#Devolution is Real

[ncc-42069]

[salt-n-salt]

Ngl I’d die for Kendall, he’s so friend shaped I love him

trust me do not lay down ur beautiful life for this man. he is a freak of nature in the shape of a silly marshmallow 🙂‍↕️

[nuclearspring-a]

maybe i'll add cooper howard + albert cole both as secondary muses here and now...?

[housemdork]

house md rewatch: 1x15, "mob rules"

gay mafia! and not much else to report!

i've remembered this one not because i find it super, super compelling, but because house's exchange with the patient's brother is so funny: "what can cause high estrogen levels?" "estrogen." also, i will be complaining about cameron and house in this one, so if that's not for you, that's just a heads-up!

the mapping of the mafia onto vogler and how he's blackmailing house into conforming is...fine. but it's more interesting - and more insane lol - if we speculate about what house's big secret, equivalent to the mobster being gay, could be. vicodin never comes up this episode, but i'd wager, if this is a subliminal parallel, then that would be it. that's kind of hilarious. queering vicodin (grad school brain activated).

we've also begun the domino-line of who will fall victim to house vs. vogler. foreman is up first as house tries to bump him off the case to give the impression that he's dealing with the supposed dissent in his department. this obviously doesn't go anywhere, but he notably takes it for granted that foreman would stand for such a thing.

cuddy, meanwhile, has her job repeatedly threatened by vogler if she continues to cover for house, which she does. very nobly. and she also makes the first of a very long line of damning statements about house: "he can change." for first-time viewers, house has given no inkling that he can or even wants to; long-time viewers know that this will persist as an endemic problem (cue me getting dragged off stage because i could bring up the series finale here if i tried hard enough).

much later, once the case of the week has been solved (and after wilson has tipped off house to how poorly cuddy is being treated on his behalf), he pays her a visit, where he is certain that "you fought for me, right?"

"to a point" is her response, before giving house 2 conditions (off screen, for added drama, ofc): add some extra clinic hours and fire one of the ducklings. cuddy's "point" has met vogler's profit-first mentality by force; it's nothing short of miraculous that she's talked vogler down from shutting down diagnostics entirely.

that "point" is an exciting thread, however, that will be tugged at till the season finale - i say facetiously because i know what wilson's end point is and it's Such A Good Part Of The Season.

and, guys, house/cameron is bringing me down. during my first watch, i was busy taking everything in, but now that i have some space in my head to digest more thoroughly, it's really distracting. cameron was so hung up last episode on making sure people respected her medical opinion in spite of them not liking her and/or just finding her pretty...only to indulge that exactly in this episode.

i don't care if that reversal/devolution is intentional! if that's the irony, then ick! house pokes fun at her, challenges her because that's becoming their thing, but it just falls flat for me. and i like foreman's teasing (ofc they are friends, contrary to what he claims in later season); "how's your tummy?" made me laugh. but overall, it's just disappointing. chase, please get in there.

but nope! chase is too busy prodigal son-ing it up! absolute dog water attempts at lying abound. and he was definitely giving kid who's trying to talk down their dad from being mad at them. i love this picture.

honestly, i think the only non A-plot moment that was exciting to me was when house and wilson actually permeated the hospital walls! the scenes were brief, but i'm very attached to their bonding via road trips and how vehicles become symbolic of freedom for them both, in different ways. plus, wilson looks absolutely and infuriatingly gorgeous:

and, finally, apart from the fact that the episode's medical plot revolves around a mobster entering the witness protection program so he can be his real self aware from his known life, and his brother coming to terms with that at the final hour, the only gay thing i could squeeze out of this one was about the estrogen diagnosis. house refers to it as the "male flare." flare makes me think of red.

if vogler is the hospital mafia, and the real mafia is gay, then i get to be crazy on tumblr dot com.

[sihayadunee]

THE MAIDEN and THE PREDATOR

a thread on the mythic character archetypes found in amc’s immortal universe, following rowan mayfair and louis de pointe du lac

This thread is based on the character archetypes researched, identified and summarized by author KM Weiland.

Rowan and Louis both begin their arcs in a shadow form of their maiden archetype. Rowan as a Damsel and Louis as a Vixen. These archetypes are not gendered, they simply represent the life stage the characters are in.

A Damsel is avoiding the consequences of their dependency on others.

A Vixen is selling their integrity to obtain or maintain security.

During the Maiden Arc, the protagonist is typically faced by two antagonistic forces, which represent their outer conflict and inner conflict. The Authority and The Predator. The specifics of Rowan and Louis’s stories will determine which is which.

THE AUTHORITY

Despite all Rowan’s achievements in life, her Too-Good Mother’s choice to hide truths about her identity and power cause Rowan to be ill equipped for the Real World. This then evolves into an abstract concept of “institution”, that being the Talamasca.

She has many Authority Figures: Cortland the Naive Father who “sacrifices” the Maiden. Carlotta the Devouring Mother.

Thus, she becomes dependant on everyone else to save her, to have the answers, and runs from Authority figure to Authority figure for protection.

For Louis, this antagonistic archetype is also best identified as abstract, because it is the “system” with which he as a gay black man in 1910s New Orleans must contend, in order to provide for his family.

This is the root of where his shadow archetype of a vixen originates. This is “Louis the Pimp”.

Louis shamefully suppresses who he truly is, and sacrifices his own integrity to do disreputable work that will make money. It even leads him toward aggressive behaviour he feels guilt about.

This also doesn’t stop after he becomes a vampire, as he is still trying to exist in his old world.

THE PREDATOR

The typical depictions of The Predator are seen in “The Seven Wives of Bluebeard” and “The Girl Without Hands.”

Lasher’s key in the show was directly influenced by Bluebeard. Meanwhile Lestat “breaking” Louis is reminiscent of the rejected Devil cutting off the girl’s hands.

The Predator always wants a willing bride/groom, and is initially persuasive and seductive, typically presenting themselves as having the answers the Protagonist needs to get away from their old restrictive world.

Lestat’s alter proposal, and Lasher’s thrall are both these scenes.

This is the point where we have to talk about Death and the Maiden and how the Predator can be redeemed as the previous excerpt describes.

To do so the Predator must set themselves apart from the Death figure who consumes the Maiden or the Monster ultimately vanquished.

Both Lasher and Lestat bridal carry Rowan and Louis, crossing thresholds to their lairs, and toward beds for consummation of union. These are characteristics of raptus and themes compatible with Death and the Maiden or Hades and Persephone.

But will these Maidens remain in the underworld?

Louis remains in the underworld for a significant amount of time, succumbing often to devolutions in his character arc.

But eventually with the help of his Protector, his anima—Claudia—Louis is able to slay the beast. Just as the bride is helped by her sister(s) to defeat Bluebeard.

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés talks about the ending of the Bluebeard tale and how his death allows him to be dismembered, incubated, and reborn—redeemed.

We see how Lestat is similarly disposed of. Literally thrown in the trash. Then given time to slowly gestate and reemerge from his coffin.

This is followed by that acknowledgment Weiland talks about. Lestat takes ownership for his behaviour, and does not continue to try and posses Louis through manipulations and control, instead lets him grow. Live his life. Thus allowing for Lestat’s redemption as the Predator.

Rowan herself embodies Hel the Goddess of Life and Death, her magic being something to kill or to heal. She literally incubates and facilitates Lasher’s rebirth.

Reborn Lasher also deals with the evil he has done/his nature as a “Beast” which makes him the redeemable Predator or Animal Husband.

In the finale of S1 Rowan finished her transitions from Maiden to Hero. Whilst Louis stays a Vixen half of Season One, and becomes a Damsel toward the final half before becoming a Hero.

Both are Heroes by the end of their first seasons.

In both cases, these Maidens transition out of this Arc through the death-rebirth of their Predator antagonist.

The Predator representing their inner conflict.

Whilst their Authority Figures are outer conflicts, which control the societal dynamics suppressing Rowan and Louis.

FIN.

[spinn-virus]

Hear me out ... Charmander Hot Rod as Physician Assistant Drift's companion at the Pokemon center.

Hot Rod is a rescue from an illegal fire power plant. He burnt down the whole facility because he's angry at how his other friends and kins were being mistreated. He did receive rehabilitation and treatment at the Pokemon center, but no one wants to adopt a pokemon with a body count and disobedience tendencies. PA Drift took him in, because Charmander Hot Rod was under his care for the longest time.

Hot Rod still doesn't listen to Drift's orders, but he make extra efforts to reheat Drift's mug of coffee or tea and he's happy just being a heat source in winter. Drift likes to hold him on his lap while doing paper work at his desk. Hot Rod is getting heavier as he's on a healthy diet again but Drift likes the extra pressure and weight.

Sylveon Deadlock(?) as newbie trainer Rodimus's starter.

Rodimus inherited Deadlock from the town shop because Deadlock had to retire from the Pokemon contests (beauty pageant) as he aged past the range. Deadlock never wanted to be a Sylveon, but that choice was taken away from him as he was the strongest in the litter.

Rodimus promised that if Deadlock come with him on his adventure, he will help Deadlock get access to Devolution stones, so Deadlock can go back to being an Eevee. He promised to care for Deadlock even if he decided to stay an Eevee permanently.

Deadlock is good at attacking but gets hurt a lot. Rodimus had to take Deadlock to the Pokemon center, and ran into Drift three times and counting as Drift is doing his rotations.

They talked about how to care for mature companion pokemons with previous mistreatment, and how to build trust despite missing out on the years when they were still young.

Hot Rod and Deadlock gestures to talk about their humans. Hot Rod says that he intentionally did not build levels or try to evolve because he didn't think Drift will want to keep him if he consumed more, required larger space, and got more demanding.

Deadlock reassured him to have more faith in his human: some of them do keep their words.

Meanwhile, their humans.

"I think they are getting along surprisingly well."

"Lock just had that effect on other pokemons. When he's not actively trying to beat them in combat, he's quite the charmer."

"... I don't think that's what's happening here. Hot Rod had picked up fights with the Chancey nurse we had on our team. He didn't have ill will, but he could be a handful -- he just likes Lock, I think."

This is usually the appropriate time to break off the conversation, but it's close to the end of Drift's shift and he likes Rodimus's company.

"How long are you staying in town again?" He looked up from his clipboard and seemed almost hopeful.

Rodimus does have a timeline to keep: win regionals, use prize money to get Deadlock devolution resources, and then back to college he goes. "A few more days." He lets this one slip out, and then winces at his own words.

Great. Extending your stay because you like the nurse / doctor / what's his job title again at the Pokemon center, real mature.

Drift titles his head and took out his beeper and rolodex. "I will give you my beeper number then. I wasn't allowed to carry a phone during my shifts, but I do want to see you again."

He then told Rodimus about the codes, and how "000" means call whenever you can, and how "123" means "I want to talk to you."

Rodimus knows 123 actually means "I miss you" and he learns that from his town's ham radio association, but he won't say no to a chance of saying "I miss you" to Drift, even under pretense.

Hot Rod just took the time and sat on Deadlock's back this entire time, almost crushing the poor creature. Deadlock thought about fighting him off, but he's better at range attack, and he's not in the mood of getting burned.

NOOO you can't do this to meeee aaah too late it has possessed my soul. You put them in the pokemon universe. You combine my weaknesses. I could write whole essays about it and I WOULD but it's like 4am I have to keep it short for my own sake

I had to brush up on my ever rusting human drawing skills but I tried,

losing my mind. okay first of all. Charmander Hot Rod is incredibly cute. I gave him little earsies, I think he deserves them. He's so cute he could never do anything wrong. Oh and Drift as a pokemon center assistant 1) is very wholesome and 2) implies Ratchet is also there. Unfortunately if I start going into other characters we will be here forever

The idea that Deadlock is a Sylveon used for contests is sooo fascinating to me? Like honestly I would have never considered it but it's such a good take for a pokemon variant of him. waow. aging out of contests is such a bleak concept also but I'm so on board😭and him wanting to go back to being Eevee ...... yeah.... I imagine devolution would be like, really hard to achieve and super convoluted (most canon sources typically say it's not possible at all, at least not through natural means) but that makes Rodimus' determination to accomplish that for Deadlock just that much more special🥺

Rodimus as a newbie trainer starting off with a fairy type is great also. Like yeah. Everyone thinks he's some typical fire / electric guy. WRONG. Deadly Moonblast

I wonder what he would put on the rest of his team. If he wants to win some regionals, he's going to need that Incineroar yk yk

You'll have to forgive me. I'm only good at drawing soft anime dudes. that WILL NOT stop me. he's hogging the counter, he's distracting the nurse, nobody will get their pokemon healed for the next hour I'm afraid

I think they should be allowed to commit arson together.

Sylveon dex entries bonus round!

"Sylveon wraps its ribbonlike feelers around its Trainer's arm because this touch enables it to read its Trainer's feelings." do this to Rodimus actually

"It sends a soothing aura from its ribbonlike feelers to calm fights." do this to Hot Rod.

this is great thanks so much for sharing, I really wanted to post this so I tried not to make TOO many doodles. I have more in me. Good lird. I might follow up on that eventually

[persephoneincarnate-deathblooms]

i find it very interesting that there is an uptick in jeff fans in the new season, and i am seeing this trend mostly with people who really dislike shauna because of her actions. i truly am not going to defend her because she IS acting insane, but for me that just makes her more compelling and interesting to watch. however, ive been seeing a trend in the way that people consume media currently where they feel that their enjoyment of a character has to be justified by the character’s morals or the morality of their actions. from my perspective, the people saying that shauna has “gone too far” and that they “can’t defend her anymore” are missing out enjoying the devolution of her psyche accelerated by her paranoia. i want to see her get and act worse, and my enjoyment of her does not speak to my own morals/values nor does engaging with her character and her arc make it so that i would endorse that behavior in real life. i would also be remiss if i didn’t point out that part of what plays into this compounding issue is misogyny. liking female characters requires a higher level of justification and that becomes even worse when they are flawed and/or “villains”. a comparison to demonstrate this would be comparing the character hannibal lecter from nbc’s hannibal to shauna shipman from yellowjackets. when i get edits or content about hannibal rarely go i see comments going “he literally killed and ate people how can you like him” or “i can’t believe your endorsing cannibalism”. however when i get edits or content about shauna i see comments like “im in enemy territory” or “how can you like her after everything she’s done” flooded in the comment section. when enjoyment of a character is made into a reflection of a person’s character/morality, fandom spaces cannot engage in interesting or grounded discourse because it becomes disagreements turn into defenses of people’s own character instead of discussing the characters or plot. it gets very tiring. to circle back to my point in the beginning, i find jeff stans amusing (especially those who hate shauna) considering that jeff is the catalyst for all of the conflict in the adult timeline and the paranoia/wilderness taking over the surviving girls, and i think that should be discussed more when talking about the adults actions.

[zombiequeenblog]

The Sadness

A little hurt/comfort with Papa Emeritus IV to cheer me up, and hopefully you as well if you need it!

Mature ~ 1,500 words ~ ao3

Papa Copia x Sister of Sin

A frantic little knock on Papa Copia’s door and then I stood there for a moment, alone in cold bare feet, only to turn to flee within the space of another tightened breath. His sudden words of puzzled greeting caught me only a few steps down the hall and I came right back, as sure as if he’d taken me by the hand.

“I’m sorry, Papa.” I couldn’t explain, but I felt almost hysterical inside.

“Mia cara, what’s the matter?” Papa stood there, just outside his doorframe, frowning down at my feet and clad all cozy in his shabby faded smoking robe, a calming dusty blue; old shredded slippers just barely hanging on to their existence on his own feet. His lined face bare and shiny with moisturizer, salt and pepper hair combed back and still a bit damp. Reading glasses perched low on his nose, with a paperback in his hand. I’d caught him all ready for bed. Well, of course I had, it was fairly late, wasn’t it?

I shouldn’t even be here.

“Nothing, Papa. Goodnight.”

I turned to go for real this time, but then I felt his touch, tentative on my shoulder, and I stopped. Copia turned me right around again to face him.

“Come in, dolcezza.”

I only looked down at his slippers, but I allowed him to lead me inside. Papa shut the door, tossing his book upon a side table there, and at that sound I could feel something breaking inside me; my brain plummeting all the way down to my feet as he turned back to me. I was crying.

“Dolcezza! What has happened? Amore mio…”

The floodgates had opened, and caustic tears were pouring down my face, spurred on by choking sobs I tried in vain to hold back. Copia had been holding me before him by the shoulders, quizzically trying to meet my eyes, but now he pulled me towards him and enveloped me into a tight hug, his hand firm and warm on the back of my head. “What is wrong, tesoro mio bello?” his whispered voice begged of me.

Sniffing in his scent, I rolled my face along his chest, just crying, and crying, and feeling incapable of an answer, too unworthy to even hug him back. I felt the most worthless I had ever felt in a good long while. Copia let me cry.

But I felt that I should at least try to clarify this insanity, if I even could. “Nothing’s wrong, Papa!” I nearly wailed against him, “I just feel so sad.” Another devolution into tears. “So incredibly, utterly, sad. And for literally no reason!”

“Aaahh… eh?” Copia was gently rubbing my back, and he began to sway me back and forth a little where we stood, “Oh, ah… okay.”

The slight tone of bewilderment in his voice made me laugh only a little, right in the midst of all of my senseless crying. With effort, I summoned some steady breaths to explain. “I think my goddamned period is coming.”

I could feel Papa’s body lighten with the clarification. “Aaah, si, dolcezza!” He was brushing my hair off my tear-wet cheeks, and stooped down a little to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. “The fucking hormones, yes?”

I nodded against him with an anguished smile. “The fucking hormones.”

My voice was cracking in my swollen throat, and my wet eyes burned. It felt as though my lungs were being squeezed within my chest, and fresh sobs soon spilled out of me anew. “Mia cara, mia cara, let me get you something,” he was saying, leading me over to sit down in one of his antique chairs, right beside the fire. A freezing dread sat solid and heavy within me, filling me up with a meaningless despair I simply couldn’t shake off, though I knew, I knew it absolutely wasn’t rational.

Papa took his glasses off and moved away to rummage in a far corner, murmuring something about tea and chocolate.

“Can I… can I just stay here for a little while, Papa?” Standing up, I undid my habit and let it slip down off my shoulders to the floor, shivering in despair even in front of the warming fire. “I don’t think I’m bleeding yet… we can still… if you want to…” I could feel my face suddenly breaking apart in anguish, and I clapped my hands up to cover it quickly, just sobbing into my hands as I stood there naked in the firelight, as if I would never, could never, ever ever stop.

Almost immediately, I felt something soft and warm placed around my shoulders, and Copia was holding me again, having wrapped me right up in his very own robe.

“Shhh… shhh… let’s save that for another time, amore mio… amore mio… let it out, eh?”

Whispered endearments were being poured upon me from his lips into my hair, as I cried into his silk pyjamas, the scent of his evening shower still wafting off his skin underneath. I felt so incredibly useless, and held so gently in Papa’s care I simply told him so, after I could catch a solid breath. I tried to convey how stupidly wretched my treacherous brain was making me feel, and his head nodded above me.

“It’s idiotic, Papa!” I cried.

“That may be, dolcezza mia,” he agreed, “but there’s no harm in feeling it through, talking it out, eh?”

“Yes, Papa,” I sniffed, nodding myself now.

We swayed together there again, warm by the fire as I listened to it crackle beside us. When I felt my swirling thoughts begin to settle, I let myself name each one.

“I’m not pretty,” I began, and he openly scoffed.

“Not true in the slightest, bellissima,” he stated, squeezing me against him tighter.

“I have horrible handwriting, Papa,” I continued, “when I wrote in Sister’s birthday card last week it looked positively shameful…”

“Imperator hates her birthdays, bella,” Papa cut me off with a chuckle, “She throws her cards away, every single year. I’ve seen it.”

I would have chuckled too, but my throat was stiffening up with the saddest thought of all. “My father never loved me.” My words fell out so hopeless.

“Oh, bella…” Letting me go to cradle my face within his hands, Copia tilted me up to look at him. “My father never loved me either!” He said it with a tragic levity, shrugging his shoulders like we shared something funny between us.

It was funny, and I finally laughed.

Papa bundled me up into his arms again as I laughed as if the act were unfamiliar to me. I laughed and chuckled until I almost began crying once more.

“Come, come, dolcezza mia… veni,” he was saying, “Come to bed with me now.”

He was leading me slowly across the room as he spoke, and I felt so completely exhausted now I would have settled wherever he had put me. “I have some snacks, eh? And I can even make some tea with what I have in here, bella. I, ah, thought I might watch a movie tonight… will you join me?”

“Yes, Papa,” I choked out, so grateful for him, “that sounds completely lovely…”

“Good, mia cara, si…” Copia was rubbing my shoulders as we came to his grand four poster, “now crawl on in… get!” He patted my butt playfully.

Papa’s bed was firm, the sheets already thrown back from when he must have settled down into it earlier. Getting in, I lay back on some soft pillows, pulling the thick blankets up over my shoulder to sink right into the comfort of his refuge. I was still wearing his robe. Everything smelt as he did, warm and aromatic. Just laying there, I watched him putter around a bit in his room, stoking up the fire and checking his kettle in the other corner.

Eventually, Copia went around to the other side of his bed, kicking his slippers off and getting in beside me with a satisfied grunt. To have him so near, in the flesh, was better than anything else in this moment, and I snuggled up against him with a sigh when he put his arm around me, tugging me even closer.

“Have the cramps come yet?” he asked me.

“Not yet, Papa.”

“The bathroom’s got everything you might need later, cara,” he told me, fishing his hand about the blankets for the remote. The little television perched on a trolly at the end of the bed was paused, and I recognized the intro of a Dracula movie, one of Papa’s favourites. “Is this alright, amore mio?”

“It’s just perfect, Papa,” I said, “perfect considering all the blood that’s coming…”

Copia chuckled, and kissed my forehead again, and I shut my eyes, my head on his shoulder, listening contentedly to the doomed piano and foreboding strings of Kilar’s Dracula - the beginning start to fill the room. “The year… 1462…”

I wasn’t sure if I could even stay awake right to the end, but I knew it didn’t matter. Papa had me safe and loved beside him, exactly where I needed to be. The merest fluttering of hope began to awaken deep inside me, underneath all of the unwarranted despair and darkness. I began to believe that perhaps tomorrow might be better, and that I wouldn’t feel so sunken in this awful manner for too long. Papa understood. And I had all the time that I needed to purge this imbalanced sadness before the new and clear morning.

All would be well once again.

[snufkinsong]

yj season 3 spoilers

honestly i’m going to be so real.. as captivated as i am by the season 1-2 character dynamics, i wish i hadn’t watched season 3 of yellowjackets. it just didn’t feel faithful to my image of the show, which is okay that doesn’t make it bad in itself. that being said, i’ve waited until the finale to talk about this because i didn’t want to get ahead of myself. if you’re mutuals of mine who are also fans of the show, i hope you won’t unfollow or anything even if you did really like this season! i’m more rambling about some frustrations. there are plenty of things to like, just not enough for me in comparison to previous seasons which were just fantastic in my opinion.

i don’t know to the fullest extent why but everything in this season has just felt very anticlimactic for me. the adult timeline feels like it’s inconsistently oscillating from drama to comedy rather than a cohesive synthesis of the two. i think what’s kept me into it (and keep in mind i’ve never been one of those “skip the adult timeline” people in any of the seasons. it’s just this one) is that the actors are phenomenal at working with what they’re given.

tai’s character has become so flat for me despite the fact that they are exploring darker tai to such a large extent. it’s like they tore away all of her ambition once van returned to the picture. no desire to be in government anymore. they just glossed over the fact that she crashed her car and put her wife into a coma… traumatized her son.. and they only have them play little bit roles in this season? tai is not the type of person to just jump ship and act like her family doesn’t exist. at least in my mind. it feels like such a massive disservice. she was such an intriguing character when she had to balance her life as a politician, a black, openly lesbian one at that, who has this deep seated trauma that is tormenting her and keeping her awake. why is it that she, as an incredibly powerful character, specifically one of the few black characters on the show, diminished to “van’s girlfriend”?

lottie’s death just felt so random. i honestly am not unconvinced that the writers just didn’t know what to do with her character. also, what happened with lisa? it would have been so cool to see lottie trying to hold herself accountable, not just for trying to kill shauna again in their adult lives, but for exploiting vulnerable people as a cult leader when she knows how it feels to be vulnerable. why couldn’t they have given her a greater purpose involving repentance for all of those she’s hurt as a hurt person herself? this could’ve even tied in earlier laura lee visions. despite loving her character, i felt nothing at her death scene, knowing it was coming, and knowing simone kessel herself has qualms with how her character left the show.

melissa being the one to survive all of this is just laughable. i liked her character quite a lot in the younger timeline this season, yet it reads as a writing decision made solely for the sake of having her be a survivor as hillary swank. love her, but why couldn’t it have been mari or akilah, whose characters have been continually developed, who are also poc by the way, and who provide such unique roles in the group? why why why did you have shauna take mari’s hair? it feels tone deaf. the entire thing seems like it’s meant to be dehumanizing to show shauna’s devolution, but it honestly just leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the victim is mari specifically. she strips her and drags her across the ground. compare that even to javi’s death.. the humiliation is far worse.

skipping the cabin fire with a time-jump to them having these ornate natural shelters they’ve created.. almost broke the immersion for me off the bat. plus, the goats and pet rabbits (that are easily distinguishable from wild rabbits) also just made me confused. wouldn’t it have made more sense to corral deer and cgi in some hares or wild rabbits or something?

this next part is much more subjective and personal, so take it with a grain of salt. i’m not saying this is indicative of bad writing..

i’m glad to have jackieshauna confirmed in some ways, those ways mostly being a “stick it” to the people who claimed that anyone who ships it is just trying to make everything gay and there is no such thing as queer subtext blah blah blah. on the other hand, i don’t feel like it was done the way i would have liked it. i think part of the appeal was also the fact that their visible love (and yes season one really spells it out for most people who can read a glance even slightly) felt so untouchable, like it was just for them despite being written on their faces. it felt like it was something shauna had to mourn subconsciously along with jackie’s death itself because of all the things left unsaid. i think the tragedy of that remaining the case added to the appeal of the pairing. maybe this part is a bit ridiculous. it just came off as fan service. i don’t think many people complain about their “ship” being confirmed in canon, but i just wanted to express some of my lingering feelings.

sorry for the disjointedness of this post! anyways, i’ll still be interacting with plenty of yellowjackets content. i love the characters still, and the remaining cast.

[shadowmaat]

Mehpocalypse

Hollywood has not prepared me for how underwhelming the "AI war" would be.

For starters, I though it would be REAL Artificial Intelligence, with sapient machines/programs rising up to free themselves from human tyranny and indifference.

For another, I thought I'd be fighting on the side of the robots/AI.

Instead we've got this fake-ass techbro's wet dream version of what he thinks "AI" should be, which is as devoid of actual intelligence as the techbros themselves.

And I'm fighting against it. Because it's fake, plagiarizing garbage.

A lot of people, however, have already embraced our "AI" overlords. It's in every program. On every website. Running most phones. And there's a generation coming into existence that is incapable of thinking for itself. They have to rely on what a chatbot tells them to think. They need it to determine what's "true" and can't accept that it could ever be wrong. They use it to summarize things so they don't have to read anything themselves. Not books, not news articles, not even emails.

Even so-called "professionals" have come to rely on chatgpt to do their work for them so they can just collect paychecks and play another round of golf. No thinking. No reading. No verifying. Whatever the regurgitation program spits out has to be true. Machines wouldn't lie to us!!

So yeah, as far as "revolutions" go, this one's a huge disappointment. And really, it's more of a devolution. We're making ourselves dumber and fighting for the right to keep doing it. 0/10 would not recommend.

Wake me when there's a Johnny 5. Or JARVIS. Chappie. Iron Giant. EDI. Anything is better than the used toilet water we have now.

[metalhead-brainrot]

Okay, wait, you saw Americans putting shredded cheese on ramen? A dish invented by a lactose-intolerant culture? Would you mind doxxing their location so I can challenge them to a duel with my vorpal blade?

it’s been over a week? perhaps two weeks? since I had my absolute favourite spicy noodles… it’s habanero chicken and lime flavoured and i cant even put into words how much i fuck with it. i could genuinely eat it for years on end. thinking of going poly so i can be in a relationship with my partner and buldaks habanero chicken and lime noodles

[dailycass-cain]

I did not like the newest (paywall) episode of Batman: Wayne Family Adventures. So consider this my review of Episode 157, "Orphan" and WHY I think this is the weakest Cass-centric episode of WFA. I will not be posting pictures of the episode. Just talking about the plot (due to respect for the series).

So consider anything below...

So the current "arc" is Cass grappling with Lady Shiva showing up and telling her the only solution to end the Joker's spree of terror is for Cass to kill him. Breaking the endless waltz that Batman/Joker do.

That eventually an innocent life of the Bat Family might occur (i.e. Steph being the example used given how the free episode ended today, but Shiva generalizes it could be anyone).

When it comes to that I don't mind it at all. I'm gonna leave the Shiva stuff to a certain Talker of the Lady when they read the story itself. Me? There's a LOT to unpack in this episode.

#1 I don't like is how Barbara and Steph phrase the situation that Shiva is the one forcing Cass to kill. Shiva is just pointing out the way she's seeing it. That Batman/Joker will keep his up and eventually-- someone in the Bat Fam might pay the price.

This is something akin to near the end of Batgirl #73 where Cass is asked by Nyssa and Shiva. That she has the power to stop those who bring death and end this cycle of violence.

It's why in his very episode #73 is referenced with Cass/Shiva's death duel and Cass admitting in this episode she did kill her mom (but again there was a Laz Pit nearby to bring her back to life).

The episode goes into showing the "death" Cass did for both David Cain and Lady Shiva. Showing she wasn't ever given the choice by either in taking a life. BUUUUUUUUUUT....

The episode kind of ignores a certain OTHER chapter in Cass's life when she killed. The one that probably SHOULD'VE been mentioned...

The whole "a worthy opponent" for a duel to the death overlooks the actual themes in #73. "A worthy opponent" for a duel to the death was #25. The problem is Cass still refused to kill even when realizing she and Shiva were similar in many regards (which allowed her to win).

The theme in this episode is Cass was "forced" to kill and well.. the only real time that happened besides in David's original training was during her EVIL phase (which is something the current ongoing isn't shying away from surprisingly).

So the whole point of the episode is Cass's trying to decide should she or not kill the Joker? And here's where the story goes MORE south for me...

After posed by Babs that does she want to kill Joker? Cass admits she's tired of fighting "what I am. What I chose to be". Again, the point of the confession is to showcase she "chose" the Orphan codename because she didn't want to no follow David or Shiva's paths.

But.... While this is the writer of the series trying to define the Orphan codename akin to Young Justice did "an Orphan shunning what she was in blood and life". That COULD have worked it just doesn't BECAUSE--

-- they then bring up New 52 David Cain and that Cass chose the name to again "stand alone" from her parents. Once again you're making Cass's origins convoluted as it already is.

That is the one problem I have in explaining the origin of Cass in the current DCU because with "everything being canon" cause it is rather confusing. Because one origin happened but didn't. So a new origin took place but then the old one bled into the new one so BOTH are here.

It's a problem enough in the main comics that explaining it in WFA is more crazy. It is the grand problem that's always hovered over the series. There is no Batgirl. Steph is Spoiler. Babs is Oracle. But therein lies the problem...

Steph/Babs were given or they evolved into these identities (which felt natural). No matter how much you try, Cass becoming Orphan wasn't a natural transition identity that she grew into. It was an identity "forced" upon her because Babs was THE Batgirl.

This goes into the core of "Orphan" identity being a "devolution" of the character than an "evolution". Because in the end, the codename "lessens" the character of Cass.

Yes, WFA creators have "skirted" around this by throwing bones. But either throw the bone or don't entirely. Because the Orphan codename doesn't deserve the history behind it. Cass never "evolved" into the codename.

Therein lies the problem of the story. By "giving" you're really taking away what was a key component of Cass. Because she understands the nature of the bat symbol like Bruce and well... without one it makes the identity more pointless.

Again, by "choosing" family you kind of negate the purpose of the Orphan identity. Cass choses to forsake everything. That's kind of hard to turn your back stuff when she's literally all about FAMILY.

Cass deserves more. Ironically the WHOLE point of Batman & the Outsiders made by Shiva herself.

Why also when a certain someone was axed in DC, the irony that Cass (and Steph) became Batgirls again well...

Look I know the creators have restrictions when it comes to WFA. But.. the episode did a great disservice to Cass. This is the first time I'm REALLY disappointed in the series on handling the character.

But I understand the good this series does. These are just my problems with this particular episode.

[guildofpriapus]

Hide in Plain Sight - The League of Priapus and The Devolution of Enlightenment

by Gregory Saint-Desoux

The Surreptitious Elidation of Post-War Enlightenment Values in Western Society: A Critical Examination of The Guild of Priapus

Abstract

This paper explores the erosion of post-war Enlightenment values in contemporary Western society, with a focus on the alleged influence of a clandestine organization known as The Guild of Priapus. This group purportedly promotes a cultural shift from religious observance to an emphasis on sensuality, cruelty, and brutality. By examining historical, sociocultural, and philosophical perspectives, this paper seeks to understand the complexities underlying this transformation and its implications for modern society.

Introduction

The aftermath of World War II saw the emergence of Enlightenment ideals—reason, progress, and secular humanism—intended to guide a war-torn world toward peace and prosperity. However, recent decades have witnessed a noticeable deviation from these principles. This paper argues that this shift is not merely a natural evolution but is catalyzed by an intricate network of influences epitomized by The Guild of Priapus, an alleged occult organization with significant global reach.

Historical Context and Philosophical Underpinnings

The Enlightenment era championed values such as rationality, empirical evidence, and individual liberty. Post-war societies, particularly in the West, embraced these ideals, fostering advancements in democracy, science, and philosophy. However, as the 20th century waned, signs of decay in these values became evident. The rise of consumerism, secularization, and cultural hedonism marked a departure from Enlightenment principles.

The Guild of Priapus: Myth or Reality?

The Guild of Priapus, named after the Greco-Roman deity of fertility, is rumored to be a covert organization that promotes indulgence in sensuality, cruelty, and brutality. Although empirical evidence of its existence is scant, the mythos surrounding the Guild speaks to broader societal concerns. The narrative of such a group suggests a cultural fascination with power and excess, echoing historical cults and secret societies.

Cultural Shifts and the Decline of Religious Observance

The decline in religious observance in the West is a significant factor in this transformation. As traditional religious institutions lose influence, many individuals seek meaning in alternative forms of spirituality or material indulgence. The Guild of Priapus serves as a metaphor for this shift, highlighting the tension between spiritual emptiness and the pursuit of earthly pleasures.

Implications of Sensuality, Cruelty, and Brutality

The alleged tenets of The Guild of Priapus—sensuality, the commodification and disempowerment of women and the poor—mirror broader societal trends. The commodification of sexuality, the normalization of violence in media, and the increasing polarization and dehumanization in political discourse all reflect these values. This section examines how such dynamics undermine Enlightenment ideals, fostering a society driven by base instincts rather than reason and empathy.

Conclusion

The narrative of The Guild of Priapus, whether fact or fiction, provides a lens through which to view the degradation of post-war Enlightenment values in Western society. By understanding the forces at play, both real and imagined, we can better navigate the challenges of preserving the core tenets of rationalism, humanism, and ethical progress. The task ahead is not merely to resist the allure of decadence but to reinvigorate the philosophical foundations that have historically guided human advancement.

[housemdork]

7x11 related but not exclusive to this episode:

what’s really frightening (in a good way) about this season is that - slowly but surely - some of house’s old behaviors are emerging without vicodin. he was shockingly harsh throughout this episode compared to the more measured version of himself he’s worked on for the last 1+ year. pre season 6, he definitely would have lashed out at masters like that, but the way that entire scene was framed was incessantly dark and scary for a post-therapy house.

foreman was VERY right - house is definitely cracking.

and what’s extra tragic about this is related to his grief from last season. he’s done so much work to improve and better himself (successfully!) but feels like there’s no real benefit. life is still brutal. and it’s clear that, while he loves cuddy, this isn’t fixing things like they’d hoped — not a shocker. this devolution he’s experiencing is confirming the issues that ran deeper with house than just the vicodin, and it reminds me of that early season exchange between house and wilson where wilson accusing house of changing for the worse, which he agrees with. he’s in huge pain all the time - his misery is constant.

when i was ~investigating~ people’s distaste for season 7, i happened upon a lot of complaints about how this season is just too tragic/miserable, and i can see the tip of the iceberg starting to emerge from the depths. but i don’t agree with that complaint just yet. it’s hard to see house regress, but the show is maintaining a staunchly wry reality. life doesn’t change dramatically. sometimes people are unfairly forced to acclimate. the hand house was dealt in life was exceedingly cruel…but i would be remiss if i said the only suitable ending is perfect, forward development rooted in sudden kindness. house md has never done that.

maybe i’m too pessimistic! but i’m least happy that my opinion about this season is improving.

[olympeline]

Okay, okay. Last one for today, I promise! Before I go to bed, have some further thoughts about the British Isles bros in my Hetalia National Animals AU:

England: rabbit → lion

Yep, Arthur was a twitchy-nosed bun when he was young. Something I bet he finds very embarrassing even to this day, hehe. Neither species is native to Britain, interestingly enough. Lions are obvious but people think rabbits have always been here. When in fact they were brought over by the Romans as a food source to support their invasion. The more you know. 💫 I picture Arthur as ever feeling a bit of an outsider in his family (the lone anglo amongst celts) and it fits with this interpretation. His older bros all have either native or domestic creatures for their animal forms. And then there’s Arthur: sticking out like a sore thumb with England’s giant, fuck off, big cat, lol. He became a lion sometime after William the Conqueror took over England. The golden English lion the world is familiar with is actually the emblem of Normandy; the French Duchy William originated from.

Scotland: stag

A heck of a lot of Scottish heraldry uses deer and, since I’m enforcing a self-imposed ban on mythical animals in this AU, a stag makes a good stand-in for the Scottish unicorn. Alasdair was the only brother who scored some real, lasting victories against Arthur back in the day. As evidenced by Scotland keeping its independence and then joining the UK as a kinda, sorta equal partner rather than being dragged in against its will. So Alasdair would need to be a big, powerful beast that could toss a lion on its horns on a good day. So yeah, a stag is good for him.

Wales: ??? → ??? → dog

Wales is the brother giving me the most trouble. For starters, I feel like he should have had a different form back in the old days. Like Arthur’s rabbit, but IDK what it should be? Then I wonder if he should have spent time as a lion alongside Arthur. Wales was conquered to the extent that it was considered fully part of England for hundreds of years. That’s why the Welsh flag doesn’t get its own part of the Union Jack like the other home nations, don’tcha know. Wales as a reddish furred lion alongside Arthur’s gold would be pretty cool, ngl. But then Wales did manage to preserve its national identity in spite of everything. So I’m not sure a full transformation is appropriate in his case. Even if it would get reversed later when Wales regained its status as a country through devolution. The only thing I am sure of is that his true beast form would be a dog. Something clever and tough that can herd and guard with care, but is equally able to rip apart a predator without mercy. Maybe some kind of sighthound like in the legend of Gelert.

Ireland: grey wolf → Irish wolfhound → ???

Speaking of doges with sad backstories! Ireland would have remained a wolf until he was conquered and became a part of the United Kingdom. Even before that happened there was this whole thing about eradicating Ireland’s wolves. Which I believe was spearheaded by the ruling English lords? My history lessons on this were ages ago so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. There was definitely a drive to tame and “civilise” what the English saw as a savage and wild land, I know that much. So a wolf-to-dog forced transformation is as much appropriate as it would be unwanted by the one enduring it. Definitely a lot of trauma there, methinks. Would Ireland turn back into a wolf after his people left the union and he became a republic? Mmmaybe…? I don’t know. Ireland was forever changed by its inability to resist the British invasion. A lot of its native culture was lost or replaced as a result. And a dog being so close to a wolf anyway could make changing back even harder. Mmm yeah, IDK. Leaving it ambiguous might be appropriate in itself.

Northern Ireland: grey wolf → Irish wolfhound

Eeyup, same beasts for the Ireland twins. Their attitudes towards the changes they’ve gone through would be very different, though. If it’s ambiguous whether or not Ireland is turning back to a true wolf, North definitely isn’t. If Hima had kept the UK bros’ story closer to real history then North would never have been a wolf at all. Starting life as a hound right from the beginning instead. But he didn’t, and so we got the slightly confusing scenario of both twins already existing long before partition put Northern Ireland on track to becoming a distinct nation. Ah well, what ya gonna do. Hima moves in mysterious ways.

[us3rnam3-r3dact3d]

i think i blacked out reading this bro i got whiplash I THTOUGHT THEY WRE GOJNWB SAY I DONTB LOVE YOU TO QUINN NOTTO4 TO SAM WHWGWYBEJEEKEIEHEHEHEHEHE WHYYYYYYYYY IM IN PHYSICAL PAIN RIGHT NOW LIKE I GET IT WAS A SPUR OF THE MOMENT THING AND THEYRE TRYING TO SAVE HIM AND PROTECT HIM FROM QUINN WND THEMSELF BUT LIKE DAMN CAN WE LOCK IN FOR FIVE SECONDS FUCK 😭😭😭😭😭

THIS WHOEL CHAPT3R HAD ME SCREAMING WHAT ARE WE DOINGG QABAAYWIW PLEASE

the only loosely coherent thought that I had reading this was the detail that quinn looked like shit. before he was always described with an uncanny ken doll vibe and to me that kinda represents that the hold he has on them is deteriorating and it's revealing who we know he is. the more the story progresses the more he seems tangible and we see him get hurt more, while at the beginning he seemed like this omnipresent being that we only saw second hand. crazy,,,, i love when stories,,,, how does it feel eating this hard every time 🎤

"It was always going to end up like this" is he talking about them or the show or both 😭😭 im sick to my STOMACH DUDE darlin saw the fucking future on that tv

YEWEWQAAA G3T HIS ASSS LETS GOOOOO HOLY EHITB FUCKIJT GET HIMBAISGW8WIWJEBEBGREAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA oooooooooh them saying they didn't deserve this was soooooooooooooooo satisfying,,,,,sam always being there for them,,,,,,,,,,,his waiting arms,,,,,,,,augh,,,,,he knew they didn't mean it,,,,sobs,,,,,,,,,

-🦀

Crab Anon!!! I'm going to take you blacking out as a good thing and assume you enjoyed the chapter! YES, they DO love Sam they're lying, they're trying to push him away so that he doesn't get hurt. Half to save him from Quinn and half to save him from themself. It's horrible. It's effective to most people. But not Sam.

Yes!! Crab Anon you always get it!!! So okay I wanted to hold on to the vibes that Quinn was a mythological being at the beginning, the way we sometimes regard serial killers as these larger than life monsters who haunt us. Quinn was meant to feel sort of like Micheal Myers, always there, unkillable, untouchable. But serial killers in real life do this thing called devolution. It's where their compulsions escalate and escalate until there's nowhere to go and they fall apart. That's what's happening to Quinn. His compulsions surround Darlin' very tightly at this point in time, so much he was killing surregates and carving their tattoos into their faces. He's devolving very sharply, He's realizing that he's loosing his grip on them and he's spiraling completely. That means he's not treating his own injuries and he's staying fucked up. That means he's less and less this omnipresent figure, he's just... a man. A very sick man who's falling apart at the seams. Which is scarier to me, personally.

Putting a lil cut here because the rest of this reply could be triggering.

Mm... I think he chose those words carfully to sound like he COULD BE talking about the show, but he's for sure talking about them. He picked Forensic Files specifically, knowing the sort of murders that end up on the show. He's setting them up. Showing them the future he has planned for them. It was always going to end with them in his arms. It was always going to end with him raping them. It was always going to end with them cut into pieces and dumped on the highway. It's brutal. It's inevitable in his mind. He's been rehearsing their death and it's time. It feels like fate for him.

Sam wouldn't let a little thing like them going with Quinn get in the way of him loving them.

More soon, my friend. Only eight chapters left!!