@salzrand​ - Mama Rosie with two of her babies <3 I still cannot with how pretty this pic is *heart eyes*

If that concept art’s supposed to be Flora or Aisha lemme just say white women have gone too far she looks like the Winx version of Jesy Nelson now

It definitely wouldn't be Flora! The dress itself is pretty blue and her eyes are also blue so if it wasn't Aisha, it would have to be Bloom which I really don't think it is.

but also yes aldjhglajdg that made me cry she does look like jesy :')

Actually there is something DEEPLY funny about Brynden Tully accusing the Lannisters of being Jon Snow’s shadow sponsors. Blackfish. Baby. I know that We Hate Him but like the Lannisters very much DID kill his dad. I don’t think they’re besties.

real question: why do people keep accusing you of racefaking?

it’s alternately “racefaking” or “living in brownface” depending on whether the person thinks I’m actually lying about my ethnicity, or else just faking some aspects of my appearance (a perm, self tanner, &c.) in order to “look stereotypically North African” (?! I look NA because I’m NA, lmfao)

tbh I don’t know why, no one has furnished actual evidence other than the fact that I look paler in certain photos than others (said people not seeming to understand how “sun exposure” works)

I kind of think that there’s just a lot of scrutiny of woc’s appearances to begin with, and the rush and thrill of Internet Detective culture, + the tendency of white women to blackfish or otherwise to try to look like lightskinned woc in recent years when that look has been trendy, have lead to an increased desire to try to dig up women’s (weirdly enough… always women’s…) baby and childhood photos to prove something or knock them down a peg or whatever.

ironically this kind of scrutiny is probably more readily applied to women of colour than to white women, given that our appearances (and ideas about our appearances) are more culturally charged to begin with, and we’re easier to ostracise and have less social éclat than white women do, &c.

also the ask that kicked off this bit was from a member of kiwifarms, and I’m not sure if they actually think I’m racefaking so much as, it’s a convenient accusation to level to try to annoy me, since they’ve already been at me for years for unrelated reasons (i.e. “not being a terf” and, ironically, “thinking racism exists and is bad”)

tl;dr: 🤷🏻‍♀️

what is your take on jaime infant trebuchet threat?

here is my read of it:

I take into heavy consideration how it is contextualized by the preceding chapters and Jaime’s development in general. A very important thing about how Jaime changes is that it is not just about morality, knighthood, honor, etc. He is also noticeably developing in how he approaches things along with his relationship to the self + the fact that he is more conscious: he is confronting things, he is using his brain (everybody please clap)

“His brother never untied a knot when he could slash it in two with his sword.”

Now, because Jaime’s relationship with his idealism, his honor, his self etc. has changed so drastically, this situation becomes a knot. There is no more “most expedient way to achieve my goal enabled through my cynical ‘pragmatism’.” This is a knot that he can’t cut through because that would be going against keeping an oath, an oath that now means something to him again. And Jaime has reflected on his gordian knot approach since his hand loss.

Let’s see what problem the Blackfish poses:

From Jaime’s perspective, his resolve is an iron fortress. There is an emphasis that idle threats do not work on him.

What does Jaime primarily learn from this roast session from Brynden? The reputation that he (and his family) had earned for him will not allow for negotiation. Not with someone like Brynden. It does not only speak of how dysfunctional Tywin’s method is in the long term, but also how Jaime has a persona in the collective consciousness. It is something that will not go away, perhaps ever. He has reflected about how he no longer has the means to cut through his problems in a literal sense, and cutting through this knot in a less literal sense would lead to bloodshed and the breaking of vows (I wanna add that it is also not a simple situation where rejecting his role and abandoning this situation all together is a necessarily clean alternative. Jaime is an instrument of a regime, he is not the ultimate power here, he belongs to the crown, and he isn’t irreplaceable, so it is not like he as an independent force can make Lannister presence disappear here, even if he wanted to. Running from this knot would not fix anything, especially from the perspective that Brynden is doing nothing but a stubborn last stance with no end goal other than bringing as many Lannisters down to hell with him. While the ‘peace’ that he will create here is obviously temporary, and an uprising is brewing, his motivations and outlook in his current position are important. The siege remaining unresolved leads to the suffering of all sides involved, the Riverlands, already devastated by war, is starving, on top of this all being a threat to his family. The Blackfish scoured the country clean and expelled all useless mouths, the siege not being solved also leads to people starving. ) We can see how and why he now has to resort to new approaches, something he has learned previously in ASoS:

Tyrion would find a way. Let us use the cards we have been dealt. Especially the reputation that is used against us.

Also, what do the people around him suggest:

“Execute Edmure. Show that our threats are not idle”

Edmure is the key, is what Jaime eventually realizes, but not like that. What does Jaime do? He does not end up killing Edmure to show his threats have legitimacy to Brynden (part of it is the logical conclusion he makes about how that would strengthen his resolve, BUT he also does not go with a baby trebuchet threat to Brynden. I personally do not think Brynden is coldhearted enough to take that threat lightly (we know Jaime and co’s thoughts are a different matter), especially if he does not view it as an idle one. But the risk of the bluff being called is more present with Bryden, and then Jaime loses all credibility and chances to avoid bloodshed. There is a reason George wrote this how it is. I think we are supposed to scrutinize what exactly Jaime is saying, and to deliberately who.) He doesn’t execute Edmure and then go to Brynden with a baby trebuchet tier threat with the pretense that his threats are not empty anymore. No, he ends up using Edmure.

A Lannister pays his debts, he thought, and you’re the only coin that’s left to me.

He says this aloud. This is not a thought. This is not something he is reflecting upon based on everything that has been going on in the past chapters. This is a deliberate performance people are watching, specifically Edmure is watching.

“Must you make me say the words.” “He forced himself to smile” etc. He seems to have conflict with even getting these words out, because the people that are present, who he seemed to have built a relationship with, and presented the side of himself that is not just his ignoble reputation. We know Jaime has a very complicated relationship with his self concept, he is desperate for self affirmation as well as not being perceived as monstrous. Yet there is no alternative path here. There is a reason George sets this up: in order to keep his vow he has to embrace his reputation and make use of it instead of trying to save it. The part of this speech that I am showing here are Tywin’s words coming from his mouth. Genna pointed out something: (I do wanna say that there are nuances here, I also do not think this means Tyrion is some final villain and as horrible and cruel as Tywin) Jaime is not Tywin’s “son” (also foreshadowed when Tywin disowns him in ASoS: “You are not my son.” I always thought this was thematically significant considering the choices he starts making at that point). The emulation he does is supposed to be inauthentic. Again, Brynden does not care for these threats, but “soft-hearted” (not saying I agree with this sentiment, not even Jaime does as per ADwD, but it is the reputation he has in a classist and violently patriarchal society lol) Edmure does. Everything is set up by Jaime in this interaction seems to rely on this. If Edmure does not give in, the knot remains. If the knot remains, Jaime feels he would have to cut through it to keep his other vow (to his king and family), and if that is the case he is ready to die on the battlefield immediately because he does not really want to live with himself and his lack of progress (“Just more shit in the bucket. Jaime resolved to be the first man on the battlements. And with this golden hand of mine, most like the first to fall.”). Furthermore, I do not see the point of Jaime doing child trebucheting on top of breaking his vow and following up on what he told Brynden that he would do, especially if he feels recklessly suicidal enough over just having to break his vow lol. What would be the point? You could argue that Jaime can be self destructive enough to do it just to put it into stone how horrible he is, and then recklessly die, but again I do not think thats even a necessity for that for him atp. Jaime is not someone like Tywin. He is not about crazy acts of ruthlessness to overcompensate for a lack of dominance. His primary insecurity is not people not fearing him or questioning his authority, it is people perceiving him as a monstrous oathbreaker. To me, him comparing himself to Tywin here did not primarily feel like: “I really showed it to Genna, I am actually Tywin”, it was also a somber observation connected to this specific insecurity (ntm how Jaime views Tywin: “My father is dead as well” “May the Father judge him justly.” Now, there's an awful prospect.) Even if he keeps trying to emulate aspects of Tywin, I think he is aware deep down that that it incompatible with what he wants to be (see the anti-parallels in his ADwD chapter). I also put a lot more weight to Genna’s words about this because Jaime also seems very caught up in “these threats and methods are not chivalric”, not “they underestimate my strength.” (Lady Genna suggested that a few of the men might be put to the question. He refused. “I gave Edmure my word that if he yielded, the garrison could leave unharmed.” “That was chivalrous of you,” his aunt said, "but it's strength that's needed here, not chivalry." Ask Edmure how chivalrous I am, thought Jaime. Ask him about the trebuchet) Not to mention we have to think about Jaime’s main motivation in emulating Tywin.

Another big thing that is informative: Jaime’s guilt over Rhaegar’s children and that he did not protect them from his own father. If he is someone that feels guilt over that in his subconscious post-hand loss, would he really be capable of going through with this threat now? Not to mention the situation with Bran atp: link.

and where are we at ADwD?:

For an instant, the deep red clouds that crowned the western hills reminded him of Rhaegar’s children, all wrapped up in crimson cloaks.

“Is that why you killed all the Starks?”

“Not all,” said Jaime. “Lord Eddard’s daughters live. One has just been wed. The other …” Brienne, where are you? Have you found her? “… if the gods are good, she’ll forget she was a Stark. She’ll wed some burly blacksmith or fat-faced innkeep, fill his house with children, and never need to fear that some knight might come along to smash their heads against a wall.” The moment he reiterates Tywin’s dogma, he is flooded with all of this. His last decision in this chapter is going with Brienne, abandoning his position, abandoning his pursuit of the brotherhood (ntm how he didn’t parallel his father or the mountain and left the smallfolk alone despite them potentially holding information about the brotherhood) and disappearing with her because he is told Sansa would die otherwise, despite Tywin’s very dogma of “dead men and dead sons claim no vengeance.” It is not only treason, it is a risk in general. He is crippled and considerably more powerless, Brienne is injured, and yet they disappear together without a trace.

I think a more substantive criticism of Jaime and the handling of the Riverrun situation, other than a bunch of morally darker actions that he actually takes to ensure he is diminishing the threats against his family, is that he would supposedly forsake his vow for Cat in favor of the vow sworn to his king if he is truly completely cornered, which is the statement that he contradicts in ADwD anyways. (If the Blackfish would not listen, he would have no choice but to break the vow he'd made to Catelyn Stark. The vow he'd sworn his king came first.) This is not what your #kingslaying taught us my guy. Ofc, with Jaime and his narration it is always a bit of a gamble: not a moment later he is ready to say fuck it and die in trial by combat to escape the knot (return of the passive suicidal ideation, even saying that if he loses they lift the siege —the siege is out of his control once he dies so I suppose that lets him escape the vow to his king? still lmao—) And again, we see what vow he ends up prioritizing in ADwD. He started out the chapter thinking he is finally gonna return to his place by his king and son, after completing his orders, his primary vow, but…

It is also his old version seeping through. The one that does not want to face dilemmas. The one that is willing to escape them even if that means death. Again, dying for him is easy, living with difficult choices to make is hard.

“As I was fucking her, Cersei cried, 'I want.' I thought that she meant me, but it was the Stark girl that she wanted, maimed or dead.” The things I do for love. “It was only by chance that Stark's own men found the girl before me. If I had come on her first . . .” The pockmarks on Ser Ilyn's face were black holes in the torchlight, as dark as Jaime's soul.

Here is another thing to note, though. Jaime is also someone who, at some point in his life, was ready to do horrible things to an innocent child, with no “justification” like with Bran. He was so detached from his conscience that we was capable of this. This is at a point where he disconnected completely from his morality, and allowed his disillusionment to enable his behavior. He is aware of this. He starts reflecting on this, especially in relation to his evaluation of his relationship with Cersei. That is why he confesses to Ilyn (who is already a metaphor of the man Jaime became: the Lannister executioner, a sword for death etc etc). This is something that makes his soul dark, as pointed out by his narration. The fact that he acknowledges and reflects on this already speaks of change (not to mention that this confession is contextualized with him switching to real swords, taking Ilyn, a literal executioner, into a forest with no one around, and being like “kill me if you can” right after. I do not think Jaime is very happy or delusional with himself as a person here lmao). We do not learn of this from Cersei or anything. Jaime is the one confronting himself here. Jaime is no longer on autopilot. Jaime is trying to confront things. His moral compass is no longer locked away in his deep subconscious. The question now is whether that moral compass will win over all of his struggles with perception, his internal conflicts of his family facing an existential threat and the deterioration they cause and reinforce, and the ghosts of his past. That is what AFfC is starting to interrogate, along with hammering it home that certain vows will never be able to compromise, with many of Jaime’s delusions being forced to crumble one by one.

In ASOS and AFFC are we suppose to see jaime as a bundle of contradictions or something else? He saves Brienne from Loras and then has sex with Cersei in the sept by their dead son. He beheads a rapist and helps Pia but then threatens to kill and fling a baby. He doesn’t tell Blackfish about sansa or that Briene of Tarth is searching for her but ditches his army to run away with Brienne because she said she found sansa.

hmm so I don't know if this is coming in response to yesterday's ask about show!Jaime who I called a self-contradictory character, but contradictions and conflicts are not the same thing.

Jaime in the show is self-contradictory, because he tells himself he'd like to reclaim his honour and fill the White Book with good deeds, then shoves it off the table to fuck Cersei later in the same season and never thinks about it again. the notion of 'becoming a better person' sometimes seems to vaguely cross his mind at random moments, suggesting that as in early seasons, 'betterment' is an important theme for Jaime. but D&D do not want to commit to the theme, and so just wave it around impotently for the drama and to give Jaime's story the vaguest sense of a point, all whilst counterbalancing it with the entirely static relationship of the twins that they occasionally attempt to dismantle before deciding they can't commit to that and building it back up again, albeit unconvincingly

meanwhile, book Jaime also thinks that he wants to fill the White Book with good deeds, continues to mull over the meaning of carving a new legacy and pursuing honour and justice - all whilst struggling with the danger his family is in and the expectation that he should take up Tywin's mantle and methods in order to protect them. he does not abandon his hopes of reclaiming his honour when it suits him (as show Jaime often does) - rather, he clings to these hopes even when this actively works against him (see Genna's critique of Jaime as a leader and Jaime's methods as such). However, Jaime ultimately chooses personal honour in ADWD and does abandon his family - and this isn't contradictory, this is the character's decision in response to the many chapters struggling against the conflicting elements of his own storyline.

And likewise, Jaime's relationship with Cersei is also one of conflict, but not in the sense that it flip-flops - it moves in one direction. Jaime suspects the truth of Cersei, Jaime realises the truth of Cersei, Jaime distances himself from Cersei, Jaime abandons Cersei.

there are often times when Jaime's thoughts will contradict his words, and his words will contradict his actions, but his arc is not a contradictory one - it just encompasses conflicting elements, requiring the character concerned to sort through them in a way that is often drawn out and complicated. sometimes it induces conflicting emotions in him, sometimes it requires him to contradict his own hopes and wants. but it's cohesive and the vision is clear

Fuck it, let's talk about Littlefinger

(the ASOIAF character, not just fingers in general. Also, I've said "Brandon Stark" for Ned's brother, and "Bran Stark" for Ned's son)

Trigger warning: rape and forced abortion

So one of the things I've said before is that I love ASOIAF for many reasons, including the complexities and backstories of all the characters. I suppose that's why there's a bazillion characters and the books are so long.

Anyway, one interesting example of narrative framing is the perspective we get on Littlefinger. He's (arguably) the main antagonist in the first book and is responsible for everything from Jon Arryn and Ned's death to the Tyrell marriage to Joffrey's assassination. We see him as a scheming villain, determined to harm our saintly Starks.

Littlefinger was born as a second-generation immigrant and heir to a minor lordship. Thanks to his parents' relationship with fuckhead Hoster Tully, he got to foster at Riverrun, where he befriended Cat, Lysa and Edmure. The books are interested in the "outsider" perspective on power status, hence Jon Snow's POV, and arguably Theon and Arya, too. They live in the home, they're part of the family... kinda. Sansa always thinks of Jon as her "bastard half-brother", Theon knows that Ned might have to kill him, and Arya doesn't fit neatly into her assigned gender role. They see Rob and Sansa and want that, kind of, but know they'll never get it.

Therefore, in his youth, Littlefinger knew that he was smart, knew that he wanted power, yet was keenly aware that it was almost impossible for him to socially climb. He does -- we'll get to that in a bit -- but as a child, he knows it's unlikely. Think of Rob and Jon playing in Winterfell and Jon yelling "I'm the Lord of Winterfell" and Rob just returning "no, my mother says you won't be". It's a horrible situation to be in. We don't get Littlefinger's POV, but if we did, I think there's a good chance he would remember a similar scenario.

Then there's Littlefinger's relationship to Catlyn and Lysa. Little boys often have crushes on little girls, and it's usually pretty sweet and can sometimes become a nice romance or just fade away. We hear that Catlyn is intelligent and beautiful as an adult, so it's easy to see the appeal, and Catlyn also has status through her Tully blood and an understanding of Machiavellian power plays because her father raised her as his heir until Edmure was born. One could easily see Littlefinger's desire for Catlyn being a desire for power and status, as well as her own merits.

Lysa had a crush on Littlefinger, creating the incesty love triangle that GRRM loves so much. I can't imagine playing kissing games with a foster brother and a sister, tbh. Littlefinger himself seems to only see Lysa as a pawn, and uses her feelings to get her to do what she wants. The narrative suggests that, for a time, there's Catlyn, mourning her mother; Lysa, mourning her mother and interested in a boy who doesn't really care about her; Edmure, just being a baby; and Littlefinger, caught up in rules and restrictions: allowed to be close to what he wants, but never truly part of the team.

Events start to occur. Fuckhead Hoster Tully decides to set up marriage alliances for Catlyn and Lysa. Lysa meets Jamie Lannister, who barely pays her any attention (he's distracted by the presence of his hero, Brynden "Blackfish" Tully). Catlyn meets Brandon Stark, who has power, status, a noble house, physical prowess -- everything Littlefinger wants. On the night the Stark-Tully engagement is arranged, Littlefinger gets drunk. He can't cope with the years of complicated class dynamics, he's heartbroken, and he's what, 14? He's immature and acts like it. Then Lysa rapes him.

I'm not a psychologist so I can't comment on the impact of sexual violence, especially when gender and power play into the situation in this way. However, Lysa did an unforgivable thing, and there was nobody Littlefinger could turn to. That's horrifying. I also think that more should be made about Littlefinger's comments about shutting your eyes and getting it over with in relation to being in bed with "an ugly woman".

Soon after, he challenges Brandon Stark to a duel for Catlyn's hand. Catlyn "betrays" him (in Littlefinger's mind) by giving Brandon her favour, Edmure "betrays" him by "squiring" for Brandon, and then Brandon nearly kills him. So we have a teenager who is 1) in huge amounts of physical pain, 2) without friends or allies, 3) was recently raped and 4) considered unimportant and insignificant. Then, Lysa rapes him again. The fact that this poor child didn't have a full mental breakdown is genuinely suprising.

We don't know if Littlefinger knew about Lysa's pregnancy at the time. What Hoster did to her was also unforgivable -- violence begets violence, and Lysa and Hoster's relationship is full of toxicity and harm. Hoster is also just generally monstrous. If Littlefinger did know, that's another layer of complexity where his foster father aborts Littlefinger's baby, a physical reminder of the sexual violence Littlefinger endured.

A few years later Lysa convinces her then-husband, Jon Arryn, to bring Littlefinger to King's Landing. He is traumatised, he is resentful, and he is cunning. He works hard to enter the places he was once barred from, like the court, the Red Keep and the small council. Now he can take his revenge on everyone who hurt him.

GRRM often talks about the futility of revenge. House Martell is the most obvious example of this, and the speech Elaria gives is beautiful and poignient. Littlefinger doesn't get revenge on Hoster or Brandon Stark. He does kill Lysa, but that's more to shut her up. In a story with a different perspective -- and a few characters kept alive -- we could see Littlefinger as a Kill Bill style avenger, ruining the lives and families of all of those who harmed him. It could be easy to root for him, not against him as the narrative sets up.

Revenge isn't simple, and that's why Littlefinger doesn't succed and isn't an inspirational character. He never confronts anyone on what happened to him -- he's too psychologically damaged -- so instead he kills Ned and Jon Arryn, two people who had nothing to do with his traumatic experiences at Riverrun, and then he hyperfixates on poor Sansa, who looks like Catlyn in his memory. He's immature and stunted in his mid-teens. I wonder if Littlefinger and Sansa lived for another 10/20 years he'd find himself losing interest because she moved on and he can't.

Littlefinger will likely die because of Sansa, and nobody will miss him. He's not a good person. He's groomed and lied and manipulated her, and the horrors he inflicted on Jeyne Poole, supposedly her best friend, are even worse. I don't see his future death as triumphant, though, in an unbiased overview kind of way. The Starks will celebrate, because he killed their dad. No one else will really care. The Lords Declarant have got rid of an annoyance, and he wasn't really working with King Tommen or the Small Council any more.

I think there is some sadness, though, for the child who wanted to be included, wanted to be loved, and who was instead hated, abused, ignored and scarred. RIP Littlefinger, a victim of the patriachy and the class structure.

Arya "Underfoot" Stark (AGOT)

She's babie!! I gave her Lyanna's face structure, her grandmother Arya Flint's curly hair, and Ned's eyes and coloring. Her forehead is a little higher, her face is a little wider, and Catelyn + Edmure Tully have gaps in their front teeth just like hers (because she had to get something from her mother's side)

Rickard-Lyarra Brandon Ned Lyanna Benjen Jon Arya

Minisa-Hoster Catelyn Edmure Lysa Robb Sansa Bran Rickon Robin

I think embroidering house imagery on clothes is a VERY important for hierarchical power dynamics. Firstborns or "heirs" to a house often feature the most unaltered "pure" versions of their house's sigils, but those further down in succession (or those whose mothers are "higher" in standing) can mix and match without too much pushback (Royces and their different colored horses, Brynden Blackfish, etc.).

I think anyone in Catelyn Tully's position would ensure her firstborn and oldest daughter dressed as Northern and traditionally "Stark" as possible, but I feel like Ned's lookalike Arya and the youngest kids would've had a little more leeway.

As for highborn bastards, I highly doubt Jon's clothes ever featured any direwolf imagery, even if they were just as well-made and warm as the other Stark kids. Theon had the opposite treatment, the Greyjoy kraken was always prominently on display, but that might have been interpreted as more alienating than enabling pride for his roots.

Arya reminds me of one of my younger cousins, I'd painstakingly braid her hair in the mornings so it was out of the way (she wasn't allowed to cut it :') but she'd always come home with her hair all tangled and the ribbons in her pocket or lost. I think Arya hates embroidery but is pretty decent at simple mending by AGOT due to having to repair her own clothes whenever she tears them.

Whoa, I just disagree with the ages of cast. I can get around to why 35 year olds were/are casted on Broadway, but for the film? There was a lot of potential to cast people the actual age of the characters which were between 17-25. Also, Ari is notorious for being problematic, such as blackfishing. That stunt she and Ethan pulled tainted the entire film.

That is not what you fucking said lmao. Do not backpedal and try to gaslight me now.

Also: Ariana and Ethan’s “stunt” is apparently dating each other after he’d already been split with his wife for at least a few months. That’s according to the source of the gossip column that first published the idea. And before you come at me about the baby, the “newborn” was already a year old and as a child of divorced parents myself, I can assure you, it’s not inherently going to be traumatic for them.

On the blackfishing front, I have not ever defended her for that lmao. Yeah that fake tan was awful. Me liking her and her work doesn’t mean I put her on a pedestal and defend every single thing that she does.

Also on their ages: Ariana and Cynthia both can pass for younger than their actual ages anyway quite frankly and you’re saying they’re too old, yet comparing them to Kristin and Idina, who are…in their 50s now? 🤨

And anyway, that is none of what you said in the original message. Don’t lie. I won’t be engaging you further bc I do not take kindly to gaslight attempts. If you aren’t excited for the films, don’t watch them 🤷🏻 but please find a hobby that isn’t bothering people who are actually excited for them.

#SoftBrynlin

​i literally have not been able to stop thinking about an au where ned and cat have sex one last time when they meet up in kings landing, and then cat gets pregnant and only finds out well after ned is dead. they (aka the north esp robb who is very worried for his pregnant mother, and cat who is very worried for her new child) have to keep the baby a secret in case the lannisters find out, and they somehow manage to (i havent managed to figured the logistics of it). the baby ends up having to be whisked away during the red wedding by the blackfish (who is at the red wedding here dwai) to the eyrie, somehow arriving either at the same time or just before petyr and sansa, who both immediately attach themselves to the baby for different reasons (petyr bc “look a piece of catelyn that has no influence from ned beyond its genetics who i can manipulate from infancy” and sansa bc “new sibling?!?!”). also the baby is secretly the heir to the northern throne

K absolutely none of this is connected to her shows and her worker drama it's unrelated; but I'm not gonna lie Viv's Japan vacation where she's showing herself with a bunch of animal cafes is really starting to piss me off.

The deer being fed I think are wild, I don't have anything to say about that. But the owl cafes, the otter cafe, the marine park.

Look here! I'm not anti-captivity, honest (though AZA is hard to trust when they legit have an approval rating on Seaworld), but I really am skeeved out by so-called zoos and attractions that let you pet the animals, kind of especially if they aren't domesticated animals but exotics. Though, tbh even dog/cat pet shelters or whatever sound pretty hectic to eat at. Also, feels a little unsanitary. But even if that weren't a problem I just...kind of don't like anything where the animals are literally tied down and can't escape from you. It's the same reason I and a lot of other people don't like those pony-rides at fairs. The whole time you're worried about the animal's safety and happiness and also you aren't having any real connection to them.

Watching animals in an enclosure that's nice where they're just doing their thing >>> having to pet the animal. Not that I'm immune to propaganda and wouldn't absolutely volunteer to clean up scat if it meant I could hold a weasel being rehabilitated to the wild for a hot minute. I would 100% do that (it'd bite. Don't care). But there's that and then there's me getting to bond with a weasel that's shock collared or chained somehow and can't escape from me. That doesn't sit right.

And no. I don't care if it's in another country it's still wrong by a lot of global standards. In fact, I think it's kind of weird that people are doing the "respect other cultures"-thing only when it comes to Instagramable stories.

Ya'll have to realize it's not just yuppie American vegangelicals complaining. There are animal rights orgs in Thailand fighting elephant tourism, there ARE animal rights orgs in Japan and they do not like the animal cafes. Animal rights/welfare aren't some kind of 'annoying' American pastime. Why do you think Milo and Otis was controversial? Why do you think Padak exists? Respecting other cultures and their practices means: letting indigenous people hunt the animals they've been hunting for thousands of years, which of course isn't always going to be pretty cause that's what traditional hunting IS; it's allowing ritual animal slaughter in spaces and religions where that's done to feed the community and not as torture or sacrifice. And personally, as a mostly vegetarian, I say right on to both of those things.

Zoos, farms, petting zoos, aquariums and sanctuaries are YMMV, but I vouch for them in theory and usually in practice. Animal cafes and marine parks? I'm sorry but I can't not see those as being tourism and exploitive at best. Especially marine parks.

Viv straight up did a pic based on Blackfish but I guess that doesn't matter in Japan. I'm really disappointed in her as someone who loves animals. Because hey- when you as a human-animal love the other creatures of this earth, of course things like our rights come first. Humans are just that kind of animal and I don't think there's anything wrong with taxidermy or vulture culture. But, especially as an adult, you should know how to take care of animals and it should be your responsibility as their caretaker to give them the best care you have.

There's a petshop near where I (no longer in a few weeks) work. It used to hate that place cause I saw a rat eating another rat's baby alive among other abuses and the owner straight up didn't give a shit, not about the rat or that he was putting smaller reptiles in cages with monitor lizards. You can guess how that ended.

That place has new owners now. It mostly has animals there in transition. While they still have feeders (I know, that's prolly controversial to the reptile parents reading), their conditions have really improved. No crowding the rats, even the feeders, in unsafe unventilated places. They get REALLY mad if you tap the glass on the cages. No more keeping lovebirds apart from birds so that they're always calling. Betafish males get actual decorated tanks to themselves instead of those depressing bowls! If petstores and units where you pick up your expensive reptiles, fish and birds from HAVE to exist, I'd rather they be places like this. Places where the staff are trying and really do seem to love and want the best for their animals while expecting nothing fancy from the animals in return.

I'd love to be proven wrong on this- I remember seeing a yt vid for a bed and breakfast where you ate outside with the cows that made the dairy you're eating, and them being cows they of course wanted to come up and say hi to the guests. Of course I'd love that '' magical '' experience with an animal while I'm enjoying my coffee. But I just can't trust cafes and exotic petting zoos like this. My family has veterinarians, farmers, vegans and vegetarians, and FFA graduates in it. I'm just really concerned about the little things like this.

I know in my heart that of course Viv doesn't want to hurt any animals- but it bothers me.

Thoughts @chaifootsteps @derangedhyena-delphinidae?

Robb and Cersei are already at each other's throats about the new baby's name and give Lannister a headache. Catelyn ends up comforting her over the baby name drama and assures her they'll find a solution. Catelyn saying that hits her with an idea...

Give the baby a Tully name.

Robb is half Tully through Catelyn herself, the Riverlands encompasses part of Robb's new kingdom and there isn't as much bad blood between the Tullys and the Lannisters. It's the perfect middle ground in her view.

If that baby's a boy, maybe Hoster for Robb's grandfather or Brynden for the Blackfish.

For a girl, Catelyn or Minisa for Robb's grandmother.

I just imagine the reader looking at Catelyn while thinking of a nane for the baby

Catelyn then proposes this idea to the girl, in which she gladly accepted, but didn't tell Robb nor her mother until the child was born.

Now for the final decision

💙or💖?

ttwt character profiles - batch 1

we are SO CLOSE to the grand finale of tta and celebrity manhunt is in the works. in the mean time, ive decided 2 take some inspo from the world tour biographies and write one for each contestant!

ALBERT

What's your best quality? I care about things that most people don't even bother to notice Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

Indie

dark green

Blackfish

dragon fruit

Describe your craziest dream. I was trying to terraform the moon, but the boots I was wearing were too heavy, so I got stuck on the surface Best memory from childhood? Probably hiking the Appalachian trail with my dad Most embarrassing moment at school? I've had a lot... I guess being dumped wasn't easy. Describe the first job you ever had. I've never had a paid job, but I've been volunteering since I was 12. my first project was a post-concert trash pickup at the Scotiabank Arena Ten years from now, what are you doing? Probably the same thing I'm doing now, but for pay My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? That's a hard question. I guess anyone who likes me back, probably in one of the parks around Toronto. Talking outside is free and easy! It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do? watch sunrise in a meadow

AUSTIN

What's your best quality? My mojo, baby! Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

Anything swanky is fine by me!

Orange, baby. The most sensual color on the rainbow

Pretty Woman

Chocolates are a true aphrodisiac, baby

Describe your craziest dream. Craziest? All my dreams are crazy, baby! Best memory from childhood? The day I woke up with a full jungle on my chest! Most embarrassing moment at school? ...When I realized that jungle is absolutely irresistible to the birds! Describe the first job you ever had. I hung out at the metro station, passing around pamphlets about how hot I am, baby! Ten years from now, what are you doing? Sitting pretty in a first class jet on the way to the Bahamas with my 24 civil partners My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? A right shagadelic bird or two in a first class jet on the way to the Bahamas It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do? Round up the ladies!

ASS

What's your best quality? What are you, my mom? Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

Easy. Grunge.

Am I five years old to you?

Wouldn't you like to know?

Anything non-repulsive.

Describe your craziest dream. I used to have this nasty recurring dream about this knock-out stealing my fiance. I got over that eventually. Best memory from childhood? When I grew out of it. Most embarrassing moment at school? The fact that I ever cared for a second about what those losers think of me. Describe the first job you ever had. I was a barista for a while. Now, I think I'd rather be drawn and quartered than hear the word "venti" again. Ten years from now, what are you doing? Married rich or dead. My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? I hate people. It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do?

Celebrate.

BONNIE

What's your best quality? I guess I can be... understanding. Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

I mostly listen to video game OSTs... some pop, but don't tell anyone I told you that!

Purple

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Noodles

Describe your craziest dream. Uh, I'll pass on that. Thanks. Best memory from childhood? I guess... I don't know. Christmas. I don't know. Most embarrassing moment at school? No, thanks. Describe the first job you ever had. I was an office assistant at my school. It got me out of class, at least. Ten years from now, what are you doing? Hopefully graduated from college with a good degree. It'd be fun to be a game designer or something like that, something creative. My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? I don't really think about that stuff. Whatever seems fun, I guess. It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do?

Hang out with Caesar.

CAESAR

What's your best quality? Um, everything? Where do I start? Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

I'm not too picky!

Lavender

I couldn't pick!

Goat cheese on rosemary crackers

Describe your craziest dream. I was stuck in a washing machine for like, six hours until someone finally let me out. Best memory from childhood? Getting my first camera. And my first tripod- it's like a light bulb just went off in my head! Most embarrassing moment at school? I tripped in the cafeteria and ruined my silk Valentino shirt on some freshman's chili. Describe the first job you ever had. I started my first YouTube channel when I was twelve. I did outfit reviews in my bedroom. Ten years from now, what are you doing? Hosting the most popular gossip show on TV! My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? Definitely my Bonbon. We'd get pedicures (if they ever let me take them), fro-yo, and then watch something gross and bloody at home. It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do?

Probably spend it with Bonnie.

COURTNEY

What's your best quality? I'm a team player! Faves? (music, colour, movie, food)

I like fast-paced music, just in the background when I work

Hot pink

The Devil Wears Prada

Shortbread cookies

Describe your craziest dream. Crazy as in terms of reality, or personal significance? Oh, well- I guess my most "out there" dream was one I had where I was a pirate captain, sailing a crew across the Atlantic Best memory from childhood? Spending time with my friends when my parents were away. Most embarrassing moment at school? A mean girl in my grade ran for class council secretary just because I did... it was so humiliating that I dropped out of the race entirely. Describe the first job you ever had. I sometimes volunteer at the soup kitchen. Ten years from now, what are you doing? Graduated, with my dream job, living in a nice apartment in a big city, and overseeing a cooperative group of like-minded individuals. My dream date would be with ___________, doing what? Not a romantic date, but I'd love to meet my personal hero, Virginia Woolf, for a dinner. It’s the last day on earth. In five words or less, what would you do?

Cook a meal for friends

Question, why does everyone in in-verse and out say that Edmure would be executed if Roslin gave birth to a boy? Wouldn’t a girl make more sense? Since the LannFreys now control Riverrun wouldn’t it make more sense for them to want a girl so they can marry her to one of Emmon’s descendants for her claim?

Genna did propose having the girl wed her oldest grandson Tywin, provided Walder Frey agrees. Jaime said Walder would have “no use” for Edmure if that baby was a son, because now they have a male Tully heir. Genna explains that her grandchildren aren’t safe inheriting Riverrun as long as any male Tully is alive, and warns Jaime that if Blackfish survives the siege he may press his claim, or even seek Robert Arryn. A female Tully makes it less likely for the Riverlords to follow her while there are still male heirs, but a son of Edmure would have a stronger claim to Riverrun against any opponents. It’s also clear from Genna’s comments that her and Walder Frey’s goals aren’t the same; she wants her heirs secure in a stolen castle where there are no male heirs to press the claim, whereas Walder wants revenge on the families who he believed snubbed him. Controlling Edmure’s child through Roslin really means controlling the future of House Tully, and a son would mean more that control was solidified, and he no longer needs Edmure to sire anymore heirs. As a possible figurehead for rebellion who already handed him the future of the Tully’s with a son, he’d likely execute him. Yes, in theory Riverlands follow the Andal inheritance of daughters before uncles, but in practice it’s more complicated; long ago Shiera Blackwood (*sigh*) had the possibility of becoming puppet queen of the Riverlands, but the Riverlords rejected her father-in-law Arlan III Durrandon’s proposal because they wouldn’t support a woman as queen (except when they did), so he annexed the kingdom. Basically a girl, though she can marry a Lannifrey, doesn’t totally ensure future Frey control of House Tully and thus the Riverlands (who are still rebellious if not openly), whereas a son would more securely lock it down, plus eliminate the need to keep a dangerous rallying figure around.

Please don’t ever feel like you’re annoying us w your au! It really makes me feel like I’m watching Jesse live out his Happily Ever After in Alaska which is all I’ve ever wanted, your characters are so drawn out they’re basically canon to me now <3 Baby esp speaks to the Weird Little Girl I used to be who was also obsessed w marine biology (I esp love Orcas… Baby hit me w some Orca facts pls??) also would love to hear more ab this au + Mike lives w Jesse in Alaska au bc you know that’s my favorite 🥺👉👈

IM 🥺 literally i just need to know that things will be ok for him in the end, ill make the spinoff sequel show, ill build his little alaska world. it really means a lot to hear that people actually Like the au and the characters because its super special to me!! we all need some love and warmth and a little kid who pretends to be coral and fact checked the "blackfish" documentary, and no one deserves all that more than jesse tbh 💕

and u also know that my love for the mike + jesse dynamic got dialed up to 11 the first time i got within 10 feet of ur blog, so of COURSE i was going to figure out a way to get them back together. it just makes me so emotional to think of jesse not only having the closest thing he ever had to a positive male role model back in his life, but having someone who Knows what exactly he went through and how specifically, granularly fucked up it was. someone who knows what he means when he says "i thought i saw Him in a crowd today", someone who will listen and understand the extent of the depravity when he talks about his captivity. that just feels so important, to have one positive connection to his past that jesse can bring into his new life and also that connection gets to be mike!!! best friend mike!! who was already getting soft for the kid and seeing him here—free, in control of his life, no one telling him what to do—and with a soft place to land in his family just makes the heart grow fonder. mike is of course cursed to always be a crusty old man, but that doesn't mean he can't take the family fishing (towards the end, before everything fell apart, he'd started thinking about maybe teaching jesse to fish. it'd probably be too boring for the kid but its a good skill to have) and get baby one of those plastic "my first fishing pole" poles. it just really makes that aching emptiness in his chest that he's been trying to fill ever since matty feel smaller when mike comes up the cabin and opens the door to demi instantly taking his jacket and telling him that she recorded the toronto game for him since he was driving up during it, to baby solemnly informing him about how salmon migration patterns have changed in the area where they usually fish, and to jesse who always looks at him like that first time they first crossed paths in alaska, with that kind of pitiful, kind of heartwarming combo of disbelief and childlike glee. like he's afraid this is all a dream but doesn't want to wake up and found out. mike's less stingy with hugs these days.