#another ‘can i do this from memory’ and honestly??? not bad imo

[faeymouse]

More Morpho (clothing folds one specifically, ilysm) meets Tron Uprising sketchbook practice with the man, the myth, the vacuum.

#faey draws #morpho #tron uprising #dyson (tron) #havent drawn him in a hot minute. i missed the silly lil evil triangle #another ‘can i do this from memory’ and honestly??? not bad imo #there’s a startling lack of like character sheet reference for him compared to the others #(though if someone has any hit me up i will be eternally grateful) #so its like… ew… i have to… watch… the SHOW? to find reference? (sarcastic) #didn’t make his eyes nearly dead enough or his jaw nonexistent enough #lil hair flop though? wicked attention to detail thanks brain

[project-sekai-facts]

Hey there! Thanks for all your hard work. I wanted to send something that would hopefully be fun and a break from the asks. What are your fave cards for each character (and why if you want to explain)? :D

no problem :) and thank you for the break haha

this is kinda long bc of the amount of images so i'll put it under a readmore. note that my reasoning kinda ranges from "it's pretty" to <ramble about art>.

Before Thinking About It (Live with memories)

This set is really pretty but Ichika definitely has the best card in it. I love the stars and the little fish things swimming about.

Rainy Distance (First Star After the Rain)

No I do not care that this was her first 4*. How can people say the old sets are bad like have you SEEN the Stella set? It's absolutely beautiful.

Because You're Our Dear Friend (Unwavering Feelings, Now Put Into Words)

This set is so pretty!! It’s one of my favorite perm sets. Honami's is definitely my favorite though because the twinkly stars really take it up a level.

The Right Path for Me (Colorful Festival)

Shiho looks really cool in this one and I love the artstyle. I like the sign that just says "sign".

For "Your" Sake (Let's Deliver! Hopeful Stage)

Another really good Year One set! I love the angel theming with Minori and giving her actual wings was such a cool idea. Faito faito Minorin!

Perfect Premonition (Connecting Painful Hope)

I vividly remember when this leaked it was a big day for MMJ fans. She looks really cool in this card and I like the sort of rockstar aesthetic it has. Easily my favorite card for her

To You Who Wants To Be An Idol (Colorful Festival)

One of my favorite cards in the game! The aesthetic is really cute and reminds me of pop art. I love the details on the eyes as well

With the Feeling of Shooting a Thousand Arrows (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

I still can’t believe that this set is perm it’s absolutely stunning. Easily Shizuku’s best card, she looks so ethereal here

Kaleidoscope of Footprints (Colorful Festival)

I love the colors and the art on this one. It’s really unique and definitely one of my favorite fes cards. Again I love how her eyes are drawn and colored.

Past Excitement (Colorful Festival)

This is An’s most recent 4* with neon lighting i just want them back. Also the Nagi-inspired hairstyle ueueueueue

The Reason Behind the Words I Was Told (Find A Way Out)

I love the emotion on this one like it carries really well. Honestly it’s not the prettiest or most interesting card ever but it resonates ygm. You can really feel his joy and passion in this one.

Feelings That Were Buried (Colorful Festival)

Ough his fes is so good. The symbolism as well like music is really important to Toya and it’s a huge part of his life but he's keeping this specific part behind a curtain for now. The fact it’s in the part of his fragment sekai that isn’t as derelict as the rest- it hurts.

Receiving Your Inspiration (A Sorrowful Farewell at the Curtain Call)

It was really close between this and Torpe but ultimately I chose this one. It’s really bright and warm compared to Rui's dark and cold and Nene's in-between and I think that's why it sticks out to me.

An Irreplaceable Smile (Smile of Dreamer)

Yumekawa sets are always some of my favorites and this set especially. Imo this is also the most “Emu” card so far like it’s so fun and colorful and imaginative

Dazzling Dream Stage (Colorful Festival)

Mary poppins nene!! Like I said with Emu this is probably one of the most “Nene” cards to me, she needs more stuff that has that classic musical theatre kinda vibe.

The Right Words to Throw (At This Festival Colored By Twilight)

I think this whole set was really pretty but this one is probably my favorite from it. I like the references to previous wandasho events and looking at this after Curtain Call just hits different yk

Flowerbed of Memories (Carnation Recollection)

Like I said with Akito this one is about the emotion. I think it captures the event story really well like if you have background context you can see all the connections to the Yoisaki family and Kanade reminiscing about that warmth.

The Silence That Only You Know (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

I had a really hard time picking my favorite but I think I’m gonna go for her archery card as well. I already said it but this set is great and I love the details in the background of this card as well.

Through Pain and Misery (On This Blank Canvas, I Paint)

I remember really well when this one leaked because it was around the time I started actively playing the game and I’m still in awe about it. It looks so good for a permanent card and we have never gotten another card like this.

Making Chocolates With Children (The Gentleman Thief's Thrilling White Day!?)

Not the most impressive choice but white day sets go hard. I love medieval/fantasy AU and this card is really cool. Also convinced that the artist does not know how heavy flagpoles are.

At Least, to Me (2nd Colorful Festival)

I love the victorian mad scientist look she’s bringing to the table. Also I like lore.

Sending My Singing Voice (On This Blank Canvas, I Paint)

Another emotion card. Rin being the one connected most to Ena and the way she’s embracing the art is so !!! It’s such a warm card as well you can really feel the way Ena feels about her craft.

Cheering For You (Colorful Festival)

The artists went all out for Kagamine fes the art looks so good. I don’t really have much to say about this one lol

Chalkboard Cherry Blossoms In Bloom (Sakura Across SEKAI, Interconnecting Our Feelings)

I love the colors on this one it looks so pretty; pink and purple palettes look so nice. Also leo/need with stars always a plus.

Reassuring Warmth (Get Over It.)

Probably my second favorite perm set after archery. I love space/sci-fi themed things and this is probably my favorite from that set. The colors are really nice and I like the lore implications of her solar system model

What Arrangement Would Be Good? (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

Shocker I picked archery again. What can I say, this set fucks.

#mod talks #asks #i'm posting this at 1am sorry for any typos

[niobiumao3]

Okay separate from 'who is Clone X' let me make an explicit list of reasons I think it's not Tech.

This is NOT to say I think Tech isn't alive. He definitely is IMO. Just not as Clone X.

So. Problems that arise if this Clone X is Tech, and would require some sort of explanation or at a minimum handwave:

Why is Pabu still standing? The moment Omega and Crosshair get away, a Clone X Tech would be activated so Hemlock can ask where they're going. Full stop. It's been way too long and that hasn't happened. An argument here could be he has amnesia. This works to explain not knowing where Pabu is, but now we're to, why was this Clone X not activated when Omega and Cross escaped? He was only activated once the other one was lost. That seems like a huge oversight. An added meta-issue here is so now we have a Clone X Tech who ALSO has amnesia. That's pretty convoluted and honestly I don't see how that gets dealt with alongside our other awaiting plot threads in the remaining episodes.

Why didn't Crosshair know? There's literally NO way Cross wouldn't have told Hunter, Wrecker, and Echo that Tech had been indoctrinated and needed rescuing, that would have been the first thing out of his mouth. He clearly doesn't do that. Possible explanation: Cross doesn't know. But these guys are clearly trained in cohorts and groups, we see Cross being rotated through with them frequently. So if Tech is a Clone X he has to have been trained completely separate from Cross. This seems odd because now two separate Clone Xs have known who Crosshair was the moment they laid eyes on him. It also adds another convoluting layer to the above: Tech has amnesia, and had to be indoctrinated fully separately from Crosshair with a totally different group or groups. Certainly Tantiss seems large enough for this but we're getting to a lot of folding layers to make this fit.

Why did Cross not break while Tech did? Crosshair talks about Clone Xs like they have a 'choice', but ofc that choice can easily be 'convert or suffer eternally'. Certainly that was implied by Cross' no good very bad time. This indicates Cross didn't break and Tech did. The man who hobbled around on a busted femur and shot out a connecting hinge without hesitation nor a waver in his hand and had the nerve necessary to race against droids. Cross says he thinks his resilience is because he's defective. He could be wrong about that, but if he's not, okay then once again, why Tech and not Cross? We could go with, well maybe Tech was badly injured and had serious trauma. Okay so NOW, he has amnesia (to explain why Pabu is still intact) and a traumatic injury, which makes him susceptible to indoctrination. Once again, that's a lot of shaving to fit this square peg into the round hole.

How did Wrecker, Hunter, and Crosshair all fight him not realize it was Tech? These guys grew up together, trained together, fought in the war together, and Hunter and Wrecker have been with Tech since then as well. How would they not recognize Tech in a fight? If we want to claim his style has changed, that runs counter to the Clone X's per Cross' description--they're not mindwiped, their memories aren't gone, their personalities aren't gone, they're just indoctrinated. Their personalities are still there, they've just been distilled into True Belief. Tech would ultimately still have Techlike tendencies, yet showed almost none of them. For example:

This guy is athletic as hell and never slips. If you go back over S1 and S2, Tech is slipping on solid unmoving surfaces all, the, time. It's an amazing bit they do for him. This guy? None of that.

I'm only slightly joking when I say, he does not one single completely unnecessary roll or flip. Tech did those all the time. He was born to be extra.

He tries fruitlessly to use his suit controls for his ship, never once makes an attempt to fix them.

Why was the throwdown with Crosshair and this guy so very personal if it's Tech and Crosshair doesn't know, having never met him? The Clone X is busy echoing Crosshair's own words to Hunter from S1 right back in his face during their brutal fight. Chances, choices, etc.; it's the same things Crosshair said once upon a time in an uglier life. This guy is a Shadow!Crosshair, in effect, which really does NOT work as a plot point if he's actually Tech (because per above, Tech would have to have all agency and choice stripped away to become this--he really, really would). This fight is personal; this person watched Cross go through the program and refuse it. This isn't someone who 'heard about' Cross denying them. Crosshair would then know this is Tech.

It is possible they can somehow explain all of this, I just don't see that happening without it turning into some sort of marlinspike-worthy twisting of the rope to work in amnesia and succumbing when Cross didn't and Cross not knowing AND Hunter and Wrecker not recognizing his fighting style. That's a lot.

Separate item:

What if it's Tech and Cross feels guilty and isn't telling anyone?

My main reason for thinking this doesn't work is that when Howzer stunned the Clone X off Cross and over a waterfall Cross failed to react about it in any way. I just do NOT think that would have happened if it was Tech and he knew. He'd have wanted to capture him at all costs and hope for SOME kind of solution, any kind.

Instead it's 'let's get the fuck out of here after we talk to Wolffe who is being a himbo about things'. Not a single thought to that guy.

I personally suspect Clone X is either a Named (Dogma, Slick, Cody, whatever) or, a random reg that Cross went through indoctrination with. They both tried to hold out, desperately. They were both about to slip. This other clone did; Cross was thinking of giving in ('I belong in here'), when Omega announces they're escaping. She saves him from that fate.

#star wars #spoilers #the bad batch #tbb tech #tbb spoilers #the bad batch spoilers

[dr3amofagame]

hot take: las nevadas four does not queue up a c!q redemption arc. las nevadas five makes some interesting forays in the direction of comeuppance but fails to make the narrative link between that comeuppance and, ultimately, any change. the reason for this is because the prison arc is inadequately integrated into ln4 and ln5. (i'm writing an ln5 essay rn and this is my prompt for you to join me in hell)

i think people who think LN was heading towards a c!quackity redemption arc were tripping fr 😭 like it's not that i would oppose the idea of c!quackity like, even heading in a different direction. but he didn't? he literally didn't. his interactions with c!slime were never examples of c!quackity realizing the dark course he was taking and changing his ways--if anything, they were a reason to double down? he makes a literal slime army in LN5 like. a literal slime army.

i feel like it comes from this misconception that c!Quackity's whole deal revolves around how he ~cares~ for people, and when he felt betrayed and whatever by the fiances and such then his heart froze over and he went for ambition instead. and therefore learning to care for something can unfreeze his heart and make him good again, or something (<- oversimplified). but c!quackity's deal isn't that he closed his heart off to love? like c!quackity's issue is that he's terminally insecure and therefore kinda terminally self-centered--even in c!karlnapity, he was frequently portrayed as being insecure as hell about c!karlnap and preferred when the attention was on him. when c!karl was freaking the fuck out at him in LN4, his immediate reaction to c!karl like having literal memory loss was to scream at him.

all of this is way oversimplified for the record but it's like.

like, c!quackity and c!slime isn't about redemption as much as it is giving c!quackity an opportunity. and what we largely see, honestly, is c!quackity caring about c!slime...and also grooming him to be like, the successor of his country, seeing him as something malleable that he could use to create another version of himself. it's not that c!quackity was necessarily seeking to harm c!slime, but was he being manipulative? i mean, yeah???

and yeah, for sure, LN4 and especially LN5 heavily suffer from a lack of the prison being properly addressed. the prison and c!dream in specifics haunts c!quackity throughout the entirety of LN--any conclusion to this arc no matter what direction c!Quackity took needed a proper resolution to the prison imo ???

like i don't hate purpled's revenge quest, but bringing it back to purpled-quackity-slime Again in LN5 after the conclusion of LN4 made that all hit a lot less hard. i liked the c!punz scene tbh and i also liked c!dream's ditching las nevadas, but that also feels a lot less impactful when he had like, five lines and barely a confrontation (fuck the internet connection there FR). like, c!Quackity rejecting change isn't bad in itself, but it feels like later parts of las nevadas emphasize his decisions less in favor of what's done to him, and what's done to him doesn't feel enough like a consequence of his own actions. furthermore, so much about Las Nevadas and the Prison (the revive book in specifics) has everything to do with self-centered ambition moreso than revenge, and it feels like that in particular gets kinda poorly addressed? like, the deal with c!Purpled doesn't have to do with revenge, he's not really taking revenge on Purpled--he is, however, ambitious and doing everything that he thinks will make Las Nevadas Great, and the whole thing with him still continuing doggedly on LAS NEVADAS!! even after alluvthat is much more of a commentary on his relationship with power and ambition than on revenge.

this is kinda scattered (like the LN finale LMAO!) but yeah. las nevadas is literally created as a response to imprisoning c!dream, the beginning of this arc happens in parallel to the beginning of his visiting the prison, so having c!dream play as small as a role as he did in the latter two streams really ends up hurting the arc as a whole when so much emphasis had been on c!quackity and ... violence? both outside of the prison and inside it. having c!quackity come to terms with the fact that he does in fact suck fell kinda flat without properly addressing the ways that he actually does suck...? anyway yeah not the best essay kat dorry

#my asks !! #kat :D #disk horse #<- not really it's just kinda crit ig #c!quackity crit #like las nevadas has a lot of loose threads in General but in a lot of ways it dropped the ball on some of the most important ones #and also im lowkey a c!slime hater on principle lmao #the acting was well done but i think a preoccupation on c!quackity and c!slimecicle in the fandom and in the actual series #led to a failure to address what was most important to the story being told #because all of it just turned into ohhh c!quackity cares about c!slime but he hurt him and now c!slime is telling him why he's a bad person #and it's like. okay and #all this being said i dont hate las nevadas including the final stream #i just think that i bit off more than it could chew a little and then prioritized what it needed to address weirdly

[briebysabs]

I got the surge of Pandora hearts love in me today. Y’all don’t understand how badly I need this reboot. I need more people to find this series. If a studio who really cares adapts ph, it will be big. Not the next mainstream shonen but considering it will be at least 80 episodes, it’ll do better than vnc. Idk how successful the vnc anime was in Japan but I’d say its performance was decent. Now while as a bones adaptation, the vnc anime is overall good imo, I’d like to have another studio. I think bones should focus on the shows it’s dumped in limbo bc mha won’t be around long. I’ve said it before, I think Shaft would be perfect but apparently it isn’t in the best position right now, at least staff wise.

It’s so hard to have this series that’s dear to you, a series THAT IS SO FUCKING GOOD, a series that could be pretty successful, not get the treatment it deserves. Meanwhile we’re given season 3 of Rent-A-Girlfriend and I wail every time. Like you know all the praise, for instance, Memories of the Future from AOT got. Rightfully so, I think that was peak AOT. Chapters 59, 65, and 70 of PH are on that level of peak fiction. And honestly ch. 70 surpasses it imo. Like that is the best chapter of anything I’ve ever read. Needless to say I love ph very much. And even if a reboot mean a bigger fanbase and thus, more exposure to bad takes, I don’t care. Mochijun isn’t perfect but she deserves her due flowers for that story. And in my eyes, she hasn’t gotten that yet. It upsets me sometimes honestly, like when people bring up the best MCs in manga 9 times outta 10 Oz isn’t on that list. Because people don’t know who he is and they should, he’s incredible.

In conclusion, I’m begging studios to give ph a chance. The fans will be there, I can guarantee you that after all the thousands of qrts and replies they’ve given crunchyroll. TRUST WE WILL BE THERE. Plus when more ppl find it’s the same creator as vnc, you can bring an audience from vnc anime onlys. And of course, Vnc fans in general will be there (bc it’s majority of ph fans but hey). And please please please....you haven’t read Pandora hearts please do. It may be slow or chaotic in the beginning but the payoff is a masterpiece.

#anime #manga #pandora hearts #ph #vnc #jun mochizuki #tumblr #oz vessalius #mochijun #PLEASE GIVE ME REBOOT #y’all if we get a reboot we gotta blow it up #ph deserves it #shonen #adaptation #studios hear my prayer #ph manga #anime reboot #fyp #tumblr tags

[bluest-planet]

Reminder that the hd remaster(?) Rerelease of both Baten Kaitos games is coming out on the Switch in like, 4 days.

Listen, the advertising wasn't that great, and even if the original voice acting of the first game was awful (but so funny and charming imo, the 'so bad it's good'), the second game honestly has some of THE best voice acting in any game I've played. Such as the main character being voiced by Crawford Wilson (guy who voiced Jet in ATLA,) or another important character being voiced by Shanelle Workman Grey (voiced Larxenne in KH.) And so much more.

The gameplay itself is a card based rpg that's very fun and fast paced! It's easy to get a hold of and influences the story itself and the world, and I've never seen anything else come remotely close to it (which is honestly why chain of memories disappointed me so much lol, like, Baten Kaitos is such a gold standard for card games.) The first game is a bit slower, while the 2nd game (the prequel) is a lot faster and has some small differences but overall it's the same principles. Combos, downward or upward counting, paring the right elements, multiples and so on. Also deck organization! As well as maintaining stuff in the real world/real time since things can spoil or change over time.

The ART direction is absolutely gorgeous, using 2d backgrounds with moving 3d models, think chrono trigger. With I believe are Arabic and Mediterranean (?) Influences, and cartography. As well as a buncha weird mixed media stuff! Honestly you can find a lot to gnaw on art wise since Baten Kaitos isn't afraid to get weird and funky! With some places looking like standard fantasy land, gorgeous cloudscape, playdough world, multiple mirror worlds, a land made of sweets and the list just keeps going. One of the most beautiful games ever, really. It's up their with TWEWY, KH, Ni No Kuni, Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, BioShock, just a whole lotta games known for their aesthetic choices.

The characters are also super solid! Solid jrpg ragtag band/trio! I love them all so much, they're all so weird and vary from age and backgrounds so again if you're into any final fantasy game or other jrpgs you'll be right at home. The story in the first game, Wings is very solid with a neat twist, and then it's made richer after when you play the 2nd game, Origins (the prequel) which gives more insight and a crazier twist... Kinda gives u a bittersweetness at the end too. Please play Eternal Wings before Origins.

And lastly; The MUSIC. My god.

It's just... Chef's kiss. Honestly one of my favourite soundtracks of ALL DAMN TIME I think I'd die happy listening to Castle in the Sand before I go. Again, like the art direction, it's a grab bag of different genres, with it mostly being rock/speedrock, orchestral-esk grand pieces with organs and harpsichord, the occasional weird synths and keyboards, to funkier grooves. Evidential Material, Chaotic Dance, both of the battle themes for each game, Castle in the Sand, Valley of the Wind- literally has no skips!! It's all honestly imo, the best of Motoi Sakuraba's work, so if your into any of his, be it the Tales games or Dark Souls you'll get it all.

Unfortunately, the game doesn't seem to be getting a physical release in the US, potential a limited run in Europe, and mostly in Asia is getting copies which is a damn shame since they already took out the voice acting, and probably didn't even do much to really remaster it. I believe it'll mostly be a basic, if a little lacking, port, but even then! I encourage people to get it! Developed by the same people who worked on the xenosaga, then onto botw in some ways and more. It's like, an origin point so so many iconic creators and developers in jrpgs as a whole. I'm honestly just happy enough to see it survive past the GameCube. Which, while STILL the best way to enjoy and experience it, isn't as viable for it to survive. So yes, I'm glad it's being preserved and hope to see many new fans prop up!! Please come join in the like, 5 people still here lol. We're few but passionate! It's like, a cornerstone of my entire life unironically. Kinda like how KH or Zelda is for anyone else.

So... Please give the Baten Kaitos 1&2 HD remasters a shot! Or at least just listen to the music damn.

#baten kaitos #baten kaitos origins #blue speaks #listen now that i have more people following me im trying to spread this hidden gem!! #honestly wanted to do a cross over w this someday... but yeah please try it out! honestly if u liked the vibe of ps2 era jrps just get it #you'll thank me i promise #me not so sublty trying to get more people into bk so i can made cute bk and kh crossover art im sorry for being cringe #if my sibling seese this post (bc its the only tag they check and its so so and small i will be found) no u didn't #stop looking at my posts brother this is fer yer damn cause!

[houseofbrat]

like i said my english is bad. when i said "rise to power" i know the monarch doenst matter, i would like to view ur opnion abt gen z and monarchy. if will someday end. when i said solution, its because there is lot of crictisim here, and i understand its ok to give opnion even u arent british. i am sorry but i didnt attack u, IMO your answer to what i ask, was little rude. i am just brazilian curious person that studies history and want to debate the future of monarchy. i like to study scenarious, since u have knowledge i would like to hear yours. its ok maybe i have to find other places i can debate, i will not bother u again.

Why do you think Gen Z matters most when it comes to the monarchy? Do you think Gen X Brits fawned over the monarchy back in the 80s and 90s and early 2000s?

If you think the British monarchy is going to end, then you need to take a look back at the last time it ended, after Charles I was executed and Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector. The British monarchy ended once already, almost 400 years ago.

Brazil has something the UK doesn't: a written constitution. People tend to forget this when the Brits talk about their "constitution" in news & political articles. They don't have one compared to all the other countries in the world. (If memory serves, there are three countries in the world who do not have a written constitution: the UK, Israel, and New Zealand.) They hide behind the "it's an unwritten constitution" trope, but it's not really a constitution. Not when virtually everyone else in the world has one.

To get to the dissolution of the British monarchy, the UK would have to actually sit down and write an actual constitution. That is such a huge political undertaking, which is why it'll NEVER happen. Just take a note from "Brenda, the Patron Saint of General Elections"

And I quote:

"you're joking not another one oh for God's sake I can't honestly I can't stand this there's too much politics going on at the moment why does she need to do it"

If you actually think the Brits could EVER handle having an elected head of state, think again.

They can't handle the level of voting, politics, and democracy that would happen if they had an elected head of state. Just see "Brenda, the Patron Saint of General Elections" for proof. Think of all the politics that happens in Brazil every time there is a presidential election there. You think the Brits could handle that? Think again.

#ask #british royal family #uk #brazil

[odysseys-blood]

ASK GAME 1-10, TELL ME EVERYTHING FOR BOTH GABRIEL AND PLUM

girl that is so many i'll split this in half and do gabe's first and plum's another day

Gabriel

1. What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

Gabe does modeling so she's on the move more often than she'd like to be so when she takes a lazy day she will do Absolutely Nothing. Judas (her youngest sibling) will come by on those days to hang out and also be her little helper for the day! Lazarus lives with Gabriel too but they're always out of the house do judas is the most reliable option. It's a coin toss on if she'll actually stay down for the full time she's off, and if she doesn't she'll take judas out somewhere for the rest of the day instead.

2. How easy is it for your character to laugh?

She's a very jovial person! I think she has one of those cutesy tinkly bell laughs. This is great for BD who would do anything to get a cute girl to laugh for him after may telling him to shut the fuck up every time he opens his mouth. even though BD probably deserves it.

3. How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

Like i said she's always in and out of shoots so she probably conks out easy but Gabe's a sleepy time tea person imo. (i say imo like i didnt make her). maybe adding in a blood capsule if she's a little hungry too.

4. How easy is it to earn their trust?

The city Gabe's in isn't the safest for humans or monster kin so she's open but not like. naive if that makes sense. She trusts you to act accordingly and in exchange she'll be on her best behavior! She is a nightmare (humanoid demon species thst feed on blood and "negative" feelings like fear or apprehension) however so meeting her is more likely to be your problem than hers.

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

Refer to above idk why these r right next to each other. But to expand a little bit the only reason you would lose her trust is if you're a constsnt promise breaker. this is why she and may have been dating on/off because while gabe makes time in her schedule all the time for may, may often gets caught up with work often that she can't really leave which has led to many instances of gabe waiting up for her at meeting spots only to get a "im sorry" text 2 hours late.

6. Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

she bites people i dont think she cares much

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

if she and judas do something like clothes shopping i think that would bring back a lot of memories for her! gabe began socially transitioning in early highschool (around judas' current age) and her mother, ezekiel, was with her every step of the way from making sure she was in an as comfortable as possible school environment, giving her a lot of support at home and ofc making sure gabe could wear whatever made her comfortable. at first gabe was wearing more subdued simple dresses like ezekiel does because she thought they looked amazing on her mother, but ezekiel pushed her bit by bit to look more at what she would want not just what she thinks would make ezekiel happy.

8. What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child.

terrorizing local kids is in the repertoire for nightmare children but it doesn't look good at PTA meetings if everyone knows you because your baby was putting frogs and worms and stuff in other kids' backpacks. you can bet gabe had nice naps from a full tummy after recess every day though

9. Do they swear? Do they remember their first swear word?

honestly i dont think she'd swear often? not from like thinking swearing is bad or w/e it just doesnt fit her.

10. What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

first time she invited mayhem home for dinner and that girl ghosted her the day of and replied hours after ezekiel had A Fit and gabe and lazarus spent hours trying to do damage control to make sure their mom didnt go and rip may a new one. was an embarassing day for gabe for many reasons and may was not allowed to try again and make up for it for a year bc its likely that ezekiel might have hurt her bad. don't play games with her babies like that

#cliff finally answers #commandersgrab #oc corner #yes i took a long time just bc i wanted to make a little gabe what r u gonna do abt it #long post

[smoothshine]

Tag game: eight shows to get to know me

I was tagged by @scienceoftheidiot and @goneadrift (thank you!! 🥺💕), and now the deal is that I get to rant about a couple of shows I like, so let's get straight to it!

1. House M.D.

- Knowing how many seasons are there in this show, I think it says something that I purposefully rewatched the full thing several times, and I probably will do it again at some point. Many characters from this series have a special place in my heart, and oh boy do I love myself a good medical drama sometimes. + the different medical cases are just very interesting for me to observe, even though I am by no means a medical specialist, let's say I know a thing or two from this field x)) (and some of you are probably aware of that, ahah)

2. Lethal Weapon

- This one is another one of these shows that I occasionally come back to for a rewatch, the chemistry between two main characters is amazing, and the main plotline is pretty good imo, + it's a classic detective-involving series, where, granted, not every case is super intriguing or complicated, but I think the characters and their development and relationships with each other - all this usually goes first when determining a series that I'll most probably like, and it delivers that part for sure! (Yes I used this specific gif because now I can't stop picturing this, but with Royais + Hughes, lolol, sorry I have a brainrot)

Also, look at this silly little totally not dysfunctional guy, come on, you can't help but love him:

3. Lucifer

- Ohohoho this one was one of the first quite long-term obsessions for me - I was watching it with my good friend as it was coming out (pretty sure starting from like, season 2 we began to watch it as it was airing, or at least I was and then I dragged this friend along for the ride, ahah), and I remember having so much fun with it - making theories, trying to predict the direction for the next season, simping over the main cast, being (more often unironically than not) frustrated with love triangles, all the good stuff. I also really like the soundtrack used in the series, and, of course, I have to mention the fact that its main leads are a blonde badass detective who is actually a sweetheart and her goofy dark-haired bastard-certified material partner who can actually be very scary and powerful to anyone but her :333

Go figure if I have a type or not, right (omg I just realized she also has a cute pet name and it's "detective")

4. Fleabag

- This one was such a pleasant surprise for me, the further I was watching the more invested into it I was getting, and in the end it turned out to be such an emotional rollercoaster, while also being able to handle a balance between more serious scenes and great humor really well. The romance plotline turned out to be very interesting too - overall, it's a great pretty short series that I can definitely recommend for people to check out at some point (I was indeed very happy when I found out @goneadrift was watching it too, hehe)

5. Sherlock (the BBC one)

- Honestly, this one is associated with many good memories for me - we used to watch it for a couple of years in a row with my parents during New Year, and it was like, one of the highlights of our celebration. Life just seemed so much easier these days, and I always remember them with warmth and joy. But! Apart from the sappy stuff - I genuinely think it's a nice modern AU Sherlock adaptation, hehe, as always, I pay a lot of attention to the chemistry between the characters, especially the main cast, and I think pretty much everyone nailed it - I find the characters from this series to be very enjoyable to watch. The other point that I want to mention here is the directing - I remember myself being very impressed by some of the shots and directing/editing choices they made there, and, of course, the main soundtrack is now pretty much engraved into my memory, hehe

(So yeah, aside from the last season, which I don't think is that bad, but definitely not as good as the earlier ones imo, it's a great show!)

6. Elementary

- Surprise surprise, another Sherlock adaptation involving detective storyline(s), who would've thought, right? Honestly, I don't remember a lot about it, since I haven't rewatched it in a looong time, ahah, but, believe it or not, I still love it and have a couple of good memories associated with it. Used to watch it during weekends back in the day when I still watched TV, lolol, but yeah, I think it's a pretty unique Sherlock adaptation, and you can definitely have fun watching it!

7. Forever

- That one is unexpected, definitely not my usual series of choice, but surprisingly I finished it pretty quickly and was glad I decided to give it a shot x)

(For the record - it's a series about a guy who works in the morgue while trying to find how to get rid of his immortality curse 👀👌).

8. Fullmetal Alchemist

- Gonna follow the lead of @scienceoftheidiot and add this one on the list too, because my god this series has me in a chokehold. Specifically Royai stuff of course, but I think in general this is the kind of anime (both FMA and FMAB btw) people who are generally not that much into anime can enjoy (I am saying as I am, apparently, one of these people, ahah). It's just a great story with a great cast and lovely imagery and soundtrack, I mean, what else can you possibly need? (Meanwhile here I am, going absolutely insane every time I think about my two beloved war criminals kissing)

O, here they are, by the way!

Aand that's all for today, no-pressure tags for @lassusog @chrysopoeias @nightofnyx8 @fullmetalscullyy @jedidragonwarriorqueen and anyone who wants to participate (also because it doesn't allow me to tag more people for some reason??), in case you feel like it! :3

#ask stuff #tag game #involving my totally normal royai obsession ofc

[seasononesam]

Idk if you've ever been asked this before, but what are some of your favourite Sam episodes and why?

hi! oh I have a Several let's see

1x14 nightmare- just a great episode of psychic sam and I love his dynamic with max. also we see him move a dresser with his mind which automatically makes it perfect and it was the first episode of the show I ever saw lol.

2x13 houses of the holy- LOVE some sam and faith, his entire speech at the end about thinking he could be saved makes me sob.

2x21 and 2x22 all hell breaks loose parts one & two- like where do I even start, two of the best episodes in the entire show honestly. not just great sam content, it's great to see the rest of the special children and azazel.

3x03 bad day at black rock- one of the funniest sam episodes imo. he literally lost his shoe...

4x21- when the levee breaks- obviously this is a lot of sam fans fave episode but it's well deserved!

5x16 dark side of the moon- seeing sam's memories and what was important to him in his past. also a great look at his relationship with dean and family in general.

6x22 the man who knew too much- I need to rewatch this one but from what I remember it had a lot of great insight into sam. also it has the "it was night, and now it's day" line which is just kind of iconic.

7x02 hello cruel world- as someone who loves sam hurt this was just like fan service to me specifically. sorry sammy!

7x17 the born-again identity- another popular one but again well deserved, I've watched this one more than any other on the list.

8x21 the great escapist- sir galahad speech. enough said.

9x11 first born- sastiel rights!

10x05 fan fiction- not really a sam episode but we got theater kid sam so I'm counting it idc.

11x08 just my imagination- LOVE LOVE LOVE everything about this episode is perfect.

11x17 red meat- more hurt sam...sorry sammy

12x04 american nightmare- can I get a reference to sam's psychic powers can I PLEASE get a reference to sam's psychic powers.

13x04 the big empty- again not a huge sam focus episode but his moments are great.

14x15 peace of mind- sastiel rights TWO

15x06 golden time- I see sam and eileen I go crazy sorry <3

#lot of overlap with my favorite overall episodes i am nothing if not basic #answered #lunavos #also i started running out of ways to say 'this episode makes me crazzzzzzy' around season 5 SORRY

[fancyfade]

Recently read golden age wonder woman TPB so random factoids:

Diana DOES buy a nurse's Identity (the nurse is sobbing about not being able to go to her boyfriend who is on another continent, she's a dead ringer for diana appearance wise. diana offers her to give her money to go to her boyfriend if she can take the nurse's place). HOWEVER Diana clearly is trained in medical care and in Wonder Woman 1 invents the purple healing ray that brings steve back from the dead, so I guess at least she presumably doesn't kill anyone?

The principle goddess of the Amazons seems to be Aphrodite, rather than Athena (tho they still do mention Athena and she is the other goddess for the Amazons). Demeter, Hestia, and Artemis are not mentioned at all as they are in post 1986 continuity.

Aphrodite is at war with Mars (ares). many of the greek gods are referred to as their roman names including artemis, who is diana in roman mythology, who pre 1986 diana is named after (post 1986 diana is named after steve trevors mother. obviously).

the magic lasso is initially something that makes whoever is ensared obey what the person who is holding it tells them to do. however in practice it seems like diana uses it to get info, so im not surprised it was later turned into a lasso of truth.

the girdle that hippolyte wears is what makes her unconquerable - I do like the perez version better here, where she is just better than heracles, no magic girdle required. 1986 hippolyte is drugged by heracles, 1942 hippolyte defeats heracles then he acts like theyre friends and she gives him the girdle when he asks for it. golden age hippolyte and the amazons are enslaved by hercules and his men and then break out and they wear their bracelets as a reminder to never fall folly to man's tricks again, 1986 hippolyte leads the amazons to slaughter heracles' men and they wear their bracelets as a reminder to never err again. in general so far perez's run had a lot more harmful rhetoric around heracles and it was pushed as a moral obligation to forgive your rapist - Hellene's doubts give some alternate viewpoints, but she never deviates from the idea that it is not amazonian to forgive heracles and she feels less of an amazon for not being able to do so, so I think the forgiveness narrative is still pushed pretty heavily. that is not pushed as much (or at all) in the golden age WW comcs ive read, but also I read like. all of perez's 50 or 60 issue run and 16 or so golden age comics.

however this is not to say that moulton doesn't also really like forgiveness and reform narratives, its just normally women who do bad that get reformed XD In fact he never really lets women be honestly evil which I find kind of boring. like they always are doing bad stuff because someone has a beloved family member captive and is threatening them. which kind of weakens the reform narrative IMO because like ? they didn't even wanna do whatever bad thing in the first place?

Aphrodite sculpted the Amazons to be stronger than men and win her war against mars. all amazons have powers, Diana is just the strongest

Amazons speak all human languages. Diana can also speak tree language. for some reason.

Amazons have perfect memories

anyway it was interesting overall. some consistent parts are Amazons initial conflict with Hercules/Heracles and Hippolyte defeating Heracles in combat, the Amazons being enslaved, and then breaking out and going to paradise island. Perez's narrative was a lot more punitive in that the Amazons have to guard Dooms Doorway to purify their souls for having killed the men who enslaved them, whereas in the golden age paradise island is treated as a refuge for Amazons and so far is not on top of dooms doorway.

#dc comics #wonder woman #golden age wonder woman #sensation comics 1942 #wonder woman 1986 #wonder woman 1942 #amazons #diana of themyscira #aphrodite #themyscira #slavery cw #rape cw

[wetalkedaboutthisshinji]

Ramblings about Chris Elman and wtf his identity even is

I'm talking all endgame spoilers for Ward so PLEASE dont read if you haven´t finished it.

(SPOILERS FOR WARD)

Eventually I'll make an actual essay about Ward because there a lot of stuff. Ward is, IMO, not bad but is such a confusing absolute chaos of good and interesting ideas that kinda get lost in the haze of insanity. Like I do think Ward is good but it's the least good of all of Wildbow's stuff that I've read and I sincerely feel if he actually editted it it would be as good or better than Worm but he wont so whatev. I guess I'll just scream to the void.

Also, OOOOOOFFF because Chris is actually a very complex character! And this complexities IMO are NOT well examined in the story proper! My hot take is simply that Wildbow just kinda....didn't fully explain or problematize or, like, made a plot of this, despite it clearly being both set up for it as well as quite honestly necessary to understand one of the main characters.

What is even Chris's mental age?

In a way Chris is a clone with all the memories of a man somewhere between 20-40 years old. He was made specifically to relive the traumatic events of his creator's life so that he would trigger in the exact same way and have the same powers, an utterly insane idea that hadnt even been shown to be possible. He retains traumas and anger from this life, despite it not being technically his own, and in his own internal narrative often sees himself as Lab Rat, the minor villain that turns out was actually one of the most powerful villains in this universe. Several people treat Chris not as his own person but as Lab Rat cheating death, coming back.

Note 1: the reveal that Lab Rat is Chris's creators is THE WORST twist Wildbow ever did. It comes out of NOWHERE, it's about a character that had NO relevance since Worm ending and no presence in Ward proper and, while not IMPOSSIBLE in this universe it takes so many unlikely stuff and leaps of logic that it just...wow. They really do it like they expect the audience to flip their shit but I had to wiki walk a lot to even get what was going on. And when I did my answer was not "Holy shit! This is crazy" but a very confused "Is that how triggers even work?"

I believe the issue was that commentors on the webpage where so filled with complex headcanons that when Wildbow decided to follow on one of them everybody that was there week by week was so busy losing their minds to even contemplate the fact that it was all kinda from left field.

Note 2: My personal headcanon is that Chris and Lab Rat have actually slightly different abilities as Chris seems more focused on serums that temporarily grant powers instead of just making monsters but that might be just how they are different in their usage of their powers --another point for "Chris is not Lab Rat" bag imo. Also he's clearly a Trump? Like, he can clearly mix powers? Isn't that OP? Why doesn't anyone react to this random suddenly becoming Eidolon Lite?

Going back to the main topic, the other thing about Chris is that in another wqay he began existing sometime around Gold Morning so he's also 2 years? He is the thingy that Taylor Hebbert helped Lab Rat toss over the ocean. The monster maker's last creation, made out of a dare, to show how great this own power really was, made to do "something big". Created out of hubris, whim and irresponsability.

Chris began existing as a literal monster without a human body, possible non-sentient, driven by "directives" that he biologically has to follow. So in a way he is kinda close to Nilbog's creations, as a byproduct of parahumans irresponsably going all Frankenstein. The way he constantly associates himself with monsters and non-humans is...kinda a point from him? And this clearly informed his actions on the Titanomaquia but it was A Bit Rushed (take a drink when you say this regarding a secondary character on Ward ending).

And like, he is also clearly dominated by the "Directives" his creator left and those drive him but he kinda rationalizes them as things that he truly wants and becomes emotionally invested in them but at the same time you could argue he IS a victim of his own creation....but nobody finds out he even has directives he HAS to follow. Not to mention the insanity of sometimes seeing yourself as a person but at the same time having orders of that same person installed since birth in your head in a way that you cannot fight.

And, like, he himself seems to be incapable of making up his mind whether or not he is his creator? Like he sometimes seems to truly believe himself to be this older man, despite the fact that he's physically another body and also began existing as a completely different being and demostrably has different attitudes and has to follow the order of the original Lab Rat. But he still has his memories, his hatred for people, his grudge against his sister. So he does have more maturity than a 12-year old. But he IS immature because he's also 2 years old. Victoria essentially forgives everything he pulls because she essentially internalizes him as even more of a child than Kenzie and, well, not wrong? His actions really do scream of a child going "You can hit me :P" at times with Team Breakthrough, which arguably are the first and only people that have treated him as his own person, something he himself is not sure he is or isn't. So he lashes out at them and constantly annoys them but it's always this extremely self-destructive thing? It's a very compelling dynamic, a friend turned enemy that kinda just wants to attention but doesn't want to admit it. He wants to be validated as an evil monster but this people have seen both sides of him and know he is closer to an annoying 12 year old that he himself will ever be to the Endbringers.

Jessica outright believes him to be his own being and sincere about heroics and when she asks him what he truly is Chris just shrugs? Because he himself doesnt know and his only real way to treat humans is lying to them so he has never been able to even be aware of it all?

And like, Jessica KNEW. And you could argue that it's a plot hole that she allowed Chris into the team because she fell for his lie and openly wasn't worried about him turning evil. But I would very much indeed like to understand what would it mean for Chris, who began life as a literal monsters during a war and was forced into memories that werent his to be trusted by another person. And what Jessica saw in him to make her believe he could be a hero.

Dont worry tho, Jessica disappears at the end of Ward and this is not examined in any way. Take a drink!

IMO the whole Chris arc is for me one of the parts where Wildbow really dropped the ball because IT IS important and IT IS interesting and there is so much you can do with it but he just kinda stays in the background most of the time.

#ward #wardblr #team breakthrough #ward spoilers #chris elman #cryptid

[stillyour-sweetheart]

Dear Annie,

What have you learned from your past relationships?

WARNING: LONG REPLY AHEAD (lol)

[also, ofc none of what I say applies to abusive relationships. If you find yourself being abused in any way, shape, or form, PLS discontinue the relationship!]

Really listen to your partner, usually a breakup isn’t just one big event that’s happened but a lot of micro events that leave your partner feeling rejected

The importance of childhood trauma and attachment styles 

I don’t believe in ‘falling’ in love but more like ‘growing’ in love. To me ‘falling’ sounds too fast and too uncontrolled. I think growing is more intentional, it’s slower. Aim for something that’s sustainable, not something that’ll fizzle out because it’s not built on good foundation. 

Love as a choice and not as a feeling. Another way to say this is: feelings are not facts. What I mean by this is that you can feel anxious and stressed out in the relationship (ever heard of relationship anxiety? Well, now you have! And I have it LOL) but just bc you may feel negatively at times doesn’t mean there’s actually a reason for that. Sometimes (depending on your personal traumas) your nervous system will go into hyperdrive in order to help protect you from some perceived danger. You’ll start to try and find reasons to leave or to justify why you’re feeling a type of way. Feelings are not facts. Don’t self-sabotage. Take it from me, please. 

How wonderfully scary yet beautiful it is to share your life and yourself with someone. I never wanted to marry or have kids growing up. But when you find the right person, suddenly all these things become more of an adventure and a challenge you’re willing to take because you feel supported in doing so. You feel like you’ll have someone to make the journey worthwhile. It’s a really beautiful feeling to change your mind/perspective like that.

To cherish every moment bc you never know if/when it’ll end

Love without holding back. If you love someone in this moment, on this day, show them. Let them know. 

Small acts add up and become big, loving feelings. 

The importance of having values and morals align. Interests aligning really helps too and makes things more fun imo haha. I think it’s because I’m kinda niche (? Does that make sense?) so there are specific things I like doing. My ex and I liked the same things so it was fun to go around and have someone to do them with. We never fought about how we would spend our very limited quality time. It was fun, it felt natural. But even with this being said…

Try out new things together because that puts both of you on a neutral playing field, no one is more ‘in control’ or has more ‘power’ when you do something new together. Plus, creating totally new memories with someone you love is just super lovely!! 

It’s really important to respect who your partner is at their CORE, not just who they are as a partner towards YOU. Does this make sense? In the same way, they must also respect you at YOUR core and who you are as a HUMAN FIRST. 

Tbh... it’s so much easier when your circle (friends + family) like your partner. I know you can’t always find this.. but honestly… it’ll take away so much unnecessary drama and stress. Get the opinions of the people you hold closest to you. Try not to find someone who everyone dislikes lol it’s not cool (or worth it) to rebel (I say this bc I used to think it was cool LOL but hopefully you guys are smarter than me hehe). 

Fighting hard (and even often) isn’t necessarily a bad sign or a sign the relationship needs to end. I think of a relationship as two people trying to fight their inner demons, but together. Get through the fights. Learn what works and what doesn’t. Learn how to communicate through them. Learn if it’s best to solve things RIGHT NOW or to give your partner space and revisit the topic later. Learn what triggers them, learn what triggers you. Not to sound like a weirdo, but I personally like fighting with my partner. I want to see them in ‘every season’ of their being. I want to see what they’re like when they’re REALLY mad. Are they rude? Do they make me feel small? Do they stonewall me? Would they call me names? These are things that are scary but you need to see. Fighting styles are always evolving the more that you fight. You CAN fight productively and soon your ‘fights,’ which would fill you with dread and exhaust you, are now serious conversations that you can manage. Remember, winning isn’t the goal. Coming back to that person and showing them that you love and care for them are. (Honestly I can go on and on about fighting/communicating. These were actually 2/3 reasons my ex broke up with me- granted… he didn’t have the patience nor determination to figure things out with me. But it’s a long and convoluted story). 

You will make mistakes. You will hurt the person you love. On days, you will even dislike them and they will dislike you. That’s okay. If they’re worth it, keep choosing them and be gracious to yourself.

When you go through hard times, both your and their character will come out. One of the reasons why I am so upset and saddened by my ex leaving me is because he was so good to me in the beginning when things were easy (no fights, everyone got along, all the people in our circle also got along, my family liked him, his family liked me, etc.) but when things got tough, and we had a rough season of a lot of fighting and pent up resentment (on his end, bc he didn’t communicate a lot of how he was feeling towards me), he up and left rather than stay to try and figure things out. Even though he had proclaimed how much he loved me all the time, would say how he’s going to marry me, how he felt ‘so good’ about this relationship and could see it ‘going all the way,’ would pretend to get on one knee and propose to me bc he was ‘practicing’ … all those things fell through the cracks when things got hard. Was he a good boyfriend? Yes- but in the beginning. Could he endure what an actual relationship takes when things get hard and rough between us? No. Real love stays to mend, it doesn’t leave when things get dark. (I am going to brag about myself rn bc I feel that it’s deserved): What did I learn about myself when things got hard? That I’m someone who stays by the person I love. I’m someone who loves hard and true. I love tenaciously. If I say I love you and I want things to work, I’ll do the work. I’ll stay. I’ll fight the fight. I’ll love you the way you are RIGHT NOW, NOT who I hope you’ll be in the future. Relationships are NOT easy , tbh I think being in a relationship is the hardest thing I’ve ever done (and I’m not being dramatic!) but it’s one of the most rewarding and beautiful things you can do. Remember, nothing worthwhile in life comes easy. I feel proud knowing that I didn’t give up and that I gave it my all, even when things got messy. Even when my ex was breaking up with me. I was sobbing and he was extremely emotionally charged, rather than worry about myself I tried to give him water to calm him down, I asked if he wanted to take a 5 minute break from the conversation so he could cool off, I kept asking if he was okay even tho I was the one clearly breaking down. I put him first even when I was hurting- bad. Looking back at how lovingly I acted not only in that situation, but in many where things were going poorly, I know I’m someone I can be proud of that would leave others in awe if they saw how I acted in times of great distress. I wouldn’t have known this about myself had I not been in a relationship. 

Give up your ego. There's no worth in keeping it. You'll hurt the person you love. In the same way, try not to be with someone who won’t give theirs up. It’ll just be hard for you, trust me. 

Being vulnerable is scary, but it’s worth it. The right person will accept all your flaws and the story that has made you who you currently are today- warts and all.   

Even if a relationship ends, there is only one you - and that is your superpower. 

Tbh I can go on and on... but I had to stop it somewhere! >.< I’m so sorry my list is so long!

I don’t know what you’re going through or why you asked me this question, but I hope there is something you can take from it.

Thank you for stopping by and for reading. I hope you’re okay. ❤️

#ask #anon #reply #heartbreak

[karalanded]

Sexuality Beyond Consent: Risk, Race, Traumatophilia

Author and psychoanalyst Avgi Saketopoulou acknowledges that many aspects of sexuality are bound up with trauma such that they are inherently risky, but rather than focusing on healing the trauma, Avgi thinks about what we do with it. Since these encounters are not necessarily possible within the realm of affirmative consent, Avgi proposes the concept of limit consent, something that probably will feel familiar for people involved in any kind of kink. I've only just finished the first chapter and there's a lot I don't understand, but so far this book is incredible. The next bit isn't from the book, it's just me thinking about how sex and ideas of consent play out in society.

I've been looking forward to this book for several months, ever since I heard it was going to be released. The way people invoke affirmative consent as gospel has honestly bothered me for years. Not because it "kills the mood" or something, but because I think it's really common for people to have positive experiences that break the rule of affirmative consent. If I tell a friend about a good experience that wasn't technically "consensual" (quotes because I don't believe affirmative consent is the only model of consent), it doesn't help anyone if they point out that my consent was violated. Worst case, that could reframe my memory of the experience from a positive one to traumatic. Sometimes that might be good and necessary, but it can also be harmful. I've had memories and experiences reframed like this in both positive and negative (you might even say nonconsensual) ways. And I think the focus on affirmative consent is part of why you see overzealous call-outs or witch hunts or shunning in some communities when certain formulaic ideas of "safe" or "consensual" practice were not followed.

I also think it's interesting that sexuality gets a special model of consent that society doesn't apply to any other area of life. To me, sexuality is very similar to therapy. You enter into a relationship knowing you're going to make yourself extremely vulnerable to another person, but not knowing how it'll go. Both sex and therapy can end up being painful experiences, positive experiences, or traumatic experiences, or even all three. A good therapist will be careful to make sure you're engaging consensually, but there's essentially no protection from bad therapists who can even take away your freedom by having you involuntarily committed. Similarly, children are legally protected from sexual violation, but they are not protected from other forms of abuse that are potentially far worse. While affirmative consent is seductive for it's simplicity and specificity, it's an overly simplified black and white model for a complicated subject. It prevents us from taking valuable risks (like Avgi argues), while diverting focus from the (imo) more fundamental but politically fraught principle of bodily autonomy. I think Avgi is charting out a better model for understating consent and sexuality.

Like I said, I've only just started reading this book. It's pretty heavy on philosophy and psychoanalytic theory for my science brain, so it's slow going, but so far it's absolutely fascinating.

#sexuality beyond consent #Avgi Saketopoulou #traumatophilia #trauma #psychoanalysis

[alenadragonne]

15 questions, however many people

Tagged by @rosieposiepuddingnpie (was finally able to have the time and memory to actually do one of these lol)

1. Are you named after anyone? My dad actually! His name is also Bobbi. Except it’s spelled the masculine way. And he’s technically named after his grandfather Robert.

2. When was the last time you cried? It’s actually been a while now. Long enough for the short term memory to forget how long it’s been. But it’s usually quite often for one reason or another. Perhaps it was right around Christmas?

3. Do you have kids? No but I want kids so very bad. I love children so much. Every age group is great for different reasons!

4. Do you use sarcasm? Naturally? No. If I was taught it I never would have used it or realized it existed. I’ve forced myself to use it but I really only do it with people I super duper trust because I’m often mistaken for being completely serious. It’s not a concept that comes easily for me.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people? How they greet me, if at all. How they hold themselves, are the being forced to introduce themselves? Are they making the first move so to speak? Is their handshake confident or slacked? Do they even bother with a handshake ( understandably of course, Covid is still alive and well). Then it’s physical stuff like hair, eyes, and mouth. I stare at peoples mouths when they talk so really it’s probably mouth and teeth right after eyes.

6. What's your eye color? Hazel, but like REALLY dark hazel. They are a perfect mix of my moms very dark brown eyes and my dads dark green eyes. So they look brown from afar until they get direct light then you can see the inner ring is more green and the outer ring is completely brown.

7. Scary movies or happy endings? I like both, it really depends on the expectations the movie sets for itself. Like if I go into a happy movie and I’m scared I’ll be upset. But scary movies should be scary imo. I also hate spoilers and love surprises so I try to avoid spoiling myself.

8. Any special talents? Uh drawing? I guess. But I consider that more of a learned skill than a talent. I just started young. I’d say as far as special, I can make a clown horn noise with my throat by restricting air flow and then breathing fast. Kids love it, and honestly adults do too.

9. Where were you born? Texas, been here my whole life. :/

10. What are your hobbies? Drawing. Recently got an iPad and Apple Pencil and the barrier for my brain to start drawing is was less. Booting up my laptop often was too many hurdles and it made me draw less. Also reading fanfic for sure. I’m constantly looking for good fics. (I’d write but I’m ass at writing and the thought of posting any of my shitty writing makes me feel ill)

11. Do you have any pets? Yes!!! I have two sweet boys named Faendal and Chonk. Faendal is a shelter mutt. He’s white with very light tan spots and big ole pointed ears that stick straight up. And Chonk is a Pittbull, Labrador, Husky mix. Yeah you read that right. Although he has none of the physical traits of lab or husky. He looks Pitt but he’s got the braincells of a lab and the mouth of a husky.

12. What sports do you play/have you played? No sportsball. I danced competitively in highschool though on the local drill team. And I was what my friends so lovingly called a “mathlete” since I was like 10. I competed in mental math basically.

13. How tall are you? 5'4” ish

14. Favorite subject in school? Math, Physics, Art

15. Dream job? Gosh idk if I have a dream job anymore. When I was a teenager my answer would have been pediatrician. But now idk. I toy with the idea of doing art for a living. But I’m afraid of the job market and I’m not good at selling myself. And also do I wanna make my favorite hobby my job? And then I’m rather good at math so I should utilize it right? That’s what every one tells me. “You have such a unique skill set being so good at math, it would be so easy to get a math degree and a great job.” But would I be bored? Idk that’s a loaded question.

Idk who I should tag 🤔 perhaps @naked-aardvark (although you never do them ಠ_ಠ) @theheightofdishonor if ya feeling up to it. And of course anyone I didn’t tag and wants to!

[amaradangeli]

I don’t mind a slow burn, but Ashley and Chris aren’t really doing anything to help Chenford along.

These two are just needless filler imo. They could have gotten the same points across for Chenford without bringing in these two. We could have still had a slow burn without these two. Take Densi for example, slow burn excellence without the needless filler.

For there to be a slow burn, there has to be the burn part there too.

Well, I suppose the burn is in the eye of the beholder. Because I think we've done a LOT of smoldering and are gearing up for some good slow burn.

Chenford has spent 4 seasons (and about 2 years) transitioning from the people they were when we met them to the people we have now. The Tim we met would have been a terrible love interest for Lucy. He was in a bad place after a bad end to a marriage with someone he loved a lot. Lucy was undergoing a HUGE life change (and that was followed very quickly by a trauma she needed time to heal from, even if the show itself did a terrible job of framing it that way). So we can pretty much discount the first 3 seasons in terms of ship development. That was prep-work. That was turning Tim and Lucy into versions of themselves that would be good for each other. It was also giving them the necessary foundation for the way we saw their relationship shift in S4.

In S4 we saw them change from a student/teacher dynamic to something more equal in footing. While Tim still outranks her, of course, she's not a trainee anymore. And while she does serve as his aide, it's clear that there's a partnership aspect at play. They developed a friendship and shorthand. They built common memories and found common ground. They shared personal details of their lives with one another. And they did all of that while entertaining relationships with other people. And here's why I think that's important.

While I do agree that decoy relationships aren't necessary to make slow burn work, I do think that both Chris and Ashley had a function.

Lucy hasn't had a serious relationship. And while Chris might not have been her choice initially, her choice to continue to date him was telling. Chris, on paper, is a great match for Lucy. But ultimately, he demonstrates several times why he isn't (like her parents, he encourages a different career path; he definitely isn't checking in with her about where she is in the relationship, as is evidenced by his push for her to meet his parents when she doesn't want to, and the fact that he doesn't clue into that is telling).

Ashley serves as a similar illustration for Tim. On paper, she's a good match. Understands cops, is pretty laid back/easy going. Compared to what he experienced with Isabel, she's "easy", which he needed but ultimately, they're not a good fit because they want different things. And I'm not just talking about a marriage and kids. Tim demonstrates he's willing to work hard for a relationship by trying to fill those gaps, and expressing to her that he wants to, during the time when he's not into trying new things and doesn't have a sense of adventure. But at the end of the season we see that they ultimately do want very different lives.

All of this is a setup, I think. Because one of the things you do in storytelling is compare and contrast. The best way to drive home how well Tim and Lucy are going to fit is to contrast it to how they *don't* fit with the partners they had before. This was the writers playing the long game, folks, and I think that bodes well.

Anyway, all of that is to say that we have had a beautiful foundation laid for Chenford, and that means that S5, even if it throws more wrenches in the works, has so much potential. How fun will it be to watch Chenford navigate whatever is in store, knowing that underneath, the bones are good? This is solid work. And honestly, in my opinion, a LOT more interesting and a LOT less nerve-wracking than if this had come out of left field.

So I know the slow can be frustrating, but the payoff here is going to be so sweet. I think it's worth it at even twice the price.

#amara answers #chenford #the rookie #S5 speculation