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lyranova · 2 years

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I wish I could formulate proper words for just how much I absolutely adore your Dandelion Wishes series but really I’m still just getting “internal screaming Noelle” and keyboard smash because AHSHNDSDHS!! I am just completely and totally in love with this work! It is by far one of the greatest things I have ever read on the internet, and my life is infinitely better having gotten to read it! Thank you so so much for writing!!

First of all, you just get William! He wants to live up to people’s expectations, but he’s very humble, down to earth, and doesn’t see himself as this great, amazing magic knight captain everyone makes him out to be. At root, he’s really just a regular guy who cares about his squad and is always trying his best to do the right thing and to help the kingdom & people in need. He’s also a little bit shy and serious, but he's very kind and gentlehearted. I love this bit of comedy of errors/funny misunderstandings he finds himself in, in this story, just because he doesn’t really want to rock the boat too much or hurt Zera and Yami's feelings. His easy-going attitude of acceptance of this 'marriage' and taking it so seriously (i.e. getting a proper ring for her) is just perfect, perfect William (who really just wouldn't get the joke would he?) and absolutely lovely! (Also, it’s a tiny thing but when William says he’s going to have Zera's room expanded so there is room for her plants, my heart just melted. This man!! He is too good for this world!)

Speaking of Zera, dear goodness, I love her! I love her so much! She’s funny, quirky, spirited, and a bit plucky--marches to the beat of her own drum in the most delightful way (and she's super well-developed! Just jumps to life off the page and fits in so well with the canon characters as if she was always meant to be there!) I adore her little “devil on one shoulder, angel on the other” bit so much, and she calls her plants her babies--it’s adorable! 100% agree with Yami that she’s perfect for William! Please get married and have plant babies and real babies (read Alistair) together! I need this in my life!!

You have such a gift for dialogue also! Everything any of the canon characters said was just so spot on and perfect, I could just hear it in their voices—really helped to make the story completely immersive (and really made it feel like it could be part of the canon too). There isn’t enough space here for me to quote all of my favourite exchanges in the series so far, but here are a few:

William: “She isn’t my wife so don’t call her Mrs. Vangeance’!”

Yami: “Not with that kind of attitude she won’t be”

Zera: “What’s that Alecdora’s problem? He was glaring at me all throughout dinner.”

William: “Alecdora’s just protective, it’ll go away soon.”

And my personal favourite…

William: “I got engaged.”

Langris: “I- How- Why- What happened? You just went to the market for some fresh air!”

[I honestly had to stop reading when I got to this because I was laughing so hard! This joke just has so many layers! All I could really think about was how Langris has [canonically] been promised in an arranged marriage for essentially his entire life. Not sure if he is still promised in this arranged marriage in your universe, but I still can’t help but wonder: does he really even know how marriages happen in the wild?? ^^]

Also, David in the third chapter!! Oh my gosh!! “Soo, are you getting married so suddenly because you got someone pregnant?” All the Golden Dawn members turned to David with a mixture of shock and horror. […] “ W-What? He said to ask whatever we’d like.” I’m laughing so hard, I'm crying and my face hurts! Poor William.

I'm so excited for more of this series! Dear goodness I desperately need this meeting with all the Captains, Vice Captains, and their SOs that William mentioned! I can’t wait for the next chapter—it’s going to be epic!!

Just bless your heart for making up Zera and for writing this! It’s canon in my mind (I’ve decided)! ^^ Thank you so much for sharing, Lyra!! <3

Ahwjwjwhw Acacia 😭💕💕!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Dandelions 🥺! Abwnwjwhwggw 🙈 thank you so much for the compliment, although I’m 90% sure there are better works on the internet than mine!

So true, William doesn’t see himself as the greatest magic knight Captain like everyone else (although I feel like he is incredibly proud of his squad and all their hard work on making the GD the “best” squad)!

Yess although I can’t take full credit for the story idea, @thoughtfullyrainynightmare helped me with it and gave me the whole “marriage joke” idea that the plot is based on 😁😅! So I give her lots of credit for Dandelions 🥰!

Poor William really wouldn’t get the joke 😭, especially when he see’s Zera and Yami both taking it *so* seriously that in his mind they had to be serious 😂! Ahwjsj I’m glad you enjoyed the part where he was expanding her room for her plants 🥺, I feel like that was probably the first thing he noticed when they had met was how important her flowers and plants were to her so he wanted to make sure they would also have space at the GD base!

Aaahhhh thank you I’m so glad you love Zera 🥺😭💕! Tbh she’s probably one of my most developed OC’s besides Alistar and Neva, and I’ve been kind of playing around with her “secretly” for over a year (as in I haven’t written/posted anything more then a couple of oneshots, but there are a lot of snippets of her on discord 🤣!). Hehe the “angel and devil” on her shoulder wasn’t originally going to be in the chapter, but as I started writing it suddenly Kronk from Emperors New Groove popped into my head and it just fit Zera and the scene so well 😂!

Abwjwjhaw thank you 😭, honestly I have a love-hate relationship with Dialogue. It’s one of my favorite things to write, but then sometimes it’s one of the things I hate most 🤣! But I’m glad you enjoy it 🥺💕!

Ahwjw those are some of my favorite quotes too, and actually the first quote was an edited/partially rewritten exchange that @/thoughtfullyrainynightmare and I did on discord, although I think i completely rewrote Yami’s line for Dandelions 😅🤔. The Alecdora quote I enjoyed writing because I remembered how Alecdora is protective of William and how he (and Langris) have a feeling that she’s just using William so they automatically don’t like her (much like Alecdora acted with Yuno at first). But ofc William knows it’s just Alecdora being, well, Alecdora XD!

The last quote is also one of my favorites too, and it was anexchange between Laura and I on discord too 😂. She had William say he was engaged and I responded (as Langris) with an “I’m sorry what?” gif and we both just found it so funny so I included it in the chapter but I rewrote Langris’s line 😅😂! Tbh…I kinda forgot Langris was “engaged” to Finesse while writing this 👀, but honestly he probably doesn’t realize how marriages happen in the wild 😭!

Ahwjw That part was sooo much fun to write because, well, that’s probably where *everyones* mind went when William announced he was getting married but they just didn’t want to say anything 😂! But ofc David just says the first thing that comes to mind and it’s true, William *did* tell them to ask whatever they wanted (although I don’t think he thought they would ask that question!)😅😂😭!

Hehe luckily the next chapter will mostly consist of the meeting with the other Captain’s and their S/O’s and it doesn’t *quite* go like how Zera imagines it will 🤣!!

Ahjwjw and thank *you* for reading it and reviewing it Acacia🥺💕, seeing reviews like this always makes me (and other writers!) so happy 🥺😭💕💕💕!!

#asks #acacia💜#dandelion wishes talks #aahh i’m so glad everyone’s enjoying it 🥺💕!#sending all the hugs and love 🥰!

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ethereal-maia · 4 months

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2, 10, and/or 17 + genya for the character ask game?

Anon I love you for this omg

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on?

ohhh my god ok I’m soooo so so obsessed with the tailor short story like I can’t even tell you. Idk I don’t have anything to gatekeep abt her or defend about her other than I really actually love her speech at the queen and not the king in the show yk?? Idk I feel like it was really impactful for her to tell the queen she should have protected her. Obviously her trial was really important in the books too (I literally cry every time I read it) but I think it was an interesting twist.

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book)

GUYS LITERALLY EVERY SIBGLE THING SHE DOES. I ADORE HER. I’m really really partial to all her interactions and flirting with David like AUGHHHHHH I LOVE THEM SO MUCHHH I WANT TO CRYYY!!! I couldn’t get over David’s death for like two weeks I was devastated. But this is about Genya!! Man I wish LB had written more from genya’s POV bc I NEEEEED more of her internal thoughts. Save me. I can’t get enough of herrrrr in season 2!! OH but in the books….. “I should be your greatest shame.” *SCREAM* anyway I just think she’s neat. You get it. And also everything about The Tailor <333

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them

the fruits by paris paloma!!!! Saw a lovely edit to it a while back and went feral. I wish I could pick out a few lyrics but literally the whole song. Does he know that I’m falling off a precipice that I tripped off long ago. Devil you call me but seem to be enjoying the fruits of my labor that came to me too young. When he stole my virtue I’m glad it seems to serve you that I was born a daughter and not a son. If I’m going down I guess I’ll take you with me screaming birds sound an awful lot like singing. And I will tell you now that I’m not even singing. There’s no escape for some. Fucking spectacular song I love it.

picture perfect by the regrettes!! It’s a fun song with dark undertones and the whole thing sounds just like mean gossip does irl. On the playlist for angst reasons.

uhhh would’ve could’ve should’ve (Taylor swift) bc it’s lyrically lovely. If you tasted poison you could’ve spit me out at the first chance. If I was some paint did I splatter on a promising grown man. If I was a child did it matter if you got to wash your hands. If you never looked my way. I damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil. If I never blushed then they could’ve never whispered about this. Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts…!!!!!!!!! LORD YOU MADE ME FEEL IMPORTANT THEN YOU TRIED TO ERASE US!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry if this is incomprehensible I love her your honor •_•

#thank you for the ask!#maia.txt #genya safin

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booksandwords · 1 year

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Murders and Metaphors by Amanda Flower

Series: Magical Bookshop, #2 Read time: 5 Days Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Quote: I wish I could say I was surprised to see you here, but then we'd both know I'd be lying. — David Rainwater

I keep coming back to this series. Amanda Flower has created such a wonderful and endearing world with characters that you want to either get their happiness or their comeuppance or oddly in one case both (look I don't like Nathan and I make no apologies for that). I was reading this addition while I was commuting which means I was reading in a bit of a stop-start fashion. What is important to know when picking up Murders and Metaphors is that it was written in 2019 some 3 years after the previous entry, Prose and Cons. As such her style has changed, her voice for some of the characters has changed and her characterisations have altered. It feels like in 2016 some of the characters would have been less blatantly written. But for those reading them close together it can be a bit disconcerting, even if it is nice in a way to see someones evolution.

The associated text for Murders and Metaphors is Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. I feel it is a much better choice than the previous Edger Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher and The Purloined Letter. Alcott's work is maybe more accessible it is certainly a classic and extremely widely read, as both a studied text in schools and as recreational reading. Lord knows how Verse and Vengance is going to work out using the works of Walt Whitman at first Leaves of Grass and maybe others. On how Little Women is used... there is the canonical interpretation of the hints given by the bookshop then there is the other one I saw. For a bit of context as much as this book is about finding out who killed Belinda and helping Lacey it is about Violet making her choice between Rainwater and Nathan. You can read the quotes as Charming Books giving her direction as to her choice. Whom it would like her to choose. Whom would expect her truths, its truths. The bookshop has an opinion and it's expressing it. Or that is another way I read it. Especially while I was trying to figure out the clues given by Little Women. Particularly when you consider Charming Books revealing its secret to Rainwater in a shocking turn of events.

Through the course of the story we meet the new members of the Red Inkers. Renee, we've met before the university librarian whom Richard is massively sweet on. The other is Simon. Simon is new to the area and writes poetry. He has a crush on Sadie. But like Renee is blind to Richard's affections Sadie is blind to Simon's. It's a theme. Because readers of the series will remember that Violet was somewhat blind to Rainwater's (or at least perceived it as one-sided). I like Renee, I always have, she is a prime example of a well-written librarian. Making me think Amanda Flower definitely knows a librarian, Renee is that on point. Simon is just so, so sweet. He and Sadie will be so good for each other.

Have a dump of comments and quotes.

At one point Violet infiltrates a meeting of the Cascade Springs Winemaker Guild kinda half unknowingly she ends up sitting next to someone who will become important. It's made clear who that person is

My black-and-white tuxedo cat, Emerson, was strangely MIA. He was usually the first on the scene when there was any promise of commotion, Emerson loved commotion, loved being in the midst of it, and he certainly loved making it. — This is such a fair description of Emerson. When he goes missing you have to start to worry. (Violet, p.4)

"You are the most determined woman I have ever met. I guess that's why I find you so fascinating." — Fascinating is a good way to describe her. He does know how to flatter a girl. (Rainwater, p.114)

"Are we all settled now?" The cat and crow stared at me expectedly. I shook my head. If my friends back in Chicago could have seen me now, looking for guidance from magical books and talking to animals, they'd have had me committed. — What is wrong with talking to the animals Violet? They are trying to help you and they are cute. (Violet, p.163)

"I'll be there tomorrow. I have two morning classes back to back. Both are freshman comp, and therefore, no one in either room wants to be there, including me." — I like this moment. Just that reality of no one ever really wanting to do that early morning class or shift. (Violet, p.168)

Okay. So Bunnicula... Yeah, it's a thing. And as an audiobook it's brilliant. Bunnicula was written by James and Deborah Howe. Victor Garber does the narration on the audiobook his narration is fantastic.

Violet has the sweetest confession. It made me soft.

I did not see the baddie, the killer coming in this one. Again I'm not sure the hints are truly there. Though I'm not well versed in Little Women and its themes. Just some warnings there is murder (as is the norm), attempted murder (because you know Violet) and psychological abuse. It is a great entry to the series. It has an important epilogue, setting the scene in an unexpected way. I'm looking forward to reading Verse and Vengance.

#amanda flower #magical bookshop #murders and metaphors #louisa may alcott #book review #read 2022 #cozy mystery #ktreviews #booklr

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seekfirst-community · 2 years

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Meditation: What does the commandment "keep holy the Sabbath" require of us? Or better yet, what is the primary intention behind this command? The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue. The "Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's goodness and the goodness of his work, both in creation and redemption. It was a day set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to provide needed rest and refreshment.

Mercy and not sacrifice

Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the Scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom. In their hunger, David and his men ate of the holy bread offered in the Temple. Jesus also quoted of the Sabbath work involved in worship in the Temple. This kind of work was usually double the work of worship on weekdays. Jesus then quotes from the prophet Hosea (6:6): I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. While the claims of ritual sacrifice are important to God, mercy and kindness in response to human need are even more important. Do you honor the Lord in the way you treat your neighbor and celebrate the Lord's Day?

"Lord, make us to walk in your way: Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance; where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor annoyance; where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice; where there is peace and contemplation, there is neither care nor restlessness; where there is the fear of God to guard the dwelling, there no enemy can enter; where there is mercy and prudence, there is neither excess nor harshness; this we know through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226) "

pride kills love

“O Lord, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedly I conducted myself in Your presence, doing what was pleasing to You!” —Isaiah 38:3

The Lord loved King Hezekiah. When Hezekiah became terminally ill at the age of 39, the Lord healed him and gave him fifteen more years of life (Is 38:5). The Lord even made the sun go backward as a sign of Hezekiah’s healing (Is 38:7-8).

King Hezekiah loved the Lord. He conducted himself faithfully and wholeheartedly in the Lord’s presence (Is 38:3). “He put his trust in the Lord, the God of Israel; and neither before him nor after him was there anyone like him among all the kings of Judah” (2 Kgs 18:5).

Then Hezekiah became proud (2 Chr 32:25). His house was no longer in order (see Is 38:1). He became deathly sick, was miraculously healed, and didn’t even thank the Lord for healing him (2 Chr 32:25). Three years after his healing, he fathered a son, Manasseh, and possibly failed in parenting this child, for the son grew up to do “greater evil than all that was done by the Amorites before him” (2 Kgs 21:11).

The great King Hezekiah left a tarnished legacy after such a glorious start to his reign. He fell away from the Lord because of the sin of pride. Pride ruined Hezekiah’s love. Resist temptations to pride. Don’t lose your love.

Prayer: Father, I choose love instead of pride.

Promise: “Those live whom the Lord protects; Yours...the life of my spirit. You have given me health and life.” —Is 38:16

Praise: St. Bonaventure was a Doctor of the Church, a Cardinal, a prolific spiritual writer, a leader in the Franciscan order, and a lifelong minister of reconciliation.

Reference: (For a related teaching on Effects of Sin, listen to, download or order our CD 81-3 or DVD 81 on our website.)

Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from June 1, 2022 through July 31, 2022. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio November 18, 2021"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

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sollucets · 2 years

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writing masterpost

does what it says on the tin. last update 7/24/23

general ao3 link

my fic tag on here

ocean eyes’ specific fic tag

the sky full of stars (on our way up) series tag

please mind cw tags in the fics themselves! be well 💜

the eclipse:

series: the sky full of stars (contains choices, unknown star, on our way up)

fic: choices

e12 akkayan and the path to public affection. approximately equal parts genuine emotion about coming out and constant flirting. t, 8500 words

fic: unknown star

postcanon akkayan on what would be their graduation day. very sappy soft h/c content here. t, 3200 words

fic: on our way up [wip]

slice of life style domestic postcanon akkayan. aye goes to college & akk goes to therapy: the fic. currently at 21k words (7/24/23)

fic: listen close, i'll say it loud

several grouped prompts on the theme of akk and aye's long-distance relationship post-our skyy 2. t, 6900 words

fic: celestial navigation

crossposted various akkayes from prompts. usually but not always soft & fluffy. t, 7100 words as of 7/24/23

💜

between us:

fic: stay close

canon-compliant, gentle and tentative hair care intimacy fic for winteam. soft with slight h/c. t, 5100 words

fic: your quietest feeling

episode tag for e9. soft and sad and extremely exhausted nightmare h/c for win. made several people cry, t, 2000 words

💜

moonlight chicken:

fic: horizon line

heart/li ming h/c written in response to the e7 preview. hugs & crying on the floor of leng's apartment

💜

only friends:

series: not the doorways we had hoped for

prerelease giga-angst bad decisions only friends fanfic centering my baby boy & favorite chewtoy san, set to richard siken quotes. various ratings & 11500 words overall.

contains: wish it was mine (t, raysan, light physical h/c) + but none of them are ours (e, raysan, emotionally painful pwp) + to be like him (m, santop, failure hookups)

💜

shadowhunter chronicles:

fic: midnight hour

canon-compliant, between book 3 --> red scrolls of magic. soft h/c moment for new relationship malec. t, 4800 words

fic: shining through

5+1 things that’s actually 6+1 re: alec being made to wear colorful clothing. canon-adjacent if not compliant, very sweet. t, 15500 words

💜

redacted asmr:

series: rest with your vampire mate [m4a] [post-inversion]

sam aftershock & some associated events. t, 12000ish words over all parts

contains: wolf out of water (darlin & william), mind in the moment (darlin & sam), part of the promise (darlin & sam, darlin & david, angel)

series: your boyfriend tells you he’s magic [m4a]

unconnected set of redacted magic reveal fics. t overall

contains: plausible deniability (asher/babe werewolf reveal, early canon, 2500 words) & bring me a dream (elliott/sunshine pre-relationship magic reveal, 4400 words)

fic: ocean eyes [wip]

canon-adjacent poly sam/darlin/angel/david development fic featuring my listener ocs. lots of significant eye contact and yearning. t, 28000 words (in january 2023)

fic: synesthete

caelum & freelancer have a conversation. pre-DAMN. softe with slight h/c. g, 2100 words

fic: circuit breaker

post-inversion, william watches lovely for an afternoon. h/c. t, 3300 words

fic: painkiller

geordi/cutie, extremely gentle headache h/c. fun text formatting. t, 1700 words

fic: refractions

gavin/freelancer pre-confession pining on an aquarium date. overcautious m rating, 4200 words

fic: riparian

brachium pov w/ elliott/sunshine, realizations about the bond beyond death. t, 2000 words

fic: no exit

avior/starlight, pre-canon & pre-relationship. tentative trust & void experiments. t, 3200 words

fic: cinnamon

avior/starlight, post-canon domestic niceness because they deserve it. t, 3300 words

fic: floodgates open

my rasmr ficlet assortment; i started crossposting these to tumblr at the huxlasko chapter. non-tumblr snips in this collection include cute milo/sh, angsty darlin, & some gav/fl flirting. all of the prompts i did in may 2022 are in there

#my fic tag #its a masterpost #housekeeping

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clusterbuck · 2 years

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Question about Buddie and queerbaiting. You know how Tim in December said that they have discussions in the writers room all the time about what to do with Buddie, to make it romantic or not. And then you have Kristen prior to the season doing that god awful interview with MG where she came across unbelievably homophobic. Could that be looked at as queerbaiting, when Tim says something and Kristen says another?

okay i don’t know where you guys get this idea that kristen was being unbelievably homophobic. like here are the things she actually said

buddie was not originally intended to be a romantic relationship (which we know, bc eddie was originally planned as a love interest for maddie)

she personally sees them more as friends (which is an opinion she is entitled to)

family doesn’t always look the way you expect

currently they are very good friends (which is not in any way factually incorrect)

and i don’t have the receipts on it right now so don’t quote me on this, but i’m like 90% sure i remember reading about MG springing the question on her meaning she didn’t have the kind of carefully prepared soundbites creators usually bring to interviews like that. plus, since it’s an article and not an interview transcript, we don’t have the full context and MG is notorious for being just straight up bad at what he does, so.

as for your actual question: no, it’s not queerbaiting. here are just a few reasons:

there are actual queer characters on the show. queerbaiting isn’t about specific characters, it’s about promising representation and not delivering. the entire premise of queerbaiting is to draw in queer audiences without alienating conservative audiences by actually depicting the queerness, so the very existence of hen, karen, michael, david, josh already negate queerbaiting.

no one has actually been promoting canon buddie, so there’s no promise to back out on. saying something has been discussed in the writers room isn’t the same as intentionally promoting something that does not exist.

the show isn’t over yet. you can’t know if something has been bait until it’s over, because a fundamental part of the definition of queerbait is never delivered. if the story isn’t over you can’t say it never delivered.

#ask emma

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black-rose-writings · 3 years

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I read Ruin and Rising because I’m bored

And I also hate myself

Like with the last book, I have a vague idea of the plot and stuff from tumblr and fanfics. I will also be refering to Darkling as Sasha for most of this.

I am still Darklina trash and don’t particularly like Mal.

On a different note, I’ve finally moved for college, but the internet here is trash, so I’ll probably have a lot more reading time now, since most games I play are online and will crash without internet.

Before

Cool story. Let’s hope Alina stays a badass.

Who am I joking, I know how this ends.

Chapter 1

So far so good. I hate the Apparat, per usual. Alina’s there basically dying and that bitch can’t wait to see her do so.

Cult leader to the core this one. He probably hates that his figurehead is alive and also not brainwashed.

Cult leader doesn’t like swearing. How surprising.

My boy David is completely right. What kind of irresponsible dingus keeps centuries old books in a fucking wet-ass cave? (Or a tree for that matter *cough cough* The Last Jedi *cough, cough*).

Genya is fun to be around.

Oh, shit, let’s go.

Chapter 2

Jesus Christ, Alina, Zoya isn’t that bad.

This is one hell of a shitshow.

I live for this version of Alina. Badass. Scary. I want more of this Alina.

Chapter 3

Out of all the random little details from crappy smut fics, I did not expect Oncat to be from the books, lol.

Mal actually has a supernatural tracking ability. Like, literally, they put a bug into the pouch with gunpowder so he could make the shot. I guess this was kinda said before, but never this directly, right?

Alina’s merzost-skyping Sasha now, yay.

Alina is horny for Sasha boy. Yay.

Alina canonically has a praise kink. Nice.

I hate LB with all of my heart at this very moment. How dare she bait us Darklina people like this? How DARE she? (Shipbaiting is the worst, seriously.)

Yes, yes, yes. These two lines. That’s what their relationship is all about. They’re each others foils, the yin to the other’s yang and... ugh. I am Darklina trash to the core and this hurts.

Darklina: You have a terrible taste in men.

Alina: I liked you once.

My boy Sasha walked into that one.

Chapter 4

Alina is a Queen. And we love her.

David, my beloved, my spirit animal.

It’s surprising they can read it at all, given it’s been centuries. Have you ever tried reading medieval manuscripts?

Honestly, with a father that crazy, it’s no wonder Baghra’s a bitch. And I’ve seen it said somewhere that the books imply Ilya’s experiments are what caused Baghra to be a shadow summoner and you know what? I can see how you’d make that connection.

Why is there so few Tidemakers in the books? Waterbenders are useful. I want more waterbenders.

Alina picking up some habits from Baghra I see.

Ah, yes, we love an educated giant.

I’m starting to think Harshaw is a bit nuts.

Shut up, Hershey. Or at least share the weed with the class. I’m not here for this “He’s mean to you because he likes you”. I might believe that in like, elementary school, but yall are (more or less) adults. Jesus.

Well, that was a bombshell of a twist.

Chapter 5

Oh boy, we’ve got some trauma bonding for out merry band of misfits. Yay.

Adrik has a crush on Zoya. And she hates it, lol. Cut the kid some slack, he’s like 15 or something.

That reminds me, I have a four-leaf clover pressed in books from close to year and a half ago. Time flies.

They’re really diving into the Mal has supernatural powers, huh?

Ghosts, let’s go.

Alina “I’m so happy to be outside I start to shine like a fucking fairy” Starkov and Mal is entranced. He’s definitelly nicer now. I’m not forgiving him for all the shit he’s pulled before and for using the silent treatment way too much, but hey, at least he’s improving.

I am not a Zoyalina person, but like... gay? Please? Rivals to grudging allies to friends to lovers, 300k slowburn? Sounds more fun than whatever Mala dn Alina have going on, lol.

(I’m starting to realize I’m not as much a Darklina person as I am anti-Malina person, lol. Like, literally everyone has a more interesting dynamic with Alina than tracker boy over there. Malina is at best boring AF and at worst toxic, codependent and emotionally abusive, while also being boring AF at the same time. It has literally nothing going for it except God herself liking it).

I can see why Nadia is gay in the show. The book version of her definitelly has a crush on Tamar. Homegirl likes a woman, who can murder her with the flick of her wrist and honestly? Same.

Alina has some big “coming out of lockdown after a year” energy atm.

The cat is one of the most realistic characters in this thing, lol.

And since Tamar is also heavily queercoded, our lovely ladies make off into the night, flirting. Or maybe not. Let me dream, though.

At least Blade Boy is aware that his tattoo is stupid. To quote someone ranting about him on tumblr: He’s embracing his identity as a tool.

Oh, boy, this will be fun.

Evil soldier is horny for Mal. Saints, is there a woman in this book who isn’t horny for Blade Boy?

And here comes Niki to save the day.

Chapter 6

Niki saved the day.

Fiberglass? And David being David. Genya being in love with her nerd of a boyfriend.

Jesus Christ, this one crazy kid has moved the technology in this universe a whole century on his own. So, when is David going to propose to him?

Baghra hasn’t changed much I see.

Baghra’s about to drop some truthbombs, but no, we have to be rudely interupted because Genya’s rapist is throwing a fit.

Chapter 7

How does Mal sound? Is she gonna say the Blade boy sounds like her dad? I mean, I know voices are partially genetic, but it has been tens of generations between them, probably.

So, we’re finally taking Genya’s trauma seriously after all this time? Good. Better late than never, I guess.

I wish that regicide was already finished and I’m pretty sure that Genya does, too. Stop defending the fucking king, narrative.

David’s a nerd in all things I see.

Someone please just kill the king already. And the queen, too, for good measure.

Now that’s a romance.

Infodumping and listening to said infodumps is a legitimate love language, Alina. Let them nerd out over poisons.

Wait, has Alina never directly killed anyone before? I thought she did... hmmm.

And just like that, it should have been over. Ugh.

Somehow, Baghra is a better teacher now than she was before. She half feels like a completely different character.

Nevermind, she’s back at it.

Chapter 8

Holy shit, Nadia and Tamar are canon. They have canon gays here.

So, which one of them is gonna die?

Chapter 9

We arrive at that scene. The one, where they should have fucked.

Jeez, girl, get a hold of yourself. Life is short, fuck a villain.

In other news, Genya and David definitelly fucked.

Chapter 10

Poor David. He just wanted to know.

Damn... I never realized just how young Baghra was, when she killed her sister.

I’ve already made a post about this, but it really does strike me like Baghra has already decided to end her life at this point in the book.

Why is that whole “but what if we’re related” thing even in there?

Chapter 11

We love a suprise attack.

When did Sasha boy learn that trick?

Baghra really just did that. Oh boy.

Chapter 12

No, don’t kill the kid... ugh.

Emotiona support cat. She should be friends with Milo.

Porrige for brains. Oof.

So Nadia was the one, who got bees set on her in the book. Cool.

That’s a good question. Why was it never brought up to Alina, that other Grisha get blocks, too?

David already thinking of steampunk prosthetic for Adrik is honestly kinda sweet.

Chapter 13

Back home... kinda.

Is that really... you really care about Mal bonking the Grisha school mean girl over a year ago? Okay.

Chapter 14

Angst! Yay!

And more angst.

Chapter 15

Sasha really went “My mom killed herself to save you? Well, I’ll kill the closest thing to parents you have.”

Chapter 16

Nikolai’s alive. Kinda.

And these two have such a sibling energy, I can’t.

And then they fuck. Ew.

Chapter 17

Wait, wait wait... so Alina isn’t even the one to destroy the Fold?

Okay. That’s... weird.

Holy shit. That was...

So, Aleksander is dead. Mal isn’t. Someone else destroyed the Fold for Alina and now she has no powers.

Okay.

That’s a weird-ass ending.

Chapter 18

The gays survived, so that’s nice.

Genya made good on her promise of making Alina a ginger, lol.

After

What emotion is this supposed to give me? Cause all I feel is kinda sad.

#shadow and bone #grishaverse #ruin and rising #book review #alina starkov #darkling #darklina

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meggannn · 3 years

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i promised myself i wouldnt start more k/rra discourse in 2021 because it's been, yknow, seven fucking years, but apparently long-term fans have developed selective memory in that time bc im gonna scream if i see people crediting br/yke for their bravery in making k/rr/sami canon in one more stupid text post. or maybe the history is no longer well known about how 1. they assumed nick would say no so they never bothered to ask but when they actually did, nick was supportive of ks; and 2. they decided to revise the animation to have ks turn to face each other in the actual last seconds of the show as “proof” of their relationship without some staff like storyboardists even knowing, and apparently that minimal effort to make a "stepping stone" deserved to be praised as highly as other intentionally representative wlw

apparently all the racism and sexism from both creators and fans is forgiven if the fandom likes the wlw. (but we knew that already because fandom, MANY ks stans included, were the leading members of the Korra Needs to Be Humbled Squad. so, like, forgive me if i'm not a fan of how this ks renaissance has forgotten their roots of calling for a to be the avatar instead of k as she was the "better woman"; all the ks bdsm fanart of k as a's slave; no, apparently ks shippers were always lowly davids against the giant goliath that was nick and/or mk fans.) apparently we should be kind and give credit to this white het male creative team for pushing the bar as much as we should to lgbt+ and women/nb creators who don’t end their shows by blaming their audiences with “if you didn’t see it, maybe your just had your hetero goggles on” to excuse their lack of commitment across seasons despite bk's smarmy post-series quotes about how it was “planned for ages!” and “i was the first ks shipper!!” like it was a contest he wanted to win? jesus lmao i hate that i know all this, i hate that this show takes up so much of my brainspace seven years later, but im asking people to like. please read up and think critically about LOK’s racism, imperialism, westernization, and decide if praising the paper-thin wlw that had to be confirmed after the show had finished is really what society's biggest takeaway is gonna be when they think back on this show's legacy, and not like. the way it immaturely handled its many political themes and framed brown suffering and torture porn as healthy character growth

#mmmmmm dont reblog pls #megan talks about korra

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kabane52 · 3 years

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Luke and Romans

A reasonable argument can be made for the idea that each of the four gospels was written intentionally as part of a canonical set of books known to us as the New Testament- and that each of the four gospels has a partner epistle.

Matthew is clearly connected with the letter of James, which quotes teachings of Jesus in Matthew according to Matthew's transcription.

Mark is the witness of the Apostle Peter and so is connected, in my view, with 1 Peter and was published together with it as Matthew was with James.

John's Gospel and letters are so obviously connected it hardly needs comment.

That leaves Luke. Luke's connection with Paul is well-known. Might one point to a specific work of Paul's that could have been published together with Luke as 1 Peter was with Mark and James with Matthew?*

I've suggested elsewhere (and am not the first to do so- David Trobisch provides evidence for the publication of the New Testament as a single text, meaning it was meant to be read as a collection with a specific order- Trobisch puts this in the mid second century, I just roll it back to the Apostle John) that the books of the New Testament are apostolically ordered with intentionality to link in coherent ways with the Tanach (in its tripartite construction calling attention to central themes at compositional seams) and with itself. That Revelation ends with a reference to the whole company of the prophets, John's collegiality with them, and with the "neither add nor subtract" command** at the very least warrants consideration of an apostolic unity to the New Testament as hypothesis.

Romans makes most sense as the letter of Paul co-published with Luke and circulated together with it. As above, the evidence is reasonable but does not compel one to this conclusion. Several reasons:

-Romans is the first letter in the Pauline corpus and is not an occasional letter, despite attempts to read it as such. On the contrary, Paul presents it as an ordered explanation of his preaching, since he has not personally visited the Romans. Its position after Acts (in the Majority Text- I don't want to get into this trail in the comments but in certain manuscripts the Catholic Epistles precede the Pauline Epistles) makes great sense. Acts begins in Jerusalem and ends in Rome with Paul proclaiming the gospel. Romans presents the content of this proclamation. It begins with Rome- Paul's express wish to visit the church in Rome- and ends with Jerusalem, completing the circuit we see in Acts- the gospel radiates out from Jerusalem and returns to Jerusalem in successively greater distances. It ends without a return journey to Jerusalem, but Paul describes exactly such an intent in the letter (he will "reap some harvest" in Rome and then in 15:16 will present that harvest as "tribute" to God- fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 66, remembering that the tribute offering is of bread and thus the result of what is harvested).***

-Luke addresses his Gospel to "Theophilus" and describes that which was transmitted by designated "witnesses" who were "from the beginning" ministers of the word. Acts makes it explicit that these "witnesses" played a formal role in verifying the risen kingship of Jesus as the heart of their apostolic calling. Romans 1:6 is addressed to those who are "loved by God" - the only letter of Paul with this kind of address- which is what "Theophilus" means.**** Moreover, Paul begins Romans by directly citing his unique apostolic call to bear witness to the risen kingship of Jesus in 1:5. Like the address to those "loved by God", this is a feature which differs from every other of Paul's epistolary introductions but which is *shared* with the Prologue of Luke. In terms of an inductive argument, that double-relationship is probably the strongest.

-Finally, the leading words of Romans very closely connect with Jesus' closing words in Luke. Compare:

(Romans 1:1-5) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

(Luke 24:44-49) Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

1. "Promised beforehand through his prophets" comes from Jesus' "Everything written about me" in law, prophets, and writings "must be fulfilled." The participial "promised" here is the verbal cognate of the noun "promise" in Luke 24 ("promise of my Father").

2. Reference to Davidic descent in Romans matches Jesus' identification of His prophesied mission as that of "the Messiah." To say "Son of David" is to say "King Messiah." (That Jesus speaks of the "promise of my Father" likewise underscores His identity as Son of God and could be construed, in light of other factors, as an implicit connection between the two texts)

3. That Jesus would "rise from the dead on the third day" is constitutive of His messianic vocation as in Romans: "declared to be the Son of God in power...by His resurrection from the dead."

4. The apostolic call enjoined is to proclaim the reign of Jesus "all the nations" in both Luke 24 and Romans 1. Jesus says this is done for "in His [the Messiah's] Name" and Paul says "for the sake of His Name."

5. Jesus instructs the eleven to wait until the coming of the Spirit clothes them with "power" and enables them to carry out their appointed mission as apostolic witnesses. Paul says that the Spirit constituted the Son of God "in power" (unless otherwise noted here, verbal links are made on the basis of identical or immediately cognate Greek words) and is the one "through whom" he fulfills his apostolic witness for "all the nations" and the "Name" of Jesus.

To sum up:

-There is a pattern of epistolary correspondence with a Gospel. James quotes Matthew directly, Peter's witness is the basis for Mark, 1 John and the Gospel of John are obviously intimately bound up. And Luke is the companion of Paul..

-With Romans being the most "theological" and by far least occasional of the letters- not to mention standing at the head of the collection- it is the most likely candidate for a matched letter to begin with.

-Romans 1:1-5 has divergences from every other of Paul's epistolary introductions which converge with Luke's Prologue.

-There are a series of closely connected verbal and thematic links between the apostolic commission of Jesus in Luke 24 and Paul's description of his own commission in Romans 1:1-5.

Finally, I will note that in 1 Timothy 3:16 there is a very strong parallel to Romans 1:1-5:

(1 Timothy 3:16) Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Yet on further consideration, this isn't a reference to Romans 1:1-5. This is a reference to Luke 24. "Seen by angels" has no parallel in Romans 1:1-5 but it makes perfect sense as a reference to Luke's narration of two angels at the tomb of Jesus. The word for "proclaimed" here in 1 Timothy is the very word used by Jesus in Luke 24 in "proclaimed to all nations." And while Romans 1:1-5 lacks a reference to the ascension, there *is* such a reference in Luke 24. Finally, the word for "taken up" is "analambanw" in 1 Timothy 3:16- almost identical (the prepositional prefix is the only difference- the angels' reference to Jesus' being "taken" up is completely identical) to Luke's narration of the ascension in Acts which uses "upolambanw." Specifically, it is a *cloud* which is said to have "taken" Jesus from their sight. Such a cloud is the *glory-cloud* of the Old Testament, the cloudlike presence of God which went with Israel and dwelt in the tabernacle and temple. And so in 1 Timothy 3:16 it is "in glory" that Jesus is taken up.

Add into the mix the fact that Romans 16 ends by recalling 1:1-5- identifying it as a "mystery", which is the very word used to introduce 1 Timothy 3:16 AND the fact that 1 Timothy 5 quotes Luke's Gospel *directly* and one has a very powerful case- at the very least- for the idea that Paul in Romans 1:1-5 is intentionally echoing the specific words of Jesus written down in Luke's Gospel. But my argument goes further and suggests that the four gospels- which have compositional links to each other- each have a corresponding letter with which they were first circulated. They are:

Matthew-James Mark- 1 Peter Luke- Romans John- 1 John

*If one rolls with that- and while there is reason to think it is true, it's clearly not enough to intellectually *compel* one in the strict sense)

**The "prophecy of this book" should be read in light of immediate context. We have just heard of "your brothers the prophets" whom the Spirit inspired. In Revelation 10 we are told that Revelation describes the fulfillment of that which was amounts to God's "servants the prophets", so it makes sense to take this as a reference to the biblical authors (this is the usage of 2 Peter as well). It's a little too perfect to have the last book of the Bible conclude with on the nose references to Genesis 1-3 and a final injunction to preserve the given text as is if Revelation was meant to be taken as a standalone work alongside the Tanach with no relation to its order.

***Obviously Acts is written after Romans. I take Luke to have been written in the mid to late 50s with the intent to publish the Acts when appropriate. That time comes in 62- on this hypothesis, Romans is the epistolary partner of Luke. Acts is written intentionally to precede Romans and the two are joined in that way rather than Paul beginning his letter to follow Acts. See links on the relationship among the four gospels.

****Obviously "Theophilus" is from "philia" and not "agape" as is used in Romans 1:6. But "philia" and "agape" were often interchanged with one another and I am not aware of a personal name meaning "loved by God" rooted in "agape"- though there may be one out there. In case it's not clear, I suspect that "Theophilus", like John's "elect lady" is a way of designating the church as beloved of God.

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maxbegone · 4 years

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AND WE ARE BACK!

Part two of the Schitt’s Creek Community Fic Rec is here! This time, we focused on celebrating our favorite AU’s! Once again, this is dedicated with love to the the authors of this community! Every participant chose one AU (which was a little hard to do for some) to share and why they enjoyed it.

Thank you to everyone who submitted!

@bestwisheswarmestregards // @brighter-than-sunshine // @danieljradcliffe // @devilstelephone // @fishyspots // @imargaery // @justwaiting23 // @patrickbrewsky // @rockinhamburger // @roguebabyinyourstore // @rosebuddsmotel // @stuck-on-your-heart // @the-13th-wheel // @thedidipickles // @thisbuildinghasfeelings // @yourbuttervoicedbeau

And a very special thank you to anyone who has ever written anything in this community!

Everything is posted below the cut, and you can check out part one here!

**As always, if I missed an author’s tumblr handle, please let me know!

@bestwisheswarmestregards

Odd Man Rush by @samwhambam

It’s David and Patrick and Hockey! Three of my favorite things! Also the ending is one of my favorite endings. It’s so sweet! It’s part of the series score and all of the stories are so cute but this one is my favorite!

@brighter-than-sunshine

Thanks For Choosing Bagged! by dinnfameron

I love this one because the dialogue is so adorable, and true to David and Patrick! I can totally see the characters getting involved in something like this, like a different version of a rom-com.

@danieljradcliffe

Going Down by concannonfodder

This is one of the best stories of NYC!David and recently out Patrick while they're both trying to find themselves. It's beautifully written and my favourite part is that each chapter switches between David and Patrick's POV. It does a great job of highlighting the aspects of their personalities that we know and love but shows them to us in a new light.

@devilstelephone

sustineo by @rockinhamburger

The contemporary art discussions between Patrick and David are interesting and important to the story. Patrick still cares for and emotionally connects with David In a world that is so different than Schitt’s Creek. I liked that Sebastian Raine was the evil force without being included as a character.

@fishyspots

Welcome to Cabaret by @vivianblakesunrisebay

It's lovely from start to finish! In this 'verse, Christmas World didn't pull out, so David didn't get the lease for the general store. Instead, he gets roped into helping Moira with Cabaret, and meets Patrick (kind of) through that. I love the way this author writes. The dialogue is in-character, and the plot is wonderful and pulls out moments from canon and reimagines them in some truly inspired ways. I'm such a fan of all of this author's works; this was the first one I read, and it remains my favorite.

@imargaery

David.; or, a Tale of Misapplied Sense by Siria

A Jane Austen D&P AU and it is BRILLIANT. If you're an Austen fan, you will be able to immediately pick up on how well this author adapted Austen's style, wit, character descriptions, and ability to whack you over the head with romance when you're not even ready for it yet. Siria is a very experienced fanfic writer, but writes for many fandoms, so I think that's maybe why it doesn't have that many hits? I'm so glad I clicked on it. I want to wrap myself up in this story. I want to make a podfic out of it. I want to put it on a t-shirt and wear it every day. Also, it's in a regency AU where homophobia isn't a thing, so you don't even have to worry about that. I want to tell you more, but that would spoil it. Just read the damn thing and thank me later.

@justwaiting23

You Were the Ocean, I Was Just a Stone by @al-ex-an-d-er-hamiltons

The image of a curly haired fisherman Patrick is enough but this whole fic is such a sweet concept. Their interactions in this are so reminiscent of the show but also so different because they already know each other vaguely, and I come back to this fic over and over just because it's the perfect mix of angsty miscommunication and fluff.

@maxbegone

Known and Be Known by ahurston

As someone who tends to lean toward canon/canon-divergent stories, this was a refreshing take on an AU. Beautifully written and wonderfully raw, ahurston conveyed the vulnerabilities between both David and Patrick so wonderfully. “The mortifying ordeal of being known,” personified in fanfiction format. With humor and some wonderfully hot scenes peppered throughout, this fic was just brilliant from start to finish. I love when authors explore Patrick's insecurities and vulnerabilities - they aren't written about as often as David's are. I implore you to read this, if you're able.

@patrickbrewsky

Bound by Symmetry by barelypink

They say write what you know. I instead read what I know. David is the accidentally fantastic teacher we all wished we'd had in high school, and some of us wish/hope we are or might be one day. This fic is a great exploration of combining everything David knows he is (creative, bright, v.knowledgeable about art) and all the things he thinks he's not (empathetic, a role model, great with kids, selfless, kind, & big hearted) The selling point quote: "And it feels good, David realizes, to have a job that means something, a purpose beyond himself. A place where he feels like he belongs, just like his students." (David Rose proves he is both a good and nice person).

@rockinhamburger

Blackbird, Fly by distractivate

This is a post-apocalyptic story about love, connection, and hope, with a central theme of growth from destruction. I could not put this one down; I read it feverishly in one sitting, desperate to soak up every word. I love this fic because it is what I like to think of as an exemplar for transformative works (one of ao3’s top values). I love the way the fic stretches toward the light in the dark. It makes me think: about the quintessential elements of these characters, what remains the same despite changed circumstance, and what inevitably shifts when these characters we know and love are faced with a situation far outside their experience or comfort. This story likely hits differently in 2020, when post-apocalyptic narratives feel much less distant than they might have just a year ago. And yet, all the more reason to read an incredible work about hope and resilience and transformation.

@roguebabyinyourstore

Fifteen Hundred Miles by MoreHuman

Where do I even begin with this fic? I was at first skeptical about what reason David Rose would have to willingly subject himself to a trek through the wilderness out of his own volition. Well I’m so glad I ignored that admittedly stupid part of me because this is one of the mostly beautifully crafted stories I have ever read. Patrick and David are individually on their own journeys of self-discovery, but the way they help each other find what they sought... It’s breathtaking. Their feelings for each other bloom so organically over their time together that despite the circumstances laid out before them, the miles that they stumble and walk and run bring them miles closer to each other. Closer to the love that they both didn’t know they needed. The characters come alive and are identical to their canon selves. The dialogue and banter are spot on David and Patrick. The writing itself is superb. The tropes are incredible, the pining and *oh no there’s only one tent.* The slow burn is tantalizing but in a way that feels true to a genuine love story. The way the setting somehow breathes in tune with the characters, the way they leave messages behind in the trail register—conveying more than they can utter aloud— and the way their families communicate with them throughout their time on the trail through letters. All of the elements of this story ground it in universal truth, in feelings that are not only relatable, believable but demand to be felt. I can wax poetic until I am blue in the face, but really... Read this story. And then reread it a million times.

@rosebuddsmotel

I Carry These Heart-Shapes Only to You by @ladyflowdi and @ships-to-sail

There are over 180,000 words in this WWII AU, but not one of those words is wasted. It is gorgeous in its prose, and incredibly romantic without romanticizing the very real pain and tragedies of the era in which it exists. It's not an easy read by any means, but it's the kind of cathartic emotional journey that is more than worth it in the end.

@stuck-on-your-heart

kiss from a rose by mihaly ( @davidroseshusband )

What can I say about this very special fic that would do it justice? In this story, Alexis stars in a Bachelorette-style dating show and it’s every bit as brilliant as it sounds. On top of the incredible characterization, there are little surprises at every turn, there’s pining, and of course, there’s love. Secret love, even. This fic is truly addicting – I promise you won’t be able to stop once you start reading, and it will leave you feeling so satisfied (and if you’re like me, a little misty)!!!

@the-13th-wheel

Hold Me Like You’ll Never Let Me Go by @mooodlighting

It is a wonderful short AU where Patrick and David where they meet at an airport after they get snowed in. It is cute, there is longing and pining that just make it a wonderful read!

@thedidipickles

Beneath the Winter Snow by Distractivate

The writing is so utterly gorgeous all the way throughout that I frequently needed to take breaks to breathe. The author *perfectly* builds an Olympic world that I can totally see my favorite characters inhabiting, and the resolution is gorgeous. All of Distractivate's AUs are amazing, but this one still stands out.

@thisbuildinghasfeelings

How Do We Get Back by @unfolded73

This one deals with a literal alternate universe, which is the first thing I loved about it because I had never read a fic quite like it before. It's a beautifully written 60,000+ word masterpiece that definitely makes me feel ALL the feelings. In addition, it is absolutely riveting. I could not stop reading until I got to the end.

@yourbuttervoicedbeau

Make It To Me by figmentof ( @rosesdavid )

Epistolatory fic is SO hard to pull off and the author does such an incredible job with the way the characters shine through even though we only see them interact via text message. This fic is my comfort food and I reread it regularly <3

Anonymous Recs:

Just Breathe by olivebranchesandredwine

I love this one because it's got Patrick as a yoga teacher (hot!) and shows David being proactive about anxiety and it's just such a lovely story.

Shall I Stay? by alladaydream ( @maybewecandreamalittle )

This is so worth the 100k wordcount. 18-year-old David and Patrick sweetly leaning into first love, a lot of angst and pining in the middle that allow them both to heal and grow, and a heartfelt reconciliation. Plus, two bonus cherries on top with artist!David and a beautiful epilogue in which they (spoiler) live happily ever after. The tone and pacing of this fic is so good, and I always go back to it when I want to read something comforting.

Your Heart is Keeping Time with Me by @yourbuttervoicedbeau

I haven't seen 50 First Dates, but this fic is better than the movie could ever be. The author's writing is so beautiful and her David who has amnesia and her Patrick who wants to help him are just PERFECT. I want more and more and more of this.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated and thank you to every single person who has written something in this community! It would be wonderful to do a part three, but for now, enjoy some alternate universe fics!

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tomakeitbeautifultolive · 4 years

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Defending Jon Snow’s Honor

Re: "Jon Snow is Trash": Because if you accept the season eight depiction of Jon Snow as credible, then you might as well admit that Daenerys was mad all along.

Disclaimer: This is not a defense of Jon Snow's actions in season eight, but a refutation of his portrayal.

To begin, we must confront the elephant in the room: In season eight, the character of Daenerys Targaryen was butchered both literally and figuratively. It was such a brutal and heinous maiming of her character that by the end of the series, it was impossible to suspend disbelief and accept the inane and illogical choices of the writers.

But when you then turn around and insist that Jon Snow has always been "trash"—it's no different than the people who insist Daenerys has always been mad. The hit job on Jon Snow was, admittedly, a bit more subtle. But it was a hit job nonetheless. Do not let two talentless writers convince you that Jon Snow, at any point in season eight, acted within the bounds of his established character or even within in-universe show logic.

Because he didn't.

And no, I won't put any of this under a cut. Let the sheer length of this post serve as proof, itself, of just how dirty David Benioff and D.B. Weiss did Jon Snow.

The Real Jon Snow

While the writing on Game of Thrones suffered the further the story strayed from the books and from its original creator, George R.R. Martin, season seven—for all its faults and imperfections—still seemed to follow the natural progression of the story. Everyone still felt more or less in-character, particularly Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.

So, that's where we'll start. To me, season seven Jon Snow is the rough culmination of exactly where I believe his story arc will lead—and it's a great season to help showcase his qualities.

Regardless of any personal preference for characters, in season seven, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen are equals. She is a queen and he is a king.

When they meet, she appeals to her power and her claim by inheritance in order to convince Jon to bend the knee. Of course, it was never going to be that easy. Jon's a stubborn man and he has no reason to put his blind faith into well, anyone.

It is only upon revealing her true nature—her selflessness and willingness to use her power to help others—that Daenerys earns not only his respect, but his heart.

To say that "Jon Snow was always trash" is an insult to Daenerys and her judgment.

Dany's love for Khal Drogo was born of adaptation, to make the best of a situation she never asked for. Unlike Jorah Mormont, Jon's devotion to Daenerys had nothing to do with her looks. Unlike Daario Naharis, Jon's devotion to Daenerys had nothing to do with her power or status... and everything to do with who she is fundamentally. Jon Snow pledged to fight for Daenerys based on the content of her character rather than her beauty.

Further, Daario Naharis really stood face to face with Daenerys Targaryen, the Mhysa, and said "fuck the people". Meanwhile, it is Jon Snow's mysterious scars that prove he and Daenerys harbor similar ideologies—demonstrating that Jon is willing to stop at nothing for his people—even if it requires giving his own life.

Many have called Jon Snow "stupid" for exactly this, completely missing the point that there are qualities that deserve to be held in higher esteem than self-preservation or cleverness.

Compassion.

Self-sacrifice.

Humility.

Dignity.

Honesty.

When Jon Snow declares his loyalty to Daenerys in the Dragonpit in front of everyone—this is yet another moment people like to point to as "stupid", yet...

"I'm not going to swear an oath I can't uphold. When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies."

Jon Snow's integrity is more important to him than lying just to save his own hide. After all, he tried that once before, and the only thing it resulted in was heartache and regret. Jon Snow more or less asserts that a life wherein he must pretend to be something he isn't—isn't a life worth living.

This is as profound a revelation as it is bold.

Whether or not you agree with his convictions... Jon Snow's moral foundation is as unyielding as Valyrian steel. It is no wonder that this was the man who ultimately won the heart of Daenerys Targaryen. A man whose favor cannot be bought or exploited.

One fundamental change in Jon Snow's character from page to screen, however, is his ambition. This emphasis on his reluctance in ruling becomes an unfortunate cornerstone of season eight. But if Jon Snow's book counterpart—the one who dreamt of becoming Lord of Winterfell, of conquering and leading men into glory—lacks this hesitation, and instead, takes leadership so seriously that he only celebrates becoming Lord Commander with one gulp of alcohol... then what impact could his ambition have on the story?

Upon learning that Jon is Rhaegar's son, it's easy to jump to the conclusion that he'll suddenly start vying for the Iron Throne. But if Jon Snow pledges himself to Queen Daenerys in the books, then we have every reason to believe his word is as good as gold. Jon is not a man who takes his oaths lightly. Nor is he a man who is easily manipulated.

Jon Snow deciding to swear fealty to anyone is momentous.

Take, for instance, Stannis Baratheon. Jon's 'father', Ned, pretty much died in support of Stannis' claim to the throne, so he approaches the boy and appeals to Jon's deepest desire—the first thing he can remember wanting—to become a Stark.

All he had to do was say the word, and he would be Jon Stark, and nevermore a Snow. All he had to do was pledge this king his fealty, and Winterfell was his. All he had to do ... was forswear his vows again. And this time it would not be a ruse. To claim his father's castle, he must turn against his father's gods.

This is not an easy decision for Jon Snow. He spends a great deal of time considering the offer from just about every angle one can. Admittedly, it's hard to showcase deep internal reflection on a television show, so we didn't really get to see that process for Jon on screen. But it's always been apparent that two men of privilege—David Benioff and D.B. Weiss—struggle in writing from the perspective of a bastard. Fundamentally, they cannot fully inhabit Jon as a result, because they've never experienced a lifetime of unprovoked contempt, resulting in an unfortunate lack of depth in Jon's translation from page to screen.

Even so, we do get some insight into the depth of Jon's character in season seven when Theon Greyjoy says to Jon:

"You've always known what was right. Even when we were all young and stupid, you always knew. Every step you take, it's always the right step."

In turn, Jon replies:

"It's not. It may seem that way from the outside, but I promise you, it's not true. I've done plenty of things that I regret."

So, by the time that Jon must decide whether or not to accept Stannis Baratheon's offer, he does so with the consideration of future regret. It is in a reflective moment that Jon decides that his greatest desires are not worth the moral expense.

And so, Jon refuses to betray his father's gods, and remains a Snow.

The Kinslaying Problem

Speaking of gods... Way back in his wildling heyday, Ygritte recounts the tale of Bael the Bard to Jon Snow, in which she reveals a curious detail:

"The gods hate kinslayers, even when they kill unknowing."

While you could make the case that this foreshadows Jon as a kinslayer regarding Daenerys... considering it was their kinship that drove a wedge right through their relationship in show canon, it's safe to say season eight Jon knew full well he was kin to Daenerys when he killed her. So what else could this quote mean?

The "kinslayer who kills unknowing" probably won't refer to Daenerys at all—but the mysterious figure known in the books as the Night's King, of whom all records have been destroyed, his very name forbidden.

But... Old Nan insists we do know his name. At least one of them:

"He was a Stark, the brother of the man who brought him down."

Keep in mind that it's Bran she tells, not Jon. And her words even echo the kinslaying element between these mysterious and legendary figures in and around the North.

Interestingly, one of the most prominent kinslayers in the story is the one who, in season eight, ultimately convinces Jon Snow to murder his queen. And somehow, it takes virtually no effort on Tyrion's part to persuade Jon Snow to commit not only regicide, but kinslaying (whatever happened to "The man that passes the sentence should swing the sword"?)

This may mean nothing in the show, but in the books it's reiterated over and over again we're told how accursed such an act is. And we have a pretty good example that it might be true. Rickard Karstark warned Robb Stark prior to his execution by the Young Wolf's hand:

"We are kin, Stark and Karstark. Old gods or new, it makes no matter. No man is so accursed as the kinslayer."

And we all know the fate that befell Robb Stark.

The Incest Problem

Speaking of kin... let's talk incest! While there's no question that on earth, discovering you've been copulating with your aunt might be a cause for surprise... In Westeros? It's not even considered incest. No, not even in the North, where we're given two examples of uncle-to-niece pairings:

"In Westeros incest is only applied if father lays with daughter, mother lays with son, or brother to sister, and the children of such unions are considered abominations. The views regarding marriages between an uncle and a niece (or an aunt to a nephew) might differ between the Faith and the old gods. In the north, Serena Stark had been wed to her half-uncle, Edric, while her sister Sansa Stark had been wed to her half-uncle Jonnel Stark."

In the original draft of the story, Jon was supposed to have a romantic relationship with Arya Stark—his cousin by blood, but who, for all he knows, is his sister. Seeds of this are still scattered in early chapters of ASOIAF, as illustrated by the sheer tenderness of their relationship in A Game of Thrones.

For years, Arya Stark was the only woman who treated Jon with respect. It's no wonder that his feelings for her have always bordered on romantic (and let me make a clear distinction here—I said romantic, not sexual). Considering that it was George's original plan, it's pretty safe to guess that being a willing participant in an incestuous relationship is not necessarily out of character for Jon Snow, as was predetermined by the man who created him.

Jon Snow is a polarizing character for people who love Targaryens and hate Starks—and vice versa. Whether or not you like it, Jon Snow is a Targaryen. And thus, the Doctrine of Exceptionalism applies to him, which states:

"The Targaryens wed brother to sister as the Valyrians had always done, and as the gods had made them this way, it was not for men to judge."

While the show canon did next to nothing with Jon Snow's true Targaryen lineage—never forget that the entire reason David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were given the rights to Game of Thrones was that they could correctly answer the question "Who is Jon Snow's mother?"

An incestuous scandal was the best that the lackluster show writers could come up with. And to then accept that the only reason George R.R. Martin penned this central plot twist in his medieval fantasy story exclusively to create some modern-era incest drama is, frankly, insulting.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are creatively barren. As barren as... um, Daenerys apparently?

To further exploit the show's lack of logical reasoning—it turns out that, yes, according to show canon, Daenerys was barren the whole time. While Jon doubted the validity of Mirri Maz Duur's claims... he was wrong. And Daenerys was straightforward with him that their union would produce no offspring. And apparently, despite all the wasted dialogue used to foreshadow, she was right.

This means that even within the boundaries of the show's broken logic, the anti-incest angle never held water.

So... if season eight Jon Snow's rejection of Daenerys is what ultimately causes her to "snap", yet it's unlikely that book Jon Snow will feel the same strong aversion about their relation... will she "snap" at all?

The Execution Problem

When it comes to the 'old way', Ned Stark has taught his sons well, Jon Snow among them:

"We hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die."

When Jon encounters Ygritte, he can't bring himself to kill her despite the command to. She reminds him of his sister, Arya—the girl he loves the most in all the world. And so, he asks Ygritte to yield. Jon Snow, simply reminded of a girl he loves, cannot bring himself to kill Ygritte.

Later, we directly witness Jon applying Ned's logic to his execution of Janos Slynt. After advising Janos on how best to achieve a quick death, he says:

"If you have any last words, now is the time to speak them."

"Please, my lord. Mercy. I'll … I'll go, I will, I …"

No, thought Jon. You closed that door. Longclaw descended.

Like his father before him, Jon advised Janos to speak his last words. And upon hearing them, deemed him fit to die.

This is Jon Snow's execution style.

We see it repeated even in season six when he executes his murderers:

"If you have any last words, now is the time."

Patiently, he waits for each of his four murderers to speak before letting them hang.

This is Jon Snow's execution style.

Alternatively, we see another style of execution when it comes to Jon Snow's own murder, as carried out by Alliser Thorne. Let's just go ahead and refer to this style as dishonorable and cowardly (two qualities that we've now established that Jon Snow does not possess).

Jon Snow was led, unarmed, into a false sense of security—where he was then cornered and stabbed in the heart by his enemies, left lying in a pool of his own blood.

The change in Jon Snow's execution style to suddenly emulate the way in which he was murdered is a cold-blooded betrayal of Jon's character.

But back to Janos.

On the surface, Jon Snow made a snap decision to execute Janos Slynt for disobeying a command—though if we're being honest, it was more-so because Janos was an entitled and sniveling Lannister loyalist that couldn't be trusted, or, a clever political move to ensure Jon’s future safety as Lord Commander.

Jon then severed the man's head as he cried and begged for his life.

You expect us to believe that this man...

...would be bothered by the execution of attempted murderer and traitor, Varys? A man who openly suggested they collude and commit treason?

While the above gif looks a little more like the Jon Snow we know, it’s not. Especially considering the writers tried their hardest to make us believe Jon Snow is incapable of dishonesty and lying, even by omission, he neglects to tell Daenerys of Varys’ treasonous ways. He cannot lie to his siblings or to Daenerys about his Targaryen identity, yet he can omit a very troubling piece of information regarding one of the allies of the woman he loves and is pledged to. What?

Further, compare the execution below with the above gifs of Jon Snow's two executions. He even shows more satisfaction in the deaths of the lives he’s taken than Daenerys did. Varys surviving means Dany’s life will forever be at risk. Not only is Varys an oathbreaker, but he attempted regicide by poison. Having Jon Snow judge Daenerys for this action is a blatant double standard that makes zero logical sense.

And speaking of attempted murderers... Let's discuss Randyll Tarly.

Randyll Tarly is no stranger to Jon Snow. Sam told him all about his father way back in episode four of season one:

"You're almost a man now, but you're not worthy of my land and title. Tomorrow, you're going to take the black, forsake all claim to your inheritance and start north. If you do not, then we'll have a hunt, and somewhere in these woods your horse will stumble, and you'll be thrown from your saddle to die. Or so I'll tell your mother. Nothing would please me more."

So, you're going to tell me that Jon Snow is suddenly perturbed by the execution of a man who both threatened to murder his own son and who betrayed his liege lord?

To fight alongside the Lannisters, no less?

According to the books, this is what Jon Snow thinks of the Lannisters:

"It's death and destruction I want to bring down upon House Lannister, not scorn."

And in case you missed it, this is how Jon Snow punishes those who betray their liege lords:

Maybe you’re itching to argue that it’s Dany’s execution style that is the problem. That perhaps, 'death by fire is heinous and cruel! Beheading and hanging and punching someone to death are all "merciful" deaths!' Because, stupefyingly, that's a popular argument for those that (also stupefyingly) defend Randyll Tarly.

That argument might work if not for the fact that Jon instructed his men to launch flaming arrows at the Battle of Castle Black, thus using fire as a means to kill.

The Arya Stark Problem

We've already discussed Arya Stark a little bit in terms of her deep bond with Jon Snow... but in order to truly show how out-of-character their reunion was, we need to backtrack a little bit.

Upon gifting her Needle, Jon and Arya have this exchange in the books:

"And whatever you do..."

Arya knew what was coming next. They said it together.

"...don't ... tell ... Sansa!"

Not only do the pair have an understanding which excludes their sister or trusting her with sensitive information... when Arya is caught with Needle later on, this happens:

Arya chewed her lip and said nothing. She would not betray Jon, not even to their father.

And when Arya attempts to shed her identity at the House of Black and White, she can't bring herself to part with Needle, because:

Needle was Jon Snow's smile. The Many-Faced God can have the rest, she thought, but he can't have this.

Arya Stark refuses to part with the physical representation of Jon Snow's smile.

For the most anticipated reunion in the entire show, it fell flat. Don't get me wrong, it was exhilarating to see Jon Snow and Arya Stark embracing after being apart for a decade—and Kit Harington and Maisie Williams did their absolute best with the poor dialogue they were given.

But this was not the reunion of two characters who survived some of their toughest challenges by merely recalling the memory of the other. Jon and Arya shared a bond that nothing could tarnish—not even time. A bond that no one—not even their fellow family members—could penetrate.

The nerve of the writers making Arya Stark, one of the cleverest characters in the books despite her age, say that Sansa Stark is the smartest person she's ever met? No. For one, Arya Stark did not need to live as a bastard in order to empathize with them—which means that even as a little girl, she possessed wisdom that is years ahead of her elder sister's.

Much like Jon Snow, Arya Stark is not a character who is easily persuaded by the opinions of others. Which is why she and Jon are close at all—she never once believes the stigma attached to his bastardy, because it's so blatantly obvious to her that his character simply doesn't fit the rhetoric.

I'd be willing to bet that Jon's incredibly loyal sister would trust his judgment in pledging himself to Daenerys. And I won't for a minute believe that the girl who said to Gendry...

"I can be your family."

...would suddenly regress into intolerance, particularly not at someone else's behest.

I won't believe for a minute that the girl who said...

"The woman is important too!"

...would turn around and suggest that the woman who provided her armies, dragons, and resources to save the North should then be discarded afterward.

I won't believe for a minute that the girl who makes allies and friends everywhere she goes would turn around and argue that allies aren't important.

I won't believe for a minute that the girl who named her direwolf after the warrior queen Nymeria, the girl who said...

"He killed the slave?" That did not sound right. "He should have killed the masters!"

...wouldn't at least give the person she loves the most in all the world, Jon Snow, a few minutes to explain why he supports and believes in Daenerys.

Lastly, there is absolutely no reason to believe that Arya Stark would ever betray Jon Snow. It is an insult to one of the purest and tenderest relationships in the entire series to suggest otherwise.

The Winterfell Problem

Even on Jon Snow's AWOIAF Wiki page, he is described as "quick to sense a slight", as well as observant, "a trait he developed on account of being a bastard".

Yet, during the feast following the Night King's death... Jon Snow is suddenly portrayed as oblivious all in service to the plot to alienate Daenerys. Jon Snow's sudden disinterest in the woman he spent season seven so intently studying was both frustrating and compromising to his character traits.

After all, the most impressive leader Jon Snow has ever witnessed followed him into his homeland to save his men for nothing to gain (and in fact, to sacrifice her own men and resources), not just for the man she loves—but because it's the right thing to do.

The writers really expect us to believe that this man, who turned Janos Slynt's insubordination into an example of what happens to men who openly disrespect him and his orders...

...is going to suddenly sit idly by while his own people make a fool of him by disrespecting his chosen queen, and by extension, him.

Don't let the writers believe for an instant that he would stand for it.

Taking a step further back, what in seven hells was going on during that battle?

The betrayal to Jon Snow's character is the most glaring during episode three of season eight, in which the writers really decided to sideline the most talented and quick-thinking swordsman in their cast (next to Furdik—who, by the way, was also sidelined).

Jon Snow conveniently forgets virtually everything he learned from defending the Wall in season four and reclaiming Winterfell in season six. The King in the North who travels all the way to Dragonstone for not only dragonglass, but in hopes of gaining the help of the queen and her armies is really going to let one of those armies gallop head-first into the army of the undead with metal weapons? Jon Snow is the first character in the show to learn that regular weapons don't work against wights!

And while it may not be Jon Snow's fault that the trebuchets managed to make it to the front line of all places, he certainly would've pointed out the flaw in that decision. As well as the placement of the trenches—which physically severed the troops from the safety of the castle upon retreat. Retreat, if necessary, would be a priority for Jon Snow especially, as he, above everyone else, knows that every fallen man means one more undead soldier they must deal with.

And speaking of the trenches...

To add insult to injury, the writers really decided to add a shot of Jon Snow sitting idly next to the trenches on top of Rhaegal, a dragon that he was just using to light the dead on fire, as Melisandre struggled to light them with magic:

What? You mean this Jon Snow?

The Jon Snow that once used his quick-thinking to discover that fire kills wights... doesn't think to use dragonfire to light a trench on fire? Come on.

And since when has Jon Snow ever balked during battle? Of all the characters, he's one of the few who actually understands what the Night King is, how big his army is, what the odds are, and what it's like to be in the midst of not only battles—but ones that are going really poorly.

Yet at Winterfell—the place he fought so hard to reclaim and that he reluctantly went south to rally support for in order to protect it—he suddenly has no idea what to do? He's historically one of the most quick-witted and innovative fighters in the entire show, if not the most.

And speaking of battles...

"We find our true friends on the battlefield"

Whether or not you agree with the writers' choice to have Sam attempt to persuade Jon to commit treason against his queen... I just cannot accept that Jon Snow willingly turns away from his oldest friend in a moment like this:

Even in the most hopeless of situations, Jon Snow won't hesitate to save someone he loves. Like when he tried, against all odds, to save Rickon.

Even with complete strangers, Jon Snow has shown his gallantry.

As well as his aptitude for forgiveness.

Whether or not Samwell Tarly offended Jon, he would never leave him to die. Their principals may no longer converge the way they once did... but never forget that when, in the books, Chett suggests Thorne should kill Sam for being weak, Jon speaks up on Sam's behalf:

"Lords are gold and knights steel, but two links can't make a chain. You also need silver and iron and lead, tin and copper and bronze and all the rest, and those are farmers and smiths and merchants and the like. A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people. You can't hammer tin into iron, no matter how hard you beat it, but that doesn't mean tin is useless."

The Night King Problem

Speaking of the battle for Winterfell... By denying Jon Snow the climax to his story arc—squaring off with the Night King—and instead, granting that honor to Arya Stark (who has no relation to anything happening north of the Wall in either book or show...) it disrupts the natural conclusions for both characters.

Jon Snow and the Night King had unfinished business—at least, that's what all those long and intense stare-downs seemed to indicate. Even in the books, the only POV chapters that mention the Night's King are Jon, Bran, and Sam.

Kit Harington was very gracious when trying to explain why he would've liked to get the killing blow:

"I was a bit pissed off, only because I wanted to kill the Night King! I think I felt like everyone else did, in that it had been set up for a long time, and then I didn't get to do it."

But even in all his graciousness, Kit points out that it's been set up for a long time. And you know what George R.R. Martin has to say about changing your plan mid-stream:

"If you planned your book that the butler did it and then you read on the internet that someone has figured out that the butler did it and then you suddenly change in mid-stream and it was the chambermaid who did it? Then you screw up the whole book because you've got this foreshadowing early on and you've got these little clues you've planted and now they're dead ends... and you have to introduce other clues and you're retconning. It's a mess."

Yet... The fact that Jon Snow vs. the Night King made sense was exactly why the writers chose not to do it!

"We hope to kind of avoid the expected and Jon Snow has always been the hero, the one who's been the savior. But it just didn't seem right to us for this moment."

Sure, Arya Stark killing the Night King "subverted expectations" (I'm so sick of typing those two words together at this point, but it's impossible not to do when trying to discuss season eight)... but at what cost? The cost of any emotional impact.

Just like virtually everything else in the last season.

(As an aside, if the writers really felt Arya Stark was the right person to land the killing blow, they should've had Jon lose the swordfight and before the Night King is able to finish him, his ride-or-die sister comes flying out of the darkness to save his life. The audience gets what they were promised and Arya still gets to be the hero in a way that not only makes sense, but fits her character…)

Of course, the showdown with the Night King was not the first major plot point that was teased over the course of the series to be ultimately robbed from Jon Snow.

Nor would it be the last...

The Prophecy Problem

To claim that Jon piercing Dany's heart with a quick sneak attack has any resemblance to the legend of Azor Ahai is a gross oversimplification. Let's take a look at what the legend actually says:

"He summoned his wife. 'Nissa Nissa,' he said to her, for that was her name, 'bare your breast, and know that I love you best of all that is in this world.' She did this thing, why I cannot say, and Azor Ahai thrust the smoking sword through her living heart. It is said that her cry of anguish and ecstasy left a crack across the face of the moon, but her blood and her soul and her strength and her courage all went into the steel."

Yes. Daenerys was stabbed in the heart. That is the only similarity her season eight murder bears to the above legend.

Where was the declaration of love? Where was the permission asked? Where was the consent given? There was no cry of anguish and ecstasy—there was a gasp and a gurgle. Dany's life was not given in exchange for anything, it was simply taken. There was no transference of courage or strength—just a quick and (troublingly) unimpactful "shock" death.

Of course, it's important to point out that Azor Ahai is never even mentioned in the show. And while The Prince that was Promised was mentioned (as late as season seven)... So far as show canon goes, this prophecy meant absolutely nothing in the end.

That makes two of us, Kit.

Jon Snow (and Kit Harington) Also Deserved Better

Aside from George R.R. Martin, the man who knows Jon Snow best, Kit Harington, was overcome with heartache, disbelief...

...and frustration upon reading the treacherous turn his character took in the season eight script.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss completely neutered Jon Snow's character.

Figuratively and well, maybe literally? Year after year, they have shown themselves to be petty and spiteful with various cast and crew—from Kit Harington to Ian McElhinney to Alexander Siddig to George R.R. Martin, himself.

Remember that stupid dig at Jon Snow's penis size upon his resurrection? Just a dumb joke, right?

Or was it?

It was sure important enough for them to go on record with major publications and clarify that, no, it wasn't just a joke, but canon! Pay very close attention to how it's worded:

"He just had the look. The brooding intensity; the physical grace; the chip-on-the-shoulder quality that we always associate with extraordinarily short people.

There has to be some downside to being Kit Harington, right? It's impossible not to like him. Maddening. The one thing we can do is saddle his character with a tiny pecker."

This isn't about Jon Snow's penis. It's about taking Kit Harington down a peg. Not only did they give Jon Snow a canonically "small penis", they had to give Daenerys lines about how he's "too little for her", to poke fun at Kit's height. You know, because he's apparently "extraordinarily short".

Utterly juvenile.

Much like with Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow's cleverness far exceeded that of the men who were in charge of writing him—and they failed to replicate it. And so, the further Jon Snow strayed from his creator, George R.R. Martin, the further his IQ dropped until, by season eight, he was reduced to a bumbling idiot shouting at dragons and saying little more than "muh queen". Why? Because if you're actually an idiot, you cannot write a clever person.

As for the books, Jon Snow's true fate remains to be seen. And for as much as I don't want to get my hopes up for a better ending, I cannot ignore that Jon Snow's foreshadowing just doesn't point to futility, and that if it does—George R.R. Martin sure put in a lot of work to convince us otherwise.

As the man, himself, recently said:

"People know an ending—but not the ending."

It is as much an insult to Jon Snow to have Daenerys descend into spontaneous madness as it was for the fans who loved her. Over the years, Jon has proven himself to be a great judge of character—and this was the man who assured Daenerys, in her most vulnerable moment, that she does deserve to be the queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

After all, there’s just no denying their similarities as characters:

"From the very beginning, Jon and Daenerys' stories have paralleled and contrasted each other, with both starting from a position of weakness and insubordination before ascending into leadership roles. Both had to maneuver their way through the difficulties of power while maintaining their sense of justice, and in doing so, had to face many hard decisions along the way. Both were mocked, attacked, and betrayed for doing the right thing. Both reached their low points and were figuratively reborn at the same time, both coming out stronger as a result." -Brandon Jacobs

If you loved Jon Snow prior to season eight, you were never wrong or misled, nor was your judgment unsound. I hope that, somewhere in this post, there was at least one example that reminded you of why Jon Snow was able to win your heart in the first place. Writers who don't understand the most fundamental qualities of a character should not be given the power to rob you of your love for them.

I am willing to bet that like me, and like all of Jon Snow's fans... you know him better than the two men who were granted the honor of writing his television canon. An honor they proved in season eight that they never deserved.

Please do not grant these two incompetent writers and poor storytellers the power to turn you against one character while praising the other, especially when both were ruined beyond repair or recognition.

Forgiving Jon Snow as a character ≠ condoning what he did in season eight, just as forgiving Daenerys Targaryen ≠ condoning mass genocide.

Like Daenerys, Jon Snow deserved better.

#jon snow #game of thrones #meta #jon snow defense squad

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dwellordream · 3 years

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“When Young Henry’s frustration with his father exploded into a large-scale revolt in 1173, Henry II faced his most serious threat since winning the English Crown. The rebellion of the Young King, his brothers, and their mother triggered both simultaneous uprisings of aggrieved nobles in localities from England to Poitou and also attacks by neighbors who felt threatened by Henry’s power. The allies arrayed against Henry included, in addition to his three sons, the Scottish and French kings, four English earls and other disaffected barons, nobles of Angevin-ruled lands in France, and such powerful French princes as the counts of Flanders and Blois.

Such a wide-ranging alliance threatened the collapse of Henry II’s empire, the most serious threat yet faced by him. Warfare would engulf England, which faced invasion from the Scottish king in the north as well as by sea from Flanders; and fighting would rage throughout Henry’s French lands from the Norman frontiers to Poitou’s southern fringes. The source of Young Henry’s dissatisfaction was his failure to win lands and income suitable for a crowned king, and his constant disappointment in his expectation of wealth and power. Indeed, as a married man, he saw his landless status thwarting his achievement of full manhood. Due to Young Henry’s feckless character, contemporaries faulted others for encouraging his revolt.

Walter Map, a courtier who knew Young Henry well, compared him to Absalom, the Israelite King David’s rebel son, and described him as “a prodigy of unfaith and prodigal of ill . . . a lovely palace of sin.” Strongest suspicion falls on Eleanor of Aquitaine. Not only the queen’s contemporaries, but modern scholars have pointed to her as the inciter of her three elder sons, assuming that she sought revenge against her husband through them. A Poitevin chronicler, almost alone in openly supporting the rebellion, admitted her incitement of her sons, writing, “For thou has stirred them up . . . to bring sore affliction on their father.” Henry II’s treasurer assigned Eleanor a prominent part, declaring, “Since without cause a wife was angry with her husband, sons with their father, menials with their lord, might you not well say that a man was in rebellion against himself?”

According to a chronicler writing two decades after the rebellion, “certain persons” whispered in the Young King’s ear that he ought at least to reign jointly with his father, and even that he had a right to rule alone, for having been crowned king, it was as if his father’s reign had expired. Certainly Eleanor was not alone in influencing Young Henry to revolt. Among others urging him on were the sons of nobles filling his household who formed factions and bred conspiracies and rumors. Toward the end of Henry II’s reign, his longtime treasurer hinted at courtiers, unnamed “little foxes” who had corrupted the king’s sons and turned them against him.

Young Henry’s youthful companions saw his father blocking his access to riches for rewarding them with patronage, the lucrative offices, loans, gifts of cash and lands, and advantageous marriages that they expected. They were so greedy for reward that they were willing to jeopardize the Angevin Empire’s stability by inflaming their young lord’s hatred of his father. A Welsh chronicler describes the situation succinctly: the Young Henry “had many knights but he had no means to give rewards and gifts to the knights.” Within Young Henry’s household, a split developed between companions of his own choosing, contemptuous of Henry II, and officials selected for him by his father who urged restraint.

The king, mistrustful of his son’s rash young companions, had positioned key clerks in his household loyal to the king, and these were regarded by Young Henry and his friends as informers. This split reflects tensions between clerical and knightly values, between royal clerks’ courtly urbanity and the martial values of the Young King’s youthful comrades. After a hunting trip with Young Henry and his companions which exposed their irresponsibility, the king undertook a purge of his son’s household; and this purge, particularly the dismissal of one of Young Henry’s favorite household knights, apparently precipitated his flight to Paris in March 1173.

Such a large-scale conspiracy as the revolt that broke out in April 1173 could not have been entirely the work of such inexperienced youths as Young Henry and his companions. Henry II’s Irish expedition, from mid-October 1171 to mid-April 1172, afforded an opportunity for hatching plots. Stormy seas throughout that winter isolated the king in Ireland, limiting his contact with both England and his French lands and creating an opportunity for his enemies to conspire. The Young King was chiefly in England acting as regent after his coronation in June 1170, although he crossed to Normandy in summer 1171, remaining in the duchy until after his Christmas court when he sailed for England.

Eleanor’s movements in 1171 are largely unknown, although she and Richard were at Limoges for that year’s Christmas court. It seems possible that she visited Normandy while Young Henry was there in summer and autumn 1171 and the pipe rolls suggest also the possibility of a visit with him in England some time in 1172. It is certain that the queen and her eldest son met at the beginning of 1173 when he set out for the Auvergne to join his father. Whether or not they had met earlier, they would have kept in contact through messengers. In England, secular clerks close to the royal court accused the queen and Ralph de Faye of instigating the great rebellion.

…A letter by Peter of Blois, allegedly written as secretary to Rotrou, archbishop of Rouen, demanded that Eleanor return to Henry’s side. Authentic or not, it expresses the thoughts of churchmen about the queen’s conduct unsuitable for a wife, quoting the gospel of Matthew (19:6): “Those whom God has joined . . . man must not put asunder.” It declares, “That woman who is not subject to her husband violates the condition of nature, the command of the Apostles and the law of the Gospel. For the man is the head of the woman.” (Ephesians 5:23).

The letter’s author found it even worse that Eleanor “enabled the lord king’s and your own flesh to rebel against their father, as it is deservedly said by the prophet, ‘I reared and brought up sons, but they have rebelled against me.’” (Isaiah 1:2). His condemnation continued, “With your woman’s way and childish counsel, you provoke offense against the Lord King, to whom even the strongest kings’ necks bow. . . . You should return with your sons to your husband whom you are obliged to obey and to live with.” The letter concludes with the archbishop’s threat, “Either you return to your husband, or we will constrain you by canon law and will be bound to enforce ecclesiastical censures against you . . . although we shall do it with sorrow and tears.”

It was a strange intersection of interests that would align Eleanor with Louis VII. Louis had long recognized the menace that his over-mighty Plantagenet vassal’s ambitions presented to the Capetian monarchy, blocking effective exercise of royal power over much of his kingdom. Henry’s diplomacy of early 1173, settling the long conflict with Count Raymond of Toulouse and making a marriage alliance with the count of Maurienne, seemed to threaten a vast expansion of Angevin power southward. An extension of Henry’s power to the entire region between the Garonne and the Rhône rivers would present a grave danger for Louis’s sovereignty over France.

As the Young King’s father-in-law and sworn lord, Louis VII was in a position to influence the boy, and he doubtless played a major role in precipitating the revolt. Louis could see the political and legal value of his lordship over Henry II’s sons, supplying him with a justification for intervening in the English king’s French territories. Contemporary chroniclers point to the French king’s collusion, naming him as prominent among those taking part in his son-in-law’s treason. In February 1173 at the Limoges council, Young Henry once more demanded effective power over one of the three principalities promised him as his inheritance.

His demand that his father hand over to him rule over either Normandy, Anjou, or England was made, according to Roger of Howden,“at the suggestion of the king of France, and of the earls and barons of England and Normandy who disliked his father.” He adds that from then on, Young Henry was seeking pretexts for withdrawing from his father, with whom “he could not even converse . . . on any subject in a peaceable manner.” After Henry II refused his eldest son’s request for a principality to govern as his own, he resolved to watch him closely, keeping him in the royal retinue at all times. Acting on Count Raymond’s warning, he insisted that Young Henry join him as he moved from Limoges northward toward Normandy in mid March 1173.

Stopping on the way at Chinon Castle, the Young King made his escape from his father in what must have been a well-planned operation. In the middle of the night he succeeded in slipping from the bedchamber that he and Henry Senior were sharing, creeping out of the castle undetected, and hastening to his father-in-law at Paris. Henry’s action in crowning his son as king in his own lifetime then came back to haunt him. When he sent envoys to Paris to persuade Young Henry to return to his side, Louis VII asked who was seeking his return.

When they answered, “The king of the English,” Louis replied, “The king of the English is here. . . . Since you seem to address his father, formerly king of the English, as still king, you should know that king is dead. Furthermore, he should correct his habit of conducting himself as king after having resigned his kingdom in favor of his son, as all the world bears witness.”

This disingenuously simple statement by Eleanor’s former husband amounted to a declaration of war against her current spouse. Once at Paris in spring 1173, the Young King was lavish with promises of lands and cash to French nobles who would fight for him, among them the counts of Blois, Champagne, and Flanders. He also issued a manifesto to churchmen condemning Henry II’s persecution of them, and taking up the martyred archbishop Thomas Becket’s cause of defending the English Church’s liberties, he promised to end his father’s habit of exerting royal pressure on episcopal elections. Yet few prelates in Angevin lands were willing to defy the old king, and the pope and the English and Norman bishops rallied around him.

Some nobles in all parts of Henry’s domains calculated that his sons’ revolt was likely to succeed and elected to join them in rebelling, assuming that one day the boys would succeed to the Plantagenet possessions and that those who had stood with them against their father would be remembered and rewarded. Soon after Young Henry fled to the Capetian court, his brothers, Richard and Geoffrey of Brittany left Eleanor’s side to join him at Paris later in the spring of 1173, and the three renewed their homage to King Louis, promising not to make peace with their father without the French monarch’s counsel and consent. Their mother was blamed for their flight.

One chronicler writes that the two boys followed Young Henry to Paris “by counsel of their mother that they should choose their brother over their father.” A Norman chronicler friendly toward Henry II, the abbot of Mont-Saint-Michel, reported of Eleanor’s role in her sons’ revolt, “At the same time [as Young Henry’s flight], Queen Eleanor (Aliénor) and her two sons, Richard, Count of Poitou and Geoffrey, count of Brittany were alienated (alienati) from [Henry].” The Latin permits a play on the name “Eleanor” and the verb “to alienate.” Although Eleanor’s sons were precocious youths, their immaturity and inexperience meant that their instigation of the war was impossible, and only she and Louis VII enjoyed sufficient affection and respect to steer them to such action.

Without maturity, reputation, or respect, Young Henry at only eighteen, Richard not yet sixteen, and Geoffrey several months short of fifteen could hardly have independently planned the uprising. Not even the eldest of the three had the capacity for organizing such a widespread and coordinated effort with almost simultaneous eruptions of warfare along frontiers from the Scottish borders to southern Poitou. Personal animosities nurtured by Eleanor and other enemies of Henry II cannot alone account fully for the widespread insurrection that broke out in 1173, for its causes are complex, with larger political and societal factors contributing.

As the English king’s rule grew more abrasive and authoritarian, buttressed by his success in devising new administrative methods, it appeared threatening to magnates in many of his lands, subjecting them to new obligations and imperiling their former control over their own vassals. Eleanor’s nobility in Poitou, unaccustomed to strong rule, proved particularly resentful of the English king, viewing him as a foreign lord asserting his authority through military force and violence. Both English barons and Poitevin nobles saw the revolt of Henry’s sons as an opportunity to loosen his ever-stronger grip on them.

As an English chronicler wrote of those flocking to the Young King’s banner, it was “not because they regarded his as the more just cause, but because the father . . . was trampling upon the necks of the proud and haughty.” The diverse lands and peoples making up Henry’s Plantagenet empire reacted with differing degrees of hostility, with a majority at least apathetic about the outcome of the fighting and a significant minority including townspeople and many churchmen active in Henry’s support. Six weeks after the Young King’s flight, almost simultaneous warfare broke out all along the frontiers of Henry’s French lands and also across the English Channel.

Young Henry and his allies, the counts of Boulogne and Flanders, invaded Normandy, where he had a number of partisans among the magnates, while the French king besieged a castle on the duchy’s southern frontier. On the Scottish frontier with England the king of the Scots marched south, while numbers of the English baronage, including the earls of Chester, Derby, Leicester, and Norfolk, rose up in revolt. The fighting spurred uprisings by nobles throughout the other Angevin possessions, in Brittany and even in Maine, part of the Angevin heartland, although most nobles in Anjou remained loyal.

…Henry II did not lose his nerve, for he was a capable and confident general; and after a few months of fighting, his victory over his sons and their Capetian ally was not in doubt. Despite the desertions, many of his fighting men in England, Normandy, and in his Angevin patrimony remained loyal. Equally important, administrative structures held, supplying enormous revenues raised in England and in loyal towns in his French lands, and Henry had treasure piled up in strategically located castles far exceeding Louis VII’s funds. Henry’s supply of ready cash would ensure his mastery, allowing him to contract for large armies of mercenaries that moved with unexpected speed.

In autumn 1173, he made a quick march southward into Poitou from Chinon with his own mercenary force; as he approached Poitiers, Eleanor sought refuge at Faye-la-Vineuse, her uncle Ralph de Faye’s lordship. He had preceded his niece in fleeing to Paris, probably setting out to secure from Louis an offer of sanctuary for her. Fearing capture, Eleanor soon decided that it was time to take flight and find refuge at the court of her former husband at Paris. She must have seen the irony of her flight from her current husband to the court of Louis VII whom she had left twenty years earlier. By late November, however, before she could reach Louis’s territory, she was taken prisoner on the road to Chartres, and Henry locked her away in Chinon Castle.

Members of her household traveling with her suffered worse fates; according to a Poitevin chronicler, “Some taken from their land are condemned secretly to a foul death, others deprived of sight, others are forced to wander and flee to scattered places.” Gervase of Canterbury, the only chronicler to record specifics of the queen duchess’s foiled flight, adds the detail that she had fled disguised in male dress to join her sons in rebellion. He wrote that “having changed from her woman’s clothes, [she] was apprehended and detained in strict custody. For it was said that all these happenings were prepared through her scheming and advice. For she was an extremely astute woman, of noble descent but flighty.”

Old Testament law declared that for women or men to dress in the other sex’s garments was an “abomination” (Deuteronomy 21:5). In the twelfth century, when the Church was attempting to differentiate gender roles more precisely, cross-dressing was considered an offense against the right order of things, and the English chronicler’s tale was more likely a metaphor for Eleanor’s inappropriate pursuit of masculine power than an accurate account of her costume. It is possible, however, that in her desperation to make a speedy escape she changed into trousers in order to ride astride rather than side-saddle.

…When Henry received word of the count of Flanders’ plan to come to the aid of the remaining English rebels with a larger invasion, he sailed for his kingdom on 7 July 1174, with his captive queen on board, taking along their two youngest children who had been housed at Fontevraud Abbey, together with the earl of Leicester, his wife, and other high-ranking English prisoners. On landing in his kingdom, Henry consigned Eleanor to captivity in Salisbury Castle. Then he rushed to Canterbury to prostrate himself before the martyred Archbishop Thomas Becket’s tomb as a humble pilgrim and to seek absolution as a penitent sinner by submitting to symbolic punishment by the Canterbury monks.

Soon the king received a sign of his restoration to God’s grace, when news arrived that forces fighting for him in the north of the kingdom had scored a colossal victory, capturing the king of the Scots. With all England again under royal control, Henry sailed back to Normandy in August to deal with his enemies now dispirited by the collapse of their cause across the Channel. By mid August he had beaten back Louis VII’s siege of Rouen, forcing him to retreat and clearing Normandy of invaders. By 8 September the French king agreed to a truce, and the Capetian–Plantagenet rivalry would remain quiescent for the remainder of Louis’s reign.

Henry with his “renowned defensive genius and quick-strike ability” survived a great test of the strength of the empire that he had created. Only in Eleanor’s native Poitou, where fighting was endemic, did the war continue. Her capture in autumn 1173 had caused the young Count Richard, previously in his elder brother’s shadow, to take control of the rebellion in Poitou, and his leadership on campaign marked the beginning of his reputation for bravery. When citizens of the port town of La Rochelle slammed shut their gates in his face, the young prince marched southward to the Charente valley city of Saintes, a commercial rival of La Rochelle, only to be driven out by his father in spring 1174.

At the end of the summer, young Richard, contemptuous of his lackluster brothers who had accepted a truce, remained unreconciled, holding out in the near-unassailable fortress of Taillebourg high above the River Charente, while his father proceeded to take control of Poitou. By the end of September 1174 Richard was forced to join his two brothers in seeking a peace settlement, and they accepted their father’s terms in October at Montlouis in Angevin territory between Amboise and Tours. Henry II’s success in putting down the great rebellion placed him in an impregnable position, and he offered what he considered generous terms to the rebels.

All prisoners were to be released, except for a few prominent ones—the Scottish king, the earls of Chester and Leicester, and Eleanor, who was notably not among those receiving gracious treatment. The rebels would regain their lands, but their castles were demolished, leaving their ruins strewn all over Henry’s lands, “visible reminders of the Old King’s power and the penalties meted out to rebellious lords.” Despite Henry Senior’s seeming generosity to his sons, he made certain that they were dependent on him. Soon he would be willing to delegate authority to his second son in Poitou and to his third son in Brittany, but in the Angevin and Anglo-Norman heartlands he refused to share power with Young Henry, then aged nineteen.”

- Ralph V. Turner, “A Queen’s Discontent and her Sons’ Thwarted Ambitions, 1173–1174.” in Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England

#eleanor of aquitaine #eleanor of aquitaine: queen of france queen of england #henry ii of england #henry the young king #richard i of england #history #english #french #medieval #high middle ages #ralph v. turner

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wordofrecall · 4 years

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character playlists: ori

so. let’s do this. my playlists are long and scattered, but they make me happy, so i might as well share them and the thoughts behind song choices. so. here’s some songs for runaway knights & wannabe witches, and what have you.

something holy - childhood & riches & wonders

pearl diver - mitski - oh hunter, if you didn’t want the beautiful so badly, perhaps you would’ve found it in your spirit singing softly - look. it's on the nose, considering that her title is "the pearl hunter," but also, like, that rules. this is a song for wren, i think; ori in the present reflecting on her mother and the similarities between them.

icicles - the scary jokes - i can only be forgiven if i’m giving myself up to you on a silver serving tray / must i bare myself to the stabbing of your knife & gnashing teeth while our lovely company appears so entertained? - aaand a song for childhood. 99% of ori's socialization came from her parents having important guests over, so. uh. yeah. show off your reclusive child prodigy like a pageant whenever you have the opportunity. she probably won't grow to loathe you.

life: the cruel interlude (on god) - kilo kish - why do i dare believe in me when i bleed? - questioning was. always a big thing for ori. i don't think she ever believed that the mirzha was god, and i known that she never truster her father's patron, but. in her studies, in her passions, there's always this tiny sense of desperation for something to have faith in something. not herself.

bluejays & cardinals - the mountain goats - the stars come out of hiding for you, & i would too - there is. a lot, in ori's relationship with her brother. she was the favorite child, yeah, the one destined for great things in spite of her... troubles. but he never had those troubles! she didn't, doesn't understand how he went through life so unafraid. there's envy there. i also think that the line i quoted is terribly true, like, canonically. because. she sure did do that stupid shit.

be calm - fun. - take it from me, i’ve been there a thousand times--you hate your pulse because it thinks you’re still alive! - sometimes you have intense social phobia. and that's okay!

country death song - violent femmes - kiss your mother goodnight & remember that God saves, kiss your mother goodnight & remember that God saves - i think andrei is a much less pitiable or even sympathetic man than the narrator of this song, but. like. it's a country song about a father killing his daughter while preaching godliness. i had to.

i’m all bloody inside - liam lynch - inside me, well, it’s dark & gross as hell, i’m not a pretty sight - the family business!

the hazards of love 3 (revenge!) - the decemberists - but father, don’t you fear, your children are all here - fantasies. part of the fantasy is imagining a world where she doesn't feel terrible about the thought.

shankill butchers - sarah jarosz - they used to be just like me & you, they used to be sweet little boys - "blood hunters are ghost stories." "and also, they're fucking terrible. violent, cruel, zealous. the worst."

sparrow - st. vincent - & no eyes are on the sparrow, eyes are on the sparrow, how could that be the case? the lark keeps whistling his number, silly little number, as if he isn't prey - pity for the boy. sort of retrospective, but it's a thought that's been there since she was a child.

something burning - rituals & fire & running

starchild - ghost quartet - but i will transcend & vomit this loser out of me; i will become the next big thing, i will light myself on fire - maybe she is some kind of angel? bursting with radiance and terrifying to look upon.

arsonist’s lullabye - hozier - don’t you ever tame your demons, always keep them on a leash / when i was sixteen, my senses fooled me - oooor maybe she is a sixteen year-old who is having a panic attack and setting everything in sight on fire by accident.

blood - my chemical romance - i’m the kind of human wreckage that you love! - so she's broken.

girl anachronism - the dresden dolls - it’s not the way i’m meant to be, it’s just the way the operation made me - so she's failed and she's broken and she's sick, and there's no time to fucking think.

when the chips are down - anais mitchell - cast your eyes to heaven, you’ll get a knife in the back. - so she does what her mother did before her, and she runs from that which she has always known.

body terror song - ajj - i’m so sorry that you have to have a body / one that will hurt you, & be the subject of so much of your fear - feelings on being built Wrong; feelings on your mind's undue control upon your body.

in corolla - the mountain goats - & no one was gonna come & get me, there wasn't anybody gonna know, even though i leave a trail of burnt things in my wake every single place i go - very good as an ori song in general but this is her justification to herself in the water. under the docks, she says this to herself.

the harrowed & the haunted - the decemberists - will i be so brave? - just to get that oceanic vibe up.

luna - the mountain goats - rise through the flames & end again in flames at last - an inexplicable feeling.

unwhere - reeder - a song for leaving what you've always known.

something lonely - years & woods & dreaming

runs in the family - amanda palmer - run from their pity, from responsibility, run from the country & run from the city, i can run from the law, i can run from myself, i can run for my life, i can run into debt, i can run from it all, i can run 'till I'm gone - she is broken and all she can think to do is get as far away as possible

panic attack - liza anne - i hate that i can be seen like this

black eyes - david wirsig - my hammering heart hears the voices of spirits that tempt us, the scorn that they’ve spoken

for the departed - shayfer james - they will bury me alive, but i’m not inclined to care; i am too far gone now

hurt - johnny cash - everyone i know goes away in the end; you can have it all, my empire of dirt

my body’s made of crushed little stars - mitski - i work better under a deadline! i work better under a deadline!

blood in the cut - k. flay - guess i’m contagious; it’d be safest if you ran--fuck, that’s what they all just end up doing in the end

little pistol - mother mother - i think i might be scared of the world & the way it makes you feel afraid & how it gets in the way

villains pt. 1 - emma blackery - built to create, designed to destroy

the beer - kimya dawson - & the christians gave me comic books as if i would be scared of burning in hell while i was already there [...] i tried to scream fuck you but blood was pouring out my mouth

something safe - family & finding it & fighting together

haunted house - sir babygirl - i’m running just to hide & i’m hiding just to breathe & around every corner is the same night on repeat

your heart is a muscle the size of your fist - ramshackle glory - i love you & you make me glad to be alive; i promise that i’m gonna pay you back / you always know how funny everything is, even when i’m so serious that it’s gonna be the death of me

medicines - the taxpayers - o, but our rotting corpses lying there soon began to leak & grow these lesions that all smelled just like a rose / & all the blood & guts inside us germinated into timeless pages stained with lines of lovely prose

autoclave - the mountain goats - i am this great unstable mass of blood & foam

alligator skin boots - mccafferty - i’m cool to the touch, leap to my death, i’ll die for you all, i’ll die for my friends, it goes like this

100 years - florence + the machine - lord, don’t let me break this, let me hold it lightly, give me arms to pray with instead of ones that hold too tightly

tomorrow will be kinder - the secret sisters - but i feel warmth on my skin, the stars have all aligned

armour - rae spoon - you know i placed was to build a life for you

amy aka spent gladiator 1 - the mountain goats - play with matches if you think you need to play with matches; seek out the hidden places where the fire burns hot & bright / find where the heat’s unbearable & stay there if you have to--don’t hurt anybody on your way up to the light, and stay alive

curses - the crane wives - won’t you stay with me, my darling, when my walls start burning down?

something daring - islands & visions & loss

jane’s dream - janelle monáe

beekeeper - keaton henson - hear me, o woman that has gone astray, gone astray

fire - kimya dawson - i’m reading books about how they’re corrupt [...] as long as i’m burning, i’ll keep on yearning to save the world, not sure how, but i’m learning

cosmic hero - car seat headrest - i love you, but i can’t stand the touch, & of course i’m alright with death

turn the lights off - tally hall - everbody likes to get taken for turns to see how bright the fire inside of us burns [...] should be stronger, books abandoned

eat you alive - the oh hellos - child, i’m afraid for your soul; these things that you’re after, they can’t be controlled

cry for judas - the mountain goats - hallucinate a shady grove where judas went to die

o death - monica martin - no wealth, no land, no silver, no gold, nothing satisfies me but your soul

blood of angels - brown bird - and i would wage my soul to bet that there ain’t no one throwing lightning anyhow

the universe is going to catch you - the antlers - the arms of the universe kept you from falling [...] those arms did not come back

a burning hill - mitski - i am the fire & i am the forest & i am the witness watching it / i stand in the valley watching it

something terrifying - conversations & selfhood & divination

the lamb - dessa - but blood is blood, & what’s done is done; blood is blood, & its burden is a beast

going invisible 2 - the mountain goats - i’m gonna burn it all down today & sweep all the ashes away

the lion’s roar - first aid kit - she plays a tune for those who wish to overlook the fact that they’ve been blindly deceived by those who preach & pray & teach, but she falls short & the night explodes in laughter

the villain i appear to be - connor spiotto - even if you can’t see the good inside me, i don’t have the time to tell you why i do the things that i do, just please hold on & soon you’ll seem

up the wolves - the mountain goats - there’s bound to be a ghost at the back of closet, no matter where you live; there’ll be a few things, maybe several things that you’re gonna find really difficult to forgive

thursday girl - mitski - glory, glory, glory to the night that shows me what i am

at the bottom of everything - bright eyes - we must take all of the medicines to expensive now to sel; set fire to the preacher who is promising us hell

everybody does - julien baker - i know i’m a pile of filthy wreckage you will wish you’d never touched, but you’re gonna run when you find out who i am

tongues & teeth - the crane wives - i know that you mean so well, but i am not a vessel for your good intent

a pearl - mitski - you’re growing tired of me and all the things i don’t talk about / sorry, i don’t want your touch--it’s not that i don’t want you

#original #this is. so long. and i will probably add more. but. Daughter.#ori #playlists

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joannalannister · 4 years

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Anonymous asked:

Hey there, Lauren! I love your blog and metas! I have a question for you, in terms of the book, could you tell me when and where Daenerys shows signs of being a tyrant or a fascist? I see lots of metas say that she is, but from what I've read, I don't see any signs of that? Sure, she kills her enemies, but what powerful monarch doesn't? I just feel like the fandom has a very biased and double standard hatred when it comes to her, and I would like your opinion! Thank you!

Before I answer your question, we need some sort of working definition of fascism. To achieve this, I would like to quote a disabled person who helped lead the fight against fascism for years, and who died in the line of duty:

Over a year and a half ago I said this [...]: "The militarists in Berlin, and Rome and Tokyo started this war, but the massed angered forces of common humanity will finish it."

Today that prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled. The massed, angered forces of common humanity are on the march. They are going forward [...]

We will have no truck with Fascism in any way, in any shape or manner. We will permit no vestige of Fascism to remain. [...]

In every country conquered by the Nazis and the Fascists, or the Japanese militarists, the people have been reduced to the status of slaves or chattels.

It is our determination to restore these conquered peoples to the dignity of human beings, masters of their own fate, entitled to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

We have started to make good on that promise. I am sorry if I step on the toes of those Americans who, playing party politics at home, call that kind of foreign policy “crazy altruism” and “starry-eyed dreaming.”

--President Franklin D. Roosevelt, July 28th, 1943 Fireside Chat

What did the fascist Nazi Party stand for in WWII?

Historically, there was no Nazi Party apart from their racial and social agenda. It was a party founded on racial distinctions, with a vision to dramatically transform their society. The Nazis disliked and persecuted anyone who they did not consider Aryan. They persecuted and killed Jewish people, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and communists, and they wanted to eliminate people with mental or physical ailments. The Nazis pushed women out of the workplace and actively promoted patriarchy. [x]

But where does GRRM come into this?

I wasn’t a complete pacifist; I couldn’t claim to be that. I was what they called an objector to a particular war. I would have been glad to fight in World War II. But Vietnam was the only war on the menu. [x]

GRRM’s ethical views are at their clearest and most concise while discussing slavery and dehumanization in his (most excellent and highly recommended) vampire novel, Fevre Dream:

I never held much with slavery […]. You can’t just go… usin’ another kind of people, like they wasn’t people at all. Know what I mean? Got to end, sooner or later. Better if it ends peaceful, but it’s got to end even if it has to be with fire and blood, you see? Maybe that’s what them abolitionists been sayin’ all along. You try to be reasonable, that’s only right, but if it don’t work, you got to be ready. Some things is just wrong. They got to be ended.

Some things are worth fighting for. Fascism requires opposition, some form of opposition, or it will steamroller all over you.

My regret now is not that I stayed my arm, but that I remained aloof in my window while others protested peacefully outside. It would be naïve to think that those marching in neo-Nazi parades could have a change of heart from such efforts, but I am more concerned with those who are not marching for anything. We must convince the apathetic to care, and stop those who are walking down the path of hatred before it becomes too late.

--David Olin, The View from My Window, Berkeley 2018, written for the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

Now, let me apply this to ASOIAF piece by piece.

In every country conquered [...] the people have been reduced to the status of slaves or chattels.

This is Tywin. This is Tywin enslaving people as part of his militaristic campaign of aggressive force in the Riverlands. This is Tywin sanctioning the capture and torture of innocent people. This is Tywin “using” other kinds of people and disregarding the fact that they are human beings. This is Tywin enslaving Arya Stark. This is Tywin impressing people to work in his gold mines on a whim, as we learn in AGOT. This is Tywin reducing people to the status of slaves or chattels. This is Tywin.

I don’t know how many different ways I can say it, but as I’ve said before and will say again: Tywin is the character in the ASOIAF books who most prominently espouses fascist ideology.

There are other characters in the main series -- Roose Bolton and Randyll Tarly, for example -- who also exhibit characteristics of fascist ideology, but I would argue that it is Tywin who is the fascist poster boy of ASOIAF ... and it is also Tywin who is one of the main villains who is drawing humanity’s attention south away from the true threat of the Others, who wish to turn every living thing into their slaves and playthings. (Littlefinger also comes to mind.) Tywin is an unwitting general in the Others’ army. Tywin is fighting the Others’ Campaign of Dehumanization on their behalf.

The Nazis disliked and persecuted anyone who they did not consider Aryan.

Substitute “Aryan” for “Lannister” and this is Tywin. “a Lannister, and worth more.” It is Tywin who pushes an agenda of Lannister superiority and it is Tywin to whom non-Lannisters aren’t human, to the point that he had to marry his own cousin. He dislikes non-Lannisters so much he had to marry his own cousin!!!! It’s Tywin who passed down his obsession with blood purity to his children to the point that they literally have to fuck each other. It’s Tywin who puts his House (a proxy for his race) above the individuals in it; it’s Tywin who doesn’t care if Cersei and Jaime and Tyrion are ground to dust under his disgusting ideology as long as House Lannister reigns supreme.

"Spice soldiers and cheese lords," his lord father called them, with contempt.

This is Tywin.

Non-Lannisters aren’t fully human to Tywin. This is fascist ideology!!!!

It was a party founded on racial distinctions

This is Tywin and Kevan, refusing to allow the Westerlings to marry into their family because of “doubtful blood”!!!!! (”Ser Kevan seldom had a thought that Lord Tywin had not had first.”)

It was a party founded on racial distinctions

This is Tywin and his refusal to allow a betrothal between Jaime and Elia.

they wanted to eliminate people with mental or physical ailments.

This is Tywin and his hatred toward disabled Tyrion. This is Tywin and his refusal to allow a betrothal between Jaime and disabled Elia.

The Nazis pushed women out of the workplace and actively promoted patriarchy.

This is Tywin. This is Randyll hating on Brienne of Tarth. (And you can bet your ass Tywin doesn’t approve of women with swords.)

I don’t know how many ways I can say it: Tywin and others like him are the fascists.

Tywin is one of the cold fucks the AGOT prologue warns us about in the very beginning: “the real enemy is the cold.”

The central conflict of ASOIAF is between the living (the fire) and the dead (the cold), those who would recognize your humanity and those who won’t.

It is our determination to restore these conquered peoples to the dignity of human beings, masters of their own fate

^^ This is Daenerys Targaryen ^^

Daenerys Targaryen is a freedom fighter who kills slavers in the books.

Her breakup of the economic system of Essos (meaning SLAVERY) is more akin to a communist revolution than a fascist takeover imo. Daenerys associates herself with people of all races, all classes. She gives Missandei, who canonically has dark skin in the books, a place as one of her closest advisors. Unlike Tywin, Daenerys is not pushing an agenda of Targaryen superiority.

Daenerys is not perfect. She does not always get it right. Daenerys has got some things wrong. But I don’t think there has been any other option for Daenerys. You ... you can’t just look the other way when evil men are crucifying children, and I truly do not think that non-violent opposition would change anything in Essos. “Better if it ends peaceful, but it’s got to end even if it has to be with fire and blood, you see?”

Sometimes innocents like Hazzea have died on Daenerys’s journey.

And I fully believe that more people are going to die in TWOW, and that Daenerys will hold herself responsible, whether she is or not. I know that TWOW will give all the antis of every character a lot of ammunition. TWOW is going to be a dark and depressing book.

I think that Daenerys is going to reach a very low point in TWOW, just as Tyrion is nose-diving in ADWD, but I think that’s just what GRRM does with his greatest heroes. It’s the moment in a movie when the hero falls off the cliff, and the Evil Villain starts cackling maniacally and you think all is lost, and then you see the hero’s hand reach up over the edge and the music crescendos as the hero pulls himself up. Except the real villains that GRRMs heroes are battling are themselves. The cliff is a metaphor for our darkest impulses.

Characters tell Dany in AGOT that “she is nothing” but Dany’s story is about proving them wrong. It’s about her finding her own dignity and worth as a human being out on the Dothraki Sea, and becoming the master of her own fate. As her story progresses, she helps others to do the same, helping people to rediscover their dignity, to regain their names (or take new ones), to find the humanity that was stolen from them.

(This is why it’s so important to me that her story intersect with zombie!Jon, so that she can help a dead man remember what it is to be human and remember why it all matters. Because if none of it matters ... if a man can’t find a fuck to give, well, that’s Tywin Lannister, who was a cold dead man long before Tyrion shot him.)

I brought up FDR in the beginning of this post. Although FDR died before GRRM was born, he was one of the great American cultural figures of the 20th century and I have no doubt FDR’s legacy was a formative influence on GRRM. And that’s the thing - so many of these, these great American cultural figures of GRRM’s life died before their work was completed: FDR, JFK, MLK, so many others... The promised land is somewhere ahead of us, despite the opposition making accusations of “crazy altruism” and “starry-eyed dreaming.” No one is going to drive us there and drop us off; we have to get there by ourselves, and the journey isn’t an easy one. It’s a place we have to keep striving for, working for. A dream of spring...

It’s not Daenerys’s destiny, I think, to rule humanity in the long term; Dany’s destiny is, I think, to make sure that humanity doesn’t, well, lose their humanity. To make sure that humanity doesn’t fall into eldritch slavery.

The Others would make us automatons in their icy, inhuman regime. The Others would steam-roller all over humanity, and take away humanity’s freedom to choose, as Tywin Lannister tries to do to his children, trying to take all of their choices away and control them completely. The Others would take away our self-determination, our freedom to choose good or evil, our freedom to be the rulers of our own fate.

I don’t think it’s Daenerys job to be a ruler in the end. I think she’s fighting evil now so that other people can keep fighting that good-and-evil “human heart in conflict with itself” fight long after she’s gone ... I’ve never believed in a “Targaryen restoration” ending although I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to it.

Like Moses, Daenerys won’t lead us into the promised land ... we have to get there ourselves.

And I’ve strayed from your question into a topic that’s more interesting to me because I cannot fucking belieeeeeeve that you are even asking me if the compassionate, caring, teenage-girl, sexual-abuse-survivor, messiah-figure Daenerys Targaryen is a fucking fascist when everything Daenerys “the fire is mine” Targaryen does is in narrative opposition to Certified Fucking Fascist Tywin Racist Lannister oh my god I cannot believe this is where we’ve come to as a fandom, I cannot fucking belieeeeeeve.

Anon. Honey. Baby. I say this gently, with love: Whyyyyyyyyy are you reading “Daenerys is a fascist” metas? That didn’t even work on the show.

When I googled “Daenerys Targaryen fascist” to try and figure out what you could possibly be reading to argue against it, the top result is an alt-right thinkpiece website about how dangerous Dany was all along in freeing slaves!!!! And the next results are people who think the iron throne actually matters when GRRM himself has said that the political war is a red herring.

The endgame rulers don’t even particularly matter because what matters in the end is that humanity wins against the Others and we still have control over ourselves, what matters is for that human heart conflict to continue to exist inside ourselves and that we rule over that conflict inside ourselves.

"We all must choose," she proclaimed.

Practice some self-care; go read Armageddon Rag, and remember this: TWOW is not going to save us.

#to my friends out there: shoutout to Comrade Drogon ☭#daenerys targaryen #tywin lannister #asoiaf meta #lannister thoughts #tywin meta #dany meta #fascist masculinity #fascist masculinity in asoiaf #asoiaf and the american mythos #the meaning of asoiaf #the war for the dawn #endgame #fascism

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need-a-new-hobby · 4 years

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raising hell

figured id keep going so s1 ep 04 here we go

kay first off, noone moves that much in their sleep.

also slightly creepy that she wakes up and simon’s just watching her

somehow, i'm starting to see a similarity in simon and alec, a sentence i never thought i’d say. it’s interesting how they’re both trying to protect against their ‘better half’s’ trusting nature;

simon blames jace for the craziness

alec blames clary for the craziness

yay! magnus bane!

oh nooo, simon don’t leave

am i the only one wondering why jace has training equipment in his room? i mean the institute is filled with this stuff, why does he need a personal one?

so first clary barges into jace’s room which btw is super clean, just like canon, sees him shirtless and apologises (yay for human decency) and then turns her back for him to put his shirt back on? like she’s already seen him, what’s the point? and clearly this is not just me. just look at jace’s smirk.

captain america ha! i should just make a list of all the pop culture references simon makes about jace. also him yelling at jace to do his own homework, pent up rage issues anyone?

‘i’m not saving his ass a second time’ well, he does get kidnapped a lot

‘i think these are my people.’ really? so she’s just gonna turn her back on simon who’s practically her family? for what, the chance to be a shadowhunter? on a further note, how can she expect simon to just stay at the institute all day? i mean won’t his mom be super worried about him?

omg, david guetta’s a vampire. ha!

‘can you focus? this is not a joke?’ yeah, alec needs to meet his future husband.

did izzy just say alec needs to get slayed or laid? because for the latter, he needs to meet the guy first

i can’t help but be irritated every time jace takes the lead in season 1. let me see leader!Alec :(

‘warlock gets around.’ please tell me he isn’t slutshaming a warlock.

hahah. ‘how is it that my most effective asset is the one who’s comatose?’ whoever writes the lines for villains is a god.

also did the fair folk seriously send seelie scouts to chernobyl? ooh, tongue twister! seelies send six scouts spying on chernobyl! ha!

did valentine smell them or something?

oop pangborn dead! oh noo

we stan two positive girls slaying!

jace giving her another blade, let’s hope she remembers to use it this time

‘i was alive when the dead sea was just a lake feeling a little poorly.’ eek! book quote!

reference to tessa gray! yay!

i always hate how guys can get away with a dress shirt and jeans but girls have to wear dresses to parties. but my grumpy archer boy cleans up well.

hahaha. ‘at least now things are interesting.’ imma let alec explain

valentine is alive and actively seeking the mortal cup

he threatens our entire world

we’re helping his daughter (who by the way, we have no reason to trust and who showed up out of nowhere)

we’re gonna end up overpaying some warlock (my future husband) who may or may not have information we need

thus, alec does not find this interesting and does not feel better now (okay, maybe a li’l)

point to be noted: feelings can explode, and not the fun kind of explode according to izzy

simon’s home! also he’s acting like every pasty 15 yo gamer boy who stayed up to late and is now allergic to the sun.

mrs lewis is not ‘one of those moms’.

also maureen is very relatable with her whole ‘i’d like to date you.’ honestly very realistic.

so if all downworlders hang out at hardtail, is it just demons that hang out at pan-demon-ium? ‘cause if so, maybe it means demons love their damned puns

‘Iz, with a body like yours, everything is your colour.’ WE STAN ONE POSITIVE FRIENDSHIP!!!

‘most men like it when i admire their jewels.’ cue jace’s smirk, alec’s eyeroll and clary’s grin

‘magnus bane. so you’re the one who stole my memories.’ she doesn’t have to be such a dick to him. he did it at her mother’s request.

really? ‘i have to confirm it’s authenticity’. jace honestly fell for that?

again, she’s such a dick to him. ‘now it’s your turn to pay up.’ i can’t believe her.

really? dot’s dead? after all the times that woman should have died, i need to see a body

‘i won’t offer again.’ classic magnus. still love him.

‘who are you?’ why, your future husband of course. sorry, i just ship malec so hard. and this whole scene gives me book!malec vibes

“If Jace was gold, catching the light and the attention, Alec was silver: so used to everyone else looking at Jace that that was where he looked too, so used to living in Jace’s shadow that he didn’t expect to be seen. Maybe it was enough to be the first person to tell Alec that he was worth being seen ahead of anyone in a room, and of being looked at longest. And silver, though few people knew it, was a rarer metal than gold.”

the bane chronicles | the course of true love [and first dates]

‘you’re my only hope.’ should’ve treated him as that then. reason #15 why i dislike clary fray

hahaha, the irony behind the cat eye button.

how do they keep murdering circle members? not that i don’t appreciate alec’s timely rescue, but do they never take people alive?

‘we have to go’ jace moves to leave. cue clary just sitting down on a table.

‘i’m catching my breath.’ from what? she literally just got out of a nightclub. this matchstick is killing me.

‘we have risked our lives again and again for this girl and where has it gotten us?’ angry!archer time. also his eye roll when clary goes, ‘hey, i am right here.’ imma just do several dot points on this one scene, cuz it really pisses me off.

‘hey, i am right here, i don’t care about you damn jewellery.’ spoiler alert, neither does he, but chances are that necklace is worth thousands of dollars (a 1857 london townhouse for that matter). that kind of bargaining chip doesn’t come cheap and in exchange for it, they’ve gotten nothing.

‘i’m sorry you’re gonna look bad in front of your bosses.’ damn right he is. alec has a responsibility to bear and she should be glad he isn’t yelling at her. in fact he’s never yelled at her thus far. second, he’s liable for derunement and exile, not to mention the severe humiliation his parents will receive.

‘my mother is still missing and my last chance at finding her just disappeared into thin air.’ i mean, magnus did almost just die from that circle member if alec hadn’t shot him. and second, she should show a little less attitude to the people that are risking their lives and their jobs for her.

‘people are dying because of me. magnus will never come out of hiding again while valentine’s still after him and i will never get my memories back.’ first of all, the only person that died for her is dot (and even that’s unconfirmed). magnus came out of hiding for the necklace, and hotch isn’t dead yet. simon is about to be but clary fixes that anyway

ooh, emeraude’s accent makes a comeback.

PARABATAI TRACKING!!!

‘of course they are.’ bitch, is she jealous? whaat? ‘this whole parabatai thing seems oddly intimate, if you ask me.’ literally noone asked. also, she could look a little happier that they’ve found a way out of this mess. second, i feel like that’s borderline homophobic, but that might just be me overanalysing again.

‘magnus lives in a warehouse?’ hahaha, the notion that magnus ‘dramatic bitch’ bane lives in a warehouse is insane. he bought a necklace with his townhouse for crying out loud.

also, why do they keep dragging her into these missions? she’s a liability with no training and she’s apparently the most un-athletic matchstick in the world considering she lost her breath exiting a nightclub. then again, clubs are exhausting.

sadistic shadowhunters. that’s nice.

future husbands fighting together warms my soul

were magnus’s first words to alec seriously a steak pun? ‘well done, more like medium rare.’ i love these dumbasses so much.

awww, alec’s first real smile. and the stuttering. it makes my cold, dead heart melt. AND THEN HE RUNS AWAY! GAAA

okay, so this whole magnus and clary thing has more than a few points, can’t wrap it up as neatly as the others but:

first off, he’s giving clary sole credit for saving zoe’s life when really it was all of them. technically she kicked his ass while izzy grabbed him and jace threw a knife in his back.

second, if she hadn’t called him out of hiding, this situation wouldn’t have even come onto him. and as much i hate to stomp on magnus, if he hadn’t been reckless enough to answer the call, they wouldn’t have been in danger.

third, clary is exactly like jocelyn, but for all the wrong reasons. clary uses people, offering them false promises she doesn’t have the capacity to deliver, and exploits anyone who gives her the most basic human decency, refusing to understand the cost at which they do so. (see alec)

fourth, she’s not a real shadowhunter, not without training or experience. that’s like calling a newly enlisted soldier an officer. sure, they’re part of the system, but you can’t send them into battle without an ounce of training. clary barely knows how the chain of command works. so saying, she’s not like the other shadowhunters is ridiculous. obviously she isn’t considering shadowhunters grow up in a society where downworlders are looked down upon. so when she’s introduced to this new world, obviously she looks at them as decent human beings.

‘normally, i love a dirty lair...’ ALEC’S FACE AT THAT HA!

also where’d all the warlocks? because it’s literally just the 5 of them. otherwise, imma have to assume they’re dead.

‘about Alec, is he more of a flower or cologne man?’ magnus’s subtlety is killing me.

‘pretty boy’ alec’s little smile and shrug though aaaa

‘trust no-one, especially the clave’ i mean, i get it but how’s she meant to protect it on her lonesome?

why does jace look so wounded? i’m starting to think he’s a little jealous of not getting hit on. oh nvm it’s cause he has to burn her flesh.

‘this might sting.’ cue clary screaming. i know, i know, i should feel worse about this but if any of you have seen the behind-the-scenes footage from matthew daddario’s twitter profile, you’ll understand. when they were shooting this scene, harry shum jr (magnus bane) was dancing outside and lip-syncing to kat mcnamera’s (clary fray’s) screams. it’s hard to get out of your head.

that pentagram is the most beautiful thing i’ve seen. i never thought i’d say that.

again, subtlety is not magnus’s strengths and i love him for it.

michelangelo

i aspire to be as dramatic as magnus bane is leading a demon-summoning ritual

aww izzy loves alec the most, clary and her mom obv, oh noo, alec and jace, that’s not good

also why does jace look so injured by it?

alec’s panicking, alec’s panicking, ALEC’S PANICKING

f*ck her memories, save jace. im assuming this whole thing is just a plot device to keep stuff spicy and to give clary credit for killing a greater demon.

i have to point out 4 things, you can skip this bit where i just talk about the team as people and how their reactions reveal stuff about them.

alec’s panic over injuries is very controlled which i think says a lot about him as a person where he has to control his reactions, but you can see he feels guilty

izzy instantly looks for any injuries, says a lot about her being more active and level-headed

clary, naturally, panics and looks to magnus for help

magnus sort of strolls over and brushes off his shirt. clearly apathetic about shadowhunter but expects that they’ll ask him to help and is his very cynical self (‘I don't know. Does he normally just lay like that without moving?') which naturally results in a very obnoxious face made by clary

somehow in this moment i feel worse for alec than jace. (maybe cause the latter is loud, arrogant and annoying) the guy’s terrified that he’s been out-ed, guilty about almost killing his parabatai and angry at himself for releasing the demon. and in typical alec fashion, instead of addressing his problems, he watches from a distance and then leaves.

okay, so jace has almost died from that demon, yet he’s the one asking clary if she’s okay?

vision time

okay how does valentine keep seeing stuff he’s not meant to see?

alright something i gotta point out. almost every angsty show/movie i’ve seen does the same thing where the girl gets frustrated at a necklace (usually a gift), rips it from her neck and throws it away. shouldn’t that have broken said necklace?

well, that’s the end of that. malec made all the difference in this ep. much more excited about magnus and alec finally meeting each other. till the next ep.

#shadowhunters #tsc #alec #alec lightwood #jace #jace wayland #izzy #isabelle lightwood #clary #clary fray #clary fairchild #anti clary fray #anti clary fairchild #anti clary

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