the X-Files is fascinating because whatever truth is out there whatever alien higher intelligences, mythological creatures, legends and spooky stories are true the scariest threat remains....the US government

I understand why people might be upset about Luffy and Usopp's fight at Water 7. Luffy just casually goes oh yeah the Merry is fucked, but don't worry, the money you got your ass beat for wasn't too important, we can still buy a new ship with what's left :). And that's pretty fucked up.

But part of the arc is about Luffy fucking up as a captain.

He knows Usopp responds to other people by trying to match their energy, or by acting as the tsukkomi. And this isn't a tsukkomi moment, so he tries to make Usopp take the news better by acting happy and carefree. This is, for obvious reasons, a catastrophically bad approach. And Luffy only backpedals into showing that he's hurt too once he's already put himself in conflict with Usopp, so that hurt and anger is directed at him. And then Luffy fails as a captain once again by letting his emotions rule him.

Usopp has every reason and right to be pissed at Luffy's handling of the situation, even if he admits later that he already knew the Going Merry was done for, and he was desperately hiding the truth from himself.

Luffy knows it too, but he dug himself deep enough with his first fuck up that if he fucks up again the crew will fracture. And unfortunately, there's truth to the idea that the Strawhats need to be able to follow Luffy unconditionally. If he yields any ground whatsoever the Strawhats will lose faith in his ability to tackle every obstacle without hesitating or flinching, and that will break them. So he makes his first hard decision as captain and breaks Usopp's heart instead.

There was a lesson Usopp needed, but if Luffy had been a better captain in the first place, if he hadn't been 17 and new to command, if he had just somehow known exactly what to say, the lesson might've been kinder. Usopp needed to understand that he has no place trying to claim command of the Strawhats, that in crew matters Luffy's the one who makes the final decision... but the lesson should've been kinder.

But they're 17 and hurt and imperfect and so they hurt each other, and themselves.

Lollipop

kissing w tongue whoever put Laszlo in the dog collar for the pride parade ep

say what you want about the music club, but their priorities are absolutely correct

Love ofmd for going Actually Stabbing Is Literally Gay Sex

the week the table friends introduced a sentient train in the form of an enigmatic circus lady for pickman to have a weird gay thing with was a peak fandom moment

i habent moved on from tsuki no hime actually

got sent a tiktok by my friend, it was a laszlo cravensworth compilation followed by a text that read "who is this guy he's so funny. I love him already"

how lucky are we that it is Cherry Blossoms!

anyway i bought a black satin button down 100% influenced by cream soda and i feel LIKE LUXURY

the animation meme song was right i AM busy thinking about boys

never not obsessed with how james roach composed aradia's pesterquest theme, slipped megalovania into aradia's pesterquest theme, and for anyone at home playing her route hearing to the song and thinking is that..., he named it "yeah it is"

whoever put babooshka on the rei sakuma playlist on spotify needs to get kissed rn

I just wanted to draw a little bit more DnD AU familiar Husk and Sorcerer (or Warlock?) Alastor!

no mercy 😭