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basicallyjaywalker · 4 months

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Wanna ramble about a moment/character in ninjago you think people need to talk about more?

I don't know who you are anon, but I'm glad you asked!

I am desperate for people to character-analyze Wu. I'm desperate for a lot of character analysis including Nya but since I got a lot of my Nya feelings out with some lovely folks the other night (edit: the other night was a month ago dw about it. this took a minute) I'm going with Wu this time

Master Wu to me is such an interesting case of a character who it is so easy to ignore the bits of the show that hint at his wider issues and traumas. He is a man defined heavily by his family and by his past. A lot of criticism he gets, I think, is due in part to that.

I've mentioned before that I've been rewatching S1 with a friend of mine and intermittently pausing to infodump on them about interesting character things I notice from that season. A lot of that has been Wu-focused because despite having seen RotS dozens of times throughout my life (watching it on CN, watching it on Netflix when only it and Legacy were around, rewatching it with friends) I have only just started noticing the seeds of character written in.

I might also just be reading too much into things, but hear me out

In S1 (and by extension, the pilots), Wu is characterized as your typical old wise teacher. In the first few minutes of EP1: Rise of the Snakes, he is chewing out the Ninja for playing video games instead of training. The line he uses? "Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today."

It's a line that gets repeated throughout the series. In fact, it gets repeated that very episode when the ninja go (pun not intended) to fight the Hypnobrai and a literal pre-teen. At first, it seems to just be a piece of wisdom. Some old proverb Wu's picked up over the years, possibly one he even coined himself. However, in EP7: Tick Tock, Wu tells the story of who, possibly, first told him this.

(Source: Tick Tock/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom, highlight added.)

It was Garmadon. Now, I'm not gonna dwell too long on Garmadon, if you spend five minutes talking to me you'll learn he was the first character whose story I obsessed over and I want this essay to be about Wu, but I think he plays a role in Wu's overall story, as does Wu's family as a whole.

Prior to this, Wu and Garmadon's relationship has been more of a sibling rivalry taken to a good vs. evil extreme. We didn't know why Garmadon was evil and we didn't know about Wu and his relationship as kids. However, this scene establishes the backstory. They were, as Wu puts it, "the best of friends." That is, until Garmadon gets bit by the Devourer going to get the katana Wu lost.

Now, I know the Devourer bite was destined to happen because of the Overlord or some shit, but Wu doesn't. As far as he's concerned, Garmadon getting bit was a direct consequence of both his mistake and his cowardice. He lost the katana. He was too scared to get it. Garmadon went over instead. Garmadon got bit.

The scene goes on to show the FSM tending to Garmadon in the aftermath. Wu is watching from behind the door, likely told to stay back, but concerned. And in his POV, we get this intense moment, where Garmadon turns, looks directly at him (his eyes turning bright red for the first time), and says "It's all Wu's fault!"

(This clip should begin at the start of Wu eavesdropping. If it doesn't, skip to 0:58. I highly recommend also paying attention to Wu's body language during this scene.)

The camerawork does a great job of showing how this probably felt for Wu. It zooms in, Garmadon's voice echoes, and the background blurs. We see in the flashback that this is a moment Wu has etched into his memory. Not to mention, he was likely a very young child when this happened. LEGO characters' ages are weird, but Wu in this scene has the Big Eyes, which always seem to be used for characters under 12. We don't know exactly how much older Garmadon is to my knowledge, but he doesn't have the Big Eyes, so he's probably closer to 12 and a few years older than Wu for sure.

Imagine that. Being in elementary school and your older siblings gets hurt. They're acting strange. They're lashing out at your father. Then, they blame it all on you. They're hurt because of you. Wouldn't you internalize that?

I could go on about Wu's relationship with Garmadon, but again, I think I've spent enough time on it and I don't want to only focus on that. It's an important part, but there are others.

Let's talk about Wu's relationship with his dad.

Now, I have not yet read the Spinjitzu Brothers series. I cannot speak to any development of Wu and the FSM's relationship in there. I have, however, read The Book of Spinjitzu and blogged some of my thoughts on it here, including some of what it says about Wu.

For those who haven't read it, first, there is a Google Drive folder floating around with all of the canon spinoff books/graphic novels in it. Here's the link if you wanna read them!

The FSM is an... intriguing figure. I mean, in the series he's basically god? He made the entire world. That's already a very high bar to live up to. Then, in Book of Spinjitzu, there's a few specific parts that, when I read them, signaled that Wu internalized a specific message when he was young.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 3).

Wu does not want to disappoint his father. It is up to him (and Garmadon until he turns evil) to "uphold the legacy of Spinjitzu" and, by extension, his family. He says he was "very young" when this was explained to him. Considering he seems to already be training at an elementary age, "very young" means VERY young.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 16).

Here, we again see Wu being very aware that he has some large burden to carry. Something else interesting here is that the thought of the Green Ninja Prophecy is already weighing on him too. His considering if he might be the Green Ninja is of extra interest because of how the Green Ninja Prophecy and the--I wouldn't call it obsession, possibly fixation?--with who it is factors into his later actions, but we'll get to that later.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, Page 19).

This one in particular gets me because it comes after Wu mentions Garmadon becoming more evil. It is a statement of power. Wu knows that the legacy of Spinjitzu now rests in his hands alone. He cannot let himself fall the way Garmadon did. He cannot disappoint his father. Whether or not the FSM intended it, Wu always knew the fate of the world rested, at least in part, upon his shoulder. He knew this from the time he was a young boy and it remains in his mind to this day.

Now, these quotes are indirect, but they all point to one clear idea: As a child, Wu internalized the idea that he alone is responsible for keeping Ninjago safe. He will play a pivotal role in its history.

There's not evidence in this book that the FSM's was a bad father, per se. However, just because one doesn't set out to harm their children, doesn't mean they won't. I often say Wu has an "Atlas complex," which I have no idea if it is an actual concept but use it to refer to this idea. Wu feels as though he is responsible for holding up the world, much like Atlas. He must keep the balance, he must solve the Green Ninja prophecy, he must make his father proud.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, page 61).

I'm going to get further into what this means for Wu as a teacher to the current Ninja Team, but for now let's look at Wu's first foray into teaching.

Morro. Wu's Biggest Mistake.

That might seem like an overstatement, but it's not.

(Source: Ghost Story/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom)

Okay he says regret, not mistake, but I was paraphrasing.

Let's turn back to his quote about his destiny. Wu writes, "Is my life's mission to be the Green Ninja? Or maybe it will be to find the Green Ninja and protect him (or her)??"

From a very young age, Wu was not only aware of the Green Ninja but prophecy but also thinking about his place in it. We see this again when he takes Morro in and trains him.

(Source: Ghost Story/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom, highlight added)

A big thing Wu is criticized for here is making Morro believe he is meant to be more. That he is the Chosen One. And Morro, being a young homeless orphan just now given some semblance of power and protection, latches onto that. And I can see it, but when you take into account the above that he was trained from (likely) a younger age than Morro and given a similar level of responsibility, it becomes more understandable. Wu is just doing what he was taught. He doesn't believe that he is harming Morro until it is too late.

youtube

This is the entire story, but I'm specifically going to be discussing 1:36 onwards here. I also wanted to add that rewatching this scene made me lay down on the floor! What the fuck! But I digress.

There's a lot going on in this scene. For one, Wu washing his hands of Morro in some ways, but not others. He turns his back on Morro when he tells him that destiny has decided, but looks at him again when Morro storms out. He goes to save Morro from the Grundal, but decides that he cannot "teach those who would not listen." Most importantly, when Morro leaves to go find the Tomb of the FSM, Wu leaves the door open. He waits for Morro to return, but never goes after him. And Morro never comes back.

Wu gives Morro's fate a dismissive response at the end of his ghost story ("I am saddened he was banished to the Cursed Realm") but it's clear he still cares deeply about him in the finale of the season.

youtube

Wu's VA in this is phenomenal btw. That "Please Morro!" and "MORRO!" make my heart ache.

Morro believed Wu stopped caring, but he didn't. Even after all he's done, even after trying to destroy all of Ninjago--destroying what Wu had spent his life trying to protect--Wu tries to save him. He begs for Morro to come with him. Morro refuses, Wu watches him perish.

Someone else Wu is close to is gone. Wu again considers himself responsible. Everything is his fault.

And finally, we reach Wu today. A cautious, secretive man. He loves his students, this much is clear. Even as early as the pilots, he drops his wise teacher persona to joke around with them.

youtube

As with Morro, he trains them like his father did him. He even uses the same methods his father used when he trains them.

(Source: The Book of Spinjitzu, page 32)

youtube

While he is hard on the Ninja, wanting them to succeed and training them to help defend the Realm, he lets his guard down more than it seems he did with Morro. He also learned a valuable message from his experience with Morro when he hides the Green Ninja Prophecy from the Ninja, getting angry when they start to push themselves in the same way Morro did upon learning about it. It's clear he doesn't want a repeat.

Now, I can't speak for later seasons (I will eventually) but this fear of repeats, his students going down a dark path because they're tempted by power or greatness, losing someone else, likely drives Wu not telling them other important information. That is just a passing thought though.

Final notes:

I'm currently in the process of rewatching S7: Hands of Time. I actually got this ask right after finishing EP68: Scavengers, which opens with Wu having a nightmare. In it, he and Misako are walking outside of Yang's temple. While walking, Misako delivers this line in response to Wu reminiscing about the time they've spent together:

(Source: Scavengers/Transcript | Ninjago Wiki | Fandom)

This line, to me, is Wu's subconscious trying to tell him something he needs to hear. It's hinting at what might be his greatest flaw. Wu is haunted by his past, by his mistakes. He finds it difficult to tell others because of both his guilt and his desire to not put that worry upon them. In this very season, he makes the mistake of trying to face his past on his own, and he nearly dies for it.

In the same episode, you see Wu trying to make sure Lloyd doesn't make the same mistakes.

(Source: Prev)

Wu stresses the important of the team. It's as if he sees Lloyd blaming himself for what happened to Wu, sees him doing the same thing Wu has, and is trying to prevent him from doing the same thing. This is further emphasized when, after Wu falls asleep (well, fakes falling asleep), Lloyd says "Wu's mistake was going in alone. So was mine."

Master Wu is, like many characters in this show, someone who is more complex than meets the eye. He is not just a wise, old teacher. He is a man who, throughout his life, has made mistakes and carries the weight of each of them on his shoulders. He is a man who tasks himself with making up for those every day. He is a man who wants better for his students, his family.

Until the day he dies, he will guide and protect his students. And possibly? Even after death too.

#ninjago #lego ninjago #master wu #long post #anon tag #this made my day i looooooooooooooove character analysis #i know a lot of what i post about it may not encompass the full series but i just think that makes it more fun tbh #i'm working with what i have and later i may come back to this and add even more things #i'm also very passionate about wu analysis as a former wu hater because i think the fact that his character stuff is so buried #leads to a lot of the hate #Why didn't he tell the ninja things? well he told morro things and look how that turned out #he grew up believing the weight of the world was on his shoulders #in one way or another #i won't lie and say the man does not make mistakes #but like i mention in s7 when he does he is fucking haunted by them #he is not breaking the generational trauma but he is damn well making an attempt for someone who probably doesn't realize he has it #p.s i tried to add image desc to each ss to make it more accessible but if i messed it up please let me know!#i spent way too much time on this #somebody do a word count i'm curious but too tired to copy this all into docs #falls over #part 2 of this is just the dark island trilogy but i think i'm gonna wait to do that #this took so long and the words are now refusing to words #thank you for reading #i need to take a nap after writing this I feel physically spent #please enjoy another rook branded ramble disguised as a comprehensive essay #other essayists bring you professionalism and academic vibes #i scream into the void and put way too many links o7 #happy birthday ninjago!!!! i finished this in honor of you hopefully it is worthy

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petitmimosa · 1 month

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This or That Ask Game

Tagged by @alittlefrenchtree for an obscure reason. Should've made you guess what I was going to answer and you'd get one sugar per cup of tea for each one you got right.

Iced or hot coffee ☕

Why would you make me drink coffee in the first place? Why was coffee even discovered and who decided it was an acceptable beverage? If I have to make a choice, then iced and with a shit ton of sugar/chocolate/white chocolat syrup. You know Starbucks' white chocolate frappuccino? Very little coffee, lots of everything else.

Iced or hot tea 🍵

Why would you ice TEA? This is why the human race is doomed I'm telling you. Tea is to be served hot but never burnt so get that kettle off before it boils.

Lemonade or sweet tea 🍋

Sweet tea is an abomination. Why would you give me BAKING SODA TO DRINK? Ugh. Lemonade is alright if homemade by someone who's not addicted to sugar though.

Fruity or minty gum

Not allowed to chew gum anymore but I was more of a mint person. Fruity flavors were too chemical for my taste.

Pasta or potatoes

Niak. This is a hard one. Potatoes are fun and you can fry them and they're creatures of God but pastaaaaaa... Parmesan goes on pasta and for that reason only it gets my vote.

Olives or pickles

There are two things you need to know about me if we're gonna share food together: I will never, ever willingly consume olives and will have pickles with absolutely everything. The small ones though, cornichons. Not the gigantic ones people in America like to grow.

Rice or bread

Bread. Bread. BREAD.

Cookies or brownies

Brownies take too long to bake and you have more fun with cookies. Also, that's my cat's name and if I don't say cookies he will know tonight when I get home and he will bite me to punish me.

Handwritten or phone reminders-

That notes app is somewhere on my phone because I can't uninstall it. But I hate my handwriting with a passion so I just remember everything since I have an excellent memory.

Zip-up or pullover hoodie

I hate zip-ups, I look like a whale in them. And hoodies are COZYYYY.

Jeans or sweatpants

I look even more like a whale in sweatpants so I'll have to say jeans. But when I'm home I'm just wearing pjs.

Flip flops/thongs or slides

Both are evil so they can crawl back to where they belong. I'll sleep with socks (even thin) all year long. I'll take them off when we reach 40°.

Paperback or ebook

I use my kindle before bed but paperback all the way when you want to spend hours reading.

Enemies to lovers or FWB to lovers

Enemies to lovers all the way. The hatred, the tension, the angst, the oh, oh maybe I was wrong? the messy feelings, GIVE IT TO ME I'M READY.

One bed or fake dating

That one bed trope has been alive way too long and needs to be put to rest, pun very much intended.

Hurt/comfort or whump

Hurt/comfort. I'm all for angst but the heavy hurt usually deals with atrocities and, nope.

Mutual pining or amnesia

Amnesia! That's the kind of angst I like.

Canon compliant or AU

It depends on the ship. I usually prefer canon but there are some excellent AUs out there.

Soulmate or Sports AU

My issue with sports AU is that it's almost always about the characters in the sports world rather than the chosen sport itself. I end up frustrated with how poorly depicted the sport is or how irrelevant it is to have them in this world in the first place all.the.time. Like okay they're figure skaters but why would you have them do 3 triple lutzes in one program when it's not a thing and yolo spins without telling me if it's a flying sit spin or a back camel?

Celebrity AU or Coffeeshop AU

I may have outgrown the coffeeshop AU, so, celebrity.

One shot or long fic

Quality over quantity. Which isn't an answer but :D

Anyone who wants to answer this, have at it!

#petitmimosask #i'm exhausted now

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sublimenol · 1 year

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Sonic OC Questionnaire time!

Since the @sonic-oc-showdown is starting up soon I thought I should do something to write up a bit more about my OC Deirdre. Shoutout to @bunnymajo and @nintendoni-art for bringing this easy to chew set of questions to my attention. Art here is done by the always wonderful @bunniibones.

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

Short answer, it's a pun. Long answer is that I was playing around with the way naming conventions seem to exist in Sonic where you have Word-the-Animal but also some characters have "proper" names, but tend to be playfully named. Sally Acorn, Bunny Rabbot and such. Deirdre was made with a bit more of Archie in mind at the time and as such she was dubbed Deirdre Whitetail. Since she's a deer.

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

I'm always leery of specific age when it comes to these characters given the overall aesthetic is fairly neotenic. She is intended to be a young adult though. Experienced enough to have gone through a few troubles and to set out on her own, but she's yet to be worn down much. So probably an early 20s.

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

She currently does not have any love interests in any official capacity. At one time a friend was considering a roboticized one but that never got beyond the idea phase and isn't really "canon" for any value of the term.

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

Cocoa. Deirdre takes her hot chocolate very seriously. She sticks to the finest ingredients. Particularly in her own dried and crushed chili that she uses to add heat to the sweet.

💼 - What do they do for a living?

She considers herself a modern knight errant. Her family is old nobility that hold no real application in the modern world but she still holds herself to noblesse oblige. As she doesn't have any skills she considers worthwhile besides physical conflict, she works for the Restoration in trying to put a stop to the seemingly endless problems in Sonic's world. Especially if she can whack a badnik with an axe.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

She's yet to really find any hobby. She's trying to break out of keeping herself busy through self appointed responsibilities.

🎯 -What do they do best?

She's a fighter and that's what she does best. She was raised with the fantasy of knights in heroes and that's been what she's put her all into becoming.

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

She absolutely loves the moment of conflict. The world is simpler and more direct then. She can lead and she can put everything into fight. Directing allies, protecting allies, swinging an axe through a robot, all of that is where she feels most alive.

She really hates social situations. She loves other people and she enjoys being around them, she is just woefully outclassed when it comes to things like parties and gatherings. She tends to default to being silent, aloof and posing gracefully to carry through the fact she's screaming internally about looking like an idiot.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

During the Resistance Era against the Eggman Empire, where she was surrounded by others trying to get by. The hope and comradery she felt during the conflict was the closest she's felt to comfort, despite the physical dangers.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Metal Virus. She discovered early that a weapon was of no use. She was not infected, but forced to flee to her mountainside home. There she lived with the ghosts of her failure and perceived cowardice as she hunkered alone in a big empty house knowing there was nothing she could do to help anyone.

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

Yes, she hasn't changed much except her hair has gone from lilac to a more pinkish color. And before she was a deer she was almost a fisher cat.

Story wise she has gone from a more Archie era character to one that's more set in a slightly AU take on the IDW series.

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

A friend wanted to do some RP and at the time I had no Sonic OCs to do anything with. So I sort of cobbled some stuff together from things I remembered from the mid 90s comics and cartoons.

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

She is firmly in the Action genre. Fairly Shonen too with the bouts of melodrama and emotions.

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

She is female. Sexuality is not fully defined. Biromantic Asexual is probably the most likely.

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

She is but an only babby. A lonely only babby.

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

They are fine, but very independent and professional. It appears cold on the surface but they do love and respect each other deeply.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

Honestly because she's kind of a brainworm. She really should have just been one a million discarded one off RP characters and not have clawed her way back again and again when I've wavered on the Sonic fandom in general.

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Nerve issues have kept drawing off the table for me on a regular basis. I should write more, and love creating things for her, but I usually don't write because I figure no one wants to know much about OCs

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

Probably not. There's just always more story to tell.

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Nothing so overt or direct. Mostly existential fears related to her utility to the world and her past failures.

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

Most of her antagonists aren't "arch-nemesis or rival" levels. So I'm going to say no to this. There just hasn't been quite that emotional tie to any of them to make them something other than enemies at cross-purposes.

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

Probably since around 2015 or 16 in concept and off hand use in RP. She has only been formally designed and really made solid in the last 5 or 6 years though.

#sonic oc #long post #deirdre #Sonic AU

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firstdivisiongirl · 6 months

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Hi! I was wondering if you would be willing to do a One Piece Matchup with what character I’m most similar to? That idea is one I’ve never seen before, and it’s super interesting to me!

Pronouns: She/they

MBTI Type and Enneagram: ENFJ, 2w1

Star Signs: Taurus Sun, Libra Moon, Leo Rising

Personality: I consider myself to be someone who starts out rather shy around people. I open up fairly quickly, and have been told that I have a very positive personality. My sense of humor lingers much more in the sarcastic field, which can be somewhat offputting to people who don’t know that. I try to do what I can to help other people when they need it, and I’m sometimes told that I can bite off more than I can chew in that regard. I tend to listen more than I talk, and I am a fairly perceptive person. I’m also a major perfectionist.

Likes: Classic literature, jasmine tea, cats, the rain/thunderstorms, snow, making lists/organizing, making playlists

Dislikes: Spiders, needles, clowns, hot weather/summery weather, heights, loud noises

Hobbies: Reading and writing, making playlists, archery, baking, crocheting

Other information: I am an education student in college! I’m an oldest child and I have been told that it shows with most people 😅

Thank you so much in advance! This is super sweet.

Hey there. I haven't gotten a personality match up in a while, so this was cool to see one in my inbox. I'm just going to say it...

You are most like...

Nico Robin!!!

Reading and literature. What else needs to be said about that?

Robin loves to learn and since you are an education student, I assume to really enjoy both teaching others and learning new things.

Like you, Robin always tries to led a hand (no pun intended).

You both enjoy quiet spaces and tea.

Like Miss All Sunday, you both are introverted

And let's not forget about the love of tea!

I feel like she it the steortypical older sibiling, but like you, in the best way.

I swear there are so many Nico Robins in tumblr. It's not a bad thing, it’s actually cool. It is just a fact. I hope you like it!

#one piece #trafalgar d vivi #one piece personality matchups #one piece matchups #one piece matching icons #nico robin #nico robin one piece #op robin #robin op #miss all sunday

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transhawks · 1 year

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Hello! First things first, I'd like to thank you for the amazing meta you posted. It's a wonderful insight on both the dynamic between Twice and Hawks and Japanese culture with confessiona, so different from Western culture.

Second - I had to read the meta twice (pun intended) before coming with a few questions I hope you won't mind answering. I think you explained everything perfectly, so they are mostly me... speculating? Drawing conclusions? I don't know.

1. So, the "confession scene" is between Jin and Keigo. The latter, however, is seen as Hawks in that scene from Jin's perspective - as the hero, not the human underneath. You elaborated on this clearly. This arc plays out recalling past actions from previous arcs, and all the characters need closure in one way or another. I am also referring to Keigo, in chapter 299, mentioning how someone's true nature is revealed when pushed into a corned - but Keigo wasn't acting on his nature when killing Twice, he was pushing down his sentiments to carrying on his "duty"; that, at least in how I see it, was the mask, Hawks', nature (nurture?).

You also expandend on Hawks and his issues with trusting others, be it from hero work to emotions, and how trust was a core part of Twice and Hawks' dynamic - or, better, the lack of trust. This made me think of Tokoyami reminding Hawks, during the fight vs. All for One, he can trust him and Hawks' shocked expression.

Another conflict between Twice and Hawks appears inevitable at this point, even if Hawks tries to avoid it - so I was thinking, would it be possible we get a recall of the "confession", and actually see both the characters' natures this time? Is it possible we'll get finally a show of genuine trust? It's late for Hawks to save Twice at this point, he failed for all the reasons you stated, he can't go back and it's not his role; I, however, see BNHA as a very hopeful story, and maybe I'm being too wishful on this one, but I think a good cloruse for both characters is reaching an understanding that wasn't there - not as hero or villain, but as people, humans, bare in front of each other.

2. Just a curiosity: if I remember correctly, you mentioned a few times how important it is to use the characters' names and aliases and how you can play with them and their meaning. You did this in the meta talking about Hawks and Keigo, so I'd like to ask - was the switch from using Keigo to using Hawks in the last part (starting with "Hawks is not a high-schooler") and switching from Jin to Twice, intentional? Maybe I'm reading a bit too much into it, but it came across as premeditative. Though, I tend to focus too much into details sometimes, to the point I might miss the bigger picture, which... my bad.

Thought I had more to ask, but again, you elabrorated on the topic so well there's not much to ask about - at least not from me. Most of the questions I had were already answered in deep details.

Again, if you wish to not answer, especially the first question since it's more a bit of speculation and you might not like to give possible conclusions before the story ends, it's completely fine.

Have a nice day/evening!

Hi, thank you for the thoughtful ask! Let's get into it - because I know that 6,500 word meta is a lot and something to chew over, so I really don't mind discussing it.

I am also referring to Keigo, in chapter 299, mentioning how someone's true nature is revealed when pushed into a corned - but Keigo wasn't acting on his nature when killing Twice, he was pushing down his sentiments to carrying on his "duty"; that, at least in how I see it, was the mask, Hawks', nature (nurture?).

I am of two minds on this - I strongly believe Hawks is mentally ill, and repressing it, so his "actual" nature is a bit lost to us unless we see through the crops. However, you're right in that Keigo was actively going against his own nature and sense of self to kill Jin.

That’s the story Hawks and Twice are being used to tell by Horikoshi! To kill Jin, Hawks had to cast away sentiment, feelings, compassion for Jin, and so he did, at the same time sacrificed his own humanity to do so.

The kind of heroism that asks Hawks to do these things is inhumane. It’s the kind that expects people to kill the child in themselves, kill the friend, kill the compassion, and kill the person to become what it believes is a hero.

A snippet from one of my metas on this topic - that Jin's name meaning humanity, that Jin constantly being shown as so utterly human, was a good way to introduce this idea that the "heroism" that created Hawks was inhumane. Keigo was just a boy who wanted to help people, after all.

I do think there will be some closure with Keigo and Jin. While I foresee a breakdown first for Keigo, I have a feeling Keigo and his clones will be used at the end to turn a tide for the heroes, completing the "all became heroes" aspect we're clearly headed for. I do think Keigo apologizing, admitting he was wrong, and probably reiterating what he actually felt is the best possible end to this arc. Stripped of all his protections, down to his "truth", I think Keigo can actually come across sincere this time around. When Jin and him speak not as Hero and Villain but as just two men.

You did this in the meta talking about Hawks and Keigo, so I'd like to ask - was the switch from using Keigo to using Hawks in the last part (starting with "Hawks is not a high-schooler") and switching from Jin to Twice, intentional? Maybe I'm reading a bit too much into it, but it came across as premeditative.

Congratulations! You're the first person who has ever noticed I do this in several years. I can't say I managed to not slip up in the meta, but yes, it's absolutely premediated. I make a clear distinction when I wish to speak about Hawks and Keigo in meta AND ESPECIALLY fic. In fic I'm extremely careful with what I call Keigo and when I make the switch and honestly use it as a literary device - for example when Hawks grows so disillusioned with heroism in Chapter 2 of my fic Minutes, I made the switch to Keigo. In meta, I don't do it as much, but I did it more this time around. Like I said, this meta was really special. I've wanted to write it since Spring 2020. The emphasis on Hawks and Keigo as separate identities is central to this idea of who Hawks really is, so I decided to explore it.

Thanks again for the ask. I'm really pleased with how much you noticed!

#asks #my meta #my writing

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divinefireangel · 3 years

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Being in Quarantine with Justin H Min will include:

Disclaimer: This is just a work of fiction. If this piece of fan fiction is offensive to any celebrity, fandom or culture please let me know so I can take it down. Also note that this is my version of a character or celeb, which will vary from person to person.

Author's Note: I'm back with my 2nd Justin HC 🥳. I know a few of you wanted me to write more so here you go! I hope you like it!!

Copyright: Please note that this is my work and if you want to publish this on any other platform, take my permission before doing so. Taking an author's work and posting it somewhere else without any intimation is just disrespectful. I readily welcome suggestions and criticisms. That being said, Happy reading! 🤍

Warnings: A little bit sensual, but I've mentioned it as "NSFW" where it starts. Nothing explicit either way. 15+ and female readers TwT sorry (nothing specified with respect to appearance, etc of reader). It's mostly the NSFW part tho.

Fuck this man got more hot okay

I didn't even think it was possible lol

Yeah so you both go to Toronto for his work because you don't wanna be separated from each other 🥺

Literally all you do is sleep and eat and read

You cook new things everyday

You have to make the best of the time you have anyway

It's mostly him cooking cuz god knows if this man can cook or not lmao

Daily routine may include but not necessarily limited to :

Waking up late

He wakes up early to workout

Sometimes you pretend to sleep just to see him workout ;)

Then you both shower together

And read while cuddling on the couch

When the sunlight shows up you both move to the sofa and continue reading

Running your hands through his hair which is now a lil longer than the buzz cut tg

Giving each other massages

Mainly you giving him massages

Napping together

Tracing his biceps

Cuz he has never had them and you just wanna appreciate the effort he put in to make them bigger

Making his protein shake much more consumable than what ever the hell he does

You try and bake stuff for the cast and crew to take once the quarantine is over

How well it turns out is all you and your baking skills sis

You try to make boba

Doesn't come out great cuz it's difficult to make

You try and distract him from his zoom table reads lol

And you fail 💀

Cuz he ignores you :(

But as soon as he closes his laptop he runs to you and kisses your face all over till you start to giggle cuz this man's is a simp for you

See. You are young people with needs

NSFW

He has more needs 😉

So he tries to get his freak on as many times as he can

Before going to bed

On the sofa

The couch

The kitchen table

The shower

The fucking floor (pun intended)

Whenever he gets bored from reading or wants to take a break,

Make out sessions

sO MANY of em

Even if all you want is a kiss, he's like no, no you don't

And BAM

Y'all make out till you can't breathe anymore

Biting his lip

Biting his ear

Chewing on his gold chain

Pulling his gold chain

Are a few highlights 🤤

And just imagine him running his hands up and down you

Like your waist and hips and butt and back and boobs and stuff uk

That freaky shit XD

He just can't get enough of you

Watching movies before falling asleep

Well trying to

Because he can't keep his hands to himself

Lingering touches that seem innocent but are not

I feel like his fave cuddle positions are when either you or him are laying in the other's lap

Or when your back is pressed to his chest

That's mainly when he gets handsy

Runs his fingertips through your hair and shoulders and down your hand till he reaches you palm

Pulls it back and kisses the back of it and intertwines his fingers with yours brb crying

Kisses and licks your neck when you are sitting like that

You can literally feel those fangs scarping your skin

It's just plain hot

NSFW over

Tries to put his face in the crook of your neck often

You whine cuz his non existent beard is prickly

But he does it anyway cuz it's cute and he knows it

Taking tons and tons and TONS of selfies

Sending them to his fam

Them being oh so adorable and loving your relationship

You kiss his jaw a lot

Cuz it's sharper now and that's also probably the height you can reach anyway (Calling all short ones out here ✌🏽)

Having deep talks too if you have time left after all of this lol

And everyday falling in love all over and over

If you've been dating for a while, he probably decides to propose as soon as he finds a ring worthy of you 🥺

Since he wakes up before you, he will definitely stare at you while you sleep

Baby boy might even tear up thinking that he can never love anyone as much as you 😭

And you feel the same way

Screen shot credit:- Me

Honestly all this is that goddamn insta story's fault.

Look at him 🥵

Update: He can't cook even if his life depended on it 😂😭 It's okay babe I can cook for you XD.

Gifs/any media belongs to rightful owners.

#justin h min #justin hongkee min #justin min imagine #justin min fluff #justin min x reader #justin min headcanon #ben hargreeves #tua cast imagine #the umbrella academy #giving myself major feels 😭#justin min smut #justin min

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seattlesea · 3 years

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Percy Jackson Characters as High School Students

Percy: -Waits for the last minute to do an assignment -Is captain of the swim team -Always has Annabeth tutor him when he doesn’t understand something -Dozes off a lot in class -Studies the night before a test but studies hard (he has a lot of good study tips from Annabeth) -Goes to the bathroom at least twice every class cause he drinks so much water -Seems like the slacker troublemaker who will fail every class but he actually works hard and does all his work so he can get into a good college with Annabeth -Friends with everyone in his class -Never raises his hand but usually knows the answer -Has a label as a trouble-maker but hasn’t ever actually done anything bad and tries hard to break himself away from that label

Annabeth: -In all honors and AP classes -Works the hardest out of everyone -Always asks for extra credit even though she has a 5.0 GPA and gets good grades on every test and assignment -Likes to read and study in the library -Everyone goes to her when they’re stuck on something and she’s always willing to help -The one to read in math class -Daydreams about random things during lessons she already knows everything about -Does quite a few extracurricular -Leader and founder of the school’s book club -Usually has a hot chocolate or coffee with her

Jason: -Captain of the football team -The Golden Boy -Half the class loves him cause he’s so nice and the other half hate him cause he’s such a teacher’s pet -Never breaks the rules or cheats -Nice to everyone and studies hard -Sucks at science -But he’s pretty good at math -Loves gym class -The one to tell people (especially Percy, Thalia, and Leo) to focus when they’re goofing off in class -Super inclusive and will always invite someone who’s sitting or working alone to join him

Piper: -That one kid in class everyone knows but isn’t super popular -Pretty decent GPA but doesn’t want a formal job -Does the best in history class -Chews gum super loudly in class -Uses ten different colored pens for notes -Has a bunch of stickers on all her notebooks and folders -Focuses in class most of the time but will sometimes doze off -Studies well but doesn’t care that much about education -Overall a good student but not the best in some classes -That one girl every guy has a crush on but she doesn’t want to make any new friends cause she’s never sure if they like her for her or for her money

Frank: -The Softie -Everyone loves him, including teachers -Will apologize like he stepped on a puppy if he misses one assignment -Studies really hard but sometimes doesn’t get the lesson -Loves being tutored by Annabeth, she’s one of the only ones who can explain the lesson without making it confusing -Participates in a bunch of extracurricular and sports -Can’t do math for shit -Would never cheat even if his life depended on it -Nice to everyone but won’t hesitate to get all up in a bully’s face -Brings a bunch of snacks to class and shares with everyone

Hazel: -Participates in all the plays and musicals (and usually gets the starring role, she’s a great actress and singer) -Super nice to everyone and people try to take advantage of that but she’s actually tough as hell and her motto is ‘Do no harm but take no shit’ but overall she’s a literal gem (pun intended) -Usually sits in the back but always raises her hand when a teacher asks a question and won’t hesitate to ask a question when she’s confused -Actually super smart and loves reading and does really well in her classes -Loves history class -In French class but it’s super confusing for her cause she grew up learning Louisiana French, not France French -Has a super organized desk, backpack, and locker and all her notes are super neat and pretty -Writes in cursive all the time -Focuses a lot but tends to daydream when the lesson is too boring -Loves listening to music and chewing on ice and pencils while she’s working and studying

Leo: -Can’t pay attention for shit -But he’s extremely smart so he gets good grades in everything, especially math -People are surprised when he gets a 100% on the test almost everyone failed and he always gets accused of cheating -Always willing to help tutor people in math -Fidgets a lot and taps his pen furiously on the desk while taking a test -Always cracks jokes and is the class clown and the teachers secretly love him even though he’s their worst nightmare -The one to put gum under the desks -Doesn’t focus in class but studies super hard and might miss one or two assignments when he’s busy or stressed out and is in all Honors and AP classes -In a bunch of different after-school groups -On the basketball team

Reyna: -Also super smart and seems super intimidating but is actually really approachable and nice and loves helping people who are stuck -Gets good grades in pretty much everything and is one of the smartest in the class and is also in all Honors and AP classes -On the football team and loves gym class (especially weight-lifting class) -Usually quiet and serious but will joke around like Leo during lunch and study hall -Whenever someone’s too shy to ask a question to the teacher, they go to her or she asks the teacher for them -Will punch a bully in the face without question -Everything she has is super organized and neat, especially her handwriting -The best at group projects and everyone chooses her to be in their group first but she’ll always pick Nico over them -Comforts stressed out students, gives the best mom hugs, and even brings them coffee and breakfast at times -Always has a coffee with her that she’s willing to share with anyone along with any snacks she brings and as the Mom Friend she often brings snacks to class to share with everyone

Nico: -The one kid that’s still emo in 2021 -Super quiet but focuses and studies really hard -Tries his best to get good grades but since he missed the last century or so has a lot to catch up on with math, science, history, etc. and Reyna and Annabeth are always willing to help him -Mixes energy drinks and coffee -Is also- along with Reyna- a great comforter for stressed out students -The teachers worry for him cause he’s so quiet and reclusive but really he’s in a great place, he just doesn’t like social interaction -Does his homework last minute or at 3 AM -Wears a bunch of pride merch to school and sends death glares to anyone who looks at him weird (so will Reyna, Jason, and Hazel) -Studies for finals three weeks before they arrive -Mostly in regular classes but in one or two Honors

Thalia: -The punk and basic trouble-maker -Every teacher hates her but all the students love her cause she’s so hilarious, rebellious, and badass -Won’t hesitate to point out a teacher’s bullshit (‘The bell doesn’t dismiss us my ass it’s called the dismissal bell Karen’) -Gets into fights a lot -All the teachers want to bust her but they can never catch her in the act -Vandalizes the school on a daily basis -Pretty smart but doesn’t bother with the work or focusing even if she knows she can -Though she does have pretty decent grades cause Reyna forces her to do the work -Will protect any and every student against a rude teacher or staff member no matter what -On the track team and is a super fast runner

Rachel: -Art nerd (and theater nerd) -Participates with Hazel in the school’s plays and musicals -The best in art class and can do Van Gogh-level paintings -Always brings iced tea and a variety of fruits to class -Skips lunch to draw and paint more in the library -Friends with pretty much everyone and spoils her friends with super cool and expensive school supplies -The most popular besides Jason -Above average intelligence and does really well in her classes, loves helping others and has a really good GPA, is in quite a few Honors and AP classes, and studies and works hard -The only one who can actually focus but will get distracted with sketching random things (especially things in the class) often -All her notes are super colorful and pretty with a bunch of drawings in the margins and she drew all over her notebooks, folders, and backpacks and will sometimes unintentionally draw really detailed drawings all over the desks

#heroes of olympus #demigods #high school #high school au #students #percy jackson #annabeth chase #jason grace #frank zhang #hazel levesque #leo valdez #reyna ramirez arellano #reyna avila ramirez arellano #nico di angelo #thalia grace #rachel dare #rachel elizabeth dare #should i write a fanfic #or would that be cliche

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violet-t-9 · 3 years

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Check in on my (not very realistic) wish list for episode 137

1. Sheepleb interactions, I don’t care with whom - I need sheepleb my beloved to interact with people for reasons. I know the sheep-shifting may only last for 1 minutes but that’s 10 rounds, surely enough to get some sweet RP in.

YES Cad grab the sheep yes YASHA SCRATCH THAT BELLY sheepleb interactions my beloved. Jester yes make sheepleb move his cute little ears I love y’all. YES SHEEPLEB chew on Yasha’s coat. I never knew I would love a sheep but I do now apparently. Yasha continuing to pet sheepleb and continuing to hold Caleb after he shifts back I love her so much-

2. Caleb or Beau accidentally and telepathically speak to people by thinking too loudly. I can’t wait for their reactions, it will be hilarious.

Well, Caleb did so but more deliberately, and it was more enlightening than hilarious lol.

3. Beau and Caleb discover the third function of their eyes (if dark vision is included in true sight, then they are missing one feature).

Nope, the eyes were used against them again to expose their locations, but haven’t ever been used for mind control yet, so I’m okay with that.

4. Beau and Caleb do not gain any new eyes (pretty please, come on).

I mean they have bigger problems but yeah I got what I wanted!

5. Wait no it’s the astral sea there is no wild magic effect anymore :( but can they at least encounter some unique astral sea creatures, features or something as fun as Aeorian wild magic.

Well... That was a lot of astral sea creatures. More precisely creepy meaty enemies. I think it was fun! In a horrifying way, but fun.

6. Someone mentions Yussa and discuss the probability of saving him (honestly though I don’t know how that’s going to work).

Jester mentioned Yussa pretty soon but I think they are a bit... preoccupied to save anyone at the moment, oops.

7. Getting closer to the city and discovering more of its nature/power/how to stop it.

Wow that city description is cool oh boy I got chills from the empty city suddenly bustling with people. Also that Caleb telepathy experiment is so creepy and terrifying. Is the city alive?! With flesh and teeth?! EuughhHHh. Timorei the terrified rebel/Fear they first met (who seemed to be on Lucien’s side), with Elatis and Luctus opposing him? The Aether crux??! Ira/Wrath who acted in a sort of beast-like way and seemed antagonistic towards Mirumus and Gaudius?? It’s good to know the Somnovem are in fact far from one mind - their opinions seem pretty divided. Aether crux might be the way to go, couldn’t they just destroy all the Somnovem, since they want M9 to kill some of them anyways? Does the entire city function like a living body?

8. Beau and Yasha continue to flirt even in the astral sea and travel side-by-side or physically interact.

Twin initiative 21 yeah let’s go- wait when I said physical interaction I didn’t mean it like that come on!! Stop hitting each other. Also Yasha’s small “I love you but” aww. It was still a little bit flirty somehow lol loved it. ALSO the air kiss was so cute I can’t with these two and their awesome PDA. They also searched the building together!

9. Jester really doting on Artagan/Sprinkle like she never did before.

I mean, she paid him way more attention that’s for sure :D

10. Jester and Fjord have a longer one-on-one conversation or fight like a badass battle couple that they are.

Hey they were both great in combat and explored together!

11. Obligatory wish for Essek’s fancy dunamancy or magical items (Bonus: we get to see one of those high-damage AOE offensive spells that he couldn’t cast).

AYY LIGHTNING BOLT HYPE! It was sort of an AOE too! Loved his flair as always. It’s not dunamancy technically but I’m counting it because cool purple-black spell.

12. Obligatory wish for Caleb’s polymorph spell (sheepleb was perfect, GIVE ME MORE).

Nope, but the sheepleb we got was awesome.

13. Tiny Veth interactions with party members (Bonus: with Fjord, or sheepleb).

Nope, the effect probably didn’t last long? Or they just forgot about tiny Veth lol.

14. The party members try to reach Molly through Lucien and Lucien reacting more to things that they say.

They didn’t catch up to Lucien at all, but I have a feeling that they will next episode.

15. They catch up to Lucien and Cree somehow and manage to stop them from returning the city to the world (or at least start the combat).

Combat was started at the end of the episode with Cree! They did catch up to Cree! This is going in the right direction at least.

16. Successful divine intervention from Cad or Jester.

At least Cad and Jester both tried! They weren’t successful, but still.

17. Yasha decides to brute force through a problem and succeeds like the true Barbarian that she is.

I mean, all the combat is brute-force and Yasha did eliminate one of the flesh horror monsters with her cool holy avenger swing!

18. Someone pushes the big red button and derails them.

Nope! They’ve been focused and on task and that’s good!

19. The wizards and their complicated whatever it is being addressed or developed more.

Not Caleb smirking at Essek using fire bolt then proceeding to use one himself and get a natural 20 I- that was so cool?? What?? Have I mentioned that I love those wizards because I love them. They also float the fastest of course.

20. Heroes’ feast/short rest or a long rest that they well deserve (Bonus: they have great rolls on the HP).

Nope, but I mean they probably need one soon.

21. Obligatory wish for Essek’s room in the tower.

Yeah nah this one is just a permanent feature on the wish list don’t mind it.

22. Oblitagory wish for Cad being a MVP in and out of combat.

Cad turned Caleb back (baaaaaaye sheepleb I love you), healed the group and discovered a lot about how the city worked, including using decompose.

23. Veth being thirsty for Davexian still, or for whatever other Astral sea creature they are going to meet.

“Want to do some apple picking?” LMAO I’m not gonna count that of course but it was funny.

24. Obligatory wish for everyone to remain relatively happy and alive by the end of the episode except Lucien and Cree (they can perish, but now I kinda want Lucien to not die since he had some strange reactions), and the episode ends on a terrifying cliffhanger as always.

Score: 12/24

Welp, that took a turn. I did not expect so much Eldritch horror and expected way more humour (which in hindsight was unwise considering how the story is going lol), but honestly I’m not complaining one bit. Matt’s voice acting and everybody’s performance are top notch and the world-building is just *chef’s kiss*, terrifying or not.

Bonus:

The subtitles said “bleating” when everybody yelled before the opening theme I’m dead lmao also “some a bit sheepish”, courtesy pun of the DM.

“I mean... *bleats*” hahahah I love sheepleb so much

Poor Essek had to start the combat on low HP, sadness. To be fair, our wonderful DM was busy playing many characters and giving beautiful expositions and the players were busy being captivated by all that!

“When in Aeor” Fjord lmao making his face into a big red eyeball, as one does.

Torrent of Teeth ughhhhhAHH what an attack name

Caleb casting Widogast’s Web of Fire was the hottest thing I’ve seen, no pun intended - it was hotttt.

#critical role spoilers #critical role #cr liveblog #cr spoilers #c2e137 #the mighty nein #manifest list

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doomonfilm · 3 years

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Thoughts : WandaVision [Disney+, Episodes 1-3] (2021)

2020 may have delayed the MCU’s rollover into Phase 4 with COVID-19 and theater closings putting a huge stumbling block in front of the perpetually delayed Black Widow film, but with box office not a factor in regards to WandaVision, the powers that be have moved forward with premiering the series on the Disney+ streaming service. With talk of the film being a setup for the incoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (not to mention an alternate take on the infamous House of M comic story), the levels of intrigue were definitely high, and with the 3 of the scheduled 9 episodes currently streaming, there may be more questions than answers in the minds of viewers.

THE STORY THUS FAR

Episode 01 : Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) settle into the town of Westview to begin the next chapter of their once troubled life. One morning, Vision notices a heart placed on the calendar for that day, but Wanda and Vision are unsure of what the heart represents. After Vision leaves for work, Wanda’s neighbor Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) introduces herself, and immediately interjects herself into Wanda’s plans for the “special night”. Vision, however, is reminded by his boss Mr. Hart (Fred Melamed) that he and his wife (Debra Jo Rupp) will be coming to Vision’s house for dinner, setting up two sets of alternate plans for a collision course to wackiness.

Episode 02 : Don’t Touch That Dial Wanda and Vision take part in the Westview talent show (”for the children”) as Glamour and Illusion for a magic act. Agnes introduces Wanda to Dottie (Emma Caulfield Ford), the head lady of Westview, whose firm leadership style causes tension in the run-up to the event. Vision attempts to integrate himself with the Neighborhood Watch, but a chewing gum-based mishap throws him for a major loop that puts both the magic act and the identities of Wanda and Vision at risk.

Episode 03 : Now in Color A surprise pregnancy forces Wanda and Vision to plan for welcoming a child into their home, but strange events begin to occur surrounding the pregnancy. Rather than the standard 9 month period, Wanda’s pregnancy accelerates at an exponentially rapid rate that not only causes Vision stress, but impacts Wanda’s ability to control her magic. When the pregnancy abruptly begins, Vision runs to fetch Dr. Nielsen (Randy Oglesby), but before they can return, Wanda’s neighbor and new friend Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) lends a hand. In the aftermath, however, Geraldine shows her hand, causing even more confusion in Wanda’s world.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Emergency Awesome YouTube Channel

New Rockstars YouTube Channel

ScreenCrush YouTube Channel

These three YouTube channels are known for their timely and in-depth analysis of many properties, and they have continued this tradition by uploading episode recaps and element breakdowns for WandaVision.

THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW Stylistically, WandaVision is a bold choice for the MCU, opting to re-skin our main characters in different versions of nostalgic television eras and shows rather than building a unique look or leaning on established locations within the previously established MCU world. As a former Nick at Nite junkie, as well as a product of the 1980s, I was very familiar with the numerous shows explicitly referenced, and the use of practical effects and single camera setup was emulated perfectly. The adjustment of watching two of the MCU’s most powerful characters attempt to minimalize themselves within the formulaic framework of sitcom television from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s is a bit of a rough one at first, as the story seemingly is traveling in the reverse direction of our expectations, but not so far beneath the primary layer shown, there seems to be a world of intrigue bubbling in the anticipation of being discovered.

Currently, there are tons of elements that seem like Easter Eggs, but I am almost certain that they will factor in as key parts of the story in due time. The primary bit of visual stimulus that has most people buzzing is the S.W.O.R.D. imagery, an organization similar to S.H.I.E.L.D., but with a focus on intergalactic and mystic threats rather than superheroes and governmental communication. Much of the jewelry and flare worn by the women of the show seem to contain relevant symbolism of some sort : Agnes wears a pin that seems to have 3 characters on it (perhaps a reference to Mephisto, Wiccan and Speed?), Geraldine (aka Monica Rambeau) is introduced with a pin that looks A LOT like the dimensional gateways created by Doctor Strange’s sling ring, and Geraldine later wears a necklace with the aforementioned S.W.O.R.D. symbol (which is also seen on the toy helicopter and the uniform of the mysterious beekeeper).

It is also currently unclear who the antagonist (or possible multiple antagonists) of the story are... Agnes and Dottie have both been pegged as early candidates, with tons of speculation swirling around the possibility of Agnes being Agatha Harkness and perhaps working in league with Mephisto, Grim Reaper or Nightmare. There is also a groundswell of viewers who wonder if Wanda is the villain of the story, which leans into the House of M theory in the sense that it has not been established if Wanda is currently cognizant of her reality or not. This theory is also fueled by the strange behavior(s) of those who inhabit Westview : most everyone falls into a sitcom trope performance when around Wanda, but at times, people seemed to get locked into weird, uncanny valley level “glitches”, or are outright accusatory of Wanda and Vision’s intentions.

The characters (and acting) in the show is solid so far, despite the lack of context or clarity in regards to the bigger picture.

Wanda is playing an Americanized, sitcom-esque version of herself. She still seemingly has some version of her powers, as she can manipulate objects with her mind and control time. It is unclear how much she is in control of what we’re seeing, versus someone else being in control or there being a complete lack of control.

Vision’s tragic sacrifice, rebirth and immediate death is well documented from the events of Avengers : Infinity War, and yet, he seems to be alive, devoted to Wanda, and completely unaware of his tragic deaths. Up to this point, he feels like a bit of a pawn in a bigger game, rather than the all-powerful and all-knowing sentient synthetic weapon that he is.

Agnes is by far the biggest mystery of the show up to this point. The lion’s share of character theories revolve around her, her references to the Devil, darkness and her absentee husband Ralph. She is the most present character outside of Wanda and Vision, she seems to be “in on the joke”, and her demeanor is a bit more forward than the rest of Westview’s inhabitants. Up until episode 03, Agnes felt like she may even be in control, but the fear she shows in episode 03 only serves to blur the lines further.

If Agnes seems to be the most aware of her surroundings, then Geraldine stands in stark (no pun intended) contrast, as she more often than not expresses confusion in regards to her presence in Westview. She has adorned the symbolism of S.W.O.R.D. on her outfit, and at one point, she has a pin that resembles a dimensional gateway (as mentioned previously). She has also made the most jarring statement of the series so far, seemingly snapping out of the “spell” everyone seems to be under and reminding Wanda directly about the tragic loss she suffered at the hands of Ultron.

With six episodes left to go, and a seemingly direct march through the relevant eras of television before we get to the root of the matter, it is highly likely that episodes four, five and six will feature further sitcom stylings of the 1980s and 1990s, and possibly even the 2000s, before switching into a standard MCU-style narrative. Regardless, I am now hooked, and will plan to provide a blog after the release of episodes six and nine, focusing on three episodes at a time.

THE QUESTIONS As per usual with shows of this nature, there are a ton of things going on that raise a multitude of questions...

- What’s with all of the hexagon imagery? Are we in some sort of hive, or is the town of Westview trapped in hive-mind situation?

- Who specifically is controlling Wanda’s reality? It seems that Wanda can control the flow of time to an extent, but it has been established numerous times she is being watched from the “outside”... is it possible she is also being watched from within the world of Westview that Wanda inhabits? Maybe by the mailman, or by Agnes?

- How “real” is the Vision that we are seeing? Is he some sort of recreated Vision made from whatever was salvageable after his encounter with Thanos? Is he a manifestation of Wanda in some way, shape or form? Is Wanda connected to a computer, and is Vision just a computer program at this point, like JARVIS?

- Who is the beekeeper from the second episode?

- What’s the story with the commercials, and how do they fit into what has been presented to us? Stark Industries, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and HYDRA have all been referenced in the commercials directly, and all deal with elements of time and escape. Also, who are the two people that star in the commercial? It’s been the same two, and the woman has appeared in all three commercials?

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chaotichuman0090 · 4 years

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"His safest place" | Kayden Vescovi x Josephine Everhart

A/n: YESSS it's finally here!!!! My first fic! 🥳🥳 Well it was done a while ago (after a lot of planning), but I'm posting it now because I finally have some spare time and space lmao.😅

That being said, I didn't expect it to be so long (no pun intended). I should've probably split it in two parts but eh...

It's been a nice experience. Might do it again sometimes. I'd also prescribe a dose of Kayden to everyone here. I mean, just take a look at him.... *whew* 🥵

Oh, by the way, tell me if you catch any mistakes or weird typos, please. (english is my second language so I might get things wrong sometime).

This is set a few months after the end of the book.

Pairing: Kayden Vescovi - MC (Josephine Everhart) | The Royal Masquerade |

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Vonberry is the name I gave to my dear bear cub, bless him! 🧡

Words: 3370

Warnings: N*FW content (basically the whole second part, no pressure; almost smut at the end of the first part too. Almost because... I just thought it would be too much for a first attempt)

Tagging: @walkerswhiskeygirl @masquerade-reimagined @kayann9

P.s. Thank you guys for your support!! I appreciate it and it helped a lot! Sorry to keep you waiting though..

I can't wait to hear what you think of this. Big hugs!

If you'd like to be tagged in future let me know!

Okay. Enjoy!!!

Annalisa paced the outside of Josephine's house, growing slightly unpatient, yet still feeling overjoyed at the thought of seeing her sister after so long.

It was well past noon when she arrived after a whole day journey. It didn't took much for her to take matter into her own hands and went to see how she's doing.

And today was a day she was looking forward to.

She scowled at herself and leaned her back against the railing and examined the little garden in front of her. Last time she had seen her sister was after King Fabian's coronation.

When she finally felt like she had enough of wating she decided to go inside, leaving the door open on her way in.

The sweet, delicious smell of fresh baked goods instantly reaches her nose as she quickly moved closer, she heard the faint sound of Josephine's voice and stops into the doorway without announcing herself yet.

"Vonberry, I told you before, you are not allowed in when I'm baking, you little... oh.." Josephine looked behind and stopped abruptly. It was safe to say she was taken aback by the person in front of her.

"Annalisa?"

She didn't have enough time to react as her sister enveloped her in a big hug that reminded them both of all the moments they've spent together at the Everhart estate.

"What... what are you doing here?" She stammered on her words, her eyes glossy and full of emotions accompanied by a big smile on her face.

"Well, forgive me for wanting to see how my dear sister is doing." Annalisa remarked quickly, puling back from the hug."I only hope you missed me just as much."

"You know what I mean." Josephine said, looking fondly at her.

"I suppose you've been quite busy."she said, looking around the messy room, with a grin on her face. There was flour and pastries of all kinds spread on the counter.

"I think I had spent all morning here."Josephine let out a long breath, the corner of her mouth curled upwards.

"Did you came all the way here alone?"She asked her sister, surprised.

"I did not came here on a fancy carriage with two white horses and dozens of sevrants anyway, if that's what you're asking." Annalisa stated with a lightly amused tone, expresing how giddy she felt about their reunion.

"I always knew you had an odd sense of humor". Josephine's eyes glimmered, matching the smirk in the corner of her mouth.

Their sweet joyful laugh echoed through the halls, in the whole house. Josephine decided to finish her task later, before joining her sister at the table, proceed on serving a cup of tea and carried on with the conversation.

"So, tell me, how did you adapt to your new life? And Kayden?" The question gained Annalisa a funny look and a quiet snort. To her disbelief she continued ..."He better treat you well or so help me-"

"Of course he does. He's... a dream come true" Josephine responded quickly, reminiscing about their wonderful, precious memories together, with a soft smile plastered on her face the whole time.

" I know, sister. I was merely joking." An easy smile replacing her previous frown.

"Anyone can see it on his face. He loves you with all his being. He would give his life only for you to be happy. It's a strong love. It's unbreakable." Annalisa said while looking her in the eyes.

"Speaking of which," Josephine spoke after a small pause. "I presume things are going well with Percival." She looked up, raising a brow, a teasing smile on her lips.

"Oh, you know how self-restraint he can be sometimes," Annalisa declared nonchalantly, "But we balance each other, since I'm an excellent lover, so to speak." She remarked with a grin, nodding proudly to herself.

A brief utterly childlike laugh escaped Josephine's lips, dissolving soon into a fit of laughter and her sister followed her soon.

"You're a breath of fresh air, Annalisa!" She said with a shake of her head.

The truth was she couldn't wait to spend the rest of the day in the company of her dear sister, catching up after long time away.

After Annalisa left, Josephine began preparing diner for her and Kayden, deciding on a delicious roasted chicken over a bed of fresh, hearty vegetables.

Everything was done by the time Kayden arrived home and she carefully put the meal on a tray with legs, picking out a few baked rolls as well, and took them to the table.

Needless to say the food tasted delicious as usuall, the rich aroma of the dish making her mouth water.

They ate in comfortable silence, listening to the wind gusting through the tree branches outside.

He watched her pick a small piece of meat off with her fingers and pop it into her mouth, chewing slowly.

A sweet smile reached her lips as she looked up at him, watching his hand that is holding the wine glass while picking at the food in his plate.

"I can tell your mind is full of busy thoughts without reading it. How can I help?" Josephine asked with evident concern, placing her hand on top of his.

Kayden looked down at their hands and mumbled something inchoerent, then cleared his throat.

He gave a quick shrug as a response while keeping his eyes on the table, looking lost in thoughts.

Slowly, he stood, and rounded the table to her, offering his hand. After a few moments she took it and he helped her stand but didn't go anywhere.

"Dance with me?" The question left his lips hesitantly, almost like he tried to restain his desire.

She agreed, allowing him to twirl her around, soon developing into a mix of passion and heavy, graceful footsteps without the steady drum of music.

They moved together, her arched back over a bridge of emotions, relishing the way their breath quicken with each step, feet guiding them across the floor, spinning, dibs, slow sways and more.

They danced for a while, the candlelight flickering shadows across the room. Nither of them said anything, feeling content with the silence.

Kayden was holing her, but not the way he held her the first time they danced, months ago, or even after that. He didn't hold her like she was his saving grace, his light in a world of darkness. Instead he held her softly and sweetly like they've been lovers for years. Like she was his safest place.

Josephine held him back that way, as she imagined a wife would hold her husband, lovingly, wrapping her arms tighter around him, closing her eyes and leaning in to rest her head on his chest.

Kayden welcomed her embrace, holding her tighter as well.

Their pace slowed and they stayed in one place , moving as only seemed natural.

"I love how we're always in perfect sync". Josephine said with a small smile playing on her lips.

Kayden did not reply to her straight away, instead he debates on a way to express his next words.

"With all the time I spent working these past few days," he continued carefully "I neglected you."

"Forgive me." Kayden's voice sounded tense and concerned for a moment; he looked deeply into her eyes, before kissing the top of her head.

"You need a break you know" Josephine gave a quiet sigh then raised on her tip toes to give him a delicate kiss filled with desire and devotedness, her hands sliding from his jaw to his hair, lips not breaking apart as their emotions took hold on them.

"I am taking a break now and... plainly wishing you would join me in our room later." His breathless, husky voice was close to her ear now, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Careful, Kayden. I might just keep you there for good." Josephine went on, waiting for a reaction from him. Kayden just raised an eyebrow at her and smiled subtly.

"Or perhaps I have planed to spend my night with a new book." She teased , exchanging a smile with him.

"I don't believe that even for a moment." He murmured in a deep and low voice, his warm breath close to her forehead.

The two of them were aware of the unconditional love they held for each other. They whisperd it with each glance of their eyes and each brush or their lips.

Kayden was open now. He told her many things, stories of his life when he was a child, growing up at the Vescovi estate, as his father son, still unsuitable for that also. He told her how that place became devoid of any significance, of life, as he grew older and more resentful by it every day.

Josephine understood that he'd been spurred on by whispers of untold secrets and the unmistakable feeling of guilt and inadequacy resting on his shoulders for too long.

It brought her back to the realization that he was still haunted by old pains. Things that happened in the past that he'll never get over. She couldn't bear to watch that pain flood his eyes, not again. It would not be the reason it came back again.

But she knew well that whatever was holding him back before, would not hold him back from now on. In a whole chaotic and nosy world, they managed to find each other. She swore to cherish every moment she has by his side.This world has already lost its magic for some, that she knew.

Spine tingling sansations, carrying so much emotion that she believed they'd had both gotten enough, still they find themselves observing the backside of his palm reaching out to the surface of her neck, under her ear before leaning forward to place a few more kisses and soft bites. Truthfully, she was unable to find the right words, her whole body burning with passion as she felt a flooding urge in other hidden places, that Kayden was well aware of.

"You've had a long day too. What is absolutely necessary right now is a... foot massage." His tone making it plain he meant more than he said."I believe that would be rather satisfying."

That sounded more like a promise, she thought.

She hummed in agreement, followed by a short laugh, her head hiden in the crock of his neck.

"I'm glad you find me amusing" Kayden quipped instantly. Not waiting for another response, he lowered her in a graceful dip, her long hair now swaying close to the floor.

Josephine can only stare up into those impossibly beautiful brown eyes, watching with bated breath as they morph into her own, seeing their entire future layed out.

Kayden pulls her back with him squeezing her hands gently before releasing them and took a step back. His eyes lingered on her with anticipation of his next words.

He was tall, ethereal, intimidating and formidable to her.

"Take off your dress!" said Kayden, his voice soft but demanding, nodding to her simple thin red dress that she had on.

Josephine starts to strip the material off her skin, taking her time, while silently enjoying his half-lidded eyes still gazing hungrily over her. Upon seeing the way he was looking at her sent shivers down her spine.

Soon after she's done and left only in her undergarments, Kayden moves closer to her and brushed the hair from her face, sweeping all of it over one shoulder before gripping it in a strong fist like he can't hold back anymore.

He crashed his lips down on hers, his hands burried withing the strands of hair, urging her towards him. His other hand pressed at the small of her back and drew her closer, just as he angled his head to kiss her deeper, mingling their scents along with their lips.

Josephine felt like she was losing not only her footage but also her mind. She griped onto his broad shoulders, trying to get even closer, if that was possible.

He hummed something against her that got drowned in a kiss, but whatever he wanted to say was not important, she gathered as his lips moved down to her neck, tracing the pulse pounding against her skin with his tongue. A soft moan found its way out of her parted lips as Kayden firmly gripped her waist, trailing kisses down the exposed skin along the way, making her back arch up.

He took a moment to let her breath and, with a quick movement, tossed his shirt to the side,while she starts undoing the buttons of his trousers, letting them drop to the floor.

They stumbled carelessly around, heading for the bed, Kayden letting them both fall onto the soft matress. Their limbs were entangled together, under the warm quilts of the bed, hidden from sight; it was a special moment which only they were witness to.

_________________________________________

It was well past midnight when Josephine woke up suddenly, sensing the coolness of the room that was illuminated only by the starlight and the bright moon through the tiny window, casting them in blue shadows. She turned around in bed and sat still, rubbing her eyes and blinking slowly and just laid there wondering what cound have interrupted her sleep this early but did not ponder over it too much.

Shortly after, she found herself musing on the unforgettable events from last night, blood rushing to her cheeks at the thought. Looking over at Kayden who was still sleeping soundlessly next to her, his lower body covered by the blanket and his arm draped over her side of bed.

She had a crooked, sleepy grin on her face and brought her hand up to his face, touching his lower lip with the tip of her finger.

She was looking at him in awe, taking in the smoothness of his features illuminated by the moonlight. Kayden. Her Kayden.

After a few moments of deliberation she moved carefully, not to disturbe him, and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.

Gently touching his cheek, she ever so slightly brushed her lips against his jaw. Of course he was too deep in his sleep to notice but it made her heart dance.

She then began nipping at his ear lobe, softly, with just a right hint of passion, then worked her way back, trailing lingering kisses from his stubbled jaw to his neck, down to his defined collarbone.

Josephine's hands travel from his chest down to the taut muscles of his stomach, sliping lower, caressing him through the material of his briefs and he harden further beneath her touch.

She could feel his arousal where she was straddling him as she pressed down on his hips, and it sent a bolt of heat straight to her core. She drew a slow, careful breath and her hands tightened around his shoulders.

A grunt slipped out of his parted lips, the sound matching the dark look in his now open eyes. He always found appealing that lascivious yet lovely look on her.

He lifted his hips, pressing his hardness against her and Josephine sighed and instinctively rolled her hips against him in return. Kayden hissed against her lips and his hands moved down, holding her tightly to him as he repeated the action.

Kayden kept his eyes closed momentarily and he took a deep breath, and then his eyes opened. Holding her gaze he rolled her on her back in a swift movement and pinned her beneath him before grabbing her face and slammed his lips to her.

This kiss was almost explosive, with the way they’d been teasing each other all day, and she moaned when Kayden nibbled on her lower lip before he dragged his mouth down her neck to the sensitive spot there. She practically melted against him, and she felt him smile against her as he tugged at her skin with his teeth, then lavished the spot with his lips and tongue.

Shifting his body and lowering his head, he circles her nipple with his tongue before tugging gently with his teeth, heaving her instantly whimper softly and arching into him.

"Ohh, don't stop." She gasped, panting for breath, her heart hammering in her chest, not daring to look away.

"Oh, I assure you, we're not finished yet." Kayden said, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips as he does so. He gave her that smoldering, piercing gaze that made her swallow hard and made a shiver run down her spine.

She knows that he's playing with her, making her wait when she can hardly bare it.

"I need you... please." her voice broke in a throaty whisper, and hearing that was all it took for him to stop and look at her one more time before his touch stirred every nerve in her body and brain.

She drew a sharp breath as he entered her in one, long, steady push; pulling all the way out, before he slid inside her again until he filled her completely.The muscles of her thighs tremble and then relax as his thumb massaged high on her inner thigh while his mouth worked its magic.

Kayden quickly wraps a hand around her wrists and pins them above her head as he thrusts his hips into her, picking up his pace. Instantly she noticed that his eyes held a row intensity, never looking away from her.

Josephine savored the feeling of him inside her, moving only to lock her legs around his waist and pull him deeper.

Repositioning a hand between them, his fingers moved with purpose, using firm movements that weren’t too hard; slow enough to draw things out, but fast enough to keep building her pleasure.

He felt her tighten around him as he continued to thrust deeper into her, the action setting off another shattering moan from her.

A deep groan escaped his lips as the tension inside him coiled tightly and his thrusts becoming more erratic every passing second.

His hips now jolted hers, spearing her with each thrust until she was reduced to shuddering gasps.

"Kayden!" She gasped, barely able to get his name out, her toes curling and back arching into him as pleasure radiated throughout her body.

Kayden followed her shortly and, after a few more deep strokes, his body went rigid, shuttering in pleasure as he found its release, breath hitching and fingers digging into her flash.

Right after that, he collapsed on top of her with a heavy sigh, burying his head in her chest, still moving shallowly into her spent body, while she tenderly ranks her fingers through his hair, crooning at him.

He took a few moments to breath, then rissing up slowly, his strong arms supporting him above her, he kissed her swollen lips twice and paused and gave her a look that Josephine could only describe as love.

"What is it, love? Are you well?" She asked but he knew she was just teasing now from the evident gleam in her eyes.

"Trust me, I am. I'm just... taking you in." He whispered, not being able to retain the intimate tone in his voice.

"But I think I'll spare you the details." He chuckled when her face flamed up a little, being aware that she caught on the hint.

After what seemed like ages he moved himself from atop her, settling on his side and tugged the sheets around their bodies before wrapping her tightly up against his chest while pressing himself in closer somehow, to her, despite already leaving no space between them.

Josephine could sense the corners of Kayden's lips lifting up to a small smile before silence fell between them. She let herself get confortable in his soothing arms, in the quietness of their house, savoring the blissful afterglow, as every bone in her body relaxed and her covered chest slowly rose and fell, gentle breaths escaping her mouth.

The world can wait, Josephine thought. As far as she's concerned this man in her bed is the only world that matters, and she intends to give him just as much love and care, if not more so, as he gifts her.

#choices #play choices #the royal masquerade #trm #kayden vescovi #kayden x mc #trm annalisa

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engagemachine · 4 years

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I joined a tdkJoker gc and we were talking about fics. A lot of the stories they read are joker dub con. I didn’t knock it because that’s what they read. And anything with the joker in it is going to be dark fiction. But I brought up your stories & how much I loved them but they said it romanticized CSA. I don’t understand this accusation because the whole point of your story is to show the toxicity of Taylor and jokers relationship. Idk what to do or say now but every joker story is dark.

OMG. That’s okay, bby, really. When I tell you I don’t interact with probably 90% of the Joker fans on this website... it’s for a reason. It’s all good. And it’s truly none of my business what other people think of me.

This isn’t the first time I’m hearing about this, and I’m honestly not surprised some people would say that... but I do think it’s ironic since there is an egregious amount of romanticization/fetishization of the character of the Joker in this fandom, so much so to the point where I personally find it a little disturbing. That’s my opinion and I don’t really feel the need to say anything more about it. It’s not my intention to ruffle feathers, and everyone is entitled to write what they want to write. I’m not going to police other people’s work and I would hope that other people don’t feel the need to police mine. We’re all adults, here, there’s no need to tear other people down simply because our opinions on a fictional character differ.

I will be the first to say that my writing is extremely disturbing and not palatable to the casual reader, and I’m very open about the dark nature of my work and the sensitivity of the topics I write about. Ultimately, I cannot control how other people interpret my work -- that’s on them -- but to refer to my work as “romanticization of CSA” is an egregious oversight, and it deeply saddens me that people would misinterpret my writing as such given the amount of time, effort, and mental energy I have put into articulating what I hope is an incredibly realistic and poignant story about the effects of lifelong trauma/PTSD in an adolescent girl, and will eventually touch on the incredible amount of resilience and power that women hold inside themselves, a power they cannot be stripped of.

Burn has garnered a lot more attention than I ever expected -- I’ve had more longtime readers crawl out of the woodwork to introduce themselves and express their enthusiasm for my writing than I’ve ever had before -- and after the events that transpire at the end of chapter seven, it revealed to me that a lot more people were reading my work than I initially thought.

I think the situation would be different if I was the kind of author who was like, “uwu Joker is baby :’(” and “I just want the Joker to love/fuck me :(” here on my blog... but I’m not. And I never have been. If that’s how you feel about the Joker, that’s okay and that’s on YOU, and though I tend to find that insensitive and slightly immature given the nature of the character’s sordid history... that’s my own business, and I don’t sit here on a pedestal on my blog and talk down to other writers who do that. In fact, I don’t talk about it at all, and I don’t care to. I can only speak for myself when I say that, and I make absolutely no qualms about how disturbing/nasty I think the Joker is. I enjoy writing about him solely for the fact that he has absolutely no reservations -- about anything -- and there is so much freedom of expression in that. This is a villain I have enjoyed sinking my teeth into for so many years because there’s so much meat there. I keep tearing off more to chew and it’s never enough; just when I think I’ve found the depth’s of the Joker’s depravity, I always find he’s willing to sink just a little bit deeper.

I think when people talk about the “romanticization” in Burn, there is a severe lack of critical thinking that has gone into that statement (truly, I do not say this to offend) because Taylor does romanticize the Joker: but it’s because she’s been gaslighted, drugged, and psychologically manipulated into believing the Joker cares about her. Additionally, because the majority of the story is told in her POV, she does view the Joker through a set of lens that are incredibly rose-tinted. For that reason, she is an unreliable narrator.

What happens at the end of chapter seven is unquestionably rape. Even though she “wants” it, she’s still a minor, and therefore she cannot consent. But I also believe her age is rather arbitrary at this point, because even if she were eighteen (a legal, consenting adult in the United States) or even if she was nineteen, or twenty, I would still consider the events at the end of the chapter rape just because her mind has been so psychologically warped by the Joker for so many years. What is consent to a person who is straight up delusional? For all intents and purposes, you shouldn’t believe a thing that comes out of this girl’s mouth, even if her intentions are pure (and because it’s Taylor, they usually are).

Additionally, one of the main reasons why the scene at the end of the chapter is told from the Joker’s POV is so that you, as the reader, do not see Taylor romanticize the rape. That was very important to me to make that distinction. You only see it from the Joker’s POV, who regards the violation as him simply taking what he’s owed. That doesn’t mean in the future I will not show scenes of that nature from her POV, but given that it was their “first time”, so to speak, I wanted to strip any thoughts of romanticization out of the picture entirely. When Taylor tells the Joker she loves him, it is incredibly heartbreaking as much as it is fascinating. We’ve known that she’s loved him since forever, pretty much, so for her to express her love to him in the context of this particular moment, it’s horrifying.

And I find this dynamic so incredibly spellbinding just because it thrills me to write about a character’s involvement with the Joker throughout three different stages of her life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. I’ll be the first to admit it’s very hard to imagine the Joker we know and love in the comics and in TDK interacting with a teenager -- I just don’t see it happening -- but that’s exactly what thrills me about writing this dynamic, and why I created Clockwork; I love putting the Joker in scenarios you wouldn’t normally get to see him in.

Unfortunately, because of the nature of this content, there are always going to be people out there who misinterpret it. I also think it can be hard to appreciate a story like this when you’re not privy to the entire picture, which is to say that, as the reader, you don’t know how it will end, and it’s frightening seeing Taylor crawl further and further down the rabbit hole (no pun intended) and not knowing whether she will receive the freedom and catharsis she so painfully deserves.

I’m always open to discussing these topics -- as I said, it’s incredibly important to me to handle them with a certain level of tact and sensitivity -- and my readers know that nothing I write is ever for the ‘shock value’ of it, or to ‘romanticize’ CSA, which I find incredibly insulting given my own experiences and those of some of my close friends.

In closing: you really do not have to say anything to these people -- they are entitled to their opinions/thoughts/feelings -- and please don’t feel like you have to come to my defense. I have a handful of really incredible supporters out there (and some amazing friends) and I also know there’s a lot of silent readers out there who support my work, too. Thank you so much for your concern, anon, but I promise it’s okay, and I do really appreciate you reaching out. Please feel free to do so off anon, if you feel comfortable doing so, as I’d be really interested in talking to you personally. No pressure though, and thanks for your message. <3

#anonymous #asks #Burn #tw: rape #tw: CSA

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bookworm555 · 4 years

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*Reuploaded FOR THE THIRD TIME because I realized that this never showed up in any of this fandom’s tags the first two times I posted it :/ Now I am trying this as a text post with images instead of a typical art post because nothing is freaking working and I am so frustrated.

Because read-mores apparently make my post glitchy, I apologize in advance for the length of this post, and hopefully, it doesn’t clog your dashes/the tags too badly.*

Another CatCF/WWatCF sketchdump~

The top drawing is the characters from the 1971 adaptation ten years later (which was an excuse to draw 80′s fashion, haha).

Ten years later doodles (from left to right) Top row: Violet and Veruca Second row: Mike, Charlie, and Augustus

(I think Violet turned out to be the best of these doodles!)

Some headcanons for the ten years later drawings (this would have been the section under the read-more, if it worked :/ ):

I always headcanoned the characters in the ‘71 version to be thirteen, minus Mike, who I saw as eleven. So basically everyone in the drawing is twenty-three except for Mike, who is twenty-one.

Violet: For years after the nightmare that was the factory tour, Violet struggled with major body image issues, especially about her blue skin. (And is homeschooled because of this.) However, eventually, her mindset basically became ‘Wonka thought this was a punishment? Fuck that; I’m going to embrace it’, so she became more confident.

Once this confidence hits during her late teens, she uses her unusual appearance to her advantage (especially when it comes to attracting visitors/potential buyers to her dad’s car dealership).

She doesn’t go to college; instead, she works at her dad’s place, and basically learns how to be a mechanic.

She hasn’t chewed gum since the factory tour.

When Charlie contacts her and the others, she is hesitant to respond back, but ultimately does (to sass him, at the very least). During the group’s future meetups, she’s basically the glue that keeps them together.

Veruca: Unlike Violet, Veruca carries a lot of guilt about what happened during the factory tour, since her father was punished along with her. He fell wrong, and as a result, was paralyzed from the waist down, and is now in a wheelchair. Veruca was lucky; aside from a broken ankle, she did not suffer any worse injuries.

Because of this, Veruca becomes mute (her mouthing off and constantly asking for things is what led to her–pun not intended–downfall, so she decides that it would be for the best if she stops talking altogether.)

Despite the Salts being wealthy, Wonka paid all of their medical bills. Even though it would have made sense for them to take him to trial, they decided not to (Henry did not want anyone to see him in his new state, and Veruca’s anxiety spiked even thinking about the factory).

When Charlie contacts the four ‘rejects’ ten years after the tour, Violet starts to bring Veruca out of her shell. Though it is ultimately Augustus who helps her feel comfortable speaking again, due to his soft-spoken personality.)

Mike: Like the others, Mike was very traumatized by what happened to him during the tour. (Especially since he was younger than the rest of them.)

While Violet embraced her altered state, and Veruca withdrew from the world, Mike became bitter. Very bitter. Because, while sure, Wonka and co. were able to get him back to about normal size [after stretching him waaaay too tall and thin the first time; his mother fainted, then had plenty of choice words for everyone involved when she came to], the process was incredibly painful, and involved basically rubber-fying his bones and muscles temporarily (yeah, he still had no idea why Wonka would even create a candy that did that).

Because of that, he has scars all over his body–the most on his arms, legs, and torso–so he always wears long-sleeved shirts or jackets, and long pants.

He is pissed that his life was ruined at age eleven; sure, he was obnoxious, but he was a KID. Now he’s stuck with chronic pain, not to mention the occasional breakdown because he has no idea if he’s actually HIM, or just a copy that was beamed through Wonka’s television room that managed to keep his soul. (Yeah, he doesn’t like to dwell on that; he prefers to think that that would be impossible.) [A/N: That part comes from the fact that Wonka stated that the chocolate that appeared in the TV screen was a copy of the much larger chocolate bar that was beamed through the air, and not the original bar itself]

When Charlie contacts him, he almost sends a nasty letter back, but something in him pauses, and he ends up sending a civilized response. It wasn’t Charlie’s fault all this happened to him; Charlie was the nice one, and, though he would never admit it to anyone, on the tour, he thought Charlie was cool. Goody-two-shoes, but in the ‘Lovable TV Protagonist’ sort of way.

As the five of them start meeting/corresponding through letters, he lets Charlie past all the walls he put up, and is definitely the closest to him in the group.

Charlie: Happily becomes Wonka’s protege after the tour. He is ecstatic that he not only gets to live and learn to work in this magical place, but he and his family are finally out of poverty!

He goes to school during the day, then learns the tricks of the candy trade in the afternoons and evenings.

However, about ten years after winning the tour, Wonka just…vanishes. And that’s when Charlie finds the videos showcasing what happened to the other four Golden Ticket winners after their mishaps.

Charlie is appalled; looking back, they were all so young. Of course, they were bratty; that’s how kids ARE. (Sure, some of them were worse than others, but they didn’t deserve their fates! Essentially, the four ‘losers’, plus Mr. Salt, were toyed with and tortured, and their parents could not help them.) Mike’s was especially horrible, to him; it was the only tape he couldn’t finish.

This makes Charlie feel a little guilty; he got off easy, even though he also disobeyed the rules.

He is also torn; on the one hand, Wonka was a great mentor, and he was fond of the man–he made a good father-figure, for him. But on the other hand, this was a man who thought the way to get rid of a kid’s bad habits was to torture them.

Before he could think otherwise, Charlie writes letters to the other Golden Ticket winners. He doesn’t expect anything nice back, but is surprised to find that they are all willing to talk to him.

He is relieved; he wants to right the wrongs done to them.

Augustus: The poor guy falls into a deep depression after the tour. Sure, he was thinner, but he had no problem with how he looked before. Not to mention, even the smell of chocolate and other sugary sweets makes him very nauseous. Oh, and there’s the not-so-small fear of drowning that he picked up, as well as severe claustrophobia.

He felt like a part of him was lost, since he could no longer enjoy his favorite foods. Or food in general. He ate to not starve, but that was it.

He was already quiet, but after the tour, he withdrew into himself even more, preferring to spend time with the neighborhood cats rather than people. (Yes, he is definitely a cat person.)

But he still has his kind heart, so when Charlie Bucket sends him a letter, he responds right away (and is the first one to do so).

When they start writing more letters to each other, and eventually meeting, he helps the others through their trauma, while ignoring his own. He thinks he’ll always be stuck this way.

Veruca disagrees.

And in terms of schooling, only Augustus went to college. As for high school, Violet and Mike were homeschooled, Veruca went to an exclusive, posh academy, Charlie stuck with public school, and Augustus went to a private school.

Now, if anyone was interested, these are the outfits that inspired the ones I drew (though, obviously, I took artistic liberties with some of them). I wanted to give them each a different style: Violet’s is the outlandish fashion the 80s are famous for, Veruca’s is demure and preppy, Mike’s is pretty unassuming, but with a slight edge, Charlie’s is comfortable/casual, and Augustus’s is comfortable/slightly formal.

Left to right: Violet, Veruca, Mike, Charlie, Augustus

(And I imagine the back of Mike’s jacket looking like this, aka with a vent, which is why the back of the jacket isn’t visible in the gap of his legs):

WOW, that got so long (oops…), but those were just my ideas for how these characters would interact and act ten years later. Hopefully someone enjoys this, XD

#bookworm555 #charlie and the chocolate factory #willy wonka and the chocolate factory #mike teavee #charlie bucket #augustus gloop #veruca salt #augustus x veruca #charlie/mike if you squint #at the very least they become veeeeery close friends in this #violet ends up with hmmm...winkelmann?? idk?#-kidding-#unless XDD #my art #please please please show up in the tags

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horobiandstingscorpion · 3 years

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Random Writing Tidbit I Felt Like I Hadn’t Posted Writing In A While…

… And I really crave validation right now. TT^TT

Also I remembered to post on this blog! ^^ Yay!

I’m just feeling very sensitive. ^^;

But this is an idea that’s been floating in my head since the SODA mag… Sorta. It’s a little like a smooshed together preview of something I want to try and work on… But I haven’t gotten very far w/ it, and I def want to work on my other chaptered stuff first.

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Fuwa stared sourly at his face in the mirror, fumbling with the unnaturally sleek tie, trying to get it to stay in a knot for the umpteenth time. It was official, he hated silk, and he had no idea why he had agreed to go to this stupid gala, even for ‘security.’ He hated parties, rich people even more, and he really hated… ‘Dressing up.’ He’d been doing so well keeping his resolve—until Hiden had stared at him with that obnoxious, wide eyed, pleading look, and the next thing he knew, he’d been agreeing to let the kid procure a ‘suitable suit’ (he’d thought his lungs were going to burst trying to hold it together at Zero-One’s stupid puns again), and setting up a time to show up. It was also an infuriatingly nice suit—all three piece and silk and satin and designer. He didn’t like people buying things for him already (it had been a massive relief when he convinced Hiden to just rent it for him), and something this expensive… He felt stiff and unnatural in it, not like himself at all. He felt… He felt like Amatsu.

With another groan, he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind and tried to focus on the tie again. He’d decided he might as well be as presentable as possible, so he’d taken great care to shower and brush out his hair, too—but he couldn’t get the damn tie to stay. The smooth, shiny fabric refused to cooperate; he wasn’t used to dealing with it, and it always just came undone or was all crinkled because he pulled too hard. He was both running out of time, and missing his simple, cotton ties.

“You’ve been getting ready for two hours.”

He didn’t start as much as he would have before at the sound of a voice behind him, instead merely raising his gaze to look at the reflection of the figure standing in the doorway of his bedroom, one hand on the frame. Horobi wasn’t wearing either of his kimonos, just the shirt with the buttoned up collar, the fancy belt (or maybe it was technically a sash?), the usual flowing trousers and the ornamented boots—Fuwa felt slightly envious of him, especially because the HumaGear so rarely looked so casual. With a sigh, he scowled, dragging his eyes back down to the piece of cloth he was wrestling with. “This is stupid thing is made to be unusable, I swear.” He grumbled, “I don’t understand why these are supposed to be ‘better.’”

Horobi hummed softly—and then his hand came down on Vulcan’s shoulder abruptly, having crossed the room as swiftly and silently as he often did when Fuwa wasn’t looking. Turning the human around to face him, he pulled Vulcan’s hands away from the tie, taking over the job. Fuwa bit his lip, dropping his arms to his sides and trying not to stare at the attractive frown on the HumaGear’s face as he worked, focused solely on the tie, motions quick and efficient—a stark contrast to Vulcan’s messy attempts.

In moments, Horobi had the tie perfectly done, taking a moment to straighten it before leaning back a bit to look Fuwa over. Vulcan took a deep breath, chewing his lip even more, one hand drifting up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly. “… Well?” The HumaGear continued surveying him for another moment, still frowning slightly—then he hooked his fingers into the loop of the tie, loosening it, before undoing the top two buttons of the shirt. “Wait, what are you-” Horobi had already let go of his collar, reaching up rake fingers through his hair, mussing up all the work he had put into trying to get it to sit right. Fuwa stumbled back, hands flying up instinctively, though there was no way he could recreate the effect again with his fingers, “Hey!”

But then he properly looked at Horobi’s face, and his heart skipped. The HumaGear was gazing at him with a soft, actually… Affectionate, expression, the very ghost of a smile flickering across his features. “Now you look more like you.”

Fuwa’s face heated up immediately, and he swallowed, looking deliberately at a spot on the wall. “… Oh.”

The next thing he knew, long fingers were curling under his chin, and Horobi turned his face forward again to plant a firm kiss on his lips, the HumaGear’s other arm slipping around his waist. Vulcan’s hands immediately floated down to Horobi’s hips, leaning forward into the kiss. Before, he’d always wondered why characters in movies kissed so much and for so long—but now that he was in the habit of kissing Horobi… It all suddenly made so much sense. He found himself thinking about the HumaGear’s lips during everyday activities, and whenever he started kissing him… He never wanted to stop.

But far too soon, it was Horobi pulling away, the fingers tucked under his chin trailing across his cheek. “… You’re going to be late.”

Fuwa shook his head slightly, wrapping his arms around Horobi’s middle, pulling him closer. “Mmm…” He stood on his tip toes, trying recapture the HumaGear’s lips, “Parties are boring…” Horobi, however, kept moving back, untangling himself from the human’s arms, resisting Vulcan’s attempts to keep him there, “Horobi-”

The HumaGear’s palm landed on his chest, pushing him back. “You promised Hiden.”

Even if the reminder hadn’t shaken him out of the pleasant fog and back to reality, the slight shake in Horobi’s voice would have. Even after months of calm, still terrified of disappointing or upsetting Zero-One in any way—to a point that it was starting to be a concerning trend. But experience also told him now wasn’t the time to be pressing that issue—at the very least, they had made it here, able to be affectionate and… Physical. Horobi was no longer panicking and trying to run from his own, more intense emotions, good or bad, scars from that incident finally healing—some of them, at least.

For now, he just sighed deeply. “… Right.” He moved his hand to cover the HumaGear’s, leaning forward again for another quick peck on the lips—that, as usual, went on for longer than he’d originally intended, until he finally dragged himself away, giving Horobi’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll come back to you, I promise.”

The HumaGear’s fingers ghosted back across his cheek, and when he leaned back in to press his forehead to Vulcan’s there was at least some mischief in his eyes, though the anxiety was still there. “Do,” He whispered softly—then his hand trailed slowly downward, running fingertips over the shirt collar, “The sooner I get you out of this silly suit, the better.” Fuwa promptly turned bright red, his heartbeat skyrocketing. Horobi merely smirked faintly, then freed his hand to gently cup Vulcan’s face in his palms; leaning in, his lips brushed lightly against the mole just below Fuwa’s left eye, prompting a soft, pleased sigh—that turned disappointed when the HumaGear pulled away completely, fingertips lingering until the very last moment. “You need to leave.”

Vulcan swallowed, nodding, briefly patting his cheeks to try and get the blush out. Yua and Naki already teased him enough, he should not be showing up to a formal event looking like he was thinking about… Taking a few deep breaths, he reluctantly stepped back and started to move around Horobi and toward the door.

The HumaGear’s hand connected with his backside without warning, prompting a yelp that was nowhere near as indignant as he would have liked. It wasn’t his fault—Horobi had somehow managed to calculate an exact level of force that didn’t hurt at all, but was strong enough that Fuwa always felt it for the rest of the day. Vulcan didn’t know if he was more embarrassed by the fact that he was now definitely going to be thinking about that slap and what usually followed—or by how much he liked it in the first place.

Biting hard at his cheek, he did his best to give Horobi a disapproving look, that was severely marred by the fact that his face had gone even redder. The HumaGear raised an eyebrow, smirking more visibly—but Fuwa had gotten good enough at reading him that he could detect a front when he saw one. Horobi didn’t let him have a chance to snap, giving him an even more suggestive look. “I may have to amend my analysis…” Another touch ghosted over his backside, and even just that sent a jolt through him, “… The pants actually aren’t that bad.” The faintest of chuckles, and a firm pat that actually made him shiver slightly. “… Though… Maybe it’s just you.”

He was certain the HumaGear was half trying to tease him into rushing out, and half genuinely flirting in the way of putting a carrot in front of a donkey—he could make it through a dreary society gala if it meant coming back to Horobi’s arms for a more… Exciting night. The HumaGear was also not excessively panicking about Hiden being angry yet, like he had a few times before, like Vulcan had been worried he might. Taking advantage of Fuwa’s more… Embarrassing reactions aside… This was major progress. So instead of arguing, he just gave another attempt at looking judgemental and marched out, resisting the urge to look back.

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I miss them so much. :(

I dunno why there are so many emoticons in this post.

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alukardtheabysswalker · 4 years

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Sasha: Dead or Alive?

So I know I’m not a big figure of TMA theories, not even close, but I’d like to put my thoughts in one place and if you feel like reading a bit of narrative analysis of a very well written series then please, suit yourself. And of course, Spoilers ahead.

So, Sasha. With all that’s been happening in this season one gets the feeling that not only is her memory that is getting a lot of narrative attention but also her position. Now, I’m aware and even participated in theories regarding the possibility of characters in our story coming and going, knowingly or not, in and out of different universes and I’m sure that will have it’s own narrative pay off. But I want to focus a bit more on what we have right here and now. So I’m going to name all the points I think the story and narrative has given us thus far to believe our dear Almost Archivist could be either dead or alive. Bear in mind I am not that good at checking the many little details and much of this could be more gut feeling than precise data, but I’m listening to the podcast for the third time now and I feel like I have enough points to make a statement(pun very much intended) on the case. But if you want to provide more evidence feel free to do so! I am very much inviting discourse on the matter. Without further adieu, let's get to the point/s.

Alive:

Sasha’s initial role was a bit more heavy in the story. However given that her VA couldn’t keep working due to her own schedule they resorted to giving said role to Tim. You can see this change in narrative in the fact that Tim’s VA had to adapt a bit. Not only is he a producer of the show but now a very important character who was originally going to be the first tragic Death of the series, and now has to adapt his acting to a character that is scarred by the events that haunt him. Which he did marvelously btw. And with the tape presented in the second episode of this season you can see how they're adjusting the narrative to fit his tragic past and Sasha’s importance to the Archive. Hell when I was listening to S1 ending I was convinced Tim or Martin were going to be the victims of the attack. Narratively it all pointed to Sasha being the powerhose of the group. Which made it all the more hurtful when she was taken.

Speaking of said tape, in there she talks about how who you are is what you do and what you show to other people. She specially mentions Masks. Which if you paid attention to MAG 165 is kind of the whole theme. Faces being changed and with that memories, people, personalities. Maybe, as it’s been pointed out, she was not killed but was robbed of her face and she’s been wondering about, without even knowing who she is.

And on THAT regard we can look at what Not!Sasha said. She took her life. If you were to take this at face value (again, pun intended) it would mean literally killing her. But let’s think about that for a second. What the Not!Them does is take the lives of the people they attack. They put themselves in their place and change enough of R E A L I TY to fit themselves in. Photographs, memories, clothes, everything adapts to them, save for a few things, enough to make someone paranoid and afraid of them. Even Gertrude herself mentions how it is that they always seem to miss someone but I think it is rather the point that they do. If no one is aware of this supernatural identity theft then who is left to scare? Going back to our original point, what if Not!Them doesn’t kill their victims but instead take their lives? As in, everything else except killing them. There is also this proposal that every entity or at least many of them have their own dimension or pocket dimension. The Lonely has its misty shore, The Vast literally just casts you into an endless sky or the void of space, The Spiral has The Distortion trapping people inside of their halls, you get it. This leads to our next point.

This strange carrousel that appears as the Nightmare of many people fearing The Stranger gave us three very interesting bits of information to chew on: One, it shows what many people have theorized would be The Stranger’s or at least Not!Them's dimension. People who do not know who they are and are desperately trying to find out, even stealing other peoples faces, memories, names...their lives. Two, not only that but the creature that is controlling this IS Not!Them, Martin even calls them “It’s Goddess”, and mentions how it must have full control over it. Third, Jon rode one of these a few years ago. No this is not important to our conversation (I think) but I WILL chew on it because I love this adorable man and I wish I was as brave as him to get on a carousel at my age (25) because I’d love it. Anyway, going back to our second bit of info: Not!Them is dead. In a delicious moment of revenge Jon destroyed them and Martin asks what would happen to this place without them? Well, maybe the people that were inside were freed, at least for a moment, maybe with enough time to remember or search for who they were?

This all could mean that not only is Sasha alive, granted having been in a horrifying Nightmare for YEARS now but it may also mean that she is also finally free. There’s still the theory of other universes and I like to play with it because not only would resolve some stuff that looks to be narratively incoherent(tho nothing definitive there) but it would also explain a lot regarding Jon’s shifting memories of the events of the series. Again I am not that versed in this topic to bring it into question.

Finally it would seem that the story is focusing a lot on Sasha as an important entity(yes, still intended) not just as a deceased character with a potential role but as one that still can and will bring change to the story.

So, we seem to have a lot of reasons given to us by the story and how it is being told to believe that yes, Sasha is alive and important to the story. And here comes the dreaded buts/s.

Dead:

The most important fact that I want to point out in this regard is that The Magnus Archives takes death very seriously. Not only death in the real world, brought by cruel beings and people, supernatural creatures and evil systems that send people to die and be killed by the interest of others. But as probably many of you know the writers and producers of the show want death to be important, to have weight in the story. Both Jon and Alex have said so in QAs and you can tell just by listening to the show. When a character dies, they stay dead. Death is final and even people that “cheat death” must pay a high price, usually living miserable “lives” killing other people or regretting their so called luck in avoiding their final destination. Death makes every character aware of the danger they are in and when it is granted so easily it is shown as the result of corrupted, sadistic people and monsters (cough police cough acab cough). Therefore, bringing back a character from the dead would feel cheap, it would take the weight out of the story. That is not to say they haven’t faked deaths before, Trevor is a good example, and you have an Avatar of The End very much alive-ish after having a Satellite dropped on him (Man I love this podcast) but the key difference, to me at least, is that Sasha was The First. The important character that we were sure either wouldn’t die because of plot armor or the aforementioned narrative importance she was given. But no, everybody can die, and that makes everyone afraid and wary of their actions.

It would also make Not!Them less scary, less imposing which would rob them of their position as a horrifying monster. We either knew or suspected that they had killed and surely replaced Sasha, now we feared for what might happen to the rest of the team. In the end, they were not only very much dangerous but also yes, they killed Sasha in a gruesome way, now maybe even do the same to Jon. You could argue that being trapped in that hellscape of The Stranger is an equally fearsome destiny, but at this point we´ve seen Jon disregard said dangers and literally rescue TWO people from TWO different nightmarish dimensions. Yes it is stated as the almost miracle that it is and it is important to show Jon’s improvement and growth but it also robs them of their weight. Not completely of course, but as long as Jon is around they aren’t that scary anymore, and given that he is our protagonist well, he is always around. There is also that beautiful scene in which he gets a very much earned revenge. If Sasha was not dead then it kind of loses its value.

Now I am going to cheat a little bit because here I am going to take our previous points and turn them on their heads inserting an “Alive” point here. You could argue that of course it still has value. They don’t know that Sasha is alive and technically neither do we, killing Sasha or not this monster definitely tortured our crew and this is a well earned punishment. Plus it is very well written and presented. You could even make a point that, with the death of Not!Sasha comes the revival of Actual!Sasha. And getting this far after so many real deaths it could even make sense to have one narrative rebirth of a character that was robbed of her chance of glory. Which can fit in this established narrative of:”She could have been The Archivist! The Protagonist”.

And here comes the but: What if this is not about Sasha but instead Other!Sasha? Remember when I said I wasn’t going to take into consideration theories regarding parallel universes? Well I might have lied a little bit. You see, from the moment Jon played Gertrude’s tape regarding her successor I began to have this thought:”This is a theme of what ifs, of potential possibilities and different timelines”. Now, I have to say again that I’m not an expert on this topic, this is more of an analysis of what I think or feel I’m seeing the narrative of this season is heading towards. Maybe there is an alternative reality, with a different crew. One that might sound like our dear Archival Buddies but are actually very much different. On the surface, their masks if you will, they are our Sasha, our Tim, our Martin, but once we get to know them, to know about them, they are different people. There is this theory that the house cleaner that got trapped by the house on Hilltop Road is an alternative version of the nurse that worked close to said house. She mentions how her friends are different, how they almost don’t recognize her. But I mean, they didn’t reject her, they even helped her and recommended her that she make a statement at The Magnus Institute. What if there is another Sasha, but not quite the one we’d want. And even if Sasha was alive, if we disregarded all of this, what kind of person would she be after everything that's happened to her?

I’m not sure I can give you a conclusion here. We are after all barely in episode five of this 40 episode season and this might all be proven wrong next chapter, or the next, or all 35 that come after that, but I’ve seen many people talking about how they are completely sure that Sasha is definitely alive and kicking, and while I agree in many points I also have seen a lot of evidence, especially when it comes to the narrative, that would point to the contrary. It honestly crushes my heart to think that we have more than thirty weeks of content ahead of us and many people will keep the hope that this amazing character is still alive but would end up having said hopes utterly crushed by the end of it. But I can also see where you’re all coming from and can see why you would think that way, so I wanted to present what evidence and conjectures of my own I had on the topic. If you’ve gotten this far I want to thank you for joining me in this attempt at a presentation or...expose? Feel free to add any other points that you think or believe would favor one end or the other and I hope you had a good time while reading this. Love you all <3

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deanie1987 · 4 years

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THE WEDDING POST!!!!!!!

Okay, I have now watched the episode in full like 8 times and it has been absorbed into my bloodstream and I feel stable enough to finally comment on it. For the most part I loved it and it delivered nearly everything that I wanted, even if it was delivered differently than I hoped for/imagined. There were definitely some missed opportunities I thought, but there really was nothing that I outright hated and I was pleasantly surprised for the majority of the episode. Here are some random thoughts as I was watching:

- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - Lip chewing gum is hot as fuck

- I knew I was in for a special episode when Ian showed up in a towel followed shortly by Mickey in a towel. They have been hiding Mickey’s thicc sixpack all season and unveiled it here as wedding gift to the viewers.

- Cam’s line reading of “Mickey” when Liam asked who was going to wear white, sweet baby jesus. Why does it always sound so good coming out of his mouth?

- I love all the brother scenes. Carl clipping his toenails, Ian griping and then Carl wiping them on the floor was hilarious. Although considering it was his room, what does Ian care? But I love that he did. Very anal (no pun intended) big brother vibe there. Liam hightailing it out of the room the second Mickey walked in and headed toward Ian was a mood. The shit this poor boy has seen.

- I also loved everyone asking Ian about his meds, especially Carl. That really got to me for some reason, as did everyone giving the reason that it was going to be a stressful day. Like they weren’t asking to be assholes, they were just concerned and wanted him to have a good day. Little did they know how stressful. I liked that Ian didn’t get made, but you could still sense a tiny bit of annoyance.

- My second notice that this would be a different kind of episode was Mickey asking if Ian took his meds and then touching him gently under the chin and saying “good” in a very, very deep and low voice. Um....holy shit that was beyond sexy to me for some reason. Like I almost felt like I was intruding. The way Ian’s eyes were fixed seemingly on his chest/tattoo and then the way Mickey forced him to look up at him. Wow. Ahem.

- Ian obviously thought it was sexy as fuck too because he yanked him by the hips and grunted and pulled him in for some more caresses. So yeah, this was a lot different than the “hey what’s up bro?” scenes we had been getting. I mean there wasn’t a tongue kiss, but I appreciated it. I also appreciated that Mickey and Ian had no problem not only seeing each other before the wedding but showering together and messing around too. Poor Carl, he needs to take not of Liam’s reaction.

- Along these sexy lines, there is no way that anyone should find the violent biting/hitting scenes sexy. Like no way that Ian saying “you gonna make me hit you again?” and manhandling Mickey’s wrists to the ground and saying “you done?” in a softer voice while straddling him and then throwing the gun to Carl and telling him to get the cuffs, was sexy. And it definitely wasn’t sexy that Mickey finally calmed down and looked right into Ian’s eyes and nodded. Like, no way, we shouldn’t be romanticizing that shit. Okay? Ok. Ahem. Ha Ha 😅

- I could not survive Kev’s keg boot camp, but I will take his comment about Depeche Mode-loving Gen Xers” as a personal shout out because I put their song “Somebody” at the very top of my Gallavich playlist. It is the cheesiest, sappiest song known to man and my girlfriends and I would play it on repeat and get weepy in high school. And it fits Ian and Mickey perfectly and even out cheeses that Ed Sheeran song. See Gen X can do more than irony.

- Obviously I loved Mickey’s handcuffed speech, but I wish that there had been a reference to that terrible cursed episode in season 3. Not the rape, but the fact that Terry forced Mickey to marry a woman and that it basically ruined their lives and set Ian and Mickey on a destructive course. Nearly everything that they went through started with that terrible day. It was definitely subtly reference and I definitely think that Ian was thinking of it, but I wish it had been stated more clearly.

- I love that Sandy was wiling to go to jail to get Mickey his wedding. I love that Debbie was possibly willing to marry Mickey to get him his wedding as well. I definitely loved all of the Gallaghers rallying around to help.

- The tie scene was beyond cute and this was the kind of scene we have been waiting for and both Cam and Noel delivered. I love how sincere Mickey was in this episode and how straightforward and reverent this conversation was. The kid conversation, Ian telling Mickey exactly what he wants and Mickey revising his statement in response. It was a perfect statement and this scene was so intimate. I truly didn’t think we would get this before the wedding so I’m thrilled that we did.

- Why does everyone keep referencing the combination of Mickey and Ian’s genes? Do they know where babies come from? Have they read too many Mpregs?

- I loved the shot of them first arriving and the mention of the chairs. Mickey’s “I like how the gold captures the light” made me giddy. Then the long shot of them sort of taking in their surroundings and the impact of the day. The other shot I liked was them at the alter with a bit of the “deer in the headlights” look. You got me John Wells, you sneaky bastard.

- I loved everything about Kevin this episode even if it is beyond tacky to propose at someone else’s wedding.

- I had to mute the Gay Jesus crows singing “We Shall Overcome” because ugh and cringe, but Ian having a cult at his disposal may come in handy someday. I hope he thanked them and let them glory in his presence for a little bit. I also liked that Carl and Geneva were so familiar with one another. Lol.

- All of Ian’s interactions with his siblings were perfect. I wanted but didn’t get a scene of Ian asking Lip to be best man and also a best man speech (or any speech for that matter) but the “soft motherfucker” scene was adorable and very moving. I love that the only person besides Mickey that we have every seen Ian say ILY to was Lip. That is pretty appropriate and the kisses were sweet too. I, too, am a soft motherfucker and that swell of music to At Last got me.

- I liked how nervous Mickey was walking down the aisle, and I was happy that Sandy was there for him. But I sort of felt that him walking down the aisle on someone’s arm was a little too “bride” for me and I think I would have preferred to see him walk down the aisle by himself while grinning and walking his patented BDE Mickey walk. But his solemnity and serious was an unexpected choice and I appreciate them going with it.

- FRANK!!!! Oh my god that’s where my tears started. I was really hoping for a Frank/Ian scene but his tears will have to do. Wow, I just wish that Ian could have seen them. The utter disdain the two have for one another usually makes me laugh, but it felt wrong to me in this episode, at least from Frank’s side, so I was glad that it seemed that Frank’s emotion got the better of him. I definitely think that the spectre of Monica had something to do with it, but it was there.

- SPEAKING OF MONICA...wahhhhh! My favorite scene I think. It is no surprise that it comes when Ian is watching Frank and is sitting next to Debbie. I”ve already said this before but Debbie was the perfect person for Ian to talk to about this. I love how Ian still calls Monica “mom” and Debbie still called her Monica. And she was right, Monica would have loved everything about that day. Emma Kinney did a remarkable job in that scene, and she looked beautiful. The chemistry of the actors was palpable and it was just so nice to see. I also loved Ian’s slight laugh as he felt himself tearing up and then his choked voice as he said he should dance with his husband. Waahhh. Followed by Debbie’s sweet, sweet smile and then Ian finding Mickey, who had been dancing adorably and looking around for his boy. Then the way that Ian clung to him and collapsed into him, while the perfect and cheesy song played. WAHHHHH!!!

- Also can we give it for Debbie yet again. Not only did she miss the ceremony in order to save the day, but she missed Franny walking down the aisle. That is commitment and sacrifice and we appreciate it!

-I had hoped for personal vows, but I am at least glad that they recited them and didn’t just say “I do.” Once again, Mickey’s earnestness and seriousness surprised and delighted me,

- I loved Ian grabbing Carl on his walk down the aisle. As I mentioned, every scene of Ian and his siblings was character appropriate and I loved this one too.

- Them having 120 people at the wedding was kind of dumb and ridiculous, but I did appreciate how true to life the variety of outfits was at such an event. From ripped jeans to gold lame dresses LOL.

- That last scene of them was cute too. The hand holding, the nudity, the TATTOO again and Ian’s hand hovering near it. Mickey caressing and pinching Ian’s arm, their TWO rings, the hideous room and their tired, happy, sleepy voices. Perfection. I don’t love how Terry’s murderous rage is somewhat played for laughs, but I admit that I did kind of chuckle at their expressions when they heard the tires screech and then the last shot of them looking at one another while the jaunty music cut in. It was very, very, very much like a rom-com.

So there was a lot to absolutely love this episode, but there were a few missed opportunities as well. I mentioned the lack of personal vows/family speeches and lack of any significant Frank/Ian interaction, but other than that the only thing that really bothered me was the lack of any Fiona or Mandy mention. That was actually a huge missed statement and it would have been easy to do. I find it more believable that Fiona would miss the wedding than Mandy, but to not mention either of them was a bad move, IMO. I liked Sandy and the role she played, but she doesn’t make me forget Mandy, show. And the lack of Fiona mention just makes me think JW was being petty toward ER. But beyond that, THEY ARE MARRIED AND HAPPY AND SUPPORTED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE!!! HALLELUJAH AND PRAISE GAY JESUS!!!

#whew #that's a lot #i'm still feeling a lot #is it season 11 yet #gallavich wedding #shameless 10x12

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