#st critical

[strangertheories]

sick of people justifying the lack of diversity in stranger things with the fact that it's an 80s small town when they have fucking great poc characters who are either underutilised (lucas, erica) or who they just deleted off the show (kali, argyle). not to mention all of vecna's victims being fleshed out...except the Black one! and all the opportunities they could've used for rep, like vickie. this is a consistent pattern.

#usual disclaimer of Whiteness #but this needs to be said #also i know there is that one military guy but he is literally a villain and also barely there #stranger things #byler #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #lumax #kali stranger things #argyle stranger things #anti duffer brothers #st critical

[stranger-rants]

Some of you have the worst Stranger Things brain rot that you’ll praise The Duffers for “dealing with” racism in Stranger Things while consistently ignoring how much they underrepresent, tokenize, and exploit characters of color and their actors for their own material gain before dropping them altogether. Then when you can’t cope with the reality that they treat their actors of color like garbage and that Stranger Things is not the underdog utopia for marginalized people you think it is, you turn to your comfort blanket (blaming fans of a character who has been dead for years) instead of facing the reality of the situation. Stranger Things was always bad at this. Billy fans aren’t the reason why it’s bad at this. If anything, Billy fans have been arguing for years about how bad Stranger Things is at this given they chose to use a clearly traumatized and abused teenager to be their token racist so they wouldn’t have to deal with the systemic implications of racism in Hawkins. Wake up.

#st critical

[lucassinclaer]

i don't mean to be dramatic, but taking the sunshine of argyle out of hawkins now when maybe he of all people sees hawkins from the outside, sees how incredibly fucked up it is and then sits down to smile at the forest, to see the persistent growing of life no matter what................. is such a truly stupid idea

#stupid and racist #literally you just have to think about the themes of your story for ONE second and there's his s5 narrative #man #i'm not even the biggest supporter of the s3 and 4 tone shift but that's not argyle's fault #in fact he could have fit PERFECTLY and i'll prove it #stranger things #argyle #st critical #emspeak

[smallblueandloud]

DIVERSITY LOSE! THE GAYEST CHARACTER IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION IS KISSING ANOTHER WOMAN!

#sb and l rambles #sb and l watches st #star trek #snw #st spoilers #st critical #spock my half vulcan son #HI. SNW WRITERS. HELLO. QUICK QUESTION: WHAT THE FUCK #I KNOW I SHOULD'VE SEEN THIS COMING BUT LIKE GENUINELY WHO WAS FORCING YOU TO DO THIS #THEY HAD A LONG SHOT OF HIM IN FRONT OF A CHESS BOARD IN THIS EPISODE AND EVERYTHING. CAN WE NOT

[every-dayiwakeup]

I guess Hopper had a Bella Swan force-field protecting him from disintegrating in s3.

But sure, no one even tried to stop the blood pouring out of Billy's wounds.

Every other character sustains injuries and then they miraculously heal or whatever.

Maybe this is a video game where they have a built-in healing mass.

The Duffers forgot to save their progress, because each character has basically died and returned as a different avatar, along with recollection of any "development".

@ickypuppi3 @imsodishy @stranger-rants @local-redhead-bookworm @intothedysphoria @martyreasemymind

#anti duffers #anti stranger things #anti netflix #billy hargrove #st critical

[anghraine]

Do you think Anakin would remain a Force Ghost for long or would he pass into the Force to be reunited with Shmi, Padme, etc?

Based on the PT and OT, I think he would stick around. His near-total, and completely unexplained, absence from the sequel trilogy is actually my second biggest problem with them.

I think he would prioritize Luke in particular over his peace of mind, and his ghost appearing at the end of ROTJ never struck me as a one-time incident. For me, it's firstly a clear visual shorthand for Anakin's redemption and reconciliation with other Jedi, and secondly, it highlights the way in which Luke is walking the line between the mundane and mystical (he joins his friends, but looks back at the ghosts that only he sees). I've always imagined that Luke is going to end up as someone with ties to his friends and the Rebellion but who also talks to his dead father's ghost on the regular.

On top of that: okay, I don't agree w/ people who say Anakin is not redeemed because his redemptive action killed him. He wasn't trying to take the easy way out, but rather, in that moment, he decided to do what needed to be done for Luke regardless of the personal cost or the consequences to the Empire he'd spent 20+ years building. The issue isn't that Anakin is choosing an "easy out" through death, but rather that the narrative is structured in such a way that doing the right thing will kill him.

HOWEVER. Because of who and what he is, him being dead doesn't mean he's unable to act further. Based on what we see of ghost!Obi-Wan, there are certain limitations on Force-ghosts, but they can interact with the physical world to some extent (ghost!Obi-Wan sits down on a stump at one point iirc?) and they can share as much information as they choose (or don't choose in Obi-Wan's case, lol). As a Force-ghost, Anakin's extensive knowledge of the Empire's workings + ability to interact with Luke could actually contribute to making the galaxy a better place, and considering everything he's done over the last 20+ years, I think it's important for him to at least try.

Also, as a movies-only person, there isn't much information on how it even works or if having contact with Shmi or Padmé would prevent him from appearing to Luke as a Force-ghost or whatnot. I could go either way based on the OT+PT. But if he does have to choose, I think staying and helping Luke rebuild is morally better. I don't mind it being bittersweet because his entire character arc runs on the bittersweet.

#i've written multiple ghost!anakin fanfics and i'm just. very fond of him trying to make things right in an anakin way #not necessarily succeeding! but he's got to try #but yeah i can't buy that obi-wan of all people would be more attached to the material plane than anakin #anon replies #respuestas #long post #/ #// #/// #//// #///// #a #b #c #d #e #anakin skywalker #star wars #st critical #sw fanwank

[munamania]

it really is sad how like. s4 kinda killed the remaining bits of enthusiasm i had for st. i had fun with robin and nancy but overwhelmingly i was like this is not my show… which is disappointing! yk. yeah

#s3 i was kinda mad at but i mean i made this acct after the fact so clearly something was still Ok. and now i’m just like. meh #s1 baby you were so special i miss u… #yeah. so. ik i was literally like a st blog but i just feel so blahhhhh disconnected from it #they fucked up 😔 severely. #st critical #abby talks #i mean. i still hold some fondness for the show and memories on here lolllllll but. idk. maybe i’ll feel differently if i rewatch it ever

[lillydales]

starting to agree with the take that dr. brenner was inspired by kurama from elfen lied. they’ve mentioned elfen lied being an influence for eleven, specifically. and with the “papa” thing and some of his past motivations this recent season...makes sense

#elfen lied #stranger things #i don't like it but here we are #st critical

[swan2swan]

The Star Wars cast should really go on the Con circuit now. No one can bother them with Sequel Trilogy questions, so it's safe.

#st critical

[freckledjoes]

"Eddie. Eddie. Hey man. Uh... Listen, I just, uh... I just want to say thanks. For saving my ass back there." "Shit. You saved your own ass, man. I mean, that was a real Ozzy move you pulled back there." "Ozzy?" "When you took a bite out of that bat. Ozzy Osbourne? Black Sabbath? He bit a bat's head off onstage." "I don't—" - "You know?" - "No." "Doesn't matter. It's very metal, what you did. That's all I'm saying." "Thanks..."

#don't repost #coloring these scenes is so difficult #i keep being overly critical of them but then i look at the original footage and well #guess i did a job #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #joe keery #eddiemunsonedit #joseph quinn #steveharringtonedit #joekeeryedit #josephquinnedit #steddie #my-gifs #st-gifs

[staying-elive]

I'm so sick of Sam being left out of What if...? (In general, and also to legitimise Peggy as cap)

Is it because they think that without Steve and the morning run meet-cute, that there's no way to recruit Sam? Be real. Ffs.

Because with the tiniest shred of imagination they could make it work.

Take Rhodey. In Iron Man 1 he's the Air Force liaison for research and development, right? He's got a background in aerospace engineering, right? So presumably he'd know about the EXO Falcon program, yeah?

So when a world crisis is underway and the good guys need a little back up, or even pararescue to help civilians, Rhodey could be the one to say 'I know a guy.. Let's call in some help'.

If these are all alternate timelines you could even bring in both Sam and Riley, cos maybe Riley never died and that's why Sam is still active and on-call. A bonus great opportunity to see more of Sam's history and wingman dynamic (which was important enough to make him quit when Riley was killed.)

Point is, if the show creators wanted to, they would.

#sam wilson #sam wilson meta #what if #honestly fuck this show i'm glad i'm not watching #i was never an outright peggy anti but this show is making me one #this is my villain origin story #(also idgaf about st*cky never have never will so that's not my motivation. i'm just angry about sam) #what if season 2 #mcu critical #rhodey #james rhodes

[strangertheories]

Most 80s nostalgia obviously tends to focus on the red scare thing, but i don't think it was needed for stranger things. Especially the way they portrayed things in s3 and s4... well, i'd say they should have just left it alone without introducing something like that.

Literally. I think the US military and government were much better to explore because it means that their world is against them and also keeps the location central to Hawkins. It means our heroes not only have to battle Vecna but also an oppressive US government that is willing to screw over its citizens to the extent of letting a 12 year old boy and many others die. It plays into the themes that our characters are outcasts in some sort of way, with the system and individuals against them, and links into the Reaganism of the time too. Bullies in school and Ted may be smaller threats, but they're weapons of the same machine that would let children die and spread disinformation for the sake of keeping up appearances.

But hey, let's team up with the government now! Glad to know they support our heroes as long as they oppose the Russians.

#contrary to my blog i don't hate this show #in fact i love it a lot and that's why it annoys me so much that they're wasting great material that they set up #praying s5 stops with the russia stuff #idk that the mind flayer possesed them all move on please 😭 #stranger things #byler #stranger things five #st critical #st5

[stranger-rants]

A lot of the bullying Eddie would face has less to do with being a nerd and more to do with class. As someone who grew up in a trailer park, I can confidently say I was bullied by jocks and nerds alike for not being able to afford the coolest shit whether that be brand name clothes or the latest videogames. I don’t think The Duffers fully understand what that’s like, so once again they leaned more into the nerds get bullied / nerds are victims trope when they could have made that aspect of Eddie’s character more prominent and interesting. Instead, they kind of make it a joke and they’ve outright said pretty classist things about Eddie’s future or lack thereof.

#eddie munson #st critical

[lucassinclaer]

time to bring back my 'st should never have gone on beyond s2' agenda it seems

#st critical #i shall retreat into my aus #emspeak

[smallblueandloud]

look i can't be angry at boimler for potentially breaking up spock and christine, but goddamn if i didn't hate how the show did it

really? the issue is that she makes him TOO HAPPY?? really?

okay, modern star trek has established that spock's greatest achievement is negotiating peace with the romulans. this was reiterated as recently as SNW 1x10. i'm assuming that's what boimler was talking about when he said that spock "needs" to be the vulcan half of him in order to "do the important stuff he's known for"

because, seriously. what a misunderstanding of nimoy!spock's character arc. over and over again, we are shown that his identity crises -- that his inability to be a "perfect vulcan" is causing him pain. over and over again, we see him growing in the direction of finding a balance between his two heritages. and in fact, it is him not being a "perfect vulcan" that allows him to reach out to the romulans. it is only when he is fully self-actualized (post-TOS movies, even!) that he is able to negotiate a peace that no other vulcan could have

the idea that, in order to become ambassador spock, he has to keep repressing his true self? that his greatest achievement was somehow at the expense of his own personal growth, instead of a direct result of it? gimme a fucking break.

#i know boimler could've been mistaken but it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth to not have the show contest him at all #i loved so much how they handled spock's mixed heritage in s1 #but they are just. fucking up storyline after storyline about it in this season #star trek #snw #spock #st critical #st spoilers #sb and l rambles #sb and l watches st #spock my half vulcan son

[witsserviceablesubstitute]

The more I think about Anharion and Sarcean the more I'm convinced they are an allegory for queer trauma and Will will have to embrace, accept, and forgive himself in order change his narrative.

In which case I don't think the collar is compulsion but something else. James - once Anharion in a past life and a former novitiate in this one (he knows all the stories) - did say it wasn't. "All the stories are lies" and "the collar was working but he felt no compulsion", as well as his speculation the collar became tawdry wishful thinking by those who objectified him.

In many ways James has already accepted himself and embraced Anharion, and in so doing made himself a villain to the Light, polite society, and a self righteous religious order. Everything he does is repellent to them but they're also obsessed with him. He is unmentionable but always present. He is condemned for killing the Stewards but they're surprised when reminded they've been trying to kill him since he was 11. Of course he needed to die, he's an abomination. The Stewards were doing the Lor– Lady's work by killing such a corrupt creature.

If Sarcean and Anharion are queer allegory then there is definitely more to their relationship and perceived villainy than what we've been told.

I'm especially struck by how the Light always calls the Lady Sarcean's former love – using language that describes a tragic romance. All the while they dismiss Anharion as a perverse sexual fixation when it's clear in Sarcean's POV that it's Anharion who was the love of Sarcean's life. That Sarcean had loved him long before the Lady. That Sarcean chases pieces of Anharion throughout all his chosen lovers. That it's Anharion he bound to him across time and space. It mirrors how often queer relationships are belittled, the acceptable heteronormative relationship romanticized.

Will/James and Sarcean/Anharion's kinky preferences play into that too. There's a pressure for them to conform and never give into what they want to indulge.

#sarcean #anharion #will kempen #james st. clair #dark rise #dark heir #dark heir spoilers #the fact all these guys are shamelessly kinky is direct criticism of the no kink at pride discourse #i kid i kid #or do i?