#martyr complex my beloved

[ahsteria]

the tragic hero; michael kinnucan, the gods show up / wikipedia / traci brimhall, vive vive / allen frame, the village voice (image) / william aggeler, the flowers of evil / beaft / pinterest (image) / heather havrilesky, ask polly

#web weaving #the tragic hero #martyr complex my beloved #poetry #mine #originals #star #ww

[stackthedeck]

one thing I love about how Spider-Man comics have aged is that the mantra of "with great power comes great responsibility" started as comforting last words from Uncle Ben that inspired Peter, a phrase that connected him to his loved ones and made him feel powerful to an absolute curse upon his life. He burdens himself with responsibility so he can ignore the guilt of living with this power and still failing even when he tries. In the early years, you could argue that Peter taking on the responsibility empowers him and makes him stronger, but now he's fucking crushed under it. Everything that goes wrong is his responsibility because he's got this power, never mind that no one could have stopped what happened. But he should have because those words are haunting him. And other heroes notice and actively warn each other and the next generation of heroes, not every battle is yours, don't be like Spider-Man because it will break you. I love it, it's tragic, and I think it needs to kill him

#peter parker's martyr complex my beloved #yes boy destroy yourself and make yourself weak because you feel unworthy of the gift that was freely given #this is about current comics #the current run of asm can go fuck itself

[raayllum]

Do not let the past define your future, as I did. Free yourself from the past. Learn from it, understand it, then let it go. / If you think I can just let it go, then you don’t know me at all. You never did. 

#tdp #paying the price #rayla-harrow parallels my beloved #arc 1 #parallels #king harrow #tdp rayla #once again thinking about how three kids are harrow split down the middle #callum wrestling with choices thematically; ezran as the actual king; and rayla with the angst/morality - i mean martyr complex #a dad and 40 yr old bereaved king 🤝 a scrawny 15 yr old elf girl: feeling guilty as hell for everything #there are more of course but these the main ones #mine #screencap parallels #'what if we could make up for our/everyone else's sins by Dying? haha jk... unless?'

[ghelgheli]

The tradition that Satan invented poetry, mentioned by Shams-e Qays, is in part inspired by an ancient Arabian notion that personal “satans,” much like the “demons” of the ancient Greeks, were responsible for creative impulses. A far more important source of the complex personality of Satan in Islam is the Koranic story of Satan’s first disobedience. According to the Koran, after God molded man from clay and breathed life into him, He ordered the angels to bow before man, and one among the angels—Satan—refused and declared, “I am better than he; You created me from fire and You created him from earth.” And for this God expelled and cursed Satan. Satan, however, asked and was granted a respite from God’s judgment until the day of the Resurrection, and Satan said, “Then, by Your power I will surely lead them all astray, except for Your servants among them, those pure in heart.” Satan’s independence among the angels, God’s willingness to give him a respite, and Satan’s obedient acknowledgment that he was the instrument of God’s power suggested a more interesting Prince of Darkness than a mere “personification of evil,” however full-bloodedly evil this personification might seem in some Koranic passages. The Sufis gazed at the possibilities of this complex Satan with fascination and, especially in the Persian-speaking Eastern Islamic world, they developed an alternate Satan. This Satan was the ultimate monotheist, the angel whose worship of God was so single-hearted that he refused to bow to man because he would bow only to God, the “lover” whose love was so unreserved that he accepted a role of alienation from the Divine Beloved because of his loving obedience to the divine command. The morally rehabilitated Satan is, in fact, a kind of martyr. In the poetry of Attar, Satan explains his motives, his suffering, and his understanding of God’s secret purpose in casting him out:

Far off stood I, yet I cannot abide that for even a moment anyone else except me behold that Face …

Far off stood I, in a state of gloom from separation, because I do not have the radiance of that union’s intimacy.

Although I have been banished from His threshold, I do not turn my head a jot from His path.

From the moment I set my foot in the Beloved’s alley I have not looked in any direction but His;

Since I am now the intimate companion to the secret’s meaning, I shall not look—not even the slightest bit—at anyone else.

The Mantle of the Prophet, Roy Mottahedeh

#deen #reading #vatan #roy mottahedeh

[jasperthehatchet]

I dont usually write posts about critical role but this episode did things to me and I have to talk about it right now right now right now don't mind me just yelling into the ether for a minute

the last half hour of ep77 just made me love Ashton (really everyone) so much more. They're being an INCONSIDERATE DICKSHIT and a HYPOCRITE with a MARTYR COMPLEX who makes HORRIBLE DECISIONS yesss gimme the complicated relationship dynamics and the morally gray moments AND THE ANGST. There's gonna be some good ass roleplay moments from this I feel it in my bones and it's gonna be DELICIOUS. Hey ashton greymoore my beloved shithead what is wrong with you <3

And it was such a sweet thing to look at Ashley Johnson/fearne and say "I see you don't want the shard and I want you to keep your characters agency I will take it" but then they were a fuckhead about it!!! Literally did a nice thing in the most fucked up way possible that it circled around to being terrible. I love that!!! Say what you will about this episode but by god is it entertaining. I ship callowmoore even more now that they have shit to work through. I love complicated relationships in fiction I am living!!!!

(i genuinely didn't like the very real tension at the table and had to skip it on Thursday night but! Im excited anyways!!! I'm having the time of my life)

Anyway <3 i love this show thanks for reading

#writing this partly because i knew immediately after watching there would be disk horse. i dont know about yall but im having a blast #like i totally understand that so many people are very attached to these characters and we want the best for them #i feel that way too. but im also seeing posts from people genuinely so mad at not only ashton but taliesin jaffe as well?? #I understand if youre upset about what they did but!!! so much Good Shit is gonna come out of this #good roleplay moments and angst and weird mechanics and its gonna impact the plot on the moon and angst and changes in character dynamics #and angst. #critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #critrole spoilers #ashton greymoore #fearne calloway #callowmoore #cr3 ep77 #ep77 #i will admit that if ashton had died i would've definitely been so upset and mad i wont lie. like im not gonna pretend i wouldve accepted it #but still. i respect everyone at the table too much to genuinely be upset with any of them for their character decisions #y'know

[bardcore-jaskier]

♡ Challenge for Netflix: stop treating Jaskier as comedic relief ♡

(I made this post piggyback riding off of my last one, like a part two if you will.)

Ok, so you know how Jaskier always seems to get into trouble? And either Geralt and as of season 2, now Yennefer as well, always seem be rescuing him? Even Jaskier himself made a joke about it to our beloved witch.

- "You don't get to play damsel in distress. That's my job."

Sadly, it paints a little bit of an unflattering picture of him to the audience, making many of us wonder (well, not on this side of Tumblr, we know he is a badass motherfucker) about how he survives whenever he is not by a strong witcher's/sorceress's side.

Have you considered though....

That the entire series is written and shot from the POV of ridiculously powerful individuals and Geralt in particular, being the main character of both the books, games & the series, has an extreme savior complex, more so bordering on a martyr complex.

In the Netflix Witcher series and unlike the books: Geralt's friendship with Jaskier started off rocky until he begrudgingly accepted that he can not get rid of the bard, eventually becoming a little fond of him, appreciating Jaskier's loyalty above every other quality Jaskier has, which makes Jaskier easy to trust. (However it is still apparent that their friendship is a little, if not a lot, one-sided)

Obviously Geralt doesn't want Jaskier's death or severe injury on his conscience, which is why he jumps in every time he senses danger, to save him before anything bad happens.

We as the audience only see Netflix's or rather Lauren's version of the story about a scorned hero who has a fragile, trouble magnet, human friend he feels responsible for. When in reality, the only few instances Jaskier wouldn't have survived without outside help were a) the Djinn, b) Rience, c) the opening scenes of Blood Origin.

Other than that, Jaskier is actually a VERY competent person! Alas, not much of that competence was shown on screen, we got mere crumbs of it to be honest. Like how despite being a flowery pacifist, he is braver than most + apparently he is a beefcake too. At 18/19 years old, he wasn't scared of approaching a witcher who at the time, was rumored to be a murderer. He always finds a way to stay lighthearted during the most dire of situations, always getting right back up with a smile or a snide comment after every traumatic experience, as if it never happened. (Is he like immune to PTSD or something? Nothing brings him down.) He even managed to start an elf smuggling operation for fuck's sake!

During the finale episode of season 2, many seasoned witchers died in battle at the hands of Voleth Mier, his chances of surviving were beyond slim. Any other normal human being would have dropped that damn jasper and ran for their life, but not Jaskier! No sir! He crawled his way towards Geralt under a wooden table, as monsters and witchers alike dropped to their deaths around him, all to help his friend!

In the books, Dandelion is presented to us as a smooth talker, able to get himself in and out of almost any kind of trouble with words + charisma alone. He is an Oxenfurt professor, has worked for the Redanian intelligence, he has connections all over the continent.

And I really hope that we will get to see all of that in future seasons, I hope that Geralt's attitude towards him changes, I hope that Jaskier gets the respect he deserves! Because after season 2, I am going to keep watching the series only for Jaskier alone. Also Yennefer. I do not much like Geralt and Ciri in the live adaptation at the moment.

#jaskier #julian alfred pankratz #netflix witcher #witcher netflix #dandelion #jaskier dandelion #geralt of rivia #witcher geralt #witcher ciri #cirilla of cintra #cirilla fiona elen riannon #yennefer of vengerberg #yenneferthewitcher #competent jaskier #bamf jaskier #geraskier #lambskier #yennskier #part elf jaskier #rant post #vent post #challenge for Netflix #netflix #lauren hissrich #joey batey #henry cavill

[vellichorom]

is. is it too late to ask what goreguts is

never! so, according to the *TSP fandom wiki, goreguts is defined as the following;

*( NOTE: there is no actual TSP fandom wiki, the author just felt like being prosey in a funny quirky way )

" Goreguts is the name of the questionably m/f ship between @/vellichorom's rendition of The Narrator - Thierry, & @/tomichu's semi-TSP based OC - Rosemary " Ariana " Baker. The strange, albeit affectionately given nickname for the pairing stems from the couple's equally strange affinity & adoration of blood & guts, & beyond that is a direct reference to their lesser known, alternative author-given nicknames due to such; Gore & Guts.

Goreguts was once ( & somewhat still is by the authors ) prided as an alternative & " worse/better " Stanarrator rendition, however - due to it being an explicit plotpoint in this universe that Rosemary is NOT Stanley -- further officialized with Rosemary going from a customized Stanley interpretation to being solidified as an original character, it's more recently been officially recognized as more of a canon x OC ship. "

Type; queer t4t(?), "???" male/fem-presenting genderfluid; Also Known As; Thierrose, "The Worse/Better Stanarrator" ( by the authors ), "🐺/🐰", "🐻/🐰"; Tropes; Official Couple/Official Couple Ordeal Syndrome Beast and Beauty Devoted to You Enemies to Lovers Happily Married Love Hurts Love Martyr I Want My Beloved to Be Happy Odd Couple

want to know a bit more? check below for a slight more in-depth look about the nature of this ship;

" It should be noted that Goreguts is known for & touted as being a mutually co-dependent, mutually-obsessive/possessive, & mutually destructive relationship. This would be due to the circumstances of their canon, both environmental & interpersonal / in & out of their control, thus it's not exactly the healthiest ( though not abusive ) relationship out there & not intended to be promoted as such.

More or less follows the trope of ' two crazy people that were never supposed to have met & it likely would have been better for them both if they didn't, but they work to make it work because now they're much worse without. '

Regardless & interestingly enough, with a shred of awareness of this fact, they content not to change a thing beyond general, gradual self-improvement & are genuinely very happy to be with the other despite a rockier start/rocky practice.

Another noteworthy thing to mention is that, in AUs outside of their canon & distant from the game ( ex; an AU where they're both human & living their lives in the real world ), it's established they're much better & able to be healthier as a couple, that the canon just happens to make it as complex as one might expect it to be. "

#anonymous #inbox #TSP blogging #GoreGuts #Thierry tag #Rosemary tag #good morning i spent like 4 hours on this sorry #I HAD A BIT TO MAINTAIN WHAT CAN I SAY #BUT HOPEFULLY THIS IS A GOOD LITTLE INTRO #A GOOD LITTLE TASTE into the insanity that IS goreguts #and the insanity that tommy & i both share

[plaintoast]

Get to know you game! Answer the questions and tag people you want to know better!

becky @msmargaretmurry tagged me!

Last song listened to: this is a great question. it was something on whatever playlist generated when my mom's bff said 'alexa, play jazz music please'. before that it was something on my step-dad's folk/country playlist that i really enjoyed but forgot to ask him what it was. before that i was listening to empires my beloved <3 the last song i listened to was mb glow?

Currently reading: i just finished the captive prince trilogy by c.s. pacat which i THOROUGHLY enjoyed. i am convinced i will start martyr! by kaveh akbar soon because i loved the first few pages but i am stalling for some reason. i'm also rereading be the one to set me free by @notthequiettype (who also is the reason i was reading the captive prince trilogy) which is just sooooooo so good.

Currently watching: in this exact moment i am watching kraken vs bruins on root sports nw which i suspect will be a painful watch. as far as anything else goes i was watching love island uk at becky's not behest but because we were talking about leon on reality tv. i was not inspired by love island but i AM thinking about leon on survivor now.... i will prob watch some more eps of survivor soon tbh.

Currently obsessed with: almost nothing??? oh no jk i'm obsessed with this phone game called meow tower which is a nonagram/picross game where you solve puzzles to take care of cats that live in this apartment complex you run. it's a joy i'm truly obsessed with it i play it all the time it's almost a problem. i'm spending money on it :weary: if you want to play lmk tho because we both get extras if we share our ~friend codes~

tagging: truly idk who's been tagged but @starmotions and @somewhatinvested and @lisafremonts and @wisteriawatching if you all want to do this !!

[themattress]

Character Perception Evolution

Sometimes, believe it or not, I change my views on fictional characters.

This post will be updated with any example of such characters I can think of.

Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars) - While most people cite her being considered an annoying, pointless, and all-around hated kid sidekick character and evolving into one of the most beloved characters in the franchise, I actually have a different take. I never minded Ahsoka when she debuted in 2008. I thought she was largely inoffensive and was happy to see another lead female character in the series given how little of them we had. And yes, she only got better and better as she grew, and totally deserved her popularity. But something’s been wrong with her ever since her time travel-based survival of her big duel with Darth Vader, accelerating with her depiction by Rosario Dawson (complete with some awkward as Hell interactions with Luke Skywalker) and Dave Filoni’s dumbfounding remark that Ahsoka’s voice being with the voices of other dead Jedi in The Rise of Skywalker doesn’t necessarily mean she’s dead. It feels like she’s become a Creator’s Pet, a character that Filoni refuses to let go of past her natural expiration date. That’s why the primary excitement I have for the upcoming Ahsoka series is for Thrawn, not for her. She just isn’t that interesting anymore.

Amarant Coral (Final Fantasy IX) - I disliked Amarant back when I first played Final Fantasy IX, seeing him as this generic badass loner edgelord character who didn’t have very well-written character development. However, a few years back I replayed the game. And while his character development remains as shoddy as I remember (I feel like the developers just ran out of time and both he and Freya suffered as a result), I found myself greatly enjoying Amarant because I now could see that he’s pretty clearly a knowing parody of a generic badass loner edgelord character! The game knows he’s a jerkish stick-in-the-mud for no good reason and has fun with it, with Amarant’s snarky comments and frustration at having to be dragged all over creation by Zidane and his merry band of idealists making him hilarious.

Cain Madhouse (To The Abandoned Sacred Beasts) - Refer to this post. I first encountered Cain through the anime, where I thought he was a cool villain but not much else than that. He seemed to be there purely for the sake of providing the series with a central antagonist. Then I read the manga, and was honestly taken aback at just how interesting, complex and even sympathetic Cain was as a character. He isn’t even the true villain of the story, a role actually shared by his abusive father and the evil religious nutcase he’s in cahoots with. While he’s certainly far from a blameless martyr, Cain truly is doing what he believes to be for the best, and in his own twisted way still loves the people in his life that he cares for and genuinely wishes to do right by them. And all this nuance despite being named “Cain Madhouse!”

Charmcaster (Ben 10) - Here I’m talking about one version of the character in particular: the one from Ben 10: Omniverse. Back in 2014 when she was fresh, I greatly enjoyed this take on Charmcaster. She was really funny and cute, her magic was badass, her design was wonderful, her voice-acting was entertaining, and in general she was a major step-up from the version we’d gotten in Alien Force and Ultimate Alien. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to her. I don’t hate her, but I can’t fully enjoy her when so many of those AF/UA aspects are still in play with her, which makes her and her trajectory somewhat nonsensical, not to mention tasteless and ultimately kind of pointless. That was OV’s whole problem, I suppose: trying desperately to reconcile the original Ben 10 with the retcon-ridden AF/UA and largely failing. It doesn’t help that the next incarnation of Charmcaster in the rebooted continuity is so much better, as are similar characters in other shows such as Lena from the new DuckTales.

Dawn (Pokémon) - In the Diamond & Pearl anime, I didn’t care for Dawn for a good while, partly because doing a rehash of May immediately after May had left was insulting especially when I loved May so much and partly because there were other issues with her character’s utilization that irked me. However, after her subsequent, much-improved appearances in Best Wishes and Journeys, I looked back at her in her anime series of origin and realized that it really wasn’t Dawn that was ever the problem - it was Ash and Brock! It’s a franchise-wide trend: whenever Dawn is paired up with literally anyone else, she shines. Even the rehashing of May and personal gripes I have don’t matter much because she’s so likable. But when with Ash and Brock as their traveling companion, she by and large becomes the most generic goodie-goodie shojou girl possible. Just detach her from them and she’s a solid character.

Eraqus (Kingdom Hearts) - That great character design and Mark Hamill’s impeccable voice-acting made me think he was sympathetic when I originally played Birth by Sleep. Overtime, that impression faded. Yes, I agree with him that darkness is a problem and vigilance against it is needed; even if he was supposed to be wrong about that, he isn’t. The problem is that he goes about that in the dumbest, most counter-productive way possible. Terra would literally not have a darkness problem if not for Eraqus’ dumbass teaching methods. Worse still, everything that goes wrong in the story could have been avoided if he was just honest with his pupils about everything, including the fact that Xehanort might not be on the up and up given his obsession with potentially causing an apocalypse, an obsession he literally scarred Eraqus over. And maybe he shouldn’t have jumped immediately to murder as the solution to Ventus’ awareness of his own special existence posing a danger to the universe. If that wasn’t enough, we later learn he openly cheats at chess and just expects everyone to take it. 

Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia) - I used to hate this character; he was obnoxious and unlikable, yet the narrative and other characters never reacted to him the way they should and bended over backward to accommodate him. However, nowadays I don’t hate him so much as I feel sorry for him, on a meta level. Bakugo could have been a superb character with a great redemption arc, the pieces are all there.  But for some reason or other, Horikoshi instead decided to keep him the angry, violent, petty, egotistical asshole he’s always been, and justifies doing so while also playing at redeeming him by treating his super-dickery as comedic. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t work when it didn’t start out as comedic and had terrible effects on people like Izuku. Bakugo’s only been funny when he’s the butt of the joke, not when others still have to suffer from his rage-outs. It’s sad that Bakugo can’t live up to his potential, especially when others in the series like Endeavor (who’s a far worse person) do.

Kevin 11 (Ben 10) - I loved Kevin as a villain in the original Ben 10, hated his sudden change in character complete with a quickie redemption and out of nowhere romance with Gwen in Alien Force but was willing to tolerate him and wait to see where they’d go with him because he was admittedly pretty funny, loathed what ended up happening with him in Ultimate Alien which turned me off him altogether, and in Omniverse...ditto what I said about Charmcaster. But then there’s the continuity reboot version, and because of it I now have to admit that while I’ll always hold a soft spot for him, the original Kevin doesn’t hold up too well either. He’s a pre-pubescent kid named Kevin 11, yet he’s a purely evil psychopath and his villainous appearance is that of a grotesque mutant chimera? Yeeeah, I think the school bully with a troubled home life who has his own evil version of Ben’s Omnitrix and its aliens makes a lot more sense. Him not changing his ways so easily, staying Ben’s rival no matter how much they might team up, and having feelings for Gwen that are comedically one-sided also helps.

Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket) - Back in the day, Fruits Basket to me was just the 2001 anime series, and I honestly found Kyo pretty annoying. His hair-trigger temper and violent inclinations were a turn-off, as was his dub voice and that whole concluding arc with his true form. Then I read the manga and saw the faithful 2019 adaptation, complete with an incredibly improved performance by Jerry Jewell, and now I absolutely love the guy! No joke, he’s easily one of the best, most interesting and likable male leads in a shojou, as is Yuki.

Lysandre and Diantha (Pokémon) - Just see this post for details.

Mary Jane Watson (Spider-Man) - I’m talking specifically about the version portrayed by Kirsten Dunst in the Sam Raimi trilogy. She came off as a generic superhero girlfriend in the first movie to me, a hodgepodge of several characters from the comics instead of a proper adaptation of Mary Jane. It got worse in the second movie, where she played the annoying obstructive love interest trope. But despite the stupidity of having her be kidnapped in the climax again, I found myself really enjoying her in the third movie. This made me pay closer attention to her in the first movie, and to check out all her deleted material (much of which was included in the novelization) in the second movie. Not only did I find her to be a strong, truly human-feeling character, but she was more faithful to the comics’ Mary Jane in several key areas than many give her credit for, and Kirsten Dunst always gave a great performance.

Prince Demande and the Black Moon Clan (Sailor Moon) - I recall liking these villains fine as a kid, but feeling like they weren’t as good as the Dark Kingdom. While the Dark Kingdom is still my personal favorite group of villains, I now have to concede that the Black Moon Clan in both the manga and anime are superior. They’ve got the more complex set-up, feel darker and more dangerous, and have by far the best of Chaos’ incarnations in the Death Phantom. Meanwhile, I recall feeling some sympathy for Demande when I was young; his situation wasn’t an easy one after all, and he did love his brother very much, not to mention in the anime he gave his life for Usagi. Then I grew up and learned what rape was. Fuck this guy. Even if I love him as a villain, he’s a horrible person and no sacrificial death can change that.

Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time) - My stance for a long time has been that Regina was an overall good character in the first three seasons but then totally fell apart from some truly appalling creator favoritism. Having revisited the show recently, I don’t entirely revoke this stance, but it’s more complicated than I thought. When you get down to it, Regina only ever worked properly in Season 1, where she was a humanized yet still proudly evil antagonist. Season 2 not only dropped the ball in terms of consequences for her, but it fast-tracked her down the redemption path in a way that was ham-fisted and not believable. Season 3 handled her on the heroes’ side much better, but it’s nigh impossible to reconcile with the backslide she went through in the second half of Season 2, where she is depicted as this absolute psychopath delusional beyond the point of recovery, but Adam and Eddy genuinely don’t view her that way and weren’t meaning to make her come off that way - in their eyes, her grievances are all legitimate. And that’s really what I have a hard time ever getting around: the notion that the villainous Regina I loved in Season 1 was never the real Regina, just a stand-in until A&E had free reign to finally give us their Regina and re-orient the story to being “how the poor sad Evil Queen got her happy ending” like they originally envisioned. 

Roxas (Kingdom Hearts) - So TV Tropes has Roxas for this trope, saying he was divisive due to the KH2 prologue he starred in, but stuff like his FM boss battle, his presence in Coded, and especially 358/2 Days increased his popularity, to the point where KH3 resurrected him to give him a happy ending. I’m....kind of the exact opposite.  Honestly, I’ve always liked KH2′s prologue, warts and all, and while at first it was disappointing Roxas wasn’t a huge presence in KH2 given all the hype he was given, as time went on the more I appreciated his story and what was being said with it. It was genuinely complex and thought-provoking. I do not like the black-coated Organization XIII member Roxas that got shoved down our throats afterward, I tend to care about him the least out of 358/2 Days’ cast when playing that game, and I hate how such a nuanced story as what we had in KH2 gets undone, in a nonsensical way, solely for the sake of cheap fanservice (ditto for Xion’s case). Yeah, the FM boss battle is awesome, but for me mainly so because I get to kick that stupid black-coated Roxas’ ass!

Rumpelstiltskin (Once Upon a Time) - Another case of a character that’s listed on TV Tropes, saying that his popularity waned because of him constantly going through the Heel Face Revolving Door, which especially damaged his relationship with Belle. For me, that in of itself wasn’t the problem. He’s the freaking Dark One, practically the show’s main villain! Of course it’s going to be hard for him to ever reform. What soured me on him for a long time was the narrative’s framing of him and other characters’ reactions to him, which were increasingly insufficient for what an utter bastard he truly was. Going back over the show, I’ve somewhat softened on him again since he himself was a mostly well-written, well-acted and consistent character across 5 whole seasons, and I don’t feel like taking mistakes from the narrative and other characters out on him; it’s not like he asked for any of that. It’s just in Seasons 6 and 7 where I feel he was out-of-character on the whole, to two opposite, incompatible extremes.

Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!) - When I first began watching the anime, I thought Kaiba was a cool and sympathetic rival character. As it went on, though, I got sick of him being such a one-man Spotlight Stealing Squad and how hard the makers of the anime were actively trying to make him look cool. It didn’t help when I read the manga and saw this wasn’t the case for him here; he wasn’t even the deuteragonist the way the anime positions him, Joey was. But enjoying him in The Abridged Series made me revisit the actual show, and I actually realized that while those issues I had are technically still there, the 4Kids English dub has always done its best to mitigate them with Eric Stuart’s voicework and lines, which actually keeps him far more in line with his original manga self, who isn’t an overtly sympathetic, honorable and “cool” rival but a crazy, extravagant jerkass. And I love him that way. Screw the rules, he has money!

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog) - Shadow was awesome in Sonic Adventure 2, I was definitely a fan of him there. But then his popularity caused him to be immediately resurrected, to diminishing returns, which made me sour on the character and consider him emblematic of the Sonic franchise’s problems. I wished he had just stayed a one-shot. However, recent things such as the Sonic Boom TV series, the Sonic Prime TV series, the Sonic Forces DLC, The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie have all made me re-evaluate Shadow. Now I think he’s not bad as a series mainstay, just subject to being mis-used...but hey, so is every other character, so it’s not an issue unique to him. Used well, he’s honesty one of the franchise’s best characters.

Slade Wilson (Teen Titans) - I used to truly buy into the notion of him as a badass Anti-Hero / Anti-Villain like many people did, but after reading his original stories up through “The Judas Contract” and especially Christopher Priest’s run on the Deathstroke comic series, I no longer hold that view of him. Slade’s a badass combatant, sure, and as a threatening villain you definitely have to appreciate him. But as a person, he is not a badass. At all. He’s a pitiful, prideful, predatory scumbag. He’s “badass” and “honorable” in the exact same way that Walter White is: it’s all a big smokescreen to compensate for what a small, lowly, wretched excuse for a human being he is. Great character, great villain, absolutely intolerable person.

Supreme Leader Snoke (Star Wars) - When The Force Awakens came out, I didn’t like Snoke at all. He was the cheapest of retreads (an old, decrepit Dark Side user who rules the Empire and corrupts a Skywalker into becoming his evil apprentice), the cheapest of plot contrivances (the remnants of the Empire can only become a powerful threat and the victory from Return of the Jedi undone due to this fucker from out of nowhere), and the cheapest of Mystery Boxes (who is he and where did he come from and why does he do what he does, isn’t it so mysterious, don’t you just wanna speculate and theorize all over the internet?) As annoyed as I was that he died without any answers in The Last Jedi, I also liked him better as just Kylo Ren’s stepping stone. Better effects for him and a hammier performance by Andy Serkis helped. And when The Rise of Skywalker revealed he was literally a puppet of the resurrected Palpatine, everything about him just clicked. Stupid people online rant about insufficient foreshadowing for Palpatine’s return, but rewatch the trilogy with Palpatine in mind and Snoke himself - everything about him - is the biggest piece of foreshadowing there is. 

Ulrich Stern (Code Lyoko) - Through Code Lyoko’s first two seasons, Ulrich was hands-down the weakest part of the show for me. I didn’t think he was interesting or likable, and his Will-They-Won’t-They romance with Yumi, who could honestly do much better, was so exhausting. But then we hit Season 3, and the two-part prequel. Everything about Ulrich’s depiction in that just screamed “This guy is an asshole, you’re not supposed to like him”. It reframed everything we’ve seen of him as deliberate; even his lust for Yumi now comes off as just a way for him to feel better about himself since deep down he’s aware of what a shithead he is. Then when we returned to the present day action, Yumi firmly breaks off any potential for dating him. From this point on, Ulrich has to develop on his own terms, and he becomes so much better as a character; I actually found myself liking him, sympathizing with him, and appreciating his willingness to change for the better; a great foil to William whose stubborn unwillingness to do the same costs him and everyone else around him. The season 3 finale reminding me of the reason Ulrich became the way he used to be in his absolute scumbag of a father also helped a lot. He’s not my favorite and still kind of a dick, but I like him now.

Venom (Spider-Man) - Like most kids, I thought Venom was awesome growing up. Once I got older and looked up his history, I found that the majority of it was not very flattering, making me feel more conflicted about the character. Where do I stand on him now, you may ask? It’s simple, really: I love Venom - the symbiote. It’s Eddie Brock who I feel is the problem. Beyond the name and bonding with the Venom symbiote, I don’t think there’s been a consistent thing about this guy across all of his incarnations. The issues with Venom can almost always be traced back to the human part of the equation, because he was thought up on the fly by David Micheline with very little about him solidified beyond being an angry psychopath. I much prefer Venom as the symbiote, the host body be damned, and I’m glad that depiction has been gaining traction in recent years in various comics, TV shows and video games.

Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts) - So I totally subscribe to what’s on TV Tropes about Xehanort the Keyblade Master (was hailed as a great villain in Birth by Sleep, now seen as a horrible villain for everything that followed). But I want to talk about Terra-Xehanort. Because while I love him and both split halves of him, back in the olden days I preferred Ansem over Xemnas. He had the cooler design, a more vivid personality, was tied far closer to the Disney Villains, and of course was the villain in the original Kingdom Hearts (forever my favorite even if KH2 is technically a better game - and even then KH still has the better story). Now it’s reversed. Even disregarding how (with the exception of Dream Drop Distance) Xemnas retained his dignity as a character going forward while Ansem didn’t, there is just a weight and presence to Xemnas that I’ve fallen in love with more and more as time passes. He has the same depth and darkness of character as Ansem but takes it even further. His plans are even smarter and with more direct involvement from him. And of course, there’s him being KH2′s Final Boss, which means he’s irrevocably associated with the peak of the series to me. He’s the only incarnation of Xehanort whom I can safely call both a great character and villain to this day.

#Character Perception Evolution #Opinion #Analysis

[autism-swagger]

Characters with martyr and savior complexes my beloved

#og post tag

[silverscreenprincess]

Of Fallen Girls and Immaculate Hands

‘Once I painted a girl as I thought she was … Now I’m going to paint women as they really are! I shall find a girl with the face of an angel … And a soul as black as hell’.

The 1920s of director Frank Borzage undoubtedly succeed, at every try, in subverting our starry image of the era. Precisely, Borzage upends public perception through three key elements: moon-soaked mise-en-scène, Charles Farrell and the glowing miss Janet Gaynor. In the director’s three films starring America’s favourite lovebirds, the familiar echoes of glistening pearls or silver flapper shoes are absent – instead, Borzage shines the white-hot spotlights onto the marginalised, the destitute and the martyrs. It is through this careful scene-setting that his classic melodramas become the stage for a wrestling of dichotomies such as that between poverty and richness, or despair and pure bliss. In his 1928 feature-film Street Angel, however, a new element seems to be expanded upon: the contradicting nature of women – according to men – or what we understand as the madonna-whore complex. Borzage lingers on this theme, panning camera shots across various women’s faces, or across the face of the man who looks at them, never saying much of his own. If we look close enough at these unwavering eyes, black and white and grainy, maybe we might reach something deeper. Maybe the silent picture will tell us something tangible – or maybe that isn’t the point.

I was immediately drawn to Street Angel in August of last year, after I had watched the ‘gifted trio’’s other two collaborations, 7th Heaven (1927) and Lucky Star (1929) in rapid succession. I was soon enthralled by the leading couple’s heart-breaking chemistry, and Borzage’s depiction of the impoverished neighbourhoods of Naples. My intrigue was piqued when I recognised Janet Gaynor’s character in Street Angel, Angela, as not only an re-imagining of her angelic (the subtlety in old films is just wondrous, sometimes) self in Lucky Star and 7th Heaven, but as an extension, perhaps even a continuation, of her destitute and prostituted character in the latter film. Indeed, Gaynor returned to the silver screen as an impoverished woman with prostitution as her only means to make it – although this time, the man she loves, Gino (played by Charles Farrell), knows it. The result was complex, a delicate amalgamation which verged at times on the horrid and at others on the delightful. 

It is necessary, to comprehend the complexity of this film, to shine the spotlight on Gino in much the same way Borzage did. Indeed, Gino does not understand women. The poor man winds up so charmed by Angela’s strikingly innocent charms, that he sells his painting of her to be turned into worship portraits of the Virgin Mary. However, once he finds out that Angela was arrested for soliciting, his love for a woman turns into contempt for all. After his declaration of anger against the opposite sex, the viewer understands that the end is near – the two must find one another again, the only obstacles to their happiness being Angela’s desperation and Gino’s fiery rage. The setting becomes clear once more.

Naples, a river of smoke pearling through the air; Gino is walking away from the wharves of the city, ridden with anger at the women who frequent it; Angela, walking towards it, for she is hungry, and needs to eat. The collision is near fatal. After chasing Angela into the nearest church and wrapping his furious hands around her neck, he gazes up towards the painting of his former love, clothed in the grace of the Holy Virgin – a creation of his own strong and heavy hands. Gazing down again, and into Angela’s eyes, he realises his mistake and begs her for forgiveness. The pure woman, rendered untouchable by her sin, is once again holy, cherished and beloved. 

It is unclear whether the film agrees with Gino in his feelings towards Angela. Is she pure because she had never touched a man before him, despite having attempted to solicit for money? Or are prostitutes capable of being pure, and good? The title, Street ~ Angel, tells the viewer everything and nothing at once.

On a cold night in February, I think of this film once more. I think of the fog that looks like mist in teary eyes, and the devotion of two lovers, and the sweetness of its horror. As always, it leaves me with many questions, unanswered – for they are all too long. Is Street Angel a feminist tale – what is divine about a fallen woman – is it good, is it really good? Street Angel will leave you wondering for a horrifically long time. You will only know it is brilliant, and that will be that.

#street angel 1928 #silent film #silver screen #janet gaynor #charles farrell #film review

[impish-ivy]

👏GIVE👏ME👏MORE👏INFO👏ON👏MINNIE👏

General Info 09 Do they attend RAD? What is their role there? Their best subject/the one they teach? Club activties? If they don't attend RAD, what do they do? (I mostly want to know if she's part of any of the brothers' fan clubs tbh NJDKSLGSDKD)

Relationships & Personality 01 What's their relationship with Solomon & Mammon?

Concept & Design 10 How about some angst headcanons? >:)

Human 04 Do they have a guardian angel? Have they forged any pacts?

Ask and you shall receive!💚

General Info

09: Do they attend RAD? What is their role there? Their best subject? Club activities?

Yes! She hated school when she was a kid but she absolutely enjoys it now! It’s funny because she dreaded it so much as first but almost instantly fell in love with RAD. She’s currently apart of the student council, she does a bit of everything but her main job is keeping everyone on task lol.

Her favorite studies are Devildom History and Applied Magical Potions, shes incredibly interested in the Devildom as a whole so she tends to do very well in any classes pertaining to them and enjoys the task of brewing potions.

Her least favorite being Mathematics and Cursed and Hexes. She’s not a math girle and will often (with his consent) cheat off Mammon. She also feels way too bad about putting any curses on anyone, it doesn’t help her angel heritage naturally makes it harder.

She’s in Cat club!

Relationship and personality

01: What so their relationship with Solomon and Mammon?

Hoh boy! This one has flipped quite a bit in the beginning and then settled and has flipped again. Fun fact about me, Mammon used to be my favorite (hard to imagine I know 😔) and Minnie was a Mammon MC. But Nightbringer has made my love for Solomon so strong I changed her lol. So to answer your question

Solomon: One of her most trusted and beloved friends maybe more?👀 Solomon is the person Minnie isn’t afraid to be honest about her feelings and opinions. She respects him deeply, this man has saved her life on numerous occasions and was more than happy to teach her magic. They’re study buddies because he’s aware of where her gap of knowledge is likely to be and isn’t condescending about it. I’ve said it before, Minnie’s humanity is very important to her and she feels like Solomon understands her on a level the others don’t.

Mammon: His partner in crime! They’re both trouble makers, for different reasons. Mammon loves causing trouble and Minnie always finds herself following along. They copy each other’s homework for classes they suck at (He copies her Human and Devildom history and she copies his mathematics). She’s also the black sheep in her family so she’s way softer on him than the rest. She absolutely refuses to call him an idiot, people used to call her that and all it did was push herself deeper down. Does not like Lucifer’s punishments.

Concept and Design

10: Angst headcanons!

She has a martyr complex. She didn’t develop it over night but she values her feelings and life substantially less than everyone around here.

Human

04: Do they have a garudian angel? Have they forged any pacts?

I have an angel OC I had no idea what to do with and this question inspired me to do something with him. So thanks Melody! :p

She has forged pacts with all 7 of the brothers. She sees her pacts with them as a massive trust and proof of how much they all love each other. She’d have to love and trust another demon enough to ask them.

She does in fact have a guardian angel, she just isn’t aware yet lol. His name is Jeremial, and he didn’t intentionally become her guardian Angel.

Michael had asked him just before the game exchange program began. He was in the middle of a project and went “Yeah yeah, of course.” and only found out when Michael asked how everything is going.

He doesn’t mind all too much.

#obey me oc #obey me mc #ask game #ask box

[fideidefenswhore]

So, why is Anne of Cleves hated??? Like, what did she do??? Maybe some Mary I fans hate her bc during Mary's reign there was talk of her being arrested, or being part of a plot? Please, could you elaborate? I think it would be cool 😘

Well, I did say low-key-hated. but...

My impression is that both the C/OA and JS hive are green about the gills over her, for different reasons.

How the annulment went with Anne demonstrates that Catherine had a much easier path available to her that she chose not to take. It also demonstrates that the motto of humility that C/oA chose is much more applicable to AofCleves. This grates on their respective martyr complexes/affinity with her. They like to say a lot (and Mary/I stans too) that they could have been martyrs and came very close. But ultimately neither of them did; for the first, because she was endowed with privilege and status the other, actual martyrs of the Reformation were not, not only indelibly royal but also technically not an English subject (if she wasn't Henry's wife...but she insisted she was... CoA engaged in a lot of circular arguments, she managed to argue that she should be permitted Maundy bcus Margaret Beaufort as a royal widow did as well...except she insisted she was not a royal widow bcus her marriage with Arthur was annulled by dispensation, that that dispensation was valid...etc...she also said she would never leave England because it would be the same as conceding her case, 1533-, yet she also demanded the case be remanded to Rome, and ostensibly would have come there for her case to be heard if she was called, 1530-...?) , for the second, because she did ultimately reject her mother's previous advice, which was to "obey the King, your father, in everything, save only that you will not offend God and lose your own soul".

This stings, or has to, if the way they talk about Jane Grey, or, perhaps more applicably, Protestant martyrs, is any indication.

Also, there's a contemporary source that Anne of Cleves was 'more pitied in her case' (annulment, that is) than C/ oA was. That blights their narrative that Catherine was the Queen most beloved by the English people (altho, tbf, there are many contemporary reports in Catherine's time as Queen that would suggest that... but you'd think they'd be less sensitive about that single narrative-contradictory quote, considering).

For the JS hive, it stings that a) none of the contemporary praise of their fave can really be divorced of the implication of denigration of her predecessor (contemporary praise of Queens can often be attributed to political expedience, tbf, but none so much as when the context is the immediate previous being convicted of treason), b) that none of the contemporary praise of Jane comes from women, not even her own relatives have any contemporary statements that suggest an affection or attachment towards her (unless you count her stepdaughter's letters, but the abject submission and formality of their tone means that I, personally, do not). For Jane, there was no "so good and gentle to serve and please", no "none to do me help except the Queen, to whom I am much bound".

And there was a lot of contemporary praise of Anne of Cleves; and because there was no motivation to denigrate her immediate predecessor, it's generally, fairly, regarded as more authentic praise.

#anon

[inkedmyths]

Tagged by @g1ngerbeer 10 fandoms/10 characters/10 tags ok let's see if I'm doing this right yeehaw

Trails of Cold Steel - ITS SO HARD TO PICK JUST ONE but well if I have to its gotta be Rean. The guy ever. He's done absolutely nothing wrong and the universe hates him. I love him sm. Shakes him in a snowglobe.

Star Wars - Anakin is the problematic fav ever. He's just the worst. God awful. King of bad decisions making. Virtually a demigod but is exceptionally stupid about it. Icon.

Splatoon - Does Captain 3 count. The fucking, faceplanting after doing something cool. The Booyah. The peace sign. They're so funny.

Monster Hunter - I LOVE UTSUSHI he's just so funny. Uses the word bodacious unironically. His pupil's No. 1 fan. He sparks joy your honor.

The Magnus Archives - Jon is so poor little meow meow. Just, so meow meow. Incredible character arc of bastard to pathetic to soft marshmallow with god powers and a martyr complex. Immaculate.

Legend of Zelda - Every single iteration of Impa is the GOAT. Guardian, protector, friend, she's got it all. BIG fan of Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors iterations specifically.

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - YJH IS SO. Local man having depression and mental illness due to regression, and then some asshole comes around and throws approximately 50 wrenches into his plans. Unfortunately, he becomes immensely attached to said asshole. His life is a nightmare and it's funny to watch.

Pokémon - N Harmonia was baby's first blorbo and I miss him sm. We love a cult survivor learning about how the world actually works, good for him.

Percy Jackson - SPECIFICALLY the Lightning Thief Musical especially the production I watched understands Luke Castellan better than anyone ever will and I am spinning it in my head all the time

Fantasy Life - Yuelia my daughter light of my life dearly beloved she's an angel she's grace she's done nothing ever wrong and I would die for her

Ok ok can I tag 10 people. Let's see. @foolsbangle @harasharaved @dracolunae @ashenknightt @the-carrotella @rosenmarille @ephemeralcemsilee @crowreans @charxan @kulvefaggoth

#tag games #had to sit and think abt my most relevant fandoms for a sec whshsagsg

[eerna]

I know a Martyr complex ain't easy to get over but, Yato my beloved, I am pretty sure ur Son wouldn't appreciate his only stable parental figure dying,

Also bad moment to reincarnate bro

Yato my sweet, Yukine just realized you are his dad and Hiyori realized she is into IRL dudes because of yoz, pls read the room

#He is so selfish. Gods ammiright #Eernask #Eernanon #Eernask talk noragami

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Wednesday, July 26, 2023

july 26_july 13

Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel

Troparion, Tone IV

Supreme commander of the armies of Heaven,/ we, the unworthy, do ever entreat thee,/ that by thy prayers thou ever surround us with the protection of the wings of thine immaterial glory,/ preserving us that earnestly fall down before thee and cry aloud:// Deliver us from misfortunes, in that thou art the leader of the hosts on high.

Kontakion, Tone II: "The steadfast.."

O chief commander of God,/ minister of glory divine,/ captain of the angels and instructor of men:/ beg thou great mercy and that which is profitable for us,// for thou art the supreme commander of the bodiless hosts.

What is a Troparion? A troparion (plural troparions or troparia) In Byzantine music and Eastern Orthodox Christianity's religious music, a short hymn of one strophe, or organized in more complex forms as a series of stanzas.

THE HOLY MARTYR SERAPION UNDER SEVERUS (193)

The Holy Martyr Serapion, suffered for Christ before Emperor Severus (193-211). As a Christian, he was brought to judgment before Governor Achilles. The holy martyr firmly proclaimed to the pagans his faith in Christ, and he was subjected to inhuman torments. Afterward, he was thrown into prison.

Healed by the Lord Jesus Christ, he was brought to the judgment place and presented himself before the judge completely healthy. The enraged pagans sentenced the saint to be burned alive. In the flames, he gave up his soul to God (+ ca. 205).

SAINT MARTYR JUTHWARA (England_6th. C)

She was a pious girl who was the victim of a jealous stepmother. St. Juthwara prayed and fasted often and frequently gave alms. Upon her father's death, she began to suffer from pains in her chest. Its source was ascribed to her sorrow. Her stepmother recommended two soft cheeses be applied as a remedy, but the stepmother told her son, Bana, that Juthwara was pregnant. Bana felt Juthwara’s undergarments and found them moist, whereupon he immediately struck off her head. A spring of water appeared at the spot. Juthwara then miraculously picked up her head and returned it to the church. Bana repented of his deed and became a monk, founding a monastery at Gerber (later known as Le Relecq) on a battlefield.

Juthwara’s death occurred at Halyngstoka, generally accepted as Halstock in Dorset, where a field is still called by her name, modernized to “Judith.” There is also a church in North Cornwall named for St. Julitta, which initially bore Juthwara’s name.

Her relics were translated to Sherborne Abbey in the early 11th century, and her shrine remained a place for pilgrimages.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:12-22

12 So, let him who thinks he stands to take heed lest he fall.13 No temptation has overtaken you except such is common to man. Still, God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying, then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Instead, the things the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with devils. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

MATTHEW 16:20-24

20 Then, He commanded His disciples to tell no one that He was Jesus Christ. 21 From that time, Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Commentary from a Church Father

John Chrysostom (AD 407): Therefore, the rest being troubled and perplexed, Peter, again in his ardor alone, ventures to discuss these things. And he does not discuss them openly but only when he has taken them aside. Having separated himself from the rest of the disciples, he says, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” What is happening here? The very one who had obtained a revelation, who had been blessed, has now so soon fallen away, so as now to fear the Passion of the Lord, and thereby his faith has been overthrown. It is remarkable that Peter, who had not yet been fully instructed in the course of revelation, should come up with these responses. The larger picture had not yet been revealed to Peter, who was confused and overwhelmed. Peter had learned that Christ is the Son of God. But he had not known of the mystery of the cross and the resurrection. It was as yet not manifested to him. It remained hidden. Do you see how correct Jesus was in forbidding them not to declare his identity publicly? For if it so confounded the disciples, who were being made aware of it, who knows what the response of others might have been. This is why he rebuked Peter and called him Satan: to signify that he is voluntarily coming to his future suffering. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch originofchristianity spirituality holyscriptures gospel bible wisdom churchfathers