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black-rose-writings · 20 hours

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Learning to do something while bitching about it is a very important life skill.

girl why are you still reading these books if you hate them so much. treat yourself and dnf 😭

I think I've answered something similar some time before, but I can't be arsed to look for it at the moment, so...

I do not hate Grishaverse, it's merely incredibly frustrating in its unacknowledged bias, abandoned themes and wasted potential in general.

As for why am I re-reading it and don't intend to stop:

Sashka- the man I'd like to shake so he quits being nice and reasonable, and simply kills them all. Or kiss his forhead and gently force him to take care of himself for once.

Some of the delightful (or terrifying) fragments of worldbuilding I like to elaborate.

Sheer stubborness, because to quote my favourite (well-written) fictional Slav:

"I can't because I'm not a quitter! I'm a complainer, but I'm not a quitter."

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black-rose-writings · 24 hours

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Fuck X number of extras, they couldn't get Temuera Morrison Clone Armor for the close-up scenes. There was no clone armor made, it was all CGI.

so i rewatched the prequels(with a friend) and they are both so much worse and so much better than i remember.

like okay phantom menace is fucking tear jerkingly boring, but on the other hand palpatines manipulation is fucking great!!!! he plays padme like a fiddle to become supreme chancellor!!!!! the entire podrace is fantastic!!!!!

but jeeeeeezus it was so boring! it dragged on horribly! it has these moments where you can see a movie there. even see a pretty good movie there! but then you have 10 minutes of jar jar fucking around in a windows xp wallpaper battlefield and you want to die a little inside

then we have attack of the clones!!!!!

amazing concepts amazing ideas but the dialogue between anakin and padme is so cringe!!!! you got the most witty funny shit with between ani and obi wan(all they banter during padmes assassination is GOLDEN) so you KNOW! you KNOW george can make good dialogue

but then ani and padme are alone and the both of them say the most cringeass fucking things!!!!! the worstest thing is that you can see what mr lucas was going for with those convos!!! YOU CAN SEE WHERE ITS GOING!!! BUT HE!!!! MAKES IT SO CRINGE!!!!!!!

the point of the "not just the men, but the women and children too" convo was to a) show anakins falling to the dark side and b) padme (righfully) seeing it as him grieving and lashing out so she comforts him because he needs someone in his corner right now who actually lets him feel it instead of the empty jedi "there is no emotion, there is peace"

the scene even starts off with something i find is a really good character moment for anakin: hes fixing a motor or something and when padme approaches with "hey you good" hes like "yknow i like fixing things, fixing things means i dont have to think about my mom being dead"

but the actual dialogue makes him seem like a fucking psycho!

which, yeah. he did, by his own admission, slaughter an entire sand people village, women and children included, but still the line could've gone a little better. the entire prequels are supposed to make him sympathetic! his fall to the dark is supposed to be a tragedy and shit.(at least i fucking think so????)

the real dialogue makes padme seem fucking blind deaf and stupid for not running away immediately, when shes not!!! stupid, i mean. she is smart and brave and all the good adjectives. but what she is most is a victim of bad writing.

lastly revenge of the sith.

i have nothing bad to say about revenge of the sith i love revenge of the sith its my favourite fucking star wars movie i love it i will continue loving it its absolutely glorious its got the best live action fights its got the best memes its got some of the most banger lines its got that one bts where hayden christensen does the flamboyant lil "oh i hate you 💅✨️" which i love i fucking love it in its entirety noone can take this away from me

but do i, intellectually, know there are things wrong with it? yes. the cringey dialogue between padme and anakin is still there(although much less!!! they have normal lines now!!!), and yknow the entire dialogue is corny period. but the previous paragraph was written with all my heart, i stand by it and nothing can change my mind.

#star wars

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black-rose-writings · 1 day

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To be fair to Anakin, he's never known any other life, so he takes his happiness where he can.

i rewatched phantom menace recently (a friend never watched star wars i was educating him) and well aside from it being so much worse pacing wise than i remember (IT WAS SO BORING BRO!!!! THE POD RACE HAPPENED AND I WAS LIKE "okay less go not a lot of the movie left then" AND THEN I LOOKED AT THE TIMESTAMP AND AN HOUR REMAINED!!! A FUCKING HOUR!!!! THATS HALF OF THE MOVIE!!!!! BY GOD!!!!!!), but there is a surprisingly big number of "yippee!!!" being said by someone. like almost double digits id wager. its so wild, watto is having a slave owner moment and suddenly ani goes:

#star wars #also thank you for being better at introducing SW to people than our dad #he made me watch them in the wrong order

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black-rose-writings · 1 day

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Saints, I wish we could have gotten more insight into the thought process of this Zoya. Like, homegirl clearly chose the Cult of Sun Saint and willfull ignorance of the fact that other people don't actually think of Saints as Grisha as her cope for the admittedly shit situation she and the rest of her people are in, and like... I wanna study this bitch under the microscope and see what the fuck led her to that.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 15 (Leigh Bardugo)

I forgot a bit to this post, so let's make a new one... (eye roll, facepalm etc.)

There are any Grisha garrisons, that weren't attacked? Because otherwise I see no point discussing their previous numbers.

x Grisha - x Grisha running from armed and angry First Army = 0 Grisha left "at various outposts around Ravka"

As for how many might be in hiding- just do more math by subtracting the amount of murdered Grisha from (without doubt) recorded number of the Crown's magical serfs- tadaaa! Now how many of those are stupid enough to believe they'll be any more safe from First Army, than shortly after their widely feared general disappeared?

Another interesting question would be if anyone bothered to keep track of the murdered ones? Did they get at least buried? I'm not asking about proper funeral with rites, just a hole in the ground.

How are "news of [Alina's] return" supposed to change their mind that there's no need to keep running? She doesn't know Grisha living IN Little Palace, what is her "return" to those stationed near borders? Oh, I forgot! She's THE Sun Summoner! Lantsov's new pet figurehead! Who's done nothing for anyone EVER!

Why should they pledge loyalty to the throne that sees them as less then property, their elimination worth not even investiagtion or penalty? What is Second Army without it's leader and his protection?

#Grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 1 day

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Alina wants to avoid "creating a new elite", but like...

First of all, Armies tend to have hierarchies, or so I'm told, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Secondly, did Alina communicate this intent of hers to the others, or is she just randomly picking someone out of the crowd to sit next to her every evening with no explanation (cult leader shit).

Thirdly, sounds rich coming from Alina "put my three friends(?) in charge of the decimated Army after I fake my death based mostly on the fact they are in fact my friends and not merit or leadership skills".

Also, Alina can't pick people based on skill or personality, because she doesn't know jack-shit about the other Grisha.

"I didn’t know whether to laugh or scream."

Siege and Storm- Chapter 15

Oh nein! Mal has issues! With consequences of his actions he should be grateful for, and his girl not sharing every waking thought with him, when her worst worries spring from his most hated topics- the Darkling and her role in politics.

And Alina once again feels responsible for his feelings.

Yeah, this would have a bit more weight, if Alina didn't do it only for appearances' sake. Or if she granted the position due to merit, not random pick of what she views as the lowest low. Or if she didn't continue speaking as if she were a narrator of wildlife documentary, describing a new species of animal that just appeared.

Not necessarily, but it's one of Alina's less far-fetched deductions.

Aleksander could've been aware of David's fascination with Morozova's work. He could've picked the most skilled in bonework or the one most experienced in forging amplifiers- they're supposed to be rare, so not many Fabricators will have that.

*mumbles* And somehow we're to believe this pragmatic man chose to follow Alina, because... ? She's the good one, or whatever?!

*chants* Double agent Kaminsky, double agent Kaminsky!

Alina: Why would you want to kill this man! How horrible! At least question him first!

She would make a delightful morally flexible character, if she were acknowledged as such, and embracing that quality.

Says who? Zoya?

He KeEpS mE So BuSy!

Saints, Alina, you can't believe everything people say about themselves!

Alina: I'm not sure my three months of training are enough, but I can do like two things with my powers, so let's focus on increasing them further AND on the mythical forbidden art that created my goal no. 1 in the first place. I bet nothing can go wrong...

Only signing? Not reading to get into picture? And who prepares them?!

Bureaucracy, baby!

Welcome to responsibility!

I would sympathize with Alina much more, if she showed genuine interest in those she doesn't know. If her motivation weren't merely "Do the opposite of (what I think) the Darkling did". I she truly believed in her own philosophy.

Shocking!

People forced to sit next to half-strangers they're not used to interact with, create unpleasant atmosphere!

My work experience considered- you're lucky there's no visible enmity- you could've made the wrong people sit next to each other and tableware could've ended up in wrong bodyparts.

Also: How is Nadia sitting next to Marie? I thought breaking up already existing friend groups was a point of this whole exercise.

They're not gifts, Nikolai. They're just your father's property, but let's remember the Darkling didn't wait for the Queen to request a specific one's service, and turned it into a gesture of his own thoughtfulness. Fuck his strategems!

Alina's misplaced sensibilities are incredibly frustrating.

She wants to lead Second Army, but not order them, not assign them tasks directly, because that would somehow make her a bad person, instead of efficient leader.

What if no one will volunteer? What if weak, incompetent Squallers will? You don't look at special assignment and think- Yeah, whoever wants to do it... You PICK the most capable person with both sufficient skills AND suitable personality.

Awwww!

Poor granny deserves an Oscar!

#Grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 2 days

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The Blue Spirit putting out firebending with a bucket of water is the absolute funniest thing ever done in avatar combat. It just is.

#atla

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black-rose-writings · 2 days

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this is too much pressure

title???? a TITLE????? is it not enough that i wrote the damn thing IS THAT NOT ENOUGH WORDS WRUNG FROM MY VERY FLESH AND BLOOD

the song lyrics have abandoned me, no number of parantheses and lower cased words can save me from this hell

#when in doubt use a dumb pun #I say not actually having a dumb pun as a name for a work on my AO3 #names are hard

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black-rose-writings · 3 days

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LP Grisha are trained in hand-to-hand and with melee weapons and it's implied most of them do tend to carry at least some kind of weapon (like Grisha steel daggers, which we do see come up here and there in combat situations), because the Darkling believed they shouldn't be reliant on their powers alone for survival/self-defense.

Generally, it seems that LP Grisha rarely use ranged weapons, possibly because powers are considered better/faster/more reliable on that front, but do use weapons in close-quarters combat pretty regularly, at least before the failed coup.

It is likely whatever weapons they did have would be taken away after the coup, so again, Nikolai's like could go either way.

I don't think Grisha were given weapons, typically, rather they probably made their own, considering the ones that are explicitly mentioned tend to be made of Grisha steel.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 15 (Leigh Bardugo)

Were weapons taken from them during their home imprisonment, or was it normal to give Second Army older, worse weaponry?

#grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 3 days

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"There's no difference between Grisha and Saints" is a cope I would expect from the Cult Twins, not Zoya, who was not previously shown to be religious, but I guess having people you've risked your life for in Fold-crossings turn on you forces a person to justify it somehow.

It's fascinating how nice insights into the character's psyche these could be, if the narrative didn't choose to validate them.

Zoya is not someone who hasn't seen the real world, not to same extent people like Marie or Sergei are, anyway. She has served on the Fold. She has risked her life to keep the East stable, put her trust into the Otkazatsya skiff guard and they into her. She's pretty, confident, and promiscuous, not opposed to sharing bed with Otkazatsya. She may have experienced some of the bigotry, but probably nothing that couldn't be dismissed as jealousy or the person in question just being a dick. She understands Grisha are different, the Other, but it's not until the failed coup that she's forced to face the full reality of what that means.

But she's also too brainwashed by monarchy propaganda, and so she has to square that with the harsh reality of being barely even a second-class citizen. Zoya's seeming inability or refusal to accept that Otkazatsya don't actually see Grisha as saints, that they see them as completely separate categories, is the result of trying to balance out her shitty life experiences with the propaganda she's been fed for most of her life.

Or, it would be, in a better story.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 15 (Leigh Bardugo)

She truly sees no difference, does she?

Grisha aren't Saints and Saints aren't Grisha. If you want to get the better one out of the ordinary, you have to martyr them first. There's no safety in being revered.

It puts Zoya's attack on Alina in previous book into perspective. It's as if she didn't even realize they're two different people with completely different status and level of importance.

She doesn't even seem to understand that "Alina" or "THE Sun Summoner" doesn't mean "all Grisha". Not only the narrative doesn't bother to correct her, in next books it ensures the human nature bends to her view, when proclaiming a Grisha "Saint" doesn't take more than a bit screaming at the correct moment.

#Grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 3 days

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Maybe it means guns? Second Army Grisha are only ever really mentioned training and using melee weapons, maybe bow and arrow. The only time we see a Grisha use a gun in TGT, IIRC, is Genya in S&S.

I could also see weapons of any kind being removed from the LP after the royal takeover, considering all the other things that were done, so it could be "give them their weapons back", too.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 15 (Leigh Bardugo)

Were weapons taken from them during their home imprisonment, or was it normal to give Second Army older, worse weaponry?

#Grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 3 days

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That feel when your fandom has to start a '#no dissection' tag on ao3

#normal fandom activities #danny phantom #also the way the episode title and timestamp is written looks like fucking bible verse #which I think says more about me than them tbh

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black-rose-writings · 5 days

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So I just saw a post by a random personal blog that said “don’t follow me if we never even had a conversation before” and?????? Not to be rude but literally what the fuck??????????

I’ve had people (non-pornbots) try to strike conversation out of nowhere in my DMs recently, and now I’m wondering if they were doing that because they wanted to follow me and thought they needed to interact first. I feel compelled to say, just in case, that it’s totally okay to follow this blog (or my side blog, for that matter) even if we’ve never talked before.

Also, I’m legit confused. Is this how follow culture works right now? It was worded like it’s common sense but is that really a thing?

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black-rose-writings · 6 days

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#nohavica je možná debil #ale hlídač krav mluví pravdu

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black-rose-writings · 6 days

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Alina didn't really want a council to advise her. She wanted yes-men and the illusion of democracy (which doesn't even appear to be a concept in the Grishaverse, but does sound nice to the audience).

It also seems absurd that Aleksander wouldn't have some kind of council of the different orders. Someone had to run the fucking Little Palace when he was away doing General business (which was most of the time). But since they were likely loyalists (or at least not a bunch of easily manipulable and brainwashed by monarchy propaganda fresh graduates), they either got killed or skedaddled long before Alina and her posse of fanatics got there.

It's so obvious that Alina's only point of reference for Grisha culture is just a bunch of snobby officer training brats whose experiences with the real world are essentially zero.

But she's the protagonist and a living saint, so it doesn't matter that she's a fucking self-centered idiot.

Second Army disorganization

Siege and Storm- Chapter 14

One of the most frustrating and famously nonsensical passages of Grisha trilogy, easily explained through doylist approach- the author's inability to write strategy or politics and demands of the genre, requiring a weak, unfit heroine to defeat immensely powerful opponent way out of her league:

Alina: Oh no, they dare to oppose me again! :(

Isn't that why would you want to establish a council in the first place? So you get constructive criticism and suggestions to do things better?!

My objections to the notion Alina came up with representation of Grisha can't be more obvious:

Army is a structured organization. There are ranks and councils by default. No amount of ignorant teens will persuade me calling it "Second" makes it otherwise.

Any big organization has a structure. Even if Second Army were only about education, there would be councils and posts on different levels. Hell, school system works that way.

Alina: I'm gonna have the useless ones represented, because we're not doing things like the Darkling, but that doesn't mean I'll respect them myself or abandon my prejudices. Fucking nerds. Weidos...

Another YA nonsense- you cannot put people into categories based on their physical predispositions, and expect the mental ones to fit accordingly. You can have a huge, muscled guy, skilled in delicate handiwork. You can have a tiny wisp of a girl beating the living shit out of you (popular trope by itself).

Now why should sensitivity to metals get you a spot in labs, if you're a strategic genius? Or incredibly skilled, witty rhetorician? Isn't it more likely you'd be required to complete basic training to stay healthy and prevent accidentally endangering others, while being assigned to whatever you're most useful at?

And what about those weak or less intelligent ones? Are they bringing coffee and arranging entertainment?!

It also fits this fan interpretation, that Materialki are often neuro-divegent, so they are tend to be kept away from battle for their own sake.

Alina wasn't involved in practical running of Second Army before. Just because she doesn't know about something, it's not a totally fresh idea.

I'd be afraid of a girl, who almost murdered a bunch of people for asking questions, too.

At this point, I'm gonna run with the idea that all the older Grisha are torn between face-palming and silently laughing their assess off (so Alina doesn't overhear and her clique doesn't resort to violence).

“But what do they do in there?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer. “Only the Corporalki know. But there are rumors that they’ve been working with the Fabrikators on new … experiments.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 8

... and that says nothing about the field, or the little groups in noble houses. People tend to stick together with their own, when in strange enviroment. I'm sure such bonds dissolve immediately after their return "home".

I've also delved a little into the sitting order here.

A few lines earlier, Alina noted Materialki didn't show up to complain. Who is so horrified then?! Not them, for sure.

Ironically, this fits into Fabricator-brain theory linked above AND the most logical explanation- Materialki have basic self-defense training, but only those, who are able to, continue. Alina isn't particularly friendly with any of them, so how would she know no one had EVER bothered to teach them? Alright, there are none in her class, but as far as we know, it consists of a Squaller, an Inferni and a Heartrender. Not the most saying sample.

Having a third of all Grisha helpless doesn't fit into the picture of Aleksander's leadership:

“That’s what Botkin always says. ‘Not showy, just to make pain,’” I said, imitating the mercenary’s heavy accent. “Smart guy.” “The Darkling doesn’t think Grisha should rely on their powers for defense.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 17

You don't have to become another Bruce Lee, you only need a chance, when they drag you out of bed in the middle of the night.

What tradition?

This is rather well-written group of angry, disorganized people. It might start with a reasonable goal, but soon everyone talks about something else than others, and the message gets lost in the noise.

Tradition doesn't equal "the way things are done". Neither of them is the same as "the need for structure and people knowing their places". The third one is a legitimate concern, although one could argue it's exactly what Alina's attempting.

This whole scene very much reads like:

The author is desperate to prove the Heroine isn't quite useless- she has good ideas! Look! *whacks a hundreds of years old stategist and survivor par excellence with stupid stick*

#Grishaverse

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black-rose-writings · 9 days

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Antis: The Darkling is an evil manipulator who wants to control and enslave Alina and destroy the world!!!!

Meanwhile Baghra and Mal, in canon:

Mother of Monster

Siege and Storm- Chapter 14

Awww!

Playing a victim, aren't we?

Sure, Baghra can mistreat Aleksander- he's her son-, but the moment he strikes back, all hell breaks loose. Not to mention his "punishment" takes form of a childhood trick she herself could at least attempt to dispel, except that would require her to summon, and she'd lose her veil of victimhood. And why give up her badge of authenticity?

How hard is she NOT summoning, if it aged her up so badly?

This is Aleksander's punishment for disobeying her- speeding up her withering away. She used to be constantly cold, but youthful. Does that mean she's avoiding summoning to prevent accidentally or instinctively clearing her own eyes, so now she's quickly aging as a welcome side-effect?

Look what you've done to me?! Your own mother! Your only constant companion!

There's no mention of nearness to merzost having effect on aging. It's draining the person using it, so even if her blindfold couldn't be removed by Baghra herself (Arguable, given her age, likely knowledge and set of powers.), she shouldn't look like shit due to its presence.

Did he finally achieve what he attempted all those years ago?

Is his grasp on merzost so strong he can truly manipulate it for his purposes like his grandfather did?

Is he truly a leap closer to getting what he fights for?

Am I insignificant to him now?

As if she ever acted with loyalty or support towards him and his cause.

A bit of blaming, drama and loving mother's dehumanization. She sure know how to play at Alina's already existing prejudice and fatalism. Can't wait for the girl to repeat those words...

I wish... yet the great villain will abandon his successful siege to attempt saving her, and grieve for her, no matter the mistreatment she offered him.

Sacrifice suggests intention. Baghra didn't know what will be Aleksander's reaction, we have no idea, what her expectations looked like, so assuming she's some tortured heroine, martyr to a cause, is erroneous.