he confides in her. she reassures him back.

i'm sorry, but the way they are looking at each other here? dude, if they had been sitting any closer, they could have kissed. i tend to think it would be more in character for clarke to initiate a first kiss with bellamy in s1-4, but in this scene, i 100% could see bellamy going in to kiss her after this.

(and yes, i'm aware that octavia was pretending to be asleep this whole time, but honestly, her reaction to them would have added some much needed levity to the situation. octavia is a bellarke shipper, after all. also, some people might say that this would make clarke's "i love you" to finn less believable, but i disagree. you can have feelings for two people at the same time. i mean, she literally kisses lxa very quickly after finn's death sooo yeah...plus, it would have made the bellarke angst of s2b/3 even better.)

maybe you still want more of a slowburn though, and that is perfectly fair, which brings me to s3, which in my opinion would have been one of the best seasons for canon bellarke. alright. 3x05. hakeldama yup! it was prime time for a first kiss. i mean, all the build up of s1/2 obviously, but also...this had just happened:

but anyway...back to hakeldama. this is the peak of their angst. nothing tops it.

but then, after the heat of the moment, the softness comes in. as it always does with these two. they wind up sharing the softest, most romantic scene in this entire show (fight me).

that last gif, man...at this point, i think they would both go in for the kiss. mutually initiated. god, it would have fit the scene so well!

(some people might say that this would invalidate clarke's love for lxa, considering everything that happens two eps later, but again, i disagree. like i said before, you can have feelings for two people at the same time. people might also say that this would undermine bellamy's relationship with gina, but you know what? the whole fucking narrative undermined that relationship, so i really don't care. i loved gina, but if clarke can kiss lxa right after finn's death, then bellamy can kiss clarke right after gina's death. this show is messy, okay? and bellarke are messy as fuckkkk.)

still think it would be too early? okay. season 4 then. very recently, i realized how easy making bellarke canon in s4 would have been, holyyyy. starting off in 4x03. bellamy is sleeping on the couch and clarke watches him sleep with the softest smile on her face (i'm still crying about this btw). i can't find the right gif, but you all know the smile! then clarke is struggling so bellamy wakes up and is there to support her, making a declaration that has romantic undertones, it just does!

and then clarke lowkey makes a move on him lmao. for real though?? what was this???

i would only change one thing here. he takes a seat beside her first and then puts his hand on her shoulder. so that way they are eye level (aka kissing level).

when she lifts her head off their hands, their faces would be so close. maybe bellamy would tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, not realizing how intimate that kind of thing is until he does it. i could see them kissing here. clarke would initiate. although, i think it would be so much better if it was just an almost kiss. bellamy tells her she should get some sleep right before it happens.

and then in 4x06...

it's actually so funny how she says that and then she's like 'oh no. that sounded like it implied something. i did not mean to imply.'

and bellamy's over here like 'omg she's implying.'

which leads to him literally about to confess. i'm sorry, but there is no other way to interpret....

and of course clarke interrupts, but this is the moment, you guys! this could have been the moment.

right after this, before roan's interruption, there's a pause, and then clarke kisses him. it's a quick one. the kind of kiss where she has both of her hands on his face and he's so stunned by it that his eyebrows raise in surprise and before he can even process that it's happened, she's pulled back and they're looking at each other, a bit in awe, both surprised that she just did that.

then in 4x09, we actually get to see the reunion!! and it's the running kind. just like 2x05. only this time, after they run to each other and hug, bellamy pulls back and takes her face in his hands to examine her for injuries, and once he realizes she's okay, probably after she reassures him and puts a hand on his face, then he kisses her, but they both go in for it (and i cry).

in 4x13, i would change the location of the head and heart scene. somewhere more private...a bedroom (!). so, after this moment:

and bellamy turns away, upset, clarke pulls him back to face her and takes his face in her hands. his eyes are watery. so are hers. she kisses him. one thing leads to another and we get the sex scene we deserved!! then they're lying in bed, cuddling. bellamy's head is on her chest and clarke's playing with his hair. that's when she decides to ruin the moment lmao and continues the head and heart convo with "we've been through a lot together, you and i." i can just see it so well. they would shift so that they're laying on their sides, facing one another. maybe clarke's fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck now. when she says he has a big heart, her palm rests on his bare chest. when she says he has to use his head too, her fingers of her other hand shift from his neck to his temple. when bellamy says, "i've got you for that," clarke kisses him. their foreheads stay touching for a few breathes, then she pulls back to look at him and says that raven's premonition came true. like...am i crazy or would this have worked so well?? literally the same dialogue but...they're together.

(plus, this could have led to clarke raising bellamy's kid--august--along with madi over those six years they are separated, i'm just saying!)

maybe you still think that season 5 was the ultimate time for bellarke to go canon, and you know what? i honestly might just agree. the set up was there with clarke calling bellamy every day for 2,199 days. the potential was there. madi was the biggest bellarke shipper i swear. she wanted them to be together even more than all of us combined i think. for a bellarke kiss though, you would almost have to drastically change the course of events...unless you go with 5x13 and blecho have broken up earlier in the season. after clarke wakes bellamy from cryo (still crying about this moment, yeah!), i could see them having a moment.

before jordan walks in, maybe clarke helps bellamy out of the pod, and once they're both standing, bellamy would finally make his move. instead of bellamy asking why they're the only ones there, clarke does. bellamy tells her, "we'll figure it out, clarke, but first, i have something i wanna say." maybe he does something soft, like take her hand or brush her hair behind her ear. clarke is staring at him, not quite believing what is happening right now, but deep down, she knows. he tells her, "those six years without you were the worst of my life and i don't wanna waste any more time." clarke is wearing a watery smile, still not quite sure she believes what she's hearing. she tells him, "i radioed you every day you were gone." bellamy's whole face lights up and he tells her, "i know." their foreheads touch. both of his hands are cradling her cheeks, her hands are cradling his wrists. she whispers his name. it's the kind of kiss where the time before the kiss is excruciatingly long, but once they kiss, it becomes much more urgent as they finally give in to all of the feelings. god. would have been ICONIC.

plus, they both looked absolutely gorgeous in this scene. hello???

would have been one hell of an aesthetically pleasing first kiss holyyyy. then jordan interrupts and makes some comment about how his mom and dad were right all along :)

if not season 5 though...moving onto season 6. 6x10 to be exact. i know i've said that other times were the ultimate time for canon bellarke, but this episode is too! or right after it in 6x11. there are two scenarios that i see playing out here. (in both, blecho have broken up previously.)

in the first scenario, it's 6x10. as soon as bellamy saves clarke and she wakes up, instead of going in to hug him, i swear when i was watching it that i really thought she was going in for the kiss. that was the one and only time where i legitimately thought they were about to kiss while watching. it had never made more sense than in that moment. even with all of jroth's attempted brainwashing, my mind was stronger in that moment. it saw it coming. or at least i thought i did lmao. i know they didn't actually kiss.

but listen.

they really should have.

clarke is literally looking at him like this:

come on, man.

i usually say that bellamy should be the one initiating post s4, but in this moment, it would have been clarke.

and if not then, the other scenario is that they hug as usual. clarke gets some rest as usual. but when she wakes up in 6x11 and bellamy is at her side, they are in a separate private tent. they have that same conversation that they do. they argue about clarke risking her life again. but then...

he tells her, "hey, i just got you back." he says it firm but soft. i see bellamy initiating the kiss here, especially since he's almost lost her twice now, but once clarke realizes that this is really happening, that after all this time he wants her just as much as she wants him, she would for sure be the one initiating everything else. she would be sitting in his lap making out with him so fast jfsldkjfaslk and you know what? good for her!! they either just kiss a lot here, laying down on the bed, all tangled up together, and then they're interrupted, or maybe, just for once, they're allowed to be happy, uninterrupted, and they sleep together. either way. natural progression.

that's really the point of this longwinded post. so many times it could have happened. all of them a nature progression of the story that was being told.

then comes season 7...

there are no words.

6x13 left them off in a perfect place...

the set up was literally right there! they should have kissed in 7x01!! they should have lived happily ever after with madi in a seaside cabin situated in a field of gold!!

#so many wasted opportunites for an iconic first kiss i am TELLING YOU #absolutely TRAGIC #bellarke #t100 #this has been sitting in my drafts for weeks #just reread it and oof....... #so many feelings #so so many

[beanghostprincess]

Why do you think in shuggy break up Luffy would be on buggy side?

I think it's obvious, isn't it? The core purpose and inspiration of Luffy are dreams and freedom. Luffy's character quite literally is just about that (and more, but those are his main character traits). As the story progresses, we see him helping others, not because he wants to or because he's nice like that (he isn't. He is a fucking menace to society) but because those are the specific buttons you have to press for him to be empathetic or resentful. Luffy is pretty much a selfish person. He's not helping others just because he can, but because of the unfairness of the world or how they treat others. If he doesn't get along with you, he gives zero fucks about what happens to you UNLESS a dream or freedom is involved. Because it's not really about you, then, but about this precious concept he has of life and freedom and how everyone should be able to choose and live however they want. He isn't selfless but he does fight for what he thinks is right. And what Luffy perceives as something everybody should be able to have is both dreams and the freedom to achieve them. So, basically, Luffy is empathetic and helps if he likes you (basically if you're cool or show signs of being a nice person) or if there's something keeping you from being free.

Anyway, why am I telling you all of this? Because I think that, if Luffy knew about what really happened between Shanks and Buggy from Buggy's perspective, he'd side with Buggy without any hesitation. Well. Maybe a little hesitation. Maybe a ton of hesitation because of Shanks. Let me explain-

Let's just make a hypothetical situation in which the three of them are together and Shanks and Buggy start arguing about what happened that day. Yadda yadda yadda, it doesn't really have to make sense for me to explain this. The thing is, Buggy tells his side of the story, and Luffy hears it. I think his first reaction would be about Shanks. He would have SO many questions about his decision. "Why didn't you go for the One Piece right away, Shanks?! Why did you hesitate?! Why did you let Buggy run away and not run after him?!" Because, due to his impatient and overly protective nature (and abandonment issues, cof cof) of the ones he loves, Luffy would instantly ask himself these things. Because Luffy wouldn't have done it this way. Luffy wouldn't have hesitated. He makes impulsive decisions on the spot. If he wants something, he's gonna go take it. And if his best friend leaves without explaining anything (WATER FUCKING SEVEN) he's gonna run after them (STRONG WORLD!!!!!!!) and make them come back to him because he knows something's wrong (WHOLE CAKE ISLAND MY BELOVED). So I personally think he'd be defensive at first with Shanks and Shanks would look away with the most painful of stares and avoid Luffy's hurt eyes. You know when he gets angry at him for what happened to Uta because he can't understand anything and Shanks can't tell him what happened and Luffy has to learn to be mature and accept that sometimes he just won't understand/agree with some of Shanks' decisions? Well, that's him right now. Shanks tells him there was something deeper going on (because of fucking course Oda is gonna go full drama and turn Shanks' hesitation at the time into something extremely painful). Or maybe he just says they weren't ready yet and Luffy just has to understand that patience is a virtue (something that Shanks has actually been teaching him for a long time). Yadda yadda yadda, I think Luffy wouldn't be mad at Shanks for a long time but he wouldn't really truly get it. And besides, the Buggy thing has no excuse. He should've followed him. That's it. End of the discussion. Because that's Luffy's mentality and he'd rather starve to death than let his family go.

Then, I think Luffy would have mixed feelings about Buggy's POV. Because he doesn't understand it, but he gets the important stuff. He doesn't understand why Buggy wouldn't follow his dream even if he feels inferior. He could've just told Shanks. Or maybe just?? Idk. Not feel inferior in the first place (such good fucking advice from somebody like Luffy who gives zero fucks about that sort of thing). But I think he would remember Water 7, too? And Usopp in general? And also all the times he has felt weak and powerless? And I think he doesn't quite understand Buggy's reasons for staying in Shanks' shadow, and that makes him furious and angry at Buggy for giving up so easily, but he would also be kind of sad. I think he'd get the important stuff. Like. The simpler way to put it is that Luffy sees Buggy with this new POV and just sees somebody who lost his hope for X thing and gave up on his dream. The inferiority complex took away his freedom. In fact, the devil fruit and losing the map? That actually was what took away his freedom. Metaphorically and literally. And Luffy sees this and says "Well, it's never too late! You might be a coward and a whiny loser but nothing can take your dream away from you and I'm sure you'll make it! Cheering for you but not much because I'm the one who's gonna be King of the Pirates, but yeah! Good luck! You can do it!". And Buggy takes it as an insult, but I'm pretty sure Luffy would get serious about this at some point and say "Shanks should've run after you... But you were the one who gave up first. There's nothing stopping you now, though!". And... Turns out the damn kid is right?? And Buggy is never going to say that out loud but damn.

I think he'd get along with Buggy, then. Luffy would want to help him achieve his dream all he can. Or at least encourage him and see him as a fair opponent and enemy, which is the most respectful thing he can do as a pirate. He'd be on Buggy's side in the sense that "both parties were acting silly and stupid and should've done things differently but the world has treated Buggy poorly and that is unfair and Shanks should've been the one going after him instead of doing nothing" because he sees himself in Shanks' shoes and it just seems odd to him not to go after the ones you love when this happens.

And also, to put ALL OF THIS in an easier, simpler way: If we're talking about romance exclusively here. About an actual breakup and not just these two parting ways. I think Luffy would be on Buggy's side without hesitation because you don't let go of somebody you love that easily (he's having WCI flashback. Lusan moment. Or Water 7 Lusopp moment. Just choose whatever). Imagine explaining this to Luffy like "Shanks and Buggy had a huge fight about going after the One Piece and Shanks hesitated and Buggy ran away and they broke up" what do you expect him to say?????? Of course he would get angry at Shanks. Even if Shanks had his reasons, Luffy is just fundamentally different in some stuff, even if there are parallelisms between these two. They're different, and Luffy often doesn't agree with Shanks' decisions. Like letting Buggy break up with him. Luffy didn't go through Water 7 and WCI for him to not side with Buggy, honestly.

#i hope i explained it well !!!!!!!! #idk if it makes sense it's a bit too rushed ?? #but i've been thinking about it for a while i just never put it into words so thank you for the ask #buggy and luffy bonding my beloved #shanks and luffy fighting also my beloved bc it shows how different their characters truly are even if they respect and love each other #one piece #shuggy #red haired shanks #buggy the clown #monkey d. luffy

[the-crimson]

Why does it feel like we in the q!bbh fandom are constantly defending q!bbh from people who hate his character for no reason.

I say no reason because a majority of the time people make things up whole sale to get mad about or take the smallest action completely out of context to get mad about it. There are legitimate things about q!bbh that I can see turning people off from his character but those things are almost never part of the discourse.

It’s always: q!bbh doesn’t care about the eggs, q!bbh is the most evil person on the island and should be killed repeatedly, he and Leo have no relationship and she would dislike him, Dapper’s deserves a father that actually cares for him, etc etc etc

It’s honestly exhausting because all of these things are blatantly untrue and I have no idea how anyone could come to these conclusions even if they never watch a second of bbh. Q!bbb is the sole reasons no egg has died of neglect since Trump. Q!bbh is the sole reason many of the eggs have maxed out armor, auto feed set up so they are always at max health, and an XP backpack with hundreds of XP. Q!bbh is constantly going out of his way to help others the moment they ask regardless of his own plans.

There is a REASON q!bbh is the only character on quesadilla island with access to every egg’s safe room in and out of the Ninho. Q!bbh is the only character on the server who has an actual relationship with every single egg that goes beyond acquaintances. Ramon is Dapper’s bff and constantly hangs out with bbh and Dapper. Bbh has done Leo’s tasks more times than I can count and her last words before being kidnapped were “I love you”. Bbh has taken care of Tallulah and Chayanne too many time to count. It was only after talking to bbh about how she feels guilty about feeling like Philza is more her father than Wilbur that Tallulah asked Philza to adopt her. Pomme is literally his daughter. Richas has spent countless nights hanging out with bbh and Dapper (and Pomme) after his parents logged off. Bbh would literally burn the world for Dapper in a heart beat.

When bbh learned no other egg made it off the island in purgatory, he spent the last 15 minutes of his stream muted because he was crying irl. Q!bbh was literally killing himself after the eggs were kidnapped and is basically a walking corpse rn with a gapping hole in his head that’s been there for two months. He’s been having memory problems for over a month - this development with his short term memory loss is a natural progression of his preexisting condition!

PEOPLE PLEASE criticize his character for things he actually does. You don’t have to like every character - q!bbh is an annoying little menace! But don’t make shit up to get mad about I’m begging.

If you don’t like a character, then ignore them. There are several character on the qsmp that I absolutely despise and get annoyed when every they show up on stream but I doubt anyone following me could tell me which characters those are because I never talk about it! Especially not in the main tag! I think through purgatory - when my frustration was at its highest - I mentioned one of these characters once in the tags of a reblog.

Tldr: if you don’t like a character, ignore them. Don’t make shit up about them to get mad at. You’re just making urself look like an idiot and an asshole.

#qsmp #discourse #fandom critical #I’m so tired of this fandom #I never even look in the main tag anymore #I havent for months #but I still can’t escape the shitty discourse #I’m so tired #somehow stealing furniture is a worse crime than systematically murdering innocent workers #I will never understand why people are so passionate about hating q!bbh

[bulkhummus]

some opinions on the latest arc and episode 230

While there are some things I enjoyed about this new episode and arc, it felt rushed. I hate to be critical of a show I love, but we all know the level of work they're able to produce, and the hype around this arc felt like it deserved more than the effort it seemed to receive. I of course thoroughly enjoyed a bit of background on Carlos (and some of the fun stuff the episode did) but getting over the shock value of this information left me feeling conflicted. I think what it comes down to is two things. The arc was rushed, and the things that have just have naturally progressed did not.

They didn't give any of the hard hitting moments enough planning/time/space to have the impact they could have had. We did not see any of the build up of Carlos becoming fed up with Janet and the University. All of a sudden he was. We did not have time to feel conflicted about Carlos leaving town for an unknown reason. All of a sudden he did (and returned mid episode). Cecil's town, the very thing he exists for, is literally nearly gone and he doesn't give us an ounce of poetry or prose to describe how he's feeling? On his radio show? We're just told that it is. This episode in particular just felt like people talking at me instead of telling me a story. The only moment that I felt held any weight, that moved me as a piece of writing, was the moment the child of the glow cloud outwardly processed their grief that their parent would not be returning and implications about predecessors taking on the role/title of those that died which is very interesting (for Carlos, for Cecil, as a concept in general). I, quite frankly, don't care about what they THINK science and life is. Show me through actions they take that demonstrates it. Show me through action and progression.

It has never been more apparent to me than this episode that they write episode by episode instead of considering the full scope of an arc and what it means for their characters. If you are going to adapt the structure of your show to write a mini arc, you can't approach it the same way. And they KNOW this. Writing episode to episode is a delight when its new stories and one offs and bits and pieces. Writing an arc implies some sort of episode to episode progression of a building plot. They've done it before, beautifully even (Of Love and Horror, Egemony, A Matter of Blood, the Lee Marvin episodes to name just a few) and yet this arc was disjointed and felt flat. I've read their books. I've read other things they've written. They're capable of adapting stories into a more "linear" plot with an unreliable narrator. The writers just didn't give it the time and space needed to develop a story that felt natural.

Which leads me to my next point. Natural progression. I've said before I have never once looked to Night Vale for any sort of continuity (it's a show that defies it which I LOVE) but there is a difference between continuity and being sloppy. It doesn't work when half of your arc seems to be you trying to figure out what the hell you're trying to say. A lot of the major points in this latest episode were directly contradictory. We were introduced with the idea that Carlos was sort of afraid of Janet and by her being there. All of a sudden, with no moment that tips him over the edge shown, he stands up to her because he was arrested? We were introduced to the idea that Carlos was deemed a failure by the university, and yet the scientists were quick to leave Lubelle's side in the end. The town was showing clear disdain for him, and not one character stepped up to offer some delicious conflict and tell Carlos it'd be better if he left? To his face? I don't even want to delve into the handling of Blakes character, because quite frankly, he did nothing for the plot because he was tossed back and forth between writers to do what they wanted him to do in that episode (is he against janet, with her? does he hate Carlos? like Carlos? which is it? its not unreliable narration) The arc was framed by Carlos' time spent at the University, about him becoming a Night Vale citizen in his literal anniversary speech about living ten years in Night Vale, and yet, there was no satisfying exploration (I'm not even asking for direct REASONS) as to why he might have left, why he never went back, or any of his involvement there. Saying it was all about love just... Isn't enough for me. Not when Carlos hasn't interacted with his town to demonstrate that life he's built, or how much its hurting him that they're rejecting him again. Not an ounce of how this has effect he and Cecil's relationship (again, Cecil is a chronic over sharer).

It slowly became less about delving into Carlos as a character and his relationship to this town, and processing perhaps grief from the DOW, and more about the shock value of losing beloved characters with no satisfying consequence or action. And then there was little things, specifically in this episode 230. If Janet announces something and it's framed in a way that it should upset Cecil (her telling him about the DOW) then he should have some sort of response to it. Even one line. Nothing. On HIS radio show. Not even a pause where it's made known that he HEARD her.

The whole arc just felt like it was trying to do much and gave itself a time restraint. They are the writers AND producers. No one is forcing them to stay within an episode limit. Especially not when it was hindering their ability to tell a good story.

And I think that's the kicker for me. It didn't feel like an episode of Night Vale. Sure they've played with format before, but this episode (230) didn't even remember that the show is built around Cecil telling stories. Even the episodes that have played with format/structure in the past have involved Cecil telling a story. Through his perspective. Voice appearances always offered some sort of relief to his bias as an unreliable narrator. There are so many interesting ways to incorporate voices instead of just some weird back and forth between two characters. Frame it as an on air interview where Cecil can't get a word in. Frame it as angry voicemails. Have Carlos tell us he's leaving via voice memo, and Cecil dealing with that ON AIR. Stop explaining what is happening and SHOW Us. You expect me to believe, a show that is so heavily influenced by its narrator time and time again, that Cecil was not angry? Was not heart broken? Was not begging Carlos for answers about anything at all? Annoying need to know everything anxiety riddled Cecil Palmer?

They're good writers. And I don't expect every episode to be like, life changing, but again, with an arc that was so heavily anticipated by everyone for so many years, it feels like a disservice to create a story that feels so thoroughly at odds with itself in tone and direction. I hate to sound so critical because I LOVE Night Vale with my whole heart, you guys know I do, but I can be critical of it when it's merited too. And I will continue loving it despite being critical, but I just wished the writers would slow down and maybe, I don't know, read some of their old episodes. And who knows! Maybe it's not over. Lubelle is not confirmed dead, Carlos having an interest in the DOW still is concerning, his parent was mentioned as some point of interest etc etc etc. Like there's a lot they can still do with it, but they just have to, you know, do it.

#sorry if this got a little rambly its real late by me #I just was really hoping they weren't going to rush the ending of this #and it felt like it WAS and ending #even if it wasnt #I just love Carlos so much #wtnv #welcome to night vale #wtnv spoilers

[faeriecap]

okay i know i’ve literally said this 8000 times in a variety of different posts before but it really bums me out that mcu only started giving sam what feels like actual, valued screen time after removing steve rogers from the equation specifically because their friendship was such a crucial part of the captain america narrative, both within the comics and the films! maybe i’m wrong because it’s been a long time since i’ve watched the trilogy and years since i saw fatws, but it seems to me like sam is constantly going out of his way to help and support steve, and despite the very genuine connection between them we get on screen, we never actually get to see steve giving sam that same support back or reciprocating the friendship he receives in quite the same sense??

like… literally what does steve ever do for sam that doesnt in some way also stem from or end up benefiting him? all the missions they go on and stuff get him his wings back and induct him unofficially into the avengers sure, but that all ties back to steve and his needs, his ultimate character progression throughout all three films. in cacw steve breaks him out of the raft but it’s also kind of his fault sam is even there in the first place (despite the accords being wrong and steve being right to resist them). even when he takes up sams mantle so to speak (apparently “in his honor”) by leading support groups, all he can talk about his his stupid ex situationship from decades ago who died of completely unrelated natural causes and not the two beloved companions who gave their lives trying to fight with and for him? and then of course sam’s just gone for most of steve’s final scenes. i get they intended for sam to be a supporting character at the time, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t EVER be the focus of some scenes nor that steve couldn’t be supportive???

when it finally comes down to focus on sam, just sam, steve dumps a shield on him he might not even really want with very little consideration for any personal implications or risks it might pose and then ABANDONS HIM. APPARENTLY FOREVER. to figure out what he even intended for sam to do and then derive his own meaning from it virtually by himself and almost IMMEDIATELY after sam just came back from being dead for five years too?! only to instantly end up fighting steve’s battles one more time for. old times sakes. i guess. lmao what a way to repay such devotion and love

this post is in no way me trying to deny the validity of sam wilson as captain america nor suggest he at all doesn’t deserve the shield so if you’re here to comment that crap save yourself the time and block me rn; i absolutely think he does but the circumstances in which he received it were really shitty and lack virtually any regard for his actual wants or needs as a character and a person… you know… again

#he can’t even let him win at running 😭 #sam sat vigil by his bedside while he was comatose and steve’s just like omg bestie tysm now here’s all my fucking baggage yw <3 #i speak #steeb #sammich #samsteve #anti mcu #fatws #the falcon and the winter soldier #tfatws #falcon and the winter soldier #captain america #steve rogers #sam wilson #marvel #mcu #marvel cinematic universe

[therese-lokidottir]

Honestly, I hate it when writers try to say that this character can't change. I don't mean when never change or reject offers to try to change for the better. I mean specifically when a character does try to be better but then someone claims that they just can't change or that they're not a good person. Because isn't the character that won't change, it's the writer who refuses to let them change. I hate it because it's lazy, especially when a character is genuinely shown trying to change, but then the writer just has them fall back on old habits and then tries to spin it like the flaws they have are just coded into their DNA or something.

I have expressed how unhappy I was with how Dan Watters ended his run of Loki comics. It has been eight years since Agent of Asgard and Loki proved himself as an anti-hero ally and then Watters honestly tries to pull back and say, Oh, Loki is just inherently a villain. AoA was about Loki actively defining everything Watter is suggesting. He just so completely missed the point of what the God of Stories meant and literally says the exact opposite of what the entire point of Loki taking that title was. After everything that happened in AoA, it would be hard for any writer to pull off Loki becoming a villain again without coming across as lazy but what Watters wrote felt especially insulting.

So, I did watch the first few seasons of Miraculous Ladybug. I'd already started tapering off by the second season when there was no real progression and as someone who watched a lot of Sailor Moon, I knew there was a better way to utilize the formula and make it feel like the story is happening. The only thing that made me watch even part of season 3 was to see what would happen with Chole and they screwed up entirely. They did too good of a job showing Chloe makes an effort, being kinder and protective of her friend, and listening to Ladybug. Chloe was trying to be better she just didn't know how to be good. Rather than having characters help they just say, Chloe can't change. For some people, goodness doesn't come naturally but that doesn't mean they are incapable of being good they just need to take more time to learn. It didn't feel like Chloe couldn't change it felt like the writer refused to let her change.

I don't need every character to be redeemed or to change. Nothing angers me more than when a character makes an effort, but the writer just goes, nah. Redemption arcs can be hard to get right, but a failed redemption needs just as much effort to get right as not to feel like hack job

what character's development are you dissatisfied with?

#rant #meta #media criticism #loki #chloe bourgeois #i know its been like four years im still disappointed

[milogreer]

❥ my top ten redacted audio speakers !!

i’ve seen a bunch of people doing this so i wanted to join in! i love a bandwagon 😋

feisty werewolf; milo - i mean, come on. *gestures at my blog* look at me. milo very quickly took top spot, by the time i got to the panic attack audio i was like the rest of y’all can pack it up bc this guy’s got me hooked lmfao it was just so sweet to see a softer side of the guy who, at that point in the timeline, had mostly only been abrasive, cocky, and flirty. that accent also does everything for me. the exact moment i fell in love with him was when he said, “of course i’m not mad. i was worried - scared that you were hurt or something. but never mad.” 🫠💖

nervous air elemental; lasko - lasko… what can i say about lasko. he definitely awoke something in me lmao, initially i didn’t want to get into the elementals because meeting new people felt like a chore at the time but he immediately made me laugh and it was all downhill from there… i love that he’s kinda freaky and he makes me want to bite him in the non-canon audios, but even in prime universe he’s just so sweet and a really good friend. and his relationship with coworker makes me so proud of his development

arrogant incubus; gavin - i’ve said it before but gavin’s the reason i’m here! his hbs 2023 audio was my first audio of the channel, and to go back in time and watch his progression to that point was so heartwarming 🥺 him and freelancer are possibly the best pair in the universe, i just adore everything about them. gavin’s audios are actually the hardest ones for me to listen to because the love he has for freelancer is suffocating to witness in a really bittersweet way 😩

yandere cultist friend; blake - this one is um …. i never expected this HAHA when i first listened to the balance he really skeeved me out (as he should), but then mother mother released ‘explode!’ and for some unfathomable reason it got into my head as a blake song and i couldn’t dissociate it from him. on a second listen of the balance, i definitely appreciate his character more and the juxtaposition of him with elliott and sunshine vs bestie is so so interesting to me. i can’t even be mad at bestie because he’d have me wrapped around his finger too 🥲 rly nervous for his next story update

chaotic boyfriend; guy - BABYGIRL. humor is the biggest thing i look for in relationships both platonic and romantic and no one makes me laugh like guy does. he’s so my type and the way honey acts is literally how i am with guys i like, so guy audios are always so much fun to listen to 💖 and no BA hits quite like that pre-recorded one

i ended up talking more than i thought i would so the other half is under the cut!

it gets kind of messy in the second half because i think these could get shuffled around depending on my mood but for now these are my thoughts!

seer obscura; morgan - morgan is… captivating. i know he kinda only blew up after ‘time is a song’ but it’s with good reason; the atmosphere is so calming but also, like… there’s a longing to it, ykwim? the two of them being the only know seer obscuras naturally lends a hand to the tension between them. no one else understands their unique struggles - so when his new obscura acquaintance calls him up in the middle of the night asking for help and comfort, of course he isn’t going to say no. it’s such an intimate setting for their third audio together and you can feel the tension building the whole time up to “i want to know you.” it’s just a really good audio. very interested to see where his story goes

sarcastic inchoate demon; avior - THE SNARK. THE QUIET KINDNESS. THE MYSTERY. THE YEARNING. THE TRAGEDY. avior’s got it all. sovereign state had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and still does, honestly. his hbs rewind audio is one of my favorites; the effort and love he put into that little date to give starlight a reprieve from their shared hell… he is such a romantic 💖 there’s nothing quite like falling in love while stuck in an actual hell

unempowered boyfriend; geordi - he’s an interesting one for me bc my love of him is directly tied to cutie + cutie’s telepathy giving us a look into his head (i just melt over his whispered little i love yous and compliments). they have a fascinating and messy story that i live for even when it makes me sick lol i adore that they’re both flawed but that they’re taking steps to better themselves. it’s fun when couples in the redactedverse aren’t perfect but still try to be better out of love

mysterious stranger; hush - THE weird guy. within his first audio i went from being indifferent to charmed. i love a mystery and everything about him is mysterious, but he’s also so clueless sometimes that it’s like. so what if he tied doc to the bed in their first meeting, now he’s asking to hold their hand when he’s nervous. so what if his purpose is to free the sovereigns? he learned how to cook for doc. i can’t NOT love him

unknown yandere caller - i’m a ghostface fan, okay. and i’m a taurus. i like when people are obsessed with me 🤷🏼‍♀️ there’s just something so… like. listen. “you’ll start to expect me. you’ll start to crave me.” from the audio and “i know you’ll find them. and you’ll keep them. because they’re from me.” from his card? the arrogance. it’s bewitching. i need him back ASAP i don’t even care if he doesn’t get a real name, i just miss him. come back please 🙏🏻

#redacted audio #redacted asmr #yap yap yap girl be QUIET 😭 #i’ve spent most of today on this post smfh #sweetheart.txt #misc

[invested-in-your-future]

What do you think the mistakes with White Fang story were?

The biggest mistake was not having that plotline at all beyond lipservice.

I think the "no no, any sort of actual resistance instantly makes you bad guys" is such a flawed and stupid position for a show to take.

The show's failure is highlighting WF motivations and WHY would anyone feasibly go down that route - HOW do Mistral, Atlas, etc treat Faunus or even Vale.

JFK once said - "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

If he existed in MilesWBY the quote would be "Only peaceful revolution is possible and anything else is evil"

We never see WHAT the Faunus have to deal with or how the society changed, (and if it did) since the Great War. We never see HOW Blake becomes the person she is (and if anything, have her regress by making her a runaway princess of tropic paradise)

The result is honestly quite racist - the show silently suggests (through the combined force of Blake's awful monologue and how Ilia's storyline ends) that the problem with The Faunus is their own "destructive" tendencies and their "unwillingness" to compromise or "wait for things to get better by being model minorities" - if only they waited a bit longer all the bigots would recognize how wrong they were!

With what the show presents, it's literally impossible to delve into the intricacies of the nature of extremism or why Adam's approach is flawed - because the show posits that the only right way forward is via complete no-exceptions peaceful resistance of… being nice and docile even when threatened with death?

We are straight up EXPECTED to see Ilia beating up bigots who laughed at people dying in the mines as BAD - the narrative EXPECTS the viewer to be horrified at her revelation rather than feel catharsis for her doing the right thing. The writing wants us to "feel like Blake" by being horrified at how violent and unhinged her friend is while completely ignoring the context - because any resistance beyond non-violent slogans is instantly a slippery slope into blowing up schools.

And where does that argument end up? In Twitter posts about how all those people shot by the cops "deserved" it by "doing something to aggravate them" - that's where.

Adam IS abusive, and Adam IS in the wrong and it's pretty clear that he has long since been addicted to power, BUT there's no possibility to even begin discussing what's right or wrong with the way the show handles the WF plotline as a whole.

We don't know what position Blake can take nor what position she had on the matter before because we don't get a sense of how WF could function beyond the two completely absurd strawman extremes of whatever sunken place nonsense Ghira's WF was in and whatever slippery slope cult-like strawman his successor created (nor how that progression happened).

What is his "vision"? What does he hope to achieve? How did he, according to Blake, "change"? We know nothing about White Fang beyond "Ghira's Non-Resistance White Man's Strawman of MLK" WF being good and his successor's WF being a slippery slope argument.

No wonder the show defaults to the most rudimentary aspect of Adam's flaws in the final confrontation, refusing to give both Yang and Blake a chance to refute him thematically while also refusing to give them proper character arcs that would lead to that confrontation - because the narrative never thought things through beyond that.

The show jumps around random and nonsensical gods subplots and religious imagery being all daring about what needs to change, but the moment actual themes of discrimination and human nature are at play, the narrative instantly becomes just so in love with status quo.

The WF began as "angry redshirts to be beaten up" and when the show decided to move on to all the "exciting"(it's really not) Brother Gods nonsense, the subplot got thrown away in the most racist way possible.

#rwby #rwde #blake belladonna #rwby asks #rwby meta stuff mine #rwby meta #rwby critique #rwby analysis

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

Is it me or did Luz turn into a bit of a Mary Sue in Watching and Dreaming? From her befriending the Collector and showing him the error of his ways, dying and immediately coming back to life by King’s dad, being the only one to meet King’s dad while also getting a power up, then saving the day and getting pretty much everything she ever dreamed of all in the span of one episode.

I wouldn't say Mary Sue because a hallmark of that trope is that the character is naturally good at everything and literally has no flaws. That's not Luz.

However, it does seem like they leaned into the Chosen One trope after criticizing it in season one; part of Luz's character growth is that she had to learn that she was not in a fantasy story, that actions had consequences and she shouldn't try to act like the hero in one of her children's books.

Then she literally gets to live out her fantasy from the first episode by becoming a witch and defeating the evil demon plaguing the land. Now, some will argue that she earned this because she learned to respect the island, which is why the Titan showed her the glyphs and hid them from Philip. But I feel like this is having your cake and eating it, too? Before the lesson was, no one is going to hand you anything, you have to work hard to achieve your goals. Except that the world literally did hand her everything she needed because of her basic goodness.

Luz was never a bad person; she just needed a reality check and to mature. She's still fundamentally the same person from season one and she is rewarded for it. Which honestly, wouldn't be so bad if the show hadn't spent time hammering in the theme that you can't just sit around waiting for destiny to call you to be the hero and then reward you for doing good deeds. The show also made a clear point that Luz needed to separate her fantasies from reality and she ends up getting exactly what she wanted in the first episode.

So basically, Luz is the Chosen One but by necessity because the world is going to be destroyed by the One True Evil. Groundbreaking.

Also, the Titan giving the glyphs to Luz ironically justifies Philip's paranoia in King's Tide; in that episode, he compliments Luz's proficiency with glyphs and that it had taken him years to find all of them, "Almost as if the Titan was keeping it from me." We're supposed to infer that since Luz respected the isles and listened to them, she was able to discover the glyphs while Philip only abused and exploited it. And since he's paranoid with a persecution complex, he blames his slow progress not on his actions but to a higher being. Turns out he was right!

I dunno, seems like a poor writing choice to make your main character the Chosen One after criticizing the trope and then accidentally justifying your villain in the process.

#the owl house #toh critical #toh criticism #asks #emperor belos #philip wittebane #luz noceda

[thtdamfangirl4]

I tried really hard to bring my hopes down so I wouldn’t be disappointed by the RWRB movie and despite both my best efforts and some truly great scenes from the actors in the movie, I was so upset by it.

The Paris scene was gorgeous and intimate and IMPORTANT. Sarah as Zahra was literally flawless. Taylor and Nick were infinitely better than I thought they were going to be. The chemistry was good. I liked Uma Therman.

But.

I was never going to be happy with this movie. It was rushed (due to the nature of it being a 2 hour movie) and cut out not only important scenes for development, it cut people who are integral to the plot and entire plot lines that were paramount to the book’s intention.

It needs June. It needs Nora and Pez to be ACTUAL characters. It needs Ellen and Oscar to be divorced and have the family dynamic that makes Alex who he is. It needs Rafael Luna. It needs Catherine. It needs Bea to be flawed and have a personality and not be sanitized for no discernible reason. It needs the full progression of Alex and Henry’s relationship. It needs emails. It needs better coverage of the email leaks and aftermath. It needs friendship and queer community. It needs 23 year old protagonists. It needs Alex spiraling and figuring himself out.

If I’m honest, that omission might be what disappointed me the most and I haven’t let myself ruminate on it until these words were being tapped out by my fingers. Alex’s bisexual awakening in the book made me feel more seen and understood than any other book I’d ever read, any character I’d connected to. And it resonated within his character throughout the book. Without him learning about himself, the importance of this story is diminished for me and my own journey and connection.

RWRB is my favorite book of all time. I turn to it when I’m happy, sad, anxious, confused, tired, wired, and everything in between. It’s literally perfect to me, no matter anyone else’s opinion. I relate to Alex more than any other character in any other media. Henry is my favorite fictional character, period. I wanted so desperately to like this movie.

There were scenes I loved. But so much in between reminded me starkly of what it was missing.

This is not a hate post about this movie, nor does it stand to denigrate the actors or writers or crew, etc. Nor does it serve to shame anyone who DID love this movie. I hope you DO love it. I hope it brings joy to those who loved the story before and invites those who are unfamiliar into these characters. Most of all, I hope it provides joy to young queer audiences who are seeing themselves represented in a romcom.

But this process feels almost like grief, which sounds so dramatic. For me and people like me, whose souls were unwittingly bared on the pages Casey McQuiston wrote years ago. For people who found an anchor in this novel and hold on for dear life so we don’t drown. To me, this book is perfect, and to alter it in any way was going to disappoint me.

My hope is that in the coming weeks, I can find a way to truly separate this book and my unending catalog of feelings about it from this movie adaptation, which I probably would have loved if I wasn’t a die hard book fan, so that I can enjoy both and recognize that only a piece of the book made it to the screen.

(Truthfully my greatest hope is that they personally grant ME the rights and unlimited budget to write and direct a full miniseries adaptation that is a faithful interpretation to the letter, but no one is going to do that.)

I’ve seen like hundreds of posts already saying that we shouldn’t shit on this movie or take away from other people enjoying it, and I agree. And I apologize if you feel that’s what I’m going with this post. It’s not my intention. But I do want to say that you’re also allowed to be disappointed. You’re allowed to feel like you would’ve wanted it to be different. Just don’t walk around disparaging the book or the talented people who made it possible, and certainly not the fans who are just loving the story and characters you love too, just maybe in a different way.

Idk, this blog is a mess and a safe space and I just wanted to put my initial feelings somewhere because they have kind of taken over my brain. I’m tired and still processing, but if I don’t get out this spiral, I’ll stay in it.

I want to like it. But there were just too many changes. It felt like a different story. As Alex and Henry have both said, “we all must learn and grow.”

#rwrb #prince henry of wales #henry fox mountchristen windsor #alex and henry #rwrb spoilers #red white and royal blue #red white and royal blue spoilers

[bitofanupsidedowner]

people who want will to get a boyfriend who isn't mike make zero sense to me ngl... i get that mike is kind of a jerk but i just don't feel like it makes a lick of sense tbh, and i also just think anything bad thing mike’s done is best justified/made sympathetic and solved by the conclusion he’s been struggling with his feelings towards will. 

mike is in no way this unredeemable person and i think it’s pretty extreme to treat it like he is. he isn’t perfect, but he’s shown that he does care about will much more often than he’s hurt him. just the facts.

like. yeah sure byler has been built up since season one and mike has been written in a way that made it literally impossible for will TO get a separate love interest. despite mike having a literal girlfriend, his jealousy and protectiveness over will didn’t leave any empty space. we all saw his weird reaction to the painting at the airport and how when dustin and lucas wanted to help will on halloween he yelled at them and shoved them away. 

but like... yeah, let's throw him with some random guy we have no time to get invested in so mike and el can keep being a dysfunctional mess with no chemistry or shared interests even though it would make no sense, have no emotional payout and  is not in any way what mike or will need for a satisfying conclusion to their character arcs (or el! it negatively affects all three.)

separating the two would be the only opportunity possible to give will someone new. it would’ve been tricky to make it believable, but it was their only chance after mike’s emphasis in will’s storyline. that in itself is suspicious, but they essentially told us with mike’s little ‘oh shit’ closet moment that they would not be doing that. 

instead, they kept doubling down on mike and will. they even made the cali plotline sort of agonize over it, with mike and will pulling in the most heart-to-hearts of any duo in any one season afaik. the emphasis on their relationship has been too integral to the show. having had wills sexuality in mind from season one, making mike as big an element in that storyline to begin with is not without consequence. they wrote it in a way that made it almost impossible to reasonably go in another direction.  

they spent a lot of time especially in season 4 showing us how mike and will’s relationship comes naturally to them, has a good  foundation of mutual love and respect, and just generally functions better than mike and el and can repair itself without that much effort. even when mike and el are in their ‘good’ phases, they have less going for them than mike and will in their ‘bad’ phases.

will’s feelings for mike are directly contrasted with el’s. mike makes will feel better for being different. he makes EL feel like a monster. with el, she begged him to say it and he denied her, implying he didn’t ‘know what to say’ and agreeing when will said ‘what if they don’t like the truth?’ he denied her what she wanted until will told him to say it. the text is very directly comparing el and will’s dynamics with mike for a reason.

you never say it > i say it

oh, i didn’t say it. > you didn’t have to.

it doesn't make sense to set this up and then retreat back into a relationship that is mutually destructive, that hinders all three characters growth and self worth, and goes directly against their character arcs. it makes no sense to make will in love with mike at all if it was going to end up with a new guy shoehorned in last minute.

 there’s a reason it’s mike and not lucas or dustin that will fell for. there’s a reason that the majority of people are ecstatic about lumax, jopper, jancy and duzie but find milkvan tedious and forced. 

it's filling the same place in my brain rn as when people want will to have a villain arc. it just does not make any sense to me to actively desire  conclusions to arcs that would undo character progress or just completely misshape the character profile permanently. 

it isn’t JUST a romantic relationship will wants. he doesn’t just have a hankering for a boyfriend. it’s not just about having SOMEONE. it’s specifically mike’s love. it is specifically spending his life with mike that has been explicitly stated over and over again as what he truly wants. 

i feel like it’s fairly rare for characters to both know and state plainly what they want, but will does, which i think is honestly so admirable. he admits it when he is at his most vulnerable (rain fight) when it would be more beneficial for him to just pretend. but he doesn’t. he’s hurt, but he doesn’t hide from it. 

the fact he doesn’t even surprises mike, who was expecting for will to agree that changing drastically and obsessing about girlfriends was the natural progression they were supposed to take. after his wish is put into the open and seemingly rejected, he destroys castle byers. 

mike is insecure about wanting this, but we know he wants that too, we just dont have the explicit confirmation if it’s romantic yet. 

the point being that the emphasis has already been placed on not only who/what will wants, but how confident he is in that never changing. he wants it deeply and forever.

it isn’t just a boyfriend he wants, it’s mike. 

that’s the person he has the deepest connection to, that’s the guy who saved him, who pulled him out of the upside down, fought the hardest for him, stayed by his side when he needed him, befriended him when he was five years old because he thought, ‘he’s like me.’ mike gets a lot of criticism, but none of that is how will himself feels. to him, that’s the guy who makes him brave enough to accept his sexuality. it’s mike, it's always been mike, and it doesn’t make sense narratively for him to be with anyone else.

‘what if you want to join another party? > not possible.

#anti villain will byers #anti milkvan #anti melvin #byler #will byers #i edited it a bit idk i have some many thoughts on them