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carnivalcarriondiscarded · 2 months

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What’s up with the ties between Sally & Eddie?

There are quite a few - to the point where I’m starting to suspect that they may be foils, or at least inherently tied together in the story.

First let's bring things back to the clocks. The “day” side has an obvious resemblance to Sally, like how the “night” side resembles Eddie. There’s not really much I can say here since we don’t know much more yet, and who knows if this has changed behind the scenes. But just think about that, the rarity of the color purple, night vs day, and the “monster”. Keep it in your head, I think it may be important.

Also the fact that Eddie is the only one with a watch, but Sally’s face has an incredibly similar face on her door.

Obviously Sally has some sort of beef with Eddie, despite him being nothing but friendly and (to our knowledge) being undeserving of it. One thought I entertained was “maybe Sally is dismissive of him because he’s a worker,” but that holds zero water when you consider how perfectly friendly Sally was with Howdy (karen Sally debunked <3). The second thought I had was “maybe Sally senses the queer in Eddie and it intimidates her” - which would make sense if Sally is a lesbian like I suspect. Internalized homophobia, anyone? This holds up if Eddie is going to turn out to be - not open about himself, but comfortable in his skin in a way that, say, Frank isn’t. Which I have a feeling that will be the case, which would likely make Sally put on airs even more so than usual.

Anyone else seeing a continuous trend of (social) masks and performances unfolding in the Neighborhood? I sure am.

But let’s talk about why I think they might be foils. They balance each other out in an interesting way, despite their only solid similarity being that Both will work/perform no matter the weather. They have a lot of closely related differences:

Eddie has been mentioned (and implied within the story so far) to have a deeper well of knowledge than he lets on, but acts humble about it. Sally has been mentioned (and implied) to know less than she portrays, but acts like a bit of a know-it-all - she pretends to know things that she doesn’t.

Eddie’s role is about helping others at his own expense, while Sally’s is using others to reach fame.

Eddie strives to connect with his Neighbors and is all about accuracy/precision. Sally is in her own little world and has proved to be more than willing to improvise / not think things through before acting.

Eddie is slow to anger, and Sally is easily irritated.

Selfless vs Selfish.

Night vs Day.

And to put them in the Johari Window - i believe that Sally resides in the Blind Spot (known to others, not known to self), and Eddie resides in either the Facade (not known to others, known to self) OR the Unknown (not known to others, not known to self). Personally I’m starting to believe that Eddie may reside in both.

It’s far too early to draw any real conclusions, and theorizing on all of this is difficult. I feel as though - as usual - we have puzzle pieces but no frame of reference for the way they fit together, what picture they build. And who knows, tomorrow’s update may shred this to ribbons, but I doubt it.

One thought I had was that they’re in cahoots about something - it doesn’t have to be something malicious or some sort of secret plot, it could simply be something they both know and are trying to keep quiet about. Eddie is trying to connect with Sally since they have this in common, but Sally is actively putting distance between them to preserve their secret / plausible deniability. Do I actually believe this? Meh. I’m just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.

So current base thoughts: Sally is dismissive of Eddie either because he intimidates/scares her on an internalized level, or she’s actively trying to put distance between them for a currently unknown reason. There’s probably a secret third option I haven’t even considered!

#she's just so fascinatingly dismissive of him in a way she isn't with anyone else #she exclusively calls him 'mailman' she brushes him off when he tries to talk about her halloween costume-#i bet if anyone else has so much as Mentioned the word 'pedrolino' sally would be on them abt it #much like how barnaby had to Escape a convo w/ her bc she was that passionate #so what is it with eddie... why does she feel so strongly about him in such a negative way...#ITS KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT <3 #there is so much to unpack there i feel but i dont have the right scissors yet...#homebogging #welcome home speculation #wh speculation #man i feel so bad for eddie #he's trying to be friendly!!! he's trying to be her friend so hard!!! MAN.#i suspect that if eddie snaps in some way (he probably will) it will likely be in relation to sally #bc no one else treats him that way. like. even like... howdy keeps up an amicable pretense #but sally is straight up out here treating him like a pack mule named 'mailman' and brushing him off with obvious disinterest/frustration #LIKE DAMN. GIRL. WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS #i love it. its fascinating. i cant wait to see how that unfolds

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snacksizedgates · 2 years

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Why Mike Referring to El as "Superman" is Byler Coded

*Note this theory has nothing to do with gender*

This is gonna be long. But don't worry. I think it's worth it.

El + Will

El and Will are intertwined. Interchangeable characters. Almost like doppelgängers or alter-egos. Yet sometimes behave or are placed in situations as if they are foils. Here's what I mean by this.

Season One

From the very beginning, Will and El are linked. When Will goes missing from Hawkins, El appears in the woods of Hawkins. Will is taken from the party and El is given to them (in a sense) when they find her. Immediately they are put in contrasting situations (foils) yet are interchangeable characters (I'll be calling this alter ego since doppelgänger isn't a completely accurate term

Physically she is smaller than the rest of the group, like Will, and she is also shy, like Will. She's not just shy because she doesn't know many words as we know from later seasons, when she knows a lot more English. Though she talks a bit more, she is still reserved with communication, just like Will.

And we can also see their characters mirror each other in the way other characters react to them. Not only just Mike but Lucas and Dustin eventually become protective over El just like they are with Will. Joyce becomes a motherly figure for El once she meets her. Not in season one but eventually Hopper becomes both of their father figures. The bullies make fun of her just like they make fun of Will. But from the very first few minutes, we understand Mike and Will have a special friendship compared to themselves with Lucas and Dustin. Will only tells Mike the truth about the dice. He doesn't lie. Mike's also very protective over and sensitive about Will. He notices he doesn't show up to school. He goes to his house to find him. He genuinely wants to help find Will, just like the others, but he's really adamant from the get go. He has a protector role. As soon as Will becomes lost and they find El in the woods, she takes Will's place in his absence. Immediately, Mike takes her under his wing and protects her. They have a thing about friends not lying, referencing the very first scene where Will doesn't lie to Mike, and only Mike. They both have a special relationship with Mike and it's emphasized by all the other similarities between Will and El. Such as...

Both of the characters being the only ones to have outwardly abusive, shitty fathers. Lonnie is a homophobic bully to his own son and would gladly exploit his death, while Brenner imprisoned El her entire childhood and did nothing but manipulate and exploit her. They both were taken from their mothers, who go crazy looking for them and never stop until they find them or are physically prevented from doing so :( They are the only characters alive who have been abducted, so they share a complex trauma that none of the others can relate to. Automatically this gives them a similar character profile starkly contrasted to the rest. They both feel a connection to the Upside Down and are the other characters main (only?) connections to the Upside Down.

Finally, in the final moments of season one, Will is brought back to the original Hawkins and El is taken into the Upside Down. Interchangeably. A transfer of their characters. The paralellism lol. And this brings us directly into season two.

But before that.

This next sentence is important, so pay attention. Essentially, the only major difference between Will and El is that Will has no powers. Remember this.

Season Two

So immediately in season two there is already another situational contrast between our mirrored characters; Will is now in Hawkins, placed back inside the party, and El was in the Upside Down until she was in the woods (just like Will except reversed) and then Hopper took her in (same person who saved Will), taken from the party. So Will is given back and El is taken. Almost like you can only have one because they're so interchangeable. So there are already many parallels.

**So many that I could stop here and make my Superman point honestly but this is too much fun. So if you want you can just skip to the end for the rest of the theory and it will still make sense. But I suggest reading the whole thing for it to really hit.**

Anyway. Now instead of El being the main character, Will is, at least in relation to the other party members. I would say both El and Will are the main main characters of s2, but regardless, Will takes her place as the main character in the party. So again, they switch places. Indicating they are interchangeable. Which is very important. Just like season one where the party members and eventually the other characters were protecting El from the bad men, they're now protecting Will from the Mind Flayer. He takes the place of protected and Mike is his main protector as far as the kids and teens. Not only that but there are tons of Byler moments in this season and they mirror how Mileven were in season one. If what's happening in a canon ship is happening in a supposed "unrequited" ship, then maybe that ship isn't so unrequited. If people even question it, maybe that ship isn't so canon.

But I digress. Lol

Just because Will and El are so alike doesn't mean they don't clash. That's why they're also foils, imo. And this is what we see in season three.

Season Three

So by clash I don't mean they don't like each other or have ill will for one and other. I mean the trope or role they hold in comparison to the other characters only has room for one, so it can create tension. Otherwise, they still pretty much mirror each other. Both are finally getting to grow up and not experience trauma (in the first few episodes). They are both recovering from their childhood being ripped apart by two heads of the same beast. El has girls night with Max before+after breaking up with Mike, Will has boys night before fighting with Mike. They're two peas in one pod that are constantly revolving around each other. The yin and yang. So similar but constantly moving in opposite directions. When one does this, the other does that. Mileven's breakup scene is funny, lighthearted, fun colored and sunny. Bylers fight is dreary, dark, mono toned color scheme, emotional acting and serious implications. El is seen having fun thinking of other things after the breakup. Will destroys Castle Byers, the place he felt was safe for him, which could even parallel when El destroys the cabin because Hopper won't let her leave/see Mike. They're in almost identical situations (lover/crush isn't reciprocating the feelings I have for them, or at least isn't showing it properly) yet their situations end up completely different. This mirrors their characters but also foils them. Regardless it creates a link between the two indicating they hold similar roles within the show. Other than Mike relations, while El is figuring out something is up with Billy/the Upside Down, Will knows the Mind Flayer is back. They both consistently represent the fantasy aspect and always facilitate that storyline. Now that they've finally been present together in a season, it becomes A LOT more obvious how their characters are so similar it causes clashes, which only further emphasizes how alike they are.

Let's just get into S4 because this is so long lol.

Season Four

El and Will becoming siblings heavily emphasizes them being each others alter-egos and the fact that El has no powers only maximizes this to the fullest. Essentially they're now the exact same character trope/profile whatever you want to call it. El is now being bullied for being "different" and because she no longer has powers. We all know Will has been bullied since the womb 💀 Without her powers, El has a very difficult time defending herself, and so does Will in general. She can't vocally speak up for herself, the only time Will does is when Mike has ticked him off so bad, similar to El without her powers. They both just don't fit in. So why don't they also show Will being bullied? It goes back to how they clash, reiterating how they're the yin and yang, switching situations constantly. When Mike first gets to Cali, Mileven are all over each other leaving Will dilly dallying somewhere in the background and Byler eventually fighting. Then Mileven fight and Byler make up. Both Will and El want to hear something from Mike that he's isn't ready to say. He dances around the issue with the both of them - telling El she's incredible and he cares for her, telling Will they're just friends, and indicating their relationship didn't warrant regular contact. Same situation (I want Mike to reciprocate my feelings) different outcome (Mike doesn't love me, Mike can't admit we were best friends ((or more than that)) and his behavior is weird). This is not for no reason. Writers (and no it's not just the Duffers, so please stop shitting on the writing when if you look into it there's some good subtext) don't parallel characters for no reason. They are trying to indicate something. That Will and El are so alike but constantly stuck in opposing situations.

Okay so that's my in depth analysis of why Will and El are essentially the same character while simultaneously contrasting each other. Alter ego foils. Let's get to the ACTUAL point 😭

Superman

So, in the van scene, before Will gives his speech, Mike has his own little semi-speech and towards the end he says "...that I'm just some random nerd who got lucky Superman landed on his doortstep. I mean at least Lois Lane is a reporter for the daily planet, right?"

Now this may seem like a simple analogy, not knowing much about Superman. However, even when I only knew the basics and tropes, it still stood out to me that he referred to el as Superman, not Superwoman, wonder woman or Supergirl. I've seen a few people for and against this theory and it always revolves around the idea that El is a girl not a boy so it should be Supergirl. And yes, I think that partially helps this analogy, it gives it more attention to an average viewer; but that's not the only reason it works. In fact, I don't think that's the main point at all. It's also important that Mike refers to himself as Lois Lane. Now hear me out...

In the original Superman comics, and some iterations of it, Lois Lane falls for Superman because of his super powers and subsequent charisma/attractiveness, while befriending Clark Kent and not realizing they are the same person. Are we seeing this comparison? Please tell me I'm not crazy.

If it wasn't obvious, Mike = Lois Lane, Will = Clark Kent and El = Superman.

Here's a description of the "love triangle" between Lois, Clark and Superman. Yellow is Will, blue is Mike and green is El.

Now obviously, Superman and Kent really are the same person. However, I think there's plenty of support for the idea that Will and El are nearly interchangeable characters without the powers. So the Writers used a clever reference to indicate this love triangle (or at least I think they intentionally did lol).

What supports this theory more is Mike's descriptions throughout the seasons of El. He's references her super powers more than twice, referred to her as a "machine" a "weapon in s1". In S3 and S4 he has trouble saying ILY which on its own could be plenty of things but coupled with all of the other subtext... let's just say maybe I choose to be delusional. In the monologue, he refers multiple times to her super powers instead of like "i love your caring soul, your warming smile, how you are literally always there for us". No its "you can move mountains, fly, do anything" etc. Clear romanticization of her powers which she probably doesn't like and isn't a healthy thing in a relationship anyway.

Lois Lane has a close personal relationship with both Superman and Clark Kent, yet she's unable to tell that they're the same person. Even though the only thing being different is a pair of glasses and obviously super powers. This parallels how Mike is unable to differentiate between his feelings for Will and his feelings for El. They're confusing because he thinks he's supposed to like El because of society (Lois is primarily attracted to Superman first over Kent because of the allure he brings with his fame and powers, which relates to social standing) and that he can't like Will because of the obvious implications - being gay would give him hardship. For Lois Lane, it means she has a lower social status than if she were to be with Superman. The way El and Will have so many parallels I feel like this analogy is too blatant to not mean something. Especially considering this is a sci-fi action show and Superman would attract similar fanbases, so some of them would be able to make the connection.

+++It's also NOT a coincidence that he says this RIGHT before Will confesses his feeling VICARIOUSLY THROUGH El. It just can't be sorry.

Now obviously this is all speculation, but this next part is really speculation.

So how is Mike's behavior explained in the context of this Superman analogy?

Now that El lost her powers, Will and El are essentially two peas in a pod. If you analyze closely throughout the seasons you would catch on to it, but now more than ever. Mike has too. They call and write all the time so presumably they talk A LOT about A LOT of things. This gave him the time to understand El apart from her powers. Not only that but they were physically separated so even if she did have her powers, he still wouldn't be as affected by them. He finally gets to know her. And that's not to say he doesn't like her. Or even love her. He just doesn't romantically love her. And he realizes that once he's confronted her true self, and once he gets to Cali it's thrown right into his face (as he may or may not have been expecting) causing him to ignore Will. Even though he's never, even in s3, acted this nonchalant and apathetic towards Will. It's noticeable, probably noticeable enough for the general audience. A stark contrast even. Yes it could be the distance so they grew apart but we know from their talks in Vol 1 that it wasn't intentional. Mike says he lost Will. When's the last time he lost Will? In s2 with the Mind Flayer and in s1 with the abduction. How did he react? Negatively, but urgently tried to find Will. This time he reacts negatively but avoids fixing it. Why? Because he, at least on some level, has recognized his feelings for Will. Perhaps the similarities are so glaringly obvious that he feels stupid and naïve.

And one last thing to drive the point home.

Mike, in episode 8, refers to El as "superman". You can brush it all off as oh that's just the most popular superhero, etc. But in the VERY next episode, Argyle refers to her as "supergirl". It shows that Argyle sees her as a girl, not a boy. Not that Mike doesn't know she's a girl but that he chose not to refer to her as such. Someone else pointed out that he has referred to her as "person" multiple times throughout the series. I don't have the proof in that but if it's true it supports this. It also shows that the writers (may) have used the word Superman intentionally.

Well that was super fucking long but I would love to hear opinions if you've gotten this far!!! I don't think it's that far fetched but I am deluded so I truly can't tell lol.

#Byler #Byler is real #Mike Wheeler is gay #Mike Wheeler queer #Mike Wheeler queercoded #Stranger things #Will Byers #Will Byers is gay #Byler is endgame #stranger things 4 #stranger things gay #byler theory #byler theories #mike and will #THIS IS TRUE IDC!!!!!!!#mike wheeler and will byers #byler endgame #Eleven

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zvtara-was-never-canon · 2 months

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Hi! I'd like to hear your opinion about this:

https://www.tumblr.com/burst-of-iridescent/742859432096120832/of-course-zuko-would-have-taken-the-lightning-for?source=share

Let's go through this piece by piece, because there's good, mixed, and bad points all mixed up with each other.

"Katara needed to be there"

100% true. After all, Nickelodeon doesn't want to traumatize the 7-year-olds by making them get attached to Zuko, see him redeem himself, be told he will be Fire Lord - only for the boy to die horribly. They absolutely needed a character to save him, and as the healer of the team Katara was the logical choice.

"Katara needed to be there for the SACRIFICE to make sense. Imagine if it was SOKKA there - ridiculous, right?"

Aaaand there is the bullshit. Sokka could not replace her on that moment because he is the person in the Gaang Zuko has the least meaningful connection with. But Aang and Toph? Either of them could have easily fit the role in a different circumstance and the only problem would be there was no one to come to the rescue when it was time to shout "MEDIC!"

"She has to heal the wound at the core of her character — the agony and helplessness of being unable to protect someone she loved from a firebender — by successfully saving another person she cares about from the narrative embodiment of fire nation aggression and destruction"

*casually ignores that she already did that for Aang in book 2, full on bringing him back from the dead*

"the agni kai isn’t zuko and [insert companion here] alone, it's ALSO about Azula"

The fuck you mean ALSO? The larger battle on that moment might be between Zuko + Katara against Azula, but the agni kai itself is between just the Fire Siblings. We literally hear Azula say "Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be."

Much like the bit with Katara healing Zuko is about their dynamic, the main battle so to speak is about Zuko's dynamic with Azula. About them being siblings who ended up in opposing sides of a war after being life-long rivals because of their abusive father. Can we not treat this epic, meaningful, tragic moment that has been foreshadowed since the first episode of book 2 as an after-thought just for the sake of a ship? Especially since said ship will be thrown a bone moments later?

"Katara is the one person connected to both Zuko and Azula"

Katara has a connection with Zuko, yes, they are friends. And she has lots of parallels with Azula, enough that I can understand the claim that they are narrative foils.

But they have ZERO true meaningful connection. They never talked. They were never told anything that would make them think they have anything in common. Azula is just another dangerous foe to Katara, Katara is just another peasant that means nothing to Azula.

Parallels and one fight before it doesn't put that dynamic (or rather, the lack there of) on the same level of Zuko and Katara's enemies-to-friends dynamic, and it sure as fuck doesn't put it anywhere near the complex mess that is Zuko and Azula's relationship.

"Katara is the only one who touches his scar, and she and Zuko saw each other's darkest moments"

1 - Mai was nuzzling that scar all the time, in actual intimate personal moments. Katara touched it to try to heal it. A meaningful act of kindness, sure, but it's still just a doctor trying to help someone, not physical affection.

2 - She did NOT see Zuko's darkest moments, that was Iroh, she didn't even see the worst of him acting like a dick. As for Zuko, he encouraged Katara to embrace violence because that's what he was taught his entire life, and it led to her doing something she felt was fully against her true vallues and who she was as a person.

"The scene is easy to romanticize"

Yup, big dramatic moments tend to be like that. And if Zutarians weren't constantly insisting that is the ONLY valid interpretation of the scene, no one (except the typical "only canon/what the writers says is valid" people every fandom has) would complain about shippers watching the scene with romance goggles on.

#anti zutara

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raayllum · 9 months

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considering Rayla has absolutely buggered Aaravos’ plans multiple times in S6 if he were to posses Callum again do you think he’d go straight for killing Rayla?

Yeah she's been the last minute fuck up of Aaravos' plans now twice - which considering her "I am pretty awesome at everything... right up until the moment it really matters" choking at the finish line complex - is so on brand for them as a foils dynamic it actually drives me insane now that it's a parallel that could turn into a pattern. But post for another day

I think that if Runaan coin stuff leaves Ezran and Rayla at odds for a time in S6, wanting to save a brainwashed Callum may be what brings them back together in terms of that initial rift. As much as I want some broyals angst & fluff next season, I do think ultimately Rayla will have the bigger role to play in the possession plot line, simply because it's been set up that way, for a few years:

Aaravos specifically taunts Rayla with being unable to kill in 4x04 only for that to be precisely what Callum asks Rayla to do in 4x07. That's a plot beat / choice and set up that has to be paid off eventually

Furthermore, Rayla is the one emphasized more in said scenario. She's the one catching Callum and stepping toward him at first in 4x04, she's the one interrupting Callum with the mirror in 4x02, and she's the one to explicitly tell him he has another path in 4x07. They also cut to a shot with her directly when Callum says "he'll [...] hurt people I care about" which - Yeah

S5 actually furthered this thread of Aaravos-Rayla tethering. Whereas twice in S4 people think Callum is going to talk about Rayla when he actually talks about Aaravos, S5 switches it up with Callum's research into Aaravos being derailed by his devotion to Rayla (5x01: "Your elf friend is in trouble" / 5x04: "But you can trust me to stay focused" whereas Callum immediately loses focus because of her). 5x08, in which Callum is willing to help someone murder an Archdragon and to do dark magic in order to save her, likewise has the Callum-Aaravos intro.

Callum and Rayla watching a literal falling star together in 5x02, all of Rayla's associations of being light, etc.

This all ties together, then, of Rayla likely being the one to save Callum from the brainwashing (even if she also is, come hell or high water, what leads to him being brainwashed again in the first place - kinda like how Viren's love for his family doomed him at first and then also brought him back from the brink again in S5). This has been foreshadowed in a few ways / would be payoff for a few different ways.

Rayla being associated with light and Callum's agency (even if the light isn't always good and agency isn't always that simple, which is already in line with the flashing white cube in 4x04 and 5x08 as Callum is Aaravos' pawn). Also these lines from the book one novelization, which drive me crazy every time: “So they might kill you or they might save you,” Callum said. “Exactly.” Rayla smiled. “Just like me.” (—Book One: Novelization)

S5 puts Rayla's selflessness on full display, as she doesn't prioritize her parents once and instead Callum is the one who pushes forward on that front, even while acknowledging that "The world needs me. Callum and Ezran need me" still go basically hand-in-hand with her. While the "stronger together" is something she's learning (with practice) and is something that Callum may need to re-learn to a degree, Rayla's tendency to sacrifice hasn't been really dismantled yet. Her refusing to sacrifice something - in this case, a possessed Callum - by refusing to kill him (even if it puts the world at risk) would be a big, meaningful step forward for her, and is I think where they're headed.

On that note: S4 opened up an interesting character aspect for her with "we can't save everyone" regarding the drake in 4x05 that again, S5 has kind of left unaddressed for now, so Rayla and Callum both reconciling their identities - Callum, through reconciling the light and dark inside him and being brought out of possession (moon arcanum time?); and Rayla, being someone who can save people and depend on them without always having to sacrifice herself - could work really well if she's the one who breaks him free. Chains and keys and "That's your name right - Callum?" and "She's not the elf, she's Rayla" and "You're the destiny is a book you write yourself guy" and "That's what makes her a hero. That's what makes her Rayla" etc.

Finnegrin implies that Callum's love for Rayla makes him weak ( "All that talk about how love makes you stronger, but the second you see that elf girl in pain") and foolish. Impulsive, irrational. Opeli implies it to a much lesser degree, but that's still why she cautions Callum in 5x01. If "losing control" is synonymous with Rayla for Callum, it just means that Aaravos losing control of Callum probably will be as well.

Love is good and bad. Strength and weakness. The ocean and dark magic. Light and dark. Control and liberation.

I think we'll see all of that reflected in the possession plot line going ahead in S6.

#rayllum #i need you to kill me #arc 2 #thanks for asking #anonymous #devil and the lovers #s5 spoilers #long post #whoops #analysis series #theme: duality #tdp #the dragon prince #s6 speculation #s6 #predictions #tdp spoilers

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finalgirlsamwinchester · 30 days

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what are your thoughts on samruby?

thank you for sending this! and OH BOY i wrote a lot. i'm so sorry. i'm putting it under a cut for everyone's sanity.

see, the thing about samruby to me is the religiosity of it all. it's about a victim unknowingly initiated into a cult. it's about a holy lamb being raised for slaughter.

firstly i can't discuss it without spilling my guts over ruby as a character!! i saw a meta the other day (and i wish i'd reblogged it bc i can't find it again) calling ruby the most devout character in supernatural. and they're right! she is! her arc is about devotion and keeping faith. she's a direct narrative foil to cas, who falls down the path of doubt and experiences a crisis of faith. For ruby, her god is lucifer, and she'll accept all persecution and undergo every trial she has to in order to fulfil her mission as his servant. and she does! she succeeds up to her death! (whereas cas fails, and lives)

she doesn't see grooming and manipulating sam as an act of corruption. it's about purification. (and we all know how sam feels about purity, aha) for ruby, the demon blood drinking is a matter of cleansing sam of human imperfection, for the purposes of presenting lucifer his ideal vessel. because the thing about sam is that he's a liminal figure. he's as human as he is monstrous - and from a demonic perspective, wouldn't his humanness be considered the infection?

the way ruby preys on sam also has a definite maternal tilt to it. from as early as s3 (like the way she says 'that's my boy!' to him in 3x04? like dean does in 1x11?). she calls him 'sammy' in a way that mirrors dean, but also evokes maternal warmth. just as dean in season 1 functions as a protector and guide for sam when he brings him back into the hunting fold, ruby does so for sam in dean's absence. sam's grief and vulnerability presents her an opportunity to take on the role of carer and mentor. she'll teach him how to use his powers! she'll guide him in what he needs to do, while he's so lost in his own suffering. sure she provides warmth and affection - but more importantly, she directs sam towards a mission, a cause for good.

she's an incredible character to pair off with sam, a character full of hope and belief that his faith might amount to something (i'm thinking of the start of s11 here - sam desperate to believe his prayers are being answered by god. only to discover it was lucifer all along) he wants to be like joan of arc - he wants the voice of heaven commanding and guiding him along a path of heroism. it's his hope and faith that make him vulnerable.

ruby takes on sam like she's a cult recruiter preying on a victim! like if you go through the stages of cult indoctrination: deception (check! she tricks him into breaking the final seal by killing lilith!), isolation (check! sam having to keep his activities w ruby a secret, driving a wedge between him and dean, eventuating in their separation), induced dependency (check! a blood addiction!). by the end of it, he's left abandoned by his loved ones, alone and entirely reliant on her and the purpose she's given him.

but luckily - sam is a character who hates being controlled above all else, so he does not have his Midsommar (2019) May Queen moment. even when he does let lucifer in, he does so as a sleeper agent. he holds onto his independent spirit to the end :")

tldr; ruby loves sam as a devotee loves their holy mission. sam begrudgingly accepts ruby, not as the divine guidance he wants, but the only one that'll speak to him.

#samruby #the other day i was thinking. oh sam is the kinda character who WOULD accidentally get drawn into a cult #but then writing this post. you fool!! that's literally what happened in canon w. samruby and the demon blood arc!#i could write a giant essay on sam + purity + demon blood drinking + martyrdom...but that's a different post...#(also big sidebar: can we also talk about how sam and cas are mirrors of one another. their parallel struggles w faith and goodness)#dean is excluded from this convo bc he is in fact. a hard and fast atheist. god bless #a man so full of doubt he causes an angel to fall lmaooo #my meta #asks #j.txt

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heretherebedork · 7 months

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Here we are, almost at the finish line, and for the life of me I still don't get it. They are all messed up, confused, broken people. So... Why so much Top hate? I mean, even if we considered what he did cheating, since when is cheating a high crime in bl? That have been actual crimes committed by characters in this show and that's apparently fine. So why can't Top shake whatever image people assigned to him 9 episodes ago?

I dunno. Honestly, I like Top more now than I did at the start but I'm still not super attached.

Top is interesting but I feel like a lot of that interesting is being held back for some reason?

But I will be clear that a lot of BL fans absolutely consider cheating to the be the Pinnacle of Worst Things Possible in most shows and most relationships. Cheating has long, long been a high crime in BL and is the cause of like 90% of miscommunications in shows based on misunderstandings and assumptions of cheating.

But in the context of Only Friends? Top's biggest issue for me isn't the cheating, it's that he... has this air of trying to be perfect all the time in a way that doesn't work and I don't find that interesting, honestly?

He and Mew spent the first half of the show basically trying to act out their own little romcom of a BL that didn't really fit the energy everyone else was bringing or that I was expecting from the show. And I now struggle to see how Top fits into the world and into these relationships.

Top has spent most of the series sort of... outside of everyone else and not just as in the actual friend group. He's the addict who basically claims to instantly shake his addiction, he's traumatized but in a way that doesn't seem to affect him too badly (the scene of not wanting to take the sleeping pills anymore was good but I need more than that), he's a top tier guy who doesn't do serious relationships but he only has one ex we hear about or meet and Boeing is the best trash ever but I can see why you might not wanna pursue a longterm relationship with him.

My views on Top have changed but at the core I just don't find him to be a super interesting character. He has had good scenes (all my favorite scenes of his are with Boston and Sand) and I wish we'd gotten more of him with the other characters and less of him with Mew. He plays off everyone else so well in terms of being more fully realized as a character.

I dunno. I'm not invested in TopMew as a couple because I think they were presented and then proceeded in a way that doesn't fit with the vibes of anyone else but also in a way that feels... shallow.

I could not explain to you why Top loves Mew. I couldn't explain why Mew loves Top. Because their love just feels like it was written Because They're A Branded Pair Of Actors.

I am struggling to put more words into this.

But definitely part of it is that Top is written as a kind of foil for Ray as well but in order to fulfill that role he has to be what Ray isn't while also being what Ray is (just like Boeing and Mew) and that means he has to have the addiction and the trauma but he has to have gotten past them (like Boeing has morals and understands maturity but has gotten past that and gone right into being trash but trash with morals).

There's a lot that goes into what makes people dislike characters or find them to be ones that just aren't as engaging or interesting and I think the show did Top and Mew a bit dirty in the relationship development by having them both trying from the start because they started trying before they got to know each other and then the show kind of FFed their getting to know each other bit while showing us deeper moments with the other couples.

Or at least that's how it felt to me.

#asked and answered #only friends the series #i do like Top more now than i did #but i still find that the show isn't giving him the depth i want #and his scenes with sand and boston are better than any scene with mew so far #not his fault

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imminent-danger-came · 9 months

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Are there any clear parallels between Mei and Macaque other than they are/were the 'hero‘s closest friend'?

Like- MK and Wukong have similar storybeats and personality traits.

Same with Mei and Wukong.

(Even Azure and Mei have parallels. Containers for power. Azure‘s sword inspired her to make her own. There was a scene where they had the same battle ready pose. Azure‘s goal was to use the power of the emperor for something good, Mei thinks that power should be used for good whenever possible. Azure‘s first priority was trying to reunite the brotherhood, friends/family are very important to him too. Both willing to make sacrifices -like Wukong- to save the world, though Azure‘s method was admittedly less permanent than outright killing him.)

But other than the "Ugh, this guy." Facepalm Mei and Macaque did (at Ao Lie and Monkey King) in season 4, nothing springs to mind for me for this particular pair.

Macaque is cautious, Mei is the polar opposite of that. Macaque acts out of his own interest for the most part, for Mei, her friends (and the world) are priority.

Even looking at younger Macaque, from what little we‘ve seen, he was bit of a grouch, grumbling and half heartedly rolling his eyes at Wukong‘s antics. Whereas Mei is right there alongside MK being silly and goofing off.

(I‘m sorry for dragging the Warrior/Hero stuff back to the table, but with how often Mei is labeled as the Warrior in the fandom I would have thought there‘d be more. So I was wondering if I am just not very observant 😅)

First of all: never apologize for bringing up the Hero and the Warrior motif! I'd also like to thank you for your other thoughts, Azure and Mei parallels are always delicious.

Second of all: to quote my own Hero and Warrior meta, (mainly because I'm too lazy to rewrite anything):

"We know that the Warrior is someone who follows the hero, someone who is the moon to the Hero’s sun, someone who loves and looks up to the Hero. In this sense, the role of the Warrior is completely defined by the role of the Hero. [...] During the night, the Warrior is the moon that brings light to the world in the sun’s absence."

So, in regards to Mei being a Warrior to MK's Hero, I'd say she fits the bill pretty perfectly! "Together, there was nothing that could stop the two of them", and together MK and Mei are always going to be able to "figure it out". Even when MK isn't there or they're separated (particularly in 4x10), Mei and the gang are still going to step in and try and help (or be that light when the hero is absent).

Moving on: Mei and Macaque parallels.

I think the way Mei is treated by MK in s1-3 is reminiscent of both how Wukong treats MK during s2 and how Wukong treated Macaque in the past. MK ignores Mei—often letting his own reach for power affect his relationship with her, especially in episodes 1x06, 2x03, 2x06, and 3x03 (and honestly even 2x02). I'll just put shit MK does to Mei over Macaque dialogue lol:

Macaque: "Still the same Wukong—doing whatever he wants with no regard for others!" (3x14 Destiny Fulfilled)

Macaque: "Look Wukong, I get you're excited, I do! But- crossing the Jade Emperor's going to have consequences—aaannnd you're not even listening." (4x02 New Adventures) (Thank you 2x03 for stating that MK doesn't listen outright. We owe you a lot.)

Macaque: "Wukong didn't think so—he always felt he had to be stronger, more immortal." (4x11 A Lifetime of Mistakes)

Hopefully that demonstrates my point!

I'm also banking on whatever went down between Wukong and Macaque paralleling 3x10 (Ending with SWK choosing to leave Macaque while MK refused to leave Mei), but we'll have to see!

Ultimately however, I'd say that rather than parallels, Mei and Macaque are foils. They have some similarities, but there are also a lot of key differences between these two characters. Like anon mentioned, Macaque is cautious while Mei is foolhardy, Macaque looks out for himself while Mei works to protect others, Macaque prefers to watch and wait while Mei believes in taking action, Macaque turned against Wukong when Mei could never turn against MK.

But, in that same vein, I think they're in the process of becoming more like each other. Mei is learning to slow down and focus, to "harness the wild energies and emotions burning within" her—essentially to be more cautious. Macaque on the other hand is learning how to be a team player, and is starting to put himself on the line for other people:

While MK and Wukong have always been pretty similar/have made similar mistakes, it's interesting to watch their counterparts slowly become more like one another, but instead with their virtues.

Speaking of, Macaque's 2x07 line-

"As time went on, the hero obtained power beyond comprehension. As the hero’s light grew, so too did his shadow—and soon, the Warrior was cast into that shadow."

-has uh, started to worry me, mainly because I'd say that now, post-s4 MK has quite literally obtained power beyond comprehension:

And while 3x10 will always be important because of MK's choice to stay by Mei, I wonder if we're due for another ultimatum where MK doesn't make that right choice (*cough cough* he leaves in 4x08 mainly because he's afraid of hurting the people he cares about—something that is going to come back later *cough cough*). Or perhaps it's a role reversal, where Mei and the Gang have to decide whether or not to "abandon" MK (aka destroy the "harbinger of chaos", al la 3x04 Macaque Flashback).

#or maybe a little of both #I will say there is HMMM some SPICE to like #Macaque leaving SWK (under the mountain) and then Mei not leaving MK #which oh god dammit it's samadhi fire part 3 again #lmk #lego monkie kid #lmk Mei #lmk MK #lmk Macaque #iris quartet #the warriors #samadhi fire part 3 #asks

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beevean · 8 months

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Is it too soon to speak of the concept that Lanolin has wasted potential yet? Because I am so convinced she could have been a far more likeable, or at least tolerable character if:

We got an actual explanation for why she acts the way she acts, because right now we simply have no idea why she suddenly is so bitchy. I really do think that showing that she acts this way because it is how she thinks leaders act (stern, always right, always knowing what to do, always in control) and then learning that no, being leader means respecting those around you and knowing that you are not high and mighty above your subordinates, makes for a far more interesting character than... well, this.

It didn't constantly appear as if she hates her teammates and everyone else around her except for Duo. This isn't from recent issues either: she's been drawn odd, bored, tired, annoyed, etc etc more than a dozen issues ago already.

Like... give me a Lanolin who is such a control freak she starts stressing out and panicking the moment things go south because she knows she is not cut out for this yet. Someone who sees Silver and Duo arguing and knows she cannot intervene, thus she lashes out and stops the argument before it can, in her mind, go further south. Someone who sees Whisper accuse a new teammate and clumsily tries to calm her down, which does not work. Not that constant anger and irritation, especially aimed at Tangle, and her sheer contempt for Silver. Someone who is really doing her best and wants to do well, but who has the entirely wrong idea of what constitutes the role she has put herself into. No more disappointed kindergarten teacher who is never called out by anyone in the narrative.

I personally would wait until the end of this whole story arc before deciding how much of a waste she is. It's what I did for Surge and Kit... and even then the comic is bringing them back so who knows what's going to do with them 😂

Lanolin is more of an interesting case of writers clashing, because you just know that ABT had a completely different personality in mind when he designed her.

You've seen anything like this so far? Lanolin being more of a stepford smiler? Yeah, exactly.

Lanolin's behavior would make sense if we had confirmation that she, like Whisper, has been left with trauma after everything she went through off screen. She would be a foil to her! Whisper became an introverted loner, Lanolin now insists on forming teams and having them hyper-organized. Whisper's personality is withdrawn, Lanolin forces her (fake) personality on others. Hell, even her overreaction over being grabbed could be passed as one stemming from trauma!

But I don't get that. Lanolin doesn't seem to be high-strung. She seems, as you say, like she can't stand a single person around them and only interacts with them out of polite courtesy. She's mean as a personality trait. And it's not even that she clashes naturally with certain kinds of people, like say Tangle who is scatterbrained so of course the control freak wouldn't stand her; the only person she has shown something resembling respect so far is Sonic, and even then not always. Around Tangle, Silver, Whisper, she has this constant disdainful look on her face.

Who pissed in your cereal, ma'am? This isn't funny! She's mean! And Tangle has fallen far down in my list of liked characters, but ffs she hasn't done anything to deserve this glare!!

Anyway, to get at your point. Lanolin has shown one moment of vulnerability very early on, when her operation failed. That was the one time she admitted she didn't know what she was doing. That was a moment of relatability and sympathy for her, because the audience could see a hidden side of her and understand where she was coming from.

It hasn't happened so far in this arc. Again, I have no idea how much we're meant to understand Lanolin. I only know that so far she has only shown one emotion, and it's contempt against people who don't deserve it. This is not how you write a likeable character, not even as an antagonist. She's not fun to hate. She's just a bully.

#fans don't look

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vickyvicarious · 2 years

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This latest installment has gotten me thinking about Renfield, Seward, Dracula, and Jonathan as foils. But interestingly, with Seward and Renfield taking on both characters' roles from the castle.

The Renfield = Dracula comparison is really obvious. It was certainly hinted at before, but this installment Seward defines him as "a zoöphagous (life-eating) maniac" just to drive the point home. Who else eats lives? Gee, let me think. Maybe I'll read that article about the Demeter while I ponder.

However, it's especially interesting to me because I am seeing a lot of Seward = Jonathan in this entry as well. But in a totally different way than how it actually played out for Jonathan himself.

Like, in power dynamics, Seward obviously resembles Dracula more. I mean, in this entry he literally puts Renfield to sleep and then goes through his belongings, acting out the very same type of intrusion that Dracula did to Jonathan. Renfield is confined, entirely under Seward's power, and Seward repeatedly talks to him and attempts to learn about his way of life. His interest in 'the madman' could easily be compared to Dracula's interest in 'the English man'. So far, the dynamic has been a relatively straightforward mirror.

Notable differences are, of course, that Seward's ultimate goal is to help Renfield. The intrusions he makes upon his privacy are, at least as far as he tells himself, driven by a desire to better tailor his help to him. He even indulges Renfield's desires, and for the most part seems to be a lot less restrictive than Dracula ever was. He's also distinctly contrasted to Dracula by being presented as the most modern, cutting-edge character in the book. Dracula represents an old, old evil, as shown by the coins in his treasure collection. Meanwhile, Seward is engaging in new-fangled therapy and keeping his diary in audio form. Both motivation (help/harm) and method (modern science/ancient magic) are diametrically opposed.

Jonathan and Renfield are also contrasted, because where Jonathan wants nothing more than to escape and return to normal life, Renfield at the moment seems to have no strong desire to leave. Jonathan clings to polite fiction for the longest time, while everything about Renfield rejects 'normal' ways of thinking and behaving.

...which brings us back to the reverse. Renfield's goals to devour life mirror Dracula's, to an obvious degree. Given the mirroring pattern going on, this should put Seward back in Jonathan's shoes, but how can that be when his behavior doesn't match Jonathan's at all?

It's simple. Seward's repeated struggles with his mad scientist impulses to indulge Renfield more and more - just to see what he'll do - are the 'Jonathan.' But kind of a reversed reflection. This is the part of Jonathan that is being corrupted by Dracula. The part that stole his tricks, the wall-climbing, the violent shovel attack, the theft of his coins. But instead of being driven by a need for survival after all other avenues of escape are cut off, Seward's changes are entirely psychological (fitting, really). He is attempting to note them down and resist them in order to stay focused on his goal of helping Renfield, but it's difficult for him because the temptation to learn more is so strong.

I guess you could say it mirrors Jonathan's attempts to explore the castle and his fascination with the ladies as well; but whenever they aren't actively charming him Jonathan is clearly filled with repugnance and disgust at such monstrous creatures. Seward has no one exerting any concentrated influence on him. The most Renfield does is try to manipulate him in order to get access to more lives - he doesn't really take interest in Seward himself. And yet Seward still is completely wrapped up in Renfield, despite being free to leave him alone at any time.

So that's how Seward reflects Jonathan. He's his opposite, much like he is Dracula's opposite. Jonathan is happily in love with Mina and uses thoughts of her as an escape from his dreadful situation with Dracula; Seward was rejected by Lucy and his attempts to distract himself with work are trending almost to a dangerous obsession with Renfield. Jonathan wants normalcy; Seward craves discovery, specifically of the unusual.

If Jonathan were in charge of Renfield's care, he would probably have less compassion for the man, despite I'm sure wanting to do well by him. However, if Seward were in Jonathan's position, he would become fascinated by the vampires surrounding him, and most likely be turned himself.

#dracula daily #dracula meta #my meta

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daxieoclock · 5 months

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Tactica Impressions Part 6, No Plot Spoilers

Toshiro continues to bring the entire plot down. I need him to stop being here. Please. Please, I'm dying and the only cure is No More Adult Man Party Member In Persona Game.

Erina is a fantastic character and her development is fantastic but it DRAGS that she's so fixated on being nice to Toshiro and sucking up to him and giving him unearned authority over her rebellion and the Phantom Thieves.

They've even co-oped Futaba into buddying up to Toshiro and it sucks so bad. Futaba. Futaba, cyber criminal and prodigal hacker, compares her being autistic and talented to Toshiro's...having experience deescalating cabinet battles. It's SUCH mischaracterization.

Complaining aside. All The Girls (And Ryuji) Love Erina's Flag and I feel like that's very gay of them. Everyone likes the cool girl.

RYUHARU SIDE QUEST with bonus Futaba and Haru sister moments, and Ryuji calls Haru "senpai." It's fucking amazing. Haru fans keep winning.

Even though Yusuke and Makoto are my least fav Thieves on average, I do love how they're animated this game. They both have fantastic poses, and there's even some good bits of characterization, though Makoto gets really robbed by most of the big planning stuff being handed over to Toshiro instead so he can show off. Stolen valor tbh.

There's one random moment where it looks like Haru and Makoto are holding hands. Yay! :)

The marriage fantasy scenes kinda sucked on average? The Makoto and Yusuke scenes were deeply unfunny jokes, the Ann scene felt like it was copy-pasted from Lovers 10, and the Ryuji scene was surprisingly earnest even through the attempt to play it off as a joke. Like...it felt like yet another case where Atlus accidentally wrote them into genuine bi subtext, as opposed to the "my friend is a weirdo" of the Yusuke scene.

The Haru scene almost made me tear up. Yes I'm a Harufan, yes I'm biased towards Shuharu. Don't care, it was so fucking genuine and played into her themes of overcoming romantic/sexual abuse and it was just AGHHGG I LOVE THESE STUPID KIDS.

How does Joker STILL have the grappling hook from Royal, what the fuck. We're playing X-Com over here, you didn't think that would have been useful EARLIER???

Anyway Erina continues to be an absolute badass, it's unreal how cool she is.

...I wrote most of these points as I experienced them, and now I may need to take a step back. Because the projection room scene in the castle has left me genuinely reeling. I'm not sure what to say beyond...that I am taking another look at Toshiro as a character. Because I might be starting to appreciate him. Metatextually, his role as a pseudo-party member is a fucking nightmare, and his writing is so inconsistent and uncharismatic that the most entertaining parts of his presence so far has been other characters dunking on him. His personality sucks and I don't like WHY Atlus put him in this game. But as a character, as a foil to the Thieves and an individual narrative...I am starting to be compelled. There is absolutely an opportunity for Atlus to absolutely dumpster this good faith they've got from me, but...I said "if they want to make Toshiro compelling, they need to do these things" and like fucking clockwork, they did. So now I'm putting my money where my mouth is. I don't have to LIKE Toshiro, but I will give his arc the benefit of the doubt. (Also if people want to read my specific thoughts on the scene, let me know, I'll definitely write them up if there's interest.)

Anyway pls look at this meme from @lilyhoshikawa

Haru / Ann Close Read Lines: 21 (and boy fucking howdy what a handful of good ones we got this time)

#persona 5 tactica

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sketch-mer-6195 · 1 year

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Second Chance (Future!Leo x Kalani)

Author’s notes: These are all Consenting Adults ranging from mid 20′s to late 30′s. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! This is a 21+ blog and I do intend to bring some NSFW content.

Future!Leo is about 38, Kalani is 26. If you don’t like the age gap... tough noogies, I’m keeping it this way bwah ha ha! Now onward!

There it was, the technodrone destroyed; the city was safe. But at what cost? The last sign of Leo, in the portal Mikey was able to create to try and save his big brother. The scream of agony, the cackle of greed, and the wails of pain. It was all too fast and sudden. His room was still the same, but lifeless. Colorless in her eyes. Every square inch was him and it wasn't. It was suffocating her and Kalani couldn’t take it. She had made a small shrine in her new home with the rest of the Hamato clan. One with a picture of Leo. Her boyfriend. Her best friend. Champion. Brother. Hero. It weighed down on her heart and soul for her, a teenager who was once an up and coming Alchemist alongside Baron Draxum and close accomplice of Big Mama at the Nexus Hotel. Now a broken girl with her heart now gone forever in the prison dimension.

Grief and mourning lasted for a long time in the family. Donnie would have night terrors of that fateful day. Mikey screamed in pain as memories flooded his mind. Raph would have nights with no sleep, afraid of becoming that krang version of himself. Casey would only comfort them all to help them. Kalani, the most quiet of them, laid in her room curled up tight under her sheets to gain some sort of semblance. But it was fruitless as her quiet sobs would fall into loud wails of pain. Many nights, everyone came together in the main room. Blankets, pillows, fairy and christmas lights, heating lamps and blankets and mattresses laid out for everyone to sleep as a whole.

It took two months for Donnie to calm himself and finally start sleeping in his room. 5 months for Raph to finally start laying in his own bed. Mikey was an extra month before he finally went to his room. This left Kalani alone once again.

Her saving grace was her hero, now an old rat, Lou Jitsu, better known as Splinter. Many nights, he would keep his door open and a simple electric tea light alit giving her signs that she was always welcomed. A mattress was laid next to his raised bed. Blankets and a pillow from Leo's room always greeted her in warmth and comfort as she quietly cried herself to sleep while Splinter would pet her head and rub a soothing hand across her small shell to lull her to sleep. It wasn't until a year and a half later that she finally chose to start sleeping in her own room. Splinter always reminding her that her candle will always stay lit for her of she needs guidance and peace.

After that, everyone took on their roles. Raph was leader once again, Donnie was back working on his tech and inventions, and Mikey was still the silly one. But Kalani was offered, by her new family, to be their fourth crucial partner. Being the Face Man. The speed and precision that was needed for this team. Although she had no ninpo, she was a skilled fighter and knew how to work with the three brother's alongside with Casey. Naturally, she accepted and agreed to take up the role as "Face Man" to make Leo proud.

But that was all going to be put to the test.

Information from Cassandra showed that a new Foot Clan, working alongside the Purple Dragons and Baxter Stockboy all working together to try and release the Kraang once again from the prison dimension. They had learned through alchemy how to gain enough power to reopen a portal to get into the prison dimension so the Kraang can once again take over the world.

Sitting around the table with a map of the city and the warehouse where they were last seen, the Mad Dogs were formulating a plan to foil the Foot and Purple Dragons plan.

"We need to try and take down their alchemist. If we take them down, then we have a chance of keeping the prision dimension closed longer." Kalani explained as she began to look through her alchemy charts for a counter circle.

"But they also have the Dragons and Stockboy. I can guarantee that they have some sort of interdimensional gate that will help amplify their chances at opening the prison dimension. We can't rely solely on mystic powers." Donnie added as he swiped through his holoscreen from his gauntlet.

With a slight scoff fron Kalani, Raph glanced down at the Kappa before looking down at the coordinates. "We can't let this get to us, a'ight? We work as a team. Cassandra, April and Casey are going to be our infiltrators and give us our opening. Mikey, you and Donnie work on finding the main computer room and to take out anything that could be repurposed. I'll come in with smashibg out the enemies. And Kalani."

He emphasized, catching her attention with an unamused quirk of her brow.

"Keep your head in the game. You take out the Alchemist that they found. And no going lethal!" Raph added.

"Can I at least go semi-lethal?" She quipped.

"WH-WHAT?! NO!" Raph bellowed, earning a few chuckles from Mikey and a groan from Donnie.

It wasn’t long until they had agreed to the plan and began to leave the lair. Walking down the stairs and passing the train cars that were everyone’s bedroom, Kalani passed Leo's old room, the door closed and curtains drawn. Her pace slowed to a stop as she stared at his room. Her chest tight and a pang of grief sweeping over her like a sheet.

A large hand gently laid on the small of her back, making her jump and turn to see Raph standing beside her. Her eyes had a glimmer of hope, something that he had seen several times before. One that made his own heart clench. But that had all but vanished as she saw who it was. That hope snuffed and her walls were back up once more.

"Listen, Kali. If yer not feelin' up for it, my brother's an' I can-"

"You can't do it without all of us, Raph. Besides, who else can be the faceman?" Kalani stated before she began to walk away and grab her blue sash.

Raph grabbed her hand, successfully ceasing her to move. His large thumb rubbing such soft circles that caused her to glance down at their hands. He lowered himself so he could look at her eyes that averted their gaze with his own. Kalani hated being seen vulnerable again, and with the anniversary of Leo's death it was her hardest time to get by or even be alone. Raph, knowing exactly what she was feeling, gently pulled her close to his plasteron and engulfed her in his strong arms. Her slender ones instinctively wrapped around his neck as he ran his hand up and down her back to comfort her.

"We care about ya, Kal. I care. Yer can't hide the pain. Raph ain't gonna let that happen again." He reassured her.

She let out a dry chuckle, allowing her fingers to gently stroke across the top of his head and rest on his shoulder. "I know. And I will never understand how you tolerate me and my tides of emotions."

It was Raph's turn to chuckle before pulling back and looking up at her. "Cause we were together for three years, Kal. Granted, it wasn't for us. But I still care for ya, as friends or as a couple. Yer part of the Hamato Clan, and that ain't changin' no time soon."

Smiling at one another, Raph stood up and kissed the crown of Kalani's head before escorting her to the Turtle Tank where Donnie and Mikey were already waiting for them. It was inevitable that Leo was gone, but Kalani knew that he would want her to continue with or without him. And now, sporting his blue bandana tied on her arm she took her seat in the tank and smirked at the brothers. It was time to kick some Foot Clan Ass.

Taglist: @thelaundrybitch @s-s-ironnie @mysticboombox @coleseyebrows @rheawritesforfun @sewerninno @lec743 @amethyst12arts @happymoonangel @happyfoxx-art @turtle-babe83 @knightish-knight @leosgirl82 @red-phoenixxx @memes-in-a-half-shell @ashuka

If anyone wants to be added or removed, please let me know

#Second Chance Series #rottmnt future!leo #rottmnt kalani #leonardo x kalani #Kaleo #peepaw leo

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kmze · 9 days

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Thoughts on 6x12 - 6x22 I know it’s shocking but I LOVED IT AND WROTE TONS! I will say the plot was a bit tighter for the first half but this half needed a lot of set-up for next season so I'll allow it. There’s so much focus on Caroline as two of her biggest arcs happen with her Mom and humanity off. There’s great Bamon stuff and I like that even though they became besties Bonnie wasn’t going back to being pushed around. I enjoyed Lily and her scenes with the brothers. I zoned out during all the cure stuff as it is the bane of my existence. Definitely my favorite season still and this half gave me so much, all my bias thoughts below!

6x12

This season really picked it up again with the horror elements. There’s a lot of scenes that feel like scenes in a slasher movie, probably because the main villain of the season is a slasher styler serial killer as opposed to the usual serial killer.

Liv’s boobs are spectacular, just wanted to put that out there.

Nice contrast to earlier in the season when Elena asked Stefan to give her hope and he told her he gave up, whereas with Caroline he couldn’t take her hope away from her.

Kai just cracks me up! He just never stops talking but somehow stays funny. Chris is so good.

Love how they foreshadow Caroline turning it off in her Mom’s vision and that being what brings Liz back to life. She had to come back to make sure someone would watch over Caroline.

Also @ the morons on Reddit who will never see this post and say "Liz guilt tripped Stefan into liking Caroline" because she asked him to watch out for her lets all remember that Stefan ASKED LIZ FOR HELP WITH CAROLINE! She even felt bad for him and threw him a bone in two episodes ago to hang Christmas lights.

This episode was an emotional rollercoaster! I knew everything that was going to happen and I was still so stressed. I can’t believe they made it look like Luke won when he was fluttering his eyes only to be like SIKE! That was cruel! Kai and Luke merging together was a great scene too loved the leaves swirling around, looked more like the earlier seasons magic scenes. Luke’s death hit hard too because we did see him a lot and we gradually learned about the Parker family so I felt more connected to all of them. Jo breaks my heart here and Jodi is just so fantastic. Just really solid storytelling all around.

6x13

Why is Bonnie still in the prison world?? I hate it.

Enzo’s storyline is the only miss this season because just leave that damn girl alone! Damon doesn’t need to know he didn’t kill the baby because he did nothing to prevent it from happening! I get Enzo is supposed to be a foil to Stefan but he’s just such a loser of a character.

Sarah Salvatore looks so much like S1!Elena I wonder if she was meant to have a bigger role in S7 as like a pseudo-Elena with Lily until they changed plans.

These two idiots in love smiling at each other on the forest floor *flails*

Welp there goes Elena making a terrible situation affecting only Bonnie about herself again. Inevitable.

When I first watched this episode I was so not here for the Kai redemption hand wave they were doing with him gaining empathy through merging with Luke. I was like not this bullshit again just keep villains evil! But now I have changed my mind because it wasn’t fair that as soon as the big bad was interested in ONLY Bonnie now he can’t be redeemed. I’m not saying Bonnie had to forgive him or that I even ship them but it pisses me off how often Bonnie gets shafted in favor of Elena and Caroline. I’ll just forever side eye JP who was like “Bonnie would never love a murderous vampire she’s too pure” and then stuck her with Enzo!

Of all Steroline’s great moments (and they have a lot) this is probably THE SCENE for me. The laughter and the headiness when they find Miss Cuddles and she gets decapitated (great foreshadowing of the no humanity SC arc) are so great but then! The charged moment when they are looking at each other and the camera is swirling around and you just want to scream KISS HER ALREADY until he can’t because she starts to cry so he hugs her instead JUST GETS TO ME! What a ship!

Such a great Bonnie scene! She fought to live and Jeremy saved her!!!

No offense Tyler but you chose death over Caroline so let’s not throw stones from glass houses. God the writers really didn't GAF about him after he lost his hybrid powers.

6x14

Matt and Sarah could have been cute, would have been hilarious watching Stefan and Damon deal with the possibility of Matt being a part of their family.

This scene of Damon being like "I did all these murders case closed!" LMFAO and they had the audacity to put "Protector of Mystic Falls" on Liz's tombstone.

Elena is the most annoying older sister ever, no wonder Jeremy wanted to get away from her (plus you know the fact that she kept having Damon erase his memories).

Really love that Stefan and Caroline got almost two episodes of just scenes with each other away from all the other chaos. They never got that again so I'm always fond of this time where they got to just be together and slowly fall in love.

In my completely unbiased opinion this is the greatest first kiss of any ship ever on this show. No I will not be taking feedback on that and I’ll tell you why! The way the sunset casts Stefan and Caroline’s profiles in shadows so when they first kiss they look like two silhouettes becoming one. There’s also a moment where the space between them is on the shape of a heart. And the kiss taking place on Caroline’s cabin porch with the door open and the reflection of the two of them kissing in the door window. SHOWSTOPPING!

"I'm exceptionally ordinary, Caroline is anything but" I'm going to start crying already what a beautiful line

No no no no no this scene gets me every single time! Liz pushing little Caroline on the bike while she says she’s not ready makes me cry every single time I watch it so yep crying again. Only scene in the whole show that makes me cry every time.

6x15

BABY CAROLINE YOU’RE TOO PRECIOUS!

God dammit Damon! He is the biggest catalyst for this going so bad because he keeps giving everyone the worst advice imaginable!

I can tell Julie wrote this episode because it’s stressing me out! She used the missed communication plot device that I hate but she did it perfectly for the characters involved. Because at their core Stefan and Caroline are both control freaks and both of them overthinking this situation is why we get the conclusion that we get. Because Caroline can't wait a day because she needs to know now and she's already determined if it's bad he won't talk to her about it. And Stefan who just wanted advice about how to handle not starting something with Caroline at a bad time is now overthinking Damon's stupid advice.

I like how Matt just became Caroline's like assistant in the later seasons because that's what he deserves after he treated her like an afterthought their whole relationship. Karma.

Elena is really great in this episode. She is a pro at funerals and she’s really trying to guide everyone (and not making it about herself)!!!

The "Something even better" speech is so great and I love that Julie wrote it because she was always the writer who loved Steroline the most. There's a reason this line is used most often as OTP tags for SC on here because the show is telling you why this relationship is different than what we've seen prior. And it goes back to Stefan saying you can't be in love and friends at the same time because that's why this feels different! That's why when Damon said if it doesn't feel the same then it's not "true love" threw Stefan off until he stopped overthinking it! Until he listened to Damon's speech and he watched Caroline sing and he felt so much for her in that moment! Because yeah this isn't true love this is something even better, this is falling in love with your best friend. The person who accepts you at your worst, who laughs at your stupid jokes and who knows you better than you know yourself. The one person YOU CAN'T PRETEND WITH!

BAMON JUMPING HUG I AM GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR!!!

Bruh the way Stefan walks into Caroline's house with the door unlocked hope plastered all over his face... this show is so cruel to me!

6x16

NH!Caroline slamming Liam against the window CRYING!!

If Lily died of consumption in 1858 wouldn’t Stefan have been 12 and not 10 in the flashback? Simple math people!

“Elena I shut off my humanity I didn’t turn into an idiot” 100% shade at Elena LMFAO!

Pretty sure Liam just asked Stefan if he wants to be in a threesome with him and Caroline and I’m sorry Liam but there’s already a line for that lol!

CTFU at the look NH!Caro gives Stefan when he walks over with the shots, she knows he’s about to play a stupid game! This was the part of Caroline's plan she failed to take into account BTW. She thought Stefan didn't care because she gave him a time limit when he didn't know what the time limit was. Then assumed he'd just leave her alone... and I mean... Caroline when has he left you alone ALL DAMN SEASON! Time and time again he keeps coming back!

Feels like Caroline insinuated she knew Stefan felt something in S4 because she said it took him a few years to figure his feelings out. Ian has some really great shots in this episode and I really love how the light plays across Steroline when he tries to trigger her by cupping her face. The light shines on them at the specific moment it looks like he triggered her only to fade back to black and her to say "you shouldn't have done that."

I love the chuckle Caroline makes when she realizes Stefan compelled Sarah to be uninterested in vampires. OMG she didn’t even have to try and get Enzo’s phone!

Did Elena not tell Stefan that NH!Caro told her there would be consequences if he tried anything to trigger her? Girl have you met Stefan? Did you really think he wouldn't try? Stefan "Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes" Salvatore! A Crazy Bitch needed saving that's his drug of choice!

Great Bonnie scene making Damon feel all the pain Kai put her through.

Love that final shot of Ripper Stefan and NH!Caro on the bar! Ian you kicked ass with your direction!

6x17

CTFU at Damon not being able to vervain needle Ripper Stefan because DUH DAMON he invented that move!

I find it HILARIOUS that Ripper Stefan is mocking NH!Caro's revenge skills when those same skills are the reason he's the way he is right now! He couldn't give her A DAY! And him not giving her even a damn day to see if she could keep herself in check was not about him not believing she could. Stefan more than ANYONE knows how good Caroline is at control (it's why his focus is making her lose control this episode, Ripper likes a challenge). No Stefan's motive to bring Caroline back was for himself 100%, he realized he was in love with her and could not wait to tell her.

This passive aggressive conversation between Damon and Lily is amazing lol, Annie and Ian are playing it perfectly.

The snow in the prison world is so pretty!

Ripper Stefan got up wayyyyy too fast while apparently being passed out and dragged by NH!Caro which means his crazy ass was just letting her do that!

Get his ass Bonnie!

"You think I don't know everything about you?! I taught you how to control your bloodlust remember!" I MADE YOU I CAN DESTROY YOU! I love how it’s a total reverse of 2x02 and I love that Stefan used himself as seduction as well as the blood. A+ vampire foreplay.

THE SEX HAIR AND THE EYEBROW WIGGLE!

Bonnie putting out there they could have used to cure on Caroline to get her humanity back if they needed it makes me shutter. Just the idea of it I hate!

6x18

He really booed her LMFAO

I can’t believe how much they made Candice sing this season lol. I mean she’s great I love her voice but I hope she got an extra check!

Lily absolutely appalled at Damon’s texting etiquette!

Ok DEAD at the scene with Jo and Elena and Jo is just like “this is all brand new information it’s only been 12 hours!” WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE!

Caroline Trivia is so fucked up LMFAO

Deadbeat Mom strikes again!

Ripper Stefan was so impressed with how NH!Caro fooled Tyler into stabbing Matt and possibly triggering his werewolf curse. No wonder he used her tricks when he was working for Cade.

The scene where Lily turns on Stefan’s humanity with Damon’s speech is fantastic. Just really well shot and well written and Annie does such a wonderful job.

6x19

I like the trio conversation about how Stefan is going to flip Caroline’s switch, it’s similar to the one they did with Katherine to flip Elena’s switch.

NH!Caro is so impatient for sexy Stefan time! Vanilla my ass Enzo! ALSO!!! I love that Stefan still spilled his guts to Caroline about his mother not loving him even though she doesn’t have her humanity on.

NO STOP NOOOO DON'T BURN THE LETTER!

I saw a post that said real Ripper Stefan would never have burnt it, he would have opened it and read it in the most mocking tone possible. And now I can’t not think that every time I watch this. I mean we know Stefan can use a "dimmer" on his humanity switch because he did it in S3 so why doesn't he do that here? My guess is Caroline makes him too emotional to hold up the ruse. He really could not keep up the farce for long, which is funny because Stefan has always been the best at being a lying liar who lies.

Elena why would you use your ace in the hole so early! Or more importantly WHY WOULDN'T YOU MAKE A COPY OF THE LETTER!

The hatred in this phone call between Lily and Damon is hilarious.

Bamon have amazing chemistry, and I mean all levels of chemistry too! Forever robbed!

See Elena Stefan used his ace in the hole when it was the only thing left! What a powerful and devoted thing Stefan does here, and I don't want to say he's never done anything powerful for Caroline before since he literally died for her last season but this was him channelling everything he felt when he turned his humanity on into his love for Caroline (the one thing that makes you strong). And the memory is absolute perfection! Because it showed Caroline why he didn't confess at her Mom's funeral because he wanted to wait until everything was perfect and that time was anything but. And showing her that her Mom gave her blessing to Stefan just so good! And the imagery of Caroline getting stuck outside the door behind her Mom with the curtains too, the significance! WHAT A MOMENT! That's how you do a heartbreaking moment, this episode was fantastic definitely my favorite of the season.

I chose to believe at some point Caroline gets to read the letter through something at the school. They had Klaus send Hope a Zoom message from Peace they’ll figure it out!

Lily was so great, love how she "taught Damon a lesson" like when he was a little boy. She is so manipulative I am in love.

6x20

TBH I completely agree that it’s tough to buy that Damon wants to be human, that guy loves being a vampire! And it’s not lost on me that the cure was forced on him in the end and he looked MISERABLE AFTER!

Stefan hanging out in his room pining for Caroline while a bachelor party is happening downstairs. I fucking love it, he’s such a loyal loser. This little spinning globe too, like the snowglobe for her.

Welp I’ve been triggered because now I am reminded of the fact that Stefan and Lily talking about their ripper bloodlust issues was NEVER EXPLORED PAST THIS EPISODE! FOREVER BITTER!

“Reformed Ripper” (!!!!!) I will say they did show between S3 and this season how Stefan got a handle on his bloodlust throughout the seasons based on how he reacted to blood. In 3x19 he was still very uncomfortable around Alaric bleeding. In 4x22 he had to stay away from the person who was bleeding with Damon and Liz but he could keep his composure. In 5x03 he had been starving for months but he was able to tell Tessa to stay away or he'd hurt her. Then in 6x02 he drinks a blood bag pretty easily though you still see that ecstasy when the blood hits. And then in 6x12 Colin is covered in blood and he's fine. I know it's not in your face and I'm sure most missed the nuance but I found it easier to notice during a binge-style rewatch.

OH ANOTHER THING I WAS ROBBED OF! The fact that Caroline and Lily both view their human selves as weak and that becoming a vampire made them into a new strong woman. Too bad they had literally ONE SCENE together in S7, thanks for that Dries!

LMFAO I told you Stefan always has a vervain needle in his pocket!

Of course as soon as Elena is human again she’s in danger. Why doesn’t Elena just tell Lily if she feeds on her she’ll turn human since the cure is in her system?

6x21

CAROLINE I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!

I love how Caroline comes in and is just like Elena have a drink, Bonnie the switch is there and Jo I see your shoes from here. THE BEST!

“I hate little Stefan mind games even more” oh stop Damon he doesn’t even play his meanest ones on you!

Tyler has been itching for YEARS to call out Caroline about her and Stefan, you cannot convince me otherwise.

I can’t believe Stefan called Elena a flip flopper TO HER FACE LMFAO

Matt always eager to kill a vampire you’d think he’d be better at it by now.

The way Caroline just TURNS AROUND when she sees Stefan! They are such a romcom ship sometimes (when the writers leave them alone!)

Love that the first thing we see is Stefan opening up to Caroline and asking for her input on how he’s feeling about Damon. And you can see he wouldn’t open up to Elena about it in the prior scene because he wanted Caroline’s advice not hers.

"That’s because you’re a control freak who’s lost control; I feel the same way when I’m around you" this line is so slept on because it's all the explanation you need for why these two had such a hard time getting on the same page this season. Because they are BOTH control freaks (and I think it's telling this is the only time Stefan calls her a control freak in a negative way) and the way they feel about each other is anything but being in control. Stefan makes Caroline vulnerable because she feels so much more for him than any guy she has in the past and she can't build the same wall she used to in order to protect her heart. Then there's Stefan has never fallen in love with someone who was his friend first, someone who's seen every part of him. And I think that's such a challenge for him because Stefan was always so good at only showing parts of himself and meticulously planning everything out before he makes a decision and he can't do that with Caroline. Going back to their first kiss where Stefan didn't plan to kiss Caroline that day, he was waiting he told Liz he wanted it to be perfect but in that moment all that mattered was that Caroline is perfect and she never really hated him and he HAD to kiss her.

DAMMIT KAI I REALLY LIKED JO

Why did this evil show decide it would only have two weddings and in one the bride dies and the other the groom.

6x22

Nope Kai they’re actually doing some inane baby swapping spell with the blonde vampire you just neck snapped! I know that was a tough guess.

I’m glad Liv sacrificed herself for Tyler so he wouldn’t die but boy this would have been a better death for Tyler than what they did to him.

I’m sorry I know it’s a serious moment but Stefan is shooting his shot with Caroline while Elena is in a coma next to him lol. Top 5 petty moment for me.

The look on Bonnie’s face ASHHTBFZBDDCDB

“I haven’t run out of nicknames for you yet” I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

“I spent my life doing exactly what I felt I was born to do” being free of you!

Omg Elena is like I can’t wait to see what you’re up to in 60-70 years” to Stefan and he’s says definitely not high school but that’s where their last scene is! That’s funny but also touching I can’t lie.

OPEN WINDOW NO CURTAINS I LOVE SYMBOLISM!

Stefan saying that loving Caroline "changed his life" is so significant and I think people don't take that part seriously enough. Because so much criticism against Steroline is that Stefan doesn't act the same way with Caroline that he did with Elena and it's like yeah that's the point! He's changed so much as he's finally accepted that he's not "The Ripper" or "The Good Brother" he's both. And Caroline was such a significant part of that process and that's what he's saying with his list. She was there for him when he needed a friend in S4 and helped him get in control of his bloodlust and helped him move on from Elena. She made him laugh and she made him dance two things he either hardly did (laugh) or hated doing (dancing) because she just loosened him up the way no one ever did before, not even Lexi. And then the big one that Caroline telling him he'd move on and fall in love again without realizing it, how much that meant to him that she gave him faith it would happen and that it happened with her (day by day, bit by bit, year by year)!

I said in my 4x23 recap I like how Klaus and Stefan's confessions work in tandem for Caroline, and now I also noticed that Klaus kissed her left cheek and Stefan kissed her right cheek. Even if I don't ship KC I just love that Caroline got them BOTH, like they were both like you're the one for me and "I'll wait" "however long it takes" SO GOOD!

Welp onto S7, lets see how angry it makes me!

Lines that made me laugh:

Caroline: Wow, you are so boring. No wonder Elena didn’t pick you. (DEAD I forgot how much she was mocking Elena being super special and getting to pick boys lol)

Damon: She has a vampire dollhouse! (All in the delivery!)

Damon: I had to vampire-proof a B&B, do you have any idea how many people you have to compel to make THAT happen? (I would have loved to watch that side-plot montage lol)

#tvd rewatch #tvd spoilers #S6 rewatch #k rewatches tvd #steroline for ts #bamon for ts

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fromtheseventhhell · 11 months

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I think Catelyn is dead. She was dead for three days. Her body is decaying and crumbling into pieces. She can’t barely talk. Her throat is cut open. She is literally a vengeful ghost who rose from the river with dark magic to punish those who broke the sacred law of hospitality. She’s the archetype of wrathful mother who lost her children to war. Real Catelyn wanted to rest with Ned. Arya putting her down is not bloodshed, it’s the gift of mercy. There is nothing to be saved. Her role is to terrorise the Lannisters/Freys and be a foil to Arya, because Arya wants justice while LSH is all about blind revenge. Besides, Littlefinger is Sansa’s villain, she’s the one who needs to get rid of him. She’s the one who knows the things he did. It’s her role to overcome him. It’s Arya’s role to overcome LSH who’s willing to murder every single person who gets in her way. She will finally have peace if Arya puts an end to her suffering. She will know at least one of her children survived and Arya will take the role she needs as one of the protagonists and lead the Brotherhood North with Robb’s crown and then crown Jon. That’s a form of healing too.

My thing is that all of this gets presented as fact when it's actually things that fandom has decided on and considers canon, rather than coming from the book. Until we get the actual story we can't really just say "this is what's going to happen" because we just don't know and there's a lot of story left to tell. I understand if you think all of this is more likely but it's not written in stone.

Being brought back to life 100% changes and affects the person but it doesn't mean they're entirely gone. LSH might be a shadow of who Catelyn was but she is still very much Catelyn at the core, as seen by her motivations. She already knows that Arya is alive and is actively searching for her. George rarely plays his archetypes or tropes straight so her embodying that role doesn't mean that's all she is. And again, it would be a waste of her being brought back. George could've easily explored revenge with any other character or have had her not die at the red wedding and continue on a similar path. If he wanted to explore the impact of being brought back to life then that was already there with Beric. I don't see why it's unbelievable that he would bring her back for a reason other than to have her be murdered again.

I've already said what I think about Arya and LSH. As for LF, he is very much connected to Catelyn. His introduction was through her POV, his actions are heavily influenced by the relationship they had, she thinks about him often and gives us insight into his character, he contributes to Ned's death and a lot of the trouble the Stark's have, and even his interest in Sansa is rooted in his feeling for Catelyn. He is far more than just "Sansa's villain" and with the likelihood of him traveling to the Riverlands, there is a chance that they have a confrontation. His relationship with Catelyn has been built up far more than his relationship with Sansa so her helping to defeat him makes a lot of sense.

All in all, I don't think it's impossible that Arya gives her "mercy" but I dislike it for all of the reasons I listed and I think there's a lot more that could be done with her character. I think this theory about her only became so popular because it was a "simple" ending for her and fandom tends to default to the easiest solution. It fits but loosely, and only really because people reduce these characters to the most basic archetypes. Her getting a reunion with her daughters, learning that her sons are alive, and getting revenge on the man who caused her and her family so much grief is a lot more satisfying AND has basis in the story.

#ask #anon #catelyn stark #lady stoneheart #asoiaf #could it happen? yep #but I think there's a good chance of it playing out differently and there's a lot of potential there #if/when she reunites with Arya then I'm positive she'll learn they're alive because Bran is currently trying to communicate with her #just because fandom has decided something is going to play out a certain way doesn't mean it's guaranteed #Also uhhhhh not a huge fan of the idea that she needs to be /put down/#I'm team /give Catelyn the best ending possible/ grrm WILL give her a more satisfying ending then being killed by Arya #I believe it!

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raayllum · 11 months

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How Terry and Claudia Compare / Contrast Rayllum in S4

So Terry/Claudia and Rayla/Callum parallel each other as couples. Let’s talk about it.

Intro

The first is their set up, after all:

Rayla and Claudia have been foils ever since the first season. Both failing their fathers in 1x03, with Claudia letting the egg slip through her fingers and Rayla taking a hard stance against Runaan. Them being pushed into their fathers’ death seeking paths of dark mage and assassin, and being pushed further into those roles in S4, somewhat or downright reluctantly. Wandering Xadia for two years on a quest regarding Viren — one to save him, one to kill him.

Then you have Terry and Callum’s parallels. Both are concerned with their names in 4x01, agency in 4x07, and feelings, well, throughout. In some ways their differences are more pronounced in S4 because of what Callum has been through and their differing trauma; for Callum, he chose to shut down. For Terry, he decided that he would be “strong enough to do whatever [he] needs to do and still have feelings — to feel all the feelings” (4x07). But I’d wager if we put Arc 1 Callum next to S4 Terry, their goofier, sweeter natures would stand out even more — even with their “trees to meet you” notwithstanding.

Not that this is how the parallels always go. Callum and Claudia are both mages and Aaravos’ pawns with Rayla and Terry along for the ride. Rayla and Terry also have parallels (“I think too much, get confused about the right thing to do” —1x08 / “Claudia says I think too much about everything, and that it makes me weird, and wonderful, so” —4x07).

However, we’ll return more specifically to the Claudia-Rayla, Terry-Callum parallels later in regards to S5 speculation, so put a pin in that. For now, let’s just look at episode set up and contrast, beginning sparingly in

4x01 — Partnership VS Isolation

On Callum’s birthday, and Viren’s re-birthday, the final two scenes of the episode both feature couples, introducing where each currently are in ways the episode hadn’t previously prioritized establishing.

In Claudia’s final scene in 4x01, we meet Terry and learn that they began dating during the timeskip. In Callum’s final scene in 4x01, we learn that Rayla’s been gone for at least a year if not longer, and that Callum’s worried sick / still madly in love with her. The contrast is immediate and apparent, amplified by Janai and Amaya’s engagement earlier on in the episode; two couples are happy together — hell, even Claudia is happy and with an elf no less, but Callum’s previously rock solid partnership has broken apart. He’s alone. [If you’re interested in a more thorough breakdown of this aspect and indeed 4x01 in general, please check out this meta regarding 4x01 and this one about 4x02.]

Where one couple came together during the timeskip, another fell apart, both featuring a human mage with abandonment issues and an elf with too good a heart and one too many thoughts (but again, more on that later).

We of course have the parallels already demonstrated above of Callum and Terry meeting their girlfriend’s father, respectively. Terry, by virtue of having a season sharing screentime with Viren, gets to develop a much more fleshed out relationship with him than Callum does with Ethari. What’s interesting, however, is that Terry is concerned (somewhat) with Viren’s approval, and he doesn’t comment often on Claudia and Viren’s actual dynamic, even if he does nudge at it:

This is a direct contrast to Callum, who does vehemently challenge the assigned role and treatment Rayla receives upon her homecoming and reunion with Ethari:

Claudia has also suffered greatly to bring her father back to the dead, Terry seemingly witnessing most of that, a tantamount of trauma being the reason Terry probably does step back and let her steer the ship (even more so than Viren does in S4, but getting off topic again). I think it speaks to Rayllum vs Clauderry’s roots - one was formed on the basis of a shared goal (returning Zym) vs supporting a singular goal primarily driven by one of them (resurrecting Claudia’s father), and then tag teaming their way through.

However, Ethari does take to Callum quickly when all is said and done, however brief, whereas the first time Viren seems to really consider Terry is in 4x04, but we’ll get there when we get there. For now, let’s talk about the episode that probably has some of the biggest and most overt parallels between these two couples in the season, which is

4x03 - Mornings and Murder

We cut from Rayllum at nighttime, despondent and salvaging something of a reunion that didn’t go the way either of them actually want, to Claudia and Terry, flirting and talking happily even and bathed in the rising sunlight even if they’re about to attempt something dangerous.

Then we get an exchange from Claudia and Terry that should feel eerily familiar, in both dialogue and in action:

Rayla: Just one more thing. I go into the portal alone. Callum: Rayla—

Rayla: No. You said it was dangerous. I’m not going to risk both of us. Callum: Fine. But the second it seems like you’re in danger, I’m jumping in after you.

Terry: But since you’re going in alone, you need to promise me you’ll signal if you need help.

A bag is handed over, a deal is made, and we see Rayla and Claudia offer more of their independent streaks (“It’s down to me, isn’t it? Of course it is” —Rayla, 1x05 / “It’s up to me again, she thought. It’s always up to me” —Claudia, Lost Child short story) in the face of boyfriends who would really prefer they don’t risk themselves like this. Now for Terry, this does make more sense — his plant powers are useful when he has the element of surprise, but he doesn’t seem like a particularly combative elf or that he has much of a background in fighting — whereas Callum is perfectly capable of both of those things as a mage. However, Terry is still the one to bail Claudia out, much like how Callum ends up saving Rayla and helping them both escape in Through the Moon, and we see Rayla’s duality — Callum is allowed to risk his life for the things he believes in, and she’ll even encourage and offer to fight by his side, when those things aren’t her.

Rayllum do get a sweet morning scene in 4x03, though, with Terry tending to Claudia’s hair, and Rayla taking care of well, her prince’s less than dignified drool, but the softness remains largely the same (even if, like Claudia, she departs at the end of the scene).

The bulk and perhaps most immediate parallel, though, is how much Rayla and Callum are tied to Claudia and Terry through Ezran’s speech. While it is about many things and a reiteration of the show’s overall themes of breaking the cycle of violence and vengeance, it is also applying more literally to both Claudia’s ongoing fight with Ibis in the first half of his speech, and Callum’s feelings about Rayla throughout the season in the second half of his speech.

Ezran: It hurts! I feel pain about this and I am angry! We all want peace and we all want love. But violence tests us. In a twisted way, it converts us to its cause. Because pain and loss feel so terrible inside, you want to hate. You want to hurt someone else. So what do we do? How can we stop this cycle? Violence, loss, pain. Violence, loss, pain. More violence. Stop! Stop. I just want to yell stop. But that’s not enough. It won’t work.

Ezran: But… It’s not that easy or simple. Because people are still hurting and they are still angry. We can’t ignore that, or pretend it will go away. Somehow, we have to hold it all in our hearts at the same time. We have to acknowledge the weight of the pain and loss, but open up our eyes and allow ourselves to hope and maybe forgive and love again.

Callum: You’re right, though. It feels silly with everything that’s going on, but... I don’t know how to feel about Rayla either. Ezran: She’s been trying hard to get things back like they were. Callum: But things aren’t like they were. And she messed them up! And when she came back, I was so happy but so mad at the same time. I wish I could just forgive her, but it—it—it’s so hard.

The most worrisome thing, however, even if we don’t know which side of Rayllum (or possibly both) it may parallel in the future is what Terry infamously does for Claudia.

Now, there’s the obvious takeaways here: the parallels between this scene and Soren stabbing Viren in 3x09; the fact that Claudia’s path will continue to perpetuate the cycle and hurt the people she loves by proxy; the way the Dragon Prince rarely portrays murder in a less than devastating note; to further Terry’s character and his unique role to play; to offer up parallels to Viren that are explored next episode and even Callum later on in the season; and last but not least to harken back to Runaan’s words that Claudia definitely hasn’t lived by—“Life is valuable. Life is precious. We take it, but we do not take it lightly.”

But Ibis’ murder and Terry’s subsequent breakdown over taking a life does raise certain questions about Callum and Rayla going forward in two key ways, respectively. Rayla’s is the most straight forward so I’ll start there.

One of the ways that Terry and Rayla are most bound, currently, is their relationship to killing. For the first three seasons, Rayla is primarily an assassin who has never taken a life, something that is a source of shame, transformation, and occasional pride for her (although not often). It is in fact her level of doubt / belief in her own inevitability of failure that pressures into her concluding that Viren is secretly, somehow alive, propelling her to leave in Through the Moon. Then 4x03 gives us Terry, a similarly good hearted elf, who flat out breaks down sobbing after taking an innocent life - and admittedly one that was about to take Claudia’s. Then you have Callum later on in the season, for a variety of complicated reasons and muddled emotionally processing on all ends, asking Rayla to do the same thing. To take his life before he can hurt someone else - the people he cares about, as the camera pans right to showing her in the shot. Ouch.

It’s pretty clear that Rayla will not successfully and/or permanently murder Callum, if she’s even willing to attempt it at all, even in self defense. However, through Terry, the show explores the heaviness of doing something terrible largely against your will, under the burden of desperation or threat of coercion, something that both Callum and Rayla are going to have to wrestle with. For Callum, he’s already grappling with it (“I’m afraid he’ll force me to do awful things”), and for Rayla, she’ll be forced to wrestle with it at the same time as him if Aaravos does take him over again.

This is also where Callum’s parallels to Terry gets particularly interesting as well. The Dragon Prince repeatedly frames murder in the face of self defense (specifically in defense of someone else) as something that removes agency:

This is exactly what Callum is worried about - having no choice because of Aaravos’ ability to possess him - even if there could be other forms of coercion and manipulation at play. Viren did plenty of terrible things to protect his family and says as much outright in 4x04; Soren did something awful to protect Ezran in 3x09; and Viren was prepared to do something awful but “necessary” in murdering a baby, even if he didn’t go through with it, pulled in by the allure of power.

Which is to say: Rayla’s test of love will probably be refusing to kill Callum, and working to save him from possession. Thus, that begs the question of what Callum’s test will be, specifically: What will he do to protect his loved ones, perhaps Rayla in particular?

Only time can tell, but I think S5 is setting up to see the lengths Callum and Terry will be willing to go to, and what their respective girlfriends are willing, or not willing, to ask of them, in order to save their girlfriends’ parents, and/or to free/stop Aaravos in the first place.

But that’s all speculative. For now I want to talk about one of the smaller but still sweet parallels in the season, as well as one of the more interesting tradeoffs.

4x04 - Watching Your Lover Sleep / The Middle of the Night

There are four scenes this season where Character A watches Character B, with whom they have/had a romantic entanglement, sleep, which isn’t a ton but is still funny that it happened four times. I’ve already talked about one of them in 4x03 with Rayla watching Callum sleep. 4x04 boasts the second one (and the only one that doesn’t involve Callum at all) with Terry watching Claudia sleep, and is also one of my favourite scenes for their dynamic.

Then Callum and Rayla have another one, in 4x06 (which is also one of my favourite pining Rayla looks, ever).

Last but not least we have Claudia also overlooking a sleeping Callum in 4x09, but with a decidedly different reaction compared to the previous three scenes.

Then of course, you have the parallels in 4x04 of Terry and Rayla both sobbing in the middle of the night, accidentally waking Viren and Callum respectively. Again, their similarities and differences between all four are highlighted in a quite clear contrast. Terry is apologetic but opens up without hesitation, while Viren mostly silently listens, sympathizes somewhat, and then offers his “Get a grip” and goes back to sleep. Meanwhile upon being caught, Rayla attempts to shut Callum out four times (“Get away from me” + pushing him away, running away, pushing him away again + “Please leave me alone, I don’t want you to see me like this,” and walking away when he attempts to put a hand on her shoulder). Callum, however, persists, and says all the right things, leading to a much better resolution, even if the weight of Rayla’s failure and exile hasn’t entirely left her.

Now for the last episode specific focus, which is:

4x09 - Hand over Heart

The season finale brings both couples, somewhat, to a crossroads of sorts. Rayla, for her part, sees Viren again, and has her own two cakes moment: can she chase what she feels she has to do, her self-proclaimed duty, without risking the loss of Callum - whether as a person to death, or as a partner? And Callum, for a variety of complex reasons, says “Yes,” she can.

Rayla’s drive causes her to clash directly with Claudia, as she takes Terry hostage and Claudia turns the tables on her, flaunting the coins. But where Callum gives a complicated ‘approval’ and show of unconditional love, Terry rightfully pulls Claudia back to herself through his disapproval.

T: But what you just did, the way you tricked that Moonshadow elf? It was just... cruel.

On a surface level, we can read Callum’s “I know” as him finally believing in Rayla’s reason (even if I don’t think that’s quite right), but I do think it’s interesting, then, that Claudia giving back the coins is what allowed each girl to ‘come back’ in a way. For Rayla, it was a literal return (as who knows if she would’ve left the cave, or not gone after the mage fam further, without the need/desire to protect the coins) and for Claudia, an emotional/metaphorical one.

With some final, heartbreaking 4x09 specific parallels to boot:

Honourary Mentions

Other fun parallels that didn’t fit an episode focus:

Callum and Terry’s first scenes in episode 4x01, in some ways largely opening and closing their respective plot lines (A plot in Katolis, B plot in the cave) are focused on their names. Callum stumbles through his different titles while Terry emphasizes his own name, amid trying to figure out which title, if any, he should use for Viren.

This is then impressed upon further with the emphasis on agency in 4x07.

The fact that Terry and Callum are both recipients of canonical panic attacks.

Worry over their girls not being back yet, although for Terry it is of course a much, much briefer separation. (Terry, interestingly enough, also waltzes in and saves Claudia from Soren’s impromptu ‘kidnapping’ / restraining, for lack of a better word.)

Last but not least, I want to talk a little bit more about the Rayla-Claudia parallels this season. It’s a little tricky, as most of their big parallels have to do more with Viren-Callum and Claudia-Rayla, respectively, with the bulk of the Clauderry-Rayllum ones listed up above. However, there are still some worth mentioning.

Rayla and Claudia are both defined by the parents who chose to leave (and to not come back, for forever if not years). They are both acting more and more like their fathers (Rayla with Runaan, and Claudia with Viren) as they also work to one day free/save them in S5. Rayla is far more jaded than she used to be, and Claudia is likewise increasingly unstable, even if both girl fronts decently well at being ‘fine’ most of the time. I am deeply curious to see where they will go as individuals and where their relationships with Terry and Callum will go, as well - whether each one will get better, worse, or something in between. Luckily, just a little over one more month to find out!

In Conclusion

Rayla and Callum have always been the pairing in the show the most prone to having parallels with the show’s other main couples. From a kiss-embrace-forehead touch like the Queens of Duren, holding hands while vowing to protect Azymondias like Lain and Tiadrin, sadly watching your loved one disappear onto the horizon to save someone like Harrow and Sarai, or a bittersweet goodbye kiss initiated by an elf who’s too self sacrificial for their own good like Runaan and Ethari, it seems Rayllum’s parallels to Claudia/Terry are no exception.

It makes me wonder if beyond S5, and if Claudia and Terry to have a physical-ideological split, if Callum and Rayla will also factor into what helps Claudia and Terry repair their dynamic. Forgiveness and being able to move forward, together, are tenets that Callum and Rayla still very much have to learn - but maybe they could pass it onto someone else, someday, too.

#rayllum #clauderry #claudia x terry #s4 #analysis #analysis series #tdp #canon six #parallels #trees to meet you #raydia #callum x claudia #arc 2 #the dragon prince #oof y'know?

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psychewritesbs · 1 year

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Hi....if you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from Tokyo Babylon? And why do you love them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Thanks.....

HOLA! Thank you for your patience, I really wanted to give this a lot of thought but Jujutsu Kaisen dropped a massive twist so this took me a lot longer to get back to you. Without further ado...

Favorite TB characters

4. Tokyo

I don’t necessarily have any super insightful reasons for it other than just loving Tokyo. Also, this post does a fantastic job of introducing Sei-chan as a metaphor for Tokyo that I highly recommend you read.

The thing is that Tokyo is just...

Larger than life?

Intoxicating?

Exhilarating?

I’m a big city girl, and I’ve been privy to have visited a few of the most iconic and most populous cities in the world... Mexico City, NYC, Lima, Bangkok, Vancouver... but in my eyes, none compare to Tokyo. Ok maybe Mexico City, but that’s because I’m biased af by tacos and my people.

That said, I am a big fan of stories that feature cities as a sort of background character that defines the context of the story and serves as a container for it simultaneously. i.e. Your Name and Weathering with you by Makoto Shinkai. But I like that CLAMP takes it a step deeper by creating Sei as a metaphor for Tokyo as a corrupting force.

Of course, we also can’t ignore that CLAMP linked Tokyo to the ancient city of Babylon, thus implying that Tokyo and its inhabitants have become corrupted by their own ego’s baser humanity. Ironically, the ego is not necessarily “evil” or a “bad thing” in and of itself.

So it’s an interesting dichotomy given Subaru’s exalted spiritual role within the story and how Tokyo is considered a sort of sacred “place” upon which the fate of the world hinges in x/1999 and other non-CLAMP manga.

Not to mention the whole idea around God taking away humanity’s ability to understand each other--it’s almost foreshadowing for how Subaru and Seishiro’s dynamic evolves.

3. Sumeragi Hokuto

This girl.

Hokuto is one of my favorite female characters in manga. At first, you get the impression she’s just Subaru’s appendage because she is his twin--a sort of person who is there to be a foil to Subaru’s more sensitive and quiet nature.

And then, CLAMP brings her to life as an individual in her own right in the most magnificent way possible. Not only does she demonstrate depth, but she’s brave, compassionate... idk, this girl is the whole 9 yards and a bit more.

I think some of my favorite scenes with her are when she spooks Seishiro. It says a lot about her character to openly and brazenly defy a person such as Seishiro.

I hate to admit I don’t spend a lot of time brain rotting about her so I don’t have a whole lot to say about her other than “I adore her” and that I love her chapter, Smile.

Honestly, what’s not to love about Hokuto?

2. Sakurazuka Seishiro

Ok let’s start with the obvious: He’s a massive idiot and a sinister creep, and I love him all the more for it.

Also, his love language is torture so... it explains a lot.

Basically, Seishiro is a conundrum. When you re-read TB and you know what goes down in x/1999, you kind of have to start to wonder about his sense of self.

Seishiro, as a character, walks a fine line between who he pretends to be and his temperament. Even though he puts on a specific mask in his interactions with the Sumeragi twins, Hokuto always knew he was pretending and even Subaru always expressed his desire to get to know the real Seishiro--thus implying he sensed something was off.

But that’s just it. Personality and behavior ≠ temperament. As humans we are multidimensional beings and those are but three aspects of being.

Also, this is where it gets complicated with him because he can pretend to exhibit certain personality traits or behaviors all day long, but his unchanging temperament is quite another thing. I’ve personally have always felt like it is Sei’s temperament what Subaru latched onto and fell in love with even if Seishiro made it a point to hold back and restrain the whole of his true nature from Subaru.

It’s almost like the Seishiro Subaru fell in love with existed at the intersection between Seishiro the cruel bastard that we know him to be, and Seishiro, the soul.

As for Sei, my best guess is that the same was true for him and that his ego mind/personality could not hold the tension of being inevitably attracted and drawn to Subaru’s temperament. The whole personality dichotomy between them was, in the end, just an excuse for Seishiro to remain in control of a situation over which he had no control.

As has been said multiple times in the fandom, the fact that Sei-chan even made the bet to begin with, is proof that he had already lost it.

Dammit Seishiro why can’t you just be normal ffs?!

That said, I love Seishiro both out of compassion for the tragedy of his character, AND as a clinical study on someone who is a total nutcase.

Honestly, that’s one of the things I love the most about him? He’s SUCH A CREEP and just can’t be normal about Subaru.

1. Sumeragi Subaru

My favorite is, of course, Subaru.

I was talking with a fellow Pisces I recently met about a few Pisces characters, and in their own words: "I understand exactly how his fucked up little head works”.

So... I love Subaru because of who he is as a character and also because "I understand exactly how his fucked up little head works”.

Subaru is ethereal. Not of this world but in it. He’s soft and gentle and kind. But he’s also a bit of a liar and self-loathing and lacks boundaries.

Basically, Subaru is a masterclass in maladaptive empathy and compassion. This is not to mention that Subaru carries the burden of “the chosen one” and feels at odds both with his role and with his place in the world because of the exalted spiritual powers that he was born with.

One of the things I really appreciate about him as a character is the symbolism that defines him as a character. That is his zodiac sign, Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac which is often associated with Christ Consciousness in esoteric interpretations of the sign’s symbolism.

So to me, Subaru is someone who unconsciously absorbs “negativity” and transmutes it into “light”. But in the end, there’s only so much Subaru’s human ego can handle, especially after Seishiro enters into the picture and does #the thing.

Now, apparently Christ Consciousness is also about unification and wholeness. Given Sei and Subaru represent the yin and yang, and bringing back the Babylon metaphor where God punishes the citizens in Babylon by taking away their ability to communicate... well... they’re totally written in the stars.

Anyways. So the thing about Subaru’s self-loathing is that it defines a lot of his actions and the way he thinks.

The last time I read TB from start to finish I didn’t create psychological distance between him and me, and as a result I spent the whole day lamenting the utter meaninglessness of life and existence. It’s not a pretty place to be so I kind of stay away from TB and keep a safe distance from “Subaru states of mind”.

Favorite TB Moments

In no particular order...

1. Tokyo Tower

One of the other things I feel influenced Subaru’s interest in Seishiro was that Seishiro “understood” him. Again, I may not be Subaru but I know how his fucked up little head works--perpetually misunderstood is my middle name. So to meet someone who (deeply) understands is like finding an oasis in the Sahara.

In this chapter we see them both disagree and meet in the middle about fundamental values. I am not sure if Subaru was already a nihilist at this point in his life, but he’s certainly starting to ask questions to give meaning to the experiences he has.

The problem is that he trusts Seishiro bahaha. Oh God... Seishiro the nihilist giving life advice. The way I see it is... Subaru wouldn’t have become a nihilist if the inkling wasn’t already there.

Not sure if Seishiro influenced this or just fanned the embers of nihilism that were already burning inside of Subaru. After all, Subaru’s mental health was already not the best due to his work as an onmioji.

2. Don’t underestimate Subaru

Subaru is someone who on first impression is gentle and soft and quiet, not the most masculine traits or temperament if you think about it. In addition, if your lifestyle revolves around Western or individualistic values, then these traits are typically also perceived as weakness.

The reason I love to see Subaru demonstrate the opposite of his usual state of being is because it demonstrates that softness and kindness and strength can coexist.

In other words, he might not look it, but he can and will kick ass when needed.

What I love the most about scenes of Subaru exerting power over others is that he’s still super kind and gentle about it.

3. Seishiro’s reveal

I read somewhere in this hellsite about someone pointing out that the genre that defines Tokyo Babylon as a literary work follows the exact formula that TB follows. But alas, I have no idea how to find said post.

Suffice it to say that this is one of the most impactful moments in the story despite being told Sei is a sinister creep pretty much right from the get go.

The twist isn’t that Seishiro is a sinister creep, but rather the bet that Sei made with Subaru, and that’s what ultimately cuts deepest.

I have to say that from a writing perspective, this writing device is pretty cool because you’re basically distracting an audience with what you want them to focus on, and then you reveal the truth about that distraction and how that changes the story.

I’d say it’s a good attempt at a plot twist. And that’s actually one of the things I love about it is how the reveal is timed to Subaru’s own awakening to his sense of self and identity... just in time to have it shred to pieces by Seishiro’s little bet that he had already lost.

Nanase (CLAMP’s writer) is a sadist and I love her all the more for it.

Also the way Seishiro is depicted as a high schooler is total creepster on steroids...

4. Hospital scene

Do I like this scene for the out of context innuendo? Yes.

Do I love that Seishiro’s facade is starting to fall away and he can’t keep his hands off his prey? Yes.

AND this scene is also so loaded. I like to think that seeing Subaru cry was a shock to Seishiro’s ego so large that he had to create distance between them to establish control.

Like... he just couldn’t wait to get Subaru out of that hospital room or otherwise he might strangle him to death because his love language is torture.

Again, he lost the bet the moment he came up with the idea. Almost like he was trying to convince himself that what he experienced wasn’t the absence of “I can’t love” the whole time.

5. Sumeragi twins

The love and affection they have for each other is so beautiful...

I think it’s easier to see how much Subaru needs Hokuto. But Hokuto needed Subaru just as much.

And that’s that!

TA-DA! Thanks for your patience once again anon and for inviting me to brainrot about Tokyo Babylon <3.

#ask the mental gymnastics anime girl

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