#can this be considered meta? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

butwhatifidothis · 2 years

Text

There’s two lines Claude has - in his C support with Dimitri - that perfectly encapsulate why the “He’s like this because he didn’t have Byleth/his time in the academy to guide him to being good” reasoning makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, that he says regarding the Central Church/Rhea: “Who steals your freedom and gives you an endless list of duties and obligations simply because you have a Crest? Who forces your friends into a bunch of unwanted marriages and positions of power?”

Now, keep in mind, this is what Claude says are two of his core motivations into taking down the Church and/or killing Rhea (mostly the second). The problem with that tho is that it goes directly against what Claude has personally experienced; just about everything we know about him should not just not have him have this belief, but actively believe the opposite of it.

And no, not just because of 3H. I’m talking about it doesn’t make sense for him to have it according to 3Hopes, as a standalone game, as well.

So, like, hey, um, how do we know Claude? Like how it is that we, like, physically see Claude at all? Why is he in Fodlan? Oh, yeah, it’s because he chose to come over here, of his own volition:

And he chose to come over here to become the leader of the Alliance so that he can make his dreams come true:

As in, before he met Byleth or entered the Academy, Claude came here because he wanted to come here. No Crest forced him to take up this position, or to take up any list of duties and obligations, he literally chose to do all of that himself. And in fact, even with his Crest, he still needed the help of Crestless Judith to even be legitimized as heir, even though he logically would’ve been tested for having a Crest once he came over. And the way we know this is... because Claude says so, explicitly:

(and because I’m just nice like that we’re also gonna ignore how Lorenz literally says that having a Crest isn’t enough proof for Claude’s legitimacy for being heir and that it’s his noble disposition that is more important - keeping strictly to stuff that happens before Byleth/the academy)

So, like, cool fundamental aspects of Claude’s background go directly against what he is saying is true about this shit, that’s fine. Sure, yeah, he complains about being forced to take up an unwanted position of power that he literally came to Fodlan to get because he wanted it, that’s cool cool that’s fine that’s WHATEVER I guess. But that’s 3H - what about 3Hopes as a standalone game, like I said?

Well, regardless of either game, Claude is. Like. Almyran royalty. You know, Almyra, that place that isn’t Fodlan and so does not have Crests and yet still has a nobility system of some sort. Like, there’s a reason Claude never talks about Crests causing noble troubles in 3H like many other characters do, he’d have experience as foreign royalty with the idea of Crests, like... not causing royalty or nobility. So, uh, there’s that lil detail. But let’s go even further!

There’s a few little details about the world of Fodlan that 3Hopes throws at us, right? Some might, uh, directly go against canon of 3H, but whatever - talking about strictly 3Hopes here! And what is revealed in strictly 3Hopes? Which important figure is revealed to not have a Crest? And which important character does have a Crest?

Holst and Hilda.

Crestless Holst and Crested Hilda.

Heir of House Goneril, guardian of the border, renowned general known about all of Fodlan, Crestless Holst, and “seems like she had a pretty cushy life growing up. Which means she’s gotten into the habit of slacking off and making others do things for her” Crested Hilda.

Holst, the Crestless one with all of the duties and obligations, the one with the position of power, and Hilda, the Crested lazy slack-off who does nothing AS DESCRIBED

BY CLAUDE HIMSELF.

SO, COOL, HE HAS DIRECT EVIDENCE AGAINST THIS BELIEF OF HIS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE EXISTANCE OF HOLST’S LACK OF A CREST IN THEIR SUPPORTS AND YET SAID BELIEF IS A CORE MOTIVATION AS TO HIM KILLING RHEA AND TAKING DOWN THE CHURCH. He himself does not embody this belief. He himself is also, technically, proof against this belief.

And IN 3HOPES, he takes on more responsibilities than his position warrants from him! In his supports with Leonie he asks her to keep him in touch with what the commoners of Leicester have problems with, because his position stops their voices from reaching his ears. HE SAYS THAT. THAT COMES FROM HIS MOUTH. His position prevents him from taking on this responsibility, and he WILLINGLY CHOOSES TO TAKE IT ON ANYWAY. It’s something that he says is his priority above winning the war DESPITE it not being something his position allows! THAT DOESN’T SOUND VERY FORCED TO ME.

And none of this is addressing the completely out-of-pocket accusation of forcing marriages, which not only does literally no one accuse the Church of doing, IT’S SOMETHING THAT, ON AG, PEOPLE ACCUSE DIMITRI OF DOING. THE GUY CLAUDE IS TALKING TO IN THIS INSTANCE. That Dimitri arranges political marriages for the sole purpose of benefitting from the strengthened family ties - the second part is wrong, but Dimitri does in fact arrange marriages between families, at least once. But then Dimitri says that he agrees with Claude on his accusations against the Church?? But, whatever, not about that, dumb as that is.

So what, exactly, is the fuckin’ problem here? Where the fuck does this idea even come from? It goes against his 3H character, and it can’t even stand up straight in the game it is introduced in. It is shot down at about every single conceivable level possible, and most of the bullets are shot from the gun that Claude himself is holding. And all of this shit predates any meeting with Byleth or his time in the academy - that has nothing to do with all of the shit this attitude (and his behavior overall) contradicts in both 3H and 3Hopes. And again - core motivation here! These are the first two things he says are his reason to do what he does against the Church when asked about it - which include all of the terrible shit he pulls against Faerghus in GW. SO happy to know that he does such blatantly evil shit for reasons that HE HIMSELF proves are wrong!! Love that for him 💞💞💞 end me

#Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes #Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes #Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes spoilers #Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes spoilers #Can this be considered meta?#guys it's just bad writing there's no nice way to put it #in many MANY ways the writing for Claude's character in 3Hopes was given as much love and care as a red-headed stepchild #and this is definitely one of those ways #it's completely nonsensical at every angle. it makes no sense in 3H or 3Hopes #and yet it's apparently what's driving him to be a shitbag #not gonna address how he himself works against the spirit of his last point - that the Church disallows contact with foreigners #like oh yeah Claude I bet making Faerghus and Sreng fight each other is REALLY stickin' it to Rhea huh 🗿 stupid fuckin' dumbass #am i ever glad we're Dev Approved to discard what we want cuz this negl would make him the actual worse written character in the game #were this hard canon #damn one Top 5 material at least #Clyde discourse

109 notes · View notes

ranna-alga · 1 month

Text

"Do the Evolution" - Pearl Jam

#ranna word dumping #this specific lyric of the song reminded me soooo much of dutch/john and hosea/arthur #obviously john is very different from dutch but i think there is a reason why he was considered to be dutch's favourite son #john seems closer to dutch in a similar way arthur is with hosea but in a different manner i think. there is obviously a tension present #dutch is observant but only when he wants to be (otherwise i think he would have kicked micah out of the gang a long time ago)#john is just observant. he saw first-hand what happened in blackwater and is sus of dutch throughout the rest of the game #he isnt as dumb or slow as he calls himself #i read a meta about it and it explains it 1000x better than i can #as for hosea/arthur the parallels are already obvious enough #also i am quite a fan of pearl jam so teehee i had to make the selfish parallel #might make more like this idk #rdr #rdr2 #red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan #rdr2 arthur morgan #dutch van der linde #rdr2 dutch van der linde #john marston #rdr2 john marston #hosea matthews #rdr2 hosea matthews #outlaws for life #pearl jam

637 notes · View notes

pinkd3mon · 9 months

Text

First meeting (Kirby Star Allies)

#kirby #kots #kirby of the stars #kirby fanart #hoshi no kirby #king dedede #dedede #taranza #magolor #Kirby susie #star allies #meta knight #Bandana dee #this comic can be interpreted however you like #i just think about everyone's meeting in star allies too often #specially considering Kirby clash is now canon #that just means Magolor met Taranza from that dimension before meeting our own Taranza #and that just makes me think too much #also if you consider the novels canon Taranza and Magolor truly had the worst first meeting #Taranza is destined to hate that egg #but then they become silly friends in the middle of their adventure #then they go back to trying to kill each other and so on and so on #susie's role on the group is neither an moderator nor a encourager but a secret third thing #i know some Magolor fans don't like his characterization on the novels but I find it so charming #he's a character that annoys people around him because he genuinely doesn't know how to make friends #so he just annoys people into paying attention to him (even if it's negative)#susie is too proud of her beliefs and denies hers and other people's emotions believing she's helping them #and Taranza is an uptight traumatized royal who probably attaches onto people too quickly but can't help but judge them #the Gaslight gatekeep girlboss group of all time i love them #btw i had to cut a panel because I just found out tumblr just lets you put 10 images per post oops

665 notes · View notes

notfreetoday · 7 months

Text

The Importance of Amae in My Personal Weatherman

Masterlist || Language Analysis Part 1

I have seen a lot of discourse in the English-speaking fandom surrounding Segasaki's apparent dismissal or trivializing of Yoh's desire to pursue his manga, and most of it is negative. His comments about wanting Yoh to remain dependent on him, or that Yoh does not need to earn money are seen as patronizing or controlling at best and oppressive at worst. It appears that Segasaki does not understand nor respect Yoh's need for independence, and that is what strains their relationship.

But what if I asked you to consider that Segasaki's behaviour is actually an invitation to Yoh to reinforce their relationship? And what if I told you that Yoh's withdrawal from Segasaki constitutes a rejection of that invitation, and it is that rejection that strains their relationship instead?

Of course, the end result is the same - a strained relationship - and in reality there is never one side wholly responsible for this. The point of this is to simply challenge the cultural notion that a successful relationship is the coming together of two equally independent individuals, as opposed to the co-creation of a relationship formed by two interdependent individuals.

"If only you could stay drunk forever..." "It's okay to feel down again for me too you know" - Segasaki, Ep 4, Ep 5

This isn't about Segasaki wanting to keep Yoh is helpless and dependent on him, but about wanting Yoh to be able to be true to his feelings and express his own desire for affection honestly, without having to hide behind "I hate you" or rejection.

Or, let's try and talk about how Segasaki and Yoh reinforce their relationship through the use of amae (featuring a brief mention of tatemae/honne) who am I kidding this is not brief at all

First: Cultural Context

The way people conceptualize and make meaning of the Self differs between Western and East Asian cultures, and this plays into the differences we see in the basis for our self-esteem, the personal attributes that we value, and even what constitutes the behavior of a mature individual. Broadly speaking, Western cultures tend towards the Independent Self Construal (whereby the Self is a distinct entity separate from others) whereas East Asian cultures tend towards Interdependent Self-Construal (whereby the Self is connected to and defined by relationships with others). Thus, in the West, expressing one's individuality is very important for one's self-esteem, and being able to communicate clearly and confidently is valued and a sign of maturity. Conversely, in the East, one's ability to integrate and become a member of the group is prized, and contributes significantly to one's self esteem. In order to be seen as a mature individual, one must learn not only to read a social situation but also how to modify one's behavior in order to respond to the changing demands of that situation, with the ultimate goal being to maintain group harmony.

tl;dr - In East Asian culture, behaviors and attitudes that emphasize interdependence and promote group harmony actually play a big role in reinforcing relationships and one's membership towards the group.

Segasaki is an expert at this - his "public mode" that Yoh refers to actually shows us how good he is at social interactions. This is the Japanese concept of tatemae/honne (crudely translated as public self/private feelings) - which I could link to a bunch of articles for you, but I'm going to suggest you check out this 9 min street interview instead. At 6:41, one of the interviewees comments that another is sunao, or "honest" (we'll cover this later too) and at 6:49 specifically talks about how reading situations is important as an adult. Segasaki reads the room well, but most importantly, he reads Yoh well.

Yoh is not good at this, at all. In Ep 6, we see that he does not integrate well with the group, and he doesn't realize how he might appear to others when he stares and sketches from afar. Yoh does not read the room well because he doesn't pick up on social cues and does not adhere to social norms (I'll point these out in Ep 6's corrections). He cannot read Segasaki, and especially cannot read Segasaki's amae, or his attempts at reinforcing their relationship. Part of this is because his low self-esteem causes him to withdraw from Segasaki's affection as a means of self-protection, and so he valiantly tries to deny his feelings for Segasaki. As Man-san commented in Ep 4, Yoh is not sunao - he has difficulty with being true/honest about his feelings, even to himself.

Sunao is another term that usually pops up when talking about feelings/relationships. It can be used to describe one's relationship with oneself, as well as the relationship with another/group. With oneself, it is usually used to mean "being honest/truthful/straightforward/frank/open-minded about one's feelings". With another person/group, it is usually used to mean "to cooperate/listen/be obedient, or "to be humble/open-minded". In essence, the word encompasses an ideal virtue that is often taught from early childhood - that we should treat both ourselves and others with humility and honesty, because that is how we accept ourselves and stay in harmony with other. This is what becoming an adult, or gaining maturity, means (not gaining independence, as adulthood is often equated to in the West - do you see a running theme here 😂). Of course, that's actually really hard to do, so you'll often hear children (and immature adults too) chided for "not being sunao" (this can therefore sound patronizing if you're not careful). We'll revisit this in a little bit.

Second: What is Amae?

Amae is a key component in Japanese relationships, both intimate and non-intimate. It happens every day, in a variety of different interactions, between a variety of different people. But it is often seen as strange or weird, and those unfamiliar with the concept can feel uncomfortable with it. This stems from the difference in self-construal - because independence is tied so strongly to an individual's self-image in the West, it is very hard to fathom why behavior that emphasizes interdependence could be looked upon favorably. It is telling that every possible English translation of the word "amae" carries a negative connotation, when in Japanese it can be both negative or positive. The original subtitles translated it as "clingy", for example. Other common translations include "dependence", "to act like a child/infant", "to act helpless", "to act spoiled", "coquettish", "seeking indulgence", "being naive" etc.

From A Multifaceted View of the Concept of Amae: Reconsidering the Indigenous Japanese Concept of Relatedness by Kazuko Y Behrens

*Note - the word "presumed" or "presumption" or "expectation" or "assumption" used in the above definition and in the rest of this post, can give the impression that all of amae is premeditated, which adds a calculative component to this concept. Whilst amae can indeed be used in a manipulative manner (benign or otherwise), it is not the case for every single situation, and often amae that seeks affection is often spontaneous and without thought, precisely because the situation allows for it to appear organically. This is the amae that Segasaki and Yoh most often exchange - so think of these assumptions and expectations as "unconscious/subconscious" thought processes.

Third: Amae Between Segasaki and Yoh

Yoh shows a lot of amae when he is drunk:

He whines, buries himself into Segasaki's embrace, refuses to move or let go of him, and keeps repeating "no". In these interactions, Yoh wants Segasaki's affection, but instead of asking, he does, well, this, and he presumes that Segasaki will indulge his behavior. Leaving to get some fresh air might not be as obvious - but it is a form of amae as well, because Man-san is his guest, not Segasaki's, and he shouldn't be leaving Segasaki to entertain her. The expectation that this is okay, and that neither of them will fault him for it, is what makes it amae.

Segasaki obviously enjoys indulging Yoh when Yoh does amae, because he recognises this as Yoh's request for affection from him. It's not that Segasaki enjoys Yoh in this drunk, helpless state; it's not even that Segasaki feels reassured by Yoh's requests for affection. Segasaki knows Yoh likes him, and recognizes that Yoh is struggling with those feelings. That Yoh is actually able to do amae to Segasaki is what delights him the most, because it is something that requires a lot of trust in Segasaki and a willingness to be vulnerable in front of him. This is how amae reinforces relationships - when a request for amae is granted, both the giver and the receiver experience pleasant feelings.

That said, an amae request can also be perceived negatively - if amae is excessive, or if the person responding feels they are obligated to do so. In Ep 5, Man-san chides Yoh for his amae - the fact that he expected to do well from the beginning, and became upset when he failed. He told her about his unemployment, presuming that she would comfort him, but alas.

Segasaki also does amae - but unfortunately Yoh misses many of his cues, and so neither of them really gain pleasant feelings from the interaction (ok so maybe Segasaki does, but I will argue that is more because Segasaki also enjoys it when Yoh obeys him - see @lutawolf's posts for the D/s perspective on this!).

Did you catch it? Segasaki wants Yoh to pass him the Soy Sauce, which, clearly, he is capable of getting himself. He tells Yoh to feed him, because he wants Yoh's affection. And the real kicker - he asked for curry, and expected Yoh to know he wanted pork. In all these interactions, Segasaki presumes that Yoh will indulge him and do for him things he can do himself perfectly well (and even better at that) - this is what makes this amae. But look at Yoh's reactions:

Yoh just stares between the Soy Sauce and Segasaki, between Segasaki and his food, and then just at Segasaki himself. He doesn't recognise any of this as amae, and in the case of feeding Segasaki makes the conclusion that this is somehow a new slave duty he's acquired. And therefore, he does not gain pleasant feelings from it.

In Ep 3 we see a turning point in Yoh's behaviour - his first (sober) attempt at amae (the argument in Ep 2 is debatable - it's not amae from Yoh's POV, but Segasaki responds as if it were, with a head pat and a "when you get drunk, you talk a lot don't you?").

Here, Yoh wants to express his desire for Segasaki's affection, but he can't bring himself to say it aloud. Instead, he dumps bedsheets on Segasaki's lap, as if the bigger the scene he makes the greater the intensity of his desire he can convey. It is the presumption that Segasaki will understand him that makes this amae. And then, we get this:

Not only a happy Segasaki and a sweetly shy Yoh, but also a Yoh who's emboldened by Segasaki's response, and who finally, for the first time, reciprocates touch, and considers the possibility that Segasaki might actually like him.

With every episode, Yoh gets more and more comfortable with doing amae towards Segasaki, because Segasaki picks up on his cues and always responds to them. In Ep 5, Yoh's amae comes out naturally, triggered by the stress of his unemployment, and we see it in all those moments he sounds and acts like a child, and as I mentioned, Segasaki spends the whole episode reassuring Yoh that his amae is welcomed, and that Segasaki likes responding to it. If you've been wondering why the relationship between Segasaki and Yoh can, at times, feel somewhat parental in nature - this is it. It's because Segasaki sees the contradiction between Yoh's childlike insistence that he does not like Segasaki and his desire for Segasaki's attention and affection, for what it really is - Yoh's struggle with accepting himself. When Yoh is able to be sunao, he does amae naturally, and Segasaki responds to him in kind.

Now, all we need is for Yoh to recognize when Segasaki does amae, which will likely happen soon, given that Yoh has grown with every episode.

As always, thank you for reading :))

#my personal weatherman #taikan yohou #体感予報 #segasaki x yoh #MPW language analysis #sociolinguistics #japanese language #japanese cultural tidbits #mytranslations #MPW subtitle corrections #my meta is creeping into my sub corrections #need to get it out here instead #sorry for the length #tbh posting such crazy long posts and expecting that people will actually read it #can be considered amae too 🤣🤣#Ep 6 corrections will be out next #I just needed to get this out before 7 #and i sorta made it

438 notes · View notes

lgbtlunaverse · 4 months

Text

So I've been wondering about one particuar point on the "Jiang Cheng marriage recquirement" list and it's the one about low cultivation.

Now on its face, except for the "must be nice to jin ling" point, the whole thing just looks like the most standard list of "ideal wife characteristics under a patriarchal society." naturally beautiful, graceful and obedient, coming from a good family, voice not too loud, etc. This leads to either the interpretation that jiang cheng really wants that (doubt dot png) or just... put all the most stereotypical things on a list even though that's not what he really wants.

In that context "cultivation must not be too high" sounds like a typical "men are scared of women who are smarter/stronger" thing. you know, the dudes who feel 'intimidated' when their wife or girlfriend makes more money than them.

...Except wasn't Yanli openly mocked for her low cultivation? Like, wasn't one of the reasons Jin Zixuan was such an ass to her initially because he shallowly assumed her lower cultivation made her an unworthy marriage candidate? Jin Guangshan may hate women who can read but society overal doesn't give the impression that high cultivation in women is seen as something undesirable. I mean... a wife that never looks like she's over 20 even as she starts aging? yeah I have no problem believing a misogynistic society is okay with high cultivation.

So if it's not there just to fit the stereotypical standard of an ideal wife...

Jiang Cheng, are you just describing your sister?

LIke?? Every single point on this list applies to Yanli. All of them. I don't mean this in a freudian incest-y way but in a "jiang cheng are you so unaware of what you want in a partner you just took the only woman you've had an unambiguously good relationship with and hoped no one would notice???" way. Does he know the difference in what you should like about your sister and what you should like in a spouse? Is he even aware he's doing this? Jiang Cheng answer meeeee.

#mdzs #jiang cheng #mdzs headcanons #mdzs meta #you can take this headcanon so many places #is he like this because he's gay? aro? actually attracted to women but too emotionally stunted to know what he even wants?#in cql canon the whole list imo becomes about wen qing #in a 'i'm still not over my dead not-girlfriend so all my recquirements are for someone extremely unlike her' way #is it self-sabotage? trying to avoid being reminded of her? who knows!#but in novel canon chengqing's not real so there it's about yanli #i mean the list isn't even IN the novel so depending on whether you consider word of god canon or not it doesn't even exist there #but it's so fun to play with #also i know in novel canon yani is described as at best 'above average' looks wise #but are YOU gonna tell one of her brothers she's not the most beautiful woman in the world?#i don't think so

270 notes · View notes

thequeenofsastiel · 10 months

Text

Remember how this was actually a thing that happened?

They actually had Sam send several texts to Castiel and then stare at the lack of response like a lovesick forlorn thirteen year old. Supernatural did that. And then had them gasp each other's names when they were reunited like they were long lost lovers who thought they'd never see each other again.

Really, the last three seasons of Supernatural were underrated.

#do I say that just because of Jack and Sastiel?#of course not!#there's also Rowena to consider #supernatural #sastiel #samstiel #sassy #otp: pb&j sandwiches #otp: nothing is worth losing you #otp: stronger than an archangel #you can pry sastiel from my cold dead fingers #sastiel should have been endgame #sastiel is always highkey #sastiel meta #my meta

670 notes · View notes

bitimdrake · 2 years

Text

the thing about Dick and Tim in relation to Bruce that I am constantly spinning around and around in my head is like

if they’re talking about Bruce, Dick will be the first one to be like ‘bruce is an asshole he’s being terrible fuck him you don’t need him’ while Tim will be like ‘no you gotta give him a chance he’s just struggling and it’s our job to be there for him’

but if something actually Happens, then Tim will be the one like ‘we have to sincerely consider the possibility that bruce may be a murderer while i hold him at arm’s length’ while Dick is already trying to die for Bruce without a second’s hesitation and won’t lose loyalty in a million years

#idk man!!! dick feels his feelings and doesn't hide his righteous and justified anger #but he is so loyal to his very core that his loyalty can truly be a fault #meanwhile tim is stuck in this sense of duty (including caretaking) towards an adult man who shouldn't be leaning on him in the first place #and sees nothing wrong with that sitatuion #bUT HE is the one to look clearly at bruce's flaws and truly consider that bruce could be(come) an outright bad person #he's NOT loyal to fault! he is extremely loyal but it's fully conditional!#dick is the one who is more obviously distant! who didn't talk to bruce for years! but he is still the one who will always always come back #anyway can you tell i think about bruce wayne murderer approximately once a day #*#*dc #dc #dc meta #dick grayson #tim drake #bruce wayne #10to2 #10to3

3K notes · View notes

hopeswriting · 6 months

Text

was thinking about takeshi and how he's my favorite brand of unconditional devotion btw. the utter and absolute and all-consuming kind that runs so deep to the very core and is so intrinsic and fundamental to it, it can only express itself in the most casual and natural and certain way. without second thoughts, without any room for doubts or for any moral dilemma to be had over it, because of course he ought to always be breathing and living for his chosen person first and foremost. of course he ought to hang on their every word and make them true no matter what, no matter what he has to do to make it happen, no matter what he has to do to other people to make it happen, and no matter what it might turn him into in the process. because it's obviously the way the world should be for his chosen person. at their feet, ready to bend over backwards and break and build itself again to better answer to all their needs even if they don't ask it for it. it's the only right way it should be for them, and of course takeshi's going to do his utmost at all times to make it a reality as much as possible.

and his devotion comes out as naturally as breathing, comes out lighthearted and nonchalant like he might as well be talking about the weather, but it's not unaware of itself. it's not that takeshi doesn't know it's unhealthy and wrong and that he's willing to go entirely too far in its name for anyone's good. it's not that he wouldn't hear you out if you were to sit him down and explain to him just why he needs to tone it down a little (a lot). logically, he'd agree with you and know you're right. and then he'd tell you he's still not going to do anything whatsoever about it. that he's not bothered by it and doesn't feel the need to change anything to his attitude. makes it a point to never let anyone or anything sway him even an inch in the stand he took when it comes to that, no matter how many thousand of times you might go over the subject with him.

because the morality of his devotion isn't the point at all. is entirely irrelevant to it and doesn't affect the way he expresses it all. it's not the metric with which he draws a line in the sand to hold it accountable to. because the thing is, takeshi's entire world revolves around tsuna--tsuna is his entire world altogether, and it's just a matter of fact, that simple. to him it's a truth as unchanging as the sky being blue, and so being the way he is according to that truth is the only way he can imagine being that'd feel right to him. and so the actual and only metric that matters here is "would tsuna be happier if i were to do this?" and/or "is this something tsuna needs me to do?"

and like. i don't think takeshi ever stops being a kind person capable of compassion and understanding and mercy and forgiveness even ten years later once they became mafia through and through. and i don't think either he grows up to be feared and called a monster per se despite the things they inevitably had to do during those ten years (and the things they'll inevitably keep having to do as long as they keep being mafia), at least not in the way, for example, they'll never stop fearing and calling mukuro one. but i do think that among the tenth gen, he ends up being the one with the most ruthless, merciless and horrific blood on his hands of that particular and distinct loving kind. you know the one i mean, right? he comes to be the one most expected and the one first expected to be willing and to take it upon himself to go through with it when the need arises. and to think little of it after, if anything at all. all in the name of making tsuna's reign as easy on him as possible.

and it's to the point where it's the kind of blood that makes even mukuro pause at times. or, when takeshi is the one coming up with solutions himself during meetings, makes even reborn blink. not because it's unjustified or wouldn't be safe or efficient or anything of the sort, but because it is unwarrantedly thorough in its retaliation. and sometimes, at times like this, he's the one tsuna needs to step in for the most, because he's the only one who can reason with him that "yes, this would work in getting rid of our problem" but "no, please, don't do that takeshi". because if tsuna is the only thing that infers on just how much and in what ways he'll let himself be devoted to him, then of course, he's also the only one takeshi's willing to reign himself in for without second thoughts. because he'd hate to ever do something tsuna would disapprove of or wouldn't want him to do. or do something that'd make tsuna see him differently or love him back less even in the slightest.

and it's also like. his devotion isn't an undisciplined one. it's not one he doesn't have control over, the very opposite. it's a very purposeful and conscious choice he chooses to keep making over and over again every step of the way, and he taught himself to have control over it, to know when it's needed and/or wanted, and how much and in which ways it is when it happens, and to keep it down otherwise. and, yes, to also reign it back in at tsuna's request at times when it still slips past his control. because it's all about making tsuna's happiness easier and secure and long-lasting, and never about burdening him with just how committed he is to do that.

so it comes down to this: takeshi willing to go above and beyond and more for tsuna unless tsuna explicitly asks him not to. and to tsuna needing to ask him not to every now and then. and to other people pointing out to him how too many times tsuna's already needed to stop him, and that maybe there's a hint for him to take there. and to takeshi seeing the hint, looking it straight in the eye and recognizing it for what it is and just. deciding it doesn't apply to him because it's all perfectly normal behavior to him. because it's the only kind of behavior that makes sense to him and feels right.

and so—to circle back to my first point—he can only express his devotion as naturally as breathing, so casually, almost like it's something inconsequential and not worth talking about despite how unmistakably it couldn't be further away from being the truth. it's the only way he could have always known how to express it, because, after all, who has ever taken time to ponder about the details and the hows of the way they breathe?

and i, for one, absolutely eat that shit up every time, thanks for coming to my ted talk <3

#katekyo hitman reborn #khr #khr meta #can i even call this one?? well i'm going to anyway lol #yamamoto takeshi #sawada tsunayoshi #i've never been normal about devotion in stories and characters and won't ever be so sorry if this doesn't make sense #also this is not to say the 10th gen loves tsuna any less unconditionally this isn't a competition #it's just me saying the particularities and specificities of the way takeshi specifically does it appeal to me the most #which is one of the reasons why i have such a big soft spot for 8027 #and it's not a problem in their relationship either btw that's also not what i'm saying #like tsuna doesn't mind it and absolutely /does/ reciprocate it 100%#he's just careful to keep an eye out so none of them will lose themselves along the way #also this is within the context of me shifting canon slightly to the left in the way where the 10th gen loves tsuna /so much/#they could just as well actually and properly worship him as a god and it still wouldn't make a single difference #and me liking to lean into that fully and taking it to extremes and it inevitably becoming some extent of dark #because considering the environment canon makes them express it (the mafia) it's like. well how else are they meant to keep it alive #and make sure it survives through it without giving it sharp teeth and claws and jagged edges of its own you know?#so if you feel like this is some kind of ooc-ness you're not wrong #but also consider: i'm not wrong either <3 #anyway consider also: unconditional devotion running /so/ deep down to your marrow and to your very essence #even in the face of the whole world telling you how wrong it is and how insane and unhinged you are for it and condemning you for it #it still wouldn't so much as make you consider the thought they might have a point #and i genuinely EAT that shit up every time i love to see it <3

321 notes · View notes

piningintrovert · 2 years

Text

The purpose of this post is not say that iQIYI's subs are incorrect. Rather, it is to highlight some of the nuances that, in my opinion, may have been lost in translation. We all know that our baby boy Rain is a brat with penchant for swearing, so him actually saying "fuck me" is more in line with his character and works better in context [1]. In this case, the context is Payu's response — he calls Rain a "naughty boy (เด็กขี้วะ)" and bites his lip in a punishing, albeit playful, manner [2]. This is a callback to one of the established rules in their D/s relationship — no swearing.

— LOVE IN THE AIR (2022), Ep.6

#love in the air #love in the air the series #payu x rain #payurain #rain x payu #rainpayu #i promise i'm done #the linguaphile in me just couldn't let this go #now i can sleep in peace #would this be considered meta?#tagging it anyway #t:meta #s:lita #lita ep 6

2K notes · View notes

essektheylyss · 9 months

Text

Okay, I finished the Mentopolis premiere, and I think this is the first time I've ever left a premiere episode instantly obsessed with every single PC. They all took their concepts and went so balls to the wall with that concept that all of them are hysterical. Each character is such a stellar mashup of brain function and noir archetype that they can individually stand on their own right off the bat, and I'm delighted to see it.

I love noir for this reason—it leans so archetypical that you can have a lot of fun playing with it, because the foundation is very simple. This is the strength in general of really trope-heavy genres! But it also requires a lot of commitment to that basic archetype, and all of the players at this table really get it.

It also means that adding that twist of the secondary element (in this case, the internal workings of the brain) allows for a lot of the fun wordplay and irony that makes noir particularly strong. (Watching Trapp work out the pun every time Brennan says another name is an absolute joy because I'm doing the same thing from the other side of the screen.) I'm very excited for the rest of the season and this was such a strong start.

In conclusion: TROPES, TROPES, TROPES!

#as much as I love noir as a genre it can be hit or miss for me so I'm really glad this one is SO fucking strong #d20 meta #d20 spoilers #mentopolis #dimension 20 #I vaguely considered going through each character but like. what more do I need to say. they're so stark on their own lol

302 notes · View notes

stardust-falling · 3 days

Text

Having more thoughts about Shen Jiu because of course I am.

I don’t think he has the capacity for empathy or genuine selflessness.

He spent the entirety of his formative years deep in survival mode, and because of that, he evaluates people solely based off of how they might threaten or ensure his safety and/or comfort. As far as individual people themselves with their own perspectives… honestly I don’t think he even thinks of that.

Maybe a controversial opinion, but I don’t think even YQY is exempt.

Shen Jiu doesn’t have a moral code. When every day is spent on surviving, a moral code is a luxury.

And really, he just never got out of that mode. See, the thing is, once you’ve had enough adverse experiences it only takes a little bit to trigger you back into that mindset. Shen Jiu was used to being scolded and then beaten or abused, so for him, even a simple chiding is a precursor to abuse— even if he DOES recognize that nothing more will happen, his body and mental patterns will still go into that preparation time.

So of course he never left survival mode, because even if nothing is actively happening, your mind will keep reinforcing those patterns.

For someone with a normal upbringing, as far as I can tell, empathy is something you learn and develop from those around you. Many seem to think it’s something innate and natural and if you don’t have it then there’s something wrong with you from birth. I think Shen Jiu falls into exactly this category of thought— and so he doesn’t even consider that he could try to learn and develop it as a skill he can perform, even if it doesn’t come naturally.

Of course, would he even try? He hasn’t been given any incentive. Any time he has tried to do something good, he ends up getting hurt (saving Yue Qi leading to being taken by QJL) or misinterpreted and admonished (the well ghost incident, keep in mind my earlier point about scoldings perpetuating the same patterns).

So he stays in that same vicious cycle, perpetually in survival mode and unable to escape, even in a relatively secure position (see: his paranoia).

Now, this is all relevant to the discussions of SJ’s feminism, misogyny, and/or lack thereof. I feel like a lot of discussions aren’t really getting the full picture.

SJ sees people, no matter who they are, as solely how they can affect him. Just because this isn’t exclusive to women, or because if comes from a reasonable place, does that really mean it doesn’t play into misogyny?

Let’s take another angle.

I think his abuse of LBH and other talented disciples also is rooted, deep down, in this same issue. He’s not just hurting LBH only to hurt him, his aim is specifically to stunt his cultivation. There’s jealousy at play there of course, but there’s a bit more layers to it too— SJ doesn’t think he’s capable of goodness. So reasonably, he’ll be a bad teacher. He already knows what happens when someone becomes more powerful than their oppressor. LBH may be a child now, but a part of SJ whether he acknowledges it or not sees him as a future threat that needs to be treated as such.

It’s rooted in fear— because everything is with SJ.

So does that mean it’s not actually abuse?

No. The behaviors he shows are still abusive, the reasoning just gives a lens for understanding.

Now, with his views on women— I mentioned in the tags of my original post that I don’t think he views women as people. This is based in that earlier idea of how he interprets others based off their risk and benefit to him. For women specifically, though, there’s another layer.

Shen Jiu grew up in a society where women are inherently lesser— and he grew up in an extreme version of this. He saw women being treated as property firsthand(both as slaves, as well as QJL’s views on his sister). Your worldview is shaped by the world that you view during those early years. Whether he agreed or not, SJ would still take on the patterns of his environment. This, though, is just the same as general societal misogyny and ingrained bias. I don’t think he’s any different than anyone else in this way.

But where SJ’s particular flavor comes in is that to him, women are a source of comfort. For various reasons— positive past experiences, less threatening (or at least don’t carry the dangers men do). He craves comfort— needs it really, because he doesn’t get it and his cortisol levels are always so high they’re poisoning his body. Women are the best source of that comfort for him.

It’s not that he likes them— at least, not any more than someone would like drinking water, or a coat in the winter. They’re fulfilling a survival need for him.

That is what the objectification is where SJ is concerned.

So… is it misogyny?

I’d say yes, in a way it still is. It’s not violent, and it doesn’t come from some inherent sense of “superiority as a man” but at the core of it all, he’s still not viewing women as people, and he has no interest in changing the status quo, because it benefits him to be able to go purchase comfort at a pleasure house, even if it’s not what people usually do there. The picture is bigger than just misogyny, but the traits taken as themselves are misogynistic nonetheless.

I could go into his specific relationships with women and how that informs his character, but this post is already long enough. We know that he mentally divides people by sex, and that distinction has a lot of weight in his judgment of them. Even if it comes from a place of trauma, even if it comes from a general worldview that applies to everyone, he still views women as a commodity— so on some level, and from an outside perspective, he is misogynistic.

In the end, though, it still all comes from him being stuck in survival mode. His lack of empathy, his viewing others as risks and benefits— these things themselves aren’t moral failings— it’s just a consequence of his environment. He’s a bad person because he won’t confront this, develop a moral code, and act on it, not because he doesn’t experience empathy.

But in his circumstance, there’s not really a chance for him to choose to be good. Because he’s still trying to survive, and goodness is a luxury he doesn’t realize he can afford now.

He’s scum, but pitiful, you know?

#svsss #svsss meta #zhuixing meta #shen jiu #listen I’ve been through a lot of shit and I project on this dude a lot #so ymmv on how you interpret the character but this is just how I see him #and honestly that’s ok! characters aren’t people so everyone can interpret them differently and they CAN be different from person to person #but also… I think the ‘is sj misogynistic’ answer really comes down to what you consider misogyny #is it the motives or the actions 等等 #I think the way it affects those around him is most important and therefore yes he is #but others may say the source is too different and the motives are different #and tbh other views are valid #it’s a grey line area #anyway #none of the replies to my post really encapsulated the root to it as I see it #also before you come at me I literally AM the ‘no empathy and views people as risk vs benefit’ in the post #I just try really hard to have a moral code #and consciously think about not harming/helping others #sj is just someone who DOESNT do that

84 notes · View notes

harrowing-of-hell · 11 months

Text

I think people genuinely over estimate how well Gideon understands Harrow as a person, and vice versa.

Like, that's the whole point!! That's the tragedy!!!! Despite having spent their whole lives around each other as the only two children of the Ninth, despite being literally the only other people in the world they could relate to up until Canaan House, they still don't get each other!!

That's why even after the pool scene and acknowledging how both she and the Ninth house treated Gideon like shit, Harrow asks Gideon to go back to the Ninth house, which is an incredibly cruel thing to do!

At the end of GTN, Gideon fully acknowledges that killing herself would be the cruelest thing she could do to Harrow. She still does it anyways, and then in HTN acts so surprised and upset that Harrow rejects her sacrifice!! Like babygirl!! what did you expect to happen!!!!

Despite everything they've been through they legitimately do not understand each other on a fundamental level, and that's why their whole situation is just so fucking sad.

#the locked tomb #tlt #harrowhark nonagesimus #gideon nav #tlt spoilers #tlt meta #the locked tomb spoilers #and this is obviously wrapped up in their in their own self-hatred and lack of self-worth #their devotion to each other has more to do with their own problems than it has to do with the other person #gideon genuinely doesn't feel as though her life has any worth beyond being a sacrifice #so naturally she jumps at the chance to be useful #and harrow feels as though she can never really make amends for how she treated gideon #and so in her mind devotion is the closest she can get #truly they are the definition of just talking past each other #and it honestly all makes sense when you consider that there was exactly ONE day where they weren't at each others necks

350 notes · View notes

revenantghost · 9 months

Text

I forget who in bookclub mentioned this (pls call yourself out and I'll @ you with credit in this post), but someone pointed out that we don't know if anyone knows what Meryl went through. What she knows. Wolfwood has a conversation with her earlier, but it's just about what Vash is, probably clueless as to their shared memories. Vash doesn't give any hints he has any idea what she's witnessed--he's so fearful of what he is and what he's capable of, it's possible he doesn't know what his powers are. Eventually, at the very earliest, it's seven months from now before we see her admit aloud what she's seen. And, hell. With how much Wolfwood and Vash tuck away and don't talk about, why would she feel like she could talk about it?

And yet, despite all that. Despite having trauma unlike anything she's ever known in her life before. Despite having trauma that no human should have to bear. Despite not being sure what to even do with that, with herself, with Vash (who she's seen witness and commit unspeakable horrors!). She still chooses kindness. She still chooses love and peace. She still chooses Vash.

We see a lot of people handle their trauma in really shitty ways in this story; in many ways, it's a story deeply about trauma. And Meryl, isolated and afraid and with this pain fresh within her, doesn't turn away from what she knows is good and worth saving on this hellhole planet. And, idk, I think that's beautiful, and I love her for it.

#Trigun #TrigunBookclub #Trigun Meta #Listen the jokes about being traumatized by chicken Vash are HILARIOUS #But my girl is handling this so well considering #And beautifully #She shouldn't HAVE to bear it #But she shows that you CAN #Regardless of whether you deserve what happened to you (no one ever does)#And how much fear and pain comes with it #I feel like the magnitude of this was lost on my first readthrough #And it's not perfect #BUT #I SAID WHAT I SAID AND I MEANT IT

207 notes · View notes

purplink8 · 5 months

Text

Can I be real for a second? I don't think L giving a foot massage to Light was very in-character of him. Like manga!L would've totally scoffed at how pathetic anime!L appeared when he did that.

I like the rain scene bc it's really pretty (also Light MOANS bc of L? *sighs* yeah i ship lawlight) but I'm always so ?? at anime!L's behavior? The anime made L way too melancholic and y'know self-deprecating kinda guy. In contrast, manga!L (whom I love to death) is so so confident in doing what he's doing and has the time of his life during the Kira case as he's intellectually challenged (by Light) as he figures out the case little by little.

I don't get where the anime creators got the idea that L is a very sad character who cares about justice so much so that he's actually Justice itself? Manga!L enjoys solving cases. I'm not saying that L doesn't care about justice at all- just that he cares more about winning.

So, the anime creators looked at a character who cares about winning (& his own ego) than everything else and decided to... make him give a foot massage to his nemesis (surprise surprise bible symbolism featuring L as Jesus *🤮* coming up) apparently due to accepting Light's (boy's first debut as Judas) 'betrayal' how can there be betrayal when there was no trust between them in the first place and saying "It is the least I can do to atone for my sins"...

The only way I could've made a little sense of this is if L was mocking Kira with that line but the anime just had to go above & beyond to make it (L's actions) seem too genuine for that to be true. which is. so. FRUSTRATING

Manga!L wouldn't have done anything like that. Not even ironically (he'd have thought it to be below him for pretending to be accepting his defeat mockingly to Kira). Even Manga!L's not enough of a bastard to try to compare himself with Jesus (and just after knowing (god knows how) that he's going to die)- like that's too stupid omg: even for a mockery.

Does he actually think that Light would pick up on the (him as Jesus) symbolism and be like 'oh no! L is too noble like Jesus to die by my betrayal i'm such a bad judas how come i NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE'... and decide to spare L's life? Or embrace his inner Judas like the bad bitch he is and finish L for that godawful mockery of Jesus?

Whenever I think about Anime!Light's in-character reaction I crack up as it would be smth like 'wow this guy who graduated summa cum laude from torture university is pretending to be Jesus? lol what a real piece of work. would've expected better from you L: so pathetic lmao i hope rem kills you soon i'm so done with you rn- rip 💀'

Manga!L (if he knew he were going to die (don't know how that's possible in the anime; still we're talking about how the anime creators seem to see L as Jesus so ~anything is possible~) that is) would never go 'guess i'll die' accept his defeat offering a foot massage to his enemy and inwardly throw a pity party being all "… It'll be lonely, won't it?" GIRL you were the one going on & about how you'd EXECUTE Kira once you catch him on live tv (also saying that you'd bring Kira's head to the task force) I REALLY doubt you'd feel lonely if either one of you were to die- that (killing each other) was the point!!

Manga!L is a selfish character: he values his victory above all else so the anime making him accept defeat that easily + gracefully doesn't sit well with me.

#death note #l lawliet #light yagami #manga vs anime #manga!L #anime!L #anime!Light #the rain scene #the foot massage scene #yes i ship lawlight; no i don't think the rain scene was very faithful to L's character in the manga; yes we exist #as you can see i rlly RLLY don't like anime's take on L: i prefer the og manga!L :)#anime!L just isn't my cup of tea #manga!L's confidence in his assholery is much rather appreciated #i keep thinking about how i don't like certain parts of dn anime: the first of which being this rain scene #the second being how the anime handles Sayu's kidnapping and Light's reaction to it #but that's a can of worms i'll open later #i can't shut up apparently so here's a teaser: Light wouldn't have MURDERED Sayu OH MY GOD READ THE GODDAMN MANGA #in which he bends over backwards to protect her! and succeeds!! (at the cost of losing the death note to Mello) would you look at that??#yeah i'm aware anime!Light doesn't kill Sayu but the way he's shown seriously considering it #(and choosing to let her live only so as to not increase suspicion)#leaves me so ANGRY #SAYU MEANS A LOT TO LIGHT OK?#he would not fucking do that #aaaaand....end rant #p #my meta #sorta #100

99 notes · View notes

craqueluring · 1 year

Text

i want to talk about randall tier

hannibal draws a lot of inspiration from manhunter (1986), which was the first film adaptation of the hannibal books, and i want to talk specifically about the scene where randall crashes through will's window, because it derives from a scene in manhunter. i am going to compare these two scenes, and use this to further my discussion of hannibal, which will be the focus of this. (there is a TLDR at the end of this!)

in manhunter, at the end of the movie, will runs and crashes through dolarhyde's window, shattering it and directly jumping into a fight with him. now, there is a copious amount of imagery in manhunter depicting will talking to his reflection in glass, windows, etc as if his reflection is dolarhyde. we get the sense that dolarhyde is inside of will’s head, and they start to blur as will has to relate and empathize more and more with dolarhyde to catch him.

will crashing through the window is him meeting the darkest parts of himself face-to-face – now, he and dolarhyde are on the same side of the glass. will kills dolarhyde, which represents will overcoming (or, at least, suppressing) his violent urges and the turmoil that comes with understanding killers so deeply.

so, will crashing through the glass to meet dolarhyde is him meeting the ‘bad’ part of himself, the part that understands killers and lets them inside of his head, and by killing dolarhyde, he defeats this darker part of himself. will graham, in typical 80s fashion, ends the movie stable in his morality and can return to his heterosexual family life and watch the sunset with his wife and child.

the scene in hannibal is a bit different. instead of the identity parallel being between will and dolarhyde, it is between will and randall tier. randall is (if i am not mistaken) the first patient of hannibal’s we meet that has undergone his “therapy” and is considered a success. this is when we fully start to grasp what it is that hannibal does with his “therapy.” and what will could Become if he accepted hannibal's guidance.

instead of solely will’s violent urges, like dolarhyde represented in manhunter, randall tier represents, in a way, what will could be: a 'balanced' person who embraces his violence and becomes one with it. randall tier has the same violent urges and the dissonance in his identity that will has, but he accepts it, embraces it, and revels in what he is.

so, when randall crashing through will’s window, will not only comes face to face with himself, but the Higher Self that hannibal is guiding him to Become. this is why randall is depicted as the raven stag, and then the stag man: will is forced to come face to face with who hannibal is guiding him to be, hannibal's influence, and has to confront how to handle his violent urges once again by being forced to kill in self defense. however, his fight with randall does not represent him overcoming these violent urges, as was in manhunter. the fight does actually facilitate will’s Becoming. will throws his shotgun away and chooses to use his hands to kill randall, as hannibal suggested. through Will’s fight with and murder of randall tier, he actually becomes closer to his Higher Self and his Becoming.

this is furthered by will's choice to make randall tier into a tableau. will’s first tableau. in will’s pendulum conversation with randall, it is made even clearer: will says “you forced me to kill you” and randall replies “i didn’t force you to enjoy it.” !!!!!

TLDR: in manhunter, will crashes through the window to meet a man who represents the darkest parts of himself. by killing dolarhyde, will defeats this dark part of himself and fortifies his sense of morality. hannibal flips this completely around. in hannibal, randall crashes through will’s window. will comes face to face with him, who, in a sense, represents his Higher Self and who will could be if he accepted hannibal's guidance. his fight with randall marks the start of him beginning to embrace this intimate violence hannibal has been talking about. by killing and displaying randall in a tableau, will revels in his violent urges by killing him with his hands and enjoying it and becomes closer to his Higher Self and his Becoming. instead of will overcoming his violent urges through this fight between a him and a representation of his violence like in manhunter, will killing randall fuels these urges.

788 notes · View notes