seeing a lot of talk of the season 5 finale, which is fun, i get that it was controversial (honestly the fact it was really risky is kind of one of the things i like about it lol) and wanting to add my two cents but can't think of much i haven't already said before

but something i do want to emphasize is that season 5 ending on Marinette telling the biggest, boldest faced lie she's ever told (that goes far beyond "protecting her identity") to kick off the Lila arc is by far the coolest thing they could've done imo, because I was not at all excited for the Lila arc before but now I'm totally invested. Now Lila isn't the Evil Liar to be taken down by Good Marinette. Marinette is the liar to be taken down by the very liar that she took down. It's not a story of "defeat that freakishly evil girl" anymore, but instead a story of "Marinette's own actions and decisions coming back to bite her". And the lie itself (WHICH LILA KNOWS IS A LIE!!) only exists because, and is most impactful towards, her relationship with Adrien, which is the core of the series!! I CARE about their relationship, and that's the stakes!!!

I just cannot get over how cool that is, and how much I didn't expect it. I know we all were expecting a big fight with Ladybug and Chat Noir just defeating Gabriel and then watching Chat Noir cry or whatever in the few remaining minutes of screen-time and then it's all over and done with, but that's a series finale. This was a season finale. And they did something really unique and unexpected with it, while making sure it's a juicy season-finale conflict that leaves me actually excited about season 6

also, a side note— I think the framing of the finale made this confusing so I totally get why discussions about it are kind of all over the place, but... 90% of the post-wish stuff we saw had nothing to do with Gabriel at all. It was all Mayor Bustier, who was already running for mayor and wanted to enact green laws and projected to win (she was up against D'Argencourt, the character whose schtick is that nobody ever votes for him in elections). I don't think Gabriel's wish included "Please, Gimmi, I want my son's school teacher to win the mayoral election this year" lol. So a lot of talk of "why is Gabriel's World presented in such a positive light?" is kind of weird to me. That's not Gabriel's World. That's Caline Bustier's. All we know so far about Gabriel's World is that Nathalie is in it and he is not. And frankly, the fact everyone is so happy and cheerful and living it up after his death is more a roast than anything

( also, just a reminder that the presentation of Gabriel's statue— the only scene discussing Gabriel in a positive light by someone In The Know— was done by Tomoe Tsurugi, a series antagonist, vowing to continue his work, with a song in minor key playing in the background. i feel like the question of "was this meant to be unsettling or triumphant?" is pretty obvious. just wanted to remind everyone. also by definition characters cannot celebrate gabriel as a "hero" without in the same breath celebrating monarch's, aka gabriel's, death. yknow? )

Just had a thought… 💭

A 400 follower surprise 🖤🫶🏻 thanks for following me. Also, thank you for supporting my account as well.

Rating Ateez/Stray kids on a scale from 1-10 on who would be a dom.

Starting off w Ateez 🫶🏻🖤

Kim Hongjoong

9/10

He would have been a solid 10, but because of his introverted personality and ability to be soft, I give him a 9. But, still, don’t disobey him cuz he’ll keep track… 👀 If I had to say what kind of Dom Hongjoong would be, I would have to say he's a HEAVY pleasure leaning. Though, I also feel like he'd tease and like to make fun of his subs, calling them 'dumb' or things like that. I also feel like because of his creative nature, he'd have very interesting ways to discipline his subs as well.

Park Seonghwa

6.5/10

I feel like he’s Dom leaning but he’s gentle with everyone around him. He was almost a 7, but he’s too soft to be demanding enough. But, he can be stern, so I feel like Hwa can definitely be at least a soft dom, pleasure-leaning. Also, feel like he'd be really kinky. IDK why. Hwa would be so into teasing, just watching his sub be whiny and needy would melt him.

Jeong Yunho

10/10

Solid 10. NEVER TRUST AN EXTROVERT GOLDEN RETRIEVER. Like c’mon PEOPLE. He ain’t got no business being the way he is. And that’s a damn MENACE TO SOCIETY. Like, gaw damn. I'm too down bad for this man. He's not even my ult bias LMFAO. Whew. Let's just say, when he gives you this look, just pray either you're on the way home or that there is somewhere mostly private because it is OVER for you. Also, he's an Aries, enough said.

Kang Yeosang

5/10

He’s waaaay too squishy. I feel if you pushed enough he’d start to bite back, if you catch my drift. Poor baby is so clueless most of the time so I don’t know if he’d be able to keep up with a sub. But, he can easily switch when needed. I feel like he'd be more a soft dom, letting you know who's really in charge when needed. I feel like he'd want to be dominant in whatever relationship he seeks out, just because NEVER trust the quiet ones. They tend to be freaky. That's why Yeo get's a 5.

Choi San

5.5/10

(I feel like this one is going to be controversial lol) I feel like he has the potential to be a Dom, if anything, a pleasure Dom. He’s not someone who’s into brat-taming or anything like that. He spanks you, but only does it playfully, never as a punishment. If he ever were to punish you, it would be the silent treatment, consisting of him being pouty until you apologize. It's not typical of him to be dom leaning, he even insists you acting bratty, it amuses him more than anything. But, GOD FORBID you make him look a fool... Not even Satan can help you.

Song Mingi

5/10

I wish. WISH this man were more Dom, but he’s not 😭. He’s definitely a switch, if he were to Dom, it would be more pleasure than anything. Ugh ;-; I don’t think y’all understand how bad I wanted to rate him higher, but I can’t. Princess Mingi is evidence that he is not fully Dom 💔 though I could totally see him embracing the punishment side for mostly his pleasure, I don't see him being a dom most of the time. I feel like if he were to Dom, it would be mostly to entertain his 'sub'. He would definitely be into dummification, get off on making fun and calling you names.

Jung Wooyoung

6.5/10

Soft Dom Central ‼️ my man Woo can take the bratty out of a brat by using their weapons against them. Though, once he’s fed up, he’d fed up. Best not to make him too mad. I also feel like he’d definitely have unique punishments as well. Not the typical sexual punishments that you might expect, it might be something like, oh, you want to read, should have thought about that before you flirted with that guy at the coffee shop. (You didn't actually, but because his possessive and gets jealous easily, he thought so).

Choi Jongho

10/10

10. Why? Tell me that this man isn’t a Dom, when he gives you one of these. My man EXUDES Dom energy. Like meanie, laugh in your face while you cry, edging, overstimulating, spit in your open mouth, smack your face while fucking you 1000% Hard Dom. Don't trust a quiet man, never. Them introverts sometimes will getcha. And Jongho doesn't seem to fuck around. He's more of a 'fuck around and find out'. I feel like he'd tie up his sub and tease you, an unbothered King, as his sub literally cries. Meanie :(

And NOW for Stray Kids 🫶🏻

Bang 'Christopher' Chan

9.5/10

I don't even want to talk about it. He would be a 10 but he's too squishy and cute to be so. But, he definitely is a 9.5 because gaw damn. Chan is definitely a brat tamer. He likes to watch you acting 'silly' and 'dumb'. He thinks it's adorable when you try to make him mad, cuz damn he's got the patience of a saint. But he wait until Chan gets you alone... He let's his sub do whatever they want in public, even making a fool of themselves. And then when they get home, LAWD TAKE THE WHEEL.

Lee Minho

8/10

Lee Know let me tell you something, *scoots closer* is a meanie. He would laugh in his sub's face while calling them dumb, or something slanderous like 'whore'. Or both. Depends on how mad they make him. Also likes to tease and edge his sub, and laugh at them. :(: You cannot tell me the Lee Minho is not a meanie when he doms. He would laugh at his sub and make them shake and just keep teasing until they're sobbing. But they never say their safe word, so he doesn't stop.

Seo Changbin

7/10

I give Changbin a 7 because I feel like mans is too soft to be more stern. But, rest assured, he'll put his foot down if you get a little too handsy with someone other than him. Probably a soft Dom, tbh. He'll make you feel all gooey while telling you horrendous things... (Go wild w that heh.) I feel like he'd tie up his subs and suspend them just so he can move them around however he pleases.

Hwang Hyunjin

5.5/10

I don't think Hyunjin would dom, if he would, then he'd definitely be a soft dom, and only when his sub asked. HOWEVER. Don't push his buttons because I feel like he's all about orgasm denial... Just because he wants the session to last longer, and he also likes to watch his sub writhe around and loves to hear their moans. He would definitely be so into food play or even paint play (wrote a fic about this). He's just so artsy, and I feel like that would stem into his sexual life as well.

Han Jisung

3/10

Poor Hannie. Tsk. If anything, Han would be a switch, more sub-leaning. He's too soft and doughy to be rough or mean with anyone. That doesn't mean he won't occasionally try just for you though... I feel like he would be more into making his significant other orgasm rather than orgasm himself. A definite giver for sure.

Lee 'Felix' Yongbok

1/10

I can't give him a zero, so I give him a one. The only thing dominant about this man would be his deep voice, which he would use to his advantage. But, if he had a Dom bone in his body, it would be like, his pinkie toe. His skzoo is literally a chick, like, c'mon. Personally, I don't feel like Felix could be mean enough while being a Dom, he'd be constantly worried about his sub, too worried about their well being rather than if they're enjoying themselves.

Kim Seungmin

8.5/10

I feel like Seungmin gets slept on. NEVER trust the quiet ones. They're reserved for a reason. It's because they have secrets. Seungmin has proved he can intimate his older band members, so I'm sure this man could easily do this to anyone, regardless of age. That being said, I feel like Seungmin is too rough to be a soft dom but too nice to be a hard dom. So, he's in the middle somewhere heh. I feel like he has the potential of being a hard/ meanie dom when needed, so it's entirely up to the sub how he'll act for them.

Yang 'I.N.' Jeongin

8/10

Like Seungmin, I.N. get's SLEPT on. He's often not seen as someone who can be a dom because he's seen as the 'baby' of the group. But, as I have said before. NEVER TRUST A QUIET MAN! Quiet men are ALWAYS freaky. They be shy for a reason. This man has a point to prove, he ain't a baby. And I feel like he'd definitely be a hard/pleasure dom. And like Seungmin, his sub chooses how he'll treat them. Be a good sub, and you'll have endless pleasure. Be bad and well, he's got plenty of ways to discipline them.

I hope you all liked this! It's all personal thoughts based on what I have seen of them. THIS IS IN NO WAY how they really are. This is me simply rating them on a scale if they would/ could ever dom.

Anyway, enjoy! Posting a poll for the second part of The Red Saga soon!

©️straykids-97

"[jake] following the little rules so that no one notices you breaking the big ones." This might be a silly question but are you able to elaborate / give examples? I'm having trouble recalling this as a thing that happens, probably just because it's a concept that's never been on my radar when i've read the series.

One example that always stands out to me is how Jake introduces himself to the American military in #53:

"General Doubleday," I said. "My name is Jake." Three big, burly MP's were on me before I could yell. They knocked me onto my back, twisted me over on my face, and slapped handcuffs on me... "No, sir, I'm not," I grated with my cheek pressed hard onto a pencil and a crumpled map. "But chances are some of the people in this room are." ...I sighed. The MP's hustled me from the room, down a hallway to a bare, overlit room furnished with a chair and a sink and a cot and a steel door with a feeding slot in it. They threw me in, not at all gently. I was a prisoner. Three minutes later, I demorphed in front of General Doubleday again.

Just... the fact that Jake takes the time to learn the Sam Doubleday's name, and title, and then uses that or "sir" every time he addresses him. The way that he lets himself get dragged away three times, each time politely waiting to be tossed into a cell before he morphs back to dragonfly and heads back to the war room. And this is how Jake infiltrates the USAF to perform a military coup: he asks nicely, and doesn't take "no" for an answer.

We see Jake being careful to learn and use military titles in #46, in #18 and #52. It's also "Aunt Naomi" while he's asking her nicely to remain calm as he kidnaps her and her daughters (#49). It's "Commander Gonrod" while he's taking command away from Gonrod by force (#38). So on. Part of the reason he rejects titles is that he respects titles.

Same goes for how Jake, more than any of the others, moves missions so he can make family obligations (#11, #13, #27), remembers birthdays (MM1), compliments his parents' cooking (#16, #31), and cares more about hurting their feelings than getting in trouble (#4, #47). He tears his family apart in the end, but along the way he's almost never late for dinner.

And, if I can be more controversial: we see the same principle in how the Animorphs make decisions. Tobias notes it the most (because of course) but there are several times when Jake calling a vote or waiting for volunteers is more of a formality than anything: "Jake made a face I see too often... He hadn't wanted to single me out, make me go on what might be a suicidal mission. He'd waited till I could volunteer" (#33). Or "I didn't want to have to sit down and explain it all to them... Jake would wait and listen calmly, and would judge... I didn't want them to decide what I felt" (#23). Jake calls for votes on most decisions — but Jake always casts a vote, often first. And Jake knows that Marco and often Rachel support him no matter what, and he knows that Ax will abstain. So whatever Jake wants is usually how the vote ends up going, and that's not a coincidence. He's asking for input from the others, that much is real, but he's not likely to be talked out of making up his mind.

Hello I realize this isn't necessarily the platform so completely understand if you ignore this! Wondering if you can provide a brief overview of what's going on with the popular WT creators? I get mixed information and you seem to have a lot of knowledge. (Snailords, Mongie, RS, Ephemerys, Uruchan. I heard about the Snailords dog and fan blasting stuff and Ephemerys possibly being inappropriate with minor fans. Really hoping Uru hasn't done anything.)

I'm not really gonna ignore your question but I will address it sort of? Because like... I'm gonna go off on a tangent here so bear with me, but I think a lot of people see my analysis / "callout" posts here and assume that's what this blog is for, but like? Not really? Like I certainly do that here at times when it's something that's really eating at me and I have to get out of my system, I love analyzing works I used to enjoy or otherwise have strong feelings about (ex. I never liked Big Ethel Energy but I'm miffed that it exists at all so I can't resist talking about it lmao) and I'm obviously VERY verbose about it, but I draw the line with actively seeking out stuff that's controversial or ripe for criticism just for the sake of creating 'content'. I'm one person who started this blog to mostly talk about LO, I'm not a monolith or solid source on everything to do with Webtoons and there are other people talking about these things in far more detail than I could :' )

With that said, I'm aware of the Snailords situation because of how often it's been brought up in the /r/webtoons sub (and I used to read their work years ago, before they were on Webtoons), and when it comes to RS and Mongie, I'm simply a former fan of their comics and I didn't realize the problems with them until their series jumped the shark and I had a chance to go "wait a second-" so I have that degree of "investment" that fans have have which spurs me on to talk about (and criticize) their work. It doesn't occur in a bubble.

I have NO idea what's up with Ephemerys and Uruchan, like I deadass don't know who those people are so your guess is as good as mine ╮(￣ω￣;)╭ (I googled them after reading this though, I know their series and have heard great things about Purple Hyacinth and a lot of "meh" stuff about UnOrdinary) So you won't catch me talking about them here unless I genuinely decide to give them a try LOL (and I've said my peace about reading stuff just for the sake of criticizing it, I ain't about that, I want to make room for things that bring me joy, too <3) That said, if you search for these creators via reddit and communities like it, you'll undoubtedly find the info you're looking for ! (when I googled Uruchan it seems like most of people's issues with them is that UnOrdinary has gone down the tubes in terms of quality, nothing really controversial about Uruchan specifically though from what I can tell).

EDIT: upon further clarification from OP, there isn't in fact anything worth noting, so we're clearing up for the record now!

Literally outside of my hyperfixation on LO and other Webtoon-specific topics that fall into my lap through the run of a day (like whatever I see going on in the /r/webtoons sub and other webcomic communities), I'm still like, a normal person who isn't aware of every single thing going on and so I'm not gonna ever be able to cover every controversy and piece of gossip out there. I wouldn't want that, either, balance is crucial.

I do think it's sorta sweet though that people enjoy my takes on LO and comics like it so much that they want to hear my opinions on other works, especially ones that they have opinions on and want to hear my take. But I'm still just one person. I don't read everything and I don't have an opinion about everything, I don't need to :' )

Hello, I am sorry if this sounds completly random but I saw your tags under a post about Rita Ora on OFMD.

What did Con O'Neill do? I genuinely don't know, this is the first time I see Con being discussed on the same level as Rita Ora.

Thank you for your time. If this is something you do not wish to answer publicly I understand. I tried googling if Con did something controversial but couldn't find anything.

Thank you again, and I wish you a good day or night.

Ok Rita is worse than Con she's on levels of white woman nonsense that I had not conceived. She hopped on a shitty antiblack trend and then, in the time since I put these tags out she publicly in an interview forgot her own husbands Ethnicity (she called Taika Samoan he is Maori) I also am fine with listening to a couple of her songs and she is married to the guy who plays my fav blorbo

That said Con O'Neill is kinda loud about being a Zionist and he made a joke at the expense of Columbians for which he left Twitter lest he become the villain of the week

I want it to be clear that these two things are not the same, but they are like, different levels of the same phenomenon, that phenomenon being "cool art your behavior is sus tho" like I'm way less cool art about Rita and way more your behavior is sus tho about Rita, I would never pay for her auto with my hooking money for example, something i have done for Con (i would never pay for either autograph out of my actual paycheck hooking money is fake to me and my budgeting process is incomprehensible) however I Do Not Trust Con Like That.

Tbf I don't trust any celebrity like that but if you've mostly kept your head down it's a lower case don't trust like that, and for Con it has become a I Don't Trust Like That. And for Rita it's a I DON'T TRUST LIKE THAT.

That said I'm not on the "I can never fuck with this person ever" catagory for either of them yet. I'm not gonna feel weird about a Rita Ora song coming on in the club or whatever. I just think they're both lowercase r racist. I also like Lady Gaga a lot despite her support of autism speaks because if I was a hater of everyone who was ablist or racist or homophobic or sexist I frankly would have no media left to consume, and, you know what, I'll say it, probably no irl friends either. Being an adult who likes things is a constant battle of figuring out when separating the art from the artist is acceptable. If they were traffic lights Vico's green, Con and Rita are yellow tho Rita is oranging rather rapidly, and Jeffree Starr is red and I miss his song queen of the club scene and his fun lipstick colors every day bit i simply cannot fuck with that so i listen to The Medic Droid and use the eyeshadow and clear lipgloss trick instead

TL;DR: behavior I don't like does not mean I drop a celeb right away it means I critically consume their content until I am made aware that their behavior reaches a critical mass

1, 2, 3, 4, 15, and 18 for the most recent ask game!

the character everyone gets wrong

I mean, do I even need to say it? Elena Gilbert. Constantly being burnt at the pire of internalized misogyny and media illiteracy. I maintain that not everyone has to like/stan Elena but if I could hear one justification for it that wasn't 'she hurt my favorite grown adult teenage baby boy' that would be nice.

but since that's the obvious answer I'll also add a slightly more controversial one which is Jennifer Humphrey, another unfortunate victim of the babygirlification of trash boy r*pists and some unfortunate writing. I will forever maintain that nothing she ever did was worse than anyone else on GG and she will forever deserve better, both on the show and in the fandom.

a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom

okay, this one I'm actually struggling with because (obviously if we're dealing with favs we're dealing with Elena or Elijah) and I can see them both playing both sides on this tbh,,, however-,

for humour's sake,

Elijah always bottoms and Elena always tops. He's old, he's tired. Elena deserves to have some control for once. Getting daggered by her in season two really turned him on. For whatever reason, he's down horrendous and on his knees. Eats pussy with every meal. (plastic crown Elijah in particular).

(i don't have one for three sorry)

what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person?

literally anything, this blog is my house, and if I don't like the energy I block. I honestly think it's the best way to navigate the internet. I always think when people send anons trying to argue with me about takes or posts I've made it's like,,, you know you don't have to see my posts right? like, the tvd fandom is a hellscape, we're always going to have discourse. why waste time crying in my inbox when I'm obviously not going to care? as if you calling me a cunt is going to magically make me a d*lena stan.

that one thing you see in fanart all the time

tbh, I'm not the best at seeing fanart. I think it's amazing because I don't have an artistic bone in my body so whenever I see it I'm usually just like 'aww slay'

that being said I see a ton of whitewashing, particularly in book fanart which is like,,, why? no? stop?

it’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

JEREMY. ngl i've grown a new appreciation for him recently and I honestly think he deserves more appreciation. (particularly season one. he deserved to keep his emo era #freetvdmenfromflannels).

but fr he was the most realistic character on that show in s1, just wanted to be topped by his goth vampire girlfriend and he's so valid for that.

also, Bonnie Bennett. Just,,, everything about Bonnie Bennett. Bonlena deserves so much more love, they have such a complicated misunderstood love for each other that often gets sidelined by fandom wars. (you can love more than one woman at a time I promise the world won't explode). Also Bonnie and Kol or Klaus (I refuse to be silenced they would've slayed and if you disagree just dig down and ask yourself why that's so unthinkable if you have no problem shipping Elena or Caroline with them)

thank you so much for the questions @amandamonroe <3333

choose violence ask game

In response to the responses to my Wriothsley post from months ago...

For context, I added my piece to a chain of posts talking about their opinions on what Wriothsley did to Lyney and his siblings. I mentioned I didn't like how he handled the situation and I disliked how traveller acted after the situation. I also comment on some things to do the fatui and Childe and travellers opinions on said characters. The post is on my blog if you'd like to read

guys I don't hate Wriothsley and I'm not saying he should be different simply because I say so, and I'm not trying to come across as biased or like everyone should agree with me. This is MY opinion and MY take on how it all went down. This was just after the archon quest before we got his story quest or anything else. To the people who literally messaged me from throwaway accounts saying to off myself for disliking aspects of their favourite character- grow up. I do like Wriothsley as a character, I just don't like or agree with his takes on things, and how traveller responds to certain events. I know I can't change it, and I know people don't agree. If you don't agree with what I'm saying just move on, or if you have something to add feel free to do so, but at least be RESPECTFUL. I've had people reblog with their own opinions and I love that because I love reading what other people think! It's the people who reblog and call me names and call me controlling and stupid that take the fun out of discussion and debates.

There will always be aspects of characters people dislike- and it's not the same for everyone. There are people who hate Childe, who hate Diluc, who hate Yae miko, and various other characters for various reasons.

I don't hate Wriothsley, I just disagree with him, and that post was my reasons why.

I felt the need to make this NOW because for whatever reason more people are seeing that post, and ive gotten more than a few unsavoury responses to it.

Please be respectful of my opinions and the opinions of other players.

(obviously I know there are some opinions out there that are seriously controversial and not ok, but I don't think disagreeing with a character is one of those.)

Anywqys- I don't really know how to end this post SO- thanks for reading ig?

TRL Presents: "Through the Looking Glass" Jamie Anne Talks "Split" with Carson Daly In NYC.

Terrifying.

Shocking.

Controversial.

Three words that never would have come to mind when someone mentioned Jamie Anne a couple of years ago. But since the Release of her new album, "Split", it's about the only thing people think of when her name is mentioned. Since trading in her flowery dresses and soothing melodies for angry power ballads and powersuits, she's become a force to be reckoned with.

Today in New York City, i took a walk with the new Jamie-Anne, and got some insight on what inspired her new album, her new image, and her feelings on her real-life "Split" with her husband, Daniel Pierce.

______________________________________________________________

Omniscent Pov

Carson was a little intimidated as Jamie climbed out of the Limo, striding up to him in the park with little more than a nod was a little off-putting, and the square shades that covered her eyes made it more than a little tough to discern her expression. Still, he tried to make the interview as comfortable as possible for her. After listening to "Split" the other night, he knew she wasn't someone to be messed with.

Carson cleared his throat somewhat uncomfortably.

"So, uh, i listened to your album last night. Pretty dark stuff, but honestly, really impressive."

Her black lips quirked up a little. "Glad you think so. I worked very hard on it."

"As your fans already know, you right all your own songs, correct?"

"Yeah, always. I don't feel like the song is mine unless it comes from my pen."

"So, when did you write these songs? There's the obvious "Split" from your husband, but i'm thinking there's more too it than that."

"Well, there's an obvious reference to that, of course. The album is about breakups and going through dark times. Not just my own, but everyones. It's also about my split from Korea. I came to the U.S when i was eight to become a star. It worked out, but i also became trapped in a relationship that i couldn't escape from. I wrote a lot of those songs when i was at my lowest point. When Daniel was away and i had no one but my lyrics and my pain."

"And do you ever miss what you two had, or..?"

"No, never. I tried my best to make it work, but there was nothing there."

Graveyard

"Was that the inspiration for "Graveyard?"

"Yes, it was. I did whatever i could to keep him happy. Nothing worked. Unless we were in bed, he ignored me. and even then, he was always out with other girls. Again, nothing there."

Good 4 U

"In Good 4 U, you mention "a new girl in a couple weeks. So, he cheated on you?"

"Hell yes. All the time. Like the song says, i found out about another woman within weeks of our "marriage."

"And what was your reaction to that."

"I was angry. And sad, too. I knew i'd get punished if i said anything, so i sat down and wrote "Good 4 U, and "Breakin Dishes."

"In one night?"

"I write when i get stressed. I was under constant stress as Daniel's wife. Trying to be a perfect, cookie cutter girl who loved her actor husband. I thought he just wanted me to improve because he loved me, but it was really just him using me for fame. I see that now. That's what "Vampire" is about. "You Should be Sad" is more about why i'm glad i was able to get away."

Nightmare and Gasoline

" You say Nightmare and Gasoline are the songs that make you the most proud?"

"They are. Nightmare is more of a feminist track, but Gasoline is for every and anyone who's ever struggled. Any age, any race. No matter how much their struggling... i want them to know that at least one person understands. Lovely has the same message."

Sledgehammer

"Sledgehammer is your closing track, and probably the most inspiring one. What brought it on?"

"Well, i've been through a lot. But i made it through on the other side. I want people to know that despite everything i went through, i'm still here. That's corny as hell, but it's true. I'm back, and i'm stronger than ever."

And that concludes our special today. Catch Jamie at the '99 Vmas, which will be a week from today.

______________________________________________________________

A/N

I know i promised i'd wait till valentine's day... but the inspiration bug bit me, and i couldn't ignore the itch. This isn't a real "chapter" It's a "snippet" that i'm releasing until i get chugging away at chapter four. Also, make sure to click on all the underlined words, as they contain links that credit the songs to their original owners. (also, the word "power suit" has Jamie's outfit in the park interview... if the link actually works 💀).Enjoy! 🥰

Sabin!

Oooo, that's a good one! Sabin's a character I never thought much about when I was younger, but I've come to appreciate him. I think it helps I've come across a lot of great fan art of him, so he's become a surprisingly big presence in my reblogs.

Favorite thing about him:

Just as a surface thing, he seems like such a good guy -- down to earth, passionate, ready and willing to fight for his loved ones. I love his big beefy design. He has some seriousness in his backstory that's there for exploring, but there's also this very fun silliness to him -- holding up the corner of a burning house, diving into a river after Ultros, and of course suplexing the train. I think if I have to cite one favorite thing, it's the potential for humor, how he can do these very extreme off-the-wall things which seem to feel perfectly normal to him.

Least favorite thing about him:

He feels underutilized in the story, especially given he's one of your core party members in the second half of the game. It feels like, character-wise, he has less going on than Celes, Edgar, or Setzer.

Favorite line:

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but his laughing graphic is really cute.

brOTP:

The contrast between him and Edgar is enjoyable. Honestly, I feel like Sabin's bluff straightforwardness could play well with a lot of the party members; someone could write an interesting story about him and, say, Setzer on a mission/heist together, and have no end of fun contrasting them. But I'm going to go with Celes -- she's cold and stern, he's warm and cuddly, but I think they could meet in the middle and have some great character moments -- especially given how they both abandoned the lives other people had planned for them.

OTP:

I don't have one for Sabin. I think, at least at this point in his life, he's not looking for anything big, so if he did get with someone it would be pretty casual. Like with the previous answer, I think he has a lot of potential for fun and humor in any pairing, especially with a strongly contrasting personality, but there's also enough seriousness in his backstory to allow for some deeper, more emotional moments. I've seen some people float the idea of SabinTerra, and that definitely has possibilities -- Terra has very little concept of human love on any level, and Sabin would be able to relate to her as both a friend and a love interest. Plus, you just know he gives good hugs.

nOTP:

None that's a very interesting hot take -- I wouldn't go with Edgar? -- like I said, I haven't put too much thought into Sabin's love life. Even though Sabin's very warm and friendly, I think it might be difficult to write him in some pairings, at least believably.

Random Headcanon:

Oh, I'll have to think of something right now. Okay. Sometimes he misses the ghost that accompanied him on the ghost train. They didn't talk much, but he liked the ghost.

Unpopular Opinion:

Do people have polarizing opinions on Sabin? Hm. I think it's equally valid to draw him with a scruffy beard or without. How's that for controversy?

Song I associate with them:

I thought about this, and I came up with "I'm on My Way" by the Proclaimers. It's very upbeat, a little goofy and bouncy, a little forceful but in a jocular way. I can imagine Sabin singing this under his breath as he mountain climbs (or furiously paddles down the river after Ultros).

Favorite picture of them:

The first one that popped into my brain was this gem:

There he is, covered in who knows what, hauling a whatever-that-is over his shoulder, in the floofiest yellow pants he could buy. He looks absolutely feral, but at the same time, you can see the resemblance to Edgar. I also really like his expression -- gazing off into the distance, something gentle and happy about the set of his mouth. His life isn't for everyone, but it's right for him.

Thank you for the ask!

Meme taken from here.

hi. Just wondering if you have seen the last couple of concerts that were streamed and what you think about Matty feeling quite down. Do you still think there is any hope for him and taylor to be back together

I'm going to preface this (probably) controversial take by first explaining that I think Matty is someone who, while touring, is lucky to be utterly surrounded by loved ones. From his bandmates to his manager, the personal friends he's enlisted to handle the merch, lighting, stage production, etc, even the security guys seem quite close with Matty. If the man was truly struggling with poor mental health, he has a giant support network at his fingertips. Trust me, if you can tell Matty is upset from a grainy livestream, the ones on and behind the stage can, too - and they care, even more than me or you! Because they know him, truly know him, in a way that fans never could, no matter how many times they listen to his albums or watch his interviews. He's good! Or, if he's not, he will be soon, because he's got his boys!

All that said… I'm going to draw attention to something else Matty said while on stage:

"Even in an earnest moment, you should always be suspicious."

And so, I remain suspicious! If Matty appears upset on stage, it's either one of two things: 1) tour is ending, or 2) he wants to appear upset. He once said this about ATVB:

"It's a show that feels pretty loose, but it's actually very, very tight. It's very, very well-rehearsed."

I know the generally accepted fan take is that Matty is just too ADHD to follow through with anything and gave up whatever his plans for the show were supposed to be... But what if the plan was always to make it look like he was really going through it for the duration of SATVB? Upset, distracted, struggling. He even preemptively warned of this emotional shift:

"If you see me sliding over the next six months, I appreciate it, but don't worry about it."

Of course, if Matty has truly been experiencing mental turmoil in his personal life that has since spilled into his professional life, I wish him all the best and hope he finds time and space to heal, but I trust that he's in very good hands if that's the case. After all, he assured us that the boys (his chosen family, if you will) would die for each other if it came down to it!

But, if all is as it seems and Matty truly lost Taylor last June… and if his upset during the last handful of SATVB shows was somehow connected to that loss all these months later… I would point you to the 'Oh Caroline' video, which shows what will become of him if he gets the ending he had hoped to avoid… (ie: if he got it "wrong")

He still ends up with his boys! That's not so bad, is it? Do you happen to know how many folks out there dream of growing old with either Ross, George, or Adam? A whole bunch. And all three? Matty, you lucky dog!

For me, the more likely explanation is that absolutely everything has been orchestrated from start to finish. The tour may have concluded, but the show must go on. So, yes! I would bet money on Matty finding his way back to Taylor. And by the time he does, I even suspect the tides will have turned in his favor following whatever devastation awaits us in TTPD. We'll see!

But... how curious that a pair of artists who have both romanticized star-crossed love stories... should end up in one of their own! Luckily for us, Taylor didn't like the ending of Romeo and Juliet, so she changed it. Thanks for the ask! 🤍

Writing Patterns (Tag Game)

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

Tagged by @lethotep <3

I am also going to write more than just the first line since I too am a "very short snappy intro line" writer and want to include some more to the context. So you get the first paragraph instead. (I will bold the first lines though)

Generally speaking I try to include "commentary" in my first lines; usually from the character we will be following, but sometimes about the character we will be following. I either want to introduce a little bit of their attitude toward whatever is happening/has happened, or more broadly define what other people think of them.

However if I'm writing a story that either is an AU which requires some world explanation or involves specific historical (fiction or otherwise) events I will often try to identify those to set the scene and center the audience in the time/place.

But yeah usually my very first sentence is pretty short.

1. the indomitable human soul (Astro Boy): Tenma was not one who kept track of the days. Dates, yes; he remembered dates. Important dates like birthdays. Anniversaries. Deaths. But not the days themselves; they were all the same, a singular ebb and flow of time that occasionally involved sleeping, occasionally involved eating, but most often involved working.

2. His Many Multitudes (Astro Boy/PLUTO): So much death. So many tragedies. Every life belonged to someone that was loved, and it was those loved ones who bore the consequence of death. In Gesicht, there had fostered hatred so intense that he had taken human life. In Abullah, his hatred sought to swallow the entire world. And the one to stir that hatred…the one who had stirred it within Atom, too…

3. what world we wrought (PLUTO): ”In recent months, the President of Thracia has leveled heavy criticism toward the Kingdom of Persia for its barbaric treatment of its robotic population. President Alexander has sparked controversy for his approach to foreign policy, taking on a more aggressive approach than his predecessor during an already tumultuous time. Yet, on the issues of robot oppression, the President is said to be…”

4. Cogs and Machines (PLUTO): It was not in the nature of the meekly-mannered inventor of Zeronium to make a fuss. Many - most - knew him to be amicable, sometimes fast-talking, a little bit softspoken in the presence of more imposing faces. Yet even the meek and the quiet had limits, and those who caught sight of Dr. Hoffman hurrying down the hall to the director’s office would claim to recall three things: the stormy glare that made a monstrous thing of his face; the white-knuckle grip he had on a particular folder under his arm; and the heavy force of each stride taken that belonged to someone usually so light-footed.

5. Don't Turn Around (Monster): There weren’t words for this feeling. None that Tenma could even approach to represent it as an emotion. If anything, it was characterized by lack.. It was almost surreal; as he watched Grimmer’s life come to a close, he was the one who was losing touch with what he felt. If Grimmer had just now received a letter that was filled with all of his lost feelings, then Tenma’s had been sealed inside an envelope and lost someplace out of sight. He could do little more than stare, watching as everyone but him broke into mournful weeping and ragged wailing. He found himself questioning why his heart was the only one that felt empty. Why it continued to feel empty, why that emptiness stayed with him even after Johan’s surgery. Had those feelings of his been stolen? Had Grimmer reached out and taken them, in his final moments alive?

6. Ghost on the Shore (Monster): The waves were pretty rough sometimes. Worse when the rain came with them. But it was still beautiful in a way. Just the sound of water crashing and breaking on the rocks, wearing them down slowly, so slowly with time. From the lighthouse it was safe just to watch and listen. Not as though there was much else for a man to do. So, Wolfgang Grimmer kept his own quiet company watching the waves, humming to himself as he waited for the storm to pass. The rocks would be slippery after all that downpour. He’d have to be careful, venturing out and…

7. it takes a lot to understand (Monster): They called an ambulance. It didn't take very long for the sound of sirens to register, but by then it was time to leave. Doctor Tenma wasn't keen to take his chances to be spotted by authorities, but it was understandable given the run-in with those folks at the border that had nearly cost him his passage out of Germany.

8. hello, my old heart (Monster): “Welcome, sir. If there’s anything you need help with, please let me know.”

9. Monster's Abyss (Monster): The case of Peter Jurgens was, by all accounts but one, textbook in its nature from start to finish. Numerous interviews had allowed Gillen to delve into the mind of the killer, shaping anecdotes of memory into the human that existed as he was known today. Indeed, it was easy enough to write Jurgens off as a “monster”, sick and depraved with a hunger for power and sexual thrill. But that was simply a shallow label that held no meaning outside of distancing oneself from the natures of such a man. After all, if Jurgens was simply a “monster”, then he was no longer human. Categorizing violence as monstrous inherently removed it from humanness, and so the average man and woman could sleep comfortably without self-reflection because they, of course, were not monsters.

10. maybe it's the way that i'm supposed to grieve (Monster): I’m worried about him. After everything...do you really think he should be left alone? … I...I know. But I just...I want to be there for him, if I can.

I'll tag @strawberryclementine @duckoffury and anyone else that wants to do it!! I do not know a lot of folks that have 10+ fics I think but please feel free to take this from me if u want <3

alright im half way thru and here are my thoughts so far:

1. I truthfully don’t know any of the controversy around joe rogan, i just know he’s hella popular for being controversial and he’s someone i’d be on edge to have a convo with bc what i have seen is he questions everything and he isn’t afraid to let you know he doesn’t agree. but snc seem to really like him and vibe with him and it does seem super out of the blue for joe to want ghost hunters to come investigate his place (I hope this isnt a set up). either way, sounds interesting.

2. that contract from o-park mall is challenge worthy. they spelt colbys name entirely wrong (misspelt his last name and used his nickname and not his legal name) making it null and void from my understanding. i would also say the same abt sam as they used a nickname not a legal name. A good lawyer could wiggle them out of that if they cared.

3. loved hearing colbys take on religion. im the same, i’m not so much religious as i have a relationship with God. i think thats way more important than being in a religious community. and i also feel the same way about just knowing there’s something else out there. also interesting he was the only one on the table who doesn’t have dreams of dying. chop that up to trusting in God and not being afraid bc he knows God has the perfect plan and everything is in control, or just generally not afraid to die for other reasons, who knows. definitely fascinating, either way.

alright i’ll be back in 1.5hr hours with part 2 comments. I probably missed a bunch of stuff i could’ve commented on but these are my standout comments.

- aussie anon

I finished the podcast late last night and then immediately went to bed without really doing a deep dive into my thoughts on the whole thing (aside from a few choice areas that stuck in my brain and had to be discussed in dm's last night lol), so I'm going to use your reviews to sort of start my own review, and then will probably finish up with an additional post later on side thoughts - cause I have a lot lol.

1, The thing with Joe Rogan is that he kind of plays both sides of the fence, in terms of not just politics, but pretty much anything going on (he will have on conservatives and liberals, will have on atheists and people like snc, will have on scientists and then people who believe in UFOs, etc) and so he tends to be very controversial because of that. I don't listen to him, his viewpoints on certain things aren't really my cup of tea and he has in the past said some stuff in his pursuit of riding the fence that was not good and gross and everything, so this is not me defending him or whatever - but at the end of the day, he has the most listened to podcast on earth and love him or hate him, is a household name. Them being invited on his podcast, being treated very well by him, and then him keeping in touch with them and inviting them out to his comedy club is objectively a big deal for them and their visibility and they aren't going to turn that down because twitter - who has pretty much made it clear they lowkey hate snc anyway lol - have an issue with the collab.

I actually found that part of the conversation interesting, because the whole thing came about because his daughter was a fan of theirs, which I just find kind of hilarious and random. Imagine how many people of notoriety and fame they meet or could potentially meet because those peoples' teenage children are fans.

2, I don't think they would actually get arrested for showing up at that mall at this point in their careers, anyway - most malls do not have the uumph to take shit like that truly seriously, and both S & C have made it public that they've been back in there since (one time right after the release of their book, Colby went into their Barnes and Noble with his mom and illegally signed a few of the books on the shelf and posted about it all over his instagram lol). But it is objectively kind of hilarious that they are "banned" from entering the mall and yet they've had consumer products in three of their stores (B&N, Hot Topic and Zumiez), and have had their faces on the store fronts of two of those three.

3, I strangely found that interesting as well, and I normally tend to zone right the fuck out when people talk religion (sorry, all). I was raised Catholic but am not religious these days in my own life, although I certainly do believe that something else has to be going on, hence all the ghosts and stuff. But for whatever reason, hearing others talk about religion always makes me feel wildly uncomfortable - I think it's just feeling like that's something personal and so different from person to person and I just don't like feeling like I'm intruding on their privacy by hearing it (even if they are offering it up freely), if that makes sense? I don't know, I'm just weird about those conversations in general.

But I find it interesting when these two talk religion, firstly because of the content they make and how it would tie back into their own personal belief system, but also just how interesting it is that this is one of those areas where they kind of balance each other on opposite sides of the scale, and yet somehow come together perfectly at the end. It's an interesting phenomenon with them.

Also, all of them talking about dying in their dreams and Colby just piping in with "I've never died in my dreams 😃" like go off, you sweet little just happy to be there king.

800 before the end of December is looking nearly impossible smh but eyyy! 777~

NGL, I'm movie and ova grinding so hard. I usually manage to watch 100 new things a year, but this year I instead rewatched nearly 40 things. It's been a big year for nostalgia for me, but also for getting a few people into different things with me! Vampy has personally watched so much stuff with me this year? Oh my God??? It's been a blast! I have never felt more human than when Vampy and Kimchi enjoyed Dragon Maid along side me, I swear. I also got Vampy into Enstars by starting the anime together and I am delighted >:3 Made this in celebration actually >:3 @shut-in-magical-girl

That said, I have actually watched some actual shows too, such as the first season of Oreimo and the first two seasons of Kami Nomi! Those were actually really fun. The first season of Oreimo has some of the most impassioned speeches I've ever heard about the more ""controversial"" sides of anime. I did admittedly have a love-hate relationship with Kirino at first, but honestly, it was just because of the more wildly exaggerated tsundere tropes. They became easier to laugh off after awhile. I really relate to the way she loves the hobby, and I think it really helped me warm up to her more quickly. How she enjoys collecting and getting excited over it... I relate to that in those same ways lol specifically to her Meruru shrine lol (ik no one asked, but aside from Krino, my best girl is actually Saori. I look forward to seeing more of her every time an episode comes on! :3) Also, Idk why I skipped Kami Nomi for so many years, but I legit just left it on my P2W list for a decade lol. I've only had one other person ever recommend it to me as well;; and that was like 4-5 years ago now lol;; I slowed down with playing eroge and bishoujo games around,,, 2015/2016(?), but I used to play them religiously. Keima should probably not be someone I relate to... but here I am. Relating to him. While nowadays my main passion lies in the animation side of things, I still really find relatability and comfort within this specific Reference Humor genre of anime, so I've really enjoyed this series so far. I finished up Irregular Witch too :( First show from the current airing block that I've actually completed. Bittersweet, but I had fun with that one too. I'm going to especially miss seeing Phoenix every week. I find that I usually watch whatever comedies are airing when I do tune into the blocks as they air, and this one was a really nice companion piece for the heavier stuff I've been keeping up with. I watched a few other full series, but this next one is the last I'm mentioning for now. I might make more posts another time; we'll see. Two of my favorites that I got around to during my sick week are these two next mentions; first up is Wotakoi. I am devastated that there isn't more Wotakoi. Help. They covered pretty much all of the manga according to other fans, so it's unlikely more will come out of it. It always hurts a bit when something is fully finished, though. especially when I enjoyed it so much. I might read it just for the sake of wanting more of it. It was really straight forward and was honestly a breath of fresh air. There weren't any real love rivals or anything; just nerds figuring themselves out and their dynamics out. I literally just watched six weirdos make friends and fall in love with fairly no complications involved. I'm thriving. (Or maybe I'm just a lonely, nerdy adult who is tired of drama in my life. Maybe that's the only takeaway here lmao /lh) And then,,,, finally,,, Magical Witch Punie-Chan. I have... No words. It was amazing. I loved it. I haven't laughed that hard in awhile. 4 episode OVA with an additional 4 episode Omake after. Wonderful if you like darker gag-humor series and want a short little trip. This one was weird but delightful, truly. P.S. I kept "Lyrical Tolkarev~ Kill Them All!~" as my discord status for like 3 days lol That theme song is going to live in my head rent free for the rest of my days. As for what I'm most excited for in 2024, there's probably, like, A LOT. But off of the top of my head, I can name the next Given project (PLEASEEEEEEEEECOMEOUTALREADYYESSSSGIVEITTOMEEEE JANUARY27THCANNOT COME FAST ENOUGHHH) and the second season of Bokuyaba (one of the only manga I have bothered with in 15 years, going to be so real right now;; I cherish this story). When these things come out, I know for a fact that my blog is going to briefly implode. Apologies about it ahead of time lol!;; I'll probably be saying more as the currently airing series all come to an end over the coming weeks. There's quite a few I don't want to end TT~TT so talking about them might be nice!

Okay so these are all just rambles about Saint Ars I have in my head that I just wanna let out

I also didn't write these down so they might seem inconsistent so apologies for that

Saint Ars having the lowest divine visionaries is so funny to me. Like I love that school (even if we don't have any knowledge on it) but like that type of situation where its been hundred of years and you still don't have atleast a two digit number amount? Yeah no what the hell is going with school.

Okay there's like 3 main(?) schools which are Easton Magic Academy, Walkis Magic Academy and Saint Ars Holy Magic Academy.

Here's my personal thoughts: Walkis is probably more towards on like being a higher-up?? If that make sense. And taking in about "Power means everything to them", it's probably about having an authority.

They're probably related to the government and politics and stuff I guess. Either that or they're just strong to pass being a Divine visionaries.

Easton is probably specifically towards magic and maybeeee theyre connected with jobs related to magic (magic police etc). Considering the entrance is hard to pass, I guess the failures went either to Walkis or Saint Ars.

So yeah I conclude that they're just related to magic and other stuff like mythical creatures and all that. Like studying them and learning how to seal magic and other dangerous stuff.

Now Saint Ars.. anyone who comes across my posts knows that well, I might be. just a little. enthusiastic about that school.

I could be interested in a character or something BUT NOOOOO my brain just likes this school or something., when there's barely anything related to it.

WHATEVER, anyway, Saint Ars has this religious vibes which is obvious from their logo and well, name.(That's a cross, yiu guys think Jesus exist or something)

Now remember how at that one point that Bureau of Magic guy that's bald said that God gave the world Magic and all that and how there's a bunch of gods you can summon as a third liner?

NOW HEAR ME OUT, it's already so obvious that of course that this is just a church being transformed into a school. I just don't know how to word it out.

I like to think 1. That this school mainly focuses on praising and believing God/ gods(?(do they acknowledge them as well?oh well), 2. Acts like the bald guy but WAYYYYY harsher.

Definitely believes those without magic was chose not to by God and yknow that type twisted mindset. Like they would say, why would God let them exist in the first place?

It's crazyyy

Anyway, the other part which is like Justice related. The law being related to religion is.. I can see it but again, I can't word it out 😔.

I feel like this school is probably towards the Law and other type of stuff related to it.

Now I don't know much of the law so I'm afraid I'm low on info on these type of stuff. However, I can see it but it's hard to describe. The only thing is I know it's about like religious law or something like that.

I guess I can see the school being like related to the Town's church or something and students would always do community work at that place.

I definitely see this school having like. a fucked up idea or mindset. Like I pray that Mash should never be near to this school after his whole reveal.

Actually after that controversy(Mash's reveal), students probably were like so angered because of how they were taught. But I believe maybe one day, that school will slowly but surely grow out of that mindset after like a few years.

Oh and the main God they praise is Themis, God of Justice because of the law thing jfhdh. I imagine that this God is the symbol and pride of that school because "the God helped build it(the law)" lol.

The law and religion.. it's such a nice combo. That school reeks of traditions and moral codes. They probably have a bunch rules to follow and like beliefs.

The teachers are probably all nuns and priest. Do they study magic? I guess they appreciate it more than an average person but they have a higher belief that its a gift from God.

I don't know what type of magic they'll study but definitely not combat.. because "that's what started the war before Adam Jobs came in." They're all in that they don't wanna repeat history and stuff.

So the school is more towards Magic History and Magic Zoology? ("Creatures are also creations of God!" Yada yada type of stuff), though I imagine all schools have the same type of subjects.. I think.

Okay that's all.. I think

I agree with the other anon that it's funny how much hate Helaemond gets from some green fans as if it's the worst thing that could happen but on the other hand they're either perfectly fine with Rhaen*cent or outright ship it?? A big part of all these characters is the loyalty to their own side and family! Normally, they will NEVER betray their own side for a person who's actively fighting on the other side so to have one character - Alicent in this case - trample said loyalty to go to Rhaenyra and grovel to her is just insane lmao. And it's going to be worse to justify something like this after B&C (and after Storm's End if we're speaking from Rhaenyra's POV). Is Alicent supposed to forget her nephew's death and her daughter going insane just so she can get back with Rhaenyra? Seriously? What then? Punish Aemond? Put Aegon to death if Daemon and Rhaenyra suggest so and accept it? Or have her poison him herself in S4? I mean I wouldn't be surprised if some people in the fandom would be fine with it since they're the ones who've always had the opinion that Alicent loves Rhaenyra more than her own children since they're the product of Viserys' marital rape on her or that she actually hates them (and no, I'm not claiming she's the best mother either, but anyone who believes she hates them is delusional, sorry)… Really, nothing about this makes sense. The show is an adaptation, I get it, but this ship does more damage across the entire narrative than any good. The writers' intention to highlight how these two women just want to be close to each other and how the men around them are preventing it because they're thirsty for war falls flat. I know it's a bit of an unpopular opinion to have nowadays but: there's nothing wrong with women scheming against each other! There's nothing wrong with Alicent fighting to put her own son on the throne and doing anything necessary to achieve this result! Just…please (& this is directed at the writers), stop making everything about men vs women and stop blaming anything controversial a woman may do on the men in her life.

i get the frustration and i do think going forward even more stuff will make less sense for those who wanted an adaptation that was closer to the original source and its intention. i know i will continue to get angry myself with some of their choices but i also know their minds are set on this rhaen*cent story so i'm trying to not expect anything positive.

honestly, there's a lot to be said about the writing choice they made and this whole "women couldn't possibly have differences of their own, or self interest, or ambition, or agency and they all just want to be friends deep down" but i won't get into it. i simply don't like the direction the show took and i think it's alicent's character who will suffer the most due to this writing when it comes to development and stuff.

alicent acknowledges that both daemon and rhaenyra will never bend the knee to her son and her crowning aegon rests entirely on the fickle premise that a dying man who never even attempted to change the succession suddenly mumbled something about aegon before dying. it's so fickle that even aegon laughs when his mother tries to seriously convince him that it was his father's wish.

this is what makes alicent crown aegon and she knows this is a declaration of war regardless of her trying to "make peace". so her development in this story of war will be just as fickle as her motivation and drive resting on the words of a dying man because she herself isn't convinced of it.

of course it's hard for many to see the point that she might have made in episode 6, and sympathize with what she really believes in, when she herself doesn't truly, deeply or fully believe in it.

but hey, at least those rhaen*cents get that dangeon sex scene or whatever. great writing 11/10

rhaenyra's character remains intact. she was named heir by her father, she believes the throne is her right and she fights for it. she loses people and she dies but she dies trying to get what she thought was hers to own. she has her convinctions and beliefs untouched. sure it might pain her that she has to go war for it, that she lost a childhood friend, that later she loses her family, she might even regret the war at one point because of the family members she loses, but her conviction remains true in her heart and in the heart of the audience.

meanwhile alicent isn't just disliked for what the audience, in their majority tb, sees "she does" to rhaenyra as a friend but can't also connect to her when she has no real drive of her own. sure, a lot of them find it sad that she was manipulated and groomed by her father and such, but there's only so many "poor manipulated alicent" you can have from a majority tb audience.

i'm not sure why the writers thought that alicent can't be both a victim of her father + viserys while also growing to be a woman who's driven by ambition (to see her children on the throne) and fear (that daemon if not rhaenyra would harm her children) but yeah.

anyway i think i've said, both now and in the past, all that can be said on this subject. this story to me is not the story to choose to do this rhaen*cent dynamic they're trying to do. it is just not the story for it. and let me not mention again and again and again how fickle their foundation is.

they had a scene where rhaenyra said she wants to eat cake and ride on dragon back w alicent. they stopped talking in episode 2. they started talking again after 3ish 4ish years and again stopped talking in episode 5. exhausting to try to convince me of this was real, good friendship. it falls so flat to other stories i've seen.

but i'm also trying to just........distance myself from this narrative and enjoy s2 in others ways.

hi !! what’d you think of the new episode of Ted Lasso?

OKAY getting to this a few days late i'm sorry. as usual, i have about One Million Thoughts. in short, i thought it was fine!! it wasn't like, AMAZING, but not every episode of something is gonna be, and it was overall pretty solid. i liked it more than last episode by a good measure but not as much as

here is, as is traditional for me, some more specific thoughts in no particular order on ted lasso 3x05:

i feel like this episode was sort of a return to form in some ways, from some of the stuff that's been causing what i'd call..... some issues? in the front half of this season so far. it feels like they've been trying to do way too much at once? which has led to a bit of a disoriented, frenetic feeling. i think this was sort of a way to.... cut down on some of that? with what would seem to be the wrapping of the zava and shandy plots (which i'll.... get to). this is overall i think a good shift. let's redirect a bit. focus a bit.

oh my gd the stuff with ted and henry was so good. i also was like. really in my feelings immediately when beard was so protective the instant they thought henry'd been bullied. and then ROY was too. man. that got me where i live :')

and man. man. the bit after where ted talked himself down from that panic attack with 'he's okay, he's okay, he's okay.' i about cried at that.

this is gonna be extremely predictable from me and i know i've mentioned it already but i really did expect like. literally any acknowledgement of playing man city being a Big Thing after what happened last time. for jamie particularly. wouldn't need to take much space, just like. a nod to them being mindful of keeping an eye on him that week, or a quick 'you good?' or yknow. anything.

that said. man am i ever so proud of jamie. his speech to them was really, really good - especially if you actually do consider what contemplating playing against city for the first time since the wembley thing must have been like for him. still, he rallied and gave this really effective motivating speech that got the team going.

until zava took over and repeated what he said lmao but still. (also the bit of him like. grabbing at and holding jamie's head? WHOOF that was hard to watch. jamie does Not want that man touching him, and watching him just sorta hunch a bit and Deal With It until deciding he'd had enough and ducking away was. whoof. what a little scene.)

dunno where this psychic thing with rebecca is going but i do kind of love the shift her story has taken, if this is gonna continue to be a focus (pursuing the possibility of motherhood). idk if this is like..... a controversial take in some way or whatever but i actually always kind of thought that it would make more sense for her narrative arc to go more in the direction of searching for that as a possibility than of searching for a romantic partner? it's something she clearly wanted very much but couldn't have because of rupert and that whole. thing. i think it's a much more interesting avenue to go down with her, and idk if it's gonna go anywhere else but. yeah. enjoyed her storyline in this episode a lot more than i have in some others.

i dunno how to feel about the whole bit with nate and jade the woman at the greek restaurant. i feel like i kind of get what they're going for with it but i'm not really sure where i land? like my romance allergy aside, i was ruminating on it and i wish we'd had like. idk. she has been pretty...... weird and rude to him in every single scene we've seen her in and i really think in order to actually know how i feel about how that was played i would need some more context. i wish we'd seen her interact with other customers? if that makes sense? like i want to see if this demeanour she has with nate which is pretty shitty and bizarre is just sort of. how she is and she's a weird and rude person generally, or if she's somehow treating nate differently than other people she interacts with at her job.

man i really did otherwise like nate's bits in that ep though. his scenes so far have been fucking stellar this season - though i didn't like last episode much, his part? oh my gd it was incredible. and then in this one it's like- rehearsing what to say on the phone was fantastic, and the part where he's trying to explain to anastasia what that place means to his family (which...... buddy. man. that made me sad, it doesn't seem like he's been very well treated there, but it's such an important figure in his family. feels like a metaphor.)

was a little disappointed we didn't get a bit more west ham follow-up? like they got, what was it, three red cards in that ep? that's three suspensions. how long were they suspended for? obvs we didn't see the immediate subsequent matches but yknow. that's a Big Deal. the way that match went is a big deal. otherwise, i did like the switch from the big win streak to this winless streak after the west ham loss. that was a satisfying The Epic Highs And Lows Of Sports detail.

keeley sleeping with jack? GET IT. not sure how this is gonna shake out in the long run and has the potential to get messy and i generally don't.... know how i feel about jack yet but for now? get it.

i answered a whole ask about this, but in brief: i thought the zava wrap, if that was actually his whole wrap and he's not gonna return in some dramatic fashion, was anticlimactic to the way he and his arc were introduced. i think it was..... misplayed overall. they should've either not played so hard into seeming like he was being set up to be a major factor when he was first introduced and then had that focal episode, or they should've followed that energy through. instead he had his intro and then that huge focus episode and immediately following that he just kinda..... faded and was a nonissue and then abruptly decided to ride off into the sunset. makes me wonder what they were going for at all when they didn't really resolve any of the big stuff that whole thing brought up.

i feel similarly about shandy. it seemed like they were setting something up with her to be a Thing and then she ended up not like.... her arc wasn't anticlimactic in resolve, it was actually extremely dramatic, but it happened very fast and in a way that felt kind of. cartoonish? keeley Learned A Lesson i guess about being a boss which is a tough thing to do, and that was neat, but it felt like. idk. i think they could've done that without introducing a whole new character who felt like she had a lot of potential to have an interesting arc with keeley and then kinda built tension in the background for a bit only to resolve it pretty quickly and in a pretty. what's the way i want to put this.

interested to see where it goes from here!