#or straight up Won't Let Go

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

I have a question: in the lights out au, did Wally ever attacked/snap at anyone for Barnabys arm? He seems like the violent type🤔

oh no! never! he's not the violent type At All - with aus, i like to adhere to canon as much as possible, and from what i can gather... Wally is quite the pacifist!

so in this au, he's occasionally violent, but only by Necessity. out of a need to protect his friends. he doesn't enjoy it in the least, and in the early stages of the timeline, he himself got hurt quite a bit due to his hesitance to fight back / inherently peaceful nature. it takes him many years to get to the point where he attacks perceived threats on sight. it doesn't come naturally to him, and he Never looks forward to it - even when he's used to it. he avoids conflict when he can & does his best to prevent it

#and even then he attacks out of fear and again! a desire to protect his friends from All harm! #he'd Hesitate to let someone else take the arm #or straight up Won't Let Go #but he'd never snap or lash out #especially not at his beloved neighbors.... #he's very gentle with them. usually #sometimes he can get a little (unintentionally) harsh when the danger level is heightened #but even that is like a 'i need to keep them safe & undamaged no matter what' #he gets stressed and scared and as a result is less Careful #like how when julie wakes up wally fully tackles her to the ground to keep her from alerting nearby threats #rambles from the bog #wh lights out au #and also wally has his Routine #and during much of it he leaves the arm at 'hq' to keep it safe #its something for him to find comfort in when he's not Doing Things #so actually i think he'd be fine handing it over to... say... Howdy before going out to do his thing #he'd probably be delighted to have someone there to make sure it's Cherished and Safe! #and if howdy/other doesnt want to give it back. well wally is Small. they can share.

[cienie-isengardu]

Everyone talks about Bi-Han being gullible/stupid etc for believing Shang Tsung + being manipulated by him. But Bi-Han sided with Shang Tsung because he wanted to break the Lin Kuei free from Liu Kang's control. He only accepted the alliance when he saw the Dragon Army and thought they actually had a good chance of winning. Meanwhile it's crickets on Hanzo "I killed your brother for no reason" Hasashi who got played by Quan Chi the man who actually killed his family & clan and whom Scorpion still grovels to. Not to mention that Raiden said he would try to get Hanzo's family restored if he didn't kill Bi-Han and this loser did it anyway. And this is only the tip of the iceberg for how much jackassery this fool pulls across every game. Yet Bi-Han is the irredeemable evil asshole because he *checks notes* says some mean things to his brothers >:( and some of this is done as Noob Saibot which btw loops back to Hanzo because Bi-Han wouldn't have ever become Noob if Hanzo hadn't killed him.

I think the most gullible person in MK1 was in fact Shang Tsung himself, who for some reason believed that a powerful mysterious being showing up out of nowhere would willingly share her power with him. Talk about a new level of naivety!

I have a theory of mine, that Titan Shang Tsung gave enough information about (previous timeline) Sub-Zero to his younger version, because breaking Lin Kuei from Liu Kang’s control was a personal matter to him. Like yes, it would weaken his enemy and bring the planned  chaos and “evilness” into the timeline he despited, but looking at the fact how Lin Kuei in majority of source material was an assassin clan with a strong, old-centuries ties to Shang Tsung, it feels to me likely that "reclaiming" the Lin Kuei was a matter of honor to him. Double so, as some sources went so far and presented elder Sub-Zero if not outright the favorite then one of favorite assassins working for the sorcerer. Frankly, as the story mode shows alone, “Damashi” talked and warned both Shang Tsung and Quan Chi about Lin Kuei before Sub-Zero even met any of them, so there was some behind-the-scenes preparation done and for all we know Bi-Han was targeted by the evil Titan before the main events even unfolded. 

As for Bi-Han, right now he has this misfortune to be blamed and hated for everything, whether he actually did it or not, so no matter what is the topic, he is in a losing position by definition. However, like you said, Sub-Zero did not agree on the spot to join Shang Tsung and actually had a chance to see what the supposed allies could offer him so it is not like he fell for empty promises alone. What is important to remember, Lin Kuei were one of major defenders of Earthrealm, so Bi-Han’s choice to switch sides actually would weakened Fire Lord’s forces, leaving him with Shaolin Monks and - depending how in Liu Kang’s timeline military technology evolved - the armed forces of nations that had no idea about Outworld’s threat. But the first part of Shang Tsung and General Shao’s plan was about depriving Sindel and her daughters of the throne, so there is possibility that before Earthrealm would be put in direct danger, Sub-Zero could alter his plans depending how well the teamwork would go with the sorcerers and General Shao.

If Kuai Liang and Tomas were either captured or eliminated from the picture, Liu Kang would not even know that Bi-Han switched sides until the attack - or, if the alliance played smart, Lin Kuei could backstab Fire Lord’s forces from the inside. And in the scenario in which Bi-Han was not captured by his brothers, he still could have an option (backup plan) to play Shang Tsung’s failure to his own gain if he was cunning enough. For example, he could betray the sorcerer to earn Earthrealm’s victory in the important moment and then lie to Liu Kang’s face that was his true plan from the start - the mission has failed, Lin Kuei brothers were outnumbered; he and Scorpion were trapped inside the fortress with Smoke, who if lucky, managed to hide himself (not something Sub-Zero could even knew). With no way to warn the Fire Lord and not seeing a better solution at that moment, under the pretense he is ready to betray Earthrealm, he learned what Liu Kang’s enemy were doing. Then trusting in brother’s skills, on purpose lied to Kuai Liang to piss him off enough so he could get out and reunite with Smoke. And when Bi-Han faced his angry brothers he fought only to let them run away, so they could carry on the important news to Liu Kang, while scarring Scorpion’s face as proof he was on board with Shang Tsung, so no one could doubt him. Because duty comes above family and isn’t that what was expected from Grandmaster and Lin Kuei?  Isn’t that what their father wanted? For them all to serve Fire Lord and Earthrealm at any cost?

And mind you, at this point in the story Sub-Zero had no idea that Liu Kang was in fact once Keeper of Time and had an access to Geras/Hourglass to rewind time and check what actually happened. For all Bi-Han knew then, the lie would be unprovable and, at worst, he would have to earn Fire Lord and his brothers’ trust again but then, it would be much more easy to play on their guilt, how easily they doubted when he was willing to go extra miles for the sacred duty they all talk and talk and talk about. At the same time, the experiences would teach Bi-Han he can’t trust his brothers and in future he needs to be more cunning about breaking out from Liu Kang’s control and probably relying more on Sektor & Cyrax. 

(And even if Kuai Liang would be upset, he couldn’t complain, because he is the one that wanted to uphold tradition. Bi-Han could then easily come back to the lie he tried to save father’s life and all the cruel things he said back then were an unpleasant necessity and how could you, my dearest brother, doubt me so easily…?)

Of course, in the end Sub-Zero was captured by his brothers and the possibilities thwarted but my point is, just because Bi-Han joined Shang Tsung, it does not mean he had no longer any autonomy over the course of action or that he wouldn’t make a backup plans for various outcomes. Lin Kuei were trained from childhood to do their duty and as far as we could see, they play the role of black ops for Liu Kang - what most likely also includes espionage. And in the espionage art one must be ready to act at any given moment and plan ahead. Bi-Han said himself, he has no loyalty to Earthrealm nor to Outworld and I do not doubt he would play the game with his survival and Lin Kuei’s best interest in mind. Who he would need to betray in the process would depend on who was winning and who was the most beneficial ally.

I think we all can agree that Lin Kuei mission and Bi-Han’s betrayal was a rushed subplot and both the brothers and emotional impact of the story would benefit more if Sub-Zero wasn’t cut off from the events right away after fulfilling his main purpose - giving a ground for new Lin Kuei vs Shirai Ryu conflict that won’t have any importance until the next games will use it. It is not even a matter if Bi-Han acted logically or not, but more the feeling of incompetence of everyone involved. Nitara and Ermac didn’t raise the alarm the moment when intruders were spotted (and Nitara literally screeched / screamed when she attacked Smoke). Bi-Han didn’t behead Shang Tsung when he had an occasion; instead he idly waited for enemy soldiers to run up to Lin Kuei - and really, if he knew the mission was endangered, he should have used the precious seconds to eliminate the target. Even if he was killed, there would be one enemy less for Liu Kang to deal with. Kuai Liang alone beat all the main fighters, burning the stone soldiers like they were nothing while Smoke, well he had one moment of serious panic and after that was just there, pushed to the background. Bi-Han’s choice and development of his subplot could be taken in interesting, even twisted directions in the hands of capable writers. And by that I don’t mean the intelligence of writers but capability to care for Bi-Han’s plot beyond the need to break Lin Kuei from Liu Kang. Because him acting either on impulse or seizing an opportunity he awaited for years does not mean he needs to stick to Shang Tsung & General Shao to the bitter end. I, for one, would like to see how cunning Sub-Zero could be in such a situation but for that NRS would need to let him be in the story as a full-fledged character that develops alongside the events and not be just there to push events and other characters' storylines forward.

As for original Scorpion, I feel there is in general a great change in perception of his and Sub-Zero’s storylines, as Scorpion in the earliest source materials, including the oldest comics, usually played the role of antagonist, while Sub-Zero even as an assassin could be pretty heroic on his own. Now the roles seems to turn around, however I suspect the main reason why fans give Hanzo benefit of doubt and forgive him any foolish decisions but won’t give Bi-Han the same treatment comes down to this: Hanzo is acting on strong emotions, something we can see by visually aspect of the games and heard him personally speaking about them while Sub-Zero does not externalize his emotions, because such openness is not in his nature (the old comics are better in that aspect but how many people even remember them these days?). It is much easier for fans to forgive character’s “stupidity”, the all wrongly made choices when character will openly admit to be upset, angry, devastated or traumatized than to forgive the one that won't spill out their guts, won’t cry or feel sorry for themselves and will just adapt and go on with their life. People forgive acting on overwhelming emotions when those are all over the place because emotions are something easy to relate - and who of us did not lose control over them at least one? Hanzo is powerful male character in terms of firepower and skills alone but he is also deeply messed up, traumatized man whose life was fucked up and now he is trying hardly to piece it together and to rebuild his sense of humanity and honor. Bi-Han as Noob Saibot just… adapted and moved on with his life and the amount of people he would admit any feeling of regret or injustice done to him I can count on one hand and still have a finger of two free. Meanwhile everyone who cares to learn, knows Hanzo is grieving after his clan and family or is upset or angry and so on. Which is also why I think so many characters (and fans) think Bi-Han as a Noob Saibot is so vile and evil - because in contrast to other Wraiths and/or Revenants, he does not show any sign of trauma, be it leashing out in anger or outrightly speaking how deeply wounded he is, even if he died in no less brutal way than rest of fallen heroes - and isn't it ironic that Kuai Liang was accused about that too? Of not looking traumatized enough because he does not show openly his pain . And accused by Sonya of all possible people?

It’s easier to relate and understand characters wearing emotions on their sleeve because all the reasoning and effects of their actions are either easy to trace and connect or explicitly stated by characters themselves. Hanzo is such a character. He is sad and angry so he acts in a way a sad and angry man would. Bi-Han though? If people except Bi-Han - a characters specifically connected to ice - to spill out his guts how he feels, to cry how unfair his life was and how everyone is mean to him or to vomit the over-sweetened praises for anyone he likes or jump at any occasion to cuddle anyone at arm length to know he feels anything at all, then… Well, that is definitely not the right character for them. Bi-Han just doesn’t work like that and sure, his anger may flare here and there, but as I was pointing out in different metas and analyzes in the past, that man is not overly emotional to begin with, even when talking with people he likes and cares for. I won’t lie, sometimes to understand Sub-Zero’s reasoning one needs to use all imagination and do some mentally gymnastics as the character won’t tell us what is happening inside his head the way Hanzo would. But that can be fun on its own, to examine and analyze and build theories. However, let’s be real here, it is not for everyone and each for their own.

#mortal kombat #my replies #bi han #shang tsung #sub zero #hanzo hasashi #scorpion #the lin kuei mission & bi han's betrayal gives me headache not because of how sad those chapters ended but how everyne is incompetent #bi han's subplot could go in so many directions if the nrs let them be part of story for good #we could have a story when he stays with shang tsung and we al would need to wonder is this some part of cunning plan? will he betray #brothers or shang tsung and have sub zero being neutral and bidding his time for whatever the final goal was but nope #as for hanzo i like how messed up he is and what a disaster he can be at times #but yes it is easy for people to get characters like him when everything is said and showed outright and much harder to understand #characters like sub zero who won't tell you how they feel #different people like different types of characters #but introverts often are hated as the cold and uncaring bastards because they won't give people the answer they want to get #in easy way aka straight from the characters

[invinciblerodent]

one part of BG3 that I appreciate a lot (and feel like I don't see mentioned quite enough) is just how many different ways there are for the companions specifically to break up with the player, or for them to openly say that though they love the PC, they either cannot abide by whatever it is they're doing/have done, or that they know that there isn't really a chance of a happily ever after for them.

the characters having their own morals, and actual, strict boundaries that are immutable and which they abide by, that's always really nice to see, and I feel like it's not quite as common as I'd like it to be.

like, sometimes I feel like in certain big or popular games, the players are kind of... coddled, in a way? either by not being given the option to do heinous shit (and thus there not being a need for them to experience consequences), or by negative consequences to actions being written in a way that makes them inconsequential, or avoidable altogether. I like that this time, there are things for which that's simply not the case.

every time I see someone be like "I did this thing that this character told me they hated, and they DUMPED me for it! that's so stupid!" I always just feel glad that the characters were written mostly to stand up for themselves, even if it's against the player. that's just always really nice.

#squirrel plays bg3 #astarion especially has like what... 3-4 different scenes? that can trigger of him breaking up with you? #and all of them are very reasonable and like... yeah yknow what that's understandable #very “well what did you expect was going to happen” #that AND the levels of SALT certain types of people produce when their in-game boo won't just let them do whatever with no repercussions? #that too is just delicious #here let me do this straight-up heinous shit; but oh no not the quencies!!!!!! #like... isn't the point of making those decisions to experience the consequences....? #well this. this is one of them #(yes I just saw a short of the breakup if the player forces sex in act 2) #(yes internally I hoot and holler; way to go you funky fella YES dump that asshole!!!)

[apoloniaspiegelgold]

All my life I've been told by all kinds of people that they can never really tell what I'm feeling or what's going through my mind because apparently I'm always just hiding everything behind a smile so that I've become rather unreadable. And then he just. Takes one look at me and goes 'Yeah. I know that face, oh here we go again, she's about to unleash her thoughts. She's gonna bash that theory I just showed her so hard. Where's my popcorn?' I hadn't even said anything yet and he was already laughing.

And to be honest. It's quite nice to be known, actually.

#i only went to his office to ask if he wants to join me for lunch he didn't have time and yet i still somehow ended up staying for 1.5 hours #'thanks for the conversation' he said when i left. 'and thanks for keeping me from my work' #as if HE hadn't kept me from lunch when he kept our conversation going on and on with his 'wait i still wanted to show you this' #talking to him always feels like wellness for my brain somehow. like. we're different people but we think the same way. #i don't have to translate my thoughts to be understood he already gets my point before i've even finished my train of thought #every time work tires me out so much that it feels like i can't think straight anymore then i talk to him and suddenly my brain works again #and i like how he calls me out on my nonsense when i lose myself in a contradiction or don't say what i want to say or say what i don't mea #and he lets me go on extensive rants about statistics despite not knowing anything about it and doesn't even complain #he just always says 'i'll pretend i know what that means' and says i should learn it well so he can ask me for my help with it later #recently he came to me right after teaching saying 'you won't believe how much i just messed up. let me show you how i failed' #and then proceeded to recreate the entire situation and his thought process at that moment and i just #there is a very big word running around in my mind that i dare not speak of but maybe one day #i don't even know if he even sees me as much as a friend maybe i'm just some co-worker he likes talking to occasionally you know #what does it mean what does it all mean #ramblings

[ardate]

.

#just me rambling #badvibe #god. i feel so let down by my friends these days #it's been a billion things piling up for many many weeks #and right now i just got told by a friend with whom I was supposed to go to a convention that she forgot I was coming #so she won't be able to pick me up cuz she's going with her mom instead #we made plans for visiting that city in the morning before going to the convention and all. #i put it down in my agenda and moved plans around to accomodate for it. but she straight up... #entirely forgot i was supposed to be there #she forgot about me #and i'm SO. FUCKING DONE. ABOUT BEING AN AFTERTHOUGHT ALL THE FUCKING TIME #this is just too fucking much. between this and my childhood friend who acts distant w me ever since there was a dumbass quiproquo #where i have to fucking work hard everytime at creating a good atmosphere whenever we see each other cuz she wont put in that effort #and another friend who's been utterly ignoring me on purpose for some fucking goddamn reason i don't know why or what i did #ignoring me or being rude other times #all of those are just examples but its been so many things #i have been. SO fucking patient with everyone. ive helped them so many times too- sometimes to my own loss #i've been so kind and understanding despite my personal struggles - keeping my feelings of anger and injustice at bay #and i get what in response? i'm fucking. forgotten i guess. pushed aside. treated like a nuisance #i feel like its at the point where the closer they are to me the less effort they put in. cuz i'm a given now. they can treat me like shit #they treat strangers better than their close friend cuz they know i'll just take it. or smth. i'm a punching ball for bad moods #i'm done being the understanding one. what about that. what if others were the ones having to come to me and be kind instead #what if i was the one people coddled and offered sympathy to for once in my fucking life #idk. just fucking explode #i feel so disrespected. and uncared for #and so deeply unloved #i'm done. i'm done #the convention thing was just the fucking hammer to break my back after everything #i'm so deeply heartbroken #do i matter to the people i care about

[bungooou]

We could've had Hunting Dogs Akutagawa. That could've been such a fun plot.

Akutagawa actively chooses to become a spy because Atsushi makes him realize that they can't defeat Fukuchi like they usually do and isn't just being told to do so by Dazai and- why is Tachihara here????

#bsd #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd akutagawa #on the other hand #this way Tachi's arc #wouldn't work so well #bc he isn't straight up isolated #from the PM #most times we see him #Aku suddenly appearing #would completely take his mind off the ADA #and his whole thing with Mori might go down the drain #bc Aku won't let him out of his sight #until he explains #and then won't let him out of his sight #bc he doesn't trust him anymore

[daeluin]

hey hey

remember the other day when biden's top adviser for the latam region talked about the lithium in Argentina as 'ours'????

#fun times!!!! #i love it when they don't even bother to lie #just straight up letting us all know they consider our natural resources theirs lol. lmao even #us imperialism #and then you have shit propagandist like the economist publishing their op Ed's and articles like 'why argentina won't leave its crisis' #like idk fam maybe bc your country's stated policy for the last 150 years as been to systematicly fuck our economy so you can steal from us? #just food for thought #hahahahahaha #anyways people should be more watchful about the situation wrt the lithium in latam #how quickly we have forgotten about elon musk and the usa stagging a coup in Bolivia over it that ended with +50 deaths #the worst is they don't even have to go that route there. we have enough cipayos and dumbasses to do their dirty work

[phantastragoria]

Not sure if it's okay to send you this ask but I actually feel the same way you do about the end of vol 3 and I've been feeling pretty alone about it. I haven't said much because I don't want to seem like I'm being mean about the movie. I think my issue is the team hasn't spent years and years together. Most of them were snapped for 5 years. When they came back Gamora was dead and then Peter was clearly left suffering and dealing with the trauma for a while. I can live with the idea of "we've all grown to need time apart and want to do our own things" but I don't think the build up and execution was there. Not just for those on the team but also 2014 Gamora who was literally just coming back to the story and finally getting to see who these people were and what her life was once about. Then it's over and it doesn't feel like enough of a resolution. I also don't love how Gamora was treated which is a whole other topic but I disliked how it seems like there hasn't been any issue with her death for anyone but Peter. There doesn't even seem to be any memories of her lingering with the team. I have so many thoughts around this that I'll be thinking about it for a while but man, she was murdered by her abuser and most of her family are victims of abuse and I dont think the aftermath has been handled very well at all. Mostly I think there needed to be another movie In between Endgame and vol 3 to hash out what happened in Infinity War/Endgame and to progress some of the characters more and build up to the more Rocket focused ending where they all part ways. Or vol 3 needed to not be quite as focused on Rocket. Not saying he shouldn't have the most focus, just scale it back a little because other things desperately needed attention.

Oh it's absolutely fine to send an ask about this!!! I'm always up for a discussion, and honestly, it makes me feel better that I'm not the only person not completely happy with the ending, solidarity my friend.

I want to preface this all with I DON'T hate the film, and I thought it was way better on a 2nd viewing, but I really don't think it's a crime to criticize it because nothing is perfect (Vol. 1 + 2 aren't either) But Vol. 3 really has some deeply ingrained issues that should've been dealt with, or at the very least acknowledged, because as it is they really stand out, especially on a second viewing or if you've marathoned all the films together, and they literally drag the film down.

Gunn said on Twitter in response to something that he wanted Vol. 3 to be able to stand on its own without the viewer needing to have seen the other films (and by extension IW+EG) but that is so unhinged when it's literally titled as the third in the series at this point lol. Like it's extremely weird to have let IW+EG affect the Guardians as much as they did and then not even try and deal with the aftermath of it all in the last film featuring (almost) everyone together... ???

He's made it clear Rocket is his favorite and that he only came back to do Vol. 3 because he wanted to finish his story, I don't doubt that's true even if I think having a single character be more important than the others is the wrong choice and leaves the whole story as a trilogy a bit lopsided. But even so, if that's the case then it's crazy to not even have Rocket's thoughts on all of these things that've happened in the last decade as if it wouldn't be traumatic to lose your loved ones for years, and how hard it would be to readjust to life after it all. I kind of can't see him letting everyone leave so easily at the very end, especially after he almost died, so I'm just left feeling confused at the choice at best and vaguely unsatisfied at worst.

Maybe Gunn didn't have as much control over their appearances in IW+EG as he says he did. Maybe they really did completely derail the road to Vol. 3 and he just won't admit it, but the film as it is doesn't help in any way by pretending nothing there happened at all. I don't see any logical reason for the audience to just go along with "For some reason Gamora left, she might've died but also maybe not, who knows. Peter is sad and the rest of the team want to move onto something else. " and then the only hint at that last part is... Mantis telling Peter to go see his grandpa, so that leads to everyone else having a change in goals too, huh. I know it's not meant to be forever, and we're to assume everyone keeps in contact with each other, but the ending really makes it feel like no, we'll never all be together again, so bah.

And concerning Gamora, I agree with what you've said. I could write an entire book with my issues of her overall treatment in the narrative and the implications of her character from the comics getting adapted like this, but I'll spare you the speech and just say the TLDR is everything starting from IW onwards concerning her (the specific framing around her murder and then time travel bringing in 2014-Gamora, and the complete lack of acknowledgement about either version of her from the rest of the team) never should've happened. It's all such a mind-boggling choice, I can't get over how much of an afterthought Gunn made her at the very last minute.

It's funny you mention the need for another film to deal with the emotional fallout of everything post-Vol. 2, because absolutely, but they kind of had the chance??? I realize the Holiday Special isn't film length and is meant to be the calm before the storm of everything that's to come, but in a post-Vol. 3 world I can't stop thinking about how it was SUCH a missed opportunity to not have that be the sobering moment for the characters to talk about everything that happened in the years everyone was snapped. It could've even been the perfect time to plant the metaphorical plot seeds of everyone wanting to go and do their own things after what happened because they just can't make life feel the exact same as it was before, and understanding things can never be the same after something like that.

Even the last lines of the song used in the Holiday Special feels more appropriate for the Guardians as a family struggling to keep it all together (and trying to deal with the sudden loss of Gamora) than it relates to Peter and Yondu, in my opinion.

I would have preferred a more out-there story in general, something to give everyone equal stakes in the plot, but I do think Vol. 3 could have stayed overall the same if any of this was addressed or even mentioned in one or two lines of dialogue somewhere. Because as it is, it really feels like we missed something important between it all, but we didn't from what we we've been shown. I don't think it would have killed Gunn to include a quick moment where someone just says to Peter "I miss her too and I get everything's been way harder lately, but you can't let it grind your life to a complete halt like this." or something!! ANYTHING!!!

And if we absolutely had to stick with the time displaced Gamora plot... When she was snooping around on the Bowie by herself i dont get why she didn't get to see some old photos or something of the team during happier times (including 2018-Gamora specifically) and realizing that they really are going so far to save Rocket because they genuinely love him, and once upon a time they loved her too. 2014-Gamora getting to see the life she very nearly COULD have had within mere hours in her own timeline (without the threat of Thanos ever taking that away, mind you) but having to come to terms with the life she's made with the Ravagers in the present day. That would've been a more appropriate arc for her, I think, then her presence in the story wouldn't have had to only center around what Peter lost and nothing else and we'd at least get the idea that the others still had her on their minds even if they outwardly "moved on."

But also? Another missed opportunity to not have a moment when 2014-Gamora is in a battle with the other Ravager leaders mirroring the hallway scene with the Guardians that could have been when Peter (and the audience) "get" who she's currently more comfortable with in a basic sense, but... you know... it is what it is or whatever.

#guardians of the galaxy spoilers #vol 3 spoilers #gotg spoilers #lex thoughts #gotg thoughts #universe: mcu #ask tag #anon #i hope my ramblings make sense I've tried to coherently put my thoughts on the movie together for a while now #i wouldn't say im fully over it and i dont think i ever will be but im coming to terms with it or whatever #from how i speak about it youd think id hate the film I DONT!!! It's got really good things in it but i just cannot overlook the things- #-that bother me about it. genuinely i find the stuff with gamora straight up upsetting in a way that's hard to put into words #and i had expected better for her at the end but. you know. #i just care about the whole team in general 😔 i would like to say it was perfect like most everyone else but i cant #and i understand we have the benefit of having had all this time to expect more from vol 3 and gunn did not when writing it #but idk the only thing that feels like gunn had set in stone from the start is everything with rocket up to right before the team breaks up #if you asked me in 2017 that this is where it was going i also wouldve said what??? #vol 3 wants to so badly be “let's meet in the year 2000 won't it be strange when we're all fully grown” but it's more- #-like a friend (by pulp) :'/

[introspectivememories]

well now that we know the cult is back, imma need some heavy bernard angst from the comic. the panic attacks, relapses into unhealthy behavior, pushing people away, imma need all of it.

#'but you're okay now?' #'some days.' #make that no days now bear #i need it to start off innocuously too. like he puts off a date or two claiming that he has homework. he's clumsier now. like he doesn't #care what's in front of him. he walks into a pole once and ends up with a huge bruise on his shoulder. bernard presses on it for weeks. #and then comes the 'it's just once. I'm not gonna do it again.' behavior. the purposeful pain. the dig his nails into his wrists until #it stings. the bandages on the inside of his thighs kinda pain. #the 'tim can never find out about this' type of unhealthy behavior. #i need bernard to escalate until he wakes up aching one day and it's like he's gone back in time to the beginning of his cult days. #i need him to look himself in the mirror one morning and realize that even if could stop hurting himself he's not going to. #i need him to start loitering around the old cult building knowing that it's wrong to wish they were still active but wanting it anyway. #i need him to go on several benders. so sorry but i think he has a fake id and definitely buys alcohol. #oh my god... wait wait wait! #i need him to go out one night after assuring tim that he's gonna go straight home and get kidnapped by the cult again. #oh my god he wakes up on the altar again. mouth filled filled with wine and his hands tied down and he- #he relaxes. because he was chosen the first time and now he been chosen again. he's still good. thank god thank god he's still good. #and the first time they chose him he was bad. struggled too much begged too hard to be let go. but he's better now. #they chose him. again. he won't fight it this time. he'll be good this time. #this is just your friendly reminder that #cult conditioning takes at /least/ 5 years to wear off. usually more. #my man bernard is gonna be having a Lot of bad days #anyway #bernard dowd #dc #td:r #timbern #ig

[crazy-walls]

some doodles from the past few months

#die drei fragezeichen #skinny norris #inspektor cotta #technically this is young cotta but eh #caroline cotta #bubbles #i didn't really plan on posting these but i deperately wanted to draw today but my arm/shoulder won't let me #so i just made the caroline + bubbles one and figured i might as well post these #not really how i imagine bubbles to look like but i just felt like doodling some cat so here ya go #you can clearly see they've been on my mind for a while huh #(did i do search for the rest of my doodles before remembering they're halfway across the country which i straight up forgot? perhaps) #gonna have to do the bloodywood studies i wanna do some other time now :(

[alongtidesoflight]

honestly i wish my computer could run cp2077 it's time i checked it out

#the hilarity of it being able to run bg3 on ultra quality but not cp2077 👌 #won't even let me start the game #i've the tag blacklisted still!!! somehow i straight up managed to avoid all spoilers i have no CLUE what's going on

[hopegained]

when i realize the reason he's so selfless to the point of self-sacrificing is because of his survivor's guilt over all the deaths in his life and his mind literally struggles to accept more 🧍

#(of course. Of Course.) #(not to mention how he's straight up s*icidal after his father's death. no regards to his own life at all) #(he doesn't care about risks and becomes increasingly aggressive in battle) #(because he just waits for that blow that'll take him out for good) #(and he /almost/ dies if not for the power of friendship and love and the ForceTM) #(earlier on in his leadership he still has bouts of that extreme selflessness left) #(he pulls agents out from their missions when things don't go as planned) #(not one more soul! not when he has the power to stop it) #(obviously as we get closer to t.ros he learns to accept loss and death. he grieves but won't let it destroy him too) #headcanon. #death mention tw #suicidal ideation tw #(ask to tag)

[made-nondescript]

GOAL: at LEAST 500 words of tubassador au first chapter. if i post that its my goal i have to do it that’s how this works.

#i have no idea how long chapters are supposed to be so we will just feel it out #2000 ish feels right. but who knows! im going to get the fanfic equivalent of hermitcraft fan hubris i think #less important but i want to write it down: #my goals for this fic are not for it to be good i just wanna have fun with it #which is not to say that i won't put any thought in #but i just want to do my best and have fun #i've never written a fic longer than 3k in my entire life #(excluding a self insert fic written age 12 which cant count bc 12 year olds are built different) #so the goal is humbly for it to exist and to have fun with it #if it's readable that's a bonus lol #i'm a bit of a perfectionist so if i set out to have everyone in character and have good pacing and an elaborate plot #i will simply shut down because i straight up don't have the practice for that #but oh boy is this gonna give the a good excuse to watch a lot of hermitcraft and old lore streams #im so excited. ive already had so much fun watching false #haven't watched much of her before so it's fun to mix it up #tag rant over lets go boys

[zukkaoru]

got so invested in writing this fic i forgot i still have another class today .

#it's okay it's not until 2 and it's only 1:20 rn but #if i hadn't finished i might have straight up missed class i won't lie. the hyperfixation is winning today #hello grace here #anyway i wanna go back and add more but i can't post it yet anyways but i'm hoping the j.jk brain demons have been exorcized for now #bc they grabbed me by the throat and would not let go

[theinfinitedivides]

Rishi bestest boi 🥺😔

#film: pathaan #local gay watches pathaan (and loses their sh*t while doing so).txt #local gay watches bollywood.txt #this section is so chaotic bc there's a whole bunch of sh*t going on at the same time but Pathaan crawling out of the car #to head straight to Rishi and Raza having to pry him away bc it's literally about to explode does something to me #there's a desperation there—he keeps going back trying to get his hands on whatever he can trying to get Rishi out of there #he keeps telling Raza to let go and they are both telling him not to stay... there's a shot with his hand on Rishi's face #and then the hand is in his hand and he won't let go!!! he won't let go #this is the first major death for Pathaan in the film i think and he has this tendency from then on to shut down on the spot #whenever something like that happens before getting on with it and sort of lashing out #but you just know he is f*cking himself up over this when it is quiet and there is no one left to hear #reminds me of that one interview (or was it several that i am mixing up and putting all together?) #where Shah Rukh said he doesn't cope with loss very well bc he's a passionate person #and he brought up the point that he has to channel that elsewhere. so smoking cigarettes is a hairsbreadth away for him #from dipping tf off of this mortal plain and committing suicide #like he said he had wanted to do when his mother passed #i am having too many thoughts about this

[maddy-ferguson]

Tbh (I am not that anon, but I share similar opinions regarding this) I am kind of worried that most Bylers won't receive the storyline as better written or compelling in the next season if Byler doesn't happen in a certain way they're expecting or wanting it to happen (or if Mike's character doesn't end up as they imagined/wished him to be). Because I keep seeing all these takes that Mike being oblivious wouldn't fit for his character bc he's smart and he'd figure out the romance complexities as well, and he must have definitely lied and must be strictly gay 100% and his romance with El should be completely discredited, and he should get Vecna'd and exposed and he's a very secretive character and Byler should get together in an intense dramatic life threatening situation and I'm like... i get it, everyone has their own opinions and wants but aren't those opinions a little bit too specific? and that it's setting up a certain expectation here, and ultimately will lead to ppl saying it's bad/weak writing if none of those things happen in canon.

i feel like no matter what happens people (me included) will be disappointed because it's just like volume 2 we've just been thinking about it for too long lol. and i don't think mike should have all the romance complexities figured out just because he's smart but i do think him not knowing how HE feels makes no sense. in terms of the narrative and also just taking this into consideration

the vecna thing and them getting together in an intense dramatic life-threatening situation yeah that's a very specific thing to expect i don't think you should go into the season expecting anything that specific because that's very "will's painting is gonna be the swing set" and we all know how that turned out. but it's also all in good fun like everyone is obviously gonna get a lot of things wrong lol

about gay mike specifically, i totally get why you would worry about people being too sure about that and then not liking the way byler happens if he isn't but to me it kind of feels like when people tell us not to be so confident byler is gonna happen. like i just see it. i can't unsee it. and it's what makes the most narrative sense to me. but he could come out and say i'm 99.7% gay only and i'd still support him🙏

#and i mean. if people think mike is gay then them expecting his romance with el to be discredited is not exactly a stretch lol #otp: i guess it's not #again i am very much people in this case #and even thinking he lied knowingly is kind of a result of that #not strictly but it's just that it all works. by happenstance? i wouldn't know #and i didn't care about byler or mike being gay going into s4 right #there might be a bit of a gay mike echo chamber but the reason a lot of people think he's gay and also happen to be 100% sure that he is #is because it makes it all make perfect sense #like bro i saw one post that started with the words 'mike isn't bi guys he's straight up gay in denial' in early june (everyone would #hate them for wording it like that now lol. which i kind of get. it's just funny) and suddenly everything made sense and it still makes #sense it just WORKS i can't just let go of that!!! sorry. #i've tried it and i failed #if you don't feel the same way i get why you'd feel like that though. you sent this to the wrong person maybe. because i do feel kind of #strongly about mike being gay and about him knowing it and about him knowing that he lied in the monologue lol #but if i turn out to be wrong then so be it yk i won't LIE and say i won't find it less compelling. but i can't brainwash myself into no #longer thinking that</3 #because i just see it all so very clearly... #ask