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spencstan · 3 years

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Six of Crows re-read

(i also did this for the shadow and bone trilogy so read that if you want to)

spoiler alert obiously

i'm SO EXCITED FOR THIS this is my comfort book (with crooked kingdom of course)

JOOST HI

oo fun fact this was my first grishaverse book and i read it with no context whatsoever except that the mc is an emo boy and morally grey

so IMAGINE my pure confusion when JOOST appeared

i was like ?????? weird take on morally grey character but ok

joost trying to figure out how to flirt with a girl is a mood

anyone wanna teach us how to???

i kinda wanna skip this part so i can see the crows..

but i won't don't worry

(won't I?

"I think Yuri may be quarantined"

aaaand?

so are we you are not special

i feel like it's very important for me to mention that i read this book in spanish first

and then i got into the fandom and i was like who the fuck is the wraith? i only know El Espectro

Heartender who??? ooo you mean Cardio

Tidemakers? nope, i only know Maremotores

for real i was so confused i had to re-read it in english (not that i mind tho)

say whatever you want about the spanish version but we have to agree that this design is pretty af

another one yay: "Retvenko was a Squaller" vs. "Retvenk era un Impulsor"

(should i also say that in my pfd english version the book is 294 pages long and in my pdf spanish version its 532????) (i think it's because in the english one the speces are way less like the lines are so close together wtf

i've decided that i'm bored so i'll be skiping this chapter

anya is super badass tho

skdgfalsdgfliaysvfascvhjl yesssssss inej

Kaz Brekker didn't need a reason.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

KAZ

INEJ

I MISSED THEM

omg now i can picture amita and freddy SDJGKASKGLASG THIS IS AMAZING

we interrupt our regularly scheduled program to watch the shadow and bone trailer once again to hear freddy's beautiful voice

ok moving on!

now hear me out i'm giving you all permission to make fun of kaz for this one: Dirtyhands = Manos Sucias

hello i am Kaz Manos Sucias. nice to meet you!

AAAAA

AAAAAAAAAA

JESPER FAHEY

JESPER LOVE HI

SJDGHFKAHSGDLAJSDFSJ,AHFLHDSGF

I MISSED HIM OMG

OMG NOW I CAN PICTURE HIM AS KIT

can you tell jesper is one of my favourite characters?

i really love the fact that kaz is pissed about the murder of that ambassador ONLY because he can´t figure out how it happen

he´s such a nerd

i can't believe one of the firts things we hear jesper say is threathen to kill someone by writing "forgive me" with bullets

AND HE CALLS HIS GUNS "BABIES" OMG

picture saying hi baby and wylan thinkin he's talking to him but actually jesper's talking to one of his guns

Jesper rolled his eyes. "It's about sending a message. What's the point of a dead guy with forg written on his chest?."

"Compromise," Kaz said. "I'm sorry does the trick and uses fewer bullets."

ooo thank god we have kaz to come up with creative solutions /j /s

honestly i love how they talk about kaz's cane like it's the scariest weapon ever (which it kind of is)

nothing will ever disappoint me more than finding out that in english their gang name is "the Dregs". like i don't even know for sure what that means

in spanish is "Los Indeseables" (the undesirables?) which sounds a lot more badass

no hate tho i like the dregs

but i was confused af bc i expected it to be sometihng like "the undesirables" or"the unwanted" or whatever

and it said "the dregs"

which in the translator means something like shit or something

anways moving on:

If he'd (kaz) ever been a little boy

i love how lowkey all the crows think he was just born exactly like he is now

imagine a baby kaz all dressed in black and threatening people

cute

"No mourners," Jesper said as he tossed his rifle to Rotty

"No funerals," the rest of the Dregs murmured in reply. Among them, it passed for "good luck".

YES

YESSS

i wonder what wylan's doing right now :))

i can't wait for the next book where he has a pov

the first time i read this book i literally looked at the title of every chapter to see if he ever got one (i was disappointed to say the least :((((

Besides, she was the Wraith - the only law that applied to her was gravity, and some days she defied that, too.

ma'am

marry me please

i'm gonna cry so hard once the show is out and we get to see inej omg

me simp

That Kaz had chosen Jesper to be one of his seconds was no surprise. Twitchy as Jepser was, with or without his revolvers, he was at his best in a fight, and she knew he'd do anything for Kaz.

idk why but i just love it every time kaz implies or shows that he cares or trusts jesper

it makes me soft

But every one of Inej's senses told her that was not how this was going to play out. Her father would have said the shadows were about their business tonight. Something bad was going to happen here.

underrated saying from Inej's father right there

"I'm a business man," he told her."No more, no less"

"You're a thief, Kaz."

"Isn't that what I just said?"

i see no lies here

not to be annoying but i hc jesper as adhd (i mean is pretty much as canon as wylan's dyslexia) so i'm gonna write here every time i see evidence :)

jesper with adhd part 1: impulsivity

Jesper snorted. "Stomach, spine. What's next, spleen?"

"Shut it" Oomen snarled. The rules of parley dictated that only the lieutenants could speak once negotiations had begun. Jesper mouthed "sorry" and elaboratedly pantomimed locking his lips shut.

he know he couldn't speak but couldn't stop himself from making a comment (i relate way too much to that lmao)

hoestly poor jesper he had to watch hid friend get shot and kaz do nothing about it

i would've been mad too

"I like it when men beg," she said. "But this isn't the time for it"

KAHGFAHLGSFGASFLGSAFS

this is one of the best quotes in the book by far

YASSS KAZ POV

Kaz could have tol Jesper that he knew he wasn't dirty, reminded him that he'd trusted him eough to make him his only real second in a fight that could have gone badly wrong tonight.

cute

but kaz is petty af

he didn't even have a reason not to tell jesper that!

i love that kaz knows inej is following him but doesn't say anything because he wants to wait until she's ready

i LOVE the scene where kaz in in the van eck mantion /srs

idk why but it's so good

And, of course, there was the mystery of Van Eck's son.

wonder what that could be!!! /s

He grinned at her (...)

"Hmm." she said noncommittally, pretending to examine one of her knives, determined to ignore that grin.

KANEJ YESS

HE'S BASICALLY SHOWERING IN FRONT OF HER OMG

this is so funny poor inej is getting flustered

"And I'll need Wylan waiting at the Crow Club tomorrow night."

YES WYLAN OMG

One minute he made her blush and the next he made her want to commit murder

happens to the best of us :/

"Please, my darling Inej. treasure of my heart won't you do me the honor of acquiring me a new hat?"

if kaz doesn't say this on the show we riot

agreed?

it's so amazing how nina found a way to use her powers to get money instead of having to like steal and murder like the rest in the gang

NINA'S POV YESSS HIII

nina and inej omg

their friendship is just perfect

POOR MATTHIAS HE HAS TO FIGHT THE WOLVES

i would straight up cry

Matthias was dreaming again. Dreaming of her

i'm gonna cry damn it

this is the enemies-to-lovers we all needed

jesper has adhd part 2:

"Jesper was supposed to wait until three bells." said the pale boy

"It is three bells, Kaz." replied a small girl (...)

"Since when is Jesper punctual?" the boy complained with a glance at his watch

the time blindness come one

(btw i love the fact that kaz plans around jesper's time blindness instead of like threatening him to be on time)

i really love how every one feels the need to take the time to say/think that the masks are ugly

its so unnecessary lmao

yessss inej is a badass that kills monster we stan

and matthias is lowkey impressed lmao

as he should

"Thank you, Jesper," said Nina

"You're very welcome, gorgeous. See, Kaz? That's how the civilised folk do"

THESE TWO OMG

JESPER IS THE LOML

INEJ OMG LOOK:

She stepped aside as if she's known he was coming, languidly hooking her heel behind his ankle. Matthias let out a loud grunt as he landed on the stones

(...) "Clumsy, this one," the bronze girl said impassively.

that's what happen when you underestimate her bitch

AAAAAAA

PEOPLE

TIME TO FREAK OUT

WYLAN IS HERE

AND HE'S DOODLING STOP IT'S SO CUTE

ok jesper has adhd part 3 i think:

"Just how crazy is he?" asked Jesper, fingers drumming on the pearl handles of his revolvers.

ok first of all: stimming

second of all: hyperactivity

i rest my case

ok 2 or 3 things here

"I believe you know Nina," Brekker continued. "The lovely girl freeing you is Inej. (...) and this is Wylan, the best demolitions expert in the Barrel"

"Raske is better," Inej said

The boy looked up, ruddy gold hair flopping in his eyes, and spoke for the first time. "He's not better. He's reckless"

"He knows his trade"

"So do I"

ok 1: kaz calling inej lovely omg kanej

2: YES WYLAN STANDING UP FOR HIMSELF

2.5: kaz calling him the best cute af

3: honestly why do people think wylan is like an innocent soft boy or whatever. he's in a room full of murderers and thieves and the first thing he does is correct them and stand up for himself

like i wish i could do that

i would be crying like a bitch

AAAAAAAA

"Meet Wylan Van Eck"

KHDSGFALSGFIASGFAL

HI WYLAN BABY

YESSS JESPER'S POV NOW

I'M SO HAPPY also look at this it's the first thing in his pov

Jesper stared at Wylan

do i sense some wesper?????

ok everyone is being so mean to him right now

they are aclling him useless and an idiot and other shit

poor boy honestly he had to deal with this + taking part of a heist he is definetly not ready for + he has to hide the fact that he can't write or read

it so distrubing that kaz is literally the nicest one to wylan right now

"See that? Hidden depths." (...)"He's good enough at demo, and he's got a fine hand for sketching, thanks to all those pricey tutors."

(...)

"There you have it," Kaz said to Jesper. "Marketable skills. Wylan is watching you, Helvar"

GET READY

ARE Y'ALL READY?

OK THEN:

"Scheming face," Jesper whispered to Inej.

She nodded. "Definetly."

THEIR FRIENDSHIP OMG

AND THIS QUOTE

I NEED IT ON THE SHOW THEY BETTER GIVE IT TO US

"Who's Mark" damn wylan (but pretty good comeback to jesper tho)

"What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?

"Knife to the throat?" asked Inej.

"Gun to the back?" said Jesper.

"Poison in his cup?" suggested Nina.

"You're all horrible," said Matthias.

tag yourself i'm jesper

KJSFGAL kaz just told wylan to tell him everything he know about his dad's company

and he said he doesn't know and kaz was like "and you never looked trough his documents????

AND THEN HE GOT SAD AND SAID HE HADN'T (and kaz believed him this is sad)

AND NOW JESPER CALLED HIIM USELESS

ok you know i love you jes but if you keep this up

idk i can't do anything you're a sharpshooter

but stiiiiiil

LMAO MATTHIAS ACTUALLY THOUGHT HE COULD BEAT KAZ

nice try

demjin

*insert spongebob voice* demjin

WE'RE GONNA TAKE A MOMENT NOW TO APPRECIATE INEJ GAHFA

BECAUSE KAZ DOESN'T

The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.

*ugly crying*

Many boys will bring you flowers. But some day you'll meet a boy who will learn your favourite flower, your favourite song, your favourite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won't matter because he will have taken the time to know you as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.

*uglier crying*

TANTE HELLEN IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE

SOMEONE PLEASE STAB HER FOR ME

jesper has adhd part ?? (i have dyscalculia you can't expect me to remember the number):

That sound - the swift, shocking report of gunfire - called the scattered, irascible, permanently seeking part of his mind into focus like nothing else.

do i really need to explain this?

ok just in case.. an adhd brain doesn't actually have a deficit of attention(the name just sucks) it's problem with controling that attention. the brain is always looking for new sources of dopamine which is why it shifts its focus so much

i love that jes thinks of matthias as "tha giant"

like sir

have you seen yourself?

you're tall af

HE GOT SHOT

WHY DID I FORGET JESPER GETS SHOT IN THE LEG HERE

"Close your eyes!"

"You can't kiss me from down there, Wylan"

"Just do it!"

i love the energy BUT NOW IT'S NOT THE TIME JES

YESS WYLAN SHOW THEM THEY WERE WRONG CALLING YOU USELESS

inej just stabed some guy int the d

good for her!

KAZ YESSSS HI

AWWW SHE'S WORRIED HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS CANE

KANEJ FOR LIFE

oh no wylan got shot too???? (just barely but stilllll por baby)

my Wraith omggg

ok 3 things about this:

Without another word, he tipped Oomen into the sea.

"No!" Wylan shouted, leaning over the railing, his face pale, stunned eyes tracking Oomen in the waves. (...)

Jesper set his hand on Wylan's shoulder. "Let it go."

"It's not right-"

"Wylan," Jesper said, giving him a little shake."Maybe your tutors didn't cover this lesson, but you do not argue with a man covered in blook and a knife up his sleeve"

1. wesper yasssss

2. wylan just argued with a mant hat had just tacken the eye out of someone. he literally called him out for being an asshole. like damn wylan is brave af i love him

3. do you think seeing kaz trow the guy out of the boat reminded wylan of when the same thing happened to him???? this makes me sad

he's brave and a good person and i just-

"Man with a knife, remember?" he said over his shoulder.

"Man with a gun!" Jesper called after him

this had no right being so funny

AND THEN KAZ GAVE HIM THE MIDDLE FINGER STOP I CAN'T

nina is the biggest kanej shiper no one can tell me i'm wrong

unrelated but if jesper had gone to the Little Palace and had studied there with nina they 100% would've had a crush on Zoya and bonded over it

like you can't tell me those two bisexual disaster wouldn't be absolutely in love with Zoya

jesper has adhd part ??:

Jesper scrubbed the back of his neck, touched his hands to his gunds, returned to his neck. He always seemed to be in motions

hyperactivity right there

and restlessness

"Do you know the best way to find Grisha who don't want to be found?" (...)

"Seems to be if they don't want to be found, you should just let them be" (jesper says this)

this conversation must be so stressful to him omg

LMAO JESPER CUT MATTHIAS HAIR THIS IS SO FUNNY

AND HE SHAVED HIM

ok you all know i love all of them but they can be sooo stupid

like wylan wrote no names on the drawing and he's excuse is that he doesn't know fjerdan?

AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TRUE he literally said he learned school fjerdan which means he should know how to write it too (we know why he can't but the tohers don't)

and even then like the excuse doesn't make any sense. why would having the original name be usefull if no one can fucking read it????

the worst part tho? NO ONE QUESTIONED HIM

THEY WERE LIKE "yup makes sense" AND WENT ON WITH THEIR DAY

i wondered how they didn't figure wylan's secret sooner but now i now

it's because theya re idiots

"I'm just doing my job. Stop glaring at me"

wylan baby let's not make the gigant mad

Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. "Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I'm going to get Wylan's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost."

Brekker's lips quirked. "I'll just hire Matthias ghost to kick your ghost's ass."

"My ghost won't associate with your ghost," Matthias said primply, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.

i had to put this here i don't want to get murdered by the fandom

jesper, inej and nina have the BEST friendship

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE JES AND INEJ TOGETHER ON NETFLIX

"I know some people don't understand, but Kaz told me ... he said it was my choice, that he wouldn't be the one to mark me again."

i love this because it happen when they had just met

he did it because he understands her trauma and he respects her not because he loves her (i doubt he did at the time)

Kaz had been impressed with the sketches. (...)

"Just learn to take a compliment. Kaz doesn't hand them out often."

I'M SO PROUD OF WYLAN

and yess kaz only compliments wylan (and inej but that's sarcastic so it doesn't count) because he's a proud dad

"And you don't belong here, either."

"I beg your pardon, merchiling?"

"We don't need a sharpshooter for Kaz's plan, so what's your job - other than stalking around making everyone angsty?"

He shrugged. "Kaz trusts me."

Wylan snorted and picked up his pen. "Sure about that?"

DAMN WYLAN DESTROYED HIM

also

"If you aren't born with every advantage, you learn to take your chances."

"I wasn't-" Wylan left off and set down his pen. (...)

aww cute neurodivergent boyfriends bonding

Wylan had turned back to his work, his disappointment obvious. For some reason, Jesper felt disappointed, too.

ajgflasjgfjagslfiuusgflgdfsgdflasdgfsd

wesper

aww jes checks on inej every morning and every night i love him

"Thank you for keeping me in this world when fate seemed determined to drag me to the next. I owe you a life debt."

Nina blushed deeply. "I was teasing, Inej"

LJFGALKGFALGA another cute friendship right there

(and i can see why people ship them romantically)

STOP INEJ AND JES ARE BONDING SO MUCH (page 127 so i can go back and read it lmao)

Van Eck writes to Wylan every week, and Wylan doesn't even open the letters

"They just said the same thing again and again: If you're reading this, the you know how much I wish to have you home. Or I pray that you read these words and think of all you've left behind."

should i kill him? anyone want to join me?

Inej bumped her shoulder against his."Then at least we're both the same kind of stupid." (...)

"You're too good for him, you know?"

"I know. So are you"

jes and her bonding over their stupid crush on a white boy

Because I've been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days.

jfsfdajdhmgkfutdjrgsg ok i can't blame them for having a crush on him anymore

this chapter is full of kanej i love it

"What do you want, then"

You, Inej. You forever.

jksdgfoagsdfgsdgfklasgdflaghsldfgksdgfkahgsdfghjlkf

kaz's backstory makes me sad

"When we get our money, you can burn kruge to keep you warm," said Kaz. (...)

"I´m gonna pay someone to burn my kruge for me."

Kaz fell into step beside him. "Why don't you pay someone else to pay someone to burn your kruge for you? That's what big players do."

"You know what the really big bosses do? They pay someone to pay someone ...". Their voices trailed off as they tomped ahead, and Matthias and the others followed.

JES AND KAZ HAVE THE BEST CONVERSATIONS

i can't believe we get to see nina and matthias meet and their whole backstory in less than a month omg

"It's not natural for women to fight."

"It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand."

QUEEN

YOU TELL HIM

oh no the dead grisha

this part breaks my heart every time

"Do you have a different name for killing when you wear a uniform to do it?"

.....i'm just gonna leave this quote right here

anyways acab

stop nina tried to kill the survivor so they wouldn't suffer but she couldn't do it

and jesper did it for her without hesitation i wanna cry

and inej didn't want to do it either i want to hug them

"Because our crime is existing. Our crime is what we are"

..........

i'm gonna leave this here again

do with it what you will

"Don't mock what you don't understand."

"My mockery offends you? My people would welcome you laughter in place of this barbarity"

i- this conversation is so important

AAAAA JES AND WY ARE A GREAT TEAM I LOVE THEM

WYLAN TROWS BOMBS TOGIVE JESPER TIME TO GET READY TO SHOOT

INEJ AND KAZ ARE A GREAT TEAM TOO

THEY LITERALLY DID THE SCENE LIKE IN THE AVENGERS (but without the shield WHICH MAKES IT BETTER)

Jesper shouldered his rifle. "Wylan earned his keep."

Wylan gave a little jump at the sound of his name. "I did?"

YES BABY YOU DID GREAT

kaz getting self-conscious for his hair is pure comedy

but nina how can you say that have you see his hair on the show???? it's perfect

"Remeber our friend Mark?"

HELP I CAN'T

"Any other impossible feats you'd like us to accomplish?"

The bearest smile flikered over Kaz's lips. "I'll make you a list."

once again jesper and kaz being besties

unrelated but nikolai and jesper would love each other

the amount of sass they have between them it's unparalleled

"Mmm," Inej murmured, taking a sip from her mug. "Maybe you're just not enough."

DAMN

ma'am marry me please

kaz fainted damn poor boy

unrelated unce again but this is so much betetr than shadow and bone

like you can tell leigh improved so much

her characters are better and their arcs are better developed

the writing itself it's better

or maybe i'm just biased because i love soc so much but i think she definetly improved

INEJ IS TRYING TO GIVE HIM SPACE EVEN WHEN SHE'S TRAPPED AND LOCKED ON THE WAGON

I JUST - THEY KNOW EACH OTHER SO MUCH

Though he'd trusted her with his life countless times, it felt much more frightening to trust her with his shame.

Inej had once offered to teach him how to fall. "The trick is not getting knocked down," he'd told her with a laugh. "No, Kaz," she's said, "the trick is in getting back up"

inej is smart af

Kaz was usually unshakeable during a job, but now he was on edge, and Jesper didn't know why. Part of him wanted to ask, though he knew that was the stupid part, the hopeful farmboy who picked the worst possible person to care about, who searched for signs in things that he knew deep down meant nothing - when kaz chose him for a job, when Kaz played along with one of his jokes. He could have kicked himself. He's finally seen the infamous Kaz Brekker without a stich of clothing, and he'd been too worried about ending up on a pike to pay proper attention.

ok i got a couple of things to say about this part

first of all it makes me so sad that jes cares so much for someone who dosn't deserve him. because no hate to kaz but they would never work as a couple and kaz already treats him like shit most of the time

i think this part shows who a lot about who jesper really is. a boy that grew up having to hide parts of himself, who thinks he's worth nothing but it's smart and capable, who's loyal and brave and caring but doesn't even know it himself. he's someone who feels he doesn't deserve good things and thinks he's not good enough, and that's why he unds up in all the wrong places with the wrong people. he left uni bc he fell in with the gangs, because he didn't think he was smart enough or even prepared to be in studying in the university. jesper is constantly hiding behind a mask or running from things because he's scared of not being enough

an kaz is everything jes in a way wishes he could be. kaz is secure in himself (at least on the outside), he's stable, he's smart, he's "unshakeable". and most of all, he doesn't care about others (we know that's not true but that's how he presents himself)

and that's the thing that causes jesper all his problems. because he's insecure because he thinks he's not good enough for the poeple or things he cares about. and he's always trying to do what's best for his loved ones: he went to the ice court to pay his debt for his father, he follows kaz everywhere beacause he cares about him, he offered to read to wylan (knowing it wouldn't be easy for him to be still that long).

and yeah it often doesn't work out becuase he's messy and he has problems but he tries. and he hates that. he hates that he cares so much about people because at the end of the day, that's what makes him feel like he's not good enough

one more thing and i'm done i promise

unpopular opinion but i love that leigh made jesper have a crush on kaz. 1 beacuse it's refreshing to see someone not get otgether with his first crush. and 2 because i love that it shows that we sometimes get attached to people that are not good for us, but that we can learn to move on. jesper ended with wylan who respects him and values him, unlike kaz

ok i'm sorry that was probably all bs

oo one more thing, jesper definetly has rsd (rejection sensitive disphoria), which is something most poeple with adhd have

"My father used to take me everywhere with him"

this is so sad. bc they probably had a good relationship when he was little. and then they figured he coudln't read and now his father treats him like shit

it's even worse than if he haf been horrible from the beginning because wylan knows he can be a good father. and so he thinks it's his fault and he deserves to be treated like that. i hate van eck

"You're cuter when you're smart"

(...)

"Definitely cuter when you're smart"

wesper yesssss

i love them so much

ok but why do people think jesper is stupid. like the boy just made a bunch of criminals pass out by mixing some chemicals

and he was going to the university at like 15

AAAAND NOW THEY KNOW HE'S A FABRIKATOR

amazing plot twist

also:

Wylan coughed. Flirting with him might actually be more fun that annoying him, but it was a close call.

oooo come on jesper we all know you just love getitng him to blush

and you love him

who said that? definitely not me, nope

awwww jesper misses being around animals that's cute

imagine him coming home to wylan one day with a puppy because he just couldn't resist

cute

Better terrible truths than kind lies

just leaving here more of inej's wisdom

ok this may be a reach but jesper has adhd part ???

Yellow Protocol? Red Protocol? He couldn't remember which was which. (...)

"The alarm was Yellow Protocol, a sector disturbance."

Jesper pushed at his temples. "I don't remember what that means"

a bad working memory? sounds familiar

kaz loves puzzles

it's canon

"I love puzzles. Trickery is just my native tongue."

this part where wylan and jesper see the banner made with grisha's kefta kills me every time

I would have worn purple, Jesper thought, if I'd joined the Second Army. (...) He'd beenwilling, even eager to risk capture and execution as a thief and hired gun. Why was it worse to think about being hunted as a Grisha?

this makes me want to cry so much

another thing super sad: the fact that since his father is Kaelish and had some supersititons towards grisha, jesper grew up wondering if his own father was scared of him. he had to hide his powers and he was almost taught to be afraid of them

"Is it safe to leave them, you know-"

"Alive? I'm not big on killing unconscious men."

"We could wake them up"

WYLAN

damn the boy needs therapy

it's amazing how nothing went like they planned

not a single thing

PEOPLE GET READY

ARE YOU READY?

NEITHER AM I BUT WHO CARES

"What do you like?"

"Music. Numbers. Equations. They are not like words. They...they don't get mixed up."

ok dude the clues are right there he's basically saying it

"If only you could talk to girls in equations."

There was a long silence, and then, eyes trained on the notch they'd created in the link, Wylan said, "Just girls?"

Jesper restrained a grin. "No. Not just girls." It really was a shame they were all probably going to die tonight.

wylan really said a straight man?? couldn't be me

this is the definition of bi panic "jesper restrained a grin" bitch we saw that

btw i love the slow burn

like they hint something here but they don't actually start liking each other until much later and they don't get together until almost the end of ck

i also love that the fact that they both like guys is like out in the open now. bc i'm not a fan of when queer characters have a crush and there's the whole thing of "are they queer too or not?"

like they both know htey are queer. but they don't get together right away bc they have to start liking each other before. they don't get together bc they are the only queer mlm characters

matthias fake betrayal killed me

i tought it was real

I have been made to protect you. Only in death will I be kept fom this oath.

this is just-

also foreshadowing?

YAYY KUWEI HI

There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken.

She's laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and got drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him.

if i ever have a s/o and they don't tell me this at least once i don't want it

He needed to tell her... what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. That he was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that he couldn't pull himslef together into some smeblance of a man for her

THIS

THIS IS LOVE RIGHT THERE

they are the only straight couple that matters

everyone else go home

Wylan had scratches all over his cheeks and neck. He was beaming. Inej grabbed his hands and sqeezed.

so cute omg

"You can explain why our illustrious Shu scientist looks like one of Wylan's school pals along the way"

KAZ

i mean it's true but you didn't have to say it

KAZ IS SMILING OMG

EVERYONE FREAK OUT WITH ME

HE'S "grinning like and idiot" STOP I LOVE HIM

"We are all someone's mosnter, Nina"

"I will have you without armour, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all"

this part breaks my heart and i love it

"Stay," she oanted. Tears leaked from her eyes. "Stay till the end"

"And after," he said. "And always."

i just- helnik is perfect

AWWW JESPER MISSES WYLAN

my daily dosis of wesper :)

ok but in like 2 pages jesper tought of wylan like 10 times bc he's sad wy isn't with him

Jesper scanned the empty deck. He's assumed Wylan would come up to see them off. (...)

Jesper knew he was being selfish and stupid, but some petty part of him wondered if Wylan had deliberately kept away from him on the journey back. Maybe now that the job was complete and he was on his way to his share of the haul, Wylan was done slumming with criminals.

*charles boyle's insinuating voice* and why do you care so much???

btw YOU ARE WRONG. HE'S LITERALLY GOING OUT OF HIS WAY TO BE WITH YOU EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T SPEAK

this scene where we find out the truth about wylan hurts so much but it's one of my favourites idk why

I LOVE THAT EVERYONE IS AS MAD AS I AM ABOUT THE LETTERS NOW

"Your're a fool," Jesper snarled. "He smarter than most of us put together, and he deserves a better father than you."

YES TELL HIM

the fact that wylan just heard him say that omg

"Deserved" amended Van Eck. He blew the whislte twice.

SOMEONE BETTER GRAB ME BEFORE I KILL HIM MYSLEF

THAT IDIOT

I HATE HIM SO MUCH

I'M GONNA CRY CAN SOMEONE KILL HIM FOR ME

Jesper screamed in rage and raised his guns.

YES EXACLTY WHAT I MEANT

JUST KILL HIM RIGHT NOW

"I'm not big on bludding, am I Inej?"

"Not as a rule"

Van Eck's lip curled. "And why is that?"

"Because he'd rather cheat," said the boy who was not Kuwei Yul-Bo in perfect, unaccented Kerch.

THIS WAS PERFECT

THE BEST WAY TO REVEAL THAT

(...), and Jesper flinched

baby he recognized wylan's voice

The Shu boy held out a hand. "Pay up, Kaz"

BITCH THIS IS AMAZING

THIS BOY MADE A BET WITH A CRIMINAL THAT HIS OWN FATHER WAS GOING TO TRY TO KILL HIM

AND HE WON THE BET

A nearly perfect replica of Kuwei Yul-Bo stood before them, but he had Wylan's voice, his mannerisms, and - though Kaz could see the fear and hurt in his golden eyes - Wylan's surprising courage, too.

i love it when they compliment him

my boy deserves all the compliments ever

AND KAZ IS PROUD OF HIS SON WE ALL KNOW THIS

Wylan cuold draw a perfectt elevation. He's made a drill that could cut throu Grisha glass from parts of a gate and scavenged bits of jewellery. So what if he couldn't read

this is taking me to some real places

i may cry you've been warned

WYLAN DIDN'T CARE THAT HE MAY BE STUCKED LOOKING LIKE KUWEI

this is making me cry

"A fool would have been waiting to be smashed to bits on that ship. And as for "traitor", you've called me worse in the last few minutes alone."

EXACTLY

YOU TELL HIM WYLAN

Instead, in that moment of threat, when he should have thought only of the fight, he looked at Inej.

BABY

i would've done the same tho she's pretty

amita is sooo pretty i'm gonna die when the show comes out

Jesper was staring at Wylan, his eyes roving over the black hair, the golden eyes. "Why?" he said at last. "Why would you do this?"

nothing to say here except: wesper

You... how many times was it you standing beside me on the deck at night when I tought it was Kuwei?"

"Every time."

i want to cry so bad

"Why does it matter?"

"I don't know!" Jesper said angrily. "Maybe I liked your stupid face."

a very staright and platonic thing to say of course

i know jes we all liked his stupid face

"Jesper made a mistake," said Wylan. "A stupid mistake, but he didn't set out to betray anyone."

YES WYLAN DEFEND YOUR BOYFRIEND

And maybe he'd kept him in the dark about Wyllan because he wanted to punish him a little

even kaz know they like each other come on

Jesper sat with elbows on knees, head in hands. Wylan deside him wearing th face of a stranger.

wylan give him a hug fro me please

he needs it

"Scheming face," murmured Jesper.

"Definitely," agreed Wylan.

i miss inej already

And I'm going to get my girl. Inej could never be his, not really, but he would find a way to give her the freedom he´d promised her so long ago.

i'm ugly crying and so what?

and now we're done....

i want to read this book again omg this is unhealthy

#shadow and bone #s&b #six of crows #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #kaz brekker #grishaverse #inej gahfa #matthias helvar #nina zenik #freddy carter #kit young #amita suman #soc #helnik #kanej #wesper

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bxstiae · 4 years

Text

⚜ ; [ BOTW / OTHERWORLDS.2 ] WORLDBUILDING │ VERSE

Honestly, i was trying to write a reply for @wildshero & then i thought maybe.... i should let people know a few things about Twilight Princess Link in the setting of Breath of the Wild. I feel like it would just be better for people to know a bit more about the verse since it’s actually one or my more favourite verses imo. but first allow me to refresh everybody on what i have for the verse.

let it be know that i will differentiate between the links for the rest of the post as the following: Wild = BOTW Link Twilight = TP Link

NAME: Twilight, Wolfie SPECIES: wolf HEIGHT: 4’3” ‘ IS A LITTLE SHIT ’ Summoned as a wolf by Wild Child. He has to deal with his antics without rest or until he is returned back to his home world. Until then, the Link of this world must deal with the Cheeky Hero-Beast. Nobody said he had to play nice.

Another tidbit, i will always, ALWAYS RP Twilight in a post, TP state when he is in BOTW. Meaning that he already accomplished his role as the saviour of hyrule & things are at a somewhat normal state for everybody. he is currently looking for ways to look for midna & often times runs into random ‘twilight portals’ that are still in his world. these portals are like the normal portals you use in TP, however these are a bit different because they react when 2 things happen. 1: when twilight’s twili shard is nearby & 2: something ‘else’ happens that causes the portal to activate. that something else -- for BOTW purposes -- is when Wild uses the sheikah slate. consider these portals though more like random rifts in twilight’s world. sometimes he can’t even see them.

one this is for certain though: when he teleports -- only his body is taken. his master sword of his world is not taken with him. so the chances of him turning back into a human are very slim UNLESS he touches or tries to hold the master sword in wild’s world. Also another thing: twili magic works very differently in wild’s world. sometimes twilight -- if he wants to stay close to wild, is able to WILL himself to teleport to wild. but if he stays too far from wild for an extended period of time, he will be teleported back to his own world. he legit cannot stay alone in the wild’s world because it’s not his world. the thing that is keeping him there is the sheikah slate. so obviously if he’s not around it for a long time then he will naturally go home.

anyway, everything else will be under a read more because it talks about twilight’s relationship with wild & so on.

Honestly though, THIS POST made me really think about how Twilight would consider Wild as. if Wild was just a child to him, or if he considered him more as an equal. I feel like it would be the former tbh. THIS OTHER POST kind of proves a bit into that theory as well. Twilight obviously knows a lot more than Wild does & not just because Wild lost his memory.

Wild, in many ways, is still ‘young’ in the aspect that he hasn’t taken down ganon like how Twilight has. Twilight has fought many things, took down the Demon King himself, & lost a beloved friend while also losing part of his humanity as well. he’s only in his early 20s & he suffers from survivor’s guilt and its trying to mend a broken/betrayed heart.

am i ignoring that wild has amnesia? no. i am not. wild himself has gone through hardships, i will not lie about that. he almost lost to ganon. the other champions have all died. & zelda is keeping ganon at bay. but he doesn’t know what it is like to have fufilled the prophecy in his world. at least not like how twilight has.

I brought it up in another post about it, but essentially twilight feels empty after the defeat of ganon. not only that, but he also feels used. now that ganon is gone, he.... doesn’t know what to do with himself. & his friend destroyed the only known why to visit her. so yes, he... feels shattered. his heart weighs so heavy because after such a long journey, he can’t just move on. it’s like everything was stripped from him & he’s back to ‘just being plain old link: ranch hand of ordon village.

so yea, wild IS a child compared to twilight. his antics are all over the place -- wild is incredibly fickle. he feels like he’s dealing with the ordon children all over again. yet at the same time its just like the ordon children. he wants to help wild. he wants to protect him. in a way, he wants to prevent wild from having the same fate as him. yes he KNOWS what it feels like to be empty. wild is not empty, just because he doesn’t have any memories doesn’t mean that he is empty. wild is just lost. twilight wants to help him, & yet he doesn’t want to rush anything.

there was a post that discussed the personality of wild but i can’t find it. but it has to deal with the japanese version. ( another reason why i hate the english translations ) in the japanese versions, all the entries in the sheikah slate are LINK’S entries. its like link is keeping a diary to HELP him remember. so in wild’s case with twilight, its THE SAME THING.

the problem is that the more he remembers, the most intense they are. mainly because pieces of the memories are now wielding together. they aren’t just random fragments. the puzzles pieces are now fitting together. but you try to remember everything too fast? it can be incredibly devastating & more harmful than helpful. twilight recognises this. he knows this because lanaryu did that to him when he was given the vision. it can be harmful to one’s mental health especially if you aren’t prepared. it can lead you down a dark path & you can end up doubting yourself.

so if wild is rushing in trying to remember everything, it can hurt him. it could make him more reckless because he is simply more determined to win. just imagine this: somebody lashes out in anger after finding something out. you aren’t thinking, you are acting out on anger -- on emotion. it’s the worst thing to do especially in war. you HAVE to be calculating, especially with ganon. you cannot fight ganon with anger & pain. GANON IS THE EPITOME of those emotions. you will only be predictable & naturally, fighting anger with anger doesn’t work out. link will die because ganon is stronger than link mentally in this aspect. wild cannot go in blindly: he doens’t have zelda this time to give him another chance.

& yes, twilight KNOWS all of this. you are the only one who knows you the best. for twilight, he knows wild in a sense that wild is another incarnation of himself. twilight has also met the hero’s shade as well to know that there are several things that always get reborn with the hero of courage. one is that every link is reckless in some way, shape, or form. they have to be! they are the hero of courage; fear is not supposed to be in their blood. i say fear isn’t suppose to be, but anxiety still can be. any link can still hold some sort of doubt &/or self-blame. it’s a given. they are all heroes after all. they are not perfect, & they are expected so much. but each link can take it in differently. though i digress. my main point is that every single link is reckless. ( yes, even twilight, one of the more calculating heroes of courage is also reckless, it’s in his blood )

so yea, twilight worries for wild. he should. but anyway. that doesn’t mean twilight won’t be a little asshole to wild. as much as wild has his antics, so does twilight. wild often times does some really stupid shit, so naturally twilight would too. just to annoy him. call him petty if you want, but twilight is just a tired boy.

please let it be known that while twilgiht is an asshole sometimes, he is VERY protective of wild! he would consider him a best friend ( eventually ) and a companion! Wild does, in fact, fill the voidness in twilight's heart, and while he may be annoyed with him 80% of the time, he still cares for him. a lot.

uh.... some other things to consider too. twilight would not hesitate to pick up the master sword if wild is severely injured. while he may transform back as a human, he still is a swordsman at heart, and if he’s canine body cannot defend wild, then so be it, twilight would transform to his normal state & risk his life for wild. he will always be better & stronger with a sword than his beast form anyway.

while twilight calls wild ‘link’, wild does actually call him twilight! or twi for short. wild gave him the nickname for a few reasons.

1: his fur & the patterns in it. twilight’s fur is not just one brown, its a mix of brown that kinda resembles that mix of yellow-orange found literally at dusk/twilight. 2: twilight is actually most solemn & quiet at the twilight hours. wild can tell that he’s a bit distance during this time as if he’s thinking about something or rather, something is on his mind. 3: the twili magic that causes him to warp is obiously very twilight-esque. aside from the legends passed down, wild would most likley recognise this as twilight magic -- especially when they find midna’s helmet. because it only confirms that the legends are true: that twilight magic exists & that twilight has something to deal with it. 4: the sheikah slate actually registers twilight as twilight instead of link -- even if he were to be in his human form, the piece of technology considers him as that. besides, if twilight were to ever transform ( mind you he probably wouldn’t unless forced to ), twilight would say that his name is twilight.

does wild know that twilight is him but from another time? honestly, i don’t know.it’s up for debate. i probably could go either way to by honest, but i think my natural instinct is to say that no, wild does not realise that twilight is him but from another time. but that’s my 2 cents on the subject.

also: other names wild calls twilight is puppers, bud, & wolf/wolfie. twilight PREFERS twilight though, he feels a bit sentimental and happy when he’s called that. & it is ABSOLUTELY noticeable cause twilight will wag his tail when he is called twilight. don’t judge him.

more to come when i think of anything else.

#headcanon tag.#botw verse tag.#[ honestly though ]#[ i love talking about meta ]#[ anyway ]#[ you know the usual ]#[ ask for perms if you wanna use etc etc etc. ]

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teal-skull · 5 years

Text

My answers on Powerwolf asks

Original post here by @emmalovesfandoms

No one asked me to do this, but I wanted to do this so badly so here we go:

1. How long have you been a fan?

I’m a freaking newbie in the fandom and the answer will be embarasing: about two months.

2. Favourite Powerwolf-related picture? (post it)

This is a though one. It’s either this cute huggie picture:

Or this because of the beautiful asthetic:

3. Who is your favourite band member? Why?

It’s propably Attila or Falk. Attila’s voice is something marvelous and they both have charming personalities!

4. Do you write fanfiction? Who do you ship?

I don’t really writie fanfiction or ship (in this fandom). I have writen heavily PW inspired short story that is in the middle of a translation progess from finnish to english and hopefully it will be on the internet one day. But that’s probably conna be it. Fanart is more for me than fanfiction.

5. Which is your favourite song?

There’s a big list of those. But I’m gonna name Army of the night.

6. Which is your favourite album?

Bless & Possessed.

7. Have you seen them live? When? What was it like?

As for now, unfortunely no. In the future, yes! They write their songs with the idea of “would we want to play this live?” and otherwise simbly love playing live and want to make an amazing show, so it would be a waste not to go!

8. Favourite inside joke?

Most likely Falk and doors.

9. Favourite headcanon?

Matthew and sugar.

10. Favourite song off Return In Bloodred?

Son of the morning star

11. Favourite song off Lupus Dei?

We take it from the living

12. Favourite song off Bible Of The Beast?

Raise your fist, Evangelist

13. Favourite song off Blood Of The Saints?

Sanctified with Dynamite

14. Favourite song off Preachers Of The Night?

Preachers of the night is hard one, because all the songs equally good and the whole album is very solid. But let’s say....Extatum Et Oratum

15. Favourite song off Blessed And Possessed?

I already said Army of the night so: Higher than Heaven.

16. Favourite song off The Sacrament Of Sin?

Killers with the cross

17. Favourite bonus track? (Orchestral versions, bonus tracks off History Of Heresy II, etc)

Orchestral version of Raise your fist, Evangelist. I literaly cried when I heard that for the first time.

18. Favourite Communio Lupatum cover?

Nata Vimpi Cvrmid / IRA Sancti cover by Eluveitie. That song has such a strong goth and folk asthetic and Eluveite really knew how to make the song their own. It’s fantastic.

19. Favourite makeup era?

I pay more attention to costumes than make up tbh so based on that I would say that I really like the look of their costumes around Bless & Possessed.

20. Favourite song performed live?

Raise your fist, Evangelist

21. Do you have any merch? Show meeee!

I have a hoodie with PW sing in right sleeve and two wolfheads like Ying and Yang on the back. And of course powerwolf logo on the front.

22. Do you have a Powerwolf-related lockscreen/homescreen/desktop wallpaper? If yes, what is it?

I have B&P album cover on my computer backround.

23. Favourite lyrics?

“Born to set the world on fire”

“Hollow the damned in the art of salvation Fallen and banned and the angels die first Servant in life and elated in Eden cursed Slaves in the light from beyond Bury the night in imperial hunger Do or die in this fortress of fear Cannot deny all the wonders are sacred burst Under the weight of this world”

“Would you die for Heavy Metal? Then hear our call Raise your horns for master Satan Till the heavens fall”

“ Stand and scream for all the world today “

24. Favourite melody/instrumental?

The instumental part in Night of the werewolfs.

25. Are you in the FB meme group? Which is your favourite meme?

Nope, I don’t have FB, otherwise would be there and spam the hell out of it with my shitty PW memes.

PW memes are just Quality™

As for favorite, it’s this, because of the effort used in this needs to be appreciated:

26. Favourite Wolfsnächte 2018 recap video?

Wien, because I love that elevator scene.

27. Favourite interview?

This one with Roel.

28. Favourite A Day With Powerwolf video?

Ghäääh, propably part 2 where they are recording the drums because Attilla Blessing the studio was great.

29. Have you seen the documentary? Did you like it?

Not yet, but I plan to buy it this summer.

30. Favourite fanart?

Everything.

31. Best song to rage to?

I don’t actually see PW as a band I can really rage to. Their music is dark and epic but not as aggressive as some other artists I listen. But to name one, I would say Kreuzfeuer

32. Best song for walking fast/running after the bus?

I have a funny story for this:

I was actually late for bus and I see how it goes to the stop. I image how I turn to a wolf and hop on a roof of a house next to me and run to the buss, hop on the roof and dick my long nails on to the metal while enjoying the wind blowing though my fur. Obiously that isn’t possible but that was because I was listening to PW. I can’t remember the song though.

But I would say that Higher than Heaven is a good pick for running because of the fast tempo it has.

33. Have you ever cried over a song? Which one?

YES! Here’s a list:

Raise your fist, Evangelist (Orchestral version)

Where the wild wolfs have come

Stossgebet

IRA Sancti (Orchestral version)

34. Which was the first song you’ve heard?

The universe decided to give me Raise your fist, Evangelist on spotify. First I was like: “Hey, this is a coll intro” Then slowly I started liking the whole song. Then I listened rest of Bibble of the Beast and grew to like them. And then I went to youtube list “popular songs” and the game was lost after that point.

35. Which song made you fall in love with them?

Army of the night was the final nail to be hit as I was crusified as a PW fan.

36. Which song would you like to see them cover?

Phantom of the Opera. Simbly because Attilas opera backround and because they have Phantom of the funeral in Boold of the Saints. And because metal covers of musical songs are awesome.

37. Do you want a Powerwolf christmas album in your life?

I’m not sure. We have Raskasta Joulua thing here in Finland where metal artist make metal covers of chrismass songs and you kinda grow tired of it since it’s every year. Though it would be Powerwolf...

38. Do you have a Powerwolf tattoo? Post a pic???

Nope.

39. Have you ever DIY-ed something? A t-shirt, necklace, etc?

I don’t know it it counts that I made a necklace for Falk in art class, since we were tasked to make a accecory for a popular person...

It can’t be worn because the paint doesn’t stick in it and it has already broken. It’s also rather heavy. So it was more like 3D fanart than necklace...

I have plans for making a black stola with PW sing in it because it would be cool.

40. Which season goes best with Powerwolf’s music?

Autum or Summer, because summer is consert season.

and now my own add:

41. Favorite album cover?

Bless & Possessed

#Powerwolf #pw #long post

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kendrixtermina · 2 years

Video

youtube

i will never be over this song. I will tell this only to the anonymous void of the internet, but one of these days i want to smash someone vigorously while this plays in the background

Anglosphere translation, so you too can appreciate this brilliance:

I am so lonely, totally alone within my soul come, turn yourself on From a faraway distance, I touch you Can you feel it? Come be as cold as me

Now I kiss your plastic skin erotic chip is inbuilt From a faraway distance, I speak to you Can you hear it? Come and have sex with me

Your body I cannot see At the press of a button, You’re beautiful From my computer comes the illusion, Can you feel it, my ejaculation?

At 50 degrees* is just like i like it much better than in reality Oh, you drive me crazy

* This was the lowest setting on washing machines back in the 90s. Obiously its a metaphor.

#music #feelings #this is such a great band

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shuheiohmori · 4 years

Text

Final Draft

Introduction part [hook to grab audience attention]

How much do you know about Hinduism? When you hear the term, Hinduism, what images do you have in mind?

India? [picture of the map], The Khajuraho Temples? [Picture of temple], or Pornographic arts we covered in class? [picture of the architecture and statues we had in class]

Hinduism and its’ influence are diverse. Without understanding of its culture and the religious context, it is difficult to analyse my object of desire.

Section 1: Describe the object

My object of desire is Ramdao sword. It has a strong connection with Hinduism, especially the goddess Kali. [picture of Ramdao]

This particular sword is considered being made in the 19th century in Nepal, brought by a man called Mr. Wilfred CM Dodds. The sword is 830mm in length, 85mm in width and 40mm in depth.

This is a long steel sword with a slightly curved blade. There are floral and geometric motifs onto the blade, and , there is an eye-shaped decoration at the tip of the blade. All the decorations are comprised in copper. The other side of the blade also has the same design. [details photos of ramdao]

The Ramdao is usually used in a sacrifice occasion in Hindu culture. The ban of animal sacrifice was announced in 2015 in Nepal, however, as BBC reports, people have faith in tradition still visit the temples with their offerings and asked to continue the sacrifice. Animal rights movements claim to end the animal sacrifice; however, the people in faith still want to keep the tradition as it was. Finding compromising point for this topic is very difficult at this point in time, and more discussions are surely needed.

Before we immense ourselves to the world of ramdao, I’d like to explore with you about the world of Hinduism and its goddesses, mainly focus on the Goddess Kali [picture of Goddess Kali], which is a wrath form of Goddess Durga. [DUROM.U10346.54]

These backgrounds give us some clues to unpack the ramdao sword. Plus helps to answer questions such as

In what context this ramdao sword is forged?

What do the symbolic decorations on the ramdao mean?

Section 3: About Hinduism

Unlike Christianity, Hinduism does not have a single founder of the world and/or Universe.

The origin of Hinduism can be traced back to the two mainstreams.

Firstly, the sacred Snaskrit literature of the Aryans, the Vedas (literally means “kowledge”) Vedas is a collection of hymns in praise of deities who were often personification of the natural elements. [photo of vedas]

Secondarily, Hinduism strands drew on the beliefs prevalent among groups of indigenous people.

For example, the Goddess Kali, which this podcast will describe later is regarded as faith in power of the mother goddess and in the efficacy of fertility symbols [video of people praising Goddess Kali]

Hinduism emerged at about the start of the Christian era, with an emphasis on the supremacy of the god Vishnu [DUROM.U10346.58], the god Shiva [DUROM.U10346.38], and the goddess shakti (literally, “Power”)

In the perspective of Hinduism, there are four destinations of life. Those are Dharma (eternal law of universe and duties of life), Artha (righteous living), Kama (wealth acquired through the pursuit of a profession/human and sexual love) and Moksha (the spiritual salvation). [picture of four elements]

There are three most significant deities in Hinduism, Goddess Shakti (literally means ‘power’) [picture], The God Shiva [picture], and the God Vishnu [picture].

Then, what is Goddess Durga [picture], who created Goddess Kali? [DUROM.U10346.48]

Goddess Durga was created by Goddess Shiva and Vishnu in order to combat demons who threaten the stability of the cosmos. The famous fight in relation to Goddess Durga is the one against Mahisa, the buffalo demon. Goddess Durga often creates female helpers, and the most well-known one is Goddess Kali.

Section 4: about Kali

The Goddess Kali, literally means “the black one”, was born of the wrath of Durga. Kali is mainly represented as a God of anger, and worshiped as the most bloodthirsty member of the Hindu pantheon. Additionally, people also worship Kali as the most life affirming goddess.

It is interesting that Goddess Kali plays two roles which seems opposite, life (as a all loving mother) and death (as a destroyer).

Here, I would suggest there is a similarity between Taoism’s notion of Tao and Kali.

I will introduce the critical perspectives in relation to the link between the geometric motifs on the blade of ramdao and Taoism. Highlighting the similar philosophy of Goddess Kali and Taoism’s ‘Female Valley’.

Misconception of sacrifice by West in the nineteenth century

However, it is true that some misunderstanding towards Goddess Kali were made in the nineteenth century, the first encounter with Kali and the West.

According to the western perspective, she was the most ‘immoral’ figure. The reason why they thought Kali was immoral were; i) the misconception of the link of Kali and Indian assassin groups, ii) the ritualistic slaughter of animals (goats, buffaloes).

In fact, Caleb Wright publishes a book entitled ‘Lectures on India’ , which has a chapter called ‘Description of the habits and superstitions of the Thugs’ in 1851. It explains the relationship between Thugs and the Goddess Kali. This book became a best seller in America and Britain. This reinforced the misconception of Goddest Kali in Western society.

Meanings of Sacrifice

However, if you look up Sugirtharajah, one of the sacred documents in Hinduism, Kali is described as an “unconventional mother” who “destroyes as well as creates” and “taks as well as gives life” (Sugirtharajar par. 15). Thus, Kali plays two roles - death and life - from the western perspective, it is often only highlighted the Kali’s death role and rarely paid attention to Kali’s mothership. I think this is because the different perception of the notion of death in East and West. The notion of death is associated with birth in Eastern thinkers, especailly Laozi. In chapter 6 of Taonism is stating

【谷神不死，是謂玄牝。玄牝之門，是謂天地根。綿綿若存，用之不勤。】. If we translate this in English it would be;

“The valley spirit never dies. It is called the mystical female. The entrance to the mystical female. Is called the root of Heaven and Earth. Though gossamer, As if barely existing, It is used but never spent.”

In here, 玄牝之門 means female Vagina, 根 means both male and female genital, the place everything is originated from. The word 牝 means female genital and female erotic power that produces all. Adding to that, the pronounciation of 牝 [produced from female vagina] and 死 [death] is similar, therefore, it is thought that Laozi intentionally used this character to imply the closeness of life and death. Meaning that, human life was thought as a circle, not liner. Someone’s death can be a someone’s starting point of life. The notion of the circle of life can be seen in East. This logic definitely applies to Kali.

If you look at Kali’s painting above [DUROM.U10346.31], we can notice the circle is repeatedly illustrated. For instance, you can see the huge circle with green leaves on the back, and Kali wears a gold and bejewelled crown, necklace, bracelets, armlets, anklets and rings. Especially, spotted on Kali’s nacklace, which is made by sacrificed dead men’s heads, it is obiously suggesting that the men’s sacrifice which means death, but if you think about the context (below) of this picture, it can be said the men’s death and sacrifice empowers Kali.

Therefore, as discussed, Kali was all-loving mother, and it would be suitable to summarise the word, Tao.

Animal sacrifice during worship are thought to have been liberated instantly from the painful cycle of rebirth to which Hindus believe all living creatures are bound. The sacrifices are intended to nourish the goddess and to secure from her the blessings of life. Here, notice how death makes the cycle of life.

This meaning of sacrifice reflects upon the geometric motifs of Ramdao including Lotus flower in the middle very efficiently.

Section 5: About Ramdao’s symbol

Geometric motifs of Ramdao: lotus flower signifies the tantric tongue. Lotus have been used to emblematise the female vagina traditionally in Buddhist and Hindu context.

Ramdao is a top-heavy sword which was used to decapitate sacrificial buffalo in commemoration of the slaying of the buffalo demon, Mahisha, by Kali’s progenitor, Durga.

The eye engraved on the blade signifies the presence of the goddess as she watches over the sacrifice.

The hump-like projection above the eye on the back edge of the ramdao represents the tasselled hat of the defeated buffalo demon.

The hat is sometimes also seen in paintings of Durga, floating above her head as she battles demon armies, as a symbol of her victory over Mahisha. [picture]

Future image of Kali in the different field

In the field of Western feminism groups employ Kali as an icon of feminism movement. As well as some Eastern feminism groups are regarding Kali in a same way. However, in Nepal and Bengali, Kali is worshipped very importantly as a Goddess which brings all love. Giving meanings to the Goddess Kali in response to the society’s need has not yet changed since the nineteenth century when Celeb Writer first called Kali as the most immoral goddess. Through the analysis of Kali and Ramdao, I have fallen into the huge question, which I never stop thinking. Moreover, there are more unproven evidence on this ramdao, since the collector, Dodds, did not leave any notes about this. It has no ends. This ramdao is endlessly talking to me and this voice will never be ceased.

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