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#so he looks directly at the audience watching what he believes to be a story about him
fleshadept · 2 years
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Antlers are associated with power, growth, and resurrection. They serve as a defense and deterrent from predation; when broken, they grow back completely.
Boy (2010) dir. Taika Waititi
#HAPPY TAIKA TUESDAY EVERYBODY#SOOOO UM A FEW THINGS.#second gif stoned haircut scene. the antlers are framed to look very small for boy#like this either represents that the antlers are growing in for him in this scene#as it's a very literal transformation for boy allowing alamein to take him into his own hands per se#and as a result allowing alamein to live the fantasy represented by the crown of antlers#OR.#it is positioning boy as a baby deer#a younger version of alamein essentially#something something mr langston saying boy is a lot like alamein used to be#NEXT#fourth gif alamein is staring DIRECTLY. at the camera#this is the peak of his fantasy he holds all the cards at this point he has Become shogun. he believes he is the protagonist#so he looks directly at the audience watching what he believes to be a story about him#interestingly when boy sits on the throne he is looking up not forward/at camera#AND.#i didn't notice until i was making this that boy sitting on the throne is the last time we see the antlers until#alamein's fantasy is completely destroyed#if we look at it thru protag theory that implies that as the protagonist boy simply taking alamein's role for a minute#even though it ended badly for boy#started the destruction of alamein's fantasy#AND FINALLY#the growth/rebirth symbolism around antlers is very interesting considering the way the antlers are broken#in the last two gifs#and then it immediately cuts to the next morning#and the rest of the film after that is very much themed around new beginnings#especially when you take into account the shot of the finished carving on the chair#that deliberately excludes the antlers from frame#anyway. that's all of it! jesus christ#if you read this far i'm kissing you on the mouth
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daisyblog · 11 months
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Spill Your Guts: Harry Styles & YN Tomlinson
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Our Story Masterlist Summary: Harry challenges YN to a game of Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.
Harry was asked to step in for the week to host The Late Late Show, as James was off filming for a movie, and of course, he said yes. During the meetings with the production team about what Harry could do during the show that week, Ben Winston suggested a game of Spill Your Guts and asked Harry if YN would join him. YN was unsure when Harry first asked but after Harry reassuring that he would be doing it with her and wouldn’t let her answer anything that made her feel uneasy, she agreed.
“How are you feeling about this?” Harry asked YN as they sat opposite eachother, with a round table in between them.
‘I don’t know..I can’t believe I agreed to do this” YN said as she looked at all the disgusting foods that are lined up on the table.
“This is our first time doing this…right?” Harry questioned “And the last time we will do it” which caused YN and the audience sitting in the studio to laugh.
“Let’s take a look at the food we have on the table” Harry spoke towards the camera filming them both. “We have bug trifle..yeah ugh..jellyfish..yeah ugh…giant water scorpion.
“That’s got to be the worst one” YN interrupted with a sour look coating her face.
“Thousand-year-old eggnog” Harry continued listing “Cow blood and pork tongue jelly…cod sperm” Harry spoke in a high-pitched tone and looked at the camera once again, which made the audience roar with laughter. “Seems rather tame in comparison to the other ones”, YN and Harry laughed as he looked back at her. “How do they..get the sperm out of the cod?” Harry questioned the crew member to the side of them.  “It’s probably best we don’t know.” YN spoke, not wanting to know the information.
Moving on from the sperm cod “Salmon smoothie..aaaand bull penis”. “Good ol’ bull penis” YN interrupted l, which made Harry raise his eyebrows at her and YN leaves out a chuckle. “Okaay…I’ll ask the first question..and uhh…the producers have not shown us the questions correct?” Harry looked directly at YN whilst he was talking.
“Yes!” YN answered with an infectious grin.  
“Uhh..I’ll choose what food you have to eat if you don’t want to answer the question” Harry explained.
“Okay” and a nervous giggle left YN’s lips.
“So we’ll start with..ugh..” Harry spoke as he looked at all the options in front of him “Thousand-year-old eggnog”.
“Noooo” YN complained as Harry spun the table so the eggnog was in front YN. She sarcastically asked “Is this cinnamon supposed to make this any better?” causing the audience to chuckle.
“Give it a sniff” Harry instructed.
“Why?” YN laughed but proceeded to pick up the glass and sniff it which made her gag and cover her mouth with her hand “Oh my god!..That’s disgusting”.
“Okay..you ready?” Harry asked as he reached for the cards to the side of him, that hid the questions he was about to ask YN.
“Nooo” YN cried.
“Okay..” Harry looked at the cards in his hands and laughed at the words written on it. “Oh nooo” YN began to feel nervous about what she was about to be asked.
“One Direction has five albums..rank them from best to worst”, which caused the audience to applaud at the mention of the band.
YN held the glass of eggnog whilst debating if she should answer the question “I feel like I could answer” YN said to Harry as he watched her reaction from his seat opposite. “I feel like I could answer it” Harry responded, which made them both laugh as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Umm..I mean..I’ll start by saying they are all amazing..they really are”.
“Okay” Harry interrupted and looked at the camera with a serious expression, and then turned to look at YN and giggled. “They are” YN tried defending her answer before saying it out loud. “I swear..but I’d say Four is number one…and then..the songs are just so good..and then I mean that’s so hard, they’re all amazin’”. “Drink the eggnog” Harry encouraged. “Noooo” they both laughed. “And then it would be..like..Made In The A.M, Midnight Memories, Take Me Home..Up All Night” YN listed and then covered her face with her hands as Harry and the audience reacted with a roar of laughter.
“Alright..so now you choose something for me that I would have to eat”. “I’ll do the sperm” YN decided immediately and spun the table so the cod sperm was in front of Harry. “Okay..okay all in a day’s work” Harry joked waiting for YN to read the question.
YN looked at the card in her hand reading the question “They’re definitely dying to know this…which songs on your last album were about me” YN smiled at her boyfriend. “Oh god” he spoke and covered his eyes with his hand “You could answer this one”. “I know I could..but the people want to know”.
Harry grabbed a large green napkin from the side of him and began to tuck it into his shirt and picked up the knife and fork ready to eat the cod sperm. “Ewww” YN spoke as she watched Harry try to pick the food up and fail.
He put the knife and fork down on the table “So I would say track..uhh..” Harry teased the audience, which made YN laugh as she moved her hair from her face and over her shoulder. But he picked the fork up once again and picked the cod sperm up. YN looked at the scene in front of her with a disgusted expression “Just don’t look at it, she suggested. “Oh yeah..that fixes everything” Harry sarcastically said, clearly picking up YN’s sassy attitude after all these years. “Just don’t look at it” he mocked YN. After pausing for a moment and looking at the food sitting on top of the fork, Harry questions “What are we doing?”. “This was your idea” YN playfully scolded as she adjusted the dress covering her body.
Harry lifted the fork to his mouth and took a bite of the cod sperm which causes the audience to gasp and applaud loudly as he chews. Harry was chewing the food slowly which made YN look on confused. “Just swallow it..like why are you..”, causing Harry to look at the camera and shake his head at what YN had just said. “Oh my god!” YN shrieked after she realised what she had just said. To annoy and tease YN, Harry kept chewing slowly and pretending he wasn’t sure if he could spit the food in the bin next to him, “Stooop”.
“To spit or to swallow..that is the question” Harry joked, again making the audience roar with laughter, whilst YN stared at him with a smirk. After spitting the content in the bin and having a drink of his water Harry spun the table around. “Okay..salmon smoothie..give it a sniff”.
“Noo” YN said whilst shaking your head.“I hate salmon..by the way” YN confessed.
“I know..that’s why I choose it” Harry laughed.
“Okay…who was your favourite One Direction member when we were on The X Factor..not including your brother”. YN laughed “I have the answer, I can’t say it though” YH explained a she picked up the glass filled with the salmon smoothie and drank it, whilst the audience left out a roar of ‘ooh’s’ as they assumed YN was going to say it was Harry.
“Woooow!” Harry shrieked, just as shocked he wasn’t YN’s favourite. “It wasn’t me?..I bet it was Niall” Harry assumed, making YN chuckle but neither agreeing ir disagreeing.
“Watching you drink that made me feel sick” Harry admitted as she drank her water.
“Yeah it’s disgustin’”.
“I mean, it’s a salmon smoothie” Harry sarcastically spoke.
YN began to spin the table, “What am I having?” Harry asked. “Hmm..I’m giving you the scorpion”
“Okay..scorpion” Harry repeated as he coughed into his hand.
YN laughed before asking the question “Between Louis, Liam, Niall and Zayn..rank their solos…” before YN had the chance to finish the question, Harry picked up the scorpion from the white plate and began to eat it, causing the crowd to cheer, and YN smiled and clapped because she knew Harry would never answer that question.
“Okay..last question..I think we’re going to go with bull penis” as Harry quickly read the words on the card he let out a giggle “Okay..who’s music do you prefer..mine ooooor Louis”. The audience ‘ooo’d’ loudly at this one.
“I love both of your music” YN admitted.
“Nooo…you have to pick one of us” Harry stated with a cheeky grin on his face. “I feel like I can say it right…you’re both talented so..it won’t hurt you too much”.
“Well unless you want to eat some bull penis, yeah” Harry sarcastically answered. As YN thought about it, the audience shouted ‘say it’, “Of course, you want to know” YN spoke back to them. “I’m eating the penis” she decided. After trying to bite into it, YN spoke “It’s like squishy”.
“Just throw it all in then” Harry suggested, and YN did making Harry clap, and the audience clap and cheer. “That was Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts…we’ll be right back with more from The Late Late Show” Harry ended the segment whilst turning to look at YN making them both smile and laugh at what they had just done.
Tag List: (let me know if you would like to be added) @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @harrys-flower
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starryeyedjanai · 5 months
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no better time than now
kinktober prompt: edgeplay | steddie + gareth | explicit
read on ao3
When Gareth sees he has a snapchat video from Steve as he's walking out of his office to go to an all staff meeting, he doesn't think anything of it.
Why would he?
Steve's not the one who routinely sends him lewd or sometimes nude pictures of himself.
That would be Eddie - the menace who somehow conned Gareth into joining his harem of men.
That's a bit dramatic, but he thinks having a minimum of four paramours he's fucking is kind of excessive. But he digresses.
Steve is definitely the tamer one of the two, but that's not to say he isn't into all the same stuff as Eddie. Gareth sometimes joins in on their little romance, fucking himself on Steve's cock while Eddie looks on and tells him how fast to go. Or sometimes Eddie fucks Steve as Steve is sucking Gareth's dick, both of their eyes on him.
So he knows how Steve is separate from Eddie and he knows how they are together.
The point is, Steve sending him a video during the work day is usually some story about something Eddie did, so he doesn't think twice about opening it as he's walking down the hall, earbuds plugged into his phone already from a previous call, but not in his ears, the wires bunched up in his hand.
Gareth's face flushes red so fast his head spins and he immediately turns on his heel and walks directly back to his office, closing the door behind him.
Because he's looking at a video of Steve's mouth wrapped around Eddie's cock, his eyes all hazy with pleasure as he looks at the camera.
He presses a hand down on his cock, as if that'll stop it from getting hard as he watches the series of videos of Steve sucking Eddie off.
The last video ends with Steve pulling off Eddie's cock, a line of spit lingering between his mouth and the tip of Eddie's dick.
Gareth stands there with his back to the door, his hand pressing on his dick, wondering what he did in a past life to deserve this.
In the middle of a work day???????? he puts in the chat, waiting for a response.
His phone pings several times in a row as the next set of videos comes in.
He closes his eyes and debates just leaving his phone here in his office and walking to his meeting. It's what he should do.
He should leave and go to the meeting.
But the temptation is too strong. He opens his eyes and presses the purple square because he has no self control and he's already a little half-hard.
The video starts with the front facing camera on Eddie and he's saying something so Gareth quickly shoves his earbuds in his ears as he turns the volume up, walking over to his chair to sit down.
"Sorry, Gare. Steve has been so impatient this afternoon. We're working on his patience and he needs an audience for all his good work. Jeff and Grant got these too, so at least you're not alone," Eddie says, a twinkle in his eyes.
The sound of sucking in the background makes Gareth's jaw clench.
The camera flips around onto Steve, laying on his stomach on their bed, one hand on Eddie's dick, stroking it gently, as he sucks one of Eddie's balls into his mouth. His eyes are closed and he looks so fucking content slobbering all over Eddie's balls.
The video ends and Gareth feels lightheaded.
He opens up his text thread with Grant and Jeff and texts them if you plan on getting anything productive done today, do not open the snapchat videos from Steve.
From Jeff, he gets the message: too late 😔
Grant says thanks for the heads up. we can all watch it together on my phone later if you want?
Gareth texts them back: I am definitely taking you up on that Freak. And: Jeff, I cannot believe you saw it and let me open it at work.
It JUST happened. I'm also compromised here is Jeff's reply.
He's about to send something back when a slurry of pings and notifications tell him that Eddie's sent them more videos. Because it's obviously not Steve sending these videos. He's going to kill that man one day.
He opens up Slack and messages his boss that he's suddenly not feeling well and has to miss the meeting. The thumbs up on his message he receives is more than enough, so he gets up and locks his door.
He sits back down and opens up the snapchat video and the camera is still on Steve, who's back to sucking Eddie down his throat. With the noises in his ear - the loud slurps, Eddie's soft moans - it feels like he's there, almost. Like he's in the room with them, watching as Steve's gentle mouth on his cock pulls noises from Eddie's throat.
Eddie reaches down with the hand not holding the phone and taps Steve's hand on his hip. Steve pulls his mouth off him with a loud pop.
"What's the lesson here today, sweetheart?" Eddie asks.
Steve lets out a sigh and says, "That I can't always have your come when I want it."
Gareth has to clench his hand, his nails digging into the palm of his hand, so that he doesn't groan out loud at that.
"You're impatient," Eddie's voice says. "It's so much better when you work for it, right honey?"
Steve isn't glaring up at the camera like Gareth would be if Eddie used that condescending tone of voice with him - he's looking up reverently, even though Gareth can tell he's a little frustrated.
He types in the chat How long has it been? because Steve getting frustrated is a sign that it's probably been going on for far longer than Gareth would have the patience for.
The next video, Eddie tells Steve, "Gareth wants to know how long it's been."
Steve looks up and drags his mouth off Eddie's cock. He says, "It's been hours," with a whine.
Eddie laughs behind the camera. "It's been one hour tops."
Has Steve come? he asks them after the video ends.
"No, he hasn't come yet either. He's being so good today," Eddie says, stroking a hand through Steve's hair as he sucks hard on his dick, hollowing his cheeks. "He's just been between my legs, sucking me until I say stop and then biting me when he gets frustrated."
Eddie's voice is so fucking fond as he says that, laughing and petting Steve's hair.
Gareth can see the bite marks. Eddie's thighs are littered in red and purple marks from Steve's mouth on him.
"You wanna show him how nicely you ask for-" Eddie starts to ask and the video cuts off.
Gareth reaches down to adjust his dick in his pants.
The next video starts with Steve saying, "Can I bite you please?" with his mouth hovering above Eddie's thigh.
"Why do you wanna bite me?" Eddie asks.
"Because this is hard!" he says, annoyance seeping into his voice.
"It is hard, baby," Eddie says with a laugh, using his hand to tap tap tap his hard cock against Steve's cheek.
Steve pouts up at the camera.
Jesus fucking christ. They're ridiculous.
But Gareth is sweating, and his dick is straining against his slacks.
He can't jerk off at work.
He can't jerk off at work, right?
Everyone, the entire staff, is at the meeting in the conference room on the first floor, so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to whip his cock out here and jerk off to this, would it?
There's the off chance that someone might leave the meeting to go to the bathroom, but would they venture up to the third floor for a bathroom break? He doesn't think so.
He weighs the options in his head as he waits for the next set of videos to come.
The worst scenario is that someone might hear him, but he's really good at being quiet - years of sharing a wall with the living room of his house and then years of sneaking off to the bathroom to jerk off in college with just the door separating him and his roommate has taught him how to be near silent when he comes.
He thinks he could do it.
He could watch and listen to what's probably the end of Eddie and Steve's "lesson" and jerk himself off slowly, like he's a part of it too, like the lesson in patience is for him too.
Fuck, that's probably part of the reason why Eddie sent it to him. He's also too impatient sometimes, and Eddie makes sure to punish him for it.
The next set of videos comes through and he unzips his pants, decision made, and gets his cock out. He grabs the box of tissues on his desk and slides it closer.
Eddie's hand is in Steve's hair as Steve sucks a mark into his thigh, biting and pulling the blood under his skin to the surface. Steve pulls back and presses a kiss to the new mark.
"Good boy. You wanna get on your knees and show your boys how good you are for me, not coming this entire time?"
Steve eagerly nods and pulls himself up between Eddie's legs, tucking his knees under him. His cock is hard and red and dripping.
He strokes it slowly, angling it up so Gareth can see the cock ring around the base of his cock.
Gareth thinks he needs one of those right about now. He strokes his cock as he watches Steve stroking himself, spreading the precome down his cock until his cock is shining with it.
He probably isn't going to last very long despite just starting, between the need that's coursing through his veins and the fact that he's doing this in his fucking office.
Steve shudders as he speeds up a little, the slide slick as he humps up into his hand a little. He fists his cock for another few moments before pulling his hand away. He's breathing heavily as his cock twitches and more precome drips from the tip.
Gareth's cock twitches in sympathy.
He gets back on his stomach between Eddie's thighs and Eddie says, "Open your mouth sweetheart."
Steve opens his mouth and Eddie's cock thrusts inside. The choking noise as he hits the back of Steve's throat is so loud, but the video cuts off a second later.
This is torture, seeing these little snippets and not having the real thing. He loves watching them together. He never really knew he was into voyeurism until meeting them. He didn't know he was into a lot of things before he met them actually.
And being so far away from them, seeing these videos that end abruptly, having them talking and moaning in his ears- it's not enough. He wishes he was with them right now - between them, watching them, anything.
He sets his phone on his desk and leans forward in his chair so he can see it and so that when he comes, he won't get any of it on his clothes. The chair mat beneath him is much easier to clean than his pants if he accidentally gets any on it.
Eddie's thrusting comes to a stop as Gareth opens the next video a minute later.
"You've been so good. Do you think you deserve it now?" Eddie asks and Steve nods slowly, pulling back to nuzzle into the crease of his hip. "I think so too. Go ahead, sweetheart."
Fuck. Gareth starts stroking himself faster, tightening his fist around the head of his cock on every stroke.
Steve sticks his tongue out and licks a stripe up Eddie's cock before sucking the head into his mouth. He uses his right hand to stroke Eddie's cock fast and tight, licking around the head, tonguing the frenulum.
"Fuck, Stevie," Eddie says, his voice strained. He thrusts up into his grip, and into the warmth of Steve's mouth.
Gareth grips himself tighter, knowing Eddie's going to come soon.
Steve takes his hand off Eddie cock and opens his mouth wider, relaxing his jaw as Eddie thrusts up into his mouth roughly again.
Gareth can hear the way Eddie's cock fucks into Steve's throat. Eddie's guttural moans are loud in his ear as he chases his orgasm in Steve's mouth.
Gareth speeds up his hand in time with Eddie's thrusts, his breathing getting heavier. He almost can't bite back the groan that forms in his throat when the video cuts off. His phone pings almost immediately with more videos, so he doesn't even have to slow his hand down before he's seeing them again.
Eddie continues to use Steve's throat like a fleshlight and Gareth's balls draw up as he watches on.
Eddie moans loudly as he comes, the first spurt probably going directly down Steve's throat. He pulls back and jerks himself through it, his come pulsing out over Steve's tongue, on his lips, on his chin.
Gareth shudders, looking at Steve's face, and he comes hard as Steve's tongue darts out to lap at the head of Eddie's cock, digging into the slit like he wants more. Another glob of come spurts out onto his tongue.
Gareth cups the head of his cock in one hand as he comes, stroking himself through it silently. He pants through it as the video ends, shivers running through him.
He leans forward and puts his head on his desk as he comes down.
He can't believe he just did that.
He picks up his phone and sends them a snapchat of his hand still coated in come, the text across the screen reading I hope you're fucking happy.
He cleans himself up, but still feels so dirty afterwards.
He's lucky he only has another couple hours of work and no more meetings today. There's no way he could sit in front of any of his coworkers and look them in the eye knowing that a wad of tissues coated in his come is sitting in his trash can, buried between random flyers.
He's also lucky his boss thinks he's sick, because that means she's probably not going to be beating down his door after the meeting ends. He opens the window in his office to air it out
He gets a snap back from Eddie a couple minutes later, a picture this time.
It's Steve, on his back, come streaked up his chest, coating his chest hair. He looks so fucking blissed out, his cheeks red as he smiles at the camera. Gareth's heart pangs in his chest. He can't wait to see them later.
There's no text on the screen, but he knows they'll probably make fun of him for jerking off at work later. Or at least Eddie will. He's such a menace.
He opens up his text thread with just Jeff and sends Do you wanna get Steve and Eddie back tomorrow for making us horny at work?
I thought you'd never ask is Jeff's immediate reply.
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matan4il · 1 year
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Buddie 607 meta
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I thought Felisa’s introduction was an interesting one. She’ll be closely associated with Eddie throughout the ep and by the end of it, we’ll see more layers to her, but the intro still presents her life as being to a great degree fake and shallow, very much revolving around putting on a show for her audience. Not to mention, Athena letting us know that Felisa at one point acted in such a violent and even life-endangering manner isn’t there for nothing. I found it an interesting choice to clue the audience in from the get go that this is not someone who is greatly compatible with Eddie, but even more so, that she’s not exactly someone who has room in her life to co-parent a kid with CP. And once again, it hit me hard, how in comparison, from 201 already we saw how similar Buck and Eddie are, and from 202 how much Buck would adore this kid,care about him, be a good co-parent and make all the room for Chris in his life.
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~~ We saw in previous eps that when something is up with Buck, Eddie always notices it. So it came as no surprise he was the first to raise an eyebrow at Buck’s diet change. However, I had to scream a little about the shot that reveals this (and had to gif it). They could have focused on Buck’s glass after he was seated, they could have filmed him torso up. But no, they let Buck sit down as the camera follows him, and more than that, they had him sit down in profile, which emphasizes the crotch area way more than if he were to sit down normally and we’d get a frontal shot. This is intentional as all heck, and the framing expressions on Eddie’s face as he watches him, making it seem like Buck’s crotch is what he’s noticing, it’s too much to all be coincidental. ~~
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But back to Eddie being THE team member with Buck senses that tingle, this ep showed us that it’s not just us thinking their bond is unique. The fact that we get a zoom in on Bobby looking at Eddie with an inquiring expression and gesture with Athena also turning his attention to him to get his reaction, and that Eddie without even a pause says he doesn’t know what’s up with Buck, it once again demonstrates that the trope of “everyone sees it” is true for Buddie. Everyone around them is completely aware that these two are married. ~~
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Okay, regarding Buck’s sperm donation, the universe was CLEARLY screaming at him that this shouldn’t happen. In an ep that directly references back to 406, where Buck first tells Eddie that, and in doing so reveals himself to be someone who believes in listening to signs, and who reaffirms that this hasn’t changed because when his secret comes out he mutters to himself, “Stupid bracelet curse,” it’s very interesting that he ignores it all and goes ahead with the donation (at least for now). I do assume that the point is whatever he chooses, it will be his choice. He’s not being superstitious, or latching onto excuses, he's choosing his own path, and that will play into the rest of this storyline in terms of his growth as a person. ~~
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Small side note from a gay person who knows a lot of gay couples that had to use sperm donations: men have to abstain from masturbation to do a sperm count, it’s not a personal choice, and the period of time to abstain is 2-7 days. Anything above that makes the sample worse in terms of sperm quality. My point is, Buck was trying to make things better, but he actually made them worse. I trust the writers did their basic research and they know this fact. ~~
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The oblivious Eddie vibes were strong in this ep. While we got the background story for his disbelief in the supernatural, it also generally demonstrated that Eddie doesn’t tend to believe in that which he can’t see with his own eyes. He needs palpable proof, and neither emotions nor their significance can be proven that way, which might explain why he keeps missing the signs regarding what he and Buck really have. ~~
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Something that got to me (and can also be counted in the “oblivious Eddie” column) was Felisa telling him that Alexis is all she has. As Eddie suspects this assistant of wrongdoing, he will later in the ep tell Felisa he knows Alexis is the only one she feels she can count on. It was just really loud to me, Eddie can try and talk to Felisa about what this means because he knows exactly what it’s like to have someone like that, Buck. So the subtext parallels Alexis with Buck, which means I was watching with interest to see what will we discover about this assistant? Even though everything seemed to point to her being guilty, if she was subtly paralleled with Buck, I was pretty convinced it would turn out she wasn’t the one hurting Felisa. I loved finding out that this ended up being the case. And I also thought it was interesting that in this context, Eddie brings up the tsunami in the ep’s last scene. The only way he thinks he can turn this woman’s POV around is to give Chris as an example. And that is exactly what he was doing for Buck as well, in 301. Not to mention, Buck embraced the insight Eddie was offering him during his chat with Chris in 302. Even in terms of the character’s name (yes, the name geek is about to strike again), Felisa comes from the Spanish version of the Roman name Felix, which means “lucky,” but also “happy” (for example, ‘felix finis’ means “happy ending” in Latin), and who do we know who’s been on a quest to find his happiness this season? This ep might not have been Buddie heavy in the text itself, but Buck was there, between the lines of Eddie’s storyline, the whole time.
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(apologies for my own inferior gifs for this one section of the post) ~~
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And that can also be seen in the moment when Eddie expresses his notion that he’s starting to think he might be the one who’s cursed. It’s the dramatic turn point in that arc and, despite Hen and Chim being the ones more closely associated for most of the ep with the whole thing (the ones who talk to Eddie about it, expresses their fear and superstition, trying to keep a distance from the bracelet), it’s Buck that Eddie says those words to. That’s the show telling us it recognizes that everything has more potency when it’s between those two. Plus, it’s also a reminder that even in the middle of his own trouble with his sperm donation, Buck will always check in on Eddie. ‘Coz that’s just how soulmates roll.
~~ Thank you to anyone reblogging! Y’all give me life. And for any show of support. I also wanna thank wholeheartedly @whosoldherout​, who not only produced fabulous gifs for this meta as always, she did so while dealing with some stuff, and I just want you to know you’re a hero! xoxox
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velvetshirtnumber3 · 2 months
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I want to go back to the scene in Episode One where Tee and White were kissing and we see the masked figure's hand touch Tee.
I find the scene very interesting for a couple reasons. First of all, I think it strongly indicates that the masked figure is in some part supernatural. I don't think it would be possible for a masked figure to just walk up to them, stay there for a little while, and then leave/disappear somewhere if a living human was in the mask. They would have to notice in some way. Even though they are focused on each other and their eyes are closed, they would have at least heard something.
Second, the way the inclusion of the hand is solely for the audience's benefit. What I mean by that is, this scene is meant to show a couple different things, and one of those things is introducing the masked figure to the audience. This is the first time we see the masked figure in the present time with this group (or at least its hand). The opening sequence and the shots in the movie both belong to separate occasions that aren't a threat to the characters we are currently seeing. Meanwhile, us seeing the hand being close enough to touch Tee and for neither Tee nor White to notice is disturbing because the masked figure has been introduced to the present-time in a threatening but also subtle way. And the scene isn't really important for the characters, because White and Tee, regardless of what happens later in the show, aren't ever going to realize that the masked figure was there. They will never have any reason to believe the masked figure was there: Tee will assume White was lying about touching him, and White will assume Tee was referring to something else he was doing. It is overall inconsequential to their stories, so who it is really meant for is the audience.
This brings me to my third point, which is: who is the "narrator" of that scene? Whose point of view is it from? A lot of the way the show has been shot has served to give us the feeling that we not exactly in the "middle" of the story as we usually are, directly next to the characters as their lives play out), but on the outside looking in at the characters. I believe this scene, because of the hand, is one of these types of scenes. The scene isn't from Tee and White's point of view, we are not experiencing their characters actions and reactions what is happening alongside them, we are watching things happen TO them. I would argue, so is the masked figure. So is the scene the audience's point of view, or the masked figure's?
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sleepingpopplio · 1 year
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Izuku Midoriya and confronting a complicated past— an analysis
With the upcoming arc in the anime about to come after next week’s episode, I think that it’s important to talk about Izuku as a character, and everything that has led him to this moment and this particular arc in the series. While there is a lot going on in that Kid’s head, most of the things that directly cause Deku to act the way he does during his vigilante time has been left unsaid and up to the reader to pick up on. This could be seen as sloppy writing, but it could also be seen as a great use of subtlety to create a slow downward spiral for our protagonist that can be incredibly rewarding for readers who take the time to do some extra sleuthing. So before the arc begins, and before the inevitable controversy on whether or not the arc was rushed or came out of nowhere, how about we take a close look at Izuku Midoriya as a character and his depth that is often ignored. Let’s take a peek at how his entire arc is filled with tragedy, hope, and the importance of confronting one’s past. Sit back, grab a snack, and enjoy my first in depth BNHA analysis where I hope to give manga readers who are currently watching the anime some added perspective. Also disclaimer: I love all the characters in this series and will not be bashing on any of them, as I feel as though it would be undermining the messages of the story and the depth of the characters. Nothing I say is meant to be putting down any characters and I am not blaming any single character for Izuku’s struggles. All fans of any characters are safe and welcome to enjoy this.
At the beginning of the series during the very first line from our protagonist, which is something that is supposed to help the audience understand the type of story they are about to read— Izuku says “people are not born equal”. He also states that he learned that fact at the young age of four years old. From the very beginning, Deku was made to believe that he is less than everyone else. Less than those with quirks, and therefore less of a human. Quirks, literally translated from Japanese, mean individuality. To be quirkless, in the eyes of MHA’s society, is to be without a soul. Or at least, that is what can be understood by a small child who simply wants to belong. Therefore, deku internalizes form a young age that he inherently has less value as a quirkless boy, and such internalizing severely damages his perception of himself for the rest of the series. He’s a useless deku that does not have much to contribute. However, during the very same first scene we also see Izuku fighting back against the kids trying to beat him up. Despite the odds stacked against him, Izuku midoriya is determined to prove himself. He’s determined to prove to others, and to himself, that he has value. He is also determined to keep moving forward despite society seemingly turning him away. But children need time to process their emotions. They need time to learn and talk through the issues they’re facing. Izuku does not do that. He keeps fighting, he keeps wanting to be a hero, but he doesn’t talk to any adult around him about how he feels. He doesn’t get told that he is perfect the way he is, or that he doesn’t have to prove anything. What happens when such insecurities and trauma are not given the space to heal at an early age? Well let’s move forward a few years…
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When Deku meets all might, and demonstrates his innate and pure heroism when he runs to save Bakugo from the sludge villain, he is offered a once an a lifetime chance: One For All. He is told that he can become a hero, and is aided in training to use the quirk and get into UA. By this point, Izuku’s self esteem issues that stemmed from his childhood and the the perception of quirklessness that was placed upon him by the world around him have only grown. He wants to be a hero, but he also has become quiet and reserved, as he thinks of himself more as an afterthought. He wants to help people, because he cares and he is a kind hearted individual, but also because he want to be useful. He has to be a useful hero, but how? The quirk of One For All thus represents a way to be useful in the way that Izuku thinks is correct, which is by being a quirked individual. So what happens when you give a kid with extreme self esteem issues, and who views himself as flawed for simply being himself, a very powerful quirk along side the opportunity to become a hero? That child latched onto the quirk like a lifeline. They have to make good use of their new quirk; they have to utilize the blessing granted to them or else they will remain useless and will be left behind. Izuku will work hard to earn his quirk because he feels as though he is unworthy, even though he already proved himself the second that his body moved on its own. Therefore, the second Izuku is given his quirk, he begins the cycle of using it as an unhealthy coping mechanism and source of validation. He is more hopeful than ever when given the quirk, but his unhealthy mindset is also given the power to run rampant. This is the story of a boy becoming the greatest hero he says, so early on in the series, but it also of a boy desperately trying to become more than he currently is, for better and for worse.
This then leads to the beginning of his time at UA, where Izuku, in addition to clinging onto his quirk as a replacement for his self esteem, begins reclaiming the meaning of his nickname Deku. “Deku is the name of a hero” he declares, and while taking back the power from his former bully and standing up for himself is an incredibly uplifting moment or Izuku in the beginning of the manga, there is another side of the coin that is the reclamation of Deku. Izuku Midoriya feels as though he has to be the new, hero Deku, or else there is nothing else worthwhile about him. He has to prove himself as a true hero or else he’ll have to go back to the old, useless Deku…He’ll forever be left behind. So, he breaks himself. Over, and over, and over again. The hero named Deku breaks his limbs time and time again, because if he doesn’t push himself to the brink, then he hasn’t done enough, and therefore he has failed the quirk that he was blessed with and failed the people who have helped him. The sentiment that he needs to hurt himself, or even nearly get himself killed, is incredibly concerning and could even be seen as suicidal ideology. Furthermore, this ideology creates an intense fear that follows Izuku wherever he goes, and even causes him to blame himself in scenarios where it’s not his fault at all, such as the summer camp arc where he was nearly killed by muscular, yet still beats himself up over Bakugo’s capture.
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Another development that occurs at the beginning of Izuku’s time at UA is the start of an insurmountable amount of pressure being placed on his shoulders. When Izuku first received One For All, he was told that he could use the quirk to achieve his dreams of being a hero. He knew nothing of its past, and was given no indication that he had to live up to it. Yet, during the tournament arc Allmight begins mentioning the idea of Izuku becoming the next symbol of peace. While an honor to have, being the number one hero and an international symbol was not what Izuku, a fourteen year old kid at the time of the sludge villian attack, signed up for. Yet, he takes on the responsibility with a nervous smile on his face, and the shadow of all might begins following him. Next, he learned about the horrifying figure that is All For One, and Izuku is told that he may have to fight him one day; He may have to fight someone that he had previously thought to be nothing more than an urban legend. The child who wanted to become a hero now has to be prepared to fight the demon lord. Moreover, these revelations begin the process of Izuku placing more and more pressure on himself to be the best hero possible. He cannot afford to make a mistake. He cannot afford to be useless, because the legacy of One For All demands that he be exceptional. Afterall, he’s the ninth user. Do the wants of Izuku Midoriya really matter more than the fate of the world?
During all of this, Izuku slowly becomes more comfortable with his quirk, and grows in confidence. He truly becomes equals with Bakugo and works with him to mend their relationship, and he also develops his shoot style in an effort to move away from imitating All might. These things are all possible development for Izuku’s character and also gradually take place as the series goes on. After so many years of being quiet, he finally opens himself up again; He opens himself up to love from his peers, and opens himself up to new experiences. He also becomes more willing to talk back to others, as demonstrated by his attitude towards Endeavor, and later his more frequent and friendly banter with Bakugo. However, the self esteem issues and insecurities never go away, and Deku still breaks himself every chance he gets. The pressure also still continues to build as Allmight retires, and Izuku becomes truly trapped in his role as the successor. He accepts his role, and is happy to be serving others, but Allmight’s retirement leaves a void that Izuku feels as though there is no one else left to fill but himself. There’s no backing out now, and Izuku’s quirk development now has to speed up or else he will never be able to fill that void. He also witnesses the might of All For One in person, and the nightmare of him having to face the demon lord becomes even more of a reality. Through all of this, Izuku still refuses to talk about his feelings with his peers or the adults around him, and instead he decides to keep marching forward without taking any time to let himself, or his mind, rest. The only sliver of hope for Izuku’s mental well-being is the fact that he still allows himself to cry. Therefore, the shadow of responsibility that followed Izuku morphs into a massive weight on his shoulders that helps to steer his development backwards and into character regression.
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Izuku’s mental health then takes a turn for the worst after the Overhaul arc, which was also a turning point for the series with its dark tone. As Izuku sees for himself the real horrors of the criminal underground, he once again blames himself for Eri’s circumstances and his inability to save someone. Through this experience, Izuku becomes so entrenched in the idea of becoming the perfect hero that he even begins denying himself the right to cry. He says that “heroes don’t cry”, and other characters such as Todoroki are shocked at the statement by their friend. Crying was one of Deku’s last healthy coping mechanisms, and he loses that too. Nighteye’s death cements this fact, as it is actually the last time that Deku sincerely cries in series, before the end of vigilante arc. All other times that he cries moving forward form this point are played off as gags, and thus Izuku represses his emotions to an extent that is even foreign to him, as someone who has been suppressing his emotions since he was a small child. It should also be noted that this arc highlight’s Deku’s uncertainty as a holder of One For All. This shows that no matter how much Deku’s confidence improves, he will continuously view himself as not good enough and fear the return of the former “useless” Deku. In addition, the overhaul arc also highlights Izuku’s loss of innocence. As I said before, Izuku is exposed to the true cruelties & horrors of the villian underground, but this development is not new. Dating back to the Stain arc, Izuku has been gradually losing more and more of his innocence. Even when he endured a very difficult childhood, Deku was at least able to told onto hope and be optimistic for the future, but being thrusted into the world of heroes takes the bright eyes boy and chips away at his soul. He keeps going, because as always he refuses to give himself time to heal, but the Izuku at the end of the Overhaul arc is not the same person as we was when he first enrolled in UA, and he never will be again. The fear, responsibility, and loss of innocence all culminate to send the mental health of Izuku Midoriya into a free fall, but he would never admit it. Instead, he keeps on smiling.
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We are getting close to the vigilante arc (I hope you’ve been enjoying this so far!), but one final significant development in Izuku’s mental state occurs during the Class 1-A and Class 2-A training session, where he is once again given responsibilities that he never asked for. At this point, Izuku’s confidence has grown exponentially, but on further inspection much of that confidence seems to be misplaced. You see, while Izuku becomes extremely confident in his use of One For All, he still remains insecure about himself as an individual. He still lives in fear of being useless, and constantly needs to prove himself. This is because Izuku Midoriya the individual is being slowly left behind, while the Deku the hero becomes comfortable with his quirk because if he can’t master his quirk then he has nothing. He is nothing… Then Blackwhip appears, and Izuku has to relearn his quirk even though he had already been working fro months to get to to the place he’s currently at. It feels like a slap to the face, but now that Izuku has now more formally met the vestiges, he’s given no choice but to accept his new quirks in addition to his role in “completing One For All,” as The 1st user puts it. Izuku Midoriya fades even more, the incredible amount of responsibility grows even more, and the hero Deku sees himself as nothing else but the ninth holder. Most of this understanding of Izuku’s mental state is not actually spoken of out loud in the manga/anime, but the context clues of the events leading up to this moment (as shown by all the writing before this), Izuku’s facial expressions, and the events afterward help strip away the smile that Izuku is so determined to keep on his face almost the entire arc and show high Izuku’s walls have grown around his internal anguish. Therefore, the metaphorical vault shown that Izuku uses to lock away his quirks is also used to lock away his emotions once and for all. The only leak in this facade that we have until the end of the vigilante arc is…
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Izuku’s character regression has already been set in stone by the time the war arc comes around, but what is important to note is how his repressed emotions manifest in the form of his intense rage. We’ve seen this before, with how Izuku becomes incredibly intimidating and unhinged during his fights with villains such as Muscular and Stain. All For One’s theme even plays in the anime as Izuku fights Overhaul to represent how monstrous he is int eh eyes of villains during battle. The difference during this arc is that other characters are finally catching on to just how toxic Izuku’s ideology has become. Bakugo in particular takes takes note of just how not ok it is for Izuku to not take himself into account, and shows visible concern while Izuku fights with Shigaraki in the air. Not only is Izuku being destructive to himself, but he also lashes out so harshly that is seems though he intends to kill Shigaraki in the moment. But to Izuku, he has no other choice. He is Deku, a hero, and the Deku who always does his best. Deku himself veery clearly states during this arc that he will no longer be the useless deku, and with that statement he resolves to kill the remnants of Izuku Midoriya, the quirkiness kid with bright eyes, himself. He cannot afford to be useless. He refuses. He will kill himself during this fight with Shigaraki if that’s what it takes to be a hero who saves everyone and a hero who is worthy of being the ninth holder of one for all. Finally, everything has come full circle, and the name Deku starts as something negative, then is given hope to become something positive, but then once again becomes a toxic image within Izuku’s life. That is why it is so important when Izuku is called by his first name in the vigilante arc— because Izuku Midoriya, both the quirkiness child and the current person, are deserving of love and have value beyond their quirk. Izuku is more than One For All, but unfortunately all of his repressed emotions that have been highlighted throughout this entire analysis have to explode out of him in order for him to heal. In addition, Deku and the repression of his emotions has led him to push everyone else away, even back when he was smiling nonstop. The war arc simply showcases ho bad that seclusion has gotten, and that when it comes down to it Deku will purposely exclude his peers in order to suffer alone.
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Izuku, in the vigilante arc, will simply be the ninth holder of One For All, whose only purpose and value lies in defeating All For One himself. Furthermore, at the center of this entire discussion, is the fact that Izuku is afraid of his past. All of his self esteem issues come from such a young age, and yet he does not know what else to do besides run from it. Izuku Midoriya is a character that is so defined by his past, yet is so desperate to escape it. Therefore, he will need to be reminded by his loved ones that the cycle of trauma that he has endured throughout his life does not have to continue. He can choose his own way. He is not shackled by his past, and thus healing is possible. It’s not too late, and all he needs is his friends to remind him of why he is loved for his heart, and not his quirk. Therefore there is no singular character that got through to Deku. All of 1-A saved the boy who was so desperate to save anyone but himself.
With that said…
Deku’s entire arc throughout the series leading up to the vigilante arc has been filled with regression, in the sense that the heros around him place more and more pressure on him to the point that he does not consider himself human, but rather a tool that has no value outside of One For All. This is the story of a boy that becomes the greatest hero, but also of a boy that was stripped of his innocence and beaten down by a system that rejected him since the beginning, yet he still dreamed of being a part of. The entire vigilante/villain hunt arc brings together all of the pent up pain and self-loathing that has been following him since the beginning of the series, and shows how everything that he’s been hiding has finally caught up to him. The pain and trauma that we see from Izuku in this arc was always there, and all it took was the war arc to trigger it to come forward. In conclusion, Izuku Midoriya is an extremely complicated character who has been on a fascinating downward spiral since the beginning of the series, and if readers can take the time to see how he got to where he is, then maybe we can at least better understand the context behind the vigilante/villain hunt arc, and the complexity behind My Hero Academia’s protagonist.
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Credit to @mettywiththenotes for having the post that inspired this essay, and that I originally had the conclusion of this analysis posted under as a reblog. Also credit to @pikahlua’s mha discord server that I’m in for encouraging me to write this!!!
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i-heart-hxh · 8 months
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You've mentioned a few times that the CAA is your favorite arc, and I'd love to hear you wax on about why that is! Since it's so....controversial amongst fans, it seems. Or, alternatively, you could wax on about your *least* favorite arc and why! I very much enjoy hearing your hxh meta, no matter what lol
Thanks so much for asking! It's hard to summarize all of the many reasons why I love Chimera Ant Arc, but I'd love to go on and on about it for a while nonetheless and maybe people will get something out of what I have to say!
(I actually don't think I'd have much to say about a least favorite arc, as I've re-watched/re-read I've found reasons to love all the arcs and I think the series works so well as a whole that it's gotten harder for me to single out any particular arc as a least favorite.)
I can understand why CAA is controversial to a degree. I think for a lot of shounen anime fans in particular, it's a difficult pill to swallow--it's long, it's complex, the focus isn't always on the main characters, and I'd actually agree that there are points where it gets overly dragged out and could have used some editing (especially in the anime, as much as I love it). It also goes in a lot of directions that aren't what one might expect watching it for the first time, which is actually one of the things I love most about it.
Togashi toys with shounen tropes and expectations from the very beginning of the series, but CAA is where that aspect of the series starts to get more intense and pointed. If you look at Yu Yu Hakusho and read interviews about it with Togashi, it seems he was dissatisfied with having to stick to the usual shounen formula (particularly in the Chapter Black arc, where you can almost see the editors forcing him to tone it down and telling him what he can and cannot do, removing his authorial autonomy). He has stated that he wanted to deconstruct the characters towards the end of Yu Yu Hakusho, but he was told he could not by his editors. I think this was deeply disappointing to him, especially with his health seriously dwindling at that time due to overwork.
When he created HxH, I believe he did so with the intention to build a series where he could initially follow a familiar battle shounen formula (albeit with clever twists from the very beginning), only to later use the series as a vehicle to comment on that very formula and then give himself far more freedom to pivot between different genres and switch focus as much as he wanted.
Here are just a few of the many, many ways CAA directly contradicts the audience expectations from a shounen series:
Gon (protagonist) and Merum (antagonist) never battle one another--in fact, they don't even speak to each other once
As the arc goes on, the human side of the war increasingly expresses negative sides of humanity (selfishness, pride, revenge, etc.) while the ant side increasingly expresses more noble aspects of humanity (loyalty, kindness, self-improvement, etc.), which of course makes it morally complex and there isn't just one "side" to root for
Gon's big power up is horrifying, tragic, brutal, and self-destructive instead of glorious
Netero ultimately defends humanity using a dirty trick instead of his own hard-won battle prowess
Meruem finds his reason for living in a disabled, physically weak girl, and the way he dies centers around spending his time with her rather than in any battle or involving himself in what the protagonists are doing
Gon is unable to save Kite despite "winning" (of course, Kite does make it ultimately, but not due to anything Gon did)
Gon and Killua's friendship and mental health are deeply affected by the things they go through in this arc--the "power of friendship" isn't enough to make everything turn out okay (at least not in the short term)
It is often the genuine kindness and mercy of the characters that makes the biggest difference in this arc, and those kindnesses are ultimately what changes the trajectory of the story
This is by no means an exhaustive list nor am I expressing it as well as it deserves, but I love how CAA intentionally subverts what the audience expects from it, but at the same time it also tells an emotionally engaging, intense, thoughtful, and beautiful story. I love how much of what happens in Chimera Ant arc involves themes and ideas Togashi had been subtly building on through much of the series, like Gon's risk-taking behavior and his issues with guilt and self-esteem, Killua's painful devotion to Gon, the idea of having to make great sacrifices in order to obtain great power (like Kurapika's nen contract prior), the idea that one's entire life can change when you meet one person, the idea of second chances...
The parallels between multiple characters and the way themes repeat and are interwoven into the story are breathtakingly brilliant in my opinion--I've gone through CAA so many times and I've read and written tons of meta about it, and yet it feels like I'm constantly discovering or realizing some aspect of it that I had missed or didn't consider.
I love what Togashi has to say through this arc about the transformative power of love and the different sides of humanity.
And on a more personal level, I adore the intensity of Gon and Killua's relationship in this arc and all the love and angst between them, the fact that the Meruem and Komugi scene made me sob multiple times even after I had already seen it before, how beautiful and filled with heart the anime production is for this arc even if the pacing is a little rough at times (the animation, voice acting, and soundtrack are top-notch), and the character development of Meruem and his Royal Guard. To me, CAA was what turned the series from something enjoyable and well-done to an absolute masterpiece. I love that you can go back through the series from the beginning and see the subtle ways it was building towards CAA as well--for me, it elevated the entire series because knowing what it's heading towards changed my perception of everything leading up it as well.
I could say so much more and I'm tempted to, but I think this a good summary of what I love about it at least. Thank you so much for asking me and giving me a chance to talk about what makes this my favorite arc!
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linasofia · 1 year
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A Shooting Star
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Part 7
Fandom: The Hobbit
Relationship: Thorin Oakenshield x OC Vega
Summary: Lady Vega loves to sneak out to Erebor’s rampart to study the night sky, but one night, an unexpected visitor joins her. It is the beginning of a story whose end only the stars can tell.
A/N: This is the final chapter. You can find all previous chapters in my masterlist.
Special thanks to @lathalea & @legolasbadass 💙💙
Khuzdul: Thutratur - Little star
The servant’s rapid knock on the door pulled Thorin’s thoughts from the large scroll in his hand. Endless rows of runes seemed to dance before his eyes, and he gently rubbed his temples. The soothing gesture caused his braids to sway, and Thorin glanced at the mug on the table. Its hay-color content was cold and far less pleasant than it usually was when freshly brewed. Once again, he had stayed at his desk too late and missed the planned meal, and it seemed as if the evening would not end soon.
”Enter!” he barked, and the door instantly opened.
”Lord Vimar requests an unannounced audience, My King.” The young servant looked nervously at his king. He did not like to disturb him, but the elderly lord was very persistent.
Thorin sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. ”Let him in.”
Lord Vimar entered with his chin held high and greeted Thorin respectfully yet in significantly fewer words than usual. As custom required, Thorin offered him a seat, but his advisor politely declined.
”What brings my advisor here, at this hour? Is there an emergency at some building site?” Thorin knew exactly why Lord Vimar had come, but he would not reveal that. It was no coincidence the elderly dwarf stood in front of him, and Thorin thought of Vega and how she might have told the news to her parents.
”I come here not as your advisor, My King. The reason for my sudden visit is only of a personal nature, as you might have already guessed—if what I learned tonight is true.”
Thorin passively watched his visitor. Lord Vimar held his gaze steadily; his back was straighter than usual, and his jaw was set. He looked more determined than angry, and an unfamiliar spark was lit in his eyes. Thorin realized he saw a rare glimpse of his advisor caught in his emotions. Lord Vimar had never been a warrior, but like all dwarves, he knew how to handle an axe or sword—if he deemed it necessary. The silver-bearded dwarf had no weapon in his hand, but his proud bearing spoke a language of its own.
”Let me hear it then.” Thorin held his voice even, the same tone he sometimes used when the progress of a negotiation was unclear. It expressed neither emotions nor opinions and was often considered an impressive self-control by his top negotiators.
”I will go directly to the point.” Lord Vimar took a deep, shaky breath and exposed a small crack in the shield of his calm. Thorin knew what was coming but did nothing to encourage him. ”Vega claims you have asked her to court her, My King.”
”That is true,” Thorin confirmed without even the slightest hesitation.
”As her father, I always worry for her safety. Being a brother and uncle yourself, I am sure I don’t need to explain to you that her safety is the most important thing to me.” His forehead turned red. ”I am not insinuating that she would not be safe with you, My King, but my daughter was raised to think and speak for herself. And believe me when I say that she does.” Lord Vimar hesitated before he continued. ”I need your word—I need to know that you will treat her like the rare gem she truly is and not try to force her into something she is not. If you are in need of an obedient maiden who can give you an heir—”
Thorin raised his hand, and the kingly gesture instantly silenced his visitor. A less understanding king would have been deeply offended by his subjects' last words, but Thorin let it pass. He was not interested in starting an argument with Vega’s father, especially not so early in their relationship. The truth was he had not even considered the possibility of having children. Those thoughts were far beyond the horizon of his imagination. He already had two heirs in his sister-sons, one of them ready to step in when it was time for Thorin to unite with his father and grandfather in the great Halls of Mahal.
”Lord Vimar, your concern for Vega is understandable, and I will give you credit for having the courage to come and see me. But let me assure you, your daughter’s brilliant ability to think and speak are some of the things I value the most. It will not change over time.” Thorin refrained from lecturing Lord Vimar for implying he, the king, could take a less interesting woman to his side. The strong feelings between him and Vega could only be described as a true blessing. Only death would be able to tear them apart—of this, Thorin was certain, but he saved those words for Vega and instead offered a stiff nod for her father, who seemed to hesitate again. Maybe he wanted to say more but understood he would step over the thin line he already walked close to. He nodded back.
”Was there anything else?”
”Thank you, My King, for allowing me to speak from my heart. Only one more thing. Vega does not know that I am here. Maybe it’s for the better if she remains unaware.”
”Good night, Lord Vimar,” Thorin said firmly and turned his attention back to the scroll on his desk, marking the end of their conversation. He would make no such promises. Secrets between Vega and him could only lead to bad events happening. Enough foul things had occured in his life; he needed no more. Vega was his thutratur, and her light was bright enough to guide him out of the constant darkness that had clouded his heart ever since the dreadful day in the valley of Azanulbizar.
The door shut with a thud, and Thorin was alone again. Like so often, the thought of Vega made it hard for him to focus on the task at hand. From the moment they first met, her emerald eyes had enchanted him, and now, after their shared kisses the previous evening, her lips and the way she reacted to his hand's gentle exploration of her curves made him desire her even more. She belonged in his arms, and he swore again to protect and cherish her for as long as he lived.
Lord Vimar wandered through the halls of Erebor, pondering his outburst towards Vega. The more he thought about it, the less he could defend his reaction. His dear wife was right, of course, as she so often was when it came to matters of the heart. If the king and his daughter were meant to be together, nothing could tear their hearts apart. Not even a father’s overprotective behavior. And Vega was right, too; he wanted to see her wed. He knew he was supposed to feel nothing but happiness for her, and he would have—if it were not for the old rumors about the king’s love for gold. Being part of the past, Lord Vimar had never really cared about them before, but now they made him worried. When Lord Vimar first came to Erebor, the king had recently recovered from two battles. One was against a huge army of enemies—the other against his own mind. Both incidents were said to have almost claimed his life, but in different ways. Lord Vimar trusted the king and would follow him through the wilderness again, but he feared what would happen if the king suddenly looked at his daughter the same way he used to obsessively admire the Arkenstone. Would her love then be enough to prevent a disaster between them? Lord Vimar sighed. The king had been nothing but fair since they started to rebuild Erebor, and many years had passed since then. Now he was the one being unfair. King Thorin had proved his value as the rightful ruler of Erebor, and the Mountain had become prosperous in trade with other realms and a safe home for all dwarves living within its walls. Lord Vimar pushed his doubts to the side and decided to focus on making things right with Vega. He hoped she would accept his apology.
***
”May I come in?”
At the sound of her father’s gentle voice, Vega looked up from the captivating book she was reading. She was tempted to say no; she had no wish to deal with his temper more tonight. But his voice sounded very different, and it made her curious.
”You may,” she answered and watched the door slowly open. Her father closed the door carefully behind him, and she nodded for him to take a seat in the armchair opposite her. Vega placed the book on the small table between the armchairs and let her hands rest on her lap.
Lord Vimar gave his daughter a hesitant smile, but she did not return it. ”Vega…” he said. ”I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I had no right to yell at you, and I said unfair things. I was shocked by your… news, and I did not handle it well.” He paused and waited for her to speak, but Vega remained silent. ”Your happiness is very important to me, and even if you never asked me to approve of your choice, I want you to know that I fully do. The king is an honorable dwarf and I am happy for you. Despite my previous words.”
Vega watched her father as he spoke. She could not remember seeing him so regretful before, and when he stroked his beard, he looked older than usual. Shame rested heavily on his shoulders, like stone carried by workers from the mines beneath the Mountain. She could not bear to see him suffer under the weight of his conscience, so she leaned forward and took his hand. ”I accept your apology,” she said softly, and even if the regret in his eyes did not instantly disappear, it seemed to lighten his heart. His eyes were slowly filled with the same warmth as when she was a young girl and sat on his lap, with bruises and small cuts on her hands after playing on the slopes of the Blue Mountains. Her safety would always be important to him.
Lord Vimar left his daughter alone after another reassurance of his regrets, and she bid him good night with a smile and a gentle hug. Vega sighed deeply when she sat down to rest again. The day had indeed been eventful. She picked up her book and returned to the fascinating tale of a young raven who learned to fly despite lacking other birds to observe. Eventually, Vega lost track of time as she let the story capture her, and in her mind, she could clearly see the black bird and the prince on the bridge outside the main gate. They had the strongest friendship, formed by love and trust—the same pillars her parents had built their relationship on.
When her mother suddenly called for her, she sighed again. All she wanted was to be alone and read before going to bed. Her mother called again, sounding a bit rushed, and Vega stood from her comfortable seat and opened the door with a patient smile.
”Amad?”
”Vega! Did you not hear me the first time?” Lady Vanadis did not wait for Vega’s answer, and she could barely hide her excitement when she continued in a hushed voice, ”You have a visitor! I think you can guess who it is.”
Vega’s heart almost stopped. Thorin! Here? She was grateful for holding on to the door handle, or she would have stumbled out from her room far less gracefully than she intended. ”What does he want?”
”How would I know? He wanted to speak with you. I invited him to the gallery. That way you can have your privacy and nobody will question you for allowing the king into your private chamber.” Her mother’s conspiratorial smile warmed Vega from her neck up to the tip of her ears.
”How do I look?”
”Lovely as always. Come here,” Lady Vanadis reached for the small hairpin holding the courting braid secured and partly hidden among her other braids. The braid fell down on Vega’s shoulder, and she could vaguely feel Thorin’s clasp through the fabric. ”Do not hide something you are proud of. I am sure King Thorin is like most dwarves, he likes to see the braid he made for you. Not because you belong to him, but because you belong together.”
”Thank you.” Vega gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, grabbed her skirts and rushed to the gallery. Her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Thorin, and her expectations increased with every step.
The gallery was a spacious area and home to all family members’ interests. Everything from their large collection of books and Lord Vimar’s old maps to Lady Vanadis’ endless vases with dried flowers. It was maybe not the most coordinated collection of items, but all of them were unique, and they had a history to tell.
Thorin stood with his back to the door, watching an old painting Vega’s father brought from their home in the Blue Mountains. It had a few cracks in the paint, but Lord Vimar refused to have it restored. It reminded him of their journey, and he wanted the painting with its flaws. When Vega entered, Thorin quickly turned to greet her, and the smile on his face made all her tiredness disappear. In a few hasty steps, he stood before her and took her in his arms as if he had done it hundreds of times before. Vega’s hands landed on his firm shoulders, and she knew she would never get tired of the feeling of his body against hers. How she wished she was allowed to peel off his tunic and admire what he hid underneath, but courting meant respectful and decent meetings, even if she was told many dwarves secretly skipped the old traditions. She had to be patient; she did not yet know how traditional Thorin wished their courting to be. He was the king, after all, not a simple blacksmith, and as such, he was expected to lead by example in all situations. Even if she tried not to think too much about that, she could not help wondering how different it would have been if Thorin was someone less powerful.
”What brings you here, Thorin? Is everything alright?”
”Everything is fine, I just came to steal a kiss or two, if you do not mind.” He smiled even wider as he confessed, and it made her giggle.
”I will never mind such delightful initiatives.” Vega wrapped her arms around his neck and let his intoxicating scent surround her. The blue tunic he wore was cut in a way that allowed her to admire some of that dark chest hair she had noticed several times before. She wondered if Thorin did it on purpose; that look on him was absolutely irresistible, and once again, she felt heat rush to her cheeks—and her core. Thorin held her close while he bent down and placed a kiss on her lips.
”I missed you, thutratur,” he murmured with a voice so deep it made Vega tremble. ”Far more than I can express in words.” One of his large hands gently caressed her lower back as he spoke, and the innocent—yet sensual—touch made her melt in his embrace, like a small piece of gold placed in one of the massive furnaces below the Mountain. Unable to stop herself, Vega kissed him back without any concerns for decency. He tasted so good, and his warm breath blended with hers when he groaned and pulled her even closer to him. In his arms, time ceased to exist, and all she could think of was his exploring lips and the blooming feelings in her chest. Suddenly, his fingers were at the back of her neck, teasing her skin and carefully caressing her braids. He did it with such longing in his touch it made Vega yearn for the moment when he would slowly and carefully unbraid her hair.
”I missed you too,” Vega whispered truthfully when they eventually broke the kiss. She never expected her heart to beat so strongly for another dwarf, and it was almost frightening.
”I am glad I was able to see you, if only for a short time. The hour is too late, and I will leave soon, but I wanted to see you and make sure you are alright.”
”And I am both glad and still surprised you came,” Vega replied.
”Vega,” Thorin suddenly sounded serious. ”I hope I made my feelings clear last night. I meant every word I said, but if you have any doubt about my intentions, I will repeat them every day, for as long as necessary.”
”I have no reason to doubt you, Thorin.” Something in his eyes made Vega tilt her head and study him for a short while. ”Why do you say this?”
Thorin took one of her hands in his and held it against his chest. Then he rested his forehead briefly against Vega’s. ”You already know me well enough to understand when there is more to my words than I speak.” He gave her an affectionate smile. ”Your father came to see me today. He expressed concern for my intentions with you and before you say anything about it I want you to know that it was all right. I see a father’s love, nothing else.”
Vega blushed. She never expected such actions from her father, but she quickly realized his change and apology were direct results of his and Thorin’s meeting. She wondered what was said but refrained from questioning Thorin about it.
”Alright,” Vega answered simply, trusting Thorin to speak if there was more she needed to know. But he did not. Instead, he cupped her face with both his hands and held her tenderly.
”My heart belongs to you,” Thorin spoke softly and let one of his thumbs caress her cheek. His warm gaze etched itself in her memory forever, and she knew in her heart he was speaking the truth.
”Just as my heart is yours, Thorin,” Vega answered and was instantly rewarded with another kiss, filled with all the promises Thorin wanted to speak of but held back to not rush their newly tied bond. Joy had returned to his heart, and he was beyond grateful. No stars were present to witness their declarations of love, but high above the Mountain, another fading light fell over the evening sky. This time, neither Thorin nor Vega was on the rampart to see it, but Thorin needed no shooting star to guide him. His light was right in front of him, wearing his clasp and looking even more gorgeous than she did the first time they met. Their future journey might be written in the stars, but a bond as strong as theirs cannot be broken. Ever.
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alatabouleau · 7 months
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Why the Beach divorce is unfixable (and why it doesn't work in Good Omens 2)
I think we can all agree that XMFC is a ...~flawed~ movie. I mean, I could write long, long posts about the inherent sexism and racist implications. But today, I want to talk about one thing that actually worked. That made so much sense and hit so hard, it single-handedly saved the whole film for me. Something that I've seen come up recently, again, under the cherik-tag because of another fandom and show. Where something very similar happens, only that in this case, it doesn't work at all.
(if you haven't watched GO S2 yet, spoilers. Also, if you enjoyed the second season, good for you, but this post is going to be highly critical of it. Gotta be my last post about that, since I believe in getting it out of your system but not continually spreading negativity and holding a grudge.)
So, with this post, I would like to dissect *why*: What makes the Beach Divorce (TM) in First Class work so well is its preparation in the previous events of that film and even before that. The thing about First Class is, while not being the perfect prequel timeline-wise with the previous motives of the first X-Men-trilogy, it still works *because* it is a prequel. At least the very specific part about Professor X and Magneto. Because from the start, when Charles pulls Erik out of the ocean, we, the informed audience, know how it's going to end. But for some moments you tend to forget, when they go on a trip to recruit mutants, training them, working so well together. And even when the small cracks are already visible in the way they discuss the issue of mutant integration into society, one could still hope that maybe this time, they'll find a way, settle their differences and keep building the future. Together. But it's still the same story. It's still the same characters. And both Erik and Charles could never change their core values. Their lives have already shaped them into who they are inherently, and they can't change what they do because they can't change what they *want*. Which is why the line "We want the same thing." - "Oh, I'm sorry my friend. But we do not." hits so hard. Because both is true. On a broader level, they *do* both want the same thing. A better future for mutantkind. Yet just as equally true is the fact that they will never want to choose the same path to get there.
To point it out directly, what makes the Beach Divorce (TM) so brilliantly devastating is that it makes 100% perfect sense for the two characters to behave that way. It makes sense that Erik, who sees someone he clearly cares for (loves) being shot, again!, can't initially accept that it's his fault. It makes sense for him, after taking an unimaginable amount of courage to make himself vulnerable in front of Charles, for the very first time on screen in front of ANYNONE mind you, laying down awkwardly but raw in its honesty how much this man in his arms means to him, to immediately close off and become cold again after being utterly rejected, in his PoV. It makes just as much sense for Charles who spent this movie trying to show Erik that there could be other ways to deal with issues than violence, would perceive how Erik takes on a helmet that cuts him off, kills a man while Charles is IN HIS HEAD, tries to kill "innocent" people and ultimately, shoots him, to conclude that his friend (love interest) has long since chosen a path where he could never follow him and therefore see choosing different sides (breaking up) as the only available option. And you can try to "fix" this. You can make up any scenario you can think of, and it still would play out like that because you can't change how each Erik and Charles perceive the world without changing inherently who they are as characters. That's what makes it so gut-wrenchingly tragic.
The whole tragedy of the tale of cherik is laid out in this one scene: That if the two of them looked into the mirror of erised, they'd see the same vision. Them being together and leading the mutant race in a bright future for them. But in reality, the means they choose to get to that end will never be compatible. Its tragedy defines itself through a subversion of the trope "Love on opposite sides". Because they *choose* to be that. It's not external circumstances that keep them from being together, it's their own values and convictions. Which is what keeps me so obsessed with these two, since that is so uniquely ~them~. So why do I think that this very similar scene, which I described as so brilliantly heartbreaking in one context, doesn't work for Good Omens 2? well... BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR *THESE* CHARACTERS! Because Crowley and Aziraphale are the exact opposite of Cherik. They too, may be a couple that finds itself on different sides, but in their case, that's entirely an external circumstance, while their internal values and convictions align almost perfectly (depending whether we talk book omens or S1GO). Because the core of Ineffable spouses ship is that they are on the same side when they shouldn't be. They have their orders to obey, they have their instructions to despise each other, but they simply don't care enough since They are more interested in earth (and each other) than their respective head offices. That's what makes them work as friends, as a couple, as a ship. So when season 2 pulled a beach divorce à la Cherik, I was mad and disappointed because for me, it tears apart what their relationship is all about. And I'm ok with that kind of sacrifice when it gives you something valuable narrative-wise, which it didn't. And I have no hope of season 3 paying off for that. There was just not a big enough reason for me to break off the backbone of the entire story. That it is possible for you to make your own choices and be with the people you want to be with even if an oppressive system tells you no. It just doesn't make sense.
(So yeah, does this post only exist because I tried to get my head off from the destruction of a very dear ship of mine but also not wanting to spoil anyone's fun, by scrolling through the cherik-tag on Tumblr instead of the good omens tags and seeing so many posts comparing these two scenes, thinking "can you escape this *anywhere* on this page?" while also getting annoyed since how I pointed out in this post, it doesn't work at all in the second context? Maybe. But that's just me. ;))
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chirpsythismorning · 2 years
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This whole “OOPS we forgot Will’s birthday” fiasco has led casual fans to conveniently refusing to read the subtext for Byler.
Like they can just write off all of it because I guess nothing means anything anymore now that the Duffer’s have admitted to forgetting something so easy to remember.
But what if that was the intention? Like we know the Duffer’s have this tendency to make Byler scenes readable from many different lens’. We see this in the way, that when we have a solid argument supporting endgame Byler, anti’s manage to come up with a long list of other possibilities, and I think the Duffer’s intend it that way.
They want the doubt of the ‘will they won’t they’, to last for as long as they can.
But then this also got me thinking about how I was convinced that them forgetting Will’s birthday was a lie. And how them jumping in right away to come up with this big elaborate story about how they’re going to retcon it, could have been a way for them to steer fans away from easily figuring where the story is going in s5.
Because plenty of us have seen evidence that there is footage that wasn’t used for s4, that is likely going to be used for s5. With Noah at the Rink-O-Mania location with his outfit he wore all of Vol 1-2, or that shot of him in his room looking out the window, or the actor for Lonnie attending the s4 table reading, or Noah wearing a harness???
These are things that could very well involve this concept of Will or maybe even Mike and El, being forced to readdress that day, which was in fact Will’s birthday, through some sort of vision from Vecna.
I know no one believes it’s possible that everyone forgot Will’s birthday within the story, or like why wouldn’t Will himself come out and admit it to remind people instead of suffering in silence?. But if Vol. 2 taught us anything, it’s that Will is the most selfless son of a bitch on the planet, and he would no doubt refrain from telling anyone if they all forgot.
This leads me to believe s5 will explore this conflict in the first two episodes, which are supposed to be set directly after the events of Vol. 2.
They’ve set up this situation, where Will is feeling as low as he can possibly feel, to the point where them forgetting his birthday is nothing compared to everything else going on, but it definitely adds to the pain he’s feeling. And they’ve also set up for everyone, Mike specifically to slowly become aware of all of these things that they forgot or glossed over.
Like we’ve been discussing how it’s inevitable that Mike is going to find out about Will’s feelings, but what about that in combination with him finding out he forgot Will’s birthday?
There’s going to be so many things piling up as amo to not only make Will’s suffering so blatant and heartbreaking, but for Mike to realize and be on the verge of a mental breakdown…
This is going to wreck Mike. And I’m convinced that they probably did have the intention to put this stuff in s4, but either ran out of time, or decided last minute they wanted Byler to be more subtle before going all in, either from Netflix themselves advising them to save it so they don’t lose viewers, or because they themselves knew this was the best decision. (Remember when 4x09 was said to be 2 and a half hours, but got cut to like 2 hours and 19 minutes a week before it premiered…?)
Why else does the s5 plot give us like 2 episodes worth of the s4 conflict continuing, only to have a time jump early mid season?? Like it’s clear that Mike’s realization is going to happen during this time and they’re saving it for when the audience only has one more round of tuning in.
Also, what I’m sort of scared of is what causes the time jump around 5x03 in the first place.
I’ve seen so many theories that Will’s costume in s1 was similar to Marty Mcfly’s, and how this season we see a similar costume with the plaid and long sleeve under, but without the vest.
Along with Will’s FUNKO POP touching his watch, we were talking about how there was this possibility that he could somehow travel back in time back to that day he went missing or he might sacrifice himself and change the course of the future by changing the past somehow, maybe by never being found?
We know the day he went missing is the same day that the upside down is stuck in. So time is important and it also has to do with Will most likely.
I know time travel is something a lot of fans don’t want for valid reasons, but I can’t think of anything else that would cause such a random time jump after they just had us stick with the Vol. 2 plot line for two episodes?
Unless maybe Will’s powers are addressed (if he even has them) and he somehow sacrifices himself to the past aka the upside down to save everyone.
This could also cause some conflict and tension if Mike just discovers Will’s feelings and the audience becomes abundantly clear that Mike returns those feelings, only to separate them and force us to end up right where we started with S1.
Although I hate the concept of Mike and Will being separated all season, it doesn’t necessarily have to be all season even, but I think this approach would create an undeniable appeal for everyone watching.
Did you miss Mike Wheeler from s1?? Well he’s back and he’s more himself than ever trying to get his best friend and now LOVE back.
Personally I love angst as long as it leads to a happy ending, and with how a lot of the cast have been talking about the ending of ST being beautiful and wonderful for YEARS and with the Duffer’s just admitting recently that they already have the last 30 minutes of the series finale well planned out… makes me think that all this pain and uncertainty is going to be worth it..
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dominantslasherking · 2 years
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Chucky with a dominant Male S/o
My Stories are meant for the much more mature audience, 18+
Backstory: Chucky falls into an obsessive type of love with Andy's adopted older brother which is you.
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"Andy, Andy, look at me!" You screamed at the boy, who just woke up from having nightmares muttering the name 'Chucky,' After the death of his and your mother he came to move in with you.
Andy told you it was his doll Chucky who killed her, but you had no idea since you weren't visiting at the house most times.
Considering he was so young, you assumed he replaced the unknown killer with a doll to make it seem less gruesome in his mind.
It has been three years since the death of your and Andy's mother, Andy was eleven at the moment. And he had repeated nightmares about his doll Chucky.
You truly did want to believe Andy, but it was so hard you weren't there, but you should have been. "I don't wanna lose you too." Andy whimpered out, clinging onto you for dear life.
"It's okay," You gently whispered in his ear soothingly, humming a small tune until he relaxed.
You broke out of his grasp and smiled at him as he slowly laid back down and looked at you, "Leave the night light on?" He muttered out. You turned on the rocket-shaped night light with a smile. "Ok, Get some good sleep for school in the morning." Placing a kiss on your little brother's head with a smile and started petting his hair before exiting the room.
Once you left the room and made sure there was a crack in the door which seemed out a dim light, you made your way to the kitchen and looked through the fridge.
"Man...I need to go shopping." Tilting your head towards the clock you grinned happily, "8:05, Hmm, the store closes at 9..." You rushed forward to the door and grabbed your keys.
You opened the front door and locked it behind you.
<<>>><<>>>><<>>><<>>>><<>>><<<<<>>>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>>>><>>>>><>
Charles tilted his sunglasses slightly down watching the woman in the store, who he was stalking of course pick out some things. "Excuse me, but do you know where the..peaches are?" Charles asked with a slight grin at the woman. "Of course, they should be down there, then turn left to the fresh food section!" The woman happily peeped out, gently pushing her red curly hair behind her.
"Have..I- Seen you before?" The woman muttered out in awe at his face, Charles let out a fake cough, "I just...seem to have a familiar face...hah.." Charles nearly grumbled out, he wanted to kill her, but since she saw his face up close she might spread rumors about seeing the famous serial killer lurking around even though he was supposed to be dead, he was also planning to kill her anyway so win, win.
"I guess so.." The woman warily spoke, "Well thank you.." Chucky gave a fake smile as he walked away from the woman the fake smile suddenly fell off his face and was replaced with a snarl.
Chucky wasn't looking where he was going as he was looking at the floor and imagining himself brutally killing the bitch. "What the hell-" Chucky growled out as he fell flat on his ass, his sunglasses falling off his face.
"Watch where you are going as-" The slasher spluttered on his words once he saw your face- why the fuck were you so handsome-!
"Sorry- I'm such an idiot here let me help you-" You suddenly bent down and held your veiny hand out. Chucky looked at your hand and smacked it away.
He suddenly stood up on his own and looked at you, "It's...fine..." Chucky seemed to be lost in thought while looking directly into your eyes. You awkwardly stood there and smiled at him.
"Well, I'm glad your alright, I'm going to finish my shopping then.." You spoke to him but he didn't even utter another word to your confusion.
Chucky suddenly started to hold back some laughs as a wide smile appeared on his face, his mind no longer lingering on the lady he was stalking but instead, you.
<>><<>>><<<<>>>>>>><>>>>><>><><><><><>>>>>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>>>
It was perfect other than the fact that he killed your mother and tried to kill your little brother, I mean Andy wouldn't recognize him in his human body right? A new addition to the family wouldn't hurt.
Chucky wanted to be yours, god the more he stalked you the more insane he got. He wanted you to press against him and claim him.
At first, he thought this feeling was just a want or a need to kill you and taint your handsome features with your own blood.
Even if he has to play nice with that little brat Andy, he doesn't care, he wants you, needs you, and he's going to have you, even if he has to play the bad guy.
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majorbaby · 8 months
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actually we are both SO lucky because tumblr wouldnt let me send the ask initially—I had to copy an earlier version and try sending it to myself several times to figure out what the error was. so i DO have an earlier copy of the ask—it was less clean so I'll add more fun colors to make it less of a pain to read. ANYWAY, IT IS AS FOLLOWS:
"THE GEORGE EPISODE...sorry this is gonna be a long ask, I hope you don't mind! I love that ep for personal reasons that have almost nothing to do w/ the episode itself, which is, I agree, aside from the social message of "don't be a bigot" (AND TRAPPERS SINGINGGGG) kind of mid!
but. i was re-watching it recently. and the scene where George comes out and then Father Mulcahy interrupts w/ the football and Hawkeye does a really bad throw, kind of caught my attention oddly.
I know the main purpose of the interaction is to wrap up the scene nicely, give Hawkeye a way to bounce off of George asking Hawk not to tell anybody abt him being A Homosexual. but it also directly connects Hawkeyes Comedic Sports Failure to George's Homosexuality and w/ the way that lack of aptitude in sports is considered a Gay Thing especially back in the day, the little voice in my head that loves looking for meaning in stories said: "This is a purposeful connection the writers are drawing between Hawkeye and George"
and then the rest of my brain kicked up and kicked in and kicked down the door and said "take a breather, you transexual bisexual. not everything is about intentional queercoding." and i was like yeah. fine. whatever. fine. alright.
and while I do kinda believe bisexual reading of Hawkeye is inevitable to any viewer who has ever given thoughtful consideration to how one man might want to touch another man, calling it coding in this scene might be a pretty dramatic stretch. i can't argue with that. sure.
BUT. i was working on a sewing project later and needed something light and easy to listen to, and i poked at the MASHMatters podcast and found they had an interview with one of the writers of that very episode—Gary Markowitz. [ep 71 if u want it]
AND. i have three interesting things to tell u i learned from that.
1) ORIGINALLY the ending of the episode was not going to be "Frank was hiding something embarrassing in HIS past TOO! He paid for his degree!" (Markowitz did not like this ending because he was like "are we really going to say that being gay is something in your past you Should be ashamed of?") but instead. Frank was going to get drunk and admit that there was an older family friend with a tattoo he really. really admired when he was younger. Admired the guy's muscles. Maybe. Sure, maybe he wanted to be him, but maybe...maybe he wanted...Something Else.
Obviously...I mean. I don't think I'd consider that a Diversity Win.
Honestly? In this one weird case maybe I agree with the censors that blackmailing Frank about paying for the answers to the test was kind of better. Esp with the idea that "the most homophobic people are the homosexuals themselves" being a particularly shitty trope.
and I think the explicit confirmation that Frank himself might have some homosexual tendencies might have overshadowed the single-ep-character, George, and come right around to being a "well its ok to bully the annoying homosexuals" message. which would already be a horrible message in an era where I think homosexuality itself was cause for disgust and irritation for many people. but. well. anyway.
2) MARKOWITZ MENTIONED THE RADAR AND HENRY BIT.
Markowitz said they intentionally included the monthly checkup bit to illustrate how, in a situation such as this, men are often very intimate with each other, putting themselves in vulnerable situations with other men, touching other men, already.
Like, sure the rest of the episode maybe you (a homophobic 1970s audience) are freaking out about a man wants to touch other men intimately, but you're totally okay and unbothered about this corporal getting so up in his C.O.'s business that he can see a little nativity scene in his ear?
He said they wanted to make it clear that homophobia is a silly stance to take when men are touching men for all sorts of reasons all the time in a setting like the military. Like. It is just naturally a kind of homosocial homosexual homoplatonic environment just on account of how homogenous the gender variance of any given environment is.
and I was like. whoa. hey. that's a lot more thought than I gave the writers credit for, and that's on me! I really like that scene even more now!
3) Apparently, when Markowitz and his writing partner (John W. Regier) submitted this (their first script to get accepted) idea to the usual MASH writers nobody was Thrilled about it. Like, it was Fine but they were in a friendly competition with All In The Family to tackle social issues, and so they were like "FINEEEEE i GUESSSS we'll talk about THE GAY ISSUE. since All In The Family Hasn't yet. WHATEVER."
which doesn't surprise me in the least given the show itself as well as the time it was made in, but does disappoint me a little.
ANYWAY!!!!!!!
So I took all this stuff and brought it with me when I started thinking about all the other little scenes in there—like when George pauses when Frank mentions The Pink Scourge before Frank clarifies that he means communists.
OR when Henry gets his nails done by the nurse he's sweet on—and asks with an easy familiarity for the buffing treatment. How she calls his hands beautiful, and he says he got them from his mother.
OR OR OR. the one where Hawkeye is painting that nurse's toes, and she says "wow you're really good at this" and then Radar comes over and ALSO says hawkeye is really good at painting toenails. and that scene is RIGHT before he throws the football really badly. and how THAT is followed by Mulcahy getting tackled by a bunch of other soldiers, so it's just a writhing mass of olive drab, men's bodies against men's bodies against men's bodies.
Perhaps it wasn't just to wrap up the scene, but also used just very very subtly reinforce that in some ways, Hawkeye is less of the Red Blooded American Icon of Masculinity than this Gay Soldier, who is begging to be sent back to the front lines to serve his country, despite being assaulted by his own unit—and then. maybe. Maybe the American Ideal Of Masculinity, commonly tied to football, to being in the military, etc, is itself...a little...Hm. You Know. Like when Radar opens the door to the shower while Hawk + Trap are in there, and a crowd outside starts clapping. I think that transexual bisexual impulse is getting the best of me maybe. anyway.
ANYWAY i hope this ask was enjoyable for you you and i thank you for reading it! Your analytical posts about MASH always give me a lot to think about and I find myself wanting to return some of that enjoyment back to you! "
postscript: thank u so much for posting ur thoughts despite the tumblr mayhem, i am eating them!!! slurping them up like a carton of noodles. packaging the rest in a little tupperware to save for later!!
ah thank you for re-submitting it! i couldn't remembering enough of it to summarize your points and do them justice.
... very very subtly reinforce that in some ways, Hawkeye is less of the Red Blooded American Icon of Masculinity than this Gay Soldier, who is begging to be sent back to the front lines to serve his country, despite being assaulted by his own unit—and then. maybe. Maybe the American Ideal Of Masculinity, commonly tied to football, to being in the military, etc, is itself...a little...Hm. You Know
I do think this is what is textually happening in several episodes of MASH, including in George. @marley-manson articulated it very well in a post that i am unable to locate at this time, where she stated that Hawkeye's "hmm" moments are about gender expression. moments that hold him up as something other than "Red Blooded American Icon of Masculinity."
there's lots of examples of this from early MASH but my favourite is this one from Yankee Doodle Doctor. runner up: Frank at some point @ HawkTrap "you-! you... guys!" HawkTrap: "we are notttt~"
totally valid to see that as lending itself well to a trans Hawkeye headcanon (although Trapper is the one following when they dance, not Hawkeye - and big lug that he is, Trapper also manages to subvert trad masculinity in his own masc way... ), but I really like it as is too - there's more than one way to be a man. you don't have to buy what traditional masculinity is selling you. you can be a lover, rather than a fighter.
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wondergotten-concepts · 4 months
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Chapter 0: The Pilot
Act l: Deja Vu
Next act <-
Reminder: This story has a bit deeper, but also has a slight horrors
[A scene starts with a black screen, a person having a conversation with his old friend, while the scene revealing and zoom slowly to show an old cabinet game in the corner]
[???#1]: “So Wacky, let me guess.. you're saying you had this dream about this ol’ race game over and over and… isn't that normal to you?”
[???#2]: “No, not at all. I kept thinking about that ol’ fella ever since I still have that cabinet for like several years.”
[???#1]: “You mean that game you are talking about? Man, 41 years and yet you still keep that thing, why can't you just rid of it?”
[???#2]: “You know I can't do that, my friend. Sometimes, keeping old things is something special when you grow up. You can give it to your grandkids. But, that night… I dream in the middle of the strange big hall where I've never been before. Then, I saw him. The man himself with no face revealed, just a pitch black. But all of a sudden, his face reveals.. with a creepy grinning smile, stares at me. He told me…”
“...You know, it's been many years you still remember him. But, I am not him.. he's out somewhere you'll never see him. But I'll try to find him. As long as you can reach your end,
                           “Turbo”
[The Cabinet screen shows a silhouette figure opens its eyes, then the screen shuts in black pitch]
[Suddenly, the story starts at the beginning of the origin]
“Say, who's the greatest racer ever in this whole arcade?”
[The scene shows three racers, speed up going somewhere, reveals to recognise by an audience who knows himself]
“Ey, Loser! If ya lose for another ‘round, ya gotta the loan dinner!~”, said the Twin.
“Buds, this is ain't just a race for now. We're been watching and I'm the one being controlled by the players themselves. You know, they love me!!” Said Turbo.
[After a while, the scene shows three racers speeding up to the finish line, only Turbo can reach faster. He made it to the end of the finish line and won. Turbo very happy and says his famous word]
“Turbo-tastic!”
[But not long after, Turbo looks at the screen outside, meaning that no players were there. But he realised seeing the players change into the new one, Roadblasters. Things not good well for Turbo, he looked angry, feeling his jealousy]
[The Twins looks worried about him]
“.. Uhh ‘ey, Turbo.. ya alright you don't look good..”
“Of course he's not, ya dingus. He sees someone replaced us with that new race gam-”
“Ey! Don't say those words, you know what happens to him if he sees it like this..”
[The other twin realised the words he spoke, then he tried to sympathy him]
“Turbo, I know ya have to see this, but it's okay.. you'll just a rest and-”
[The sounds of the speed, and smoking around the Twins. It's too late to sympathise with him, things just started getting worse]
[Turbo driving all the way from the Central to connect through the Roadblasters. The feelings of his anger, the speed has been higher up and it goes very faster]
[No one can't stop him, he's too dangerous]
[The scene showing the players was playing Roadblasters, while Turbo invades the game itself]
“Hey, is that Turbo?”
“What is he doing here?”
[Inside the game, the racer from Roadblasters looks confused about what is going on over there. As soon as Turbo drives directly at another racer, it reveals crashing into each other. It means, Roadblasters has been broken down by Turbo]
“Mr. Litwak! The game crashed.”
“What?! Just a minute, it was new at the start.. How did that happen?”
“Well, there's this guy, Turbo, who jumped into this game. As soon as a second later, it causes this..”
[Showing the cabinet screen]
*sigh* “I suppose we'll have to do this one, and this too… (I can't believe Turbo did that, I don't know how he program like this)”
[The scene shows Mr. Litwak unplugged the Roadblasters. Meanwhile, Turbo has escaped from the Roadblasters game. He was proud of himself while driving through Central, but suddenly.. he didn't know..]
“Finally, I destroyed that stupid game! Now I can go back and-”
his face was shocked after he didn't realise, his own game has been unplugged too.
[The scene shows Turbo was in Denial, meaning he lost everything. He lost the Twins, the trophies, and his home. He can't go back, he may be a greatest racer, but to lose everything]
“N-no… it can't be. I was this close to be there..”
“..What have I done?”
Suddenly, a voice from someone in the distance shouted his name.
“Turbo!”
[As a scene shows everyone was shocked about what Turbo did to Roadblasters]
“Turbo!” shouted Felix running towards Turbo. But, he wasn't there.
Other video game characters were shocked and concerned about Turbo.
But Turbo disappeared without a trace. No one knows where he hid somewhere. 
But, as he hides somewhere that no one sees him. He cried, he felt guilty for what he did.
[The scene shows Turbo Cried in the corner of somewhere, but suddenly the places around him starting to pitch black, he heard an echo voice]
“.. So, you remember what you used to, Turbo…” said Unknown?¿
Turbo slowly looks up and sees a man with wide eyes creepily. Then, Turbo wakes up.. it was not all a dream, but it's a memory that he only remembers.
[The scene showing Turbo waking up at the Central game, he was sleeping on the bench. He didn't know, nor can't remember he was sleeping]
Turbo stands up and drops off the bench, seeing the Central looks empty. He was confused about where everyone was. He shouted,
“Hello! Is anyone there!.. (strange, it's all empty. I remember I was here for a long time, and that dream is like a memory of mine. But.. Aagh…)” Turbo felt pain, he had a headache that he couldn't remember anything. 
He walked slowly to look at everything in the Central, no one was there. He seems worried that he seems like he's alone all by himself. When he stops at the front entrance of the Tappers, he feels like he used to be there..
“(I don't know why I came here, or did I feel something off.. I feel like I've been here over and over… maybe there is someone else in there. Most people are really there anytime.. even I do..)”
While he's now entering the Tappers, he saw two characters he recognised.
Then he sit on the chair and said,
"Hey, uhhh.. sorry if I wasn't being invited to your party-"
Felix: "Ah, Turbo! Didn't think you were gonna make it here just in time."
Ralph: "Hey, feeling alright buddy? Here, I'm saving it for you." (Gives Turbo a root beer)
Turbo: "Thanks.. I really appreciate your help… but I'm just having a little headache last time."
Ralph: "Say, why don't you just relax and have a drink with us??"
Turbo nods, while the two are having a drink. Turbo feels something off with it, feels like a Déjà vu (again). Then, he tried to drink the root bear. But suddenly he stops, the life flashing his mind.. he realised…
His memories came back to him, all of the sudden what he saw..
      ..This is not real, you're dreaming.
  ..You have to wake up..
                          ..Turbo…
Turbo has realised he has to wake up from his dream, or else…
Felix slowly turns around at him and says…
    "What's wrong, Turbo…"
        "C̴͙͂͐á̶̹̯n̵̠̥̔͘'̷̣̄͒t̶͓̉͂ ̵͔̃̿r̷͍̒͘e̵̤̻͌̉m̴̠͚͆ȇ̸̲͝m̷̹̀ḃ̸͕͛e̷͈̟͌r̸͎̞̍ ̷̛͔̊u̸̧͠s̴̲̑͌,̴̥̆͘ ̴̦̲͆́d̶͉̀o̵͉̮̔n̶̫̿'̶̛͔̊t̴̡̃ ̶̞̿̎y̸̹̳̾́o̵̡̜͊u̴͙͂̀?̶͔̬͗¿̶͎̐"
     “AAAAARGGGHHH!!”
Turbo face is fearful, yet falls off from a chair. He's trying to get up,
“W-what’s happening!?! What is going on?!??!”
[The scene shows the two of them has corrupted in glitches]
He runs away from them, everything has been falling apart.
Turbo runs as fast as he could, but suddenly all the other corrupted monsters show up trying to stop him.
[At the scene of Turbo's point of view, he sees his own kart right in front of him, he dodges those monsters trying to catch him. He got in his kart and was ready to drive faster. All of a sudden, the scene changes when Turbo was on a race, everything has been burned down, but that is his home. Meaning it was falling apart because of his own backstory]
The echo from the last he hears was spoken,
“... Now all of this is what you've seen from now, you used to be dead, you're selfish to anyone, a liar, and one important thing.. you lose control of yourself..”
Turbo shouted in agony, “Stop!! Why can't you leave me alone! Please, I can't take it anymore! Who are you, and what do you want from me?!?”
Turbo struggles to control himself and tries to keep the drive stable. But suddenly, he gained too much speed, then-
[Turbo trying hard to control himself, then another racer tries to crash him. He successfully missed it, but instead he ran to the cliff and fell down, slowly seeing another one of himself, but a creepy smile sees him. The scene has been shut in black pitch, hearing the sound of a car crash]
[All the sudden, the scene reveals that Turbo is still alive, but leaving injured and his kart is burned. Even he sees everything has been burned, the race, the audiences.. they all gone]
He looked like he was bleeding and tried to get up. But then, someone showed up.
The “other Turbo?¿” walks towards to him and tells everything what he know about Turbo,
“Well, if it isn't the greatest racer ever..”
“W-what.. Do you want… from m-me..?” said Turbo in pain..
“Oh you know, you don't seem to remember how you died.. but how about reciting those memories from the voice you heard.. you see, remember you were disguised as a king from a game you don't belong to?”
“..the king, what are t-talking about..?”
“Oh don't be so forgettable.. you used to be once. Trying to take over one of the games, sometimes you can't control your anger.. when all of the sudden someone tried to sabotage your plan. Your old friend…”
Turbo realised he knows that memory.
“(Ralph..why is he there.. What is this plan I had?)” he asked himself.
“Oh? You know, you want to take over the game, but somehow you died from the volcano…”
“..I..died..? I.. n-no… why can't I remember anything?!? What did you do to me-?!”
“Now, now.. there is the reason why I need you is..”
[Turbo trying to stay back and panicking, the “other Turbo?¿” picks him up. Like he tried to strangle him..]
                 “̷̡̻̘̝̜̖̂͒̑̇͋͑Y̵̧̨̛̙̯̥͙̘͇̯̦̟͕̜̺̐̋͑̎̌̏̂́͑́́̒̔͝ơ̵̛̛̺͖͗͋͗̓̌͋̌̓̈́̆̐u̴̼͇̳̗̜̓̐̑̊̈̓̌̇̈́̓͌̽͝ͅr̸̡̻̞͇̥̠̗̼̱͑̃̽̈́͗͂̕ ̶̼͓͇̥̼͓͈̰̼͇͆̌͌͛̿ś̵͇͗̓̎̎̆̈͝͠ǫ̷͕͈̰̩̭̜͌͘ǘ̸̡͇͊̈́̿̋͗̊̐͌̊͆̀̃̅̕ļ̸̛͚̭͈̭͎̺̦͓̦̒̀̆͌̀̒̓̂͐̑͘͠.̴̢̘̫̀́̾̄̔͘̚͝”̴̖͍̟͓̰̯͕̦̘́͊͘
Turbo fear of him. But as soon he reaches his both hands onto the “other Turbo?¿” helmet. Then yells in agony..
“Just.. Leave. 
                                                 Me. 
            ALONE!!-"
[A horrific scene shows Turbo take “other Turbo” ‘s head off, a single silhouette figure showing his neck gets snapped with revealing bloods all over. Then, Turbo awakes once again. But this time, there's no other dream anymore. This is where his journey starts]
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diasdelfuego · 1 year
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absolutely cannot get a read on armand in this opening scene of episode two. baby girl i need to know what's behind this little charade right now. who came up with the idea, what were the arguments, what is this character you are playing, was the "god" thing must meant to put daniel off? to make a point about what louis is saying, about arguing against the seduction of vampirism? what does his face when louis suggests he would turn molloy mean!? what is this version of armand's relation to faith, to vampirism? i'm going crazy here.
***
1. i know armand was very involved in the staging and directing of this dinner, it's literally a performance! need to see my bitch giving out stage directions to the staff.
2. having my weekly 'i'm a bit stupid' moment because it took me three watches to realize that when louis says 'my outburst earlier' he means tearing up at the end of episode 1. i was like oh! something happened offscreen? fucking dumbass.
3. if earlier is the end of ep1, and this is a dinner, is it still the same night we were in during the pilot? did daniel really get off a 12 hour flight in the middle of the day, immediately start interviewing louis until night had fallen, then they took a break to shower and change clothes before dinner? i sort of assumed each episode covers a distinct night/day.
***
"a proper disposal is the penance of a sated vampire" is such a weighed line for the writers to put in lestat's mouth 💀 they're really writing louis for the girls and gays in ed recovery
***
lestat's "i'll break you of it". okay.
also louis looking at paul's portrait as grace goes on about how much she's missed him. good god.
***
as far as scenes that address the subject of racism directly —though of course it's present in the whole story— i find that the scene with the contractor and modern louis' following narration make up the best executed one. jacob's acting is absolutely stunning in both parts of the sequence, his speech is very solid, the scene successfully conveys just how pervasive this shit is, and i think it offers a moment of much needed narrative release for louis —and by proxy the audience.
***
i think it's fantastic that louis expresses no regret about killing the contractor. then he expresses no regret about killing the alderman —only its consequences. and again, the morality of killing the rich corrupt politicians in the finale is not even addressed.
he does tell us that he was ashamed of killing the salesman, that he didn't enjoy killing the tenor. he makes a point of how even trying to kill evildoers made him sick. but if you actually look at the pattern, there's a feeling that louis definitely feels some human deaths are more than justified, and he's happy to enact them. what deaths? you could argue rich white racists, but i think it's more personal than that. a contractor who insulted him. an alderman who insulted him. the faces of the white government who insulted him at every turn.
arrogant? maybe he is arrogant.
***
i do not believe that louis ate the baby but we don't get a clear shot of benny. i think he probably had blood on him but no wounds and grace could never know for sure where the blood came from.
***
sorry to my good friends the playwrights in the iwtv writers room but i hate the "i will say it for a third time and no more... he had a way about it". i know i already said this but they should have just used the repetition without making a point of it. let it stand on its own!!! it was solid on its own!!!
***
so, episode 1 is about the hunt-seduction: how a human buys into vampirism.
episode 2 is about the fundamental incompatibility between humanity and vampirism: after the seduction, the promise wears off. individual power doesn't make systemic racism disappear. love is just as hard among immortals as it is between humans. the cost of immortality is as high as the cost of living. higher, louis seems to argue.
***
this entire last scene has such marvelous acting from jacob, as always, but eric's performance is amazing as well. his delivery is down to earth, completely devoid of pretension, you can see the slow progression as he starts to let his guard down, until he finally closes his computer, turns the interview into just a meal. (a meal with an equal, into whose coffin he walked of his own free will, if you even care.)
i like what daniel's anecdote about alice's eyebrows suggests about louis and sets up the conflict for episode three: he will stop pretending, and it will cause strife in his relationship. is he pretending now? what personal or shared flaws is he painting over to make his current relationship work?
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enby-axels · 2 years
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another thing that haikyuu effortlessly upstages naruto on is its answer to the genius vs hard-worker question.
we have oikawa whose insecurity leads him to label kageyama and ushijima as geniuses. there's even an entire episode called "oikawa tooru is not a genius," where he agonizes over his perceived lack of natural talent compared to ushikage. but still, he concludes that "talent is something you make bloom, instinct is something you polish," a line that hints at further exploration of the idea of genius and natural ability.
so, much later on in the manga, we meet kita, who outright disagrees with the idea of "genius" and calls that label an insult to the amount of hard work put into producing those talents. through kita, furudate is practically directly telling us, the audience, that oikawa was wrong. people like kageyama, ushijima, and atsumu arent geniuses; and if you believe there's an innate difference between them and you, then you've already lost.
and riseki, whom kita's unloading his speech on, takes that lesson to heart, fully internalizing that "genius" is just a title that mystifies passion and hard work. so despite never being a regular in middle school, depite his serve against karasuno failing to score, despite his previous insecurities about "geniuses," he works earnestly to make his talents bloom, and in his last year of high school he's rewarded with the best server award.
back to oikawa himself, the man who ignited the genius vs hard-worker debate. after rekindling his love for the sport in brazil due to hinata, he vows to win if they ever compete against each other. and they do. they face each other in the olympics: oikawa setting for argentina, against his biggest high school rivals on team japan, and he wins. he wins it all, he takes home olympic gold.
the difference was never innate, never insurmountable like oikawa once believed it was.
one of my favorite lines in haikyuu is relevant here: "today, you've lost. what will you become tomorrow?" in other words, failure is momentary. what comes after is up to you. to essentialize your losses and temporary weaknesses as proof of a "hard-worker vs genius" divide is to give up on yourself.
compare that with how naruto handles the genius vs hard-worker question... LMAO. the story never grows past middle school oikawa's mentality, and it's sad. from the chuunin exams, where rock lee calls himself a hard-worker as opposed to sasuke and neji who are labeled geniuses of natural talent. to the war arc, where hagoromo calls naruto talentless, like asura was, and unlike minato, kushina, sasuke, and indra.
it's just so sad how shallow the thematic development is. the story is framed as underdog hard-worker beats natural genius. except the underdog is actually destined to save the world. and it turns out he has the specialest bloodline and family, while the genius is apparently evil incarnate and his bloodline is "genetically evil." basically, we're looking at a flimsily concealed power fantasy for insecure, resentful self-identified non-geniuses. lmfao how anyone can think this manga is in any way well-written is beyond me. like, go watch haikyuu for actual peak shounen
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skyllion-uwu · 4 months
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I'm probably beating a dead horse but I still can't get over James Somerton plagiarizing so many articles and him clearly not knowing what he was talking about because he never actually watched anything. Like if my career was "talk about queer media" that would easily be the best part of the job! Go watch/read/play media with that goal in mind of summarizing and synthesizing arguments from I just watched/read/played. I can't imagine how sad it must be to decide that's not worth it and just regurgitate what's said and pretend it's your own words
I took a Children's Lit class a few years ago and the textbook we used (9th edition of "Literature and the Child") posed the theory of reading as a transactional process. What that means is when a child (or anyone really) reads, their personal experiences inform them on how to interpret the text. By interpreting the text, they learn from it which helps inform their personal experiences and so on. This is essentially a form of media analysis. Even if you think you have nothing more to contribute to the conversation on a story, your own experiences and writing style influence how you present the information. The info could be the same at its core, but your interpretations can be better understood by one audience than someone else's interpretation. Maybe your interpretations are wildly different, but it brings more conversation to the table, enriching discussion and leading to more analysis. Taking someone else's words directly and removing them from the conversation takes away that part of the dialogue. It's not even a dialogue anymore because you just took away their ability to speak!
Like okay, Yume Nikki. It's a game ALL about interpretation and people have their own readings on what the different subject matter can tell us about Madotsuki and her life. Common theories include being involved in a car accident, she's trans, she was sexually assaulted, and the novel suggests she's Poniko's miscarried child. Anyone can believe some combo of those theories or something completely different. Is any one of them wrong? No, we just have different ideas on who Madotsuki is. Someone else can look at what was written and go "Actually, this is what I think" and the conversation continues! Isn't that beautiful? Why would you want to shut that down?
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