Tumgik
#the mirror to Hannibal's own obsession
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
absolutely wild that Bryan Fuller did this on national television
4K notes · View notes
Note
I discovered your blog a little bit ago (back when your requests were off) and got super excited when I saw that you wanted a Sam Winchester request!
So I was wondering if you could write a fic where the reader is insecure about her stretch marks, but Sam reassures her and shows her that he has stretch marks too from growing so quickly and much when he was a kid going from tiny to giant in like a snap. Reader is obsessed with them now that she’s seen them (and wants to lick them ;)) snd there’s so much appreciation on both sides. Thank you so much!
Love your writing!
.⋆。Natural Matching Tattoos。⋆.
Sam Winchester x plus size reader
You never liked your body but you love Sam and he adores every part of you so maybe you should let him show you just how incredible you are
Warnings: self deprecation, fat phobic thoughts, stretch marks, fear of rejection, fluff, implied smut, reassurance 
WC: 997
Minors DNI
Library- @hannibals-favourite-meal-library
Tumblr media
Hunting was apparently not a great form of exercise, you thought as you stood in front of your full length mirror dressed in nothing besides a bra that should’ve been thrown out years ago and your laundry day underwear. With a critical eye, you glared at the overhang of your stomach, the seam between your thighs where there should have been a gap but especially the shimmery skin stretched too far along your body. 
You tilted your head as you traced those lines with the tips of your fingers. How many things had you tried to get rid of them? How many years have you spent avoiding mirrors just because of this? You sighed dejectedly, your entire body sagging with the weight of your hate. You were exhausted with it, it ate away at you until there was only a speck of the love you once had for the body you inhabited. 
“Princess, have you seen my- oh.” Light from the hallway streamed into your room, casting a new light upon yourself which you immediately turned away from, and instead met the deep hazel eyes of your barely official boyfriend. Sam filled the doorway, his presence overwhelming.
“Sam.” You could barely breathe out his name with the massive weight of shame sitting on your chest. You felt his gaze burning into your skin as he took in every inch of your mostly naked body. Your vision wavered as tears began to build.
Yet he said nothing. “I-“ But no more words would come. This was what you feared most, that he would finally realise that he could do so much better than you, that you could never compare to Jess or Eileen or even Ruby. As you braced yourself for heartbreak, Sam stepped closer, lost in a trance.
Your arms curled around your stomach and you looked away, squeezing your eyes shut. Your fingers brushed the tell-tale smoothness of some of your stretch marks and suddenly you wanted to scream. Why couldn’t you just be fucking normal, you wanted to shout at yourself, why couldn’t you just lose the weight before he saw you naked for the first time. You expected to hear him insult you or say that you had a pretty face for someone so big, but then, just like he always managed to, Sam surprised you.
Far softer than you could ever imagine a man like him to be capable of, Sam cupped your forearms, prying them away from your body and leaving you vulnerable to him. You whimpered under your breath. There was a moment of quiet where all you could hear was his heavy breathing and your own pounding heartbeat and then-
“Gorgeous.” 
His large hands hovered over your hips like he was handling a piece of precious artwork. The calloused tips of his fingers grazed the fat along your pelvis in reverence. “I always thought you were beautiful, but now, I can’t believe that you’re real.” 
“Sam-“ Part of you wanted to stop him, to push away his affections but the way he cradled you and looked at you with those big hazel puppy dog eyes, you didn’t think you had the strength to stop him. He gave you that stupid grin of his that showed off his dimples and made his entire body light up. “But my stretch marks.” You managed to stammer out as some sort of last ditch effort to get him to realise the truth.
Finally he laid his hands on your skin and your mouth snapped shut. His thumbs brushed against said stretch marks, leaving behind a warm, buzzing sensation that you could feel in your bones. “What about them?” He murmured but you could tell that he was already lost in the texture of your skin.
“They’re ugly.” You admitted like it was some shameful secret. Sam froze for a moment and gazed deeply into your eyes. 
“You really think that?” You nodded. Your skin was cold where he let go of your hips, it made you wish that you had just kept your mouth shut and let him love those parts of you that you hated. 
You jolted forward to try and grab at his hands but they were already pulling at the buttons of his flannel with a determined look on his face. You gave an embarrassed squeak as suddenly, Sam was topless in front of you, his perfectly sculpted torso so achingly close to your hands. “Then you must think mine are ugly too then.”
In the soft light of your bedside lamp, you could see the silvery lines that trailed up his slim hips, starkly contrasted against his tanned skin. They were almost identical to your own and they were beautiful, like silver threads that had been placed upon him like jewels. You couldn’t help but reach out to them, desperate to feel them beneath your hands.
Sam chuckled deeply in his chest but did not try to stop you as you laid your palms flat against his toned stomach. “How?” Was all you could manage to say besides something else incredibly impolite about your boyfriend’s body.
“I’m 6’4 princess, and Dean will absolutely attest to the fact that I grew over a foot in one summer. I was bound to get some stretch marks.” You hummed, now understanding why Sam had been so distracted by your own body moments before. “Still think stretch marks are ugly?”
You shook your head without hesitation and he beamed. “’S like we have matching tattoos.”
A soft kiss was pressed to your temple as he once more wrapped you in his arms to hold you close. “That’s my girl.” You sank into his embrace, content and warm. The weight of your insecurities was slightly lessened with someone you so dearly loved taking some of the burden and you couldn’t be happier about it. Well, there was one thing.
“Can I lick ‘em?” Sam’s laugh reverberated through the room.
“Only if I can lick yours.”
SPN Masterlist | Main Masterlist
Join my taglist!
All works
@im-a-slut-for-fluff @alexxavicry @ravenwings73 @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @silverfire475 @psychadelichues @mvyalx @faefanatic @evansqueen54 @anamiad00msday @th3sloth @princess76179 @Lanielagenev @luvvvjada @Lucypaulette @midnight-shadow-va @mooniequeen @km-ffluv
Supernatural
@hc-geralt-23 @mandythemint @jenniferpendragon @certifiedhunter @lover-of-books-and-te
226 notes · View notes
suchawrathfullamb · 4 months
Note
What exactly is Dolarhyde’s interest in Hannibal/the murder husbands? I sort of thought he had his own narrative to follow (his red dragon destiny shit) and it didn’t make sense that he was so obsessed with the ripper like all the other killers.
Why is it so important that he seeks them out to kill them? I get some sort of betrayal but… seems odd. Chilton made sense as it was a major publishing degrading him ‘from the mouth’ of a person of high medical standing.
Other than just for sake of connecting the murder husbands to everything— was there a genuine driving factor here? Obsession? What exactly did he want/hope to gain from them or from killing them?
Noooo, his arc and Reba's is a direct parallel to Will and Hannibal! And his interest is because Will and The Dragon are mirrors of one another and Francis recognizes this.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
73 notes · View notes
cece693 · 19 days
Text
Monster in the Making (Will Graham x Male! Lecter)
Tumblr media
Hey :) I know I haven't uploaded much, but life has gotten in the way. So, to jump back into writing, I've decided to write something about my favorite murder husband, Will. What was meant to be something short turned into (possibly) my longest post yet.
Summary: The Lecter siblings were obsessed with Will Graham but for entirely different reasons. While Hannibal wanted to deconstruct the puzzle that was the detective, M/N wanted Will to be his.
tags: jealousy, possessiveness, m/n being a little shit, Will indulges him, why can't they just talk it out like normal adults, oh yeah 'cause one's a murderer in the making and the other is related to Hannibal :)
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
M/N Lecter was a mirror image of his elder brother, Hannibal: with sophisticated tastes and an appetite for human meat, it was their façades that set them apart. While both inherited a charisma unlike any other, it was M/N Lecter whose mask never slipped off. Unlike Hannibal who instilled an unconscious fear in people with his dominating and blunt persona, M/N preferred to play the role of the unsuspecting innocent.
He derived pleasure from allowing others to spin their own webs of deceit, all the while believing they had any significance in his life. Whether they be lovers, friends, or colleagues, no one was immune to his subtle influence. His manipulations were veiled behind gentle words and tender gestures, a feigned desire to enrich their lives until they found themselves isolated and reliant solely on M/N. This artful deception ensnared all whom M/N cast his gaze upon, until the arrival of Will Graham.
A detective with a peculiar gift that Hannibal simply dubbed ‘pure empathy’, Will immediately knew something was wrong with the Lecter siblings. His dark, almost onyx eyes perceived the monsters both Hannibal and M/N were, yet (he hated himself for saying this) there was a complexity to their darkness that intrigued him. So, despite the warning bells ringing in his mind, Will couldn’t help but be drawn to the siblings. Hannibal wanted to bring out Will’s own dark side, seeing a capable partner in the man who cloaked himself with a ruse of normality. But for M/N, he simply desired the man.
He couldn’t explain what about Will attracted him, but for the first time, M/N felt drawn to another being. He wanted to own the detective—his mind, heart, body. It was a puzzling revelation that M/N could even feel these things for another being. 
"I assume you're pleased with my surprise," Hannibal whispered to M/N as the familiar sight of the detective's car pulled into their driveway. The siblings had decided to host another dinner party, though with M/N's hectic schedule, the majority of the preparations fell upon Hannibal. This entailed cooking, setting the table, and sending out invitations—invitations M/N was not permitted to see.
M/N should have anticipated that Hannibal was scheming something, but he never imagined this. Developing feelings for the detective was one thing, but inviting Will into their home—a place that would undoubtedly unsettle the detective—angered him.
M/N couldn't pinpoint when his desire to possess Will shifted into protectiveness, but it was too late now. Hannibal had retreated to the kitchen, likely to evade M/N's impending wrath, leaving him alone to greet their newest guest. Slipping into character, M/N forced a smile as the detective's figure hesitated at the open door. "Mr. Graham." M/N greeted, his voice warm and friendly. "It's good to see you. Please, come in."
Will's gaze flickered from M/N to the grand interior of the Lecter residence, taking in the opulent furnishings and the faint aroma of culinary mastery wafting from the kitchen. Despite his reservations, there was a reluctant curiosity in his expression. "Thank you." Will replied, his tone guarded yet polite as he crossed the threshold. "I must admit, I didn't expect an invitation." And why would the Lecters invite him? Will was hardly good company, always managing to unsettle people with his personality.
Catching the subtle self-deprecation in Will’s words, M/N frowned. “Why wouldn’t we invite you, Mr. Graham? I find your company quite pleasant.” 
Internally, M/N couldn't help but smirk at the reaction of his detective—the rosy hue that enveloped the tips of Will's ears, and the subtle shift in his demeanor as he lowered his head, avoiding M/N's gaze. M/N couldn't quite discern if Will was simply oblivious to his flirting or intentionally ignoring it, but either way, it stirred something inside him to see the effect he had on the guarded detective. 
Not wanting to further embarrass the man, M/N turned on his heel and began guiding Will further into the house, towards the dining room where the rest of their guests were gathered. Some were engaged in lively conversations, their voices mingling in the air, while others took in the opulent surroundings, their eyes roaming over the intricate decorations and paintings adorning the walls.
M/N felt a surge of pride at the sight of the meticulously arranged table, adorned with fine china and gleaming silverware. The aroma of Hannibal's culinary creations wafted through the air, tantalizing the senses and adding to the air of anticipation that hung over the room.
"Please, make yourself comfortable." M/N told Will with a reassuring smile. “Dinner will be served shortly." Leaving the detective was the last thing M/N wanted to do, but he knew he had to fulfill his duties as a co-host and mingle with their other guests. With a lingering glance at Will, M/N reluctantly excused himself, promising to return shortly. 
Watching M/N walk away, Will was taken aback by the unexpected pang of disappointment that washed over him. He knew M/N couldn’t stay by his side all night long, but a part of Will hoped he would. He and M/N had been playing a game as of late; one Will had been initially taken aback by but had quickly returned. Flirting—subtle, yet charged with an unspoken tension that seemed to crackle between them whenever they were together. 
M/N had a way of getting under his skin, of teasing out the darker, more dangerous parts of himself that Will hadn’t known he even possessed. In M/N's presence, Will felt alive in a way he hadn't in years, his senses heightened and his inhibitions loosened. M/N Lecter had become his downfall—hell, M/N was all Will thought about these days.
As he watched M/N mingle effortlessly with the other guests, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over him. Will knew he should stay away, that getting too close to M/N Lecter would only lead to trouble. And yet, the allure of the forbidden was too strong to ignore, drawing him inexorably closer to the flame.
As the evening wore on, Will found himself retreating into the shadows, avoiding interactions with the other guests. The lively chatter and laughter only served to amplify his own sense of isolation. He didn’t belong here; all he wanted was to return home and snuggle against the warm fur of his dogs. But just as Will debated the possibility of slipping away unnoticed, a sudden burst of laughter echoed from behind him, pulling him from his thoughts. 
As if summoned, Will’s gaze landed on M/N, who stood across the room, his charming smile directed towards a striking woman. She was elegant and poised, with cascading waves of chestnut hair that framed her delicate features. Her blue eyes sparkled with laughter and interest as she leaned closer to M/N, her hand resting upon his arm as they continued conversing.
The attraction between them was evident—the way the woman pressed herself against M/N, with the man doing nothing to stop such indecent action. Will couldn't tear his eyes away, a knot of jealousy tightening in his chest at the sight of M/N's easy rapport with the woman.
It was irrational, Will knew. He had no claim over M/N; no right to feel possessive or jealous. And yet, as he watched them, Will couldn't shake the resentment and betrayal that coiled within him, a bitter reminder of his insecurities and desires. For a brief moment, Will entertained the dangerous thought of intervening, of inserting himself into their conversation and reclaiming M/N's attention for himself. But he quickly dismissed the idea, knowing it would only make him appear foolish and desperate. 
But that’s exactly what M/N wanted. He craved to unravel the layers of Will Graham's complex psyche, delve into the darker corners of his mind, and explore the depths of his desires. M/N wanted to see this other, darker side of Will, to witness the raw passion and intensity that lay beneath his stoic exterior. So when their eyes met across the room, M/N couldn’t help but smirk as he turned back to the woman on his side.
Helen was beautiful, in a conventional sort of way, but something was lacking in her presence that failed to capture his interest. Her conversation was dull and predictable, devoid of the spark and intrigue that he craved. So even as his whole body wrenched when her hands settled on his forearm, M/N forced himself to maintain the facade of polite interest.
He couldn't help but contrast her with Will Graham, whose mere presence ignited a fire within him that he struggled to contain. Will was enigmatic and complex, a puzzle waiting to be solved, while Helen was little more than a passing distraction—a shallow attempt at filling the void that only Will could satisfy. And as he stole another glance across the room, M/N couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. Jealousy and anger were swimming in the detective’s eyes; he only needed one final push so they could both indulge in what they desired.
The tension between them crackled like electricity, a palpable force that hung heavy in the air. Will's gaze bore into M/N's, filled with a mix of longing and frustration that mirrored his own. It was as if they were locked in a silent battle of wills, each daring the other to make the first move. But M/N was done playing games. He wanted Will, and he wanted him now. With a sly grin, he leaned in closer to Helen, his voice dropping to a husky whisper as he murmured something in her ear. The effect was immediate. As Will stormed towards them, his eyes ablaze with fury, M/N felt a surge of satisfaction. 
"Can we talk privately?” The detective hissed, not even sparing a glance at the woman. 
“Of course.” M/N's response was measured and composed, his outward demeanor belying the inner excitement that churned beneath the surface. Sensing an opportunity to push the boundaries further, he delicately extricated himself from Helen's grasp and softly pressed his lips to her cheek.
“Please excuse us, darling.” He murmured, his voice like velvet, eliciting a blush from the woman and a frustrated huff from Will. Gesturing for the detective to follow, this exchange wasn’t missed by Hannibal, who smoothly redirected the attention of the other guests, allowing M/N and Will to slip away unnoticed. 
The journey to M/N’s office was painful; in the sense that Will’s dark emotions only fueled M/N’s desire for the detective. With every step he took, M/N could feel Will’s presence like a blazing fire at his back, the heat of his breath sending shivers down his spine. Personal space seemed non-existent between them; with Will’s front nearly pressing against M/N’s back as they moved in lockstep. It took all of M/N's self-control to resist the urge to turn around and claim what he had long desired.
As they finally entered M/N's office, the weight of the locked door didn't escape Will's notice, but his focus was consumed by the fury pulsating through his veins. M/N's calm demeanor only served to stoke the flames of his anger further. 
"What is it that you wished to speak of, Mr. Graham?" M/N's voice remained cool and collected, a stark contrast to the seething rage burning in Will's gaze. Allowing himself to be cornered against his desk, M/N maintained unwavering eye contact with the detective. Yet, despite the intensity of the situation, the corners of his lips turned upwards ever so slightly, mischief glimmering in his eyes.
Will's jaw clenched as he struggled to find the words, his chest heaving with pent-up emotion. "I want to know what you were doing with that woman," he finally managed to spit out, his voice low and charged with accusation.
M/N arched an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "And why does that matter to you?" he countered, his tone teasing yet tinged with a hint of challenge. His eyes held a gleam of amusement as he awaited Will's response; he might be pinned to his desk, but M/N still held the power. He was the one dictating what their encounter would result. Will’s expression softened, his features momentarily reflecting his more reserved nature. But then, to M/N’s surprise, a smirk ghosted across his face. "You're mine." 
"Is that so?" M/N mused, "And what exactly does that entail, Detective Graham?" 
Spurred by an unspoken desire, the detective's patience wore thin. Surging forward, Will captured M/N in a searing kiss, his hands finding a place on the other's hips to draw him closer. The kiss was electric, a fusion of pent-up longing and unspoken passion. At that moment, words became unnecessary as they surrendered to the heat of their mutual desire, lost in the intoxicating embrace of each other's lips.
M/N gripped Will’s curls, finding pleasure in hearing the sweet, husky moans the detective emitted. However, the need for air soon became undeniable, and with a deep, reluctant sigh, M/N drew away from the kiss. His chest heaved with the effort to regain his breath as he gazed into the detective's eyes once more. But instead of finding regret, as he had anticipated, M/N was surprised to see a glimmer of giddiness dancing in the depths of Will's gaze. Perhaps now it would be easier for the Lecter siblings to sway Will Graham into joining their murder family.
39 notes · View notes
Text
Okay okay okay, this might sound just a tiny bit unhinged but I am convinced that the LCDP writers have seen and been influenced by Hannibal, owing to the parallels between the Hannibal/Will and Sergio/Raquel relationships (focusing especially on a scene in the show that really mirrors one in Hannibal).
So, let's look at the text. First up, Hannibal, 3x11
Hannibal: The building of a new body and the othering of himself, the splitting of his personality, all seem active and deliberate. He craves change. Will: He didn't murder those families. He changed them. Hannibal: Don't you crave change, Will?
Second, LCDP, 2x8
El Profesor: Yo estoy haciendo una inyección de liquidez. Pero no a la banca. La estoy haciendo aquí, en la economía real, de este grupo de desgraciados, que es lo que somos, Raquel. Para escapar de todo esto. Tu no quieres escapar? ('I'm injecting liquidity. But not to the banks. I'm doing it here, in the real economy, for this group of wretches, Raquel, which is what we are. To escape from all of this. Don't you want to escape?')
And, ok, they're not the only two stories in existence where one character begs the other to see things from their point of view, you might say. You're clutching at straws here, Nay, because Hannibal is your current obsession, and LCDP was the one that came before.
But it's not just the dialogue. And it's not just this one scene.
If we're looking very literally at these two scenes, you'll notice that one half of our pair is imprisoned, but even that's not just surface level. Both imprisoned parties should not, by rights, be there, if they'd behaved in a remotely rational way leading up to that point. Hannibal allowed himself to be imprisoned for Will, even though he should have killed him long ago to protect himself. Raquel, likewise, could and should have handed Sergio over to the police many, many episodes ago, but she didn't, because like Hannibal, she couldn't bring herself to hurt him.
However, the real parallel isn't between Hannibal and Raquel - Sergio/Hannibal and Raquel/Will are the parallel characters leading up to these scenes, and besides looking at who is currently imprisoned, the clearest parallels within the scenes too.
Both of these relationships are deeply manipulative and physically violent, but the person who is initially causing harm gets tripped up by their own feelings, opening a window for their intended victim to exercise power over them instead. And, although in each relationship there is a clear manipulator at first, even in their beginnings, they are equals, and natural enemies (even though they might not realise it at first).
That's not to say the characters are the same - Hannibal's manipulation is driven by curiosity, and Sergio's is driven by ideals. But the outcomes are surprisingly similar nonetheless - they realise their goals, and then they regret them. They both lose the trust of the person they have unwittingly fallen in love with, and as Will and Raquel see Hannibal and Sergio, respectively, for the people they really are, they want (or think they want) to exact revenge on them. Raquel ties Sergio up and interrogates him, threatens him, hurts him, and Will tries to have Hannibal killed, and works to prove that it's Hannibal who's the serial killer, not him. But both Will and Raquel, of course, are not quite able to bring their righteous violence to its logical conclusion. Raquel fails to turn Sergio into the police, despite the fact that she's in charge of catching him, and Will gets tangled in his own line as he tries to reel Hannibal in, finding Hannibal himself far more magnetic than the justice of catching him. Both of them want to hurt their manipulative counterpart, but they've fallen for them too (and for both of them, I think this adds to their fury at Hannibal/Sergio).
And then we reach these two scenes I referenced at the top of the post. In both shows, they appear towards the end (at least, the assumed end at the time - LCDP, of course, got three more seasons later on, and Hannibal was [is?!] supposed to have more too). In both shows, Will and Raquel have experienced a loss of some kind, a really significant loss, tied to their identity, that is the fault of Hannibal/Sergio - Raquel has lost her job and integrity as an inspector; Will's family has nearly been killed and are emotionally lost to him - and yet they are both running towards the cause of that loss. Raquel, of course, is ostensibly trying to catch Sergio by herself, and Will has come to yell at Hannibal. But there's a calm in both scenes that wouldn't be there if all the wronged party felt was anger - after a fight Raquel lets Sergio talk to her without interruption, just as Will allows Hannibal to talk back to him, to ask him questions. And then our two manipulators - both of whom, I might add, have almost thrown everything away for the people who were supposed to be collateral damage - make this final plea in the dialogue above.
They're very different people, Sergio and Hannibal, but the plea is, at it's core, the same. The world, they say, The world doesn't look the way you were taught to see it, and you don't fit into it the way you thought either.
It's a plea for acceptance, because if Will and Raquel can accept the world and themselves the way Hannibal and Sergio see them, then they are, by extension, accepting them. It's a please, god, just say you want to run away with me.
And, in both instances, it works.
58 notes · View notes
gallyl · 3 months
Text
NBC Hannibal: Dogs and Dinners
There is a tv trope "adopt the dog", which helps us like a character and see their good side. Will's character exposition is clear: he saves a dog and cares for a big family of strays. The dogs manifest his good sides, humanity. However, we are also hinted at Will's repressed dark instincts, because domestic dogs are still animals that hunt and kill. They are pack hunters too, and Will's fighting pose in the finale is "on fours", "a wild dog". The domestic and the wild co-exist.
It would be unfair not to demonstrate a humane side of Hannibal during his introduction. We see him working as a psychiatrist. His job almost mirrors Will's job: Will is an empath who analyses psychopaths to put them in jail, and Hannibal is a psychopath who analyses normal people to help them fix their lives. But not all of his patients are actually recovering, and his approach is unorthodox. I don't think his job is a true reflection of his humane side. As in the case with Will, we should look into his house and see the his own character exposition, just as intimate, instinctual and double-sided.
Tumblr media
It's his cooking. At first sight it's merely a depiction of his darkness. But if we break down the idea of cooking to the basic instincts (like with Will's dogs), we will feel Hannibal's humanity. For him, cooking is not only eating. It's feeding. And Hannibal likes to feed. Feeding is a paternal instinct, a social, protective behavior. And we have seen many times in the show that Hannibal has paternal instincts, likes socialising and can be protective not only on his behalf. Hannibal uses feeding for manipulation as well, yes, but even in those cases feeding people is his idea of creating connection and affection.
Here are a few examples. After Jack asks Hannibal in the first episode to be gentle with Will, Hannibal, the stag that he is, does the opposite: invades Will's hotel room uninvited and puts him on his antlers with compliments and home-made breakfast that fits Will's simple tastes. When Hannibal tries make Abigail attached to him, he cooks her "breakfast for dinner" and mushroom tea. He makes coffee for Will, when he's in hospital, makes soups to Will, when he's unwell. He likes when someone helps him in the kitchen.
Hannibal doesn't invite people for dinner only when encessary. He does it at every opportinity. He has many "friends" in cultural circles that he loves to entertain. And he feeds them human meat, which is rare and risky to get. There's cynicism in that behaviour but also a need to share and connect at a high cost. Hannibal is generous and hospitable.
Hannibal "likes to eat in a company" and yet it's never simply that. Extended cooking scenes, exquisite dishes and lavish dinners - too lavish even for a small gathering… He’s obsessed with cooking. It's a manifestation of his darkness... and aching humanity. Eating and feeding co-exist.
There may be some evidence to this in canon. In the book/movie “Hannibal rising” (both written/scripted by the original author of "Hannibal") little Lecter starved with Mischa during the war. Mischa was his first beloved human, and he became her parental figure after premature death of their parents. A special emphasis is made in the movie on Hannibal feeding her. His experience of hunger was not only about misery but also love and caring for another person and putting their needs above your own.
Tumblr media
Will: Have you ever been a father?
Hannibal: I was to my sister. She was not my child, but she was my charge. She taught me so much about myself. Her name was Mischa.
Before the finale Bedelia says her famous line:
"Could he daily feel a stab of hunger for you and find nourishment at the very sight of you? Yes."
This line is a big box to unpack, but a big idea is that Hannibal is harmless now. He no longer needs to eat Will - or indulge into cannibalism with him - to connect. His love overpowers trauma and killer instincts. In the finale he does exactly what Bedelia predicted: he finds nourishment at the very sight of Will in his house, only sharing wine like in the good old days, and Will feels safe and protected in his presence. And this is a really nice touch to Hannibal's character development.
28 notes · View notes
Tumblr media
To My Taste
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
Part 4: Escalation
Masterlist
⚠️Warnings ⚠️ mentions of animal death, nothing too graphic but sad none the less. The starts of obsessive behavior.
       I had a few more drinks as we sat in Hannibal kitchen. He loaded the dishwasher and poured Will another glass. Now that I think about it I didn't see Hannibal drink very much himself. Will was about 5 deep and I was nursing my 3rd but the host had only had one with dinner.
        "Come on Hannibal, have another drink with us." I say as I take a sip of my own drink. Hannibal thinks about it for a second and pulls down another class for himself. 
       "That's the spirit!" Will said as he clapped his hands together. It was fun seeing him so loose and happy, I'd have to get him drunk more often. 
        We all chatted for a few more hours until midnight rolled around. Hannibal was kind enough to show us our rooms for the night. They were across the hall from one another in the same hall as a bathroom and the basement.
         Will flopped down on his bed and seemed to fall asleep right away. Hannibal proceeded to show me to my room for the night. He looked me up and down for a second. 
        "Forgive me if I'm being too forward but that dress is going to get horribly wrinkled. Would you like something else to sleep in?" He asked as he gestured to my dress. I look down at myself, it would be a bit uncomfortable to sleep in. 
        "That would be great. I didn't think about that." He holds up one finger to tell me to wait a second. He walked to his room and soon returned with a white dress shirt. 
        "I apologize it is a bit inappropriate but I'm afraid I don't have any sleep shirts. Would this be suitable." He asked as he presented it to me. 
        "It's perfectly fine. I normally just sleep in a shirt at home anyway." I retrieved the shirt from him, the material was soft but thin. It would make for a good sleep shirt. 
        "If you need anything my room is down the other hall at the very end. Good evening Lydia."
         "Goodnight Hannibal, see you tomorrow." I say as he closes the door behind him. I looked down at the shirt with a slight grin. It was definitely inappropriate to sleep in your psychiatrist's shirt but the circumstances were understandable in my opinion.
       The windows in this room looked like they looked out into an endless black abyss which made me a bit uneasy so I was sure to close the curtains before changing out of the dress and putting on the shirt. 
      I looked into the standing mirror and wondered if I had ever seen him in this button down before. I didn't seem familiar. 
       I got into bed and got cozy. It was a very soft bed complete with a fluffy comforter. I kept catching some kind of scent. I realized it was the shirt, it wasn't laundry detergent. It might have been a body wash maybe. I pressed the collar to my nose to smell it better. It was masculine but subtle. I have never smelt Hannibal but this is what I'd imagine he'd smell like. 
       I felt a little weird about enjoying the smell so much, it smelt expensive, some kind of cologne I believe. Whatever it was people are supposed to find the scent alluring so I tried not to feel so guilty. 
        It was easier to sleep knowing others were in this house with me. I felt comforted in the idea if the man came back I wouldn't be alone. Hannibal probably wouldn't be too much help in a fight but I knew Will was scrappy. 
         I was starting to scare myself thinking about the possibility of having to face that giant again. I pushed the thought away and focused on sleeping. 
         What could have been a few hours later I felt the bed move making me jolt awake. The bed dipped down behind me as if someone was laying there. That's when the smell of the sweet wine we drank tonight filled my nostrils.
       "Will?" I asked I was too scared to turn around and check. 
      "What?" He asked in a groggy sounding voice, like I had just woke him up. I breathed a sigh of relief.
      "What are you doing in my bed?"
      "You're in my bed." He sounded like he was still drunk. He scoots closer to me and puts a limp arm around me. I roll my eyes as I push it back on his side. 
       "Damn it Will." I whisper sitting up. He must have gotten up to use the restroom and got into the wrong room. I got out of bed and looked down at him. "Seriously Will get up, this is my room." He didn't respond so I shook his shoulder. He grumbled and grabbed my hand and pulled me a bit closer. He rolled onto his stomach and tried to make my arm with him. I pulled it away and gave up. His bed was free. He can have mine. 
       I left the room and closed the door behind me. Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs of the basement. The door opened and Hannibal emerged. He looked surprised for a second when he noticed me. 
       "Are you not able to sleep?" He asked me as he moved a kind of plastic sheet to his other arm so his body would block my sight of it. 
      "Oh no I was sleeping fine till I realized I had a guest in my bed." I say with a grin as I open the door to show him the drunkenly sleeping Will in my bed. Hannibal's eyebrows raised up slightly. 
       "I see how that might wake someone up. Do you need help moving him back to his room?" Hannibal asks as he turns back to the basement door and uses a key he pulled from his vest pocket to lock it.
      "No no I'm just going to take his bed. Are you still cleaning up that wine?"
      "No, I was just making sure no others had fallen. How are you sleeping?" He asked as he leaned against the door. Why did he need to lock his basement? Why was that the only door that seemed to have an outward facing lock that requires a key? The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed. 
        "I was sleeping great. Maybe I should move houses. Or get a roommate. I didn't think it was that serious but I'm not scared here the way I am at home." 
       "It's not uncommon to feel unsafe in a home after something like that, and it's not admitting defeat to move." 
        "You might be-" I stopped speaking when a loud thud could be heard from the basement. "Seriously Hannibal let me help you. I worked in a restaurant I know how to clean up glass." I wanted to help him but I mostly wanted to see what was down there. 
        "I think I will just have to take down the whole rack. It must be uneven but no I am perfectly capable of handling this project myself. Please go get yourself some rest." He says as he unlocks the door and goes in. He was gone before I could even say goodnight. There was something off about that basement. Part of me wanted to wait till Hannibal left and see if I can pick the lock myself but that would be a major invasion of privacy and while I am nosy I'm not crazy. 
         I shake the thought and go into Will's room. His bed was equally comfortable so it didn't take me long to get back to sleep. In the night I had some kind of nightmare. A figure was stood in the corner of the room and as my eyes focused it almost looked like Hannibal dressed in some kind of plastic coat. I chalked it up to me being suspicious about what was in his basement.
        I seemed to have slept even better in this room. Aside from the strange dream with Hannibal I didn't have any other dreams I don't even think I moved in the night. 
       The sun shined through the curtains of this room, waking me up finally. I wasn't sure what time it was. I had left my phone in my purse in the other room. 
         My legs felt like jelly, and I felt groggy. After such a restful sleep I thought I'd be more awake. I stood up slowly and opened the door to the hall. There was a small bruise on the inside of my arm that I didn't think was there last night. My attention was pulled away from my arm by Will who was just coming out of the bathroom. He must have taken a shower because his hair was wet. He seemed a little worse for wear. 
      "Why are you in Hannibal's shirt?" I looked down remembering what I was wearing.
       "He said my dress would wrinkle so he gave me a shirt."
       "Hmm he didn't offer me a shirt, and why did we switch rooms?" 
       "You crawled into bed with me because you thought it was your room." I wasn't sure if that was the real reason but it was the least embarrassing explanation. He looked surprised and apologetic. 
        "I'm so sorry I didn't think I was so drunk." He put his hands in his pockets clearly feeling a bit uncomfortable.
      "It's fine, you able to drive? I was going to get dressed and leave after we say goodbye to Hannibal."
       "He's actually going to drive us to the police station. I should let him explain. He's the one who talked to Jack." 
      "What? Why are we needed at a police station? I don't think I'm cleared to be working yet." Hannibal turned the corner of the hall to meet us. For the first time ever he looked like he was a bit hurried.
        "Oh good Lydia you are up. I was about to come and get you. They need you to do a line up. They may have your attacker in custody. Are you feeling up to doing a line up?" He asked as moved a bit closer like he was trying to get a better look at something. He was trying to be nonchalant about his subtle examination with his eyes. 
       "Of course I'm up to it. They can't just blood test him? They had his DNA right?" 
       "They need a subpoena to take blood, they don't have to, to put him in a lineup. If you can identify him, that should be enough to get a judge to make him give up his blood." Will explained. 
       "I mean where did they find this guy, why do they think he's the one?" Even I had to admit I sounded a bit stressed but who wouldn't be.
        "Lydia you don't have to do this right now if you don't feel like you are ready." Hannibal says softly. 
        "No fuck that I'm plenty ready let me get dressed." I say as I go into the room I changed in and got around. 
        We were all in Hannibal's car in 2 minutes flat. Will let me take the front seat. That's when I noticed the time on the radio, it was 5 pm. There was no way I could have slept that long. That's over 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That's not normal for me. 
        "I slept in till 5?"
        "I tried to wake you up." Will says from the back. 
        "You were saying you slept more soundly at my home then your own perhaps it was your body taking advantage of the rest." Hannibal said, keeping his eyes on the road. 
       "You said you were getting plenty of sleep." Will questioned. 
       "My apologies, I didn't realize your sleeplessness was a secret." Hannibal whispered as he took a glance at Will in his rear view mirror.  
         "Sleeplessness?"
         "Can we talk about this some other time please, my head is killing me."
         "Yes, let her rest, Will."
         "I don't need anymore God damn rest. Let's just get there please." I say as I turn on the radio to try and silence them. 
         We arrived in record time. Jack was leaning against his car when we pulled in. We got inside and they were ready for us. 
        "Do you want someone to go in with you?" An officer asked. I thought about it for a second. They all would have been fine to accompany me but I thought Hannibal would be the most well equipped. 
        "Um yeah Hannibal?" I asked. He didn't say anything, just nodded and put his arm around me to walk into the room together. 
          "They can't see or hear you." An officer explains.
          "I know I know, please send them in I'm ready." I say as I swallow a lump in my throat. I feel Hannibal pull me a bit closer. Six large men step onto the lineup room. All with dark hair and all had a banged over their left eyes. I looked over their faces carefully. At first I was worried I would have a hard time knowing if he was there but looking in each and every one of their eyes I knew quickly none of them were him. 
         "He's not here."
         "Would you like for them to say anything?" The officer asked. 
         "No he didn't say anything and these men are not him." I say a bit more firmly. I feel myself begin to cry. Hannibal notices right away and offers his silk handkerchief. I push it away and use my hand. 
        "Can I leave now?" 
        "sure." The officer didn't seem pleased that I couldn't identify the man but there was nothing I could have done about it. 
       Hannibal walks us back to the lobby where Jack and Will sat. Hannibal shook his head no quickly before either could speak. 
         "Can you take me home Hannibal? I'll get my car some other time." 
         "Of course but are you sure you want to be alone right now?"
        "More than anything." I say pulling away from his protective arm. Jack walked past us like he was about to chew someone out.
       I let Will have the front seat this time. The drive to my house was a short and silent one. Pulling in I get out and unlock my door. Will got out with me presumably to make sure I got in okay. 
        He picked up a small package from my doorstep and examined it. 
         "You order something?" I look back at him confused and shake my head. I take it from his hands before he can stop me. 
          "Maybe I should open it." He says as he reaches to get it back. 
         "It's not a bomb Will." I say with a small grin. Hannibal stepped out of his car to see what was going on. I opened the box and at first I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I reached in and pulled out two small light green wings. I screamed once I realized that must have belonged to my love bird Lucy.
        "Drop them, drop them!" Will said as he grabbed the box back from me to hold under the disembodied wings in my hand. I put them back in the box and cry louder. Hannibal ran over to take the box from Will who was trying to close it as quickly as possible.
         "He killed her! He killed them both! What the fuck! Where is the rest of her!?" I screamed out again. Once Hannibal had the box Will grabbed me as I sobbed. "I'll kill him!" Managed to choke out through sobs and gasps. 
         Will walked us inside slowly, carefully inspecting my small house for anything out of the ordinary. Hannibal stayed outside to call for help. 
         "It's okay." He said as he sat down on the sofa with me. 
          "How! How is any of this okay, Will!?" He shushed me as his hold on my body got tighter. He had his arms wrapped around me and was letting me scream into his chest. 
         It was no time before my front porch was filled with law enforcement all over again. I had collected myself a fraction more by the time Jack got here. 
       "That's it you are not staying here. He's not done with you clearly." Jack said in a huff.
        "She can stay with me Jack." Hannibal said reassuringly. 
        "I'll stay too just in case." Will says quickly. My head was still placed on his chest whenever he spoke it sounded like he had an echo. I wasn't going to fight with them. There was no way I was staying here alone. 
         "I'm calling a tow truck to get her car out of your driveway. He probably knows the make and model." Jack says as he presses his ear to his phone. 
        Will helps me up and takes me back to Hannibal's car. He got in the back with me seemingly wanting to continue holding me. I wasn't sure why but his eyes were dark, angry. It made me not want to fight with him about his clinginess. He grabbed me again and laid my head on his shoulder. 
         Not long after Hannibal stepped out from my house. He had a look of concern that wasn't there when we left. It was gone in an instant. 
        Hannibal drove incredibly slow, a drive that was less than an hour became almost an hour and a half affair. I had assumed he was giving the tow truck ample time to get my car before we arrived.
        Will's grip on my hand was almost harsh. I wasn't sure I would be able to pull it away even if I wanted to. The silence was starting to get to me just a bit. I was so on edge already from the lineup, so finding the remains of my bird made me want to both crawl in a hole and run the streets looking for this guy. Both options I knew Hannibal and Will would not allow. 
        We pull in and get inside as soon as possible. Hannibal was sure to triple check the house. He was a very particular man and said he'd be able to tell right away if someone was inside who wasn't supposed to be. 
         Will took us to the couch in the living room to sit down. I felt like with each passing second Will was getting closer. I don't think it was intentional on his part. He seemed just as helpless too it as me. I wasn't even comfortable in his embrace anymore. He kept putting my head on his chest and pressing my chest against him with his arms around my back. It didn't feel sexual, it felt obsessive. 
         "Will I need to sit up, please." It sounded like a question almost. He didn't argue, he just opened his arms for me to move. I stood up and patted down the wrinkles in my dress from the ordeal. Hannibal was right, it was wrinkling badly. 
        Will started to look more like the man I knew him to be once I removed myself. If I had a clearer head I might have been more worried about his behavior but right now I could only worry about one thing. 
      He sat on the sofa and adjusted his glasses. He seemed like he didn't want to look at me directly but wherever I moved his eyes were not far behind. 
        I took to an old bad habit of chewing the skin on the side of my nails when nervous. Watching the sunset as I attacked the previously smooth skin of my fingers I couldn't stop thinking of my innocent love birds and that I might share their fate.
         Hannibal had pulled Will aside to talk with him. They went to the dining room to speak. I could hear the vaguest hint of voices as they spoke. My curiosity got the better of me. I snuck around the corner to try and hear the conversation better.
       "This guy isn't going to stop. This was an escalation. This sick fuck had been emasculated by her he wont stop till he makes her feel as powerless as he did. He'll find her here, and Jack's team is too incompetent to find him first." Will sounded stressed, maybe scared even.
       "You need to calm down. Cool heads will prevail. I want you to go, go help them find him. She will be safe here."
        "Are you crazy? She needs me!"
        "She needs this guy caught. Do not let your feelings cloud your judgment, Will. You want her safe, you go find him." 
         They stopped speaking for a second. I took the chance to make my way back to the couch to avoid detection. What kind of feelings was Hannibal talking about? Could Will Graham actually like me like that? I wasn't sure if I was thrilled by the idea or frightened. 
       "Hey, hey Lydia I'm going to go and see how the teams getting along, okay? I'll be back I promise." Will said as he rushed into the room as he pulled on his jacket. He stood in front of me and gave me a small smile. Why does this man sweat so much when he is stressed?
        "That sounds like a good idea. I'd come along if I could." I say nodding up at him. Will looked like he was going to say something else but Hannibal interrupted. 
         "Will, If you want to beat evening traffic you should get going soon." 
        "You're right Hannibal, I'll be back. He's got you. It's going to be okay." He said as he made his way to the door. Hannibal stopped him and whispered something to him before he left. It was odd but it was probably just something he thought would startle me to hear. 
        Seeing this side of Will seemed a bit off putting. Normally it was me telling Will it would be okay. I could see he was full of shit and scared the same way I was when I tell him the same lie.
33 notes · View notes
sugarteeferz · 25 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
𝖀RBAN 𝕭EASTS — masterpost .ɞ𓂅
hannibal x will / M / werewolf/scientist/70s!AU
Tumblr media
In which Hannibal is a scientist and uses Will as a test subject in an experiment, causing him to turn into a werewolf. Set in the 1970s. Clarice and Will are the same character.
More info after cut!
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
𐑔𐑞 summary·˚
At the turn of the decade of 1970, Hannibal Lecter learns, to his dismay, that his age has finally caught up to him; his bones have grown weaker, his body has grown frail — the only thing remaining intact, so far, being his mind. Yet, slowly, he feels as though he is losing that, too, as if it’s slipping through his fingers, brain aching agonizingly with desires he can no longer indulge in safely anymore. He does not have much of a choice.
A monster pretending to be a human, his interest for darkness slips into the occult, and the scientist begins to grow almost an obsession with the concept of animal transformation — the mere possibility of lycanthropy being a real phenomenon leading him to question how blurry the line between humans and beasts truly is, a question in which he is determined to find an answer to. Perhaps to understand more about himself.
✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .
Clarice Starling is not in the best place mentally. Being raised by a single father who despises her presence meant feeling like a stranger no matter where she went, a sensation that accompanied her during her entire life. The only form of connection she feels to her father is through their shared faith, for despite his disdain he had always brought her along with him to church. These days were the few where Clarice felt like she belonged to something.
But as she grew older in that supposedly hallowed environment and the expectations being placed on her shoulders grew heavier with time, looking at the mirror revealed a crooked image to her eyes. Skin prickling with uneasiness, she feels trapped. There is something inside her body that doesn’t want to be there — and it’s starting to claw its way out.
✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .
A story about beauty, queerness and bodies. About sinners and their rotting hearts filled with love. About societies and false paradises.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
𐑔𐑞 info·˚
what's this?
a hannibal AU. mostly tv show-oriented but has a lot of tidbits from the novels/movies.
where can i read it?
it's not ready. but it will be posted to AO3.
when will it be ready?
when our lord apollo says so. (it's early development -- i do this for fun. im uninterested in setting any type of deadline for myself.)
how long will it be?
at the moment i estimate about 12 chapters. might double. 17 if you count prologue, epilogue and the 3 interlude chapters. aiming for roughly 8k words per chapter so roughly over 100k total.
what do you mean by 'clarice and will are the same character'?
i merged them into one single character (which is surprisingly not a difficult task given both of them are very vague characters) and hit him with the transgender beam afterward. very neat, actually. the werewolfism is somewhat a transgender allegory on its own. i'm a trans guy and this is my sort of love letter to my fellow brothers in the fandom.
further info/tags?
*checks notes* ca-hem: ❝Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Werewolf Will Graham, Animal Transformation, Alternate Universe - Scientists, Scientist Hannibal Lecter, Alternate Universe - 1970s, Trans Male Will Graham, Aged Up Hannibal Lecter, Aged Down Will Graham, Secret Relationship, Angst and Tragedy, Codependency, Unhealthy Relationships, Unhappy Ending, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Cannibalism, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Animal Attack, Gun Violence, Medical Experimentation, Human Experimentation, Unethical Experimentation, Mental Institutions, Mental Instability, Serial Killers, Period-Typical Homophobia, Transphobia❞ more to be added.
what do you mean 'unhappy ending'?
some secrets must remain untold for the time being.
triggers?
everything you'd expect from hannibal + transphobia, religious topics, i believe some discussions of SA but nothing graphic on-page, gender dysphoria. will update this whenever needed.
✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .     . ✦ .
please do not hesitate to send me questions in my askbox or in my curiouscat!! talking motivates me to work.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
𐑔𐑞 links·˚
the tag
drabble/snippet collection
pinterest board
playlists:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
For this moment, this one moment, we are together. I press you to me. Come, pain, feed on me. Bury your fangs in my flesh. Tear me asunder. I sob, I sob.
— The Waves, Virginia Woolf
5 notes · View notes
ghostdrinkssoup · 2 years
Note
Hey I hope you don't mind a question. This is related to a snippet of the recent ask you posted:
also I think using “good” and “evil” to describe will isn’t helpful in an analytical context simply because the show goes out of its way to blur moral absolutes? he exists within the complicated grey, blurring with hannibal. again, much of the show is about deconstructing polarities, particularly the difference between humanity and monstrosity
I wanted to push back on the idea that there aren't moral absolutes in Hannibal and see if I could get any more thoughts.
It seems to me like Hannibal (character, not show) is presented as entirely, unquestionably evil. The show never gives him anything resembling a redemption arc, and only makes the vaguest allusions to a tragic backstory. He does some nice things, but nothing seems like a serious attempt to paint him as morally gray.
Even his love for Will is presented as obsessive, possessive, violent, and controlling, right up to 3b when he makes an earnest attempt to murder Will's family. He has no reason to believe Dolarhyde will fail.
Obviously there is no balancing force of absolute good, but I still feel like Hannibal (show, not character) is more about, like, the way Hannibal (character) warps the morality of everyone around him in an almost gravitational way.
hi !! and yeah of course, I’m always happy to throw ideas around and discuss the show with other people :D
it’s interesting, because as I was thinking about how I wanted to approach answering this ask (and word my thoughts) I found my answer was similar to the previous ask about will’s morality, but in reverse. it’s fitting since will and hannibal are “just alike” isn’t it? identically different, mirrors, the negative space of each other, etc. I’ll explain what I mean
like with the previous ask, I think my interpretation of hannibal stems from 1) the nature of his character progression (and the role of the person suit) 2) his worldview as shown/set up in the show’s first season and 3) his foil dynamic with will and how their romance changes him (or rather, changes his perception of himself). I agree that hannibal is an irredeemable character and I love that the show never tries to redeem him or paint his violent, atrocious behaviour as “misunderstood”. I don’t think we’re supposed to think hannibal is good, or that he was right in any capacity, however, I do think the “absolute evil” we’re presented with is an aspect of his person suit, and that hannibal isn’t irredeemable because he’s an inhuman monster, but because he’s a horrible human being
to me, hannibal’s character is defined by a want for absolute control and dominance over others as a response to losing his sister and being stripped of all power and autonomy. as such, both the cannibalism and the “shattering teacup” are metaphors for his desire for control. he tries to recreate a family for himself and “reverse time” in order to hide from his own limitations and, as ridiculous as it sounds, mortality. he’s incredibly selfish, has a god complex, and absolutely delights in the idea that he is above humanity. this idea empowers him. we see this in s1 when he smirks after bedelia calls the person suit a “human veil”, like he’s pleased she sees him this way. because if he’s the devil pulling the strings then he’s not weak; if he consumes those who cross him then he must be superior; if he’s never attached then he can never lose anything or anyone. he is free from the human condition, and being perceived as “evil” fulfils this purpose perfectly
his romance with will completely shatters this illusion. the reason will still doesn’t understand hannibal in the s1 finale (when he realises hannibal is a serial killer) is because the “ripper” persona is another mask. it’s theatre, which means it’s performative. in s2 will’s person suit begins to mirror hannibal’s, the two of them becoming the “evil” versions of themselves, however, in mizumono this idea is completely deconstructed too, not because hannibal is suddenly a good person, but because by becoming attached to will, and being successfully manipulated by him, he finally loses control. he’s no longer the all-seeing god pulling the strings. not only that, but his love for will is not something he can control. ironically, the ripper has been ripped open, and his humanity is exposed as the ugly, bleeding wound it is (metaphorically, of course)
in s3 we learn the point of hannibal’s arc is to see the deconstruction of his person suit, like how will recreates the crime scenes to see the human underneath the killers he analyses. again, not to apologise for them, but to see them. hannibal is absolutely humiliated as punishment for his arrogance, and that untouchable monster we’re introduced to is exposed as the pathetic toddler he is in reality. he’s no longer in control, and never has been. hannibal wishes he was above humanity, he wishes he was absolutely evil and sitting on the devil’s throne, but he’s not. in fact, in s1 he’s just as desperate to hide from his “humanity” as will is to hide from his “monster”. still, they only realise the truth of themselves when these concepts begin to blur and merge together
on that note, I think something the show goes out of its way to challenge is the notion that humanity (and love) is synonymous with goodness. it would be easier to distinguish people as either good or evil (humans or monsters) because either persona is palatable and tolerable in a society that has certain expectations and roles we’re meant to follow. the person suit itself is a metaphor for conformity, but the show also suggests that the suit (or “mask”) is a prison in of itself, and that there is no freedom in constructing a false version of yourself to present to the world, no matter how terrible the human inside is. it’s why hannibal gives himself up in s3, and why his arc is complete when he relinquishes control and lets will pull him off the cliff in twotl, because he realises he’ll never be free if he’s never understood, accepted, and forgiven for his grotesque humanity. no one else in the world can do it (because he’s fucking awful) but will can, because he’s the same
57 notes · View notes
bronzewool · 2 years
Text
Charl’s Top 10 Problematic ships:
Aoba x Mink - Noncon of the highest order. Not even the English censorship could make this game any less problematic. But its OK because Mink actually cares about Aoba. So that makes everything he did to him OK…not really?
Will Graham x Hannibal Lector - Dracula & Vampire Chronicles combined but dial everything up to 11. Now with even more murder, even more gaslighting, even more baby trapping, and cannibalism. :3
Count Dracula x Jonathan Harker - Held his own solictor hostage in his castle for several months, threw out his only shaving mirror, stole his clothes and framed him for babynapping, gas lighted him and casually mocked his helplessness to do anything about it, didn’t even have the courtesy to eat Jonathan himself and left him for his brides. Dick.
Lestat de Lioncourt x Louis de Pointe du Lac - Stalking your crush from a distance because he looks like your dead ex-lover and calling it “fatefully falling in love at first sight”, gaslighting said crush into eternal damnation marriage, baby trapping said crush so he won’t leave you (spoilers it did not fix their marriage), withholding vital information about vampirism because you don’t know jackshit about vampire culture and won’t admit it because you know he will dump your fine ass.
Satoru x Yashiro (Yashisato) - Murdered his student’s classmates and then his mum just to cover his own tracks. Underaged shotacon due to time travel shenangigans (Yashiro never learns Satoru is an adult trapped in a 10yo’s body), obsesses over said comatosed kid for 15 years and then tries to commit a lovers suicide in the manga after he wakes up.
Jinx x Silco (Jilco) - Unhealthy coping mechanisms from an emotionally stunted adult who had been betrayed by his brother and encourages his ward into following said unhealthy coping mechanism in order to deal with her own past trauma. Spoilers, it does not work and just encourages her self destructive tendencies.
Madoka x Homura (Homumado) - Unhealthy attachment for your senpai who keeps sacrifcing herself in every timeline no matter how many times you try and stop her. Steals your senpai’s powers and traps her inside your demon form because you would rather have her all to yourself then actually try and save the world.
Akira Fudo x Ryo Asuka - One is technically a devilman, the other is lucifer himself. They are forever doomed to be best friends who will bring about a war between heaven and earth that will end with both of them losing and all of humanity dying as a result of their relationship.
Sarah Williams x Jareth the Goblin King - She’s a 15yo larper and he’s an ageless fey creature probably centuries old. Kidnapped her baby brother and threatened to turn him in a goblin. Actually said the line “Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave.” Honestly, she should have just accepted the offer. Dumb brat
Joker x Harley Quinn - The OG problematic ship. Stop pretending you didn’t ship it too. I know you did. Being woke will not erase your sins.
16 notes · View notes
bedeliainwonderland · 2 years
Note
hi i was the person who sent the edit! i was wondering why you don't see bedelia as the other woman? i hope i dont sound rude im just curious because i think its clear that in the show bedelia was always the second choice. for example hannibal was supposed to take will and abigail, but when they couldn't make it he chose her, with her Bluebeard line she knew that she couldn't compete with will. i do think that she holds a special place in his heart.
so sorry if this sounds informal or rude, i do not intend for it to sound that way, english is not my native language. i would love to hear your thoughts though ! <3
Hello ❤️ sorry I’m only getting to answer this now. You’re not rude at all and your English is great (it’s not my first language either so no worries). I feel very protective of Bedelia and her relationship with Hannibal. The fandom had basically written her off as someone insignificant comparing to their uwu precious Will or straight up hated her for supposedly coming in between their ship and none of these things are correct.
First of all, “the other woman” is always someone who came in second and is less important and Bedelia is the exact opposite. She was never a second choice since she has always been first. When we meet them on the show, it is noted that Hannibal has been Bedelia’s patient for 7 years. That is an insane amount of time, considering who he is and how little people mean to him (he does not consider people as “people”, just meat). And then there’s Bedelia who has been in his life for all these years and possibly longer. It is clear that they have a history together, it is never explained and whether you think they knew each other from medical school (I am obsessed with this) or not, you cannot deny they shared something beyond the mere patient/doctor relationship. Hannibal feels something for her that he does not feel for anyone else and that’s respect. She is the only person he respects. His affection does not necessarily mean a good thing but respect does. I am not saying he has no other feelings for her because he does. He is clearly and utterly smitten by her. But he also treats her like his equal, and no one else. When he says he feel protective of her, he really means it. I always say that when he first met Bedelia, he might have seen her as another Misha replacement but that impression faded swiftly when he saw her for who she really was and she took a place of her own in his life. Now Will on the other hand was not that special not first one any way. Hannibal had many “projects” like that (Neal was one of the for sure), but it was the first time he took it too far. What made Will special in Hannibal’s eyes was his unfortunate gift of empathy. He was basically a clean slate Hannibal could projects himself onto. He did not care for Will as a person but he loved the mirror he could see himself in.
Hannibal had only made his plans to flee with his doomed “family” when Bedelia left and he really went off the tracks. (She truly was a grounding force on his life and boy, was he a disaster without her). It was poorly thought and would never last (but that’s another discussion). Him leaving with Bedelia wasn’t a lesser choice; I have always seen Hannibal having a fake passport ready for Bedelia for years. He would have left with her in a heartbeat at any point, given a chance.
Now for the Bluebeard comment (my favourite thing to rant about haha). First of all, the exchange itself is not nearly as important as the fandom made it out to be. In the original script, this conversation happened between Bedelia and Dimmond, so it was more about Fuller loving his pretentious dialogue than the significance of it. Basically, it does not mean Will is the specialest boi. Second of all, the comment has been grossly misinterpreted by the fandom. I thought everyone knew how the fairy tales goes and who the last wife is. The last wife is not the one the husband (aka Hannibal in this scenario) loves most that is why she is the last one, but the one who survived. Her survival had nothing to do with the husband’s affection (and very little with her own actions too in most versions where she simply gets rescued in time; we all know Bedelia does not need anyone to rescue her!). I do love any Bluebeard references and I do think they could work wonders for bedannibal in right context. I could go on but I believe I’ve rambled enough haha. Thank you for giving me a chance to talk about them! 😘❤️
28 notes · View notes
willgrahambf · 2 years
Note
can I complain sinde you always receive venting with grace. anyway i hate twitter they're so stupid "what if will was just mirroring hannibal's feelings and didn't actually feel any way for hannibal" it has 200 likes and rts and people taking it seriously and crying about it. do you think the show will market it as a true love story if will was just mirroring hannibal? they piss me off
that’s really sad lol i think that people just don’t understand will fr fr bc he’s a very conflicted character for most of the show and some of his decisions seem to not make much sense or come out of nowhere on the first watch. and it is easy to get swept up in other characters’ perceptions of him bc he is not very forthcoming himself. in a way, i think hannibal is easier to understand bc he has clear cut opinions of himself, of will, and typically, of what he wants and why. it’s simple to understand that hannibal is obsessed with will and loves him bc he is often the one pursuing that without reservations, but while will’s desires and motivations may be more hidden by self-doubt, i do think that it is just as obvious that will loves hannibal by the end. will tells jack that he can understand anyone, so if it was all just his empathy, then his feelings for hannibal could have been his feelings for anyone who cared enough to pursue him, and that is just not true. what’s unique about hannibal is that he can look back at will with the same insight as will projects onto the world. hannibal’s understanding of will is just as singular as will’s understanding of him.
hmm i also don’t really understand “market it as a true love story” bc the show has been over for 7 years lol and like sometimes fiction is deeper than “marketing” (which is often shallow and manipulative) and you must actually find the meaning yourself without it being told to you and come up with the evidence to stand by your own interpretation so that your belief in the relationship will not be blown away by the slightest wind of doubt from some random tweet 😐
8 notes · View notes
autoeroticalgolania · 2 years
Video
Hannibal Ep : Naka-Choko love scenes in film /tv are often either sex for sex’s sake, or a climactic moment in which the stakes of a developing relationship erupt n become physically realised. This one is perversely psychological. Will and Margot find comfort in each other’s flesh, away from their tormentors. Simultaneously, Hannibal n Alana continue a sexual relationship, in which Will is always ‘in the room’. The intensity of the love triangle blurring each other’s edges. no ends and no beginnings to their pathologies. Hannibal’s deep desire to be seen mirrors Will’s own. The hallucinated stag symbolises H’s virility; Will’s regeneration (Becoming-) in the strong, capable hands of Hannibal. The awakening both sexual n psychological, as both men dance around an obsessive desire to understand each other. The soul splitting, the creaking of a strong oak in the wind, the tearing of persona weaved into an abstracted sound design. An invisible shadow begging to be made love to. ——————————----------------------------------- this show is the perfect embodiment of Bataille’s theory of eroticism [death sensuality religion], values of Nietzschean aestheticism within the gothic, de Sade’s sovereign man, cannibalism as the ultimate metaphor for love, insanely precise writing n cinematic framing. “It is the process of death that drives us to greatness.” [fave tv show of all time. Made for multiple viewings] {sex scenes of note #1}
6 notes · View notes
suchawrathfullamb · 7 months
Text
The Unreachable Fruit - Will Graham and Motherhood.
The eternal mystery of Will Graham's upbringing and childhood. Who's dad? Is he still alive? Why he never knew his mother? Did she die? Did she leave? The creators of the show wanted both Will and Hannibal's past to be vague, they didn't want us to know exactly what made them the way they were.
But that doesn't mean we won't obsessively write metas about it.
Tumblr media
Will's answer is ambiguous. Never knew her...Literally? Emotionally? The rest of the conversation suggests she was, indeed, physically absent, as he only mentions his father as the one he was following:
Tumblr media
No "them", or "my parents", just "my father". Where was mom? Maybe she was there. And then she wasn't anymore.
In this particular episode we are following the Lost Boys case, and as anyone who pays attention to the show would know, every case was a (very direct) parallel to Will and Hannibal and whatever was going on with them at the moment.
This case is about boys, who felt neglected somehow, opening up that door that made them vulnerable to the influence of the woman who was collecting them. She wanted a family, wanted those kids to, as Will puts it, "burst with love for her".
Individuals who have an obsession with parenthood, with the idea of being a parent, generally speaking, often carry deep wounds regarding their own parents, most likely in terms of feeling neglected and wanting to compensate for that by becoming parents themselves and giving the child "everything they didn't have".
Will seemed interested in this idea, we see that with his dogs, the eagerness to father Abigail (although upon reading the scripts it becomes even clearer that this was highly aggravated by Hannibal) and his "I would be a good father" line regarding Margot's baby.
The delivery of that line was very interesting. He seemed convinced. But what does being a "good father" mean to Will? Or a mother, since in this case, there's no difference. Will's referring to parenthood in general.
Tumblr media
Before he says this, Hannibal talks about how fathers become killers (to protect their children), perhaps that's what Will was referring to. The subtle smile at the end hints he possibly was.
Even though he has an ideal of fatherhood in his mind, the reality of it is extremely different.
With Abigail, he couldn't reach her. Not like Hannibal could. His own projections got in the way. Abigail knew that, hence why she was always standoffish with him, always a bit uncomfortable. To her, Will was mirroring her own father, "he avoids ne because I make him feel like my dad did". Whatever type of obsessive love Garrett Jacob Hobbs felt for Abigail, she believed Will felt it too, due to the empathy issue. Was she right? In a way it seemed so. Will felt close to her, yet he wasn't. Hannibal was. They bonded. Will constructed a bond with her in his head, ignoring the reality that he needed to actually build that bond.
With Margot's baby, it was just a concept, it never came to be, making it even easier to project fantasies into. "I'd be a good father" suggests he was already idealizing that.
But when he actually got to be a father...This ideal he created didn't seem to match with reality.
His interactions with Wally, although we only saw a few, but that's exactly the point, lacked the warmth of a father-son relationship. And he had three years with him. There was no affection, no real attempt to comfort a child who went through severe trauma.
Will was still his cold, awkward self attempting to make a connection but lacking the willingness to open himself up that requires for that to truly happen.
Wally feels it. He acts in the same way. Molly insists on calling Will his father, yet it's clear Wally doesn't feel this way as he also doesn't seem close to him, and going as far as saying "you shouldn't put him in a mental hospital, you should kill him", right after the conversation about Will himself being put in a mental hospital.
"I had to justify myself to an 11 year old" rang bitter. Just an eleven year old. Not "my son", as Molly insists.
The show makes no attempt to show us his life and relationship with Wally. Purposely hinting at the emptiness, then directly showing it in their brief interaction.
After a huge traumatic event, there are no hugs, no fatherly embrace, or even a subtle yet warm, comforting touch. We know he's capable of, because he did show some affection towards Abigail.
Will's proverbial mother was absent in him: he didn't know how to nurture a child.
By feeling rejected by a parent, a person can develop a subconscious behavior of avoiding what he or she associates with the image of his or hers own self as a child, mirroring the rejection of the parent. Abigail was a girl, the automatic association is through gender, therefore it wasn't as easy to see himself in her than it was to see himself in Wally. Perhaps it made him more comfortable being affectionate (even if briefly) with Abigail. But Wally was him. And maybe he didn't like the idea that he yarned for a motherly embrace.
He couldn't give Wally what he was never given.
Mother Graham lies in the highest branch of an unclimbable tree. Deep within his subconscious, frozen, waiting a loving embrace, yet unwilling to be melted away by its love.
66 notes · View notes
blood-sucking-whore · 3 years
Text
Gender in Killing Eve and Hannibal (TV Series)
WARNING: LONG TEXTPOST!!!
(pls tell me ur thoughts)
Both Killing Eve and Hannibal feature characters who perform gender (or don’t) in particularly interesting ways.  Killing Eve’s subversion of female gender roles is rich and complex, especially for a crime drama - a very male dominated genre.  In crime shows, female characters are typically either non-existent, or badly written props for insufferable male protagonists.
The women of K.E. (namely Villanelle and Eve) are not only extremely intelligent and driven, but have a sensitively-described moral greyness.  It is fascinating to see both women’s moralities evolve throughout the series, especially in relation to each other.  
There are consequences to their actions, but the writers allow them to do bad things, to be bad people.  It is refreshing to see ‘strong women’ written in this way: they don’t have to make women look ‘good.’  Often this moral flexibility is only tolerated from male characters.  
That’s not to say that Villanelle and Eve are never vulnerable.  They are people: their worth as characters cannot be based on filling the age-old mold of cold, dull, emotionless male detective characters.  Eve is manipulated by her employers, by Villanelle, affected by the death of her friends, and is a victim to her own guilt.  Villanelle, similarly, is subject to the needs of her employers, is orphaned, and is overall dysfunctional.  
This inhibits their control of their own situations.  But both characters make decisions, and take power for themselves.  And while their intentions are muddied along the way, they both keep fighting for something, even if it's just for themselves and each other.
The two central characters of Hannibal, Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter, exhibit a similar relationship to that of Eve and Villanelle.  While they (Will especially) don’t flout the rules of gender as decisively as Villanelle, for example, they also are not typical male crime protagonists.
Will Graham is vulnerable, quiet, and uncomfortable with power.  And, unlike other male underdog characters, this isolation isn’t resolved by, or blamed on a woman.  These descriptors apply most obviously in the first season, but even through Will’s development, he doesn’t exactly become masculine or powerful (at least in the traditional way.)  He is consistently affected by mental illness, which is sensitively depicted, and (character-wise) is sympathetic to other mentally ill characters.  This is a point of weakness which is constantly exploited by other characters such as Jack and Hannibal.
Hannibal, on the other hand, is not very vulnerable (until he becomes more sympathetic to Will.) He is always in control, always able to manipulate the situation to his advantage.  But even he isn’t exactly masculine.  He enjoys art and music, and even through murder, is opulent and flamboyant.  
This is easily comparable to Villanelle’s (fashion, visuals, performance) 
Both Hannibal and Will are very clearly queercoded, and in a relationship that can’t really be described as platonic.  Scenes with them are written, acted, and framed in an intimate way.  Even when stabbing each other, there is romantic tension. This is a union between two people who understand each others’ deepest, most hidden nature. 
I am hesitant to compare murder entirely to queerness, because of how this has been used to suggest evil inherent to queer people.  But murder, and wanting to murder, is sensitively and subtly compared to the way queerness is viewed by society, and to an extent how it can be experienced by queer people and their own self-discovery.  The way both characters talk about murder is intensely intimate.  And Will’s development as a murderer, and someone who understands murder, is parallel to his evolving relationship with Hannibal.
Villanelle and Eve are canonically bisexual, and have scenes that are clearly romantic.  They share a similarly obsessive relationship.  It is endlessly entertaining to watch this relationship play out.  It is infinitely toxic, as opposed the clean, unpassionate lesbian romances we’re used to seeing on TV.  It’s also not an oversexualised, voyeuristic male fantasy.  
TV writers need to stop avoiding making queer characters that are bland, moral, nice and boring for fear of making something problematic.  That’s just lazy writing, and it’s up to them to write these characters well.  I am tired of clean, easy ‘girl power’ types, or tick-box diversity.
Another interesting facet of gender performance in the two shows is fashion and costume design.  In particular, Villanelle’s penchant for two or three piece suits is considerably masculine, but not a masculinity typically performed by men in crime shows.  She chooses fashion outside of the default, minimal idea of masculinity, and embodies gender performativity.  
However, Villanelle is just as likely to wear overly feminine clothing (eg. pink tulle dress, black tulle dress) in a way that is just as deliberate and theatrical.  She is fully aware of herself and how she is perceived, and is able to manipulate and enjoy it.  This is an especially enjoyable rebuttal to the ‘beautiful but doesn’t know it’ trope, which I despise.  Her self-confidence is not granted by a man: she seizes it herself. 
Eve is almost the opposite of this.  She wears very neutral, almost utilitarian clothing throughout the show, and rarely considers what she wears, except when she has to.  But this doesn't give way to the aforementioned display of female insecurity.  Both women show a performance of womanhood that is unconventional on TV.  What I think causes this is that the male gaze is rarely applied to either woman.
Will and Hannibal have somewhat of a similar visual comparison to Eve and Villanelle, simply: Hannibal is very attentive to his clothing,  Will, for most of the series, is not.  Hannibal, despite dressing in typically masculine clothing: three piece suits, does it much more deliberately and precisely than many masculine male TV characters.  Will’s clothing is perhaps a choice, less by him than the writers, to make him seem unthreatening and unaware.  This changes in the third season when Will begins to wear fitted suits, and seems to brush his hair more often.  
Some interpret this as Will mirroring Hannibal, but it could be read as Will rivalling Hannibal.  Hannibal was able to, quite literally, keep up appearances of himself as competent, sane and respectable.  He asserts himself as Will’s superior.  However, Will understands that maintaining his appearances is beneficial to him, and shows the viewers, and Hannibal, that he understands the way he works.  He is, by season three, no longer a vulnerable stray, but not a ruthless, efficient killer.
Both series display complex, well written characters: and this is their strength.  But I do wish the writers of Hannibal had developed their female characters better.  
353 notes · View notes
phantomnostalgist · 3 years
Text
An Interview with Terry Pratchett, 1996
Spoiler-free review of Terry Pratchett's Phantom-inspired Discworld novel "Maskerade" from BTM #11, and interview with him from BTM #12 (conducted by Sarah Hopkins).
Tumblr media
What inspired you to use the Phantom's story as part of the basis for "Maskerade"?
I don't know! I've been aware of the story ever since I was a teenager because when you start to read fantasy you can't help but run across it. I've read the book, seen the musical and several film versions (including the ones "derived" from the original story) but none of this was as a result of deliberate policy - it was just general cultural grazing. I was very impressed by Lloyd Webber's Phantom, as much because of the stagecraft as anything else. And the music of course.
But Maskerade is at least equally about the sheer frantic, claustrophobic, self-obsessed madness which drives opera. Almost all the action takes place at Ankh-Morpok's opera house at night or in shadows, in a world where it's very hard to know what's real at the best of times. As is often the case when Granny Weatherwax becomes involved, a sub-text is about the distinctions between reality and fantasy and the dangers of confusing the two (both are fine - it's allowing one to completely dominate the other that is the evil).
I suppose I should stress this: the "Phantom" plot (which isn't a re-run of the classic plot but maybe shadows it in a way that "Wyrd Sisters" shadows Macbeth) is only a thread behind and around which the other threads unwind. For example, because she's afraid of voices which appear to come from her mirror, Christine (who is beautiful but has a voice like a whistle) changes rooms with Agnes, a girl from Granny Weatherwax's home country of Lancre, who is fat and plain but has a phenomenal singing voice - so there's room for the traditional comedy of the right thing happening to the wrong people, for starters...
How will your interpretation differ from Erik's previous incarnations?
In a way Granny Weatherwax (assisted by Nanny Ogg) has to become a detective, but because she's a witch she's dealing with things at a deeper and darker level than the mere fingerprints and indeed she's as much interested in whydunnit as whodunniet. She's the first to spot the obvious read for the Opera Ghost's schizophrenia, simply by thinking clearly. The opera folk are so used to tortured plots, romance and people in masks that they don't see the blindingly obvious precisely because it's obvious. I can't go on without revealing crucial details!
What do you feel is the appeal of the character that is has been returned to so many times by so many different people?
The character of the Phantom fascinates but does not necessarily appeal (this is Granny Weatherwax thinking). In the musical he kills two quite blameless people, besides blackmailing the Opera and the inference is that this is somehow okay if you are a romantically tortured soul who looks dashing in a mask. I was initially affronted by this. Do you not grieve for the innocent dead? In much the same vein Thomas Harris, in the Silence of the Lambs, succeeds in presenting Hannibal Lecter as a hero despite the fact that he's just killed two policemen whose only fault was to be nicer to him than he deserved. The suggestion in the musical is that style has its own morality. This drives Granny Weatherwax wild and doesn't appeal to me much, either.
I preferred the character of Erik in the book. He seemed to me much more to be pitied, far more a monster created by the Frankenstein of society in general. The morality of the book works in a way that the slicker musical does not.
What areas of the Phantom's legend are explored in Maskerade?
I look at the fairly obvious things: why he's there, how he moves invisibly, how he can get around the theatre so quickly...
Many of your most successful characters are in some way outside the so-called real world and so have a certain amount of trouble dealing with it. Do you find this type of character more fun to write and does Erik fit into this category?
Really? Most of us are outside the real world in some way. There's not much narrative mileage in a perfectly balanced character.
Do you believe the Phantom really existed?
In the most basic real sense? I know of no evidence that he did; I've always assumed that Gaston's comments about the skeleton were part of the set-up. But he's as real as Sherlock Holmes.
- Beneath the Mask #12, Spring 1996
(Plz ignore Pterry's incorrect use of "schizophrenia"!)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
201 notes · View notes