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#the fact that there are multiple characters in the same family with the same name
redbootsindoriath · 2 years
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It surprises me that we have Tolkien fans who consistently refer to Ñoldo characters by their Quenya names but not fans who call the hobbits Bilba, Maura, Banazîr, Kalimac, and Razanur. Priorities much?
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sleepyconfusedpotato · 5 months
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Run Free
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art by me!
Price, Gaz, and Ghost visits the MacTavish Estate baring the news.
Word Count: 2.1k words Warning: Major character death, angst and comfort. Note : I wrote this fic a few days after I finished the campaign. I've always thought it weird why the 141 boys had Soap's ashes when I've always seen Soap as someone with a family and a had good relationship with them, especially since it's canon that Soap's cousin brought him to the SAS base several times as a kid. Here's my interpretation of that fact, on how Soap's urn ended up with the boys.
Price, Gaz, and Ghost wore their dress uniforms from head to toe, finding themselves in front of the MacTavish Estate in Glasgow. It was… big, to say the least. Soap’s family was known not only because a number of people from the family are serving in the British Royal Armed Forces, but also the fact that they are 7th generation furniture company - MacTavish Furnitures. Lots of members of the family are veterans turned businessmen, carpenters, or woodworkers. It is a common cycle of life for them.
As Ghost and Gaz stood, Price climbed the stairs and wore his beige beret, breathing deeply through his nose before letting the air out to prepare himself, lifting his hand to knock on the wooden door. The captain heard faint noises of multiple footsteps from multiple people and some voices of heavy Scottish accent from inside the house. He waited for a moment, until the door finally opened, but he found no one in front of him. 
“Who are ya?”
A little voice spoke from under him, prompting Price to look down. He found a little girl with blonde hair no taller than his knees. She’s absolutely drenched from head to toe in a blue swimming attire and had to bend her neck so high to see him. He bent down to his knees to match her height, before saying,
“Hello. I’m… My name is John.” 
“John? Like Uncle Johnny?” Her little voice said, face gleaming with happiness at the name.
“Yes. Like Uncle Johnny.” Price smiled, chuckling lightly. The girl grinned at his smiling face. “May I see your dad? Or mum?”
“Phoebe MacTavish! Get your wee feet here before I pick your legs off of that floo–! Oh, Hello there.” A new voice came from in front of him, revealing herself to be an old woman with dark brown hair, though with white strands and the same quizzical brow that reminded Price of Soap. She looked strong, nonetheless, wearing a green shirt and knitted vest with a towel hanging from one of her shoulders, obviously to dry the little girl after a session of swimming in their estate’s pool. 
Price stood back up, greeting the lady. “Mrs. MacTavish.” 
The old woman looked at his attire up and down, and Price swore that he saw the gears rotating inside her mind. She looked down at the girl and gave her the white towel, “Phoebe. Go inside and dry yourself. Find your Da, Aunt Rachel, and Uncle Hugh, too. Tell them to meet me at the front door, yeah?” The little girl nodded and ran inside, disappearing into the house as Price heard a faint yelling from the same child, calling for the stated family members. 
Now, the lady in front of him walked closer to the doorway, face to face with him. She’s undoubtedly no taller than 5’7”, a height that might have been receding as time went by, but you could spot a proud MacTavish wherever you see one. Price offered his hand for a handshake as she accepted. “Captain John Price from the 22 SAS Regiment.” 
“Joan MacTavish.” She replied. Price noticed the name as the name on Soap’s file as his guardian, with the relation being marked with ‘Aunt’. “What brings you here, Captain?” Her face looked neutral like it wasn’t the first time a soldier with a full dress uniform knocked on this wooden door. 
Just before Price could say what he wanted to say, a deep voice called to her. “Mum?” One woman and two men with a frame similar to him showed up from inside the house. One man was around Ghost’s age, one was around his age, while the woman in a bun looked older than him, though looking very vibrant and professional. All of them had the same thick eyebrows – Family traits, he supposed – and clearly looked like honourable but firm Scottish people. Upon seeing Price, though, their faces changed from confusion to realization. 
Price remembered that Soap was not the first MacTavish in the SAS. In fact, there was another member of the family, Oliver MacTavish, who died in the line of duty a decade ago. Price remembered the way Soap had told the story of Ollie, his cousin, bringing his little arse to the SAS base  - however unpermitted it was – and how Price had busted Soap multiple times for applying with a fake age. 
“Rachel MacTavish.” The eldest one spoke.
“Hugh MacTavish.” The elder man said, followed by the younger.
“Scott MacTavish. That was my daughter, Phobe.” They all shook hands with Price. 
He repeated his greeting, before Rachel started,
“I've seen the likes of you before. I recognize that beret even from a mile away." She said firmly. "Out with it."
The captain's breath hitched as he cleared his throat, preparing himself to deliver the news. And so, he began.
"On November 21st, our target had placed an active bomb inside the underwater tunnel that connects the UK and France. During our attempt to defuse the bomb, the target sneaked from behind our line of sight…"
The whole family's face changed, Joan's eyes looked glassy with tears seeming like she knew of the incoming words.
"And I regret to inform you… that Sergeant John MacTavish has died in the line of duty."
Ghost, without his mask and black face paint around his eyes, and Gaz with their dress uniforms and beret could only stand from the base of the stairs, watching and hearing as Joan's cry of anguish tear through the morning sky. 
"Oh Lord. Johnny. Johnny. My baby, Johnny." Joan repeated his name like a chanting to the sky. "Why must You take him so soon? Why must he join Ollie so soon?"
The whole family hugged their mother as she wailed, her knees looked like it was giving up. Gaz gritted his teeth to strengthen himself, not wanting to break down to cry himself. 
As the family cried, Price could only stand still, letting the news sink in for the family. His job as the leader of the team was done, at that point. He delivered the news to his family. 
"The bomb…Did he defuse it?" Hugh questioned in the middle of his sobs. 
"He–" Price swallowed, remembering the way Makarov had killed him. "We were both defusing the bomb, John guiding me along the way as he was the demolition expert."
"He protected me, Sir. Our target was about to shoot me, before John stopped him - and got killed instead. The target ran away, but me and Sergeant Garrick managed to defuse the bomb thanks to his prior guidance, saving thousands of lives underneath the 30-mile underwater tunnel." Price answered as Rachel looked up at his face, anger and denial filling her in an instant. 
She raised her hand in such a way that Price knew that she was about to slap him. Price still opened his eyes, fully welcoming the slap before her hand stopped. 
Rachel bit her lips so hard that it might bleed, lowering her arm.
"...Why does it have to be Johnny? Why do you get to live and he doesn't?" She barely whispered in a shaky voice, going back to wiping her face again. “Why Johnny…?”
And Price asked that question every single hour ever since his death. 
Why Soap, and not him?
The MacTavishes requested for Soap's body to be sent to Scotland, where they held a memorial at the MacTavish estate to which they promptly honoured. The number of family members participating was not that many, considering only the immediate family attended. Price, Soap, and Ghost joined them, and even escorted the family as they travelled to the crematorium.
After the whole procession finished – that took the entire day – the family finally had possession of the urn containing Soap's ashes, and they invited the three back to the estate, where they now sit inside the guest room and tea in front of them with Joan and Rachel, his urn placed on a table beside Joan.
That was the day they learned that Soap was actually the son of Joan's late husband's younger sister. Soap's mother – her sister-in-law, died when she birthed Soap, while Soap's father died during an accident in a factory before his own birth. 
Soap had been raised by his uncle's family since his infancy, growing up in the MacTavish house as a strong and firm Scott under the wing of the eldest brother, Oliver. 
"He's always wanted to be like Ollie, that wee kid," Rachel told them after holding a photo album containing photos of Soap when he was a baby in his late uncle's arms, a photo of him and his older cousins playing with mud, photos of his graduations from school, and photos of him passing the test to be a part of SAS along with his cousin, Oliver. "Said he didn't want to go to school. Just visit the army base every day. It's what he dreamed of."
Ghost, still in his dress uniform, felt the most vulnerable in that room - Without his mask, in front of Johnny's family. He also had been in agony for the past day, because he'd failed to cover Johnny's back. He had one job at that time, and he failed, catastrophically. He only sat there with his hands joined in his lap, not daring to look at the family in the eyes. 
"We're very thankful for John's service with us. He was the best there is." Gaz spoke, "John's memory will live with us."
"Thank you, Sergeant Garrick." Joan smiled as she looked up. "I heard you share the same quarters with him in the barracks. I hope he wasn't too much of a naughty boy."
The sergeant chuckled lightly at that, "Well. Soap wasn't someone who could stay away from mischief too long, but I assure you that he's an absolute joy and inspiration to be around." Hearing Joan's laughter cured a little part in Gaz, as the only thing he'd heard from her was the sound of her cry. He could at least pride himself in knowing that he could share Soap's merry nature.
As they share memories, Price finished his tea before he stood up from the sofa, followed by the other two. "Well. We must take our leave, Ma'am. Thank you for the tea."
"Anytime." Joan spoke as the soldiers started to leave the sofa, heading towards the main room and front door. 
"Which one of ya’s is ‘LT’?"
Rachel’s voice stopped the men in their tracks, particularly Ghost’s. All three men turned around, finding the woman holding Soap’s urn in her hands. Price saw how Ghost's face turned to that of a deer in a spotlight, so he put his hand behind Ghost’s back to lightly push him towards Rachel, but Ghost’s hesitancy was apparent in the way he slowly walked. 
“...That would be me, Ma’am.” Ghost’s deep voice rumbled softly as he looked down to Rachel’s height. The lady herself observed him up and down with a negative face that she could convince him that he was standing there naked. 
“Yer tryin’ so hard to make yourself look small for such a big man. It’s almost dreading.” She started, her hips shifting. “I’ve been the CEO of MacTavish Furnitures since my da’ passed away and Ollie decided to go to the army, and I read people like a book. For someone whom Johnny admired the most – and repeatedly spoke about – you don’t look like the LT I heard from him.” Ghost was starstruck at the statement. Soap, talking about him to his family? “I expected you to be cocky and exude pride in your steps, but all I’m seein’ is just a pathetic, sad bloke.” 
Ghost stood still at those comments. No one practically had ever roasted him this badly in front of his teammates. He wondered if he showed up in his other attire, she’d dare to say all this. But then again, if someone got to do it, he was glad that it came from an honourable woman of the MacTavish bloodline. 
What caught him off guard was her hands stretching towards him, holding Soap’s urn in front of his chest. Ghost looked down at the metal container, looking confused as he looked up again to face Rachel. He thought the MacTavishes were going to hold on to Soap’s urn, and they get to keep Soap’s dog tags. However, clearly, the current head of the family had other wishes.
“Take Johnny with ya. Being trapped inside this urn for eternity in this old house would be the last thing he wanted.” The woman started with a shaky voice, her eyes starting to brim with tears again. Seeing Soap’s character, Ghost could understand that completely. 
“He’s… the proudest he could ever be when he’s with ya’s." Rachel continued. 
"So I ask you, as our brother’s comrades, to hold on to Johnny – and free him.” 
Ghost’s eyes opened wide in surprise, still couldn’t fathom how fondly Soap must've talked about his teammates, especially him, to his family that they’d give him his ashes. Ghost lifted his hands to carefully receive the urn. 
After breathing deeply, Ghost stood straight, holding Soap firmly. 
“We will, Ma’am.”
The three of them walked towards the car parked just outside the MacTavish estate with Ghost holding Soap’s urn in his hands. They all took off their berets and entered the car, Price the designated driver, Gaz riding shotgun, while Ghost sat in the backseat. 
“So what do we do with him, Sir?” Gaz rotated his body to look at Soap’s urn on Ghost’s hands, same as Price.
Ghost contemplated in his mind, staring at the metal urn, before speaking, “Where’s Johnny’s place of birth?” 
Price answered immediately as he’s the one who took care of Soap’s documents. “Isle of Skye.” 
“Soap said there’s a beautiful cliff where he and his cousins used to go to play. Endless sea where the eyes could see.” Gaz added.
“Then that’s where we’re goin’.” Ghost spoke with finality. “And then we’ll let Johnny go.”
Price and Gaz nodded to each other. "Alright, Soap. Let's get you home." The captain started the car and stepped on the gas, beginning their journey towards the Isle of Skye.
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I'm not okay. Thank you for reading! (T_T) reblogs and comments of your thoughts are much appreciated!
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camille-lachenille · 1 month
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I was thinking about how, in fanfictions and in the fandom in general, Elrond is often depicted as a pure Noldorin lord, if not a die hard Fëanorian. And while I do enjoy Fëanorian!Elrond, the more I think about it the more I am convinced Elrond is not the fëanorian one of the twins. Elros is. Elros who adopted seven eight pointed stars as the heraldic device of his whole dynasty, a symbol still used 6000 years after his death. Elros who had Quenya be the official language of Númenor. Elros who decided to leave Arda for an unknown fate after his death; not Everlasting Darkness but not the rebirth in the bliss of Valinor either. He choose to go to a place Elves aren’t supposed to go, just like Fëanor and his sons went back to Beleriand. Elros, the mortal man, who decided to forge his own path in the world.
And I am not saying Elrond didn’t, because Eru knows how much strength, patience and stubbornness Elrond must have to become who he is in LotR. But when I first re-read LotR after reading the Silm, he did not strike me as Fëanorian at all (except for the no oath swearing rule that seems to apply in Rvendell). In fact, Elrond, and all three of his children, are defined by being half-Elven. Elrond is so much at the same time they had to creat a whole new category for him. He is described as kind as summer in The Hobbit, but also old and wise, and his friendly banter with Bilbo in FotR show he is also merry and full of humour. Elrond is both Elf and Man despite his immortality, and this is made quite clear in the text.
But. If I had to link him to an Elven clan, I’d say Elrond is more Sinda than Noldor, and even that is up to debate. Rivendell, this enchanting valley hidden from evil thanks to his power, is like a kinder version of Doriath. Yet, the name of Last Homely House and Elrond’s boundless hospitality make me think of Sirion: Rivendell is a place where lost souls can find s home, where multiple cultures live along each other in friendship and peace.
In FotR, Elrond introduces himself as the son of Eärendil and Elwing, claiming both his lineages instead of giving only his father’s name as is tradition amongst the Elves. It may be a political move, or it may be a genuine wish to claim his duality, his otherness, or even both at the same time. But from what is shown of Elrond in LotR, he seems to lean heavily in the symbols and heritage from the Sindar side of his family, rather than the Noldor one. I already gave the comparison with Doriath, but it seems history repeats itself as Arwen, said to be Lúthien reborn, chooses a mortal life. Yet Elrond doesn’t make the same mistake as Thingol by locking his daughter in a tower and sending her suitor to a deathly quest. Yes, he asks Aragorn to first reclaim the throne of Gondor before marrying Arwen, but this isn’t a whim on his part or an impossible challenge. Aragorn becoming king means that Middle-Earth is free from the shadow if Sauron and Arwen will live in peace and happiness. Which sounds like a reasonable wish for a parent to me.
Anyways, I went on a tangent, what strikes me with Elrond is his multiple identity. Elrond certainly has habits or traits coming from his upbringing amongst the Fëanorians, and he loved Maglor despite everything. The fact he is a skilled Minstrel shows he did learn and cultivate skills taught by a Fëanorion, that he is not rejecting them. There is a passage at the end of RotK, in the Grey Havens chapter, where Elrond is described carrying a silver harp. Is this a last relic from Maglor? Possible.
But while Elros choose the path of mortality and showed clear Noldorin influences in the kingdom he built, Elrond is happy in his undefined zone he lives in. He is an Elf, he is a Man, he is Sinda and Noldo and heir to half a dozen lost cultures and two crowns. He is the warrior and the healer, the only one of his kind in Middle-Earth. And that is why I will never tire of this character and I love so much fanworks depicting him as nuanced and multiple yet always recognisable as Elrond.
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vanderlesbian · 7 months
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husband price + ghost hcs
literally just got into cod and i immediately fell so hard for price and ghost erm.......so enjoy some hcs! if they're slightly ooc i apologize...i'm still really new to their characters
gn reader! no warnings <3
**i use [spouse] so you can insert your preferred term :) husband/wife/spouse/etc
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captain john price
- being married to a captain means a lot of nights where price doesn't come home until well after midnight from the amount of work that gets thrown onto him. you try your best to stay up those nights, waiting for his return so you can make him something quick to eat before cleaning him up for bed. though, a lot of the times you get too tired, and price will walk in to see you passed out on the couch. you always wake up in your bed with your husband's arms around your waist and his face buried in your neck.
- because price is always away from home for long periods of time, when he comes back expect to not lift a finger to do anything. he'll feel bad for having you manage the home alone for such long periods of time, so when he is at home he'll do everything for you. cook, clean, run errands—everything. though, sometimes you insist that you help him, saying that it's no fair that he comes home from work just to work some more at home. you find it more enjoyable when the two of you do chores together, anyways.
- he was so outwardly confident with proposing to you, but i know for a fact that he was like a shaking chihuahua on the inside. i definitely think you would date him for quite a long time before finally deciding to get married, so when price takes you to a spot you guys haven't visited since the beginning of your relationship to propose to you, your heart melts realizing that he remembered something from so long ago.
- your wedding was small and simple, with only close friends and family attending. price had more guests with all of the people he knows from work, but you've grown to like them all as much as he does. you have plenty of photos of the 141 boys drunk during the reception, and maybe a few pictures of a drunk, dancing price that he only lets you see out of embarrassment.
- speaking of the 141 boys, they'll often be at your place to watch football or to simply just hang out. you don't mind it in the slightest; they're all very kind to you. gaz is very formal with you because you're his captain's spouse, and you've told him multiple times that it's okay for him to use your first name rather than mr/mrs. price. the others are very casual with you, but know not to cross any boundaries with price watching. of course, i don't think they would do that to begin with, but regardless price is very protective of you.
- you will definitely nag him about his smoking habits. even if you find it attractive, you know it's not good for him. price and laswell will bond over the fact that their spouses hate it.
- price will ignore others to give you his undivided attention. soap would be blowing up his phone with text messages, hearing it buzz in the back pocket of his pants as he has you against the kitchen counter with his hands on your hips and his lips on yours. "john, it sounds important-" "it can wait." he'll mutter in that attractively low voice of his as he swiftly pulls the phone from his pocket and tosses it elsewhere before immediately pulling you back into another kiss.
- breakfast would be your time to catch up with one another. the most peaceful time of day, the both of you are always up early and sitting at the dining table with a hot cup of tea. he loves asking you about any new happenings that he missed while he was gone, and will watch with a soft smile as you enthusiastically tell him about it. you then do the same with him as he tells you about work, and you can always see his body relaxing as he speaks to you. after breakfast, he likes to invite you on his morning walks where you'll continue your conversations.
- i do think price would want kids; maybe one or two. while his job takes him away from home a lot, he'll always make time for his family, even if that means taking time off. he makes sure not to miss any important dates, and if it can't be helped, he'll make sure to spend time with you guys afterwards. seeing the way price smiles and laughs with your kids is something that you will cherish forever.
simon "ghost" riley
- ghost didn't see himself getting married until he met you. even then he was very hesitant for a long time, but as the two of you deepened your relationship, he realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you.
- ghost would need a lot of reassurance not only as a boyfriend, but also as a husband. he does not know how to be a husband in the slightest. he thinks he has to know how to do everything automatically, so you often have to reassure him that you're just as new to this as he is.
- being married to you, ghost trusts you more than anyone on the planet. you're the only one who can lift that mask from his face with your own hands, and he lets you trace your fingers along his scars. it took a long time to get to this point; you didn't judge ghost for not being very touchy while you were dating because you were aware of his circumstances. he also showed his love in other ways, mostly with gifts and acts of service. though, after getting married, ghost made it a point to be more physically affectionate with you. now, he loves resting his head in the crook of your neck and holding you tight and close, especially after a long day or mission.
- he isn't into making things very public, so his proposal was very private and probably took place at home, but made sure to make things as romantic as they can be in simon riley's world. your wedding would also be very small and probably in the backyard, but it would still be cute and magical. you've never seen ghost so full of life until your wedding day.
- he doesn't like to burden you with his work. before he leaves for a mission, he'll make sure everything at home is ready for you. fridge is stocked, clothes are washed, the toilet you've been bothering him about is fixed—he doesn't want you to worry about anything while he's gone. even when he's away from home, he'll text you a simple "you alright?" to check in on you.
- after you got together with ghost, you became his mask maker. when his mask gets torn or stained, you either fix it for him or make him a new one. at this point, you could paint a perfect skull with your eyes closed. when soap teases ghost about the mask, he'll tell him that you made it, which then makes soap feel guilty LOL. "why do you keep that mask on anyway? you scared?" "[spouse] made it."
- oh he is so cold and scary on the battlefield, but the moment he has time to himself and turns on his phone to see a message from you saying "i miss you :(" his entire world explodes. nobody could tell, but he wants nothing more but to be with you when he's away. in all those times he's spacing out while with the other 141 members, he's most likely thinking about you.
- i don't think ghost would want kids, but if you express that you do, he'll reconsider. he would just be scared that he wouldn't make a good dad, but if you do have kids, it's quickly shown otherwise. he definitely treats kids like tiny adults, but he's never harsh with them. imagine his large, scary figure sitting himself in a kindergarten sized chair after your kid pleaded for him to come in for career day.
- what ghost will want though is a dog. if you decide not to have kids, a dog will be your baby. a big ol german shepherd or a rottweiler, you guys will spoil that dog like it's royalty. you think it's cute to watch ghost kneel down to pet the dog, and sometimes you'll find them together taking a nap. you like to tease that he loves the dog more than you.
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svsss-fanon-exposed · 3 months
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Exposing SVSSS Fanon: 15/∞
SHEN (YUAN) QINGQIU IS A MONSTER NERD
Rating: CANON
One of the most common character traits of Shen Yuan!Qingqiu is his fascination with the monsters and demonic beasts of PIDW. This portrayal is based in canon, as he is shown on multiple occasions to have a particular interest-- in fact, the monsters were the reason he decided to keep reading PIDW in the first place:
There was another important “it” factor. It was, in fact, the main element that had first compelled Shen Qingqiu to follow the novel until the end. The demonic beasts! ... As a cultivation novel, it was out-and-out filled with landmines, but as a monster handbook, it was pretty entertaining. (7 Seas, Ch. 4)
This passage implies that Shen Yuan found the monsters entertaining, and enjoyed them over most of the rest of the novel. However, he is often portrayed in fanworks as having an obsession, special interest, or hyperfixation on demonic beasts.
This also has basis in canon. A bit later on there is the following passage:
Shen Qingqiu wasn’t so pessimistic about his ability to handle demonic beasts. His confidence in his own cultivation and spiritual power aside, his interest in the demonic beasts of Proud Immortal Demon Way had far surpassed his interest in all those flavors of women. He might not have remembered where any given female protagonist liked to go stargazing with Luo Binghe after being slighted, and he sometimes was unable to match names to characters, but he definitely remembered every demonic beast’s attributes and weaknesses with exacting clarity! (7 Seas, Ch. 4)
Speaking from my own experiences, this certainly does sound like a hyperfixation. Remembering the variety of beasts, and perhaps even every single one, would be the same as a usual level of interest, but the fact that Shen Qingqiu had perfectly memorized every attribute of every beast in a novel several million words long certainly seems to fall more into hyperfixation territory.
When it came to Proud Immortal Demon Way’s demonic beasts, he’d really asked the right person. Shen Qingqiu spoke with great familiarity, like he was listing his family treasures. (7 Seas, Ch. 4)
Another instance here, where it shows just how highly he values his knowledge of PIDW's beasts and how familiar he is with them.
Of course, on some level, this knowledge of demonic beasts is expected of his position:
The walking demon encyclopedia—both the original and current flavor could definitively live up to this title. After all, there was that stack of records and ancient books in the back of Qing Jing Peak’s Bamboo House, the same ones that hundreds of generations of peak lords had to read in full before they were allowed to succeed the position. (7 Seas, Ch. 6)
But we must keep in mind that Shen Yuan was not originally the Qing Jing Peak Lord and had no intention on becoming the Qing Jing Peak Lord when he read PIDW-- and the knowledge he has originally comes from reading the novel, so he was not only learning all of this because it was required of his position. Where Shen Jiu might have learned these thing out of necessity, Shen Yuan did so out of passion and genuine interest from even before his transmigration.
This is further supported by a comparison with other readers of PIDW:
He could never have guessed that Shen Qingqiu’s interest in such strange creatures was equivalent to the average Zhongdian reader’s interest in the hundreds of flower-like maidens, each more beautiful than the last. (7 Seas, Ch. 5)
Now, I have noticed that fanworks will have a tendency to play up his obsession with demonic beasts-- while he definitely does have some form of hyperfixation with them, it is not as prevalent in the novel itself (at least, the events that we, the readers see).
My guess as to why this is? Well, it's simply because he is obsessed with the demonic beasts, but he is even more obsessed with Luo Binghe. It's just not as easy for him to admit that.
So in conclusion, Shen Qingqiu's internal monologue indicates that he has some level of obsession, special interest, or hyperfixation with PIDW's demonic beasts. Though it may not be quite as intense or all-encompassing as fanworks often portray it, it would still be perfectly in-line with his character to have him gushing (at least internally) over the beasts of the demon realm while traveling with Luo Binghe.
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azullumi · 1 year
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wanderer and ayato — a family with them ☆彡
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summary — family and children, how would they be as a parent and husband?
characters — wanderer and ayato (w/ gender-neutral reader)
tags — fluff, established relationship, familial relationships; headcanons
word count — 1348
a/n — this mainly focuses on what they're like around their children hahahahahah
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WANDERER
Wanderer, however rough his personality is, actually shows himself getting along with children and being good at dealing with them, especially ones of his own blood, quite well. It was surprising actually, pleasantly surprising, him being able to get along with kids and having a soft spot for them was a fact you never knew but definitely needed to know.
Of course, it's not like he was immediately as accepting, unafraid, nor open as he is right as of the moment. He was once afraid, clueless, and anxious because he didn't want to end up accidentally hurting his child and it took him some time to overcome that, reassuring himself that children are not as fragile as he thinks.
After overcoming that fear of his, when he first held the hand of his child, he felt like breaking down and crying on his knees. When he first carried them in his arms, he held them gently yet filled with fear. How could a child be so small and soft? From then on, he was determined to protect and give the world to them.
If he has more than one (or multiple) child, he would try to treat them fairly and equally, he makes sure that no one is left out of anything or feeling like they're not being paid attention to. After all, he doesn't want them to experience the same things that he did. He knows how horrible it feels and he couldn't imagine having them go through that.
He would give them everything that they wish for but on certain conditions that they must pass or follow. He doesn't want them to become spoiled children who'll cry whenever they won't get something that they want as he doesn't like that. His conditions aren't that complex nor hard though.
"I'll give you that as long as you promise to always be a good child." 
He’s protective. Not over or too much but he’s definitely protective as majority of the time he’s worried about their safety or them encountering any kind of danger so it causes him to become strict when the situation calls for it. Permissions will often be asked from him especially when it's about going somewhere quite far away.
“My friends invited me to hangout and play with them on the river."
"Honey, you have to ask your father for permission. You know that even if I'll allow you, he always has the last say."
Ultimately, he'll end up allowing them but someone has to accompany them and it's either you or him.
Although as time passes by and his children have grown, he becomes less strict and protective. Becoming  a carefree father as he just lets his children do anything that they want as long as they know what they are doing and are responsible with their actions. However, he still enforces some rules on them like curfews so they don’t get overboard and carried away.
He has a playful side that he shows to his children, occasionally teasing them but then silently panicking if they would end up crying because he doesn't know how to deal with that. Probably told them that Santa isn't real
"(Name), they are crying."
"Did you make them cry again? I told you not to do that."
He always has time for his family, spending more than half of his day bonding and just being there for you and his children. He doesn’t wish to become an absent figure and wants to show that he’s always there not only for you but also for them also.
He never knows if he's being good enough for his children so thoughts often wander and linger inside his head, thinking and believing that he’s not a good father, however, his children think otherwise as they see him as the best father that they could have.
He's doing everything that he can to be the father that his children need and not be lacking towards them, through his own actions, words, and methods, he displays his affection and support for them in multiple ways.
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KAMISATO AYATO
The pure definition of a loving, doting, and affectionate father. Overprotective and strict, especially if he has a daughter.
He tries to be sweet and understanding towards his children, giving them full support and showering them with love always. It's a given that he'll get along with his children easily knowing him and his personality.
He spoils them with gifts always and wouldn't hesitate in buying them what they ask for. He tries his best to make time for them and spend time with them, often finishing his duties early and immediately.
"I'm here."
"You're early, what about your duties?"
"I finished them, my love. Anyways, where are they?"
He'll support his children in whatever path they'll choose and go down on. They want to be an artist? Full support for them and he would even buy the materials that they need. If they even need someone to teach them, he'll hire a professional. A samurai? A blacksmith? A fisherman? Or anything in general, they'll have his full support. As long as it's not anything dangerous or just illegal.
He would take his family on vacations and places when they wish to unwind and just relax. They could go to Mondstadt, Liyue, Sumeru, or anywhere they wish as long as they can and as long as his duties and responsibilities as the head wouldn't get in the way.
However, in times of festivals wherein he's one of the organizers and handlers, he wouldn't be able to accompany you nor his children in walking around and having fun in the said event. Thus you're left explaining everything to your children.
"Will father not come with us?"
"Sadly, I don't think he'll be able to, sweetie. But who knows, he might be with us later. For now, let's just enjoy everything, okay? Your father has prepared everything here and we should appreciate it!"
On rare occasions, he'll actually show up last minute and accompany you all in walking around and at those scarce moments, you'll have these memories burned in your memories.
In contrast to his sweetness and loving side though, he's actually strict and overprotective. It can't be helped though as he's the head of the Kamisato Clan and people are often out for his throat. His child becoming involved in these dangers are inevitable so he has to be wary and careful everytime to avoid any catastrophe or tragedy from happening.
Usually, when they would go out, he would have people following them and protecting them from the dark as it would ease his mind since he can't be there for them in case something happens. Knowing that they're with the people he trusts just clears his worries.
He's also cautious and mistrustful around the people they are surrounded with, you will never know who's trustworthy or who's going to stab your back. Everyone is considered a threat especially towards his family.
He doesn't wish to put pressure on his own children and would wish for them to leave a life wherein they are able to reach and achieve their dreams. However, he does understand that someone has to be the heir of his position and will soon become head of the family. It's just some wishful thinking that his children could live a carefree life that he couldn't have.
"Will my children live a happy life?"
"I'm sure they will, they have a great father like you."
"What if I'm not?"
"Oh, you definitely are."
That doesn't mean that he's not happy right now, however. He has everything that he could ever wish for, a loving family of his with an amazing partner like you. He's leading a fulfilling and successful life so how could he ever be ungrateful? He only wishes for his children to live a life wherein they're happy also.
Overall, despite his busy schedule and everything, he tries to always be there for his children no matter what and he'll probably never know how thankful they are to have a father like him.
— navigation | masterlist
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runin-reads · 4 months
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James/Lily vs James/Sirius: a case of accidental queer coding
Jily (James/Lily) is a pairing central to the HP universe in the sense that had they not been married, Harry Potter, the main character, would cease to exist and neither would his story as we know it. Yet we are left with only a few brief glimpses of their relationship in canon whilst other pairings are textually far more fleshed out– take Prongsfoot (James/Sirius), for example, who are frequently portrayed as The Duo, not just by those closest to them (Lupin) but by many others too such as McGonagall, Flitwick and so on. Harry himself could see how close they were during SWM in OOTP and this is someone who had a very limited time with Sirius and close to none with James. 
Queercoding is described as “the subtextual coding of a character in media as queer. Though such a character's sexual identity may not be explicitly confirmed within their respective work, a character might be coded as queer through the use of traits and stereotypes recognisable to the audience.” One character comes to mind when I think of “queercoding” and that’s Sirius Black. He’s estranged from his family, goes against the norms associated with his upbringing, there’s no mention of any ex-girlfriends and most notably he has intense love and devotion for his male best friend; James Potter.  At first glance, James had led an incredibly hetero-normative life by virtue of his wife and son, but through his relationship to Sirius there’s leeway to reach a queer reading of him as well. 
As recognised by countless characters and even Sirius himself, Prongsfoot come in a two-for-one deal:
“Do you remember who his best friend was?”  “Naturally,” said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. “Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!”  “Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact…”  “You’d have thought Black and Potter were brothers!” chimed in Professor Flitwick. “Inseparable!” 
The use of the word “brothers” in the above quote is one reason why fans don’t interpret Prongsfoot as queer-coded and/or romantic. However, it’s important to note that Sirius never referred to James as a brother, and there’s no canonical proof to suggest that Flitwick was close to James and Sirius– he was their teacher, not their friend or confidant. He isn’t calling them “brothers” either but rather he’s saying that word to express how strong their bond was. Hence why I believe an exclusively fraternal reading of their relationship doesn’t hold much weight. 
They are, however, established as each other’s closest friend and most trusted confidant. 
“Harry had the distinct impression that Sirius was the only one for whom James would have stopped showing off.” “Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was the best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry.  “I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me.”  “Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed
On multiple occasions James and Sirius were described as a unit– The Unit– within their friend group. Lupin said they were “the cleverest students in the school.” They were the “ringleaders” of the Marauders; always on the same page and in agreement with each other.
“Then, with identical fluid movements, they reached into their back pockets.” 
Even during their very first encounter, they quickly and effortlessly become a team. 
“Got a problem with that?”  “No,” said Snape, though his slight sneer said otherwise. “If you’d rather be brawny than brainy–” “Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” interjected Sirius.  James roared with laughter.
This excerpt from DH also neatly sums up the Marauders group dynamic:
“To Sirius’s right stood Pettigrew, more than a head shorter, plump and watery-eyed, flushed with pleasure at his inclusion in this coolest of gangs, with the much-admired rebels that James and Sirius had been. On James’s left was Lupin, even then a little shabby-looking, but he had the same air of delighted surprise at finding himself liked and included” 
Lily herself acknowledged Sirius’ importance in James’ life in her letter to Sirius, where she all but says that only he could lift James’ mood whilst the Potters’ were hiding from Voldemort’s forces. 
“James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell — also, Dumbledore’s still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much.” 
On the other hand, Jily is portrayed in a less compelling way for lack of better words. I spoke about this in my other meta but to summarise it briefly: Lily is James’ wife, the mother of his son and… that’s pretty much it. In the books they’re barely spoken about as a couple, unlike Prongsfoot who are always mentioned together as if they were a package deal– which they were, as recognised by practically everyone. That’s not to say Jily has zero textual backing, though it is far and few between.
“How come she married him?” Harry asked miserably. “She hated him!”  “Nah, she didn’t,” said Sirius.  “She started going out with him in seventh year,” said Lupin.  “Once James had deflated his head a bit,” said Sirius.  “And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it,” said Lupin. 
Conclusion
What we do know about James and Lily’s relationship is limited to the following: Lily disliked James because he and Snape were enemies, James developed feelings for her first, they began dating in seventh year once James had matured, they got married when they were nineteen to twenty years old, had a child together. The end. 
On the contrary, James and Sirius are constantly implied to be each other’s closest, most loyal friend; each other’s most trusted confidant. They are equals in every conceivable way. Both were popular, from wealthy backgrounds  and intelligent. Throughout the entire series Sirius’ only priority was Harry, James’ son. He went through unfathomable lengths to protect Harry: he was the first to escape Azkaban, he snuck into Hogwarts with all the dementors around and lived off rats during the GOF so he could be close to Harry, the last piece of James he had left. 
There’s also evidence to suggest Sirius was a narrative parallel to Snape. There are two adults in Harry’s life who sought to protect him due to their respective relationships with one of his parents. Snape was a double agent for Dumbeldore out of love for Lily; Sirius escaped Azkaban to protect Harry out of love for him, an extension of his love for James. 
All these factors are  why I believe that by not fleshing out Lily as a character and Jily as a couple, JKR accidentally queer-coded Prongsfoot. 
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eroguron0nsense · 25 days
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Perhaps my brain isn't braining or I'm assigning undue significance to this but I kinda feel like One Piece seemed to shift more toward exploring what real familial love means or looks like after the timeskip? We get Ace's death, the postwar arc, and Luffy coming to the conclusion that despite having lost both of his brothers, he's still got the Straw Hats and he can move forward with his ragtag crew of siblings, Team Mom and Dad, and an eccentric skeleton Uncle, and then right after that, we get several arcs defined overwhelmingly by either the destruction or salvation of various families.
One of the main inciting incidents–if not the inciting incident–of all the political intrigue inherent to the Fishman Island arc is the assassination of Otohime and its ramifications for Shirahoshi and the entire Ryugu Kingdom (not to mention Luffy trying really fucking hard to imitate Ace and be a big brother to Shirahoshi and Surume as a means of processing his own loss).
Dressrossa's where we first see a true perversion of all the lovely found family tropes that have long been established in One Piece (villains have destroyed families but few if any are depicted as having one in the same way Luffy does; pre-time skip villains are more likely to be loners or self-interested tyrants and their followers aren't really referred to as "family"), giving us self fashioned patriarch in Doffy who completed the destruction of his bio family and spent the rest of his life building a grotesque, failed imitation of it through manipulating and indoctrinating a group of followers he doesn't truly care for, only to be brought down by a combination of his brother's final actions, the little boy Cora saved and loved, the bonds of the Riku family he brutalized, the brothers of the guy whose devil fruit he acquired and tried to entrap his enemies with, and an actual Found Family Crew who genuinely love each other and are willing to sacrifice for each other in a way Doffy cannot possibly understand.
The entirety of WCI involves almost every conceivable permutation of multiple families plotting against, exploiting, abusing, and defiantly loving each other, from Judge discarding any hope he ever had of having an actual family that could love him by literally stripping away their ability to do so in the name of facism/conquest, to Chiffon betraying her abusive mom for her loving husband and in-laws, to Linlin being failed by every parental figure in her life and constructing the most bizarre, fundamentally horrifying political/military structure out of her army of bio children.
Wano's main villain is also an abusive father and tyrannical crew leader, and that does, in fact, contribute to his eventual downfall, but more to the point, the arc opens and closes with the initial destruction and eventual restoration of the Kozuki family in Momo, Hiyori, and Sukiyaki, Luffy's kinship with Momo and Tama, circling back to reminders of Ace yet again (for the third arc so far) and Hiyori literally closing out the arc mirroring her father's catchphrase/dying words (and to a lesser extent, plot fuelled by the destruction of the Kurozumi clan). By the time we end what I personally consider to be Part 2 of One Piece, Luffy's family has picked up another uncle, he's been confronted repeatedly with the spectre of his brother and come out stronger for it (also filling the big brother role for multiple characters), he's reunited with Sabo, and has confronted and defeated multiple villains who act as the antithesis to everything One Piece has told us so far about the joy and love and unity that the Straw Hats and their friends and true families exemplify. And by the time he tells everyone his real dream and shares what he'd previously only told Ace, Sabo, and Shanks, it feels like we've finally gotten some closure for Marineford
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slavonicrhapsody · 1 year
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What was life as a member of Caria like? It’s weird that, despite ruling over the academy, they have their own study hall and preceptors on the exact opposite side of the region to Caria manor. At any rate — I would assume Caria went through like, four phases? Pre-academy, post establishment as royalty, and then Rennala’s children with Radagon. And of course to the present day.
I’m so glad you asked… this was the perfect opportunity for me to start organizing a collection of Carian-related lore text and I went a little insane and wrote an entire treatise on Carian culture. I hope you enjoy this frighteningly in-depth wizard family analysis
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CARIAN CULTURE AND PRACTICES
We know that the Carians were descended from a group of astrologers who lived in the Mountaintops of the Giants, implied by the Sword of Night and Flame (the Carian royal family’s ancestral sword) description: “Astrologers, who preceded the sorcerers, established themselves in mountaintops that nearly touched the sky, and considered the Fire Giants their neighbors.” This group of astrologers must have at some point migrated down to Liurnia and established a society there.
I get the impression that the Carian astrologers might have once been quite numerous, since as you say, the Carian study hall is rather far from Caria Manor — perhaps at their height, they were pretty spread out across Liurnia. I’ve also said before that the Carian Filigreed Crest description might imply other layers of nobility and a wider society among the Carian astrologers, as it mentions Carian knights guarding multiple “princesses” (it’s also possible that “princess” was a noble title among Carian society before Rennala established herself as a queen, as the Discarded Palace Key description is said to be “passed down to Carian princesses” but Rennala was the first Carian queen).
Speaking of princesses, there is strong evidence that Caria was a matriarchal society: though we don’t have much information about Carian society, in the few scraps we have, only queens and princesses are ever mentioned. We also know that Ranni is the youngest child, and yet Iji names her as heir to Caria, suggesting that she might have primogeniture over her older brothers. The Carians also have ties to the Nox people (affinity for the night/moon/stars, the art of puppetry/fate manipulation, silver tear technology at Raya Lucaria and in the Albinaurics, the Nox Swordstress statue in the Church of Vows), which also seems to be a matriarchal society judging by the fact that the Night Maidens and Swordstresses are the highest clerical ranks.
There are many other details that characterize Liurnia as a unique region in the Lands Between that developed apart from the Erdtree: I’ve mentioned before that the nobles in Altus and Limgrave dress in distinctive robes…
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This style of dress does not appear anywhere among Liurnians. Instead, the Carians and their knights dress in a distinct color scheme of royal blue and red, ornamented with glintstone in different shades. The sorcerers of Raya Lucaria also dress in the same red and blue, and I think that this style of dress actually comes directly from the Carians! The Queen’s robe item description is stated to be a “robe indicating the highest order of sorcerer.” We also know that the Academy’s name “Raya Lucaria” itself is named for the Carian royal family, no doubt added when Rennala took over. So it makes sense that the Carians had influence over the sorcerers’ uniform too!
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Liurnian characters also have a distinctive way of speaking apart from the rest of the Lands Between; every single Liurnian character in the game is played by a Welsh voice actor speaking in their native accent (including both Raya Lucarian sorcerers and Carian-affiliated characters).
The Carians’ standout trait is their mastery of astrology and glintstone sorcery — they craft their own spells and use a distinct royal blue glintstone. Their knights were renowned for their skill in both swordsmanship and sorcery, and notably, some of the Carian knights are trolls, who are viewed as equals in Carian society! Another important magical role is the office of preceptor, which directly served the royal family as experts on reading fate within the stars. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, The Carians had great influence over the Academy. After charming the sorcerers with her lunar magic, Rennala presided over a new sorcerers’ conspectus: called the Lazuli conspectus, these Academy sorcerers studied Carian sorceries and believed the moon to be equal to the stars.
GOLDEN ORDER INFLUENCE
Power dynamics in Carian society changed drastically when the Golden Order sent Radagon to subjugate Liurnia, and Rennala ended up marrying him: there was a peace brokered between Caria and Leyndell, symbolized by the entwining gold branches and blue glintstone of the Glintstone Kris, a “ritual blade once presented to Leyndell by the Academy of Raya Lucaria to celebrate their newfound peace.”
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This peace began an era of coexisting ideas… As Rogier says, “the Golden Order was pliable enough to absorb practices that contradicted itself in the past.” Radagon himself began to learn sorcery from Rennala, and he also had an authority over the royal preceptors (commanding them to don masks as a vow of secrecy). Golden Order devotion also began to spread through Liurnia alongside sorcery. The Converted tower and the Converted Fringe tower in Liurnia show a coexisting of Golden Order faith and glintstone sorcery — there is a statue of Marika inside, and to complete the puzzle, the erudition gesture must be performed in front of her.
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This theme of entwining cultures is also reflected in the Carian royal family themselves — Rennala and Radagon’s three children inherit two lineages, the moon and the Erdtree, entangled in their very blood.
Unfortunately though, this was not exactly an equal partnership… though Caria manages to stay independent, they are now inextricably tied to the Golden Order, which was not always a good thing. The telescope item states that “during the age of the Erdtree, Carian astrology withered on the vine. The fate once writ in the night skies had been fettered by the Golden Order.” Whether this description is referring to Radahn or not is a whole other post, but the simple fact is that the Golden Order is the reason why the Carians’ power is in decline. The three royal children also seemed to struggle with their dual heritages and loyalties, especially Ranni as both heir to Caria and an empyrean of the Greater Will.
Of course, we know that in the end Radagon essentially dealt the death blow to Caria’s influence in Liurnia. The Queen’s robe description states that when Radagon left Rennala, her heart went with him, “and then, those at the academy realized. That Rennala was no champion, after all.” Rennala’s weakness led the Academy to rebel against the Carian royal family and launched Liurnia into civil war. And with Rennala’s heir killing herself in the Night of the Black Knives, and the Shattering war breaking out, Caria’s power is now a shadow of its former self.
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wasted-women · 3 months
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ROUND 1A, MATCH 1 OUT OF 8!
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Causes of Death & Propaganda Under the Cut:
Jiang Yanli
Cause of Death: Stabbed; Self-sacrifice to save her brother.
Propaganda:
she's your pfp that's got to count for something
I love JYL don't get me wrong! But also. She is solely written as a part of the male characters and does not get much in her own right. She is Wei Wuxian's older sect sister, or Jiang Cheng's sister, or Jin Zixuan's fiance/wife, or Jin Ling's mother he never got to know. Even what characterization people give her (like liking soup/cooking or standing up for her family despite being gentle) are things that have to do with her brothers. I wish we got more of her in her own right.
AND ALSO. ALSO??? HER DEATH MAKES. NO SENSE. Okay first of all - she was in Lanling grieving for her very recently dead husband & taking care of her newborn baby. Who would let that woman out of Lanling????? WHY???? How did she get out of there SO FAST????? She doesn't have a sword/isn't a cultivator (at least in MDZS) so she couldn't have flown. And then after she got there WHO LET HER JUST OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BATTLEFIELD???? WHY DID SHE GO THERE???? Even if there was a short part of her saying "I need to talk to Wei Wuxian about how he killed my husband and I'm going to get there no matter what" would've clarified things a little bc it's like okay she needs to go there even if we don't know how. Where are my answers MXTX, where are my answers????
Qin Su
Cause of Death: Suicide; Stabbed herself with a knife. (NOTE: In some versions of the story, she was being controlled and thus forced to kill herself.
Propaganda:
I'm fairly certain this character was only created as set dressing for the main villain's tragedy. We get zero insight into her inner life, zero hints that any such inner life might even exist, and after she dies basically no other named character other than the aforementioned villain is shown to be majorly affected by her death, even those who logically should have meaningful relationships with her.
Compared to the other two main female characters in this series (who are also fridged) Jiang Yanli and Wen Qing, Qin Su is probably the least aggravating because she's barely in the show and has very little character that we see. But I still think it's worth noting. I really wish that she could've survived and been there in Guanyin Temple IT COULD'VE BEEN COOL OKAY.
Wen Qing
Cause of Death: Executed; Burned to ashes.
Propaganda:
The fact that Wen Qing is the character that originally said the thing about "I'm sorry" and "Thank you", which is repeated multiple times in the post-resurrection parts of the series, but is so rarely mentioned by name is so aggravating! She's such an important part of the plot that did SO MANY THINGS but just basically disappears after her death!!! The only time I really remember her being mentioned is when her brother, Wen Ning, mentions her integral role in the golden core reveal. Jiang Yanli's ghost haunts the series after her death, but Wen Qing's really doesn't, and that's so fucked up to me. She even dies during the same time that Wen Ning does, but then it's revealed he survived (well, "survived", he is a zombie, but he was that beforehand too) SO WHY COULDN'T SHE HAVE SURVIVED TOO????
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twistedcece · 10 months
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The deepest caverns hide the biggest secrets (prologue)
Twisted Wonderland x Kraken mer. F!reader (Twisted Wonderland mermaid AU)
Warnings: None (but just so you ladies know for your description, its basically like a mix Ursula and her human form but as a kraken mermaid. Hope you guys enjoy it! plus this is a multiple love series so leave in the comments which character gets to fall for you first!)
You woke up in your cave alone, scared, cautious. You knew what you were, a monster hidden in this cave by your parents ever since birth to keep you safe even if they weren't there anymore.
They told you through their journal entries they'd left behind that if other mermaids found you they would kill you on site with no mercy, and one day when they went to go get food- well they never came back.
Alone, scared, and with the last words of your parents carved into stone pages being that other mermaids were heartless and killed kraken mermaids because they thought their species were dangerous.
¨ But I'm not dangerous!¨ you remembered telling your friend Grim after reading this particular entry .
¨ I know henchmen but your parents thought so and you need to stay as far away from them as possible.¨ you nodded ink tears flowing down your cheeks as you wiped them off and had grabbed your favorite shrimp stuffed animal that you had found in a shipwreck three months ago.
Now here you were, 16 living in the deepest cavern you could find and the only thing left of your parents was an enchanted gold nautilus shell necklace.
¨ This has been in our family for generations and now I give it to you my precious little sea star.¨ you sighed and held the shell in between your hands remembering the last page your mother wrote with a carved out hollow with the shell inside. You looked out into the deep blue around you as the fish swam by.
It was the same as every boring slow day, go out and get your ingredients from the sea floor, catch breakfast, brew a few potions, go look for sunken ships, catch lunch, swim for an hour, catch dinner, then go to bed and start all over aging but from time to time you got a visit from your friend.
His name was Grim, he'd found you in a seaweed basket in a cave crying and covered in ink and dried sapphire blue blood with a sack next to you.
" Hey Grim, when do you think mommy and daddy will be back?" you had asked on your 6th birthday while reading your favorite fairy tail book your tentacles wiggling in excitement like they always did.
Grim flinched and he told you that they had died trying to hunt and he was there when they told him where to find you and take you somewhere safe.
You don't remember anything after that just the feeling of the book slipping out of your hands and your tentacles stopped moving.
Ever since then you became more distant with Grim working on magic and potions of all kinds burying yourself in facts and knowledge. You were still kind to Grim and let him in when he every so often would visit with books he'd get from the local library in the nearest mermaid settlements.
" No more fairy tales." you had told yourself the first night you stopped hoping for your parents to come back.
You sighed quite bored this particular day then you saw something, a bright light coming from above you. You grinned, it wasn't often that your demon seal friend came to visit after you were old enough to hunt for myself.
You leaned out the cave entrance, your 10 tentacles bobbing up and down in expectations. ¨ Grim!¨ you called waving ¨ Over here!¨ he grinned then pulled the sack off of his back.
¨ Hey henchman.¨ he laughed as you grabbed the books and started flipping through them with each of them at the speed of the fastest currant.
¨ I hope I got the right ones. It took forever to get my flippers on those.¨ you let out a giggle and nodded energetically.
¨ Yes. These are perfect. So much information~¨ you hummed as you swam back into your cave flipped through the books and began to memorise the most important information.
---
While Grim had been making his way to you, his friends he had made were curious why every once and a while he took a huge sack of books from the library and went down to one of the deepest trenches near their favorite coral reefs.
Now normally Grim would make some excuse saying that it was to loud and would say it was quieter to study there than with them.
¨ Come on Deuce he's always acted weird but maybe he's hiding something.¨ Ace said swimming around Deuce, his tail flicking Deuce ´ s ear.
¨ We shouldn't eavesdrop on him if he wants to be left alone then we should leave him alone.¨ Deuce huffed slapping Ace with his tail. Ace let out a sigh and some of the others laughed.
¨ I kinda agree with crabby.¨ Floyd said ¨Seal has been very suspicious lately. I think we should follow him.¨ the others glanced at each other and then decided to take a vote.
Of course the ones who wanted to follow Grim out-voted everyone else. (Riddle). So they slowly made their way down and followed the familiar eerie light that came from Grim ´ s ears.
They swam until the glow was externally bright and they decided to hide behind a rock so they wouldn't be noticed, then something popped out of the cave, a girl with pale lavender skin, (h/c) hair, gem like (e/c) eyes, and lips the color of blood.
Everyone blinked as she waved lightly to Grim, Grim grinned then set the sack down on the entrance and she dug eagerly into the sack.
Then they saw huge obsidian black tentacles with deep indigo undersides at least eight of them were at least 40 feet long the other two 60 feet long reach into the bag and grab the books flipping through with the biggest grin on her face.
¨ Grim I don't understand why you can't bring more books.¨ the girl sighed ¨ There's still so much I need to know.¨ Grim sighed.
" I told you some of my friends have been acting up trying to pry in why I take this many boring books down here." Grim grumbled the girl chuckled dryly and her tentacles wrapped around him in a hug.
" Well nonetheless come in I just finished cooking up this shark and I thought you might enjoy it." Grim nodded eagerly and swam in.
The boys watched as you turned to follow and your tentacles moving to pick up the discarded books and her tentacles too dispersed into the cave.
" I think that might be a kraken." Malleus mused everyone else was staring blankly at the cave as if the girl might come out and devour them all.
To them krakens were always involved with death, but mostly for their enormous amount of strength and magical capabilities, and many thought that now they were just myths after they had all been driven out and hunted down. But there was one right there around their age and seemed relativity harmless.
" Should we get the guards?" Cater whispered the others glanced at one another then Riddle surprisingly shook his head.
" No, she hasn't done anything plus she might be able to give us some answers on her kind."
If Riddle the rule following goldfish since forever was going to break this rule well, the others just shrugged and headed to the entrance of the cave which was a mistake.
As they were coming in they saw the tentacles slither back, " Shoot I think I left one of the books here-" you stopped and your eyes met theirs you blinked thinking that this might be a trick of the light then your eyes widened in horror and you shrunk away from them.
" We're not here to harm you." he said and your gaze met...(who will it be you decide!)
See you later Twisted Dreamers
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1n-bl0om · 1 year
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parallels between SCREAM 2 & SCREAMVI
SCREAMVI SPOILERS
- both take place at a college campus
- it’s the first time the main characters leave woodsboro
- the love interest wasn’t the killer
- families of a previous killer are targeting the final girl. (mrs loomis for sidney, richies family for sam)
- both families are avenging sons
- at the reveal, sam says mindys name in the same tone sidney said gales when she thought she was ghostface
- act three takes place in a theater. the abandoned theater for 6 and the windsor theater department for 2
- a film student is a killer (mickey and the students in the beginning)
- tara punches gale like sidney punched gale
- a character that was shot and thought to be dead ends up alive (gale and kirby)
- a character that was stabbed multiple times ends up alive (dewey and chad)
- tara yells out for chad and sobs as he’s being stabbed. gale sobs and watches through the glass as dewey gets stabbed
- sam and tara try to lure ghostface at the park. randy stalls ghostface while on call at the campus
- ethans reveal is a call back to mickeys reveal while quinns is a call back to mrs loomis
- quinn and ethan represent mickey, both being unstable and unpredictable like him. detective bailey represents nancy loomis in the fact that she’s grieving and wants total revenge
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la-pheacienne · 7 months
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It has been said before so many times but I'll say it again. Rhaegar was one of the most, if not THE most important role model in Dany's life, even, especially, beyond his death. She never met Rhaegar, yes, but it is his legacy that is guiding her both consciously and subconsciously throughout her entire journey, from the very beginning, standing alongside her father's shady legacy that she prefers to ignore than to confront because of fear of what it may entail for her and her cause. GRRM put THREE Targs ahead of Dany, each of them with a VERY heavy baggage. Aerys and Viserys were despicable people and she could have easily, EASILY delved into that sense of blind entitement and authoritarianism that they most certainly inspired. But alongside them, she chooses to hold onto Rhaegar's memory or legacy or imaginary or whatever the hell you want to call it, and she chooses to lead with that. She literally identifies herself with him, it's her face she sees inside his helmet. She desperately holds onto him, the only family member whose legacy is even remotely positive, based on the opinions of multiple different sources. What Dany wants the most is her family back, her home back. She is an orphan, she is alone, she has nothing left but her name and the dream of who that brother was and what she could be in his place, where she could succeed where he failed, in the same way Jon could succeed where Ned failed (the parallels are so strong). To have this taken away from her as well, to have Rhaegar's legacy smeared in the way the fandom does, is not only a direct attack to Dany but also extremely boring and repetitive, in all its fake "deconstructive"/"subversive" glory. Oh so you mean that her entire family were just monsters, one was an abusive loser, the other a psychopath and the third one, the only one that is presented as good, turns out to have been a machiavellian pedophile forcefully impregnating women for scientific experiments. So, Robert's initial thesis as presented in the very first book is not only confirmed but completed with new even more hideous information. And you call that subversive.
Just, no. What happened to nuance, I wonder? What happened to "oh this character had strong virtues but also some fatal flaws that led to his downfall, among other external factors"? You call the "Rhaegar forcefully impregnating unwilling women in order to use them and their babies as pawns to an imaginary war" a nuanced and subversive take in the context of asoiaf of all possible media? Really? Be for real.
Not even delving into the fact that Rhaegar being the only character of his generation actively interested in the prophecy and not in purely personal political gain is actually one of his main redeeming character traits, if not the most redeeming one and literally sets the thematical tone for the entire book series because that's PhD level for most people here.
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olderthannetfic · 9 months
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Something I've noticed when I write black OCs is that I get people referencing TV Tropes like it's a gotcha. "You're writing a black woman with water elemental powers. That's really cliche, here's a link to show what I mean." "Oh he has lightning abilities? That's super overdone, haven't you seen the page Electric Black Guy?" "That name sounds pretty stereotypical. It's what TV Tropes would call a Ghetto Name." "Him being into classical music has such "But Not Too Black" vibes."
I had a college professor who was super into TV Tropes. She was an adjunct who wore the same red cardigan and stained, smelly purple Uggs every day, who regularly rambled and went over the allotted time we had for class each day, one time by forty minutes. I got a lot of writing done in that Intro To Literature class, but it's given me a bias against TV Tropes. Particularly because none of those tropes are bad.
Black people having elemental superpowers in a setting where all superpowers are elemental? Not a bad thing, it'd be kind of weird if I broke the lore just for black people. Somali names like what I gave one character's family (bc they're Somali American) being "ghetto" is dependent on what we mean by "ghetto" but why would be it bad if, in fact, those were names people living in a ghetto had? And speaking as a harpist in my university's orchestra, I know for a fact that black people into classical music exist, not just because they're in the orchestra but because our orchestra director is a black man who's very passionate about multiple genres, including ones that are "not too black".
TV Tropes was fun in middle school. I get the appeal. But it doesn't dictate what can and cannot be written about. And just because a trope has a name doesn't mean it's racist/evil/bad/wrong and no one can ever write ever no matter what. Even TV Tropes says tropes are not evil.
--
The real cliche here is the desire to police the fuck out of every single black character for not being literally all things to all people at the same time.
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wen-kexing-apologist · 9 months
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Trans Allegory in Cupid's Last Wish
When I first started my BL journey a few months back, I watched Cupid’s Last Wish as a comparison point for Earth and Mix’s acting after seeing A Tale of A Thousand Stars, because, to be honest, I struggled with Phupa initially and wanted to see if it was a character thing or if Earth just wasn’t a strong actor (I have settled decidedly on Earth being a good actor).  Cupid’s Last Wish did not seem to have the widest reception when it came out and I was deep into a rapid BL Binge Watch, so I wasn’t paying the most attention to the story and what it was trying to say when I initially started it. That is, until Episode 6…when I burst into tears after one particular scene, because I had the sudden realization that this show has a trans allegory baked into it. I wanted to watch it again, using that lens from the beginning. In conversations with @lurkingshan she said she was having trouble connecting with Earth as an actor, and I suggested she try this show because it gave me the info I needed to understand Earth’s acting ability. And we picked up @so-much-yet-to-learn along the way.
And so a group watch began! There will be spoilers in this post.
Plot Summary: “Korn and Win are childhood best friends. Conflicts arise when Win's father includes Korn in his will, granting him part of the family's farm's stocks. Misunderstandings follow, breaking up their friendship of 22 years. Their path crosses again when Win gets into a car accident with his sister Lin, and wakes up to find his soul in her body. To return to his original body, Win, in the body of Lin, sets off on a road trip to collect holy water from 4 temples across the country within 7 days. The companion to his journey is none other than his friend turned foe, Korn.” (My Drama List)
Notes: 
From the point of the body-swap onward, we will be referring to who is shown on screen as Mix or Jan depending on the actor because we are following the character of Win the entire time, and naming the actors is my way of not invalidating the fact that Win is always present even when Lin's body is on screen. 
Anytime we talk about changes in a biological aspect of the story in terms of its connection to trans people, we are referring to the changes trans people commonly experience on HRT (hormone replacement therapy). 
Characters:  Win: Reason All of This Is Happening, played by Mix Sahaphap Korn: Win’s best friend, played by Earth Pirapat Lin: Win’s sister, played by Jan Ployshompoo Non: Win and Korn’s childhood best friend, played by White Nawat
Episode 1: 
One of the first line we get in the show is Win saying “I want a female name”, it is not established until partway through the scene that Win is referring to a female name for a calf. From a trans allegory lens, this is a beautiful establishing moment that there will be gender fuckery about and I love that they let the statement sit for a moment before the reveal.
Win is obviously in love with Korn, Korn is obviously in love with Win, but we see a moment where Win withdraws into himself and gets sad because he sees Korn interacting with Lin and has convinced himself that Korn might not actually feel the same way he does. The jealousy and withdrawn nature that we see occur in Win whenever Korn and Lin interact is going to be a central plot point. 
We see Mix when Win wakes up, and we see him standing on one side of the mirror while Jan’s face is reflected back at him. 
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We end the episode with Win waking up in Lin’s body, fighting everybody to try to attack Korn, and then falling into Korn’s arms, where the imagery shifts from Jan in this scene to Mix as Korn holds Win. From the moment that Win is placed into this female body, Korn still sees Win, the man he has known his whole life. 
We identified a pattern going forward: We see Jan when there are multiple witnesses, and we see Mix when it’s just Korn and Win in a scene together or when a scene is shot from Korn’s perspective. 
Episode 2 
We see Jan when Win tries hitchhiking, and when Win’s being harassed by the men that were picked up by the person he was hitchhiking from, and when Win and Korn first sit down at a restaurant. Places where they are in public, places where Win forgets that he is in the body of a woman and therefore more prone to experiencing danger.
At the restaurant, the waitress walks away, and the scene shifts to Mix when Win and Korn are alone and start talking to each other, then back to Jan when a waitress is called to the table. 
At the temple: Mix when Win and Korn are walking alone together, Jan when another person comes to warn them about the spirits in the mountain, and Mix when they are alone again. 
Win realizes he has a much smaller appetite in Lin’s body. Trans appetite change: Real. 
“That bit about not realizing the danger because you never thought of yourself in a position of vulnerability around men. Real.” -@so-much-yet-to-learn
The type of ghost that is said to exist in the woods of the temple, Krasue, is only a head and entrails, no body. That’s trans, baby. 
Episode 3
We see Jan when Win and Korn start running up the stairs towards the temple, Mix when Win faints and gets cradled by Korn. 
“Lin is not as physically strong as you” -Korn 
Something about Korn having to constantly remind Win about the function of the body that he is in reads as trans to me. 
Mix when by themselves, Jan when they run into the woman in the woods, Mix when they leave. 
“Just Being Friendly” plays when Korn covers Win’s eyes (Mix is the person on screen for this) …sure puen puen puen…uh huh. This isn’t part of the trans lens stuff, just noting the irony of the song with what we know about the heart eyes between these two. 
We see Jan at the public temple. 
Win is told by the monk at the second temple: “You are in a female body, keep reminding yourself of that,” Jan’s face: 
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Cuts to Mix 
“If you see things with your eyes and not your heart you won’t see clearly. If you cover your eyes with your hand, you will not be completely blind. But if you shut down your heart you will be completely blind.” Identity is internal, Win is still Win even though he’s in Lin’s body, etc. etc. etc. 
Mix when Win and Korn are alone together in the car, Jan when they check in to the hotel.
Win gets a new room when he learns about the open bathroom, “is this because of the sexual tension between Win and Korn or because of the body he’s in?” -smytl. The entire road trip so far, Win has been forgetting about or willfully ignoring the body he is in, but he was just reminded of his body by the abbot. 
We see Jan when Win is on FaceTime with his mom, after their mom overhears her employees gossiping about how she should be worried about her daughter traveling with a man. Switches to Mix when Win is off the phone. 
“Do you not want me to get cold because you don’t want me to be a burden?” \\ “No, because I care…I care about Lin, she’s not as strong as you” \\ “I think Lin’s body needs more rest”  
Korn is always addressing Win but at the same time has to remind Win that he’s in Lin’s body. This is where we can start to see the seeds of doubt about who Korn has feelings for be planted in Win’s mind.
But Korn never has trouble using Win’s name, always referring to Win by his name when they are alone, not trying to maintain pretenses in public. 
Win never sleeps in as late as 8am and then takes a nap in the car
“You sleep better on testosterone, and often sleep for a shorter time,” -smytl
We see Jan in the restaurant
We see Mix in the car once again singing to ‘Just Being Friendly’ 
Episode 4 
We see Mix when Win is by himself, Mix when Korn finds Win, Mix when Korn walks them back through the forest, and Mix all evening and in the morning. We only see Jan when they start walking towards the temple. 
We see Jan at the restaurant talking to the waitress, Mix when it’s just Win and Korn at the table.
“You worry too much about Lin’s body” -Win
We see Mix in the car, Jan at the rest stop and in the bathroom. The fact that we get Jan for the entire time that Win is alone in the bathroom is intriguing in terms of what getting your period does to remind trans people of their bodies. 
They are making brain chemistry a part of the character, they aren’t just plunking a soul into a body. Win’s hunger is impacted, his temperature regulation is impacted, his mood is impacted on his period because he’s experiencing different hormone levels than usual. Noticeable changes in body function can be a part of hormone replacement therapy when people start estrogen, progesterone & spironolactone (transfemme) or testosterone (transmasc). 
We see Mix when Win is crying and getting hugged/comforted by Korn. We see Jan in the restaurant but then Mix when he starts eating.
Episode 5
Let’s talk about all the times we see Mix grappling with the period pain, rather than Jan AND that we see Korn care so well for Win AND that Mix is on screen for those scenes so you know that Korn is seeing Win in these moments despite Win having a period.
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“Hearing stories over the years of transmacs being comforted by a partner through period pain…For someone to see you so clearly that something we were raised to consider profoundly gendered could not shake their idea of you?” -smytl
We see Jan at the hotel lobby and in the hotel restaurant when the waitress is there. Mix is present when the waitress walks away and Win’s jealousy comes out to play. Jan is present when Korn’s boss drops by for a chat. Win has an angry reaction to being called Korn’s sister. Win, in fact, gets angry or otherwise upset whenever he is referred to as a woman by Korn
Win gets jealous, Mix is on screen when Win plays up his femininity a bit around Korn’s boss to try to warn Korn’s boss about flirting with him. 
Episode 6
Now, looking at the entire show with a trans-lens means I have found a lot more scenes that I can read as a trans allegory. But Episode 6 truly has the most obvious moments of transness at least to me (a trans person). Win spends a lot of his time this episode looking at himself in mirrors, grappling with the identity of who he is and whose body he is in:
Korn helps Win (Mix) with his seat-belt “When you’re female-presenting, accepting help feels like the status quo. When you’re male-presenting, accepting help is making a conscious choice. There’s subtle shifts, I don’t know how much of it is being out and feeling like myself or hormonal changes adjusting the brain chemistry but I definitely take pride in the ability to do things myself, care for other people in a different quality than I used to before.” -smytl
We see Mix when Win is leaving the car and running to the stable, Jan when they get to the stable. Korn called Win “Lin” when he fainted after treating Katin’s bloat (Katin is Win’s most favorite dairy cow) because they are around everyone at the farm. Korn is intentionally mis-identifying Win because they are around Win’s entire family who do not know that Win is in the wrong body.  
Korn’s calls Win “Lin” again when he pulls Win away from his cousins. His aunt and uncle pick up on the fact that Lin is acting like Win. We see Mix when we cut to Korn carrying Win away and talking with his friend. Again, intentionally mis-identifying Win because they are around people who are not aware. 
Win looks in the mirror and sees Lin.
“You looked just like Win, I wondered if you swapped bodies.” 
We see Jan on the farm, and with White’s character (White’s character is in love with Lin so it makes sense that he is seeing Lin’s body).
We see Mix when Korn arrives on scene.
“Please keep Lin safe” says Win’s Mom, and Korn and Win share a knowing glance. 
“Mom was right. He loves Lin.” THEN MIX STARES INTO THE SIDE MIRROR OF THE CAR AND JAN STARES BACK (Win looks and sees Lin).
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Gifs from @thepancakelady
Now this is the point where we remember that most of this episode has been spent back home, where everyone around Win kept seeing and referring to him as Lin. Even Korn did it to not…literally out Win. And then they leave, Korn says “I don’t love Lin any more than you” and Win convinces himself that Korn is in love with Lin. Because he just spent all this time being around people that did not affirm his identity. 
Which leads to the scene that started it all. 
Here we are with Win repeating over and over and over again “You are Lin. You’re not Win. You’re Lin. You’re not Win. You are Lin. You’re not Win. You are Lin. You’re not Win. You are Lin.” 
Every example that he thinks about in his time with Korn on this road trip where Korn is caring for Win physically, Win replaces himself with the image of Lin’s body. THIS! SHOW! IS! TRANS!
Win (as Mix) runs to the ocean and has a massive screaming breakdown in the water. I don’t know about anyone else, but that sort of frustrated, heartbroken all-consuming rage is something that was very familiar to me when I came home and had my identity constantly undermined by my family.
“I don’t want to have good feelings for you anymore” \\ “Why not?’ \\ “I don’t want to be soft again.”There is something to be said here about toxic masculinity classifying softness as a negative thing and Win grappling with feeling perceived as feminine leading up to this. But more likely, based on the context of the previous scene, Win is struggling with the idea that Korn’s connection is to Lin’s body and not to Win’s soul. 
Episode 7
We see Jan at the wheel when it was just Win and Korn in the car in order to signify that Win is dealing with less developed upper body strength, this is one of the only times we see Jan on screen when it is just Korn and Win alone, but it quickly cuts back to Mix. We see Jan in public again. We see Mix when Korn starts massaging Win’s shoulders. In fact, every point of physical care and intimacy that we see between Win and Korn, Mix is the one on screen. When we did see Jan on screen with Korn in the flashbacks Win has in Episode 6, he is literally shifting his own mental image of the body he is in. But Korn only ever sees Mix. But Win is so caught up in the body he is in that he routinely fails to account for all the moments of emotional intimacy and care that Korn gives him throughout the journey. 
We see Jan when Win starts eating, and then Mix when Korn ties up his hair. 
Korn switches to sleeping on the floor instead of the bed at this point, despite the fact they have shared a bed multiple times by this point. The end credit scene shows Korn holding Win’s hand from the floor, so the most likely interpretation is that Korn is deeper in his feelings and isn’t sure he can bear sleeping next to Win.  
We see Jan around others.
Episode 8 
Win dreams of Lin. This is one in a number of examples of dissociation as a form of dysphoria.
Win and Korn confess their love for eachother and share a brief kiss. Win very quickly realizes the body that he is in, and overthinks how Korn must be viewing him. Win breaks the kiss, and stays far away from Korn the rest of the evening.
Lin wakes up in Win’s body. Non sees Mix at first, realizes that it’s Lin and then sees Jan. In previous scenes with just Non and Win, Jan is on screen (unless Korn is also present in which case Mix is there). Non is in love with Lin and therefore sees Lin’s body when he’s interacting with Win.
We see Mix when their Mom comes in. 
When Win has the flashbacks to everything, he keeps forgetting about the stuff that Korn did to make him smile, the emotional connections, he only remembers the times that Korn took care of his body, but this time he sees himself instead of Lin.
Non sees Mix in Lin’s body and Jan in Mix’s body so he’s also internalized the consciousness of the person. 
Something about the solidarity between Win and Lin when they first meet again, seeing each other in their respective bodies in a way many around them don’t. That’s trans friendship, baby! 
When their bodies are switched back, Korn immediately makes eye contact with Win because he’s always always seen Win. Korn has been traveling with Lin’s body this whole time, but the person he has been through all of this with is Win. When Win is finally in the body that is his, Korn needs no time at all to adjust. 
Episode 9
Swapping the bodies back in the hospital feels very medical, with the monk asking everyone to leave the room while he performs the body reassignment, and then walking calmly out to Korn and Non waiting in the chairs asking how the procedure went.
Episode 10 
“How could I not know my own children?” “More a generally queer thing than specifically trans, but a parent (anyone) so entrenched in their idea of you that they remain oblivious to what seem like obvious discrepancies to others. Continuing to act under that assumption until you are forced to confront their misperception and correct it because you can't continue the lie anymore.” -smytl. 
Wardrobe Choice
Win’s wardrobe throughout the show consists entirely of simple, utilitarian clothes that are loose and prioritize comfort over style. It follows the same stylistic choices consciously made by many transmasc individuals, namely selecting articles of clothing that obscure or draw attention away from certain features. Some of this may be attributed to Mix’s choice and comfort level in clothing (but this is a trans allegory so we’re analyzing the wardrobe with that lens). The choice in attire becomes more apparent when Jan is on screen as Win, and we see Win as Jan choose to continue to wear Win’s clothing as what is most comfortable for him.
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Those styles are: 
Loose pants, often cut to have added structure or with side pockets along the hip or thigh, which break up any curve there in a silhouette. 
Multiple layers of t-shirt and jacket or overshirt when out in public, usually left open in the front. The parallel vertical lines of the placket draw the eye up to the collar and away from the chest. The straight lines also minimize the appearance of any curves beneath, and make the torso seem boxier.
Jackets with multiple patches or patterns, or plaid flannel shirts, which again visually distract to break up body lines. The only time we see Win without these added layers is when he is alone with Korn, in a hotel room where he cannot be seen by passers by, where his focus is on relief from period pain. His decision to wear a simple t-shirt without the added layers shows his comfort level with Korn is higher than anyone else, to take off the layers of protection and concealment. 
And the most prominent wardrobe choice, a sling bag carried cross-body in front, which covers and draws focus away from the chest beneath. This can also be a form of emotional armor or comfort item to hold onto for reassurance under stress, and is indeed gripped as such in moments of tension throughout the show. The bag is only used during the body swap and when out in public.
Final Thoughts
Notably, we didn’t notice a lot of gendered language being used until Win and Lin are back in their respective bodies. And in the rare instances of gendered language being used during the body swap (like in Episode 4) the pronouns are messed up. Win (played by Jan in this moment) says “krub” initially and then changes it to “kha” when he remembers that he’s in a woman’s body.
Something else that truly makes us capable of reading it as trans, rather than a typical body swap, is that for the majority of the show, only one body has been swapped. Lin’s soul is stuck in limbo for most of the show, leaving Win’s body an empty, waiting vessel. Jan is utilized in this show mostly as a reminder to the viewers that the outside world is seeing Korn with Lin when they are on their journey.  Do we think the trans allegory is intentional? Honestly, no. But watching the show with that lens in mind, seeing the body swap as an allegory for transness does greatly improve the story. It still falters at the end, the plot is not revolutionary. But it holds a lot more meaning, has a lot more weight if you see the barrier to Win and Korn actually getting together as Win being unable to believe that Korn is actually seeing Win this whole time. Win is convinced Korn sees him as Lin and would not actually love him as a man. And it makes Korn’s love and care for Win more powerful if you read the story as trans and know Korn has seen Win, as a man, the entire time, despite him being in a female body. 
(shout out to @so-much-yet-to-learn and @lurkingshan for their contributions during the watch party and in writing this post, this was a group effort)
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rachwavs · 3 months
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Birthday Swirl
You and Nahida are trying to get the Wanderer out of the room he locked himself into so you can celebrate his birthday together. However, he's very intent on staying inside, perhaps because he is hiding something....
CW: Sneezing, sniffling, hitching, stifles, mild swearing
All Sneezing Characters are assumed to be 18+
Find the script here.
I know it's technically not wanderer's birthday anymore in so many places but look I wanted to make this. This is based off of @glitterrosesnzz's swirl headcanons & fic which honestly go check it out it is too good rrrghhh
Wanderer is just called Wanderer in here because I named mine Renata and that's a bit too niche for the world I think
So I tried multiple things for the first time and one of them is two characters in the same audio. I really do wish I could give Nahida's wonderful voice better representation but I can't replicate it as well as I wish I could....
You may be asking rach why and that is because I am A HUGE SUCKER FOR FOUND FAMILY and nahida is his aunt or smth. I love their dynamic okay it's so fun. Nahida's his babysitter if nothing else because she literally signed this man up for school hello???? Also this is filled with hcs working in the fact that wanderer very much uses analogies in canon and i think he would have analogy fights with nahida but that's just me
Long story short this was very self-indulgent so i hope you enjoy me being me
Also there's some unspoken traveler dialogue in the script if you want
As with every gen/shin wav I do, I apologize if this is out of character. The story is quite scattered, I have hardly played any events and I haven't finished all archon quests.
I hope you enjoy, and as always,
‼️‼️DO NOT REBLOG TO NON-KINK BLOGS
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