#which i believe is unlikely

[marapuama]

cross is a talented magic user in canon, like undeniably. komui's lounge interviews have had noah and order members alike commenting on how he's so fucking weird for what he does. so what does it mean that cross doesn't even consider that red could be the original host, whether that's through de-aging or something else??

#dgm #d gray man #d.gray-man #cross marian #nea d campbell #allen walker #chapter 246 #ch246 #the new chapter's got me posting like crazy #possibilities: #1) no deaging. something else equally fucked up #which i believe is unlikely #2) yes deaging. and cross doesn't know all the magic in the world #or 3) yes deaging. but so many things have to go fuck up for that to happen which is why cross doesn't consider it #in which case #what fucked up!!!!!!! #btw like wo deaging how do you explain nea recognizing allen #my post

[egophiliac]

GRIMS COMING!!! You gonna pull for him??👀👀

I'm gonna try, but...

I have mere hours to decide if I want to make one last attempt at Malleus or save a few to try for Grim...and this is all before the new event reveal on the 16th. truly the most difficult choice of our modern times. the gacha is getting its revenge for all of my Lilias.

#art #of a sort #twisted wonderland #glorious masquerade #can't believe that malleus still won't come home two years in a row #okay. okay. so we'll get a free 10 pull for grim and then if i use ALL my keys and gems that'll get me up to...ugh. numbers. 91? #literally 9 short of a guaranteed summon. oh my god. #curse you trey why is your birthday just too late to get me another 10 set when i need it #i was really trying to ration but i still spent too many of my hoarded keys failing to get masqeralleus #my hubris... #and this is assuming that i won't even want any of the 2023 halloween ssrs which is. unlikely. #may we all get ridiculously lucky and get the fancy ssr on our first pull using the free event keys #it can happen if we all BELIEVE #(sobs)

[vikingknight90]

Looking closer at this moment

Miles gets the smallest frown when he appears to look at Gwen's lips. If anything you know he was thinking about it.

#gwen x miles #gwiles #ghostflower #atsv spoilers #miles morales #gwen stacy #unlike what others may think I don't actually believe they'd have kissed here #Gwen just told Miles earlier she's worried they won't work out and Miles respects her boundaries #unless of course they had a moment of impulse #which you know could happen #kiss or no kiss they were about to have a tender moment one way or the other #damn you Rio rofl

[transmascutena]

thinking about how akio sees his younger self in utena and wondering if there's any fondness there. doesn't change the horror of what he does to her obviously but i do wonder

#akio and utena #m #long ramble in the tags sorry: #the thing about akio is that he's so evil bit he's also so human #he has feelings. i just don't know what they are (if anything) toward his victims #he loves anthy at the very least i'm sure of that. even if he hates her too. just like she loves and hates him. the lines are blurry. #and i just. i have to wonder whether any of that extends to utena at all. we know anthy at times feels similarly about utena and dios #(and akio by extension.) the simultanious love and resentment. so it's not too unlikely i think. #like. even though he never had anything but bad intentions in getting close to her #i'm not sure it's possible to do everything he did and feel nothing #not that he has any meaningful amount of guilt or remorse for it. i don't think that. #and i obviously don't think he “loved” her in any of the ways she might have thought he did #but did he not care at all? did he not feel any kind of fondness or sympathy or just. idk. pity? for her? #whatever the case it wasn't enough to reconsider having her killed so you know. how much does that actually matter anyway #idk. i think about it a lot. how abusers are rarely entirely indifferent toward their victims #the role he's playing in her life is so fucked up but it IS a role he's playing and i wonder how much he you know... internalizes it? #how much does he believe the illusion of family that he invites her into? because akio DOES often buy into his own illusions. #(similarly i think it's possible that akio is fond of touga too. their mentor-protégé relationship is horrible and abusive #but that doesn't make it less real. you know? maybe real is the wrong word.) #when he talks in episode 25 about wanting utena and anthy closer that's obviously so he can continue to groom her #but is there something genuine there too? i don't know. #again. it obviously does not make anything he does better or even different. but it is interesting to think about to me. #on the other side of that coin does seeing his own past youth and naivete and desire to do good that he (maybe) once had #reflected back at him through her mean anything? #is there resentment there? that she is what he couldn't be? or more likely he just thinks that idealism is stupid. #either way it's something he wants to take from her. anyway ramble over. #i talk a lot about utena's feelings toward akio (familial vs romantic love and the way the two are intertwined in fucked up ways) #but not much the other way around. probably because utena is actually a sympathetic character whose feelings the show very clearly #wants you to analyze and think about. #which is... less true for akio i think. though he's still a complex character with complex motives. he's just harder to get a grasp on.

[raayllum]

Definitely my favourite Clauderry kiss (so far)

#which is good bc it's unlikely we're gonna see one for a hot sec #clauderry #screencaps #5x09 #dragons liveblogs #also i remind myself that these are the kinds of scenes waiting for us rayllum wise #being physically affectionate once they're back together #im a believer

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

“Dead. He’s dead.”

“No.” The eunuch’s voice seemed deeper. “He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.”

(ADWD Epilogue)

Varys’ words to Kevan Lannister about Prince Aegon are so interesting because of the overarching insinuation that the boy has had a slew of advisors and teachers who have carefully and extensively prepared him for the task of ruling. His listed examples to that point are rather peculiar, however: a knight to train him in arms, a septa to train him in the faith, and various tutors to train him in history and languages.

Now there’s nothing inherently wrong about Aegon’s educators but one has to ask, what do these people even know about actual ruling? What have they seen about the nature of ruling and the nitty gritty of it? What experience do they have? And if they themselves don’t really know what it means to rule, what does that say of their young prince’s education?

It’s an important question to ask when we consider Aegon’s narrative foil: Jon Snow. Jon does not have the expectation of ruling. In fact, as a bastard, he knows that he can never ever get a lordship let alone a crown/throne. Yet Jon has, unlike Aegon, a crew of experienced tutors who have shown him the nitty gritty of ruling. Every single one of his on-page mentors is either a ruler or a leader of men; in addition to the other tutors he had growing up.

So I wanted to take a look at Jon’s mentors and the positions they have held to contrast their experience (and thus the validity of the lessons that they give Jon) as opposed to the lack of experience in Aegon’s crew.

Ned Stark - Jon’s first and (arguably) most impactful mentor. While teaching Jon important lessons about rulership, he was serving as the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North; thus making him one of the most powerful men in the entire realm. He then went on to serve as Hand of the King - the most powerful official save for the king. The irony is that Ned didn’t teach Jon as a successor. Robb was the one meant to succeed him. Yet Jon absorbed his lessons all the same.

Benjen Stark - we don’t actually see much on-page mentorship from Benjen, yet he still is one of Jon’s many father figures in the series. He is a a man of the Night’s Watch so he is sworn to hold no lands or titles. Yet as First Ranger, he is undoubtedly one for he highest ranking officials in the Watch and potentially a skilled warrior. He takes on the role of the knight or leader of men among Jon’s teachers.

Tyrion Lannister - despite being an ‘outsider’, Tyrion comes to hold considerable power. He is an exceedingly learned and intelligent man and managed to impart important life lessons during his short time with Jon. He rises to become Hand of the King and later Master of Coin. Though he doesn’t actively teach Jon how to rule, he’s still an important part of Jon’s character development.

Maester Aemon - one of the anomalies in this list. Yet his impact on Jon’s life cannot be understated. He is a teacher to Jon; we have various references to Jon going to Aemon for advice on how to lead. Aemon also gives Jon advice meant for kings: “kill the boy and let the man be born”. What makes Aemon an interesting addition is that he is a would-be king. And an interesting contrast between Jon and Aegon is that both parallel Aegon V; Jon more organically, Aegon rather artificially. If we remember, Aegon V was a hidden prince who ultimately became king. This is the very same trope that Jon and Prince Aegon are following. And it’s interesting that Aemon, Aegon V’s brother, gives advice on governance to Jon; the same advice given to the unlikely king. So it’s Jon who is carrying the torch of kingship from Aegon V, not Young Griff.

Jeor Mormont - one of the most direct mentors in Jon’s arc. Not only is he a surrogate father to Jon, he does what Ned never did: he directly grooms Jon to be his heir. Jon gets to watch Jeor actually govern the NW as his steward but it’s interesting that he shadows the LC through servitude. Though Jon is intended to succeed the Old Bear, he has to humble himself; he has to follow before he can lead. It’s a contrast to Aegon who would hold power over most (if not all) of his tutors.

Donal Noye - the other anomaly save for Maester Aemon. He is a humble Blacksmith. Yet he has been in the service of kings (having served the Baratheon boys who would all end up as kings). He plays an important role in bringing Jon’s ego back to earth and helping him sympathize with those less fortunate than himself. Despite his humble origins, he does briefly take command of the Wall during Mance Rayder’s attack and then transfers that command to Jon, purely because he believed in Jon’s ability to lead (and he was right).

Qhorin Halfhand - another who takes on the role of a skilled master at arms for Jon. He is an undoubtably powerful warrior. But he is also a leader of men. He teaches Jon important lessons on leadership during their time together beyond the Wall - e.g., to lead your men you must first know them. And in true ‘fridged mentor’ fashion, Qhorin dies so the young prince can take over and grow as a leader.

Mance Rayder - the King Beyond the Wall and one of the most important leaders in the books despite spending all his time in the North. Mance’s role as a mentor for Jon is doubly important given that he also takes on the role as a Rhaegar proxy. Despite Jon coming to him as an (undercover) enemy, he’s still able to impart powerful lessons on how to command an army and wrangle support from different factions of men. Jon learns a lot about diplomacy from observing and being under the KBTW. Mance is a skilled warrior, commander, and politician. A charismatic and gifted man - the picture perfect king for Jon to emulate.

Tormund Giantsbane - a leader of the freefolk who rises to become an unlikely ally for Jon. A skilled warrior and proven leader (we know that he took charge of a couple of thousand of freefolk), Tormund becomes important when there’s a transfer of power from Mance to Jon as leader of the freefolk.

Stannis Baratheon - by law, he is the rightful king of the seven kingdoms. According to prophecy, as Melisandre says, he is the promised messiah. Despite a less than ideal personality, he’s still an important part of Jon’s political arc in ADWD. Arguably a man of immense administrative potential, Stannis is also one of the most successful military commanders in the series; which is great for Jon since he also learned from Ned, who ran an undefeated streak as a battle commander.

The total count now comes to: two kings, two Hands of the King, a ruling lord, three warriors, one wise maester (who has counseled a king), and one commander. That quite a resume for Jon. All these men have some experience leading men and commanding armies, however big or small. So Jon’s preparation has been quite thorough.

What a stark contrast between the two boys, then. Varys’ words give us a roadmap of a “perfect ruler” (or as perfect as one can be) yet when we actually take the time to examine what we see in the text, Aegon is not at all suited for that role - Jon is. In fact, not a single character in ASOIAF has had the intensive preparation to rule that Jon has.

It’s beautiful irony. The prince, the one promised to rule, is actually quote underprepared for the task of it. Meanwhile the bastard, who is at best promised a life of servitude, is the one with the most preparation (and experience) for rulership. It’s the way Aegon, as a narrative foil to Jon, acts as one who validates Jon’s journey. There are certain things needed of a ruler. Jon has them, Aegon doesn’t.

Winds isn’t out yet so we don’t yet know for certain where these two boys will end up. But I’m almost sure that young Prince Aegon is doomed and though he may hold the throne for a while, he will not be the king at the end of the story. And it just might be his inexperience that ultimately dooms him. So what does that say for Jon then? Aegon can’t hold the throne as he’s unprepared for it, but what about Jon who is?

#jon snow #aegon vi targaryen #young griff #asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #yes I am a Jon will be king at the end of the story believer - that’s the archetype #and so far he’s been following it despite several diversions #he’s the closest character we have to a true to form retelling of King Arthur #Aegon is there to validate Jon’s rise to kingship - he’s not the ruler we should be looking for because Jon is #Aegon is what happens when you make a young boy take on such a terrible task without adequate preparation #he is what happens when your prince in hiding relies almost entirely on blood and his father’s name #which is ironic given varys’ insistence that aegon isn’t entitled - we see that he actually is #Jon is what happens when you actually prepare your king to rule #a prince in hiding who relies on ability and experience - that’s why it’s so important that adwd serves as a training arc for him #and more poignant is the subversion to the trope #unlike most princes in hiding who learn of how special they are quite early in their journeys #jon still knows himself as a bastard - one with no entitlement to anything #Aegon is similar to many fantasy princes because the story starts out with him already knowing who he is #so basically Aragorn #His story has already been written as far as he knows #‘and king Aegon took the throne and ruled wisely for ever and ever’ #He knows he’s special and he expects that specialness to carry him to greatness #Jon doesn’t have that so he can only try - try to rule wisely #he can try to rule kindly and equitably #and he’s not perfect - he fails as we see in ADWD - but he tries anyway #remember Aragorn? Perhaps the most famous hidden king in fantasy? #well who do you think answers the question ~what was Aragorns tax policy?~ #spoiler alert - it’s not Aegon! #my stuff

[sugaroto]

Made this meme some months ago but forgot about it, yesterday some kids at work told me I looked 30 and thought I was talking about my daughter (I'm 18 and I was talking about my cousin)

#look. when i was 16 i did try to make an unlikable cousin to believe im 32 as a joke #and she did believe it for a few years #but i accidentally mentioned my real age in front of her. so now she knows #but... #why did these girls thought i was 30😭😭😭 #kids have no sense of aging do they #they way they said i looked 30 sounded like an achievement #which- it can be- not everyone lives to grow old and i dont want to be one of the people that hide their ages #but i will not be 30 for the next 12 years #... wow 12 #btw for anyone not understanding the plural form joke #plural form is the polite manner #you use plural 'you' and verbs when talking face to face with someone older or someone you should show respect to #(like a boss or a teacher etc) #so- its used for older people #im not that old 😭 #they keep -σειςσαςing me😭 #sugarenia talks #sugarenia thoughts

[momo-de-avis]

Do you guys remember the british tv show Misfits that truly introduced the insane acting range of the guy who in Game of Thrones cut Theon Greyjoys's dick off and just how insanely good that show was

#when rob stark died misfits fans were posting pics of the stark lady you know the mother #dont remember her name #saying 'shoulda stayed in misfits at least there your son was immortal' LMAO #Misfits and Utopia are two of the best TV experiences I've ever had #and by Utopia I mean the British version #not that fincher shit #no hate to fincher #well a little bit of hate towards fincher but thats person #but the og utopia is a visual experience unlike any other #also apologies i dont remember the name of the actor #i believe he's welsh tho #also misfits was revolutionary because it was completely shot with a Canon DOS 7 #EOS 7* #which was the best and most affordable one on the market in 2009 #and like there's better cameras since #but the quality still holds up #i was studying cinemq at the time and it was a huge deal

[autism-swagger]

@el-fandom-birb @krikeymate ask and ye shall receive

Itty bitties

#Tara is standing on their tiptoes btw #got halfway through this and realized I was drawing them so young I didn't even need to draw any scars #(​unlike my other young Sam n Tara drawing which has Tara's forehead scar) #and damn near started weeping #also keen eyed observers may note that the hairtie I gave Sam is the exact same color as the one I always draw Tara with #(I'm trying to say that after Sam left Tara started using her hairtie) #(it breaks a couple months after the events of 6) #(and even though Sam is back in his life again Tara has a complete meltdown over it) #(because 13 year old Tara's though process was 'Sam will come back if her favorite hairtie is still here') #(13 year old Tara made the connection that hairtie=Sam and 20 year old Tara still kind of subconsciously believes it) #(so. meltdown.) #idk it's a small detail with lots of thought behind it so I figured I'd point it out #my art #Tara tag #horror tag #hc tag #because of the tags lol

[annabelle--cane]

was there a particular popular artist that gave sasha a hair bow and people have been subconsciously following after them ever since or did we all just listen to mag 26 a distortion and say "hehe bow." it's a more specific but low key look than other types of fanon fashion choices (jon's sweater vests, martin's jumpers, tim's hawiian shirts, melanie's alt style, elias's eye jewellery) and one that I've seen go completely unremarked upon. I like it, I'm just wondering where that came from.

#also unlike other fanon fashion I don't believe it carried over to cosplayers on tiktok #which makes a kind of sense. sasha/not sasha designs had a very specific vibe there so people could keep them visually distinct #while working around that fact that one cosplayer traditionally will only have one face to work with #tma #marina marvels at life

[dumpsterhipster]

I have so far avoided talking about this publicly because I don't care for airing drama, but today I was shown something that has crossed the line so hard that I can't keep ignoring this weird one-sided feud any longer.

@elfinismsarts, you need to stop.

It's really weird that literally a year and a half after we last interacted you're still holding onto this bizarre idea that every comment or anon you don't like comes from me/my friends, and that I'm spearheading some kind of targeted harassment campaign against you. It's sad that I know you won't believe me when I say I'm not and never have, and that nearly a full year on from your callout post about me, I have much, much better ways to spend my time and energy.

I'm in my thirties. I don't have 'enemies'. I honestly find it a bit embarrassing and juvenile that you do, and that based on your reddit account you're still posting literally every few days about these 'enemies' who--I repeat--haven't interacted with you since 2021.

Until now I was willing to just roll my eyes and ignore it. But I can't ignore that you apparently think it's completely fine and normal to track down my irl socials, identity, habits and family and then post about it publicly with thinly veiled allusions to what you could do with that information if you had malicious intent.

Grow up and go away; it's going to be incredibly sad to have to address this again in another eighteen months otherwise. And if you can't do that, my boyfriend says you could at least buy his album.

Evidence that OP of the screenshot is @/elfinismsarts under the cut.

#i find it pretty unlikely that one could easily stumble across my instagram with just my first name #given it IS a real not uncommon if non-anglo name #and my account is otherwise unconnected to my fandom presence or usernames except for following a few artists #i have also had 'elfinisms and all accounts made by this person' blocked for about a year and a half #so let's not pretend this isn't what it is #which is: a deliberate and targeted invasion of my privacy #based on nothing except 'branson and bori both start with a b so they're clearly the same person' #this-to quote the bf again-'end boss villain' persona you've concocted for me is so childish #believe it or not people can not like your writing or not like you without ever having met me #mind you it is pretty funny to accuse me of cyberstalking then following it with four paragraphs of...*checks notes* #opossum speaks

[the-acid-pear]

Love how transexual everyone in that stupid tower is. Trans on trans violence supremacy.

#luly talks #pizza tower #like even if you ignore the headcanon stuff a lot of these characters are so Girl #look at pepperman for example my man has sculpturs of himself both w muscles AND w a fat pair of honkers #and unlike popular belief he can draw things that aren't his face (he drew peppino and PROBABLY pizzahead) so it rlly is him #and there's Pizzahead's portrait of him w a fat pair of honkers too #and fake peppino doesn't even know what gender is but we all use he/him on him like that knuckles comic #then there's the fanon stuff w no solid basis on the canon which i also love tbh #like pep and noise who i myself believe is a girlboy #in fact tomorrow ill hopefully do some doodles and share some of my gender + pronoun headcanons

[gojuo]

Proshippers be funny af. GoT opening sequence is nothing like hotd so that comparison they pulled up is false and desperate.

me: i want helaegon to be the deconstruction of targaryen incest that examines the psychological horror of a forced marriage to one's own sibling in which the full family is already hanging by a thread in a treacherous situation since there is no other targ couple in the entirety of canon perfectly situated to explore and dissect this horrific aspect of targaryen culture

#them: i want an incestuous love triangle (that is not canon) because incestuous love triangles is interesting writing or something

#i cant believe there are asoiaf fans out there that seriously dont want the targ inc*st to be probed and taken apart and vivisected. likeee #the entire point of targ incst is that its a horror show. its wrong. it should be denounced by the narrative. helaegon is the perfect fit #for that exploration and condemnation. hightower mother. first non targ parent and queen. first targ son that is disowned and emasculated #which leads to aegon not wanting to be a part of targaryen culture. neurodivergent helaena who does not or cannot understand why aegon acts #like it. who doesnt understand whats wrong with her (theres nothing wrong with her). aegon who just wants to be a brother since he cant be #son nor an heir. but hes not allowed to bc the dad who disowned him forces him to partake in targ culture. the blurring lines between #brother and husband and sister and wife and the horror of it all. what is love? i love you bc you are my sister but i cant love you bc you #are my wife and bc you are my sister it is wrong. big bro and first son aegon who has nothing to his name wanting a good life for his sibs #since aemond and daeron are not first sons and will never be first sons they are not doomed like aegon the first son is #and helaena could have lived a happy life married to a good guy with an inheritence who can actually bring smt to the table (unlike disowne #aegon) and who is not related by blood to her somewhere far away from KL and all of its grief. but its never gonna happen now bc they are #targaryens and this is what targaryens do. and alicent watches on unable to stop it. unable to spare her children from this horror show #and then blood and cheese happens... #and what does helaemond bring to the table ? .... uhh incst love triangle i guess 😒🙄 #anti helaemond #helaegon #hotd critical #anonymous #answered

[hinsaa-paramo-dharma]

I just watched Luv Kush: the warrior twins and MY LOVE FOR THIS MOVIE WENT OFF THE CHARTS WHEN I HEARD RAM JI'S VOICE

#THEY CASTED ARUN GOVIL AS RAM JIII #PLEASE THAT WAS SO GENIUS #LEGEND OF PRINCE RAMA AUR AB YEH BHI??? #It gets extra points just solely for that #The songs were phenomenal too! #I don't believe in the uttar kand or anything but I kind of enjoyed this movie #Though unlike legend of Prince Rama ya Arjun the warrior prince jinhe koi bhi age ka insaan enjoy kar sakta hai #Yeh bus for the kiddos hai #And mere Dil mein itna dukhaa jab Ram ji literally just went to fight and Hanuman ji was the one who suggested to offer peace #Like- You know the same god jinhone Ravan ko tak pehle peace offer Kiya tha- #I HAVE ALWAYS HATED THIS STORY FOR THE MISCHARACTERISATION #Also Hanuman ji forgetting RAM JI'S ORDERS JUST BECAUSE SOME VANAARS SANG HIS PRAISES #ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? #Also am I the only one who was confused jab luv and Kush defeated Laxman ji with their divyaastras? #Like- laxman ji killed Indrajit the demon who defeated Indra himself #So..how were Luv and Kush able to defeat Laxman ji with astras that belonged to Indra dev and other devtas? #But I digress #Also the scene where luv and Kush went to the place which reflected their own thoughts #Frozen ne yeh cheat maari thi kya unse 😭 #Anyways that's all. #Ab next movie mere Target mein hai Dashavatar #And I think I am going to love that one #Why? Well #Kyunki I stumbled upon the “Oo Mohini Oo Kamini” song-

[mcybree]

considering my brand is bitching about FH all day, sometimes I feel bad at convincing myself wcsmp didn’t end well for scott and milo. Like damn girl leave him with SOMETHING…

#In my defense exactly 0 people were seriously expecting the good ending #i saw people jokingly predict milo wouldn’t give a fuck about the murders or the selling his soul for immortality or the #But then again you need to be able to look past the horrors to date scott i think. the concerning level of attachment was part of the deal #I just. Ohhh I cant look past what he was willing to do for milo. I can’t look past the amount of self destruction #Glad it ended well for him but the canon ending is like. some better alternate reality fantasy for me #Which is crazy because IT IS THE CANON ENDING ITS LITERALLY REAL #but i still catch myself thinking man… I wish everything worked out for him and milo :/ #AS IF IT DIDNT???? #HES LITERALLY HAPPY AND IN LOVE???? #I just cant believe it like there’s no way #What happens when milo dies again. Scott is still a litch with like eight spare souls its very unlikely he dies first #What happens then? Eight consecutive suicides? #Like girl please go to therapy before that happens. Im afraid of what you’ll do to the world or yourself or both #*he* might not have magic anymore but he’d figure out something for sure #bree barks so fucking loud

[hephaestuscrew]

I posted recently about how, when Minkowski tries to send Eiffel back to Earth on the Sol in the finale, she doesn't directly express her more personal emotional reasons for this decision (see this post for more detail). But the contrast to that is how Eiffel only gives personal reasons when pleading against her decision.

As he's desperately telling Minkowski not to send him back, Eiffel doesn't say that he wants to help fight against Cutter's plan (although I'm sure it's on his mind). He doesn't try to convince her that he can make an important contribution to that fight. He doesn't attempt to argue the importance of having as many people as possible trying to stop Pryce and Cutter.

Instead, he protests "Not without you!" when she says that he's going home. He tells her "I'm not leaving you behind!" In contrast to Minkowski saying that she wants "one of us... someone" to make it back, Eiffel doesn't shy away from addressing Minkowski directly. He says "you". It's not that he doesn't want to leave the Hephaestus or the crew behind in a vague general way; he makes it clear that he doesn't want to specifically leave Minkowski behind. His attempts to persuade Minkowski not to send him back are largely focused on his bond with her and his unwillingness to return to Earth without her (and the rest of the Hephaestus crew). Those are the most compelling reasons to him.

The only other argument he gives in trying to persuade Minkowski not to send him back is "you can't - you have no right!" This is less about his bond with Minkowski, and more about his own individual agency and his objection to Minkowski making this decision for him. But it's still ultimately a personal reason. None of Eiffel's voiced objections are about the big picture at all (unlike the explanation Minkowski gives to Hera, Lovelace and Jacobi afterwards for why she sent Eiffel back).

In that scene, both of them are acting from a personal emotional place of care for each other as individuals. But in terms of what they actually say, Eiffel expresses this kind of motivation much more directly than Minkowski. He admits to the specificity of it in a way Minkowski doesn't know how to. Eiffel appeals to Minkowski's personal individual motivations, which she hasn't really admitted to. His final plea is to call Minkowski by her first name for the first time.

#Wolf 359 #w359 #I do think the 'big picture' reasons matter to Eiffel #He obvs doesn't want Cutter to wipe out most of the human race #But I also think that even if he fully believed that he had nothing to contribute to that fight #even if he thought the crew would definitely succeed without him #or even if he thought their plan was entirely doomed to failure #he would still be desperate not to leave the others behind #Big picture or no big picture. he wants to be with them #He wants them to stand together against the enemy #(to borrow a phrase from the late Officer Lambert) #And unlike Minkowski. he actually expresses those personal individual emotional motivations #Minkowski leaves hers mostly implied #I think this also links back to a post I posted last week about how Eiffel is the one who verbalises both of their hugs #It's another instance of Eiffel being much more emotionally open than Minkowski #I think that's a way in which he's really valuable for her #Doug Eiffel #renee minkowski #wolf 359 spoilers #w359 spoilers #the empty man posteth #renée minkowski #Eiffel & Minkowski