#TRIALS

[dashcon-two-trials]

Hello Peons.

Abusing my privilege as a part of tumblr history to plug my website:

Thanks 2 @strange-aeons

See you at DashCon B)

[shutupineedtothink]

Trial order and why Lilia, not Agatha, is last (not counting Rio)

Kay, so I got another off-the-wall theory for you, this time around the order of the trials and why Lilia, not Agatha, is actually going to be last (if we don't count Rio). It goes back to maiden mother crone and some of the trauma/generational trauma stuff I already talked about in a previous post. As with The Road, continue at your own peril.

Right so I couldn't get this idea of maiden mother crone, intergenerational trauma, dealing with the long history of violence toward witches thing out of my head that the show is doing. And I think we've all been assuming that Lilia's trial will be next, saving Agatha and probably Rio for last, because those are standard main character of a TV show rules.

But the more I think about it, the more weight I feel like Lilia's journey carries for this overall theme of trauma toward witches and the history of witches, etc. She seems to have the most intense connection to the pain of witches past, like old-world witch stuff, and she's the one who's brought up multiple times that witches aren't really as they've been portrayed, there's all these negative stereotypes, etc etc. And she's sick of it. She's lived through it for the longest of all of them (again, leaving whatever Rio is out of it).

Idk, something that big, addressing the long history of violence toward witches and witch stereotypes, that feels like you have to deal with it last. That's a culmination of all the witch references, pop culture and otherwise, the show has been making, of which there are MANY.

So I thought ok, for funzies, let's assume Lilia's last, which puts our trial order as follows: Jen -> Alice -> Agatha -> Lilia (and I guess true last would be Rio but I'll get there in a second).

Assuming that order, something else pinged for me: maiden mother crone. Another massive theme in the show, portraying these generations of witches and women in general, and again, for reasons I can't explain, it really feels like it has weight to me. Like they're doing something with it.

So leaving Jen aside for a second, don't worry I'll come back to her, that makes Alice our maiden. Her role, particularly in the context of her trial, is the role of daughter. She's also the youngest of the witches, as far as I can tell. She's even coded as kind of the rebellious one, the young angry one who still hasn't quite accepted her heritage, until after her trial, she does.

Agatha is the mother. We are really going for the mother/child relationship with her and Teen, and of course dealing with her son's death and whatever part she played in it. I would assume her trial will be about that, but we could also be saving that for the end. The mother is also the connector generation between maiden and crone, so maybe there's something there about Agatha fully stepping into the leader role of the coven, and accepting these women around her, idk.

Lilia, the eldest, is our crone. She carries the true history and memory of generations of witches with her, she has lived the longest through the most trials. She is the most experienced in the craft and takes it the most seriously. The journey is hers to end.

Except -- we have two other players left. Jen, who kicks off the trials, and Rio, who I'm assuming doesn't really have a trial but will be there at the end... because, you know. 💀

So why would Jen be first? What comes before the maiden?

And then she said it herself.

"I never fully identified as a witch. I am an 11th-generation root worker and midwife."

This one line almost puts her in a similar category to Rio, at least thematically. She's a witch but also more, neither and both. And she's a midwife, someone who helps facilitate birth. Someone who, at her best, supports and sustains life. Someone who allows the first phase of life, the maiden, to come into being.

And guess who that leaves us with at the end, the opposite bookend to Jen's life-giving power -- the mistress of death herself, Rio. The one to which all life must eventually return.

The trials aren't just about elements, or moon phases, or even different witch specialties, they're taking us through the stages of a witch herself. The stages of ALL women really (whether you are an actual mother with children or not, the mother phase is mid-life). Linking us all together, generation after generation.

So in this theory, the trials go like this:

Jen -> Alice -> Agatha -> Lilia -> Rio

Birth -> Maiden -> Mother -> Crone -> Death

Even the moon phases line up. Full moon is birth, a full-term pregnancy and then birth. Waxing moon, growth, renewal, hope, promise -- the maiden. Half moon, mid-life, no longer maiden, not yet crone, the in-between -- the mother. Waning moon, the last quarter of life -- crone. New moon, darkness, returning to the void -- death. They're playing fast and loose with the moon phase order, so I am too.

I can probably fudge the elements here too, but it's a little harder mostly because I don't know what Agatha's element is. I heard someone say spirit, but idk.

Anyway, what do you think? Am I on to something here? Batshit crazy? Would love to hear your thoughts in comments. :)

[l0gitex]

[kati-corn]

4x06 / 7x04 / 7x09

[coffeeforthemoon]

"What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise".

― Oscar Wilde

[thewordfortheday]

“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4).

What is God trying to do when He allows His children to go through hard trials and deep suffering? First, God wants to purge us of sin and to purify us of iniquity. Second, God uses suffering to test our faith. Will you still obey God in the darkness? Will you serve God when things aren’t going your way? Will you hold on to the truth when you feel like giving up? Third, God uses times of difficulty to humble us. When things are going well, we tend to get puffed up about our accomplishments. But let the darkness fall and we are on our knees crying out to God. Fourth, God definitely uses hard times to prepare us to minister to others. He comforts us so that we may comfort others. Fifth, I believe God uses hard times to prepare us for a new understanding of His character. In the furnace we discover God’s goodness in a way we had never experienced before.

Romans 8:28. For the children of God, “all things” do indeed work together for good.

Our trials are not sent to make us fall. They are sent to cause us to soar by grace. They are not meant to defeat us but to be the means to greater victory.

[cold-doodles]

Art trade i did with @nereeitor

The second part of the post is their art 💙

[chaincores]

i will never stop drawing him idc.

and yeah that is a direct line from him in game

[black-suns-rim]

The elemental prophets

This is a continuation for the Ethereal Star AU

The trials are a test of physical abilities and a place for spiritual death and rebirth. They are a rite of passage to adulthood. Passing all four trials is unheard of, but those who do are prophesied to become great leaders. Spiritual enlightenment comes after each trial.

Anubis - He oversees all the sacred trials. All die spiritually in his trials but are born a new. Physical deaths are rare. He would like to keep it that way. Injuries happen often in the trials and he acts as a healer for those who do sustain harm. Though he is a stoic prophet, he shows a gentle kindness to those he’s treating wounds for.

Prophet of water - she oversees the water trial. She teaches those how to hold their breath and control their breathing before they enter her trial. Timing is key.

Prophet of earth - they oversee the earth trial. They teach those to preserver. Patients is key.

Prophet of air - they oversee the air trial. They teach those to let go of the illusion of control. Flexibility is key.

Prophet of fire - he oversees the fire trial. He teaches courage for those who enter his trial. Not many make it to his trial and even fewer make it to the end. Courage is key, pride is death.

[ministerofchaosabsolute]

L'onn my beloved ,

[dashcon-two-trials]

SURPRISE

I LIED

ALL THREE ARE GOING TO DASHCON!!!

congrats to @i-drew-a-ferret , @urfavoritemistake and @foggydustcloud

thanks to @dashcon-two for everything

Everybody wins!

[l0gitex]

smth old

[prettyboychainsaw]

The devil works fast, but I work faster. It's that time again, folks. Let's get morphogenic.

OUTLASTOBER 2024

1.) [REDACTED] 2.) GENESIS 3.) REBIRTH 4.) STRUNG UP STRUNG OUT 5.) HOPE 6.) TUATARA! 7.) GOD DOESN'T LOVE YOU... 8.) ...NOT LIKE I DO 9.) BUDDY! 10.) [CHEMICAL] REAGENT 11.) FILTHY FUCKING MACHINES 12.) HIGHLY EVISCERATED PEOPLE 13.) PIG ON A SPIT 14.) SEDATIVES

15.) TUMORS 16.) BLUE BEARD'S WIVES 17.) PERSONAL HELL 18.) SCALLED MESSIAH 19.) LITTLE EYES 20.) LITTLE MOUTHS 21.) CRUCIFIXION 22.) SPRAYING FOR ROACHES 23.) UNWRAPPED 24.) JANE DOE 25.) MOUNTAIN AIR 26.) PENANCE 27.) SHOTGUN DENTISTRY 28.) PROGRAMMING 29.) PROTOCOL 30.) DOWN, DOWN, DOWN 31.) WITNESS PROTECTION

[kati-corn]

4x06 / 7x02 / 7x03 / 7x04 / 7x09

Season 4 x Season 7 Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12  - Part 13  - Part 14  - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18