no you don't get it. i literally love stories where they dive into people's hearts/minds (literally or figuratively) sm it's my favourite type of storytelling.

this says a lot about Snape's character development for me. There are many parallels drawn throughout the series between Harry and Snape; obviously, they're very different characters but there are similarities too.

I think here Snape is talking about himself. The teenaged Snape we see in the Pensieve is very much like this- emotional, heart on his sleeve, easily provoked, a definite wallower in sad memories... weak. Adult Snape, though he retains some of these characteristics that do emerge in stressful moments (in PoA we see how angrily he reacts to Sirius's escape, for instance) on the whole is a great deal more thoughtful, reserved, calculating, measured.

I think that Snape at some point had to force himself to become this. I think he actually relates to Harry here, and is giving him advice based on personal experience. In my fic he begins to learn to control his emotions partially out of a desire to protect Lily; he's fully aware that she's his weakness (or really, his strength, viewed a different way) and that openly displaying any sort of emotion towards her at all makes her vulnerable to the likes of Avery and Mulciber, who will have the perfect weapon to get to him if they want to.

Severus doesn't have the advantages of his peers, he's not pureblood, he wasn't born into money. If he wants to join the Death Eaters and rise in their ranks, he needs to be subtle, cunning, careful. he can't afford to be careless and entitled like mulciber or bellatrix or even sirius. what he's got to offer isn't his name or his money, it's his sheer talent and cleverness. moving on:

When Voldemort decides to go after Lily this becomes even more important. Imo the reason why Voldemort believes that Snape only "desired" Lily is because that's what Snape told him. He lied to Voldemort's face and told him something probably disgusting tbh because that's the only way Voldemort would accept it and agree, if it was a selfish, callous request that Voldemort could understand. We can see evidence of this here:

Asking Voldemort to spare a mudblood because he was in love with her would likely not have gone over well- and as we know, Voldemort actually bore his request in mind, though obv didn't give enough of a fuck about Snape to follow through. Because although asking voldemort to spare her must have taken serious balls, Snape's mistake here was trusting someone inherently selfish to do something selfless for him.

Clearly he immediately realises this and goes to Dumbledore, which is when controlling his emotions becomes of paramount importance, because now he's working against perhaps the most highly accomplished legilimens of all time.

It's also interesting to me that Snape in this conversation is probably the character who is most forthright and informative with Harry in the whole of OotP until Dumbledore at the end; Harry actually learns a lot in this conversation. And Snape also kind of gives him credit which is interesting too:

like for Snape that's high praise lmao. A shame because if he wasn't so bitter (i.e. didn't wear his heart on his sleeve so much around harry) then he might have actually been pretty helpful to Harry and a decent teacher. Again, during the Occlumency lessons his unrestrained emotion brought up by memories of James is a hindrance. He defies Dumbledore's orders to teach Harry Occlumency because of his emotional response to SWM, as well as honestly doing kind of a shit job before that (by not being empathetic and teaching Harry in a way that would've been actually productive.)

At this point Dumbledore believes that Harry learning Occlumency and controlling his emotions is of vital importance; he turns out to be wrong about this. In Harry's case, it turns out to be his emotional nature that saves him- unlike Snape, who is the opposite. Snape's journey is about learning that some things are more important than his selfish need to give into his own emotions.

By DH Snape's learned this lesson fully; his old hatred for James doesn't stop him from doing what has to be done, from giving Harry the tools he needs. Even in the final moments of his life, he can look past James and see Lily in Harry- and, by giving Harry the information that leads to his self-sacrifice, he can let her go.

hi!! I just found out about tumblr having an anti-hindutva tag and I shall be making myself comfortable here! just found your account like a few mins ago and if it’s ok, i wanted to ask some questions (you absolutely don't have to answer if you don't like any of them or even if you don't feel like answering :) ) (edit added, this ask got way too long lol. feel free to skip it! also, you're kinda super cool lol)

I'm Indian, currently outside India, and I've only started learning about the shitshow going on in my 'mahaan bharat' since November (specifically since finding out that we are Irahell's biggest weapons buyer). and the more I find out the more shocked and heartbroken I feel...

like this week i learnt about the immigration ban in US against Chinese women that existed a few decades ago, and the ongoing discrimination against Palestinians in Canadian immigration services... and both the times I was so disgusted and there was this subconscious feeling that India should never be like that. but then an hour ago I learnt about the 2019 CAA and wtf!?

another example being that currently we're seeing israhell's continuous bombing of heritage sites of great cultural and religious significance, that also held so many centuries old records and histories... and learning about how they are bulldozing over graveyards and exhuming them...

and then today I learnt about Akhonji Masjid and Gyanvapi Masjid and of course have known about Babri Masjid for a few weeks now...

and only learnt about Kashmir in november...

and I feel like my whole worldview has shifted from a previous foundation, except it's so drastic and I still don't have a new foundation...

I try to talk to members of my family about this but they're the Indian equivalent of the U.S. liberals, and every single time they'll tell me "whatever news you're hearing is propaganda written by Pakistan/China/U.S./Russia. trust me I have Muslim friends and they're very happy. you just don't know the situation cause you're not in India" and like it sometimes make me think maybe I'm the one losing my mind...

I even read some places about free Punjab and that confused the fuck out of me cause I'm Punjabi (who does not live in Punjab) and I don't have any clue what it's about... I asked my fam, but they just gave me a weird look and told me to stay away from anyone that mentions Khalistan😭💀

(this got way longer than I expected, so sorry) but would you have any recommendations for any blogs/articles/books/podcast resources or any personal recommendations for news publications that are reliable (finding God would probably be easier than finding such publications lmao) like I thought Al-Jazeera is super credible, but then read that they're super credible when it comes to Palestine, not when it's global...

like where tf do I go from here lol

hello nonnie! some news sites I'd recommend are newslaundry (they have a youtube channel too), the wire, scroll.in and newsclick. maktoob media is mostly focused on minority rights in india. hindutvawatch.org is about hindu fascist violence committed against minorities. I still think you should stick to al-jazeera at least when it comes to palestine (they have journalists on the ground there, shireen abu akleh was one of them)

this is a good introduction to anyone wanting to learn about hindutva, this and this are about how india is becoming increasingly unsafe for minorites and is undergoing a democratic backsliding. this and this are about the rss link to nazism

hostile homelands by azad essa is about india's historical relationship with israel and the parallels between hindutva and zionism. the brown history podcast has an episode about how india went from the first non-arab state to recognise palestine to its largest buyer of weapons, featuring azad essa (x). you can also read colonising kashmir by hafsa kanjwal about how india came to militarily occupy kashmir. if you want to learn more about kashmir there are the blogs kashmiraction.org and standwithkashmir (which is um. blocked in india. i wonder why)

i have not read khaki shorts and saffron flags yet but this one is about the history of the rss. i also suggest watching the documentaries ram ke naam and jai bhim, comrade which are about the hindutva revival in the 1980s

for me free punjab is very ?? the indian government is beyond evil as they continue to spy on sikhs abroad (and ofc, how can we forget the 1984 sikh genocide) but i don't think liberation will be achieved through a religious ethnostate. any state formed on the basis of a religion will inevitably turn out to be a disaster. i do encourage you to read lost in history: 1984 reconstructed by gunisha kaur, which is about the humans rights violations committed against sikhs during this time and why operation bluestar was in fact not about freeing sri harmandir sahib from "terrorists." all i can say is to stand with sikhs unapologetically as our shitass government continues to commit more and more human rights violations against them

in general, i'd tell you to observe the language used by different news outlets and question it (eg. american news referring to israelis below the age of 18 as children but the same courtesy is not extended to palestinians) and check their sources. if it's from whatsapp university don't even bother

These two pages from Dark Victory have stayed with me ever since I first read it because they're visually hella interesting, I enjoy Tim Sale's art for how stylish it is, but also because every time I see it, I hear the click of a spotlight being turned on, almost like this is a play being acted out. It highlights the connection between the characters, but that it also is shutting everything else out. That makes sense in the moment, Dick just watched his parents die, there's nothing else in the world for him. Bruce is reliving his own trauma of having watched his parents die, as well as watching another child go through the same thing--but, in a way I can't shake, it almost feels like Bruce is intruding on this moment, too. That Dick's loss gets interpreted as a mirror of Bruce's loss--Dark Victory goes to great lengths to hammer home that parallel, it is not at all subtle about it:

But what strikes me about the moment of the Graysons' deaths is that it feels almost like a play being acted out, that Bruce becomes part of it because they mirror each other so strongly, that for all they grow as individuals and come to love each other as uniquely different people, they will always be rooted in this mirroring of each other. Bruce isn't just a bystander to Dick's loss and grief, it fundamentally connects them and defines them--that in many ways Dick understands Bruce the best because, as Dick says about himself, when he was Robin, he was smaller than everyone else, so he had to learn to read people better, to know what they were going to do, because Dick was with Bruce the longest, because Dick and Bruce often are the most similar. But it's also that Dick understands Bruce best because Bruce allowed him in because of this mirror, that sometimes it feels like Bruce only understands people through the lens of his own grief, that's why Dick's the closest to him, because Dick shares that same loss. This isn't to undercut that Dick was a bright, lively child who brought laughter and joy because that is also absolutely true and I will fight tooth and nail anyone who says otherwise. Bruce loves that kid because Dick refused to not be loved, because he's not the same as Bruce, he's brighter, he's better, he's more in so many ways. Bruce and Dick's relationship isn't just one thing or another, there are times when it borders on almost being kind of healthy and then there are times when it's toxic as hell, yet it's always underscored by how much they genuinely love each other, how Bruce keeps thoughts of Dick in his mind to turn to for solace just like he turns to thoughts of his own father, how Dick demands to be worth just as much to Bruce's parents even when they've traveled into the future to be directly in front of him, and Dick gets that worth from Bruce. But sometimes I think about that panel, I hear a spotlight clicking on in my head, I think about Bruce unintentionally inserting himself into this moment of Dick's loss and how Bruce sometimes holds him closer to his heart because Dick's hurt mirrors his own so much. How sometimes Bruce sees the world through that lens of trauma and only how much people can understand it, that the rest of the world drops away and is nothing but black, empty space, except him and the person who understands his hurt.

That I can look at that panel and see it as its meant to be--a moment of pure connection, "I understand what you're going through, I can't take it away, but I can be here with you." and how that saved Dick Grayson's life, how it allowed him to heal and grow and thrive. I can see Bruce's heart breaking because he would have done anything to save this kid from that pain. And sometimes I can look at it and see Bruce watching a horrific play unfold before him and relating to it through his own issues, rather than true empathy. Ultimately, it's really more that they're kindred spirits, that's what the follow-up pages show, that Dick goes through the same process that Bruce went through, he does the same things Bruce did, all while Bruce isn't there to influence him into that at all. Dick is his own person, Bruce couldn't make him be a copy of Bruce if he'd wanted to, he couldn't even win an argument with a nine-year-old about putting on a costume and fighting crime with him and absolutely not staying out of the line of fire. Dick Grayson did what he was going to do, Bruce had nothing to do with making him into that person. But part of the reason they're such an interesting dynamic is because they're not just purely one thing or another, that for all that at the end of the day, Dick and Bruce are naturally like each other in a lot of core ways, it's also possible to read them as unhealthy co-dependent on each other, that them being everything to each other comes with some sharper edges, especially when Bruce sometimes resents Dick for growing beyond him and leaving him, even while desperately proud of him at the same time.

It's a thing Bruce struggles with a lot when it comes to Dick and I think of this tangled web of emotions every time I see that second splash page above. That Bruce came to love this kid as a son, but also as someone who understood what it was like to live with that kind of devastating loss, and how hard Bruce connected with that--and then how hard it was to let him go, when Bruce can't let go of his parents. That it's hard for Bruce to see Dick grow beyond being the son who understood him best, who mirrored his tragedy best, and he'll do it, he loves his kid enough to keep climbing back up out of that desire to hold onto him as his reflection even if he falls back into it sometimes, that some part of him will always see Dick as the one who had that connection that blocked the rest of the world out and understood him in a way no one else could.

I dont remember who said this before but theres this interview where the lead actor said something like sometimes when acting you cant help but to develop feelings towards your co stars during filming period as in the crush is always there but the question is to act on it or not after filming ended. I have few pairs in my mind who *probably* developed feelings and not act on it. And TN *cough* are in that list too like the chemistry is a bit too real

... okay, here's my honest thought on this. Because truthfully, I think about this from time to time.

Again, deals with real-person shipping, if you disagree with it or are uncomfortable with the subject, please leave and don't read under the cut. If you read it and come yelling at me, I'll just delete it. I mean I warned you.

I've heard about that, and as someone who really enjoys learning about acting both in practice and theory, I think it's ... sort of inevitable at times. You're playing someone else, you're living another life, sometimes lines get blurred. It depends on the actors and their method, but yeah. I completely understand the idea or tendency to actually develop feelings.

And with Taylor and Nick's sheer amount of amazing chemistry on and off screen, not gonna lie, it's fairly reasonable to suspect and they belong in that case as well.

But on my part, there's this one thing that makes me confused and nervous about this:

Taylor and Nick's dynamic and trajectory are jarringly similar to one of my other ships and one of the only two rps ships that I genuinely believed in (the other one was Dan and Phil). I won't name them because there's... a lot of complicated shit happening in that fandom, but I'll simplify the name to JZ. (it's Chinese btw, and it's two men)

And the thing is, JZ were also co-stars playing a couple on-screen and had great chemistry both on and off-screen, so people were finding "candies" of them left right and centre.

BUT THEN, on the very last day of the promo period of their show, during an accidental live stream, THEY WERE CAUGHT WEARING MATCHING WEDDING RINGS. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PLATONIC EXPLANATION FOR THAT. (this and this, it's a very distinct shape, we call it the hex nut)

And the sad thing is because they're in China, if they were truly together, they can't come out without completely ruining their careers. And then more drama happened that I don't want to get into because it's too big of a topic and someone on here definitely summarized the issue better, but either way, due to circumstances, they literally cannot be seen together. It's not a matter of choosing not to be seen; due to the aforementioned drama, they don't have a choice at all.

But EVEN THEN, and it's been 2.5 years since the drama, THEY'RE STILL DROPPING CANDY. AND SEEMINGLY DELIBERATELY, AND THAT'S AS GOOD AS COMING OUT IN THE SOCIETY THEY'RE IN.

When I say there are similarities and parallels between TN and JZ, I mean it, holy shit.

I could make a whole list on it, but I'm not entirely comfortable with posting that at the moment, so I'll just name a few:

Nick and Z both started their acting careers in musicals

Taylor and J are distinctly puppy-coded

Taylor and J didn't take the acting school route: they studied something else in school and started modelling before acting

Both sets get very hyped when with each other

The wedding band thing is sort of in the same category of candy as the Cartier watch I mentioned before (oh and btw a follow-up on the Cartier watch candy will be in my next TN candies post)

Both sets were accused of having no chemistry upon casting and during shooting, but as soon as the project aired and people actually watched their performance, everyone acknowledged that their chemistry was exceptional

Taylor is... protective? caring? adoring? the Chinese word is 寵 toward Nick (see the GQ quiz and Taylor giddily giving Nick hints) J is the same way towards Z (I might remember this wrong, it's been two years, but I think in a game show J also gave Z hints or sort of let him win or something)

Taylor turning toward Nick with his arm slung over the back of Nick's chair during the GQ editorial after Nick talked about his broken ankle vs J paying extra attention and making sure that Z never puts extra weight on his knee that he unfortunately permanently damaged

... yeah I'll leave it at that for now.

Can you see how this is driving me insane? Like, what the fuck? I've seen this pattern once before!

Like if it weren't for this, before I saw the parallels, I really kind of thought they were really good friends. And I still stand by that.

But then this comes up?????

Ultimately I truly do mean what I said before: I only care that the boys have a good relationship, what's the nature of that relationship, none of my business, I don't really mind. That's theirs to define and disclose if they want to.

But upon seeing the parallel, in my head, the scale went from to leaning towards the platonic side to the middle of the spectrum.

That being said, I need to reiterate this: ultimately this is all speculation done in good fun. I will never harass the boys or treat anything about their personal life as fact unless it comes from them. Their personal lives are ultimately their own, no one else is in a position to dig into it.

Headcanons about the Nagisa - Kataoka duo, plz.

Hi, thanks for the ask! It's an interesting pair I never really thought about. But I did write a one-shot about Kataoka a couple weeks ago, so I'm geared up.

Nagisa & Kataoka:

I feel like they do get along, though. They're not really close, per say, because their friend groups are different, but they're definitely on the same wavelength.

They're both levelheaded, rational people who try to come up with solutions in a logical, thought-out manner.

Since Kataoka is more assertive and socially involved than Nagisa, he sort of never goes out of his way to talk to her.

She's genuinely appreciated, and admired for her charisma.

Kataoka appreciates Nagisa's "backseat" efforts though, and is admirative of the Koro Sensei weakness list, for example.

It's noted in the Roll Book Time that Nagisa actually is one of the few who is capable of stopping her when she goes on a bit too much on lecturing and ordering.

I think he'd be one to tap on her shoulders and try to derail her mind from what is upsetting her (probably Okajima's hijinks). Probably offer her a candy and a reading of his notes and observations. She deserves that down-time.

More on their dynamic:

There's quite a bit of parallels between them, when we think about it: Nagisa obviously has issues with being percieved and respected as the man he is, and his masculinity is often put into question. On the opposite end, Kataoka struggles with her femininity.

He's the shortest guy in Class E, and she's the tallest girl. They canonically had an arm wrestling match, too, that Nagisa completely lost, much to Megu chagrin.

As to activities, or situations where they'd actually spend time together, I'd like to think quiet, revising sessions would fit them; they both enjoy order and calm, and would probably make a great team.

Beyond Class E:

I can see them having the same sort of low-key time, touring the city mall, overall staying in their own bubble, and enjoying to be far, for once, from their more energetic friends.

Nagisa would win the claw machines games for Megu, making her overjoyed (think, a dolphin plushie).

Kataoka would in return use her mastery of knifemanship to win at games that revolve around quick-thinking, and dexterity. Darts, maybe?

I can see them go for clothes shopping too; they both trust eachother, and know of the others issues regarding how they're percieved, but also the fact they aren't BFF helps with honesty when chosing a piece.

In the future (think, the 7 years timeskip), I think that Nagisa (who is busy, due to his teaching) and Kataoka (when she lands back in Kunugigaoka, being a flight attendant) they unexpectedly end up having a free hour to spend together, at a café.

Doing things like catching up, sharing anecdotes from cabin crew and passagers, or from colleagues and students. They definitely would do it, lightheartedly, with Kanzaki too, who'd talk about her patients.

I hope you liked it :) There's not much to go off from in canon, but I genuinely think they would have a mature, 'stable person I can rely on if needed' sort of dynamic, despite everything.

My ask box is still open for headcanon requests!

Kimchay in Hogwarts <3

Yes, I'm still stuck on my fic but here's a Kimchay Hogwarts AU.

Like I said in my last post, Kim's a Slytherin in a house full of Gryffindors (straight parallel to Sirius, who was a Gryffindor in a house of Slytherins) and Porchay is a Hufflepuff, just like his brother.

To make all characters fit in, let's just pretend that Kim's only a year older than Chay but they're in the same year as Kim rolled in late. So, both of them are in their 5th year. Chay's 15 while Kim just turned 16.

Kim's the lone wolf of 5th year. (Inspired by Regulus Black my beloved) and doesn't really interact much with anyone. Dubbed the Ice Prince due to his stunning looks but his cold face, he mostly stays to himself with his nose stuck in a book and does his things without bothering anyone. He's, obviously, a star here as well for his music, but it's always uploaded anonymously, and so far no one knows who actually Wik is. So yeah, he's more than a bit touch starved and very bad at actual student social interaction. He doesn't even talk to his brother/s at school at all due to the constant rivalry between Gryffindors and Slytherins (never mind the fact that he thinks Kinn doesn't even want to talk to him after his sorting). Vegas, for the most part, leaves him alone unless there are some "joint jobs" to do with Kim. Macau, being the annoying cousin he is, always seems to stick to Kim and disrupt his peace. But that's all anyone sees on the surface.

Porchay's the sunshine of 5th-year students. A chill guy who's fun to hang out with and never judging. Everyone knows him or has at least heard of him (just like everyone knows Kim but for exactly different reasons). He's famous for his kind personality and acceptance of all things weird(TM). He's comfortable with his sexuality and is a great help to students who just want to explore or talk about their gender/sexuality issues to someone other than an adult. An absolute Wik fan and always daydreaming about who the person could actually be. So yeah, he's comfortable in his lanky form, has a cool brother who's also a pain in his arse, helps around at the herbology garden whenever he can, and is a good tutor, even if he is not that extraordinary at studies. The other students are kind of freaked out by the two brothers. It's like they have twin telepathy with the way they understand each other by just looks.

Anygays, That's their background in the school.

Kim's a straight-A student, obviously. He's an extraordinarily strong wizard, being able to do a variety of spells that someone of his age shouldn't be able to. This just adds to the rumors that already surround him though, about how he's secretly a dark magic practice and stuff. He's on top of the class by a mile to the other students, untouchable even in his studies. The one class he thrives the most is Defense Against Dark Arts, it's as if he was born to do it. Ironic considering his overall image at school.

But of course, every smart student faces a challenge in at least one class, and for him it's Herbology. Even though animals absolutely adore him, it's as if these plants can't even look in his direction. It's frustrating him to no end. He's mad at himself too, how can a few plants hate him with such an intensity that they won't even come near his hands???

It's bad for his OWLs too, which he's already stressed enough about it as it is, he doesn't need saplings adding to it. He needs to pass this class damn it!

The worst part is that no one's willing to help him. He doesn't really have anyone to ask for help. He's 100% sure Kinn would walk the other way if he even comes close to him (he already averts his eyes whenever they see each other anyway). Macau's just as shit as him in caring for anything, no matter alive or not. Vegas doesn't even take these classes, and even if he did, Kim wouldn't go near him with a ten-foot pole. It's not really as if he has any friends, with students always walking the other way if he so much as comes close to them. And he gets it, okay? He absolutely does. He wouldn't go near himself if he could, either. But this also means he's stuck without any help and he's scared of falling behind in his classes and what Papa would do if he failed one.

Enter Porchay, An absolute god at Herbology but horrendously lacking in his Defence against Dark Arts skills. He also wants to pass OWLs with flying colors, if only to help his brother and make him proud. After all, Porsche passed with one of the highest scores of his age, and who is Porchay if not competitive?

It starts one evening when Porchay's helping Professor Sprout with arranging the new batch of seeds needed for the second semester when he sees Kim, sitting in one of the greenhouses and looking at a book with such fury Porchay was scared that it might just catch fire.

Of course, Porchay recognized him. Kimhan Theerapanyakul is a mystery to everyone in Hogwarts. A kid that didn't speak much but always seemed to look superior to anyone. Porchay has seen him around the school, and even shares a few classes with him, but has never talked to him. He's beautiful, Porchay thinks, vastly different from his two older Gryffindor brothers.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he asks Professor Sprout what Kim's doing here, to which she sighs and tells him how that kid just won't give up on this class even though he's on the verge of failing.

And hey, Porchay can respect a stubborn person with enough fire to keep going. It's when the professor goes on to say how he's got more than enough points from his DADA classes that a light bulb goes off in his head.

Porchay's always been a bit reckless, a trait shared between both the Kittiswat brothers. He knows and has heard about the different rumors surrounding the other boy, ranging from curious to borderline disturbing, but will he listen to them? No. He likes to make observations on people by himself, something that will eventually be his downfall, but for now, it's that curiousness that pushes him forward to stand behind the green-clad boy and tap his shoulders.

He interestingly notes how Kim didn't even flinch at the sudden contact but simply looks at him with an eyebrow raised.

For now, Porchay extends his right hand out for a handshake, smiles brightly, and says, "Hello, I'm Porchay, and I'd love for you to be my DADA tutor"

What Aaravos says : And i can better serve you

What Aaravos means : And you can better serve me

So like I've been mulling this over because

What is the difference between a servant and a pawn, if there is one?

Is such an interesting question, thematically. And it shows how someone can take concepts and either purposefully misconstrue them or genuinely honour them, which is to say: King Harrow and Aaravos are set up as perfect ideological opposites and I think it's really fucking cool.

Where Harrow sees strength in children

"The great illusion of childhood is that adults have all the freedom and power. But the truth is the opposite: a child is freer than a king."

Aaravos sees them as someone to dismiss

"These are the champions you've gathered to try and stop me? Why, they're nothing but pathetic children."

Where Harrow did his best to be a servant king as the most powerful person in his kingdom, for Aaravos (the most powerful being in the world), it is a guise and a mask

Their hatred of arrogance

as well as the core principle of Freedom that Harrow has that Aaravos is chasing, both interwoven and passed down to Callum in giving him the Key

Where Harrow did everything he could to make Callum feel welcome and at home in their family, Aaravos merely wants to add him to a collection of pawns

There are also old concept art in which Aaravos was blindfolded, reminiscent of Harrow's choice from Lady Justice. Not to mention Harrow as someone who was like Aaravos (and many others) in that he perpetuated the cycle out of misplaced love / a rageful grief (which, if Aaravos is doing the same because he fell in love with a human, would also provide those sweet Harrai parallels) but unlike Aaravos, he changed his mind. Even if their ideas of servitude are a bit similar, re: the kneeling motif

Which of course, makes sense; Harrow was a man with his life tragically shortened, burdened by regret, anchored by his own crown/chain and by the end of his life, believed wholeheartedly in the Narrative of Love. Even more than someone like Viren, Aaravos appears to wholeheartedly believe in a Narrative of Strength (especially if there is no one left he loves). Which is why I think it's so interesting like, Arc 1 for Harrow is a tragedy told in retrospect and at least partially in reverse; unlike everyone else, he never lives to see the Dragon Prince that he felt so much guilt over returned, that the peace he probably wanted (for his sons if nothing else) was not only achievable, but something that happened. And now Arc 2 is starting to shift the stage, beginning in S4 with setup, of being a tragedy for everyone else who outlived him (for S5 and S6 at least) because the Wheel of the Cycle has yet to stop fully turning and it's so fucking good?

Which is compounded with what I've touched on more briefly before of each of the Main Trio having Core Traits of Harrow that they are then responsible for carrying for the sake of thematic exploration.

Rayla is Harrow's martyrdom (right or wrong) and concept of paying the price, as well as hunting down 'monsters' to solve all her problems; Callum wrestles with Harrow's temptation regarding dark magic and the weight of choices / unintended consequences; Ezran has the place as literal king with a reinvigorated crown and having to well, be king, as well as upholding a relationship to Xadia / the dragon monarchy that's the opposite of his father. All three of them are called to Do Better.

So Aaravos being in some ways the embodiment of history - powerful, ancient, unknown and lost to time - is the perfect opposing threat, because how can you Free yourself from the Past, from the Chains of History, if you can't "learn from it, understand it, and then let it go"?

But like Harrow said so long ago, and as S4 is demonstrating even in a post-outright war world

And now we get to see it unfold first hand

Eclipse Disclaimer

I feel I need to put this out because of an AO3 comment from who I suspect is the same person past chapters that thought the Eclipse fic was going to align with their cookie cutter shape of Kara and Lena. It’s an exploration on the complexities of Kara being a human vs. Kryptonian as a last child of what she believed an extinct race and culture, with memories of a society on a highly advanced Krypton that strove for perfection in every way—a society, if you were paying attention, was heavily implied (like almost explicitly) throughout in my fic to be respected or feared, to colonize and look down upon others they deemed primitive or not as equal to their intellect and technology. By extension, it’s also Rao-imbued Supergirl struggling to figure out humanity as a newborn deity, one that is supposed to be perfect and godly and so exacting it’s inhuman and unsettling. It’s also an exploration of Lena's struggles against her dark side and the unhealthy relationships she experienced in her childhood that pushed attention on and kept attention from a child, where she was also expected to be perfect and achieve a greatness that required her to channel the Luthor family xenophobia and cutthroat cruelty, to use money and education as a means of disseminating anti-alien rhetoric to displace and genocide an entire demographic off the face of the Earth.

It’s a Kara and Lena who don't perfectly communicate and resolve what they're feeling in a single paragraph. This is them with the hard feelings that come and go as they're processed—emotions are fickle, people are conflicted, and in the heat of heightened moments they say, think, and do things they regret, like self-pity, holding grudges, rationalizing an action or behavior they know is wrong, and continuing to do so some time or long after being slapped in the face with their decisions. These are behaviors Kara and Lena exhibited even after the same problems resurfaced in different ways where they stumbled, faltered, recovered, made the same mistake however more, and eventually grew past them that's exhibited throughout the show.

They're heroes, but they're not incapable of being narrow-minded and bigoted in the comics and show, and they like many are shown quick to defend themselves when their characters and what they stand for are critiqued—what makes them different and good is that they're able to compartmentalize and tamp down those snappy judgements they made in the moment or as time passes, a maturity that's faster for Kara than Lena.

This fic shows trauma and difficult recovery, perfection and imperfection, humanity and humanness, religion and being god-like, assimilation and integration as an immigrant that's a stark dichotomy between two very different survivors, the "palatibility" of heroes, and a great deal more the show couldn't and/or wouldn't address when it was trying to flesh out like six different characters. Of course, many of these topics parallel racism. Perhaps this isn’t immediately discernible to a fandom that, I presume, is mostly yt women who stan a wlw couple who are also yt women, but there will be moments you might not be comfortable with the very real issues the show failed to portray dealing with xenophobia/racism. And to that I say make yourself uncomfortable. Because how American BIPOC perceive and portray media is actually vastly different than how yt consumers see things.

Random Failtopia thoughts

(Some of these are new, some of these are not, most aren't canon)

"Pyrotechnic" is a perfectly viable ship name for Lanchi.

Orion struggled to differentiate between Slapo's autism and Shrimp's ADHD, hence the brick for a gift.

Bill being the Cat class initially is never explained, but we know he met Chat right before his first onscreen appearance, and they're obsessed with a man in the Cat class, so the dots connect for it to be Chat who convinced Bill to take up the class.

Chi's illiteracy in S1 probably means she didn't know how to spell anyone's name, especially Pirahnyawn's.

Not one person ever questions the massive circles, grey skin, and complete lack of eye contact that make up Bo's face, because Miitopia faces are usually that fucked-up.

The reason the Dark Lord needed a ghost specifically to assassinate Mar was because the Chef himself is a ghost (Dark Curse), and only a ghost can kill another ghost.

Erica studies anatomy regularly in S2, which means she knows that a regular person begins dying at 25, her current age, so it's no wonder she always has death on her mind.

Bo and Rose being immediate family is impossible, but Rose being a descendant of Bo is not, under the assumption that despite not having children herself, Bo's bloodline didn't die with her.

The only three characters to have a canonical dynamic with Slapo are Orion, Mar, and Bo.

All we know about Chat's backstory is that they came from the Otherworld, and are obsessed with Failboat. The only big thing Failboat did in the Otherworld was the S1 final boss fight, which ended in a huge explosion. It's entirely possible that this explosion is what disrupted the Otherworld faces, to the point they formed Chat.

Erica likes to cut things short, but when she's around Bo, she keeps launching into long rambles about how great she is. These are the only times she feels like she can let her thoughts loose, since Bo did just that in the greenhouse by revealing her darkest secret.

On a similar note, Erica's past keeps being thrown back in her face, while Bo can never get her past back, no matter how hard she tries.

Due to Zone having both pink and black appearances, there may or may not be two Zones. That, or Friend's a good enough hat maker to alter Zone's colouring themselves. Considering her passion for his clothing, it's probably the latter.

Were it not for the S2 Greenhorne Arc, Hank would probably have a similar amount of screentime to Slapo.

Marion is a semi-canon ship, by the definition of one party canonically having romantic feelings toward the other, but whether Orion returns Mar's feelings is made comedically unclear.

Chi has inconsistent opinions on spicy food throughout the series, maybe because her fire obsession gets to the point that she has extremely high standards for what's spicy enough.

Rose holds her fan in the specific way she does to hide the mole on her face, something she's grown to hate because it sets her apart from the image of Rosalina.

"Deko" is not his real name, he was probably given Izuku Midoriya at birth, but his new name had to come from somewhere. That place may have been the lab where he was experimented on. The project name may have been along the lines of "DEK-0".

The lab experiment thing also makes it really funny that the only two people he really bonds with are the Scientists of the series.

Shrimp's in-universe fandom could very well be toxic. There are definitely people who are a little too interested in finding out where that 'mysterious' chip on her tooth came from.

Bill is the only character who consistently calls out Chat for their reckless behaviour. In other words, he's the one who moderates Chat.

If Kronkui didn't control who joined the team, TFFM would be down six members (Bob, Smuk, Deko, Rose, Yawn, Joker). TI, on the other hand, would only be down three members (Orion, Failboat, Chat).

Chi gets very protective when enemies are close to her allies in S1, and in parallel, Erica gets very protective when enemies are close to her allies in S2, especially if that ally is Chi.

Despite Failica being everything that they aren't, the first ship ever concocted in Failtopia was Smukle Bob.

After watching The Sandman and falling completely in love with Hob Gadling and Ferdinand Kingsley, I've jumped into Victoria without a second thought after finding out that our beloved Ferdie starred in it.

I have now finished the first season and, apart from really liking the show, my mind has slowly been creating this AU in which Charles Francatelli, the character Ferdinand plays in Victoria, is actually one of Hob Gadling's alter egos through the centuries.

There is quite a resemblance between the two characters' personalities and there have been a couple of scenes that made me scream: "Omg, this would be such a nice parallel with the Sandman!"

So here's my essay:

"WHY CHARLES FRANCATELLI AND HOB GADLING ARE THE SAME PERSON"

Warning: there will be Victoria S1 and The Sandman S1 spoilers

Firstly and foremost, I have to aknowledge the obvious: they're both golden retrievers. This is quite an easy one, but both of the characters are so kind and genuine and have an incredible joy for life, from what I was able to see, that you simply cannot love them immediately!

In Victoria, Francatelli is a great chef. Like, an incredibly good chef. And it would makes sense that Hob Gadling, an immortal who must have lived thousands of lives, might have become incredibly good at many things, cooking being one of it.

Francatelli, as a chef, is always looking for new flavours and combinations and he's delighted when Nancy, a dressmaker he then falls in love with, suggests adding something to enhance his already great work. And this love for novelty really reminds me of another character we all know...

This love for new things is also shown when he shows Nancy (yes, I will talk a lot about her, so what?) the ice they have in the palace and you can tell he's so happy that he can show her something unexpected and new (just as Hob was so passionate when telling Dream about all those changes he had witnessed in 1489)

In episode 1x06 of Victoria, Francatelli quite literally faces the indian plague in the London slums to go rescue Nancy's cousin and her baby and he puts them in a better accomodation. Now, his gesture alone makes him a brave man that we know Hob already is, but also it would make sense that Hob Gadling, a man who cannot die, would go in a place like that to help someone else (even if it is to impress the woman he loves)

Still in 1x06 of Victoria, after helping her, Francatelli asks Nancy for something in return, and what does he wants, I hear you ask? Her FUCKING NAME! When I tell you I screamed at that scene because a) OMG, THIS MAN IS THE MOST ADORABLE CUTIEPIE THAT I'VE EVER SEEN ON TELEVISION WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S NOT REAL??? b) obviously Hob Gadling, who's spent the last 400 years meeting with and crushing on a stranger who never revealed his name, would want to know first thing first the name of the person he's falling in love with!

In 1x07 of Victoria, Francatelli prepares a dinner date and a special dessert for Nancy (he literally creates it just for her!) and, apart from the fact that all that scene is just so. freaking. adorable!, all I could think of was Hob and the big feast he arranged to impress Dream in 1589. This man really read somewhere that "the quickest way to your crush's heart is through their stomach" and blindly believed it.

The fact that we know close to nothing about Francatelli's backstory lets my mind wonder... we just know that he worked his way to get where he is and that he comes from a lowly background, which could easily apply to Hob (quick reminder, I'm still in S1, so they might delve into Charles' backstory more in future seasons)

Also, very small detail, but Francatelli says at some point that "he never forgets a face" and, I don't know, I feel like Hob could have a good memory for people. Remembering those he met and lost along the way; friends, family, lovers and so on...

These are my main thoughts for now. I will add more as they come to me and as I watch more seasons (I've already spoiled myself quite a bit of the third season and GOD!, there are some good and painful parallel right there!)

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed my ramblings! :D

OKAY GENSHIN CRACK THEORY TIME SINCE I NEVER ACTUALLY TYPED IT OUT BEFORE!

The little corner of the fandom I'm in has this headcanon/crack theory and I want to expand on it.

That theory? Sucrose is a creation of Il Dottore.

Now it makes no sense, right? Complete opposites, they've never met, probably are completely unaware of the other's existence. But I'm going to try to unpack some things. Sucrose's character's stories said that she had a thoroughly normal childhood. She grew up like any other Mondstadt citizen. We can't really dig into her past to get any evidence of this theory.

Or can we? While we can't pull from lore directly we can look at literary parallels. I did a bit of digging through artifact information, specifically the Time of Insight artifact from the Deepwoods Memory set. Through it, it's implied that Dottore as a young man had a small friend group of him and two others. Together, these three had a dream of achieving immortality and preserving their minds forever. It later fell apart, with the other two forgetting their promise. This could possibly be one the many reason he drove himself to become functionally immortal through his segments.

That parallels Sucrose's story almost exactly. In her character story, it is directly stated that she had two friends who all dreamed of finding a wonderland at the edges of Teyvat. They promised each of they would go looking for it one day, but the group drifted apart with only Sucrose still holding onto the dream. Even now her bio-alchemy research is, at it's core, meant to create that wonderland.

Now as for similarities in personality. Which seem also seems nonexistent. Sucrose is anxiety incarnate and Dottore exudes confidence like he's radioactive. But I'm not talking about that. I'm talking more about how they go about their work. Dottore, as we know is callous with his test subjects. He has no care for their wellbeing aside from if he is able to continue using them. His research is dangerous and thorough, with evidence of that found in his careful notes taken about his research on Eleazar.

Sucrose isn't that evil in the slightest, but she can also be a bit callous in her own way. She keeps the bones of hilichurls and other animals in her lab. In her character story, it mentions this one time where she practically stalked Diona for a week to observe similarities between them. She can fill her room wall to wall with research about one thing, shutting herself away for that entire time. These two value research above all else whether it's to other people's detriment, or their own.

And as a final point, even their designs share some similarities. Both of they're clothing designs mostly an off-white and dark blue with gold accents. Both of them also wear capes. Sucrose's outfit almost feels like a derivative of Dottore's. To further add onto it, Sucrose has a streak of blue hair right at the front of her bangs, and while it's a not as vibrant as Dottore's, it's still a similar shade. If we are to run with this theory, could Sucrose have been made to become one of Dottore's segments? Perhaps she was supposed to be, but Dottore decided to further experiment and create an entirely new being. He has the tools to do so.

But why abandon his creation? Well, maybe he saw no use for her, but didn't want to destroy something he made. Maybe he hoped she'd become a great mind like him. And perhaps he'd retrieve her one day.

Hope you like this theory! Also if you have any other connections feel free to tell me.

Your passion towards Nord lore and culture is sparking my enthusiasm so much further, thank you for your contribution to something I did not I cared so much about ✨😤 I was also curious about the parallels and similarities of Kyne's position and symbolism similarly to a real life counterpart of Slavic culture - Perun. Of course, TES Nords understandably were inspired by the ancient nordic cultures of the north, and Slavs were a sister-culture, and a very close and mixed civilization to those who we call 'Vikings' nowadays. Still, I find it really fascinating, and I'm grateful for your writing and art inspiring a lot of interest to delve deeper into this!

What a great message! You've really struck on a special interest of mine, the Viking Age and how all those cultures were interacting and clashing and blending while this inescapable tide (Christianity) washed over europe. There's a lot of inspiration and comparison to be done when thinking about headcanon!

Of course, I regularly read far deeper into things than we're ever shown in the games, but that's the fun. It's fascinating to point out and track real-world references and ideas in this fiction!

Opening statement: Nords are socially and aesthetically Norse. Religiously they are not!

There are MASSIVE parallels between Kyne and Perun, especially as chiefs of their pantheons. The thunder/sky domains of the goddess and the similarities to the norse Thor also can't be ignored, but the fact that the Norse and nord gods both are fallible beings who can die and change is probably the biggest parallel. I'd even say that regliously, nords are proto-Norse or celtic, closer to animism than the story-based Norse mythology we're all familiar with (which isn't to say stories aren't important to TES Nords, they're vital even, but worship of natural forces and magic and personifying them in gods is more their game in my mind. Kyne does not control the wind, it IS her breath. She is Monahven- "Mother Wind").

Side thought-> It’s pretty savvy of the lore writers to have nords- the ‘first men’ and supposed oldest human culture in the fictional world- be spiritually so tied to voices, sounds, air and story. These were real human’s first tools! I think we could sing long before we could use words. It’s how we communicate with the world. A shout feels primal in ways we never figured out words to describe. It’s the perfect metaphor for making a fictional culture feel truly ancient. Before they had steel, they had breath and their voice.

CULTURALLY, largely yes, the nords are Norse (using this term as it's the easiest catch-all for scandinavian peoples during the expansion period of 700-1100) there's no denying it. Back from when the Elder Scrolls was first made it was clear these are the Viking analogue beside the Arab/Persian analogue of Redguards and Imperial Romans of Cyrodiil. It's a fantastic jumble of cultures and why shouldn't it be!

Personally, I view the nords as much more mixed in their inspirations when it comes to religion. I see Ancient Egyptian animal veneration (Kyne and Shor also do a pretty good turn at Isis and Osiris). I see Roman polytheism in how present and integrated gods are into every aspect of life and how willing nords are to adopt new ones. I see the ancestor veneration of neolithic Europe (the same principles from east Asia might be more at home with the Dunmer).

The biggest, hugest reference I love to explore when thinking about this fiction is the parallels between the nord spiritualism and Mongolian shamanism and the veneration of Tengri, (lit. 'the sky'). It folds together all these styles of worship we see in the nords and even included veneration of a cultural hero, Ghengis Khan, into it's later mythos as he ascended and was deified.

Circling back to the Norse elements, I think the nords as we see them currently very similiar to the Rus of the Viking Age. They were ethnically Norse, travelled and changed, met new religions and began to leave theirs behind. The Slavic angle, a region merged between an orthodox Christian east and Norse northwest, is a really good one to think about!!

One thing I really like to do is diversify the nord characters in my cast to better reflect that I'm pulling inspiration from other places than Scandinavia. Nothing will be a 1:1 direct pull, that would be terrible and appropriative to just paste them onto Fantasy Norway, but filtering and blending, and using real world scope for our context in fiction is very very fun.

Anyway thanks for reading :)

Hello, hope you’re having a great day!!

What are your thoughts on a yound Fiddleford meeting young Stan? Maybe Portal-era (before Fidds starts getting concerned bout the project)? Or maybe while Ford&Fidds were still in college? I really don’t know how exactly any of those would go, but I’d frankly sell my soul to know what those two’s dynamic would be like. The potential!

so if we're looking at a timeline that stays mostly canonically accurate, i personally don't think its very likely the two would've met up. (Unless if you're talking about an idea that takes a large step away from canon at some point. Then you have a lot more options there to make things happen!)

The entire possibility of fiddleford and stan meeting up that soon is completely up to ford. which means its almost entirely out the window if you wanted to stay close to canon LOL.

In college we can assume ford was very closed up about stan and what happened, so fiddleford had very little information about who stan was or what his intentions may have been (especially that it was an accident). You can try to think of it from fiddlefords perspective too. Imagine if your best friend approaches you about a topic you can tell affects them greatly. if they tell you they feel like they were betrayed and hurt by someone close to them, one of the last things you'll probably tell them is "you should try talking to him again". you are likely going to be biased towards your friend after all. most people are. so i think in a mostly canonical sense things would've been at a stalemate between ford and stan in the 70s.

you mentioned specifically the part of the timeline where fiddleford wasn't concerned about the project and i think for a similar reason nothing would've transpired. the only difference is that ford probably talks about stan in a serious way even LESS than he did right after the separation. and the family that probably takes precedent in fiddlefords mind at this point in his life is his own.

now! i do think that if there ever was a chance it could happen it could only happen after ford and fiddleford had hit the brink. but theres a lot of "ifs" there. but they're possible! bc like i said, fords gotta be the person to initiate contact. which in canon, was only fords last resort. I have no idea what it would’ve taken for stan to say something first. I feel like he didnt want to appear desperate. he wanted to make his family proud first, prove to them he could do it on his own (even though he was kicked out as a child..) but anyways, if we’re talking about them all 3 possibly being in the same room in 1982, either fiddleford and stanford would’ve had to made up before stan arrived or! stan and ford would've had to made up soon enough to not push ford through the portal and for ford to try to reach out to fiddleford again (since we know he tried once, maybe stan could help him with that the next time? probably.) either way the only way i could see them all 3 being in the same room is post fords betrayal by bill. I just dont think ford would’ve reached out.which is a shame bc i think their dynamic would’ve been pretty funny and every once in a while i like to draw all 3 of them, but i have no idea how they would’ve gotten to that point lol.

months back i did try drawing those ideas on how fiddleford would’ve been approached (usually by stan) so ford and fiddleford could start talking about what the hell was going on, but they were all just ideas, nothing solid, and they both took place post betrayal.(x) (x) (x)

Which once again sucks bc it would be so funny to have a dynamic thats like (stan)<- likes to pester ford (fiddleford)<-ALSO likes to pester ford. thats funny stuff. I think they’d easily get along imo but the odds are not likely on them knowing each other that early.

(edit: one other thing i forgot to point out was that i know some people think that in the parallel universe stan actually comes back to gravity falls to work with the both of them at some point! which i think is a nicer outlook on the dimension given what we know, but i havent thought much about that. its very intriguing to me and kinda nice to think about stan ending up somewhere nice in that dimension. but that is outside the timeline window you mentioned.)

basically tldr: ive spent a LOT of time thinking about it and as much as the dynamic wouldve been fun, i cant see it happening quite that early. fords too stubborn for that.

I thought the point of Gwindor bringing up Finduilas as standing between Túrin and his doom was just that if Túrin marries Finduilas then he can't later marry Níniel, thus avoiding one of the worst results of the curse.

Possibly! But I think it's more than just avoiding the worst case scenario, I think it's actively the best case scenario

The reason I'm so very attached to it is specifically this

‘A Man you seem in stature, and indeed more than many already,’ Thingol answered; ‘but nonetheless you have not come to the fullness of your manhood that shall be. Until that is achieved, you should be patient, testing and training your strength. Then, maybe, you can remember your kin; but there is little hope that one Man alone can do more against the Dark Lord than to aid the Elf-lords in their defence, as long as that may last.’

Then Túrin said: ‘Beren my kinsman did more.’ ‘Beren, and Lúthien,’ said Melian. ‘But you are over-bold to speak so to the father of Lúthien. Not so high is your destiny, I think, Túrin son of Morwen, though greatness is in you, and your fate is twined with that of the Elven-folk, for good or for ill. Beware of yourself, lest it be ill.’

Nellas and Finduilas also both remark on the similarities between Turin and Beren, with Nellas saying not everybody would be able to see it. Which makes me think Finduilas is genuinely onto something, rather than just... wishfully thinking of a man who married an elf.

Anyway, before Luthien, Beren is fighting Morgoth in a way not too dissimilar to Turin. Besides, in terms of inheriting broken houses, Beren and Turin are pretty much the same, though of course with the houses of Beor and Hador respectively. There's a parallel there.

Now, I'm not suggesting Turin would personally walk into Angband and live, and Melian straight up says that's not his fate, but I do think he might've been able to accomplish more if he had Finduilas. Of course, Finduilas isn't half-Maia either, so there's also that to account for. But in my mind (and I'm fully aware that I may be wrong) there seems to be something going on here beyond just making Turin unavailable for Nienor.

Now, I don't actually like Turin and Finduilas marrying, because I much prefer them as friends, but historically, men who marry up in Tolkien (assuming Finduilas counts as "up" which Tolkien would probably say she does) tend to have a better shot at life than even men who marry non-sister wives of the save social standing.

I think Turin's fate as it is is twined with that of the Elven-folk very much for ill, but perhaps the thing Tolkien might've been trying to get at is that if he married Finduilas, it'd be for good. How? I don't know. Like I said, it doesn't even appeal to me (give me BROTPs or give me death), but if I'm just following the patterns Tolkien's stories seem to follow, that does seem to be a strong possibility? Maybe even just... Continuing the Hadorian bloodline, Peredhel version, which of course Tuor also does, but maybe since the Hadorians are the First House they're supposed to have more Peredhil than the Beorians? Or maybe it's about having Arafinwean Peredhil running around? I don't know, but it feels significant (but full disclaimer, I haven't read this book in a decade, so I'm going off my impressions from when I'd read it, so I may be saying nonsense here)

I laughed when you said you regret reading the opinions on Twitter. I did too. I was wondering if we all watched the same show. So many people saying we got no EO. Like huh? Yes SVU was about Amanda but the EO was there.

Mirror Effect. Olivia was watching Amanda deal with PTSD. She wasn’t only seeing things from an ‘I’ve been through that too’ point of view. But she also saw how it was affecting Carisi and her kids. Amanda wasn’t taking therapy seriously and her actions was scaring the people in her life who love her. You can’t convince me that she wasn’t seeing Elliot in Amanda’s behavior.

And the being alone and learning to love yourself line that has people upset. That wasn’t just about her. That was about Elliot too. And Olivia saying that doesn’t mean the writers won’t flip things and have them move a bit faster. We just don’t know.

Then on OC. The show has often taken their titles from movies. Catch Me If You Can. A movie about a man who is always on the run. Taking on different personalities. That has been Elliot since Kathy was killed. In the bar, he saw the news story about the death of the cop with a wife and 5 kids. It hit too close to home. He looked in the mirror and finally saw Elliot Stabler. (Mirror Effect!) With so much pent up negative emotions, he did what he does when he can’t deal. He uses his fist. Hopefully this will lead to him going to therapy.

I feel like we are going to get EO but it’s not always going to be so in our face. We may get it in a more subtle ways until they can put Chris and Mariska together. This weeks episodes felt like progress to me. David is doing a great job working with the OC writers. People just need to be patient. The season just started! Lol

i've been thinking about this a lot, bc it's been three episodes, and i have seen people say they're disappointed in the lack of eo, when i've been living bc it already feels like so much more than what we were getting in the non-crossover episodes last season.

and the thing is, i wrote a post about this and then deleted it but i'm gonna say it here - it does feel like we're watching different shows, bc we are. everybody is going to bring different expectations and different backgrounds to the show, and those different perspectives will result in wildly different interpretations. a line i think is a positive for eo is seen as a negative by others; which one of us is right? ultimately, i think it doesn't matter. i don't think capital R Right is something we can be. i may disagree with people, but isn't a lot of this subjective? to paraphrase the dude, it's just, like, my opinion, man. so i do try to pull myself back. i'm don't manage it every time bc i'm not perfect but i do try to just. live and let live.

NOW that being said you raised some really interesting points about the epis i wanna talk about lmao

i find it really interesting bc i was so focused on the ways amanda's behavior reminded me of olivia - down to the scene of carisi disarming her at home just like cassidy had to do, to the point where i had to gif it - that i didn't make the connection between amanda's behavior and elliot's until you mentioned it. and what's really interesting to me about this is that both of those things are true - that you can draw a parallel between amanda and liv and amanda and elliot - and bc a=b and b=c, a also equals c. i wrote a lot right after elliot came back about the parallels between his ptsd and olivia's. and there's no way olivia hasn't noticed that connection, both to elliot and amanda. so it's a connective thread that's really fun to spin around in my head like a marble.

i wrote a post about the learning to love yourself line so i won't rehash my thoughts but - yes. exactly. AND we have no idea how fast the writers are planning to move things. we are getting episode four this week like this baby is just getting started we have such a long way to go and 2/3 of this shit isn't even filmed yet lmao

AND anon your mind!!! the mirror effect/elliot seeing his face in the mirror, what a connection! i am honeslty super excited about this season bc the shows are actually being written as if they exist in the same universe for once! the svu ME turning up on oc! nods to eo on both svu and oc! benson and stabler both getting mini mes to train! it feels so cohesive and that is so exciting to me.

i absolutely think we are getting progress. and subtle is how l&o has ALWAYS done relationships. no one knows when liv and tucker officially got together. liv fucked cassidy in the s13 finale/s14 opener and it was such a tease, we only saw her naked in a bed with two wine glasses on the table and someone in the shower, only got a little tiny nod from cassidy to reveal that something was going on. kurt moss appears out of thin air and vanishes just as quickly. a possible romantic something with bayard ellis was teased but never outright explained. this is not a show that hands us things. we have to pick apart the nuances. and the nuances say eo is full steam ahead, so i'm not mad at it.