#that he’s a monstrosity but it’s ok bc i like monsters

[unnerving-presence]

i’ve never been so attracted to a genuinely attractive man in my life until i saw wesker

dude broke the curse of me liking the ‘ugly’ bitches of resident evil/dbd

#simp time #but he’s so genuinely attractive holy fuck #not even like #that he’s a monstrosity but it’s ok bc i like monsters #or that he’s not conventionally attractive but i like that shit anyways #like an actually attractive dude that other people can go ‘yeah he’s good looking’ even if they aren’t attracted to him #he’s just hot #wesker how dare you #i’m supposed to be the one who likes the ‘ugly’ ass fuckers #i love wesker i love wesker i love wesker #i’m too far deep yall this hyperfixation gon last another 3-4 months #if i’m lucky another year because i love resident evil i do far too much research for my own good #ever since nemesis came out in dbd i’ve been like 😳😳😳 for resident evil #so thanks bhvr you’ve given me a great gift

[rollercoasterwords]

i do think it's odd when people talk abt r's lycanthropy as though it is somehow offensive to like....acknowledge or emphasize the fact that he is a werewolf at all. like i think it's weird when people say that it's gross or harmful to write lycanthropy (which is, of course, a fictional disease that is an allegorical tool for exploring themes related to disability) in a way where r is written with "wolfish" traits, or he or the people around him refer to him as a werewolf or just in any way emphasize that being a werewolf is part of who he is.

and i'm not trying to overstate this like it's a huge issue, because at most it's just like. a couple people making posts online, y’know? but i just think it's odd when i do see people say stuff like "don't refer to him as a beast/wolf/etc!!! he's a person!!" or act like it's disgusting for lycanthropy to alter his characterization at all to make him more "beastly"

because like. ok. what we have here is lycanthropy as a chronic illness that is vilified + stigmatized by the wider wizarding world. and typically in fics remus has a very negative view of his own lycanthropy since he's grown up in a society that tells him he's a monster. so if the response to that is "don't emphasize that he's a werewolf at all by giving him negative werewolf traits!!!" it's like....that is. exactly the message that we are supposed to be questioning if we're going into this allegory with a critical reading. bc u are also now treating being a werewolf like it's a bad thing.

like if u think it's an actual issue for him to be portrayed in a way where he is more wolfish/beastly....why? who's saying that those things are bad? why is it so important for him to be portrayed as "civilized" rather than "monstrous," and who in this context is qualifying what counts as "civilized" vs. "monstrous?" why is monstrosity diametrically opposed to humanity/personhood in the first place?

obviously this is all fanfiction and if somebody wants to write r's lycanthropy so that he's just a werewolf once a month + otherwise isn't that affected by it, or is only affected in ways that are easy to deem sympathetic (ie, he gets hurt + has to spend time in the hospital wing but he never exhibits any kind of aggression or "animalistic" or "beastly" qualities otherwise) then that's fine. and i'm also not saying that he has to be written as like hyper-dominant alpha wolf beastman either--i don't necessarily think that's the only possible interpretation for how lycanthropy might manifest in traits outside the full moon. it's more just that i think it's weird when people moralize about like...."playing into werewolf stereotypes" lol bc. again werewolves aren't real. but also in the context of lycanthropy as allegory, the goal is not to say "you can't write those traits related to disability bc it's a negative stereotype," which does nothing to question why it's a negative stereotype and ultimately just reinforces the idea that those traits are something negative. the goal is to use the allegory to explore how people who fit "negative stereotypes" of disability navigate an ableist society that stigmatizes them + insists that the only path to acceptance is to hide their disability as best they can + assimilate, while simultaneously making assimilation an impossible goal.

#this post brought to u by my hatred for the name 'moonstar' thank u xoxo #'remus would hate being reduced to a wolf' false. remus lupin is not a real person #and therefore does not have the real-life capacity for hate #also being a werewolf is literally central to his character. and there's nothing wrong with the him being a wolf. so #also....'moon' is literally also coming from werewolf??? like...ok #and if people r just changing it to moonstar bc they think it's prettier. stop >:( #it's not prettier it's just confusing!!!!!! #ranting and raving

[chasingfictions]

Nat is Buffy coded and Misty is spike coded. Nat is just a girl trying to do the best she can, and Misty is the monster that would do anything for her. Every time Nat rejects Misty she is reminded of the monster she is. Every time Nat accepts her, Misty feels like maybe she isn’t a monster after all. Thinking about them for too long makes me want to cry

STOP IT RIGHT NOW. ok bc literally the spuffy mistynat continuum is about being freak4freak . i also think it's about monstrosity from nat's side of things too. nat is the one of the survivors who is the Most realistic about what happened she's kind of the only one having a normal response to what they did. to what she specifically did. nat as the hunter. nat understanding herself to be a monster and it's not that she doesnt think she's one it's just that the crushing reality of that is too much for her. but misty is so matter of fact about everything misty is free of shame. like misty has self hatred but she doesnt have shame. and nat embracing the monster in misty is her also saying well maybe i dont have to feel awful all the time maybe i can just be. literally you do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting!!!!!!!! you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

which is also what it is for buffy!!!!!!!!! buffy's shame at being the slayer buffy's shame at being made of the same thing as monsters of being like monsters. and then you have spike and faith as narrative parallels who are both like no being this specific kind of monster is my favorite thing to be. this is a good thing to be. you can be a good thing to be. buffy's shame at caring for, loving, wanting spike being about what it says about her. buffy accepting that she loves spike, wants spike, directly correlating to moments where she is allowing herself to live more easily in the world. buffy telling spike: "i do want you" when she's breaking up with him. she is accepting the want and she's also saying i need to find a way to be alive. i deserve to want to be alive. buffy telling spike "i love you" as they destroy the hellmouth as they change the slayer cycle, as she refuses to die again, instead makes the world a place where she can keep living, where she says okay a body like mine gets to live. a person like me gets to live.

misty spending all season trying to keep natalie alive. helping her find travis because she knows nat needs it to feel whole and she wants to keep her safe as she does it. leading nat away from travis' body before theyre arrested. snorting the coke for her. kidnapping jessica to keep her friends safe and we know natalie is the person she means most by that.

spike saving buffy's life again and again. trying to. "i did save you. not when it counted of course but after that. every night after that. every night i save you." catching her in once more with feeling. "life's not a song. life isnt bliss life is just this it's living . you have to go on living. so one of us is living." buffy telling spike that being with him makes things easier. spike trying to get buffy to accept her darkness and her desire because he thinks she genuinely needs to, that it will make her happy, that it will set her free. buffy seeking out spike when she wants to feel okay. "i can be alone with you here" . the flooded back porch scene. "the only person i can stand to be around is a neutered vampire who cheats at kitten poker." "i just wanna feel." buffy going to his crypt again and again. sun sets and she appears.

natalie seeking out misty. natalie being suspicious of misty so she stalks her and breaks into her house, but when misty gives her the first bit of proof that it wasnt her, nat just sticks around. nat trusts her. nat seeks misty out and stays with her again and again and again. nat complains about spending time with misty and then keeps seeking out misty to spend more time with her and she always seems so happy when they do. do you see. DO YOU SEE.

#ask #yellowjackets #yellowjackets meta #btvs meta

[devinwolfi]

ohhhh my god ok pls keep in mind that i watched angel one (1) time ????? years ago (more than 10, time is fake, etc) and immediately turned off the tv at the end like “wow what the fuck was that. anyway” so lots of this may be misremembered or made up so please accept this salt shaker 🧂 and let’s fucking goooo

so this happened in one of the later seasons iirc? 4 maybe? anyway cordy and angel either had a big dramatic breakup or he cheated on her, i can’t remember. but either way he fucked (drum roll) darla??? yes that darla, his sire who for sure died in buffy s1, but we don’t deal in continuity here, this is angel. so she’s??? back??? somehow??? and they fuck which ok whatever except!!! she gets pregananant! which again, theoretically not possible, but this is basically fanfiction so what the fuck.

so she’s knocked up with her vampire zombie spawn thing, and i can’t remember if she sticks around for a bit while the baby cooks and ups the angst factor with cordelia? or it might just be a magical uncle ben’s 2 minute baby situation. either way she dies in childbirth (like she dusts out and there’s just?? an infant???) so angel is left to raise this monstrosity alone. sad.

but then! the babby! is…kidnapped. to hell, for some reason? unclear. so angel has to go to hell to get his child back, except OH NO time dilation shenanigans, the baby is all grown up now even though he was just born last week! he’s a moody teenager and angel is a deadbeat dad, oops

so he brings this understandably angsty and resentful teenage boy (i wanna say connor? don’t quote me) home to his weird bunker thing with all his monster hunting friends, which like. good job, a+ parenting. and it’s rough and the kid hates him for abandoning him in hell (fair) and it’s all very the first half of a steve martin movie where the divorced dad tries to bond with the kid he doesn’t know, yk?

but then. THEN. cordelia decides this is her moment. her friend/ex/whatever is struggling! he is trying to bond with his child! cordy can help! by….fucking him. yeah, she fucks this traumatized 16yo monster baby who was literally born last week, because that’s a responsible adult choice. reliving her queen of sunnydale high glory days??? literally who knows

and if you think that’s the worst bit about this nightmare plotline, strap in! we’re not done! guess who else gets pragnet? that’s right babeyyy, cordelia is having *checks notes* angel’s grandchild????

who turns out to be, i shit you not, gina torres. fully grown gina torres who is also god, for some reason? and this whole thing starting with darla mysteriously coming back from the dead all the way to connor being raised in hell (where angel couldn’t influence him to be uhhhhh a normal well adjusted child ig??? didn’t seem to be a huge risk all things considered but what do i know) was part of the great ineffable plan to get cordy to give birth to gina torres in white robes and return god to the world

except she turns out evil (obv) bc she’s like some alien thing idk and they have to kill her. but yeah. that’s the most fucked up thing i remember from angel? also the only thing rly. pretty sure cordelia and angel get back together in the end? there might be another love triangle with spike, which like, can a guy catch a break? goddamn

what in the twilightriverdalesupernatualvampirediaries

the only part of this that makes any sense is gina torres is god bc that just feels right

but seriously every modern monster show wishes they were buffy(& co(angel(through gritted teeth))) no one will ever have what they had

also assuming xander has been brutually killed by this point which, i hope so, i wonder how he feels about cordy and angel bc his type in women is women who are into angel

#asks #dreamofbecoming #long post

[astraldrake]

*rotates ludwig in my mind* nothing coherent BUT

dude shows up in so many item descriptions in the base game like "oh he recruited regular yharnamites to join the hunt :)" "he was the first church hunter :)" "he and his sword are the symbol which represents the church hunters :)" "btw church hunters were usually clerics which meant they always turn into the worst and most horrible monsters :))))" like ok damn cool it with the foreshadowing should probably specify that i very much did not go into this game blind id seen people fight him before but watching someone do something is not the same as doing it yourself I'm pretty sure he's the boss i've taken the most tries to beat, but weirdly i didn't mind it?? i usually get annoyed if i keep running up against a boss over and over with no success. (looking at you, crystal sage. although tbf i've been enjoying bb a lot more than ds3.) anyways i don't think i need a phd in media analysis to tell you that there something interesting in a proud symbol of the healing church and it's hunters being reduced to a screaming horse monstrosity wallowing in a pit of corpses. like ok ok this dude is the church hunter, both the first and the one all others will look to and aspire after. (with some exception made for sub factions like the choir and the executioners who obviously had their own venerated figures but i digress) his sword is synonymous with him, replicas of it are a common weapon choice, and it's also the basis for the church hunter badges (sword and radiant). It's not tough to extrapolate how important the guy would have been. So with all that weight behind him, ludwig as a symbol becoming a horrid bestial monstrosity (he has one of the most unpleasant beast designs imo) points further to the fact that even as the church hunters seek to root out the scourge, they are themselves corrupted and will inevitably succumb to the blood.

(the healing church in general runs on this really neat paradox where the blood is good and healing and holy but also if you become a beast or show signs of transformation you are impure and diseased and must be destroyed.) And i mean he's not the first holy person of the church we've seen turn monstrous. there's gascogine, the cleric beast, vicar amelia, and laurence. so he's another variation on a theme we've been shown before (and will see again). him and gascoigne are neat bcs both of them are humanized by stuff that happens outside of the fight. with gascoigne we get the quest with his daughters and wife, and with ludwig we get the chat with him after the bossfight.

("i didn't want to know what it was, really, i didn't." AUGH )

it's a neat element given how their bossfights are kind of parallel. (in the sense that one turns into a monster at half health, while the other reverts from a monster at half health. )

tldr i totally did start a new second character w/ stats allocated just so i can use his kickass sword (both the magic and nonmagic ones) ( that and the boom hammer.)

#astral plays bloodborne #bloodborne #gonna make a second post where i yell abt his design maybe #though im sure all i've said has been said before given this game's been out for freakin years #and there's probably a bajillion better essays and analyses on this game #you are going to hear me yell abt it anyway

[smutty-ki113r]

Other asks: I would indeed like to fuck a monster, to suck their cock and–

Me: I would indeed like to hug a monster, to share little kisses and–

Ayo,,, Kier here (pfft)

I've decided to make my text orange, it's my favourite colour lmao

Just wanted to say hi and to chat cuz I like talkin to ya

(First off let me say I love that you're takin pointers from people about how to write gn readers. I love love it brother, you never cease to amaze me at the smallest of things.)

Anyway, onto topic

I feel like I don't talk enough bout the creeps lmao even tho this blog is dedicated to em, but that's mainly cuz this is a (albeit amazin) horny blog and well im,,,,not really horny ever since I'm asexual

but I thought I could still talk bout em romantically bc I atleast wanna include em ya know?

Startin off my favourite is LAUGHING JACK LIKE CMON MAN SKDBEUCBEJ R

I am calm, light la ugh lov e

So okay I'm a sucker for cute things, forehead kisses, cheek kisses, neck kisses, I really fuckin like cute kisses. (hey,,, passionate and angry kisses r good too)

I just feel as if I could live up to my relationship potential with him yk? (the fact that he's hot as fuck helps too tho like,,,, big sexy clown man go BRRRRR)

I WANT

oh my gosh I NEED hiM TO LIKE PICK ME UP OR SOME SHIT,,, I really like tall guys

But imagine hugs with someone Jack's height,,, imagine soft kisses and rough kisses and THE HAND HOLDIN

I'm tryin not to waste too much of ya time but oh god the hand holdin;

Im kinda clingy (rip lmao) in rl but I hate people knowin I'm clingy so him as a lover would make me simply COMBUST OK

Ain't simped in a long time, Im missin out

Comin back from,,,,, that

I can't wait for whatever ya got planned next darlin I know it's gonna be fab

Drink, eat, sleep, repeat.

Ciao.

Anon Kier 🕯️❤️🕯️

The absolutely monstrosity of a smile I gave at the sight of this message. Plz I look like a new season of hunter hunter came out. I JUST GET SO HAPPY! It’s the way you present honestly, you seem so so cool! 😵‍💫

LUGSFIUDGWYTFYUYTJRFTGUIHOYTRHEUIO*T^&EHRSGYUI*(&^RESGYUITf THE AMOUNT THAT I LOVE LAUGHING JACK IS INSANE. I JUST CANT EXPRESS IN WORDS OR WRITTEN WORDS OR THOUGHT- LIKE I SAID I WANT TO EAT HIM UP. WITH KISSES. 😫 AND YES HE IS SO SEXY SEXY CLOWN MAN, 😭 BIG AND STRONG 💪 AND TRAUMATIZED AND FRAGILE AND I WANT TO EAT HIM. 🤡Again oml. 🙄

Ok maybe only for me and you (cause the rest of the people here are HORNY FUCKERS *hisses* ) but I want to do like one shots or drabbles that are just dates with the creeps. Maybe like at an amusement park or a night in with them. UGH I LOVE JACK SO MUCh. But what do you think?? 🤨

I just know that when he holds your hand it’s so adorable, cause his is so so s- bIG. And cause he’s got claws he’d be so fragile with you, afraid of braking you with every squeeze and hug that you have to show him how to love. UGH. 😭😭💕

Every time i get a message from you my heart aches and burns and I just have to silently scream. I LOVE YOU KIERAN! ♥️ MUAH

#📩 #creepypasta #💌

[ruanbaijie]

I got tagged in a bunch of tag games recently but I’ve been putting the off for a loooooonnnnggg time because a certain drama (hint: the abbreviation is three letters long, the last character rhymes with “ring”) has been occupying every single second of my free time (눈_눈)

but now that I have some pockets of time to spare! I’m just gonna club all the tag games together into a monster post ( ` ω ´ )

a big thank you to everyone who tagged me!!!!! (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡

tag game #1

tagged by @tiesanjiao @sillyfanturtle

recreate your blog’s aesthetic as a drink 🍸

make one here

this one was so fun! the number of choices omg I was spoiled and I took so long to decide which to go with lol. I don’t really know what this monstrosity is??? I just picked these for the pinks/ muted reds and greens

but my irl aesthetic is more something like this below. and my dumb gothic-loving ass thought that background was a graveyard and it took me a closer scrutiny to realise it’s a bar... (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)

tag game #2

tagged by @linglynz

I don’t know what this one’s called, but I guess it’s something along the lines of recreating a mouse here! 

I’m... boring. hanyi’s motto in life, probably: make it black. there are little devil horns but they’re black too so they’re blending in...

tag game #3

tagged by @yibobibo 

You can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to. Put your favourite playlist on shuffle and list the first ten songs then tag ten people! No skipping!

OHO favourite playlist you say........ okay I’ll have to find one of my favourites that has at least 10 songs ahaaa

SHI-KI (Atsushi Suemitsu) - from Shiki (this remains one of my favourite instrumental anime soundtracks to date it’s just so damn atmospheric and good)

Tian Wen (Liu Yuning) - from Shan He Ling (well...)

Ai Shang (Xiao Shi Gu Niang) - from Goodbye My Princess

Enigma (After Journey) - from My Roommate is a Detective

Chi Qing Zhong Instrumentals with Vocals Version (Deng Lun) - from Qing Ya Ji (*cough cough cough*)

Eau de Vie (Atsushie Suemitsu) - from Shiki

Huo Shui (Shu Linzuo) - from The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty

Chi Qing Zhong (Deng Lun) - from Qing Ya Ji

Be Ok (I’ll) - from Zombie Detective

Warriors (2WEI & Edda Hayes)

yeahhh I listen to a lot of soundtracks

tag game #4

tagged by @livenarrator​

post the top 10 songs you’re currently vibing to

pretty similar to the one above! but here are another 10 anyways ehe

Bridge of Fate (Wang Leehong & Tan Weiwei) - from The Great Wall

Sheng Er Wu Wei (Wang Ziyi) - from S.W.A.T.

Fireworks Cool Easily (Jay Chou)

Diamond (Ha Hyun Woo) - from Itaewon Class

Yong Ye (Tan Weiwei) - from Ever Night

Awaken (Su Shiding) - from My Roommate is a Detective

Wu Bie (Jeff Chang) - from Tian Guan Ci Fu

Wu Ti (Hu Xia) - from Shan He Ling

Tian Ya Ke (Zhang Zhehan & Gong Jun) - from Shan He Ling

Gu Meng (Zhang Zhehan) - from Shan He Ling

and last but not least, tag game #5

tagged by @inessencedevided​

rules: create your own post and tag 9 people to get to know better or catch up with  

last song listened to: Tian Wen from Shan He Ling - because I was answering the tag game above alsdklflksdlkf (ง ื▿ ื)ว

last movie watched: The Yin Yang Master 2021 aka Shi Shen Ling - I got baited by (white) long-haired chen kun let’s just leave it at that

currently reading: just finished Po Yun by Huai Shang - IT’S SO DAMN GOOD PLEASE READ IT HUAI SHANG NEEDS MORE LOVE - next up probably 2ha reread

currently craving: travel - I think I’ve been saying I’ve been craving travel for the longest time now singapore is... damn small

current project: at work??? leisure project??? if it’s the latter, I probably have to get my ass cracking and start doing this week’s march gif challenge but I have Zero Inspiration (⇀‸↼‶)

current mood: pretty chill and relaxed bc finally I’m done with live giffing shl, but also nervous and ambivalent bc hyx is starting soon, and lastly excited bc tomorrow I’m gonna have my first bubble tea in three months (self-imposed diet, not related to any lockdown)

current wish: see “currently craving”

currently learning: nothing much?

something that makes you proud: how far I’ve progressed in giffing ever since january 2020 ฅ(^◕ᴥ◕^)ฅ

#tag game #SO MANY TAG GAMES #AHAHAH

[flying-elliska]

Shadow and Bone Season 1 Review

Ok so I got distracted by a need to watch all of Ben Barnes' filmography (lmao) but here is my review : It was really fun to watch and it was clearly made with love which is already the main thing with YA fantasy, which is often turned into a soulless moneygrab when put on screen. The actors were GREAT. I did think that the Crows suffered from being mashed up with the Shadow and Bone story, but they were still a highlight. I also think it was a bit rushed, esp. when it came to Alina's training. The costumes were beautiful, I want a kefta now. Plus the crossover fanfic interactions btw the SaB characters and the Crows were just pure joy. Also Milo, obviously <3 I'm in hyperfixation mode so here, have an essay :

The "Shadow and Bone" Characters :

- Jessie Mei Li !!!!!! She really made me like Alina so much more than in the books, she absolutely is the 'human embodiment of literal sunshine' and she was a joy to watch. Her character's arc is cliché but her acting is so expressive and endearing, I really felt for her all the way through. (maybe I'm biased bc Jessie talking about her ADHD and seeing her thrive at the same time is like!!! i love them they deserve all the best.) I like that they made Alina more proactive - even though she does make some stupid decisions... but I just don't understand people who put that down as bad writing, like ??? have you ever met a real person who only makes wise, good decisions ?? a character like that would either be at the end of their story or just in the background because that makes them static. The things with the maps in the beginning does a good job of illustrating how she is just this one girl making rash, erratic decisions out of fear and loyalty and doesn't have a sense of the bigger picture, caught in the tide of bigger events. It works for her character. When it comes to the choice of making her half-Shu, I do think it really makes sense re: her character feeling like an outsider but I do understand the criticisms that the microaggressions felt too relentless and one-note. I am really looking forward to them introducing Tamar and Tolya and hopefully connecting to them over her heritage in a more positive way.

- Mal in the books was one of the most annoying YA characters I've ever come across, so I really liked that they made him much more of a loyal, devoted friend. I found his relationship with Alina cute, it really gives us the sense that these are two orphans who found a home in each other, childhood best friends (and potential sweethearts) separated by war, two army grunts and ordinary people caught up in the wheels of power and war that usually crushes people like them, it's a great way to introduce the dynamics of their world and it's a trope that always makes me emo. It felt a bit too one note to me, though, and too heavily on the nose, like Mal's only personality was his attachment to Alina (and his resentment towards the Grisha) and too much of her emotional arc also relied on him. Them hitting us over the head with the meadow scenes felt like pure telling instead of showing and it ended up being super repetitive and kind of annoying. I am willing to like this pairing, but I wanted more scenes of them just having conversations about things and really understanding why they like each other beyond the whole childhood friends bond that we're asked to accept exists at the beginning. So I hope there's more depth there in next seasons.

- Ben Barnes!!!! Just jksdfhgkdjghdf. I'm not a big villain stan usually and I hated the Darkling in the books but DAMN his performance is just amazing. They managed to make him more sympathetic and human while at the same time making clear the stuff he does is deeply horrible. There's the Magneto-aspect of 'well clearly his methods are fucked up but he's addressing a terrible injustice nobody is doing anything about' that makes it very tempting to root for him ; and again, well, like, Ben Barnes is so hot and charismatic it feels uncomfortable (which I guess is part of the point lol). His loss of humanity is, up to a point, understandable, brought about by despair, loneliness, grief and a sense of powerlessness - living so long he starts to see other people as disposable, losing so many people he stops caring, seeing over and over how hate never seems to stop, etc. It's a logical explanation for going insane.

But the hunger for power is also very much present as a motivation and this ambiguity is there constantly. Does he maybe come to genuinely care for Alina or is it totally bullshit ? I think he does, he's just so fucked up that it comes out as possessiveness and a need to control her. He wants Alina to be his equal but he's incapable of treating her that way. It's tragic, in a sense, but the show doesn't excuse his actions either. Like his monstrosity is a product of this world full of injustice, yes, and that warrants some compassion, monsters are always a symptom of their environment in some ways and dehumanizing them completely is an excuse ; but at the same time, he sabotaged his own cause anyway the moment he started to treat other people like things, as he does with Alina, because that just perpetuates the cycle of violence and hate. At some point he started feeling like he was the only solution and he was owed power for his sacrifices, and he's using his cause as an excuse. When Alina came to him, there was a possibility for redemption, taking down the Fold, and it's a test because there is finally someone on his level of power. But instead of seeking to remedy the power imbalance between them, he made it worse, by lying to her, manipulating her, etc, and the antler collar is the ultimate sign of this.

I love those scenes towards the end (the antler-based body horror has big Hannibal vibes, so messed up). I like Alina telling him they could have had this, that she had compassion for him and his cause, that they could have worked together, and he's the one responsible for screwing it up and this time his claim that he's the misunderstood victim ("Make me your villain") appears delusional and self-serving instead of somewhat justified. The almost-lovers to enemies vibes, the sense of lost potential, and the angst of the whole 'oh you could finally have been loved by people, too bad you fucked it up !', very juicy. There is this fundamental idea that power/respect/love is not something you are owed no matter how good your intentions are or because you're strong or you have suffered or you're willing to commit horrible drastic actions, you have to keep proving you deserve it, and trying to claim power without responsibility of care turns you into a monster. The thing with the stag was an excellent metaphor of the fact that there's things you can't take, they have to be given to you, and the wonderful power there is in understanding that is what allows Alina to harness the stag amplifier's power. This is really when she escapes his grim utilitarian outlook and a different way forward and owns her own power fully on her own terms.

Anyway I hope Alina gets to beat the shit out of him at some point that would be very sexy but I'm also looking forward to see how their arcs parallel and diverge from each other as Alina starts to grapple more with the implications of her power and the harsh dilemmas of war and her own dark side. I want to see him become scared of her, and I feel it will be more visible than in the books where he just has this cold aggressive facade all the time. This one feels a lot more openly emotional which is just a lot more interesting.

- As for the other characters ; Zoya mostly made me sad. The actress has the perfect vibes but I'm not sure I love their take on her character so far, it does make sense in terms of the later books - that she has internalized prejudice regarding her mixed-race heritage, that she is jealous of Alina because of how hard she's fought to get where she is and Alina kind of takes it away from her, etc. But I would have liked to see a bit more of her being badass and sharp-tongued in a clever (even if mean) way instead of spending most of her time being rejected by men and being racist towards Alina. I did like the ending though, of her actually seeing the monstrosity of the Darkling in action and the mention of her aunt. And her brief bonding with Inej was great, just because it was badass but also maybe because it could be a part of Zoya learning to accept her Suli heritage in turn, maybe not right away but in time, when thinking of that part of herself, she won't only think of her parents' ruined marriage and all the pain it caused, but also of that badass and brave acrobat girl who went toe to toe with these really scary monsters without even having any powers and !!!!!

- Also Leigh's cameo was so cute and as an aspiring writer this is just such wish fulfillment

- I honestly think that having the Crows there actually made the S&B story better ? Not only in terms of the much needed levity breaks but also in terms of themes. For instance, Matthias and Nina's story gave us a really raw and visceral view of how the Grisha are hunted. And Inej's relationship to Alina really gave us a sense of what Alina actually means to people who believe in the Saints in a way that doesn't feel just like 'ugh those superstitious people' because we know that Inej's faith is part of what makes her who she is and a person with morals, and something that saw her through the worst moments of her life. It feels so special that she got to meet Alina and given a sign that maybe the world is not completely shitty. And Alina's kindness towards Inej really gives you a sense that she might be, or become worthy of that belief in time, or at least that she wants to, that she's figuring out her power to really touch people's lives might be a good thing, and that she's starting to accept this responsibility more fully. And her arming Inej is a nice parallel to that. I'm very emotional about this scene, because one of the first things we see of young Alina is her taking out a knife to defend Mal from the bullies, because she's protective and brave, but she's also aware the world is a shitty place, and so her giving that knife to Inej is a sort of spiritual transmission and recognition of sorts, that she trusts Inej with that fighting power, that she'll use this knife to defend herself and her loved ones and not abuse it. It's so interesting. And a counter point to the Darkling's fucked up relationship to power that Alina might at some point get afraid she'll replicate. That you could see Alina trying to gather followers and using people's admiration for her like he did but instead she sets them free and empowers them. It's great. And I feel that when Inej takes to the seas, she'll think about Alina. (I do hope somebody tells her Alina's not dead at some point though god). Girls giving each other knives is my spirituality, honestly.

- And I also noticed an interesting parallel between Kaz and the Darkling in terms of being two emo dudes who like to wear black, are prone to violence and have a thing for two very powerful women they think are special and want to have at their side, but of course, they go about it in very different ways. The Darkling comes at it from a place of power while Kaz comes from a place of utter powerlessness, first of all, and he understands why it's important to set Inej free. Him spending the entire season trying to earn enough money to pay off Inej's indenture is the opposite to the Darkling putting that collar on Alina and while I do have issues with how the show portrays him, I do love that. Love is about setting the person you love free !!!! And that confrontation scene was so powerful, when Kaz tells the Darkling Alina was tired of being a captive ! Drag him !

- As for Genya, I liked the actress and her chemistry with Alina, but I'm not sure they did a great job of making her arc very clear, for instance what it means for her to get that red kefta, her relationship with the other Grisha, etc. Her and David are already very cute though. Also very much looking forward to see where that goes.

So yeah I think they did a great job with this bit actually, I enjoyed a lot more than I think I would and even though it is a very tropey story, there's plenty of depth there too.

The Crows :

- I'm a bit more nitpicky about this because I care about these characters so much. I think overall the problem is that the SaB story in the books happens on this massive scale with enormous stakes, and that next to that the Crows' issues feel less important ; it's like their impact is distorted by the gravity of the much larger story. Like for instance, Kaz in the books is very much at the center of everything, this larger than life trickster figure who knows and controls almost everything by sheer cleverness, and he has this sense of allure and mystique that can't happen here, and so his aura just shrinks. On top of that they're not on their home turf. Being introduced to these characters before they've reached their full levels of badass is weird - there is a reason why prequels generally happen after the main stuff, because they count on the love you have for these characters at their full potential to make you interested in their story when they were less badass and interesting. So I had several moments where I was like 'oh this feels wrong'. Tbh the idea that they would even volunteer to kidnap Alina in the first place, what with Inej's backstory, feels kind of wrong, esp since they had no idea of what would happen to her if they succeeded.

- But I still enjoyed a lot of it though, especially the fact that they were this force of chaos in the midst of this bigger narrative that's a lot more self-serious. The bits with the train, or the circus acts were very clever. A lot of the best moments in the show happen when they come to disturb the other plot in unexpected ways. I'm still dead over the whole 'Alina jumps into their carriage' scene, that was fucking gold. The team up at the end !!!! Alina and Kaz making a deal ! Inej stabbing the Darkling !!!! Them stealing the Darkling's carriage !!! They don't give a shit that the story is supposed to be super dramatic it's great.

- Jesper is the one character they completely nailed from start to finish and he's probably my favorite part of the whole show. He's very funny without being reduced to the role of comic relief ; he's just so! damn! cool!!!!!!! I honestly feel this is a thing they actually did even better than in the books, or at least Six of Crows where I felt Jasper kind of disappeared behind Kaz and they insist a lot on his flaws and issues. So before we dig more into those problems I love that they gave him time to be this ultra badass who saves the day several times ; while at the same time, hinting at further developments like his powers or his gambling issues. Kit Young is just perfect, confident without being arrogant, a bit cold when it comes to crime while at the same time being so obviously caring with Inej - I loved their friendship, that was so sweet. My main criticism is that they should have made it clearer he was bi because there are already people calling him gay and that's very annoying. I know some people had a problem with his hookup and like...I can see it's a bit of a cliché...the charming badass bisexual adventurer....it's a trope I kind of love though lmao and the scene itself felt kind of cute and fun. He's not the only person who is shown to have an active sexuality and he's also not the only queer person around and we know he's going to have a more substantial romantic arc later so eh. On a larger note I loved the little casual hints of completely normalized queerness - Nadia thirsting over Zoya, Fedyor and Ivan, Poppy, etc. Having grown up with fantasy where queerness was either completely erased or very tormented and problematic, this was refreshing as hell.

- Inej and Kaz...my faves... They have a kind of relationship which feels so rare and unique in terms of what exists on TV and while I don't feel they entirely replicated it, the core is still there - the mutual respect and building of trust, the longing, the repression, the trauma, etc. One thing I really like is their arc around faith - in the books, Kaz is dismissive of Inej's faith in ways that often feel really shitty and I like that he learns to be more respectful of it. It's very much linked to hope/survival ; Inej keeps this token from her parents and she hopes to find them again ; Kaz tells her it's no use and she'll survive better if she gives up. He believes Alina is a fake, while Inej wants to believe that myths can come true and there is hope for good things in the world. Kaz comes to accept that Alina is the real deal and, out of respect for Inej's faith, to stop pursuing her. I loved the bit about Inej struggling to kill as well - it's the dilemma of what her survival and that of the people she really cares about are worth in such a shitty world - her compassion is a good part of her but so is her survival instinct, and that's the part Kaz represents - that even after she's been through hell, broken in unfathomable ways, even if she gave up all hope and faith in the world, even she becomes dangerous and ruthless to survive, she will still deserve dignity, and to be treated better. And meanwhile she is willing to break her principles, which she holds so dearly, to save him, when he's never had anyone who cared for him like that - enough to keep him alive. That bit in the church !!!!! God !!!!!! Bye !!!!!!! And then him basically calling her his own version of a Saint, that he doesn't believe in miracles but he does believe in her !!! It's very emblematic of their whole arc ; he empowers her to survive in a ruthless world and loves her at her most dangerous ; but he loves her laugh too, he finds her a ship and her parents, he honors her capacity for love and hope even when he can't share it. And she sees that he's capable of doing better, that he's worth caring for. This whole thing kills me honestly and I can't wait to see where they take this next. I'm not mad they're a bit more soft and obvious than in the books, Kaz would just have come across as an an asshole otherwise.

- That said, there are bits of how they introduced their backstories I don't like. I get that making it so Inej was still tied to the Menagerie gave them a very powerful reason to want to kidnap Alina beyond greed so that they wouldn't look like very shitty people. But in the books Inej is terrified by the idea of simply seeing Heleen or the Menagerie and the way they have her interact with her feels weirdly casual and dismissive of her trauma. Also, in the books, the fact that Kaz had to convince Per Haskell to buy Inej's contract through a lot of effort, that he wasn't the one holding that above her head either, made the power dynamics more palatable. I especially disliked the scene where Kaz says he won't free other girls because just Inej is special, it makes him look like he has the power but he's just too much of a callous asshole to do it, and that he just freed Inej because he liked her which is absolutely not what their relationship is about at the start, it's a lot more about seeing Inej's dangerous side behind a facade of powerlessness and relating to her, in a sense, and this scene made it all feel cheap.

- Also, what was that about Inej having a brother ? Not a fan of that either. I'm afraid they're going to make her story all about finding what happened to him, and that's 1) too on the nose similar to Kaz's story and 2) it kind of cheapens her own arc, a female character realizing that what was done to her was wrong, reclaiming her own power and dignity and then making sure it doesn't happen to anybody else, harnessing her personal experience to save strangers, that's so powerful - making it about a family member at first, especially if it's about revenge, it's so much more simplistic and unoriginal and the perspective really annoys me.

- Also not a fan of Per Haskell not being there because he's a very important part of Kaz's evolution, so I hope he shows up eventually - and the way they introduced Pekka Rollins was kind of like...weird and out of place. I just found the Crows' introduction scenes stilted and not as cool as they should have been - well, Jesper and Inej were very cool, but we needed to see Kaz in action first, we needed to see why he's such a menace before we see him flounder later, and I just...I don't know exactly but it didn't work for me. Also this is a very petty thing but I wasn't crazy about the Ketterdam sets, I know this is probably a budget thing but in my head it looked like this incredible mix of Amsterdam and Venice - specific locations in the book directly remind me of parts of Amsterdam I know very well - and instead what we got felt like this very generic London-ish fantasy setting....so boring. Also a lot of scenes that felt to exposition-y. I don't mind that Kaz was a bit softer than in the books, like many people have said some things work in books and don't work on a screen, and you need to make the character's inner dynamics more explicit. But I do agree that, at the same time, he should have been more ruthless towards people outside of his group. Loved that scene where he faces the Inferni though, and how well they illustrated his disability and aversion to touch.

- I don't have that much to say about Nina and Matthias ; I'm still not super sold on the whole 'haha misogyny!' thing and I dislike that so much of Matthias' change of heart relies on the fact that he finds Nina hot. But I did think that the actors had enough chemistry to make their scenes together interesting and cute ; I loved the waffle scene. Even though it's disappointing that they didn't find an actress who was more clearly plus size for Nina, I still think Danielle does a good job bringing her bold, unapologetic energy. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Crows as a whole team.

So yeah, even though the season didn't feel like a perfect, coherent whole, it was just a lot of fun and I really hope they get renewed. In particular I feel like tying the first trilogy to the Crows' story could create such interesting parallels in terms of themes, about power, the cost of survival, hope, trauma, etc etc

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone netflix #grishaverse #six of crows #leigh bardugo

[piratemadi]

please make your critical post of supernatural those are literally the only posts about supernatural i care about, especially since i side eye the heck out of the many people who give supernatural a pass because they ship two boring white dudes (dean and castiel) PLEASE

omg ok nobody make fun of me for posting an earnest criticism of this show i enjoy critical analysis and being a hater

i think most of why this show sucks has already been covered pretty thoroughly but these r the main things abt it that piss ME off.

the racism runs so SO deep. supernatural is supposed to be an exploration of americana thru horror (and i’ll give them that. like the idea of deconstructing america and all its fallacies thru horror is genius and in competent hands it would be absolutely incredible. but anyway) but it only really scrapes the surface of what is inherently horrific about americana! something like that is supposed to be an INTERROGATION of monstrosity and how america (and western society more broadly) creates monsters out of human beings and how white christian morals are established as the ONLY acceptable morals and how anyone who falls outside of those norms (non christian, non white, lgbt, people with substance use disorders, prisoners, the poor, indigenous people/cultures etc) are monsterized, so to speak, because of an oppressive and unloving colonial society. like u cannot have a horror narrative abt monsters attacking family values and white suburban life without invoking some very old and racist conventions! but instead of subverting that supernatural just reinforces it! it consistently fails to make any kind of real statement because the most demonized parts of society are the people who are also treated the WORST in canon! native american beliefs are stolen and turned into stupid bogeymen without the show ever featuring a native character or seriously grappling with the inherent violence of america as a colonial state, black men are consistently portrayed as angry and evil while black women are treated like shit (dean’s happy ending at the end of s5 is with a white woman he fucked one time instead of with the black woman who he was in love with??), impoverished people are mostly ignored and when they’re not theyre monsters (theres one episode centered around a poor rural family that commits murder and cannibalism. no supernatural stuff or monsters. just poor people. thats the scare).

theres this consistent fixation on preserving american suburbia, on saving “normal” (read: white middle class) people and it sets up this dynamic of like. the “real world” is the white middle class and then there’s hunters including our mains who defend that “real world” against monsters and demons, which is just Everything Else. and the writers PRETEND to struggle w the question of monsters and what makes one but they just toss it around without ever actually committing to answering that question with compassion or narrative coherency. they have multiple episodes about characters who were raised human, who want to be human, but have to be killed because of an inherent evil nature. there’s a plot in the early seasons about how one of the main characters has demonic powers, and instead of saying that doesnt make him inherently bad and he’s allowed to fully access all parts of himself without being fundamentally evil, they consistently frame intrinsically neutral traits as inherently evil specifically because they go against a christian ideal of morality! and eventually he learns to suppress these powers and that’s that!

and then it establishes christianity as the guiding principle of america, not in a way of like “american culture and history is deeply steeped in white supremacist protestantism that has led to incredibly fucked up views on god and love and morality and thats what we have to deal with as people who live here”, but in a way of like “the christian god is real and he’s a white guy who fucking hates you.” which like. Ok. they bastardize and trivialize any religions that arent christian while building the entire series on christianity. Ok. like i guess its possible to write stories about white christianity without implying that every other religion is full of shit but supernatural did not do that on any level

its also just. really poorly written. i genuinely loved the first season i thought it was really well paced and that the characters were introduced really well like the first season is a GOOD horror story in terms of family as horror and the inherent terror of americana. but the pacing and the character development started tripping up in s2. by s3 they started raising the stakes Exponentially which honestly is such a kiss of death for good fiction like every season mounting a bigger badder antagonist than the last one is the surest way to kill a story bc it means the earlier entries in that story become basically meaningless in the face of the new bad guy. u dont need to raise the stakes to write a good story! a well written story abt the horror and drama of a close knit and unhealthy family caught up in something they don’t really understand isn’t Less emotionally resonant than, like, having to stop the world from ending, because at the end of the day its Fiction and none of it matters beyond what u can make the audience really Feel. im not gonna feel sorrow if 7 billion fake little people die. i didnt cry when the death star blew up whatever planet it blew up. what DOES make me feel sorrow is a few truly well written characters whose relationships are complicated and tragic and whose motivations i can understand and whose inner lives i can imagine. raising the stakes destroys a good story and thats exactly what happened to supernatural (not that the racism and misogyny and american protestant moralizing wasn’t killing it already)

also, the misogyny makes the female characters basically impossible to watch. like not a single person on that show is a good actor (except sterling k brown love u king u were the best actor that show ever saw) but they didnt even give any of the women anything to work with. its literally so cringey to watch any woman onscreen except maybe like. bela talbot and she was treated like utter shit.

god. you know that expression dont fall in love with potential? i dont do that w people i do it w fiction. i came off black sails and the untamed and frankenstein and i watched the first couple seasons of supernatural with my friend and it was like...there was so much room for it to SAY something about monsters and how society creates them thru violence and how deeply horrific american protestantism is. like theres so many questions and concepts that it brought up that it never actually SAID something about. shithole of wasted potential. and yeah dean and castiel is stupid there i said it

#again i KNOWW everybody knows it sucks and doesnt care #im a hater! #asks

[micamicster]

this post is for @tovezza ! I’m ur vergil here to guide you through the 9 circles of cw hell lmao

Ok so I am going to make a list of episodes that I think will serve your purposes (family dynamics, american experience). I will be bolding episodes that I think are particularly “good” (good being a subjective term at all times but particularly in the case of cw’s longest running hate crime, supernatural) Episodes that are not bolded you can assume are on here for being a pretty good monster episode and worth watching, but not specifically your interests (unless otherwise explained).

Ok warnings for early season supernatural. Dean is at least passively suicidal as early as season 1, so if that is a trigger for you message me and I will give you more specific warnings! Other than that, Racism, sexism, you know the drill.

ONE MORE THING! Don't watch season 1 on netflix. (Watch it on p*tlock*r or something) Netflix didn't shell out for the music rights for the first season and the music is all wrong! This wouldn't be such a big deal for most shows, but the music is AMAZING in supernatural it’s one of the only things they get right and a lot of the scenes just don’t hit as hard without it

ok SO: buckle up there are 15 seasons and ive watched at least 8 of them so there is a lot of Content for us to sift through!

Seasons 1-3

Idk how much you know about this show but there is Dean (my fave) and his younger brother Sam and for the first 3 seasons the two of them mostly drive around hunting monsters and grappling with the effects that their abusive dad and childhood trauma had on them. Overarching plot is that they are looking for their father, who is hunting the demon who killed their mother and sam’s girlfriend (TWO fridgings in episode one! a record!)

They have really mastered the art of the procedural: almost any episode in those seasons is going to be both a fun 40 minute horror movie and have some good character stuff. 

Pilot: like it’s fine. Not a standout episode and the exposition is a little clumsy but if you really have no clue who tf these people all are it’s probably good to start here.

Dead in the Water: great Dean episode

Phantom Traveler: good because it introduces how demons work. Otherwise pretty run of the mill

Bloody Mary: here we got american urban legend that I played in elementary school, dean looking hot, fall out boy on the soundtrack... what more can a girl ask for?

Skin: like not to spoil the punchline but dean shoots himself in this one.

Hook Man

Bugs: This one is racist and Bad but it also contains some of the early arguments between sam and dean over their dad, and the implication (through jensen’s jacting joices) that their dad was physically abusive to him, if not to sam. Or you could just take that as established fact and not subject yourself to this monstrosity.

Home: something is haunting their childhood home. Sam is having visions. I hate John Winchester.

Scarecrow: Great episode that validates my deep-rooted fear of small towns

Faith: FAITH! Like this is the first episode that came to mind when you asked for fucked up family dynamics and america. Also crucial to the Dean/Cas dynamic in the future. I am in love with dean and i hate John what more is there to say. If you are ignoring my advice and watching on netflix do me a favor and at least watch this one elsewhere. 

Route 666: racist car ep. yeah. but it does contain Cassie, who is great and is dean’s ex. If you would rather skip (it is not a good ep) I think the important information to have is that dean told his girlfriend the truth about what he does, as opposed to sam, who intended to lie to Jess indefinitely.

Shadow: John Winchester makes his first real appearance! Necessary bc you see the family dynamic on full display for the first time. I hate him

Something Wicked: ELDEST DAUGHTER CODED

Provenance

Dead Man’s Blood, Salvation, Devil’s Trap: the plot of the season concludes in some RANK family dynamics seriously fucked up

Moving on to season 2! You can go back to netflix for the rest of the show it will have the correct music from now on

Season 2 ep 1 In My Time of Dying: FUCK YES

Everybody Loves a Clown: I guess we’ll have to deal with All That... gestures vaguely at the previous few episodes. Introduces Jo and Ellen who I love.

Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things: FELLAS ARE YOU EVER VICIOUS ARE YOU VIOLENT DO YOU ROT THE GROUND YOU WALK ON

No Exit: Jo is in this which is fun. Honestly most of the generic motw episodes this season are solid

The Usual Suspects: introduces Victor Henrickson! I love him! (yeah hes a cop... but)

Crossroad Blues: speaking of american folklore....

Croatoan: a lot going on in this ep. contains one of my favorite lines of dialogue in this whole show alskg;gjsdg like sometimes it is Self Aware. Dean reveals the last thing his dad asked him to do before he died. I hate John Winchester.

Night Shifter: oh fuck yeah victor henrickson. This is a great episode.

Houses of the Holy: can you believe they didn’t plan to have angels in the show CAN U BELIEEEEEVE ...god everything good about this show was an accident

Born Under A Bad Sign: good if you think Sam is the main character

Tall Tales: this ep is just really fucking funny

Hollywood Babylon: this is just really funny what can I say!

Folsom Prison Blues: dean said acab!

What Is and What Should Never Be: oh. speaking of fucked up family dynamics. This one is like a kick in the teeth

All Hell Breaks Loose: season finale and very important both for the plot and for the characters!

Season 3! One of the best seasons, and (due to the writers strike) one of the shortest! Dean is.. so fucking good this season.

The Magnificent Seven: plot mostly. Introduces Ruby who is very important

The Kids Are Alright: introduces Lisa! I have mixed feelings about where her story goes but that doesn’t mean I don’t like her. Dean interacts with kids idk how much of a selling point that is for you but it sure is for me!

Bad Day at Black Rock: sooo fucking funny also introduces Bela I love Bela Justice 4 Bela

Sin City: really good Dean content, the plot of the ep is weak tho

Red Sky at Morning: not everyone likes this episode but Bela is in it so EYE love it

A Very Supernatural Christmas: family traumaaaaa and... a christmas monster plot? ok?

Dream a Little Dream: DEAAAAAN I LOVE YOUUUUUU

Mystery Spot: really funny until it. isn’t.

Jus in Bello: REALLY good episode. I love Victor. Justice 4 Victor

Ghostfacers: ok this is a spectacular episode it is deeply chaotic tho so. brace yourself.

No Rest for the Wicked: Listen to Johnny THEE Cash’s 25 Minutes To Go before watching. Cannot BELIEEEVE they ended the season like that genuinely... Back when this show had cojones

I will update this post with season 4 and 5 if you actually get that far. I think that since you’re interested in the family dynamics and the american roadtrip feeling then seasons 1-3 are really a good place to dig into that, and that allows the show to explore john winchester/God parallels in seasons 4-5 without it feeling unearned.

#tovezza #this is mostly copypasted from similar rec lists ive made for other friends and jsut edited to fit your purposes #I have guided so many people thru this show with so many different preferences akakakaks #it is under a read more because a) it is soooo long and b) people im sure will fight me about parts of it #whatever #this is my rec list its our party! #for people who are wondering what this is #it is a guide to supernatural episodes that focus on the family and the american folklore so #if you would like ur own custom made supernatural binge watch guide let me know! I’m apparently handing them out ahsjkskd #supernatural rewatch