#jaskier meta
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Analysis of Jaskier's songs from s1—
—and how they reflect the narrative events and Jaskier's character arc through the show. I'm trying to keep this as canon as possible and not look at it through shipping goggles, but there is textual stuff about Jaskier's relationship with and love for Geralt that's impossible to ignore.
Toss a Coin to Your Witcher: Jaskier’s first big break, the famous and famously annoying Toss a Coin. He wrote this when he was around eighteen and it definitely feels immature. He’s cracking bad jokes like “elf on a shelf” (god I hate that one, it grates me every time) and substituting “bleat” for “beat.” He’s taking enormous creative liberties with facts. And he’s being a little thoughtless; in his enthusiasm to hero-wash Geralt, he’s throwing elves under the bus, calling them devils and pests while he’s talking about Geralt as a friend to “humanity.” (more about this when we get into some of his later songs and his time as the Sandpiper)
This is an upbeat, catchy (and kind of shallow) song that I mentally classify as one of his “narrative” songs. It tells a story. It feels optimistic, much like Jaskier himself at this point in his life. After all, this is the kid who saw a big scary witcher brooding in a corner and decided that nothing could go wrong by following him around. He’s got a head full of heroics and heartbreak and nothing is going to dissuade him, not even being nearly killed. This song is a perfect time capsule of the beginning of Jaskier’s career and also the beginning of his long-running relationship with Geralt.
The Fishmonger’s Daughter: Jaskier plays this at Calanthe’s court when she orders him to play “a jig.” It seems like a pretty typical bawdy tavern song, the kind where you try to drum up audience participation. Most of the court seems to know it and sing along with it. No idea if Jaskier wrote this himself. He probably didn’t. It seems like one of those songs that everyone just knows.
Her Sweet Kiss: This song makes me feel deranged. This is definitely a Jaskier original. We see him writing and noodling with it at the beginning of The Mountain (tm) and asking other people if his lyrics are scanning well. He’s been traveling with Geralt on and off for about twenty years now, so he’s forty years old or close to it. He’s seen some shit, and part of the shit he’s seen has been Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship. He is not a fan. He is so deeply not a fan that he’s writing a whole song about it. But also? He’s putting himself in the song too, and he’s putting his heart on his sleeve, the same way that he tries to do when he talks to Geralt about going to the coast. The lyrics of this song are about three people—a man (Geralt), a woman (Yennefer), and the singer (Jaskier). It’s about how the woman is bad for the man, and how much the singer loves the man.
Whether you see Jaskier’s feelings for Geralt as romantic or not, these are the facts:
He doesn’t like Yennefer or think that she’s good for Geralt, and says so, repeatedly, both in casual conversation and in his music. In the song, he writes, “She’s always bad news, it’s always lose-lose” and that, “She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss.”
In the song, Jaskier calls Geralt “my love” and says, “I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting.”
He asks Geralt to go to the coast with him, so they can “work out what pleases” them. He wants them to stay together and not go their separate ways like they often do.
Immediately after this plea, Geralt goes straight to Yennefer and (just in case anyone was doubting that Her Sweet Kiss was about the three of them) Geralt and Yennefer fuck while an instrumental version of Her Sweet Kiss plays over the sex. I still can’t believe the showrunners did that. That was A Damn Choice. (deranged, I am deranged about everything about this)
The kicker is that the song wasn’t even finished when Geralt flipped his lid and shouted Jaskier off The Mountain (tm) and out of his life. Which means that Jaskier, alone and heartbroken (his own words from s2), finished this song and published it afterwards, even knowing that the entire situation had gone tits up and that he might not even see Geralt or Yennefer again. Maybe it gave him some catharsis to sing it, who knows.
This isn’t a shallow catchy tune like Toss a Coin or even Fishmonger’s Daughter. It’s deeply personal and a tonal shift from his previous music.
(and it makes me deranged)
Stay tuned for my season 2 thoughts!
#witcher#jaskier#jaskier meta#julian alfred pankratz#toss a coin to your witcher#the fishmonger's daughter#her sweet kiss#come for the music stay for the author losing their shit over every single choice the showrunners made about her sweet kiss#song analysis series#geralt#yennefer#witcher meta#jaskier's songs
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Dandelion ⋅ The Last Wish ⋅ Meta
Dandelion crossed his legs
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
This mostly caught my attention because I hold the long-standing belief that Dandelion is very elegant.
“So I was right. Something is coming to an end. Whether you like it or not, something's coming to an end.”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
In this scene we see a real insight into how pessimistic and melancholy Geralt can get. Dandelion becomes more logical, when Geralt becomes more emotional [From what I can see]. It's really interesting to see how subtly their dynamic changes like that.
“I don't like you mouthing banal platitudes. I don't like your expression when you do it. What's happening to you? I don't recognize you, Geralt.”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
Dandelion is a poet, so it makes sense that boring or overused phrases would bother him. He mentions he doesn't like seeing Geralt's face when he does it, and while it could just be an offhand remark, it could also refer to him not wanting to see his friend being sad. Dandelion says that he doesn't recognize Geralt in this moment, and not only is it heartbreaking, it also tells us, the readers, that this isn't regular behaviour for Geralt, or at least what Dandelion is used to.
“ They were looking for you all over town, threatening to geld you and cover you in pitch and sawdust. That's why you hung on to me then.”
“And you almost jumped out of your pants with joy to have a companion. Until then, you only had your horse for company. ”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
This gives us both precedent of Geralt protecting Dandelion, and a small hint at the loneliness Geralt felt before. The companionship that Dandelion provided. Roach is excellent, and no offence was meant to her, I'm sure.
“He realized straight away that the conversation hadn't advanced a jot during his short absence.”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
This shows us two things. 1. That socially-awkward/anxious Geralt is real in more than just my heart, and 2. That Dandelion does more than just provide friendship to Geralt and work as his publicist. He also arranges the talk with people. It hints at the way Geralt and Dandelion are linked, and work as one, in tandem when they travel together.
“It's a profession,” explained Dandelion yet again. “A witcher, do you understand? He kills strigas and specters. He exterminates all sorts of vermin. Professionally, for money. Do you get it, alderman?”
“Aha!” The alderman's brow, deeply furrowed in thought, grew smoother. “A witcher! You should have said so right away!”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
Over here, we get more evidence for the above. The alderman only really understands when Dandelion explains everything to him slowly. Acting as middle man, and aiding Geralt.
“I wouldn't make a penny, Dandelion.”
“Why?”
“Because there wasn't a word of truth in what they said.”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
This made me laugh so hard. Geralt being annoyed at the misconceptions and myths around monsters is one of my favourite parts of the series.
“No, it's impossible. I was watching them carefully, and I know people. They weren't lying.”
Excerpt From: Andrzej Sapkowski. “The Last Wish, Introducing The Witcher.” Apple Books.
This is really important. A new side to Dandelion is exposed, and he's very emotionally intelligent. As he says, he knows people. Being a poet, that makes sense, his job is to write about people. However, knowing now that Dandelion would work as a spy, this makes so much sense. Also the people's princess Dandelion head canon is now so founded in canon.
#Dandelion#jaskier#geralt#meta#mini meta#the last wish#the witcher#witcher#witcher books#witcher meta#dandelion meta#jaskier meta#analysis
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I don’t think Jaskier is fully aware of the fact that Geralt is It for him.
I know we aren’t getting Geraskier, (they’re still canon to me) so at this point I just want my blorbo to be able to move on and be happy instead of fucking miserable but the more I think about it, the more I realize that even if he does get chance to be with Radovid… I don't think he would ever be truly happy.
Yes, he could love him, and be happy that he's being treated well, and worshiped and valued, and everything a good relationship should be. Yes, he'd learn to move on as much as he can… but that’s only as much as he can. Geralt will always be with him. Geralt will be a filter for which he perceives affection and how it's given out and received. Everything will relate back to him.
Geralt is love for Jaskier.
It would be doomed. As much as he could learn to love somebody new, it would take far too long to be fair, and even if Radovid fully understood and stuck around because he knew Jask was trying and didn’t mind, even if Jaskier does love him—It’s doomed.
He couldn’t do it. Because everything they do reminds him of Geralt even though they weren’t even together… but he can’t escape it. It could even be years down the road with zero contact with Geralt (because that’s the only way he could truly even begin to move on) and he would be miserable.
So he’d leave Radovid. Because it’s not fair. And he’d decide he’s better off having one night stands and casual affairs that last no longer than a month for the rest of his life.
And maybe he’d go back to Geralt. Because he sure as hell can’t live without him if the past however long it’s been has taught him anything.
Geralt would be so mad at him for leaving but it’s not like they haven’t gone a long time without seeing each other/not contacting each other before. It’s just been a while since then… And Geralt needs him too, how could he say no? He missed him horribly.
And I think at that point, Jaskier would tell him why he left. Geralt deserves to know. Because at this point, if Geralt will take him back, what’s unrequited love? It doesn’t matter. He should have known it wouldn’t matter. And really, he should have done this a lot sooner, maybe he could have gotten some fucking peace—
“You should have.”
“I should have what?”
“You should have done this sooner.”
“Yeah, that’s literally what I just said. Why are you— Geralt? What are you— Gods, that’s unfair, don’t look at me like you’re about to—”
Kiss me.
He should have done this much, much sooner.
#geraskier#meta#the witcher#the witcher meta#geraskier meta#geralt x jaskier#geralt of rivia#jaskier#dandelion#the witcher season 3#radovid#prince radovid#radovid x jaskier
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Geraskier makes me a little bit crazy because over the three seasons, it changes so much, but it's not very noticeable from an outsider's view.
Season 1, Jaskier is in love with Geralt, but Geralt is not in love with Jaskier, but Jaskier is trying to change Geralt's mind. He's optimistic. He keeps giving little lead-ins: "and yet here we are," "we could go to the coast," etc. Geralt never even looks that direction and in the end sends him away.
Season 2, Geralt is not in love with Jaskier, and Jaskier has decided not to be in love with Geralt. He's still his friend, that's inarguable, but he holds him at arm's length. He doesn't push in to be closer. They are friends and that's all.
Season 3 ends with Jaskier in love with Geralt and Geralt not in love with Jaskier. But this time, Jaskier seems to have accepted it. He's not trying to win Geralt's affections, he only wants to be with him, to help him however he can.
Their relationship has changed so much and the thing that gets me is that Geralt never seems to acknowledge it. Jaskier does, even Yennefer does, but Geralt doesn't. I'm so curious how they are going to move forward from here in season 4 and if it ever gets properly addressed.
#the witcher netflix#geraskier#joey batey really brings so much depth to jaskier its unreal#the yearning and pining in season one#the walls going up in season two#and the almost resigned acceptance in season three#yes he loves geralt and always will#no geralt will never love him back#yes its still worth it to follow him to the ends of the earth. even though it leaves him in a constant state of heartbreak#jaskier#geralt of rivia#witcher meta#the witcher#twn
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I really like that those are the shots we see to illustrate the sentence "all I want is for us to stay together". They could have easily not included jaskier since he wasn't part of any other shots,he wasnt in the cottage scenes, but they still included him.
This line also resonate a lot with something I've noticed in the trailer: they are never all together. The group is always missing someone, Jaskier or Yen specifically. Definitely feel like an important plot point, them not being able to stay together despite it being their biggest wish.
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He sees her last. After the blood and the gloom and the despair that plagued his sight, after the death and the wails and the pleas that teared at his chest, he sees her last.
Chaos, he thinks, has never looked more serene.
In another place, at another time, it would be beautiful.
Now Yennefer meets his eyes from across the hall and a sudden jolt shakes her whole and she runs, gods, she runs to him with such helplessness and relief that he knows he will welcome the most bruising hug, if it means it will keep her afloat. There is a weeping beauty in sadness, but not for her eyes. Never for her eyes.
As she buries her head in his shoulder, he feels her heart digging a hole in his chest. He holds her tight.
"Thank the gods," she whispers, as though to herself, "thank the gods you're alive."
In another place, at another time, he would make a joke, perhaps about the feeling not being mutual, just to steal a smile and a banter from her lips.
But he has no heart for that now. Not even for that.
He only has a chain clenched tight around his heart and gutting his voice in shame every time he opens his mouth to speak. "Yennefer, I–"
At once, she looks at him. "No words." As though she knows what he would say, as though she knows all he hasn't done, and mourns him anyway. She shakes her head, eyes huge and dark and pleading. "You can't stay here, it's dangerous. You have to go. You have to find Geralt."
"Yennefer, Yen– I know." His fingers dig into her arms and he can't bear to loosen his hold, he can't bear to let her go. Not yet. He smiles, soft. Leans to search for her eyes, for just a moment of peace in their turbulent current. "I just wanted to see my darling witch."
Yennefer stares at him for a moment, shoulders tense. Then, she huffs a laugh. Her expression softens, almost crumbles.
He feels her hands shaking where she holds him and the corners of her lips tremble as though with all the unspoken screams of the sea trapped into a single shell, wailing and weeping and waiting to be heard. He only wishes he had time to put her heart to his ear.
Her voice is quivering as she speaks. "I don't know where Ciri is," she says and it sounds like the complaint of a mother and a child crushed into one, like the world's cruelest crime, the earth's deepest regret, choked in swallowed tears. "I don't know where she is, I don't–"
She doesn't let her face break, as if she knows that when the bottle cracks, there will be no end or beginning, as if she knows he will only have to stay there, and hold her through it. And he cannot stay here between death's teeth.
She can't afford this too.
But he knows terror when he sees it in her eyes, for it is not frequent, and floods them with a different kind of darkness. It breaks his heart.
She looks at him for a moment deeply, in thought. Then she lets out a sharp breath. Quiet, exhausted. "Gods, Jaskier. I'm losing everything all over again. And then," she nods at him from tip to toe and laughs again, as though she finds it absurd, "here you are. Here you always are."
Maybe it sounds painful, because she winces.
Maybe she cannot bear looking at him, maybe in hope it will hurt less if she loses him. But Jaskier doesn't abandon her eyes, only stays there, because their violet melts just like then, just like that other time she was all bereft and scared and he got to see it, and knew. Yet again, a familiar kind of despair.
But, gods. What else could one make out of shared pain, except for love?
A tear flows down her cheek, and he wipes it away with his thumb before it shatters. He holds her face. "Hey. You are not in this fight alone." He swallows, voice thick, hand firm as though to caress the love on her skin and right into her. "Not anymore."
Oh, she has been alone for so long. So long that her first instinct is to disbelieve him, doubt him, squint. But it is only for a moment.
Because his thumb is still stroking her cheek clean of stray tears and her brows can only twitch in desperate acceptance as she slowly covers his hand with hers and leans into his touch, closes her eyes. Presses on, as though to memorize the shape of his palm when it's missing, as though asking of him to remember her shape.
Jaskier can't hear her, but feels her own voice in his head as he prays they don't become no more than a memory.
"We'll meet again." She looks at him again and now her voice is steadier.
It makes him smile. He will miss this. Offering a hand for her to lean into every now and then. Watching as she rises again, indelible.
A chuckle, as the curtain threatens to rise. "Eh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. Besides," he speaks softer now, like a lullaby, like a confession, "I could never be done with the likes of you, Yennefer of Vengerberg."
A promise.
And Yennefer smiles, through the tears, and shakes her head. How strange, how comforting. To fight so hard for a purpose, and to know the purpose is willing, at last, to fight back for you.
With a deep sigh, she raises her head. And there she is again. Solid, seething, like a burning hill. "Don't leave Geralt alone."
"You know I won't." Then, pleading. "Be strong."
He knows she will be. It's mostly to remind himself.
Slowly, their hands drop away, and he hopes the warmth of her touch lingers on his hand for a while.
"Be brave," she replies, but she knows too. "I won't be there to save you this time." Jaskier huffs, mostly to hold back tears. "Well, then," she continues, and her voice is suddenly strained in a half-laugh, half-sob, an attempt perhaps, to seal the promise back. "Goodbye. Good luck–"
Only, she can't.
Her voice dies in her throat, and she presses her lips together, in refusal, in grief. Her eyes are wet again.
Jaskier lets out a silent gasp and shakes his head, pulling her close one last time, tighter than before. This is too much. He can't ask for too much. So he only lets her steal some breaths from his chest before he lets her go, and places a kiss on her head.
He feels her holding her breath, or his, as she pulls back and silently looks at him one last time.
And then, like a cord snapping in two, she turns around and walks outside the room. She doesn't look back.
And Jaskier watches numb. Her form disappears behind the walls and he stands wrecked, a sob threatening to rip his throat apart.
Broken, trembling, he smiles at her remaining memory, and decides to seal her promise himself. "Good riddance."
His voice echoes back to him in the empty hall.
#hiii insane hour again!! who's asleep#anyway i want the equivalent of goodbye good luck good riddance in part 2 and if i can't have it i will do it myself#also not to get meta on my own fic but you know. the promise of meeting again returning back to jaskier. you know#the witcher#yennskier#yennefer of vengerberg#jaskier#s3 spoilers#the witcher s3#fic recs#chrysa writes#or tries to idk i'm tired
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Alright, guys, it’s been more than six months but it is time for a Radskier meta essay on why their storyline isn’t as badly written as many people say. (Includes spoilers)
Is it rushed? Yes. It’s a side-story of a side character and actually Jaskier’s first side-story on the show. Is it cliché? Yes. When I first watched the season I was terrified about where their story would be going, knowing what happened in the book and knowing how mainstream media treats queer storylines. (I did not know about Joey’s deep involvement in the writing until later.) But once I knew how it all ended, I was entirely sold. Of course, that’s a question of taste, Radovid just turned out to incorporate so many tropes I am obsessed with, but I am trying to say that compared to the overall writing of the show, their story is not particularly badly written, which blew me away considering it’s a queer storyline in a mainstream medieval fantasy show.
Yes, they gave Jaskier a queer story for the sake of having a queer story. That was another reason I was very anxious about it. But what they (read: Joey, and let’s be honest, Hugh too) made of it is so exciting to me.
Here’s the thing about them ageing up Radovid and making him Vizimir’s brother. I have seen people complaining that they could’ve introduced an OC instead of changing source material like that. But to me, the fact they chose Radovid makes it so much more than a queer storyline for the sake of having a queer storyline. He’s the prince and later the king of Redania. He is entangled in the greater scheme of things. He is /on/ the same chessboard as the main characters. Turning him into Vizimir’s brother rather than son is way less forced than introducing an OC to be Jaskier’s love interest. Because he is more than Jaskier’s love interest. He is the King of Redania, played by Dijkstra and Philippa. Also, he cannot be killed off.
As I already said because it’s obvious, their story is rushed. That’s just the fate of side stories in TV shows (that are not masterfully written, lbr). But to me at least it is amazing how much they managed to convey in these few scenes.
You have Jaskier’s role as a spy for the Redanian Intelligence. That begins his own side story where he has a role of his own, that has nothing to do with Geralt. He meets this guy who actually appreciates his music and openly flirts with him, showing that he is desirable, something new to the character of the comic relief (although he is the romancer but you know, we never saw it on screen, also this time he is being romanced). He is suspicious, because he knows the Intelligence is not to be trusted, and the Prince of Redania is kind of the enemy. But he is also Jaskier, and his interest is caught. Besides this interest, Radovid’s suggestion to bring Ciri to supposed safety is right up Jaskier’s alley, because he is one to rather avoid battles if possible. He ponders on whether it is a possibility.
Later, he uses this vague connection to Radovid to have some agency of his own. He negotiates with him about Rience without discussing it with Geralt. He’s following his own plan, checking out the possibilities. He’s like alright, this guy at least pretends to be into me, let’s see if I can put that to good use to help Geralt. He sweeps Radovid off his feet with his ballad, and then Radovid says things that blow Jaskier away. He speaks of his talents, of determination to get to know more about him, of how Geralt should be grateful for his loyalty and friendship. Jaskier, the comic relief, has never heard this before. He’s Weak and he’s Wanting™️. But he still knows that he is Jaskier, easily fooled by romance, and that there are great things at stake. At the same time, Geralt is also treating him with more respect to make the decisions harder on him. But Radovid stays on his mind, he doesn’t know what to make of it and discusses it with Vespula, and she knows. She sees what’s going on.
Then, Radovid shows up while he is looking after Ciri. He is still suspicious. But Radovid is different from the last time he saw him. He is scared and he is vulnerable, and Jaskier can see that the mask is gone, and that what lies beneath it is not a villain. He is still cautious, until Radovid sings him his own song and he cannot take it any longer. He is giving in, and he struggles still as he does, but he is Jaskier. He’s Weak and he’s Wanting™️.
The next morning, he is not surprised. Of course, stupid Jaskier got himself fooled by some pretty eyes once again. Of course such blatant desire and affection for him could have only been a lie. He never knew romance like this and he does not hesitate to believe it was simply not real.
But then, he finds Radovid surrounded by his dead guards, alone. The people he was supposedly scheming with left him behind, so he was not all that involved, maybe he really was their puppet. He’s scared and he’s full of regret, he’s a helpless prince in the middle of the outbreak of a war, but he’s telling Jaskier to not waste more time on him because he knows he fucked up beyond redemption. But he’s Jaskier. He has endless capacity for forgiveness. And now that their plans had failed and Radovid has no more reason to lure him in, he’s still begging for a second chance. He still wants to be with him. He wants to prove himself to him, even if that means leaving the court behind. Jaskier has other priorities right now and he’s still hurt, but if there is a chance that this affection he never knew before was real, he is taking it.
And Radovid? He’s the spoiled prince brat, underestimated by everyone (just like Jaskier), and he’s riding that wave, because he does not really care about state affairs. He likes Jaskier’s music, and when he sees him he thinks he’s hella fine. He has his fun and at the same time tries to show Philippa he’s capable of more than she thinks, but he was not expecting that Jaskier would blow him away like that. That he would challenge him (the Prince), that he would be honest with him, that he would see through his act and by doing that NOT underestimate him. Radovid is Vibing and he decides to enter Dijkstra’s and Philippa’s game until he realizes he Fucked Up with his arrogance and being a prince is actually worth shit. He knew everything going on in the castle is pretense, but he was not prepared for this level of violence. He is terrified when he meets Jaskier, and Jaskier is good to him. And, again, honest. Unlike anything he had known up to now, the courtly schemes that had only recently culminated to him being scared for his life. He is still a spoiled brat prince and wants to be with Jaskier very badly, so he Fucks Up again. It is that last mistake that makes him understand his faults. But when he sees that Jaskier still does not hate him, he is determined to fix it, and he will do anything. Fuck being a prince, I will leave everything I know behind to show this man that my feelings were true.
Jaskier changes this man’s entire life and Radovid is willing to do everything for him. Yes, the idea to just go off and find him WHEREVER was kind of idiotic, but that’s the beauty of these two. They are both smart and idiotic at the same time, and they let their actions be led mainly by emotions, which sometimes adds up to the idiocy of it all. But Jaskier has more experience, and Radovid learns from him how to be less selfish, he grows as a person through knowing him.
So yes, the love-betrayal-redemption story is hollywood cliché, but it fits the characters and leads to interesting character growth. And honestly, as a queer woman I enjoy seeing some queers having a cliché storyline in a mainstream media piece. Geralt and Yennefer had a similar story. It raises the queer love story to the level of the hetero story. They struggle and they suffer just as much as anyone else, and they have something that connects them, a story that has potential to be continued in an interesting way. They don’t just exist as the obligatory queers, and their storyline isn’t inherently queer either, to a point where it feels like they’re only queer so Jaskier’s love interest can be the gods forsaken King. (At the same time, the story has queer coded themes, like having to pretend to be someone else, but the way it is portrayed, it can be relatable to non-queers as well.) The cliché of it all does not feel more cliché than other storylines on the show (to me). Its not queered cliché, it’s just a story, and I love that.
Also, Joey and Hugh have actual chemistry. And - and no one really argues with that - immense talent that filled these few scenes with so many layers in the first place. We owe it to Hugh that Radovid is not just a romantic interest, but a layered, flawed character (although Hugh attributes it to the writing but he’s too modest).
The last thing I want to say is that I feel we are generally overly critical of queer storylines, which is not a bad thing per se, because we know how many harmful storylines there are, but I struggle to see how this one is harmful in any way. You have to relate them to the straight romances. The straights will just randomly smile at each other and then they will date, but no one complains about it being rushed.
I am obviously not saying everyone has to ship them, I genuinely do not care. I just think it’s unfair to drag their storyline when it is nothing but normal that they didn’t have enough time for an elaborate story, but they (meaning Joey and Hugh) put a lot of work into making it a good one regardless, an effort no one would have put into a straight love story, because they would not have had to.
#this turned out extremely long but cousin i had to get it out of my system#i already wrote a novel length fanfic about radovid but it was not enough#my opinions are my own make of them what you will#radskier#the witcher#the witcher meta#jaskier#radovid#twn#twn s3 spoilers#witcher#s: the witcher#otp: radskier#wiedzmin
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I’ve said it before, but Triss Merigold and Dandelion are inversions of each other, not mirrors.
Triss is polite and genial but succumbs to her cowardice and selfishness, while Dandelion is abrasive, rude, self-obsessed, yet proves to be valiantly heroic and the strongest individual pillar of support that Geralt has.
Triss overlooks and devalues her love for Yennefer (and Ciri, and Geralt, and ect.) in a way that Dandelion is literally incapable of when it comes to his love and friendship with Geralt. This really matters narratively too, because once Triss commits to the lodge, Yennefer is left dangerously alone while Geralt gets his hansa.
If Yennefer had a Dandelion, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up in Stygga, maybe she could have spent the winter in Toussaint (or whatever Toussaint means to her), maybe, maybe, maybe. But she didn’t, she had a Triss.
It’s why the shared final shot in Lady of the Lake is so wild to me. Triss and Dandelion have completed their character arcs and are standing right there next to each other on the exact same beach. But only Triss is doomed and burdened by the guilt of this violence (Guilt that she can climb out of and grow from, sure, but it’s a grave she earned and dug herself, eyes wide open).
Meanwhile, Dandelion is free to move forward into the peace and comfort of mourning his friend. There is no blood on his hands.
It’s like this to me:
#triss merigold#bard dandelion#dandelion the witcher#jaskier#the witcher#the witcher books#the witcher meta#i’ve made this post before landhsus this is just a wordier version#I call these two my favorites all the time and I needed a clearer post to link when ppl ask me why#so here it is . it prob needs revision#double shot
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i legit don't get the appeal of viewing a character you like as a "100% unproblematic fave". y'all realize that a character can both be staunchly good with many positive traits AND have some flaws as well, right? to me, viewing a moral yet multifaceted character as faultless is like baking a cake with no salt. yeah, it's sweet, but it's too sweet because there's no salt to elevate the flavor! where's the depth in a character that is entirely perfect? where's the compelling motivations and character work? where's the humanity in that?
thankfully, i don't see much of this complete denial of flaws in the popular fanon of characters i enjoy, but what i DO see frequently is a shift in focus from characters' overall negative behaviors - behaviors directed both at themself and towards others - to depicting their self-destructive behaviors as their sole flaws. self-destruction is viewed as an "acceptable" flaw, unlike causing harm to others, and is often exaggerated if not invented out of whole cloth!
for an example of this distortion: there's a heroic yet flawed character i like with a high stress position that he wholly dedicates himself to, who probably loses a bit of sleep and is seen asking for and drinking tea ONCE to buy some time. what's the fanon version of him seen in many fics? well, his missteps and occasional emotional insensitivity have gone entirely out the window, and he's been transformed into a workaholic, sleep-deprived, caffeine addict who is incapable of caring for himself. he WILL collapse at some point in order to justify his love interest swooping in and insisting that this character, a fully grown adult man in charge of 1/10th of the entire army, learns ✨the importance of self care✨
i'm not arguing for every character to be deeply flawed - i love a good hero - but by making a canonically flawed character either 1) entirely beyond reproach or 2) a self-neglectful and/or self-flagellating martyr who has never hurt anyone but themself, you're sucking the life RIGHT out of them, and boring me to tears in the process.
#len speaks#len's meta#swinging a bat at a hornet's nest by tagging some of my faves whose fanon interpretations annoy me a bit <3#obi-wan kenobi#obi wan kenobi#obiwan kenobi#zuko#jaskier#matt murdock#<- SPECIFICALLY the show versions of those last 2. there's a reason i don't rlly fw those shows after s1 of EITHER of them 💀#both the fanon of those characters AND the canon of those characters from s2 onwards doesn't do it for me 😭#also yeah. the theoretical example is exactly who you're thinking of and i will probably catch flak for it. oh well! might as well reenter#the fandom after my hiatus with a splash and possible weirdos in my notes lmao!
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Radskier dialogue nuances in different languages
So I have been rewatching The Witcher in French recently and some of the changed lines stuck out to me, in the interactions between Radovid and Jaskier in particular. So i figured I'd compile my favourites from the translated versions I've seen so far here and compare their meaning to the original. I've also included some of the German lines since I'm German and I got curious!
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy who speaks a bunch of languages, don't expect overly technical linguistic wizardry here. Also this is not about the voice actors' skill or how well the lines are matched up to lip movements, strictly about the little changes in meaning when you take the translations literally! All meant to be in good fun.
Since this is about the season 3 dialogue, there are spoilers ahead.
This is going to be a long post so buckle up!
Season 3 in general: The way Jaskier and Radovid address one another
English (original): both use "you" which makes sense of course
French: Jaskier uses "vous" (the formal "you") for Radovid and Radovid uses "tu" (the casual "you") for Jaskier until they have sex in episode 4. When they talk the morning after in episode 6, they're both using "tu".
German: both use "Ihr" and the other formal derivatives for one another throughout (Even Geralt and Jaskier address each other formally the whole time. I'm not a fan)
Episode 1: Jaskier and Radovid meet
The dialogue here is generally very close, just two little things between the original and the German version I want to point out.
English (Jaskier): Fuck, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to… Bow? Or curtsy, or… I’ve been holding your hand a long time, so sorry about that.
German (Jaskier): Shit, I don't know if I'm supposed to bow or be polite... I've been holding your hand for too long, forgive me ("bow or be polite"?? HUH?)
English (Radovid): If your time at court’s been staid, you’ve been doing it wrong
German (Radovid): If your time at court has been too calm/quiet, something went wrong ([gay silence])
Episode 2: specifically Extraordinary Things
I've put the different lyrics as rather direct translations in the pictures below. They're also written out in the alt text. The French ones are a little more pointed compared to the original imo, I like that version a lot. I'm not sure how I feel about the German version but the first line did make me giggle.
Episode 3: Jaskier talks to Vespula about Radovid
I love this scene for many reasons. I have two things to point out about this.
The first thing is that while in the English and French version, Jaskier says that he and Radovid have only met twice, in the German version he says that he and Radovid don't even know each other.
The second thing is that in the English and German version, Jaskier calls Radovid a spoon and he does in the French version as well. However, he specifies Radovid is a "little spoon" here. Need I say more?
Episode 4: the scene in the shed
Ah, the scene of all time. Before the other scene of all time in episode 6. A few things about this one. The first thing is a very small change in the French version:
English (Jaskier, after Radovid admits he's scared): Just saying that makes you braver than you know.
French (Jaskier, after Radovid admits he's scared): The fact you're admitting that proves you are brave
The second thing bothered me more because it isn't really a subtle change. Both in English and French, Jaskier says Radovid has "learned [his] song", but in German he says Radovid "knows [his] song". The German line here isn't saying that Radovid "knows" the song as in he knows how to play it (from hearing and watching Jaskier play it for him once, mind you), the way it's said makes it sound like Radovid has just heard the song before.
The third thing is what they're saying right after the kiss. Unfortunately with the slightly changed lines for Jaskier we don't get the clever connection between Jaskier talking about taking Radovid into the cabin and Radovid asking Jaskier to take him (sexually).
English (Jaskier): I can't take you inside, I'm sorry.
English (Radovid): Then take me here.
French (Jaskier): The cabin is occupied, I'm sorry.
French (Radovid): Then take me here.
German (Jaskier): We can't go inside, I'm sorry.
German (Radovid): Then take me here.
Episode 6: the morning after
The German version is the same as the original here.
English (Jaskier to Radovid): I thought I’d seen through your mask. Turns out there was nothing behind it.
French (Jaskier to Radovid): I thought I had lifted the veil from your soul. But I found nothing but darkness beneath that façade
The subtle differences in the French version on the other hand not only make the pain a little different, it also includes an allusion of sorts to that version of Extraordinary Things with Jaskier talking about Radovid's soul. At least that's how I saw it. Ouch!
Episode 7: the moment where Jaskier finds Radovid at Thanedd
All three versions here make me want to cry. That's all.
English (Radovid): Just let me be there with you. Prove that I’m more than a mask.
English (Jaskier): Maybe.
French (Radovid): Just let me stay with you and show you what is beneath this façade.
French (Jaskier): Why not.
German (Radovid): Just let me be with you and show my true self.
German (Jaskier): Maybe.
#radskier#jaskovid#radovid#jaskier#the witcher#the witcher netflix#the witcher meta#twn s3#the witcher season 3#i made myself sad
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I think now I understand what is a problem with Netflix's The Witcher. When they decided to make this show it was obvious that they wanted to make something that would be response to Game of Thrones. Another epic fantasy based on books that already had tons of fans. And there were also games that had even more fans. It was so easy. But the thing is that Witcher didn't get all these fans because it was this epic fantasy. It's a story about bunch of outcasts that somehow makes a family.
It's not meant to be this epic fantasy. Of course there are some fights and battles but most of the time the characters are just talking, riding horses and talking, drinking and talking, laying in bed and talking, getting lost in the woods, because why not, oh now they have to fight someone. And someone have to save them because they just looks like they can save the world by themselves. They can't. They all need someone to look after them. And after that they talk.
Geralt is this guy that says he's so lonley and he doesn't have feelings 'cause he's mutant. All that when he's actually talking about his feelings to his friends that laugh at him when he tells them that he's going somewhere alone. Friends that somehow saw eachothers one day and decided "yes, i'm keeping them. we are the family now". Also not this traditional family that Netflix is making.
And that's also what made Witcher games such a hit. Because players were involved in the plot. Because you interact with others so much. I myself were on the edge of crying when i finished both main game and Blood and Wine dlc.
The Witcher is great material for tv show. Just not the one in style of Game of Thrones. It should be the one in style of Out Flag Means Death. And i find it so funny when i see all these fanfictions that focus on characters interactions and emotions while it's what we got in books. And what Netflix decided to cut off.
#the witcher#the witcher netflix#jaskier#witcher#geralt of rivia#wiedźmin#julian alfred pankratz#witcher meta#sapkowski#witcher books#It's like#books are what fans wants#and netflix keept it out#they added more fights and took out emotions#and made characters more sterotypical#should i made whole series where i talk why these characters are breaking sterotypes?
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Obsessed with the idea of Extraordinary Things being a back and forth between Jaskier and Radovid, with Jaskier trying to draw him out in the first verse, and Radovid finally answering him in the second.
Cause like, with Radovid, Jaskier meets someone who he can't fully read properly. He knows there's something under the front of a drunken, bumbling prince, but he doesn't know him well enough yet to be certain as to what.
So, he tests the waters a bit. throws out a line to see if Radovid will take it—and he does. A little bit. But it's so interesting to me, because it doesn't just feel like Jaskier is trying to nail down Radovid's truth in this verse; it feels like he's injecting elements of his own mask into it, as well.
"Keep your words on ice, your gaze lights the fire. They say 'keep on playing nice,' but I have no desire. Why waste our words when lips were made for extraordinary things? It's not a want, it's a need, it is paying no heed to what others say to sing."
This is Jaskier's read of Radovid as he knows him so far: a man hiding more complex wants beneath the veneer of a drunken party boy. But it's also Jaskier admitting that he knows this about Radovid because he wears the exact same mask himself.
Much like how Jaskier and Ciri speak through Geralt and Yennefer in order to process their own feelings about them later in the season, Jaskier sings through himself in order to comprehend who Radovid is. Jaskier is using the performative persona he's crafted for himself in an attempt to coax Radovid out of his.
All of it leads into the main intention of this song: "The greatest songs are made up of unspoken words of love. Of them, I've had enough. with you, I am enough." I am tired of having to put up a front. I want to be understood. I think you understand me. Prove me right.
And Radovid sees what Jaskier is doing. He comments on Jaskier's ability to see people for who they are and not who they pretend to be. But there's still more he wants to understand. This still feels like a game, in a way.
It's only after Radovid sees the brutality of Dijkstra and Philippa up close, watches them orchestrate the assassination of the queen and threaten to incriminate him if he doesn't fall in line, that he then grasps the vulnerability in Jaskier's lyrics. Jaskier is also caught between multiple conflicting desires, that of his loyalty to Geralt/Yen/Ciri, and that of his work as the Sandpiper & how said work is backed by his continued commitment to Redanian Intelligence. That internal conflict and the desire to escape it is also highlighted in the song's first verse ("they say keep on playing nice, but i have no desire"). Only after all of this, when true fear begins to take over and the game stops being fun, does Radovid truly begin to truly understand Jaskier.
And so, he seeks him out. And he responds.
“Drop the sweet disguise, your heart’s beating too loud. The fairytales and little lies can’t drown out all the sound.” You were right. I do understand you. I know what you really want, because we're the same. You can’t hide it behind a façade of a song and a story and a persona.
“Take this heart and break this heart for extraordinary things.” I don't know what will become of this, or us. I still don't fully know if we can trust each other. But no one has ever seen me in the way that you have.
It's not a want, it's a need. With you, I am enough.
#angel.txt#the witcher#jaskier#radovid#radskier#meta & theories#angel.doc#twn spoilers#i never wrote my wpb meta so have some extraordinary things meta instead shdfdfddfd#i truly think that first verse is so complex and multi-layered and can be read in multiple ways (both in-universe and externally)#like this is what i meant by 4d chess like how the FUCK can i explain what jaskier's doing in that first verse#its also little things. the background vocals that pick up in the second verse.#the way the second verse is omitted from the diegetic performance of the song which could imply jaskier hadn’t written it at the time#the way that we hear this song over the credits only after they get together in ep 4 and it's an extended version BUT#the extended version is entirely instrumental after the first half ends which also imply that the second half hasn't yet been written#as a whole i think that a lot of twn songs can be read through both internal and external lenses to enhance their existence in the narrativ#the fact that some of them have different names in-universe as opposed to on the ost. the choices they make in diegetic song placement.#im not very inclined in musical terminology but my brain is going insane over what this show does with its songs and how joey himself write#(and tbh i like to think of the sountrack/ost versions of songs as smth separate or alternate from the ones seen directly In the episodes)#idk. just very much intrigued with the idea of this song as a conversation#the entire song being an illustration of the masks they both wear#the truth that lies beneath them‚ and the way they both try to chip at each other until one of them drops it first.#obsessed with certain choices and going a little too insane about them <3
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Valdo Marx is like 99% fanon, is he not?
Valdo Marx is 99.999% fanon.
We only know that he is a troubadour from Cidaris who considers Jaskier to be "a talentless wastrel who panders to the taste of the masses.” We also known that the moment Jaskier gets his hands on a bottle he thinks has a djinn in it, he wishes for Valdo to die of apoplexy.
That’s all we know! So he is a fandom OC, really. Even more so than Aiden because at least we know *something* about Aiden (how he died and what kind of man he was)
So it’s basically another fun creative writing assignment. Who would Jaskier hate that much?! And why?!
And I know some fans are like…well obviously. Jaskier is a petty bitch. But I think that’s an oversimplification! To me personally, it is still extremely noteworthy! For three reasons.
1) Dandelion (talking books now but I do think this all applies to TWN Jaskier just as well) does not have the focus or attention span required to hold a grudge. I don’t remember the exact quote (I don’t have my books on me) but Geralt comments on it specifically.
2) He is predisposed to liking people and thinking the best of them. Geralt (understandably) has a much gloomier outlook on trust, life, and love.
3) Dandelion may be a bitch (I mean. He IS a bitch) but he also has a soft gooey center. He’s just like most witcher characters in that he has layers. Crunchy outside and smooth inside. So while he has a sharp tongue, he does also have a soft heart.
When Geralt breaks (redacted)‘s leg (ankle? I don’t remember) Dandelion screams as though it were his own. On the dragon hunt he begs Geralt not to kill the dragon because it’s “pretty”. He asks Geralt to bring Ciri to Toussaint so he can hug her. He changes the lyrics to his song about the elves in order to protect them.
He’s a petty bitch with a soft gooey center.
I mean, the Valdo thing is obviously supposed to be funny. Dandelion provides so much of the comic relief. It is very likely that we were never meant to think about it this deeply. But overthinking is what we do for fun, gatdamnit! 😂
I admit I haven’t done anything creative with Valdo in my fics but I love when other people do.
I’ve seen fics that make the conflict:
Just theater. They actually secretly like each other. This usually involves hilarity.
A concept where Valdo has a crush on Jaskier, but Jaskier misinterprets it as competitiveness and they start one-upping each other until it spirals out of control.
Unrequited love, on either side.
A concept where Valdo is actually Klaus from the Umbrella Academy time traveling and bringing all the pop songs from the future with him. He enrages Jaskier by how easily he shits out hits (that one was my concept bc I was just sitting there amusing myself after TUA S2)
Valdo is Jaskier with a mustache
The conflict stems from a misunderstanding or a very complicated ‘both of these people are traumatized” breakup. Both are in Oxenfurt and dealing with their own shit/trauma and manage to hurt each other without meaning to.
Fics where the history of it is very very dark. I’ve seen fics where Valdo is abusive. I’ve also seen deaddove dark!Jaskier fics where he is the abusive one.
Usually there is a romance there at some point to explain the intensity of the hatred, but not always. They can also be true enemies (Valdo has murdered or otherwise harmed someone Jaskier loves), or they can be related to each other, and sometimes both or all of the above lol.
Like. The range. I’ve seen Valdo as the perfect ‘hatesex’ candidate for short PWPs and longer Enemies to Lovers multichapters. I’ve seen Valdo as a convenient stand in character when you need a rival, to multichapter works of in depth character creation for him. Or he’s just there to provide Geralt with the motivation to confess his feelings.
So feel free to rb with your favorite Valdo fics, folks. There’s a lot of creativity out there. Not to brag on the fandom writers (but I’m going to brag on the fandom writers) they are a bunch of badasses.
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So I might be late with this headcanon but what if the reason we see Vespula and jaskier breaking up publicly is to protect her?
A strange carriage with the unknown occupants asking about jaskier? (Radovid and philippa)
It could be nilfgaard and vespula needs to publicly cut ties with him so they won't torture the information out of her of his whereabouts.
Once they realize it's safe of course they get back together
(And clearly she's enjoying the performance as you can see)
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i was listening to my jaskier playlist and got struck with the urge to write up a whole post analyzing jaskier's character through his songs
get ready for a wall of text that no one asked for, i guess
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meta analysis of Extraordinary Things because I have no life
Keep your words on ice
Your gaze lights the fire.
Pretty straight forward, Geralt’s cold attitude and words combined with his gold, “fiery” eyes.
They say keep on playing nice
But I have no desire
This I feel like is a reference to his bisexuality, being told to conform to the typical standards of relationships, or perhaps to accept his nobility as it reflects on his romantic affairs. Play nice and keep in line. But that’s not who he is as a person and he has no desire to pretend like he’ll ever fit that mold.
Why waste our words
When lips were made
For extraordinary things
Fairly straightforward as well, he’s tired of the fancy wordplay and the double entendres of noble life. He doesn’t want to dance around the way he feels or conceal his emotions. Why waste time with talking around how you feel when you can simply accept it. Which is very fitting as he is very open with his romantic life.
It’s not a want, it’s a need
It is paying no heed
To what others say to sing
Another reference to his orientation, however I also feel like this might be a small reference to the line in Her Sweet Kiss “I’m weak my love, and I am wanting” which could be an indicator of his feelings for Geralt adapting and evolving over time. They’ve deepened into a need to simply be around Geralt, even if his role in Geralt’s life isn’t quite was he desires. Geralt matters just that much to him.
The greatest songs are made up
Of unspoken words of love
Okay this line I feel like is the most damning, but possibly not for the reasons people might think. There’s a lot of focus on the “unspoken words of love” section of this line, but I was more focused onto this reference of his music. He’s saying that of the songs he has written, he has embedded his love for Geralt in every line. In particular, the his romantic ballads. He keeps his love songs inconspicuous, switching around pronouns and never revealing a name. Those are expressions of his “unspoken works of love”.
Of them I’ve had enough
With you I have enough
With you I am enough
I am enough
This is where we get angsty. His tone gets defeated and exhausted singing this line. He’s tired of being so desperately in love with someone who will never be able to share that love in the same capacity. He’s had enough of feeling like he’ll never be enough. Radovid has made him feel like he can be enough for someone, but that’s not quite what he needs either (with unintentional foreshadowing to Radovid’s manipulation). He wants to be enough for himself, in his own right, without relying on other people’s perception of him.
Drop the sweet disguise
Your heart’s beating too loud
The fairytale’s and little lies
Can’t drown out all the sound
So I’ve seen this be translated as foreshadowing for him and Radovid’s relationship, but considering that he would have only known Radovid for a couple of days at best, I feel like this interpretation is a little too loose and abstract. We know he writes his ballads about events he’s experienced in his own life, and he doesn’t tend to write about abstract concepts or future events. I feel it’s more likely that this is a reflection of the fact that Jaskier very much knows that Geralt is aware of his feelings. We know that Geralt can canonly hear heartbeats. Jaskier knows that no matter how many pretty ballads he sings and excuses he gives, he can’t hide his feelings, and Geralt will never address them, whether to protect Jaskier’s emotions or their friendship. It’s a feeling of defeat and almost a bit of self-flagellation. Like he’s shaming himself for daring to have these feelings, using a slightly mocking tone while singing these lines.
So take this heart
And break this heart
For extraordinary things
In this, Jaskier is tossing aside these feelings. He’s willing to let his heart be broken and his hopes be dashed to be by Geralt’s side because he sees that Geralt has a destiny and a purpose. He’s willing to go through the pain of never having Geralt in the way he needs because he knows that Geralt has a greater purpose, and he’s devoting himself to seeing this purpose play out.
It’s not a want, it’s a need
It is paying no heed to what
Others say to sing
The greatest songs are made up
Of unspoken words of love
Of them I’ve had enough
With you I have enough
With you I am enough
I am
I am enough…
In short, I feel like this song is very clearly an expression of Jaskier’s feelings of hopelessness towards his relationship with Geralt. He’s desperately in love with a man who he knows in his heart that he will never be enough for, whether due to orientation or feeling like Geralt has a far greater purpose than Jaskier could ever hope to understand or fulfill. He wants desperately to be enough for someone, and to feel like anybody could be enough to fill the hole that Geralt has left inside him. Enter Radovid, who sees this weakness and immediately exploits it to his advantage. But my rant on the cinematography of the scene indicating Radovid’s calculated manipulation and Jaskier’s emotional vulnerability will come another day.
Thank you Joey Batey for another total masterpiece of a performance and a song that will haunt me till I die. 🥹💕
#geralt of rivia#the witcher#gerskier#text#meta analysis#analysis#geralt x jaskier#jaskier#dandelion#dandelion Witcher#witcher season 3#extraordinary things#extraordinary things Witcher#geraskier#joey batey
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