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spindlewoed · 1 year

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You have to understand. I don't "ship" Harry with the smoker on the balcony, I think whatever they have going on canonically is way funnier and touching than anything anyone could come up with.

There is so much within the dynamic itself. It’s a middle aged man and a younger man who are nothing alike and everything like each other. It’s the smoker being the person that kickstarts Harry’s sexuality journey anew, seeing Harry’s fascination with him and being amused by it because (aside from Harry being probably the first man in a while who’s managed to leave him dumbfounded in a positive way) the smoker *knows* what’s happening in Harry’s mind and as he puts it, it’s beautiful.

Don't get me wrong, the mutual attraction is there. The smoker flirts with Harry every other two lines (girl why the fuck are you flirting with a cop you're insane. I'm obsessed with you) yet makes fun of him in the same breath while Harry is absolutely clueless the whole time because he's too busy staring at his abs. Couldn't come up with anything funnier if I tried.

I love this high drama check, this is exaclty what it feels like to speak to clueless boomers who have no idea what they're talking about. Still, once Harry admits that he might be part of the "underground" as he puts it, the smoker is immediately excited and encourages him to think about it. It's very sweet.

(I know everyone has probably seen this dialogue 100 times by now but I love the phrasing here. literally twink_boutta_pounce.jpeg)

And as a side note I really like this emphaty check in response to Harry's little breakdown after the failed suggestion check the first time you meet him. The smoker like damn he just like me fr.

I don't think more smoker interactions were needed at all or that they would ever talk again post-game but it's interesting to think about what other converations they could have, even just so we could learn a bit more about him. They both have an interest in art. They're both stuck in a place they can't leave if they wanted to and yet find beauty in it, they both have regrets about past relationships. They both find talking with the other a charming experience in a way or another. If I want to be indulgent, they both could benefit from learning about what being gay means for a younger/older generation, especially since they both have such different life experiences with their identities.

It's all fanfic talk, and obviously no cops at pride and so on but their interactions did make me think about community and recognition through the other. A flirt for the sake of a flirt, a “maybe in another lifetime” but this lifetime is good too because they did meet and leave an impression on each other before parting ways. That's *beautiful* too.

#disco elysium #smoker on the balcony #harry du bois #they can boink too if you want them to I support you. honestly good for them #but overall I do think about the greater scope of their dynamic it's just. it's nice.#de meta #don't know where else to put this other observation but it's fun to look at how the smoker is framed from Harry's POV #I can't give specific examples bc it's basically all over the pov narration when talking to him #but it feels very femme fatale in a noir detective novel. it’s very refreshing to see that portrayed as a twink idk. I liked that detail #I mean you could argue that klassje is more of the femme fatale of the game and I’d agree with you #but harry’s bi he can have two of them. as a treat

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lovingherwasgay · 3 months

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the shipwreck will last 3 episodes. buddienation how are we feeling about that knowing what happens every third episode of the season regarding buddie + chris as a family.

#2x03 buck driving eddie to pick up chris after the earthquake #3x03 do i even need to say it. there's nobody in this world i trust with my son more than you + whole tsunami arc #4x03 buck and eddie arguing over hildy. buck and chris pairing up to prank eddie. the whole ep focused on all core families #5x03 eddieana breakup !!!!! further reinforcing the kind of relationship and family eddie does not want in comparison to what he already has #6x03 was an athena centric episode so no buddie of course but pattern stands #just saying episode 3 has FED US WELL so far #let's pray for the best #at most: the will is brought up as buddie are in a deadly situation and argue about who should make it out.#or buck gets triggers from the tsunami by being trapped underwater AND with a diaz boy he needs to keep safe #911 #911 abc #911 spoilers #911 fox #buddie #2x03 #3x03 #4x03 #5x03

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lunarharp · 2 months

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:')

#witch hat tag #orufrey #i will go back to the angst zone at some point so..... things the way they still are in canon this won't feel right for long #having portrayed the 'we've kissed but haven't worked out the trauma and pain so what we have is still too fraught' era in writing #i just want to draw past that for a bit...there's more..we're more than just this... let's go to the gentle kiss zone #it doesn't feel right not drawing EVERY aspect of Betrayal Processing but damn i'm not going to comic about EVERYTHING it's not possible #so just let me do what comes to mind.. <- still at cai court arguing on behalf of cai (me) to me (cai)#i wish i could do more fic illustrating & be satisfied with it. i want to portray the moment where oru is staring darkly into the fireplace #and basically qifrey sorta wants to die so this shame can be over. well anyway

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jamietwat · 2 months

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Jamie and Roy spending ridiculous amounts of time together and Phoebe knowing about it definitely means that Jamie’s around Phoebe a lot more in the off-season when she’s off school and Roy’s off work but still being Jamie’s personal trainer for free (and she definitely likes bossing Jamie around just as much as Roy does and finds the ridiculous shit Roy makes him do hilarious)

And you know that thing where kids love to randomly go watch this, I can do a somersault or want to see me do a cartwheel? and then you just have to awkwardly stand there and be like wow whether they actually can do them or not (and sometimes several times in a row have to try to think of something new to say the fifth time they do the exact same thing and then look to you for a reaction)

I’m just saying at some point they’re in some park and Phoebe definitely pulls a look how good I’m getting at cart wheels, Uncle Roy! around Jamie at some point and while Roy just stands there like 🧍‍♂️ and gives compliments that gradually get more and more deadpan and debates turning it into saying how much more impressive that is than anything Jamie’s done all morning but he doesn’t because he’s 90% sure that would just lead to Jamie getting all indignant and competitive and proving he can cartwheel too as if Roy isn’t already annoyingly aware of that from when he was dying trying to keep up with Jamie in Amsterdam while he was cartwheeling and practically skipping

But obviously Roy not saying anything doesn’t matter anyway and Jamie turns it into being like watch this to Phoebe and cartwheeling too and turning to Roy after like well go on, tell me how good I am at that too

Roy deadpans somehow it’s far less impressive watching a grown man cartwheel for attention. It’s just sad, really

But Jamie isn’t offended at all and just shoots Roy an obnoxious smirk and insists you’re just saying that because you know you couldn’t do one. Even trying would probably end with you needing a hip replacement or something

But before Roy can even properly argue or say something bitchy back, Jamie’s turning back to Phoebe with a how about this then? But even though it’s her he asks, it’s Roy he looks to the moment he finishes running a few steps and doing a one-handed cartwheel

And Jamie’s like well now are you impressed??? And god, Roy resents that he is and he could make a dig about how useless of a skill it was as an adult and how that wouldn’t accomplish anything on the pitch and he’d just look like one of the kids that picks flowers on the pitch instead of playing or even paying attention to where the ball is, but instead he rolls his eyes and says yeah okay

And Jamie beams but he doesn’t have time to properly gloat and give Roy shit because Phoebe’s already bossing him around telling him that he has to teach her how to do that too

#I’ve been debating putting this in one of my fics for months and still may #Meanwhile if Keeley saw Jamie cartwheel for attention and praise she’d be like I never know what to do when a grown man does a cartwheel in #front of me…#Keeley would be underwhelmed watching Jamie do a cartwheel but also 100% would attempt one and join in if Phoebe asked her to #Phoebe definitely got into football because of Roy #But I could also see her getting into gymnastics too because of Jamie indulging her and being just as eager to do the same little kid tricks #And then she sees someone else on the team do a flip showing off and them all arguing over whether they could do a flip too if they tried #And attempting with various results and she’s like well I want to be able to do a flip too and talks her mom #into signing her up for gymnastics and then talks Jamie’s ear off about her gymnastics class and the little kid tea from it because he’s #sure to match her energy and buy into it like he always does #Roy Kent #Jamie Tartt #Phoebe O’Sullivan #Ted Lasso #RoyJamie #Mine #I don’t have the energy or brainpower to reread this as usual so enjoy the typos and whatever autocorrect changes things too 😂

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mintharasthrone · 28 days

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more “gay” pages posting complete homophobic garbage claiming bisexual women are lesbians

#tra homophobia #drop the t & b #of course there’s a comment calling us actual lesbians trans/biphobic 🙄#all lesbians are terfs bc homosexuality is only real if a woman is a feminist or political like what kind of homophobic logic #they think they’re so different than het men who argue all lesbians aren’t real and want a male and piv #the obsession with also equating toys to wanting a man is never ending #and i remember the poll here that showed most lesbians of course want to eat pussy most of all #and bi women wanted to use toys #like lesbians don’t want anything that looks like a dick when they have sex only bi women do and i know from experience #why the fuck would we #i wish people would stop fucking obsessing over and disecting how lesbians have sex and why #they always have to make it about males and dick #it’s socially acceptable to make creepy perverted comments always talking about or mocking lesbian sex #bi women are like why do lesbians hate us? you literally are with whole ass men calling yourselves lesbians and dykes and bonding over how #much you hate real lesbians and insinuating we aren’t real and can be fixed with conversion #therapy #people hate us so deeply for loving only women and only the female anatomy #they genuinely believe we can’t be happy being homosexuals and bring up toys as some kind of proof #the same people who can’t make women come unlike us

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imthursdaysyme · 10 months

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Sleepover shenanigans

#drawing #steve harrington #stranger things #robin buckley #stobin #they were in her room arguing like old married couple #listen steve just doesn’t understand how she can’t do it bc he thinks she can do anything #he said what tf do you mean you don’t have abs and rob was like bestie I don’t work out they aren’t strong I’m a limo noodle #and he was like well girl get on that I don’t want you to die bc you didn’t keep your body healthy istg your worse than Henderson #and she was like HEY I do plenty of things such as ride my bike and he said ok then why are your thighs the size of my forearm #and he keeps yelling at her to use her core and she’s screaming at him that she’s trying #and he’s holding her leg #but we’ll rob flails and her heel whacked him in the eye so he feel back #hit the wall thought he was dead #dropped rob to the ground and shes cursing like an d man that had to get up from his chair #and she’s like why’d you drop me and he doesn’t respond so she looks over #and my man is out for the count with another black eye #she thinks she killed him and worries that after years of demogorgons and Russians the thing that kills Steve Harrington is #Robs sharp ass heel #she pushes him under the bed and covers him with blankets and then goes to sleep #except he wakes up at like 2am and she screams worse than when she saw a ud creature for the 1st time and whacks him back down and BAM #he is out again and now Robin is freaking out more bc omg she killed her platonic soulmate and he came back to life only for her to kill him #AGAIN #she wonders if she can be tried for double manslaughter on one man but how would they know? then rob realized she can’t testify bc #she’ll tell everything if she gets up on the stand and she won’t just be sentenced for life she’ll be sentence for TWO lives #but then she’s like omg I deserve two life sentences to honor Steve even though he wouldn’t be in jail she just assumes he goes with her #even her own prison sentence for his murder #the next time Steve wakes up he inches out and flips on her to tame her flailing limbs and she starts crying saying #I killed you twice but my love for you is so strong it brought you back a third time and steve is like you knocked me out shithead you didnt #murder me Jesus Christ and she’s like how do you k ow and he’s like omg how do I know

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chirpsythismorning · 1 year

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Why I Don’t Experience Byler Doubt

It’s simple. One of the most essential techniques in storytelling: Show, don’t tell.

Show, don't tell is a technique that allows the audience to experience the story through actions, words, subtext, thoughts, senses, and feelings rather than exclusively through the creators' exposition, summarization, and description.

Even more importantly (assuming we want to enjoy ourselves bc this is supposed to be high quality entertainment), it adds drama. Rather than telling viewers what's happening, a filmmaker will use this technique to show drama unfold. 'Telling' is factual and avoids detail; while 'showing,' is detailed and places the human subject at the centre of the drama.

This technique is literally playing out in the narrative when it comes to Mike’s inability to tell El he loves her (or even simply write love Mike in his letters), which he never would have had to tell her (spell out) in the first place, if he had just shown her that he loved her.

It’s no fun having to spoon feed your audience. Instead, it's much more enjoyable for the storyteller to present the truth in the details, even sometimes contradicting very basic assumptions that are being outright told. Hence why, for example, when the Duffers were asked about the Vecna reveal, Ross used the opportunity to go on a mini tangent: 'the best twists are ones that you go, “Oh, I should have seen that coming.” As opposed to the twists that go, “Oh, well that just came out of nowhere.” So, “Oh, I missed these clues along the way.” But you get nervous when you’re writing it because you go, “Well, to me it seems obvious--'.

In fact, Show, don't tell is what largely allows surprise revelations to hide in plain sight. Because obviously, if a writer just tells their audience everything that's happening while it's happening, we would always see what's coming next.

And so the problem I have with downplaying or even completely refusing to acknowledge the importance of Show, don't tell, in the case of Stranger Things especially, is that, in order to comfortably subscribe to what is being told, I have to ignore what is being shown.

We see this play out all the time on Reddit in particular, which if I'm being honest is the only platform at this point that treats mere speculation about Will and Mike's relationship as if it is the end of the world. On the rare occasion the mods don't remove a byler related post, the post is either already negative towards byler or the comments are filled with fury over the poster simply thinking critically by speculating about byler. Even if you manage to get a fan over there in the comments to consider certain evidence pointing towards byler as incriminating, they'll still manage to end it by downplaying the Duffers and their abilities, because 'They're not that smart!'...

They'll ask for evidence, be presented with it, only to insist that it's all reaching because details mean nothing and everything about the show is actually just surface level, ie. it's not that deep.

Without even realizing it, they're low-key admitting that going the byler route would be smart, and yet here they are tirelessly defending a show that, according to them, has shit writers and no deeper purpose. All this does is prove that they are hoping this is the case. Because even despite being presented with strong evidence that the show might very well be epic, they would rather reject it altogether.

They would rather have one of their favorite shows suck and defend it religiously, then consider the possibility that it's good and gay...

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely fans on reddit that don't hate byler. I imagine out of the million in that sub, there's a silent majority that would be open to it. Keep in mind, most fans still active at this point in hiatus are hardcore fans, and so they're obviously opinionated, that goes for everyone on most platforms rn. And yet, I know there are very likely casual fans who are popping in there every now and then, the same people in the majority when after s4 dropped, saw that monologue and said What the actual fuck was that?

There’s a reason no other couple on the show has needed to hear the words I love you to believe it. Well, besides Steve and Nancy…

Because SHOW, DON'T TELL. That's why!

So, what do I mean when I say that Show, don't tell is why I no longer have byler doubt?

It's actually pretty ironic, but basically the moment Mike told El he loved her, that's the moment they showed us that he didn't.

I mean, for starters, how does one go about filming a romantic love confession? Because if we're being entirely serious right now, they made just about every artistic and creative choice possible to go against what a romantic love confession should look like to feel satisfying.

I mean, you'd probably want the atmosphere to be intimate, right? Make the audience feel like these two are the only two people in the room (world) for this moment?

Well, that's not the case for Mike and El, nor is it the case for literally any of their scenes in s4 (arguably a lot of their scenes in the series; Will the wise drawing in El's room, I'm looking at you). Almost all of the scenes with them together in s4 had Will in the background, often times in the literal frame between them. That is NOT how you film scenes for a romantic pairing that you want the audience to root for, from beginning to end.

You guys gotta understand, rewatch value is one of the most important aspects to this story for the Duffers. When talking about the prospects of s5, they mentioned that they rewatched all the Lord of the Rings, saying how important it was, despite what some fans might say about the ending being too long, or this or that, bc to them, it was necessary to watch it all, and to rewatch it and rewatch it, in order to appreciate the entire story as a whole, aka the way it was intended.

If you're a serious about Mike and El as a romantic pairing, but because of the way the show has set up their relationship over the seasons, you can't sit down and enjoy more than a quarter of each season bc they're either separated, broken up, or on the rare occasion they are together and happy, they're accompanied by a kicked puppy in every shot, maybe all of that's for a reason.

And that applies to the scene in Surfer Boy more than any other scene in the show, a scene that is supposed to be Mike's monologue to El... You mean a scene that directly parallels Mike's monologue to Will in s2?

When planning the end of s4, do we think the Duffers just decided they wanted this intimate moment between Mike and El to have Will in the frame behind Mike (visually piggybacking off of him, in an episode titled The Piggyback...) in almost every shot, including when he said I love you for the first time, for no reason at all? Or is it possible there was a reason for it? Just like there's been a greater reason for everything?

Like bro, I'm sorry, but even if what's being told in that scene is relevant, all of it still reads as either a lie, a partial lie, a lie of omission or a platonic truth hiding behind romantic phrasing: I don't know how to live without you = platonic (trauma bond), whereas I can't live without you/I don't want to live without you = romantic. The later is out of desire/want, the former is out of fear of the unknown.

The entire scene the lighting is blinking rapidly. And so the vibe they're going for here is uncertainty, which is quite odd for a love confession that's supposed to feel certain? Then we have El seeing all red the entire time. She's literally choking, hearing Mike struggle to muster up anything that could help her pull through, only to overhear Will calling Mike the heart, followed by Mike finally saying I love you????

And I guess according to the Duffers, nothing says true love like a love confession ending abruptly by a two day time jump...

Oh and how about, instead of them taking the time at the end of the season for El and Mike to have a private moment, where they could finally address their love for one another, let’s have them barely on speaking terms, and the one time they do talk, let’s have it be offscreen and mentioned in a private moment between Will and Mike, who in contrast to Mike and El, we're going to prioritize having a scene with them alone together at the end of this season...

In the last minutes, let’s have El look at Mike and Will, only to avoid them with visible annoyance. And THEN let’s show Mike visibly defeated by El's annoyance, instead prioritizing reassuring Will, aka his friend with whom he shares an I didn’t say it/ You didn’t have to bond...

I mean? Are we just not going to talk about it? The fact that I didn't say it/You didn't have to could pass off as a literal synonym for Show, don't tell...

It just kills me that even with all of that, the Duffers were like, You know what? Fuck it. Let's show them all the endgame couples lined up next to each other, with Will and Mike in the middle and El standing on her own in front of them. If by now they still refuse to consider it, after everything, this ending probably wont convince them anyways, but it makes for great rewatch value...

Seriously, if you're subscribing fully to the belief that what is being told is the whole truth and nothing but the truth (so help you god), then you're having to ignore all of that. And I can't ignore all of that, I just can't. Which makes it impossible for me to experience doubt anymore.

#byler #stranger things #byler doubt #not really #quite the opposite #but i'll tag in case #show don't tell allows you to acknowledge what is being shown AND told bc the truth of what's being told is hiding in the details #that's not the case for people only wanting to believe what's being told bc they're having to completely ignore the details to believe it #like i know for milkvans... byler scenes do NOT work in their favor #whereas for bylers... pretty much all milkvan scenes do work in our favor #and so genuinely i just can't experience doubt anymore #arguing with antis is fun to me #looking at reddit posts is peak entertainment #ppl praying to the gods that ST sucks bc they would rather have that be the case than it be an intricate story with deeper meaning #bc then that would mean all the queer-coding that's been hiding in the details all along was intentional...#there's nothing I can do for ya'll except sit here and watch you unpack that #reddit is going to be quite the spectacle over the next couple years #once byler happens there's probably going to be instant denial #then mourning #then acceptance #or whatever the 4(?) stages of grief are #then they'll eventually get to a point where they will allow themselves to look at the evidence instead of avoiding it out of fear #and that's when it's finally going to hit them #oh my god #it's me #i'm part of the reason they had to water it down #bc even upon being presented with evidence #they rejected it #and now they gotta give credit to tumblr bylers who discovered most of the evidence they've been shitting on for the last few years #honestly i'm looking forward to it

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ganondoodle · 10 months

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anyone else a little weirded out by one of the first things sonia and rauru did was putting zelda in a little white maiden uwu dress even though the clothes she arrived in didnt seem damaged or dirty at all and fit her much better

(also that dress is way less practical for a battle against a super powered evil guy)

#ganondoodles talks #zelda #totk #zelda?#more like sonia 2.0 #idk i dont like that they show her with her cool new haircut and practical clothes #only to throw them away for a seemingly less well made version of the previous pretty white uwu maiden dress from botw #even if she stayed there longer than it seemed can they not?? wash them??#plus the extra makeup and earrings #seems so unecessary #maybe im reading too much into it but its kinda .. weird #and arguing that its a cool new outfit for her or sth doesnt work #bc both oufits she had were all over promotional material + its boringly similar to botw #youd think being put into a dress so similar to the maiden dress from botw would be soemthing zelda would never want #after being forced to do so much shit she didnt want to do wearing it and spedning a hUNDRED YEARS FIGHTING AN EVIL GOO MONSTER IN IT #give zelda a cool armor set #like actual armor

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cheriboms · 6 months

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doctober day 23: nostalgia

fact: doc has a saxophone in his garage in both 1955 and 1985, with seemingly no ties to his scientific pursuits. hypothesis: theres some sentimental reason, maybe he played (plays?) it as a hobby since and/or prior to 1955...? conclusion: they def had at least one jam session

[[ proof of my claims >:0 ]]

#back to the future #bttf #marty mcfly #einstein brown #doc brown #emmett brown #doctober #doctober 2023 #christopher lloyd #michael j fox #my arts #my sketchy wip arts #i had like half a ficlet typed up for this instead of a drawing but then i realized itd be very out of place for my content so far #so i had to start over. hence lateness even tho this is very simple overall >_<;#maybe if i ever do a proper fic ill just put that scene in lol. i kinda dont want it to go to waste ehh :P #anyway i know they bonded about an interest in music. pry it from my cold dead heads #tbf doc has a jukebox and obvs the amp in 85 which could be more evidence but also u could argue those were put in specifically for marty #HOWEVER there is no debate abt the sax. WHY would 55 doc have (and keep??) that for 30 years unless he had some sort of attachment to it !!#ive connected the dots !!! (you havent connected sht) IVE CONNECTED THEM !!!!!#i personally think he got it in his pre jules verne era. ie before he got into science and was just kinda figuring out what he wanted to do #bby doc like 'uh idk music??' n his mom like 'ok sweetie which one do u want' and obvs he has to pick the quirkiest one in the store. king #so hence why i categorize this under the 'nostalgia' prompt. its like a childhood hobby that he revisits thanks to his musical teenager <3 #but thats all just my theory so uhh yeah ;w;#also every time i listen to 'back in time' this image manifests in my head. it literally has guitar and sax so like. its them. TO ME #also also i hate drawing instruments BYEEE. like youd think after being in 2 other music heavy fandoms id know how but. u would be wrong

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genericpuff · 6 months

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And with that, 2000 years of history and 10+ years of an animated adaption later, Attack on Titan is over.

I wasn't planning on making an essay post about this but like all of my essay posts, it got crazy out of hand, so here we are. I have a lot to say on it and the more I wrote, the more I realized exactly what the Attack on Titan finale was about. It's cathartic. It's also kind of a big shitpost but not for the reasons you might think.

Spoilers for the Attack on Titan finale ahead! CW: DISCUSSION OF WAR AND GENOCIDE AHEAD!

Now for anyone who knows what I'm about to talk about (and anyone who follows my stuff here), I'm sure you're wondering , what side do I fall on in regards to Attack on Titan's ending? Am I about to talk shit about it? It's very divisive and somewhat inconclusive. It followed the exact ending in the manga which, while expected, was still disappointing to many who had hoped the anime would take some other path.

But I have to ask, could there have been any other way?

Eren committed mass genocide, bordering on extinction of the entire human race. There was no way that he was gonna come out of it redeemed or as a hero, and he knew it. He went straight up Walter White core here and like Walter White, he is not a hero.

The fact that the Marlayans have been constantly going to war with other countries using Eldians as their personal soldiers goes to show that for countries that seek out conquest, there's no target too small or insignificant that can't be marked as an "enemy", and we see that reflected in Eren as well, in his pursuing of "freedom", an ever-moving goalpost that can never truly be satisfied.

The Jaegerists were hellbent on creating a new empire on the bloodshed of Marley - 'an eye for an eye', so to speak.

Nothing was ever going to truly satisfy either 'side' in the conflict of humanity vs. Eldians because such conflicts' origins have been obfuscated in hundreds of years of history, propaganda, and generational trauma that has repeated itself for so long that many don't even know what they're fighting for anymore, aside from one thing - that they don't want to suffer, that they shouldn't have to suffer for the actions of their ancestors, that they want peace and happiness but don't know where to start with taking the first step.

I think people are disappointed in this ending because, let's face it, it's anime, and it's an anime adaption that took years to finish. We always want to see some kind of vindication from stories like these, but I think in having vindication, it ultimately removes the point altogether of what's being said.

As much as we may try to fight it, try to deny it, the course of human history travels in a circle. Conflict will always arise. History is written by the victors, and those victors will be seen as heroes by whichever side they're fighting for regardless of what heinous acts they may have committed to justify their salvation. And after all of that conflict, regardless of the result - time goes on, and new conflicts arise.

But I don't think that means we have to succumb to grief and suffering and that's a point that I'm seeing missed in a lot of the discussion around the finale. There's a very powerful scene between Armin and Zeke, in which Armin talks about how he was born to run up the hill with Mikasa and Eren. He recognizes fully that if his life isn't meant to be long, he can still cherish those small moments that he thinks back on fondly, the moments that defined his life with the people he cared about.

And that's really all life is. Small moments and experiences that stick with us until the end. The very act of being born in and of itself is a cosmic miracle that gives us the chance to experience things that bring us joy and stay with us forever - however short or long that 'forever' may be. We take these small moments for granted when we're comfortable, but we look for them the most when we're suffering.

If I can relate all this to another piece of media that says the same thing - albeit with a much brighter ending - FF XIV: Endwalker also asks a similar question to Attack on Titan - is the only meaning in life to suffer and die? Of course, by its end, we learn that while death and suffering is an inevitable part of life - not something that should be avoided - it shouldn't persuade us to give in to fear and despair as a constant state of being. And I think Attack on Titan goes for a very similar approach, albeit slightly more as a cautionary tale - a nihilistic reminder that ultimately, the losses and victories we find in our current point of history are still just that, a single point, a blip that will be forgotten until it's ultimately repeated, and there's no escaping that.

It cautions us that freedom cannot exist without constant vigilance for war and conflict. It cautions us that our values and core beliefs for attaining freedom, love and happiness can be twisted into a weapon to cause harm, vindication gained at the cost of another. It cautions us that when left in the wrong hands, power can and will be abused by the ignorant while propagandizing itself as "the greater good".

So why not just find the joy that we can? The friendships, the little moments, the things that bring us happiness even if only temporary. Conflict is inevitable, suffering is inevitable, but that doesn't mean life isn't worth living. "Happiness" is not a tangible end point - it's the side effect of living a meaningful life that's true to yourself.

Attack on Titan is over. Some will argue the ending was the only way, others will argue that there could have been another way and that the anime adaption had the chance to change it but still didn't for reasons beyond their comprehension.

But isn't that the whole point? We'll argue. We'll bargain. Many of the arguments made will reinforce our own beliefs further rather than sway us. Many of us will insist there had to be another way, just as Armin insisted that this couldn't have been the only way, that humanity must have had another option. Meanwhile, many of us will acknowledge that at the end of the day, this is the story Isayama wanted to tell, and regardless of whether or not it makes him an idiot toying with his audience and admitting defeat by lampshading it in the penultimate scene of Eren admitting to his own idiocy, this was the power given to him and he used it in the best way he knew how.

Much like in any conflict, there's one thing that unites both sides - the human need for joy, connection, and freedom.

We might not agree on how Attack on Titan ended, but we can agree that it was a hell of a ride, and I hope we can all agree that it was worth riding, even if it wasn't satisfying for everyone in the end. It brought many people together regardless of their backgrounds, experiences, and differences, and connected them through something they all loved for over ten years. And despite how big a part of our lives it was, life will still go on, and we'll move on to other things to watch, enjoy, and argue over. Isayama will move on to whatever awaits him next, knowing fully well that his choice was his own, that he created the series he wanted to create regardless of how people feel about it. We'll all look for our own forms of joy and happiness as life moves on around us, as conflicts come and go.

Isn't that really what freedom is at the end of the day?

#also ok i know this turned into a philosophical post but like #i'm still just talking about fucking anime #so please for the love of god i don't want to be seeing anyone using this post as a way to play devil's advocate on real actual war crimes #human conflict in and of itself is an enigmatic inevitability but blatant actions of genocide and colonization are not #and that was made VERY clear by the end of the series through eldians and marlayans putting aside their differences to take out eren #also ymir being in love with king fritz was a bit of a weird thing to do but that's for another post #i think it spoke more to her just being that desperate for connection that she fell into an abusive relationship #but idk it could have been executed better esp because a lot of the 'romance' in AoT is weird #still i really enjoyed the finale tbh and i don't think we're supposed to be left feeling strictly one way about it #the fact that we're arguing over whether or not the finale was good is literally just proving isayama right ngl LOL #attack on titan #attack on titan finale #attack on titan spoilers #shingeki no kyojin #shingeki no kyojin finale #shingeki no kyojin spoilers #essay post #long post #tw genocide #tw war

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klanced · 11 months

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Keith walking into the holding cell greeting all the regulars by name while Lance is sobbing lamenting that his life is over and his future is ruined (they were like. Trespassing or some shit he’s going to be fine)

lance: (actively dry heaving in the corner, on the verge of a panic attack as he imagines having a permanent record)(actually what does a permanent record even look like?)(omg is he going to have to go to COURT? like in JUDGE JUDY?)

keith: remy, this is lance. lance, this is remy, she’s my favorite alcoholic :)

#voltron #klance #honestly I imagine they got caught trespassing while ghost hunting #if they’re in Texas then they will most likely get a full on misdemeanor on their record. Texas is very big on property rights.#trespassing can quickly elevate to criminal charges in texas it is actually very serious. do not trespass in texas.#meanwhile in Maine trespassing can be just an infraction & not added to your record #like sure they're teenagers so they could get their records sealed or expunged when they're 18. but like. the garrison would know. not good #sorry i just like talking about the law #speaking of which let me go on a tangent #i do think keith frequently gets charged with trespassing. at his own shack in the desert.#and so now he is Really good at juvenile law specifically because he is constantly arguing with cops #keith: this is not trespassing. my dad owned this property & he died unmarried without a will.#keith: i am literally his child and i inherited this land after his death YOU CAN'T ARREST ME FOR TRESPASSING ON MY OWN PROPERTY.#cop: okay well the house is all burned down it's a safety hazard #keith: I AM NOT IN THE HOUSE I AM IN THE SHACK WHICH MEETS MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. GET FUCKED.#cop: okay but you're out after curfew--#keith: is this a game to you? drag me in front of that judge i DARE you. you want to take the ORPHAN to court over CURFEW?#keith: you want to arrest my parents? WHAT PARENTS? everyone in this county knows me as the son of a hero firefighter.#keith: a hero firefighter who died in the line of duty btw. in case you forgot. since i'm an ORPHAN who has no one who CARES about CURFEW.#keith: my dad is dead my mom is gone my brother disappeared in space im 0 for 3 parents-wise. drag me before a judge. make my fucking night #sometimes i answer an ask or make a post specifically so i can do my own separate thing in the tags #i just like talking about law. i'm so excited for law school u guys #keith #lance #lance: (freaking out)#keith: (relaxed because he knows a really good lawyer who specializes in juvenile law)#shitpost #ask #anonymous #otp: we are a good team

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yang-png · 1 year

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so goodsmile is having a sale

#rwby #bumbleby #THEY REALLY SAID DO NOT SEPARATE #yang.txt #currently arguing with my friend over buying them because i am broke but she wants to buy me the pop up parade figures #and im like NO. DONT SPEND MONEY ON ME

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lucyghoul · 1 year

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nat initially latching onto travis after the crash bc she knows what it is to be the outsider on the team and suddenly there was someone even more outside than her. like at first she’s trying to be a bridge for him and then she’s like oh we understand each other. oh we see each other. oh i love you i need you we are a team. we exist outside of them. we try to provide for them but we expect no thanks and comfort each other.

everyone else is like sure whatever there go natandtravis. but lottie sees them drifting away and says no come back to us (me). we’re going to need more than food to make it through this winter. she calls them back with a blessing. and travis listens because lottie helps him, sees him. listens to him. nat doesn’t want to hear it, doesn’t want to let lottie see her. she skips the blessings

nat feels like she has to either pretend she believes in the bullshit like tai and let lottie drag both her and travis into the group (cult). or she can try to keep travis all to herself and cling to their outside but together strategy. and she tries. she tries so hard to protect (keep) him, from the uncertainty of javi’s disappearance, from what she views as lottie’s bullshit. and in doing so she gives the forest what it wants. she spills her blood and they get jackie cooked for them

but the forest wants to work through lottie and nat both. natalies blood, lotties connection. travis as the link. later, lottie gives her blood but they’re not in sync, they’re in opposition to each other. natalie is punished by losing the moose, lotties life is nearly taken. but it forces them to come to an understanding. that post that was like belief and disbelief together is sanity. nat and lottie are two sides and whatever thing is out there wanted them in balance. travis’s every act including his last was about being the bridge between them. tell nat she was right, he says to lottie.

and it kind of worked, didn’t it? travis’s death brought them together again. nat is crossing over to belief while lottie is still saying hallucination not villain while she’s upping her meds. and in that moment where natalie believes fully in the face of lotties fear and doubt? when she feels vulnerable enough that her teen self seeks comfort in lottie’s lap? that’s when the antler queen appears

#when i said post incoming i did not promise coherence #but like #what’s lottie going to do now what’s she going to doooo #ghost travis will always be there trying to get them to understand each other #misty’s about to be a delicious wrench too #im so stressed out for the next episode ahhhhh #yellowjackets #lottienat #natlottietravis #and like why Them #the hunters aren’t enough they need the priestess to tie them to the wooods #it wants blood #it wants blood!!!#shaunas blood on the baby blanket Lottie and nat arguing over it

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