yknow due to internet poisoning when i saw someone had written a character addressing a family member as "babe" in their fic my first thought was "oh god theyre gonna get comments from ALL the wrong people" and it occurred to me that i have no idea how common that actually is as a term of endearment from family

How Zutara Should’ve Happened (my take anyways, if Zuko still joined the Gaang in Season Three)

Alright, so I’m a Zutara shipper. Anyways, here’s my rant of the day.

So, if Zutara were to be cannon, let’s say that we wouldn’t change the cannon, other than that. Also full disclaimer, I don’t really like Kataang. It’s cute, and sweet, buuuut I think that they would be better off single or with other people. I personally ship Taang so much-

When I first watched it, I really wanted Katara to end up single. I thought that would be a fitting ending for her story. But hey, she didn’t, and that’s fine.

This is not an anti Kataang post, seriously. If you ship it, cool, I don’t, but everyone had different opinions. Just please don’t come to my inbox and yell at me.

Aight, under the cut bc it got long.

So, if we weren’t gonna change the cannon, Zuko still joins in season three and all. Katara and him would still have a rocky relationship at first, and for good reason, I mean wtf Zuko what happened at the CoTL?

Rant for another day

Anyways-

What I would think is that Katara couldn’t help but notice how Zuko is trying to gain their, and her trust. I mean, she’s pissed but still, she notices. It doesn’t make her forgive him or anything, and it shouldn’t, but she does see it.

Now, I’m thinking little moments. Like when he shoved her out of the way of the falling rocks? Yeah, she still snaps at him, but maybe after she’s a little less fiery. Just a bit.

And then after TSR, things start to change. Of course, we get the iconic hug, but!! I want another scene, when they’re coming back from the trip.

One thing that always bothers me when I read Zutara stuff is that writers rarely address Zukos betrayal in TCoTL. Like,,, maybe I haven’t read the right fanfics but c’mon guys.

I really think, no, I know that Katara and Zuko should address that. I really want a scene, when they’re coming back, while Katara is sorting out whether to forgive him or not, I want them to talk about it. And sorry if it’s OOC- But Like so:

Katara: Why did you do it?

Zuko: ...do what?

Katara: Why did you fight with Azula? I thought you changed, I thought you would’ve fought with us.

Zuko: I-

[ a moment of quiet]

Zuko: I thought about it, and I almost did-

Katara: [turns around to face him] Then why didn’t you? Why did you choose that?

Zuko: I wanted my honor. I wanted to go home, and I thought- I though that if I fought with her, I could get my honor back.

[Katara doesn’t answer.]

Zuko: But Im sorry. I am.

Katara, quietly: I thought you changed...

Zuko: I have, now, I mean.

Katara: Why was your honor so important to you anyways? And what do you mean by ‘wanted to go home’?

Zuko: I- I was banished. Until I found the Avatar, I couldn’t go back.

[Katara turns, studying him, then turns back around]

Katara: ...You couldn’t go back, ever?

Zuko: No.

[She doesn’t speak after that, and neither does he.]

Okay, so maybe that was too OOC, but they did need to have a conversation something like that. A conversation where Zuko explained, at least a bit about why he fought with Azula.

And then, after that, the hug and forgiveness. But that was a turning point in their relationship, and I don’t like that so little fic writers address that.

And then!! I want little moments. Just small moments, maybe a bit more teasing, a bit more concern on Kataras part.

Also, let’s face it: Zuko would be simping. Katara wouldn’t be lovey dovey, no, she wouldn’t. Zuko would be the simp, Zuko would be the one stuttering slightly at teasing and stuff.

Just little moments, nothing big bc c’mon, they’re kids. They’re teenagers in the belp middle of a war.

Speaking of which! I really want one more scene between them. After Aangs noncon kiss in the Ember Island Players, I want there to be a scene where Zuko finds Katara and she vents to him.

Also I’ve been losing my damn mind trying to find a gif series for that bc someone on Tumblr made it and I can’t find it- fkdndd

Okay, but along with a huge chunk of the fandom, it really makes me mad that they didn’t show more of Kataras reaction, and that Aang didn’t apologize. Like wtf Aang.

I would’ve been fine with anyone coming to Katara, or telling Aang that was wrong but- Didn’t happen. They just glossed over that part smh.

But! Say Zuko were to come and talk with her about it. And then at the end, he might ask her why she was confused, Maybe something like this:

Zuko: If you don’t mind, why are you so confused?

Katara: I don’t know! But it’s in the middle of war. It isn’t over, and now isn’t the time for... for romance.

Zuko: But that doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. I mean, look at Sokka.

Katara: I’m not Sokka.

[They both go quiet for a minute]

Katara: Sorry, Im just... It’s too much to deal with right now, and we have to focus on ending the war.

Zuko: No, I get that. It’s fine.

Katara: I’m just- I’m confused, and now isn’t the time and-

[She pauses, and the two look at each other for a moment. All is quiet.]

Zuko: I.. can go, if you want. If you need some space.

Katara: Yeah, that would probably help.

[Zuko walks away. As he does, Katara is staring at his back, a thoughtful expression on her face]

Yes, yes, I think that would make sense in the romance line. Mirroring when Zuko was staring at Kataras back.

Alright, so everything would be same, up to Katara healing Zuko after the Agni Kai. But there would be subtle differences. She takes his hand and holds it instead of putting her hand on his back. No big “I love you” or whatever. Just holds his hand, and maybe a line like “We- I could’ve lost you!” Maybe.

And then! One last thing, instead of that long Kataang kiss at the end, a scene between Katara and Zuko, talking about their futures.

I’m a really big fan of Water Tribe Ambassador Katara, and it shows.

Katara: So.. Fire Lord Zuko, huh? Finally regained your honor?

Zuko: [groans] Yes, now stop it.

Katara: [laughs] Nope, never gonna stop.

[Theres a minute of quiet]

Zuko: And what about you? Are you going back to the SWT?

Katara: I am. The Northern and Southern tribes... they need to connect again, not become one, but the connection was frayed with the war, and someone has to take a step to rebuild it.

Zuko: What about the Air Temples?

Katara: That’s up to Aang. I’ll help him of course, we all will, but he’s the last air bender. He’ll take care of them, like I’ll take care of the Water tribes.

Zuko: With Sokka too, I’m guessing.

Katara: I don’t know about that, actually. Sokka may want to travel a bit, scope out the world.

Zuko: And you don’t?

Katara: I do, and I will. Sokka and I, regardless of whatever travel, we’ll work together to take care of the tribes.

Zuko: [chuckles] And I’ll be here. I’m going to try to undo the damage the war did. Open up relations again in the Earth Kingdom, sort out the colonies.

Katara: Don’t overwork yourself.

Zuko: You shouldn’t either.

[She laughs, and stops in front of the pond, looking at the turtle ducks]

Katara: Zuko..

Zuko: What?

Katara: [turns to face him] We... went through a lot. And I have something that I need to tell you.

Zuko, sweating slightly: ..yes?

Katara: Relax, it’s nothing bad!

Katara: I..

[Katara takes his hand and smiles. Zukos eyes widen and he looks down at their hands]

Katara: Well?

[Zuko looks back up and smiles at her.]

Zuko: You’re going to visit sometime, right?

Katara: Course I will.

[He smiles again, and intertwines their fingers. It’s quiet once more, then off in the distance, Sokka yells something]

Katara: [laughs] Now c’mon, your Honor. Let’s go.

[She pulls Zuko down the path towards their friends, and all their laughter can be heard. The End comes up, and the credits roll]

So!!

No big ily confession, no long kiss. Why? Because they’re kids. They’re fourteen and sixteen, there shouldnt be an ily, there shouldn’t be an uncomfortably long kiss.

Later, of course. But now? Let’s them just hold hands and tease each other and relax a bit.

Anyways, that’s my Zutara rant of the day, thanks for listening.

@sicktember Prompt # 11: Bed Rest

Title: Stubborn Cold

Fandom: Letterkenny

Based on this post by me. Inspired by @sick-bae

Wayne goes about his day with a sneezy, feverish cold. His loved ones try to convince him to take a day off. 

(Author's note: My first attempt at Letterkenny sickfic, written in the style of a script. Writing this fandom in prose just… didn't work for me, because the show is sooooo dialogue-based, while the scenes are pretty static. Feedback on my take of this kooky fandom is welcome!)

For those that haven’t watched the show: Puppers is a beer, darts are cigarettes. These are a bunch of Canadian hick farmers (yes, they actually call themselves the Hicks) from a town called Letterkenny who happen to be best friends. Wayne is well-known as the toughest man in Letterkenny. 

(WAYNE is sitting up in bed wearing plaid, flannel pajamas, facing the camera. His nose is red and raw while the rest of his face is overly pale. He looks tired and sick.)

WAYNE: Had some chorin' to do the other daaaaaay.

(Scene change to outside at the produce stand. KATY, DAN, and DARRYL are drinking beers and relaxing, dressed for autumn. WAYNE walks up to join them, looking tired and pale as he sits down with a groan.)

DARRYL: 'bout time you got here. We thought you got lost.

(WAYNE sneezes twice, wetly. Everyone blesses him.)

DAN: Were yous in the dusts over theres, Wayne?

WAYNE: I suppose I might've been (He sniffles.)

DARRYL: The rest of us have been sittin' here for a while, where've you been?

WAYNE: Had some things to take care of in the field. 

DARRYL: You look about done-in. Get this man a puppers.

WAYNE: (Frown deepens.) Nah, no puppers for me. 

DARRYL: What do you mean no puppers? When a man sits down to take a breather, he has a puppers. It's the way things are meant to be. 

WAYNE: Well Darry, it just so happens I have a splittin' headache even though I haven't had a drop to drink since yesterday, so it just so happens I don't want a puppers right now. 

DARRYL: Well if you have a headache so bad that you don't want a puppers, it seems to me you should probably go inside and have a lie-down.  

WAYNE: Well you know, I'd love to go have a lie-down, 'cept for the fact that there's a boatload of chorin' to do and no one but me to do it.

DARRYL: Well I'm just sayin', you should either sit and have a puppers with us or you should go have a lie-down.

WAYNE: And I'm just sayin' you should mind your own business, Darry.

(WAYNE stands.)

WAYNE: Best get back to it. Every damn thing on this farm decided to break down today, so I've got double the work to do.

(He exits. He sneezes twice off camera. Everyone blesses him again, then exchange worried looks.)

(Scene changes to WAYNE and DAN working on a piece of farm equipment in a field. WAYNE is kneeling down with his back to the camera. DAN is under the machine on the other side. Suddenly, WAYNE pulls out a handkerchief and sneezes twice. DAN slides out to look at him.)

DAN: Bless yous, Wayne. The dusts and pollens are bads this times of year.

WAYNE: I s'pose. (He sniffles and wipes his nose, then continues working)

DAN: How's abouts we grabs a break and smokes a dart?

WAYNE: Too busy fer smokin' darts. This machine needed to be up and running this morning. (He coughs into his elbow.)

DAN: Nows just a minutes. We've been working on this for an hour and youse haven't smoked once. That's not naturals. 

(WAYNE is about to respond, but instead has a harsh coughing fit.)

DAN: Nows that sounded painful.  Are youse all rights?

WAYNE: 10-4, super chief.

DAN: I'm not sures I believes you. You don't wants to smokes and you're coughing up a lungs. Seems to me you should go insides and have a lie-down. You're getting sicks, and you wants to stops it before it gets worse.

WAYNE: (Frown deepens.) Well I'd love to go have a lie-down Squirrely Dan, 'cept for the fact that there's a boatload of chorin' to do and no one but me to do it.

(DAN shakes his head, looking disapproving. WAYNE stands and wipes his hands on a rag, sniffling.) 

WAYNE: That should do 'er. Think we're done over here.

DAN: I guesses I'll go finds Darry and smokes a darts with him then, since youse won't rest.

WAYNE: Good 'nough then. 

DAN: I thinks you're makings a big mistake. 

WAYNE: Guess that's my business and not yours. 

(As WAYNE walks off camera, he sneezes twice, sounding more congested all the time. DAN blesses him again, looking concerned.)

(Scene changes to the barn where WAYNE is working. KATY approaches. WAYNE sneezes as she does. He looks worse than ever, with a raw, red nose and dark circles under his eyes. He's shivering.)

KATY: Bless. How are ya now?

WAYNE: (Very hoarse and congested.) Not so bad, and you?

KATY: Not so bad. But what's the deal, big brother? You look worse than that dead rabbit Stormy dragged in from the woods.

WAYNE: (Frown deepens.) Nothin' to worry about. Little bit of a sniffle from a stubborn cold.

KATY:  You’re not fooling anyone with that lie. Everyone knows you're sick as a dog. You shouldn't be working like this. 

WAYNE: A sniffle's no reason to stop chorin'

(KATY moves to his side, placing a hand on his forehead.)

KATY: That fever you have is, though. 

(WAYNE considers for a moment, but shrugs, then continues working, coughing as he does.)

KATY: (Sighing.) You got the stubborn part right for sure. Go have a lie-down, before you catch your death. You're shivering.

WAYNE: You know I'd love to go have a lie-down, 'cept for the fact that there's a boatload of chorin' to do and no one but me to do it.

KATY: The chorin' will get done one way or another. You need to rest. You're sick.

WAYNE: Well the fact is, I don't have time to be sick, and a man shouldn't lay around doing nothing no matter how he's feeling. I'll be fine. Leave me be, Katy. 

(KATY walks off, rolling her eyes.)

(Scene changes to evening. WAYNE is still working in the barn. He is shivering and sniffling and completely miserable. He sneezes several times, then rubs his eyes. We hear someone approach him from behind. A hand reaches out to feel WAYNE's forehead, then his cheek.)

WAYNE: I'm fine Katy. Go on. I'll be in after a while. (He coughs harshly.)

ROSIE: Nope, you're coming in right now.

(WAYNE spins around quickly, surprised. KATY and ROSIE are standing behind him.)

KATY: Since you wouldn't listen to me or Dan or Darry, I had to bring in the big guns.

(ROSIE gives WAYNE a sympathetic look, then wraps him in a tight hug. He hesitates for a moment, then hugs her back, burying his face in her hair.)

ROSIE: Let's get you inside. You're burning up. I already called McMurray and Joint Boy. They'll do your chorin' tomorrow with Dan and Darry. You're on bed rest for at least a day, mister.

(WAYNE groans, leaning more of his weight against her for a moment. ROSIE begins to lead him to the house. KATY follows.)

KATY: Leave it to the girlfriend to talk some sense into his thick head. Make sure you make him soup, Rosie. He'll say he doesn't want any but he's lying. 

(Scene change back to sick WAYNE sitting up in bed from the beginning.)

WAYNE: Being sick is about as inconvenient as a snow day in June and just as miserable too.

(ROSIE walks in carrying a steaming bowl and mug on a tray, which she sets beside him with a smile. WAYNE watches her, then looks back at the camera.)

WAYNE: But every now and again, laying around doing nothing is just about alright.

~END~

Miserix!

YOOO I was hoping someone would send me Miserix for the ask game. He's one of my favorite characters ever since I was a wee lass yet I almost never talk about him for one reason or another. So this is good opportunity to give my Miserix related thoughts.

Content warning for suicide mention in one of the last points btw.

For starters, I find Miserix to be a rather interesting character. This is due to his backstory of being the disgraced former leader of Makuta who was overthrown by Teri and being exiled, desiring. Miserix has this...certain aura of intrigue and mystery due has this...aura of mystery and superiority surrounding him. He isnt a mysterious character by any stretch of imagination, but he def has a vibe of mystery to him.

I love his design so much...Hes a big large dragon with such a kickass design, can you say no to that. I also love how he was designed by a 12 year old girl.

Speaking of...CAN I JUST SAY I LOVE HOW MISERIX CANONICALLY HAS HIS DEFAULT FORM BEING A GIANT RED DRAGON BECAUSE HE FEELS THAT WILL GIVE HIM A SENSE LF SUPERIORITY (+ he likes dragons and feels comfortable in being a dragon form as such). This is why I love this dragon man so much, talk about a chad.

One of the reasons Miserix sticks with me is because of him being one of the few truly neutral characters in the series. Like sure he is a big angry dragon who hates Teridax and wants it all to be destroyed but I don't necessarily think he's evil per say, just someone whose mind was warped by revenge (and even if youd count him as a villain hes different from most other villains). Helps a lot that the object of his revenge was the main villain by say.

Him being an angry dragon who wants revenge is so fucking cathartic and I love it. Since like, sometimes you just want to go apeshit at those who hurt you, ya know. You Miserix, kill Terry like you want to!! Again what a chad!!!

Miserix is one of the most tragic characters in the series when you dissect him. Like, guy was loyal to his duty and mission, was betrayed by his most trusted lietnuant and then almost killed. And that betrayal and isolation degraded his mind to the point he's jusr a mindless beast who wants revenge at this point. And its so sad, especially when you wonder how much he changed due to these experiences.

Speaking of....I think about pre!exile Miserix a lot. Given how the Miserix we see in canon is...heavily affected by Teridax betrayal I wonder what he was before that. What did he value, how did he operate the Brotherhood? Was he deeply focused in his duty or did he have time for other interests and having meaningful relationships? What was his relationship with Teridax like before the latter betrayed him? What about the rest of the Brotherhood? How much did he change, did he have any values or was he just a mindless rage monster? There's so much room for interpretationand speculation and to headcanon and I love that.

The mainthing I can think of is... Pre!Exile Miserix is very driven by duty. Like, in Mutran Chronicles its made clear how he was very invested in his duty and believed in balance and order. It made him having this sense of ...goodness I guess??? Or at the very least that his arrogance was kept in check unlike the rest of the Makuta.

When I was younger I was very "UWU Miserix was good the other Makuta were evil f*cktwits who betrayed him" for a very long time but honestly rereading Mutran Chronicles made me realize that while he certainly had some kind of moral code he was messed up too (see how he convinced Takadox to act as a spy). Like, Miserix was like, lawful neutral at best (chaotic good if you want to stretch it) Def had a moral code to an extent but was not above shady actions.

Speaking of...I kiiinda ship Miserix/Takadox because of those lines that established Miserix hired Takadox to act as Barraki spy in Mutran Chronicles. Like the way Takadox looked at Miserix with concern when the Barraki were leaving the meeting w the BOM just really made me interested in their dynamic despite the fact we know NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT IT. but the little we know gives so much potential for them to hacing a really interesting dynamic. Its a shame that Takadox yeeted off in FOF before he could interactwith his former emplyoer, it wouldve given interesting insight into the two.

I aggressively headcanon that Miserix was the first Makuta ever created, and possibly one of Mata Nuis first creations [since iirg MN created the Makuta while Great Spirits and Artakha created most of the GSR species ]

As a kid I seriously thought Miserix was a girl for a while because his name + design were kinda feminine for my child mind fsr. Because of this misconception I had of him as a child, I have ended up in headcanoning him as nonbinary (either genderfluid or bigender to be more specific, leaning towards the latter tbh). He would more or less default to he/him pronouns due to being more used to them but wouldn't mind being refered with feminine or genderneutral pronouns. That being said, he would probably be VERY against being refered with it/its pronouns due to seeing it as dehumanizing.

Also on a "baby me saw Miserix design as androgynous" I heavily hc his voice as androgynous too. Angry, low and booming yes, but in a way that doesn't sound too masculine. This is tve main reason I'm mixed on his voice in the Ignition stop motion: its too masculine for my taste (that being said the voice sounds super jnique and I always hcd Miserix having a rather unique sounding voice soo)

Break from headcanons and thoughts to say: MISERIX HAS SOME OF THE MOST BADASS LINES IN THE SERIES. So much of his lines are so badass and he def has a lot of my favorite quotes in series. Just so much confidence and badassness oozing him.

I find the fact Miserix was turned into a painting by Teridax incredibly funny. Also cant believe paintings are canon in Bionicle.

I think about post-canon Miserix a lot. Now that Teridax is dead, what now? Where would he go there? Would he still be rage-filled monster ,now just having no purpose for his rage? Or would he just wander purposlessly,feeling like theres no reason for him to exist? Regardless, there would be this emptiness... At some point Miserix whole existence became fixated on Teridax so like....When Teri died it was kinda..what then. Post canon Miserix is by far one of the more interesting post canon characters given how much it wouldve affected him. Eh, knowing how Greg writes hed either done "Miserix is driven mad/still rage filled" in the laziest way possible, come up some really stupid and convoluted thing that was out of tje blue or have him being killed off by Velika or one of his cronies instead of exploring his character in any meaninful way.

On a related note, can we talk about how its canon that in one universe Miserix loosing his purpose made him so depressed he killed himself? I think about that sometimesand just...man guy really was driven by having a duty and purpose.Again, makes me wonder what happened with prime!timeline Miserix post canon.

All in all ,Miserix is great and criminally underrated. Hes both a character thats incredibly simple(angry dragon who wants to kill Teridax) but has potential for complexity in him thanks to all the potential his story has. His story is a tragic one, being given a duty he was willing to commit to his fullest, only to be betrayed by his kind and casted away, this slowly turning him into a rage-obsessed monster we see today.Miserix is such a great and interesting character, and I wish more of the fandom paid attention to him.

Whats your opinion on Steve's apparently strained relationship with his dad? And how this could've possibly shaped his former bully persona and the facade he used to put on in S1? I know theres very little to go on in canon about his dad but i'd love to hear your thoughts...

Okay, I’ve been sitting on this for a while because I was trying to think honestly about this and separate what I think is likely from what my own personal headcanons are, as well as the common headcanons a lot of the fandom shares for Steve.

I think Steve’s dad isn’t a bad guy, at least, not openly abusive. I don’t even think he’s all that emotionally abusive. I think he’s a very traditional man, very much entrenched in the idea that the husband goes out and earns the money while the wife stays home and raises the children, and those children are expected to be well behaved, obedient, and good at both academics and sports. A very proper 1950s family. The problem is that this is the 80s, a time of rampant greed and pro-capitalist propaganda. Greed is good! The 80s were a very image-conscious era, very much concerned with making as much money as possible and projecting out an image of wealth and success, and Mr. Harrington was ALL ABOUT THIS.

I think the first problem comes in when Mrs. Harrington is not well suited to this life. I don’t think she would like being in a small town like Hawkins. I think she would desire more of a social atmosphere, a place where she could be involved in charities and auxiliaries and womens’ social clubs. I think in Hawkins she finds herself bored and unoccupied. I think she loves Steve, but isn’t great at motherhood. She more or less leaves him to his own devices and doesn’t much understand her son. She feels alienated and alone and subconsciously she is perhaps resentful. When Steve is finally old enough to be left alone she travels with her husband on business trips to keep him in line. This shows that there is no trust in this marriage and it’s an openly known fact that Mr. Harrington cheats.

The next problem is that Steve isn’t at all academically inclined. Now, I admit that I think it’s partially due to an undiagnosed learning disorder, but ultimately that doesn’t matter. His father has his own ideas as to why Steve isn’t pulling the grades he thinks his son should be, and they mostly boil down to laziness. A learning disorder doesn’t fit with his view of a perfect family, so he can’t even conceptualize that Steve might have one. He can see Steve as just not trying hard enough to live up to his potential though. From Mr. Harrington’s point of view he’s given Steve everything he needs to succeed: a nice home, all the best school supplies, nutritious food, the best clothes, and anything else that has a clear monetary cost attached to it. Love and attention don’t fit his idea of being a father, he’s only there to provide and discipline. His role is to be the one to mold his son into a man, and that means he has to force Steve to act and behave certain ways.

This is where we get King Steve from. I have written extensively that I don’t actually see Steve as having been a bully, he was more of that rich douche, the clueless trendsetter that others flock to because of his wealth and ability to raise their positions in the social hierarchy. Steve also possesses a natural charisma (or rather, Joe does, and Steve got the benefit of that) that draws people in. Unfortunately this has the problem of drawing in the type of people who want to use others to their own benefit, to advance themselves. Steve is desperate for meaningful connections with people due to his lack of parental attention, and as such willingly goes along with people who aren’t a good influence on him but who make him feel validated and appreciated. He basically lets Tommy and Carol call the shots and only gives token protests when they’re making hurtful or bullying statements. He doesn’t want to rock the boat too much and find out that he doesn’t have as much power as it would appear from the outside. He acts in the confident, self-aggrandizing manner that further projects the image his father wants the family to be seen as. To this length he even bought his sixteen year old son a super super expensive car, an ultimate demonstration that they have so much money he can waste it like this on his kid who is only learning to drive. I can’t even begin to imagine what Steve’s insurance must cost per month!

So yes, ultimately most of who we first see Steve as is a reflection of his highly successful, but emotionally absent father. It’s about portraying that image to the best of his ability when in public. In the very first episode we see that when Steve is in private with Nancy he’s actually a big ol’ dork. He’s also pretty respectful for a horny teenage boy, not too pushy about the making out. When Nancy seriously tells him to stop he picks the flashcards back up and gets back on task. He’s a good kid on the inside, but is being pressured by his family and his ‘friends’ into the image of a slick, womanizing, jock, one who only cares about himself. Not to say that Steve can’t be selfish, as he definitely is at times, but that also comes from his unbringing and problems relating to his father. He is legitimately worried about his father finding out about his party, despite said party being four kids and a couple of beers. Like, that...that isn’t a party?? I get why any kid would be worried, but ultimately it’s not like he threw a giant shindig and destroyed his house.

I think after his fight with Jonathan, Steve realizes something. I think the words he threw at Jonathan are the sort of words he’s heard from his father before, the type of disapproving gossip the elder Harringtons would talk derisively about at the dinner table, the one time of day the family is actually together. I think Steve suddenly realizes that he’s being a version of his dad, that he’s on a path that leads to becoming him for real. He realizes his friends are actively encouraging this transformation. I honestly think Steve really dislikes his dad, not just for neglecting Steve and never trying to forge a connection with him, but also for how the man’s treatment has affected his wife, how his infidelities have turned her bitter and untrusting. Steve got upset at Jonathan and Nancy because he thought they were cheating, and that’s something Steve can’t tolerate. It’s pretty much the ultimate betrayal and I think it’s probably where most of his derision for his father comes from. He’s more easily upset on the behalf of others than on his own behalf. He resents his father for not loving his mother enough to be faithful to her. So he lashes out when he thinks he’s been treated the same way, only to realize that it made him act more like his father than ever. This took him aback to the point that he turned his back on the people who had been his ‘friends’, and caused him to make the most impressive and nature decision that he ever has: he apologized. Like, that legitimately awed me. It is so hard to admit when we’re wrong, even privately to ourselves. For Steve to admit that and want to actually fix it, to go to the person he’d hurt and tell them he was wrong? That really shows the kind of person that Steve is on the inside. Who he is when stripped of his artifices. A person with a huge heart that truly cares what others think of him and who wants to be liked for the right reasons, but who sometimes fucks up because he was never given positive demonstrations of how to be that person.

Tl;dr Steve’s dad is a emotionally absent traditionalist who resents his dumb son, and his mom is a bored housewife who takes any opportunity to find something to distract her from her dull day to day existence. His father’s cheating greatly affected Steve and built a wedge of resentment between them, further destroying their chances at a meaningful relationship. Somehow they produced a son who has a huge heart and a desire to be loved, but who never had the encouragement or tools to express this and was instead led down a path of bad behaviour by those who wanted to exploit the Harringtons’ ‘perfect’ image.

Night Vale + Scientists

Alrighty, I’m relatively new to this fandom and all, so I’m not entirely sure how well this actually coincides with canon and whatnot, but I’m going to feel free to vocalize this anyway.

We all know from relatively early on in this particularly lovely podcast that Carlos the “Perfectly Imperfect” Scientist has an unrivalled passion for the unexplained. The idea of mystery drives him crazy, and he chases blindly after anything that doesn’t have a feasible answer, that can’t be understood, that seems far too beyond human comprehension to decode- a trait that, I will argue to my last dying breath, is part of why he fell head-over-kettle in love with Cecil Palmer, perhaps the most mysterious and unexplainable character in the show, and the first impossible riddle he wasn’t hell-bent on solving

Cecil, though, is the exact opposite of his counterpart. See, Cecil’s job is announcing the happenings of Night Vale, not analyzing them. When something occurs out of the ordinary, he doesn’t always need a ‘why’- in fact, in most regards, Cecil’s pretty content to just have a general grasp of what’s going on or what to expect from something and roll with the punches. Animal carcasses raining from the sky? Don’t panic, just get a stronger umbrella. The sun didn’t rise today? You know, that happens sometimes. It’ll pass!

It makes sense, in this fashion, for the fandom to naturally come to the conclusion that Cecil is terrible when it comes to science. I’ve seen a lot of posts and fanart about the worst accidents in the lab being Cecil’s doing, and while they’re amusing, I have another perspective to bring to the metaphorical table.

What we often seem to forget is that, while Carlos always seems to come to the right conclusions at the right times, and make sense of an insensible world, he’s still an Outsider. Night Vale is a curious thing to most of its occupants, let alone an individual who wasn’t born and raised there. There’s a lot of stuff about this one unique speck in the desert that even Carlos doesn’t know anything about, and I have no doubt in my mind that it would hinder him sometimes.

So instead, in the early stages of their relationship, I can imagine Cecil waking up to a call from a frustrated Carlos, going off on an absolute venting tangent from the lab at 4:37 A.M. And at first, it’s a bit of a shock to both of them because, well, from Cecil’s end it is 4:37 A.M. on a Wednesday, and he’s talking particle theory with a man who probably should’ve tried getting some sleep three days ago at the rate he’s going, but all the other members of Carlos’ team have long since gone home, and he usually finds it helpful to go step-by-step through his experiments vocally to catch any mistakes or hash out new ideas.

After at least a full forty-five minutes of Carlos rambling into the phone about how the molecular bonding of this solution shouldn’t be even remotely close to what it is, and that he can’t understand why it keeps giving off such staggeringly different temperatures with each batch he makes, Cecil (getting over his initial surprise that Carlos is calling him of all people) gently reminds him that maybe he’d best rest and think about it again with a clear head.

“Try some of that raspberry oolong Intern Stephen dropped off earlier this week,” He suggests brightly, explaining that it’s supposed to help with clarity and that the crushed beetle wings in the mixture hardly throw off the taste at all. “And remember to whisper a compliment to the water before you try to boil it- it can get fussy otherwise, you know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten and wound up with a solid block of ice in my kettle or, worse, the kettle itself melting all over the countertop. Terrible to get out of the carpet later in that case, but as long as you’re cordial, it should boil nicely for you.”

And at first, there’s dead silence on the other end of the line, before Cecil can hear Carlos scrambling to make a note on this development, because of course he wasn’t whispering anything to the water he’d used in his experiment, and that’s probably the reason for 74% of the problems he’s come across so far.

It doesn’t take long for this to become a normal occurrence, Carlos calling in regularly with all kinds of questions and, as before, just needing to talk through something, Cecil offering advice on how to handle certain stuff, or even just talking a while about the things Carlos is working with. More often than not, this leads to some kind of revelation, because while Cecil might not understand the science behind why glass stirring rods need to be used only in a clockwise direction, he at least knows that they just do, and that’s what Carlos needs.

Eventually, this extends to the rest of the lab crew as well, because, yes, they might be Night Vale residents, but there’s a pretty large chunk of information about their town that even they are missing. With how quickly things can come up or change in their spooky little town, it can be impossible to keep track of everything on one’s own. Tentatively at first, but with growing speed, the other scientists begin asking for advice and extra help with info as well. 

Catching on to the trend, a new addition makes its way into Cecil’s radio show, where, every day, scientists can send in questions for the citizens of Night Vale, and they can respond accordingly, offering insight. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder to those listening in on the broadcast that their scientists don’t miraculously have the answers to everything, and that the downside to having the entire population of your city looking to you for those answers is sometimes not having any.

Even those who don’t have knowledge to offer find ways to help. Scientists return home, weary beyond measure from saving their friends and family from yet another disaster, only to find the lights already dimmed and welcoming, old takeout containers thrown away, and bed made. There’s a note on the table that would be eery and concerning, were it not for the sensation that there had always been a presence in their home, and, if nothing else, this only confirms one of their many hypothesises, setting another theory down to rest. Creatures (that definitely are not angels) appear in the lab every now and then, bringing with them a smiling old woman, and several Big Rico’s pizza boxes, cases of bottled water, and bundles of grapes. Nobody knows why grapes in particular. Maybe the not-angels have an affinity for them. Either way, the mandatory snack break is welcomed by many. Secret police mutter helpful tips from bushes under open windows, and, despite books being banned, once in a blue moon a torn-out page from some volume makes it’s way onto a given scientist’s lab table, curating many more questions, and causing many to reevaluate their perceptions of the harrowing librarians, the hooded figures who show no fear of them, and the public library itself.

Night Vale is a place of mystery and intrigue and danger- but it is also a place of people bonded by experience and survival. It’s a place called “home” by many, even if they do not necessarily understand it, and these are the people who save this city by supporting discovery in their own little ways. Night Vale loves its scientists, and it will do what it can to help them understand it even a little bit more.

Hey I saw your tags, & I was just wondering what is racist in su & gf? I'm just genuinely curious!

Well first of all sorry about the late reply i've been pretty busy! Second of all this might be a pointless reply, considering these fandoms, but fuck it. Stevies university and its fandom loves to preach itself as being diverse and woke yet does the same stuff that other fandoms do. Remember when Garnet or Amethyst got an arc for themselves? Me neither. Literally they're both "fusion" and the "fat friend" at this point. Both get little to no development for themselves which becomes ridiculous when theres been an interesting amount of focus and detail concerning Pearl. The Sardonyx arc, you know the arc which should have shown that Garnet is allowed to show that she can be vulnerable and that hurting others has consequences, was established as a Pearl arc. Literally it focused on the one that caused said problem instead of the one that got hurt when it shouldve focused on both atleast. Its also interesting how Garnet was stoic and silent when she was Darker in season 1 yet after her immediate regeneration in the end of the season she becomes lighter and more open. It probably wasnt intentional, considering Garnet got some growth by the season to become more open since Stevie met her halves, but its a tiring trope or "Stoic black woman finally gets to have a personality out of being serious and strong" which lasted a season. By season 3 shes literally the fusion friend. Aka the only episodes where she gets some focus are concerning fusion, which isnt wrong considering she is one, but it gets ridiculous not giving her anything else to work for. Amethyst was used as a "self hate" trope, which was great initially however it got repetitive and nothing was truly done. Remember season 3 when Amethyst was like "i hate myself thx Jasper" and Stevie was like "i hate myself too ok" and had a episode dedicated to it. It didnt seem necessary to have a competition on who hates themselves more when they could've, oh i dont know, learn and show compassion to one another as well as understanding each others. While it isnt exactly racism, i just dislike how the emotions in this show is just cry cry and we never mention it ever again. "Bismuth" was a display of "angry black woman' considering Bismuth wanted to kill a dictator and Stevie was like "b-hut th' hat'll make us just as bad l1ke them!!!1" and then Bismuth got poofed for wanting to kill dictators cause she was black and mean :// i get the whole "she tried to kill stevie" she thought he was rose and before anyone says "still murder tho" well ya faves Pearl Lapis and Peridot did the same shit too while the big bad butches Bismuth and Jasper suffer forever :). "Earthings" was a favorite of mine but I thought it used Smoky Quartz at the wrong time. Like the episode literally says that Amethyst could never beat Jasper no matter how she tries which really wasnt a good lesson tbh "hard work doesnt pay off, genetics does!!". Smoky was formed from a emotional bond which was nice but i thought it wouldve been better if Amethyst had accepted stevies help and that they could be fucks up together and said fusion would happen naturally instead of using fusion as just "wow we cant do shit on our owns :/// thanks rock genetics". The rubies literally got left in space to die when they were so easy to dispatch and Steven pulled the "i wanted to help eyeball" while he left the other 4 rubies to die instead of giving them a chance since wow they're??? Their own gems and deserve a chance. Said fandom demonized Navy and called her a sociopath for gaining Stevie's and the barn lesbians trust and taking the ship. These were some detailed reasons why the fandom and show seem hypocritical when they pull their "we care about diveristy but we aint gonna bother showing it" aka if youre not white coded rip you. Connie and Lars' heritage? Not necessary since theyre not white lol. Lars got a confirmed race like 4 episodes before he became pink so if we hadn't seen him before he got pink then we wouldve never known since he wouldnt look like a poc and he doesnt talk about his heritage so he wouldnt sound like one either. The fandom was also like "omgggg look at this one pic of Connie's mom wearing Indian clothes" while refusing the claim that we dont need to hear about anyone's heritage since it isn't "realistic" for POC to talk about it. Interestingly, most white fans say this claim hmm. Blue Diamond had some concerns syrrounding whitewashing, which appears to be due to lighting/ not official design. The problem was that BD was shown to be crueler in Season 2 when she was going to kill Ruby for doing her job. Yet by her official appearance she's neon, looks white despite the Indian asthethic vibe displayed on "The Return" and her display on the Moon, and sad cause her co-worker/ gf died or some shit despite Becky Sugar saying that BD was supposed to be a representation of homophobia. A stupid trope where the homophobe was just a closeted gay. She also became so sad and gay that the fandom woobified her to being a innocent gem despite being a dictator, trying to murder a main character, owning a human zoo. The show also made her cry like 99% to make you feel sad for her cause oh no how dare our white saviour Rose Quartz murder a dictator. This also brought a stupid belief of Steven that "the diamonds woildnt be here if it wasnt for my mom !!! Fuck her" considering killing PD looks like it was the only good thing Rose has done and like out of all the things steven has a right to be mad about it was about his mom killing a dictator??? Also Amethyst's and a Gem named Concrete had their own racist beta designs. Amethyst had a chola design and Concrete, a literal black coded gem that couldnt read (an advanced alien species and the only one that cant read is the black gem?),were displayed on the art books because the crewniverse doesnt really consider the racism that theyve displayed for children to see. This show has a lot of problems and its still good, could be a whole lot better if some issues were addressed, but considering the writers and fandom refuse to address any criticism by using the "its a show for kids!!!1) says the 30 year old white gay on tunglr. Org who praises stevies university for being woke!!1 and having a gay couple. Jeez this got long but I just think its hypocritical that everyone praises this show for barely doing the bare minimum yet refuses to address any problems.While I havent watched the whole show, Gravity falls has displayed a lack of POC in their whole show. While it is a small city, it became interesting that a lot of POC were in prison.