#no matter what age someone transitions they have a problem with it
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Do you ever wonder how exactly there came to be such a transphobia problem in British feminism?
Not really. Pretty straightforward IMO.
Britain is highly patriarchal and pretty much just an oligarchy at this point, given the majority of people in charge were born rich and went to one of a handful of private schools. Fair amount of them are also journalists to some degree, or work with journalists on the regular, so when those pesky feminists wanted to dismantle their little boy's club, they stoked up a culture war to give them a new target.
A great example is the NHS. There's been issues lately with supply of oestrogen. I have a former classmate who is a raging transphobe and in her fifties. She's constantly on twitter talking about how the reason she can't get her hormone replacement therapy for her menopause is that trans women are taking all the oestrogen. Her source? A right wing newspaper linked to half of the current PM's cabinet. The real issue? The Tories have been systematically gutting and selling off the NHS since they came into power, which is causing shortages now, because the Tories want the NHS to fail so they can say 'see? NHS doesn't work. Time to privatise the whole thing' and make a mint doing it.
So basically, the minority we should actually be worried about - the 1%ers who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter all their lives, including some of the highest powers this land has to give, and are using that power to take our country apart for profit in the houses of parliament - have convinced a decent portion of feminists that a minority with basically no power is the root of all evil.
And so, using their institutional power (being the law-making elites) and their influential power (clickbait articles they've usually written themselves), they've convinced a portion of feminists that the upper-class, born-rich, bred for rule, blue-blooded bullies who thrive off the patriarchy aren't the problem, trans people are, and so the sect of feminists they've successfully turned against trans people are now fighting to uphold the patriarchy on behalf of the Conservatives and calling it feminism.
#this is an oversimplification tbh but it's also a tumblr ask that i'm trying to respond to promptly#really i could write a whole essay about this#but all the ties are right there#TERFism is closely linked to the alt right for a reason#and the goals just reinforce that#no matter what age someone transitions they have a problem with it#which is just another way of saying they don't want people having bodily autonomy#which links to pro life bullshit#they're talking about 'third spaces' just for trans people#which is a thinly veiled attempt to just push trans people out of society entirely#if a trans person decides to not have a surgery or hormones for whatever reason they label them a fetishist#and they talk about protecting the children. usually by calling trans people gr00mers with no basis#which again is just them saying trans people shouldn't be near children with extra steps. which ALSO pushes trans people out of society#and there have been so many issues with transvestigators 'clocking' trans people#because 'WE CAN ALWAYS TELL'#and then half the time the person they've 'clocked' is cis but like... is a woman with short hair. and the response is she looks 'male'#at which point... just say you want all women barefoot and pregnant. it saves time.#and then they claim to be feminist or pro choice or whatever... but they still don't want bodily or medical autonomy#unless you want something that they approve of#and then we've got the tories just reinforcing this with BS legislation and articles in the guardian#that are just them saying 'look at the evil trans people! they're the root of all evil!'#and these TERFs are like 'you're so right. they're the problem here.'#meanwhile the tory is destroying everything behind them as they turn their weapons on the trans community
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Finally Getting Help (prt 6)
Masterpost
The Wayne family gathered in the family room once Alfred was done setting up the projector, somehow there was also a plate of cookies and a couple pots of tea on the coffee table. How he’d found the time they didn’t know, he always seemed to be doing just a little more than should be possible but they didn’t question it.
Jazz seemed nervous as she plugged in her USB and accessed the power point on Ghosts and Liminality. The tidal page had a picture of Danny in his Phantom form standing with a group of others, a boy with gray skin and blond hair, a girl with green hair and skin, and a goth with purple eyes and a dark skinned boy who looked around Danny’s age, and Jazz with the title “Ghosts and Liminals!”
The next slide had simple text: “What are they and How are they made?”
With each slide she read the text on the screen allowed and then added any context or anecdotes she thought of, or had prepared.
(Next slide)
Ghosts:
Made of ectoplasmic energy and obsession
Made either:
when someone dies with strong enough desires
An idea gains enough traction to take on a life of its own
Immutable concepts and gods
Must be allowed to indulge in obsessions or they will cease to exist
All have basic abilities such as flight, intangibility, invisibility, and minor shape shifting
On top of basic abilities most will have additional powers based on their obsessions
Immortal unless killed
Love to fight
Liminals
Made when a human is exposed to high levels of ectoplasm for prolonged periods of time
Have some ghostly traits
Ghostly traits vary person to person
Less susceptible to human illness and injury
“The ghosts on the picture are Kitty and Johnny, we’ve had problems with them but would consider them friends now. They’re the ghosts of two humans who died, but there are others, Vortext for instance is the ghost of Storms. Those ghosts who come from ideas are called ‘neverborns’. There seem to be almost an infinite number of ghosts, however not all of them are interested in having anything to do with us so we tend to get the same faces showing up a lot in Amity.
“I don’t know how many liminals there are. I thought they might be new with my parents' research but as I look into it more I think there are more natural sources of ectoplasm then my parents thought.” Jazz explained before going to transition to the next slide.
“I have a question-” Bruce started before Jazz hushed him.
“Wait till the end please! I might answer it without you having to ask,” She scolded, and he felt very much like a schoolboy again as his children snickered.
(Next slide including a image of the glowing green viles in the Fenton’s lab and a glowing green crystal)
Ghost biology
Ghosts do not have any recognizable organs or bones
The only solid part of their being is their Core which is the source of their ectoplasm
Any injury to a ghosts form not done directly to their core is considered minor and will heal
A healthy ghost is fully capable of mending any damage including removed limbs in a matter of hours or days depending on extent of the injury
All injuries not including the Core are considered minor
Ghosts are considered young for at least the first hundred years of their existence and are often not considered adults until nearly 500
A caveat to this is ghosts are heavily driven by emotion and will often be the age they feel they are allowing ghosts to mature much more quickly, or more slowly
When this is the case ghosts are treated as the age they present and behave
Ghosts reproduce by shaping ectoplasm and Wanting a child badly enough
“Believe me it was incredibly scary the first time I saw Danny in his ghost form have something go right through his stomach. It took him a long time to convince me it wasn’t a big deal and it barely hurt. He does have to make sure he repairs the damage Before turning human again though or the damage can transfer over and I don’t need to tell you a hole in the gut is a lot more serious for humans!
“If I’m honest I only know ghosts that have stayed younger then they really are, for instance Youngblood who’s a few hundred years old and could be well on his way to adulthood if he wanted but has remained a child. I assume it can go the other way though, if a ghost is very mature for their age.”
Ectoplasm
Ectoplasm is the energy that makes up all ghosts and the Ghost Zone itself. All ghosts can feed on the ectoplasm around them as well as produce their own by indulging in obsessions. The ghosts Cores produce the ectoplasm like a brain produces neurochemicals when exposed to the right stimulation.
Ectoplasm is a powerful source of energy but unstable. When it is stabilized into an ecto-crystal it is more stable and can be used as a power source safely by ghosts and liminals.
“Most ectoplasm is green like you see in the pictures. But it isn’t the only colour, some other ghosts produce different colours and it is highly tied to what emotion drives them. When it’s pure it usually smells like petracore but it can get pretty foul.”
(next slide)
What are Obsessions
Every ghost has one or more obsessions
They can be very literal things such as boxes, or ideas and emotions such as Love
In rarer cases they may have dual obsessions
Unlike for humans obsessions are very healthy for ghosts
Ghosts need to indulge their obsessions
Sometimes the way ghosts indulge their obsessions might seem evil, however it is almost always just amoral
Obsessions shape every part of a ghost from their powers to thier physical appearance, to befriend a ghost you Must understand and aid their obsession
In very extreme circumstances a ghosts obsession may shift, sometimes this is healthy, more often it is a result of extreme trauma
“With my interest in psychology this was sort of hard for me to accept. From the outside the way ghosts obsess seems really unhealthy but it’s what gives them life. When not allowed to indulge in their obsessions ghosts will dysregulate and go to extreme lengths to try and get their obsession, if that doesn’t work they either go dormant if their core is still healthy enough or they will melt.
“Ghosts change their obsessions very rarely, I’ve heard of it happening as they heal. For instance once a ghost has gotten revenge for themselves, if that was their obsession, their obsession might shift to avenging other people, or even protecting them so they don’t need to be avenged.”
(Next Slide)
Ghost Culture
The Ghosts have a monarchy
The title of the Ghost King is not hereditary but passed through trial by combat
Under the monarch is a council of being known as Observants, and powerful and old ghosts called Ancients
Ghosts respect strength and value power and cunning in combat a lot
Ghosts bond with each other through combat and play fight with family and friends often
“I have down that the ghosts are a monarchy, and technically that is true but the current Ghost King was a tyrant who was locked away thousands of years ago. I’m sure as soon as someone shows up who’s powerful enough to beat him his court will be happy to pick up where they left off with a better King, or queen, though I don’t think the title has to change based on gender.
“I really can’t stress enough how violent ghosts are! Because nothing short of having their cores shattered can kill them, play fighting for them can look Very Much like a murder attempt to a human. A lot of the issues we’ve had with ghosts have come from them just not understanding quite how fragile humans, and for most of them they feel really bad once they know they actually Hurt someone by shooting them. It’s really best for everyone when they’re kept separate and Ghosts can happily tear each other apart in peace.”
Liminals
The result of long term low level exposure to ectoplasm, sudden high doses are almost always deadly
Liminals Can have almost every trait a ghost can, usually having a combination of a few
Commonalities between liminals include
Minor cosmetic changes such as: glowing eyes, pointed ears, and/or sharp teeth
Increased stamina, strength, and aggression
Increased obsessive behaviour
Liminals sometimes develop powers shaped by the strength and type of obsession
“Most of the people Danny and I know are liminals. I don’t want to talk about them in case they don’t want to be outed so I’ll talk about myself and my parents. We all had prolonged exposure after all. My ears are pointed,” She said brushing her hair back so they could see them, “And Danny is a little more then liminal but even in human form he has fangs.
“My parents didn’t realize it but they could to the point they could subsist on their obsession without needing to eat or sleep as often as a regular human would. About a year ago I started developing the ability to tap into and feel other peoples emotions, I can feed on them a little too but I try not to because the Worst ghost we met did that and I don’t want to be anything like her.”
(Next Slide)
In conclusion
Ghosts are not evil even though sometimes their actions are hard to understand
Never get between ghosts when they’re fighting each other but it’s usually safe to yell at them to remind them not to break anything
Never get between a ghost and their obsession
Don’t drink ectoplasm unless you know you’re already liminal
“I have a feeling the section about liminals will be familiar to a bunch of you. I know Damian is liminal though I don’t know how he was exposed to ectoplasm and some of you,” Her eyes skirted across Tim and Bruce. “Are toeing the line. You’ll probably notice Damian and Danny getting really close, and they might get in some really vicious looking fights. I promise Danny is playing at least.”
The family was left silent for a moment, Bruce knew he was thinking about Jason. Who had died, been exposed to.. What certainly seemed to be something like Lazarus water and come back, obsessive, aggressive, and emotional. He wished he’d had this powerpoint a long time ago. It helped understand Damian too but mostly he was thinking about Jason. He needed to reach out again, maybe meeting Danny would be good for Jason?
“So uhhh, ya, that’s the end of the powerpoint?” Jazz said, shifting from foot to foot in the awkward silence. “Any questions?”
Next
#danny phantom#fanfiction#dc x dp#jasmine fenton#bruce wayne#damian wayne#alfred pennyworth#liminal#tim drake#jason todd#trans!danny#the batfamily#danny is pregnant au#finally getting help au#vlad is a creep#dc stands for disregard cannon
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also, hot take, but speaking as someone who has volunteered to work on big projects tackling difficult issues out of community love in the past, I am just. is the otw probably a really toxic place to volunteer and work right now? Sure is, probably! Is public pressure that doesn't come with an influx of new people volunteering to do the messy work of figuring out what a better policy is, how to create anti harassment safeguards, and otherwise fixing the problem actually useful? Fuck no it is definitely not!
like I will be 1000% honest, I have in fact been asked personally to volunteer to help a community transition on a much smaller scale to fix problems of this magnitude to encourage a much smaller scale organization to work and perform a community service. and I took that job with a strong sense of "ye gods this is going to suck and I'm going to piss people off by doing things wildly imperfectly, but if I don't help provide my work it might not get done because this is fucking hard and no one is paying."
and I did it and I stopped as quickly as humanly possible. now that shit is someone else's volunteer problem and I'm delighted, because let us be real I'm a disabled middle aged lady with a day job and I don't have full time professional effort to dedicate to stuff I do in my spare time for free. that's one of the fun things about disability actually, it constricts the total store of focused labor hours available to me to put in, especially on landmine topics like extending the scope of my archiving projects to create a farsighted anti harassment policy that can't be weaponized.
so like. the work needs doing. anything anyone does is going to be imperfect and problematic and bad, because it is being done on an almost purely volunteer basis by people who are for whatever reason willing to donate high level professional skills and labor for free and don't need to do stuff for actual money and support instead. like sure the budget is enormous for servers but none of that goes to labor.
Outrage is going to do jack shit unless people volunteer to roll up their sleeves and start doing the work to donate a better policy, or better management. This shit is fucking difficult, exhausting, and impossible to do without pissing people off. I am damn sure not getting involved right now, and that's why I have not been commenting. Public pressure is not going to do jack shit if it didn't come with support.
If this is an issue that is important to you, you have to back up your outrage with resources. Since the AO3 does not exchange money for labor, that means showing up to offer to help build something different. as I said, I am a middle aged disabled lady who finds fandom and archive repositories to be important and helpful and I don't have any labor left to donate, so I have been reserving comment on complaint. If this is a thing that matters to you, congratulations! Public pressure is only useful insofar as it can be used to make the org let you help. It's up to you to actually help.
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pairing: batman aka bruce wayne x f!reader
summary: you move into wayne manor, but not everything is as it seems.
warnings: dark!bruce, established relationships, male and female masturbation, descriptions of male and female genitalia, voyeurism, another age gap fic cuz i love dilf!bruce, reader is described as a vigilante and being dicks friend, some non-consensual touching kinda, no piv unfortunately :(, reader is also described as having hair long enough to pull, one tiny use of the word 'baby', size kink if you squint, some overall darkish batfam? not rlly but I'll tag them as yandere anyway.
a/n: tbh i jus pulled this outta nowhere and have no idea where this might lead but fuck it we ball.
you had no idea what you'd gotten yourself into.
your new life at wayne manor was fast-paced and quite absurd. the transition from living in a cramped dorm with one girl to an ancient mansion with a bunch of other heroes whose lives you could barely keep up with hit you like a ton of bricks, it gave you whiplash.
you'd been friends with dick grayson ever since the two of you were teenagers. he was always someone you could easily bond with. whether it was about school, relationships, or being a vigilante the majority of the short time the both of you had been on this earth, he was always there for you. he was your best friend.
you never really had anyone you would consider family. orphaned at such a young age, you grew up to be cautious of other people, always wary that they would abandon you or find ways to exploit you.
at the beginning of your friendship with dick, you had honestly been quite jealous of the older male. you knew it was a bit selfish, but you couldn't help it. there was always a small part of you that despised him for being taken in by a wealthy man who could support him at his every whim, his newfound family that seemed to only grow bigger and bigger each time you saw him. how despite all the terrible things he had been through, he managed to find happiness, or at least content in his life.
and you wanted that, too.
but you always buried those feelings deep down. it wasn't his fault, and you couldn't blame him for it either, so you pretended it was never there in the first place. instead, you put on a brave face. it wasn't too difficult, and for some short moments, you did truly believe that you were happy, regardless of how out of place you felt sometimes around dick and his brothers and sisters.
brothers and sisters. those words were so foreign to you, that when you looked over the relationships you had with dick and his family, you almost had a sort of epiphany. none of them were blood related at all, but they went through thick and thin together no matter what. and a small part of you hoped, wished, that maybe you could be apart of that too.
maybe it was all just irrational.
dick and you had spent a lot of time together. at school, at the justice league headquarters, fighting side by side at unholy hours of the night, or just casual hangouts. you knew him well enough to catch that subtle look in his eyes whenever he looked at you. pity. it was there whenever he brought up what parties bruce was throwing for one of the kids' birthdays, or how tim and jason got into another petty fight that he had to resolve, damian getting awards at school that the family had to attend.
all experiences and problems that you never had, and probably never would. at least, that's what you thought, up until now.
"why don't you come stay wayne manor?"
at first, the question caught you off guard. sure, you spent countless of sleepovers at the place, and you'd known a decent amount about it to get around by yourself with ease, but still. you never considered the possibility of actually staying there. and by the look on dick's face, he seems to notice that too. "i meant- if you want. i just know how lonely it can be for you sometimes, and it would just be easier for us, y'know with our nighttime activities and-"
your eyes roll at his quick rambling, internally cringing a bit at the prospect of him mentioning you being fucking lonely. you flash him a weak smile, your tone dripping with sarcasm.
"sheesh, dick, thanks." you don't mean to sound so harsh, but it's difficult when all of this is so personal to you.
"i didn't mean it like that. and it's no big deal, really. we have plenty of space, and im sure bruce won't mind. maybe alfred, since he has to pick up after your ass but-" dick continues, shrugging it off like it really didn't mean anything. like he wasn't asking you to pack up your shit and move in with him and his family. "you're always welcome there."
and at that, your heart softens a bit. of course, you knew that, but even when you stayed over for a weekend or two, you never wanted to feel like you were overstaying. "i'll think about it, dick."
and you did. you thought about it quite a lot actually, even before dick had asked you that ludicrous question. and he was right. it would make things easier. you'd have a stable roof over your head, instead of the cracked ones that leaked like your dormatory back in gotham. you'd be able to spend more time with the people you cared about. you'd have people that cared about you too, look after you, and defend you if needed. it couldn't be that bad, right?
that's how you ended up here.
in a room that was bigger than all the shitty squats you lived since you were a kid combined. there was so much space you didn't know what to do with it. but the rowdiness of the boys and girls outside your door brought a smile to your face. life at wayne manor would call for some serious adjustment, but you felt like you could power through it. plus, it was only a bonus that you'd always thought jason was cute, much to dick's disgust.
the first couple of weeks staying here were honestly going great, much to your surprise. the family had welcomed you with open arms, some of them not even batting an eye when you regularly attended dinner with them, or walked around in your pajamas, or were quick to be in the cave once it was time for patrol. like you were supposed to be there all along.
your friendship with dick was more of the same, only now you lived with him. jason and you had gotten closer, but you didn't trust calling whatever feelings you had for him enough to call it a crush. you didn't always understand whatever nerd stuff tim would ramble about, but you listened to him anways. you appreciated how much stephanie and cass involved you into their movie nights and gossiping. well more you and stephanie gossiping than cass, but it still felt like you had the girl best friends you had always craved for. damian took some time to warm up to you, but you could still bond with him over his art and love for animals. alfred loved you already, so there wasn't much there to add. and then there was bruce.
you couldn't quite place your finger on bruce. even when you were younger, his stoicism and broodiness was something you couldn't get past, only in rare moments. there was always something about him that you found off-putting. granted that he was always kind, if that's even the right word for it, he never made you feel unwelcome, but you always felt uneasy around the man.
maybe it was how he seemed to be able to read you like an open book, how he could disappear in a room full of people, how he never quite matched the energy in the room, his incessant staring. god, you hated how much he stared at you. bruce's gaze made you feel small, when you usually were confident and assured of yourself. you could feel his eyes burning into you across the room, and you didn't know how to say anything about it or do much for that matter besides distract yourself.
you thought that by now you'd be able to get over whatever it was about him, that you'd known bruce long enough that you could just play it off as him being strange in his own way, but those feelings had only intensified ever since you moved into the mansion.
chills would run down your spine whenever he'd place a heavy hand on your waist, seemingly as casual touch, but it always lingered too long. held on too tight. this look in his eyes, but you couldn't tell what it was. you had brought it up briefly to dick, but he didn't think much of it, laughing it off, saying something along the lines that's just bruce, you'll get used to it.
but you didn't. you couldn't.
especially now that bruce was inviting you to spar with him. to make sure you're prepared, he said. prepared for what exactly, you're not so sure. but you reluctantly agreed, trying to see it as something useful and educational that you could actually use while fighting against whatever villain of the day thought about creating mayhem in gotham.
bruce was strong and brutish compared to you. every time you tried to throw your best at him, he always managed to get the upper hand, and you'd be flat on the sparring mat in a matter of seconds. it had almost seemed like childsplay to him, and if you didn't know any better, you'd think that maybe deep down a part of him enjoyed it.
he'd roughly grab and contort your body in uncomfortable positions, to test your flexibility, as he so called it. your hair would be pulled unforgivingly, and he'd place his weight on top of you, telling you to try and escape from him, much to your avail. you felt like he was taunting you, "you think those criminals in gotham are gonna be easy on you like i am?"
it didn't fucking feel like he was going easy. bruce would place his hand on your neck and choke you out till you were clawing at his skin, only letting go if you tried to beg or actually managed to use your own skill to get him to stop, but that had only happened once and never again. and when you writhed and struggled in his bruising hold, you'd notice that damn look in his eyes again.
no, this wasn't normal sparring.
you'd seen him spar with the other boys and girls, and it had never been like this. and although he was still ruthless, he'd given them actual advice. advice that you'd seen them use out in the field on multiple occasions.
you'd been wandering around gotham long enough to know when someone had it out for you. whether it was sex, crime, or something else, you knew that distinct look in a persons eyes.
a predator hunting down prey.
☆☆☆☆☆
you tried to wash off whatever the hell that was with bruce down the drain. everytime the eery thought of him having less than good intentions for you came up, you pushed it away. whether it was out of guilt for even thinking of him in that way, cause he saved so many people each night without expecting anything in return, or because he was your best friends father, and no he'd never hurt you. that's just unreasonable.
the whole situation just made your head hurt. maybe it's just an overreaction. dick said that whatever this behavior was is normal of bruce. and so you foolishly continue to believe it.
you search your drawers for a fresh pair of panties, too tired to realize that some of your favorite pairs had gone missing. the room, which you personalized after your couple of weeks here, feels suddenly strange to sleep by yourself in.
when you first moved in, you slept like a baby. you felt safe, like this was a normal thing because you'd slept well in these walls ever since your sleepovers with dick. now, it just felt like something was watching you. a feeling that sometimes left goosebumps on your skin, and you couldn't understand what it was.
there's bruises on your skin from how tightly bruce held onto you. some as big as the shape of his hands on your wrists, and as small as the tips of his fingers on your neck. you're completely oblivious to the camera that's watching you closely, placed strategically so you'd never find it. you're oblivious to the man whose behind them.
even if you had just taken a shower, you decide to get yourself dirty again, in other ways. your favorite thing to relieve stress. playtime. so you trace your fingertips down your body with a feather-light touch, gently tweaking and rolling your fingers between your nipples to get yourself excited. you allow your mind to go blank for a while.
you have no idea that bruce's breathing only gets heavier when he realizes what you're about to do. don't know how his cock is hardening beneath his joggers when you push your panties to the side, gathering up your slick and finding your clit to pleasure yourself. don't know that he's stroking himself too, between the layers of his pants and boxers, with your panties in his hand.
how he wishes there was better light in the darkness of your room, so he could get a better look at your glistening pussy, and swearing to himself that he'll get a good look at it upclose one day. he matches your pace, making sure he only gets to cum at the same time you do.
you seem frustrated. he thinks that maybe he can fix that for you. you lick at your middle and index finger, using your own saliva as lubricant, teasing yourself by slowly rubbing along your wet folds. torturing him. the soft pads of your fingers find your clit, setting a medium-slow pace. and bruce tries his best to mimick your actions. pulling himself out of the constraints of his clothes, teasing the fat mushroom head of his cock, gliding a thumb over the tiny slit where his pre-cum dripped out of him, then moving it down his shaft to gently pump it with his hand.
and when your fingers pick up the pace, so do his hands. his eyes intently watch the screen before him, admiring the way your body arches up off the bed, head pushing into the pillows. your chest heaves a bit, and by the way you're biting on your bottom lip, he can tell you're struggling to be quiet. he doesn't want you be, but he'll take what he can get, for now.
your hips writhe a bit, almost like you wanted to fuck back at your fingers, desperately needing something thicker than your petite hands. you move both hands down to your cunt, so you can play with your clit and finger fuck yourself at the same time, and the action makes your pussy cry at the attention.
bruces muscles flex with each jerk of his hand, his free hand going down to gently cup his balls. his eyes hone in on your tiny digits, moving in and out of your cunt with one sole purpose, your juices creating a filthy sound that's like heaven to bruce's ears. he wants to be there so he could get a taste of that sweet pussy, but he suffices with your panties in his mouth, biting down on the fabric.
he could see the markings he left on your delicate skin in the moonlight that peeks into your room, possessiveness coursing through him. he feels pathetic for even doing this, but he can't help himself. bruce's cock twitches in his hand at the sight, knowing your orgasm was coming quickly by how sloppy and rushed your movements were becoming.
it's been so long since you've touched yourself. too long in fact, that your cunt spasms and gushes, completely soaking your hands and the sheets beneath you in the process. and bruce allows himself to cum too, his cock jumping a bit with every rope of the sticky substance, covering his happy trail and abs.
you seem too tired to care that you're laying in your own pussy juice, darkening the fabric below. bruce's eyes are soft, watching you roll over on your side, not even bothering to clean up afterwards. that was a tomorrow's problem.
bruce makes sure to save the precious evidence that the camera caught, knowing it'll be hidden away for his eyes only. he watches you fall asleep in your own mess till his cock begins to soften, placing himself back into his boxers.
he knows you pretty well, he'd like to think. knows you well enough that if you knew what he'd just done, you'd probably slap him across the face. another part of him hopes it turns you on just as much as it turns him on, but maybe that's just him feeding into his delusion. he trails his eyes over your sleeping form just one more time, a small goodnight baby whispered from his lips, even if you can't hear him.
he shuts off the computer for the night, hoping that he'll soon be lucky enough to watch you touch yourself again tomorrow. or maybe even get to fuck you. soon. really fucking soon.
he'll have to remind himself to be a bit grateful for dick inviting you to stay here, in his home. bruce hadn't been too proud when he suggested it to dick, bringing up that you'd easily accept to their request of moving into wayne manor. and he was right.
if dick or anyone else was suspicious about what bruce was doing, or planned on doing, he wasn't too worried of it. he also knew his adopted children well enough that they wouldn't tell on him, and loved you too much to allow you to leave, and for that, he was also grateful.
he had you right where he wanted you, and he'd give you a really hard time if you even thought about leaving now.
#batman x reader#bruce wayne x reader#smut#batman#bruce wayne#batfam#dick grayson#yandere batman#yandere batfam#yandere bruce wayne
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Astro Observations pt.17
~If you are a female and if you have your Venus poorly aspecting Saturn, (sometimes in rare cases, Venus in 10H) your dad might have compared your physical appearance to other females.
Applies to males too, may have been compared to people of your gender with respect to physical appearence.
~This one is a bit more obvious, but I have seen soooo mannnyyy Capricorns being hella secretive about their personal lives, esp. their romantic lives. No one will ever know that they were dating someone until you get invited to their wedding!
~No matter how fierce they seem, but Aries moons exude a 'motherly' vibe. Like people are
attracted to them becoz they think they'd take care of them. (Bonus points if you have 2H placements)
~I have seen two people having same sign, but one in ascendant and the other in Sun do not get along, and that is becoz the ascendant, which is the first house is ruled by sun itself. The problem is, Sun is about ego. So these people often have ego clashes, hence they do not get along.
~But on the contrary, if two people share a sign,but one in ascendant and other is moon, then they can potentially have a very good bond with each other. Becoz what other feels in subconscious (moon person) is what other thinks/says (asc) and since it is the same sign, most probably both would agree on each other and are less likely to fight.
~ A Neptune/Pisces/prominent 12H placements need so much of sleep like a baby! I have Neptune in 12H and believe me, without a good sleep, I am just a walking mess. (Running into things and people, dropping things lol🤣)
~Jupiter 9H is such an aspect where if a person decides to follow a certain god/religion, then the fruits of their prayers are brought to them effortlessly than the people who have been in that religion for ages. (I am not saying those ppl are not putting much effort, but the placement does that.).
~Also such people are very religious too. This is because in the vedic astro, the 9th house is about your religion, and the planet along with the aspects indicates your relationship with your religion.
(To an extent this applies to Jupiter 1H too.)
~Sun 9H can have really bad daddy issues. It can worsen if Saturn and Sun are poorly aspected.
~When your Rahu (North Node) negatively aspects your natal Moon, then you have possibly have obgyn problems. Can be transit or Natal chart. (similar to Moon in negative aspect to Saturn)
~If you are facing any problems related to your birth chart, find the ascendant and its ruling planet. And focus on strengthening that planet. (follow this according to the vedic Astro) This is because the chart ruler won't try to mess up its own chart. For example if you're a Capricorn ascendant, then your chart ruler is Saturn. If your Saturn is in a not-so-favourable place then try Saturn remedies to obtain favours from that planet.
Thank you for reading my loves! Hope you're having a great day/night.
#astro observations#astro notes#astrology#astroblr#astrology community#astrology tumblr#astrology observations#astro community#astrology notes#vedic astrology#vedic astro notes#vedic astro observations
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*Edit* My bad transitions don't come out till later.
I was so scared they were gonna use different wording and leave it ambiguous, that being said for the longest time in the fandom and in the manga Shigaraki has been dehumanised by people as a monster or a thing. Either because his power or simply due to the fact he was a villain and then completely ignoring the nuance of his situation, of simultaneously being the biggest victim of hero society and also its biggest threat.
And people think he's the biggest threat because of the power of his quirks but in reality the true threat Shigaraki posed was being the manifestation of all of the issues in hero society that the hero's/people can't ignore, he is forcing the hero's and the readers to come to terms with the fact that their society is EXTREMELY flawed.
THAT'S why Shigaraki is the main big bad for the story and not All For One because despite having parallels with Shigaraki, he ultimately can't confront the main question of the narrative and that question is "what dose it mean to be a hero?" and as the protagonist and self proclaimed "number 1 hero" by the end of the story Izuku needs to answer that question. And how dose he do that? by doing the one thing all hero's have failed to do, something even All Might couldn't accomplish and that's getting through to Shigaraki and saving him.
That is something he NEEDS to accomplish for the narrative to justify him becoming the number 1 hero, and his first step being to acknowledge Shigaraki's humanity is excellent. It proves why Izuku deserves to be the protagonist because it's something no one else was capable of, even the past welders of One For All fell into this trap by referring to Shigaraki as a thing or that monster. Hell, even Grand Torino who of all people should feel the most sympathy for his situation blames Shigaraki for tarnishing his grandmothers legacy and even tries to convince Izuku to kill him.
So, overall I'm very happy with the progression of this chapter and how it's progressing Shigaraki and Izuku's character's, but I don't know how I would feel about Shigaraki being redeemed the same way someone like Toga was. Because unlike her, he isn't looking to be saved so to be saved in this single battle would feel a bit rushed since Shigaraki's problems are gonna need way more than a conversation to be solved.
But the manga is probably so going to end soon, so I think hopefully Izuku's talk with Shigaraki will cause him to pull an Sasuke and he'll run off to a different country or something to collect himself. Then the manga can end and then we could get a My Hero Academia Pt2 Naruto style. That way Horikoshi can take a nice long break and hopefully have time to plan out the next part of his story better without being rushed by needing to get a chapter out every other week.
Plus it would be cool so see aged up designs to all our favourite characters, but hey that's just my two cents on the matter.
#character analysis#my hero academia#shigaraki tomura#bnha spoilers#mha#midoriya izuku#bnha izuku#mha izuku#mha shigaraki#bnha shigaraki#bnha 411#bnha meta
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A Trans Soulmate Au
Word count: 2070
Summary: being trans and not understanding it can make having a soulmate very difficult.
Paring: Takashi Mitsuya X Trans!Reader
Warnings: talk of Dysphoria, internalized transphobia, talk of transition, if i missed any please let me know.
A/n: Welcome this one has a bit of angst but it ends happily I promise. I just thought it would be cute if in a soulmate au where your soulmate's name was on your wrist what would happen if you were trans but your soulmate had your birth name on their wrist. So this came to be. This takes place when Mitsuya is twenty so that's the reader's age as well. I tried to write it so anyone can read it whether you’re ftm, mtf or nonbinary, or if you just want to see the inner workings of this trans person's brain. I also want to state this is a rough written interpretation of some of the things I felt before I knew what being Transgender was, it will not cover what everyone feels or what they would feel in this situation. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Anyway requests are open, and remember to Hydrate or Diedrate. MINORS AND AGELESS BLOGS DO NOT INTERACT
Key: D/n means different/dead name, it can be anything but what you like being called I guess.
I’ve known who my soulmate is for the past three months but haven’t told him yet. You may be thinking, why wouldn’t you tell him if you know he’s your soulmate, is he not a great guy or something? But that couldn’t be farther from the truth, my soulmate is Takashi Mitsuya and he is the sweetest guy to ever live. The problem is me. I don’t feel comfortable with who I am and who people want me to be. I’ve always felt like I’ve been living a lie, masquerading as someone I'm not, and honestly I’m scared to tell people the truth. What’s the problem with admitting your soulmates then, is probably your next question. Well I don't want to see the constant reminder of someone that’s not me on my soulmate's wrist.
In our lovely world we live in your soulmates first name is written on your wrist from the time you are born. On my wrist in clean lettering is Takashi and I cherish it, but ever since I started noticing my feelings about myself I’ve kept it hidden so my soulmate can’t figure it out, because they shouldn’t be burdened with someone who is broken like me. When I met Mitsuya I was conflicted at first. I knew he was my soulmate because I saw D/n written on his wrist in the same font as mine, and obviously his name matched my wrist. He was so kind that I considered just telling him we are soulmates and dealing with the discomfort of seeing my given name everyday for the rest of my life, but my disdain for who people told me to be won, and I’ve kept it secret since. Or so I thought.
It was the weekend and there was nothing happening with Toman at the moment so I was hanging out with Mitsuya and Hakkai. We were just chatting, covering topics like what we want to do in the future and how no matter what Hakkai and I will be Mitsuya’s number one supporters when he starts his fashion line. It was just a chill hang out among friends.
“Seriously Mitsuya, if you need a model for a photoshoot or runway I got your back promise. I mean what are friends for?” I said brushing a strand of hair out of my face, not realizing my bracelets had slid up my arm.
“D/n’s right, we’ll help in whatever way you need us to Taka.” Hakkai chimed in. “Anyway, other than being a fashion designer, have you thought about looking for your soulmate yet?” He asked Mitsuya to keep attention on him.
When the topic of soulmates was brought up I subconsciously rested my hand on my wrist. Feeling my bracelets out of place I quickly shifted them back into position. Hoping that the one person didn’t see the mark and figure everything out. I quickly looked over to Mitsuya and from what I could tell he was still absorbed in his conversation with Hakkai. I sighed in relief before deciding it was probably time for me to go home.
Standing up, I addressed my two friends. “Well it was nice talking with you guys but I should get going, I have some homework I still need to finish.” I quickly turned not catching the slight frown on Mitsuya’s face. Waving one final goodbye, I left Hakkai’s house and headed on my way.
I had reached a park a few blocks between my house and the Shiba residence and decided to sit and clear my head. “That was way too close.” I said to myself as I sat on the swings.
“What was ‘too close’ me almost finding out that you are my soulmate and having been hiding it for who knows how long?” Said the voice of the one person I didn’t want to face right now. “Come on D/n, when were you gonna tell me? Did you just not like that the universe chose me for you to be stuck with for the rest of your life? If that was the case why did you hang around me so much?” He started asking questions.
Fighting back tears cause I knew where this conversation would go, I tried to argue. “You know that’s not true Takashi. Why would I hide it? I didn’t know, I didn’t want to assume anything.” I lied, trying to play it off as me not knowing for sure.
He rolled his eyes at that. “Don’t lie about it. You constantly wear bracelets to cover it up, obviously you’re embraced to have my name on your skin. And don’t Takashi me, if you can’t admit we’re soulmates don’t call me that.” He said with a harsh tone he normally saves for assholes he has to beat up.
“I swear I’m not embraced, it's just easier if you don’t have to deal with me as your soulmate.” I said finally taking the blame even if I knew he wouldn’t believe me.
“Are you sure? Cause it seems like you’re just making excuses. What did I ever do to make you want to hide that we’re supposed to end up together? If it’s the fact I’m in toman then i’ll leave it, pass on the title of captain of the second division to Hakkai and retire.” He started to sound almost desperate. Like the fact I hid this was hurting him. “Just tell me what I need to do, for you to accept me.” At this point there were faint tears streaming down his face.
I froze, Mitsuya never cries, he didn’t even cry when Mana started school. It hurt to see him stand here and offer to leave his friends for me. He loved toman, maybe even more than he loved fashion design and sewing. I couldn’t just sit here and watch him beat himself up over something that was really all my fault, so I broke down completely.
“It’s not you Takashi. I love everything about you and I would never ask you to quit Toman, that’s like asking Takemichi to stop crying or asking Mikey to stop riding his bike. The problem was never with you, I hid the fact we are soulmates because I’m broken. I’ve always been broken. I don’t know how to explain it but I just feel like my body is wrong. Like I was born in the wrong one, like a mistake was made. Everytime I look in the mirror I hate what I see. I've tried everything from affirmations, to body positivity exercises but it’s all wrong. I hid the fact we are soulmates because I hate my name. It doesn’t fit, it’s wrong, I don’t know what is right but that there on your arm is not me.” I ranted out, expressing my feelings about myself for the first time out loud. “I could bear going through life hating a part of my soulmate that he can’t change, so I hid my mark and hoped that by some miracle you would find someone else that shared this name and had Takashi written across their wrist even though I know it’s impossible. I don’t want you to have to live with someone who hates themself.” Tears were streaming down my face and I didn't notice Mitsuya moving to hug me.
“We’ll get through this together. I know your feelings are probably hard to understand and are confusing. I’m not going to pretend like I fully understand, but I will help you through it. We can look for a therapist to help you work through it and understand. We can try anything you want to make you feel more comfortable. If you truly hate the name on my wrist I’ll keep it covered so you don’t have to see it, and you can tell me what you want to be called. You get to pick what I call you so I know you’re comfortable with it.” He said resting his head on mine as silently cried into his chest. “And when you’re ready I will help you tell the gang and if anyone dares to make fun of you or disrespects you they’ll have to answer to me. We’re soulmates for a reason, and I’ll stick with you through everything.”
I couldn’t help but smile as I pulled away from him only enough to look him in the eyes. “Thank you Takashi. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in the first place.” He just returned my smile, placing a kiss on my forehead. “As for what to call me, I’m not sure yet but I think for now you could just call me soulmate when talking to me. You can call me whatever you want to when talking with others though.” I said, earning a slight chuckle from the lavender haired man holding me.
“You got it Soulmate, now take off your bracelet and give it to me.” I did as instructed revealing his name written neatly across my wrist. I watched as he smiled at his name before slipping the bracelet on his own wrist covering his own mark. “Now that that’s out of the way, what do you say to going out for some ice cream and maybe a movie?” He asked as he laced his fingers with mine.
“Sounds fantastic.” I replied excited to start this new journey together.
Timeskip to a few months
It was a relatively quiet day, I had just spent the morning cleaning up my room and getting ready to go out with Takashi for the day. He was supposed to be here around one and I was so excited to tell him some great news. You see, over the past couple months I found a therapist who helped me figure out that there is a name for my feelings and that’s gender dysphoria, and most people who experience it are Transgender. With the help of my therapist and the support of Takashi, I’ve started my transition. I’ve made some great strides in making peace with my feelings and presenting the way I see myself in my mind. The only thing I had been stuck on was a name. That’s the news I was ready to share with Takashi. I had finally chosen a name.
Checking the clock, it was about 12 so I decided I should finish getting ready even though there was an hour before Takashi was supposed to get here. As I was picking out my shoes for the day I was interrupted by loud knocking on my front door. Checking the clock again to see it was only 12:15 I was confused, Takashi isn’t supposed to be here for another 45 minutes. Trying to push my concern aside I went to open the door. “Takashi, you're super early.” I said as I swung the door open, being greeted by a very frantic Takashi.
“Thank god you opened the door, I have to show you something.” Before I could even respond he was pushing into my apartment not even bothering to take off his shoes. “I don’t know how or when this happened but when I was showering I noticed something strange on my wrist and when I looked at it, my mark had changed to this.” He said frantically moving the bracelet that normally covered his soulmark to reveal it had in fact changed.
I couldn’t help but laugh, my laugh caused a look of shock to cross Takashi’s face. Before he could continue with his mini panic I decided to explain. “It’s ok Takashi. Everything is fine, in fact it’s amazing that your mark changed, it just proves we’re soulmates even more.” He looked confused at my statement. “I finally picked my name, it's Y/n” I said, clarifying what I was getting at.
The look of confusion melted away into one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen on his face. “Oh my god. That’s fantastic Y/n. We have to celebrate.” He said immediately falling into using my new name. Hearing it come from him made me smile more than I already was.
Having his support through everything has been a blessing, I’m glad my bracelet accidentally fell that day. If it hadn’t I would still be hating myself everyday, but instead I’m learning to love myself and showing everyone that no matter what society says you have to be you don’t have to listen.
#tokyo revengers x reader#takashi mitsuya x reader#mitsuya takashi#mitsuya x reader#tokyo revengers mitsuya#mitsuya x transgender reader#x transmasc reader#x transfem reader#x trans male reader#x nonbinary reader#trans!reader#trans writers#transgender fic#soulmate au#tokyo rev x reader#tokyo revengers soulmate au#transgender soulmate au#Mitsuya soulmate au
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how about a fic where Stiles is trying to learn werewolf culture and about his role as the alpha’s mate
Yeah.
Nesting Dolls by TheSleepyOne
(1/1 I 1,048 I Mature I Sterek)
When people think of a werewolf’s rut they think of the monster of myth. They conceive these thoughts of an aggressive beast with no care for their mates. They would say werewolves in rut were monsters worse than men. Creatures that should be burned alive before they could come for the woman and children. None of these people have actually been with a werewolf during his rut.
On Pack, On Family, On Love by AlexTheShipper
(1/1 I 1,352 I General I Sterek)
Stiles doesn't feel he's truly part of the pack, and Jackson doesn't help the problem. Derek has something to say on the matter.
Boo by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)
(1/1 I 1,837 I General I Sterek)
“Wolves are territorial.”
Stiles sighed explosively, rubbing at his face. “Yes, Derek. I know. I am best friends with one, and dating another. And have been in this pack since the tender age of sixteen, back when I was only an adorable little troublemaker as opposed to the drop dead gorgeous troublemaker I grew into. Why do you keep sayi—”
Stiles paused, and Derek practically saw the lightbulb over his head. He let his hands slide off his face, staring at Derek for a few seconds. The Werewolf stared back, then turned to go back to their cart before someone took it away thinking it’d been abandoned.
Werewolf Facts, Brought to You by an Alpha's Human Mate by Singing_Siren
(1/1 I 2,852 I General I Sterek)
The thing that most people don’t realize, despite the overwhelming evidence, is that werewolves are not human. Because of this, they do not act or think like humans. They have different instincts, different cultures and social norms. Stiles’s life was changed when he came to that realization, mostly for the better. Before then, he had been looking at the wolves’ behavior through a human lens, which led to bad times for everybody.
So, when new people become aware of the supernatural world, Stiles has a well thought out pamphlet waiting to help with the transition. He even has a numbered list of things that differ from werewolves to humans!
Stripped Like a Wire. Exposed Like a Nerve by Ailovlovyuu
(3/? I 4,306 I Explicit I Sterek)
In a world where Weres are known and co-exist with humans, Stiles wanders into the woods not expecting an invading pack on Hale territory. Now Derek, Stiles and Sherif Stilinski have to pick up the pieces of that night and move forward into the new life presented before them.
Aka
The one where the power of love heals and there’s a lot of cool were-society world building.
Cause I Built A Home (For You, For Me) by nymphe
(1/1 I 6,860 I Teen I Sterek)
Erica is giggling somewhere in the background. “I think he’d like exactly what you’d like, mom.”
Or, a 5 Times fic wherein Stiles doesn’t realize he’s been accidentally co-parenting a gang of furry teenagers/displaying Perfect Mate Characteristics, + the 1 Time Derek enlightens him.
I'm Coming Down Fast but Don't Let Me Break You by keldjinfae, Scribblesnpaws
(1/1 I 28,059 I Explicit I Sterek)
Survival in a supernatural hotspot like Beacon Hills can be a challenge when dealing with everything from overzealous hunters to an alpha werewolf with a migraine and a craving for onions. Fortunately, Stiles has a few simple rules to help keep everyone from ripping each other’s throats out. With their teeth. And no, Derek, he will not just “let that one go,” ever.
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Jareth x Sarah - How It's Worse Than the Age Gap.
Now, from what I can tell, no sane person in the Tumblr Labyrinth fandom ships Jareth x Sarah. Most people who do ship it are either insanely out of the loop, or are middle-aged women who think David Bowie is hot (who could blame them.) It's not something I see that's a problem often. Because as we all grew older, we gained this thing called hindsight. And we were able to realize that, hey, maybe an immortal fae king chasing after a 16-year-old girl is... a bit creepy! This is completely valid, and I agree!
But I often think about how it's a common experience to only be hit with that realization when entering adulthood or teenage years. Why didn't we realize it sooner? And I think I have the answer.
It was about Sarah's desire for Jareth. Not Jareth's desire for Sarah. And it always has been.
Which is why people still actively pushing the ship is not only weird, but it completely negates the entire purpose of Sarah going into Jareth's labyrinth to find her baby brother! And erases all of the character growth she endured!
Now, in order to explain this, we need to take a more allegorical approach to "Labyrinth" as a whole. More specifically, "Labyrinth" as an allegory for growing up, Sarah's transition from girlhood to womanhood. Of course, many people have pointed out the allegories within the film, but we really need to dig in deep here.
"Labyrinth" is a coming-of-age film for Sarah (and, arguably, Jareth, but this isn't about him), she starts the movie as a spoiled, unlikable brat who has to leave behind her selfishness to save someone she loves. She loves all these little insignificant things at the beginning of the film, perhaps more than her brother from an audience's perspective! One look around her bedroom shows that, despite her being a teenage girl, she's stuck in her childhood.
When she wishes Toby away, she has to leave that behind. Because the labyrinth is an unforgiving place and nothing is fair, and Sarah is used to getting what she wants. Who's the person standing most in her way? Jareth. He's older, he's sexy, he's dangerous, he's charming, and he looks like the rockstars Sarah loves. He even looks like the man her mother seems to have run off with, based on the photos in her room! (I have some theories about him too but no matter.) All these factors lead to Sarah being attracted to Jareth. Because, well, what nerdy teenage girl wouldn't be!
Except, Jareth's entire purpose is to keep Sarah from reaching her goal, getting her brother back. His purpose is to, in essence, allow her to give into what she wants, to remain a kid forever. To play with her toys and costumes and "forget about the baby", if you will. At the end of the film, he practically asks for her entire livelihood and says he's asking for little because he's done so much to keep her happy. And while that may be true, he has done a lot, happiness isn't what she needs to grow or what she needs to get her brother back, so she rejects him.
Jareth is the physical embodiment of Sarah's dreams, and that is intentional! Again, going back to the allegory sense, I believe that Jareth is representative of that urge to remain young. Which is why Sarah's rejection of his advances is so crucial, and why her attraction to him is important to her character's growth.
By rejecting Jareth, Sarah is allowing herself to grow up, because she's rejecting her childish, selfish, stubborn ways.
Feeling drawn to Jareth shows Sarah being drawn to the simplicity of childhood. Yet she's growing up against her will, because it's something we all go through, and perhaps this could be represented in Toby being taken by the goblins. And when she says that Jareth has no power over her, that's when she comes to terms with growing up and becoming a woman. It's something we all do. Her past has no power over her.
And with Jareth representative of these things, it dampens how weird that age gap feels. It never focuses on Jareth's attraction to Sarah, because the character growth he experienced would have happened whether or not he loved her romantically, and he objectively is not the protagonist, we aren't supposed to like him. But if Sarah had no feelings for Jareth, she might not have ever changed. And she is also the protagonist, she's supposed to be somewhat likable by the end of the film. By not paying much attention to the adult's attraction to the minor, "Labyrinth" deals with a situation such as this one... very well, in my opinion. Even if maybe the adult never should've reciprocated in the first place.
...All of this is why I find it more weird than others when I see ship content of these two, I think, even with Sarah aged up as an adult. By creating a universe where Sarah never went after Toby or stayed with Jareth, one is... practically killing all her growth throughout the movie. Allowing her to remain selfish and ignorant. Which would be letting Jareth "win" in a sense. Hence why Jareth x Sarah is worse than just the age gap.
#this was written on sweet tea and a dream sorry if it makes no sense#you get it right?#ramblings#labyrinth#labyrinth 1986#jareth the goblin king#sarah williams
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Hey! I hope you're well. My ask basically is what are your actions you would take in addressing the problem Lucerys presents with House Velaryon and the visual implications of a white lord of a predominantly Black house. All the best!
(This ask is in reference to my Lucemond Arranged Marriage AU)
Oh yes thank you! I had too many thoughts on this to fit it into one comment haha.
So as a reminder, this AU is centered around Viserys surviving longer. Where Driftmark is concerned, the key thing is that Viserys outlives Corlys by several years. In this universe, I do think Lucerys would successfully become Master of Driftmark upon Corlys's death, because Viserys as the undisputed King would be backing his claim.
But what happens when Viserys dies? In this AU, the Greens will still attempt their usurpation. The Blacks will be in a much better position to defeat them, but it'll still create instability, and the members of House Velaryon could very well take advantage to try to depose Lucerys and install someone else instead.
I think it'll help that the most powerful members of House Velaryon--AKA the ones with dragons, like Rhaenys and Baela and by then Rhaena--would probably still be supporting Lucerys. And it'll help that Rhaenyra will succeed in getting her throne, and Lucerys will once more have the reigning monarch's backing. I'd also devote a significant amount of time to Lucerys taking the time to learn and appreciate House Velaryon's culture and proving himself as a seafarer. He needs to fully adopt all of their customs without hesitation and without trying to impose any of his own on them.
...But while I could see the Velaryons tolerating Lucerys if he demonstrated a desire to preserve their culture and learn their ways, the optics of a lil white boy's bloodline taking over like the only powerful Black house in Westeros are objectively not great. So I'd definitely want Driftmark's succession to return to Black Velaryons for future generations. Here's my idea:
Lucerys decrees that Rhaena's eventual children will be his heirs.
It's canonically possible for holders of a title to make a distant relative their heir, even if more closely-related relatives exist. Jeyne Arryn successfully made her fourth cousin Joffrey Arryn her heir, even though she had an existing first cousin, Arnold Arryn, who was more closely related to her. So I think this solution would be fairly compatible with existing Westerosi norms of succession.
In this situation, Rhaena could be engaged to another Black Velaryon relative. My best candidates for this would be either of Vaemond's sons, Daemion or Daeron. Daeron Velaryon could have been born as late as 115 AC and Rhaena was born in 116 AC, so it's plausible that they could be basically the same age. If Rhaena and Daeron were engaged and their children named heirs to Driftmark, this would make Lucerys a white little blip amidst an otherwise entirely Black and Velaryon line of succession for Driftmark. Also I'm fond of people relinquishing their titles once they get old for the sake of stable transitions of power so it'd help if Lucerys retired early and didn't cling onto the title longer than necessary.
So yes, there's no way to have Lucerys as Master of Driftmark without the squidgy aspect of a white man ruling an otherwise Black house, no matter how attentive you make him to embracing their culture and preserving their traditions. But I think a lot of goodwill could be created if Lucerys ensured early on that Driftmark would pass back into Black Velaryon hands as soon as he retired.
#i checked btw and both of vaemond's sons should still have their tongues#like none of the other velaryon men do anymore thanks to viserys but i think those two made it out intact lmao#ask#asks#answered#lucemond#lucerys velaryon#luke velaryon#lucerys strong#luke strong#aemond targaryen#aemond one eye#aemond#hotd#house of the dragon#lucemond arranged marriage au
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🏹 ˖ ࣪⊹ — just a friend
pairing: mike wheeler x fem!reader
summary: you’re sick and tired of mike seeing you only as a friend so you take matters into your own hands, only causing more problems
warnings: arguing
age of pairing: 14-15
the crowd roared with people standing up and going wild. you hugged your friends and jumped up in your green hawkins cheerleading skirt. pom-poms in the air everywhere while the background noise stayed loud. i looked at lucas with the team, he gave me a quick wave before being tackled by his teammates.
when you turned around to the crowd, you searched through the loads of people for your two bestfriends. but once you matched eye contact with them, you realized they were the only ones not celebrating. rather looking unamused, especially mike with his arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. as if you had done anything wrong? as if you were the bad guy?
you turned away, moving your focus on the people who actually supported you. that was all you wanted from him, support. was that so much to ask for? from a friend? from a boyfriend?
all you did was change. it was natural for a person to change during the leap from middle school to high school. when school started your statement was justified. people had different haircuts, no longer braces, matured features, and changed personalities. who could blame you for having done all four?
before the summer, you spent the majority of your time stuffed in mike’s crowded basement with the party playing dnd for hours before your parents scolded you to come home. you didn’t have time to worry about your looks or what other people thought, all you thought about was dnd and mike. mostly mike. he was your bestfriend since middle school started, inviting you to join his party and sticking by your side through everything.
what you didn’t expect was that during the transition from seventh grade to eighth grade, you fell for him. something about how you saw him changed. he wasn’t just some geek that would make jokes and play dnd with you, now he was something more. you wanted him to be something more. you didn’t feel like this about the other guys. will, dustin, and lucas all felt like friends like before but something happened during that summer which you cannot explain that made you love mike wheeler and you couldn’t decide whether that was a blessing or a curse.
although disregarding your feelings, you two were friends and clearly that was all mike saw you as. he would tell you about the girls he liked, his crushes and people he thought were cute. you would encourage him to make a move, saying that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity but sometimes saying that he should hold back. saying there’s someone better for him somewhere else, somewhere closer.
but as oblivious as boys can get, mike took your advice yet again bringing up another girl’s name while looking right into your eyes. it was as if he knew what you were saying but just teasing you about it. only if he knew how much you liked loved him. but the scenarios where you ever confessed only happened in your imaginations.
instead of making a move, you decided to take another approach. you wanted him to see you as one of those girls, one of these girls he would tell you about. you didn’t want him to see you as a good ol’ bestfriend anymore, something just a little more. you were already someone he liked but not loved and it hurt more than a stab to the heart.
so during the summer, you went away to spend a summer with your aunt in california. by the time you came back summer had came to an end, leaving the first day of school, the first day of the party seeing the new you. you changed your old hairstyle, the one mike used to make fun of playfully and the one that was so different from the girls he would admire.
you also changed your clothes, your entire appearance for that matter. you paid attention to the tv when a romcom was on, observing how much the girl would care about her appearance and how much the guy cared. he did, he complimented her and the girl smiled. oh, how you wished to be born in a romcom.
when the first day of highschool rolled around, you were unrecognizable. which you couldn’t decide was a good or bad thing. either way you marched into the school with full confidence. you searched through the halls to find your familiar faces from middle school. your party. unfortunately, other people caught up on your new appearance too. boys you haven’t seen since the third grade started talking to you, pulling you aside to give you compliments and ask you out. but these weren’t the compliments you weren’t looking for, not that they weren’t sweet but they weren’t from mike wheeler.
you sat through four periods without any luck until lunch came around. you walked through the crowds of people until you found them walking down the hallway, only dustin and mike though. lucas must’ve been in the bathroom or something. you waved at them with a cheery smile as you always did. if something hadn’t changed about you that summer, it was your personality. for now.
they waved back but without a smile. they looked surprised, you could tell by dustin’s words “what the fuck happened to you y/n!?” mike just froze, looking you up and down as if you were a total stranger talking to him. of course dustin reworded and apologized, “sorry—it’s just you look different? what did they feed you there in california?!” you laughed at his words and just said a simple, “i changed,” with a shrug. who knew that those were the same words you shouted at mike a few weeks later.
“i changed mike! ok i changed.” you yelled back, your strained voice couldn’t take it anymore and you felt like walking away but mike spoke up again. “but why—?! why did you change—i-i just liked how you were before!” he shouted making you stop and turn around. “well mike, you should’ve said that before.” walking away and never turning back.
those were the last words you uttered to mike wheeler till now. honestly you had to admit, you missed having him around. how he made you laugh on days you couldn’t remember how to smile and how life was never boring with him beside you. the days you slept next to him with your head on his shoulder because of how much it reminded you of how it felt to be safe.
and the unfortunate truth that no one could replace mike wheeler hit you hard. no matter how hard you tried to search for another person to make you smile until your face felt sore or laugh until you cried or made you feel so lovesick, you realized he was everything to you. so why weren’t you everything to him?
because you’re just a friend.
#*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧scwheeler#mike wheeler x y/n#mike wheeler x you#mike wheeler x reader#stranger things#stranger things 4#mike wheeler#mike x reader#st 4 vol 2#finn wolfhard
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Transiting Mercury enters Libra
Wednesday, October 4 - Sunday, October 22, 2023
(At age 65 I am officially elderly and a senior citizen - my Gemini Sun is a bit horrified; my Aries Moon and Scorpio Ascendant are delighted - perhaps this is my first real burst of “get off my lawn” energy, but lately I’m getting very impatient about long posts on my Tumblr dashboard. So as not to be even more of a hypocrite than I usually am, I’m going to start using the “keep reading” function more frequently.)
Back to quickies for the second-speediest planet-type thingie (the Moon being swiftest). And this is something I think we should all be grateful for - all of the transits through Libra this year, have been and continue to be very challenging.
The goals of a Mercury transit through Libra are to calm the mind - to wrap our heads around seeming paradoxes - and to truly listen to other people whom we trust and love. Remember, we just went through two-plus month’s worth of Mercury/Virgo multitasking, worry, and criticism! Simply put, our brains require balance right now. Where and how this all can go wrong:
Learning - we’re lazy students; we don’t (want to) put in the effort. Going for that “gentleman’s ‘C’,” instead of doing our best. We turn away from harsher realities - if we’re prone to wearing rose-colored glasses, we probably have them permanently attached.
Thinking and reasoning - can be cold and judgmental; Libra is represented by a machine, remember. We’re too “logical” for our own good, and can rationalize away anything our consciences niggle at us with. And again, we don’t want to spend time on “unpleasant” matters. We’d rather ponder the superficial.
Communication - we tell people what (we think) they want to hear; we express ourselves too pleasantly, or conversely, we’re too addicted to arguing; because we don’t want to “rock the boat” we fail to express anything uncomfortable - anger, dread, etc. (Actually, most of us do want to rock the boat, if not outright capsize the damned thing - it’s the consequences we want to avoid.)
My recommendations:
Meditate, even if it’s a stolen half-minute in a locked toilet stall.
Identify whom you do trust - if the answer is “nobody” then find someone - open up to and be honest with them, and listen humbly to what they have to say in return.
Most of us listen in order to respond, not to understand. Google “active listening skills” and put them into practice.
I don’t consider Libra a cowardy sign by any means - Eleanor Roosevelt, for example - for in pursuit of fairness and justice, Libra can and will stand tall and brave. We need to remember that we’re always working towards the ultimate outcomes of fairness and justice - it’s a difficult and sometimes dangerous path - and it can be done.
Another difficulty: this entire transit takes place during the “shadow of the eclipse.” It may bring up some issues we can’t clear up and resolve until after the “shadow” ends on October 31. By that day, Mercury will be halfway through Scorpio, and much more empowered and able to work through its problems.
Thursday, October 5 - Mercury/Libra inconjunct Saturn Rx/Pisces. The first little sign of adjustments needing to be made. Some authority problems; we may have to let something go.
Saturday, October 7 - Mercury/Libra square Vesta/Cancer. Lack of focus - or hyper-focus; if there is a topic we’re really interested in, in a scholarly way, that’s all we want to think and talk about.
Sunday, October 8 - Mercury/Libra sesquiquad Uranus Rx/Taurus. Some kind of delay in getting what we want - perhaps we bit off more than we could chew. If we’ve been intellectually lazy, &/or glossed over things, it bites us in the butt.
Tuesday, October 10 - Mercury/Libra semi-sextile Ceres/Scorpio. Write down any deep thoughts or insights; we can address them and work through them when Mercury and Ceres are conjunct on November 4. (Spoiler alert: that’s going to be an intense day.)
Thursday, October 12:
Mercury/Libra semi-square Juno/Leo
Mercury/Libra conjunct Pallas Athene/Libra
Mercury/Libra inconjunct Jupiter Rx/Taurus
We have a really intriguing idea but (1) partners disapprove &/or (2) the timing is off. Just because an idea is intriguing doesn’t mean that it’s also good!
Friday, October 13 - Mercury/Libra sesquiquad Saturn Rx/Pisces. Eclipse eve. More delays, though in time we may reconsider the delays as being blessings in disguise.
Saturday, October 14 - Mercury/Libra opposite Chiron Rx/Aries. Eclipse day. This might manifest as an argument, or a sudden hurtful realization about ourselves or someone else.
Tuesday, October 17 - Mercury/Libra inconjunct Uranus Rx/Taurus. An adjustment we really resist having to make, especially if it’s difficult or “icky.” As we tend to have to do come election time in the US, we’re forced to choose “the lesser of two evils” and not “the best.” This distresses and disgusts us more than usual.
Wednesday, October 18 - Mercury/Libra semi-square Venus/Virgo. Mercury and Venus are in mutual reception - in each other’s sign - which strengthens what would otherwise be some petty, unimportant annoyance. Take some deep breaths; it’s temporary!
Then all hell breaks loose, on Thursday, October 19 - Friday, October 20:
Mercury/Libra opposite Eris Rx/Aries
Mercury/Libra opposite North Node/Aries, conjunct South Node/Libra
Mercury/Libra inconjunct Neptune Rx/Pisces
Mercury/Libra conjunct Sun/Libra (aka the “Superior Conjunction”)
Mercury/Libra square Pluto/Capricorn
Our ways of doing Mercury are blasted. This not-new situation (something we’ve avoided or procrastinated having to deal with) can manifest as accusations of being “too sensitive” - or “too insensitive.” Someone is screaming, we don’t like it, and we’ll do anything to stop it and shut them up. We discover that we’ve been manipulated - or someone discovers that we’ve manipulated them. Really, really dreadful news, which we could have lessened (if not prevented) if we had only had the ovaries/balls to do something about it sooner. We can’t see any of it clearly.
The resolution to a t-square can be found via the sign not represented in the main action - in this case, Cancer. We need to be a little more tribal. What’s best for the tribe? How can we nurture and protect the tribe? We need to be more sensitive and responsive to the other people in our “families;” life does not have to be all about only ourselves and our egos/vanity, all the time. It may be wiser to go with our guts, for a while.
Remember: Mercury’s transit through Scorpio will enable and empower us to address these issues successfully.
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Two teens guilty of ‘senseless’ murder of trans girl Brianna Ghey
New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/two-teens-guilty-of-senseless-murder-of-trans-girl-brianna-ghey/
Two teens guilty of ‘senseless’ murder of trans girl Brianna Ghey
Two 16-year-olds have been found guilty of the “senseless” murder of transgender girl Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed 28 times in a park in Cheshire, England earlier this year.
Known as Girl X and Boy Y to protect their identities, the “murder obsessed teens” were found guilty unanimously by a jury at Manchester crown court on Wednesday.
The judge, Justice Yip, said she would sentence the pair next month, and would decide whether to lift reporting restrictions so that the killers could be named.
She told the teenagers that she would have to impose a life sentence but that she needed to adjourn for further reports to decide on the minimum term.
Girl X, who was fascinated by serial killers and boasted of watching torture videos on the dark web, said she was “obsessed” with Brianna. She and Brianna had been friends for a few months before she began plotting to kill her.
IN OTHER NEWS: Jury finds 77-year-old guilty of gay hate murder of Raymond Keam
Nigel Parr, senior investigating officer for Cheshire police, said Brianna had been betrayed by two teenagers whose only motivation was to experience how it felt to kill.
“This was a senseless murder committed by two teenagers who have an obsession with murder,” he said.
The defendants exchanged thousands of WhatsApp messages in the lead up to the murder.
The boy referred to Brianna as “prey” and “it” in his messages, saying she would be easier to kill “and I want to see if it will scream like a man or a girl”.
Earlier this year, Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, told the Guardian that while her daughter had anxiety and mental health problems, she was “very outgoing and very confident” and dreamed of becoming “TikTok-famous”.
The court heard she did not go out alone often, and texted her mother on the way to meet her killers, saying she was “scared” because there were lots of people on the bus.
But she had a large following online, where her dance routines and skits drew friends from around the world. After the verdicts, Esther described her daughter as “larger than life” and “funny, witty and fearless”.
Brianna came out as trans when she was 14. Her mother said she supported the transition: “It didn’t bother me. It was just something that Brianna wanted to do and I was happy. As long as she was happy then that’s all that mattered.”
After the verdicts, the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This has been one of the most distressing cases the Crown Prosecution Service has had to deal with. The planning, the violence and the age of the killers is beyond belief.
“Brianna Ghey was subjected to a frenzied and ferocious attack and was stabbed 28 times in broad daylight in a public park.
“Girl X and Boy Y appear to have been a deadly influence on each other and turned what may have started out as dark fantasies about murder into a reality.”
If you need someone to talk to, help is available from QLife on 1800 184 527 or online at QLife.org.au, Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.
For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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Peter in his high school year book, 1959. Photos from an old auction listing.
“All of my early life was spent feeling out of whack. Physically I matured late and never was very athletic and always found myself on the short end of the stick. I was raised in a liberal family in the middle of the McCarthy era.” - Peter Tork, The Daily Oklahoman, November 7, 1983 (x)
“Peter started school in Germany before he’d turned five and when the family returned to the United States his father refused to allow him to repeat first grade. ‘From that time on, until I got to college, I was always about a year younger than the other kids. A year makes a hell of a difference in school. Kids don’t like getting involved with someone they consider to be their junior. It didn’t make things too easy.’ [...]
‘My life between then [moving to Connecticut] and my senior year of high school was a total disaster. In fifth grade I started going downhill because I was unhappy. I was constantly trying to make friends and trying to be funny but never succeeding because I was so much younger. I did have a small circle of friends but that was at home, it didn’t have much to do with school.’ […]
Peter’s adolescence took a turn for the better around the time of his high school senior year, when he was moved to the newly-opened University of Connecticut High School. ‘It was much more comfortable. The age difference ceased to matter and I finally got a chance to make some real friends. This is when I guess you could said I blossomed out. There were all kinds of amateur societies I could join, like drama and rifle shooting. I even started going to football and baseball games. My father and I did a lot of target shooting together. I was very interested in drama but I was a late grower and because I was so short I never got any big romantic leads. My acting debut, at age sixteen and a half, was as a thirteen-year-old paper boy in Our Town. This was a bit degrading; it reminded me of the age problem that had dogged me all through school.’” - Monkeemania (1986)
In connection with high school: from an older post, Peter's advice to a fan, such as:
"Think about what I’ve told you and try your very best to be open, cheerful and friendly with everyone. That includes people who have or will try to point you in one way or another. If someone puts you down, letting it roll off your back is not accepting it so much as recognizing the fact that it’s their hangup, not yours!
There are going to be people who will become your friends. Some of them you’ll get to know, and others will find you. Your social life will pick up again, but this time you’ll be doing it on your own terms! This much I know is true, because it happened to me! The transition from being one of the crowd to being your own individual self is painful, but the way you feel about yourself is the most important thing that will ever happen to you!
Peace and Love,
Peter Tork” (read more)
#Peter Tork#50s Tork#Tork quotes#long read#1959#more for the solid Tork advice files#(also re: 'never got any big romantic leads' it's nice to think of e.g. One Man Shy and Fairy Tale because in a way he finally did)#The Daily Oklahoman#Ask Peter Tork#Monkeemania: The True Story of The Monkees#can you queue it
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Next week will be my last week at the school. So, naturally, the one that just ended has been a hell of a week.
There are a few things still left for me to sort out, including a handover handbook I am currently writing. I have been allowed to hold onto my laptop until results day, so I will be able to work on this at my own pace during the holiday. To be honest, I really like the idea. It feels like I am writing a letter to my successor, and I get to tell them all the little things about the job. I have only just started, but I feel quite relaxed about it.
The next section will be about the Latin classroom, so before I write it, I will have to make sure that the room looks exactly like I want it to. I just need to make sure that I sort out the physical resources and write down where everything is. For some reason, I am kind of looking forward to it. I feel like I am writing the final chapter of my story and helping a friend start theirs. It's what I wish had been there for me when I started this job. So, I have no doubt that my successor will appreciate it.
There are other things that need to be done alongside this, but they are mostly just online resources to be sorted out, so I think that, as I write the handbook, it will become clearer to me how I would like these to be organised. I am not worried about it. I got time, and I got this.
What I don't have, however, is any more patience or understanding for my school, who have somehow managed to not find an actual successor for the job yet, and are now going ahead with the contingency plan I put together for them. That is, in summary: 1) remote teacher for KS5 (ages 16-18); 2) remote teacher plus support teacher in the room for KS4 (ages 13-16); and 3) Languages teacher with some knowledge of Latin for KS3 (ages 11-13).
1 and 3 are fine, and I think they could work out okay. But 2... that is terrible. That is literally the worst case scenario. Especially for final year students, who will be sitting their exams next summer, this is an awful situation. Granted, this could be only for the first term, and from January they could have a Latin specialist who can step in and take them through the final stage of their course. But that is assuming that the school is able to find someone for January. I will keep my fingers crossed for them, but I don't have too much hope.
In the meantime, I will stay in touch and help coordinate the efforts to keep the subject running. But I will not do their job for them. They had plenty of time to find someone and failed. Heck, just three weeks ago they had found someone with enough knowledge of Latin to be able to teach it at KS4, and somehow they managed to let them slip! Apparently they wanted them to do other things beyond Latin and History, which is what I did this year. Like, they wanted them to do Geography and Humanities as well. Honestly, the sheer incompetence of these people... It's just staggering!
That is why I am giving up on trying to solve their problems for them. My job is to do a good handover for my successor, and to help a little bit in the first term with the transition process. Their job is to find an actual successor and ensure that the subject can run on its own from January. Anything else does not matter.
I mean, I am already going above and beyond by writing a handbook for them. I can help a little bit remotely, but I refuse to do work for them without being paid. You know how it goes: give a hand, and they'll take the arm. And if they don't like that, they can have my middle finger instead!
So, next week I will be on the panel to help interview two remote teachers I found for the school, but apart from that, it should be pretty chilled, with lots of activities to end the year, including the summer concert, the staff party, and staff leaving drinks.
All I have to do is tidy my room, write my leaving speech, and enjoy my final week at the school. Hopefully I can end on a high note and not get too emotional about things. But if I do, that's okay: it's because I care. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's what makes it all worth it.
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Star Wars Ahsoka: "Master and Apprentice" & "Toil and Trouble" - Review
After years of teasing and build-up, Star Wars' most iconic animated character makes the jump to live-action in her own series that follows up on plot threads that many fans have been anxiously awaiting for years. However, the series' opening two chapters prove surprisingly flat and middling, signaling potential problems and (maybe) promise.
(My apologies for the delay on this one. I've been moving for the past several weeks and have barely had time to sit down and write these.)
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is on a mission. Whispers of Grand Admiral Thrawn's return from the unknown reaches of space has sent her and former Jedi training droid Huyang (David Tenant) on a galactic treasure hunt, trying to locate a map to the Imperial leader's location before it falls into enemy hands. However, when a team of Dark Side (Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sakhno) mercenaries attack a New Republic convoy and free Thrawn's associate Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Insonato), Ahsoka must turn to her former apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), for help.
Ahsoka doesn't exactly start with fresh slate. Even outside of the baggage that is normally associated with any Star Wars project these days, this continuation of Dave Filoni (and Jon Favreau's) New Republic saga arrives with quite a bit of excitement and unease. Sure, Ahsoka is a beloved character who has captured the imaginations of generations of fans. Yes, fans of Star Wars animation have been waiting for over five years to see the continuation of certain plot threads from Star Wars Rebels. However, the last few projects from Filoni and Favreau (The Book of Boba Fett and recent seasons of The Mandalorian) haven't exactly sparked confidence in this shared universe of stories. Would they even be up to the task of creating a show that effectively worked as a spinoff of three different series, two of them animated? And this doesn't even take into account leading actress Rosario Dawson's alleged acts of transphobic abuse.
After the Ahsoka's two part premiere, the jury is still out. Neither "Master and Apprentice" or "Toil and Trouble" are outright disasters, but neither are they runaway hits.
Perhaps Ahsoka's biggest hurdle as a series is transitioning the characters and plotlines from its animated source material to live action in a way that pleases returning fans and Disney+ viewers who have maybe only watched The Mandalorian. And this is where Dave Filoni, who wrote all eight episodes and directs the series premiere, seems to flounder the most. Sure, his scripts don't exactly drown the viewer in mountains of lore and exposition, but Ahsoka fails at making viewers care.
Ahsoka fumbles so hard out the gate at establishing emotional investment in its leads and their struggles that it almost flattens the entire project. There is just so very little in Ahsoka for viewers to care about if they aren't already invested in seeing what happened at the end of Rebels.
Much of this, unfortunately, comes down to Ahsoka herself. Rosario Dawson plays the former Jedi as a stoic and almost serene figure. This may work fine as a supporting or guest character, but Ahsoka's guarded and quiet demeanor offers little for viewers to latch onto. Curiously, this ends up being an issue that alienates both new and returning viewers alike. Ahsoka in Ahsoka (or The Mandalorian/The Book of Boba Fett for that matter) feels so unlike the character fans have come to know that she may as well be someone different entirely. The passionate and outspoken adolescent/young adult from the animated shows is almost entirely absent. This isn't in and of itself an issue. People age and Ahsoka has surely been through alot in the last few years, but the change is so drastic that lacking any context for what exactly has lead our heroine to her current place in life that it can't help but feel like we are speaking to a very estranged family member. Dawson's subdued, almost flat, performance doesn't let us in and Filoni's script doesn't do her any favors.
There's a maddening amount of withholding present in Ahsoka's storytelling and nowhere is this more present than in Ahsoka's relationship with Sabine Wren. Perhaps one of the most unexpected turns that Ahsoka takes as a narrative is revealing that at some point in the last several years Ahsoka began training Sabine in the ways of the Jedi, but at some point prior to the show's start it's revealed that their mentorship deteriorated and the two went their separate ways. Filoni desperately wants the teacher, pupil dynamic between these two to be the emotional crux of the series, but many of the same issues arise. Sure, we can't expect to know the entire history of both women at the outset of Ahsoka, but the amount of blank space and detachment present in the storytelling still keeps the viewer at bay.
While Liu is allowed to emote a bit more than Dawson, Sabine is still a relatively flat character here who is mostly left to brood and verbally spar with her former master. While it's maybe not as dire an issue as with Ahsoka, there's still so little either new or returning viewers are allowed to know or understand about Sabine at this point in her life to develop an emotional attachment to the narrative or even fully comprehend what is going on. The same unfortunately applies to Hera Syndulla, who is played here by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. While her role in the story is much more a part of the supporting and less clouded in mystery, neither of the premiere episodes really allow Winstead or Hera to come into their own outside of acting as a mother figure. Sure, a plotline in "Toil and Trouble," the premiere's second episode has both women hunting down potential Imperial sympathizers at a New Republic shipyard, but character takes a backseat to plot and action. (It is neat that these shows are showing the difficulties of what happens when you try to build a democracy out of the remains of autocracy. It's not always well executed, but I appreciate that its an idea that both shows are playing with.)
All of that said, Ahsoka isn't a complete dud. There is quite a bit working here that keeps the series afloat even as it flounders. For example, David Tenant's Huyang is a delight, bringing a much needed sense of energy and levity to nearly every scene he is a part of.
Oh, and the villains rock. The late Ray Stevenson's Baylan and his apprentice Shin arrive onto screen in a wonderful introduction that feels like a twisted inversion of the opening to The Phantom Menace. There may not be much to hold onto there in terms of emotional or psychological depth, but both Stevenson and Sakhno have such great screen presence that they still feel like scene stealers. The same can be said of the mysterious and acrobatic former Inquisitor Marrok and former Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth. Sure, at this point in the game, Thrawn may just be an idea more than a character, but Filoni and crew have still assembled an entertainingly sinister rogues gallery for Ahsoka and her allies to do battle with.
Ahsoka also just looks and sounds great. The production value of the series feels positively cinematic and we are frequently treated to creative sets, characters, vehicles, and creatures that make this feel as close to a serialized Star Wars movie as we may get. Also unsurprisingly, Kevin Kiner nails the musical score, particularly in a World Between Worlds inspired end credits sequence.
It's hard not to feel a little deflated after watching both "Master and Apprentice" and "Toil and Trouble." There's potential room for growth, but it's hard not to feel that maybe this was a story that was best left to animation. At least that way we would've seen some signs of life.
Master and Apprentice: C+
Toil and Trouble: C+
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