Honestly at this point I think their are some in the buddie fandom that just get off on keeping the drama going. I mean, call out the bad b/t behaviour is one thing, but like we need to just collectively let them be. Let them have their theories and fic ideas. (Even the b/t adoption shit) because we know it won't happen and they're entitled to them. Kicking the hornets nest every five second is frankly exhausting. It's fandom and they're allowed to enjoy it the same as we are. As I said, call out the bad behaviour. The racism and the abuse, but beyond that, let them just live their fandom lives. We're just making ourselves look bad. We need to stop rising to the bait. Be better. Before this war ruins the 911 fandom for everyone.

When did I turn into discourse central guys 🤩🫶

Where are the fun spec and squeaking about things or headcanons asks 💔

(Not targeted at you anon dw)

Back to topic-

Hi anon!

See that’s the thing, I feel like the large majority aren’t “kicking the hornets nest”

The people who are fit into that “bad behaviour” umbrella

And I and majority of others are all for then having their own spec/fics, having their fandom, etc

But one thing you pointed out from some of the b/t shippers spec or fics is the killing Eddie off for the sake of b/t raising Chris, this I think bothers the buddie fandom (and rightfully so in my opinion) because the same people saying it are also the same ones who are character bashing Eddie or being not so subtly racist (if I had to make a Venn diagram it would probably be a circle) but also it’s being discussed because it’s like at what point are you saying a character who many love and who is kinda crucial to the show should be killed off just to further a ship that’s been around for 5 episodes like it just rightfully confuses and kinda annoys people

Look the way I see it both sides are free to engage in discourse and like shit talk/ rant about eachother but there is a right and wrong way to do so, you can still be respectful about it and tag it properly and not target specific people or you can not like be negative or hateful to the people themselves (like don’t go around bullying people) but rather you can disagree or diss or whatever their opinion

Cos the reality is there will always be discourse in any given fandom but as long as people are doing it respectfully then go to town guys

As usual thanks anon for the ask!

You ever get that feeling where like, you're perfectly fine criticizing and disliking aspects of media, but when others are way harsher with it, it just really pisses you off for no reason?

fuck it, we always talk about the apple hate but we never talk about the blondie hate-

that is my bbgirl my best friend, she's my pal. she's my home boy, my rotten soldier. shes my sweet cheese, my good time boy

and ppl always be bashing her for being "annoying and sticking her nose into shit" like bestie im sorry she's not another copy of literally all the other princesses- like yall want her to be holly? who is like forgettable af but hey shes not "annoying" (sorry holly enjoyers, but i legit forget about her existence so much)

she's such a fun character! her entire shit is be gay do crimes hun, she breaks into houses on the regular and just vibes there, she has like 4 restraining orders against her- she picks locks so good that people regularly just go to her when they need to sneak into places

she looks at girls with this face!

THAT IS HEART EYES MOTHERFUCKER NO ONE ELSE WAS LOOKING AT CUPID LIKE THAT, ONLY THE COUPLES BE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER LIKE THAT THIS BITCH GAY GAY AND THEN THE WAY SHE SNAPS OUT OF IT AND JUST KEEPS STARING FOR A GOOD WHILE LIKE "oh shit well that's something i didn't know about myself-"

queen shit.

she wants to fit in so bad!!! she wants friends!!! she is my sad little meow meow!! she wants to become a reporter probably because her momma would tell her about how she use to work on the school newspaper!! And her momma would be so proud of her if she became a big time reporter!!🥺

she is so desperate to fit in, she's so ashamed that shes not real royalty like all her friends are that she feels she has to lie about it, and in blondie branches out where she tells a slightly more accurate version of her family and apple calls it a just right royal story, she's so happy and she looks so sweet!! she needs some validation babes!!!

she just wants friends!! the way she lies about her lineage is always to try to get the other royals to like her, she thinks she has to be like them for them to want to be her friends!! there's a hierarchy in ever after high that gets more detail in the books, royalty gets treated like celebrities with specialty seating and other perks. blondie is like every child who grew up in a fancy school when your family didn't have much, you see your friends constantly going on about their big house with a pool or the new shoes that cost more than your entire wardrobe and you start to feel alienated from the group. once more she needs some validation!!! help my girlie out!!!!

and the way she breaks into the bears homes, she believes they're her friends. so to her its fine to come over and ask momma if she has anything to eat, and the bears themselves don't really tell her to her face that shes not welcome. it seems baby bears outburst is the first time the bears have openly reacted negatively to her presence and blondie just thinks it was something to do with the other girls.

onto our big boy: BLONDIE IS SO FUCKING DISABLED CODED.

she cant understand social cues and is a perfectionist, her special interest is her show, she is picky when it comes to food preferring her safe food of porridge. this girl is a dead ringer for a bitch on the spectrum (this is coming from a bitch on many specrtrums including the autistic one) the thing is what i hate most is that when people hate on blondie, they're hating her for her neurodivergent traits. they might not realize it but that's completely what it is. "she's nosy and rude" she doesn't understand that what she is doing is rude, she cant tell when she crosses a line, i have done shit like that so many times like saying things i see as true and upsetting the other person and not realizing why.

she also has very strong signs of adhd with how much and how fast she talks and her lack of focus as shown in just sweet, just sweet shows these traits so perfectly, it was the episode that truly made it clear that this girl isn't neurotypical at all. i feel people call her annoying because of this, she talks so much and pair that with her autistic traits and she becomes unlikable for so many, but she's such a sweet girl underneath, there's a reason people still willingly hang out with her and that's because despite the fact she has these traits that come off as negative. she's still a kind girl happy to help her friends, she refuses to out ashlynns and hunters relationship because she can recognize that would be mean to her friends, she accepts helping raven out despite the fact her and the rebel haven't always been on the best terms, she invites poppy to the blue moon forest fest and is implied to help holly with picking locked doors enough for holly to consider her a close friend.

blondie is not your typical perfect character like so many of the cast is, but that's a good thing because if she was then she would just be another background character to forget about. she has her own personality and she has her own interests, she is one of the most neurodivergent coded characters in the series.

did i mention this girl has to be a woman enjoyer? because i swear she has to be- at some point she has to realize that maybe her extreme pickiness when it comes to boys is less about that individual not being just right but instead boys as a whole not being just right for her. do i need to show the heart eyes picture again?

Everybody Hates Lila (And Why It’s Concerning Sometimes)

Lila Rossi is not a stranger in the Miraculous fandom. In fact I’d argue she’s more infamous than Gabriel in some cases. She’s despised by nearly everyone and while some reasons are more justifiable than others, she’s all around not a good person and a mid at best character.

But here’s my deal with it. The fandom hates this girl to I’d like to say an….unhealthy degree. Like the amount of salt this character gets is unmatched. And I feel like the causation of all of this salt doesn’t really live up to the response.

Lila is a liar who causes characters to act out of character very often. And not only that but she also is Marinette’s main rival now and is a jerk to her. She’s underutilized and her lies aren’t that convincing and yet the story wants to convince us she’s more important than she really is pre butterfly miraculous.

This is Lila’s character summed up. At the most I’d expect is frustration mixed in with mild dislike. Reasonable but not over the top. Instead though, I see SEVERAL people make so many salt fics and talk so much shit about her that I just have to sit down and say….y’all need to chill. You all seriously need to chill.

The fandom talks about this character like she’s the spawn of Satan, something we’ve been criticizing Astruc for doing with Chloe, all because she doesn’t have as many redeeming traits as her. Did we forget that they’re BOTH kids? Both of them still have room to improve on themselves.

And I’ll admit it, I was one of those people who kept on saying “Why demonize Chloe when we have Lila” but thinking on it now, neither of them deserves to have that fate. If we REALLY need a character to do the whole “people don’t change” thing, why not Gabriel?

It’s so much better to have this lesson taught to adults to not be like Gabriel, to accept change and loss and to be better. To teach how heavy the impact of a lost love can be and how old age isn’t an excuse to be “stuck in your ways”.

Plus the lesson works better for someone who’s older than for teenagers who’s literally at the stage of their lives where change is everything. And I’m not saying Lila needs to be redeemed or she isn’t allowed to be a villain. What I’m saying is that the over salting on her character, a character that can be easily fixed and patched up, is kinda dumb and kinda annoying to see…especially when some people do like Lila.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, don’t think I’ve forgotten what happened years ago with that one fan that claimed that they loved Lila. That’s what happens when you take salting on a character WAY too far. And I can say that it’s only gotten a little better.

I just don’t understand why people can’t spend their energy talking about how to make a character better instead of salting on them 24/7 and this goes for all of the characters in ML.

I’m gonna be in the minority when I say this but Lila doesn’t deserve to be salted in as much as she does. She deserves reevaluation and a true villain arc. The constant bashing and insulting her at any chance ain’t it.

But you wanna know the thing that frustrates me the most about the Lila salt? How she started getting salted on in the first place. Aka, her being another barrier to Adrienette.

If y’all don’t know already, I don’t like the lovesquare and even back then I didn’t like it. And when I started seeing people hate Lila for this reason, I got very annoyed. It’s the same reason as to why people hated Kagami and it’s a stupid reason (imo). At least the other reasons why she’s hated had some foundation and sense.

TLDR: Lila is a mess but she’s not a mess that’s beyond repair but the constant salting on her and her character isn’t going to do anything. (If you really wanna salt on someone, salt on the writers for making her writing so subpar)

crutchie - akb vs matthew duckett !!!!

alternatively titled - cast disabled people jesus christ

listen i am having so many thoughts and feelings about crutchie and at the risk of annoying the fuck out of my partner i am putting them on here instead!

prefacing this by saying:

i do not speak for all cripples

matthew’s duckett was my first real introduction to crutch and yes i am probably biased because of it (because matthew was an absolute sweetie when i met him)

i do not actually hate AKB as much as i dislike his crutchie

★

i think the main problem i have with his crutchie (and i understand that it is not entirely his fault at all!!!!) is that it’s so sanitised in so many ways. it is so of its time and not really in a good way, it came about in a period where representation wasn’t a big focus and i very much understand that, but i also hate it.

it’s so easy for disabled characters to fall into this weird ,sanitised, almost infantilising position, where their struggles are shown (abuse from the delanceys that was directly because of his disability, the fact he’s more likely to be put in the refuge because he’s seen as ‘weak’), but they’re bound by this kind of happy-go-lucky persona where they don’t show any real anger or upset. it’s fuelled by the abled need to see disabled characters as some sort of inspiration porn. “he’s crippled but look how happy he is despite that!!!!!! if he can do it i can too!!” he has this air of innocence and can-do-no-wrong that kinda falls a little flat compared to all his friends of the same age, and whilst this wouldn’t be a problem in itself, it fits a repeating pattern of the innocent, docile physically disabled person that is shown so much.

i loved matthew’s crutchie so much because he was so much more than that. he was happy, he was kind and an big laugh, but he didn’t shy away from being truly angry or scared (in the finale when he is brought back and cuffs snyder) and he was still a bit of a dick, he felt a lot more like he truly belonged. one of my favourite examples is at the start of the show the first time we see katherine, he helps one of the boys (i can’t remember which one) steal something from darcy and keeps it on him through the rest of the show. he’s as playful and annoying as the rest of them, shooting paper balls at them with his slingshot (especially during the finale, i love him so much for that). he has an attitude. he has the energy of a boy who was raised on the streets and knows what the fuck is what.

and thats what i think changes him the most for me. it’s all the same script (?) but it’s all so different when you think about how smart crutch actually is. i think the biggest change is my idea of him specifically when he’s being so nice to weasel at the beginning, when all the boys are being annoying and dicks, crutchie is so sweet. i don’t believe he’s doing that because he’s just such a nice guy who can look past weisel and the delancey’s being assholes to them, i think he realised quickly how to play the game. he’s gonna get sympathy, he knows that, and he knows if he acts all innocent and is overly kind, that they’ll somewhat pity him and he can use that to his advantage.

i hate being pitied by most people, i hate being looked at differently, like i’m almost helpless. but i also know how to use it to help myself, i know when i can play the poor little cripple card to my advantage. and i fully believe crutch does the same.

edited to add because i forgot to add this entire section in sorry!!

when i say sanitised i also mean literally. as in they made him cleaner. specifically in the finale again when he’s brought back from the refuge, broadway crutch looks way too clean. he’s a little bashed up but he’s not dirty. he doesn’t look like he’s been battered and then subjected to awful conditions. it takes away the impact of his time at the refuge. when he got back in the uk production they actively were disgusted by how much he smelled, because he’d just got out of a place where he couldn’t look after himself for a multitude of reasons. he suffered in there, mentally and physically, and in more ways than one. he was not given nice clean clothes and a pat on the back, he was taken out and put right back into the mess without much time to check himself over, without any time to process or heal.

i just think it has a much bigger impact when you can see, from his actual appearance and the other guys’ reactions, how much he actually struggled in there. they were glad to have him back of course, but it really drove home the point of how badly it affected him.

and once again in that scene, you could see the fear on his face and the anger when he faced snyder and when he made a move at him. he was fucking scared of the man that had subjected him to all of that. even when he was being a little goofy and put on the hat to handcuff him, there was still that fear, and there was evidence to why.

(end of edit)

but like i said, i don’t think it is entirely akb’s fault or his intention, he almost definitely wasn’t aware of the way it came off and how it perpetuates stereotypes. but it’s just another reason why giving disabled roles to disabled people is so important. plus we know how to use mobility aids properly

★

shoutout to my beloved partner who proof reads my shit and also is the reason i am into newsies . thank u babie @fizzloves-blog <3

One thing I think we don't talk enough about Q!Forever is that he has a problem-solver personality.

I used to be like that and I struggled a lot when I was a teenager because of that, and I think it's give a pretty good explanation of where his character is going lore-wise and why he's doing it that way.

Firstly, we could see pretty easily that he's always trying to solve every problem he's facing on the server as fast as he could.

Bobby died and the eggs are in danger of the same? Ninho was ready in a few days

The code shows the players that the only way to access the Nether is to go by train? He built a gigantic contraption to bring everybody's there.

Foolish wanted an eternal banana? Say no more !

And there's a ton of more pertinent examples of that I'm sure

People has said in the past that q! Forever is impulsive, but for me, it's more that he can't just stand there when things are bad. He needs to find a solution, he NEEDS to act. This is part of who he is.

But the thing that can be annoying when you're constantly in problem-solving mode, it's that everybody around you aren't necessary like you. How many times has we seen q! Forever doing stuff hastily to makes things work when other players were in the backroom? A lot. And when you experience that on a daily basis, you may start to get frustrated.

(I just want to add that it isn't a way to bash other CC! Characters. Everybody has their own way to play and have fun on the server, and they are ALL VALID! I'm talking about the characters in role play only)

About Forever arc

I think a lot of is current arc has to do with that feeling. The feeling that he's doing too much and people are not appreciating it, not appreciating him, enough. But he can't stop. He can't just let things happen without trying to help. Because it's how he is. The problem solver. The helper. The good friend.

So, how do one manage in this kind of situation? By becoming even more controlling. People won't help him make a better Island? Then he will impose thing that help the resident. He will do everything he can to protect and help everybody, even against their will. Him getting the president job is actually an interesting thing for his character because it gave him the control he needed to feel like he's making positive changes. He can now try to solve every problem on the Island...

But, as someone that "been there, done that", I can tell you it willn't work. Tensions are going to continue to rise between him and other because being a problem-fixer usually made you forget something very important in life: Not everything need to be fixed.

It took me years to realize that. Something you just need to... let go. If you try to always carry everybody on your shoulder, you are just going to die of exhaustion. And fixing everything is impossible. So you are just becoming more and more exhausted. People around you are growing more distant because you are constantly trying to fix their life instead of just... being there for them.

I think this is where q!Forever is right now. His need to help his conflicting with other Islander needs to be imperfect and the constant conflict made him feel lonely and underappreciated.

This is so interesting in terms of role play because there are several routes he could take. Will he continue to hold, with his resentment growing deeper and deeper? Will he learn to let go and accept that thing sometimes suck, and it's okay to not take responsibility for it?

Will he succeed in making players enjoy the Island?

There's a certain tone that bleeds into a lot of MCU fanfiction when talking about Steve's defrosting into the new century and it's bothersome. It's like people don't fully understand why he didn't have to be grateful for being in modern times. There's a serious lack of empathy and it always ends up with some other character ranting to Steve about how he needs to suck it up and move on if he wants to get anywhere in life and somehow that motivates Steve to...realize he was the only one being an asshole and learning to love the current world?

Yeah no.

I've read one (1) - and isn't to say other stories I like got it wrong bc I've certainly read others that are also great - but I've read ONE fanfiction that describes Steve's situation perfectly (in such a meaningful way) and it literally blew my mind when I read it because it was so good to ME.

"Ain't no Grave" by spitandvinegar was amazing. Mind you, I'm not a really Stucky shipper in any capacity (like I see the vision but don't feel it yknow?), but I'm a sucker for satisfying Steve characterization so I inhaled this fic. And y'all...this author did his character justice. It's not even a Steve-centric story! Which made me even more amazed (that the author got him so right) and even more annoyed (that so many people get him so wrong and end up bashing him). I quote the paragraph below but I urge you to read the fic if you're interested!

Like listen, listen. Imagine you live in this country, right? And there's a brutal war, and you witness and maybe participate in a horrific amount of violence, and you lose absolutely everyone you care about. Then you end up in this other country, where the culture and ways of doing things are completely foreign to you, and random assholes make fun of you for how you dress and act and talk while you're still coming to grips with the fact that everyone you love is gone and you can never go home again. Meanwhile, everyone around you is like "smile, motherfucker, you're in the Land of Plenty now, where there's a Starbucks on every corner and 500 channels on TV. You should be grateful! Why aren't you acting more grateful?" So you have to pretend to be grateful while you're dying inside. Sound like an traumatized, orphaned refugee? Also sounds like Steve fucking Rogers, Captain Goddamn America. Except that most refugees were part of a community of other people who were going through the same thing. Steve is all alone, the last damn unicorn, if the last unicorn had horrible screaming nightmares about the time when it helped to liberate Buchenwald.

AMAZING RIGHT? It was very satisfying to read the first time around. Even more satisfying that this was coming from Sam's POV which was just a lovely decision.

Anyways!

This little rant isn't even coming from a place of superiority. I know characterization can be difficult, and it's not so much about the quality rather than the fundamental misunderstanding of Steve's character that makes it obvious that either the author doesn't care enough to try to empathize with him, 2) They're using Steve to prop up some other character or 3) They watched his trilogy with their eyes closed and called it a day.

This post has gotten too long so thats all I'll say for now!

Hisami and Zanmu for 1 on that ask game!

When I started shipping it if I did: Since day 1 when I read Hisami's dialogues, like most people I believe lol. I mean, how can you see her and not start cheering for her to get what she wants... Since it's still pretty recent I can add that two lines in particular made me seriously consider it and think about it beyond 'this is nice/funny': when Hisami tells Zanmu that she doesn't have to hold back around her, and when Zanmu tells Hisami that she knew Hisami would mess up on purpose, and that she'll give her a reward anyway - both are about danmaku obviously, but it got my brain gears turning >:]

My thoughts: They've slowly but steadily been going up my favorite ships, especially for the past 2-3 months... They work well together. Obviously I'd love the ship in touhou where one of them has a big fat actual canon crush on the other one, I've been in this hole since 2010 or something so Hisami's kind of a gift... but also in general I think it's a good spin on the boss/henchman trope when the boss is some mega charismatic chessmaster who could probably get anyone they want on their knees and yet their subordinate is one of the only people they can't fully predict/control. The wild card aspect is really funny to me and I love seeing fanworks where Zanmu's like... fondly sighing at Hisami's antics.

Things done in fanworks that annoy me: I think there's too many fanworks where Zanmu looks generally uncomfortable around Hisami despite never doing so even once ingame, and also too many fanworks where Hisami harasses Zanmu, sometimes to make very early 2000s jokes in very poor taste... I won't name anyone but there's a few big yuri artists on twitter who do that and it makes me want to bash my head against the wall when they get praised for it just because their artstyle looks good..... On a more positive note there's a few people who've been creating constantly good content of this pair and I think given a year or two nature will be healing!!

Also I'm of the opinion that Zanmu's fairly tall herself, just a bit shorter than Hisami, so I'm not big on the crazy size difference stuff (funny coming from a seishin fan, I know......)

Things I look for in fanworks: MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING!!! Getting to know each other past the infatuation (in Hisami's case)/the curiosity (in Zanmu's case) in deeper ways. I promise this isn't about sex lol (I do think about that too but not here rn) I really want to see how their relationship can grow and I especially want to see Zanmu enjoying it (as a petty reaction to the stuff listed above...). In their case I think physical intimacy would be a good setting for that kind of scene where their emotional bond grows, so that's what I'd go with if I were to create something like it, but anything can work if it's done in good taste imo. And in general I want to see Zanmu answering Hisami's affections with a positive emotion... whatever it is... I'm desperate.......

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: It's difficult for me to imagine Hisami with anyone else, although I do think she'd have physical relationships with a bunch of women while her feelings for her boss are still unrequited. Zanmu on the other hand I can picture being interested in a few other characters like Reimu or other onis or even the sages, but ultimately not as something she'd commit to and take seriously. The only real endgame is still zanhisa haha

My prefered future/ending for them: Whenever Zanmu considers them close enough to tell Hisami to drop the honorifics and overly reverent language when they're alone, and whenever Hisami feels comfortable doing that would be the ideal "endpoint" for me because of all the things it implies :) I don't care if at that point they actually consider themselves in a relationship or if they just aknowledge there's something going on. Though if they do get in a relationship proper I imagine they'd be very discreet about it. Also I think Hisami should get a promotion so she can directly work as Zanmu's prefered right hand arm man. woman. her everything. her confidant. her silly rabbi

What is their favorite activity together: Probably drinking. I imagine with how old she is and hanging out with onis Hisami's built up a decent hold on alcohol, and Zanmu appreciates it. They reminisce about their respective pasts and talk about the inner workings of hell and Zanmu gets a huge ego boost from showing off her 4D chess plans and Hisami praising her for it

For the Salty Asks (forgive us for the avalanche, if it's too many you can pick your top three): 2, 9, 10, 11, 13 (Optimus), 20, 25 (IDW1), 26

uhhh honestly I feel a bit like a hermit who's out of the loop on what's popular/unpopular so some of these might be completely off the mark but here we go

2. Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?

Mmmm I think most of my brotp's aren't shipped as OTPs to start with, so I dunno if I have any that fit this question.

Guess the closest example for me would be OPli/ta. I don't actively platonically ship them but I think platonic is way more interesting than romantic. I don't like the fandom's interpretation of romantic O/Plita at all + I feel like as one of the original "token woman" Autobots, I'd like to see Elita unshackled from Optimus as a love interest, esp because any official interpretation of them is probably gonna be written extremely heteronormatively/token romance between an action hero and The Girl. And the fanon version of them that's Strong Independent Girlboss Elita with whipped simp husbnad Optimus is just as boring and gross.

I just don't like the vibes and would rather them have some sort of friendly or regular relationship together.

9. Most disliked character(s)? Why?

IDW1 Slide, who I've gone into detail about my hatred of in several posts, but the TLDR is that she comes off as some kind of mouthpiece character? Not a mouthpiece as in for the author's beliefs, but it literally feels like she only exists to shit on Optimus and call him a piece of shit. Her dialogue is so cheesily written ("literally fascism" is an actual thing she says) and her bitching/lack of cultural comprehension about Cybertronian history is so prevalent, that for a long time during my IDW1 reading I was genuinely confused as to whether she was supposed to be some sort of parody/strawman/mockery of someone IRL (her character comes off almost EXACTLY like an anti-SJW stereotype of a screeching harpy calling everyone she dislikes a fascist, and it's only Barber's very obviously left-leaning writing in other parts of the story that told me that definitely wasn't the intent). So then I was wondering "okay is she gonna like, randomly become evil and turn against the good guys because she's just that petty? I mean she spends all of her time bitching about how Optimus/the Autobots/Cybertronians in general are the worst ever and she also hates humans too so I mean maybe? Half of this story already doesn't make sense so I can see it happening."

Thankfully that didn't happen, but like. Slide is so goddamn annoying and ignorant and gets way too much page time dedicated to her angry monologuing (in Unicron aka the finale of IDW1 there's literally a whole half page panel of her bitching about how Optimus is an evil tyrant while Trypticon is dying behind her and it comes off as a poorly timed, bad taste joke). The narrative treats her like she's some important individual whose feelings are important and valid, but she's fucking annoying. Any sympathy she was meant to garner is canceled out by badly written dialogue and the fact that she's a Literal Nobody of a character who seemingly only exists to bash the decades old, beloved legacy characters. For the sake of, idk, talking about how fucked up Cybertronians are that they just shrug and move on when people die? Bc apparently it's some sort of sin to be numb after 4 million years of war (and war that's literally still ongoing while Slide is bitching) and just soldier on trying to get through it? God forbid that a military hierarchy fighting to keep neo-Decepticons and various other alien threats from colonizing Earth be run like a military in which orders have to be followed, people die, but you still have to keep fighting anyways? Idefk man I just hate Slide so much she's basically the embodiment of all of the bad aspects of Barber's writing personified.

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

Mutineers arc in MTMTE/LL. I feel like (whether due to early cancellation and/or JRO wasting time on too many side plots to give it its full depth), I dislike how the mutineers were basically boiled down to pure evil morons who are the most disgusting, despicable evil ever and the only reason the mutiny had Good Guys (TM) in it was because they were horribly misled and not because, you know, the mutiny was 100% a valid thing to have happened as retaliation against Rodimus and Megatron's captaincy.

Like, I'm not opposed to the idea of Getaway and his cronies being assholes (I personally thought Getaway was a GREAT slow-burn, puppet master villain/anti-hero), I just dislike how the quality of their writing degraded from MTMTE to LL. Felt like they (Getaway in particular) got passed the Idiot Ball and then the actual reasons behind the mutiny were never addressed, it was kind of just "oh Getaway died horribly so we're all friends now and we forgive each other and Rodimus/Megatron will just go back to being captains now."

11. Is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

You mean besides IDW Optimus because anyone who's been on my blog for like 5 seconds knows he's my biggest problematic fave skldfjskd

Uhhh I guess in the spirit of the previous question, Getaway. I feel like the fandom's hatred for him is overblown mainly bc it's a combination of Tailgate/Cyga/te fans going "HE GOT IN THE WAY OF C/YGA/TE AND ALMOST KILLED THAT PRECIOUS CINNAMON ROLL" and Rodimus or Megatron stans going "Getaway hates my fave?? But my fave is a good captain and deserves the world HE'S EVIL MY FAVORITE IS BEYOND CRITICISM OR REPROACH GETAWAY IS THE EMBODIMENT OF EVIL."

Like to me it seems as if the hate for Getaway isn't normal dislike or even people hating him because he's a well written villain. It feels weirdly like ppl really take Getaway's actions personally and hate him with the kind of passion you normally see reserved for actual real life horrible people. Or they like, see Getaway as an obstacle to [favorite character]'s happiness and not as an individual who, before the quality of his writing tanked, was actually an interesting character who maybe even had good points? It just feels like people mainly hate Getaway because he's the antagonist to more popular characters/ships and so they project their defense of their faves into virulently hating him.

13. Unpopular opinion about (Optimus)?

Honestly 90% or more of the fan content I see for Optimus is really boring/uncompelling to me, or really just comes off as out of character. It's either Optimus being reduced to an accessory to be shipped with someone (usually turned into some sort of moe cutesy uke type) or him being turned into.... idk some permutation of "feral irresponsible gremlin" or "One Of The Good Ones (TM)" or "anxiety-ridden damsel who needs to be rescued by his lover" or, in some circles, "character I project my issues with authority onto and try to frame as evil for things that aren't even evil."

Idk how to specifically describe it, it's just... a vibe? Most of the Optimus content I see doesn't actually feel like him at all. It feels like it's Optimus/Orion in name only, who got so separated from canon and distorted by fanon/flanderization/shipping/porn stereotypes that he now only vaguely resembles the character he's supposed to be.

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom?

Ahahaha I don't really go into the realm of pure ships honestly, plus this is the war criminal fandom where pretty much every character has killed people or committed crimes or is just generally scarred by war so uhhh

Idk I think Thundercracker/Melissa is a pretty hinged ship? They get along and cope surprisingly well with all the shit that happens. There's no angst or betrayals or misunderstandings or enemies, they're just very respectfully together. Sdfklsajfksd

25. How would you end (IDW1)/Would you change the ending of (IDW1)?

Honestly, I'm pretty satisfied with the ending of IDW1 on both sides of the story. On Barber's side I would've preferred if every single planet including Cybertron didn't get fucking eaten leaving them all stuck on Earth together, and I would've also kept Trypticon alive while... minimizing Slide's role, to say the least. I don't have a problem with Optimus' ending bc I actually think that Optimus' arc in Unicron is like, one of the few 1000% good things Barber wrote for him it's just. It's pure Optimus in his best form.

On JRO's side I would've cut out the last panel with the alternate Lost Light and left it ambiguous as to whether the quantum jump successfully copied the ship or not. I dislike the vibes of the canon ending that implied that everyone moving on with their lives (almost universally to new and exciting and happier places) was the "sad" ending and going on a permanent road trip is the "true, happy" ending. In the author's notes I think JRO said that he wanted to give the readers an ending that would allow them to imagine their faves continuing to go on adventures, but I think compromising a good ending to a story to appease fans is fucking stupid + fandom has never needed permission or approval from the author to write alternate, happy endings. So why ruin a poignant, melancholy ending about how endings come with new beginnings and sadness/nostalgia can be mixed with hope and happiness by going "sike lol they're all living happily ever after on their space cruise."

Also I wouldn't have randomly killed off Ratchet for no reason because like. What was that even supposed to accomplish. I'm no stranger to writing major character deaths but like. He just fucking died of disease off-screen and that was that??? Why, like what was the narrative/symbolic purpose of that besides just making the ending more sad? Maybe to emphasize how going back to Cybertron was the "bad ending" and the quantum Lost Light is the "good ending" since on the LL Ratchet is still alive? But see the paragraph above for why I don't like that.

26. Most shippable character?

The most shippable character to me is whichever character I think is the sexiest, because if I think they're sexy it makes me want to ship them with everyone. "Guards, fuck that man for me" etc etc. Lmao

The difference between "fanatics and gamers"

So basically I'm just gonna word vomit about this topic in regards to destiny because it's been on my mind a lot recently since I've came back to destiny and I've been watching a few vids on the whole discourse surrounding destiny and it's state as a game and feel like I've kinda come to a resolution in my mind about why a lot of this is happening and why some people feel differently about the game. PSA this post isn't supposed to be some big angry discussion trying to say people's concerns about the game is wrong or invalid I kinda jus wanna spew my thoughts out there but do feel free to comment your thoughts about it if you wanna discuss it!

So I start by differentiating between "fanatics" and "gamers" which probably seems like a cringey way to put it but it's the only kind of physical representation of both sides that I could think of. So fanatics are people I'd describe as being absorbed in every aspect of the game, lore, art comics, gameplay, characters etc the type of people who are out here writing fanfics and creating ocs where as gamers are people that are here solely for the game itself. They are playing a game for its mechanics and enjoyment and their involvement in the greater community doesn't span much further than that. They might be interested in the lore (obviously you'd have to enjoy the story to play the game in the first place) but they're not out here making their own content in regards to the game i.e reading/creating fanfics and ocs etc. Now after establishing what each side means from what I can tell the people most upset by the state of the game are the gamers while the ones defending the Devs and just having a good time within the game and it's universe are the fanatics.

So why are people mad?

Well both sides seem mad in the current situation of destiny. The gamers are upset that the contents running dry and the fanatics are getting upset about the gamers constant anger and bashing directed towards the game and the Devs. Like don't get me wrong I understand where people come from when they're annoyed about bugs, it makes the game harder to play and then there's the issue of content running dry and then the vaulting of older content (something that I find extremely upsetting). But I think the constant negative approach towards these issues isn't always healthy to the game, play wise and the actual players mental health wise. I recently watched Mr Fruits video on this talking about the video Datto made and I think the main message there is something that so many gamers need to keep in mind and it's that if your not having fun playing a game and you can't find anymore satisfaction from it play something else. If your playing a game for the content it's Devs are providing you and that content isn't as fulfilling and entertaining for you anymore then just play something else for a while. I think a lot of people have these really unrealistic expectations as to what the Devs can produce within the game and I think if you believe the Devs are seeing the discourse going on in the community and people voicing their issues with the game and are just deciding to sit back idly and do nothing about it then you're a fukin idiot. The people at Bungie are just that, people. People with limitations. There's probably an infinite amount of reasons as to why the issues that're there are there and these things will take a long ass time to fix. If they were easy to fix everyone and their nan would be making bestselling games. In terms of content running dry for people of course this is gonna happen. There's a limit on people's creativity and the amount of content a single group of people are able to produce. And with the amount of content already in the game it's gonna be extremely hard to make new content that's cohesive and makes sense in the greater universe of the game. So yeah it might've only taken you a couple tens of hours to complete the campaign content with your clan full of experienced players but that's not what it's there for in my opinion. The game isn't there to just be played it's there to be enjoyed fully and completely. This is content that the creators have poured months of their lives into thinking up and designing. If destiny was pumping out content at the rate some people seem to think it should come out the game would be a shit show. It would be riddled with plot holes, stuff that just doesn't make sense and would eventually fuck up the game even more gameplay wise. I'm sorry but I don't want this game to turn into some sci-fi Fortnite. I want the Devs to take their time making compelling content that's actually engaging.

Superiority of the fanatics

Please hear the sarcasm in that subtitle but the point of what I'm saying is the fanatics are the ones winning here and I think this is the fangroup that the games actually directed towards. Destiny is a storytellers game, that much is obvious from the games expansive lore and world building. Your given a platform to create your own character and create their story following the campaigns that the company themselves are providing which is something very reminiscent of ttrpgs like dnd or lancer. Obviously it's not got the same customisation as those games but the idea is there. The reason why a lot of fanatics aren't getting super upset about the "lack of content" in the game and it's bugs is because they understand that the content is fucking there but sometimes you gotta warp the content yourself a little to keep up that sense of enjoyment. People do this by writing fanfics, creating art, creating ocs etc. When Bungie aren't directly giving us content to play we are making our own content and sharing it with others because this is what destiny is for us it's not just a game it's a world we're experiencing and being a part of. And that's my point, destiny isn't a game for gameplay mechanics sake and if your playing it for that reason and getting upset then it should be obvious your playing the wrong game and maybe it's time to take a break and try something new. If your wanting a game that spoon feeds you content to keep you hooked then I don't think Destiny is the game for you it's never been that sort of game in my opinion. When I came back to destiny I was hyped to dive head first into lore books, video essays, blogs because I knew I had a lot to learn and create myself and that's what I expect from destiny and tbh it's what I'd think any newcomer to the game should expect. And in terms of bugs in the game obviously they're annoying but I feel like from having a greater respect for the Devs and the content they're making your in a mindset that makes it easier to digest that these things take time. For a company to be making all this content, world building, server mechanics, game mechanics and so much more it's gonna be rough to get to every single bug in the game. And tbh I've been playing the game again for almost a month now and I haven't actually experienced that many bugs in the game, no more than what I've seen in other games I've been playing but I want everyone to take that with a heavy pinch of salt because obviously everyone's experience within the game is different.

The issues of paywalls and vaulting content.

Now this. THIIIISS. I get it, I really do having to pay for seasonal content and constant dlcs is probably the most frustrating thing about modern gaming. But that's the thing it's not just a destiny issue this is a modern gaming worldwide issue. Fucking hell even Pokémon is drifting into the dlc hell hole and paywalls with many of their services. Like it's just apart of gaming now and it can be frustrating but it's something you kinda gotta accept and it's not something you're gonna really be able to avoid no matter what game you play that isn't an indie game. As for the vaulting of older content and the removal of game aspects as seasons progress this is probably the single most frustrating thing about the game right now for me especially as a returning player but I also see why destiny is doing it. The game is reaching a size which is becoming unmanageable and the removal of some content is a necessary evil to keep the game going in my opinion. And to Bungies credit they have announced they will be no longer vaulting dlc content going forwards since last year I believe. And look yeah you can't play the content anymore but it's still out there to enjoy in the form of lore and video essays and play through videos. It's not the same but it's something and I've been enjoying sifting through the content available to me. Again I feel this is where the difference in destiny fan comes in. Gamers aren't satisfied with just consuming content about the game which is a totally fair stance to have on the game but there's also a number of games out there that aren't doing this sort of stuff cus they dont have to and maybe those are the type of games that you should play.

The state of the game for new and returning players.

Now this is probably my biggest fukin gripe with the gamers side of the community because in my opinion the biggest thing that's damaging the experience for new and returning players isn't the games bugs, it isn't the games slow approach to releasing new content or the vaulting of content, it's the constant negativity being emitted by that side of the community in regards to the game and the Devs as well as their attitude towards people wanting to learn more about the game. When I decided I wanted to make a return to destiny I did what I'd say a lot of other people have done and taken to sites like Reddit to ask questions about the game so I'd have some idea of what to expect coming back in and the responses of got of people who are meant the be "fans" of the game were sickening. Id have to sift through maybe 15 responses telling me to delete the game, I'm an idiot for wanting to play it, the games at its worst state than ever, there's no point even trying, before I found even one post actually giving me the information I was asking for and giving me tips on how to get back into the game. The only thing that actually made me contemplate not getting back into destiny was the constant negativity being emitted by that side of the community during that time. Not the negative aspects of the game that're definitely there, it was just the sheer miserable energy I was receiving from these people. And that's the thing while yes the game really isn't at its best state for new or returning players there are still ways to make it work and I found those ways buried underneath all the bullshit negativity the others were spouting. This is what's hurting the games ratings in my opinion. The games not at its worst state it's ever been for new and returning players entirely because of what the Devs are doing, a huge chunk of that issue is the negativity coming from this side of the player base.

In conclusion.

If your not enjoying destiny at this moment in time then stop playing for a bit. Maybe consider that this game isn't for you. Voice your opinions and concerns in a respectful manner. And for new people wanting to get into destiny jump right in! If you wanna get the most out of the game then it's gonna take some effort ima he honest. It's gonna take more than just hopping on the game and playing. And if that's not your vibe then that's totally fair not every game is gonna be for every player. And take my advice if you do wanna learn more about the game and how to get into it please stay away from Reddit. Stick to Tumblr people are actually nice here and wanna educate you in a positive and reaffirming way that is healthy for the state of the game and it's community. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

hey just wondering why you think Roy reuniting w Keeley post s3 would’ve been bad for him? I sort of agree but also don’t want to bash keeley in anyway so I haven’t talked about it

Heya! Thanks for the ask and sorry you feel like you can't discuss something though I do understand why. I'll preface this by repeating something I've said before - canon did such a horrible job of holding Keeley accountable for anything and wrote her as if she could do no wrong and fandom seems to have picked that up and totally ran with it.

I do love that when reading RoyJamie fanfic, I never see Keeley bashing, as you call it, because vilifying female chatacters is such common practice in fandoms. But Ted Lasso fandom seems to swing to the other extreme where I've never even read a fic where Keeley apologises for something? And you can't even quite blame the fans, they just picked what canon put down - Keeley can do no wrong.

So, first of all, I think simply judging Keeley's actions is not bashing at all, it's just treating her the way every character BUT her is treated in both fandom and show. I think Keeley, like almost every other character, has made plenty of bad decisions and mistakes and, personally, how I react to them is a mix of how well I can relate to her and something else. Jack, for example, was a very professionally questionable decision but I completely sympathise with Keeley for it because 1) she faced consequences for her mistake even if it's never acknowledged that she made one and 2) I can relate to it! Hiring Shandy on the other hand was such a monumentally stupid decision that I could never relate to, so it just makes me annoyed with Keeley and the fact that the show treated it as her just being too sweet and wanting to give another horribly unqualified woman a chance rather than as a point towards her lack of professional skills.

Anyway!! The something else is important for my answer. As much as I love discussing my favourite shows and try to be objective, I very rarely am. Once I pick a favourite character, my opinion of almost every other character is informed by how they treat my favouriteTM. Is that fair? No. Do I do it without fail? Yes. Do I feel bad for it? Umm, no, that's my baby, nobody is allowed to be mean to them xD

And this is how we get to the Roy Kent of it all (finally! christ, this is gonna be long, sorry but also thanks!). Roy's my favourite, my baby, my grumpy, old, emotionally constipated and physically aching romantic. Roy can and has done wrong, I'd never claim otherwise. But I'd still claim he's the best chatacter and one of the best people on the show. And he's always gonna put himself last on his list of priorities.

Which is why I fully admit that I judge Keeley extra harshly when it comes to her and Roy. For brief context - I totally shipped Roy and Keeley and think they were good for each other, for the most part, in s1, I was ecstatic they were together in s2 and still shipped them like hell on my first watch (which was binged with s1!) and less and less on every consequent rewatch, part of me still wanted them to be together and then to get back together in s3 until I actually watched it all and completely changed my mind.

Shall I finally answer your question? I don't think Roy should reunite with Keeley because he gives too much of himself and she gives too little. I don't believe they are well balanced and I dont believe he'd feel loved with her again.

That WAS brief! But if you'd like more detail...

I think as sweet and good-hearted as she's portraited, Keeley is inherently a selfish person. Now, we circle back to bashing and judging. I'm doing neither. I'm myself a selfish person in many ways, that's not the worst thing to be in some regards. But I think Keeley is especially selfish in her romantic relationships and that simply does not suit someone like Roy. When paired with a selfish partner, Roy would just give and give and blame himself for not getting as much back.

I'm not saying there haven't been some great moments between Roy and Keeley, full of affection and care from Keeley, such as the scene at the end of s1. That's probably my favourite moment of theirs. But there have been some pretty shit ones too that for me outweigh the good and, more importantly, came once they settle into the relationship.

As early as their first kiss, Keeley got so annoyed and impatient, she immediately slept with Jamie. I know the show took it as an opportunity to have a kinda feminist moment but can you picture that turned around? Roy and Keeley kiss after tons of flirting and build up, and the day after Roy sleeps with a girl Keeley has a proper (however childish) feud with just cuz she told him she was busy that night. That would've never been fine. Again, I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm saying it's the response of a person who only cares about what they want and doesn't plan for the future.

Then, we have the infamous "Roy is a fridge magnet" episode which I still can't wrap my mind around so gimme a sec here. Your boyfriend is too into you, is perfect (by Keeley's own words) but not giving you the space you haven't asked for. So, instead of talking to him - don't even get me started on people writing Keeley as a character who's good as communicating - girl, where?? - you talk about it to his boss, a bunch of his coworkers and your ex who has an antagonistic relationship with him, and eventually as you're spending time together and he's trying to share one of his interests with you, you start screaming bloody murder at him about how clingy he is. Do I have that all correct? All of this would have been forgivable ofc, miscommunication happens, people aren't perfect, etc, etc, expect... forgiveness was asked by the wrong person. What on earth did Roy have to apologise for? This is the #1 example for me of that show trying so hard to make Keeley a perfect sunshine girl boss that they made 0 narrative or even logical sense. Honestly I hate that whole episode with a fiery passion.

Then we have the funeral shenanigans, which I won't even get into because I think Roy was 100% hilarious in that and Keeley was 100% overreacting (and yes, that's a heavy term to use towards a woman but here's the thing... she was). I guess this would be a good place to talk about their ILYs as well. Roy's ILYs always come with an acknowledgement of Keeley's feelings and his own fault for hurting them in anyway. Keeley's first ILY though has absolutely nothing to do with Roy. She's happy about her own success and he's celebrating her. That's it. That's the first time we see her say I love you. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Roy's aren't better but I think that just proves why he couldn't be happy with Keeley. Every time he's said ILY, it's been tinged with sadness and guilt and self-incrimination. Why would I want him to be with someone who constantly inspires those feelings in him?

This is now definitely too long so I'll try to wrap up with s3 very quickly and mainly the fact that the episode Keeley is drinking alone in the pub is one of the only ones where Keeley faces consequence for her actions (in this case, sleeping with her boss - again, not something I blame or begrudge her for but also something she should've probably considered can get her funding pulled when it ends, see: never thinking about the future (and why I don't see Keeley being successful without people like Barbara or Rebecca but thats a different topic)). Keeley responds to being made to face the music by using Roy to make herself feel better. I'm sorry but there's no other interpretation of their hook up for me. He's just read her a very heartfelt apology, ending with another guilt ridden ILY and then he was leaving. Except she chased him down, not to say it back ofc, but to use him for sex.

Thanks, I hate it.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that I think Roy was right to break up with Keeley. Not because she's not a great catch and not because there was anything wrong with her being successful or needing time for herself but because they're not right for each other. Roy is too selfless and ready to blame himself for everything and Keeley is too focused on herself and ready to take advantage of that.

Roy is the kind of romantic that would tell his cabbie to date his wife and compose a playlist for the girlfriend who treated him horribly yesterday. He's the kind of guy that's had to bottle up all his emotions forever and never talks about himself with people and has had his fucking watch stolen by his fucking hook ups. He deserves someone *cough*Jamie*cough* who is absolutely obsessed with him! Who will appreciate the things he does for them and the time he spends with them rather than take them for granted at best and be annoyed at worst. Who will make him feel like he's been struck by lightning! He deserve someone who cares about his feeling and frankly, in season 3 at least, I don't think that's Keeley or should be again.

Eustass Kidd in Modern AUs

I see this trend in fics where Kidd isn't part of a main ship depicting him as either a weird rival to one of the characters or a genuinely disgusting person, and don't get me wrong, I like rat bastard aggro asshole Kidd who's either genuinely unpleasant to be around or truly execrable as much as the next guy–I think it's true to his character in many ways–but I also have a soft spot for modern AU interpretations of Kidd just being Luffy or Law's kinda annoying buddy? Like very much their friend or at least someone they're okay with hanging out with even though they snipe at each other constantly, or just like, an annoying ex you can't help but argue with, rather than a truly shitty person. Egotistical and confrontational and definitely pushes some people away, but in a way that doesn't make it impossible to be his friend

I think it might just have something to do with me scaling down a character's negative traits in my own modern AUs just because their circumstances are less drastic, the stakes of living in a modern world are generally lower (unless it's like, a very action packed thriller or horror thing that's as drastic/requires a similar level of suspension of disbelief to the anime) so I tend to avoid things like having someone be genuinely murderous, and canon Kidd's tendency to annihilate everything in sight and kill people who upset him doesn't translate well to the comparatively low stakes of coffeeshops or college settings. Generally I scale a character's level of potential shittiness to match the world I construct for them, and it throws me sometimes when I'm reading a perfectly cute modern au and people keep certain really drastic plot elements (e.g. Kidd's extreme violence, Doffy killing Cora in front of Law, elements of certain other backstories etc) or interpret the character's evil in ways that feel less plausible in that context (e.g. making an antagonistic character a sexual predator or physically aggressive/dangerous person, especially in bashing fics). This is fine, but again, it can feel out of place if other plot elements aren't similarly drastic in scale or if it's just a minor part of the AU and we get back to regularly scheduled pining or wish fulfillment right after.

essek returning has brought out the WORST in this fandom. bell's hells bashing is back full swing and i hate it. people who harassed the creators for the c2 ending are talking about picking it up again. it sort of makes me want to trash the mn back because its so grating

honestly, even as an essek fan, im not gonna stop anti essek folk from feeling their feelings presently. from personal experience once being (a minor at the time no less) in the heart of the essek fanbase, i think many of his c2-era fans are....... some of the worst people you'll ever meet, and i do genuinely as a c2 fan with all my heart think a lot of c2-era fans should be blocked & avoided at all costs. i am deeply worried & annoyed at c2 fans who would only watch the show for him, avoid how his themes extend to bipoc/women characters in this campaign, and despise astrid again when she is his narrative foil.

all i really ask is folk give him & astrid a chance narratively, because i saw no way this story did not lead to him as he is directly responsible for ashton's situation & ludinus's leg up on the luxon, and astrid & he both deserve a chance to get a hit on the man who systemically & personally screwed their entire lives. i am deeply excited to see where this thread goes, and i know between deranged c2 fans and c3 fans who strike back at them in anger, i will have to be overjoyed mostly alone.

He’s an asshole but he’s MY asshole (VII)

A/N: oh lord it’s here...my baby’s all done :,), i promise im gonna write more ben stuff, reader wasnt adopted by reggie but lives with the sparrows bc superpowers, more ben and five stuff will be coming soon...

Taglist at the bottom, feel free to ask to be tagged in upcoming parts!

Warnings: violence, swearing, joking about Reggie wanting them dead, reader gets a gut stab, klaus comes back to life, talks of bashing brains in, Five’s arm gets cut off, cockroaches, Reginald hurts the reader, blood, character death

Word Count: 3.2k

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 6

reader and Ben are teenagers in the flashback, sorry if the last guardian’s weapon is wrong lol

     Flashback

     The mission alarm sounds, pulling you from your peaceful nap. Really? Can’t these people not commit a crime when I’m trying to nap? Getting up from your boyfriend's bed, you walk down the hall as fast as your still sleepy self can trying to get to your bedroom to change into your mission suit. In your room, you throw on your suit and zip up your boots while Ben bangs on your closed door and yells to hurry up. “Okay, I’m ready asshole,” you say throwing the door open with a smile. “You should've been ready earlier,” he says, grabbing your hand and dragging you down the hallway, the stairs, and finally out the door. Walking down the street with Ben, Alphonso, and Chris, toward the bank where a robbery with hostages. Reginald said that the others could stay back because it wouldn't be a hard job to handle and that the four of you could use some help with working together. Pogo did not like this plan stating that too many things could go wrong with there only being four of you but Reggie ignored him. “Maybe he just doesn't like us,” Alphonso jokes with you. “Yeah, maybe he wants us gone because we’re so annoying. But that doesn't explain--” “Y/n, please take this seriously,” Ben interrupts you and Alphonso’s jokes before you all walk up the steps to the bank and make your grand entrance.

     “You four have thoroughly disappointed me. Do you call that a mission? You four were utter buffoons making the Sparrow Academy look like amateurs,” Reginald lectures you in the living room. “And now look what happened to your brother and ‘boyfriend’ is hurt. Can you explain yourself?” he continues making you increasingly annoyed. “He wouldn't be hurt if you would've listened to Pogo and let the entire team go,” you exclaim at the old man. Getting off the sofa you go to the infirmary to check on Ben. Knocking on the wall you wait for Ben to look up from the book you had recommended. Ben liked reading the little notes you made in the margins and seeing what sections you liked. Normally he would never read a sappy romance book but seeing the way you would react to what the characters did made him want to learn all he can on how to make you giggle and smile like that. Setting his book down on his lap revealing his bandaged cheek, he motioned you in before leaning up and adjusting his pillow before laying back down. “So, how does your face feel,” you ask sitting on his cot and holding his hand. “My cheek hurts, my nose hurts, my eye hurts, everything on my left side hurts. But, the meds Grace gave me are working I think,” he says trying to smile at you but only being able to smile with the right half. “...I'm sorry. It's my fault, I shouldn't have turned around and left you to deal with the last guy, I should’ve taken care of him when I had the chance,” you say starting to ramble. “Hey, it’s okay. I lived I’m going to be okay,” he says squeezing your hand. “Do you think it's gonna look cool when it heals?” Ben asks lightening the mood. “It’s gonna be so badass.”

     Present

     You, Sloane, and Five had managed to corral the guardian into the laundry room. Hiding behind a line of washing and drying machines, you attempt to create a plan. “You’ve hit him with your ax five times. He should be dead by now,” Ben says to Five. “The armor. It’s like hitting cement,” Five says to the group. “There’s a space between the backplates,” Sloane informs the group. “We need to get behind him.” “I can do it. I can just walk up the wall a drop behind him and then boom, done,” you tell the group. “No, there is no way in hell you’re doing that,” Ben says firmly. “Oh really? You aren't the boss of me, asshole,” you reply making Ben groan in frustration. Beginning to crawl over to the wall you’re stopped when Sloane gently grabs your ankle. Going back to your hiding spot next to Sloane, she then says “Let’s kill this thing,” before leaping over the barricade with Five following after her. Sloane runs around to try and get behind the guardian but the guardian throws a knife that slices her arm open. Five appears and tries to hit it again but is bitch-smacked and knocked to the ground. Standing you run around to the guardian and jump on its back, distracting it from Sloane and Five. You and the guardian wrestle around for a bit; you trying to find some skin so that you can sink your fangs into it as your nails try to scratch it. The guardian soon gets the upper hand and throws you to the ground hard. It stands over you growling and raising its sword and then plunging it into your stomach. As you let out a bloodcurdling scream, Ben finally joins the fight, using his tentacles to restrain the guardian. His tentacles don't restrain it for long, the guardian slices through them causing Ben to wail in pain and the guardian to set his sights on him. Five then uses all of his strength to get up and strike between the backplates. 

     The guardian collapses falling face down with Five’s ax still in his back. Rolling over you see Ben and give him a weak smile, letting him know you were going to be okay. Sloane helps you stand, her arm around your waist while one of your arms around her neck. She brings you over to Ben, where he immediately holds you close, head buried in your neck. “You’re so fucking stupid, but you’re my idiot,” he says looking you in the eyes smiling. “And you’re such an asshole, but you’re my asshole,” you say pulling him in for another hug, giggling. “We should go to the lobby,” Five says out of breath. “You okay to walk?” he asks nervousness laced in his voice. “Yeah, I think I'm good,” you say lifting your shirt to look at the almost healed wound. 

     Meeting in the lobby with the other Umbrellas, you see Klaus on the floor being picked up by his siblings. “You look like hell,” Klaus says after Five approaches him. “Why don’t you try killing a guardian?” he replies sarcastically. “We just did,” Viktor says gesturing to Lila and Allison. “So did we,” you say, checking your wound and seeing no trace of it. “Klaus, I thought you were dead,” Sloane says worriedly. “Yes, yes I'm alive and amazing, despite Dad’s attempts to bash my brains in, but tearful reunion later,” Klaus responds worrying you and the others. “What you guys need to know now right now is that… Dad killed Luther. And locked me out of the tunnel and he rang that stupid bell!” he finishes. Seeing Reginald you and your family start towards him. “What's your plan, old man?” Five asks walking toward him with his arms out. “We don’t have time for this,” Reginald responds quickly. “You killed Luther!” Sloane confronts her father, holding her hurting side. “I had no choice. You refused to come together as a team,” he says. “All of your stupid myths and stories. There were never seven bells or Norsemen. You brought us here to die!” Ben exclaims finally standing up to his father, making you kind of proud. “That’s not so. Somewhere in this hotel is the key to resetting the universe. We just need to find the sigil!” Reginald says holding his journal. “I don’t care about your sigil! None of us do,” Sloane yells pain laced in her voice.

     “We barely survived that guardian with his stupid helmet and his sickle!” Diego joins. “The guardian we killed had an ax,” Viktor quietly adds. “Ours had a sword,” you add. “There’s one left,” Diego and Lila say in unison looking at each other. “We have to go after it,” Sloane vengefully states. “Because that worked so well the first time,” Ben says assholishly. Five goes to the balcony and looks down at the team. He’s probably annoyed with their arguments or he’s going off to find the guardian himself. “Hey, I found the sigil! It’s on the--” Five yells before the final guardian burst through the ceiling, landing on the balcony and cutting off Five’s arm. The guardian lands before you, growling at the sight of you and your family. The guardian first attacks Klaus, slicing into his stomach with his kusarigama. The guardian then throws some smoke bombs at some of the team, causing them to fall immediately. Standing with Ben as the guardian winds up to throw his kusarigama again, Ben throws you to his side, hitting your head on the hard tile. Luckily he was only hit with the iron weight at the end and not the blade. Diego then stands to fight, dodging one attack but then getting hit by the rest. The guardian wraps the chain around his arm and goes to slice him, however, Diego moves just in time to avoid the blow. He then starts landing blow after blow to the guardian’s side and back, before being smacked down by the growling guardian. 

     Sloane then stands in front of the guardian. Just as it goes to stab her she uses her powers to stop it, the metal armor creaking loudly. Sloane’s powers aren't enough and soon fade out, just as the guardian starts to stab its kama into Sloane, Luther grabs its arm and says “Nobody hurts my wife, you son of a bitch.” Luther then throws the guardian backward, it flies through the air, slamming into the ground near the stairs. Laying on the floor you start to sit up, helping Ben as you watch Luther stand up to Reginald and say his final goodbye to Sloane. The guardian starts to reanimate, Five tells everyone that the sigil is on the floor while Reginald tells everyone to find a star. Rushing over to an unoccupied star, Reginald grabs your arm and pulls you. “Not you,” he says firmly as he tightens his grip on your arm, pulling you away. The rest of the team goes and stands on a star, Allison goes to stand on one and is told the same thing. “No. Not you,” he says still holding your arm as your tired legs give out under you, leaving you hanging by your arm. Five walks down the balcony, what’s left of his arm tied off. The guardian reanimates and puts his mask back on, covering the nasty cockroach-infested face, and prepares to fight again. Five and Allison exchange looks as the guardian swings his kusarigama. Five teleports to the final star and electricity shoots out, connecting all the siblings and guardian.

     The beam of electricity burns a hole through the guardian, knocking it backward and finally killing it causing the guardian to disintegrate, leaving the armor behind as cockroaches scurry out. Reginald still has a tight hold on your arm as spotlights shine down on your siblings causing them all to strain and groan. The hotel starts to transform before your eyes, the hotel turns a neon gold color as the insides morph into a platform with gold lines all around. The desk behind you turns around and Reginald pulls you along with him to the new high-tech desk. Reggie starts tapping on the dome screens, one hand now wrapped around your wrist, tightly. “This wasn't part of the deal,” Allison steps in and says. “You dipshit! You’re hurting them!” you yell, biting down on Reginald’s hand. Reginald responds to you by slamming you on the floor repeatedly. Shit, I think this is my new thing. Repeatedly slamming your head into the ground, you look toward Ben, watching the life be sucked out of him. After Reginald feels you are no longer a threat he stops the banging, giving you one kick to the head before going back to the dome screens. Allison stands shocked at the sight, not knowing what to do. 

     “He killed Luther,” Viktor strains. “He tried to kill Klaus. He won’t stop until we’re all dead,” Five adds. Sitting up you look down at the pool of your blood dazed hearing the screams of your family as the energy powers up. “Okay, you need to stop!” Allison urges. “I’m almost done. And when I am, you and I will get what we came here for,” Reginald concludes. “No, you’re killing them!” she shouts at the old man. “Everything in life has a price,” he says as their screams get louder and particles fly off their bodies. Allison tries to use her powers to make Reginald stop but it somehow doesn't work. “Allison,” you weakly whisper. Getting her attention, you mouth to “get the kusarigama” and make a beating gesture. Allison grabs the kusarigama and with the kama cuts Reginald’s head in half, revealing non-human insides and dark green blood. The spotlights release your family, leaving them worse for wear. A faint call-like sound is heard and Allison goes towards the sound finding a button. “Allison… Allison, don’t touch that button. We don’t know what it does,” Five says out of breath and strained. “Allison, stop!” Viktor yells, getting ready to use his powers on her. “Do you trust me?” Allison asks Viktor. Viktor powers down, making the others protest. Allison presses the button and the room distorts and goes black.

     Waking up, you’re still in the hotel, only in the elevator. Waking up with your head in Ben’s lap, you sit up and look around not finding Allison or Sloane in the elevator. Everyone stands up, you all wait for the elevator to stop, not saying a word. The elevator finally stops and the door opens and you all step out. Ben gently holds your hand leading you out, taking caution given that his father tried to kill you not even five minutes before. “Cool,” Lila laughs looking at a bust of Reginald with Viktor. “Luther?” Viktor says seeing a smaller Luther exit the elevator. Viktor then walks over to him and jumps in his arms, overjoyed at seeing his previously deceased brother. The Umbrella’s cheer over Luther’s return. As they celebrate Ben looks at your head, the wounds starting to heal like magic. Smiling he places a kiss near one of the many cuts and bruises on your face. “Holy shit, my body!” Luther exclaims. “Wait. I gotta show Sloane,” he says looking for her. “I got my arm back,” Five says looking down at his once missing arm. “This is so cool. W-wait. Where’s Sloane?” Luther asks alarmed. “Oh, she was, uh… She was right behind me--,” Klaus says as Lila interrupts him “When Allison hit the bloody button.” “She’s gone too,” Diego adds. “You know, I don't know about you guys, but I have not felt this good in years,” Klaus says walking aimlessly. 

     “Does anyone know where the hell we are?” Ben says holding your waist and looking intently at your almost healed cuts. “The hotel. Or at least this is where it used to be,” Lila responds. “I think the old man did it. I think he reset the universe,” FIve says shocked. Lila exclaims that Diego got his fingers back causing you to look at Ben a little closer. “Holy shit babe. You’re scar,” you say awestruck. Luther continues to shout for Sloane and then threatens Five as Ben touches his cheek, not feeling the indention of his scar. As he feels for his scar he notices something else. “Where’s the sparrow?” he asks feeling where his Sparrow Academy tattoo was. Looking down at your wrist you still find the sparrow tattoo. “Okay, screw this,” Five says as he tries to teleport away but fails to do. “Something’s wrong,” he says looking toward the group. “That’s right. You’re about to get your ass kicked,” Luther says both hands on Five, ready to kick his ass. “Yeah, kick his ass,” Diego says excitedly. “No, you moron. My power,” he explains, the last part you couldn't hear. Diego then takes out one of his knives and trying to spin it but fails, the knife falling out of his hands. “That’s not good.” Everyone then tries to use their powers and everyone fails to do so, except for you, your fangs still intact and healing still there. “How do we get them back, idiots?” Ben asks annoyed. No one answers his question. Luther leaves to go find Sloane and Klaus goes after him. “We’re out bitches,” Ben says as you two walk away to go do something.

     “We can go on our vacation now,” Ben says walking with you, swinging your arms. “Where are you gonna take me?” you say as Ben spins you around. “I was thinking Paris. Ya know we could even live there. I mean, new timeline--universe new us,” he says smiling as you keep walking, passing by a streetseller. “So it's a plan then? We’ll move to France and live out our days?” he asks, stopping in front of a motel. “Okay, settle down, let's just start with a vacation there, then we’ll see how we feel,” you say, facing him and fixing his jacket. Walking inside the rundown motel, Ben pays for a room and gets the key. Walking into the room you immediately throw all of your clothes off and start to get in bed, snuggling under the sheets waiting for Ben. He stands at the sink looking in the mirror, touching where his scar had been just 20 minutes ago. “I think we can start over,” Ben says to your almost asleep self. “Yeah? No more playing superheroes?” you reply eyes closed laying down. “Yeah, be normal people for a while.” Feeling his weight on the bed, you open your eyes and look at him, seeing him facing you. Leaning down he places a soft kiss on your lips. “I promise you, we’ll be a normal family from now on. A-and if I ever break that promise, you’re allowed to beat me up,” he whispers almost in tears. “I’m proud of you,” you say still looking him deeply in the eyes changing the topic. “I’m proud, you finally did it. You stood up to Reggie and looked damn good doing it,” you say smiling and giggling. “T-t-thank you,” Ben sniffles as he starts to cry. Sitting up you comfort him, holding him close to your chest, rocking back and forth. 

     Waking up the next morning, Ben and you gather your meager things together and get dressed to go on your next (normal) adventure. Catching a taxi to the airport, Ben starts rambling about all the things he wants to do and see. The only other time I’ve seen him this happy was on our wedding day. “And don’t worry about how we’re gonna pay for all this stuff,” Ben says confusing you and worrying the driver. “Because I got this,” he finishes, holding up Reginald’s debit card, grinning like an idiot. “Do you really think he won’t notice when we’re spending thousands of dollars?” you reply smiling and grabbing the card to put in your pocket. “As if he’d care,” Ben replies, continuing to talk about all the places he’s going to take you and all the sights you’re going to see while he wraps you in his arms.

Taglist: @0x1lovesonq @bryannabarradas @ac-book-nerd-13  @4okkotsu @kraken-00-22 @fivehargreevessuit @isaefire @xhiiyuv @fridatessacm @gloriousstudentoperamug @j-panic @salted-fis @siriusly-rem-writes @gamingdevil101 @sanguinelabyrinth @muzanslander12 @mihhggvggh @choichaeyiul @mitsuri-darling @birbtweettweet @choclate32 @ddeonubaby @nao-cchi @i-bitch-you-bitch @mylesofasgard @darlingsuna @blogname197 @mivzai @emmeowo @yanelly1085 @mukbee @aceofspades190 @jui36oxx @iamasimpsstuff @hawkinsbylers @fanficwritersworld @natsgaygf @divergentnewt23 @fantasyfiction-net @electronicvoidcat @ben-er-ino @papaskazoo @cole-silas @strxwberryh3art @volturiwolf @cff3kat @simpforbenhargreeves @thelaststraw3 @putarbalik @wandas-lovey @r4iner 

the character everyone gets wrong

which ship fans are the most annoying?

what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

worst part of canon

worst part of fanon

it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

part of canon you think is overhyped

your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

ship you've unwillingly come around to

Okay a character everyone gets wrong in winx club would definitly be... well it's a group of people but I really think people don't really give Wizards of the black circle the credit and recognition they deserve. Maybe it's because they come from season 4 that today more people like to bash but they actually were so interesting as villains. Like to me what makes them stand out is how they don't give a f^ck about the Winx. in the episode where the girls get their believix (still one of my favs) there is a moment where they have total control over the girls and Ogron basically says "don't be afraid they won't do anything to you, all that we want is Roxy". And actually they already told the girls they had nothing against them and well it is actually true. Like Valtor told Bloom he just wanted her to stay out of the way two seconds before making Aisha/Layla blind. Wizards started being really dangerous to the girls when they became an obstacle for them. They don't care about the Winx because they don't care about the Magical Dimension. They have something to do, a mission to complete and it's their goal. They also have one of the most interesting dynamic as a group and I feel people should talk about it more instead of... fangirling over Duman for the part that cares about the wizards. Nothing against him it's just that I feel like he's the least interesting in the group sorry not sorry.

Also Riven and Roy. Really should explain more about Roy. But I think your other questions can help me.

(tumblr had nothing better and as I'm on my computer I don't have my collection of gifs of them)

Which ship fans are the most annoying? Oh a though one because I don't really interact with fans of ships I don't like. However I will have to give the palm to some representative of the Rivusa fanbase and I'm sorry for you all Rivusa non-toxic fans who have to deal with such problematic people who think that defending a ship is insulting people. Also sorry to those who are good but I had many problems with some Bloom x put the name of the villain you prefer fans. Like sometimes I just want to talk but they take everything as an insult like when I ask "how did you come to ship Bloom with Valtor?" they see it has "lol how on earth can you be stupid enough to ship her with the guy responsible for her parents' fate". Once again not everyone but these fanbase were my worst experiences.

Bloom is basically me dealing with toxic fans

A character that the fandom made me hate: This time I have to go with Mirta. I never was a fan of Mirta but the way the fandom praises her made me feel so out of it that everytime I rewatched season one, I was trying to understand why fans loved her so much and the more I was rewatching, the more I hated this poor Mirta. Today i won't say I hate her because I feel like she had a pretty decent arc and a character that is good for a supportive character (not for a permanent member PLEASE DON'T) and she's cute but for a time I really couldn't stand her face because I felt like she was so overrated by the fandom it made her dislikable.

Worst part of canon: I would say the fact that instead of being very clear when they decided to do their soft reboot in season 5n they chose to do things without being clear enough. Plus they kept things from past seasons but with the new timeline it makes no sense and gives so many plot holes. Even if I kinda like season 5, this soft reboot is still the worst part of canon for me. Plus and this is unpopular as hell, Nabu and Layla's love story. I'm sorry to you fans of this ship who love to say it's the best love story of the franchise but I never was able to buy it. It came definitly out of nowhere, still is a part that annoys me in season 3 and was forced and way too fast. If they had introduced Nabu sooner in season 3 or made them meet the group sooner maybe that impression I had of being forced something in my throat wouldn't have been there but it's here.

Obviously I also have to give Rivusa a palm but I would say the worst part of their story is THE FACT THAT THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER IN SEASON 4. They both finally had grow up and were mature enough to realise that they weren't good for each other. But instead of accepting it... well they got back together.

Look how babyboy is adorable here holding this thing (don't really know what it is supposed to be like it's a wall but not a wall) like it's his teddy bear... Adorable.

Worst part of fanon: The way some people can't stop fighting for their headcanons against other people. Like we all have the right to have our headcanons it doesn't mean we should fight. For example I have the headcanon that Timmy and Tecna are an asexual couple and it goes against many of my friends headcanon that Tecna is aroace. I will never fight with them about it because it's an headcanon. Just respect your neighbour and let him ship Driven without pissing him off for no reason.

It's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on Roy. This guy isn't bland and without a personality like some of his haters may say. He's a sweet guy who never liked a girl before and falls in love with his princess who is also dealing with grief and he's respectful enough to not want to piss her off or be too much. If he got along with the girls and the guys even if this season and season 6 criminally lack of Specialist's friendship moments, it's because he's a sunny guy with a great humor and a personality that goes along with people. He's an extrovert who loves to go and talk with people discovering what interests them and who loves to try new things. And this is absolutely not in my headcanons that are really numerous for him, all of this is shown in the show when he's here and people should stop hating on him just because he appeared after Nabu's death. Plus this reason to hate him is also unfair considering he has nothing to do with the writers decision to kill Nabu in season 4 (unpopular opinion: they were right to do this).

He has so few gifs it hurts me.

Part of canon you think is overhyped: Season 3 and Enchantix. Don't get me wrong, the concept and execution of Enchantix was great and I loved it, it's definitly one of the best transformations in Winx Club. But it also has problematic parts that are for me the way Tecna, Stella, Musa and Layla have clothes that are way too over-sexualising them.And I say that with Stella's enchantix being my favourite transformation for her. An yes I know every transformation has this problem at least once but the thing is that here, it's on almost everyone and it's so obvious. People keep saying it's the most incredible transformation and the "only one where they look like fairies" as if weknew what fairies look like. My fairies are Tinkerbell and her friends and Enchantix doesn't look like them. But WHATEVER. It's a good transformation, definitly has the best way to be earned but is that a crime when someone says it's not their favourite? No and we shouldn't see so many comments saying "if his/her favourite transformation isn't Enchantix...." on youtube rankings of the transformations.

But it's also relevant for season 3. The thing is that season 3 is good but wants to do too much at the same time and loses its own timeline. The first part of the season varies from episodes were everything happens at the same time and others where the plot installs itself. Which leads to the second part of the season where everything goes downhill with many boring episodes and a rushed and deceiving ending. I don't get why people praise it so much because objectively it's not better than seasons 1 and 2 and subjectively not than season 4 in my opinion. It looks like the season was being written episode by episode and suddenly they realised they had ten episodes to conclude the season and started doing WTF and rushed endings of arcs. Plus I don't like the Water Stars scenaristic facility. Sorry not sorry.

Let's be honest, if she had the choice, Tecna wouldn't wear it because it's absolutely not practical. And I also dislike how they decided her hair was too short. Magix Winx, Believix and later seasons transformations except Harmonix showed you could do a transformation with her hair not changing from the rest of the season.

Your favourite part of canon that everybody else ignores: For once I'm not gonna go with easy choices like season 4, Wizards of the Black circle or Roy. I'm gonna go with a plot point everybody keep forgetting and that is: Darcy is a fucking romantic girl. Did she chose power over her boyfriend? Yes but it doesn't mean she's not a romantic person. In season 1, the way she falls for Riven everytime she sees him shows how she wants to build something with him. In season 2 she mentions at the start of the first or second episode that she sometimes thinks of a simple life when she was watching that in love couple (it was a movie I think) and her sisters KNOW she is romantic because they keep laughing at her about it. I'm really sad they decided to forget about that later because it made her character more complete. She's kind of a bitch who dreams of power but she also has a soft heart beating for romantic comedies and who sometimes allows itself (the heart) to dream of a romance. With Riven of course.

Ship you'v unwillingly come around to: There are many but I would still say that the one I wish I never saw is Faragonda x Bloom. How gross it is to imagine the influence this woman has on Bloom since she's sixteen turning into a gross love story? I want to forget it. I do ship Bloom with people and considering the only canon Winx pairings I like in the original group are Brandon/Stella and Tecna/Timmy (Flora/Helia is fine but I prefer her with someone who wakes her baddie and flirty side like Anagan for example or Layla). Bloom to me would fit SO WELL with Nabu. Like he is the soft guy who understands her but also the one who's not afraid to tell her she fucked up and who would treat her right and not let her insecurities win because that's what Sky does by NEVER putting a term to Diaspro's fantasy. But this is mostly linked to the writers loving to torture Bloom and Diaspro.

And this is both Bloom after she finally found peace in a relationship and me after finishing to answer these questions by talking WAY too much!

Why do you think so much of the ATLA fandom just violently hates Aang? It really confuses me how so many fans just seem to resent everything about him even to the point of making up reasons that don’t even exist to bash him and demonizing everything he does. I’ve never seen such an innocent and kind character get such a hateful reaction so it’s weird.

It's a lot of reasons honestly. One reason is because a lot of people in the fandom like Zutara, but since Bryke didn't want Zutara to happen and instead went for Kataang, that made a lot of fans angry. Another reason is because some things that Aang does in the show that should have gotten called out by the narrative never were. Also a lot of fans felt like he should have killed Ozai instead of taking his bending. But I think the main reason why a lot of the fandom just doesn't like him is because for most people he isn't relatable in the way that Zuko is. The show was made for a western audience, an audience who doesn't know what its like to lose your people to genocide, to have your entire culture stripped away just because another party thinks that their way is "better and civilized".

This may be controversial, but I also think race has a lot to do with it. I remember seeing a post on here a while back and the op was saying they noticed something very interesting when they spoke to poc about Aang and the air nomad genocide and when they spoke to white people about it. The poc seemed to sympathize with Aang a lot more because to a degree they know what that feels like, to have your culture ripped away from you and to have your people wiped out thanks to genocide. Because their ancestors were victims of it. When the op spoke to white people about it, however, they said that they could not connect with Aang at all because they don't know what that feels like, so to them he wasn't all that special. To them Zuko was much more relatable, so that's the character that they latched on to. Me personally I absolutely agree with this and think that there is truth to it. I'm African American, so in a way I can relate to what Aang went through. Thanks to racism and slavery in this country, many black people were killed for no reason, they were ripped from their homes(although this can also be blamed on black people too seeing as we sold our own people to the Europeans, who then took it to a whole other level) and were told that their culture was meaningless and that they would learn to live like white people. They were stripped of their names and given new ones, they were forced to speak a different language, practice a different religion that they had never heard of before. Now based on what little I know about my family history, at least on my dads side, we go all the way back to Kenya I think. But that's all I know. I don't know what tribe we come from, if we have any family there, or what my native tongue is. That's all gone now. So when I was rewatching the show last year and I got up to the part where Aang went into the avatar state upon finding Gyatso's body and from that being forced to realize that his people and culture were entirely wiped out by the fire nation? I felt that. I literally felt a chill go through me, and I actually cried a little bit.

The fandom I noticed also seems to give Aang shit because he would talk about what the monks taught him every now and then, and a lot of fans found it to be annoying after a while. But you know what? Aang had every right to do that. He was literally the only human being alive that represented what was once the air nomads. So him repeating his teachings whenever he got the chance to was his one way to hold on to his culture, to make sure that the air nomads would not be forgotten.

Wow this got pretty long, lol. But yeah, that's what I think as to why Aang gets a lot of hate in the fandom.