#(what's also fun is its not as 1:1 in parallel as it seems)

[quartzitess]

Repost.

Lots of text and ramble in tags.

(Sadly tags are not enough to express how I feel on this. So I'll try and maybe add more in a reblog tomorrow.)

[didsomeonesayventus]

hey engage fans you ever think about the firene v brodia and zofia v rigel parallels I sure do

[aoflameandco]

Netflix DanteLady: in depth analysis

I ship Dante and Lady. And it makes really hard to miss a big controversy, surrounding the Netflix version of characters. There's a lot of negativity out there, and while I see some valid points, my shipper heart absolutely disagrees with the harsh takes on DanLady's development. So let's break it down and highlight some nice things about this particular interpretation of our beloved ship.

Warning:

1) This post treats the Netflix anime as its own thing. I'm not comparing the show's DanLady to the game's DanLady maybe some references aside bc imho it would request another big meta and a couple more Seasons to make a fair judgment.

2) The analysis mainly focuses on the scenes that Dante and Lady share together. The show also likes to draw parallels between them, but once again, I'd need another big meta to cover that. maybe one day

3) I call Lady "Mary", bc that's who she is from her POV right now. I like Lady better too and know the dmc3 nuances, but the show didn't reach the point yet.

Starting from the bottom

She hated demons with a passion. He exterminated them with joy. So much in common and yet — a shared distaste for the demonkind caused an all-time-low first impression.

But things looked fun at first! At least from Dante's POV. Just when the party seemed to be almost over, another pretty guest flew through his window. There's no doubt that Dante was having a blast, dominating the entire battlefield, so he accepted his new challenger eagerly, his wild grins don't lie.

Too bad, Mary was a woman with a mission. Careful calculation behind every move. Strategy instead of brute force. If her theory is correct, it's the only way she can win. And she succeeds, securing the amulet. The soldier's cold mask falls for a second, revealing how much she enjoys being in control after Dante carelessly underestimated her.

Jokes are over, Dante is pissed and Enzo's suggestive remarks the og captain of the ship don't help either. He doesn't care about the pretty thief, all he wants is to keep his sacred promise and return his precious necklace.

And so the battle for dominance begins. The episode emphasizes that Dante and Mary are birds of a feather. Both smirk when they think they have situation under control, about to catch their prey. It's not a sweet kind of smirk, they're serious and even manage to cause minor damage, but Mary wins this round by introducing an anti-demon weapon Dante never saw before.

Time to test the demon theory. Which completely takes Dante by surprise. No wonder, the whole animation looks rather suggestive, if we ignore Mary's gun pointed right at him. But that's not what confuses Dante the most, it's Mary's words. A mere thought of him being a demon is quite insulting, so he immediately laughs at her failure, hiding his own stupor behind cheeky jokes.

But this lady is too smart for her own good. She continues her musings, so deep in thought that she loses her grip, and Dante is quick to use it against her. His ruthlessness gives another hint that she has touched on a sensitive topic, triggering him further.

Mary immediately retreats, most likely blaming herself for relaxing in front of such a cunning foe. Her jumps and blasts are more uncoordinated than usual, she clearly panics and Dante has to save her at the last second from his own counterattack.

And he's still mad and demanding answers. Although the scene clearly references "my type of rain" this Dante is in no mood for flirting. The gentleman dies: he slams Mary's wrists against the wall, ignoring the close proximity he created, yanking her body like a rag doll, when she touches his nerve.

To Mary's honor, she keeps her cool even cornered, this time determined to overpower her opponent mentally. Dante's anger makes it easier, yet her cocky pocker face falls under his touch. That's really not her type of "getting personal", though he walked right into her trap.

The whole scene radiates the hateful tension that is clearly mutual. Both are a bit too petty. For example, Dante takes offense at Mary's implication that he's a brainless demon and he immediately rubs her current helpless situation in her face. Only for Mary to strike back a minute later. A great uno-game, what to say.

Slightly touching on the topic of power scaling: nope, the show doesn't make Mary stronger than Dante. Even though currently she's way down on his favorite people list, Dante has no intention to kill her, because: A) He got his morals and B) He seeks information, which she processes. And Mary thanks to the extra ammo and lack of moral limits takes full advantage of it.

Dante's hot anger subsides the next morning. Maybe because he's had time to calm down, maybe bacause Enzo's presence provides him sort of comfort their bond is truly wholesome. Either way, he decides to stand his ground, calmly denying all the demon allegations.

Meanwhile Mary's cold hatred has grown. After nearly failing the exam she did her homework — this damn hellblood won't ever get the upper hand over her. Mary demonstratively ignores Dante's small talks, turns away whenever he opens his mouth, takes every opportunity to punish him for his silly escape tactics, bluntly dehumanizes him referring to him as a "thing".

While, yeah, Mary is being a bitch in this episode, the reason behind it isn't just a sore victory. Dante is ruining her simple world. Demons are bad. But Dante is acting like a deviant, so human-like, Mary can't help but think that he's up to something. She doesn't believe in his ignorance, she tries to warn Baines that even a half-demon is a demon and doesn't deserve any special treatment. And she surely is annoyed that Dante denies his blood and has a sad backstory, quite similar to her own. Nope, she won't succumb to this demon's manipulations.

Yet, despite her cold facade, Mary isn’t as heartless as she pretends to be. After Rabbit's attack she pauses for a second to make sure her prisoners are in fact fine, before running to her teammates. And for someone who was so enthusiastic about the bomb in Dante's neck, she certainly seems a little too concerned when she realizes he’s crossed the one-mile radius.

Still at this point of story DanLady are bitter strangers. Dante isn't one to hold long grudges (given his dynamic with Enzo), but Mary's hostility doesn't help his insecurity about his origins. Meanwhile her prejudice prevents her from seeing him for who he is. They both value the amulet above all else, so they spare no extra though for each other, before diving into their own separate arcs. Which change their perception of demons forever.

Change of heart

Next reunion highlights the progress both Dante and Mary have made. She has realized that the world isn't black and white, there're different types of demons out there, even those she can't consider her enemies. And he has faced the truth, came to terms with his father's heritage and been forced to see the world through the eyes of a demon himself.

The character's journey greatly affects their dynamic. Mary doesn't hesitate to save Dante from Rudra. And Dante immediately confesses that she was right about him all along. Burying the hatchet of their first disagreement, they slowly learn to compromise.

Mary lowers her gun once Dante confirms that he won't transform again. Given how wary she was of his human form before, the new info about his power-up would naturally raise her alertness, but she trusts his words now. Besides, she isn't afraid of him, she's pretty comfortable with his harsh truths duh, she already figured it out And that means a lot to Dante, who's still struggling with self-acceptance.

Still having his head blown up might be quite a painful experience, and Dante can't help but tease about her change of approach. Mary simply rolls her eyes, but still accepts him as a reluctant ally, untill the amulet tears them apart.

The first sort of teamwork estabilishes who's the braines and who's the brawn. Dante certainly prefers a direct confrontation while Mary engages in a battle of wits with Rabbit. Still, it's impossible not to notice her distressed state, and even though Dante feels awkward witnessing it, he doesn't walk away as soon as he is instructed to work solo. In fact, he pays attention to the smallest shifts of her mood.

His attentiveness and demonic instincts save Mary's life. He cradles her close to his chest, shielding from the blast. Mary certainly has no time to react when he jumps through the window with her in his arms. Looking very mad. No wonder, his strength keeps being tested, but he's determined not to let anyone die on his watch.

Mary wakes up to find herself in a rather compromising position. Dante groans beneath her, for the first time she sees his face so close. And she's mesmerized, his soft surprised gaze doesn't help either. It's a very short lived moment of vulnerability between them, where they're stripped of their confident, smug demeanor. A blush covers her cheeks, and Mary rushes to break the magic, too afraid of the unspoken feeling that has arisen between them.

While this scene surely echoes the classic tsundere trope, Mary's reaction is easy to understand. She's a soldier, a tough one, who can't afford the luxury of weakness. Dante's existence was already confusing enough, and she'd just come to terms with his not-so-bad demon side — but feeling something for him? No, no, no, that's taboo! And so she lashes out at him in frustration.

Dante's reaction is slower. To his credit, he took the brunt of the fall on his own back, which hurts even with his healing, but the grimace of pain magically disappears when he meets her eyes. Unfortunately, he gets no time to enjoy the view, because his face meets her palm too quickly. There she's, the lady he knows, brutal and rather ungrateful, not that he expected a thank you. Well, his pout might tell other story.

Still, his soft spot for Mary is clear as day when he tries to console her about the fallen soldiers. She is also a good listener and Dante confides in her so easily, telling her about his father and the mission he intends to inherit from him. Too bad, she has other plans.

Another disagreement emerges between the pair. Both believe that Rabbit is their personal nemesis, while the other party should stay away from him. The truth is that both are wrong, bc the Rabbit's heart is big enough to hate both Darkcom and Sparda.

Anyway, while Mary's "courtesy" is definitely not for every court, she doesn't knock Dante down, even though it would've been more convenient for her plan. But at this point, she definitely sees him a person. A person she struggles to reason with, heck, the "demonic dumbass".

Dante, who just can't catch a break with his lady, is very unamused by the following development. But instead of anger, his expression is closer to despair. As if it's not just a matter of a stolen fight, but also the fear that someone will die in his place. Again. Eventually, he'll be able to break free from the truck, but who knows, if Mary will be alive by then.

In this end, this small arc points the growing attachment between the two. Mary's presence and honest approach help Dante grapple with his own insecurities, and it's clear how much he needs someone to lean on in his vulnerable moments. Meanwhile, Mary realizes that the guy in front of her is too pure for his own good, far from the cunning demon she imagined. His kindness and relatable family values keep messing with her head, but she shields her heart, knowing full well that his careless actions put the entire world in danger.

Back to back

Mary's change of heart doesn't escape Rabbit's attention. No matter how indifferent she tries to sound, using Dante's life as a bargain, her opponent calls her bluff. Without even realizing it, Mary lets it slip by using Dante's name and considering him a part of both species. The fact that she never planned to detonate the real truck adds to the point. Even though from her POV the human world would have been saved without Dante around he'd have probably survived it though and she was never into Baines' idea of using him as a weapon, she just can't. He's no longer a "thing," not an evil demon to her.

Mary's plan was quite self-destructive from the start, but lucky her, her knight in the red armor is punctual. Once again Dante saves her, giving her a cocky grin, a silent "told ya". Instead of gratutude he gets a groan from the paralyzed Mary. Of course, she's furious because he ignored her warnings again and walked right into a trap.

Mary hates being helpless, but she underestimates how much her mere presence helps Dante. He remembers Eva's words about Sparda just by looking at her. In this moment, Lady embodies the world he wants to protect. Her voice of reason is his wake up call, she drives his doubts away, leaving Rabbit no chance to use Dante's insecurities against him.

Mary does her best to be useful. She warns Dante about the poisoned blades and breaks through her paralysis to join the fight. But she still isn't strong enough, causing Dante to worry sick about her. Since this episode his protectiveness reaches a new level.

After the fight Mary reaches him, noticing, that he's again troubled by Rabbit's words. And she talks about his mother's necklace. It's a small thing, but she doesn't call it an "amulet" — instead, she understands and points out the special meaning this victory has for Dante personally.

Given this, it is no wonder that Dante looks extremely happy when Mary confirms that she will not take his amulet anymore. Too bad, both misunderstood each other. Dante is full of hope, that Lady has accepted him as the best protector. Mary — confident that Dante has understood the danger and will cooperate willingly from now on.

That's where their third conflict blossoms. But unlike the previous ones — about the demon nature or the Rabbit fight — this one lacks the edge and feels like a flirting banter. Especially if you watch their body language and face expressions closely, both are challenging each other, clearly enjoying the tension. The changes Enzo the og captain of the ship immediately notices and points bluntly. Funnily enough, none of the two try to beat allegations.

At this point Dante uses "we" heavily, viewing himself and Mary as an inseparable team, after everything they went through. His childishness is contagious and Mary finds herself engaging in his silly points, arguing about their saving score. Still, she reminds him that's she is a part of Darkcom and that's not just a matter between them two.

Dante's sympathy for Lady doesn't apply to her organization at all, and their opinions on Baines' methods clash. Ironically enough, Baines decides to play a harsh boss right afer Mary defends his honor. But Dante isn't one to watch how his lady get reprimanded in front of him. Besides, he realizes that he's the main cause of her struggles, and quickly covers for them both with a lie. Mary, still visibly torn, agrees and doesn't reveal that the amulet is in fact in his pocket.

However, Baines sets the stage to make the choice between heart and duty even more difficult. Once again the Lieutenant Mary Ann Arkham is acting out of character, questioning orders and hesitating to take the "demon" in custody. For someone who teased Dante about blusting his haircut a minute ago, Mary looks terribly hurt when she actually gets an opportunity to do so.

The inevitable confrontation gets cancelled by the mutated Rabbit, who gives DanLady a chance to show the best of their teamwork. Without hesitation Mary entrusts Dante with her gun, but his unholy strength quickly breaks her gear. They even find time to bicker about it, between the shooting and strategizing. Dante's face doesn't look very remorseful though, it seems he enjoys being scolded by her.

But his confident smirk vanishes immediately when his partner gets hurt. Once again, Dante can't hide his fear of losing Lady. Her life has skyrocketed to the top of his priorities: after the helicopter crash the first thing he does is checking on her, rather than securing his precious necklace.

Mary is hard to kill though. Not only does she always rise up, but also comes to Dante's aid at the most critical moments. She pays her debts, saving him twice. Finding the strength to pilot a helicopter and fire the last anti-demon bullet, when Dante is cornered. His influence on her is hard to deny when she adapts his famous catchphrase for her final shot.

The way they look at each other after the enemy is defeated speaks volumes. They won and saved the world, working together. Quite a solid foundation for a bond.

Sunrise finds them together on the bridge, the shortest distance between them. Mary consoles Dante over Enzo's death, at this point perfectly understanding how much the loss affects him. She sees right through his cheerful facade and when Dante tries to escape with another joke, she opens up to him too. The honesty is mutual and Dante tells her of his latest discovery: his brother may be alive. Finding Vergil becomes his primary goal. But suddenly Dante, the former lone wolf Dante, who didn't want anyone to pry into his family's affairs — invites Lady to come with him.

This is not something Mary ever expected, her expression softening, surprise evident in her eyes. Dante doesn't give her a break, immediately coming up with the name for their future duo. It all makes sense from his perspective, they fight great together, they complement each other, they share similar regrets, they'll make it work. The only snag is the order of their names and Dante laughs heartily, looking genuinely happy for once.

Little did he know about the turmoil his Lady was going through at that moment. Her weak smile dies with their silly argument and shifts into a somber expression. And she does what her duty requires, looking absolutely heartbroken.

The disbelief on Dante's face doesn't make Mary's explanation any easier. Yet, as he falls, we see Lady from his slowly blurring POV — and it's not the face of a traitor, but the small lost figure of someone who regrets this outcome deeply. Her guilt echoes in her apologize, which, sadly, he can no longer hear.

Their last crucial disagreement finally comes to light. Mary has witnessed the danger of a demon invasion first-hand, so she can't let Dante and his amulet go on another risky adventure, especially knowing how unstoppable he'll be with his newfound motivation. And even though Mary the person clearly sympathizes with Dante's passion, Mary the soldier makes the final decision. However, it immediately backfires, because it's Baines who throws the safety of their world into the trashcan.

Well, long story short, it's hard to deny how much the bond between Dante and Mary has changed over the course of the first season. From bitter enemies to reluctant allies to ride-or-die comrades. All with a tension in the air that the show isn't shy about calling romantic. And yet, Netflix DanLady takes a complicated, but realistic route.

Lady doesn't join Dante at the end of the day, and they don't walk into sunrise hand in hand. After all, they've only known each other barely more than a day. That was enough to develop a great sense of understanding and care for each other, but not enough to give up their old lives. Both still in the middle of their character arcs. Mary isn't ready to be Dante's Lady yet, but her trust in Darkcom is clearly crumbling. Dante's straightforward approach would've result in the world's collapse if Mary hadn't cover for him, he still needs to learn to be less reckless. And the next Season looks very promising for both of their arcs, which will clearly collide at some point and take their relationship to the next level.

Thanks for reading till the end! Of course, this analysis is nothing but my personal interpretation. I'd love to hear your thoughts too! What do you love about Netflix DanteLady? Are you looking forward to Lady's "redemption"? What do you expect from Tony Redgrave? Please, let me know 😌

[akechigoroactual]

so like, sex is totally a theme in deltarune right. not literal physical sex but metaphorical. deltarune metaphorical sex

exhibit 1: sans and toriel in chapter 4 playing rimshots and talking in faster and faster intervals makes a lot of people think they're fucking. and those people are right. they are fucking, metaphorically. he is good at pleasing her. she is good at pleasing him. they are losing themselves to fun and ecstasy with increasing rhythm and urgency and loudness. thats sex.

exhibit 2: the same idea applies to the big weird route scene in chapter 4, arguably more blatantly. noelle sees the awful future incoming and freezes, unable to stop it. the deed happens through a symbol of "love--" the ring. in the original patch, there was an animation of a rose withering, suggesting loss of innocence. again, it's not literal. there was no actual physical sex here (or rather rape in this case). no physical sex, but what would it mean that we've implanted a seed of our soul in noelle if not metaphorical sex?

exhibit 3: ok but like. if us inseminating noelle with a piece of the soul, invading her being and body in that way and taking away her agency is paralleling sexual violence, which it is, then like. carol is totally sexually abusing kris right? like metaphorically that's totally what's happening right? they're in cahoots with her and seem to have some plan, likely related to dess and saving her because they want her back. at the beginning we were going to inhabit a freshly made vessel courtesy of good ol' gaster, but then that was interrupted, and we found ourselves in kris instead. carol seems to know about us given how she says "YOU" are welcome anytime in all red, & her love of "heart-shaped objects/human souls." she definitely knows about us. we're definitely part of her plan. and if a child must give up their body and its inner, intimate workings to make it come true... so be it. even if kris came up with the idea, even if they did all the heavylifting and gory little details, she is still the adult manipulating them into doing it. what does it say, that kris is standing on the window, wanting to go after susie, and she pulls them back, that she reminds them, "you promised"? what does it say, if not that she's grooming and coercing them into giving up their body for her? what does it say, if not metaphorical sexual abuse?

you can really see toby's eroge roots showing. also yet another way in which deltarune is utena

[squidhominid]

One last Deltarune theory for the road

This one literally came to me while I was lying down in bed trying to get to sleep at like 8 in the fucking morning.

The trailer calls Deltarune 'Undertale's parallel story'. I think I figured out what that means.

UTDR is a time loop.

We can be pretty sure that the Sans and Papyrus in Undertale are the future versions of the ones from Deltarune.

They're the only ones who acknowledge the existence of toilets, when monsters in Undertale aren't supposed to need toilets since their food converts directly into energy, meanwhile monsters in Deltarune work like humans. Sans bleeds at the end of Genocide, and I'm starting to doubt the fanon explanation of it being ketchup.

Not only that, but Papyrus explicitly refers to a place with 'green grass' in his interview when asked about where he and Sans were 'before Snowdin', when nowhere in the Underground is like that, but Hometown is. This is pretty ironclad.

We know that Sans and Gaster must've worked together. There are the 'Gaster Blasters' in the Sans fight, but also Sans' workshop. Not only that, but Sans' workshop strongly hints at Sans in particular having come from somewhere, somewhere he can't return, something corroborated in the Sans fight when Sans explicitly, directly refers to "giving up trying to go back a long time ago, and getting to the surface doesn't really appeal anymore, either", meaning 'going back' and 'going to the surface' are DIFFERENT THINGS.

Circling back to Sans' workshop, there are two different states the workshop can be in. If you go to it normally, it references a photo album of Sans with 'a lot of people you don't recognize', 'looking happy', him having some sort of badge, and blueprints written in 'symbols' / 'maybe ... [bad] handwriting', for a 'strange machine', which may be the 'strange machine' that's behind the curtain and broken.

However, if you get the 'clam girl' FUN event, which seems to have been directly foreshadowing Deltarune (referring to the clam girl's neighbor's daughter 'Suzy', and whose dialogue is different in the Switch version to directly acknowledge Deltarune Ch.1's impending release), the photo album text changes to mention a card sticking out of the back flap of the photo album, with 'a poorly drawn picture of three smiling people', with the message 'don't forget' written on it.

This is EXPLICIT in that it almost HAS to be referencing Kris, Susie, and one other person (Ralsei? Noelle?), and explicitly referencing Don't Forget, the credits theme from Deltarune and the closest thing pre-Chapter 3/4 that the game has to a theme.

This means that the Sans in Undertale has some integral tie in his past to the members of the Fun Gang (FUN gang...?) and the events of Deltarune.

Meanwhile, there are some pretty strong implications that Gaster post-Undertale is the one instrumenting the events of Deltarune. The Gaster who was the Royal Scientist, who fell into the CORE. Almost certainly the one who worked with Sans. Because this Gaster seems to have power beyond that of just a font skeleton. The game seems to very explicitly reference Gaster's Entry 17, the save and load screen in the Chapter 1/2 demo in its initial green-on-black state has Gaster explicitly referencing the save files as if they are instances of the Hometown universe being created and destroyed at your whim, this is a Gaster with some level of control over reality.

This puts us in a scenario where, if we are to assume that a Hometown Gaster exists, and came to the Underground with Sans and Papyrus, Sans' future is Gaster's past. Meaning that if the events of Deltarune play out 'wrong', the events of Undertale never happen, which call if not the existence of Deltarune, at least the existence of the game client into jeopardy. Because the game client is diegetic, something provided to us by Gaster to establish our connection to the world. And if Deltarune plays out wrong, Gaster will not be in a position to supply us with that connection.

With the explicit ties between Noelle and Gaster (Noelle's seeming ability per the Spamton Sweepstakes ARGs to find game glitches drawn to her, the explicit references to Gaster's theme in Girl Next Door and Lost Girl), the evidence that Dess has some relation to the Dark Worlds (the baseball-shaped moon, the 'DECEMBER' buttons in that one portion of Chapter 2), Noelle being EXPLICITLY CALLED 'ANGEL' BY SPAMTON DURING THE WEIRD ROUTE.

The Weird Route is you the Player seizing control of Gaster's narrative by SEIZING CONTROL OF THE ANGEL. Leading directly to a time paradox that undoes all of UTDR.

May I remind you that in Undertale, the game supports cloud saves on Steam, not for your save file, but ONLY for the Genocide flag, so tainted Pacifist follows you through EVERY INSTALL OF THE GAME, even when your save file is gone. Diegetically, you can never escape the taint of Chara.

And may I remind you that in Deltarune, your choices follow you across save files, since the game will give you Shadow Crystals if you have defeated the secret bosses on ANY save file.

Undertale is a game where the existence of the player is diegetic.

Deltarune is a game where the existence of the game client itself is diegetic.

Toby's up to some fucking bullshit.

See you in four days.

[alavestineneas]

i can feel the soil falling over my head; no people are here, just the void in my chest

pairing: Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen x fem!reader summary: Harkonnen men rarely wed; they just take what they capture—men and women—and turn them into slaves. Some, if particularly sweet, are reserved for fucking. There are no special songs for that; there isn't a specific word in their native tongue for wife, either. warnings: mentions of death, violence, implied/referenced child abuse, religious symbolism, daddy and sister issues, bald men chapter 1 - chapter 2 word count: 6,5K

author's note: hi beautiful people! this chapter may be classified as a prologue (yes, I am aware of its size, sorry, lol), but it is still integral to the story. we love evil people, especially evil bald people, in this house, so have fun and don't forget to wash your hands before reading! also, if you see things that are not canon, just know that me and the books are two parallel lines and we do not cross. feel free to point out grammar mistakes, though - english is not my first. love you!

Kaitain, 10176 AG

The violent streaks of light fight with the heavy cloth of drapes to find their way into the small, stifling chambers. The time was slowly crawling towards noon in the heavy summer heat, and the woman lying on the heavily decorated sheets was battling to get a breath in. Whether because of the annoying star, or the poisoning waiting, the patterns of sweat stained her tired face with esculent ornaments. Her lips, formed into a thin line, gleamed with small spots of dried crimson.

''Where is the messenger?'' The woman's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes glued to the dancing light filtering through the window. ''The girl is strong; I can't hold her for much longer.''

The black figure on the chair in the corner slightly shifted at words. She was veiled, despite the heat—like a black hole, she seemed to suck the little air left. ''Forbearance,'' her raspy voice cuts through the room. ''The child makes you impatient. Control yourself.''

''I've waited, and waited long enough,'' the woman snapped, her frustration evident in her trembling hands. ''A few more minutes and all that is left of her will be a corpse.''

''Be quiet, Echidna. The child will live. If not, she was never meant to be part of our world in the first place.''

The woman clenched her jaw in a wave of pain and nodded. The girl ought to see the light of this planet today. Deep in her thoughts, she almost missed the rushed steps behind the door.

One of the Emperor's guards burst into the room, his eyes almost frantic. ''Lady Anirul has graced the Imperium with a daughter.''

Echidna smiled in relief, but her expression quickly changed as a beast-like cry pierced the air. The child was coming, with little care for the damage it caused to her aching womb. She tore the tissue down to the individual cells, gnawing her way with fists and elbows, moving the bones aside with brute force. Soon, her own cries were answered by much louder ones, as the head of the girl showed itself, covered in a thick layer of almost black blood. Just for a moment, the woman wished it would not steal another breath from the room, but she sharply composed herself. With a final push, the child left her body forever, leaving it a raw wound.

The small creature shrieked when the black figure approached, and slender, wrinkled arms took it from the warmth of rufous-red liquid. Echidna watched as the figure carried the girl away, resting her hurting body against the soaked pillows. She fulfilled her duty; she granted Bene   Gesserit the daughter they wanted. She is bleeding under a beautiful sun; she is holding the ghost of her child in her arms—the real one was never hers anyway. Echidna knows the Emperor will not come. From now on, it is just her and her never-passing pain. Thus, Kaitain, home to the Corrino dynasty, was warmed by the light of a new sun—Princess Irulan, an heiress to the Imperium—and chilled by the shadow of her sister, born a few minutes later.

-

The calmness of the gardens was disturbed only by the soft strokes of brushes against a thick canvas. YN sighed, her eyes still fixed on the tree nearby, its young branches swaying with the wind. Her body ached from stillness, the tension in her neck from holding her head slightly bowed spreading down to her small back. They posed for a portrait of what seemed like an eternity to a child, and was almost it to an adult who dared to inquire; the painter, while satisfied with the draft, looked at the group of young girls almost in fear—no normal child of that age would be unmoving for three hours. And yet, they were.

YN felt one of her sisters shift even through the thick fabric of her silver dress. Small Chalice turned, her cheeks red from the heat or tiredness, her lips forming a pout—the child was tired, sleepingly rubbing her eyes. YN thought for a moment, debating if the punishment would be worth it, or if her sisters could wait just a little bit more until the man with colours would end the session for today. She noticed how Irulan's face was starting to droop, her eyes fluttering closed and opening just a second later. Their youngest, Wensicia, was already asleep in Irulan's arms; her golden hair spread across her and YN's laps as a beautiful cover, shining under the faint sun.

''I am tired, Master Chen. We should end the painting for today,'' YN finally spoke; her voice was almost a whisper. She did not know whether it was not to awaken her sister or out of fear of the Emperor's anger; it did not matter. The man nodded and left, taking his canvases with him, leaving only a few drafts behind. Then, the sisters were left alone in the garden.

''Thank you,'' Irulan said softly, placing her head on YN's shoulder.

YN only nodded. Her eyes found the paper not so far away, her gaze studying the strokes of the pencil with interest. Wensicia, a beautiful girl of two, was smiling brightly, holding an olive branch in her chubby hands, her small feet peeking under the hem of her white dress. Small Chalice was at the opposite end of her, her curly hair surrounding her head like a halo as she leaned forward, holding a small dove inside her palms. Then, sitting at the bench, surrounded by lush greenery and bushes, they. Irulan and the Other.

YN was placed just a step away from her older sister, her head turned away from the gaze of the viewer. The delicate folds of her silver dress carefully cascaded down, creating an air of mist around them. Her hands were empty; she did not know if the artist hadn't decided with each object to grace her with, or left them hollow intently. She looked like a shadow—a ghost, maybe; her eyes were escaping the viewer as if hiding a secret.

Irulan was different. She was a sun-kissed creature, her head facing straight ahead. Her eyes, as if inviting for a challenge, were made from duty, steel. With a burning star on her regal forehead, crowning the streaks of golden hair, Irulan was water and air, dulcet and ever-bending; her figure held the place and her pose was distinct and commanding.

YN looked at the girl beside her, who was now quiet nearby. Irualn was wise, the wisest of the sisters; her eyes were all-seeing, her heart all-knowing. She was created in the shape of a mother since they could walk, and the small ones bathed in her light, drinking her till the last drop —like flowers following the warm embrace of the sun. The only one who could not enjoy the love was her, the Other. The other sister, the other half. For they have been too close in age, too similar to let each other pretend the burden was not a heavy one to bear.

When Irulan was natural in her all-caring shape, YN had to claw her way to the only role left—the father. An unbent tree, a silent soldier—she was not born to fit as one, but wishing for a different order of things was almost blasphemy. That's how it always was with them—out of two, one was the protector, the other - the protected. "Husband," Irulan humorously called her often. She smiled, and, for a moment, the wave of resentment in YN's soul calmed. She never called her wife in return: Irulan was too whole to be one, too proud to be moulded into. She stood alone, on a higher pedestal than all of them, closest to the Emperor, whom the Other was to call father, and closest to the Truth. No, Irulan was God.

God does not know how to love someone who is not his servant, because there is no one who would refuse to serve him; it is the only way. God guides, despite all one's protests. God gives, and God takes. God demands; Irulan demands—silent obedience without a need to explain or answer. That, she takes from their father. So, the Other takes a blade into her hand without compassion for her dead wishes and learns to wield it in God's name. She is the one little ones turn to when the world is too wicked for their fragile souls when the creatures under their beds lose all of their human form and turn violent. She takes their sins and bears the punishments, for they are not deserving of such cruelty. YN thinks not of her own guilt—what difference would one scourage make to one who counts in centuries? And when the sun shone, and God smiled, the Other almost forgot of the bruises she carried.

-

The first time he saw her, it was not supposed to happen at all. Feyd-Rautha just closed the door to Maester's chambers with such force that it shook against lean walls; the grumble echoed in the long corridors of Giedi Prime's fortness. The ache in his body was muted, but still present; the torn flesh inside his heart howled and clawed, slicing the ribcage in half. He would've screamed, or perhaps beat his hands bloody against the concrete until the dull pain turned into something as sharp as his knife's blade. Maybe he would've drowned himself in a small water bowl by his nightstand and done anything to escape the shame and humiliation that consumed him from within. But instead, Feyd-Rautha stood still, his jaw clenched tight and his breathing shallow. One day, it will pass. One day, he will see the world choke on its own spit.

That's when he noticed a small, shadow-like figure at the end of the hallway staring at him. A girl, not older than him, was in a dress so foreign to him that it hurt his eyes. The daughter of the Emperor, he guessed. One of many—only then would the golden stitching on her sleeve would make sense.

''What are you doing here?'' he barked, caring little for the common courtesy. Of course, she was a guest almost as prized as her father, but she was in his territory and dared to look at him for long enough without averting her eyes. Long enough to notice the bruising on his pale skin and a swelness surrounding his lips. Long enough to hear him cry.

''I was walking with my mother, but then I turned into the wrong hall,'' she shrugged. ''Will you be kind enough to show me the way out? Or should I find it myself?"

Feyd-Rautha ignored her question. What a weird creature she was—with cascades of hair and eyes that seemed to see too much. ''It is dangerous to walk these halls without guard, Princess.'' It is dangerous to be here, alone with him and the weapon strapped to his hip, but he did not add it.

''There is no use of guards if the one who wishes to kill you is their master.'' The girl took a step forward, pointing to the weapon at his side. "I am not afraid."

Feyd-Rautha laughed. It came out more as howling than human sounds, the abrupt nature of it ringing with high notes, tip-toeing down to hysterical; it sounded creaky, like his throat was not made for such sounds; yet here he was, laughing. ''Come,'' he gestured to her, his hand moving quickly, like ordering a slave around. ''I will show you why you should be.''

So, they walked. Inside the grandiose chambers and small rooms, filled with ancient artefacts or the newest technology Harkonnens came up with; inside the green lavish garden inside the dim castle and the training grounds, Feyd-Rautha showed every place that was built to display the greatness of his house and bestone fear inside both guests and people inhibiting it. He wanted to see the horror in the girl's eyes, to make her eyes water and her frame flee. Instead, he listened to her steady breathing just a step behind him, her curious questioning satisfying another need he did not know his heart possessed: reverence.

He was the youngest member of the ruling line, the smallest stone in the castle of power his uncle had built. His title meant nothing within these walls; he was too small in comparison to the Baron and his authority. Feyd-Rautha was feared, despite only being nine; he was the shadow in the corner that grew longer as the sun set, the whispered name that sent shivers down spines. But here, in the hallway he led the girl into, he turned out to be something else.

''Stunning,'' the girl whispered beside him.

Weapons. The walls, from the floor to the high ceilings, were covered in ritual and fighting blades. The pride of house Harkonnen, the tree of their dynasty, black, silver, golden, and steel knives, swords, and daggers gleamed in the dim light. Feyd-Rautha smiled, revealing a row of sharp teeth. "Welcome to our burial ground."

They stopped near every one, his voice briefly covering the story of each blade and his owner; barons that came before him; fighters and rules that defined their legacy. Some still have blood on them—the highest honour; some look almost virgin. The small signs underneath them tell the names of people who wielded these weapons, their stories forever immortalised in the cold metal. ''Each Harkonnen ruler is crafted a blade of his own, the one he is to honour in battle.''

The girl nodded, her fingers tracing the shape of the last blade carefully. Her palms danced around the sharp edge, taking in the ancient symbols she had no chance of knowing. ''Will you have to kill Baron Vladimir in order to have one, like he did with his father before?''

Feyd-Rautha paused. Of course, he has thought about it before. The idea he repeated like a mantra in his head for all of his short life, the belief that spread burning flames down his spine. The words left his mouth for the first time but felt almost natural against his cracked lips. ''I dream of the day I have the chance to.''

The pair of foreign eyes that stared back at him held a glint of intrigue that quickly changed with a flash of acknowledgement. Feyd-Rautha held the gaze; not a single thing about it was hard. Still, he was the first to turn away; the burning sensation of being  seen  made him want to tear his flesh apart. ''Let me escort you to your rooms, Princess. The walls grow colder as the evening approaches.''

-

The weather on the planet leaves too few guards out of their breath, Irulan notes. The striking sun burns through the rounded windows of man-built walls, the frankly depressing landscape of huge boxes constructed with little intent for anything else but utilitarianism. She must not fear, while those lands will also be under her power with time, but the dreadful atmosphere of the lonely planet makes her skin break out in hives.

She believes the people here are more terrifying. White, hairless creatures with eyes as dark as the sun above them speak with just nods and courseys, paying little to no attention to the world around them, save for the concrete floors.  ''Tell them to set themselves on fire, and they will,''  Irulan recalls Baron Vladimir telling her father over the banquet. She believed it to be a simple boast at first, but now, after a few days in the strange world, the words make greater sense.

Perhaps, the harsh weather made people here hardened. Perhaps, such cruelty is necessary for survival. What terrorised her more was her sister—the one who now silently reads nearby, her long dress carelessly spread on the floor. Irulan would never allow her dress to wrinkle before the concluding dinner, but she is not Irulan. Despite them being demisisters, they shared fewer similarities than one could guess. Two lambs, as many in court would call them—the white and black ones. They knew one another better than anything else; where one went, the other followed. Where Irulan failed, her sister succeeded. What was allowed for her sister, was fobility towards Irulan. No one was embedded in their small circle; no one could get close enough to understand the bond they shared—together, they were whole.

Yet as they grew older, the bond seemed to thin. The path to the mind of her sister was more often closed to her now, her thoughts veiled by the silence rooted deep into her veins. Irulan knows they are just growing up, trying to find their path in the unknown. But she is scared; what would be of her without her sister? What use would the river have without fish to fill it?

''I shall go,'' her sister says, closing the book. ''The dinner starts soon, and I wanted to return the book before it.''

''Is it the one Na-Baron recommended?'' Irulan voices. Truth be told, she would never touch anything that Baron or his family possessed, even more recommended, but her sister seemed to enjoy the ancient text.

''It is. Rather interesting are the traditions of these people. Did you know their slaves have no tongues?''

Irulan feels sick to her stomach; the thought of having slaves brings the small bits of her recent meal to her very present tongue. ''Can I come with you?'' she asks, instead of answering. Irulan does not want to leave the faint safety of her rooms, but even more, she does not want to be left alone. She feels vulnerable—she is not of power here, despite being the embodiment of it in all of the other corners of the Imperium.

''You know I walk without guards.''

Irulan knows. While she is not able as much as bathe without the presence of someone with fighting knowledge, the rules do not seem to apply to her younger sister; she can move freely, as she wishes. Was it because she carried a thin blade with her and knew how to use it, or because of the lack of care from their father? Irulan was not sure. What she was sure of, was that no woman of twelve should leave her sister alone in the halls of Harkonnens' fort.

''It is just to the reading room and back, is it not?''

''Yes,'' her sister nods.  ''I'll take you,''  it means.

So, they walk. Fortunately, the guards usually waiting outside are nowhere to be found, and they manage to slip away unnoticed. Irulan holds the hand of her sister tightly, with each noise from the outside digging her nails deeper into her soft palm. Her sister says nothing; she steps calmly into the labyrinth of corridors, navigating them without much evident trouble. Soon, they find themselves in front of a huge black door, incarnated with words Irulan hold no knowledge of.

Inside, the chamber is massive; it forms a beautiful, round circle with ceilings so high that the air in it is always chilly. Rows of books and manuscripts fill the shelves out of oxidant, contrasting starkly with the white wall. The black circle table of cold stone is filled with replicas and ancient artefacts, each emitting a soft glow.

Who knew the small, desert planet held such treasures inside? Irulan forgets about her sister entirely—the texts call to her, golden lettering shining under the light. Irulan follows the names on the covers: legends, myths, histories, and art overviews. Some even contained gardening and soil research; Baron likely held those for a good laugh.

Irulan travels deeper and deeper until the voice of her sister addressing the only library keeper almost disappears, consumed by tall bookcases. The section she finds herself in is solely dedicated to martial arts; where, if not here, would the hundreds of books on such a topic be stored? Some of them are used; the spines are slightly older; others look brand new.

Irulan is brought to her senses only when she notices a black figure moving in the corner of her vision. She puts the book back and Listens. Just like the Sisters taught her, her inner ear picks up the faint voice of her sister, and the moving of two sandaled feet—the slave handling the books. She feels something else, too. A presence familiar enough to recognise but not enough to name.

''We have to go,'' she says, grabbing her sister by the shoulder and pressing. ''We will be late,'' she explains to the slave. Not that it would question the whims of the princess.

''Why?'' her sister turns to her, confused. ''I was looking at some other books. Weren't you also?''

''Please,'' Irulan whispers. ''We spent enough time here as it is.''

Just as her sister was about to answer, the atmosphere shifted. The air, sitting in its calmness, heavied. The silent before slave turned on its feet, its eyes burning holes in Irulan's body. It lurches towards them, opening its obsidian mouth to show the blackened void inside—indeed, it possesses no tongue.

Irulan freezes. The void seems to suck her in, the sharp mouth growing wider as its owner approaches her body. The fear paralyses her, planting her otherwise quick feet deep into the ground. Now, her training as Bene Gesserit should awaken—she should oppose, or at the very least dodge, the attack. But the black mouth continues to draw her in, clouding her thoughts with terror.

The body beside her shifts; her sister is quick. With one strong thrust, she pushes Irulan aside. '' Hide ,'' the voice within her head commands, and Irulan has no force to object to the technique. She crawls under the heavy stone, frantically looking for something—anything—to protect herself with.

Despite the long skirts, her sister moves like Adam's wine; she bends and turns, and strikes the man far taller than her, but he seems determined on the idea of killing her. Her sister grunts under the heavy hits; one sits in her abdomen, and another lands on her knees. The slave's nails leave a trace on her skin, rough enough to pierce the young dermis.

Eventually, her sister grows tired; the slave pushes her to the ground, pressing his slender body on top and closing its white, almost translucent hands on her throat. Irulan clasps the found sharp cutting instrument to her chest, desperately trying to calm the wave of fear forming there.  ''I must not fear. Fear is a mind killer,''  she whispers again and again.

She watches as her sister's hand slips under her clothes and emerges an illicit, slender blade—it shines under the light just as lettering did on the books a minute ago. To Irulan, it feels like a year's hundred. ''No!'' she wants to shout as her sister raises the steel and preys it into the eye of the slave, but the words are unable to leave her throat. Like a waterfall, crimson covers her sister's face, staining her light grey dress in hot circles.

The slave falls on his back, his hands leaving their place on her sister's neck.

''Enough, please! Sister, stop!'' Irulan cries, crawling out of her hiding spot but daring not to get closer.

Her sister doesn't hear; she lurches towards the man in a slick puddle and takes his life quickly, cutting his throat in one swift motion. The blood from his arteria leaves the body in pulsations; they spatter everywhere, some drops going as far as touching the shelves.

The silence settles in the chamber once again; only the sound of weakly flowing blood disturbs the stillness. Her sister does not shed a tear; she meticulously cleans the blade with the slave's white cloth and slips it back into the folds of her gown.

''What have you done?'' Irulan whispers. Her hands tremble; the sight before her crawls into the deepest corners of her mind and tears everything there down. How can one kill so easily? How can one be so cold and calculating, as if it were nothing more than a daily chore? How could that one be her sister, the one she shared a life with?

''I protected.'' Her sister's voice is hoarse, but firm. There is no remorse in her tone, only weariness. ''What have you  done?'' She turns to face her. Her hair, carefully braided by servants for dinner, is undone; the wet strands of it grip her face like a vice, framing the unseeing eyes.

Like that, she looks like a woman mad. Irulan backs into the safety of the doors, feeling her fear turn into something much greater. ''Do not come near me,'' she commands. Just as the heavy doors close behind her, she sets off running.

-

YN waits until the footsteps of her sister are no longer heard, and only then does she come out of the reading room. She pays the body on the ground little attention; no one would bet an eye on the death of a useless creature like that. It did not intend to kill; rather, someone made it do it. Who, in their right mind, would try to harm the heir of the Emperor? How would they know that Irulan would follow her there?

Irulan. The one who watched as the Other almost gave her life for hers, the one who had the nerve to be repulsed by the blood on her hands—the blood she spilt protecting her. What do you do when you are not allowed to be angry at God? Why does God shame one for the will she herself inflicted on one to bestone? YN would ask the sun, but it hid behind the walls of the fort. She would ask, but no one would answer.

So, she does what she is meant to do—finds her way into the large dining hall, where everyone, of course, is starting to gather. The Emperor would be dissatisfied to find her not there on time; she has no time to fix her appearance. In light of the slight possibility of shaming their House with her muddled hairstyle or suffering yet another punishment for being even late, she chooses the first option.

The guards let her in without saying a word. YNr watches as the shield slides open, revealing a full hall. Rows and rows of tables, filled with foods one would imagine never would have made their way to the Giedi Prime, and laughter not so usual for a harsh realm.

''Princess...'' the servant starts, announcing her arrival, but she shushes him with a slight wave of her palm. She does not notice the crimson liquid staining it.

The Other makes her way to her seat calmly, careless of the way people around her stumble and twist their faces in shock. The only eyes that watch her without fear at the Emperor's table are those of Lady Echidna. Her face betrays no emotion at all—hidden by her veiled black cloth, it only slightly moves when the YN passes her seat.

She holds the angry gaze of the Emperor calmly. He will demand an answer, of course if Irulan has not whispered the truth into his aged ears already. Her sister probably would do no such thing; in that, she would admit to disobeying the orders bestowed upon her. YN is puzzled at the attention directed towards her humble figure—the first thing a Bene Gessarite in training learns is not to be repulsed by the anatomy of her body. Why be grossed out by the liquid coursing through her veins—the liquid she carries all her life? Why be scared of death, when it is always at your doorstep? In the sway of her thoughts, the Other also seems not to perceive the pair of icy blue eyes glued to her figure as she finds her seat and takes her place.

-

"The boy follows you around like a dog." The mother's tone stands not in judgment but rather simply states the truth.

Lady Echidna is not veiled now; her heavy hair is still tightly braided out of her face. Just a small black ribbon highlights her status as one of the Emperor's senior concubines, a position most would bear with honour. To her, it was yet another stain on her earthly body—the body she could not call her to possess. The black sun of Giedi Prime is finally long behind them; nothing but a few light orbs floating around illuminate the chamber, yet her intense gaze seems to pierce right through the girl that sits across her.

"I know, mother. His steps are heavy; his thoughts are even heavier; they follow me much more often."

The woman's fingers stop working on an intricate needlework for a moment, before continuing as it was. "You are to call me Sister, girl," she speaks, her voice low.

YN drags her teeth across her tongue, feeling the anger flow through the veins in her body. She wishes to be far away from this small chamber, to run and never face the woman's eyes again. "The girl has a name, Sister. Or do you fear to voice it?"

Lady Echidna places the cloth on the table beside her gracefully, as if paying no attention to the words spoken. But YN can sense can feel the resentment that burns inside her mother's stomach, spreading its molecules to her throat. "A name holds meaning; for a person to have a name, one must first be of character and substance. You are none."

YN bit the soft flesh inside her mouth; it tasted bitter. It was better if her mother shouted, if she hit her if she did anything to prove YN is still here in her eyes, that she was not just a void the woman spoke her riddles into. Maybe then the pain inside her would have a meaning, would have a reason better than just childish hurt. "Did I not have a beating heart when I left your womb, Sister? Did you not hear it loud and clear? What kind of proof is needed more of me?"

"My daughter died that day, screaming. You took her place. So do not bother me with your foolish talks anymore, for we both know they just waste the air we breathe. Am I heard?"

She was. The tears dried on YN's face before having the chance to spill, and she turned to her studies. Once more, a feeling of ever-lasting cold surrounded her shoulders. The never-leaving vision in her mind appeared once again—her mother's quick steps as she walked away in another corridor of Giedi Prime's fort, her head straight ahead as YN pleaded not to leave her alone, her legs glued to the command spoken. It was a blessing that the boy found her earlier than his uncle.

-

Time has passed since the first time YN's eyes saw the black sun of the foreign planet so far from hers. The Other trained, restlessly, in the tongues of ancient warriors and the most prominent whisperers, slowly earning the right to bear Knowledge in her crown-empty head. She had much yet to learn, but the prospect did not frighten her; with every passing day, she felt power building in her hands and soul. Patience, the greatest virtue of all. She was alone now, without her half of a sister; alone, in her solitude, the heavy bearings seemed not as heavy—she had no one to enlighten about her battles. Still, God was on her mind; YN felt her presence near, her watchful eyes guiding her. Like the tight, dampened cloth on her bruised knuckles, her sister was stuck to her open wound of a soul.

Irulan has grown. Her complexion changed; she no longer looked like a bright-faced girl who left her sister alone in Harkonnen's library; the plump cheeks were gone, and so was fear. At the Other stared a sole statue of power she bloomed into. Silver collars, light blue waves of fabric—the cut is, as always, straight. The Other eyed her up and down, taking in each detail of the painting-like sight. Irulan did the same—a slight disgust at the Other's simple tunic and pants, creased from the sparring. Irulan did not need to be broken in order to be a Sister in the Bene Gesserit; they wanted her Corrino first, and a servant second. The Other, however, held no such value—a child carried not by the lawful wife, a second, a spare. So, there would be no bone in her body left untouched by the lessons, no string in her soul unharmed by the knowledge. They crushed her cartilage in grey sand and forced her to swallow the bitter truths of their ways. Yet, God remains undisturbed—stoic. Eternal.

''Will you not eat again?'' Irulan musses, putting another piece of dish in her mouth.

The Other would take it as a cruel joke from anyone else, but not from God. She shakes her head instead. ''I am forbidden.''

Irulan hums. It was not the first time YN would be disciplined this way; the cycle of punishment and forgiveness was all too familiar to her. The room is silent; there is no one but the two of them. She could offer to eat, and no one would know she did, but Irulan won't offer. The Other does not expect her to; pity is not something a sister can possess.

''How are your lessons going? A fresh knowledge, perhaps?''

YN nods. If she opens her mouth now, her voice will betray her. She could cry all she wanted in the presence of a sister, but it is not appropriate for a thirteen-year-old to behave this way in front of God. The Other is reminded of that with an absence of bruises on Irulan's skin; her hands were never cut by the sharp blades, and her mouth was never starved. ''Why was I summoned from training?'' She asked, directing her eyes to the figure in front of her.

''I am here as a messenger from the Emperor.''

YN's eyes narrowed. ''And what does our dear Emperor desire to tell me now?'' She wishes not to hear anything he has to say; the Other is perfectly content here, amongst her Sisters. Here, she is of cost.

''Recently, Baron Vladimir turned to our House for guidance. He and na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen felt misled by the House Artreidis, and their promise of a bride that did not come. Our father has graciously offered to negotiate the conflict and pay the needed price for the Baron's cooperation.''

''Of course, he did. With all of our might, we are still afraid of the savages that made Arrakis their home. With what advice, may I ask, did the Emperor provide the Baron?''

Irulan's lips turn into a straight line, with the small wrinkle on her forehead appearing. Something that she carried with her through childhood. Something that still reminded of home. ''With the proposal of a woman of our House to na-Baron Feyd-Rautha.''

''A gift? Irulan, I am so sorry.''

Sure, the bridge between them was long forgotten, growing with tall grass and wildflowers, but the weight of their shared history still lingered in the air. Irulan was still her sister, no matter how many times the Other tried to tell herself otherwise. And no woman sane would consider giving her sister to the inhumane brutes that were Harkonnens—the people even Bene Gessarit wished to observe from afar; the people so ruthless mothers told stories about them to their small offspring in an attempt to instil fear and obedience.

Irulan does not answer. She hides her gaze, her eyes following the wooden panels of the quarters.

''What is it, sister?  Speak .''

''The offer Emperor found the most fitting would be of your hand, not mine.''

The Other exhales. As if a heavy stone were put on her chest, she fights to bring much-needed oxygen to her bloodstream. She almost feels the erythrocytes scatter from her face into her neck, hidden by the cloth, and gather there in an attempt to regrow their might. Her throat twists and closes, its muscles compressing until not even an ounce of air can get in. All of her organs, from heart to stomach, made their presence known; one by one, they tensed and burned, forcing the otherwise relaxed hands to grip them.

It was supposed to be Irulan. The first one to marry is the oldest sister; the title high enough to satisfy the ambitious Harkonnes would be hers, no less. Yet, here she stands, not even looking at the one taking her place as she sentences her to an ultimate death. No matter how much power the Corrino name held, on Giedi Prime, she would consider herself fortunate enough if she were to meet her end quickly.

''Why, Irulan? Have I not been a loyal servant to you all those years? Have I not followed every order without question? ''

Irulan is unmoved in her position. ''We can not risk the Harkonnen blood getting on the throne, you know it.''

''You mean we can not risk you? We are not eight anymore, dear Irulan; you can speak truthfully now. Do you really think the Emperor will treasure you more if you say nothing now? We are no sons, Irulan; we are sisters, you and I. Please, spare me this fate.''

''Yes,'' the girl lifts her eyes, taking a step closer. ''We are no sons; you knew that one day we would marry for the peace of the Imperium. Why do you shout now?''

''Married, yes, but not murdered for the sake of the fucking old man who could not hold his promise. They are monsters, Irulan, spilling innocent blood for the fun of it. I beg of you, sister, show me the mercy I know you are capable of.''

''You are worried about blood? What could one more splash of blood mean to you? You have been no sister for a long time; I order you, as an heir of the Emperor and as the messenger of his will here, to comply. Do not make it harder than it has to be.''

The Other smiled—she would not grant the pleasure of tears. ''Very well, then. Someone needs to go first. I'll go; I'll be first, at least here. Tell the Emperor that I will comply with any of his wishes, whether it be to throw me to the sharks or to feed me to the sandworms. As a confirmation of my undying loyalty, you may show him this:''

She slaps her. She slaps her not like a warrior, not like the trained assassin she was raised to be; she slaps her like a sister, bitterly, harshly. For the first time in her short life, YN raises a hand on something she deems holy—the God's shocked face brings a sense of satisfaction to the Other's veins, even if the same blood courses through them. She turns on her heels and walks away, leaving the forsaken room behind. Leaving God behind.

[ariays]

Please, you can’t tell me that Kitty Song Covey isn’t in love with Minho. She literally couldn’t bear the thought of it being "not their time… not yet" and not seeing him during the break, so she gathered the courage to ask if she could come along. It’s like, in that moment, she was hit with an overwhelming rush of emotion that made her think, "You know what? I’m going to make it our time."

This just proves that her feelings for him were repressed ever since the airplane confession, and they finally surfaced after their fight—when she realized just how much she missed him.

Now, I know some people have tried to argue that the script was "changed" in Season 2 based on fan reception, implying that Minho’s popularity influenced the decision to make him Kitty’s endgame. I respectfully disagree. That opinion seems to come from those who may not be as familiar with K-drama storytelling and its common tropes.

There were already multiple instances in Season 1 that foreshadowed Kitty and Minho’s relationship. The groundwork was laid early on, and their dynamic was full of subtle hints—not something that was suddenly forced in Season 2. In fact, there were already clear parallels between Kitty & Minho and Lara Jean & Peter in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

These parallels weren’t something that suddenly appeared in Season 2; they were sprinkled throughout Season 1. Just look at the way Minho calls her "Covey," or their kitchen conversation about her missing her mom—those moments mirror Lara Jean and Peter far more clearly than anything between Kitty and Yuri.

And before you can scream about fan reception changing everything, let’s just take a moment to acknowledge one crucial detail from Season 1: the first person Kitty met when she landed in Korea, and the last person she saw before leaving, was Minho. There’s a reason for that. The entire season was bookended by their interactions. And to top it off, it ended with Minho’s confession and Kitty smiling—that wasn’t just random. That’s intentional storytelling.

Also, let’s not ignore the classic K-drama couple dynamic at play here. K-drama couples are known for their fun banter, comedic interactions, and playful chemistry, and Kitty and Minho fit that description to a tee. Their teasing, their flirty arguments, and their overall energy scream classic K-drama romance.

Whereas Kitty and Yuri lack that entirely. There’s no real push-and-pull, no playful teasing, no electric chemistrythat defines most romantic K-drama pairings. If anything, their interactions feel more like two friends supporting each other, rather than two people with undeniable tension.

And speaking of Kitty & Yuri, I don’t really see their scenes in Season 1 as "proper" parallels at all. Take, for example, the scene where Kitty gets hit by a car and falls down—some people compare it to Lara Jean "fainting" on the track, but… that’s not even close to being the same kind of moment.

Even the necklace parallel doesn’t hold up due to the huge difference in context. Peter gifted Lara Jean that necklace out of affection, while Kitty’s necklace was hers to begin with—Yuri kind of "stole" it in a way, even if she did return it after they became friends.

So no, I don’t think Minho and Kitty’s would-be endgame was a last-minute decision. Their story was built up from the start, and Season 2 was just the natural progression of what had already been set in motion.

[itsjustelian]

Spoilers for Ep 1 of Link Click's Bridon Arc

Did anyone else realize that all the people they ran into this episode were in some way a parallel to what Lu Guang was going through?

1. The Cosplayer was concerned that she would regret her choice to become a comic artist. She didn't want to commit to it and then have it ruin her love for art. I feel like that's something that Lu Guang would genuinely have to grapple with if he's gone back over and over. Would there be a point where he regrets it? What if he starts to resent the people he's trying to save?

Also, with that arc is the comic artist saying "Don't give up on your flashlight." And I feel like that ones kinds obvious. With Cheng Xiaoshi being the flashlight in the scenario. To keep going even if it seems impossible, even if you're taking the harder route.

2. With Zhou Xun, I mainly noticed when Qiao Ling was like, "He seems so smart but us so irrational because he's in love," and even platonically, it's so clear that Lu Guang loves Cheng Xiaoshi (you don't do the shit he does if you don't) and he is currently doing an irrational thing in his attempt to save him. There's no guarantee this works. There's no guarantee he doesn't actually tear time and space apart doing this. But he is. The same way Zhou Xun is (albeit kinda stupidly) trusting and enamored with Vivan. He has no reason to trust her after the others reveal her lies, but he's emotionally connected to her, and he doesn't want to let go. He doesn't want to give her up.

3. With Vivian, it was more at the end and less to do with her situation and more her thoughts on it. She mentions wanting a relationship free of lies, something that Lu Guang no longer has. Inherently, his relationship with Cheng Xiaoshi is built on lies. In a way, it comes back to Season 1, Ep 2, where Cheng Xiaoshi questions if they'd still be friends even if they disagreed on something. He is being kept purposefully in the dark (for his own benefit, yes, but still) by Lu Guang and its going to put a strain on their relationship even if he doesn't know its there (As a side note. I do really hope that at some point Cheng Xiaoshi learns about what Lu Guang is doing. It'll hurt so bad but I do want to see his reaction).

Also, Vivian mentions wanting to go to Bridon, which is a very fun (if not obvious) reference to the rest of the Bridon arc loll.

(It is very late, and i am emotionally drained from that episode, so if there's any mistakes in this please let me know 🥲)

[lurkingshan]

Theory of Love Episode 1: Dear Dakanda

And we're off! We begin this week with a 2005 romcom classic from Thailand: Dear Dakanda (the Thai title is more like "Close Friend"). The plot, in brief:

Mhoo buzzes off his luscious mane of hair and heads south to hit the beach. An accident on a boat lands him in the hospital with a broken leg and flirting with a local nurse, Nui, and as he gets to know her we flash back to his uni days in Chiang Mai to see what he's running from: Dakanda, the girl he met during Freshy games, fell in love with, and stayed close friends with while pining after her hopelessly throughout college. In the end, he ends up confessing only via letters after he already gave up and ran away, and the film ends on an ambiguous note.

For those who have seen TOL, I think the parallels here are fairly obvious, and the posters above confirm: Mhoo's story is Third's story. Like Mhoo, Third never says a word about his feelings, choosing to keep it to himself and cry and rage alone. And similar to Khai in these early episodes, Dakanda seems totally oblivious to her friend's feelings as she enjoys spending time with him.*

*There's another parallel to a Thai BL here: Nui is clearly an inspiration for Tharn in I Told Sunset About You! I won't get into that as it's off topic for this discussion. But it's fun to watch old Thai media and newly understand how shows we love were referencing it.

This movie is so much about how Mhoo hurt himself with his slience for years, and ultimately gave up without giving Dakanda a chance to even respond to his confession. Unfortunately, Third doesn't seem to have learned anything from watching it. We hear in his review of the film that he romanticizes--and ends up emulating--Mhoo's behavior rather than recognizing that Mhoo set himself up to fail and things might have gone differently if he was willing to be more honest with his friend. As @bengiyo pointed out, the fact that Third gets caught up in these heterosexual romance films and takes all the wrong lessons from them is part of the conflict at the heart of this story. I love how the show signals that by pointing us to this film right at the start. And with its story over the next 12 weeks, TOL will be in dialogue with this film, ultimately rejecting the notion that Mhoo's refusal to communicate and ambiguous ending was romantic.

As for this first episode, I love how it drops us right in the middle of Third's dramatic pining spiral as it sets up the world of the show. One of the things the show is super clear on is that Khai's player behavior, while kind of dickish, is fairly normal and accepted--Two and Bone act exactly the same way--and Third is only pressed about it because of his feelings. But as the film framing this episode signals, Third never says anything, just gets increasingly resentful as Khai keeps unwittingly reminding him that they are not on the same page.

And of course, he makes it worse for himself by agreeing to help Khai deal with his exes, a truly self-destructive choice that only fuels his jealousy. And every time Khai behaves selfishly or thoughtlessly or does anything to remind Third that their feelings are not mutual, his anger only grows, but Third can't help but press on it like a bruise. I groaned when Third went to catch Khai at the theater with the date he ditched him for; stop torturing yourself, my guy! For his part, Khai has some maturing to do, as he is far too willing to be an ass to his friends in the name of hooking up, and he also just doesn't get that he is constantly hurting Third's feelings by treating him so casually. But for the first half of the show, we are firmly in Third's story and perspective, and I'm excited to see him get to the end of his rope.

Tagging in my other watch partners in case they have anything to add: @neuroticbookworm @solitaryandwandering and @twig-tea.

[skaruresonic]

The idea of Sonic being Maria’s reincarnation is fascinating to me, I must admit. Though it’s funny to think that she waited 35 years for it after her demise for Sonic to actually be born and then when he is, he’s opposing the cousin and he can’t enjoy Earth and its flowers fully like she also couldn’t because ALLERGIES lol. Comedy value too.

It is, isn't it? Again, I wouldn't push it as canon, but purely as a hypothetical for-shits-and-giggles kind of idea, it definitely is interesting to think about. Particularly with the parallels between Maria and Sonic:

1.) Both admire the genius of those closest to them (Tails and Gerald), 2.) Both are associated with the color blue, 3.) Both have a playful nature, 4.) Both like to race Shadow, 5.) Both are selfless, 6.) Both share immense strength of spirit. Other thoughts: 1.) Sonic can't swim (no pools on the ARK?) 2.) Sonic also seems to have something of an "you play tough, but I just know you'll do the right thing" attitude when it comes to recognizing Shadow's trauma in Battle. Kind of like how Maria recognizes that Shadow isn't the most personable guy around, but is still kind beneath his prickly exterior.

3.) Sonic's hay fever suggests a strong immune system. Overcompensation for Maria's weak one? xP

4.) It would be hilarious if it turned out Sonic continued stealing Eggman's thunder in his current incarnation.

5.) This is the most YMMV point and total fanfic lol, but maybe the spirit "chose" a hedgehog body in order to copy Shadow. Which would make the whole "faker" exchange extremely ironic on multiple levels.

6.) Sonic and Shadow threatening to throw down every time they clap eyes on each other becomes extra hilarious too.

---

Some people have said they aren't fully on-board with the idea because they fear it has the potential to erase or downplay Sonic's agency. While I sympathize with that anxiety, I also view the concept as something akin to transformation. Sonic may very well become someone or something different when he dies, like the blue wind in '06. Nothing is ever permanent.

(And to be quite frank, I kind of find the idea of Sonic being the literal second ULF that got ejected to Earth to be more convoluted than transmigration. You can accept hedgehogs being born as test tube babies, but you draw the line at reincarnation?) It's not that Maria literally is Sonic, but rather, her spirit has moved on and has become someone else. She no longer exists except as the embodiment of the things she loved most: the Earth, full of wonders and as "cool and blue" as Sonic, humanity, and freedom. (In that vein, I like the idea that Sonic helps Shadow move on from the grief of the death of his former life.)

Sonic is, however, at the end of the day, entirely his own person, even if his underlying "substance" is technically the same as Maria's. He would never want to look back, and maybe that's why he doesn't pick up on any subconscious cues about the ARK during his time there except to bid Shadow sayonara.

That is the whole gist driving the underlying idea. There's never gonna be some dramatic grand revelation where Shadow discovers the truth and angsts about it. Chances are Sonic would just laugh it off anyway.

---

Though it’s funny to think that she waited 35 years for it after her demise for Sonic to actually be born and then when he is,

Well yeah, the spirit had to make sure Sonic's buddies would be born at roughly around the same time. Adventure's no fun without friends.

You ever watch a revolving door and try to gauge when you should step inside? That's probably what happened. Can't go now. Maybe now? Oh crap, Eggman's gonna take over the world if I don't go now. xP

---

she’s opposing the cousin and he can’t enjoy Earth and its flowers fully like she also couldn’t because ALLERGIES lol. Comedy value too.

Can't have shit in this transmigration Chili's lol.

This is a potential comedy gold mine. The Commander is ranting and raving about how Maria was slaughtered in the ARK raid, meanwhile Shadow glances over to Sonic, who's hopping from foot to foot like "I just wanna throw hands" xP

[raayllum]

I've never been quite so fond of Callum and Rayla as a ship because there are some glaring issues with them that I really can't seem to look past, but recently upon rewatch, I have been seeing the potential in Claudium. They have a really interesting dynamic that turns from childhood friends into tragedy and I think its really well written.

What is your opinion of Callum and Claudia as a couple?

First off thanks for dropping this in my inbox! Always love hearing and talking about alternative ship perspectives esp in a civil / interesting manner!

Callum and Claudia have always had one of the most interesting 'background' dynamics in the series to me. On a narrative level, TDP is particularly their coming-of-age story working narratively in parallel as two mages, with Claudia being Callum's lancer/deuteragonist from a magic system lens (Rayla is that for him In General), and it's accordingly very fun. By proxy, this naturally lends a fertile ground for a lot of dynamic exploration for them, including but not limited to shipping! I've always been very fond of them eventually working together (however reluctantly) on future magical related projects and being appreciative (again, however reluctantly) of being around someone who gets/loves magic the way they do.

When it comes to Callum/Claudia meta, I've written meta about them before even if I don't necessarily 'ship' them. I think even in a world without the assassin mission they would've inevitably ripped each other apart at the seams, but sometimes you want a ship/dynamic for the Mess, y'know? And, tbh, I rarely enjoy ships from a 'purely shippy' standpoint — for any kind of ship to grab me, there has to be strong character work / thematic stuff going on — so how I write Claudium meta is not fundamentally different from how I write meta about anything I actually do ship.

The bulk of this stuff was written in arc 1 where they were prominent, and does occasionally loop Rayla in on account of her foil dynamic to Claudia (particularly during S2).

Callum x Claudia tag (lots of parallels, framing, smaller thoughts from myself and others, etc)

Where can I put it down? (the Callum, Claudia, Rayla foils dynamic tag)

You Already Did :: A Callum/Claudia Meta (s1-s3)

Aaravos and Rayla as Callum’s Two Paths (+ S2 Claudia)

That said, here's the meta that was originally meant to be quick. Let's go:

1) Callum and Claudia are this very interesting mix of simultaneously seemingly knowing each other very well thanks to their similarities — they're both fascinated by magic, care deeply about their brothers, regulate themselves to caretaker roles but can also steamroll others, are incredibly loyal / loving, have penchants for unnecessary violence — and not knowing each other at all. I think this is more because of the Box(es) they've put each other in, respectively.

For Claudia, she sees Callum as someone who's a little naive (assuming she knows better in early S2 about the mission vs Zym stuff), someone she can somewhat take for granted (using him, somewhat leaning on his feelings), and assumes he'll be more forgiving towards her than he actually is (what was her plan post-kidnapping? That they'd kill Rayla, drag them home, and the boys — Soren / her father in later seasons — would inevitably see 'sense', i.e. see things her way, and forgive her / think she was right all along).

It'd be very easy, then, to look at Callum's big crush on her in the first two seasons and assume he holds her in higher regard than she holds him. He's crushing and blushing and defending her, after all. However, the main reason I've never totally shipped them is because of how Callum treats/views her in S1/S2. Even in 1x03 in the dungeons, or especially in early s2 when he has no reason to doubt her — she told him the truth, she gave him back the letter, she hasn't knowingly done anything to him — Callum never actually trusts her when it matters.

He agrees with Rayla's plan in 2x03 because he knows, somewhere deep down, Claudia betraying him is not out of the question, nor does he ever trust her with his Most Important Person (Ezran, which is later expanded to include Rayla), and if you wanna get to Callum in any significant way esp in the early seasons, you gotta get to him through that foundational bond. I've said it before and I'll say it again that, for him and Ezran (as Rayla was a neutral/negative party who didn't have any kind of real bond with Claudia or Soren at all), the illusion plan is actually pretty Mean if the mage fam siblings had been genuine.

What this tells us, then, is that Callum and Claudia pre-series think they're close... but they're not actually. Claudia rarely talks about her emotional problems to anyone until Terry, and Callum wasn't going to go to her because of his crush. There's a lack of a strong emotional bond, and I think that's one of the main reasons they fall apart so quickly when significant changes start happening. They both have strong senses of loyalty, but that loyalty was never ever towards each other... and that's fascinating, tbh.

2) Some of the inherent tension for Callum and Claudia I think, therefore, is the interplay they both have with Identity as a theme.

Callum has the first stages of an identity arc in arc 1, but it's far simpler and less demanding. He uses royal titles and systems as a way to distance himself within his own family — "Why don't you just call him Dad?" "Because he's the king. And I'm his stepson" — and finds meaning in becoming primal mage, a path both Claudia and Rayla have a hand in setting him on. Claudia, alternatively, doesn't really have an identity theme; part of it is that she's not super self-reflective, and the other half is that she's stapled her sense of self onto Viren so hard that there's not really any room for anything else.

Season 4 immediately kicks them both in the back of the knees and doesn't look back. One of my favourite things about S4 was the season explored how the timeskip took their arc 1 identity pillars — for Callum, it was Rayla (becoming a mage, becoming more confident, having a confidant/peer for the first time, etc); for Claudia, it was Viren (presumably self-explanatory) — and then shoved them together into messy reunions of "the separation changed you fundamentally, and now you're spiralling".

Prior to Rayla leaving, Callum was talkative and very open about all of his feelings; prior to Viren's death, Claudia was far more passively following her father's plans and ideas. But when — after a two year separation caused by perpetuating the cycle (Rayla and her self-described obsessive revenge, Viren and his grab for power) — comes to a close... the Callum and Claudia they find are the opposite, and Rayla and Viren have both very much changed, too, all of which makes reconnecting / doing relationship repair harder for everyone involved. For more on the parallels/character work between these four in S4, check out this meta; it's still one of my favourites.

Cue Rayla and Viren getting better (in some ways), and Callum and Claudia getting worse (in some ways) comparatively as they're drawn deeper into Aaravos' machinations.

What this does, then, is set Callum and Claudia (+ Rayla and Viren) in a sprawling identity arc throughout the seasons. Rayla and Claudia continue to prominently parallel each other (both refuse to kill their High Mage of Katolis / let him die in S4, for ex) as Callum and Viren continue to parallel each other. Callum's main reaffirmations of his sense of identity is his brother and Rayla, whereas Claudia's arguably takes an unexpected distraction: as Terry and Viren become concerned with reaffirming their own sense of identity amidst actions of violence that threaten to change them for the worst, and Soren's arc 1 certainty is smashed into pieces in his bond with his sister... Aaravos and Callum become the main pillars Claudia's identity theme bounces off of, even if Callum doesn't pay her assessments of him much mind.

Unlike Soren, Terry, even Ezran... all people who loved and knew her (as again, Rayla had no prior bond to break) Callum has zero qualms about hurting Claudia, nor has he ever, tbh (just look at the venom in his eyes in 2x07). What we get on his end, then, is that rather than be doubtful because of past love (Soren) or being unsure of how she's gotten here (Viren: "My sweet girl... what happened to you?"), Callum is completely certain, recognizing Claudia explicitly through her capacity for violence... and her repeatedly bringing out his capacity for his own (i.e. him making sure she looks him in the eye before he leaves her to drown in 5x09). He didn't have to use the blood freezing torture spell on her, after all, but he comes out of the gate swinging with it.

What this creates, then, is a question: is the way Callum sees Claudia more accurate than the way other people see her? Is the way Claudia sees him — "I don't hate you, I don't want you dead" — real, or just a way for Claudia to still believe that she's a good person? And if it is real, is there any instance wherein Callum would believe that it is?

The irony is, of course, is that Callum and Claudia are growing increasingly similar in their methods and in their responses — while both are unaware and despairing at least a little over just how much they've changed, and could continue to. They're the embodiment of "Let's judge and criticize things other humans do, and then do the exact same thing ourselves!" Because, as they've said many times:

3) I would do anything for you.

Mages in TDP are fixers. Magic, after all, gives you the power to fix your situation in some manner. To feed, to heal, to protect, to revive. When faced with potentially losing or being unable to help someone they love in season 2, Callum and Claudia both turn to dark magic as a solution. For Callum, he convinces himself it's a one-off, but I'd always believed otherwise, lol.

Now, the mindsets both approach dark magic with is very different. It's only in arc 2 that Claudia begins to be aware of the cost ("You think I've done some awful things, and I have") but it's a price she continually chooses to pay, anyway. In some ways, this is closer to Callum's mindset regarding dark magic throughout ("It was easy. Too easy. Even though I know it's wrong"). So why do something you know/believe is bad? Simply that the ends justify, or outweigh, the means.

The fun part is that this parallel is set up all the way back in 1x02, wherein Callum inspires Claudia to think of the switching spell ("I'd switch places in a second") that rips Harrow and Viren apart. Callum then embodies the spell concept more earnestly in taking Ezran's place, just as Claudia doesn't understand why Harrow would be uncomfortable with someone laying their life down for him so directly if it means he'd live (cue her bafflement and anger when Viren strolls in with the same reservations in 6x01). If I can lay myself down for you, if I can save you — even if you don't want me to — why wouldn't I?

They both say "I would do anything for you" and mean it. It's devotion to the point of destruction. They're willing to sacrifice everything — their bodies, lives, senses of self — if it means the people they love will be okay.

Nothing is too much to ask. After all, Callum knew Ez had the Nova Blade in 7x09, so he didn't have to carry on with the coin spell, but if it didn't, everyone in the immediate vicinity would die, and he wasn't about to lose Rayla or Ezran especially if the only cost was himself.

What this means, though, is that Callum and Claudia are both willing to steamroll over others to secure what they think is best. Callum is usually more well-intentioned about it (when he stays behind in the Bookery, it very much is for Rayla, whereas Claudia wanting to heal Soren is for him yes, but also because she can't handle it and doesn't want to acknowledge what he said about their dad) even if there tends to be worse consequences (almost dying at said Great Bookery), but they both do it (Claudia ignoring Viren's change of heart in 4x02, etc).

A good chunk of this is because they are very solution focused. If there's a problem, and they see an answer, they will hyper focus on getting to that answer by any means necessary, even if it means disregarding their own physical wellbeing or others' (Claudia in s5 with her own, Terry in s6 and s7; Callum in s2/3/7 with his own, s5 with Domina Profundis). This is also why Callum makes the choices he does in 7x02 (bigger meta on that here since I'd predicted something similar happening uh, a week post-S3 and Callum making those choices post-S5 lmao): Ezran was having big emotional problems he couldn't solve, Rayla had an emotional turned physical problem that could be readily solved, so he tunnel visions and goes for the one he can solve. (The fact that Ez had a support system and Rayla didn't + Rayla also offered to turn against/fight her people to save his dad when they first met also factored in tbh.)

RAYLA: It hurts me to know they're trapped like this. It's agonizing. But I know our mission comes first. [...] CALLUM: Rayla, we can help them. We can undo this spell. (5x04)

CLAUDIA: Wouldn't you both do the same if you had a chance to save your Dad? To bring back King Harrow? I would even help you. (5x09)

If Callum or Claudia have picked your problem as One To Solve, they will see it through to the end; if they haven't, or don't even compute something as a problem, good fucking luck getting them to care, tbh. Claudia and Callum stapling someone else's wellbeing onto their own ("Why are you doing this?") is just what they do, even if that means someone else's sliding by well, the wayside (Terry, Ezran) because again: who's in their way? Who's problem can they actually fix?

This does mean that sometimes there can be collateral damage if they've decided hurting you doesn't matter, to the point we've both seen them willing to inflict unnecessary physical pain on other people.

They also as of the end of S7 have inverted hair — Callum's mostly dark hair with his white streak, Claudia's hair mostly white with a few black streaks left — which is an absolute treat from a foils and narrative standpoint, lemme tell you. I can't wait to see what fucked up shit they do in arc 3.

But now for what I think I've been dancing around long enough as a semi-closing note:

4) You can't really talk about Claudia and Callum without talking about Rayla... but because of Raydia, not Rayllum.

Rayla and Claudia are foils, and they always have been.

They enter the story similarly as antagonists — dark mages and assassins have similar story purposes within TDP, after all, being willing to sacrifice themselves and others for what they deem important enough ("so I could carry out my dark work" / "I have work to do") — but where Rayla immediately breaks from her father's orders, Claudia clings steadfastly to them. They offer drinks to their travelling companions (1x04), grapple with what to do with Callum (2x02—2x03), work to save their fathers while being submerged in water (5x09, 6x09), abandon their boyfriends (Rayla to protect him, and Claudia to protect herself), and as Claudia's hair becomes white, she physically looks more like Rayla as well.

But where Claudia is a mage — a fixer in mindset, willing to discard her heart to follow her mind and sacrifice others — Rayla is primarily guided by her big heart and willing to sacrifice what she finds important — her family, Callum — as well as herself. Claudia (like Callum) cares about her loved ones above all else; Rayla cares about everyone else above all else ("My heart for Xadia").

RAYLA: I let him go. I don't know why. EZRAN: Because you felt for him. [...] You saw that he was scared, and you knew he was a person, just like you.

CLAUDIA: You're right. It won't follow us. But not because it's trapped. [Smiles] It won't follow because it's afraid of me.

What this provides then is a clear way at how they're both lancers for Callum within the narrative. A lancer is the primary character contrasted with the main character — if the hero is earnest, the lancer will be snarky; if the hero is nervous, the lancer will be more bold / confident — in order to provide balance and change. When Callum is more passive, unsure, reserved, or feels helpless (1x03, 1x09, 2x03, 2x07, 3x01, 3x09, a good chunk of smaller instances in S4, 5x08, 6x06, 7x02, 7x06) Rayla and her choices or circumstances is often used to prompt (and/or force) him to take action. She's his primary agent of change with the narrative and always has been... but, sometimes, so is Claudia.

After all, Callum's love for Rayla motivates him to move closer to Claudia, not farther away. In 2x02, when his crush is offering to spend more time with him and fix his problem by teaching him dark magic, Callum refuses... but it's his love for Rayla in 2x07 that leads to him picking that book right back up and actually doing it.

CALLUM: I'm sorry. It's just not for me. (2x02)

DARK!CALLUM: It's not about you, is it? If you love her, you'll be the you that can save her. You'll do what you must. However dangerous, however vile. (7x06)

VIREN: If it's love, then nothing else matters. Do what you must. (6x06)

At the same time, Rayla illustrates why Callum and Claudia fell apart. Even when she's made mistakes or lied/left, Callum knows that everything she's ever done has been to protect him and Ezran, and in 7x02 is to protect/save her family. She lays herself and only herself on the line all the way until 7x09, where the conflicting messages of "I sacrifice so Callum doesn't have to" meets "Callum — who always tells me not to sacrifice things — is telling me to sacrifice (him)". These things aren't true of Claudia, who lies to use people (Callum and Ez in S2; Terry in S7) around her with varying degrees of being literal, and her increasingly high body count. Rayla isn't concerned with being a good person (that would require having a stable sense of self that she cares about, which is too much self esteem for her, lmao), but Callum and Claudia are attached to thinking of themselves as good people (and/or potentially in Callum's case, that being synonymous with being someone Rayla 'can love'); Callum is willing to sacrifice it, while Claudia clings to it to her last breath.

Therefore, all three of them have a very interesting interplay with each other on themes of choices and abandonment and TDP's whole thing with sacrifice.

CHOICES: Claudia fears having to choose; Rayla fears making the wrong choice; and Callum fears having no choice at all.

ABANDONMENT: Callum is abandoned but never truly abandons (he might walk away physically but never emotionally); Claudia would always pick to be abandoned rather than abandon (with the exception of 6x01); and Rayla always leaves / is more willing to leave.

Take, for example, Rayla in 4x05 in leaving the drake being what Callum and Ezran were willing to do point blank in 2x07; she's borrowing their selectiveness but chopping off parts of herself in the process, as Callum only went back for the dragon that Claudia was going to dissect because Rayla did so. Callum takes the first half of Claudia's fulminus spell in 1x03, but Rayla helps him complete it in 1x07.

Aaravos' possession chokes/suffocates Callum in 4x04, something that only happens because Callum did dark magic for Rayla with Claudia's book; Rayla chokes in 5x09 going under the water (Callum's Ocean arcanum, Claudia's submergence in Aaravos' literal waves of grief); Claudia chokes/suffocates as well in 5x09 because Callum steals her potion; Claudia then suffocates Callum in 7x07 with the Staff of Ziard by more water he's later going to pick the staff up out of because of his love for Rayla. Claudia gifts Callum the letter that she only has because Rayla kicked it out of his hand, a bad action that likewise delayed him learning more about Aaravos (which is a good thing), only for Claudia to use it as a tool of deception whereas now Rayla is entirely honest... Everything is interrelated; everything is contingent.

Callum chose Rayla because he could trust her with Ezran, and after Claudia scared Ezran, it was over, but that foundation allowed Callum to build a bond with Rayla that could compete/convene with — and under specific instances, be prioritized over — his bond with Ezran (Callum lacking a vengeful bone in his body and having made his peace with Runaan similarly to Zubeia/Avizandum also helped), similarly to way Claudia's bonds with other people have competed and/or taken precedence (Viren and then Aaravos above all else, leaving the boys and her brother and boyfriend by the wayside).

It's not necessarily the healthiest way to live and have relationships — Callum in particular loves in a Very intense way (i.e. if you're not Ez or Rayla, you're on a varying scale of chopped liver to him) — but damn if it's not interesting to watch.

Other Little Callum x Claudia Things / Closing Notes:

Claudium is always more interesting to me from Claudia's POV. In my view she likes him well enough, and doesn't not not like him, but it's not a very strong crush; Callum is comforting and comfortable and it'd increase her status. Her still holding onto not wanting to hurt him is interesting as well since, as discussed, he hasn't. Callum reaching out to Claudia in 4x08 and 7x07 of "stop / you don't have to do this" is especially funny to me because there's little doubt in my mind (especially post-S4) that if she did listen to him, he'd absolutely use it against her and immediately go for the jugular. They hate each other in a way that's not entirely rational, and it's awesome.

Love the fire and water symbolism they have going on, especially with the fight in Akiyu's grotto in 7x07. Claudia increasingly becoming more and more associated with fire throughout the series vs Callum getting more water associations is juicy, particularly considering since she got swallowed up and spat out by the ocean in 5x09 whereas he got an arcanum he'd likewise rather not have.

Callum and Claudia's tendency to knowledge steal from each other — Callum taking her primal stone and her book; Claudia taking his answer to the riddle; the trio stealing the prison, Claudia basically gifting the Staff of Ziard to him an episode after claiming it was hers (more on that here) — is delicious. The fact that map shit came back full circle — "the being will guide you to the one who has answers" "having knowledge doesn't mean knowing knowledge, so it means he has a map" the cube of Aaravos being a literal map that leads to Elarion (which is what I'd always hoped for since S4) — is just the cherry on top.

Can't talk about them without talking about the chain motif, whether it's how they mutually chain each other in 1x03 (Claudia grasping his wrist, Callum fitting an actual chain over hers), the snake chain spell that continually haunts Callum throughout, dark magic as something that promises freedom yet also chains/traps you... Callum and Claudia both using magic in S7 to immobolize / imprison their siblings, but Claudia and Ezran both choose not to kill them, and Callum asserts that he's not giving up on them ("but I'll always be your brother") while Claudia spirals about it ("so you've given up on me?").

And finally personality flaws because hoo boi. Claudia hates feeling judged in any manner (again, very attached to seeing herself as a good person) but canonically thinks that Callum is judgemental on more than one occasion and he absolutely can be. Think of how he should logically trust in 4x01 that Soren wouldn't let anything bad happen to Ezran, but he 100% does not and gets aggressive and intensive anyway. Callum also doesn't like dark magic either (whereas again, Claudia does revel in it and think it's great for a good chunk of arc 1), so while in a world with no assassination he might've become a dark mage alongside her, he would've been a lot more "we shouldn't be doing this" about certain stuff, which would've majorly bothered her, until their or his motivations matched up, wherein he'd go just as far or farther than her, which would also majorly upset her. Basically: I think they're too similar and clash in very particular ways that it'd take massive character development from both of them to work out longterm and to not give up on the relationship. Whoops?

I'd like to write a drabble or oneshot one day where they're both committed to defeating Aaravos (maybe Claudia finds out he killed Viren in 6x08) but the spell required is like... a pretty horrific path that none of their other allies really want to walk, so they do it together while hating each other and angrily bonding the whole time. An interesting way for Claudia to let go of her distaste for him judging her would be to think/realize they're equally fucked up / willing to go that far, and Callum not feeling like he has to hide any of his monstrosity in front of her (because I think that's less of a concern post-S7, but it's still there, even if Rayla would absolutely accept him no matter what it hasn't quite clicked for him yet) and he thinks that'll make him feel better, but it doesn't anyway because he doesn't really want to Be this, either. Neither of them do, but... hand in unloveable hand, I suppose.

Because again: I love the mess.

[rathologic]

out of curiosity, do you have any ships you enjoy? or pairings that arent romantic? its possibly the last thing i would expect you to talk on your blog so (excluding some posts)

laughed a little at this message I guess I really don't talk about shipping... awesome. I partake in some from time to time and there Is some stuff I really enjoy but it tends to have low output... well,

lara/yulia (p1): I am a HUGE YULILARA FAN which is a low bar since there's like 3 of us. what is there to lack?? yulia and lara textually were once close friends, then had a falling-out (partially over yulia's fatalism and hypocrisy), and now they're bitter. really easy to read as exes. I love human suffering I think that's the point of pathologic so I'm mostly into pairings that won't work out :-)

yulia/maria (p2/3): okay hear me out I have privileged information (read the quest titles in quarantine) But this will be good. and it's even good from what we have so far. I love women who are mutually jealous of each other's relationship w/ eva + hate each other on ideological grounds + have nasty sex. aglayulia (didn't make this list but I enjoy it) makes it even crazier... me when my detested aunt comes to town so I torture her ex about it.

artemy/the fellow traveler (p2): deal ending is the best ending and choosing to reject mark's play and travel forever with the one person who's been consistently kind to you is the Best choice for har2spex. the Entire scope of anything in the world could be reached by deal ending artemy/ft. the motif of "a fate like a good wife"/"escaping fate" frames him as a romantic partner. "now that we're inseparable, I'll hold you tight". it's so good MY PLAYLIST

artemy/grief (p2): bartemy nation. artemy and grief are obsessed with each other however you slice it in p2 (you told your gang I'm your best friend and they all recognize me on sight? I bring you up unprompted in various conversations? we had a secret lair together?). it's really fun in that context of a long timeskip (read 301, a great piece of writing), but also just a great dynamic during the game, especially considering the direct parallel between grief asking artemy to escape + aglaya's escape. one of VERY FEW patho ships where the parties involved have a history and also get along in the present day

aglaya/artemy (p1/2): another really good dynamic but this time it's even canon. I think every day about their p2 escape sequence and how integral that is to the game's themes (...how fucked a mistake it was to doom that + how it was handled even worse for nara). compelling (author's note: I forgot to finish writing this paragraph please imagine I did that, will be left for another post)

daniil/eva (p3): honorable mention since this is topical today. I'm neutral on it in p1, but I think it has a lot of potential for p3! Mostly if the writers show eva's survival to be incompatible with the utopia. Trying to save her makes sense as the core of a game that's now about time travel... we've seen what happens when Dankovsky doesn't stop her and lives with the linear time consequences in 1, and I'm really into the idea of rearranging everything else that happens to the Town in hopes of avoiding that. whatever's being set up with the "married to his work" theme is going to work nicely with establishing a choice between his mission/eva, and it's a beautiful parallel with p2's "fate like a good wife" theme, And it means we'll have to look at eva's rationale and interiority in more than just an optional task that lasts 1 day. it's also like... I love characters being forced to grow and I love that the scene we have of them in quarantine includes dankovsky apologizing to eva, it seems like a very Groundhog Day attempt at altering the course of events. hopefully can + looks like it will be good. 🙏

vasily filat/me (p3): you know it.

[airbender-dacyon]

Benlynn Parallels & Analysis

Alright, so this is by no means an exhaustive list, just what I am able to recall right now, but here's some of the Ben & Brooklynn parallels I noticed from Season 1 of Chaos Theory, as well as a few under the cut that are speculation based on trailers and promos from Season 2 (so spoiler warning for those). And I ended up doing more analysis on this than I intended, whoops.

Apologies for the long post, but I wanted to keep any spoilers under the cut and this ended up being much longer than I planned. I also apologize because it's been a minute since I've been able to watch Camp Cretaceous in its entirety and a bit since I last watched S1 of Chaos Theory so I hope my memory is right on most of this.

Also, this is meant to just be a fun post. It is a ship post, but I also acknowledge that the parallels likely don't mean anything beyond they're friends with shared interests/similar traits (if they even mean that).

Dark Jurassic Nerds

"What about that website I showed you?" "OMG. Dark Jurassic? Yes. Amazing." "Isn't it?"

Ben, in a surprising twist to me, was the one to discover Dark Jurassic. When Camp Cretaceous ended, I wouldn't have guessed he would be the one to become invested in a social media site. I will say that it makes sense that Brooklynn, having grown up as a social media influencer, was staying away from social media more after the Nublar Six returned home and that she didn't come across Dark Jurassic sooner. Regardless, the pair are both heavily invested in the website, though Brooklynn seems to have vetted the theories more than Ben, given her interaction with Yaz:

So it seems like Ben had a habit of sending a lot of stuff he found interesting her way, but only a few things, like the Dino Immersion Therapy, Brooklynn found to be legit.

2. "Okay, at first, I was like, ugh. But this view!"

I still think it is surprising that between Ben's flashback and Kenji's flashback, Brooklynn expresses more excitement over the view of a pretty ordinary skyline from the rooftop of a college dormitory that Ben shows her during her surprise visit than she does the bioluminescent Parasaurolophus at sunset amidst cliffs and a waterfall that her boyfriend of 5+ years had planned as a big romantic gesture.

We don't know the exact date when Brooklynn visited Ben at college, so I fully admit that probably plays a big part in the difference in Brooklynn's reaction. Since this is shortly after Ben introduced Brooklynn to Dark Jurassic and we know that 1) Brooklynn visited Yaz 14 months before the start of Season 1 and 2) Kenji broke up with Brooklynn shortly before (at least a few weeks, I believe) her apparent death roughly 6 months before S1, the Benlynn flashback takes place at least 14 months before S1, probably even earlier than that. Heck, it might be 18-24 months before S1. So, obviously Brooklynn is in a much healthier headspace in Ben's flashback whereas she had become obsessed with uncovering the dinosaur trafficking conspiracy by the time of Kenji's flashback, resulting in her indirectly neglecting her relationship with him.

3. Funny Stories, Personal Questions, & Other Shared Interests?

"Uh, yeah. College is great, but sometimes I gotta get outside just to feel like I can breathe." "Weird how it can be so hard to feel normal, now that everything is so... normal." "See those Pteranodons up there?" "Uh-huh." "One of them grabbed a freshman's backpack and took off with it." "No way." "She had to tell her professor that a dinosaur ate her homework." [Brooklynn laughs] "What?" "That's really funny." "Well, not to her. She failed her assignment." [Brooklynn laughs harder] "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No, I'm sorry, that's really sad." [Snorts] "That's sad." "The point is, I don't know if there's such a thing as normal anymore." "Yeah."

It hadn't been my intention to quote such a large chunk of the flashback, but I do find it interesting how this interaction between these two played out. Ben & Brooklynn had only a handful of scenes - more accurately, a handful of interactions - together in Camp Cretaceous. And so to see these two alone together and enjoying each other's company was refreshing to see. Again, this isn't a 'they shared a moment together, now they're going to end up together' post. The fact that there was a significant flashback that highlighted how Ben & Brooklynn get along, despite not being one of the other's closest friends within the Nublar Six, was a stellar choice. They could have easily done for Ben what they did with Sammy: a very brief, but still impactful memory/vision of Brooklynn.

But in this scene, it's neat that Ben is telling the story to reassure Brooklynn that 1) even though they've been home safe from Nublar for years now, their experiences will never go away and 2) prehistoric wildlife is out in the world, "normal" doesn't really exist and they shouldn't expect it to. Like on Nublar, they have to adapt to the new dynamic. But, intentionally or not, Ben is also telling the story in a very humorous way, which results in Brooklynn's laughter. And whether you see the moment as shippy or just friends, it was pretty adorable to see Ben making Brooklynn laugh.

The scene on the rooftop also begins in a rather interesting way, as Ben's dialogue starts by announcing the rooftop view is his favorite spot on campus, followed by why he goes there/gets outside. So, presumably, Brooklynn had asked him how college was going. And after the Pteranodon story, Ben does something unique to the flashbacks we've seen in Season 1.

He asks Brooklynn how she's been doing.

"Anyway, how's everything with you? Any cool stories you're working on? Wrongs to be righted? Buried truths to be uncovered?" [Laughs] "Trying. It is hard out there for a reformed "social media influencer turned aspiring investigative journalist."

Now again, I fully recognize this is the easiest catalyst in the flashback to introduce Brooklynn's interest/activity in Dark Jurassic. And I also fully recognize that we haven't seen Darius' flashback with Brooklynn yet and Sammy's vision/memory of Brooklynn is too short to really compare to the other three we've seen so far.

However, in Yaz's flashback, we see Brooklynn is the one helping her with the Dino Immersion Therapy and inquiring about how she's doing, why she's there instead of Sammy, etc. And in Kenji's flashback, we see that he's so excited to share the view he's discovered with Brooklynn. And when she is too distracted (presumably by her mission) to acknowledge the beauty of the moment, Kenji breaks up with her and his dialogue suggests this has been happening for a while.

The video recordings of the earlier Kenlynn date and when the Nublar Six returned home at least give us a glimpse into happier times. But with regards to the flashbacks, while Brooklynn is likely there to check up on her friend (unannounced and strangely late in the evening from the looks of it), Ben's flashback is the only one where the focus seems to be on both characters equally rather than Brooklynn acting in a supporting/secondary role in the scene.

A much smaller parallel, likely unintentional, is that Ben and Brooklynn seem to (almost) have matching outfits in the flashback.

Continuing from that, and acknowledging similar outfits is already a stretch, I guess there is a parallel with music? Kinda?

We see in Brooklynn's video call to Darius that she is wearing what looks like a band/album T-shirt and Ben has become quite the fan of rock music. Some of the concept art for Ben's dorm room also showcased several band posters, if I recall correctly.

So, while not a certainty, it seems they could have also developed a connection through similar music tastes, though this is a fair bit of speculation.

4. Boots

Another parallel that's a stretch, but Ben eating food out of a boot seemed really, really odd when it was introduced. Perhaps out of desperation, maybe he accidentally broke his last bowl or ran out of disposable ones? Who knows. An odd choice, especially with the later Ruby Ropes container conversation being weird enough on its own that the food boot seemed excessive.

But then it was shown that Brooklynn also had an unfortunate boot-related habit, though fortunately nowhere near as disgusting. Kenji trips over one of her boots and comments on it, with Darius also having suffered from the problem:

"She was always leaving these in the middle of the floor. It was so annoying. I was so afraid I was gonna-" "Break your neck?" "Did she do that when she was staying with you after we broke up?" [Chuckles] "I swear she did it just to annoy us."

Again, this one's a big stretch, but it felt like a possibility.

5. A specific set of skills

Or, rather, just one skill. I can't remember if any other members of the Nublar Six ever picked any locks throughout the shows, but Ben having a set of dedicated lock picks was an interesting development. All of the N6 have picked up new skills in the time between CC and CT, but Ben's activities - and this skill in particular - seem to mirror a lot of Brooklynn's.

6. Conspiracy Boards

Again, going back to the fact that Brooklynn was more interested in legitimate stories and credible theories, Ben's board is quite a mess while Brooklynn's is more refined. Ben's looking into all the possibilities, no matter how ridiculous they might be, whereas Brooklynn is focused on (presumably) unraveling the dinosaur trafficking conspiracy and anything else nefarious that might be going on in relation to it.

7. Season 1 Bookends (unused)

I don't want to repost the art without permission and I really want to get the post up today, so credit to Brandon Roberts in this concept art post here. It shows Ben on his laptop in his dorm room.

However, I will provide the description Brandon Roberts gave, as well as the confirmation by Scott Kreamer on the post:

This would have been an interesting parallel and way to bookend the season: opening with Ben on Dark Jurassic getting vague messages and closing out with Ronnie sending vague messages to someone on Dark Jurassic and the reveal that it's Brooklynn.

And only time will tell if there is something real between these two. Or it might all be just an illusion.

"There's definitely some pretty out-there stuff on there, but every so often there's something that seems, I don't know..." "Real?" "Real."

And aside from the spoilery speculation below, I think this might be it. There could be other parallels I'd thought of previously, but as of right now, this is all I can remember. If you made it this far, thanks for reading my inane ramblings. I hope you enjoyed!

Also, shoutouts to @p0m0u and @kitabearuwu for being the inspiration for me falling down the Benlynn rabbit hole and continued inspiration since (we'll see if I can get my Benlynn fic done by tomorrow), especially their posts here, here, here, and here. And special thanks to @p0m0u for letting me use the beautiful gifs she made in this post!

Spoilers for Season 2 Trailers & Promo material under the cut!

Starting from what I feel is the weakest parallel to the strongest:

8. Why are you holding that in your mouth?

When I saw the tweezers or tool or whatever fall from Brooklynn's mouth, I swear I'd seen Ben do something like it before in the show. I tried to scour Season 1 of CT to find it, but to no avail. I then remembered where I'd seen something similar, back in Season 4 of CC. Again, leading with the weakest parallel here, but like the boots, I find it interesting and odd that both of them have held things in their mouths - and these are things that probably shouldn't be held in their mouths - only to drop them at some point during the scene. Ben's out of relief that the BRAD is gone, Brooklynn's potentially by whoever is breaking into her location (if the clips immediately before and after are part of the same scene).

9. You're great and I like you, but...

Given that it looks like we'll have a Darius and Brooklynn flashback finally, I have to wonder, will it play out in a similar vein to the Ben & Yaz moment in S4 of CC? We know that Ben mistook Yaz's interest in getting him away from Kenji & Brooklynn so that Kenlynn could develop as romantic interest. What if we see Brooklynn realize Darius' growing affection for her and makes it clear in a similar way?

I'm not saying we'll get a "Darius, look, you're a great guy and I like you. But I just don't like like you." But possibly something similar.

10. What? You've never seen a ghost before?

We'll see if this turns out to be another 'back from the dead' moment or not, but it has that kind of vibe to me. And I have to credit @p0m0u for pointing it out to me originally. Fingers crossed, it seems like a perfect setup for Ben's line to make a comeback!

And I think that's everything for now!

[thousand-winters]

saiki hates kids cus he's immediately wrapped around their little finger in a delightful contrast to teruhashi who hates kids because they refuse, REFUSE to be wrapped around her little finger and its fantastic

It's honestly so interesting for their characters because Saiki tries his very best to hide who he is as if he were covering a bleeding wound on his side and yet it all keeps spilling from the spots his fingers can't cover. At his core he just cares SO much and he just wants to help other people because he cares so much even when he tries not to.

And it's fun because you know how kids are so perceptive. Yuuta clocks him immediately there, it doesn't matter that Saiki has a super neutral face and tone of voice, because yes, while the main thing that makes Yuuta think that Saiki is a superhero is, well, his powers, it also seems to make all the sense in the world to him that Saiki would have those same superhero values™️, because obviously! This is the same guy who retrieved his balloon and saved him from getting run over by a car and helped him find his mom.

He's a superhero to Yuuta in all the right ways and... he's not really off in that perception.

And then there's Teruhashi. It's not that she doesn't care, but I feel like her perception of the world has been hugely warped by the way in which everyone sees her because of course. In her world, two things are true: 1) everybody would fall to their hands and knees to please her because she's beautiful and perfect, and 2) she has to serve that idea as much as the idea serves her, which means she cannot deviate from what she's expected to be.

I've spoken a lot before about how her intentions to be kind matter even if it's not so inherent to her, but it's undeniable she also wears a mask, and kids see through that mask just as easily as Yuuta did with Saiki's.

Teruhashi's beauty means nothing to a child, and sure, she's always polite and well mannered, but that's... kinda boring too to a kid. Because Yuuta doesn't see her through this lens of the mask she puts on, she doesn't know what to do with it because she's always expected to be that mask.

All she knows is how to be adored and children do not follow the same rules teenagers and adults do, and that difference scares her, I think, in huge part because she hasn't yet learned who she is outside of the persona she has to perform.

... All babbling aside, I do find the contrast between Saiki and Teruhashi, who are always such good parallels, just delightful.

[d3pressed-caffiene-addict]

Hazbin Hotel Ep 5&6 Oh My God (Major Spoilers)

I am having so many thoughts, this is just a brain dump

-LUCIFER. He’s so pathetic I love him

-Jeremy Jordan you fucking legend. I’m a big fan of a lot of his work and was excited to see him in this but I was slightly unsure if he was the right casting since I expected Lucifer to be more of a high and mighty/snobby figure, but with the way they characterised him HE IS PERFECT.

-“TAKE THAT DEPRESSION”

-The Lucifer vs Alastor rivalry is beautiful

-“Ha ha, fuck you.”

-Father figure Alastor

-HIS EARS GO BACK LIKE A CAT WHEN HES ANGRY I CANT

-MIMZY’S ARRIVAL. I know most of us know the lore about her and Alastor being developed as a couple before it was scrapped but I really like how they are in the show

-Even if it’s just crumbs I’m so excited to be getting snippets of Alastor’s lore. It’s wild to keep going back and forth between “aw he actually cares for and protects his friends” and “oh my god he’s a fucking psycho”

-Speaking of that the scene with Husk holy shit. Poor man looked terrified

-The confirmation that Alastor’s also stuck working for someone, it has to be Lilith surely. I know some people will call it predictable because a lot of theories are coming true but personally I think it’s from good worldbuilding/foreshadowing

-ALASTOR IN FULL DEMON FORM JUST ANNIHILATING EVERYONE and then he just goes “Ah that was fun, now back to it”

-I kinda like the parallel between Al and Mimzy & Angel and Cherri where they invite their friends to join them if they want to, even if neither of them take it up initially maybe we’ll see them join the hotel in the future?

-BABY CHARLIE

-I really expected Lucifer to be a dickhead and a shitty dad, but he seems to be an overall better guy than most people in hell

-CHERRI BOMB ARRIVAL! And she’s Aussie now fuck yeah represent

-I still love her and Angel’s friendship even if she is a terrible influence. Everyone’s got that friend who’s solution to a bad day is just self-destruction but they mean well at least

-DARREN CHRIS TOO, THE MUSICAL THEATRE/BROADWAY ACTOR CASTING IS STACKED

-Emily is so sweet I love her

-The Molly cameo is so sweet, I was waiting for her to appear somewhere but lowkey forgot she was in heaven. Honestly though how did she get there when the rest of her and Angel’s family got condemned for what they did together? Maybe she left the mob or something idk I just hope we get to meet her properly at some point

-Heaven’s real fucked up? Yeah not shocked

-VAGGIE?? FALLEN ANGEL REVEAL?? AND SHE WAS AN EXTERMINATOR???? I know most of us called it but holy shit I didn’t expect it to be confirmed this soon

-Adam is such a dick but he’s so much fun

-I love that Charlie was gonna start her court presentation with definitions like a high school essay

-“Consent is a good name for a sex club” the gentleman Husk truthers gonna have fun with this one

-Pentious hitting on Cherri is hilarious and totally not the same level of subtlety I flirt with when I’m drunk

-Hearing more and more about how Val treats Angel is so sad especially with how casually he talks about it since it’s just another day for him

-Him parenting drunk Nifty is beautiful

-“You wanna play with the kitty?”

-Valentino is my #1 enemy

-Seeing Angel stand up to him to protect his friends is making me feel feelings. Like he knows that he’s gonna be treated even worse for it but I think he’s reaching his tipping point and shits gonna go down soon

-Also I know there’s a popular theory that he’s gonna die soon and a lot of the theories are coming true so I am scared. I kind of don’t think this one’ll happen though since he’s the fan favourite and its just too soon to take that much of a risk. Plus Vivsie’s admitted he’s the best written character and it’d be such a waste of all that development

-More sweet moments between him and Husk, they’ve gotten me so invested in this ship so fast

-The fact that most of heaven didn’t know about the extermination?? Wild

-Idk how I feel about the timeskip between Ep 4&5, they’re only a month away from the extermination now. Yes it’s making the stakes feel higher but I do wish we’d been able to see more of that time for the relationship development, all the characters seem much closer than before and we’ve only seen bits of how they got there

-I really wish they’d greenlit more than 8 episodes to pace things a little better but I’m glad we have season 2 confirmed

-That last minute ‘reveal Vaggie’s past to Charlie, boot them out of heaven and then cut to credits before she can react’ is gonna torture me until next week

-I don’t disagree with past criticism that Vivzie’s female characters can feel a bit underwritten but I think it’s getting better

-“We’re coming to the hotel first” plus all the theories that someone’s gonna die are fucking stressing me out man

Anyway hope you enjoy the brain dump, this show has once again consumed my thoughts

[qprstobin]

It's interesting to me that the fandom looks at the "Steve Harrington isn't an asshole after all" line and 1) lords it as the first time Steve's gotten a compliment from a friend on screen and 2) that it's about Steve's growth as a character. Like I'm a Steve girlie don't get me wrong, that man is my pride and joy, but that line/exchange was very much about Eddie.

There's a whole layer of Eddie's story that fandom seems to love to ignore, in that the whole season he is grappling with the fact that the way he viewed the world (based largely on stereotypes and his viewpoint being the correct amount of nonconforming) is wrong. That's what the Munson Doctrine is all about. That preps act a certain way, that band geeks act a certain way, and that jocks act a certain way.

And he is finding out that this is wrong! That these people he judged as shallow his whole high school career and beyond are not actually as shallow as they appear! First it was Chrissy, then it was Steve and Nancy and even Robin!

And this isn't an insult lobbed at Eddie that he's uniquely ignorant lol. This is something all the teens (minus Argyle rip) go through when they get introduced to the Upside Down. Jonathan literally calls Nancy shallow and fake while defending the creep shots. Robin of course has her own "Mr. Cool Mr. Funny" speech about Steve in s3 and then later calls Nancy a priss. Nancy's is probably the most obvious because, yaknow, Barb

Like a key theme to the teens' Upside Down introduction arcs is that not only is their physical world being flipped on its head, but also that the petty shit that seems important isn't actually that important when your life is being threatened. Being introduced to the Upside Down very much also removes them from the main stream of high school life, and so even when they return to school they are not focused on the same social BS that they are before.

It really is nothing about Steve or Steve "changing". They don't know each other lol, I doubt either of them have given each other much thought before the kids joined Hellfire. But Eddie believed the world worked a certain way, and very much judged people for what their interests were and whether he considered them to be "conforming" or not. (Which, wasn't just about being a jock lol, he calls out the band kids and science kids before he even gets to the jocks and the partiers.) The Upside Down experience makes him realize that he is fitting people into boxes in the same way that he was protesting against.

It's actually really fun character growth, and a fun parallel I think to the other characters but especially s1 Steve. I really like it a lot and wish that fandom included it more in fics. It's wild to me that this aspect of Eddie's journey has just been completely dropped.