#feeling very Conflicted but I think ultimately sad

[p1utofairy]

PICK A CARD: “when i look into your eyes, i know it's real.”

★ which romantic tropes will you and your fp embody?

DISCLAIMER: 18+ mature themes. take what resonates leave what doesn’t. this was such a cute idea – thanks for requesting this anon. 💞 i hope you all enjoy!

— PILE ONE.

tropes → star-crossed lovers, forbidden love & opposites attract.

there’s a distinct polarity in you and your fp’s personalities & backgrounds, pile 1. you’re more reserved, cautious and patient and they’re more free-spirited and spontaneous. they say whatever they want and deal with the consequences later; this isn’t in a bad way either, i’m more so picking up that they like to stand up and fight for what’s right. they could be an activist of some sort. they’re confident and brave, and you’re really going to admire that. as far as finances go, this person has MONEY, like big money! they either come from money or they are in a profession that pays extremely well and that’s where i see the forbidden love trope coming in to play.

remember how allie in ‘the notebook’ comes from a wealthy, privileged background, while noah is portrayed as more working-class? the contrast in their backgrounds and personalities added depth to their relationship and created a lot of tension and conflict, but ultimately it made their love story more compelling and dynamic – that’s what i see here with you and your fp. you’re tired of over-working yourself for low pay and working jobs that don’t fulfill you financially, mentally and emotionally. you feel stuck…wondering when things are going to change. i see someone looking out of a window in a house, there’s a strong sense of longing and their eyes look sad. they’re waiting for someone or something to arrive, but when? you’ve been telling yourself to keep going and keep pushing through, and then you will see progress and reward in the long run – very saturn/saturnian energy.

it’s interesting because you’re looking for a way out of your situation and your person is looking for an adventure. your fp is very comfortable financially, but they’re lacking in their love life. right now they’re very much single and they’re fine with that, but that fiery energy that burns inside them can’t be dimmed for long. when they cross paths with you they’re gonna be awestruck like “whoa! who is that?” lol. your fp might have some sagittarius/fire sign placements, or they just carry themselves very pompous and matter-of-fact, which might throw you off at first. that’s why i was also picking up on that opposites attract trope because princess belle & the beast from ‘beauty and the beast’ immediately came to mind. belle loved her books and independence, which was a stark contrast with the beast’s initial gruff and hot-tempered nature. you might think they’re a bit arrogant at first, but once you get to know them you’ll understand that there’s layers to them.

their family plays a big part in their life, which ties into the forbidden love trope because i’m ngl their family lowkey can be a lot to handle. as i said before, some of your fps come from money so some of their families might be a little snooty and strict like allie’s mom from ‘the notebook’ but i think with patience and time – you and your fp will learn to not give a f*ck what their family or anybody else thinks. this relationship is destined and you’re meant to show each other the different aspects/complexities of life and love. the energy is very reminiscent of mr. darcy and elizabeth from ‘pride and prejudice’ like remember how much longing and yearning it took for them to finally be together?! it was sooooooo worth it.

additional messages → wealthy, 2 years from now, ego, aries, very lowkey, the blackest day by lana del rey & cultural differences.

— PILE TWO.

tropes → second chance & age gap.

your fp is dominant af, pile 2. they possess everything within reach, and they’re admired by many. you may establish boundaries with them from the very beginning and they will respect that, they value you and wouldn’t dare do anything to hurt you. however, despite the love, passion, and devotion that will be present in this relationship, there will also be a need for compromise. it seems that this relationship will fulfill your hopes and dreams, but it will also come with its share of responsibilities. in the early stages, both you and your fp will feel a strong urge to make your relationship official and commit to each other. whatever you need or want – they will provide for you. you may not have expected to fall for them, but you couldn’t fight the obvious chemistry between you two. i picked up on the age gap trope mainly because they have provider energy. for some of you, they might already have a kid/kids? your energy feels a little bit more flighty and young. you like to be in your own personal space most of the time, and not everyone understands that, but your fp will.

actually, i think the idea of compromise i was picking up on earlier has to do with your personal space. you might be a bit of an introvert and the idea of constantly entertaining someone 24/7 and not having a moment for yourself is a bit jarring to you. now i’m not saying this person is taking your autonomy away, what i’m saying is that there has to be some sort of balance with the give and take in this connection. it’s reminding me of olivia pope and fitz from ‘scandal’ like one minute he’s showing her the house he had built for them in vermont and then the next scene she’s crying that she needs space and they can’t be together – like OLIVIA what’s it gonna be?! it’s like your heart is saying yes but your mind is saying no.

you’re gonna have to use your discernment and figure out if this is what you want – true commitment. it’s gonna take trust and dedication to make this work, pile 2. it might get to a point where y’all take a break and you choose to see someone else, and then you realize how much of a greater difference your fp makes in your life. they’re your home. that's the second chance trope coming into play. wow, pile 2. this is a very dynamic and complex relationship, but that’s what keeps you two going and loving each other through thick and thin.

additional messages → infrunami by steve lacy, you will meet through friends, extremely dedicated, workaholic, ass kisser, there’s someone in your inner circle you need to cut off, moving abroad, younger sibling & love drought by beyoncé.

— PILE THREE.

tropes → high school sweethearts & enemies to lovers.

your fp is the life of the party, pile 3…sometimes to a fault lol. they’re capable of being responsible and making good decisions, but sometimes they just say f*ck it and wild out. they can be impulsive and unpredictable at times which is quite the opposite from you. i’m picturing haley and nathan from ‘one tree hill’ and kat and patrick from ‘10 things i hate about you’ AND no by meghan trainer just randomly started playing in my head. i’m honestly so amused by this energy cause you’re like “nope! you’re not gonna fuck my life up.” being all dramatic 🤭 and they’re like “what?! me? i would never!” lol there’s gonna be a lot of witty banter between you both. your friends are gonna encourage you to just give them a chance, cause it’s obvious that you do like them — you just can’t stand how “friendly” they are.

your fp is extroverted as hell and loves a good social outing, whereas you on the other hand, rather curl up in bed with a good book or binge-watch your favorite shows/movies in the comfort of your own home. there’s this energy of “been there, done that.” the party scene just isn’t it for you anymore, and you’re content with that. this connection will really help your fp mature and get more in tune with their emotions, instead of masking them behind reckless behavior and nonchalance. that high school sweethearts trope really comes through strongly, not in the sense that y’all are actually in high school, but that nathan & haley vibe – that puppy love! once y’all are together, nobody can tell y’all shit. you and your fp will RIDE for each other.

nathan and haley definitely had their ups and downs, but they always found a way to make it work once they put their egos aside. haley brought out a side of nathan that nobody else got to experience but her. sometimes butting heads is necessary, it helps you confront things within yourself that you don’t always want to acknowledge. you’re so nurturing pile 3, you bring water to their fire. i don’t see you immediately jumping into this relationship, but that’s the beauty of it. that’s where the enemies to lovers trope kicks in, you’ll have to warm up to them first before you truly understand who they are at the core. your fp is used to fast-pace, hot n’ heavy, fleeting relationships but this is stable. this is pure. they’ll realize you can’t rush true love like this, it’s the journey and build-up that makes it so magical.

additional messages → 1st house placements, sagittarius, very soon, get out of your head, nice and slow by usher & family feud.

— PILE FOUR.

tropes → friends to lovers & forced proximity.

your fp has very high-energy, pile 4. i feel out of breath like i just got done doing 8 different tasks at once lol they might be very athletic or they just like to keep themselves busy. you and your fp are opposites, but the more you get to know each other, you will begin to realize that you have a lot in common – i’m hearing that you two will have a lot to talk about. sometimes you might find yourself holding back from saying things that you want to say in fear of judgement but with this person that anxiety goes out the window. they want to hear your thoughts and ideas, because they truly value your wisdom and knowledge on certain topics that they might not have been aware of. i’m hearing that they want to know your lore lol this is too cute. maybe you’re really into movies? marvel? fashion? idk there’s something very specific that you could go on and on about for hours and hours.

that’s why i picked up on that friends to lovers trope because i feel like they will show immediate interest in you and want to pursue something more, but you’ll be like WOAH hold it there…let’s build on this and see where it can go, no rush. i’m ngl pile 4 they might have a bit of a reputation or vibe of being a player…which will make you hesitant as to whether or not you want to take this seriously. i don’t even think you two normally run in the same circles – this is more like a chance meeting. yup here goes that forced proximity trope, you’ll probably meet them in some sort of unconventional way and be “forced” to spend time together.

you and your fp kind of remind me of holly and eric from ‘life as we know it’ which is a very underrated but amazing rom-com. i don’t think you’ll initially hate them per se, you’ll just be a bit cautious of them and wonder if they’re actually being genuine. however, by spending time with your fp, you will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for them; which will then lead to you falling for them and establishing a close bond. you two might’ve gotten off on the wrong foot and then after a proper conversation with them you’ll be like: huh…you’re not so bad after all. there’s this flirty energy that comes in the form of sly/sarcastic remarks, and you’ll come to realize that it’s their own way of saying “i really like you.” it’s giving 2000s rom-com lol hot n cold by katy perry just came to mind.

the sexual tension between you two will be palpable, your friends will be like just f*ck already!!! this relationship will have it’s fair share of ups and downs, but that’s what will make it worth fighting for; nothing and no one is perfect and you will learn that in this relationship. no one could ever compare to you in your fp’s eyes – they will always have love for you even in the moments where you two don’t see eye to eye. the difference in you and your fp’s personalities will be what draws you two together even more.

additional messages → jealousy, jealousy by olivia rodrigo, lots of traveling, you manifested this, different lifestyles but we’ll make it work, your angel guides got your back & when one door closes, another one opens.

#pick a card #pac #pick a pile #tarot reading #p1utofairy

[sunxstreaker]

i don't really get simpatico but i would love to understand it more bc its such a big part of transformers now. if you're willing, you can do that big post on simpatico here?? if you wanna??? i'd really appreciate the help 🥺👉👈

The thing with Simpatico is that i didn't exactly Get it at first too, most of my exposure was through fan content and reading the thing i was just Yeah it Makes Sense people ship this, but then it kind of bestowed on me more how these two people are just two parts fitting together perfectly in a way they wouldn't with others, and it's not even inherently Romantic to me, even if i see them as very much in love and conjunxed post MTMTE/LL story.

Their relationship is quite silly in the context at first. Brainstorm's profile calls him a conflicted Perceptor fanboy. The only thing we get, up to this point, is his Annoyance with how his genius is overshadowed by Perceptor. While Perceptor doesn't seem to give him his time of day at all, more concerned with his work and what Rodimus wants from him than what Brainstorm is up to.

It's honestly just my personal interpretation of either characters, but Perceptor is finally allowed to fullly get back to science again, he's not expected to be holding his sniper rifle (even though he was never expected to! He had himself believe that holding a weapon will make him of more value!), while Brainstorm is there with his own super secret super important agenda.

Brainstorm is, apparently, an MTO, while we don't know what for, but MTOs have a very sad track record and usually have a lot of baggage as they're usually "born" and then kicked into the heat of battle, barely having any chance to learn who they are, just what they're for. Yet Brainstorm has never killed anyone - and despite that, he's still LIED about being an MTO.

Here they're talking about the concept of Constructed Cold, but there were TWO waves of them - pre-war and post-war. What Brainstorm is talking about he was not even born to witness yet.

They're both people who, one way or the other, "defying" what they are. It's a common theme with tf ships for me, but in case with this, it's Perceptor believing that he has to be more, and at the point of MTMTE, perhaps, not feeling entirely whole, and Brainstorm WANTING to be someone He actually Wants to Be.

Brainstorm feels threatened when his intellect is belittled by people calling Perceptor the genius. Brainstorm is quite egotistical and selfish, but it all ends up being just a facade, just as much Perceptor's cold and perfect exterior he cultivated throughout years during the war, of someone he thought his side needed.

Up until Brainstorm's time travel shenanigans, we saw them interacting sometimes, and a lot of the time, it was Brainstorm trying to impress Perceptor somehow, or just being himself that draws attention of Percy nevertheless.

And then we see Percy smiling the most he's ever smiled throughout the comic, calling Brainstorm a genius himself, impressed by the intricate work of Brainstorm.

Perceptor gets up to clap for Brainstorm at his trial, and i think it's the moment that sold Perceptor for his respect to Brainstorm. Everything he ever knew about Brainstorm - the careless egotistical and cowardly scientist - turned out to be nothing but means to an end, making way to a dedicated, caring, kind and brilliant person into his mind.

I think their finale just says it all regarding these two, honestly.

"I always wanted recognition for what I am."

"Me too."

Brainstorm spent his life on science and to be recognized. He didn't hide the fact he's an MTO just because. He wants to be seen for his achievements. Perceptor's war trauma had him feel useless to his comrades, who's "purpose", who's Genius, was ultimately the thing people saw in him, brushing off his personal achievements, maybe even the fact he could be more, his person, the way he feels Brainstorm could understand, too.

They're simpatico for a reason, and its just one of them, but pretty crucial and at the very core of why they're so compatible.

While i understand simply thinking of them as "science duo" they're so so much more than that.

#deadlysoupy #ko tf posting #I'd get more into each of them individually but i spent almost three hours skimming through the comic for pages #the whole thing with brainstorm and thr reasons of his time travel #then perceptor being among the mutineers #perceptor with the wreckers #its all worth talking about. but not tonight #so i focused on their interactions here first and foremost

[fangirleaconmigo]

I've been thinking about this for such a long time, and here's my treatise on Our Flag Means Death and Gentlebeard just randomly on this Wednesday afternoon.

Maybe it sounds odd but OFMD perfectly illustrates how gender roles are a trap. If you fail at your gender (Stede) you are alienated from society. BUT if you succeed at your gender (Ed) you are alienated from yourself.

Here's why this creates the perfect romantic conflict.

I usually don't care for romances because the conflict feels forced, or it undermines the connection. But Ed/Stede is amazing. And I kept wondering how they captured my imagination so completely.

Well, they have a real connection, and the conflict is fascinating and credible, based on this gender trap.

Their connection is joyful and touching. Ed's delight at everything people mock Stede for, oh my god. My heart. And Stede encouraging Ed's interest in things he's not 'supposed' to have interest in? The fine fabric? Perfection. No notes. Love it.

And then the conflict is really the trauma and effects of this gender trap. They cannot see the damage the performance (or in Stede's case, the lack of ability to perform gender) is causing the other. They idealize the other because they have what the other lacks. Here's what I mean.

Since humans need connection Stede's punishment for performing gender poorly is the ultimate one-loneliness and rejection from his 'own people'. Humans cannot be alone, we are not meant to be an island, and to be rejected by EVERYONE that brings him into the world? *insert zuko's that's rough buddy gif*

But when he meets Ed, Ed only sees Stede's freedom (his incapacity to pretend he is anything but who he is) and admires and covets it.

And since Ed's success in performing his gender is a self perpetuating trap, built brick by brick on a foundation of suffocation of the self, his spirit is dying.

But Stede only sees the admiration and approval of others that he has built up around himself. He yearns for that.

So you have two people, devalued for who they are, one who can only be himself but is mocked for it, and the other who is not himself, and is drowning, but surrounded by people who admire him.

So yes, they truly see and value each other. But because they have never paid the exact kind of price the other is paying, they cannot see it. As a result, they can't see how bad those insecurities are. They can't see why the other might want a little of what they have.

I just found it absolutely incredible seeing them figure it out and find a true connection. I loved watching them build that found family around themselves. Ed had to be strong enough to be who has was with his crew, and learn to value them for who they were as well.

And Stede built a family of people around him who valued what he brings to the table. Many of those were the same people, but they had to learn to value him (after suffering Ed's approach).

I know it's a really silly show and very heightened, so you can't be too literal about everything, but it is a show with a good heart that has two romantic leads that paint an incredible picture of the two sides of the gender/society coin. It was very satisfying for me to watch their journey.

I'm sad it's cancelled but I'll be a Gentlebeard ho for life.

#our flag means death #ofmd #stede bonnet #edward teach #gentlebeard #ed x stede

[gacha-incels]

Been boycotting limbus but it's a bit disheartening seeing everyone continue around me with this passing intl women's day. I don't know how to convince my friends to stop without getting into an argument because they're all knee deep into these games. But my real question was.. why? These people are boycotting other products for other things, why are they so adamant with sticking on this when it's proven to have harmed so many people in the small team that made it?

Had a discussion with one who is boycotting and I feel like that "political correctness" seeps into the themes of the game, actually, despite how people tout it as the ultimate anti capitalist game; The City is suffering, workers gruel and die at the whims of corporate overlords, people struggle to find housing, and whatever the fuck Carmen's doing in the light, while it could help people survive longer, is just giving everyone guns ignoring the power structures underneath. It's very strange to me now there's.. no suggestion of uprooting the system at all in the games. No true strikes or protests or even any mentions of unions as far as I know. There's no effort to change what is given

[outside of the seed of light project, which 1. famously Didn't Work and 2. having everyone manifest ego is still just giving everyone guns and going "now don't shoot each other!"],

which is very strange and kind of sad? Like sure maybe an arbiter or something would come and tear it down but surely people would come up with countermeasures? People are really good at adapting around things out of desperation, and surely at least an effort would be mentioned

And then my friend, she suggested something; without project moon's suffering, there would be no project moon. Without the city, project moon can't make games. To end the hell that the characters are in and truly resolve the city's hypercapitalist dystopia, they must stop making money off of them. But they don't want to. They definitely DO want to make more games, noted by the interviews which mention future game concepts such as the distortion detective visual novel. But in order to do so, they must keep the current games "clean" and consistent in their suffering to perpetuate conflict. There is some commentary about capitalism to be had; but it feels more like a "oh, look, people are dying, this is so sad" layer of paint on it at this point rather than something more in depth and meaningful. And I think in enforcing this sort of "we can't fix the system in any meaningful way, let's just live our lives instead and hope something better happens" mindset, it reflects into the players. Kind of ironic how the anti capitalism game must sustain its own horrible systems internally so the owners of the series can: make more money through a very predatory money making system, no less!

Limbus fans don't give a fuck about feminism in kr, they think its a system they cant help fixing so they just play the game as they please and any attempt to disuade them is met with a "stop ruining my fun!!" And "who cares?" The worst ones are the ones who KNOW their money is being funneled into stupid misogynistic shit but don't care! It's insane! I've never seen this level of apathy towards a serious issue before!

Sigh. I hope this ramble is coherent. If I missed talking about something or if you want me to talk more I'm game. Project moon's characters are some of my favorites but you have to admit the themes are surface level shit at some point, especially in later installments of their games. So tired but I'd figure I'd share my thoughts somehow. Take care account admin, youre doing gods work

yeah regarding your first point about fans that keep playing, back in August there was a discussion on this blog here regarding contemporary fandom “culture”- how it makes dropping a piece of media hard for some people and why they feel so quick to defend it. the nature of gacha is also that it gets you into the habit of doing “dailies” which makes them harder to drop, this is not even mentioning sunk cost fallacy. I’ve seen a recent post on the FGO subreddit asking why people still play the game and the top posts by a longshot were ones saying only because they spent so much time and money on it. For a lot of people (even people who think themselves progressives) misogyny is a non-issue as well so they will not take the situation in South Korea that seriously to begin with. This is in addition to it happening to “other” or “foreign” women in the eyes of the western fan. There is also an aggressive “fuck you, I’ve got mine” attitude some of the fans who want to keep playing have in regards to these women. It’s disturbing to watch happen but unfortunately not uncommon. I find some of the worst of it, in this situation specifically, is when westerners try to tell Korean women (who are boycotting and spreading information) that they are the ones spreading misinfo, or there’s no reason for them to boycott, how it’s not that bad for them, how PM actually didn’t do anything wrong, “both sides” are crazy and wrong, “let people enjoy things”, shit like that. like doesn’t it raise any flags for you that the people most affected by PM’s actions, Korean women, deleted entire accounts of fanart, took back fanmade items from PM’s cafe, started a boycott of LC and made posts in english to try and get the word out to international fans? you must think they’re idiots if you believe this is all some misunderstanding and vellmori quit of her own free will. Come on. imo it’s impossible to make any meaningful statement critiquing capitalism when you’re writing it in a game that uses one of the most exploitive types of gambling mechanics. I hope I don’t have to explain to anyone why this is absurd. You don’t need to expose young people to gambling addictions in order to fund new games. At the same time, things an author writes (or things that the reader infers from the writing) do not always reflect their ideologies or actions in real life and they can sometimes seemingly be at odds with one another. This is something fans have to reckon with, and not just by saying “actually hatsune miku made limbus company” or whatever. Personally, I can’t take PM’s “anti capitalist” or “feminist” or “revolutionary” work seriously when in reality they have mistreated employees, sued labor unions, acquiesced to incel demands and then later added a meme into the game from that incel community. On the other hand people struggle to believe Project Moon could do anything wrong like this because of the stories in their games so they vehemently defend PM, which at some point just feels naïve. well hopefully this is the type of answer/discussion you were looking for lol thanks for writing 👍

[sunsetconcert]

In 1994, the Muppets made one of their most bizarre films to date.

An adaptation of Goncharov, a cult classic that languished in obscurity until the 2020s. While the film was referred to internally and in public reviews of the film as "The Muppets of Naples", the actual marketing of the movie instead titled it after its main lead: "Gonzorov". This was one of many enigmatic choices made by the production crew, and has never been elaborated on by the cast or crew. The film was a gigantic flop for multiple reasons, but most agree that the source of the troubles stems from the nature of Goncharov as a tragedy and a generally depressing movie to watch.

Reportedly, conflicts among the writing staff began almost immediately due to being unable to decide on which cut of Goncharov to base the film on. Eventually, however, director Brian Henson put his foot down and forced the writers to adapt the Ambrosini Cut. Generally agreed to be a less depressing movie than the Morelli Cut, it was expected that "Gonzorov" should have been a much more entertaining and narratively adept movie than it was. As the Muppets proved just two years later in "Muppet Treasure Island", they are very capable of handling otherwise dramatic material with aplomb. This leaves the question of why this movie was such a flop.

To quote Kermit the Frog during the interviews after the cinema debut, the movie was allegedly emotionally draining for the crew to adapt. "You know, we have a script. Mostly. But we do a lot of improv too. I'd wager it's about 60% script, 40% improv on a good day of filming. But, uh… We just weren't feeling it with this one, you know? We watched the original, and… Boy, it's really sad. Goncharov's just kind of a lonely guy trying to make himself a life. And it's not a good life, but it's his to own, and it ultimately kinda falls apart. Gonzo tried to make the role his own, but I think we all realised that we couldn't really make a joke out of the movie in the way that we wanted to."

The Muppets were skillful enough to change the genre to an absurdist tragicomedy, a film where the tragic and meaningless cycle of violence is paradoxically played for laughter. However, despite this, the film is well-known for its bizarrely melancholy air and almost hopeless atmosphere. Everybody seems thoroughly certain that their improv will have little to no impact on the film as a whole, creating a strange and compelling meta-narrative where not even the actors themselves can escape the almost gravitational pull of the ticking clock. Their characters will die, and any attempts to joke their way out of it comes off as desperate, almost deluded in a sense.

The original Goncharov held a deep fascination with inevitability. Clocks are the primary theme, though it appears in other forms. It is this same inevitability that strangles the Muppets, their impressive comedic skills held captive by their own belief that the narrative is inescapable.

Of particular note is the bridge scene, wherein Gonzorov and Katya (played by the dazzling Miss Piggy) discuss the slow collapse of the Italian mafia. The original Goncharov scene had Goncharov desperately trying to hold things together, even as they slipped through his fingers, but here… Gonzorov realises that it's pointless. He can't fix it, but at the same time he can't let it go. He begs Katya to shoot him. Cut to the chase. She's going to shoot him anyway, that's how the movie ends, right? Might as well go out on his own terms. But this horrifies Katya, and she throws her gun away, accidentally saving Gonzorov in the process.

This adds a new layer to the themes of inevitability that Goncharov is wrapped up in, and it's this: Inevitability goes both ways. You're going to die, but only when you're meant to. You don't get lucky. You don't have accidents. Inevitability is a ticking clock, but that countdown is a safety net. As long as you can still hear that clock ticking down, it means you've stitll got time to burn. When a bomb is counting down, just five minutes until it detonates, you do everything you can to buy yourself more time on the clock. Even if all your effort only gains you an extra second, that's what you have to do, right? A single second is worth the blood of innocent men.

But again, inevitability. That second you earned cost you minutes, cost hours days weeks months years. The clock WILL run out.

[read more]

#goncharov #the muppets #the muppets of naples #unreality

[babyangelsky]

BL Challenge 2k24 ✨Day 8✨

Hello and welcome to @negrowhat's 15 Day BL Challenge! Full challenge can be found here.

The Trope You Hate Except When It's "This Series": Forced Separation with a Time Skip Cherry on Top

♡ gif by @radishayuan from this set

Except when it's My Only 12%

This show. This show is the source of the majority of my beef with New Siwaj and yet, I love it beyond words. I really do. It's the third BL I ever watched and it has a special place in my heart. I don't know what the hell P'New puts in his shows that makes them hit like nothing else. I have to be in a very specific mood to rewatch this show but when I get into that mood, I have to rewatch it because nothing else will do.

Now let me just say, I truly and incandescently hate the forced separation trope, but it's so much worse when there's a time skip added in. When it's done poorly, it's usually because the writers wanted to throw in a last second conflict before the end of the show (usually in episode fucking 11) just so they can resolve it in five minutes in the finale. I hate it and it needs to die.

Even when it's not done poorly (because it's rarely done well) it's usually still frustrating and devastating. Like what did I personally do to deserve this? Someone is always going to study abroad or getting transferred abroad or making a deal with someone's disapproving parents or moving to the U.S. and going radio silent for FIVE YEARS GAO SHI DE WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON Y—

*ahem*

But! My Only 12% is the only show I've seen where the separation and time skip don't only work, but are necessary. I just really wish it had been done better.

♡ gif by @loveisactivated from this set

As heartbreaking as Cake and Eiw's separation was—and fuck, it was brutal—I do really feel like it needed to happen. Eiw's entire universe revolved around Cake and his entire sense of self was tied to Cake. Eiw needed to grow and I don't think he would've been able to do so nearly as well if Cake and the comfort zone he provided were there for him to fall back on. Cake's absence didn't only give him the space to become a more self-possessed person, it forced him to become one, even if initially it was for Cake's sake.

Which is why I'm so sad we got to see so little of that separation, and therein lies my beef with New; if the show hadn't turned into an anti-smoking PSA and had everyone crying for the last two episodes, there would've been enough time for both the separation and for Cake and Eiw's relationship to develop after they got together.

Cake wasn't gone for even one entire episode! Yes the time skip needed to be condensed, but the four years they spent apart were an important part of the story! There needed to be more time dedicated to them. If they'd spent just one more episode with Cake and Eiw separated, we could've seen more of their development.

I wanted to see my sweet boy Eiw grow up and become more confident and make new friends and adjust to university. (I also wanted more of him and Title but that's purely selfish because I'm a Title Tanatorn girly and I can't believe I didn't get to see them kiss even once) I wanted to see Cake really coming to terms with the fact that he was always in love with Eiw and with his sexuality. I wanted to see him miss Eiw the way we saw Eiw miss him.

♡ gif by @loveisactivated from this set

Their reunion would've ultimately hit that much harder and been that much sweeter if only we had been given a chance to really sit with their separation.

Not to mention that because the pacing was done the way it was and because we got the ending that we got, we only had like five minutes of Cake and Eiw's boyfriend era before everyone started crying! THAT IS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, NEW!

♡ gif by @krystaljungs from this set

Look at them! We deserved to see more of this! We deserved more of them just being happy and disgustingly in love! After all that pain and pining you're only going to give me five minutes of happiness?! You're going to hurt my queer feelings for half a show with the sweetest childhood friends to lovers arc I've ever seen and then drop the ball and not make it up to me?! NEW WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON Y—

#BLChallenge2k24 #cakeeiw #earth katsamonnat #santa pongsapak #my only 12% #my only 12 percent

[ven0moir]

ONE SIDED LOVE IN ST ... SPOILER ALERT: BYLER IS NOT ONE SIDED.

In S2, the show gave us examples on how they set up a requited vs one-sided love triangle ... and what's interesting about it was that Mike mirrored BOTH parties; the one who got their feelings reciprocated and the one that did not. Take a look at how it was blocked.

In the very first scene of the season, Lucas tells us what's going to happen; 'Princess Daphne' aka Max in this analogy, will end up with him (this was confirmed by the Duffers btw. This dialogue foreshadowed Lucas ending up with Max).

When they first see Max, she's introduced as the new student, aka, she is alone/has no friends. When Mike first saw Will, it was the first day of kindergarten and they were BOTH alone too. Then, Dustin and Lucas both approached Max and asked her to join their party. Mike approached Will and asked him to be his friend.

Mike is mirroring both Dustin AND Lucas, which is also why there were TWO Venkmans but Mike insisted they can only be one. (In meta dialogue, only one would get together with their love interest.) Now, I believe this is all FORESHADOWING Mike and Will ending up together (I don't think Mike was aware/had feelings for Will yet)

When they all go trick or treating, Dustin and Lucas end up spending the night with Max while Mike ends up spending it with Will back in his basement. (It is unclear how long they all were trick or treating for/how long Will stayed over with Mike but since it was established they'd be picked up at 9pm, I'm going to assume that's how long they were together)

Now this is where things shift a bit and it is then Will who mirrors Lucas; they both tell their love interest about the supernatural, and ask them to keep it a secret from others.

Then we see Dustin find Dart and get distracted from his crush on Max by taking care of someone mysterious that is unknown to him but fascinating and intriguing. Sounds familiar?

(I might have to make a whole ENTIRE post on this alone tbh, since there's a limit to how many screenshots we can post but boy, these parallels are quite telling.)

In Mike's case, he also sensed that El would be the key to finding Will. Now before you call me a weirdo for this comparison you need to remember that the Duffers did call Eleven and Mike the 'ET and Elliot' of their show. There are blatant ET & Elliot/Mike & Eleven parallels in the show. So Dustin & Dart/Mike & Eleven parallels were done intentionally.

I mean, even in an interview they said Mike felt like he was taking care of a puppy or something like that, which these parallels bring home. What I think they are trying to portray is their CURIOSITY, not any sort of 'love at first sight' instance. Hence why Mike also has parallels to Benny in the way he met Eleven, because he did see her as a person and not some sort of 'pet' or experiment. (I will actually make a post about this since I feel like it deserves the context, but we'll leave it at this for now).

The party split up after they met in the AV Club to discuss Dart. Lucas and Max got closer, Will and Mike got closer, and Dustin went off on his own, then eventually ran into Steve.

And then when the season closes, this happens. Now what's most interesting about this is how Mike is mirroring Lucas. Eleven showed up and he gets to dance with her instead, just like Lucas is dancing with Max (and he even copies Lucas asking Max to dance).

However, he is also mirroring DUSTIN.

Mike looks sad/conflicted because Will is now dancing with a girl, and we see Dustin staring sadly into the distance as Lucas dances with Max. We also see Dustin dance with Nancy-someone he idealized and at some point had a small crush on, but that eventually he will also let go of in favor of someone he connects with better, just like Mike is dancing with Eleven.

I think that what this set up ultimately foreshadows is that Mike's relationship with Eleven was never meant to be a long-term thing. Whether you think Mike is gay or bi, his feelings with Eleven never developed in this way because they were never able to fully connect romantically.

If we think about how Dustin, the one in the one-sided end of things, closed the season, then we would expect Will closing up S4 similarly, correct? They had Dustin close the season dancing with someone else after getting his heart crushed, and Max with her actual love interest, Lucas.

The last time we saw him, he was moving on from Max, so it wasn't a huge surprise that the next season he had a new love interest. It was expected given how S2 ended for him! His crush on Max was hopeless.

It is worth mentioning that Dustin only knew Max for a WEEK and that storyline was still handled with a lot of respect for his feelings. The show didn't make fun of him for it nor did they punish him. He didn't even get flat out rejected-He never confessed to Max nor did we see his feelings develop beyond just a simple crush. But it was clear how Max had chosen Lucas. Dustin didn't need to tell Max that she was The Heart for her to confess to Lucas, did he?

So if we think about Will ... he ended the season standing in a literal field of flowers next to MIKE. If Byler was truly one-sided, Will would've closed the season very apparently MOVING ON from Mike, with Mike very apparently CHOOSING El.

Instead, the show set them up to still be a TEAM in S5. They left the season in a literal cliff hanger in this regard because Byler getting together is going to be HUGE. I am assuming they will go all out. And I honestly cannot wait to see what they do with them.

#byler theory #byler proof #byler is canon #byler is edgame

[izzysillyhandsy]

What do these 2 (grainy) pictures have in common?

"Can't believe I was living like this", "I feel like a million bucks actually" - great! A step in the right direction. He's on the way to healing - it's a new day!

Except he's not.

These manic phases are so over the top they're a little creepy. They're also extremely short-lived. Both times it seems to be Izzy who snaps Ed out of it and takes him to new levels of cruelty and desperation.

"No more booze, no more drugs, and more importantly, no more Izzy!" - Ed said it himself: "I got all the poison out of my system".

So what is Izzy to Ed? Poison? A reminder of his worst traits? An anchor chaining him to a past he feels no longer a part of? A mirror of his self-hatred to pull him down off any shaky ledge he's climbed? Or a constant reminder of Ed's perceived inability to love (and be loved)?

I am struggling to define their relationship, there are so many conflicting emotions there. This strong bond of trust and loyalty, of mutual love (I've said it before season 2, and I'll definitely say it now. I don't even want to qualify it as "toxic" or "unhealthy", there is real love there). On the other hand, Izzy's refusal to acknowledge Ed's desperation and sadness, and Ed's yearning for a new start and getting rid of all the ballast (including Izzy, maybe especially Izzy). Knowing the other one so well, and at the same time misunderstanding each other constantly. Being tired of each other.

Both are restricting the other from growth or change. Both, I think, kind of always expected to die together. Both feel, deep down, that they can't live without the other. Both would like to cut this tangled connection, but they're always being drawn back in.

One line I found very interesting was Ed's "We could have worked this out!" after the duel. How??? How do you break that chain?

I think it had to be like it ultimately played out - both of them cutting themselves free by almost dying, going as far as they could and, finally, being reborn. Ed, by the love of another. Izzy, by being an indestructible fucker (and protector of the crew of course).

We will see how their relationship evolves, or if it's just over (who am I kidding, of course it's not over. But it's a new start for both of them, and about time!).

Tl;dr: if was a crewmember on the Revenge and walked in on Ed looking chipper with a basket of bottles under his arm I'd run away as fast as I could.

#ofmd season 2 spoilers #ofmd s2 spoilers #edward teach #izzy hands #ofmd #I hope this makes sense #I also hope it makes no-one angry #I live for those 2 and their bond

[eff-plays]

On these notes, can I umm ... have Tavs who are like ... their own people. With personal issues and hangups and conflicts and preferences. I need Tavs who have spines, who don't just exist to be soft and gentle for Astarion's sake, who don't exist to be therapists for him. Like I get it, it's self-care for writers to some extent, but it just makes for such boring reading when a Tav is always 100% understanding and pliable for Astarion. When they're head over heels instantly and understand him perfectly with minimal explanations. When they can somehow tell, feel his pain through nothing but his eyes. After knowing him for days, hours, seconds.

Need Tavs who don't let him drink from them and/or tell him to only bite enemies because it's more pragmatic. Tavs who don't get off to his bites and in fact find them painful and inconvenient. Tavs who disagree with him to his face. Tavs who call him out when he's being a cunt.

"I didn't tell anyone you're a vampire because it's not my secret to tell" but why? He never asked to keep it a secret, and he attacked you. In your sleep. You owe him nothing, and he could pose an active danger to the others if you don't tell them? How do you know he doesn't? He's done nothing to earn your trust, yet you offer it anyway. And you're not written to be stupid, just that you innately know he's important/damaged somehow, so what gives?

It annoys me that the only time meta knowledge is used it's in his favor. Like Tav just knows he's good deep down somehow. Despite him being a huge cunt constantly. Like, he kills Tav if they fail to make him stop. Without remorse. He even jokes about it later when they have the audacity to be upset about it. But that's never even a fear some Tavs have. When it makes far more sense to be suspicious he'd do that than trusting him instantly.

And another thing like ... So many Tavs are just orbiting Astarion. Just straight up fail to make connections of friendships with anyone else. They'll also have some sad backstory of course, but only Astarion is somehow aware of it, he's the only one who has any insight into their inner turmoil while everyone else doesn't give a shit, I guess. Which is just. He gets to both have the benefit of the doubt and special insight and understanding of Tav. He gets to have all the cards.

Where's the mess. Where's the conflict. Where's the intrigue and fun of two actual individual people learning to overcome their differences and/or finding comfort in their similarities?

Idk I realize I'm barking up the wrong tree because this is generally the state of most fic and the romance genre in general but it's extra evident in the Astarion fandom where he's elevated to the status of the ultimate victim and ultimate sex god so any conflict is untenable because he's soo vunlerable and sensitive and all situations must have him coming out on top or else it'll be ... idk, problematic? Abusive? Traumatic to him? What's the reason?

It ends up just doing him a disservice? Part of what makes the romance so compelling-in game (at least the Spawn route) is that Tav challenges him and his assumptions. That they push back. But in fic these Tavs "push back" by just accepting his bullshit with a smile and waiting for him to realize he's being a bitch on his own, I guess. He's also rarely allowed to be silly or cringefail, which he canonically is, and he's so coddled that it makes it look like this grown-ass man can't handle anyone disagreeing with him or teasing him, so he's always paired up with the most weaksauce spineless soft quirky manic pixie dream Tav imaginable.

Like. It's always "Uwu how can I make him happy? Anything to make him happy!" What about you hon? What do you get out of this relationship, babygirl?

And tbh this is headcanon of course but I just don't think he'd respect a doormat Tav very much. He needs to be sprayed with water every now and then. For his own good.

Whatevs. I mean write whatever you want. But. Man. I just want more cool Tavs. And less stunted and flattened Astarion who can't take a joke or a goof or a gaff, who's always too cool to fail or be wrong.

And before someone says "this is why Durge is better!" I have no interest in Durge and do not read Durge fic sorry. Also that wound't even be true.

#bg3 #'noo tav makes him realize the world is a good place by being kind and patient' ok but can they not be kind and patient at their own expens

[explosionshark]

my favorite Miorine thing is that she's so laser focused on suletta to an almost comical degree. prospera reveals that she wants to ruin delling's life (like, her dad, who is dying at the hospital) and miorine goes "ok but leave suletta out of this!". near the end prospera goes on a tirade about eri and miorine, pissed out of her mind, says "you have another daugher! suletta, remember??". i love her.

LIKE. YEAH.

I think the show does a really good job acknowledging that 1) Suletta and Miorine both have REALLY different methods of parsing their emotions and expressing themselves and 2) holy shit they're fucking IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER FOR REAL

You really cannot meaningfully analyze these characters and the decisions they make and the way they relate to each other without keeping their toxic relationships with their parents in mind. There's SO much projection going on - Miorine project herself onto Suletta and Suletta projects her mother onto Miorine.

When we meet Miorine she's isolated and miserable and her only concern is to spite her father and secure her own future. She feels at once dismissed by Delling and also oppressed and controlled by him. Suletta and, subsequently, Earth House are the only real connections she's made with other people. It doesn't take very long for her priorities to shift from getting herself away from her father to providing for her groom and gund-arm.

By late S1 she's undergone this massive shift - she's in charge of a project she chose, working with people she cares about. She's got two things she never had before: autonomy and support.

When Miorine hurts Suletta's feelings by trying to take greenhouse duties away from her, by endorsing her spending time with Elan, she is trying to give Suletta the most important thing she can think to give: autonomy. Freedom to choose how she spends her time and with who. It's a great conflict because it's such a revealing miscommunication. By projecting her own feelings and trauma onto Suletta, Miorine misses what Suletta actually needs. And it beautifully foreshadows the conflict in s2.

Bc the turn in s2 is that Miorine needs to reconcile the version of Suletta that she has come to know and care so much about with the Suletta she was confronted with at plant Quetta. Correctly, Miorine identifies that Suletta is being manipulated and controlled by Prospera. But she takes it further - she overlays her own parental trauma onto Suletta. Miorine sees herself and her father in Prospera's control over Suletta. Worse even: to her father, Miorine was a chess piece in reserve. But Prospera isn't holding Suletta back from anything to preserve her though: she's putting her on the front lines. She's using her as a weapon. And Suletta lacks the perspective to see it.

Suletta is, it seems, incapable of conflict. She can't stick up for herself. We see this all the time but especially in the whole lunch fiasco when she decides everyone hates her because she's too sad to ask for food. Miorine, on the other hand, actually has an easier time expressing conflict and disapproval than she does vulnerability. Calling out Prospera for the way she dominates Suletta makes perfect sense because Miorine has been calling her own dad out for the same things pretty much her whole life.

So, ultimately, Miorine deciding that she has the moral right and authority to make decisions on Suletta's behalf is a great piece of character work. The thing she spent her whole life resenting her father for becomes exactly what she does to Suletta.

Suletta projecting her mother onto Miorine is definitely another part of the dynamic. Again, it's something we see most in s2. Right before the sabotaged duel, we see this moment of total cognitive dissonance in Suletta's thinking. Miorine and Prospera come to hold fully oppositional places of importance in Suletta's world. She ascribes basically an equal level of authority to them.

She loves her mom > her mom loves her > her mom would never make choices against Suletta's best interests > whatever her mom says must be right > if it hurts or if it feels wrong, it's because Suletta has to be more mature. And at the same time she loves Miorine > Miorine is smart and capable > Miorine wouldn't make a wrong decision > if she hurts Suletta, it's Suletta's own fault.

After she loses to Guel, Suletta copes by blaming me herself. She doesn't know how to be angry at someone she loves, but she does know how to feel shame for not being good enough. She wasn't the victim of a cruel betrayal, because her love for Miorine means she CANNOT be capable of doing something that bad. It becomes instead a failure of Suletta's - if she has been better, Miorine wouldn't have abandoned her. It's her own fault for losing and for wanting more than she should have in the first place.

It's the exact kind of broken, warped thinking she applies to Prospera. And it's why Prospera is exactly right when she tells Miorine that she too could get anything she wants from Suletta.

This is why I love the reunion so much. It's so explicitly about owning your own actions and allowing the person you love the space and freedom to decide how to respond. Suletta extends her hand. Miorine decides to meet her there.

Suletta chooses to risk herself in the Calibarn. Miorine alone respects her choice enough to raise the permet score, even if she breaks down immediately after.

Anyway wow I'm fully brainsick about these two. Sorry for that long ass rambling reply but oh my god I'm in a chokehold atm

#the witch from mercury #the witch from mercury spoilers #WOOOOOOO

[sweatertheman]

oh boy more ralsei thoughts, hope you like those

i see some stuff with ralsei being used for horror sometimes. i kind of get it, because ralsei IS very much unstable, but i do take issues with the execution.

one form of ralsei horror is the idea of him being "yandere." this doesn't work for me. while yes, ralsei is desperate for the love and attention of lightners (kris in particular) he thinks of himself as beneath. he is weak, his life holds no significance outside of serving a higher power, he possesses no free will, stuff like that. the idea of forcing someone to stay with him against their will, and abusing them into loving him, is something he just wouldn't do, let alone could do. while ralsei doesnt enjoy being left alone or mistreated, he's very good at crushing these feelings. all fear is buried, all resentment turned inward, all sadness distracted from. on top of this, even if ralsei lacks a developed sense of right and wrong, ralsei believes that doing harm to a lightner is one of the wrongest things he could do. in a sense, Ralsei is a Puritan. he's not a misogynist, but he believes that he and all his fellow darkners are born into a meaningless and sinful life, and that they can only find meaning and be cleansed by serving their gods. he suppresses all his individuality, and is rude to people he thinks are "bad." for ralsei to act selfishly and maliciously towards his gods would be massively out of character for him, since even thinking about doing that sort of thing would have him hating himself.

another strain of ralsei horror is... i guess eldritch horror? the idea of ralsei as a mindless puppet of a malicious entity, who does horrifying things with a sweet smile on his face, like some sort of siren luring you into a trap or something. this is inaccurate to canon ralsei, but i think it could work, since ralsei would like to be thist. he possesses free will, and is capable of doubt and regret, and he hates that. ralsei's ideal self is perfect and obedient, never doing wrong by whatever higher power he follows (lightners or the prophecy), doesn't think, doesn't doubt, and is always happy. whether or not the power he serves is malicious, ralsei would absolutely choose to become a mindless drone if he could, and even when he possesses free will, he encourages others to pursue this as well, and this is where the horror comes from. one day you might see him and he's not himself anymore, and he might try and make you like that too. even then, even as just himself, there's a demon inside him that wants him to destroy himself and become an empty husk that serves obediently, a demon placed there by trauma, broken ideology, and fantasical narrative. he's effectively been brainwashed, and the horror comes from the idea that one day he might fully succumb to that. it doesn't help that this ideology literally tells him "being obedient to lightners is the only way to be happy."

sorry if these thoughts are disjointed.

as a finshing note, mindless drone ralsei WOULD imprison and manipulate you on orders from a higher power, because he's incapable of deeper connection or internal conflict. if you didnt want to obey the prophecy, he might lock you up until you agree to help, but at the same time he'd be smothering you with love and affection and indoctrinating you into his cult, because you're a lightner. and that's legitimately scary. normal ralsei wouldn't do that, especially not now, since he's growing as a person. he likes and cares about kris and susie beyond them being lightners and delta warriors. he wouldnt want to lock them up, and even if he tried to indoctrinate them, he'd feel guilty and ashamed over it, and he'd care that they were upset with him. mindless drone ralsei wouldn't feel conflicted, because under his rigid programming, he hasn't done anything wrong. he's treating the lightners well, and even if they're upset with him, he's ultimately doing the right thing because the prophecy is the ultimate moral good, and he's just helping them onto the right path.

#deltarune #ralsei #utdr

[lanymme]

It’s the last couple hours of Lone Trail. So I need to leave my thoughts on the lobby.

“A new age is upon us.”

You first open up the event and hear this song:

You know that it’s a tipping point. The song is sweeping, emotional, almost epic but so very vulnerable, melancholic, like setting off into the unknown with a long journey behind you. You can sense immediately that it’s the final chapter of the long arc of Rhine Lab, and the stories of these characters are going to reach their conclusion.

Everyone is standing on a different plane, looking in their own direction. Muelsyse and Saria are looking the same way, but they’re far apart, standing on different ground. Silence and Saria are facing opposite each other, walking the same ground, like they’re going to pass: Muelsyse and Ho’olheyak are on the same plane, but not facing one another.

They are a collection of people, on their own journeys: they just happen to all be in the same place.

The story is much this way. It’s about isolation and alienation, longing and vulnerability: every character is on their own journey, with their own aims, and their own feelings. Saria’s devotion, Silence’s resolve, Ho’olheyak’s desperation, Mueslsyse’s despair, and Kristen’s dream. Some conflict: some head in the same direction: some walk together.

It’s a story about Rhine Lab itself. How it started, how it will end up, what it has done. The society in which it grew, and how that shapes it:

It’s a story about humanity, life on Terra. About hope, and death, and change. Their place in the grand scheme of things, in time, in space, traveling alone in the dark: about the difference between a closed sky, and one that contains the universe.

And the song keeps playing, every time you finish a stage, every time you come back. It carries the weight of all these themes. It’s a lonely song, sweeping, emotional: and it’s sad. Everyone is setting off into the unknown, walking their path alone with long journeys behind them and an uncertain future ahead.

“A new age is upon us.” The point of no return is long in the rearview mirror: the rubicon has been crossed, and however it turns out nothing will be the same again.

Something is coming to an end. Life on Terra, our understanding of it, will not be the same.

You can hear the tragedy and the beauty hanging in the air.

Because ultimately, it’s a story about Kristen Wright, whose dream built this place. It’s about people remembering her, loving her, hating her, and following her; guessing at her location and her motives and being wrong. It’s about the people in her life, walking, briefly, in the same direction as her: about how nobody could ever truly walk with her; about how she carries love for Muelsyse and Saria with her into the sky: about how she says goodbye to them, one by one, as she continues on the path she’d always planned; about how they fall away from her, one by one. About Kristen, pioneering a path into the future that everyone can witness but no one can follow.

At the end of it all, it’s just Kristen, leaving terra through the whole she made in the sky: the newest and brightest star.

She’s turning out the light for the long journey into the unknown, a lone trail up from the earth through the sky and into the stars, with so much love left behind her.

And as you listen to that song (sweeping, emotional, vulnerable, reflective and melancholic), floating in the dark on the tide of your feelings as you think back on that long journey, as you imagine those aching, tearful steps into the future, you can hear clearly now the cadence of unbearable, overwhelming grief in those huge, sweeping swells of music, and their lingering cadences.

#arknights #lone trail #i just looked up the CG for the initial splash and i swear to you i didn’t read it before writing my analysis of it lmao #well then. good night Lonetrail.

[bird-inacage]

Love in the Air: The Importance of Prapai Setting Boundaries

The commendable behaviour displayed by Prapai continues this week, I’m delighted to say. Last episode Prapai didn’t kiss Sky, because he said he made a promise to Rain he wouldn’t do anything whilst Sky was in his care. But this episode further proves that Prapai has intentionally set himself the objective of refraining from intimacy with Sky, until he is well and truly ready.

So I believe Prapai’s reason for doing this are:

1. He wants to prove to Sky that he’s serious about him, and is interested in more than just sex. Therefore he has to connect with him on a personal and emotional level, and prove that the sex is secondary to that. I think Prapai is now very aware of how much their one night stand has coloured Sky’s judgement of him, and so he’s working really hard to reverse that.

2. Prapai has spent at least 3-4 nights by Sky’s bedside, and seen his nightmares. He knows something traumatic is haunting Sky, and already suspects this has something to do with a past relationship. Ever since learning this, Prapai has been very mindful about Sky’s consent before doing anything that may make Sky feel more uncomfortable.

Setting boundaries is extremely important because Prapai is trying to earn Sky’s trust, and that will only be possible if Sky feels safe with him. This is especially important in Sky’s case, because he has trauma associated with physical intimacy.

Sky is still insistent on the notion that Prapai is only interested in sex. And you can tell that Prapai is genuinely hurt to hear that, after everything he’s done. I think Sky does in fact know that Prapai’s intentions are genuine, but hasn’t allowed himself to accept that as a possibility yet. This is actually a sign of an inner conflict he’s having with himself, rather than with Prapai necessarily. Sky is still not 100% comfortable or prepared to let his guard down, rather than he truly suspects Prapai’s motives. If he continues his rebuttals of Prapai, he remains within control and at a safe distance not to be hurt.

What I also really noticed this episode is that Prapai is very intently watching (on many different levels). He’s watching over Sky, but also observing, seeing, looking at Sky. Registering. He’s seeking to understand Sky better, and searching for cues. By doing this, he’s getting increasingly attuned at reading Sky and knowing how Sky feels, which allows him to respectfully respond in the most appropriate manner. This links back to Prapai’s realisation of the damage the one night stand did, and how he’s actively making an effort to stand back and really observe. He did pick up on some warning signs that initial night, but didn’t give them much thought. He probably feels guilty about that now, and so wants to do things right this time round. He wasn’t lying when he said he wanted them to start over.

And why is Prapai watching? Because he wants to know what makes Sky happy. He’s seen Sky’s pain and his sadness, and he desperately wants to see Sky smile, and be a comfort to him when needed.

This is key, because its a sign of true, selfless love. Love is when you wish for the person of your affections to be happy, regardless of your participation in that. Love in putting someone else’s needs and wishes before your own. For Sky, Prapai is willing to hold back, he’s willing to wait, he’s willing to play just a guardian for now. Prapai’s desires are very simple at present. Yes he ultimately wants Sky to be his boyfriend, but he’s completely content just to have Sky’s attention for the time being. To have Sky respond to him positively and not push him away. He just wants to be close to Sky, and for Sky to feel comfortable around him to let him be close.

Something else really important that Prapai has also displayed is open communication. He lays all his cards on the table. He’s honest about his motivations, his shortcomings and that he is serious about Sky. He’s honest about his recent stint of abstinence and the other dalliances he had prior to that. He’s honest about the fact that holding back is tough for him. He’s not going to lie to Sky and pretend he’s suddenly not thinking about sex or intimacy at all. He’s just trying to prove to Sky that there’s more to him than what Sky may have initially believed, and he’s trying to show Sky that sex is not what is driving him right now.

In the episode 11 preview, it appears that Sky decides to pursue the relationship, and in doing so, his first inclination is sex. I cannot stress enough, this is extremely loaded. As we see from Prapai’s slightly panicked reaction, he actually tries to stop Sky. 

Sky is someone who desperately wants to please people. He will willingly give up himself and do whatever necessary to make someone else happy. We can suspect this is what he did for his ex, which put him in an incredibly vulnerable position to be taken advantage of. Due to that toxic relationship, Sky probably now thinks he has to exchange sex to secure and keep his partner’s attentions and affections.

Prapai knows for a fact that Sky is not okay, and suspects that his trauma is connected to sexual intimacy in some way. Prapai has seen first-hand that Sky is still very much suffering from that, and therefore is understandably concerned when Sky wants to be intimate with him, as he may be doing so to just please him. And the last thing Prapai wants is for Sky to continue doing things for the sake of others without considering his own feelings.

Sky says, “I’m giving myself to you” but doesn’t seem to understand that this doesn’t have to be sexually. Both characters are moving towards a place where sex isn’t a means of trade or a transaction, its an act of love.

#LITA #love in the air #love in the air series #love in the air episode 10 #LITA analysis #LITA meta #prapaisky #prapai x sky #sky x prapai #we were all paranoid about the MAME-isms that may appear in this series #but so far i am both pleasantly surprised and relieved #consent trust and communication is massively important guys #glad we're seeing these healthy habits developing early

[milquetoast-on-acid]

Heroes is the best damn episode of Stargate.

The political intrigue, Hammond as the proud papa who just wants to protect his people, emotional AF, the complete heel faced turn of not only this episode but the characters.

emotional AF, 😭😭 Janet just dies suddenly out of freaking nowhere it's completely unexpected but oh so devastating, Jack almost dies and scares the absolute shit out of Samantha Carter. Everyone dealing with the death of Janet in their own particular way.

the complete heel face turn of not only the episode but the characters. Because let's talk about that. The episode starts off as some rather annoying reporter trying to get a scoop. It starts off relatively light and comedic. Then delves into emotional, political and at the heart of it, what it says about sacrifice and the importance of freedom of the press. 🙆🏻‍♀️ The very best of Stargate episodes deal with ethical quandaries like this.

So interesting seeing how each of SG1 deals with their interviews which ultimately feel utterly in character for every single one of them.

Jack and Teal'c both have no time for this kind of bullshit. Teal'c just decides to sit down because he's ordered to but, boy that doesn't mean he'll actually answer the questions. 😆 Jack just deals with it by avoiding it until Hammond (or maybe Daniel 🤷🏻‍♀️) ultimately change his mind.

Daniel fucks with Bregman something good. "Why are you running?" "I just wanted to see if you would follow me." 🤣🤣🤣 Gotta love Daniel for doing it and then proceeding to mess with Bregman the entire time. Even when he's answering the questions he's being deliberately obtuse.

Sam is the only one open to the interview and she's awkward AF on camera. 😆 I think the assumption is that because Sam is beautiful and smart they think that means she's going to be instantly great on camera. One of my favorite things about Sam is that she's kinda socially awkward. Because Sam is such a super woman already it makes her feel more realistic as a character. And really explains how a version of Sam could be as awkward as Mobius Sam.

Even though I saw this show years after it ended (I'm a relatively new fan). I was still scared that Jack had died even though I knew he was going to be a guest in the later seasons of the show.

Sam getting hugs from Teal'c and Jack. 🥺 Both of these scenes are equally heartfelt. Sam must have been so conflicted about how she felt, sadness over Janet dying and relief over Jack not dying.

I really thought it was the right call for Sam to list the names of the people that Janet saved and how that's who she was and what her legacy is all about.

While I thought it was a great idea to end the episode with Jack finally sitting down to that interview. As a wonderful heel face turn/full circle kind of moment. I was utterly disappointed that we didn't actually get to see his interview. Because the entire episode leads us up to this moment only for us to not actually see it. 🤨 But that's a small nitpick in an otherwise amazing episode.

#stargate sg1 #Stargate #sg1 #sg1: heroes #jack o'neill #sam carter #daniel jackson #Teal'c #janet fraiser #General George Hammond #sam x jack #sam and jack #sam/jack #otp: always

[seasaltmemories]

The Question of Dark Aono's Role

I don't want to make any definitive statements towards Dark Aono's role in the story on either a literal or metaphorical level. It feels like there is still a lot Shiina is holding back about him; however, I feel like for all the terrible horrors he could represent, at this it is pretty clear Dark Aono is not just a simple abuse allegory

Like I get why it might appear that way early in the story, we don't actually know Aono that well, and neither does Yuri, and stories of men turning "into completely different ppl" once locked into a relationship do exist, what Aono does with his limited agency speaks in direct opposition to that. When he feels he crossed a line, he isolates himself from Yuri and tries to stay away from her. In the cannibalism dream sequence he begs Yuri to run away from him even when she is determined to feed herself. Much of his greatest conflict is about being stuck in this monstrous role and trying to self-sabotage himself.

And like perhaps this could be a seen as a messy representation of the honeymoon phase of abuse, where apologies are made and the abuser is extra affectionate to make up for it, but I lean away from that bc we have much better representations of that in the familial stages. Midori and Hitomi both tend to follow up the worst of their wrong-doings with explicit apologies and excess affection, sometimes immediately after the incident. The Aono to Dark Aono cycling doesn't hit nearly the same beats, even when taking into account the supernatural elements.

While I don't want to lock myself into one interpretation before the story is finished, I always come back to the stairwell incident. Where Dark Aono is shocked in Aono when Yuri informs him he sounds like Midori for saying exactly what his Mother used to tell him. I think of how when he regains control, it is usually followed by shame and self-loathing, sometimes simply saying that his behavior was "weird' or outright calling himself a conman.

It is such a tricky situation bc to me Dark Aono has distinctive quirks and differences from our Aono in attitude/speech/everything, even when both characters try and manipulate others, they do it in very different ways. Yet for as drastic as the switch can be, he is never so clearly an alternate personality or entity taking over. Aono has stated outright that the further in the story he goes, the more aware he grows during this shifts, and many take place specifically due to Aono's emotional state rather than any outside taboo breaking. Dark Aono is both something alien, something intrusive, yet also a painfully familiar thing that clearly originates in himself

In the end I am reminded much more of how the aftereffects of abuse haunt even relationships formed years after escaping the situation. Aono was taught love is choosing one ultimate idol and doesn't realize how fucked up that is until he finds himself parroting the same words back to Yuri. Aono reverts to a child-like state and tries to prove both to others and to himself he is worthy of love when he realized he fucked up in some way. He excuses all his self-destructive self isolating coping mechanisms as necessary even while calling out those same traits in others

But as man-painy and gross the premise of "guy keeps hurting his gf even though he doesn;t want to bc mommy issues and that makes him sad" could be, what makes Shiina's writing compelling is she makes it clear that the one suffering the most here in the present is Yuri. Having sympathy for Aono doesn't make her situation any less worse, and from where volume 10 ends off, there are things Aono needs to answer for that can't be explained away by spooky occult shenanigans. I feel like Aono's ultimate role as either ally or antagonist will be determined by his choices in the end, no matter how many or few he has. There haven't been any easy answers in the story and so I don't except to suddenly discover them this late in the game. But regardless of how it plays out I can't help but already praise her for putting such an interesting and unpredictable spin on "dark alter egos" in a genre that can be overstuffed with them.

#seasalt talks #i want to hold aono kun so badly i could die #aono kun ni sawaritai kara shinitai #aono-kun #aono ryuhei #ryuhei aono #meta #spoilers up to volume 10

[grasshopperdoingdogpaddle]

Depending on how the episode is written, I think Omi is usually depicted as Raimundo's best friend. It's been a while since I've seen the show, but I think Omi and Raimundo have the closest relationship out of the four dragons?

You could make the argument!

It's more that, among the four monks, the interpersonal relationship between Omi and Raimundo is the one that ultimately received the most narrative focus, exploration, and depth, by far. For better or for worst.

It has the highest highs. And the lowest lows.

In the season 1 finale, Omi's the only one who believes, in his heart of hearts, that Raimundo cares about them too much and is too kind to ever purposely want to turn against them and hurt him like it seems he has. Omi convinces himself that every in front of his eyes it must be a lie, because back in season 1, Raimundo was the first of the new dragons that Omi trusted and thought of as his friend. Omi wanted to believe in him beyond every shadow of every doubt there was. But Omi was proven wrong pretty spectacularly, and it hurt. And from there, it never bounces back to that same feeling.

Omi's ability to trust Raimundo and to think of Raimundo as someone who cares about any of them is very deeply fractured after the season 1 betrayal, and because Omi is really never given the space to think it through on his own terms, it never fully recovers, much to Raimundo's annoyance.

So we have things like

Raimundo being so worried when Omi wandered off in New York that he pulls him into a hug the second he sees him, even if it conflicts with the tough guy persona he'd been trying to put on.

Omi giggling when Raimundo playfully pretends to be a zombie and gnaws on his head.

Omi at one point thinking they were each other's favorite monks and Raimundo being sympathetic when Omi gets sad about that not being the case.

Raimundo being the most adamant in saving Omi from Chase Young, jumping up to try to singlehandedly challenge Chase to a fight to stop him from taking Omi back, and crying when the group realizes they have to leave Omi behind.

Omi being one who still believes that Raimundo will be fighting by their sides, even when he's possessed by the Shen Gong Wu, and Omi being the only to actually get through to him "by relying on a friend we can't see, but who I am sure is still there!" and reaffirming his belief in the strength of Raimundo's inner power.

But then there's also things like their frequent arguments or difficulties seeing eye-or-eye, or just things like...

...everything about The Return of Master Monk Guan.

Their relationship is tumultuous enough that I don't know what I'd call it, honestly, and I don't think they would know what to call it either. There's a sizeable line between playful vitriol and genuinely deep-seeded trepidation, and they really straddle it.

#xiaolin showdown #omi #raimundo pedrosa